A joint venture between Banijay Americas and Daniel Silver, and named after the three subway lines leading to Yankee Stadium in Dan’s beloved New York City, BD4.
Banijay Americas CEO Ben Samek announced an investment in BD4, a premium production label launched in collaboration with award-winning filmmaker Daniel Silver. This partnership strengthens Banijay’s portfolio and responds to the growing demand for quality documentaries. BD4 will focus on bold storytellers who approach documentaries from a commercial perspective.
Under Silver’s leadership, BD4 will innovate documentary storytelling by incorporating familiar structures from mainstream film genres to enhance audience engagement. Focused on joy, surprise, and delight, BD4’s projects will celebrate and redefine genre narratives, bringing unexpected perspectives to cultural stories and highlighting the humanity of real people.
Ben Samek, CEO of Banijay Americas, noted that they are thrilled to welcome Daniel Silver to the Banijay Americas family. “Silver’s extensive connections in documentary storytelling and his bold approach to cinematography will greatly enrich the craft of this format. Silver captures stories with deep authenticity, revealing hidden lives and experiences,” he said.
According to Samel, BD4 digs deep by blending cinematic scope with intimate exploration to showcase the untold stories of today’s cultural icons, athletes, and artists. This results in surprising and more intimate experiences that resonate deeply with a broad audience.
Silver’s sensitivity to talent and commercial trends has placed him at the forefront of evolving documentaries and unscripted scripts throughout his distinguished career at Netflix, Disney+, Marvel Entertainment, ABC News, and ESPN Films. At Netflix, he oversaw the award-winning team responsible for English-language feature documentaries, directing Sly and the Emmy-winning The Redeem Team.
As head of Unscripted at Disney+, Silver built the Documentary, Unscripted Format, and Variety Special teams leading up to the platform’s inaugural launch. His experience at Marvel Entertainment and ABC News Digital includes leading digital platforms and launching the Emmy Award-winning digital short-form documentary brand ABC News Features. Silver began his career at ESPN Films, where he was part of the acclaimed documentary series 30 for 30.
Daniel Silver, meanwhile, shared his excitement about his new partnership with Banijay Americas, stating, “I am honored to join forces with Banijay Americas. This company is the gold standard in the Unscripted space and is one of the world’s leading independent studios. With this partnership, BD4 will be able to explore new creative avenues and collaborations vigorously. I look forward to leveraging this opportunity to push other new voices and visions.”
“I can’t imagine a better partner and collaborator than Ben Samek,” Silver continued. “Over the past decade, we have both been energized by watching documentary content become an undeniable component of the traditional Hollywood space and are equally driven by the desire to define the future intersection of creativity and business through the production of commercial documentary narratives.”
Silver expects “BD4 projects to rival scripted genre films and series. My goal is for families to enjoy our projects together in their Friday night movie, for couples to watch them on their dates, and for anyone who sees one to be thrilled by an exciting adventure, moved by a heartwarming love story, or amused by a hilarious comedy, not just impressed by another documentary or documentary series.”
Launched as a joint venture between Banijay Americas and Daniel Silver and named after the three subway lines leading to Yankee Stadium in Dan’s beloved New York City, BD4 will build on Silver’s 20-plus years as a top documentary executive. The company aims to produce more talent-driven, brand-driven, and other genre-specific documentaries. It will maintain a strong presence in film markets and manage a selection of documentaries and series.
