MIPTV, April 17 - Rainmaker Content, the international distributor that specialises in drama, factual and special-event programming, has agreed a distribution deal with UK-based indie Lonesome Pine Productions, whose slate includes award-winning music programming and scripted television content. 

Headlining Rainmaker’s MIPDOC slate are the first titles to be taken to the international market under the new relationship: two premium music series and a music special featuring classical soprano Carly Paoli.  STOCK AITKEN WATERMAN: LEGENDS OF POP (3 x 60 mins or 2 x 90 mins) was originally produced for Channel 5 in the UK. It reunites the three producers — Mike Stock, now 71, Matt Aitken (66) and Pete Waterman (76) — who dominated the global pop music scene in the 1980s and 1990s. Telling a story of stratospheric success, counterbalanced by fractured relationships and bitter courtroom battles, the series features exclusive new interviews with some of the trio’s biggest artists, including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Rick Astley and pop maestro Simon Cowell. 

GREATEST ALBUMS LIVE (6 x 60 mins) is a returning series for Sky Arts that celebrates six classic albums through new performances by the original artists. Each episode explores the influences, creative process and legacy of one seminal album, to the soundtrack of live performances in original track order. Top UK music presenters Jools Holland, Edith Bowman and Miranda Sawyer are attached to the first series, which features the Stereophonics (Just Enough Education to Perform), Simple Minds (New Gold Dream), Gregory Porter (Liquid Spirit), ABC (The Lexicon of Love), Peter Frampton (Frampton Comes Alive!) and Dexys Midnight Runners (Too-Rye-Ay). 

Sky Arts’ CARLY PAOLI & FRIENDS (1 x 70 mins) is a musical special in which the Brit- nominated singer, lyricist and rising star of the classical world is joined by famous friends to perform a selection of well-known songs at picturesque Otterburn Castle. With appearances by Aled Jones, Tony Hadley, Mica Paris, Ben Forster, Braimah Kanneh-Mason and the Brit School Choir, CARLY PAOLI & FRIENDS is a joyful celebration of music, be it classical, pop, cinematic or West End musical.  

All three programmes are available at the MIPDOC International Documentary and Factual Co-Production Market, which takes place in Cannes, France from April 17- 19. 

Lesley Douglas, co-founder of Lonesome Pine Productions, said: “Having spent some time getting to know Vicky and the team at Rainmaker, I am delighted that they are representing these titles globally. It has been a genuinely collaborative experience and I hope there will be many more projects we work on together in the future.” 

Vicky Ryan, co-founder and chief operating officer of Rainmaker Content, said: “Rainmaker is in the process of formalising its relationships with its key suppliers in order to secure its pipeline of quality factual content. When it comes to music programming, Lonesome Pine produces some of the finest — as is clearly demonstrated by these first titles to come out of our new deal with Lesley and her team.” 

About Rainmaker Content
Rainmaker Content produces, finances and distributes commercially appealing scripted and non-scripted programming in collaboration with award-winning producers, production companies and directors with proven track records in the creation of premium programming for global audiences. 
www.rainmakercontent.com 

About Lonesome Pine 
Lonesome Pine Productions, co-founded by Lesley Douglas and Ash Ditta, has produced documentary films about some of the biggest names in music history, including Roy Orbison (BBC Four), Bruce Springsteen (Channel 4), David Gilmour (BBC Two) and Johnny Cash (Channel 5). Lonesome Pine also has a number of scripted projects in development and production, including four-part drama The Inheritance (Channel 5), written by Ash Ditta and directed by Aku Louhimies, scheduled for release later this year. 

For further information on Rainmaker Content, please contact: 
Cheryl Clarke at Mushroom Media on: 
Tel: +44 (0)7939554109  
E: cheryl@mushroom-media.co.uk