Sky selects diverse indies for tailored docs support

Sky has unveiled the four diverse-owned/led indies to benefit from its inaugural documentaries partnership fund. 

Dare Pictures (Fugitive: The Mystery of the Crypto Queen), Proper Content (The School That Tried to End Racism), Zandland (Kingpins) and 22Summers (WWII’s Heroes of Colour) will receive tailored support from Sky Documentaries to work up a slate of fresh factual ideas. 

Over a six-month period, the indies will work closely with the Sky Documentaries commissioning team on projects and will receive a minimum of £15,000 towards development work. 

The Sky Development Partnership Fund was unveiled in March, inviting diverse-owned and -led producers to apply. It is aimed at “fostering inclusivity in the industry” and representing “a commitment to mentorship and ongoing dialogue”. 

Derren Lawford’s Dare – which stands for Diversity, Allyship, Representation and Empowerment – was set up in 2022 as a ‘new breed’ of indie targeting diversity and inclusivity. Its portfolio includes Channel 4/Sky Deutschland’s Fugitive: The Mystery of the Crypto Queen and Dalton’s Dream for BBC Storyville.  

22Summers is the nascent outfit set up by Idris Elba and Diene Petterle this year. Following its splashy debut order, Nat Geo/Disney+’s history doc WWII Heroes of Colour, the label recently scored a commission from the BBC to explore knife crime, fronted by Elba. 

Ben Zand’s Zandland was recently unveiled as the indie behind C4’s Dispatches doc about Barbie and Mattel and is the producer of C4’s digital series Life Uncovered, in which Zand immerses himself in unconventional lifestyles to examine topics. 

Proper Content is noted for its Bafta- and Grierson-winning The School That Tried to End Racism (C4), and David DeHaney’s outfit has a growing library of impactful docs including Grierson-winning Suicidal: In Our Own Words (Channel 5) and Chris Packham: Is it Time to Change the Law? (C4).  

Hayley Reynolds, acting director of documentaries & factual at Sky, said: “After a competitive selection process, we’re thrilled to partner with these four exceptional companies, who bring with them a wealth of experience and formidable creative ambition. Working together, we hope to make boundary-pushing docs that engage, challenge, and entertain our audience in new and exciting ways.” 

Luke Seraphin, head of diversity at Sky, said: “Our Development Partnership is a vital step in ensuring that our industry reflects the rich tapestry of voices that make up our society.  By supporting these talented production companies, we’re not just investing in powerful storytelling but also in the future of a more diverse and representative media landscape.”