Overview and Experience
As the President for the Global Drama group at Fremantle, Christian Vesper has creative oversight across Fremantle’s network of global drama producers. In that capacity, Vesper advises and assists producers to develop and produce projects that not only do well in their local market but can also succeed globally. Vesper also manages a slate of projects within the Global Drama group and leads efforts to set up group projects as co-productions with US and UK networks, and at global platforms.
In his time at Fremantle, Vesper has worked with Wildside (THE YOUNG POPE, THE NEW POPE) to attach writers, directors and set up US co-production on projects such as MY BRILLIANT FRIEND, Luca Guadagnino’s WE ARE WHO WE ARE, and projects from such directors as Paolo Sorrentino and Gabriele Mainitti. He also brought director Larysa Kondracki and star Natalie Dormer on-board Fremantle Australia’s PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK; worked with Abot Hameri (SHTISEL) to develop and set up their first US commission at HULU; set up the UFA Fiction series DEUTSCHLAND ’83, ’86 and ’89 with global distribution.
In addition, Vesper co-developed and acts as Fremantle EP on THIS SCEPTRED ISLE (Passenger Pictures, Sky), NO MAN’S LAND (Hulu, Arte), THE LUMINARIES (Working Title, BBC), LA JAURIA (Produced by Fabula and Pablo and Juan de Dios Larrain) and VIVLING (with Natalie Dormer).
Vesper is currently producing, advising, and developing with multiple Fremantle companies: Paris based Kwai Productions (LE BARON NOIR, THE LAST WAVE), Copenhagen based Miso Films (MODUS, THE RAIN), UK based Euston Films (THE SISTER, DUBLIN MURDERS, BAGHDAD CENTRAL), Sydney based Fremantle Australia, and LA based Fremantle North America (AMERICAN GODS, MOSQUITO COAST).
Since Vesper joined Fremantle in 2016, drama as a percentage of overall revenue has more than doubled and the number of drama projects completed and in development has quadrupled.
Prior to joining Fremantle, Vesper spent 14 years at SundanceTV/AMC Networks as the Senior Vice President of scripted programming, current and international co-productions. At Sundance, Vesper helped redefine the channel as a vital television brand by introducing distinctive drama series to what had been primarily a movie service, and by leading the network into being among the first to set up UK/US co-productions. Vesper helped launch the network’s scripted series strategy in 2010 with the Golden Globe winning CARLOS (directed by Olivier Assayas), and was in charge of a slate of premium, auteur driven and award winning series, including RECTIFY, TOP OF THE LAKE (1 & 2), THE HONOURABLE WOMAN, THE A WORD, HAP AND LEONARD and Johan Renck’s THE LAST PANTHERS.
Additionally, Vesper oversaw programming, film distribution and acquisitions at Sundance Channel and IFC TV. Projects included: Jean Xavier de Lestrade’s documentary series THE STAIRCASE, SLINGS AND ARROWS, SIGNE CHANEL, CITY OF MEN and THE NOMINEES, as well as films such as Loic Pringent’s MARC JACOBS, Michael Winterbottom’s IN THIS WORLD and Peter Bogdonavich’s RUNNIN’ DOWN A DREAM. At IFC Vesper brought in Charlie Brooker’s first series, the DEAD SET and was also executive producer of David Cross’ THE INCREDIBLY POOR DECISIONS OF TODD MARGARET.
Before joining SundanceTV in 2001, Vesper served as director of programming at HBO, buying independent films and documentaries for both HBO and Cinemax. And earlier in his career, Vesper served for six years as director of business and legal affairs at October Films and USA Films, working on acquisitions, production, as well as October’s rapid corporate expansion and subsequent mergers.
