The Au Pair

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The French media production company, Pernel Media, recognized for its factual TV programming including shows like “Legends of the Pharaohs”, “Ancient Superstructures”, and “Rise of the Vikings” as well as “Ghettos in the Holocaust”, “Secret Gardens of Pompeii”, and “The Real War of Thrones”, is planning to venture into traditional drama with the upcoming release of “The Au Pair“. This series will feature Ludmilla Makowski, known for her role in Netflix’s “Lupin”, and David Suchet, a British screen icon famous for his portrayal of Hercule Poirot. In the near future, this production will be airing on Paramount Global’s Channel 5 in the United Kingdom.

As a devoted admirer, I’m eagerly anticipating Pernel’s debut drama where David Suchet, returning to TV after years, takes on the role of George, a man with diabetes who finds himself living next door to his daughter Zoe Dalton, played by Sally Bretton known for her roles in ‘Death in Paradise’ and ‘Beyond Paradise’. Zoe appears to have the perfect life, including a successful husband Chris, portrayed by Kenny Doughty recognized from ‘Vera’ and ‘Stella’. However, things take an unexpected turn when Chris brings on board Sandrine, a young French au pair played by Makowski. This newcomer seems to stir up an unsettling change within the household. This intriguing series, penned by Michael Foott (‘Desperate Measures’) and Andy Bayliss (‘The Good Ship Murder’), and directed by Oonagh Kearney (‘Vardy v Rooney’), promises to delve into the intricacies of family, trust, and concealed secrets, all set against the serene backdrop of the British countryside, as suggested in a Channel 5 synopsis.

As a fervent admirer of captivating drama series, I’m thrilled to share that the concept for our upcoming show was birthed by none other than Samuel Kissous, the visionary founder and CEO of Pernel Media. Over the years, his passion for drama has been growing within him, and with this project, he feels we’re finally stepping into the realm of drama productions. The first episode will be unveiled to potential buyers on Monday during the London Screenings.

Consider the series titled “The Real War of Thrones“, for instance. As Kissous explains to THR, “It’s structured like a dramatic production, complete with costumes, sets, makeup, and actors portraying historical events.” This is reminiscent of our own series “The Pharaohs“, which spanned three seasons. We filmed in movie studios and incorporated plenty of special effects. So, we’ve been producing drama documentaries, and the team behind these productions consists of individuals from the drama world, including directors and actors. The key distinction is that the scripts for these shows were not traditional drama scripts because they blended elements of both drama and documentary.

Transitioning to authentic, full-fledged drama felt like the right move for him. As he puts it, “I was eager to shift from documentary-style drama to regular drama.” He believed he could apply our financing method of discovering ideas that resonate globally and feel genuine. Audiences don’t appreciate ‘Euro pudding’ or anything else that feels forced rather than organic.

In essence, the head of Pernel was contemplating a question: “What kind of narrative would be effective for creating drama?” He sought advice from director Chris Holt, who has been involved with Pernel productions. The idea he proposed was, “Could we possibly develop a tale that takes place between England and France, where characters have a compelling reason to travel either way?” A yarn about an au pair seemed to fit the description perfectly.

Samuel Kissous (Courtesy of Pernel Media)

Due to the growing difficulty in financing projects, Kissous decided to approach things creatively. Instead of waiting for his team to secure all the funding, he suggested giving a distribution partner a significant share, around 20-30%, depending on the project. As a result, Canal+ handles The Au Pair in France, Channel 5 takes care of it in the U.K., and ITV Studios distributes it globally. He shared this strategy with THR.

Moreover, MK1 Studios from Ireland serves as a co-producer for the series, filmed in Ireland, where production incentives are available. The CEO of Pernel revealed that scenes set in the picturesque English region, known as the Cotswolds, were actually filmed an hour south of Dublin. Interestingly, even some British viewers have commented on the show’s beauty, saying: “Wow, the Cotswolds look really charming.

As a gamer, I’d say I could utilize the connections and credibility earned through my unscripted projects to orchestrate collaborations among my partners. The key is to design the project’s foundation with an international focus right from the start. Not every theme will resonate globally, but it’s crucial to ensure that the concept works for European broadcasters and potentially for those in the U.S. It also requires a deep understanding of what distributors and broadcasters are seeking in various regions. We can’t meet with everyone everywhere, but we aim to maintain direct relationships with channels in the UK, US, Germany, Australia, Italy (to some extent), China, and Japan (to some extent). These connections help us navigate the diverse broadcasting landscapes.

Based on Kissosu’s summary: “Given my extensive experience in the global formats industry where connections are widespread and everyone is informed about international happenings, I decided to take that same approach and apply it to the realm of dramas, focusing on worldwide trends.

It’s no coincidence that Pernel’s debut drama was commissioned by the Channel 5 team in the UK. Previously, Channel 5 had been one of the first commissioners in the U.K. to commission a documentary from them, even before any French broadcaster did so. The CEO recollects this, stating, “I’m familiar with the struggles faced by Channel 5 and their preferences. Although they might not invest as much money as others into drama production, they consistently excel in ratings and are quite successful. They also sell well internationally because they have a commercial approach. Given these factors, I was confident that their model would suit us and our international distribution partners.

ITV Studios entered the picture because we’ve collaborated with them for the past five years on non-fiction shows. Our partnership has proven to be beneficial for both parties, so there was an already established and reliable connection.

The objective for everyone associated with “The Au Pair” was to enhance it in aspects of acting talent and production quality, as Kissous shared with THR. “This was the commitment I made to them,” he stated. “Ultimately, my partners should be confident that I can bring this vision to fruition.

The casting choices were crucial for the show’s wide and global audience reach. As “Vera” is broadcast in many countries worldwide, Kenny is a familiar face not just in the U.K., but also internationally. Sally Bretton is recognized for her work on “Death in Paradise,” which is also globally distributed, as well as “Beyond Paradise.” Ludmilla might not be a household name yet, but she’s featured in “Lupin.” Lastly, David Suchet seemed to like the script and we were fortunate to have him. He was delightful to collaborate with, bringing both exceptional talent and an uplifting atmosphere to the set. His presence made everyone happy, fostering a positive energy on set.

Kissous is eager to delve deeper into producing more Pernel dramas. As he puts it, “We’re seeing better response with our scripted content.” However, he emphasizes that they won’t be rushing things. Just as he constructed the company piece by piece, so too will he approach drama production, leveraging all the lessons learned along the way. Initially, Pernel focused on formats, then ventured into documentaries and factual programming. Following this, they moved onto drama docs, and now they’re stepping into full-fledged scripted content.

The response to “The Au Pair” has been overwhelmingly favorable. “We’ve already surpassed expectations by assembling an exceptional cast and producing a high-quality show,” notes Kissous. “Everyone’s feedback is positive. You certainly delivered on your promise of superior production value, compelling storytelling, and excellent casting. As a result, my partners are satisfied, which indicates they’re eager for more. That’s the key to success in business.

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2025-02-21 12:55