NL FILM AND WATTPAD STUDIOS ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE DUTCH-LANGUAGE PARTNERSHIP

NL Film and Wattpad, the global multiplatform company for original stories, have announced an exclusive Dutch-language partnership to bring Wattpad stories to screens in the Netherlands. NL Film, part of EndemolShine Nederland, will receive exclusive first-look rights to adapt Dutch-language stories from Wattpad. The deal will focus on young-adult (YA) stories for development as series or films.  

NL Film, known for producing quality drama for audiences including Floor Rules, Netflix’s The Resistance Banker and the award-winning The Menten Case, will work with Wattpad to adapt new projects from the platform using Wattpad’s Story DNA Machine Learning technology. Wattpad’s technology will power discovery for the partnership, allowing the companies to identify and develop exceptional Dutch-language Wattpad stories. The companies will also leverage Wattpad’s Story DNA Machine Learning technology to bring reader sentiment, feedback, story interactions, and other data-backed insights to the development process.  

Kaja Wolffers, Creative Director of NL Film: “NL Film is committed to bringing the best and most suited content to viewers and does that by understanding its audience’s needs. This deal with Wattpad helps us to continue to deliver engaging drama and find fresh and new perspectives. Wattpad reaches audiences that can’t be reached with standard media. The insight we get from the feedback and interaction data of their users is very informative and valuable for the development of new projects.”    

Aron Levitz, Head of Wattpad Studios: “Entertainment companies around the world are increasingly looking to data and technology to help identify new voices, and then make data-backed decisions during development. Wattpad’s global community offers an untapped pool of talent, and we’re excited to partner with NL Film to highlight our Dutch-language writers, giving them an opportunity to see their stories brought to life on the screen.” 

NL Film is the latest international entertainment company to strike a deal with Wattpad. In the past year alone, Wattpad has announced deals with Sony Pictures Television, Mediacorp, Lagardere Studios, iflix, SYFY, Huayi Brothers Korea, Bavaria Fiction, and others.

20 June 2019