Madrid-based global powerhouse The Mediapro Studio has joined forces with Emmy-winning producer-showrunner Charles Wachter to launch a new non-fiction banner, Stopwatch Media.
Wachter, whose notable credits include reality shows “Million Dollar Secret” for Netflix, “Beast Games” for Prime Vídeo and “Got to Get Out” for Hulu, as well as hit Netflix series “Win the Mall,” will be based out of Toronto where Stopwatch Media will have its H.Q, allowing The Mediapro Studio to gain a foothold on Canadian soil and continue expanding its global infrastructure.
Led by Wachter, the new label will harness The Mediapro Studio’s international reach, resources and partnerships to develop premium formats for both the United States and global audiences.
“Capitalizing on the trend of U.S. shows coming to Canada, this is about putting a flag in the ground and building out the production infrastructure to deliver ambitious, globally relevant shows,” Wachter said. “With The Mediapro Studio as our partner, we have the vision, creative freedom and ambition to develop ideas that can make an impact in the United States and beyond.”
“The Mediapro Studio has always sought to partner with bold creative voices who can push the industry forward and Charles Wachter is exactly that,” added Pam Healey, head of unscripted at The Mediapro Studio U.S. “His track record of delivering premium original formats with international resonance makes Stopwatch Media a natural extension of our global content strategy. With this launch, we are cementing our presence in Canada with one of the very best.”
The launch of Stopwatch Media comes at a pivotal moment for the industry, as networks and platforms seek high-impact formats with franchise potential in an increasingly crowded market.
“Collaborating with Charles at Stopwatch Media is a statement of how we see the future of nonfiction content,” said JC Acosta, director of The Mediapro Studio U.S. “Our priority is clear: to develop and produce bold, global unscripted formats.”
Wachter is behind some of the biggest hit reality shows at the streaming platforms and networks. “Million Dollar Secret,” Netflix’s reality competition series hosted by Peter Serafinowicz, is returning for Season 2 on April 15. His other credits include ABC’s “Fear Factor” and “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” winning an Emmy for the latter.
Among the more prominent production-distribution companies based out of Southern Europe, The Mediapro Studio has fast expanded to 53 outposts across the world.
Its fiction productions include such recent hit films as “Aída y Vuelta,” “El 47,” and “The Good Boss,” starring Javier Bardem. It has also backed such bar-raising international shows as “The New Pope,” “The Young Pope,” “Yosi, the Regretful Spy” and “Barrabrava,” among many others.
