Discovery Partners with Ron Howard, Brian Grazer for Digital Studio

SILVER SPRING: Discovery Communications has aligned with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard for New Form, a joint venture that will focus on creating digital content, both scripted and unscripted.

The new digital studio will be based in Los Angeles and be led by Kathleen Grace as chief creative officer. Grace was previously head of creative development at YouTube LA. New Form plans to partner with digital platforms and brands to create new content, which could possibly also be distributed across Discovery and partner platforms globally in the future.
 
“We are excited and proud to have the most accomplished and creative minds in all of film and television investing with us in New Form,” said David Zaslav, president and CEO of Discovery Communications. “Brian and Ron are best-in-class storytellers, and we look forward to developing compelling programming for today’s digital viewers. This creative powerhouse, coupled with Discovery’s strong programming expertise and our ability to engage viewers across our global platforms, is an unparalleled combination.”
 
“Technology is rapidly changing the entertainment landscape for studios, producers and audiences, and Ron and I could not think of a better partner to invest with than Discovery to expand beyond film and television and enter into the digital frontier,” added Grazer.
 
“By investing with Discovery, New Form is poised to reimagine storytelling and reach new audiences online and beyond,” Howard noted.
 
Other partners in New Form are Craig Jacobson, Ed Wilson, Jim Wiatt, Michael Rosenberg and CAA.