Goldfinch Group’s non-fiction IP incubator agency, Selectors, unveiled its first project, "Hell in Heaven," made in collaboration with Blanchard House. “With the rising demand for premium factual content, we see a real gap in the market for telling incredible real-life stories across different formats, making them accessible and engaging for as many audiences as possible," Phil McKenzie, COO of Goldfinch, said. "This is exactly what we’re aiming to achieve with Selectors, as we look to explore compelling true stories, such as 'Hell in Heaven,' across multiple avenues with leading journalists and industry partners.”
Blanchard House is producing an eight-part podcast series, which will launch in Autumn 2022. Goldfinch’s Phil McKenzie and Selectors co-founder William Ralston will executive produce. Blanchard House is a female-led, independent production company bringing together the very best storytelling, the most trusted journalism, and the highest production values. The team at Blanchard House comprises award-winning journalists and producers who’ve worked at the world’s most creative and respected content companies, including the BBC, the Times of London, and The Economist. The multi-format project comprises a simultaneous podcast and documentary series based on the death of Wall Street millionaire John Bender at his Costa Rican jungle mansion.
A collaboration with the Goldfinch Group, Selectors is led by William Ralston, who oversees its partnerships with long-form non-fiction narrative IP and writers. The company finds, investigates, develops, and produces fact-based stories across audio, non-scripted, and scripted film and TV productions in partnership with industry-leading journalists. "It’s fantastic to have our first Selectors project up and running, with incredible partners Blanchard House and Cineflix Productions on board to help us bring the wild and unpredictable story of John Bender’s death to audiences in multiple formats," William Ralston, Co-Founder at Selectors, said. "Through both the podcast and documentary series, we’ll work closely with John’s family to delve into the many questions that still surround this extraordinary case: what happened to all that money? And the jewels? Who else was there that night? We know this story will have audiences on the edge of their seats the whole way through.”.
Cineflix Productions is the lead production company on the documentary series with Selectors on board to co-produce, with Michael Stephenson attached to direct. Headed by J.C. Mills, Cineflix Productions is a leading creator and producer of must-watch content for global networks and streamers. The company is one of North America’s top producers with a slate of award-winning scripted series, movies, and unscripted shows across a wide range of genres, including reality, science, natural history, true crime, lifestyle, documentary, mini-series, and formats.
"Hell in Heaven" tells the true story of John Bender, a troubled Wall Street genius, and his wife, Ann, who move to the Costa Rican jungle with $600 million and big dreams. They hope to create a unique wildlife reserve - instead, their lives descend into hell. It all ends with a body, a mystery… and three murder trials.“This is a fantastic story, and our producers have been on the ground in Costa Rica speaking to those who knew the Benders and witnessed everything that played out there. We’re extremely excited to bring this incredible story to light, and work with our partners across different formats," Kimberly Jung, CEO and Co-Founder of Blanchard House, said. "Like every story we tell, we believe this to be timeless, unforgettable and a fascinating insight into a different world.”