Mipcom 2017 news 3

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Wednesday 18 October 2017 PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

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Discovery CEO David Zaslav will be honoured as MIPCOM Personality Of The Year at a Gala Dinner tonight

MEDIA MASTERMIND

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National Geographic Global Networks’ CEO Courteney Monroe spoke about a move to scripted content

MEDIA MASTERMIND

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Sean Mills, senior director of content programming at Snap spoke about the future of video content for mobile

MEDIA MASTERMIND

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Sir Lenny Henry speaks today on diversity in the industry during his Media Mastermind Keynote

www.mipcom.com

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CONTENTS NEWS

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MEDIA MASTERMIND KEYNOTES 11.30-12.00, GRAND AUDITORIUM

RICKY VAN VEEN, HEAD OF GLOBAL CREATIVE STRATEGY, FACEBOOK DANIEL DANKER, DIRECTOR OF VIDEO PRODUCT, FACEBOOK

6 World Premiere TV Screenings; Personality Of The Year; Diversify TV Awards; conferences and keynotes; market news; executive and talent interviews; and more...

14.30-15.15, GRAND AUDITORIUM

CELEBRATING 25 years of ZDF Enterprises: outgoing president and CEO Alexander Coridass (left), executive vice-president Fred Burcksen (centre), and Reed MIDEM’s Paul Zilk, Laurine Garaude and Sylvain Faureau. Coridass was awarded the Medaille d’Or of the City of Cannes earlier in the week, in recognition both of his years of loyal participation at the MIP markets, and as a highly respected figure of the international television community

BANIJAY staged a live demonstration of new format Unified Weapons Master outside the company’s stand in front of the Palais yesterday. MIPCOM delegates were invited to take part

MIPCOM PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR KEYNOTE:

DAVID ZASLAV

PRESIDENT & CEO, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INTERVIEWED BY: JON FELTHEIMER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, LIONSGATE 15.30-16.15, GRAND AUDITORIUM

DOMINIQUE DELPORT GLOBAL MANAGING DIRECTOR, HAVAS GROUP, BOARD MEMBER AT VIVENDI GROUP, CHAIRMAN VIVENDI CONTENT

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THE UK Village launched this week with a pavilion-style megastand hosting 13 British independents including 3DD Productions, HoHo Rights, Magnify Media, Jetpack Distribution and Dogwoof.

Cocktails at the UK Village were sponsored by Pact and the Department for International Trade

come show us your GAMEFACE tonight at Club C21 from 22:30

MIPCOM Stand No: P3.C10 ĂůůϯŵĞĚŝĂŝŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů͘ĐŽŵ

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NEWS

THE CAST of spectacular new period drama Britannia, a Sky/Amazon co-production, met the international press in Cannes on Monday before attending the World Premiere TV Screening of the show in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals.

Set in 43AD, Britannia is the story of ancient Britain, a country ruled by powerful druids and warrior queens. David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, The Missing), pictured bottom right,

plays Roman General Aulus Plautius, determined to conquer this mythical land at the edge of the Roman Empire. Standing in his way are Kerra, the daughter of the King of the Cantii, and her arch-rival Queen Antedia, who are forced to put their differences aside when the Romans invade.

Another key female character is Cait, played by rising star Eleanor Worthington-Cox (The Enfield Haunting), bottom left.

Also in Cannes to promote the show and attend the screening were actor Nikolaj Lie Kaas (top right) and legendary musician Donovan (top left), whose iconic song Hurdy Gurdy Man is the title track of Britannia. Donovan was also in charge of curating the music at the Britannia after-party.

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Britannia was commissioned on the Sky side by head of drama, Anne Mensah, commissioning editor Cameron Roach, and director of Sky 1, Adam MacDonald. Mensah and Roach said the quality of casting took the show to an elevated level. The cast list also includes Zoe Wanamaker as Queen Antedia, Mackenzie Crook, who plays Veran and Kelly Reilly (True Detective) as Kerra. Mensah said Reilly was “outstanding as a strong female character in what is often a male-dominated genre”.

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‘We have real superfans’

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ISCOVERY Communications president and CEO David Zaslav will be named as MIPCOM 2017 Personality Of The Year at a Gala Dinner tonight, to be held at the InterContinental Carlton Hotel. Unveiling the news ahead of MIPCOM, Reed MIDEM chief executive Paul Zilk called Zaslav “the visionary leader of one of our industry’s most dynamic and innovative companies”.

Since joining as CEO in 2007, Zaslav has transformed Discovery into a global leader in real-life entertainment, reaching three billion cumulative viewers.

Under his leadership, Discovery has launched some of the fastest-growing cable networks in the US, including Investigation Discovery and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, as well as numerous other channels around the world. He has expanded Discovery’s range of content genres and brands through investments including Discovery Kids and Eurosport, which under his leadership became home to the Olympic Games in Europe through 2024. Most recently, Discovery announced an agreement to acquire Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI).

Speaking to the MIPCOM News, Zaslav said: “I’ve been going to MIP for as long as I can remember and have a great love for our industry. Transforming Discovery into an international PayTV company is one of the things I take the most pride in. When I got to Discovery, we were doing about $100m worth of business outside the US, about 10% of our company. Today we do about a billion dollars and it’s 60% of

our company.”

The international business has brought a “lot of richness to my life” said Zaslav. A key lesson he has learned is that “we couldn’t do all this from the US. We had to invest in the infra-

structure in every country. We RZQ DOO WKLV WHUULÀ F ,3 WKDW ZH can put on channels around the world but ultimately we need to do local content and we need to understand every country has

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different tastes and culture.”

Zaslav has also proved surefooted in negotiating the impact RI GLJLWDO GLVUXSWLRQ ´,Q WKH À UVW seven years [of Zaslav’s tenure], the strategy was to launch more channels and create more quality content locally so that we could grow our channels and share in every country. Now we’ve tried to really tighten up our brands so that we have real superfans. We want people when they go to their device to feel passionate enough about our content and brands that they will look for us.”

Born in Brooklyn in 1960 and with a law degree from Boston University in 1985, Zaslav is a huge sports fan. He is also incredibly committed and proud of Project CAT, a Discovery initiative to protect tigers. Just prior to MIPCOM, Discovery announced that donations raised through Project CAT’s first-ever Global Tiger Day, held in July, will help protect tigers by funding an additional preserved site for the species. “Project CAT is a vital component of Discovery’s commitment to preserve and protect our planet and its species,” Zaslav said.

On the award, he said: “It’s a tremendous honour to receive the MIPCOM 2017 Personality Of The Year award. I am fortunate to lead a company at the centre of our industry’s transformation.” Zaslav will also give a Media Mastermind Keynote on Wednesday, October 18 at 14.30 in the Grand Auditorium.

NEWS

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‘There’s no way to survive without being exceptional’

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AT I O N A L G e o graphic, the iconic, 129-year-old currentaffairs magazine that spawned a factual payTV network in 2001, has now turned into one of the world’s most-watched services for prePLXP VFULSWHG GUDPD During her Media Mastermind Keynote yesterday, Courteney Monroe, CEO of National Geographic Global Networks, said the company is now working with talent normally associated with fictional Hollywood EORFNEXVWHUV 7KHVH LQFOXGH DFtors Morgan Freeman, Leonardo DiCaprio and Geoffrey Rush, as ZHOO DV Ă€OPPDNHUV 5RQ +RZDUG DQG %ULDQ *UD]HU “Two years ago, we set out on a new journey to elevate content that is premium and wildly entertaining in both scripted and IDFWXDO Âľ VKH VDLG ´,W KDV EHHQ D EROG GHSDUWXUH IRU XV Âľ Explaining why National Geographic has brought Genius, its Ă€UVW VFULSWHG VHULHV 7KH 6WDWH DQG The Long Road Home to MIPCOM, Monroe said: “The TV

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National Geographic’s Courteney Monroe: “We’re shaking things up�

Sky’s Davey hails surge in UHD content IN HIS 4K Ultra HD Keynote, Gary Davey

Gary Davey, Sky’s managing director of content, reported on the progress across the UK satellite broadcaster’s output, where UHD this year has leapt into VRPH VLJQLÀFDQW QHZ JHQUHV There has been about 1,000 hours, including 150 live broadcasts — mainly of English Premier League games but also international test cricket, Formula DQG WKH ,VOH RI :LJKW )HVWLYDO 7KH ODWWHU ³ KRXUV RI OLYH music — had won a MIPCOM Content Innovation award, and Sky will also be transmitting the forthcoming MTV Music

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$ZDUGV LQ 8+' 'DYH\ VDLG As for audiences, the numbers of subscribers had quadrupled since Sky started broadcasting UHD football, and he reported D ´YHU\ UHDO¾ GHPDQG FXUYH The Sky Original Production Riviera was a notable UHD success, and all Sky Original Productions are now entirely proGXFHG LQ 8+' &RXSOHG ZLWK D growing amount of Hollywood VWXGLR VXSSRUW ÀOPV ZLOO EH available on demand by Christmas), high-end nature docs, tests

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NEWS

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Mobile ‘not just another screen for viewing traditional content’

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Moderator Kate Bulkley (left) with Sean Mills and Lauren Anderson

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NEWS Dynamic possibilities of getting rid of the script, and the studio

BBC Worldwideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sumi Connock

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ON-SCRIPTED formats continue to be one of the most dynamic and in-demand

Phileas Productionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sergio Sancho

genres in the TV industry. That was the conclusion of a trio of leading executives during Formats: The New Creative Horizon.

Assaf Blecher, senior vice-president development and content, Keshet, used the session to introduce a new dance competition format

Turkey rises to the drama challenge THREE leading experts discussed how Turkish content creators are adapting to changes in the media market during the session entitled A New Era For Content And Partnership In Turkey.

Ahmet Ziyalar, chief operatLQJ RIĂ&#x20AC;FHU RI ,QWHU 0HG\D VDLG the rise of OTT would lead to several key developments: ´:H ZLOO VHH PRUH GLYHUVLĂ&#x20AC;HG faster-paced drama with shorter episodes and shorter runs.

OTT will allow producers to be more creative because they are less constrained by the ratings systems. And new drama formats will be valuable for us in terms of international distribution.â&#x20AC;?

Tamer Uner, president of Kar-

Carolina Acosta-Alzuru

Inter Medyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ahmet Ziyalar

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FDOOHG 0DVWHUV 2I 'DQFH D ELJ KLW when it aired in Israel. Blecher said a key strength of the show, created

by Keshet and Tedy Productions, was the authentic, intense, emotionally charged relationship between dance directors and their dancers.

Sumi Connock, creative director of formats, BBC Worldwide, showcased a new factual entertainment elimination format called Astronaut â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Toughest Job In The Universe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incredibly aspirational and has this USP that it deals with contestants you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ordinarily see in a reality environment: incredibly academic, highly motivated and successful individuals.â&#x20AC;?

Sergio Sancho, founder and managing director of Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Phileas Productions, discussed how broadcasters were still looking for high-volume shows that could be produced at low cost. He gave the example of Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Say It, Bring It, a new title that is shot outside, dispensing with the need for a studio. He also emphasised the importance of collaboration for indie producers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; explaining KRZ 3KLOHDV ZRUNHG ZLWK 0Hdiapro to bring a new game show called Crash to broadcaster TVE.

ga 7, said traditional genres like melodrama and historical Ă&#x20AC;FWLRQ FRQWLQXH WR EH SRSXODU â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but that there was more effort being put into other genres such as thrillers and romcoms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a new show called City Of Secrets, which includes some action and crime elements. The idea is to appeal to a wider audience without losing the traditional female fanbase.â&#x20AC;?

Carolina Acosta-Alzuru, a professor at Georgia University who is an expert in Turkish drama, said the drive for new scripted styles didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change the fact that traditional Turkish series (dizis) are popular all over the world. She described how female fans from Chile to Indonesia are willing to watch new Turkish dizis live despite the time difference and the fact they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak the language.

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Vice Media chief says the young want their news raw and unspun

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RADITIONAL news stations and broadcasters have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;core problemâ&#x20AC;? with the way they deliver content to younger viewers, a senior member of Vice Media s said.

Speaking at a special MIPCOM session discussing the latest trends in live streaming, Vice Media chief international growth RIĂ&#x20AC;FHU 'DYLG 3XUG\ VDLG PDLQstream news outlets were failing to connect partly because of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;echo-chamberâ&#x20AC;? effect created by pandering to audiencesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; political views.

Addressing delegates at the event held yesterday evening, Purdy said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe we should just tell the story itself, with raw undoctored footage, in a very low key way; not leading the story but letting the story unfold. Live is a chance to be raw and inventive.â&#x20AC;?

3XUG\ FLWHG WKH H[DPSOH RI WKH troubles surrounding the farright protests taking place in Charlottesville, Virginia in August, during which Vice received

recognition for its on-the-ground reporting.

Also on the panel were 9GAG chief operating officer Lilian Leong, Misan Harriman, founder of online content distributor What We Seee, and Dmitry Ke-

shishev, chief digital officer of live-content specialist Ruptly.

Discussing the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest innovation, live-broadcasting system Ruptly Live, Keshishev said the traditional model of connecting reporters up to broadcast-

ers had been changed by a â&#x20AC;&#x153;revolutionâ&#x20AC;? of new technologies and social media. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be technically educated; you just connect it to the social media you want and boom, you are online.â&#x20AC;?

Harriman, whose platform sources and distributes content online said that there were still â&#x20AC;&#x153;millions RI PLQXWHV RI H[WUDRUGLQDU\ FRQtentâ&#x20AC;? waiting to be distributed to â&#x20AC;&#x153;an audience which is too busyâ&#x20AC;? to source the videos themselves.

Lilian Leong (left) of 9GAG, What We Seee founder Misan Harriman, moderator Jessica Davis of the Drum, Vice Mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s David Purdy and Ruptlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dmitry Keshishev

Working together to safeguard kids FAKE news, fake friends, cyberbullying, identity theft, decreased attention spans, inappropriate content â&#x20AC;&#x201D; social media are blamed for messing with our kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; minds.

But what about when social media platforms disclaim responsibility, saying that children under 13 shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be on their sites in WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW SODFH" French media regulator the Conseil Superieur de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Audiovisuel (CSA) this week called for a total ban on children under the age of three using screens of any kind. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know the internet providers have the data, all the information on what you do [online] and what platforms have inappropriate content,â&#x20AC;? said CSA board

CSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carole Bienaime-Besse

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member Carole Bienaime-Besse in the MIPJunior session Preparing Kids For Social Media 7HHQKRRG ´:H GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWHO\ FRXOG be more efficient if we could create a strong partnership with them.â&#x20AC;?

But for those who think such a ban impractical, the dilemma of how to keep children safe online remains a key question.

The 2017 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Global Media Summit in December in the UK will seek to tackle it by looking at best practice, innovation, regulation and education.

The event, in Manchester, brings together leading international broadcasters, producers and innovators, as well as Amazon, *RRJOH 0LQHFUDIW 1HWĂ L[ WKH Premier League and many more to discuss safeguarding children in the digital world.

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Shellhut and Tiny Island alliance UDLVHV SURĂ&#x20AC;OH RI $VLDQ DQLPDWLRQ

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HELLHUT AND Tiny Island Pictures, a new joint-venture between Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shellhut Entertainment and Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tiny Island Productions, KDV VLJQHG D IHDWXUH Ă&#x20AC;OP FR production memorandum of understanding with WingsMedia, a member of Oriental Pearl Group and a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second largest media conglomerate, Shanghai Media Group.

Shellhut and Tiny Island Pictures announced the co-operation at a signing ceremony at MIPCOM. Valued at an estimated $250m, this will be the biggest animation Ă&#x20AC;OP FR RSHUDWLRQ LQ $VLD DQG WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW HYHU &KLQD 6LQJDSRUH 7KDLland animation co-production.

7KH Ă&#x20AC;UVW Ă&#x20AC;OP IURP WKH MRLQW YHQture will integrate WingsMediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VFL Ă&#x20AC; KLW UHDOLW\ 79 VHULHV 6WDUship MZ: 2049 with Tiny Island Productionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; award-winning animated series, Dream Defenders.

The long-term goal is to build Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own version of the Marvel cinematic universe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are dedicated to searching WKH JOREH IRU WKH EHVW Ă&#x20AC;OP DQG television content and are conĂ&#x20AC;GHQW WKDW WKLV SDUWQHUVKLS ZLOO

6KHODQ +H RI 2ULHQWDO 3HDUO *URXS OHIW ZLWK 6KDQJKDL :LQJV0HGLD¡V 3LQ\DGD 5DWDQDVXQJN DQG 'DYLG .ZRN RI 6KHOOKXW DQG 7LQ\ ,VODQG 3URGXFWLRQV

introduce the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s audience to the new, exciting and unique Ă DYRXUV RI $VLD Âľ -ZDQZDW $Kriyavraromp, CEO of Shellhut Entertainment, said.

An international team of animation veterans will lead the development and production of the

Ă&#x20AC;OPV OHG E\ GLUHFWRU 3DXO &KXQJ ZKR KDV ZRUNHG IRU IHDWXUH Ă&#x20AC;OP studios such as DreamWorks, Walt Disney, Warner Brothers and MGM, on â&#x20AC;&#x201D; among others â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 6SDFH -DP 6KUHN 0DGDJDVFDU 0HJDPLQG DQG -XQJOH %RRN

6L[W\ SDUW ÂśVXSHU VHULHV¡ WR DLU RQ $]WHFD A SCRIPTED deal between Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TV Azteca and Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keshet International will see the two companies co-develop and produce a 60-episode Spanishlanguage series for the Mexican PDUNHW 7KH ´VXSHU VHULHVÂľ ZLOO debut on TV Azteca in 2018, with Keshet handling the international distribution.

7KH SURMHFW ZLOO EH OHG E\ -RVKXD Mintz, TV Aztecaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deputy president, and Kelly Wright, Keshet Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice-president of distribution and new business.

14

The deal is the latest move in Keshetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expansion strategy in Latin America, where it launched a production company â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Keshet MX â&#x20AC;&#x201D; earlier this year. It is also co-developing a Spanishlanguage series with Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Televisa, has forged non-scripted co-development deals with Telefe in Argentina and Mega in Chile, and has licensing deals with Globo Brazil and Teledoce in Uruguay.

Wright described the TV Azteca co-production deal as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;meeting

RI PLQGVÂľ 6KH DGGHG ´$V ZH continue our rapid expansion in Latin America, original development is a top priority. TV Azteca is known for producing bold series that resonate with audiences across not only across Mexico but much of the world â&#x20AC;&#x201D; someWKLQJ ZH VWULYH IRU HYHU\ WLPH Âľ Mintz added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Keshet has a reputation for producing scripted series that stand apart from the crowd. We are genuinely excited about the content we are going to FUHDWH WRJHWKHU Âľ

International competition 7-11 April 2018

9-12 April 2018 Cannes France

Creativity Glamour Business All new content to screen this April.

The stars align at MIPTV. 4 days / 10,500 participants / 1,632 exhibiting companies / 100 countries / 3,800 acquisition executives. www.miptv.com

NEWS Dancing and crafting add sparkle to NBCUniversalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s format slate

S Eccho Rightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Nicola Soderlund (left) and Kvartal 95â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vladimir Zelenskiy

ART IMITATES LIFE IN SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE AS THE second season of his hit satirical sitcom Servant Of The People hits Ukraineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1+1 channel, stand-up comedian Vladimir Zelenskiy is receiving letters from Ukrainians begging him to run for president.

Asked if he would grant their wish, Zelenskiy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who is also managing director of Kvartal 95, the production company behind the show â&#x20AC;&#x201D; said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;They want, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want.â&#x20AC;?

Ironically, this is pretty much what his character, hapless school teacher Vassily, says in Servant Of The People.

Footage of him condemning the political situation in his country is posted on YouTube and, before he knows it, he is running for president. And then he wins. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love this show,â&#x20AC;? said Nicola Soderlund, managing partner of distributor Eccho Rights. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such a unique idea, and so contemporary. And the fact that the original series OHZ ZVSK [V 5L[Ă&#x2026;P_ HUK :V\[O Korea, and the format to France, Greece and the US, shows that it really resonates in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s society.

IX WEEKS into her appointment as NBCUniversal International Formatsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; senior vice-president of format sales and productions, Ana Langenberg is at MIPCOM with World Of Dance, NBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new reality competition series.

Now renewed for a second series, the show saw very little ratings fatigue following its strong May US premiere. Fast becoming a dance and music entertainment brand, World Of Dance gives dancers a platform to showcase their talents and compete for a life-altering cash prize.

Langenberg is also soft-pitching another in-house reality effort called Making It, a light-hearted format that celebrates creativity and craftiness. Executive producers and hosts of the six-episode US series, Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, judge eight of the most

NBCUniversalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ana Langenberg: â&#x20AC;&#x153;real global appetite for great craftsmanshipâ&#x20AC;?

talented craft-makers from across the country as they take on a variety of DIY and crafting projects. ´7KLV Ă&#x20AC;UVW VHULHV KDV MXVW Ă&#x20AC;QLVKHG production in the US and we have some hilarious clips to show our prospective partners,â&#x20AC;? Langenberg said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real global appetite for great craftsmanship. This feel-good compe-

tition with a comedic tone is great family viewing. The show also delivers emotional drama as we learn about the personal stories of each competitor.â&#x20AC;?

Making It will launch in the US in early 2018. Langenberg said there is already strong interest in the format from several European and Nordic territories.

NHK takes 8K UHD out on the road THE BENEFITS of the 8K Ultra HD format to the future of content production will be highlighted during an international tour being planned by NHK, Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public broadcaster, starting in Europe next year.

The resolution of 8K UHD footage is described as 16 times higher than standard HDTV, offering

the type of clarity that makes viewers feel they are actually present at the scene. And the positive reaction to its 8K UHD footage at Cannes has encouraged NHK to create more content with international co-producers, said Akihiko Chigono, the broadcasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive director and chief of HQJLQHHULQJ GXULQJ KLV Ă&#x20AC;UVW YLVLW

NHKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Akihiko Chigono: â&#x20AC;&#x153;quality can only get betterâ&#x20AC;?

16

to MIPCOM. The European tour will start sometime after NHKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 8K UHD transmission of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea.

It will then travel around Europe with its dedicated 8K outsidebroadcasting vehicle shooting original content and working ZLWK FR SURGXFHUV WR KHOS Ă&#x20AC;OO WKH 8K channel being launched in Japan next December. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe the contentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quality can only get better if we use the best technology,â&#x20AC;? Chigono said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only way to get the required amount of content is to produce what will make viewers happy.â&#x20AC;?

Jun Ochiai, senior producer and chief of secretariat for 8K production at NHK, added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;One way to expand the relationship with producers and broadcasters is to show programmes where the advantages of 8K are maximised.â&#x20AC;?

mipcom

Hollywood knocks at the door as Russian drama revolution hots up

T

HE US is waking up to Russian content, according to Alexander Tsekalo, founder of Sreda Production and producer of Trotsky, which had its World Premiere TV Screening last night at MIPCOM. Tsekalo is in Cannes on the back of a trip to Los Angeles, where he and Criminal Minds showrunner Ed Bernero were pitching a potential US version of Sredaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s psychological thriller Method. The drama, which centres on a young womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apprenticeship with a successful but mysterious private investigator, was a massive hit in Russia, where it clocked up 80 million YouTube viewers. It also won the 2016 New York Film

Festival Gold World Medal in crime drama. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had meetings with five big US networks and platforms,â&#x20AC;? Tsekalo said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too early to talk about deals, but there were some â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wowsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;incrediblesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;terrificsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from the US executives we met. The Americans seem to be very interested in Russian drama at the moment â&#x20AC;&#x201D; more so than the Europeans, which is surpr ising, given our cultural similarities with Europe.â&#x20AC;?

Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in Tsekalo may also be because Sreda was the first, and is still the only, Russian production company to have sold ready-made drama to Netflix. So far, the streaming giant has taken six

of its series: Trotsky, The Territory, Sparta, Method, Fartsa and its biggest international hit to date, Silver Spoon, now in its second season. Tsekalo said that there is also interest in a potential US version of Sparta, and the format to Silver Spoon has also been sold to Critical Content.

The next step in Sredaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategy for â&#x20AC;&#x153;integrating itself into the international marketâ&#x20AC;? is to explore co-production possibilities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People always talk about co-production in terms of sharing budgets and profits,â&#x20AC;?

Tsekalo said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But for me, in my heart, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also about peace.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about money, but about connecting people and countries. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about saying,

Channel One Russia CEO Konstatin Ernst (left) with Sreda Productionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alexander Tsekalo at last nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screening of Trotsky

17

Sreda and TV3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gogol. Origins

letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not talk about sanctions and conflict â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a Russian citizen, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not a bear, or aggressive or carrying a gun.

I just have a talent I want to share with you.â&#x20AC;?

Meanwhile, another Sreda title, Gothic mystery series Gogol.

Origins â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a co-production with TV3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is presented by TV3 at MIPCOM this morning.

The success of Gogol. Origins, the first feature film about the life of the 19th-century writer, encouraged TV3 to make two more films about Gogol, which will air in 2018. â&#x20AC;&#x153;First, we intend to release all the three films in cinema, then transform each of them into a TV show,â&#x20AC;? said TV3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general director Valeriy Fedorovich and executive producer Evgeniy Nikishov: 7KH FLQHPD Ă&#x20AC;UVW DSSURDFK LV DQ unusual strategy in Russia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No one has ever done this before,â&#x20AC;? said Fedorovich and Nikishov. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not very common to make P\VWHU\ Ă&#x20AC;OPV LQ 5XVVLD WR VD\ nothing of Gothic-style mystery. We might say weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve established a new genre in Russian cinema â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a superhero biopic.

It has worked because Gogolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stories are essentially cinematographic â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you picture everything you read.â&#x20AC;?

NEWS SAPPHIRE MEDIA UPGRADES TO HD SAPPHIRE Media International is making a major investment into HD-quality output under the company’s newly appointed managing director, Christina Foley.

Sapphire, which owns and distributes adult entertainment stations in Europe including Hustler and Private TV, will upgrade its Blue Hustler station to HD in January. The \WNYHKL PZ [OL ÄYZ[ RL` JOHUNL brought in by Foley, who took over this month.

“It’s a very competitive genre,” she said. “There are plenty of people out there just looking to make as much money as possible revisiting old scenes and ideas and putting them together to produce movies.

That’s not what we stand for; we’re interested in high-quality programmes.

This is an investment we hope will pay off.”

Foley, who is responsible for distribution worldwide apart from the Americas, is in Cannes to meet with potential buyers.

Cine Sony Italia and AXN Japan take Prime Entertainment shows

P

RIME Entertainment Group and Sony Italy have signed a content deal for Sony’s new channel, Cine Sony Italia, which launched last month.

The deal includes nearly 90 hours of content from Prime, including Hollywood’s Best Film Directors (87 x 26 mins), Ultimate Countdown (28 x 45 mins) and Hollywood Singing And Dancing (13 x 52 mins).

Sony has been a long-time partner of Prime, with Sony USA acquiring episodes of Director’s Short Cut, Zoom In and Stars.

AXN Japan has also picked up Stars and Hollywood News Feed, while AXN Central Europe has

taken episodes from Test Drive and Stars.

For several years Prime has been D VLJQLÀFDQW FRQWHQW SDUWQHU IRU movie channels, with all the major movie networks licensing from the producer/distributor, including Paramount, Universal, Sundance, MGM, HBO, Cinemax, M-NET, Fox, BeIN Cinema and Viasat.

Prime Entertainment head of sales Alexandra Marguerite said: “We love working with Sony, which is always expanding with new channels and new territories.

It’s a great satisfaction to have these companies coming to us, especially when a new channel is launched.”

Sony Italy head of programming & acquisitions Mattia Cavanna (left) and Prime Entertainment head of sales Alexandra Marguerite

JETSEN Huashi TV, one of China’s biggest animation distributors, has licensed several animated children’s series this week, including Miffy (78 x 7 mins) from Dutch media group Mercis. “Miffy has been wellknown in China for many years,” said Jetsen’s general manager Tracey Cui. “The first two seasons aired on CCTV, and many of us owned Miffy stationery as children.” Jetsen has also picked up The Owl & Co (Studio Hari), Dimitri, and Charley Goes To School from francetv distribution, and The Little Prince from PGS. Pictured are Jetsen’s Judy Xi (left) and Tracey Cui, with Mercis’ Frank Padberg.

Thema grows its themed channel reach

Sapphire Media International’s Christina Foley

CANAL+-owned channel dis- channel packages into France, but &KDQQHOV VHUYLQJ VSHFLÀF HWKQLF tribution business Thema has not so much in Northern Europe. groups are increasing thanks to continued its international ex- “The acquisition of IBSBM will the emergence of the internet as a pansion with the acquisition of change that because they have TV delivery platform, Faux said. a majority stake in IBSBM, a experience with ethnic-channel “Distribution deals that wouldn’t Netherlands-based firm with packages.” have been possible with tradia channel distribution tional platforms are now footprint that stretches open to us thanks to the across the Netherlands, rapid growth of OTT.” Belgium, Germany and But Faux stressed: “Cathe Nordic region. nal+ and Thema both Thema CEO Fabrice have broad portfolios Faux said: “We want to of channels that we keep expanding internawant to distribute intionally by having strong ternationally. This new local distribution partarrangement will also ners in key territories improve our chances of and regions.” getting those channels Faux said Thema has into Northern European been successful selling Thema’s Fabrice Faux (left) and IBSBM’s Menno Hidajattoellah territories.”

18

mipcom

BEAJ IN CANNES WITH RECORD CONTENT ROSTER

Why horizons are widening for Japanese programme makers

J BEAJ’s Keiji Watanabe (left), Shuji Maeda and Daisuke Gomi

THE BROADCAST Program Export Association of Japan (BEAJ) is at MIPCOM with Japan’s biggest online showcase of TV content (www. japan-programcatalog.com).

Previously a government-run initiative, the Japan Program Catalog was taken over by BEAJ in April, since when around 30 national and regional broadcasters have agreed to participate in the project. “That number is expected to increase,” said Keiji Watanabe, deputy director of BEAJ’s administrative office, whose mission in Cannes is to “attract as many international buyers as possible to the rebranded, re-designed, Englishlanguage site”.

The one-stop resource offers easy access to the latest content from Japanese broadcasters, much of which is completely new to the international market, said Shuji Maeda from the BEAJ secretariat. It also provides news from the frontline of the Japanese television industry, including scheduling information, programme launches and the latest on international co-production deals.

“We have every genre of content in the catalogue, from movies to drama, documentary, animation and formats,” Watanabe added. “What’s also important is that international buyers who sign up to the site have direct access to Japanese licensors.”

Daisuke Gomi of the BEAJ secretariat said that one of the catalogue’s USPs was that it offers access to “local gems with global appeal”, such as documentaries about regional food, travel and traditions. He added: “Many regional Japanese broadcasters don’t have English websites. For them, the Japan Program Catalog is their only window to international buyers.”

APANESE TV makers and broadcasters are becoming increasingly outward looking and international in their thinking, a leading member of the country’s industry body has said.

Shingo Saito, secretary general of the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (JBA) said that companies, including those in rural areas and smaller towns, are being more outgoing and global in the way they do business.

Pointing to the increase in attendance at MIPCOM of Japanese TV creatives, broadcasters and producers, Saito said Japan was becoming a major player in the international TV scene.

Saito said Japanese drama had become “more sophisticated” and complex in recent years, and that wider audiences, as well as broadcasters, from around the world were becoming increasingly aware of the content.

“We are growing and growing,” he said. “In Japan there are many different types of drama; we want more people to be aware of them around the world.”

The JBA has been running the annual J-Creative Party during MIPCOM since 2009. From small beginnings the event is now attended by some 400 people.

JBA’s Shingo Saito

MIPCOM’s inauguration ceremony saw Japan, former Country Of Honour, pass over the baton to Russia, which is the subject of a spotlight at MIPCOM 2017. Pictured here are Frank Chikli, deputy mayor of Cannes (left); Masahiko Tominaga, vice-minister for policy co-ordination (international affairs) at the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications; Mikhail Mamonov, managing director, international trade promotion at the Russian Export Center; with Reed MIDEM’s Paul Zilk and Laurine Garaude.

19

NEWS EASYTRACK ADDS KALEIDOSCOPE AND CAKE TO ROSTER RIGHTS AND SALES management company EasyTrack, has added three new clients to its expanding network of users. They are award-winning independent Cake, a specialist in the production, distribution, KL]LSVWTLU[ ÄUHUJPUN HUK brand development of kids’ and family properties; Kaleidoscope, a UK-based PUKLWLUKLU[ ÄST KPZ[YPI\[VY ZWLJPHSPZPUN PU MLH[\YL ÄSTZ and theatrical documentaries in the UK; and Raydar Media, an independent ÄUHUJPUN JV WYVK\J[PVU HUK distribution specialist.

All three have signed up for the full range of EasyTrack modules, which include new forecasting and budgeting software, which tracks all forecasting and budgeting, giving real-time access to the ratio of sales-to-budget at any time in the project life cycle.

“Our software has been developed to meet the challenges of a global TV distribution industry in transition and the quality of V\Y UL^ ZPNU \WZ YLÅLJ[Z that,” said Alison Baker, head of the company’s 3VUKVU VMÄJL

ZELLY GO GONE TO NICKELODEON IMIRA Entertainment has closed a 150+ territory pay-TV distribution deal with Viacom International Media Networks’ Nickelodeon across the EMEA, Latin (TLYPJH HUK (ZPH 7HJPÄJ markets for the new non-dialogue slapstick comedy series Zelly Go (103 x 1.5 mins. The series, produced by Korea’s Dream Factory, is distributed internationally by Imira.

mipcom

Protect pay-TV rights to avoid the fate of the music business

C

ONTENT owners need to be more zea lous i n t hei r copyright protection strategies if the payTV industry is to avoid the catastrophe that almost decimated the global music business, industry expert Simon Trudelle, senior director, product marketing, at Swiss-based digital TV services company Nagra, will warn today.

He points out in his presentation — for the conference session Streaming Piracy: Can Your Business Model Survive? — that the international pay-TV sector is losing an estimated $28bn to pirates at any one time.

He argues that if TV content owners do not help stem the haemorrhaging caused by ille-

gal downloads and unauthorised streaming, the sector will suffer the almost irreversible decline that has already threatened the music industry, where revenues are still 40% below their peak.

“This is a problem for all content owners,” he will say. “They need to be pro-active in protecting their own businesses.”

Trudelle will also urge traditional cable and satellite operators to merge with their internetdelivered OTT counterparts like 1HWÁL[ LQWR D VLQJOH VHFWRU %\ combining their forces, the antiSLUDF\ ZDU FRXOG EH PRUH HIÀcient and effective, he argues.

“We could create a new pay-TV world because, from the consumers’ point of view, the distinction between pay-TV and OTT no longer exists.”

Nagra’s Simon Trudelle

Machines join the scriptwriting team MACHINE learning is going to have a profound effect on the way TV programmes and animated movies are made, according to Christopher Sjoholm, chief operDWLQJ RIÀFHU RI 9DQFRXYHU EDVHG MashUp Machine He told MIPCOM News that emerging intelligent technology, which learns what consumers are watching and allows viewers to dictate the way stories are told, represents a huge opportunity to engage with millennials.

“There’s been a dramatic shift in the way younger people engage with content,” he said. “It’s all about engagement. They are watching on multiple screens at the same time and they want to have a voice, whether it’s sharing their views about a game or show on social media or posting on sites like Reddit.”

New ways of interacting with content, Sjoholm said, are presenting different ways for game-

MashUp Machine’s Christopher Sjoholm

20

makers and TV producers to gather data on what their fans are asking for, and to provide opportunities for viewers and players to actually choose the way stories unfold.

MashUp Machine is meeting studios and broadcasters in Cannes to demonstrate the company’s machine-learning scriptwriter, Mashi, which it has used to power an interactive animated movie, Scary Cabin.

Machine learning, which works behind the scenes to gather data on fans’ tastes has been used to power gaming and online animated content, which can be altered according to the consumer’s preferences.

“It’s blurred the lines between creator and consumer,” Sjoholm said. “Instead of content that is out there and frozen in time, with machine learning at any moment you could be watching a different version to the person next to you.”

WEDNESDAY 18 OCTOBER GLOBAL CONTENT TRENDS

SCREENINGS

4K ULTRA HD

9.15-9.45, AUDITORIUM A

8.30-9.45, AUDITORIUM K

9.15-10.15, SONY 4K ULTRA HD THEATRE

HOW WILL THE EUROPEAN DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET AFFECT MY BUSINESS?

‘WEISSENSEE’ AND ‘DEMENTIA’

FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT IN SPECTACULAR UHD/HDR #1

10.00-11.30, AUDITORIUM A

11.30-12.45, AUDITORIUM K

MEDIA PROGRAMME BEYOND 2020: CONNECTING CONTENT, FINANCING AND AUDIENCES

‘MOROCCO - LOVE IN TIMES OF WAR’

Presented by Global Screen

10.30-11.00, VERRIERE CALIFORNIE

Presented by Beta Film

RUSSIAN CONTENT REVOLUTION

By Creative Europe Media

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT MAKE MY CONTENT MORE DISCOVERABLE…

By TiVo

10.00-11.15, AUDITORIUM K

‘GOGOL. ORIGINS’ Presented by TV3 Channel

DIVERSIFY TV KEYNOTE 10.50-11.20, GRAND AUDITORIUM

SIR LENNY HENRY, COMEDIAN, WRITER AND AWARD-WINNING ACTOR Powered by Diversify TV

MEDIA MASTERMIND KEYNOTES 11.30-12.00, GRAND AUDITORIUM

RICKY VAN VEEN, HEAD OF GLOBAL CREATIVE STRATEGY, FACEBOOK DANIEL DANKER, DIRECTOR OF VIDEO PRODUCT, FACEBOOK DIVERSIFY TV 12.00-12.30, AUDITORIUM A

BREAKING STEREOTYPES TO CONNECT GLOBAL AUDIENCES Supported by A+E Networks, Viacom, EbonyLife TV, Diversify TV

12.15-13.00, GRAND AUDITORIUM

ACQUISITION SUPERPANEL - WHAT DO PROGRAMMERS WANT? PRESENTING THE WORLD SCREEN CONTENT TRENDSETTER AWARDS

SCREENINGS 13.15-14.00, GRAND AUDITORIUM

FRESH TV FICTION 4K ULTRA HD

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT 14.00-14.30, AUDITORIUM A

14.00-14.45, SONY 4K ULTRA HD THEATRE

STREAMING PIRACY: CAN YOUR BUSINESS MODEL SURVIVE?

FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT IN SPECTACULAR UHD/HDR #2

By NAGRA

15.00-16.00, SONY 4K ULTRA HD THEATRE

THE VERY BEST IN ULTRA HD MEDIA MASTERMIND KEYNOTE 14.30-15.15, GRAND AUDITORIUM

MIPCOM PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR KEYNOTE:

DAVID ZASLAV PRESIDENT & CEO, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INTERVIEWED BY: JON FELTHEIMER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, LIONSGATE

MEDIA MASTERMIND KEYNOTE 15.30-16.15, GRAND AUDITORIUM

DOMINIQUE DELPORT GLOBAL MANAGING DIRECTOR, HAVAS GROUP, BOARD MEMBER AT VIVENDI GROUP, CHAIRMAN VIVENDI CONTENT 20.00, INTERCONTINENTAL CARLTON HOTEL By invitation Welcome Drinks From 19.30

MIPCOM PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR GALA DINNER HONOURING: DAVID ZASLAV, PRESIDENT & CEO, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

OFFICIAL CONFERENCE & SCREENINGS HIGHLIGHTS DIVERSIFY TV - 10.50-11.20

MIPCOM 2017 PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 14.30-15.15, Grand Auditorium

SIR LENNY HENRY Comedian, Writer and Award-Winning Actor

FACEBOOK KEYNOTE - 11.30-12.00

RICKY VAN VEEN Head of Global Creative Strategy, Facebook

DANIEL DANKER Director of Video Product, Facebook

DAVID ZASLAV President & CEO, Discovery Communications

VIVENDI/HAVAS GROUP KEYNOTE - 15.30-16.15 Interviewed by: Jon Feltheimer, Chief Executive Officer, Lionsgate

DOMINIQUE DELPORT Global Managing Director, Havas Group, Board Member at Vivendi Group, Chairman, Vivendi Content

INTERNATIONAL DRAMA SCREENINGS ‘WEISSENSEE’ AND ‘DEMENTIA’

‘GOGOL. ORIGINS’

‘MOROCCO - LOVE IN TIMES OF WAR’

8.30-9.45, Auditorium K Presented by Global Screen

10.00-11.15, Auditorium K Presented by TV3 Channel

11.30-12.45, Auditorium K Presented by Beta Film

Additional information in the MIPCOM Handbook and the MIPCOM app

COMING NEXT THURSDAY 19 OCTOBER GLOBAL CONTENT TRENDS

4K ULTRA HD

10.00-10.45, AUDITORIUM A

10.00-11.00, SONY 4K ULTRA HD THEATRE

BEST OF FRESH TV

UHD: THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS #1

11.00-12.00, AUDITORIUM A

11.30-12.30, SONY 4K ULTRA HD THEATRE

WHAT TO DO NEXT? KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL POST- MARKET

UHD: THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS #2 14.00-15.00, SONY 4K ULTRA HD THEATRE

14.00-15.00, AUDITORIUM A

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NEWS BUYERS FLOCK TO MK’S CRAZY SHEEP

New basketball anime is set to put Synergy88 in the zone

MK Productions’ Madlene Kerry

ALPINE Story (12 x 7 mins), the new pre-school animated comedy from Switzerland’s MK Productions, has been well received this week with two potential sales on the table.

“The series is about the adventures of a bull, a rooster and a lot of crazy sheep,” said MK Productions’ managing director Madlene Kerry.

“Buyers seem to really love the sheep!”

The first season of Alpine Story aired on RTS this year, and further series are in development. Meanwhile Kerry is testing the market for two liveaction feature films currently in development at MK Productions.

OFF THE FENCE HEADING INTO THE MOUNTAINS NETHERLANDS-based Off the Fence (OTF) has signed an exclusive co-production and distribution agreement for Mountain TV’s new 4K title Aerial Mountains: South Korea (2 x 60 mins) Aerial Mountains explores the beauty, culture and history of the mountains that make up 70% of South Korea.

“We’re tremendously happy to be working with Off the Fence and look forward to developing more content with them for the international audience,” said Stella Choi, marketing director, Mountain TV. OTF’s Loren Syer-Willoughby added: “This blue-chip series will be perfect for the international market with its breathtaking aerials and unique stories of these impressive mountains.”

Off The Fence’s Ellen Windemuth (left) and Mountain TV’s Stella Choi

Philippines Export Marketing Bureau assistant director Anthony Rivera (left), with Barangay 143 voicing stars Cherie Gil and John Arcilla, and Synergy88’s Jackeline Chua

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HILIPPINES animation and games developer Synergy88 has joined forces with Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi and Singapore’s August Media Holdings to present new anime series Barangay 143 to the global market.

The anime mystery drama — currently in production — is the story of a young talented basketball player who turns his back on the game after a personal family tragedy and moves to the Philippines.

Synergy88 producer and managing director Jackeline Chua said: “This is ground-breaking for us in that the IP for the series is Filipino.”

To date the Philippines has earned itself a big reputation as an animation service provider but has been less well known for creating and owning its own intellectual property. “That’s why Barangay 143 is the first of its kind,” Chua said.

The series is voiced by A-List Filipino talent including actors John Arcilla and Cherie Gil. Gil said: “It’s the first anime to be made in the Philippines told by Filipinos in Tagalog —

which will hopefully be dubbed into different languages. The story is very much something a global market can identify with — crime, drama and mystery.”

Available as 13 x 44 mins or 26 x 22 mins, the anime-style production, set in the Philippines, targets young adults, basketball fans and aficionados of primetime scripted programmes around the world.

Anthony Rivera, assistant director of the Philippine government’s Export Marketing Bureau, which is supporting eight producers on its MIPCOM stand, said: “On the government side we would like to develop the Philippines’ animation industry. We want to transform it from being service providers to IP asset owners. That’s why we are encouraged by the success of Barangay 143 and why we want to support the animation industry.

“We have a stand at MIPCOM which our ministry has sponsored because we have seen the potential and now provide a package of assistance for projects such as this.”

Studio SV likes breaking the mould ONE OF THE new kids on the block at duce content with inspirational celebrities MIPCOM is Hong Kong-based Studio SV, and influencers, including mainstream TV launched last year by Grammy Award-win- programmes, digital content and films. ning rapper Lupe Fiasco and Debut project Beat N Path is media executive Bonnie Chan an arts docu-series that follows Woo as a disruptive, hybrid Fiasco as he explores China’s production, development and martial-arts history and emergfinancing studio. ing hip-hop scene.

Operating out of Hong Kong “At our core, we want to proand Los Angeles, Studio SV will vide a bridge between Asian bring cross-cultural, original enculture and western markets,” tertainment to global audiences Lisa-Marie Marques, director, — straying from the norms and strategy and business developtraditional boundaries to pro- Studio SV’s Lisa-Marie Marques ment, Studio SV, said.

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NEWS Brazilian production sector looks to the global market

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Brazilian Content’s executive manager Rachel do Valle

Back row: Pushstart’s Vinicius Oppido (left), Animaking’s Paolo Conti, Red Studios Brasil’s Sabrina Bogado, Setima Cinema’s Ana Arruda, Plateau Filmes’ Mauro Giuntini and Raven Filmes’ Marco Zanqueta.

Front row: Alopra Estudio’s Nicholas Paim (left) and UP! Content Co’s Jake Neto

mipcom

BBC showcases new presenters for tuned-up Top Gear America

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William Fichtner (left), Antron Brown, The Stig and Tom Ford

BC WORLDWIDE’s rebooted new series Top Gear America spins into Cannes with ma ximum th rottle, driven by new hosts Top Fuel drag racer Antron Brown, British automotive journalist Tom ‘Wookie’ Ford and actor William Fichtner (The Dark Knight, Armageddon, Crash) — joined by a fourth mysterious masked driver, The Stig.

BBC America (BBCA) is the new home for the franchise in the US. Aired over the summer, the eight-episode series has already garnered 2.6 million followers on Facebook, beating BBC primetime ratings with a high-tension show that puts the viewer in the passenger seat, racing supercars in America’s diverse terrain — with a special

focus on American cars and car culture.

At a MIPCOM News exclusive interview, the chemistry between the new hosts was palpable — a raucous energy that BBC Worldwide’s Travis Shakespeare said was fundamental to the success of the launch series.

“I think the most dangerous driving was in the VW bugs in Baja Mexico,” Ford said. “You don’t want to do a roll in one of them.

“We all understand the dangers — we work with cars, we obsess about them. Antron works in one of the most high-risk sports for a day job.

He’s the fastest man on the planet!”

“But we’ve all been taken out of our comfort zone in this series.

We did things that you only see in the movies — but it was actually real,” Brown said.

“What has really struck me is how this show has attracted young audiences — I’ve had under-16s approaching me to talk about what they’ve seen in Top Gear America and how they’ve learned something new.”

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NEWS SHARED GOALS FOR IM GLOBAL AND NEWEN LA-BASED IM Global Television has signed a joint venture agreement with France’s NeWen, the production and distribution behind such hit series as Versailles and Braquo. The collaboration will see the partners create original content across all platforms globally.

The deal was inked by Phil Gurin, IM Global Television’s president of unscripted and alternative and Bibiane Godfroid, NeWen’s CEO. Gurin plans to focus particularly on primetime concepts, daily series and digital formats that can premiere either in the US or France and then travel around the world: “The opportunity to create original content with one of the leading companies in -YHUJL Ä[Z WLYMLJ[S` PU[V V\Y brand of international co-operation and collaboration,” he said.

Fanchon Giorda, head of NeWen’s development division, said: “Our common objective is the creation of new unscripted programmes or high-end documentaries.

Innovation is at the heart of the dynamics of our two groups.”

IM Global Television, a TMP and Tencent joint venture, KL]LSVWZ ÄUHUJLZ WYVK\JLZ and distributes scripted and unscripted content for the domestic and international marketplace.

The company recently acquired the global distribution rights to SuperSwede, Henrik Jansson-Schweizer’s documentary biopic about Ronnie Peterson, the legendary Swedish Formula 1 driver, and brings it to market alongside a batch of programmes including Chinese drama from Tencent.

Zee and Smithsonian launch Talesmith space spectacular

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K-BASED factual producer of multiplatform content for broadcast, museums, cinema, VR and digital, Talesmith, has been commissioned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) and Smithsonian Channel to produce Life Of Earth: From Space and Life Of Earth: The Age Of Humans. The spectacular two-hour 4K/UHD documentary delves into the planet’s 4.5 billion year history from the unique vantage point of space.

7KLV LV WKH ÀUVW FROODERUDWLRQ EHWZHHQ WKH WKUHH HQWLWLHV DQG WKH ÀUVW foray for ZEEL into the blue-chip specialist factual genre. Based in Mumbai, India, ZEEL is one of the world’s largest content producers with a presence in over 172 countries and a global reach of over 1 billion people. Smithsonian Channel is a recognised leader in quality, factual 4K programming, and the project harnesses Talesmith’s ex-

Talesmith’s Martin Williams (left), ZEEL’s Sunita Uchil and Smithsonian Channel’s David Royle

pertise in producing visually stunning and captivating storytelling.

7KH ÀOP PHUJHV WKH ODWHVW VFLHQWLÀF discoveries with human relevance, 4K cinematography and CGI across three main themes — the evolution of Earth, the life it harbours, and the Anthropocene (the modern age).

Sunita Uchil, ZEEL’s chief business officer, international production, global syndication and ad sales,

said: “ZEEL is proud to be part of this brilliant project. This unique view of the Earth is one that needs to be seen — to understand where the planet is going, we need to fully understand the past.”

Martin Williams, executive producer, Talesmith added: “We’re thrilled to be at the heart of a new partnership with two giants of broadcasting. Innovative science communication and compelling storytelling are in Smithsonian’s DNA, and with ZEEL’s global pedigree and unbridled ambition ZH·OO EH DEOH SURGXFH D ÀOP RI WKH highest possible quality.”

“What could possibly be more epic than the story of our world from the Big Bang to the formation of our planet? This is an enormously ambitious coproduction that combines talents from three continents,” said David Royle, executive vice-president of programming and production, Smithsonian Channel.

KAYO Kurita of Viz Media Europe (left), Dargaud-Lombard’s Francois Pernot, Kazuyoshi Takeuchi of Viz Media Europe, Benoit de Tauriac from Citel Video and Viz Media Europe’s Julien Lemoine celebrate the signing of a strategic partnership between Viz Media and Citel Video. The deal marks a new level of co-operation between the companies, which in 2013 entered into a partnership to jointly develop and operate streaming website Anime Digital Network (AND). The online platform broadcasts over 200 animated series including Dragon Ball and Assassination Classroom, with over 1.5 million unique visitors per month.

Katana grabs Talpa’s talent format TALPA’s talent show The Next Boy/Girl Band has been picked up by Katana in Thailand, adding a third Asian territory to its footprint. The format, which has also been sold to Vietnam and Indonesia, launched in the Netherlands last year. Earlier this year, it debuted on Indonesia’s Global TV, ZKHUH LW JHQHUDWHG RYHU ÀYH PLOlion votes across the series. It will TX in both Thailand and Vietnam in 2018.

The Next Boy/Girl Band features

two top label executives, who battle one another to create a boy or girl band. Looks, moves and singing ability are all taken into account as the record labels hunt for the next big teen sensation.

Talpa said the competition format’s multichannel strategy has proved particularly popular with the hard-to-reach millennial and Gen-Z audience, with the format generating impressive views on Instagram and YouTube, and a loyal fan base for its online exclusives.

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The Next Boy/Girl Band (Talpa)

mipcom

Turkey, LatAm sales spark Star India’s international ambitions

“G

OOD content can go anywhere a nd everywhere,” according to Gurjeev Kapoor, president of international sales at Star India. He is in Cannes looking to increase Star’s international reach on the back of key breakthroughs for Star India drama series in Turkey (Strange Love) and Latin America (Saras And Kumud in Chile) — territories known for the st rength of thei r homegrown production.

“That’s a testimonial — opening markets where the content

Gurjeev Kapoor

is already very strong. LatAm and Turkey are places people go to buy, and this is where we’ve showcased our content and it’s done superbly well for us,” Kapoor said, adding: “We’re looking at expanding in LatAm, Europe and Africa.”

6KRZV OLNH 1HWÁL[·V 1DUFRV KDYH shown that audiences are increasingly willing to engage with foreign drama in different — or even multiple — languages. “When the content is so compelling and the characters so strong people don’t mind,” he said.

The Star India drama catalogue includes contemporary romances and mythological content, with many series offering hundreds of episodes to buyers.

Epic survey of Sri Lanka’s history HINDI infotainment station Epic Channel is at MIPCOM promoting a Sri Lankan episode of its history and mythology series Ekaant. The Indian history series, which has run for two seasons on Epic and is written and presented

by Akul Tripathi, takes viewers to India’s most historic sites.

His latest 60-minute episode journeys to neighbouring Sri Lanka and examines the history of its connections with India, through the lens of the famous mythological tale Ramayana.

It airs exclusively on Epic on October 19.

Written and presented by Tri-

pathi, Ekaant investigates the abandonment of historical sites in Sri Lanka and uncovers the untold stories through local historians.

“While scientists may be convinced that Sri Lanka’s separation from the original land mass is a result of seismic and volcanic activity, who is to say that the myth that it took place because of the misdeeds of Ravana, is not true?” Tripathi said. “From my perspective, mythology is unveriÀHG KLVWRU\ µ Ekaant presenter Akul Tripathi

SHANKAR’S ART OF LIVING BRINGS MESSAGE OF PEACE THE ART OF LIVING Foundation, founded by Ravi Shankar HUK VUL VM [OL THU` ÄYZ[ [PTLYZ H[ 407*64 PZ VUL VM [OL IPNNLZ[ O\THUP[HYPHU 5.6Z PU [OL ^VYSK ^P[O H WYLZLUJL PU JV\U[YPLZ HUK HJJYLKP[LK ^P[O [OL <UP[LK 5H[PVUZ (SVUNZPKL H ^PKL YHUNL VM WLHJL PUP[PH[P]LZ [OL MV\UKH[PVU OHZ WYVK\JLK H O\NL HTV\U[ VM WYVMLZZPVUHS JVU[LU[ PUJS\KPUN 7LHJL 4HRPUN · ;OL .\Y\ (UK ;OL -HYJ @VNH (UK 4LKP[H[PVU 0U >HY AVULZ H `VNH HWW HUK H ZLYPLZ VM PUZ[Y\J[PVUHS `VNH ]PKLVZ ;OL VYNHUPZH[PVU MVJ\ZLZ VU HPK WYVQLJ[Z PU KL]LSVWPUN JV\U[YPLZ [YH\TH HUK Z[YLZZ THUHNLTLU[ PU JYPZPZ HYLHZ HUK YLOHIPSP[H[PVU WYVNYHTTLZ MVY ]PJ[PTZ VM ]PVSLUJL HUK WYPZVU PUTH[LZ [OYV\NO `VNH HUK TLKP[H[PVU :VTL VM [OL OPNOSPNO[Z PU (Y[ VM 3P]PUN»Z `LHYZ VM ^VYR PUJS\KL VYNHUPZPUN [OL >VYSK *\S[\YL -LZ[P]HS ZOV^JHZPUN T\ZPJ J\S[\YL HUK KHUJL MYVT HYV\UK [OL ^VYSK · million people attended in India PU " HUK IYVRLYPUN H WLHJL KLHS IL[^LLU [OL *VSVTIPHU NV]LYUTLU[ HUK [OL -HYJ N\LYPSSHZ [OH[ LUKLK H `LHY HYTLK JVUÅPJ[

A Japanese performance at last year’s World Culture Festival

The MIPCOM Newsroom is located on the first floor of the Palais

mipcom neWs 3 ®

The official MIPCOM daily newspaper Wednesday 18 October 2017

Director of Publications Paul Zilk EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor in Chief Julian Newby Deputy Editor Debbie Lincoln Sub Editors Neil Churchman, Neil Crossley, Nigel Wilmott Reporters Kristine Clifford, Ben Cooper, Andy Fry, Emelia Jones, Juliana Koranteng, Max Leonard, Rachel Murrell, Gary Smith, Joanna Stephens, David Wood Editorial Management Boutique Editions Head of Graphic Studio Herve Traisnel Graphic Studio Manager Frederic Beauseigneur Graphic Designers Muriel Betrancourt, Veronique Duthille, Carole Peres Head of Photographers Yann Coatsaliou / 360 Medias Photographers Christian Alminana, Patrick Frega, Phyrass Haidar, Michel Johner.

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Publishing Director Martin Screpel Publishing Manager Amrane Lamiri Printer Riccobono Imprimeurs, Le Muy (France).

ADVERTISING CONTACT IN CANNES Silvia Ferreira: +33 7 78 35 43 99 Reed MIDEM, a joint stock company (SAS), with a capital of €310.000, 662 003 557 R.C.S. NANTERRE, having offices located at 27-33 Quai Alphonse Le Gallo - 92100 BOULOGNEBILLANCOURT (FRANCE), VAT number FR91 662 003 557. Contents © 2017, Reed MIDEM Market Publications. Publication registered 4th quarter 2017. Printed on FSC certified paper.

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NEWS

mipcom

Blue Ant bolsters business with extensive NGCI deal

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MAJOR deal sealed with National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) has signalled robust business for Blue Ant International at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MIPCOM. On Monday, Blue Ant International â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Canadian distribution group and specialist in 4K Ultra HD natural history â&#x20AC;&#x201D; announced the pre-sale of a package of premium 4K UHD natural-history programmes to NGCI. The package includes content from its Love Nature subsidiary, such as the 4K UHD series Camp Zambia II and Camp Sri Lanka.

In addition, Blue Ant International has snapped up licensing deals for completed 4K UHD titles in its Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hunters series, plus a host of other documentaries for the Nat Geo Wild network. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a lot of activity because there is an increased ap-

Blue Ant Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Solange Attwood

needs to grow, but the company is equally enjoying its role as a pioneer of the format. â&#x20AC;&#x153;More companies are investing in it because both linear and nonlinear services will want native 4K UHD. Content has to be premium, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also spent time being an educator and sharing our knowledge,â&#x20AC;? she said.

petite for co-productions, which is a priority for us,â&#x20AC;? said Solange Attwood, Blue Ant Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior vice-president. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And having that much pre-sold volume from National Geographic is indicative of the amount of work weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing,â&#x20AC;?

She admitted that the quantity of 4K UHD available in the sector

CMJ unveils a smart new business model QUEBECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CMJ Productions is in Cannes to discuss new business models with its partners, as it moves into its second year as part of the Attraction stable. According to CMJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Judith Beauchemin, this has changed the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing more docuUHDOLW\ Ă&#x20AC;QGLQJ DPD]LQJ FKDUDF-

ters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what the US broadcasters are looking for,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a bit different from what CMJ did before, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re adjusting ourselves to the market.â&#x20AC;?

Beauchemin has been president since May, which has let founder John Kuyk take a step back to think about how CMJ structures

CMJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s John Kuyk (left) and Judith Beauchemin, with Attractionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Richard Speer

its deals. For now, this thinking is staying under wraps. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to create a new business model WKDW EHWWHU Ă&#x20AC;WV WRGD\¡V UHDOLWLHV Âľ he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everything is focusing on this market.â&#x20AC;?

Attractionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president, Richard Speer assessed the CMJ acquisition and put his weight behind Beauchemin and Kuyk. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Historically weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been producing in French and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been selling formats, but now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re putting our efforts into producing in English. CMJ was part of that, and we really like where thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going. ,W¡V RSHQHG XS VR PDQ\ KRUL]RQV Âľ he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, we need to reconsider all of the business models DQG Ă&#x20AC;QG VPDUWHU ZD\V WR PDNH content happen.â&#x20AC;?

Attraction also announced at MIPCOM a strategic alliance with Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bristow Global Media, ZLWK WKUHH Ă&#x20AC;FWLRQ SURMHFWV DOUHDG\ under way.

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CINEFLIX MEDIA ADDS IDEACOM TO ITS CO-PRO TEAM MONTREAL-based factual producer Ideacom International has announced a WHY[ULYZOPW ^P[O *PULĂ&#x2026;P_ 4LKPH to develop blue-chip documentaries with networks in France, Canada, the US and Europe. The new venture was negotiated by Andre Barro, *PULĂ&#x2026;P_ 4LKPHÂťZ L_LJ\[P]L producer, co-productions, and PZ [OL JVTWHU`ÂťZ SH[LZ[ TV]L to grow its international co-pro business. Barro recently set up with UK indie Talesmith on 9LKPZJV]LYPUN ; YL_ H co-production documentary for the BBC, CBC, France Televisions, and Canal D, which launched at MIPCOM. Ideacom producer Josette D Normandeau has already made series including: Aliens Of The Deep (CBC, Canal D, France 3), Voyage Of The Continents (Discovery, RadioCanada, ARTE), and Apocalypse World War I (France 2, TV5 Quebec Canada, National Geographic, Discovery). *PULĂ&#x2026;P_ 4LKPHÂťZ (UKYL )HYYV said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Josette has a solid reputation for quality original programmes and, with her [LHT IYPUNZ L_[LUZP]L knowledge of Canada-France co-production to the partnership.â&#x20AC;? Ideacom will join MVYJLZ ^P[O *PULĂ&#x2026;P_ÂťZ L_PZ[PUN partners, which include ;^LU[` :P_ ,U[LY[HPUTLU[ and Buccaneer Media. It also has a distribution and production deal with Monty /HSSÂťZ :LHKVN 7YVK\J[PVUZ and a co-production partnership with Andre Barro.

Apocalypse World War I (Ideacom)

18th Edition

MEET US AT MIPCOM BOOTH P-1.J75 MARINA BAY SANDS SINGAPORE 28 Nov 2017 ATF Leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Summit

29 Nov - 1 Dec 2017 Market. Conference. Networking Events

Held in conjunction with: An event of:

Produced by:

Supported by:

www.asiatvforum.com | #asiatvforum E meenyi.phua@reedexpo.com.sg | T +65 8726 3196

Logistics partner:

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NEWS

mipcom

Wishes come true as landmark agreement signed at MIPCOM

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TRIPARTITE worldwide co-production and co-distribution deal was signed on Monday at MIPCOM between Asia, Europe and the US in what Brian Lacey, president, Lacey Entertainment, described as an unprecedented agreement.

The accord between Paris-based Ares Films, New York-based Lacey Entertainment and Seoul-based /RFR (QWHUWDLQPHQW ZLOO VHH D ÀUVW time collaboration between the three territories to bring a CG animation of an original Korean show to global audiences in early 2019.

Celebrina In Birthday Wishland (52 x 11 mins/26 x 22 mins) sees a ballerina princess take children on adventures in her magical realm to IXOÀO WKHLU ELUWKGD\ ZLVKHV The original Korean series aired on KBSI and various cable channels including Animax, Channel A, Daegyo Kids Channel and IPTV. Loco Entertainment wraps production on series two in 2017.

“It’s an advantage that Asian audiences will already be familiar

Ares Films’ Pierre Metais (left), Loco Entertainment’s Kyu June Hwang and Lacey Entertainment’s Brian Lacey

with our main character,” Lacey said. “We absolutely love the positive storylines in this show and how children learn something about themselves and their dreams during each adventure; at its very core is the message that every day is a celebration for a child.”

Pierre Metais, president of Ares Films, said: “We have pulled together outstanding creative writing and music talent from the US DQG WHUULÀF &* DQLPDWLRQ SURduction talent from Korea. This

series will attract a very loyal following.”

Lacey Entertainment has orchestrated the global roll-out of English-language adaptations of the most popular Asian brands and franchises of the Asian kids entertainment sector, including Pokemon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Lacey said Celebrina In Birthday Wishland will stay close to the original series with subtle changes to ensure successful distribution worldwide.

Nick’s local-to-global strategy pays off NICKELODEON’s evergreen shows — including SpongeBob SquarePants — continue to sell well, with the series currently showing in 84 territories, according to the company’s vicepresident, international programme sales, Lauren Marriott.

“We are also premiering several shows this market including pre-school series Sunny Day, which is set in a hairdressing salon; Welcome To The Wayne, where three kids work together to uncover secrets in their mysterious apartment complex; and I Am Frankie, a live-action comedy about an android — the ÀUVW VHULHV WR EH SURGXFHG DW WKH new state-of-the-art Viacom International Studios in Miami,” Marriott said. “We’re also here with Hunter Street. So far it has

Welcome To The Wayne (Nickelodeon)

sold into four territories; Hong Kong (ViuTV Six), Spain (Clan TV), Nicaragua (Telenica) and Italy (Super). We have a localto-global strategy. The world-

wide success of I Am Frankie, produced for the LatAm region, and Hunter Street, from our Dutch operation, shows that this is working well.”

33

ANIME PARTNERS SIGNED UP FOR THE LONG TERM FRANCOIS Pernot, president of Citel/Kana Home Video and Kazuyoshi Takeuchi, the president of Viz Media ,\YVWL OH]L JVUÄYTLK [OLPY long-term partnership by signing a business and strategic partnership to further develop the ADN platform to meet new market challenges.

Since its debut in October 2013 streaming website ADN (Anime Digital Network.fr) has provided a video broadcast platform focusing on Japanese animation. It has become a premier French destination for Japanese content, focusing on licensing quality content.

CEE DEAL SET TO WIDEN REACH OF FIX&FOXI TELEKOM Austria Group and Your Family Entertainment AG (YFE) have signed a strategic deal at MIPCOM for the uplink and satellite distribution of the Fix&Foxi family-skewed channel across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

Fix&Foxi’s mission is to deliver high-quality entertainment as well as educational content to families. It primarily targets Ä]L [V `LHY VSKZ ÄSSPUN H niche in the typical multichannel line-up.

Alexander Neemann, head of channel business development, said: “ We are very much looking forward to working with a provider that will enable us to introduce our channel to an even broader consumer base and enter these exciting markets.”

Stanislav Georgiev, head of media broadcast, Telekom Austria Group, added: “It is yet another acknowledgment of the leadership position we take for broadcasting services in CEE.”

NEWS

mipcom

HoHo’s Cloudbabies in China distribution and co-pro accord

K

IDS content producer and distributor Hoho Entertainment has signed a deal at MIPCOM with WOW DADI Rights to launch one of its pre-school formats in the Chinese market.

The deal will see DADI distribute and merchandise season one of Hoho’s Cloudbabies series in mainland China, and commits the two companies to a co-production partnership for season two.

It comes about as a result of a trip Hoho made to the China International Cartoon and Animation Festival, organised by Mega Media, which is also in Cannes for MIPCOM. Hoho joint managing director Helen Howells said: “We have been able to secure a true part-

WOW DADI’s Jiayi Yang (left) and Rui Zhang, with Hoho Entertainment’s Helen Howells and Oliver Ellis

nership deal with a Chinese company that appreciates the potential of our Cloudbabies IP in this important market. We are looking forward to working with Rui Zhang and his team and hope

that this will be a long and fruitful partnership.”

Cloudbabies is a fantastical preschool series telling the story of four friends who protect the sun, the moon, the clouds and the stars.

COMPACT Media has extended its agreement with Aardman Animations to manage and collect the award-winning UK company’s audio-visual secondary rights (ASVR).

“Aardman distributes content in over 170 territories worldwide, and as an independent producer with a relatively small, focused team it is important that we find partners that understand the fast moving dynamics of our business,” said Aardman’s head of rights & brand development, Sean Clarke (left, with Andy Harwood of Compact). “Compact gives Aardman peace of mind and the confidence that our rights collection is in the best hands.” Compact Media collects and distributes over €45m for rights holders around the world. Aardman’s famous titles, which include Wallace And Gromit and Shaun The Sheep, will be joined by a new film, Early Man, next year.

Weird And Whacky deal for Studio 100 MUNICH-based production and distribution company Studio 100 Media has acquired international distribution rights for comedy series Drop Dead Weird (26 x 24 mins) and live-action comedy Random And Whacky (15 x 24 mins).

Created by Sally Browning and Dean Cropp, Drop Dead Weird targets kids six- to 12-years-old.

The Australian/Irish co-production by Ambience Entertainment, Air Pig Productions and Telegael has kicked off development of a second series, scheduled for 2019.

The series premiered in Sep-

tember on Ireland’s RTE2 and hiding this enormous secret. launches on 7TWO and KidsOn7 Targeting similar ages, Random in Australia this October.

And Whacky — created by The show follows the Monica O’Brien — is a fastantics of an Australipaced series encouraging an family who have kids to unleash their inmoved to Ireland ner creativity. A sequel to run their family series is also in developB&B in a remote ment, slated for delivery seaside village. by the end of 2019.

The complication: St u d io 10 0 Me d ia both parents belaunches the shows this FRPH ]RPELÀHG DQG MIPCOM, handling the the children must worldwide distribution adapt to their rights outside of the shows’ Drop Dead Weird (Studio 100 Media) new lifestyle, home territories.

35

TM MAKES CZECH, ROMANIAN SALES TM INTERNATIONAL has sold the mini-series Neanderthals to Prima TV in the Czech Republic and ABC Plus in Romania. The mini-series, ^OPJO ^HZ ÄYZ[ IYVHKJHZ[ outside Germany by Mediaset Spain, turns around a brutal mass murder, as mankind faces its greatest challenge — a scientist’s successfully cloned Neanderthal on the run.

Prima TV also acquired the Ruby Red Trilogy. The series features a 16-year-old London teen who becomes a pawn in a sinister conspiracy when she realises that she can timetravel. With the help of a dashing young man and fellow time-traveller, she sets out to learn the truth about a secret society with a mysterious agenda.

FREE DOLPHIN DEALS IN DISASTER WITH GOOD RESULTS FRENCH distributor Free Dolphin International has inked deals at MIPCOM for its KPZHZ[LY ÄST *Y`Z[HS 0UMLYUV with TF1 Group (France), RTBF (Belgium), Selecta Vision (Spain), Fine Films (Japan), Kanal D (Turkey), Phoenicia Pictures (Middle East), With Lion pictures (South Korea), BTV (Bulgaria) and Cinemundo (Portugal).

NEWS

mipcom

Genre-busting crime drama set for international success

A

MAJOR new Turkish drama that crosses the boundaries of genre and national audiences is being showcased at MIPCOM. Cast and crew from City Of Secrets, a powerful crime story based around Istanbul’s elite society, are in Cannes to promote the programme to the international markets.

Director Cevdet Mercan told MIPCOM News the show had broad appeal across numerous markets “from Europe to Asia”, partly because it did not conform to strict categories of genre.

He said: “It’s a unique show compared to previous Turkish projects. It’s strong in both ways, as a crime series and as a drama; it crosses both genres in a really interesting way.

“The main character is far more WKDQ MXVW D PDÀD PDQ KH LV PXFK higher than that.”

Erkan Petekkaya, who plays the lead role of Ali Kemal Ates, a

New Orleans rapper Big Freedia

Erkan Petekkaya (left) with City Of Secrets director Cevdet Mercan

high-society criminal living a double life as a government agent, said that the show’s complexity made for an exciting challenge.

“It’s a complicated role in lots of ways,” he said. “But people’s lives are complicated in real life; the complexity of the role makes it very exciting. The geopolitical climate in Turkey at the moment means that this show is relevant

in both Europe and Asia.

“The rhythm of the show is much more dynamic than any other project I’ve been involved with.”

The 38-part series is an ongoing production, led by Karga Seven Pictures for Fox Turkey. The series has already made its debut in Turkey, where viewers were able WR ZDWFK WKH ÀIWK HSLVRGH RQ 6XQday evening.

Destiny calls for NeWen’s new drama T O M O R ROW I s O u r s (30 x 52 mins), TF1’s new daytime drama from France’s NeWen Distribution, is living up to its tagline ‘Destiny is what you make it’.

“Tomorrow Is Ours is a character-driven saga with thriller elements,” said NeWen’s managing director Malika Abdellaoui. “It has a wonderful cast, and we’re very excited to be launching it internationally at MIPCOM.” The show debuted on TF1 in July, and stars Ingrid Chauvin (Mediterranee, Femmes De Loi).

It airs in Belgium on RTBF’s channel La Deux. RTBF’s head of programmes Aurelie Berckman said the show was growing its audience and attracting younger viewers.

Producer Guillaume de Menthon (left), RTS’ Isabell Hagemann-Pouliquen, RTBF’s Aurelie Berckman and NeWen Distribution’s Malika Abdellaoui

Isabell Hagemann-Pouliquen, head of acquisitions at RTS in Switzerland, agreed. “Tomorrow Is Ours achieved very good rat-

37

ings from launch,” she said. “It’s currently getting a 24% share, which is higher than the average for its slot.”

BIG FREEDIA BOUNCES INTO MIPCOM BIG FREEDIA, TV star, rapper and undisputed queen of the New Orleans-based Bounce music scene, came to Cannes to promote her new show Big Freedia Bounces Back (8 x 60 mins).

Extended to a new format, the sixth series of the show produced by World of Wonder is looking for international distribution.

Currently the show airs on US network Fuse. Big Freedia told MIPCOM Daily: “I am super excited about the new series as it’s a new beginning for me. Big Freedia Bounces Back is all about the adversities I went through. You get to see me bouncing back from the trials and tribulations of ZLHZVU Ä]L ^OLU 0 OHK H federal case and I was on probation after getting into trouble.”

The new show features more V\[Ä[Z TVYL OHPY Z[`SLZ H whole new production team and will feature a visit to the Grammys and a potential record deal.

“The goal is to let people know that whatever you go through in life you can bounce back from it,” she said.

Network with over 4000 delegates from 62 countries. Attend workshops with over 70 international industry panelists. Experience the latest trends in VR. Buy, sell or discover projects DQG DFFHVV RQH RI WKH IDVWHVW JURZLQJ Æ&#x201C;OP DQG 79 PDUNHWV LQ WKH ZRUOG WKURXJK WKH 'XEDL )LOP 0DUNHW DW WKH WK 'XEDL ,QWHUQDWLRQDO )LOP )HVWLYDO 5HJLVWHU WRGD\ DQG XVH WKH *promo-code MIPCOM20 WR JHW RII \RXU DFFUHGLWDWLRQ 'HOHJDWH WUDYHO SDFNDJHV DYDLODEOH #DIFF17 / DUBAIFILMFEST.COM / @DUBAIFILMFESTIVAL *Promo-code valid till October 30, 2017.

NEWS

mipcom

Diversity will bring ‘wonderful creativity’ to the TV industry

D

IVERSIFY TV hosted a networking lunch in the Palais yesterday, ahead of its inaugural awards ceremony at the Carlton last night.

Attendees were welcomed by event organiser Bunmi Akintonwa, head of media consultancy Little Black Book Company, who urged participants to mingle, do business and “celebrate the wonderful creativity that diversity will bring to the industry”.

Speaking to MIPCOM News, Akintonwa said that, while important steps were being made to make TV truly representative of human diversity, huge barriers remained. “We need to make it more attractive for people to get into the industry,” she said.

Around 100 people attended the event, including Genesis Ilada, transgender model, photographer

ACTOR and comedian Sir Lenny Henry will give the first MIPCOM Diversify TV Keynote today. “I was incredibly excited when MIPCOM asked me, because I feel the argument for how and why we need more diversity in television needs to move on,” Henry said. He added that he had a “big idea” for his audience, but that he wouldn’t reveal more until 10.50 in the Grand Auditorium. Henry co-founded Comic Relief, which has raised over £10bn from the British public over the last 30 years, and he has long campaigned to raise awareness about diversity.

Little Black Book’s Bunmi Akintonwa: help to break down barriers

and star of the forthcoming reality series Slay. “We have to give a different narrative and show diversity. That will help us push for change,” she said.

Diversify TV aims to champion diversity, equality and inclusivity on the small screen, and im-

prove the representation within the industry of racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities. Its partners include A+E Networks, EbonyLife TV, Sonar Entertainment and Viacom International Media Networks.

THE WINNERS Representation of Disability in Scripted Programming: Team Chocolat (De Mensen) Representation of Disability in Non-Scripted Programming: Employable Me (Employable Me Productions) Representation of Race & Ethnicity in Scripted Programming: Damilola, Our Beloved Boy (Minnow Films) Representation of Race & Ethnicity in Non-Scripted Programming: Home Sweet Home (RTV) Representation of LGBTQ in Scripted Programming: Man In An Orange Shirt (Kudos) Representation of LGBTQ in Non-Scripted Programming: Becoming He Or She (Morgan Productions)

Reed MIDEM’s Laurine Garaude with the award winners

39

NEWS Transgender stars challenge media to stop sensationalising

T

RANSGENDER models Zion Moreno and Genesis Ilada — presenters of this year’s A+E Networksponsored Diversify TV Excellence Awards at MIPCOM and stars of transgender reality series Slay: The Series — have rounded on the mainstream media for its poor representation of transgender issues.

Zion Moreno told MIPCOM News: “There is still a lot of progress to be made. The media is getting better at representing us in a positive way, but there are still a lot of stereotypes that come with the label transgender.

We are humans at the end of day.”

Genesis Ilada added: “The media needs to cease sensationalising the coming out narrative of a trans person and understand that there

Slay models Zion Moreno and Genesis Ilada

are different faces of a transgender folks’ lives that we can explore when they are more comfortable about who they are. There’s so much more to it than that — we

need to educate them about the post and pre-transition period.”

Ilada said that Slay: The Series would go some way to redressing the mainstream media’s sensa-

tionalist take on the transgender world. The show is billed as going beyond couture and catwalks DQG LQWR WKH RIÀFHV RI 6OD\ 0RGHO Management, which is the world’s ÀUVW PRGHOOLQJ DJHQF\ WR IHDWXUH an all-transgender talent roster and which boasts Katy Perry, Spiegel and POP Beauty among its clients.

“We wanted to put out the series to expose the public to the diverse lives of transgender women and folks out there who are just living their lives professionally. That’s important because one interactive US poll revealed that only about 35% of the population know someone who is transgender.”

Moreno added: “It’s important to show that there’s not just one universal trans story. It allows us a platform to educate and show the lives of people who are just dealt different cards.”

Global Genesis Group will handle North American sales on Slay: The Series while RedBarre Media is to take care of international sales.

GUIDE 2017 The Who’s Who of the global industry

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mipcom

Gender and race imbalances must be redressed now, says EbonyLife’s Mo Abudu

T

HE television industry is still rife with “imbalances” in gender and race representation both in the way people are hired and the stories that are told, the head of Nigeria’s largest lifestyle network has said.

Speaking to MIPCOM News, EbonyLife TV chairman and CEO Mo Abudu said: “We’ve got to do the right thing as an industry; these imbalances need to be redressed. I don’t know how people can go to bed at night knowing they have discriminated against someone based on their skin colour or gender.”

“The content that we see in global TV is still very European and

American and there isn’t much space for the rest of the world.

We have to change the story or it’s going to be very hard to break the pattern. It’s storytelling that changes the mindset.”

Abudu, who is the host of the Moments With Mo talk show, the ÀUVW V\QGLFDWHG GDLO\ FKDW VKRZ in Africa, is here to promote a host of shows and concepts.

These include the hugely successful drama series The Governor, which tells the story of a woman who becomes the first female governor in Nigeria in the face of huge resistance from the maledominated political establishment. The second season of the show, which has been broadcast

in 49 African countries, is currently in pre-production.

EbonyLife was founded four years ago and since then it has produced more than 4,000 hours of content for broadcast throughout Africa. The network has just unveiled a groundbreaking video-on-demand service, ebonylifeon. com, which enables viewers outside Africa to access its content.

Mo Abudu of EbonyLife TV

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NEWS CELTIC COMPANIES STRIKE DEALS FOR FACTUAL CO-PROS TWO MAJOR deals bring Celtic companies into the spotlight at MIPCOM. Welsh-language public broadcaster S4C, Irish broadcaster TG4 and JTV from South Korea have joined forces for a 4K co-production with Walesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rondo Media, to be KPZ[YPI\[LK I` *PULĂ&#x2026;P_ @ >HS ;OL >HSS _ TPUZ from Rondo Media â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a production company with facilities in Cardiff and Caernarfon in Wales â&#x20AC;&#x201D; L_HTPULZ JV\U[YPLZ HUK communities that are separated by walls. Included in the series are Israel and the West Bank, Ireland, Germany, Korea, Cyprus, and the US. Proinsias Ni Ghrainne, commissioning editor at TG4, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This co-production is HU L_HTWSL VM ;. ÂťZ continued commitment to bring ambitious and character-based narratives to Irish audiences at home and abroad.â&#x20AC;?

TG4 is also joining with the BBC, Scottish gaelic service BBC Alba, BBC Northern Ireland and S4C for Tide, a co-production led by Welsh company Cwmni Da and Mac TV from Scotland. LIC, Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest independent producer is also on board. ;PKL _ TPUZ L_HTPULZ [OL PUĂ&#x2026;\LUJL VM [OL [PKL VU coastal areas of land and the communities that live there.

The series launches in Cannes this week.

Llion Iwan, S4C head of content distribution, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not new to see S4C working with broadcasters in the Celtic countries, but to bring four of these broadcasters together is an achievement and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very proud of that.â&#x20AC;?

mipcom

Epic novel Farewell Shanghai adapted for major global series

L

EADING international producers and broadcasters from China, France, Germany and Australia this week announced a major international scripted series, Farewell Shanghai.

Adapted from Angel Wagensteinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s epic novel, the series takes place in the Shanghai Ghetto from 1938. Crammed into one square mile 20,000 Jewish refugees live in poverty with the indigenous Chinese, only a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw from the wealthy residents of the French and international concessions.

The series will be shot in China in English by Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ien Productions, Banijay Studios France, Breakout Films and France Televisions (France); Shanghai Media Group Pictures and Holy Mountain Films (China); AMPCO Studios (Australia); and NDF (Germany).

An extended Chinese version of the series will also be produced for the Chinese market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are extremely pleased to be part of such an illustrious alliance,â&#x20AC;? said Takis Candilis, head RI Ă&#x20AC;FWLRQ DW %DQLMD\ *URXS â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is real history, we hope through the series everyone will

get to know this epic period,â&#x20AC;? added Wendy Xioalan Zhan, CEO of Holy Mountain Pictures. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will also show the friendship between Chinese and Jewish people, and the spirit of offering help to each other.â&#x20AC;?

Mario Andreacchio, executive director of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AMPCO Studios, veterans of several Chinese-Australian co-pros, said the company was proud to be bringing its experience in China to bear on this â&#x20AC;&#x153;historically significant project under Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;One Belt One Roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; policy of collaboration with Europeâ&#x20AC;?

Farewell Shanghai group says Bonjour Cannes

Compact inks deal with Orange Smarty COMPACT Media has inked a new deal with factual content distributor Orange Smarty at MIPCOM to become the exclusive agent for AV Secondary Rights collections driven by the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing international sales. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Compact we know that getting revenue in as soon as possible is essential, whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a Ă HGJOLQJ SURGXFHU RU D JURZLQJ distributor like Orange Smarty,â&#x20AC;? said Andy Harwood, vice-president of business development at Compact. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just as a distributor knows its local markets in terms of sales, Compact understands the underlying rights landscape â&#x20AC;&#x201D; working together both Compact and Orange Smarty can deliver exceptional results for the content producers.â&#x20AC;?

Orange Smarty was recently highlighted as the fastest growing distributor in the UK â&#x20AC;&#x201D;in September Orange Smarty licensed over 600 hours to Swedenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SVT, including A Place In The Sun. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Orange Smarty always looks to work with companies that re-

inforce our values and offers a smart approach. With Compact we get a partner who, as a market leader in rights management, provides a trusted and professional service that is built on relationships,â&#x20AC;? said Orange Smarty managing director Karen Young.

Karen Young (left) with Andy Harwood of Compact

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