Shining light on the dark underbelly of pop culture

Few unscripted prodcos had a buzzier 2024 than Maxine Productions, part of Sony Pictures Television, whose Investigation Discovery exposé Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV became one of the true-crime net's biggest hits and was the most-streamed premiere ever on WBD sister streamer Max. As VP of development at the female-led company, Jessica Call was one of the driving forces behind that sterling success, heading the team that secured on-camera commitments from the sources featured in the Business Insider investigation that inspired the series as well as additional voices not featured in the article.

Among other titles that Call has worked on at Maxine are the recent ID series The Fall of Diddy, on the bombshell allegations against hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs; Prime Video's Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story, on the rise and fall of the neon-hued girls' design brand; and Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story for Peacock, about the soft-porn empire masterminded by entrepreneur Joe Francis.

What made you want to enter the unscripted/non-fiction content business?

"I was drawn to the unscripted content industry because it's powered by an expansive engine of curiosity. At its core, this work asks bold questions about the world and seeks answers through layered, human stories. My earliest experiences in this space were shaped by people whose insatiable curiosity led them to tackle complex, challenging subjects with thoughtfulness and depth.
"Working alongside talented journalists, filmmakers, and producers has shown me that curiosity is not just a trait — it's a skill, one that can be honed to honor the truth at the heart of every project. I feel incredibly lucky to commit my life to work that helps us better understand ourselves and the world around us."