Leftfield Entertainment’s expansion continues.
The unscripted behemoth has signed Danny Passman‘s Crybaby Media to an overall deal. As part of the pact, the casting and development company will develop reality projects across lifestyle, docusoap and competition genres for the Leftfield Entertainment group. The latter, which was acquired by ITV Studios in 2014, includes Leftfield Pictures (Pawn Stars), Sirens Media (Real Housewives of New Jersey), Outpost Entertainment (Icons) and Loud TV (Tiny House Nation).
“With Crybaby, Danny Passman created a valuable brand in his own right, honing an expertise that is at the heart of all reality TV: casting,” said Leftfield’s vp business development and international Ed Simpson in a statement announcing the news Wednesday. “His keen, innate sense of the types of ‘characters’ that resonate with both US and international audiences and buyers — and his ability to uncover them — helped make Crybaby the go-to shop for many production companies and networks producing reality TV.”
Added Passman, who will also continue to work directly with networks to develop projects through the deal: “One thing you learn spearheading casting and development is that unscripted TV is a collaborative art. I’ve had the great fortune to work with some of television’s most prominent and accomplished companies and producers, and while we’ve been successful across the business, the opportunity to focus on the Leftfield group will allow us to be even more strategic and creative.”
Since Crybaby was founded in 2010, it’s produced a wide range of cable series, from History’s Down East Dickering to Food Network’s Thieves, Incorporated. The company has additional projects in development at networks including Nat Geo, OWN and History.
Prior to Crybaby, Passman was a development executive at both VH1 and Fuse.
