Amy Schaeffer Joins Eq Media Group As Head Of Unscripted Development In NZ

EQ Media Group Australia & New Zealand has expanded its development division with the appointment of Amy Schaeffer as Head of Unscripted Development in New Zealand.

Schaeffer is an experienced researcher and writer who has worked across a diverse slate of unscripted projects including Crypto Bros, How Did You Do That? and The Garden Pantry. With a keen passion for storytelling and an extensive background in television presenting, audience analysis and communications, Schaeffer will bring all the elements that drive fiction into the non-fiction space pushing the edges of storytelling in innovative new ways.

“The local market is ever adapting and the unscripted production space is incredibly strong as reflected in high audience engagement,” says Schaeffer. “We want to see more Kiwi faces on screen which drives a demand for Kiwi stories. I am excited to be able to create more local stories for both domestic and international audiences and have a passion to see New Zealand content succeed on both local and global stages.”

EQ Media New Zealand-based Executive Producer Richard Fletcher says: “We are delighted to have Amy join the team in New Zealand and this appointment highlights EQ Media Group’s commitment to bringing foreign investment from international co-production partners to develop Kiwi stories and tell them to the world. We can’t wait to expand both the scope and the global reach of our local unscripted production slate.”

Recent international productions initiated from EQ Media Group’s New Zealand production company include upcoming Cooks on Fire for TVNZ, Griff’s Canadian Adventure (Channel 4 UK, BBC First Canada, Eden, ABC Australia) following Griff’s Great Kiwi Road Trip, Rhys Darby Big in Japan (TVNZ, Network 10 Australia, Abacus Media Rights) and This Could Go Anywhere (Prime, Abacus Media Rights) and Under the Vines, a comedy-drama co-produced with Libertine Pictures for AMC Networks’ Acorn TV and TVNZ.

Schaeffer is based in EQ Media Group’s Auckland office and will work alongside Richard Fletcher in NZ and Brendan Dahill in Sydney.

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