Leading US non-scripted production company Half Yard Productions announced today two new senior appointments, in addition to an internal promotion. Ed Crick has been hired as Head of Development, with new hire Brittany George as Director of Development. Janice Mezzetti, a longstanding Half Yard employee becomes COO.
 
UK-based Crick is a veteran of unscripted commissioning and programme making, having worked across UK, US and global development and production for 25 years. Most recently he served as Global Head of Content Development at Red Bull and was formerly Managing & Creative Director of Banijay label Bullseye TV. He served as Director of Development for Discovery/TLC and as an executive in the BBC Entertainment team. Formats that he has originated and launched include The Bank of Mum and Dad, Gadget Geeks, Think Tankand The Witch Doctor Will See You Now, alongside factual hits such as The Search for the Amazon Headshrinkers and Eating with Cannibals. 
 
Prior to joining Half Yard Productions, Brittany George worked on the development teams at companies such as Alkemy X, ITV America and Leftfield Pictures. In addition, she has consulted closely on unscripted concepts with Spoke Studios, DIGA and Momentum Content. Throughout her career she’s successfully developed for both streaming platforms and cable networks such as Amazon, Discovery, Nat Geo, TLC, MTV and more. Most recently, she sold and produced the series Dragnificent & Drag Me Down the Aisle on TLC as well as the docuseries The 212 on Fuse.  
 
Janice is a 34-year TV veteran who started her career at the BBC before coming to New York to open a production arm for BBC Factual Entertainment Department. She then moved to Optomen Productions, subsequently joining Half Yard Productions in 2011. Her credits include Top Gear, What Not to Wear, Worst Cooks in America, Hillbilly Handfishin, Last Alaskans and of course Say Yes to the Dress.
 
Dirk Hoogstra, CEO, Half Yard Productions, says: “I’m delighted to welcome Ed and Brittany to Half Yard and excited to work with them, alongside Janice in her new role. With a full slate of productions including Season 19 of Say Yes to the Dress, a second season of Dino Hunters and a new National Geographic series, 2021 is shaping up to be a busy year and I know we’ve got the best team in place to deliver more great programming.”
 
Nicole Sorrenti, Chief Creative Officer, Half Yard Productions, commented: “With Ed and Brittany on board and Janice at the helm, Half Yard is set up for success. As well as the programming fans already know and love, the development team is busy working on our next generation of programming, including global entertainment formats, character driven doc-series, and event specials.”
 
Half Yard Productions is a leading US producer of factual and factual entertainment including TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, which is currently in its 19th season, and multiple spin-offs including Say Yes to the Dress America; and new shows including Relatively Evil for Investigation Discovery, and Dino Hunters for Discovery.