Endeavor Invests in Nonfiction Studio Velvet Hammer Media

Endeavor is making another move in the unscripted content space, investing in Velvet Hammer Media, founded by producers Jennifer O’Connell and Rebecca Quinn.

Velvet Hammer launched earlier this year, and has already secured greenlights for shows like The Big Bakeover for The CW and Roku Channel’s Empty Nest Refresh. The company also has projects in development at Netflix and NBCUniversal, among other companies.

Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Unscripted fare has long been a staple of TV networks and streaming services, but the ongoing writers strike has made the space even more appealing, with production on the programs able to continue even as everything else gets shut down.

O’Connell and Quinn are industry veterans, with O’Connell most recently executive VP of nonfiction and live action family originals at HBO Max (including shows like FBoy Island and Selena + Chef), while Quinn was senior VP of nonfiction at HBO Max.

Endeavor, meanwhile, has been strategically pursuing deals in the unscripted space, including an investment in Asylum Entertainment earlier this year.

The investment in unscripted follows the sale of Endeavor Content to CJ ENM last year. Endeavor retained a 20 percent interest in that company, consistent with a deal the agency made with the Writers Guild of America. But Endeavor held on to Endeavor Content’s unscripted business, which was permitted in the WGA agreement.

At a Goldman Sachs conference after the Endeavor Content deal was announced, CEO Ari Emanuel said that the company’s unscripted business “will grow significantly. We think its a huge grower on a global scale. It’ll also be local, U.S. domestic. We will move into that space pretty aggressively.”

The former Endeavor Content unscripted assets, combined with the investments in Asylum and Velvet Hammer, suggest a deeper push into the category for the company, which owns the talent agency WME as well as the UFC and IMG.

“Over the course of their careers, Jen and Rebecca have developed and produced some of television’s most provocative shows, entertained broad audiences, fueled the zeitgeist, and reflected our culture in dynamic and surprising ways,” said Rebecca Sanhueza, executive VP of content strategy & development and head of nonscripted content at Endeavor, in a statement. “The moment we learned they had branched out on their own, we wanted to be in business with them. We believe in their bold, creative point of view and independent thinking, and their dedication to inclusivity and accessibility. We’re thrilled to partner on the incredible storytelling opportunities ahead.”

“For the last several months, we’ve had the privilege of connecting with Rebecca Sanhueza and the team at Endeavor, who have shown a true understanding of what we aim to achieve and an unwavering commitment to our vision,” O’Connell and Quinn added. “As a result, during this process our confidence in building a successful relationship with Endeavor has surged, driving us to seize every opportunity. We are deeply appreciative for the chance to build VHM into a powerhouse production company and, via our Inside Access program, a force for progress in unscripted.”