Israel’s RoseBerry Media has reversioned BBC and Channel 4 series for its newly-announced vertical video platform, Epis (styled ‘epis’).
The service has launched on the App Store, Google Play and a dedicated website with more than 100 titles across crime, drama, reality, dating, factual entertainment and docs. RoseBerry is planning to launch more than 25 original vertical productions this year.
The most interesting element is the deals if first alluded to upon the company launch, which noted deals were in place with several international distributors to repurpose their shows.
One notable title from that plans is BBC and Netflix comedy-meets-reality dating series Sexy Beasts, from Lion Television, which is now part of Banijay following the All3Media merger. Others are You Can’t Kill Me, which was adapted from Channel 4’s Fremantle-produced true crime series The Fall: Skydive Murder; House in Flames, adapted from Danny Dyer thriller Heat; and Homicide: Hours to Kill, which is a true crime series from Cineflix Rights.
On the originals front are British drama shows Revenge is a Dish and Make Me a Match, both from Lime Pictures, Two Marys and The Swindler and the Billionaire Murder from Silvio Productions, scripted series Sinful Hearts and Hey Princess and dating reality series Don’t Fall for Beautiful Liars, which counts Survivor Israel showrunner Zipi Rozenblum as its creator and showrunner.
Thew news comes two months after a group of TV, tech and investment executives, including Shtisel producer Guy Hameiri launched RoseBerry as the latest player on the fast-expanding vertical video block. At that point, they unveiled “industry-first” deals with the likes of A+E Global Media, All3Media International, Banijay Rights, Cineflix Rights and Fremantle to repurpose selected shows from their libraries into premium vertical television.
RoseBerry developed a “proprietary verticalization process” that “combines human editorial expertise, AI-enabled workflows, reframing, graphics, music, sound design, localisation, metadata and quality assurance” so that long-form series can be adapted as microdramas or vertical series.
The company is also attempting a broad distribution play that means content will have access to additional channels and affiliates, including white-label services, mobile operators, third-party streamers, broadcasters and networks, and digital channels. The idea is IP owners work with RoseBerry to determine the best route for the show or film.
“We know how to adapt any genre for the vertical format and believe there are no creative limits to what vertical storytelling can deliver or who it can reach,” said Hameiri, co-founder and CEO of RoseBerry.
“Epis is also part of a much bigger RoseBerry Media ecosystem. It gives us and our partners a DTC destination, a testing and data analysis ground and a source of audience intelligence, while supporting a broader studio model designed to help the industry create, understand and monetise premium vertical television across multiple distribution windows.”
Gidon Katz, who led the launches of Sky’s Now and NBCUniversal’s Peacock services, has joined RoseBerry’s advisory board.
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