Tag Archive: Julie Pizzi

1. BUNIM/MURRAY PRODUCTIONS AND TOGETHXR

   13th June 2024 3:47 pm Comments Off on BUNIM/MURRAY PRODUCTIONS AND TOGETHXR

   Bunim/Murray Productions, a division of Banijay Americas, is teaming with leading women’s sports media company TOGETHXR and superstar athletes Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe for a new untitled docu-series, it was announced today by Bunim/Murray Productions President Julie Pizzi and TOGETHXR co-founder and Chief Content Officer Jessica Robertson.

   Executive Produced by Bird and Rapinoe, the series will bring audiences beyond the courts and fields and into the lives and relationships of America’s top female athletes. It will follow athletes from the WNBA, NWSL, PWHL and more, along with their families, wives, girlfriends, partners and even their situationships.

   With women’s sports more in the spotlight than ever, viewers will go behind-the-scenes

   with professional female athletes and their partners, as they navigate the complexities of pro-sports and their relationships off the field. With a focus on the unique dynamics within these leagues, such as relationships between teammates or rivals, the show explores the challenges and triumphs of wins, losses and love as a world class athlete.

   The series is being co-developed by Bunim/Murray and TOGETHXR, the media and commerce company founded by leading athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel and Bird. TOGETHXR is the force behind “The Syd and TP Show” (Fubo TV) and “Surf Girls Hawai’i” (Prime Video) and is set to release its latest documentary “Power of the Dream” (Prime Video) later this month.

   Bunim/Murray, which produces such hit unscripted series as “Vandperpump Villa” (Hulu), “The Family Stallone” (Paramount+), “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson” (Lifetime) and “The Challenge” for MTV, CBS and Paramount+, is set to take the untitled series out with TOGETHXR to potential buyers in the coming weeks.

   Bunim/Murray’s Steve Ezell (SVP, Current Programming) and Michael Driscoll (VP, Development) are leading development efforts for the studio, along with Jess Robertson (Co-Founder, CCO) and Tina Tozzi (Head of Development) at TOGETHXR

   “We believe in the power of sport to tell stories that transcend the game. This series is an opportunity to showcase the incredible journeys of these phenomenal athletes, on and off the field,” said Bird and Rapinoe. “As athletes and partners who share a bond through our love of sports, we’re thrilled to team up with Bunim-Murray and TOGETHXR to bring these stories to life and give fans a deeper look at the lives of the athletes who inspire us all.”

   “We couldn’t be more excited and at the same time honored to be teaming with superstars Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, as well as the talented team at TOGETHXR,” says Bunim/Murray’s Ezell and Driscoll. “This series will take audiences where they have never gone before, behind the scenes with elite professional female athletes and inside their relationships with loved ones, friends and other top sports stars.”

   Bird is a five-time Olympic gold medalist and basketball legend, and Rapinoe, a two-time FIFA World Cup winner and soccer icon. Collectively, they have achieved some of the highest honors in their respective sports, becoming role models and advocates for gender equality and social justice.

2. Julie Pizzi Named President, Bunim/Murray Productions

   25th February 2021 9:19 am Comments Off on Julie Pizzi Named President, Bunim/Murray Productions

   Veteran producer and longtime executive Julie Pizzi has been named President, Bunim/Murray Productions, it was announced today by Cris Abrego, Chairman of the Americas, Banijay, and President and CEO, Endemol Shine Holdings.

    

   Pizzi, who formerly served as President of Entertainment and Development at Bunim/Murray, has led both development and production during her career at the Banijay-owned studio that first started in 1998.

    

   Bunim/Murray Productions was originally founded in 1987 and is behind such ground-breaking unscripted series as The Real World, Road Rules, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and The Challenge. Earlier this month, Paramount+ announced it had ordered a new season of The Real World that will include members of the original cast that first aired on MTV.

    

   Last November, Bunim/Murray Productions was put under the purview of Abrego, who now oversees nine different Banijay-owned studios across North and Latin America, including Endemol Shine North America.

    

   “Julie brings a wealth of unscripted production experience to her new role and has been a part of the Bunim/Murray family for more than 20 years, making her the ideal candidate to lead the studio into the next decade,” says Abrego. “Bunim/Murray is one of the true pioneers in the unscripted industry and thanks to Julie and many others, it has a tremendous amount of momentum with numerous new ground-breaking series on the way.”

    

   “I started my career at Bunim/Murray and was mentored by its founders, the late Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray,” says Pizzi. “I have incredible admiration for the company they created and it’s important for me to continue to build on what they built in both nurturing creativity and developing content that is both innovative and entertaining.”

   Pizzi added, “At the same time, look forward to working with Cris Abrego, his team and Banijay globally as we shepherd Bunim/Murray into its next successful chapter. Cris is an industry leader, who also worked at BMP during the company’s early years. He understands the uniqueness of the company, the brand and its culture.”

    

   Pizzi has more than 20 years of experience producing hundreds of hours of unscripted television. While serving as President of Entertainment and Development, she had creative and development responsibility for all of Bunim/Murray’s format series and increasing the development of original formats.

    

   Most recently, she developed and served as Executive Producer on Bill Nye Saves the World for Netflix and was one of the first partners with Facebook to launch the Ball In The Family series on their Watch platform. Pizzi also developed and led production on The Real World Thailand, Mexico and Atlanta for Facebook, Snapchat’s first docu-series Endless, Kim Kardashian West—The Justice Project for Oxygen and Family or Fiance´ for OWN.

    

   Previously, ​Pizzi served as Creative Vice President and Showrunner at Bunim/Murray for six years, where she spearheaded development and executive produced high-rated seasons of Road Rules and Real World/Road Rules Challenge (MTV), as well as Born to Diva (VH1). And Pizzi has continued to oversee the hit Challenge franchise for MTV, which is going into its 37^th season.

    

   In 2004, Pizzi left Bunim/Murray to launch award-winning reality and documentary company, PB&J Television. As Co-President of PB&J, Pizzi executive produced Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Model Search (NBC), Reversal of Fortune (Showtime), America’s Prom Queen (ABC Family), Bad Sex (LOGO), as well as four seasons of the hit Dress My Nest (Style).

    

   Pizzi, who returned to head up development at Bunim/Murray in 2015, has produced many hours of programming for MTV, Facebook, Snapchat, Netflix, E!, Showtime, Paramount +, USA, Oxygen, OWN, HGTV, SYFY, NBC, FOX, Travel Channel, A&E, VH1, CMT, ABC Family, Style, Lifetime, The CW, TLC and Discovery.