You had ESPN, which did 30 for 30 and HBO doingHard Knocksonce a year.
But we definitely sensed that there was an opportunity in that space.
ThenDrive To Survivebecame the right show at the right time and probably fast tracked where we are.
Drive To SurviveNetflix
Its not hard for us because were both big, big sports fans.
DRIVE TO SURVIVE
Formula 1: Drive to Surviveis heading into its sixth season.
The series has been given credit for massively growing the sports fan base in the U.S.
F1: Drive To Survive(Netflix)Netflix
Most sports stars are used to being filmed pretty much all the time.
Its just about getting them to not just basically repeat those cliched PR answers, Gay-Rees said.
Theyve all worked for each other.
Theyve all fired each other.
Its got all the ingredients of a returning sitcom or drama series.
When they scored the greenlight, the pair joked that it would either run for one season or many.
How long could it run?
Gay-Rees said that viewing figures havent dropped.
I think its probably hopefully going to carry around a bit longer.
Well keep on trying to make it feel fresh every year.
The company followed these up by scoring greenlights for series about the Tour De France and 6 Nations Rugby.
Its always a slightly different, organic conversation.
Theyre all slightly different and some are more straightforward than others.
Outside of Netflix,Box to Box Filmsalso has a number of projects with Apple.
Its sort of billionaire business madness, true crime, its an unusual category.
You dont really get an insight into that heavyweight corporate level of activity.
Obviously, I didnt think anything of it, he said.
Theres a really interesting chemical process with the genesis and the origination of ideas.
Youre like, sure, where do I sign?
Sometimes you chase something for ages.
Our development team is across many genres.
SCRIPTED AMBITIONS
Then, theres a move into scripted.
The companystruck a first-look deal with the World Surf Leaguethat included potential scripted projects.
Scripted is something we want to pursue, said Martin.
We are attached to scripted projects.
Whether theyll be spinoffs of our properties or just completely left-field things is probably up for grabs.
Buts its a different ballgame, added Gay-Rees.
The company is considering opportunities involving a multi-million dollar investment from a minority shareholder.
For a long time, weve been growing quite organically.
Its very early in that process, but weve definitely talked to a few people.
Gay-Rees is based in London and Martin is now in LA, having moved last December.
All of this comes at rather a strange time in the world of documentaries.
However, there has been a slow down over the last couple of years.
Its definitely a tough time, said Gay-Rees.
Likewise, it will turn again at some point.
Its a difficult time for everyone on every level.
That is, unless you make the majority of Netflixs booming sports-adjacent business.
