Off the Fence fare floods Mideast

80 hours sold to Universal Art Prods.

By MARLENE EDMUNDS

AMSTERDAM -- Independent docu production and distribution outfit Off the Fence has sold more than 100 hours of titles to the Middle East, including 80 hours to Beirut-based distrib Universal Art Prods.

Universal Art has picked up NHNZ's 13-episode half-hour series "Shark Gordon" and one-hour doc "Biggest Nose in Borneo." Pact also includes one-hour "Megalightning," a Top Notch/Off the Fence co-production, as well as Atlantic Prods.' "Seven Wonders of the Ancient" series.

Off the Fence also sold 23 hours of factual programming to American-backed Middle East news and info channel Al Hurra.

Pact includes Becker Entertainment's 13-episode series "Journeys to the Ends of the Earth"; three episodes of bio doc "Crossings," from Bang Prods.; and one-hour "Sumo Story."

Deal comes after a 75-hour pact clinched last year.

Off the Fence also sold "Seven Wonders of Ancient Egypt" and "Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece," two parts of the "Seven Wonders" series, to TVP in Poland. TVP had earlier picked up the other entries in the series.

Image Works/Off the Fence co-production "Jet Protectors" has sold to German pubcaster ZDF. In the show, an air force base in South Africa borders Kruger National Park and shares quarters with the park's several hundred species of wild animals.