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Sky Documentaries Unveils New Documentary Initiative

Sky offers an opportunity to production companies for development support to produce programmes for Sky Documentaries. By Ching Wai.

Britain - A new initiative announced by Sky, a division of Comcast, provides financial and development support for companies to produce programmes for its factual channels. The initiative includes a minimum sum of £15, 000 ($16, 300), as well as the chance for a fully-funded development and a six-month collaboration with the British pay television channel owned and operated by Sky, Sky Documentaries. Sky Documentaries has a catalogue of programmes that include ones from HBO and its own new and original programmes.

The collaboration with Sky Documentaries gives the selected three companies monthly focused pitch sessions with a commissioning team member to provide feedback and guidance in the development of their documentaries. Applicants need to be diverse-owned or diverse-led. Its founders, owners, or senior management creatives should include members of ethnic minorities, deaf, disabled, and/or neurodivergent communities. As such, Sky recognises the different needs of each production company, and will tailor its support to suit the individual companies. The customised support can be in the form of more time with the experienced freelance executive producer or development executive, or more funds for additional resources like access producers, writers, or taster editors.

The director of documentaries and factual at Sky, Poppy Dixon, said of the initiative, “I’m thrilled to introduce our initiative supporting diverse-owned production companies. Sky is committed to fostering inclusivity in the industry. This opportunity is about more than financial support; it is a commitment to mentorship and ongoing dialogue, with the goal of ensuring underrepresented voices stand out on Sky Documentaries.”

With even the selection criteria being more selective, the new programmes can be created and developed with more authenticity and accuracy. As the importance of inclusivity and representation become increasingly apparent, Sky’s initiative is a timely and welcome move.

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