EXCLUSIVE: Soon after rescuing post house LipSync, Ireland’s Playhouse Studios is building out its production arm.
The Dublin-based company has hired former Fremantle and Fox exec Shoshana Wilson as VP of Scripted Content, as part its “multi-pronged” strategy to develop and produce TV, film and games content.
Wilson is based in London, at the LipSync offices Playhouse gained when it rescued the post house from administration, and has been meeting with potential scripted partners over recent weeks. She reports into Playhouse Studios Managing Director Peggy Cafferty.
Wilson was mostly recently at Normal People, The Responder and Poor Things firm Fremantle, where she bought projects for the production-distribution giant to develop. Sandwiched between that and another stint at Fremantle, she was a senior acquisitions exec for Viaplay, but is arguably best known for a seven-year spell at Fox, where she rose to Director of Programming, Scheduling and Acquisitions for Fox UK, Your TV, National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild.
In June, we revealed Playhouse had acquired the assets of venerable UK post-production house LipSync, which had fallen into administration. The deal with accountancy firm Oury Clark saved dozens of jobs and served as a jump-off point for Playhouse to supercharge its production wing.
Playhouse Studios bosses are eyeing both scripted and unscripted projects as co-productions, IP developments and formats. We understand the company has moved a small number of former LipSync execs into development roles, while former Paramount and Viasat exec Eve Rammage has been consulting on the slate.
The production house uses Playhouse Group’s debt-based financing arm to offer gap financing secured against assets. Following the LipSync acquisition, the group also provides end-to-end post-production services across film, TV, commercials, trailers, sizzle reels, EPKs, social media, corporate content and full location and studio shoots. Furthermore, its bases in the UK and Ireland mean it is able to access tax credits in both countries.
With TV production in many cases moving closer to an indie film model, players who can provide solutions to both building and streamlining budgets are being sought out in greater numbers.
“We are thrilled to be working with Shoshana,” said Cafferty, who runs Playhouse Studios alongside Lorcan Kavanagh. “She brings a wealth of experience and industry understanding to the table and analyzes stories and their commercial viability like no one else. Shosh is a wonderful addition to Playhouse Studios. Lorcan and I are delighted that she has agreed to join on scripted team as VP of Scripted TV.”
“I’m really excited to be joining the company at a transitional time, exploring all the opportunities the LipSync acquisition brings, as well as sinking my teeth into lots of juicy creative projects,” Wilson told Deadline.
