Banijay’s Scenery signs an exclusive deal with Tomas Kaan, director of Netflix series Human Playground and Dirty Lines

EXCLUSIVE: Banijay Benelux joint venture producer Scenery has signed an exclusive collaboration agreement with the director of the company’s Netflix documentary series human playgroundThomas Kane.

He joins the company that runs Banijay Benelux as a JV with producers Lea Fels and Isidoor Isidoor as Creative Producer. He will develop international stories and support other talents to realize their own Doc plans.

Kaan directed the narration by Idris Elba human playground, a six-part docu-series Scenery co-produced with Banijay UK’s Workerbee about the origins and evolution of the world’s most unique sports for Netflix internationally and Youku in China. He also directed the Netflix sex drama Dirty lineswhich was nominated for a Golden Calf.

The Tanzanian-born director’s upcoming projects include a collaboration with Luuk Bouwman The eighth continenta documentary series about lunar missions.

Fels, partner at Scenery: “Tomas is a cross-genre storyteller who pushes countless boundaries with his compelling and contemporary stories to reach an international audience. His way of working and high quality standards fit seamlessly with what we strive for with Scenery and we are privileged to have him join us.”

She told Deadline that he will develop some existing ideas to be shown internationally and that he will serve as showrunner “if necessary” and also develop his own projects.

“Since the beginning of human playground, our international adventure just got bigger and more exciting,” said Kaan. “My ambition as a director has always been unlimited, literally and figuratively. Thanks to Scenery, I don’t have to move to LA for that. I love working with the best creators and guiding them creatively to bring the stories of our time to life at the highest level.”

Scenery from Amsterdam has produced shows for Netflix, Prime Video, Dutch public broadcaster NPO and Dutch streamer Videoland.

Deadline understands​​​​ that it has several projects with streamers, developing local versions of popular Banijay formats, and has other projects in development Idris Elba’s Fight School and The bridgeProducer Workerbee directed by Rick Murray.

“We love Rick,” Roebers said. “He was almost like my mentor human playground.”