Original Productions
Encyclopedia
Original Productions is a television production company based in Burbank, CA. It was founded in 1999 by Thom Beers
and was acquired by FremantleMedia
in 2009 and made into a subsidiary.
It is best known for producing reality television shows for the Discovery Channel
but has more recently produced shows for other networks such as History, truTV, and Spike.
Some of its most popular shows are Deadliest Catch
, Ice Road Truckers
, Ax Men
, and 1000 Ways to Die
. Its earlier hit was Monster Garage
.
The company's closing consists of a black background with blue graffiti sprayed onto it, and the company's name in a typewriter font, with a small FremantleMedia byline below. A girl says "It's original!"
Thom Beers
Thom Beers is an American television producer and narrator/ voice over artist. Beers, a former producer and executive with Turner Broadcasting and Paramount Syndicated Television, has produced over 40 television series since the mid 1990s, most under the banner of his own production company formed...
and was acquired by FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
in 2009 and made into a subsidiary.
It is best known for producing reality television shows for the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
but has more recently produced shows for other networks such as History, truTV, and Spike.
Some of its most popular shows are Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch is a documentary/reality television series produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel. It portrays the real life events aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and C. opilio crab fishing seasons.The Aleutian Islands port of Dutch Harbor,...
, Ice Road Truckers
Ice Road Truckers
Ice Road Truckers is a documentary-style reality television series that premiered on History on June 17, 2007.-History:In 2000, History aired a 46-minute episode titled "Ice Road Truckers" as part of the Suicide Missions series...
, Ax Men
Ax Men
Ax Men is an American documentary reality television series that premiered on March 9, 2008 on History. The program follows the work of several logging crews in the second-growth forests of Northwestern Oregon, Washington and Montana. The show highlights the dangers encountered by the loggers...
, and 1000 Ways to Die
1000 Ways to Die
1000 Ways to Die is a docufiction anthology television series that premiered on May 14, 2008 on Spike. The program recreates unusual supposed deaths and debunked urban legends and includes interviews with experts who describe the science behind each death...
. Its earlier hit was Monster Garage
Monster Garage
Monster Garage is a television show for the Discovery Channel hosted by Jesse G. James. Each episode is an hour in length and was conceived and produced by Thom Beers.The show aired the series finale on June 12, 2006. Jesse G...
.
The company's closing consists of a black background with blue graffiti sprayed onto it, and the company's name in a typewriter font, with a small FremantleMedia byline below. A girl says "It's original!"
Television series
- 1000 Ways to Die1000 Ways to Die1000 Ways to Die is a docufiction anthology television series that premiered on May 14, 2008 on Spike. The program recreates unusual supposed deaths and debunked urban legends and includes interviews with experts who describe the science behind each death...
- Alien Encounters
- America's Port
- America's Toughest JobsAmerica's Toughest JobsAmerica's Toughest Jobs is a reality television show that lasted one season and aired on the American television network NBC. It pitted contestants against each other as they attempted a series of difficult and dangerous jobs...
- Ax MenAx MenAx Men is an American documentary reality television series that premiered on March 9, 2008 on History. The program follows the work of several logging crews in the second-growth forests of Northwestern Oregon, Washington and Montana. The show highlights the dangers encountered by the loggers...
- Backyard Nation
- Ballroom Bootcamp
- Beach PD
- Big!Big!Big! is a TV series in which an episode consists of a team of engineers manufacturing the world's biggest items for the sake of setting world records.The devices have to function to qualify.The series originally aired on Discovery Channel in...
- Biker Build Off
- Black GoldBlack Gold (TV series)Black Gold is a documentary-style reality television series that chronicles three oil drilling rigs in Andrews County, Texas, 30 miles northwest of Odessa. It is produced by Thom Beers, creator of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers. The Black Gold theme song is sung by country music star Trace...
- Boom
- The Building
- CoalCoal (TV Series)Coal is an American documentary reality television series produced by Original Productions for Spike. It portrays the real life events on a coal mine in Westchester, West Virginia and the inherent dangers involved....
- The Con Game
- Dead Tenants
- Deadliest CatchDeadliest CatchDeadliest Catch is a documentary/reality television series produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel. It portrays the real life events aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and C. opilio crab fishing seasons.The Aleutian Islands port of Dutch Harbor,...
- Disappeared
- Dog Brothers
- Fugitive Strike Force
- Holiday Madness
- Ice Road TruckersIce Road TruckersIce Road Truckers is a documentary-style reality television series that premiered on History on June 17, 2007.-History:In 2000, History aired a 46-minute episode titled "Ice Road Truckers" as part of the Suicide Missions series...
- Iditarod: Toughest Race on Earth
- L.A. Hard Hats
- Lobstermen: Jeopardy at SeaLobstermen: Jeopardy at SeaLobstermen: Jeopardy at Sea is a multi-part documentary/reality show on the Discovery Channel chronicling the fall 2005 North Atlantic lobster fishing season aboard several fishing boats. Created and narrated by Thom Beers, it is heavily patterned after and can be considered a spin-off of fellow...
- Lobster WarsLobster WarsLobster Wars, also known as Deadliest Catch: Lobstermen in the United Kingdom, is a documentary television series on the Discovery Channel. It documents men and one woman fishing for lobsters off the Georges Bank near the northeastern coast of North America...
- The Messengers
- Milk Carton Kids
- Monster GarageMonster GarageMonster Garage is a television show for the Discovery Channel hosted by Jesse G. James. Each episode is an hour in length and was conceived and produced by Thom Beers.The show aired the series finale on June 12, 2006. Jesse G...
- Monster House
- Monster Nation
- Ocean ForceOcean ForceOcean Force is an American television series that began airing in 2007. The factual series follows lifeguards on busy beaches, and the work they do from water rescues to keeping order on the beach. The series airs in the United States on truTV....
- Plastic Surgery Before and After
- Raw Nature
- Resolutionaries
- Skyscraper Special
- Storage WarsStorage WarsStorage Wars is a reality television series on the A&E Network that premiered in 2010. The show features auctioneers Dan Dotson and Laura Dotson, as well as auction hunters Dave Hester, Darrell Sheets, Barry Weiss, and Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante...
- SwordsSwords (TV series)Swords: Life On the Line is a documentary television series produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series documents the events aboard New England fishing boats fishing for Swordfish. See Longline fishing....
- Tattoo Wars
- Twister Sisters
- VerminatorsVerminatorsVerminators is an American reality television series. It is produced by Original Productions of Burbank, California and broadcast in the United States on Discovery Channel, Canada on Discovery Channel and the UK on Virgin1...
- Wing Nuts