MUMBAI: First there was an Oscar winning film in the 1960s called ?Lawrence of Arabia?. Now television format creator and distributor FremantleMedia International has announced the development of a six hour event mini-series based on the story of Lawrence of Arabia.

The epic drama will be produced by film director and producer Roland Emmerich ?Independence Day? along with Marc Frydman ?Straw Dogs? and Rod Lurie ?The Contender?. It will be written by screenwriter Clive Bradley and Lurie.

Michael Korda, the biographer whose works include ?Ike?, ?Ulysses S. Grant?, and ?Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia? will be the official historical consultant on the project. Michael Korda and the Korda family have for a long time been associated with filmmaking in the UK and worldwide.

CEO David Ellender said, "T.E. Lawrence was undoubtedly one of the greatest military and political strategists of our time and a stunningly intrepid Englishman who tried to unite the Arab world. The heritage of this story is fascinating - beyond the historical element, it?s a personal tale of emotional turmoil, identity crisis, conflicting loyalties and individual brilliance. The Middle East and Arab Spring as we know them today are linked to Lawrence?s actions, which make this epic incredibly topical. I am delighted that we are working with partners of such high caliber to bring this project to the screen."

The production will centre on the heroic journey of the British Army officer T.E. Lawrence who became famous as Lawrence of Arabia owing to his role with Arab leaders during World War I. His story was recreated in the earlier mentioned 1962 film of the same name, widely considered as one of the most influential in the history of cinema.

An exceptional diplomat, Lawrence?s ability to influence and win the trust of the most senior of leaders made him an invaluable resource both for his native Britain and for the Arab insurgents he fought with in the war against the Ottoman Empire - it also made him a sworn enemy of the Turks who placed a bounty on his head. He was a powerful communicator, able to galvanise the support of others, speaking fluently in Arabic to convince an otherwise disparate group of insurgents to co-ordinate their efforts in line with British strategy. His aptitude for strategic warfare led his allies to capture the town of Aqaba and the Tafilah region, before ultimately enforcing the Ottoman Empire?s surrender of Damascus. His uniquely complex character and the scope of his life make him a fascinating topic with no equivalent in modern times.

This new show is part of FremantleMedia International?s global drama strategy. The company?s aim is to deliver film-scale, epic dramas through partnerships with writers, producers, creators and directors worldwide.

The company recently announced that it will partner with Hollywood writer Craig Pearce ?Moulin Rouge? and Pukeko Pictures to develop ?The Maid?, a story based on Joan of Arc; and with Marshall Herskovitz ?The Last Samurai? to develop a drama series inspired by the popular non-fiction book Hitlerland by Andrew Nagorski.

Working with Headline Pictures and film director Ridley Scott?s production company Scott Free Productions, FremantleMedia International is developing ?The Drivers?, a series based on the high-octane 24-hour motor race in Le Mans during the 1950s-1960s, which is being written by Michael Hirst ?The Tudors?. The company is also working with UK producer Paul Abbott ?Shameless? to adapt the French drama ?Les Revenants? (w/t They Came Back) for English speaking audiences.

MUMBAI: FremantleMedia, one of the largest creators, producers and distributors of television brands in the world, has appointed Keith Hindle as CEO of its newly created Digital & Branded Entertainment division.

Based in New York, Hindle will craft and lead the digital and branded entertainment strategy for FremantleMedia around the world, reporting to FremantleMedia CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz and sitting on the company?s operating board.

In his new role, Hindle, who was formerly CEO, Americas at FremantleMedia?s Enterprises arm, will steer and oversee FremantleMedia?s growing multi-platform business worldwide, with functional responsibility for all digital, sponsorship, social media and YouTube activity, including the company?s original content channels, along with apps, second-screen extensions and online gaming.

Hindle will work closely with digital and sponsorship teams in FremantleMedia?s local territories, and will also sit on the operating boards of FremantleMedia?s gaming company Ludia and its transmedia company @radical.media.

FremantleMedia CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz said, ?The creation of our new Digital & Branded Entertainment function and Keith?s appointment as its CEO underlines our clear focus on furthering FremantleMedia?s position in this space. Keith has unparalleled knowledge of our company and brands, with formidable expertise in crafting and driving commercially successful digital, sponsorship and interactive strategies in the world?s largest TV markets. I?m delighted that he has agreed to take on this new role and spearhead the on-going development of this crucial part of our business worldwide.?

FremantleMedia Digital & Branded Entertainment CEO Keith Hindle said, "This is a very exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of FremantleMedia?s ambitions in digital and branded entertainment. We have a history of innovation around extending the audiences? experiences and interactions with our shows, creating new kinds of entertainment for digital platforms, and working with advertisers and sponsors on best in class opportunities to connect with our viewers. I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to build on these capabilities globally with our talented teams around the world."

MUMBAI: Television format creator and distributor FremantleMedia has acquired hit Canadian format ?Family Harmony? (Un Air de Famille).

The show, a concept created and produced by Attraction Images in collaboration with Radio-Canada, is the company?s first acquisition from Quebec and will form part of FremantleMedia?s slate of formats presented at the television trade event MipTV in Cannes, France, this April.

Family Harmony will then be rolled out to international audiences through FremantleMedia?s worldwide network of production companies.

?Family Harmony? brings teams of families together in a battle to become ?pitch perfect? and voted the most popular singing family in the country. Coached by celebrity singers, each week three families perform popular songs and compete for the viewers? vote and the chance to perform with their celebrity mentors. The series culminates in a spectacular live finale in which the winning families sing their hearts out to become the nation?s greatest singing family.

FremantleMedia director, global entertainment development Rob Clark said: ?We are delighted to have acquired Family Harmony. It?s a warm, inclusive, feel-good format celebrating a family?s relationships as much as their talents, and it?s exactly right for today?s television schedule. We are very much looking forward to bringing local versions of Family Harmony to audiences around the world.?

Attraction Images? president Jos?e Vall?e and and executive VP Jean-Fran?ois Boulianne, respectively said, ?We are thrilled that FremantleMedia has picked up our format and will be offering it to territories globally. Family Harmony has been a great success in Canada, where it has just been re-commissioned for a second series by Radio-Canada. We are immensely proud that Family Harmony is FremantleMedia?s first acquisition from Quebec.?

MUMBAI: Television format creator and distributor FremantleMedia has announced a review of its arm FremantalMedia Enterprises arm. Its plan is to create one new, stand-alone, global division focused on distribution and kids and family entertainment.

All remaining digital, licensing, sponsorship and other ancillary activities previously undertaken by FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) would be housed within FremantleMedia?s regional production operations. In addition, a new digital & branded entertainment division will be created to focus on the company?s global digital and branded entertainment activities.

As a part of the planned new structure, David Ellender, previously FME global CEO will be appointed as FremantleMedia International and Kids CEO, overseeing FremantleMedia?s new global distribution and Kids and Family Entertainment division. This is a board level position reporting directly to FremantleMedia CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz.

Sander Schwartz will continue lead FremantleMedia?s Kids and Family Entertainment division, reporting to Ellender. A head of digital & branded entertainment will be appointed and announced in due course.

Frot-Coutaz said, "This is a very powerful shift in our company?s structure that we believe will significantly strengthen our core business activities, while also better positioning us to capitalise on growth opportunities for the future. We have built a formidable expertise in extending our market-leading brands both on and beyond the television screen, through licensing, sponsorship, digital activities and other valuable commercial ancillaries."

He said by transferring these skills into the local production businesses, the company creates a far more direct and seamless integration between production efforts and the commercial activity surrounding hit shows. Not only will this bolster and enhance creative development process, but it will also give the company the ability to manage and grow its brands in a far more holistic way, creating added value and the opportunity for even greater engagement with viewers around the world.

"At the same time, we will continue to focus on our world class distribution capabilities and on our growing Kids & Family Entertainment business under the leadership of David Ellender, as well as on our significant digital and branded entertainment activities worldwide. We?re very proud of the capabilities we have built through our creative and commercial operations so far, and are confident that these proposed structural changes will drive a very exciting next stage of growth and development."