TOM FONTANA AND BARRY LEVINSON NAMED EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS OF NEW DISCOVERY CHANNEL SERIES "KILLING FIELDS"
(Los Angeles, Calif.) - Discovery Channel announced today that it has tapped Hollywood heavyweights Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson as co-executive producers of its new crime series KILLING FIELDS.
Fontana has written and produced such groundbreaking television series as "St. Elsewhere," "Homicide: Life On The Street," "Oz" and "The Philanthropist." He has received three Emmy Awards, four Peabody Awards and three Writers' Guild Awards. Levinson is best known for directing such critically acclaimed feature films as "Diner," "Wag the Dog," "Good Morning, Vietnam," the crime drama "Bugsy," which won the Golden Globe for Best Picture, and the Oscar Award-winning film "Rain Man" for which he won Best Director and Best Picture. He has also worked on award-winning television, earning him four Emmy's, including crime series such as "Oz" and "Homicide: Life on the Streets," the latter for which he won an Emmy for Best Individual Director as well as a Peabody Award.
"I've always been fascinated with the criminal underworld and the grittier side of society," Fontana said. "I was intrigued by the opportunity to explore non-scripted programming and work with Discovery in telling these real-life stories which use the latest scientific technology and research to shed light on the subject."
"I've spent much of my career working in scripted, but what drew me to this project is the excitement of the unexpected," Levinson said. "You can never predict what people will say and the direction these stories can take. It's a different process, so it allows us the freedom to uncover interesting material as it unfolds."
"In reintroducing the genre of true crime to our line-up, what can be better than to entice these two master story tellers to our incredible team producing KILLING FIELDS," said Rich Ross, President of Discovery Channel.
"The heart of this project is the passionate group of investigators who work the crimes in these fields, refusing to give up no matter the obstacle. We are so excited to work with Tom and Barry, who have created some of the most memorable characters in film and television, as we bring to life the real stories of these men and women," said Rebecca Toth Diefenbach, Executive Producer of the series and Co-President of Sirens Media.
KILLING FIELDS, set to debut in 2016, is an all new series that will reveal the deep history attached to isolated and idyllic areas in America that are killing fields - locations where crimes have occurred and have gone undetected due to their geography and outside elements that have erased the scene of the crime. The series will use the most up-to-date scientific advancements and technologies to find the truth and bring resolution to what lurks just below the surface.
KILLING FIELDS is produced for Discovery Channel by Sirens Media, a Leftfield Entertainment Company. For Sirens, Executive Producers are Rebecca Toth Diefenbach, Valerie Haselton and Lucilla D'Agostino. For Discovery Channel, Denise Contis and Joseph Schneier are Executive Producers. To learn more, go to www.discovery.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/discovery and on Twitter @Discovery.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's #1 pay-TV programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. For 30 years Discovery has been dedicated to satisfying curiosity and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its global television brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Discovery controls Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education, and a digital leader with a diversified online portfolio, including Discovery Digital Networks. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
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