Sky eyes co-pros as it leans into ‘entrepreneurial production’

Sky is intent on exploring co-productions as part of the new wave of “entrepreneurial producing” emerging in the scripted landscape, according to UK & Ireland drama chief Meghan Lyvers. 

Lyvers said the pay-TV giant was open to these collaborative models – particularly with US partners – as part of its scripted operations, but warned it is dependent on a shared creative vision, noting how different buyers mould shows to maximise impact. 

“[There is] a new way in which co-pros are being done, and [we’re] fortunate that that’s part of our business model,” Lyvers told delegates at Content London this morning.  

“We like the model. We’re speaking to every indie studio and big US studio and leaning into entrepreneurial producing.  

“And we’re happy to continue working in that way as long as everyone has the same vision for the show. We like to [come on board] earlier in the development of a series, typically at a script stage, because there are different ways to shape a project - there’s a difference between an Apple show or a Sky show.” 

Lyvers, who is executive director of original scripted, Sky UK&I, was speaking on the day that original drama The Day of the Jacka, co-commissioned by Comcast US sibling Peacock, became the biggest-ever Sky series launch, surpassing House of the Dragon S1. 

She noted the “incredible scale and storytelling” with the Carnival Films-produced series, which is the first entirely vertically integrated project from the Comcast umbrella – with NBCU Global TV Distribution handling international sales. 

Sky, Peacock, Universal International Studios-owned Carnival and NBCU are also teaming up for Lockerbie: A Search For Truth, which stemmed from a book option by Carnival’s Universal Studio Group sibling UCP and is being co-produced by Sky Studios. 

Lyvers said that while she liked limited series such as Lockerbie, Sky is “building up our tentpole series… to return”. Besides Jackal, which has scored a second series, she namechecked Pulse Films’ Gangs of London, which is made in association with US giant AMC Networks. 

“First and foremost we have to serve the UK audience. They need to be compelled by characters and connect [with the story],” Lyvers added. “It needs to resonate here first and then find an international audience.”