Hypewriter 2019 - TV series pitch forum

From Idea to Reality

When we first came up with the idea of Hypewriter, nearly 2 years ago, TV series were already being produced at full throttle – in fifth gear. As it turns out, there are probably even more than seven gears. We have always believed in the evolution of TV series – both in terms of quality and quantity – but what is happening today has surpassed our expectations.

This feat reinforces how dedicated we are to organise Hypewriter, which is in its second edition. Last year we gave eight talented writers the opportunity to pitch their TV series concepts in Budapest. Two of the eight projects have since been completed: Peter Kolecko’s Hrobari has already screened in Slovakia, while the winning project, The Butcher by Declan Hannigan and Andy Heffler, has its world premiere today.

With RTL Hungary and DRG, Paprika Studios has designed the forum so that the only two things that talents need to bring is an idea and some writing skills – and to enter Hypewriter, of course. If they can do that then their pilot episode will be created within a year, which is exactly what happened with The Butcher.

We are very excited to meet the eight finalists of this year’s Hypewriter. Fresh ideas, great stories and a lot of enthusiasm – this is what we can expect to see at the forum.

There are new and newer platforms appearing that are hungry for TV series content, and an increasing number of viewers who are eager to feast their eyes on it. However, the ecosystem cannot function without talents to create the essence of the work. Hypewriter’s mission is to discover them and help them bring their ideas to fruition.

Bring on the eighth gear!

| Ákos Erdos CEO

| About HypeWriter Hypewriter is a TV pitch forum that takes place in Budapest and is organised by its founders, Paprika Studios and RTL Hungary. It looks for talented creators, especially from the Central and Eastern European regions, who have ideas that could be developed into high-quality television series.

To achieve this, the organisers of the forum offer the creators of eight projects the opportunity to bring their unique ideas to life and launch new content. The winner of the competition receives a cash prize of EUR 10 000 as well as the resources necessary to further develop their concept with Paprika Studios and RTL. As part of the prize, Paprika Studios will also produce their pilot episode, which will then be aired on RTL Hungary.

You can read a short synopsis, the director’s concept and a biography of the creator or creators of each of the eight projects on the following pages. Those selected are eligible for a series consisting of 6 to 10 episodes, each lasting 40-50 minutes, and will be pitched to the audience and to the five members of Hypewriter’s international jury (see page 6-7).

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FOUNDERS

| About Paprika Studios Paprika Studios is the leading production company in central and eastern Europe and the Baltics, covering 10 countries. As a proud member of the Nordic Entertainment Group we focus on content development and production.

Over the past decade we have produced dozens of international formats for several networks in the region, including 20+ broadcasters, and have provided production services for over half a dozen Western European clients. Our strength is in maintaining the highest production value with competitive processes and prices while involving the most credible professionals with international experience. This ability and track record have gained us notable reputation among broadcasters.

A great example of that is having received the Best Entertainment Show Award of the Royal Television Society in the United Kingdom.

Our production hubs in the region serve local and foreign clients with the most reliable and cost-effective solutions, together with our well-experienced professionals who ensure the highest quality. Paprika is also putting great effort into content development, specifically focusing on drama content. Our company’s formats can be found in the catalogues of the biggest international television content distributors, while our own developed drama slate is also engaging more and more commissioners.

Fiction development takes place in our writers’ rooms in multiple countries and involves the most devoted talents.

Paprika has become very active in producing drama series and, just in the past year, it has produced over 130 hours of fiction content in the different countries.

By coming up with the idea and launching the Hypewriter Pitch Forum we are giving a unique chance to writers, directors and anybody else who has the passion and talent to create the next drama hits for the Central and Eastern European region and beyond.

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| About RTL Hungary RTL Hungary is a major player in the Hungarian television industry. The group’s portfolio includes the popular television channel RTL Klub, which has been present in Hungary since 1997, as well as seven other cable channels called Cool, Film+, RTLII, RTL Gold, Sorozat+, RTL+ and Muzsika TV. Television series are a special feature on the group’s channels. Over the last few years, many of RTL Hungary’s own productions have been broadcast successfully, including Válótársak (‘Divorce’), A tanár (‘The Teacher’) and A mi kis falunk (‘Our Little Village’).

RTL Hungary is a co-founder and supporter of Hypewriter.

RTL Hungary is part of the Luxembourg-based RTL Group, the leading European entertainment network with over 80 television and radio channels, as well as content creation and digital video application platforms.

RTL Group is a division of the international media enterprise called Bertelsmann.

RTL Most! (RTL Now!) is the highly popular AVOD platform of RTL Hungary that makes non-linear video content available to its users.

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JURY

| Stella Litou

| Bence Trunkó

Stella Litou is the General Manager of Ant1 TV, the leading media group in Greece. She is a media executive with international TV and film experience, having previously successfully served as the Programme Director of the Protv Group in Romania (part of CME GROUP) and as the Programming Strategy Manager of the MTG group for Nova Bulgaria.

Prior to that she worked on various roles in the TV and film finance and production industry in the United Kingdom and in SouthEastern Europe.

Bence Trunkó is a member of the Board and the Chief Creative Officer at Paprika Studios.

The production powerhouse is a member of the Nordic Entertainment Group and has offices in ten countries across Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics. As CCO of the company and from its headquarters in Budapest, Trunkó oversees the format development and adaptation in all of the Paprika regions. After graduating from the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Hungary with a degree in broadcasting, he started out as a scriptwriter, working as a freelancer for various TV stations before gaining experience as a writer for the stage, feature films and radio shows. He worked with major advertising and creative agencies and published several books about the TV business. His current job includes setting up, controlling and supporting new creative divisions within the company. Besides his corporate responsibilities, he still creates, writes and pitches original and adapted scripted concepts for major networks in the region such as Sony Network Television, which just finished airing his latest work, A la carte (Ízig-vérig), a 10-episode romanticcomedy series. He is currently working as a showrunner in various countries.

| Dave Clarke Dave Clarke is a media executive with 20 years of experience covering broadcasting, commissioning, distribution and production. He is currently the EVP Content for DRG and Atrium TV. He was most recently the Head of Scripted Acquisitions and Co-Productions at ITV Studios Global Entertainment where he was responsible for managing the distribution business’ in-house and third-party pipeline of scripted content.

After that he worked as the Head of Global Format Acquisitions at Stints at Shine Group, as the Vice-President of Strategic Planning at Cineflix Media, and as the Controller of the UK cable/satellite channels Bravo and Challenge, where he was responsible for all the commissioning, acquisitions and scheduling.

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| Péter Kolosi

| Omri Givon

Péter Kolosi is the Deputy CEO and the Director of Programming at RTL Hungary. In 1994 he graduated with a Doctor of Law from Eötvös Loránd University and, two years later, with a television presenter-director degree from the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest. In 2007 he received his DLA. Kolosi launched his professional career in 1994 as a reporter, senior editor and presenter on several programmes like Kriminális, Múzsa, Objektív and Nap-Kelte at Magyar Televízió Zrt. Since 1997 he has been lecturing at the University of Theatre and Film Arts and worked for RTL when it launched its first channel in Hungary, RTL Klub. Kolosi joined the station as the editor-in-chief and presenter of the daily show Fókusz, which in 2001 resulting in him becoming its Director of Programming. He has been the Deputy CEO at RTL Hungary since 2015.

Omri Givon lives and works in Tel Aviv. His debut film, the TV drama The Valley of Dreams, tells a story about Israeli soldiers in Lebanon. His debut feature, Seven Minutes in Heaven, a co-production between Israel, France and Hungary, in 2008 won Best Feature at the Haifa International Film Festival and Best Debut Feature at the Warsaw International Film Festival, and was selected for the official competition section at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2009. In 2013, Givon wrote and directed, together with Rotem Shamir, the series Hostages for Channel 10, which was broadcast on Canal Plus in France and on Channel 4 in England. Warner Brothers produced the American version of the series for CBS. Hostages was also the first Israeli series purchased by Netflix. In 2017, Givon wrote and directed the action drama When Heroes Fly for Keshet 12, winning Best Series at the Canneseries Awards 2018.

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| About DRG DRG is an innovative, creative and fast-moving business with content at its core. Starting out as a conventional programme distributor in 2007, the company has evolved into a 360-degree content business that today is involved with programme origination and development, financing, talent, production, production services and distribution.

Covering scripted and unscripted content as well as formats, DRG has built its reputation by working closely with, and investing in, a wide range of internationally recognised production companies as well as by using its expertise on the domestic and international markets to help incubate promising start-ups. DRG has an extensive catalogue of more than 13 000 hours and 150 formats.

It has taken Doc Martin to more than 100 territories, including seven international remakes, and was a driving force in bringing Scandi Noir into the world. It nurtured The Farm into becoming one of the world’s most established competitive reality formats, with versions airing in more than 50 territories over a 10-year period.

DRG is owned by Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group). This position allows for creative and business independence with the added benefit of financial security.

DRG is also the sister company of Atrium TV, the drama ‘commissioning club’ run by DRG’s CEO Richard Halliwell and Chairman Sir Howard Stringer.

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Happy Weekends Selim Sevim

| TR

| Short synopsis

| Short bio

Having reached an agreement with a company that buys time, Martin (28) starts selling his days because he doesn’t do anything or see anyone on weekends anyway.

While Martin realises that money is nothing without time or people around, his new colleague Claire (25) asks to meet with him on a Saturday. Martin tries to break off the agreement with the company to meet with her, but it turns out that is not possible.

He was born in Turkey in 1991. He went to an average high school and an average university; nothing special. He was meant to be an IT guy but was interested in people and in telling them stories. He has lost more than 250 contests – by the time you read this, the number will probably have risen – and has only won a handful.

He’s always thinking about movies, he sometimes writes, but he rarely shoots. Still, cinema is everything for him.

| Director’s concept This project is about the simplest mistake that each one of us makes: not giving enough value to the things we own, be it health, time or people. Martin has his weekends to do anything he wants, but instead he sits at home and does nothing. When he sees the company’s advert, he sells his time without a second thought. But when he meets Claire, he tries to get his time back because he realises its worth, but it is too late.

| All rights reserved.

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Should you have any question about the projects, contact Paprika Studios: drama@paprikastudios.eu

Golddiggers Csaba Martin

| HU

| Short synopsis

| Short bio

The story follows the adventures of four pretty, materialistic yet loveable young women who must complete challenges to find what they are really looking for. A fifth girl dies at the beginning of the series, bequeathing a fortune to her best friends. On one condition: they have to play a game to win it. If they complete the missions set by their fifth friend, our heroines can earn points to have access to one million euros each. The girls are �blackmailed� into doing righteous things and getting rid of bad habits with the promise of easy money.

Csaba Martin is a highly imaginative filmmaker with more than 10 years of experience making a variety of films for a variety of industries.

He is passionate about creating independent films and has a knack for commercials, music videos and short films.

He knows everything there is to know about the latest camera, video and audio equipment and editing software. He enjoys working with a variety of actors and crew members at many different experience levels.

| Director’s concept Golddiggers is like the lovechild of Sex and the City and My Name is Earl. The dialogues and the situations our heroines get into are the backbone of the series. It would be described as a romantic comedy, but the story is more comic than romantic. Some of the girls find love during the missions they have to complete, but the focus is on their character development and getting rid of the label: golddigger.

| All rights reserved.

Should you have any question about the projects, contact Paprika Studios: drama@paprikastudios.eu

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A Conditional Couple “nyei Dávid Szo

| HU

| Short synopsis

| Short bio

Ádám, a promising policeman who has unjustly been reassigned to futureless office work, allies with Merci, who has been conditionally released from prison and is under family pressure to continue committing crimes.

When Ádám’s boss ignores his efforts to catch a gangster using Merci’s intel, he is willing to take a big risk in order to fulfill his ambitions by extending his fight against criminals at the price of becoming one. The plot thickens when his partnership with Merci turns into an affair.

Dávid Szőnyei (1986) graduated from the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest with a degree in Television Production. He launched his career as a storyliner for commercial television programmes before joining a creative team in a television production company where he develops fictional series and non-fictional programmes for Hungarian TV broadcasters. He also freelances as a copywriter and director for Budapestbased commercial agencies.

| Director’s concept The main subject carries dramatic elements, as both Ádám and Merci have realizations about their lives and decide to step out of their comfort zone. To bring them and their mental states closer, the director has chosen to use expressive lighting, close-ups, music and silence. Beyond the drama, visual humour comes from the differences between Ádám and Merci, the secondary characters (staff of a small police station, petty criminals) and the “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong” rule.

| All rights reserved.

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Should you have any question about the projects, contact Paprika Studios: drama@paprikastudios.eu

Border Tales Levente Nagy

| SRB

| Short synopsis

| Short bio

The story of Border Tales takes place in Vojvodina and focuses on two mobs, one Hungarian and the other Serbian, who are currently at peace thanks to an upcoming wedding between the families. However, when a shooting occurs at the wedding, war and destruction return to the little southern community. The main character, Ernő, is an old police officer who tries to keep order among the chaos even though he is unable to comprehend the waves of violence in his hometown.

Levente Nagy lived in Serbia for 19 years before moving to Hungary in 2013 to attend university. Although he spent five years studying psychology before graduating and had various jobs in the media industry (including translation, journalism and production management at a film distributor company), his love of great stories and screenwriting are what keeps him going.

| Director’s concept The visual style will at times be creative and bold, but due to the relatively measured pacing, the cinematography has to be well thought out: wide shots have to introduce the slightly unfamiliar setting to the audience, while close-ups have to capture the characters’ feelings.

Although Border Tales is not out to shock its audience, it will not shy away from showing the sometimes unbelievably horrific violence that occurs to certain characters either.

| All rights reserved.

Should you have any question about the projects, contact Paprika Studios: drama@paprikastudios.eu

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Golden Age Balázs Bendi

| HU

| Short synopsis

| Short bio

In an idyllic town, everyone at the lakeside retirement home gets excited when news spreads of a crashed Commie airplane containing precious artifacts. When the ex-diver Tony finds out that he has one year left to live, he teams up with a dodgy janitor to get hold of the treasure in order to take care of his daughter. But what he doesn’t know is that his best buddy is also his worst enemy when it comes to the hunt.

Apart from Golden Age Balázs Bendi is working as a storyliner for a popular daily dramedy, Drága örökösök, as well as for Hungary’s longest-running daily drama, Barátok közt. He had a helpful partner on Golden Age, Adrienn Erdődy, who has worked on short films, commercials, feature films and TV shows as a story consultant and a screenwriter. He is currently developing two more series.

| Director’s concept Golden Age is a heartwarming crime-comedy tale about an elderly diver who wants to take care of his daughter and a dodgy misfit in his twenties who is trying to make a better life for himself. Simple things that everyone wants.

However, our heroes have a special way of reaching these goals: a treasure hunt! Golden Age is exactly that: a game that turns a ‘little’ more serious when stakes are raised.

| All rights reserved.

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Should you have any question about the projects, contact Paprika Studios: drama@paprikastudios.eu

The Holy Family Gábor Osváth

| HU

| Short synopsis

| Short bio

Being a stigmatist means having Christ’s wounds appear on your body. Throughout the centuries, only a few dozen cases have been reported. Almost everyone involved were Catholics, but there has never been an atheist.

Until now. 17-year-old high school student Ábel might be a new Messiah, but his family consider his mysterious wrist wounds to be suicide attempts. The Kovács family already has a lot to deal with: Ábel’s father is a prominent politician gaining momentum, his mother is struggling with depression and his older brother is dealing with his own demons while investigating a family secret from the past.

Gábor Osváth is a producer based in Budapest. After graduating from University of Theatre and Film Arts, he formed two production companies - Boddah and Filmfabriq - with slightly different profiles. In the past few years he has produced dozens of short films, several award-winning animations and seven documentaries. This autmn his first two live-action feature films will be released.

| Director’s concept The Holy Family is a family drama series with a supernatural twist. Throughout the series we follow each family member’s journey to finding their own calling.

The often controversial storylines are brought from the headlines, and even though the series aims to have an epic, large-scale feel, the characters and their struggles are relatable.

Gábor has seen his films compete at Cannes, Berlinale and Sundance - but he has never felt more intimidated/psyched than today.

| All rights reserved.

Should you have any question about the projects, contact Paprika Studios: drama@paprikastudios.eu

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La Bella Morte Florentina Vidrascu

| RO

| Short synopsis

| Short bio

Death is gloomy and unwelcome; but not for the Hârlău family. For them, death is business as usual. They own an undertaker company in a small town, with its headquarters at home. Clients bring problems, because each job regarding a dead person disrupts the lives of the living, but in a surprising and funny way.

Florentina Vidrascu has a degree in political sciences but has spent the last 15 years writing plays (like Seven Sins), children’s books (including Steel Point), scripts for PC Games (such as Hello Venice) and scripts for TV shows. Finally able to dedicate herself to sitcoms and comedy series, she has been writing for Romania’s most successful comedy group for more than seven years.

| Director’s concept The entire show takes place in the family house.The atmosphere is bright and colourful, a stark contrast to what goes on in the basement, the mortuary chamber.

The vivid visual concept of the show is completed by the fresh and dynamic editing. The score is mainly classical and pre-classical music (Händel, Mozart, Haydn), which thanks to death gives strength to the joy of living.

| All rights reserved.

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Should you have any question about the projects, contact Paprika Studios: drama@paprikastudios.eu

The Prophets Attila Árpa

| HU

| Short synopsis

| Short bio

The Prophets is a multi-series political thriller set in eastern Europe. The continent’s countries join forces in covert operations to discover and destroy the core members of a sophisticated and dedicated group of Islamic extremists. Following an atrocity at the Split Film Festival in Croatia, a team of talented counter-terrorism agents are selected from six European countries. The team is torn by competing political interests, mutual distrust and dark suspicions. No love is lost. Throughout the series, events force them to question their prejudices and allegiances and forge a common identity to fight a common enemy who hates them all.

Attila Arpa was born in Munich. He studied at the Film University of Budapest and visited various film classes at Berkeley and Los Angeles. He coproduced the Cannes FIPRESCI awardwinning Pál Adrienn and produced and directed two Hungarian action comedies. Arpa was the creative director at RTL KLUB Hungary and later worked as the head of production at TV2 Hungary, producing over 30 prime-time productions of all genres. He currently works as the showrunner for CME and is producing a prime-time series to be launched this autumn

by ProTV.

| Director’s concept Focusing on counter-terrorism, our characters have to deal with migrant politics in Hungary, corruption in Croatia, autocracy in Germany and extreme nationalism in Slovakia, as well as with their own demons. But mainly with each other. The series does not draw on expensive action scenes, car chases and explosions, but rather focuses on the actual investigation, the process of monitoring and putting the puzzle together. In central Europe, a location is chosen that has not been used – yet.

Neither by terrorists, nor by TV showrunners creating a series about counter-terrorism.

| All rights reserved.

Should you have any question about the projects, contact Paprika Studios: drama@paprikastudios.eu

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NOTES

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| Hypewriter 2019 Copyright Paprika Studios Creators: Ákos Erdős, Ferenc Pusztai Project Coordinator: Dániel Deák Booklet Editor: Anita Libor Proofreader: Laura Brown Art Director: Zoltán Bukovics Published by Daazo Film and Media Ltd.

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