Following the investment earlier this year from global merchant bank, The Raine Group, and on the heels of recently announced key hires, Propagate is making its first investment into Incognita, producer Edouard de Vésinne’s production company. The announcement was made by Ben Silverman, Chairman and Co-CEO and Howard T. Owens, Co-CEO of Propagate.
Incognita will help spearhead Propagate’s European production efforts, focusing on premium scripted drama globally. Propagate and Incognita will package big dramas and movies for local and global audiences serving as the premiere production partner for local broadcasters, cable players, and OTT services.
Cyrus Farrokh, President of International for Propagate, will distribute the content globally.
Edouard de Vésinne is a leading European production executive with 25 years’ experience running major broadcasters and production companies. His credits include the series “Taken,” “XIII,” “Les Bleus,” “No Limit,” and “Taxi Brooklyn.”
“The investment from Raine allows us to expand our production efforts globally and invest in best in class producers like Edouard and Incognita. Our aim is to produce and deliver premium content to worldwide television audiences,” said Silverman and Owens. “Edouard is one of the leading film and television producers in Europe with over two decades of experience. His instincts and relationships with broadcasters across Europe will make for a powerful partnership.”
“I have known and worked with Ben for over a decade now, and he is an exceptional visionary and producer in the business. Combined with Howard and Ben’s unbelievable track record and the Propagate team’s tenacity, I am confident that Incognita will be able to tackle the creative and commercial challenges posed by the ever-evolving French and European market. I am incredibly thrilled about his partnership, as it will strengthen our creativity and enable us to produce premium quality scripted content for all audiences across Europe,” de Vésinne added.
Propagate and its executives have a 25-year market leadership position in international content development, global distribution, and production having run networks, studios, talent agencies and independent production and distribution companies. Founded in 2015, Propagate has quickly become a major indie studio with 17 series in production and 40 projects in development at over 21 networks and streaming services, including Apple’s first series, and genre-pushing content at Amazon, Netflix, FBCC CW, CBS and beyond.
Propagate is aggressively aiming to forge new partnerships with best-in-class talent from the entertainment industry. The company joined forces with Grammy Award-winner Zac Brown’s Southern Ground to produce content based upon his southern lifestyle brand. Currently in production is a reimagining of the hit series “In Search Of,” Hosted and Executive Produced by Zachary Quinto for HISTORY. Propagate is also teaming up with “Project Runway” Executive Producer Desiree Gruber for the provocative reality series, “Labor of Love.”
With the success of their hit show “Lore,” produced in partnership with Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment and picked up for Season 2 by Amazon Prime, Propagate has also acquired two other hit podcasts, “Up and Vanished” which is sold at Oxygen, and “Sword and Scale” which has been picked up by a streaming service. In the coming year, Propagate plans to make a bigger play in this emerging medium, launching a podcast studio to develop and produce original podcasts.
2018 will also bring Propagate’s first straight to series scripted order, “Blood & Treasure,” for CBS and a new production of “Charmed” for the CW.
In the coming year, Propagate plans to expand its worldwide production, distribution and digital businesses, including the formation of a branded content studio division and podcast network. Propagate’s ambitions include growing its global footprint with the launch of business units in Latin America, Asia, India and the Middle East. Through these units, the company will partner with local production communities to develop, produce and distribute original formats as well as target potential acquisitions.
