AMC Expanding Into Unscripted Series

NEW YORK (AP) – AMC has flourished with its lineup of feature films and original dramas like “Mad Men” and “The Walking Dead.” Now the network is expanding into unscripted series with a show that tells the inside story of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Filming for “Inside the DHS” is set to begin this summer, with the cooperation of that agency and its boss, Secretary Janet Napolitano, according to AMC’s head of original programming, Joel Stillerman. The eight-episode series will premiere in late 2011, Stillerman said Friday.

“This is not about presenting an expose, but to celebrate an absolutely massive effort that goes on day to day to keep us safe,” Stillerman said.

“It’s a huge coup for us to be able to launch our (unscripted) initiative with a show like this,” he said. “We try to do programming that is inherently dramatic and culturally relevant, and it’s not always easy to find projects where those two things overlap so clearly.”

Next, AMC plans an unscripted series that will probe the advertising industry. Each episode of “The Pitch” will follow ad agencies as they pitch accounts and create new campaigns.

“As a culture, we’re fascinated with the world of advertising, but we rarely get to see what really goes on behind the scenes of this high-stakes, cutthroat business,” Stillerman said. “The Pitch” is scheduled to premiere next year.