MIPCOM 2012: Zodiak Rights Teams With NYC's Leftfield Pictures for Fresh Israeli Format Show

LONDON – International sales and production banner Zodiak Rights has teamed with New York-based Leftfield Pictures to ink a joint acquisition memo for While You Were Getting Married, a fresh format created by Israel-based production house Gil Productions.

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Leftfield Pictures, whose hit series include Pawn Stars, and its spin-offs American Restoration, Cajun Pawn Stars, and Counting Cars has secured U.S. format rights to the show.

Zodiak Rights holds rest of the world duties.

The two companies aim to collaborate on the development and pitching of the brand internationally.

A feel good new “ambush” game show While You Were Getting Married has been produced as a 60-minute pilot from Gil Productions’ Tel Aviv-based studio.

In the show, unsuspecting wedding guests enter a booth to record a heartfelt message to the bride and groom, only to find themselves in the middle of a TV quiz show.

The aim is to win gifts for the newlyweds to start their life together.

The Israel-based company also produces its own versions of shows including MasterChef, Dancing With The Stars, Super Nanny, Come Dine With Me and Undercover Boss.

Zodiak Rights formats acquisitions executive Darren Asamoa said: "With Leftfield Pictures we are partnering with a proven US producer that aligns with us in seeing the global potential of this format. Zodiak Rights have had success with Israeli formats in the past and, after preliminary discussions with clients, we are predicting significant interest and sales coming out of MIPCOM." 

Gil Productions managing director Assaf Gil said: “Gil Productions has made significant investment over the last several years into the development of new formats. We believe this format differentiates itself because the participants – in this case, wedding guests – play and compete honestly with altruistic motives; they genuinely want the newlyweds to win the most prizes possible."

Added Leftfield Pictures’ Brent Montgomery: "We all can relate to attending a wedding, but when guests get caught off guard, and suddenly find themselves in the middle of a game show on the most important day of someone’s life, it brings an element of fun and surprise to the wedding and game show genres that we haven’t seen before on television."