Derren Lawford is shuttering DARE Pictures, the indie production outfit he founded in 2022, and has entered into a representation partnership with film and TV talent agency Stern & Wild.
Over the last four years, DARE has worked on such titles as Fugitive: The Mystery of the Crypto Queen (Channel 4/Sky Germany), UK Prisons Exposed, and Geordie Stories: Sophie’s Fertility Journey (Paramount+).
Stern & Wild will represent Lawford as an EP, showrunner and creative consultant for traditional linear broadcasters, digital platforms, and commercial brands. Lawford will also independently develop original IP, aligning with commissioners, partners, and investors on premium factual and cross-platform series.
“I’m proud of the work we made at DARE, the talent we championed and the audiences we reached,” Lawford said. “While that chapter is closing, the ambition behind it is not. The lines between broadcasters, streamers, brands and audio are increasingly blurred. I’ve spent my career building teams and delivering work across those worlds. This next phase is about continuing to create ambitious content while applying that cross-platform experience more broadly in a consolidating market.”
Camilla Chiverton of Stern & Wild added: “Derren’s arrival at Stern & Wild sharpens our influence in a changing production world, as our partnership supports his next chapter. He operates right at the intersection of broadcast, digital and commercial content – bringing decades of experience across the storytelling craft of linear, the agility of digital, and the strategic focus of branded content together in one place. This uniquely positions him to advise, consult, originate, and produce for broadcasters, brands, and streaming platforms alike. As the boundaries between platforms continue to blur, Derren isn’t just navigating the shift—he leads it.”
