With last fall’s introduction of “Crash” (a series based on the Oscar-winning movie), Starz stepped up its game.
“The goal is to get us into a different category, not just a licenser but a producer of exclusive content,” said programming chief Stephan Shelanski. (He never thought he’d leave New York; now he’s been in Denver 15 years.)
Starz is a full-scale entertainment company, yet it’s not nearly as well known as HBO or Showtime.
Shelanski is well aware that Starz suffers an image problem, “a lack of brand identity,” despite being the fast-growing premium network.
Still, 3.5 million people saw the premiere episode of “Crash” somewhere — on television, on free downloads via computer, through Netflix.
As a subscription service, Starz is somewhat immune to the downturn in ad revenues afflicting the industry. “People are buying fewer DVDs but watching more TV,” Shelanski notes.
The network’s next original series, “Spartacus,” currently shooting in New Zealand, is aimed squarely at fans of graphic novels. After that, a different sort of drama is a possibility, something “not so intense or violent.”
The company has 100 people in Denver producing promos and short clips at 17 edit bays and on a soundstage. Can he imagine making a series in Denver?
“We have looked at producing shows in Colorado but it’s not (financially) viable,” Shelanski said. “Incentives are the only reason we’re shooting in New Mexico for ‘Crash.’ “
