THE WALL PROJECT (created by Cagla Menderes and Nilufer Kuyel) optioned by Fremantle Media for Norway. The Wall Project aka THE WONDER WALL became the first format originated from Turkey to be picked by Fremantle for co-development.
Fremantle, Lucid Dream play Wonder Wall
Global producer-distributor Fremantle has inked a co-development deal with Turkey’s Lucid Dream Entertainment for a reality format about street art.
Under the pact, Fremantle will represent and produce The Wonder Wall for the global market. Co-created by Lucid Dream MD Nilufer Kuyel and Cagla Menderes, the format was previously titled The Wall Project.
The Wonder Wall is the first original format created by Lucid Dream, which was launched earlier this year by former ATV, Kanal D and Endemol Shine exec Kuyel.
The feel-good property received the best format pitch award at BCWW in Korea in 2018 and was awarded the People’s Choice award at MipTV’s International Format Competition this year.
It has been developed with Fremantle since then, with the competition elements dropped in favour of a series of self-contained episodes in which celebrities return to their home towns to take on the task of uniting their local community via a street art project.
“After the format’s success at MipFormats and the interest from buyers at Mipcom this month, there were a lot of offers on the table. But we wanted to proceed with Fremantle not just because of their expertise in format development, production and distribution but also because they really respect the IP and the IP owner,” said Kuyel.
“Turkish drama is very strong but this is the first unscripted Turkish format to get a global deal like this. Turkish unscripted formats do travel but they are usually focused on daytime genres like cooking, dating and shopping.
“The reason we decided to create a format about street art, one that is scalable and that can be adapted for different broadcasters, is that we want to create formats for the world, not just for Turkey.”
Vasha Wallace, exec VP of global acquisitions and development at Fremantle, added: “The authenticity and originality of the concept is what first attracted us to the format, as well as its original look at the beauty of street art through a television lens, which is something we haven’t seen on TV before.”
Although The Wonder Wall is the first original format for Lucid Dream, the Istanbul company represents third-party formats such as BBO Yapim’s 40, gameshow QUP, prank series Chill4Cash.