Strolling a red carpet, actors Koen de Bouw, Joke Devynck, Kevin Janssens, Stan Van Samang, Catherine Kools and Celine Laenen joined their director Jan Verheyen and special celibrity guests for the World Premiere of the Eyeworks movie “MPU-Missing Persons Unit” (original title = “Vermist”), at the Metropolis in Antwerp.

Here’s a collection of original photos from “MPU-Missing Persons Unit” World Premiere (copyright SBS Belgium).

Below (from left to right) : Jan Verheyen (director), Celine Laenen (“Evi”)

Above (from left to right) : Stan Van Samang (“Steve”), Kevin Janssens (“Nick”), Catherine Kools (“Milly”), Joke Devynck (“Tine”), Philippe De Schepper (writer/producer) and Koen de Bouw (“Walter”).

CRAZY COW and EYEWORKS announced today that they have signed an agreement under which CRAZY COW will have the worldwide distribution rights for the new Belgian police series “MPU -Missing Persons Unit” (original title = “Vermist”). CRAZY COW was already the European distributor of the series and as part of the extended agreement, CRAZY COW will represent “MPU” worldwide, allowing broadcasters to buy the original series or to license the scripted format for local adaptation (with EYEWORKS keeping the rights on the format for their production companies in Germany, Spain, the US, the UK, New-Zealand, Australia, Sweden and Chile).

“MPU” is a police series about five members of the Missings Persons Task Force investigating mysterious disappearances. EYEWORKS is first producing a feature film (theatrical release on October 31th) and afterwards a series of 9 episodes, that will be broadcast on VT4 in 2008.  “MPU” is directed by the famous director Jan Verheyen, written by top writers Bas Adriaensen and Philippe de Shepper (with the very well known American writer/producer Matt Witten as Script Consultant) and produced by EYEWORKS (Jan Huyse) and VT4.

CRAZY COW is excited to be working with EYEWORKS and VT4 on the international success of “MPU -Missing Persons Unit”.

“Sisters de Wit”, the successful drama series of Eyeworks and Net5 (SBS-ProsiebenSat1) will be launched on November 5th on RTL-TVi (leading channel in French-speaking Belgium / Part of RTL Group). The Dutch drama series will be broadcast daily (from Monday to Friday) at 4.30PM (with as French title “Secrets d’héritage”). In this slot we now have the American series “ER” (at 4PM) and the German series “Verliebt in Berlin” (at 5PM).

RTL-TVi doesn’t need to buy many European series, because the channel has all American series (“Desperate Housewives”, “Prison Break”, “CSI”, “Lost”, “Jericho”, “Bones”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Brothers & Sisters”, “Ugly Betty”, “Dr House”, “Cold Case”, “24″,..).  RTL-TVi bought directly ALL (37) episodes and “Sisters de Wit” is the first Dutch drama series EVER sold to French-speaking Belgium.

CRAZY COW is just back from Cannes and the Mipcom has proved to be very successful. The new Belgian police series “MPU -Missing Persons Unit” (VT4) has already seduced buyers from France, Canada, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Romania, … After a first launch on Jimmy Canal+ France, the Dutch drama series “Sisters de Wit” (Net5) will air in a few months for the second time on another French network, and will be broadcast soon in Croatia and Hungary. Meanwhile, CRAZY COW has reached deals for all (52) episodes of the Belgian series “City District” (VTM) and for all (33) episodes of the Dutch series “Vanished-Spoorloos verdwenen” (Nederland 1) with Czech Republic, while Russia will prefer to adapt the format of the Dutch police series for the local market.  Additionally, several buyers from Europe, Russia and Latin America showed interest for the French scripted format “Jeff & Leo, twins and cops” (M6). 

CRAZY COW inked also several deals to represent companies. CRAZY COW welcomes already its new clients and looks forward to work with them. 

CRAZY COW proposes to work with lower commission fees to its new clients, on the condition that the latter agree to give part of the revenues to a charity fund (to be chosen jointly). Otherwise, CRAZY COW is working with its classical commission fees. CRAZY COW has decided to support primarily PLAN INTERNATIONAL (http://www.plan-international.org/) but other charity funds are also possible.
CRAZY COW has already signed charity deals with Studio 100 (Benelux), Turn on TV(UK) and Lizland Films (France). Each time a buyer gives 1000€ , 100€ go to a charity fund (with CRAZY COW giving 5% of the total gross revenues coming from licensed programs/formats and the client giving the other 5%).

As a Belgian distributor, CRAZY COW naturally has of very good contacts with Belgian networks, in French-speaking as well as Dutch-speaking Belgium.
CRAZY COW is delighted to announce that over 120 hours of its programs will be broadcast in the next weeks or months on Belgian TV ! Licensed programs include a.o. the Dutch drama series SISTERS DE WIT (Net 5), the Canadian lifestyle show TAKE THIS HOUSE AND SELL IT (W Network), the Dutch police series VANISHED-SPOORLOOS VERDWENEN (Nederland 1), the Canadian docu series WEBDREAMS (Showcase),…
More deals are coming !

For the purpose of their scripts, the new Belgian police series “MPU-Missing Persons Unit” (original title = “Vermist”) is working with American script writer/producer Matt Witen. Witen was supervising producer for the series “HOUSE MD”, produced 5 episodes of “JAG”, and coproduced in 2002 “CSI : Miami”. As script writer, Matt Witen worked for “HOUSE MD”, “Peacemakers”, “Judging Amy”, “Law & Order” and “Homicide : life on the street”. Witen also wrote 2 episodes of “Supernatural”.

Superb cast, well written scripts as well as well written characters, and a great direction : “MPU-Missing Persons Unit” is as good as an American series, but with an European touch !

“Sisters de Wit”, the successful Dutch drama series about 3 sisters running a milk factory is now broadcast in Canada, with as French title “Secrets d’héritage”. The Net5-series airs every Monday in prime-time on network Séries+ (part of Alliance Atlantis and Astral Media). Canadians bought directly ALL (37) episodes. Moreover, we have to know that network Séries+ bought only 6 new series for this Fall 2007 (coming from the US or Europe). “Sisters de Wit” is the first Dutch drama series  EVER sold to Canada !

http://www.astralmediatvplus.com/en/franco/series_plus/drame/secrets_heritage/default.idigit

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www.crazycow.be is launched !

CRAZY COW thanks Sébastien Vanwelde and all the team of VITAM (www.vitam.be) for the logo and website.