50 Pictures Originals
We develop factual television, documentary, factual entertainment and specialist factual ideas for broadcasters, streamers and international partners.
What We DevelopOur team's television has been made for
What We Develop
50 Pictures Originals develops factual television across a range of genres and formats. We bring the same story-first instinct to everything — finding the human truth inside the subject, then building it into something a broadcaster and an audience will care about.
Deep, sustained access to worlds most people never see. Stories that take you somewhere extraordinary and show you something true.
A world with its own rules, characters and drama — revealing a corner of life that becomes compelling the more you look at it.
Ideas with format logic and audience accessibility — where the story and the structure reinforce each other.
Strong point of view, specific subject, human entry point. Science, history, nature, culture — with a story at its heart.
Series built around a compelling presenter or character — where the talent and the subject are genuinely well-matched.
Feel-good without being soft. Stories that leave you with something — warmth, wonder, or a changed perspective on the everyday.
Currently in Development
Current areas of active development include the following. We are not accepting unsolicited submissions at this time.
The people, places and stories behind the transformation — and survival — of Britain's most familiar spaces.
Access-led. One of the world's great engineering stories — and an ongoing human drama below the sea.
The relationship between the natural world and how we feel — told through people, place and science.
A precinct series exploring the world of emergency response in one of Europe's most dramatic landscapes.
What do well-known people do when no one is watching? A series about the pursuits that reveal character.
Matthew Wheeler — Series Director · Edit Producer · Shooting PD
The People Behind the Development
Founder · Series Director · Edit Producer · Shooting PD
A BBC Senior Broadcast Journalist turned series director and edit producer, Matthew has spent over two decades making primetime factual television — from talent-led food and travel series to specialist documentaries for BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Netflix, and National Geographic. He leads development at 50 Pictures Originals.
Editor · BAFTA Member
A BAFTA member with a razor-sharp eye for story and structure. Rob has cut feature films and award-winning documentary television including Dispatches and Who Do You Think You Are? He is also an acclaimed mentor and trainer for the next generation of documentary filmmakers.
Documentary Filmmaker · Field Producer
Two decades of international documentary-making — from the Arab Spring to the frontlines of Ukraine. Christopher has a reporter's instinct and a documentarian's eye, and knows how to find and tell stories under pressure, in any language, on any continent.
Commission or Co-Produce
We are currently in active development. If any of the above areas of interest match what you're looking for, please get in touch directly.
matthew@50pictures.com