Endeavor Content Backs New Australian Production Company Dreamchaser From Endemol Shine Australia Co-Founder Carl Fennessy & Ex-Nine CEO Hugh Marks

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: Former Endemol Shine Australia co-founder Carl Fennessy and ex-Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks have set up a major new Sydney-based production company and have scored backing from Endeavor Content.The duo have launched full-service production and distribution studio Dreamchaser and will serve as joint CEOs.It comes after Fennessy, who ran Endemol Shine Australia with his brother Mark in its various forms for ten years, having previously formed FremantleMedia Australia, left the MasterChef producer in September 2020 following its takeover by Banijay.

Mark Fennessy recently launched his own production group Helium.Meanwhile, Marks spent five years as CEO of Nine Entertainment, which owns Nine Network, one of the country’s three top broadcasters, as well as streaming service Stan.Dreamchaser is looking to partner with established and emerging creators to develop programming slates for both local and international broadcasters and streamers.

It is eyeing a number of creative partnerships across the scripted, factual and entertainment genres.They have received investment from Endeavor Content, which itself saw Korea’s CJ ENM acquire an 80% stake in the company earlier this year.Marks and Fennessy have also put together their management team.

Sara Horn, who was previously Managing Director of Production & Operations at Endemol Shine Australia, joins as COO, Megan Rees-Williams, who was similarly at Endemol Shine Australia, becomes CFO and Monique Keller, who joins from Fremantle Australia, becomes Head of Development.“We’re seeing an explosion of global demand for premium content from new and traditional television platforms that shows no sign of slowing.