Dare Pictures founder, Derren Lawford, is to wind down his indie and has entered a new representation partnership with film and TV talent agency Stern & Wild.
Lawford founded factual indie Dare in 2022. The indie produced titles including Fugitive: The Mystery of the Crypto Queen (Channel 4/Sky Germany), UK Prisons Exposed, and Geordie Stories: Sophie’s Fertility Journey (Paramount+).
Under the terms of the new representation agreement, Stern & Wild will represent Lawford as an executive producer, showrunner and creative consultant for traditional linear broadcasters, digital platforms, and commercial brands.Lawford will continue to independently develop and produce original projects and IP, working directly with commissioners, partners and financiers on new premium factual and cross-platform series. “The agreement positions Lawford at the forefront of a rapidly converging content landscape – combining premium storytelling with senior-level strategic insight for a changing industry.”
Lawford said: “I’m proud of the work we made at Dare, the talent we championed and the audiences we reached. While that chapter is closing, the ambition behind it is not. The lines between broadcasters, streamers, brands and audio are increasingly blurred. I’ve spent my career building teams and delivering work across those worlds. This next phase is about continuing to create ambitious content while applying that cross-platform experience more broadly in a consolidating market.”
Prior to launching Dare, Lawford held senior leadership roles across public service broadcasting, global streaming platforms and the independent sector. He was a founding member of BBC Radio 1Xtra and part of the launch team for BBC Global iPlayer. He later served as head of content at Livity, building a cross-platform division delivering for major global brands and broadcasters, and was a Commissioner at London Live, backing emerging talent and shaping original programming at launch.
Camilla Chiverton of Stern & Wild added: “Derren’s arrival at Stern & Wild sharpens our influence in a changing production world, as our partnership supports his next chapter. He operates right at the intersection of broadcast, digital and commercial content – bringing decades of experience across the storytelling craft of linear, the agility of digital, and the strategic focus of branded content together in one place. This uniquely positions him to advise, consult, originate, and produce for broadcasters, brands, and streaming platforms alike. As the boundaries between platforms continue to blur, Derren isn’t just navigating the shift – he leads it.”
Jon Creamer
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