OXYGEN COMMITTED TO UNCONVENTIONAL ORIGINALS IN �07 NETWORK ANNOUNCES 2007 DEVELOPMENT SLATE
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Projects in Development from Lynda Obst, Working Title Television,
Lionsgate Television, Escape Artists, September Films, Lovespell,
Fox TV Studios, and New Line Television
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NEW YORK, May 4, 2006 -- Oxygen is continuing to re-write the rulebook for women�s television with its most ambitious development slate to date for 2007, it was announced today by Debby Beece, Oxygen�s President of Programming and Marketing and Aaron Meyerson, Oxygen�s Senior Vice President of Development and Production. The network is collaborating with top tier producers such as Lynda Obst, Working Title Television, Lionsgate Television, Escape Artists, September Films, Lovespell, Fox TV Studios, and New Line Television for a diverse mix of comedy and reality series and original films.
Projects that have gone to pilot for the network include Once More With Feeling, a reality series from September Films that takes people�s big announcements and turns them into Broadway caliber musical productions, Capitol Hill Girls, a docu-soap that focuses on the lives of young women working on Capitol Hill, and Tease, a competition reality series in which world renowned hair stylists compete against talented challengers. Other projects in development include animated series Angry Little Girls from Jennifer Love Hewitt and Lovespell, single camera comedy series Bastards! from Fox TV Studios, one hour dramedy Robin Hudson Mysteries from Lynda Obst, limited drama series Serial from Lionsgate and original film MK Ultra, from New Line.
In addition to these new projects, Oxygen is gearing up for a premiere packed summer of new original programming. In June, Oxygen premieres The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, a reality series from Stuart Krasnow that chronicles the exploits of America�s Over the Top Supermodel, Janice Dickinson, as she launches her own modeling agency. Also in June comes thriller Banshee, an original movie starring Hustle & Flow�s Taryn Manning, as The Banshee, a car thief on the run from a killer whose car she has stolen. In July, Oxygen premieres Mo�Nique�s F.A.T. Chance; the second annual beauty competition for plus sized women. In August comes the highly anticipated new reality series Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty as well as Fight Girls, a reality movie that features the country�s best female fighters as they train to compete with the toughest women on earth in a battle for the Muay Thai World Championship. Fight Girls is produced by Scott Messick (Pros vs. Joes, Survivor) and Tom Webber.
�Oxygen has spent the last few years focused on comedy - it�s an important part of our schedule and it�s what sets us apart from the pack. This year, we have cast a wider net with our development slate, by including more reality, and trying different things with animation and large-scale productions,� said Meyerson. �While we are branching out in new directions, all of these projects embody the bold, over the top sensibility that Oxygen has come to be known for and that appeals to our core audience of young women.�
See below for more information on the roster of projects in development.
PILOT ORDERS
� ONCE MORE WITH FEELING (half hour, reality)
Broadway is taken to the streets in this reality show that takes someone with an announcement (like a proposal or pregnancy) and follows that person as they learn to sing, dance and ultimately surprise an unsuspecting person with a big announcement in a public place- just like a real life musical. Produced by September Films. In production.
� CAPITOL HILL GIRLS (half hour reality, docu-soap)
A docu-soap following the frenzied lives and political work of a diverse group of women on Capitol Hill, both Democrats and Republicans, as they come together to promote a bipartisan cause. Produced by Dave Noll, Stephanie Steele and Vivian Sorensen by City Lights Television.
� TEASE (half hour reality)
A team of four world-renowned hair stylists compete against talented challengers in the world of hair. Produced by Michael Yuden for My Entertainment (King of Vegas, Pros vs. Joes) and Brian Gadinsky for The G Group (EP American Idol season 1, American Gladiators, America's Most Wanted).
SCRIPT DEALS
� ANGRY LITTLE GIRLS (half hour, animated comedy)
Based on the book by Lela Lee, this irreverent animated series follows a group of diverse elementary school girls who share their opinions, anger, issues, and upset in a hilarious way with anyone who will listen. Produced by Jennifer Love Hewitt at Lovespell; Written by Alex Borstein (Family Guy).
� BASTARDS! (half hour single-camera, scripted comedy)
Meet Rosemary � the portrait of a scoundrel, a liar, and a cheat, she has just landed the job of headmistress at the elite West Oak Academy, where the over-privileged students are about to finally meet their match.
Produced by Fox TV Studios; Written by Harry Cripps.
� IDENTICAL (half hour single-camera, scripted comedy)
A quirky, half hour dramedy about protagonist Jane and her twin sister Roxy � identical twins who couldn�t be more different. Produced by Tim Perell at Process Media (Trust the Man, Romancing the Bride); Written by Eric Pomerance (I'm With Lucy).
� NICKY VELVET (one hour scripted action, drama)
Nicky Velvet is a picky crook, who steals the seemingly valueless � for a hefty fee of course. Need the water stolen from a swimming pool or the rare ivory comb from a dangerous thug�s back pocket? Nicky will execute the job using her intuition and intellect to outsmart her dupe. Based on the 88 mystery books by Edward Hoch. Produced by Escape Artists partners Steve Tisch, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal; Written by Grant Rosenberg.
� ROBIN HUDSON MYSTERIES (one hour scripted dramedy, mystery)
Robin Hudson is a quirky, third-string reporter for the All News Network and just can't seem to win. When she becomes involved in a New Year's Eve murder mystery she discovers her uncanny ability to solve crimes better than the police.
Produced by Lynda Obst (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Hope Floats, Sleepless in Seattle); Written by Jennifer Furlong. Based on the series of books by Sparkle Hayter.
� SERIAL (one hour limited series, drama)
A small town Sheriff and her rebellious daughter�s life are turned upside down when they suddenly must protect the town from a serial killer. Produced by Debra Martin Chase (Princess Diaries, Missing) and Glenn Davis & William Laurin for and Lions Gate TV Written by Glenn Davis & William Laurin.
� SEXY JUSTICE (half hour, scripted comedy)
Cagney and Lacey meets Austin Powers -- two smart and sexy LAPD detectives fight crime by any means necessary! Written by Johanna Stein. Produced by Kelly Kulcheck (USA�s new series Psyche).
� MK ULTRA (original movie, thriller, action)
Based on true events. Recently declassified CIA documents reveal a mind control program called MK ULTRA in which normal women are trained to be sleeper assassins. Produced by New Line and written by Edith Swenson (Beach Girls, Witchblade, Xena).
� THE PACT (original movie, mystery)
Based on the book by Jennifer Sturman, Rachel and friends do not like their friends� fianc�e. When he turns up dead the day of the wedding, Rachel remembers the pact she and her friends made back in college to rescue each other from bad relationships. Rachel is determined to find out if someone taken the pact too far. Produced by Jamie Gordon and Courtney Potts for Fugitive Films (In the Bedroom; Uptown Girls); Written by Stacey Kravetz (Cold Case).
� BLINDSIDED (original movie)
Seeking out her natural mother in Eastern Europe turns into a deadly proposition for an American woman when she discovers she�s at the center of a vast conspiracy that involves the family she never knew. Marked for execution, she kidnaps a British expatriate and forces him to help her unravel the mystery and evade death. Produced by Tim Perrell. Written and to be directed by Kris Isacsson (Romancing The Bride, Down to You)
About Oxygen Media
Oxygen, the only cable network owned and operated by women, is currently available in over 67 million homes. The network was launched in 2000 to fill a void in the television landscape -- creating a network targeted to younger women. Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's television, with vast array of unconventional and original programming including The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, Mo�Nique�s F.A.T. Chance and Campus Ladies. Geraldine Laybourne, the network's founder, Chairman and CEO, has led the company to be a strong advocate for women. Through programs like The Mentor's Walk, Oxygen's national program for bringing along the next generation, and "Who Cares About Girls," Oxygen's new documentary series -- Oxygen is creating The New Girls Network.
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