Hot Picks: Video Nasty

Set in Northern Ireland in 1985, three teenagers go on a quest to complete a cult VHS collection, only to become chief suspects in a murder investigation, in this dark comedy from Hugh Travers (Trial Of The Century; Red Rock).

The series is named after the term used for a subculture of movies – largely graphic horror – that were often banned but inspired dedicated cult followings.

“As well as being a really fun, dark comedy drama, what stands out about Video Nasty is that it captures a very specific time in the history of VHS,” says Boat Rocker Studios’ president of global rights, franchise and content strategy, Jon Rutherford.

Nostalgia is a something buyers and audiences are craving, he adds. “There are certainly more stories to be told from the 1980s, and audiences who remember this time will naturally gravitate towards the series.

“But it is also fresh enough for younger audiences, with fun and quirky kids at its heart, and comedy laced throughout. The nostalgia and performances make a strong blend.”

Production was led by Northern Irish indie Deadpan, which is behind series such as Northern Lights for Lionsgate, TG4 and ZDF Neo, and Dead Still for ZDF Studios, Acorn and RTÉ. The indie was backed up by an international team of broadcast and production partners, including BBC3, BBC Northern Ireland, Ireland’s Virgin Media and WDR in Germany, alongside Canada-headquartered Boat Rocker Studios’ London base.

Rutherford says the international collaboration contributed to the broad appeal of the show: “Boat Rocker’s creative team would never seek to overhaul the fantastic and original creative vision. Occasionally they shared notes, which helped with small things like changing the use of certain terminologies, the pace at which some of the jokes play out, or the pronunciation of some of the words, to help wider audiences better understand and appreciate it to the full.

“It is a strong Northern Irish lead cast, and the comedy moves very quickly, so we wanted to make sure it appeals to English-speaking but also foreign-language audiences, with little adjustments here and there.”

Rutherford anticipates more such international collaborations amid challenging times of contraction, consolidation and budget reductions.

“It is exciting for us that multiple partners can play a role in the development, commissioning and execution of shows,” he says.

“As a company that sources content from all over world, we can see great content coming from so many sources. It is about manufacturing your own opportunities and success when times are more challenging.”

Rutherford says having existing partners in the UK and Germany will help open doors into European markets, but he is particularly looking forward to the show’s reception in North America and Canada.

“Aside from the appealing location, the writing, the half-hour format and the humour, from a purely business perspective, British content has historically done very well with US markets,” he says.

“Now that we have so many different streaming platforms at our fingertips, we are seeing more foreign and foreign-language content than ever, and the opportunities that could come from that are very exciting.”