Playback‘s New Establishment is an annual feature highlighting Canadian companies or individuals achieving great success mid-career. Inspired by our 5 to Watch nominations, these individuals are already “watched” and are making waves in the Canadian entertainment industry. Our fourth 2015 New Establishment profile looks at David Cormican. 

One of Playback‘s 10 to Watch in 2012, producer David Cormican’s career has lit up in the three years since. In March 2013, he joined veteran film producer Don Carmody’s new TV division, Don Carmody Television (DC TV) and in 2014, the company became the first to launch a new original series in Canada with Netflix.

That series, Between, came to life in a carefully crafted deal that saw the series land first on Rogers’ City channel and Shomi in Canada, on Netflix internationally and then Netflix Canada the year following.

The deal proved that DC TV was on the right track and that “these feature guys” could do next-gen TV, Cormican says. “It has made things easier to start the conversation on the next project and the next one — so now we are able to pursue some of our more ambitious projects on the slate.”

That slate includes Shadowhunters, an adaptation of The Mortal Instruments book series Cormican and Carmody are coproducing for ABC Family with Constantin Film, the second season of Between and a miniseries for Japanese public broadcaster NHK. And after two years of focusing on TV, Cormican is shifting back onto the film side with Carmody. Films on their slate include A Prisoner’s Daughter, produced under the Don Carmody Productions banner, a Holland-Italy-Canada copro Tulips, Love, Honour and a Bike and the first installment of an undisclosed $30 million franchise feature set to shoot in 2016.

Cormican’s work ethic is “second to none,” says John Barrack, a partner in DC TV. “Combine that with a keen eye for the creative and strong dealmaking instincts and you have essentials of a great producer.”

After two hectic years of “ramping up from zero to 100,” Cormican, 33, says he’d like to try getting a bit of sleep for change in 2016, while building on the groundwork that’s been laid so far. “Now that the exponential part of our growth has occurred, we’re looking at ways to expand our offerings, which also includes clever ways we can exploit our existing IP,” says Cormican. “We’re aiming for measured growth focusing on more ambitious IP and really smart business models outside the realm of [the] industry standard. And we’re looking for brave and bold partners to do it with.”