Darren Chau is the Senior Director of Production across Australia and New Zealand for Discovery Inc, where he is responsible for content commissioning, development and production across multiple platforms for the region. His current content slate includes global hits Aussie Gold Hunters and Outback Opal Hunters, as well as international franchises The Block NZ, Dancing with the Stars NZ and the Masked Singer NZ. In addition to leading the full portfolio of content, Darren has been instrumental in driving the growth and globalization of the local content slate, as well as diversifying Discovery’s ANZ business onto new platforms across both markets including co-creating and launching free-to-air channel 9Rush as part of a joint venture with the Nine Network. Darren has a successful and award-winning background working extensively in creating and developing formats, channel management, content strategy, production, programming, scheduling and digital across all genres for both free and subscription platforms. He also serves as an official judge of the International Emmys, was appointed expert moderator for the Comedy Nominee Panel Session at the Emmy’s World Television Festival in New York and is an elected Member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Documentary, Lifestyle Entertainment, Branded Content
For the Discovery Channel the genres we’re interested in are – tough jobs, motoring, mystery science, off the grid, and precincts.
For our other brands and platforms across ANZ we’re looking for Reality (including Relationships & Medical transformation), Lifestyle, Entertainment, Comedy, Drama, Telefeatures, Factual, Documentary, True Crime and Brand Funded ideally with strong trans-tasman and/or global appeal.
We are not currently commissioning for Animal Planet, Turbo or Discovery Science.