Unscripted content creator Sean Connolly’s shingle Original Content Lab (OCL) has appointed former Alibi Entertainment executive Heidi Schorn as VP of development.

The newly created role will see Schorn board the senior leadership team to foster and manage relationships with a range of partners, creators and talent, and further build OCL’s development slate.

This is OCL’s first development hire, according to a news release. The company announced an exclusive, multi-year strategic partnership with Vancouver-based Great Pacific Media (GPM) in May 2022.

Schorn has more than 13 years of experience as an unscripted executive for a variety of platforms, with several hit lifestyle and factual series and format adaptations under her belt.

Most recently, she served as VP of development and executive producer of unscripted at Toronto-based Alibi Entertainment. Her credits include two seasons of Crossroads: Beyond the Boom and Bust (TVO), Klondike Trappers (History Channel Canada), format This Is High School (CBC), original lifestyle series Bake It Possible (Food Network Canada) and Staying Inn: Hotel Julie (CTV).

“Her proven abilities in both content development and business strategy, along with an impeccable reputation industry-wide, combine to create an unstoppable force that will further fuel OCL’s ambition to be a leading creator of buzz-worthy content,” said Connolly, OCL CEO, in a statement.

OCL is currently focused on developing primetime unscripted alongside kids and animated series for the global market. GPM will produce the series under the terms of their strategic partnership.

OCL is represented in the U.S. by Hayden Meyer of APA.