Content Catalyst Fund Taps Three for Unscripted Team

Content Catalyst Fund (CCF) has appointed three new unscripted specialists to support its portfolio of in-development projects and its network of partnerships.

CCF has hired Vibika Bianchi, Maria Farano and Heather Findlay as executive producers. The company, which entered into a non-scripted co-production joint venture with Blue Ant Media in late February, has also announced its first slate of female-generated unscripted projects for the global marketplace.

Bianchi has delivered hours of unscripted content for the likes of HGTV, Food Network, Discovery and CBC. She’s held senior VP roles at Our House Media and Entertainment One and spent nearly 11 years at Corus Entertainment.

Farano has 20 years of experience in developing and producing unscripted content for the global market. She previously served as Corus Entertainment’s director of original unscripted programming, during which time she developed such formats as The Bachelorette Canada/The Bachelor Canada, Game of Homes, To Catch a Killer, Undercover Boss Canada, The Real Housewives of Toronto, Tornado Hunters and My Mom’s a Medium.

Findlay has played a key role in the development and production of hundreds of hours of content for Discovery, CBC, W Network, T&E, CMT, HGTV, Travel Channel, Science Channel and Food Network. Her genre experience spans factual, kids’ and food programming.

In addition to the new hires, CCF has unveiled its first slate of in-development projects, which span true-crime, ‘occu-doc’ and comedy. Highlights include Darkness in Daylight, developed in collaboration with producer/actor Folklaur Chevrier, which revists the brutal murder of 9-year-old Christine Jessop in 1984. Home Made with Kara Beckmann is a renovation series featuring savvy real estate investor, builder and designer Kara Beckmann. Also in development is the factual comedy I Have Nothing, on which CCF is collaborating with creators Carolyn Taylor (Baroness Von Sketch) and Zack Russel.

CCF Founder Julie Bristow said: “This powerhouse trio of unscripted executives brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, both domestic and international, to the CCF team. In addition to being inspirational leaders with razor-sharp creative instincts, all three are exceptional in that they have experience of both the buying and selling side of the business. With Vibika, Maria and Heather on board, CCF is in the best possible shape as it begins to give voice to the best female stories and storytellers.”