Fleabag and 100 Foot Wave producer Joe Lewis has called independently-financed television production “the solution” to many issues facing the industry.
The former scripted development chief at Amazon Studios told delegates at the MIA Market in Rome that his experience producing era-defining shows such as Channel 4 and Amazon dark comedy Fleabag had taught him changed was necessary.
He now leads Amplify Pictures out of LA, with a focus on non-financing shows without networks, streamers or distributors. “In 2018, I produced a handful of programs, including Fleabag, which was an incredible show and I really thought was as good as producing could get, but doing that I realized there wasn’t a sustainable [model].
We were fortunate to see the tremors them. Even doing Fleabag, which I am endlessly proud of, I realised that was not a model for living a life and having a producing career.” The former Comedy Central, Fox and Amazon exec launched Amplify in 2018 has gone on to independently finance three seasons of 100 Foot Wave, the surfing documentary that plays on HBO.
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