BEGINNING WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, EL REY NETWORK AND ONE THREE MEDIA LAUNCH A NEW NIGHT OF ORIGINAL UNSCRIPTED CONTENT WITH THE HIGH-FLYING ACTION OF "LUCHA: UPRISING" (WT) AND THE EDGY ARTISTRY AND ANTICS OF A NEW BREED OF BARBERS IN 'CUTTING CREW'
Beverly Hills, CA - July 10, 2014 - Beginning Wednesday, October 8, El Rey Network will expand its commitment to original content with a second night of programming anchored by two new unscripted series, a new one-hour "Lucha: Uprising" (WT) from Emmy Award(R)-winning producer Mark Burnett featuring character-driven freestyle wrestling; and "Cutting Crew," chronicling the antics and edgy artistry of a new breed of barbers.
Scott Sassa, El Rey Network's Vice Chair, said: "Launching a new night of originals so early in the life of El Rey might seem counterintuitive to some but it's actually quite strategic. We feel that 'Lucha' and 'Cutting Crew' are the perfect addition to our lineup and will be a compelling watch for El Rey's very passionate and engaged audience. We are excited to be working with Mark, One Three Media and the production team at Big Vida to bring these two entertaining programs to television."
Long a fan of Lucha Libre, a Mexican franchise that has an 85% market share on television, El Rey is banking on American television viewers being drawn in by the high-flying antics and colorful world of freestyle wrestling. Each week "Lucha: Uprising" (WT) will bring drama, excitement and action as the masked heroes and villains battle it out in the ring for wrestling supremacy. The weekly, one-hour series from the producers One Three Media serves as a foundation for a new sports entertainment business, with which Burnett has partnered with El Rey Network, its founder, Robert Rodriguez, Lucha Libre AAA, FactoryMade Ventures and Antonio Cue Sanchez-Navarro.
In addition to Burnett and One Three Media, El Rey Network's weekly series will also be executive produced by Rodriguez and by FactoryMade and El Rey co-founders John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa. One Three Media's chief operating officer Brian Edwards will join the venture's board with current board members Dorian Roldan from Lucha Libre AAA, Cue Sanchez-Navarro, and Fogelman and Patwa. The series will be distributed internationally by One Three Media.
"Cutting Crew" explores the edgy artistry of a dynamic team of barbers who have made a name for themselves by thinking outside the stylist box. Produced by Big Vida Entertainment for El Rey Network, "Cutting Crew" is comprised of eight, hour-long installments.
Showcasing masterful motifs that are anything but ordinary, this group of creatives knows how to make a statement. Whether they are executing a simple fade, an elaborate or memorable design, or shaving back hair into the shape of a Batman emblem, the passionate team of "scissor-happy" artistes use razors and clippers to get the job done. At the barbershop, there is a serious dedication to the craft, but there is nothing serious about the raucous crew that works for award-winning barber Amit Corso who opened his shop outside of Philadelphia in 2005 (after spending most of his young life tortured by his mother's DIY haircuts). But barbering isn't the only thing going on at the shop-- in between the fades and shaves, this band of barbers finds time to bicker, debate, joke around and cook up challenges that range from testing feats of strength to more juvenile endeavors that just give everyone a good chuckle. But in the end, it's the camaraderie in this diverse group that is the heart of "Cutting Crew."
"Cutting Crew" is produced by BIG VIDA Entertainment for El Rey Network. Executive Producers are: Sergio Alfaro, Flavio Morales, John Ehrhard and FactoryMade Ventures and El Rey Network co-founders John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa.
About El Rey Network
El Rey Network is a new 24-hour English language network founded by maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, the network unites the most culturally diverse generation in history through fearless, badass and original content that awakens the renegade in everyone. The network's action-packed content is anchored by original signature dramas, feature films, grindhouse genre, cult classic action, and horror/sci-fi. El Rey Network LLC (www.elreynetwork.com) is jointly owned by Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures with a minority stake held by Univision Networks & Studios, Inc.
About One Three Media
ONE THREE MEDIA is a joint venture between Mark Burnett and Hearst Corporation which produces television, advertising and web content. Five-time Emmy(R) Award winner Mark Burnett has produced over 2,200 hours of television programming that regularly air in over 70 countries worldwide. Burnett and ONE THREE MEDIA's recent series include Survivor (CBS), The Voice (NBC), The Celebrity Apprentice (NBC), Shark Tank (ABC), The Bible (HISTORY), and Trust Me I'm A Game Show Host (TBS). Awards show franchises includes the MTV Movie Awards from 2007 to 2011, and the People's Choice Awards (CBS) since 2010.
About Lucha Libre AAA
Lucha Libre AAA is a media and entertainment company founded in 1992 by Antonio Pena Herrada and manages the IP of the "AAA" brand and another 250 characters in its league. The company produces Lucha Libre events globally including venues such as Palacio de los Deportes, Arena Monterrey, HP Pavilion, Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles Sports Arena and Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. In addition to working with sponsors such as Corona, Hershey's, Comex and Telcel, the league has released an animated movie and videogame in the Mexican market. Lucha Libre AAA develops 5 hours of content per week that is aired on three television channels in Mexico: Galavision, Televisa Deportes Network and TVC Deportes.
About FactoryMade Ventures
FactoryMade is an incubator for entertainment businesses and was founded by John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa. The company builds IP-based franchises and production and distribution platforms by leveraging its strong ties to the Hollywood creative community and partnering with global brands and investors. Its ventures include El Rey Network and Tres Pistoleros Studios with Robert Rodriguez and a joint venture with the leading Mexican wrestling league Lucha Libre AAA. In addition to working with corporate partners such as Telefonica and JCP, they previously spearheaded the creation of Hasbro's film business (Transformers, G.I. Joe, Battleship) and television business (Hasbro TV Studios, the Hub Network with Discovery Communications), and developed retail's first integrated digital gaming and commerce platform with HSN (HSN Arcade).
About BIG VIDA Entertainment
BIG VIDA Entertainment is a full service production company focused on creating content for the U.S. Latino market in English and Spanish. BIG VIDA was created to represent Latino audiences with authentic content that further merges the two mainstreams. BIG VIDA is led by experienced Latino TV producers Sergio Alfaro, President, and Peabody Award winner Flavio Morales, Executive Vice President, who brings his more than 20 years of Latino market experience to BIG VIDA Entertainment as well as BIG VIDA founder John Ehrhard. BIG VIDA was launched to serve the diverse Latino audiences with different genres, from reality and scripted, to live events, long and short form content. BIG VIDA is about authenticity with the highest production values, regardless of the medium. BIG VIDA Entertainment is based in Burbank, California. www.bigvida.com.
|