Author: Bryn Elise Sandberg

August 26, 2016 3:21pm PT by Bryn Elise Sandberg

Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil  AP Images

The pilot production commitment for multi-cam comedy ‘Documenting Love’ marks the husband and wife pair’s first sale after moving from BET to Warner Bros. Television.

Salim and Mara Brock Akil are making their first move at their new studio home, Warner Bros. Television.

The husband and wife pair have scored a pilot production commitment from ABC for half-hour, multi-camera comedy Documenting Love. The sale is the first for the Akil’s under their new three-year production pact with WBTV.

The duo behind The Game and Being Mary Jane jumped from BET to WBTV in May after their overall deal with the former came to an end. Brock Akil continues to serve in an executive consultant capacity on the Gabrielle Union-led Being Mary Jane.

Documenting Love, which is described as a comedic love story about a modern-day power couple, will be penned by the writer-producer couple. The two will also executive produce through their Akil Productions shingle in association with WBTV.

Mara Brock Akil created the eight-season-long sitcom Girlfriends, as well as its spinoff The Game, which just concluded its nine-season run on Aug. 5. In addition to serving as an executive producer on the BET series, Salim was a director on both shows.

The Akil’s are repped by ICM Partners and Stephen Barnes at Morris Yorn Barnes.

August 26, 2016 11:44am PT by Bryn Elise Sandberg

Marcia Clark  Christopher Patey

The former O.J. Simpson prosecutor will adapt her novel ‘Blood Defense’ for TV.

On the heels of the success of FX’s The People vs. O.J. Simpson, former prosecutor Marcia Clark is getting a chance at her own show.

NBC has handed out a put pilot commitment to a legal drama based on Clark’s novel Blood Defense. She will co-write the series alongside writer-producers Elizabeth Craft and Sara Fain for ABC Studios and Mandeville TV.

The project centers on Samantha Brinkman, a relentless criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles whose world is turned upside down when she is hired to defend a police detective in a high-profile homicide. It thrusts her into the public spotlight, exposing dark secrets from her past.

The drama will be executive produced by Clark, Craft and Fain, along with Mandeville’s David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Laurie Zaks.

Clark, who first rose to fame the lead prosecutor in the Simpson murder trial, was recently thrust back into the spotlight with Ryan Murphy’s acclaimed anthology series People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, in which Sarah Paulson’s portrayal as Clark earned the actress an Emmy nomination. The high-profile case remained in the conversation recently with ESPN documentary O.J.: Made In America, which premiered to rave reviews.

Clark eventually left law to focus on writing, and she penned a series of legal thrillers centering on prosecutor Rachel Knight. Among them: The Competition, Killer Ambition, Guilt by Degrees and Guilt by Association, which TNT developed as a drama. Despite going to pilot with Julia Stiles in the leading role, the series never moved forward. Blood Defense, which came out in May, is Clark’s latest book.

Clark is repped by UTA.

August 25, 2016 10:00am PT by Bryn Elise Sandberg

Tim Brock  Courtesy of Dick Clark Productions

The television production executive, who was most recently at ABC, will oversee the company’s roster of shows including ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.’

Dick Clark Productions has named Tim Bock senior vice president of production.

In the role, Bock will oversee production for the company’s roster of shows including American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. He’ll based at the company’s Santa Monica headquarters.

Bock most recently served as the vp of production for ABC’s alternative series and specials department. Prior, the television production exec held a variety of roles on productions for NBC, CBS, HBO, TNT and Warner Brothers Television. He began his career as an NBC Page on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, which then led to his first television production role as a production assistant at Dick Clark productions in 1989.

“Tim brings with him more than 20 years of television production experience working with major networks and production teams in scripted, reality, variety, music, event, talk, sports and game show formats, and a proven track record of negotiating, budgeting and executing with efficiency which will serve him well as we continue to grow,” said chief operating officer and chief financial officer Amy Thurlow, to whom Bock will report.

“I am honored to rejoin such an iconic and innovative company,” added Bock.  “It’s amazing for me, having started my career as a production assistant here at Dick Clark Productions, to return in a senior leadership role. It is an incredible privilege to be back where it all began.”