BBC Studios & Mercury Studios Partner for Music Projects

BBC Studios and Mercury Studios, the multi-faceted content studio powered by Universal Music Group, have inked a development deal to originate music-driven returnable IP.

Teams from both companies will work in partnership to develop formats, series and feature documentaries under four main categories: social history, social purpose, specialist factual and factual entertainment, all with music at the heart.

“When you combine two powerhouses—the global reach and musical heritage of BBC Studios with the capabilities and insight of Mercury Studios—it makes for a very formidable partnership,” said Alice Webb, CEO of Mercury Studios. “Collaborating with BBC Studios opens the door for both sides to look beyond the usual artist-focused documentaries and use music as a lens to create innovative content.”

“This partnership has the potential to deliver something incredibly special for documentary lovers and music fans alike,” added Alan Holland, head of the BBC Studios Documentary Unit. “The sheer breadth of the BBC Studios Doc Unit’s genre expertise and our skills in filmmaking means we can tell stories from a fresh perspective and in a range of new and unexpected forms.”