Silverlining Rights closed deals for "Social Media Murders: The Murder of Olly Stephens"

Leading independent production finance broker and distributor Silverlining Rights has signed multiple international deals for Angel Eye Media’s ITV True Crime special, "Social Media Murders: The Murder of Olly Stephens". 

The documentary has been sold to Nine (Australia), RTL (Germany), RTS (Switzerland), TV2 (Denmark), TV2 (Norway), TV4 (Sweden), MTV Finland, RTBF (Belgium), RTS Switzerland, Play Media (Belgium), Quebecor Content, Upstream Media (US, Canada, Lat Am, South Africa) and VA Media (US, LatAm, and Asia).

"Social Media Murders: The Murder of Olly Stephens" (1x60’Angel Eye for ITVX, UK) tells the tragic story of 13-year-old Olly Stephens, who was brutally murdered in a park, after being lured there to meet a girl. Chillingly the attack was inspired by the use of knives on social media. When police launched a huge investigation to figure out exactly who was responsible for Olly’s death and why it happened, they were struck by the personas that the 13- and 14-year-olds linked to the case were presenting online, which were completely at odds with the reality of their middle-class suburban lives. The documentary reveals the countdown to a calculated murder, fuelled by the glorification of knife culture on social media, and the investigation that follows.

The deals announced today follow sales for Season 1 of Angel Eye Media’s Channel 4 series Love Cheats (which has been acquired by Nine Australia, CBC (Canada), TV2 (Denmark), TV2 (Norway), Warner Bros. Discovery (New Zealand), Play Media (Belgium), Prima Group (Czech Republic), Hot 8 (Israel), Upstream Media (US, Lat Am, South Africa, and Asia) VA Media (US, Lat Am, Asia), A True Story (US, LatAm and Asia) and Night Train Digital (US, LatAm, and Asia).

Bethan Corney, founder and MD Silverlining Rights contextualizes the deal within the framework of the global demand for true crime content: “Global demand for gripping true crime content remains strong, and particularly programming which takes a fresh look at new trends, such as the role of social media, which appeal to younger viewers.  We are thrilled to be continuing our long relationship with the team at Angel Eye, who consistently come up with shows which hit the zeitgeist and always do well with international audiences," commented.