MARCH 2015
mipdoc
www.mipdoc.com The official MIPDoc magazine
®
PREVIEW MEDIA MASTERMIND KEYNOTE
MEDIA MASTERMIND KEYNOTE
WORLD PREMIERE TV SCREENING
Discovery’s Phil Craig
NatGeo’s Tim Pastore
Ø Gravity
SEE PAGE 8
SEE PAGE 6
060_BALANGA_PV_DOC SEE PAGE 8
Also inside: • MIPDoc Conference Programme • The Future For Factual Financing • The Coproduction Pitch with ZDFE • What do buyers want? • Content for sale in Cannes • and more...
10 x 52’ DOCUMENTARY SERIES TO WHET YOUR APPETITE Worldwide Distribution: fiesta@balanga.tv – www.balanga.tv THE SERIES IS AVAILABLE AT MIPDOC - COME AND MEET GERARD AT OUR MIPTV BOOTH #P4.B1
017_AB_PV_DOC-p1
017_
017_AB_PV_DOC-p2
4
Contents 6
News
MIPDoc Keynote Talks, including Discovery Networks International’s Phil Craig and National Geographic Channel US’s Tim Pastore; Ø Gravity, A Mission In Space is the MIPDoc World Premiere TV Screening;
Products For sale in Cannes: multiplatform content from around the world
Features Buyers line up for factual 18 What’s on the wish lists for factual buyers and commissioners? Changing times Documentary remains strong in a fragmented market
23
New ways to follow the money Emerging models to fund new factual projects
29
10 Also inside : 34 Tips & services
13 Conferences
MIPDOC CO-PRODUCTION PITCH mipdoc PREVIEW The official MIPDoc preview magazine March 2015. Director of Publications Paul Zilk Director of Communication Mike Williams EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor in Chief Julian Newby Deputy Editor Debbie Lincoln Technical Editor in Chief Hervé Traisnel Deputy Technical Editor in Chief Frédéric Beauseigneur Graphic Designers Nour Ezzedeen, Carole Peres Sub Editor Joanna Stephens Contributors Marlene Edmunds, Andy Fry, Juliana Koranteng Editorial Management Boutique Editions PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Publishing Director Martin Screpel Publishing Co-ordinator Emilie Lambert Printer Riccobono Imprimeurs, Le Muy (France) MANAGEMENT & SALES TEAM Director of the Entertainment Division Jérome Delhaye Director of the Television Division Laurine Garaude MIPTV Conference Director and Director MIPDoc and MIPFormats Lucy Smith Director of Market Development Ted Baracos Programme Director Tania Dugaro Director of the Buyers’ Department Bénédicte Touchard Brand Director Lionel Lelouch Managing Director (UK / Australia / New Zealand) Peter Rhodes OBE Director UK Sales – TV Division Matt Colgan Senior Vice President, Americas Robert Marking Sales Director Latin America José-Luis Sanchez Sales Manager Panayiota Pagoulatos Regional Sales Director Sylvain Faureau Regional Sales Director Nathalie Gastone Regional Sales Director Fabienne Germond Sales Managers Paul Barbaro, Liliane Da Cruz, Nancy Denole, Samira Haddi Sales Executive Cyril Szczerbakow New Media Development Manager Bastien Gave Sales Managers, Buyers Cyriane Accolas, Deborah Carella, Yi-Ping Gerard Australia and New Zealand Representative Natalie Apostolou China Representatives Anke Redl, Tammy Zhao CIS Representatives Alexandra Modestova English Speaking Africa Representative Arnaud de Nanteuil Germany Representative Marc Wessel India Representative Anil Wanvari Israel Representative Guy Martinovsky Japan Representative Lily Ono Middle-East Representative Bassil Hajjar Poland Representative Monika Bednarek Spain Representative Maria Jose Vadillo South Asia Representative Adam Ham South Korea Representative Sunny Kim Taiwan Representative Irene Liu 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 BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT (FRANCE), VAT number FR91 662 003 557. Contents © 2015, Reed MIDEM Market Publications. Publication registered 1st quarter 2015. ISSN 19632258. Printed on 50% recycled paper ®
SPONSORED for the first time this year by leading international producer and distributor ZDF Enterprises, the MIPDoc Co-production Pitch competition is open to all creators and producers from around the world seeking to develop factual and documentary projects with coproduction partners. This year’s competitors have the opportunity to present their new projects to ZDF Enterprises, the commercial arm of the German public broadcaster ZDF, a leading producer and distributor of factual and documentary programming. The competition is an integral part of MIPDoc’s Co-production Initiative, which sees major commissioning editors and buyers from around the world gather together to meet with some of the hundreds of producers in Cannes looking for co-production partners. Five finalists will be invited by ZDF Enterprises to pitch live to a jury made up of senior executives from ZDF Enterprises and a selection of senior programmers. • The MIPDoc Co-Production Pitch is at 15.30, April 11, in the MIPDoc Agora
preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
031_ARTE_PV_DOC
The UlTimaTe RefeRence in DocUmenTaRy DisTRibUTion
shoah, the forgotten souls of soviet cinema (52’) Contemporary History
Soviet archives house the only filmed memories of the Holocaust. Taken on the fly, these images represent reality. But what reality?
little secrets of work of art (10 x 26’) Art and Culture
Penetrate the secrets of the most emblematic paintings in the history of art!
vietnam, peace negociations (52’) Contemporary History
The Vietnam war ended 40 years ago. What actually happened between Henry Kissinger and Lê Duc Tho ?
nile rodgers, secrets of a hit-maker (52’) Pop Culture
The producer of Bowie, Mick Jagger, Madonna, Daft Punk, William Pharrel and many others.
the mystery of the pink dolphin (52’) Animal
Unknown for a long time, the pink dolphin remains a mystery to the scientists struggling to reconstruct its evolutionary course.
pre sale
Biopesticides, a revolution at the making? (52’) Green Issues
Are biopesticides - micro-organisms that fight pests naturally – the promise of a chemical-free agriculture?
Visit our newwebsite and screen online: www.artepro.com/sales infosales@artefrance.fr MiPtV #arte bootH: P1.b3
6
News WORLD PREMIERE TV SCREENING
Commissioned by ARTE Germany, produced by Prospect TV and distributed by Upside Distribution, Ø Gravity, A Mission In Space is the 2015 MIPDoc World Premiere TV Screening. Julian Newby spoke to the film’s director Jurgen Hansen
Ø Gravity, A Mission In Space Ø Gravity, A Mission In Space follows two young astronauts on their first–ever space mission, from the start of their training to their time spent aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Germany’s Alexander Gerst and America’s Greg Reid Wiseman went through the most intense of training programmes — which included six months in zero gravity — all with one ultimate goal in mind: the journey to Mars. The germ of the idea for Ø Gravity came to Jurgen Hansen mid-2011, while he was
working on a 3D documentary for ARTE about Gerst’s preparation for a space mission. The film aired in 2012, by which time Hansen had decided to expand on the idea. Hansen switched from 3D to 4K, his company Prospect TV partnered with Paris-based producer La Vingt-Cinquieme Heure, and Ø Gravity was under way. “Thanks to Alexander Gerst, his NASA colleague Reid Wiseman and a lot of people at NASA and (European Space Agency) ESA it was possible to plan a documentary which would be fi lmed by the astronauts preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
on board the ISS in a way never done before,” Hansen said. “A diary of their life on board that would be impossible to imagine from your desk, but possible, thanks to the enthusiasm and cinematography skills of Gerst and Wiseman.” Hansen said the biggest problem facing him and his team was time. “Astronaut training is one of the most expensive professional training schemes in the world. It demands a huge logistical effort from many agencies in the US, Europe, Russia and Japan,” he said. “To get extra time for interviews or additional shots
7
y,
Jurgen Hansen in Baikonur on May 27, 2014, two days before the launch
was a tough challenge; we had to rely on their enthusiasm to film during their limited spare time and weekends. Fortunately the astronauts made a huge effort to accommodate a lot of our demands.” Another challenge was the unpredictability of a space mission. “Things can go wrong and the mission is always the priority,” Hansen said. “So we did a lot of backup fi lming with them on the ground — at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, ESA’s European Astronaut Center in Cologne and Roscosmos training centre in Star City, close to Moscow.
In the end, they completed all of their scientific tasks and in addition to that, filmed and filmed and filmed. We were lucky to receive material never taken before by astronauts on a mission. Even the professionals at ESA were impressed by the amazing quality of the filming. “Ultimately, this is a film about the dedication, friendship and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of young astronauts going into space for the first time,” Hansen said. “It’s about the desire of humans to go beyond what is known to mankind, to go further and to gain a new perspective on life on our planet.” preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
THE MIPDOC WORLD PREMIERE TV SCREENING, Ø Gravity, A Mission In Space, is at 17.30 on Saturday, April 11, in the MIPDoc Agora
8
News Q MEET THE NEW MAN AT DISCOVERY PRODUCER and network executive Phil Craig, who took up a newlycreated post at Discovery in November of last year, takes to the MIPDoc stage on Sunday, April 12. The Discovery Networks International (DNI) executive vice-president and chief creative officer formally took up the post in February of this year and now leads DNI’s London-based production and development team, which supplies Discovery’s international networks in 220 territories with series and other content. Discovery’s international president JB Perrette said of the former head of factual at Australian public broadcaster ABC: “He’s a true producer, he’s not a business guy who does production.” Craig’s recent commission for ABC about mental illness, Changing Minds, was described by the Sydney Morning Herald as “surely one of the most important programmes in Australian television history”. On accepting the Discovery post, Craig said: “Being offered this incredible job feels like reconnecting with a great friend. 10 years ago, Discovery asked me to make The Flight That Fought Back. After that, I produced and executive produced many hours for Discovery Channel all over the world.” Working with some 70 producers in the UK and more around the world, Craig’s team produces over 160 hours of content a year. During his Keynote Talk MIPTV delegates will get first-hand information from Craig about the type of content he and his team are looking for to fill the Discovery networks’ schedules.
Phil Craig Phil Craig gives a MIPDoc Keynote Talk at 16.45 on Sunday, April 12, in the MIPDoc Agora
Factual television: ‘It’s no longer just B-roll and talking heads’ TIM PASTORE, president, original programming and production, National Geographic Channel US (NGC US) said the market for factual television has become “fiercely more competitive” since he entered the business. “The factual audience has grown more sophisticated and discerning over the years, as entire generations have been raised on the genre.” And the same goes for the producers. “Cinematic non-fiction has really come a long way. Styles and techniques have continued to impress. And it’s born of necessity. The viewer’s appetite has increased for higher entertainment value in their factual programming — sometimes overshadowing their desire for fact at all. Therefore, over the years, factual TV producers have begun to employ more techniques you may only have found in scripted drama. And the range of storytelling devices has broadened. It’s no longer just B-roll and talking heads.” With so much information available to consumers today factual has to offer much more than just the facts. “A Wikipedia page is no longer appropriate research, and the audience craves much deeper interdisciplinary connections to help explain the world around them,” Pastore said. “Everyone is hungry for more out-of-the-box creativity when it comes to their information. And when it comes to factual entertainment in general, and the volume of programming available, it’s rare to showcase a world never seen before. Therefore, the audience expects a fresh look on well-trodden spaces. But there is one constant: you need big characters to stand out. The audience is always looking for character.” Reality TV has stepped in to disrupt the previously safe and identifiable factual genre, and Pastore has no problem with that. “And there’s no going back, so it’s no longer a question of whether it’s a good or bad thing. Reality TV is here to stay,” he said. “And disruption in a genre, a community, a medium, or an art form, is inescapable, especially when technology is changing as swiftly as it has/does in media production and distribution.” And there’s good and bad in reality TV. “Factual programming continuously needs to strive to be relevant and attract new viewers preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
Tim Pastore of NGC US and generations, and there is something to be learned from reality TV. Entertainment first and education second is not a negative when it comes to factual programming. We all need eyeballs on the screen to get a message across.” Digital has been positive influence too. “It has completely changed the manner in which we as a culture and a business not only distribute and access but also ingest and digest our content. And it has completely disrupted the traditional cable market. But it’s during such times that innovation and risk come to light.” He added: “There are numerous examples of great factual and science content that only exist because of digital platforms. In general, educational programming for the curious, classrooms, parents, professionals and children is readily more accessible and now with more options than in the history of the medium.”
Tim Pastore gives a MIPDoc Keynote Talk at 17.15 on Saturday, April 11, in the MIPDoc Agora
051_SND_PV_DOC
SND ODYSSEY mipdoc 230x300.indd 1
27/02/2015 15:11
10
Product News The MIPDoc Preview highlights some of the content on sale from around the world at MIPDoc, and onwards at MIPTV... PBS INTERNATIONAL THE DISTRIBUTION arm of US public
broadcaster, PBS International, brings a range of its HD documentaries to Cannes. Cancer: The Emperor Of All Maladies (6 x 60 mins/3 x 120 mins), based on the book by Siddhartha Mukherjee MD, tells the complete story of cancer, from its first description in an ancient Egyptian scroll to the gleaming laboratories of modern research institutions. In Uranium – Twisting The Dragon’s Tail (3 x 60 mins/2 x 60 mins), physicist Dr. Derek Muller unlocks the mysteries of uranium, one of Earth’s most controversial elements. Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution (2 x 60 mins) looks at the history of the organisation, using rare archival footage and interviews with the people who were there — police, FBI informants, journalists, white supporters, and detractors, and Black Panthers who remained loyal to the party and those who left it. Twice Born: Stories From The Special Delivery Unit (3 x 60 mins) is a look at rare surgeries done on babies still inside the womb.
Cancer: The Emperor Of All Maladies (PBS International)
RECORD TV NETWORK RECORD TV Network has two new
productions to showcase at MIPTV. The first is the second and final season of Miracles Of Jesus. The Brazilian company also brings it first biblical telenovela, the 150-episode Moses And The Ten Commandments, following the story of his birth to the arrival of his people in the Promised Land, through the Red Sea crossing and the encounter with God on Mount Sinai.
RIVE GAUCHE TELEVISION CALIFORNIA -based Rive Gauche
ZODIAK RIGHTS RACHEL’s Tour Of Beauty (13 x 30 mins)
Television’s I Almost Accidentally Killed Myself (8 x 60 mins) covers amazing stories of survival where the subject made one wrong step or bad decision and ended up in a life or death battle, combining first-hand interview accounts, dramatic recreations as well as news and video footage.
features international supermodel Rachel Hunter who explores indigenous beauty secrets from diverse cultures around the world, including the Chinese Hainan community and the sprightly, elderly inhabitants of the Greek island of Ikaria, who live longer than anyone else in the world. The series from Australian and New Zealand production company Imagination Television will make its debut at Cannes.
I Almost Accidentally Killed Myself (Rive Gauche Televison)
Rachel’s Tour Of Beauty (Zodiak Rights)
TELEVISIO DE CATALUNYA DRESSED In Black (Vestida De Negre) is a
EARTH TOUCH PRODUCER and distributor Earth Touch
personal portrait of Afghanistan from journalist Monica Bernabe, who has lived there for the past eight years. Bernabe works as a freelance journalist for El Mundo, as well as for various radio broadcasters. The documentary reflects the situation of women in Afghanistan, prisoners accused of moral crimes, translators who worked for the Spanish army, and those working in the Red Cross hospital in Kandahar. The film is brought to Cannes by Spain’s Televisio de Catalunya.
USA, part of the Earth Touch group of companies, is debuting Polar Bear Junction (6 x 60 mins) at Cannes. The series, part natural history, part observational documentary, follows some of the most eccentric bear trackers in Churchill, Manitoba in Canada, as it explores the extraordinary lifecycle and behaviour of the world’s largest, fiercest and most vulnerable land predators, the polar bear.
Dressed In Black (Televisio De Catalunya)
Polar Bear Junction (Earth Touch)
preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
Š Yann Arthus-Bertrand / Altitude
071_FTV_PV_DOC
Factual
12
Product News OCTAPIXX WORLDWIDE SIX-PART documentary Lawmen Of The
Old West (6 x 60 mins) profiles events of the Wild West through re-enactments, historical accounts and archived photos. The Toronto-based distributor also brings to Cannes: The Northwest Passage (1 x 120 mins), a documentary looking at explorers who risked everything to establish a trade route through Arctic waters, using interviews with experts as well as video footage, and including the recent discovery of one of the long-lost ships of the Franklin Expedition; and Gangster Empire: Rise Of The Mob (6 x 60 mins), a saga of bloodshed, betrayal and big business in America.
HAT TRICK INTERNATIONAL BANGKOK Airport is a six-part one-hour
fly-on-the-wall series, a Keo Films production for BBC Three, brought to Cannes by the UK’s Hat Trick International. The series follows a regular cast of quirky characters working at the Thai airport as they interact with international travellers, and includes user-generated content.
ALBATROSS WORLD SALES GERMANY-based Albatross’ Cannes
highlights include: Hamilton’s Journey – Manatees In A New Light (1 x 52 mins), which follows an endangered orphaned manatee; Fidel Castro – Life For The Revolution (1 x 45 mins), including interviews with Castro’s great love Natalia and daughter Alina, Mikhail Gorbachev and Henry Kissinger; and Wanderlust! Europe’s Most Beautiful Hiking Trails (10 x 52 mins), which follows a Lonely Planet writer on his exploration of 10 visually stunning and culturally interesting long-distance hikes.
Bangkok Airport (Hat Trick International)
EBS KOREA‘s EBS — Educational Lawmen Of The Old West (Octapixx Worldwide)
AB INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION PRODUCED by Docland and AB
Productions, the second season of Tomorrow’s World (10 x 52 mins), currently in production, will be presented in Cannes by France’s AB Distribution International. The series looks at scientific discoveries and innovations. Subjects include asteroid mining techniques and self-driving cars.
Broadcasting System — is highlighting two documentaries in Cannes this year. Myanmar - Mystery Of Thousands Of Pagodas profiles what Marco Polo called the land of gold, a country emerging from decades of political turmoil. The programme looks at ancient Myanmese culture and architecture and the 1,000 year-long Bagan dynasty in full HD 3D. The company also brings Snakes - Secrets Of Nature’s Deadliest Creatures (1 x 50 mins/HD), looking at the behaviour and life cycles of species including garter snakes, Korean ratsnakes, vipers, tentacled snakes and Asian flying snakes. Locations include the US, Canada, Indonesia, Thailand and Korea.
Hamilton’s Journey - Manatees In A New Light (Albatross World Sales)
MEDINA MEDIA AMONG a range of 4K productions from
Medina Media is Flamenco In Seville (13 x 50 mins), featuring live shows from current flamenco artists, including dancers, singers and musicians. The series also profiles flamenco fashion. The Spanish company also brings The Sea Chef (13 x 50 mins), another 4K production, following a Michelin-starred chef who travels the coastline of Spain fishing and cooking the catch.
Tomorrow’s World (AB Distribution International)
Myanmar - Mystery Of Thousands Of Pagodas (EBS) preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
Flamenco In Seville (Medina Media)
033_RM CONFS_PV_DOC
MIPDOC 2015 Conference & Events Programme Cutting-edge content, valuable partners, global impact. Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez
MIPDoc 2015 is jam-packed, bringing you two full days of conferences, case studies, screenings, pitching events, commissioners’ insights and one-to-one buyer meetings.
HIGHLIGHTS 2015 MIPDOC KEYNOTE TALKS Tim Pastore President, Original Programming & Production National Geographic Channel, U.S.
Saturday 11 April, 16.45-17.15
MIPDOC WORLD PREMIERE TV SCREENING
PRESENTS
Phil Craig Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Discovery Networks International (DNI)
Ø GRAVITY, A MISSION IN SPACE
0
Sunday 12 April, 16.15-16.45
G R A V I T Y Saturday 11 April, 52’
SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY www.upsidedistribution.com
SATURDAY 11 APRIL 9.45-10.30
By Upside Distribution
17.30-18.30
SUNDAY 12 APRIL
BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB
9.00-10.00
BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB
THE EUROPEAN BROADCASTERS’ CO-PRODUCTION BREAKFAST
PRODUCERS TOOLBOX: SMART WAYS TO GET FUNDERS & INCENTIVES
9.30-10.15
FOLLOWED BY MEET THE SPEAKERS 10.30-11.00
MIPDOC AGORA
PRODUCERS TOOLBOX: BRIGHT WAYS TO GO GLOBAL & DIGITAL WITH PLATFORMS
10.45-11.30
MIPDOC AGORA
FOLLOWED BY MEET THE SPEAKERS 10.15-10.45 (BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB)
DECISION MAKERS SERIES: WHAT DO BUYERS WANT? FOLLOWED BY MEET THE SPEAKERS 11.30-12.00 (BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB)
10.45-11.30
11.40-12.10
MIPDOC AGORA
FUTURE OF FACTUAL: BROADCASTERS DIGITAL REBOOT 12.20-12.50
MIPDOC AGORA
FOCUS ON THE NORDICS
GRAND HYATT CANNES HÔTEL MARTINEZ BEACH
THE MIPDOC NETWORKING LUNCH MIPDOC AGORA
FUTURE OF FACTUAL: WHAT DO MILLENNIALS WANT?
14.30-15.30
PRODUCERS TOOLBOX: HOW TO WORK WITH CHINA? MIPDOC AGORA
FROM THE GODFATHER OF FACTUAL DRAMA: “MAKING OF THE MOB” MIPDOC AGORA
FOCUS ON THE NORDICS
SNACK AND SCREEN: THE BEST DOCS FROM THE NORDICS SNACK & NETWORKING LUNCH FROM 13.00
BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB
COMMISSIONERS MEET UP #1
13.15-14.15
By registration through the Digital Library Projects application
15.30-16.30
BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB
COMMISSIONERS MEET UP #2 By registration through the Digital Library Projects application
MIPDOC AGORA
MIPDOC CO-PRODUCTION PITCH: SPONSORED BY ZDF ENTERPRISES 16.45-17.15
14.15-15.00
MIPDOC AGORA
SMARTAINMENT, FUN WAYS TO LEARN & DISCOVER
MIPDOC AGORA
15.00-16.00
MIPDOC KEYNOTE TALK
TIM PASTORE, PRESIDENT, ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING & PRODUCTION NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL U.S. 17.30-18.30
MIPDOC AGORA
MIPDOC WORLD PREMIERE TV SCREENING: Ø GRAVITY, A MISSION IN SPACE
GRAND HYATT CANNES HÔTEL MARTINEZ BEACH
FORMATS & FACTUAL OPENING PARTY FOR ALL MIPDOC & MIPFORMATS DELEGATES
Sponsored by Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation (JSBC)
BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB
DISTRIBUTORS MEET UP #3 By registration through the Digital Library Projects application 16.15-16.45
MIPDOC AGORA
MIPDOC KEYNOTE TALK
PHIL CRAIG, EVP & CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER DISCOVERY NETWORKS INTERNATIONAL (DNI)
By Upside Distribution FROM 19.00
BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB
12.30-14.00
Sponsored by FIC Content Sales & National Geographic Channel 14.30-15.15
11.00-11.45
11.45-12.15
DOX FACTOR: SPEED PITCH THE COMMISSIONERS 13.00-14.30
MIPDOC AGORA
EVENTIZE & CREATE MUST-SEE TV EXPERIENCES
17.00-18.00
MIPDOC AGORA
PRODUCERS SHOWCASE: WHAT’S HOT, WHAT’S NEW, WHAT’S NEXT?
MIPDoc thanks its Sponsors & Partners
Programme as of February 25, 2015. Subject to change.
preview_mipdoc_2015.indd 1
Visit mipdoc.com for regular updates. 25/02/2015 17:49
14
Product News 100% DISTRIBUTION INVESTIGATION Dogs (6 x 52 mins), due for
delivery later this year, looks at the amazing physical skills of rescue dogs, following them and their handlers at training sessions and on missions. Parisbased 100% Distribution also brings to Cannes The Heart Of Paris, Les Halles (1 x 52 mins), a documentary looking at this central market place, called the “belly of Paris” by Emile Zola, which has been transformed into a huge underground shopping mall and a busy hub of the metro network. Contrasting its history with the present day plans for redevelopment to regain some of its original character, the documentary also uses the work of photographer Robert Doisneau.
ABC COMMERCIAL BIRTHPLACE Of The Giants (1 x 58 mins/
HD) follows two whale researchers who undertake a scientific expedition to the breeding grounds of the enigmatic humpback whale. Using the latest aerial camera drones and night-vision technology they capture never-beforeseen footage. Other HD programmes from the Australian distributor include: Tyke Elephant Outlaw (1 x 80 mins/ 55 mins), the story of a circus elephant that went on a rampage in Honolulu in 1994 and ignited a global debate over the use of animals in the entertainment industry; and 72 Dangerous Places To Live (6 x 45 mins) is a countdown of the world’s riskiest places to live.
JANSON MEDIA JANSON Media is presenting one-hour
documentary The Francis Effect in Cannes, profiling Pope Francis. The documentary takes a critical and indepth look at how an ancient institution is rapidly changing under the leadership and vision of Pope Francis, using exclusive interviews with prominent Catholics and non-Catholics
The Francis Effect (Janson Media)
ZED PRODUCER and distributor ZED is
Investigation Dogs (100% Distribution) Birthplace Of The Giants (ABC Commercial)
CINEFLIX RIGHTS IN ANGRY Planet (10 x 30 mins/HD)
professional storm chaser George Kourounis travels to some of the most dangerous places on Earth. As the planet heats up, the Cineflix Productions series looks at the natural disasters that are becoming more frequent and severe, from wildfires raging across Australia to deforestation and drought in the Amazon. The London-based company also brings to Cannes Food, Booze & Tattoos (13 x 30 mins/HD) which follows Brett Rogers across South Africa to track down the most mouthwatering food establishments, the coolest microbreweries, and the edgiest tattoo parlours.
TRAVELXP MUMBAI -based travelxp’s new series
City Breaks begins with a 30-minute exploration of Spanish city Barcelona, taking in the work of architect Antony Gaudi, and the exciting areas of Montjuic and La Rambla. A further 12 cities are profiled in the series. The company has also begun filming in 4K, with its first 4K series Backpack due for delivery in April. City Breaks (travelxp)
highlighting 40 new factual programmes in Cannes covering various genres including history, science, natural history, social issues, discovery and current affairs. Headlining the slate are: Annihilation, The Destruction Of Europe’s Jews, produced by Zadig for France 2; The Leonardo Enigma, using forensic science to discover more about Leonardo da Vinci; Brain Overload, looking at the never-ending flow of information overwhelming us; and The Wild Horse Of The Marshes. The Parisbased company is also seeking financing for Napoleon, The Egyptian Campaign, a documentary about Napoleon’s scientific expedition to Egypt.
Angry Planet (Cineflix Rights)
Annihilation, The Destruction Of Europe’s Jews (ZED) preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
15
OPTOMEN INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION IN KEVIN McCloud: Homes In The Wild, the landscapes belie a harsh reality for the presenter travels the world in search of stories of ordinary people who have quit the rat-race and moved to some of the most remote places on the planet and poses the question: Does a simpler, more creative life make you happier? Often beautiful
settlers who have chosen to live there. Whether paddling down the Yukon River, horse trekking through the Australian bush or machete-ing his way through a dense forest, McCloud experiences the realities of building a life off the beaten track.
Kevin McCloud: Homes In The Wild (Optomen International Distribution)
MONSTER ENTERTAINMENT A NEW programme in the Other Voices 13 of Other Voices is also newly available.
music series, Hozier - Other Voices Special (1 x 50 mins), features exclusive interview footage and live performances of hit songs.The Amy Winehouse special from this series sold in 50 countries, and series
CONTENT TELEVISION TOPPING the Cannes priority list for the
UK’s Content Television is the Jigsaw Productions’ film Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief. Based on a book by Lawrence Wright, the documentary discusses the ego, exploitation, and power struggles at the heart of the Church of Scientology. The film includes contributions from eight former members, and looks at the Church’s origins, from its founder L Ron Hubbard to its rise to popularity in Hollywood and beyond.
Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief (Content Television)
Monster will be also launching the sixth season of Video Killed The Radio Star series (10 x 30 mins). The line-up includes Tina Turner, Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry, Lou Reed and Crowded House.
NPO SALES
TCB MEDIA RIGHTS WHAT On Earth (6 x 60 mins) looks at
the satellites orbiting the Earth that capture images and sometimes find phenomena that defy explanation. Could some be a clue to the location of the Garden of Eden or the lost city of El Dorado or others be a whirlpool in the ocean the size of Connecticut? Experts analyse these pictures in the documentary brought to Cannes by London-based TCB Media Rights.
What On Earth (TCB Media Rights)
SAINT THOMAS PRODUCTIONS MARSEILLE, France-based Saint Thomas
Productions is bringing a range of programming to Cannes, including: Giant Sea Serpent, Meet The Myth, with footage of the ribbon-shaped Giant Oarfish seen off the coasts of the French Riviera, an animal that inspired the myth of the sea serpent; threeepisode series Hurricane, The Anatomy; shot entirely in 3D and produced over a four-year period with crews standing in the path of hurricane landfall, such as Sandy and Isaac; and CGI-based series Life On Earth exploring recent findings that enable paleontologists to retrace missing branches of the tree of life, looking at the origin of insects, birds and mammals.
Around The World In 50 Concerts (NPO Sales)
DUTCH Public Broadcasting’s sales arm NPO Sales brings a catalogue of documentaries to Cannes, including: Around The World In 50 Concerts (1 x 52/94 mins), following the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on its 125th anniversary tour; The Days After Hitler (1 x 50 mins), looking a the Nazi leadership under Karl Donitz; Killer Slope (1 x 55/90/104 mins), in which a journalist follows a group of climbers; Puck And The Riddle Of Codes (1 x 54 mins), about an IT prodigy; environmental investigation Backlight: Arctic Promises (1 x 50 mins); and sports investigation Backlight: Who Owns Football. preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
Giant Sea Serpent, Meet The Myth (Saint Thomas Productions)
16
Product News ARTE FRENCH /German channel ARTE’s
Cannes slate includes: So Gay! (2 x 52 mins), about the evening in 1969 when police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York and for the first time the clients fought back, and how this was the beginning of the movement that would lead to the decriminalisation of homosexuality; Vietnam, Peace Negotiations (1 x 52 mins), about meetings between Henry Kissinger and Vietnamese Politburo member Le Duc Tho; Voyage Of The Continents (10 x 52 mins), about continental drift; and De L’Art Et Du Cochon (20 x 26 mins), a journey through food history and art.
DCD RIGHTS THE BILLION Dollar Hotel (1 x 60 mins) is
an HD documentary made for the UK’s Channel 4 that profiles Dubai’s luxury 7-star Burj Al Arab Hotel, following the hotel staff who aim to provide the best possible service. The film also documents the experiences of guests and examines how the hotel prepares to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
TERRANOA AMONG the new programming brought
to Cannes by Terranoa is Surrender (2 x 45 mins), which commemorates the 70th anniversary of VE Day in May, and The Hidden Face Of The Moon (1 x 85 mins/2 x 52 mins), which aired on Canal+ Planete+ to coincide with a solar eclipse in March. Freedom, An Eagle Takes Flight (1 x 52/90 mins) is also launching in Cannes, as is Taiga (1 x 52 mins), a film about a nomadic tribe in Mongolia. The French distributor also brings Chemical Weapon, A Centre Of Warfare (1 x 52/75 mins) and the first episodes of series Forgotten By History.
Surrender (Terranoa) The Billion Dollar Hotel (DCD Rights)
APT WORLDWIDE So Gay! (ARTE)
LE RIGHTS THE CANNES catalogue from France’s
LE Rights (Lagardere Rights) includes: The Enigma Of Flight MH30 (1 x 52 mins), an investigative film presenting the three main hypotheses relating to the missing plane — a pilot suicide, a terrorist attack and technical failure; Thrift Hunters (18 x 20 mins), who try to turn second-hand goods into profit; How Polar Bears Have Changed (1 x 52 mins), looking at the bear’s adaptability; The Shark Project (1 x 52/90 mins), about the threats to the survival of sharks; Morning Glory (5 x 52/90 mins), a portrait of dawn in different environments; Women At War (1 x 52/90 mins; and The Foodie List (13 x 45 mins), compiling a ‘bucket list’ for foodies.
OMNIFILM ENTERTAINMENT VANCOUVER, Canada-based Omnifilm
Entertainment headlines its slate with the 12 x 30 mins series Jade City, about a remote highway stop in northern British Columbia. Claudia and Robin Bunce mine a jade claim, polishing and selling their jade from a roadside store, and they employ most of the people in town. If they and their Chinese investors strike it rich, everyone wins; if they fail, a whole town fails.
Jade City (Omnifilm Entertainment) preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
FindingTraction Traction(APT Worldwide) Finding (APT Worldwide)
BOSTON -based APT Worldwide is in Cannes with a catalogue including: Finding Traction (1 x 60 mins/HD), about Nikki Kimball’s quest to set a world record running the 273-mile Long Trail; Mineral Explorers (6 x 30 mins/ HD), in which mineral dealer Thomas Nagin explores crystal, gem and mineral mines; A Craftsman’s Legacy (13 x 30 mins/HD), about traditional artisans; and Fixed: The Science/Fiction Of Human Enhancement (1 x 60 mins/HD), a film exploring technologies that promise to change bodies and minds.
17
DISTRIBUTION360 CLASSIC Cars (17 x 30 mins), brought to
Cannes by Toronto-based Distribution360, showcases vintage vehicles and tells the stories of the owners who have lovingly restored and maintained them. Cars featured include: Bentley R Type, Ford Classic Capri, Mustang Fastback and Mercedes Pagoda. The company also brings London’s Modern Buildings (10 x 30 mins), investigating the designs with interviews from the architects. Buildings featured include: Heron Tower, Peckham Library, Olympic Velodrome, Kings Cross Station and the Gherkin.
FIRST HAND FILMS SWITZERLAND’s First Hand Films returns
to Cannes with a catalogue headed by: Partner With The Enemy – Making It In The Middle East (1 x 56 mins), an Israeli film about two women in the logistics industry, Israeli and Palestinian, who are trying to build a business partnership against all odds; Ida’s Diary (1 x 56 mins), a Norwegian film about a young woman, struggling with a turbulent emotional life, who has kept a video diary; and 1989 (1 x 58/97 mins), a Hungarian political drama about the collapse of the Iron Curtain.
Partner With The Enemy - Making It In The Middle East (First Hand Films)
Classic Cars (Distribution360)
HG DISTRIBUTION QUEBEC,Canada-based HG
Distribution returns to Cannes with an HD catalogue covering a number of genres. New documentary The Yukon Blues (4 x 26 mins/1x 46 mins) follows Igor d’India’s 1,500-km solo canoe trip on the Yukon River, and across Canada with no GPS or phone. Igor uses his experience as a videographer and filmmaker to document the trip. Street Jungle I & II (1 x 60 mins/10 x 30 mins), is a new documentary that aims to capture the vibe of the city from the point of view of the parking enforcers and tow-truck drivers, whose job it is to deal with an unhappy public. Too Cool For School? (6 x 60 mins) is a documentary series, also available as a format, about an innovative method to encourage at-risk students to stay in school, and Schools Like No Others I & II (26 x 52 mins), is a global tour of the world’s most fascinating schools, visiting 26 institutions in 18 countries.
OFF THE FENCE NEW PRIORITIES for Off the Fence
include: Girl Eat World (10 x 30 mins), a food-travel series that takes MasterChef South Africa winner Kamini Pather on a journey to discover the inside story of 10 top food destinations named by local food bloggers; Extreme Science (3 x 60 mins), straddles the world of extreme sport and civil engineering, exploring the science, construction and execution of extreme sports events, whether it’s by recycling well-known landmarks or incorporating gigantic modules into the natural terrain; and Razzle Dazzle: The Hidden Story Of Camouflage (1 x 60 mins), which uncovers the stories behind the evolution of camouflage design, with tales of dynamic camouflage ingenuity, and the colourful legacy that camouflage designers have left in their wake.
PILOT PRODUCTIONS PILOT Productions is unveiling new
documentary Wellington V Napoleon: Aftermath Of Waterloo in Cannes, part of the Short History Of The World series. The one-hour biopic looks at the lives of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon following their epic encounter at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. The victor, the Duke of Wellington, became a national hero in Britain eventually becoming Prime Minister. The defeated Napoleon however was exiled to St Helena, a small island in the Atlantic where he died in 1821. Currently in production the documentary is produced and distributed by the UK’s Pilot Productions.
Wellington V Napoleon (Pilot Productions) preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
Girl Eat World (Off the Fence)
18
Feature
MIPDOC BUYERS AND COMMISSIONERS
Buyers line-up As the countdown to MIPDoc 2015 begins, what’s on the wish lists of the world’s documentary and factual buyers and commissioners? Marlene Edmunds investigates
T
HE POWER of storytelling has never been stronger in the documentary and factual market — and the jobs of commissioners and buyers who bring these stories back home to their channels has never been more challenging. Take one of Japanese public broadcaster NHK’s latest projects, A Night In Africa (La Nuit Des Elephants), co-produced with Winds Films/France Televisions, among others. NHK has a massive in-house production unit but it also works, when the project is right, with such blue-chip partners as France Televisions, ARTE, RMC Decouverte, ZDF, ARD, BBC Discovery, National Geographic and Discovery. “We believe in the power of innovation,” says Sayumi Horie, senior producer of international co-productions for NHK. “This innovative natural-history special enables viewers to see
the first colour images of scenes of wildlife at night in 4K. We have partnered with Winds Films in the past and we are very much believers in their storytelling abilities.” Night In Africa follows a family of elephants
“Be it the world of space, nature or history, we are seeing many documentaries that reveal new truths by visually entertaining us” Akira Yoshizawa
hundreds of kilometres across the wildest and most desolate terrain of Sub-Saharan Africa. Up until now, the nocturnal life of animals has preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
been almost completely unknown by both scientists and filmmakers, says Winds producer Barthelemy Fougea, the film’s executive producer. “Filmmakers used either artificial light or infrared cameras, which would disturb and hence change the nocturnal habits of the animals,” he explains. “We wanted to film the night in colour with only the light of the moon and stars.” The project tapped the expertise of companies from Germany, Japan, the US and France before it was finally wrapped. NHK’s keen interest in advanced camera work is no great surprise, considering that it has been the world leader in the development of 4K and is driving its use across the globe. Akira Yoshizawa, senior producer for NHK’s global content development division, programming department, says NHK’s primetime slot Dramatic Planet is looking for documentaries that are fit for family viewing in
19
for factual NHK’s A Night In Africa (La Nuit Des Elephants)
the areas of ancient history, culture, science, space, adventure and wildlife. He adds: “Interestingly, many of the programmes bought for the slot highlight advances in camera technology, and allow us to see what the human eye could not see before. Be it the world of space, nature or history, we are seeing many documentaries that reveal new truths by visually entertaining us.” Yoshizawa is also seeking content for the World Documentary primetime slot in the area of modern history, energy and the future of energy technology, alternative lifestyle and world affairs, such as the turmoil in the Middle East. “Investigative documentaries also work well in this slot,” he says. Ron a n H a nd , I T V St ud io s Glo ba l Entertainment’s (ITVS GE) head of factual and entertainment acquisitions, says
the strength of the content allied to the potential of the producer partnership is what counts when it comes to great documentaries. Hand is on the hunt for formatable factual entertainment brands such as The Secret Life Of Students/Teens or 24 Hours In Police Custody. “Both are from The Garden, which is renowned for making ground-breaking factual programming,” he says. “We also work with Wild Pictures, which makes hard-hitting documentaries, most recently Hit And Run.” Among the “exciting new indies” that are interesting Hand is Little Gem, with which ITVS GE has recently partnered. “They have come to the market with a great pedigree and an astute, flexible commerciality that really suits how we like to do business,” he says. He also cites Possessed TV — also part of the ITV Studios stable — headed by former preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
Endemol exec Glenn Hugill, “who is really trying to push the boundaries”, Hand says. ITV Studios is actively into online incubation, Hand adds: “We have a deal with YouTube to incubate content and talent that can be migrated over to the traditional broadcast model.” But he says that the traditional distribution model “is still front and centre in how we work. We are primarily seeking to work with content that has the editorial direction of a traditional production company and commissioning broadcaster, as the international marketplace still needs the shorthand of proof of concept that this model brings.” RTE regional commissioner Ray McCarthy, head of regional, diversity, wildlife and education for Irish channel RTE, makes it his mission at MIPDoc to meet up with international commissioning executives that have an
20
Feature
NHK’s Akira Yoshizawa
Wild Pictures’ Hit And Run (ITVS GE)
AVROTROS’ Marijke Huijbregts
EBS’ Mia Kwon
interest in producing natural-history documentaries in Ireland. An example is the multiple award-winning series The Secret Life Of The Shannon, which takes viewers on a spectacular journey along the great Irish river, capturing the extraordinary behaviour of its wild inhabitants with the latest camera technology. McCarthy was also the original commissioning editor on The Genealogy Roadshow format, produced by Big Mountain and now in its second season on PBS in the US. “This series worked for us because it seamlessly blends family history and storytelling with a direct emotional impact on the participants,” McCarthy says. “That it encouraged our viewers to undertake their own family history research was an added bonus.” Marijke Huijbregts, commissioning editor of documentaries for Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS and a participant in the MIPDoc Commissioners Meet Up session, commissions 26 hours/titles a year, some 18 of those co-productions. “We have mainly documentaries about established 20th-century artists in the areas of architecture, design, fashion, film, painting, photography, and sculpture,” she says. Huijbregts is involved in co-productions all over the world, but prefers to work with editors and producers who are open to discussion preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
about projects. For example, in France, she works with Ideale Audience, ARTE France and Illegitime Defence, “because they understand what my needs are for my strand, they listen, they seem to have the same taste, they are interested in the same subjects and they are friendly as well”. Among Huijbregts’ recent commissions is the multiple award-winning documentary Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present, which follows the Serbian performance artist as she prepares for a retrospective of her work at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. Thierry Mino, France 5’s deputy head of documentaries, and also participating in the Commissioners Meet Up session, has not only France 5’s documentary and factual needs on his shopping list but also those of France 2, France 4 and France O. “We are looking for accessible programmes suitable for the whole family [in daytime slots], which feature innovative storytelling and have a creative visual style and approach,” he says. Wildlife, discovery and travel documentaries — either one-offs or series — account for some 80% of his acquisitions. “We also look for science and technology, ethnology, archaeology and ancient-civilisation films,” adds Mino, whose brief also includes
21
partners are old friends like the BBC, NBC commissioning some 30 hours of programand Zodiak,” he says. But without the output ming annually. of the smaller producers and distributors, he For primetime, Mino is on the hunt for docuadds, “SVT would be too mainstream, so we mentaries that are “able to stand out in a very are always keen to deepen our relationships competitive environment on very appealing with the best independent producers around subjects, with a strong storyline and a high the globe. We are especially interested in findstandard of visual approach”. ing and developing new contacts that can help Swedish state broadcaster SVT is the bigus with content for gest media player younger, under- 40 in its territory and target groups and for it makes no bones “We are always keen to online publishing.” about wanting the Osterby points out highest quality posdeepen our relationships that top-quality feasible to deliver to its with the best independent ture docs are very viewers. “Smart, enproducers around the globe” popular these days, tertaining and high Mikael Osterby with their worldproduction values wide rights being — those are the key snapped up by US qualities that drive majors and Netflix. o u r bu y i n g p at“Traditionally, the public-service broadcastterns,” says SVT International’s head of facers have been known for picking up all the tual, Mikael Osterby. “SVT1 is the biggest best docs,” he says. “But, more often lately, channel and SVT Play is the biggest VOD they are able to broadcast some of the best service in Sweden, so what we look for is the and all the next best. That is the case for a lot best premium content available. In some genof genres since we’ve entered this brave new res, we tend to pre-buy more due to heavy world of global and digital competition.” competition.” Spain’s Feelmakers.com, which launched Osterby’s department is responsible for some last year, is aiming at MIPDoc to pick up the 1,500 episodes a year, of which 1,000 comprise worldwide rights for long and short documenfinished programmes, 300 are pre-bought and taries and animation, as well as short films of the remainder consists of co-productions, or all genres. chiefly Swedish commissions. “Our main
SVT International’s Mikael Osterby
Feelmakers.com’s Millan Vazquez
The Secret Life Of The Shannon (RTE)
France 5’s Thierry Mino preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
22
Feature “We have a deal with YouTube to incubate content and talent that can be migrated over to the traditional broadcast model” Ronan Hand
ITVS GE’s Ronan Hand
“Feelmakers.com is not only a VOD platform with three channels — Feeldocs, Feeltoons and Feelshorts — but it is also a long-tail seller,” says development director and co-founder Millan Vazquez, who is taking part in the MIPDoc Producers Toolbox session. He adds: “We are not focused only on the internet, but are also managing all rights for most of our catalogue.” Factual and documentaries are constantly evolving, Vazquez adds — “and not only in topics but also in narrative structure. In this globally connected world, that is very interesting to us.” The company’s catalogue is mainly in English and Spanish. Mia Kwon, acquisitions executive for Korea’s EBS (Educational Broadcasting System), picks up more than 100 hours annually at MIPDoc and MIPTV. Her quest is mainly “to find programmes that are meaningful to the Korean public”. Kwon adds: “I’m looking for strong humaninterest stories as well as superb science and wildlife programming for EBS’ international doc slots.” These have been traditionally for wildlife, science and history programming. Kwon also buys for the broadcaster’s annual documentary festival, EBS International
THE VIEW FROM CHINA Zhi Hengyi, manager, Da Neng Culture Media Co “WILDLIFE is popular at the moment, as well as internationally produced social-responsibility titles. Each year, we acquire at least 100 hours for a few channels back in China. We have our own budget and we select and buy the titles and then sell them to clients, such as CCTV-9, CCTV-10, as well as BTV and STV. As a China-based, documentary distribution and production company, we license a great number of titles from producers and distributors across the world. We are more than ever hungry for big series with lavish graphics and fewer talking heads. And, of course, the Chinese market has always been a competitive one, so we are buying for the SVOD platforms as well.”
Documentary Festival (EIDF), which is broadcast on TV and other platforms. “I select more than 50 documentaries for EIDF,” she says. Kwon notes that, across Asia and especially in South Korea, there is a huge digital shift currently under way in the factual genre. “Linear long-form documentaries are not going away, but now we are also more into viewers’ holistic experiences and, in certain content, in audience engagement. As a result, I’m interested in new developments in the production of factual and ideas on how to adapt new factual narratives for EBS’ multiple platforms.” The SJM Cultural Foundation helps Korean filmmakers to make their documentaries and then to go abroad to seek funding and co-production partners. “Every year we manage to support one or two documentaries, and sometimes documentary co-productions,” says SJM general manager Wonjoong Kim. “Our main interest is in feature documentaries, even auteur films dealing with human-interest, and cultural and social issues.” One of the latest, for example, was Ten Thousand Spirits, which tackled the subject of shamanism.
Vivian Xu, founder and vice-president of international acquisitions, Hubu Media Group “In the past few years, we are experiencing a lot more competition. We provide for CCTV-1, CCTV-3, CCTV-8, CCTV-9, CCTV-10 and CCTV-15. We purchase programmes from all over the world, especially from the US, the UK and France, because these territories are prolific producers of documentaries and factual.” Xu — who is on the hunt at MIPDoc for a range of programming, including history, war, wildlife, nature, technology and culture — also buys from Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Korea. “Communication is a lot easier and quicker with these territories,” she says.
preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
23
® Atlantic Productions
Feature
Abseilers cleaning the clock face of Big Ben in Inside The Commons (Atlantic Productions)
As the worlds of entertainment and communication continue to be turned upside-down by digital, television is dominated by big-budget dramas. Combine that with the fragmented nature of viewing among young audiences and you might presume that high-end, indepth factual content is under threat. But, Andy Fry learns, in these changing times, the documentary remains strong
THE FUTURE FOR FACTUAL
Changing times
T
HERE is still very healthy demand for factual, says Bo Stehmeier, managing director of distribution at specialist factual studio Off the Fence (OTF), and a speaker at MIPDoc this year. “Public broadcasters have must-carry obligations and thematic channels require a lot of new factual shows, despite their recent investment in drama,” Stehmeier adds. “I also think commercial broadcasters are renewing their interest in specialist factual subjects. For a while, they didn’t focus so much on the lean-forward audiences that like factual TV and I think they lost them to other media.
But now they are coming again for the kind of loyal, engaged fan base that loves factual programmes.” OTF shows that Stehmeier believes are indicative of the genre’s health include Missing Evidence, Life Stories, Mass Extinction, Castle Builders, Tsunami: 10 Years On and Your Inner Fish, a three-parter in which paleontologist Neil Shubin explores how the human body still carries within it the legacy of animals that lived millions of years ago. “In addition to these established players, we are seeing a lot of new platforms and channels coming to us for factual programming,”
preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
24
Feature Stehmeier says. Recent examples include deals with YouTube channel-owner Barcroft Media (18 hours of varied content); Chinese media firm Hubu (25 hours of history and natural history); ProSiebenSat1’s male-skewing channel Maxx (58 hours of science and natural history) and South East European start-up broadcaster In The Box TV, which is acquiring a staggering 3,000 hours of factual content over two years. Stehmeier’s upbeat appraisal is echoed by others who believe that high-end factual has done a number of things to keep audiences enthusiastic. “Factual is a real bedrock of our catalogue and is looking very healthy in the run up to MIPTV,” says Zodiak Rights head of factual Emily Elisha. “For us, the key has been to find ways of telling stories in the dynamic, compelling ways audiences now expect.” Elisha cites The Operatives, “in which a team of former military commandos travel the world fighting environmental crimes”, as an example. “It’s one of those series that works well across free TV and thematic channels,” she adds. In Elisha’s opinion, the increased use of characters, both as participants and presenters, is a trend that has helped sustain factual’s appeal: “If you can get someone who is passionate about their subject, you can win over international audiences, even if they aren’t familiar with the personality at the outset. We’re finding that with The Inca: Masters Of The Clouds, a two-parter about the Inca civilisation in the Andes. It’s presented by archaeologist Dr Jago Cooper, who is very engaging and tells the story extremely well.”
The Operatives (Zodiak Rights)
Castle Builders (Off the Fence) BBC Worldwide director of factual Mark Reynolds also sees a healthy market. “Last autumn, the BBC announced its most ambitious-ever commitment to natural history,” he says. “And that came on the back of a major slate announcement in 2013. We have a fantastic array of shows coming through, including Shark, Waking Giants and The Hunt. These are hugely ambitious shows that can deliver amazing audiences in primetimes when they are done well.” Reynolds adds: “The constant evolution of technology means we can keep delivering information and insights in new ways.” A case in point is Shark, a BBC Natural History Unit/ Discovery co-production that uses the latest 4K and high-speed camera technology to film never-before-seen behaviour in spectacular underwater locations. “We’re also really excited about The Hunt, a landmark series from Alistair Fothergill [Blue Planet], which will take a new look at predators and their prey,” Reynolds says. Reynolds believes the new-media landscape is enriching the genre by providing more ways to get content to consumers. He cites the roll-out of BBC Earth, a cross-platform brand that provides audiences with a regular diet of wildlife content. Insights from filmmakers, updates from exotic locations, video clips and text reports all provide the basis for an on-going relationship with fans, he adds. preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
Lucy van Beek, a factual specialist who recently joined indie producer Brook Lapping as an executive producer, also speaks of a buoyant sector. “Brook Lapping is known for critically
“The constant evolution of technology means we can keep delivering information and insights in new ways” Mark Reynolds acclaimed historical and political documentaries such as The Iraq War, Putin, Russia And The West, 9/11: Day That Changed The World and The Hunt For Bin Laden. But I’ve been brought in to develop the science and natural-history side of the company’s slate. For me, that doesn’t just mean linear TV, but also all the content that supports it.” According to Van Beek, this transmedia approach is now an essential part of satisfying factual audiences: “People, including me, are consuming media in a different way to 10 or 15 years ago. They’ll be searching for additional information on a second screen at the same time that they have the TV on. So we need to cater for that, either by using the content that couldn’t make it into the final edit or by creating specially conceived shorts.” The next step, Van Beek suggests, is to encourage audience participation: “I worked on Channel 4’s Dogs: Their Secret Lives. In that case, dog-owners were invited to get in touch by filling in a survey. Around 25,000 responded.” DCD Rights has backed its belief in thoughtprovoking, factual TV with investment. Last
year, for example, the UK-based company added to its existing catalogue of 600 factual hours a further 200 hours from the prestigious Open University catalogue, including series such as Coast and Bang Goes The Theory. It has now acquired a further 253 hours of factual from the Electric Sky library, which went into administration during 2014. Echoing her peers, Nicky Davies Williams, CEO of DCD Rights, says: “We see factual as an important part of our growing catalogue. There’s definitely an appetite for strong, glossy non-scripted programming. Series with universal themes such as wildlife, war and investigative documentaries are sought after. Equally, series or one-offs that go behind the scenes, such as The Billion Dollar Hotel or Liberty Of London, appeal to inquisitive viewers.” While viewers are happy to wait and watch series on traditional broadcast channels, Davies Williams says it is important to be “open-minded and flexible” regarding distribution across all platforms — particularly when trying to target younger viewers. “Social networks enable younger audiences to find subjects they otherwise might not discover,” she adds. “They might use a search engine to seek out material on their favourite person or a theme, and find a clip on YouTube or a full programme and view it on a non-linear platform.” Fred Burcksen, executive vice-president and
© Jamie McPherson 2014
25
The Hunt (BBCWW)
sales — “even to major US networks — of factual titles such as Last Secrets Of The Third Reich, Countdown To A Catastrophe and Secret Garden. “We have noticed momentum for superdocs involving two, three or several European broadcasters — with or without the participation of US networks,” Burcksen adds. “The bundled know-how, creativity and business acumen [in these projects] cannot help but lead us to a renaissance of the classical factual
chief operating officer of ZDF Enterprises (ZDFE), says: “Factual has been a rock-solid cornerstone of our activity for decades.” Proof of this can be seen in ZDFE’s factual achievements, which include high-profile international co-productions, including Apocalypse Neanderthal, The Invasion and Doomsday: World War I; initiating projects such as Europe: The Story Of Us and World In Motion with major producers and international broadcasting partners; and brisk global
ATLANTIC RIDES TECH WAVE ANTHONY Geffen, CEO and executive producer of Atlantic Productions, operates at the very highest end of factual TV. His company’s best-known titles include the David Attenborough-fronted series Galapagos 3D, Natural History Museum Alive, Conquest Of The Skies and the recently commissioned BBC One threeparter, Great Barrier Reef. Atlantic’s portfolio also includes Time Scanners, which uses 3D laser-scanning technology to explore the inner secrets of iconic structures such as the Coliseum, the pyramids and Petra; and Inside The Commons, which explores the inner workings of the UK Parliament. High-end productions like Galapagos are “harder to pull off” than some dramas, Geffen says. “Give HBO good scripts and it can produce a lot of great dramas. But
it can take four years to make a factual six-parter.” Geffen has positioned Atlantic at the cutting edge of production technology, embracing everything from apps to 3D. While 3D has yet to catch on in the living room, he says the company’s 3D output, delivered via a specialist division called
Atlantic Productions’ Conquest Of The Skies
Colossus Productions (a joing venture with Sky Television), does very well in the theatrical market. And while 4K has stolen 3D’s thunder, he believes the arrival of glasses-free 3DTVs will breathe new life into 3D home entertainment. Having identified virtual reality as another emerging opportunity, Geffen launched a new company called Alchemy VR, which has already begun developing projects with VR manufacturers including Oculus Rift and Sony’s Morpheus. “It’s a way to reach a younger generation that isn’t necessarily watching factual on TV,” he says. Geffen adds: “I think the landscape is changing in favour of high-end, expensive documentary. I think audiences are craving well-made, real programming, not the fixed world of reality TV.”
preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
26
Feature CURIOSITY REDISCOVERED JOHN Hendricks, founder of factual TV leviathan Discovery Communications, has just resurfaced at head of a new subscription-ondemand service for factual programming named CuriosityStream.
Liberty Of London (DCD Rights) domain.” And digital is also creating opportunities, he says: “Whenever I go to an appliance store and see the latest HD, 3D, 4D TV sets, they always show an endless loop of documentaries for demonstration purposes. This tells me that, the better the rate of definition and display rate become, the greater the need for genres such as wildlife becomes. In addition, the VOD market is beginning to diversify. Special interest portals and communities are finding docs, for example, on themes such as the underwater world, the Cold War, espionage, or socially relevant themes that interest them.” Interestingly, Burcksen rejects the thesis that viewers’ attention spans are becoming shorter: “On the contrary, they are becoming longer, more intensive and much deeper, since the user consciously determines the content he or she wants to see and doesn’t just occasionally glance at the screen.” National Geographic Channels International’s executive vice-president and head of international content — and a speaker at this year’s MIPDoc — Hamish Mykura, challenges the notion that high-end factual is somehow suffering from the new narrative techniques that it has employed to stay competitive — the perennial
“We have noticed momentum for superdocs involving two, three or several European broadcasters” Fred Burcksen
dumbing-down argument. “For many years, I’ve been listening to people talk about the end of quality factual programming whenever a new idea comes along,” he says. “But I think all of the new approaches have refreshed the genre, making it more diverse and interesting. People who hanker for some past era of traditional documentary are getting it wrong in my view.” For Mykura, science on Nat Geo’s family of channels has benefited hugely from accessible series such as Brain Games, Street Genius and The Science Of Stupid: “These are entertaining shows that deliver a lot of science content to audiences, but not in the form of a school-type lecture. Their format is also such that it can be viewed in clips online.” Nat Geo still has slots for high-end factual programming, Mykura adds: “But the challenge everyone faces is that we are all operating in such a crowded digital world. Single films can get lost in the noise, which is why there has been a shift towards series that introduce entertainment and character elements, or some other kind of clear hook to engage the audience.” One example is Survive The Tribe, in which survival expert Hazen Audel lives with remote tribes in locations such as the Arctic, the Amazon and the Kalahari. “It’s entertaining,” Mykura says, “but it also introduces the audience to anthropology.” Anniversaries of events are also a way to deliver serious scientific subjects. “We built a season of programming around the 10th anniversary of the Asian tsunami last year,” Mykura says. “That was powerful, people-based programming, but it looked at subjects such as the seismology of continental drift.” preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
The ad-free platform, which went live in the run-up to MIPTV, airs a mix of library shows and original commissions. Its first three original titles include Big Earth Picture, a 20part 4K series that captures visual wonders from around the world; Deep Time History, which traces great people and events from history; and Digits, billed as a “comprehensive history of computers and the internet”. Hendricks says: “I have long dreamed of a content-on-demand service that uses advanced media to empower the enduring human desire to understand the universe and the world around us. CuriosityStream is the world’s first adfree, SVOD service that addresses our lifelong quest to learn, explore and understand. Our aim is to provide the first and best on-demand destination that aggregates and curates the world’s best factual content.” CuriosityStream launched with around 800 titles. In addition to original content, it has picked up long-form shows from companies including ZED, Flame Distribution, Terra Noa, NHK and BBC Worldwide. It has also mapped out a short-form strategy that consists of two parts. First, it will conduct about 20 interviews a month to produce segments featuring influential thinkers such as Deepak Chopra, Sheryl WuDunn and Michio Kaku. Second, it will debut two original short-form series in 2015: A Curious World, which will explore everything from ancient engineering feats to sleep cycles; and Destination Pluto, which will examine the New Horizon space mission.
044_OFF_PV_DOC
27
We are non-fiction
Countdown To A Catastrophe (ZDFE) Pioneer Productions — one of the first companies to enter the extreme-weather genre (Raging Planet; Wonders Of Weather) — used a range of techniques on its award-winning series In The Womb. Created for Nat Geo and Channel 4, the show combined real-life footage, captured using specialist filming techniques, alongside VFX and prosthetics to portray the world of babies before birth. “One area we think is very interesting right now is live events,” says Pioneer’s managing director, Kirstie McLure. “We’re in paid development on a project that will have some exciting science in it.” The beauty of live is two-fold, McLure adds: it can provide broadcasters with the kind of event programming they crave; and it can be used to attract audiences to digital platforms ahead of the telecast itself. McLure says factual has nothing to fear from the advent of digital media: “We have a YouTube channel called Naked Science that is doing a great job of reaching younger audiences and reigniting their interest in science. We see digital as a way of introducing younger audiences to the genre and giving us a chance to bring them back to the television.” The co-production model has played a key role in enabling factual TV to continue raising standards. “We are producing a three-part series called Treasures Of The Earth for Nova in the US and KBS in Korea, working alongside PAAN Media in Korea,” McLure says. “This is our first co-production with Asia and we are learning a lot about Korea’s extraordinary CGI talent.” On the issue of thematic channels airing more drama and reality programming, McLure believes change is coming: “I think we’re going to see the major channels going back to brand. Audiences want to have more certainty about what they are going to get when they visit a factual channel.” This assessment seems to chime with developments at Discovery Channel in the US, where president Rich Ross has hired former HBO executive John Hoffman as executive vice-president of documentaries and specials. While part of Hoffman’s brief will be to develop scripted series, the appointment also signals Ross’ intention to shift the channel away from sensational shows and pseudo-science. Speaking to journalists at the end of 2014, he made it clear that the channel would be turning away from productions like Megalodon: The New Evidence, Finding Bigfoot and Eaten Alive, and focusing more of its efforts on “authentic” documentaries. That’s a message that will go down well with factual aficionados.
Extreme Science 3 x 60’
Girl Eat World 10 x 30’
Dazzle: The History of Camouflage 1 x 60’
Visit us at stand R7.C30 offthefence.com @offthefence
preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com 3 Image Artwork.indd 1
27/02/15 11:45
28
Feature INTERVIEW
‘I’m not Jamie Oliver’
Bon Appetit: Gerard Depardieu’s Europe is not your average food programme. The people behind the series spoke to the MIPDoc Preview
P
ARIS-based distributor Balanga is bringing Bon Appetit: Gerard Depardieu’s Europe to MIPDoc. The 10 x 52 mins documentary series, produced by Les Films d’Ici 2 for ARTE and Canal+ Group, has the French movie star traveling through Europe to experience the continent’s cuisine, culture and history. “Gerard Depardieu is the centrepiece and starting point of the project,” said Les Films d’Ici 2’s Laura Briand, the series’ producer. “Everybody knows that Gerard Depardieu embodies the idea of an appetite for life and a taste for the good life. It was his desire, and that of Laurent Audiot, his friend and chef at La Fontaine Gaillon, to go together and meet producers of fine food.” Briand added: “We sometimes focused on places he particularly appreciates, as was the case with two of the films shot in Italy, and occasionally on places he was keen to discover, for example Scotland.” Directors Stephane Bergouhnioux and Sebastien Fallourd took a fresh approach to filming food. “The key word is ‘simplicity’. We didn’t want to stage things, or to go with the current approach to food photography, which is often too artificial,” Fallourd said. “Our visual approach is the simplest possible. The food is shown in natural settings and that is what makes it stand out.” Bergouhnioux added: “As with the encounters with local people, we filmed the dishes in their original glory. The people we featured, they know how their culinary creations should be presented, we only have to adjust our camera angles and lighting to bring out the beauty of the scenes.” The series takes a new approach to filming food and its preparation. “For example, in Brittany we put a GoPro inside a bread oven to film bread baking really close-up,” Fallourd said. And to differentiate the series further, you have Depardieu driving the narrative. “He is a
tiger. He is magnificent but he can jump on you at any time,” Bergouhnioux said. “Sometimes the tamer gets bitten but that is the risk you take when you work with exceptional personalities. Depardieu never simulates anything and his love for culinary products and cooking is real and passionate. We filmed him in a simple and unpredictable manner.” Depardieu warns that this is not an instructional programme: “I’m not Jamie Oliver, I’m not Gordon Ramsay, I won’t give you a recipe,” he said. “I give you what you must know when you feel something. No matter if you cook bad, just put on the water, put on the grill and that’s all.” Balanga president Christophe Bochnacki said the series has been pre-bought by SBS, TV5 Canada and GNT, and discussions with other networks continue up to and during MIPDoc and MIPTV. “Mainstream channels are acquiring this series because large audiences engage with food shows that also take
them on a journey into countries in an authentic way. The broadcasters that have already bought the series are planning to schedule it for primetime, or for access slots.” But he has a warning: “If you schedule this show after dinnertime it’s at your own risk!” Episode 1, Scotland, is screened in the MIPDoc library.
Gerard Depardieu: “No matter if you cook bad, just put on the water, put on the grill, and that’s all” preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
29
Feature Dolphin Dynasty (WildBear Entertainment
CO-PRODUCTION FINANCE
New ways to follow the money Commercial pressure is pushing documentary and factual players into ever more creative financial arrangements. With the demand for quality product escalating — along with the cost of producing it — Marlene Edmunds looks at the models that are emerging to fund new projects
D
OLPHIN Dynasty, one of the latest productions by factual entertainment company WildBear Entertainment, is a good example of a co-production that is taking advantage of both the regional and national funding available in Australia. The one-hour natural-history show about the dolphins of Shark Bay in Western Australia is a co-production with Germany’s Moers Media and Australia’s Sea Dog TV International. To be directed by Peter Moers and Leighton de Barros from Sea Dog, the film aims to “unveil the complex social hierarchy, family ties and incredible maternal bonds of this small group of dolphins”, says WildBear Entertainment CEO Micheal Tear, who is part of a panel at MIPDoc entitled Producers Toolbox: Smart Ways To Get Funders And Incentives.
“It’s a crowded marketplace and the big brand names hoover up a lot of the international finance and slots” Edwina Thring In addition to financing from National Geographic, ARTE and Germany’s SWR, Australia’s ScreenWest funding and development agency will invest in Dolphin Dynasty. The project will also access the Screen Australia Producer Offset refundable tax rebate. Tear points to some changes in the media landscape that have significantly altered how financing is viewed by documentary and factual producers, among them the need to think preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
globally. “There are not many instances left where you can have a single buyer,” he says. “More and more, you have to piece together sales from different jurisdictions. We have to work with local partners with specific market knowledge or access to funding, then piece together a project that has international appeal like Dolphin Dynasty.” According to Tear, digital is also contributing to interesting financial times. “The digital business is definitely growing and it’s going to become more important,” he says. “At the moment, the best way for us to finance a project is via broadcasters, particularly as we are seeking commissions. But that might change — and it might change very quickly.” He adds that WildBear is testing the digital market and has a project in development that it expects to launch later in the year.
30
Feature THE PRICE OF A PRINCESS FOR NEW music documentary Through You Princess, Esther Van Messel, managing director of production and distribution outfit First Hand Films (FHF), has found funds at France Televisions, Sweden’s SVT, Finland’s YLE, The Netherlands’ VPRO and Canada’s CBC. “And we expect more interest to materialise shortly,” she adds. The title is being made as a one-hour programme, a feature and a transmedia project, with the film being funded by the Sundance Documentary Fund.
Defenders Of The Sky (Woodcut Media) Edwina Thring, managing director of the UK’s Wild Thring Media, a MIPDoc speaker, believes the influence of digital players is huge right now. “Just look at all the linear broadcasters who are launching SVOD platforms,” she says. “The pay-TV broadcasters are becoming very nervous about the SVOD players and are trying to protect their rights. They see them as direct competition.” Thring points out that it is a hard world out there when it comes to funding: “On the one hand, budgets and slots are limited so producers need to come up with more and more innovative ways to finance shows. On the other hand, new players are opening up opportunities, but it’s still tough for the smaller producers to knock on those doors. It’s a crowded marketplace and the big brand names hoover up a lot of the international finance and slots. However, smaller producers are becoming more savvy about their rights and appointing agents with the relationships already in place to open up doors for them.” Thring’s company helps producers to take advantage of tax and government funding opportunities in specific territories. “We have recently completed finance on series through the Department of Trade and Industry in South Africa, Screen Australia and CNC in France,” she says. “There are specific production caveats that need to be fulfilled to access this funding, but it can often get a production over the line.” A lso helping companies to get to the
“It didn’t feel much of a risk, because we knew it was going to be a great show in a genre that’s suddenly in huge demand” Paul Heaney finishing line in terms of funding is TCB Media Rights. The company has a reputation for building collaborative, early-stage relationships with creative partners that allow it to project manage co-production alliances and pre-sales. It works closely with IP holders through the entire commercial process, from pitching concepts to closing deals. Recent examples include working with Like A Shot Entertainment on Wicked Inventions and with Story House Productions on Copycat Killers. “Like A Shot Entertainment is a relatively recent entry into the factual indie scene, but they have an enviable reputation for hitting the ratings mark,” says TCB Media Rights’ managing director and founder, Paul Heaney. “They came to us with an idea for a pop-science show with a history twist, and we both agreed there was a gap in the market for something that blended those two genres. So in addition to handling the pre-sales and distribution, we decided to invest in the IP — to put preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
“Through You Princess a breakthrough project in the way art is created and distributed using the principles of free content,” Van Messel says. She adds that FHF is executive producing the documentary and working closely with Ophir Kutiel, the Israeli musician who has spent the past few years creating audiovisual symphonies entirely out of musical clips that people have posted online from all over the world. “The first project was published five years ago and immediately went viral, with Time Magazine choosing it as one of the 50 top innovations of the year,” Van Messel adds.
Wild Thring Media’s Edwina Thring
31
The Wild Edge Of The World (Crossing The Line Films) skin in the game, if you like — and the result is Wicked Inventions [30 x 30 mins]. It was the perfect mix of there being enough rights intact, and it being a sub-genre that we knew would work from an indie that we knew would deliver.” Copycat Killers (13 x 60 mins), produced by Story House for the US channel REELZ, looks at the Hollywood films that have inspired heinous crimes. “It’s very cinematic and real crime is super-hot at the moment, particularly in the UK and Australia,” Heaney says. “Knowing this, and with a big deficit to fill, we approached Discovery ID and Foxtel, who both liked the idea and were prepared to back it. Having brokered these deals, we then put our hand in our own pocket to cover the last tranche of finance. It didn’t feel much of a risk, because we knew it was going to be a great show in a genre that’s suddenly in huge demand.” Off the Fence (OTF) managing director for production Allison Bean jumped at the chance to make a co-production with Colombian conservation and media outfit Ecoplanet and Grupo Exito, Colombia’s billion-dollar retail
“There are hundreds of places that finance quality documentaries, but the tough part is that there’s a lot of paperwork and that takes a lot of time”
Grupo Exito. “Both Ecoplanet and Exito are genuinely passionate about Colombian wildlife and the country’s natural habitats,” Bean adds. “Many Colombians are unaware of the beauty and diversity of their own country. Exito wanted to use this film to educate Colombians
Tom Jennings
enterprise. For OTF, it was a first move into the world of brand funding. The documentary Colombia: The Green Silence initially got off the ground through word of mouth. “A colleague mentioned to me that a Colombian company called Ecoplanet was looking to make a high-budget naturalhistory documentary about Colombian wildlife,” Bean says. “I got their contact details and flew out to Colombia to meet with them. They had already approached half a dozen other companies, so I actively pitched for the project and won the tender.” The budget is substantial and entirely funded by preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
RTE documentary The Secret Life Of The Shannon
32
Feature and to engineer a social change in their understanding and appreciation of conservation.” Co-producer Ecoplanet has been involved “every day and at every level”, Bean says. She adds that attached to the film are several key Colombian creatives, including a major literary figure, a renowned journalist and respected Colombian musicians, who are working with a well-known Hollywood composer to create an authentic score. Since launching Crossing The Line Films in 1993, John Murray has regularly collaborated with some of the biggest public broadcasters in the world, including PBS, the BBC, ORF, France TV, ZDF and National Geographic. In the process, his company has won numerous awards, most recently the top prizes at the 2014 Wildscreen Film Festival and the 2013 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival for the RTE documentary The Secret Life Of The Shannon, internationally known as On A River In Ireland. The Secret Life Of The Shannon/On A River In Ireland was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, public broadcaster RTE, Waterways Ireland, the Electricity Supply Board, the National Parks and Wildlife Service of Ireland and The Heritage Council. “Most of what we try to do now are co-productions pitched at the very highest blue-chip quality level,” Murray says. “Our biggest current project is a wildlife series, Ireland: The Wild Edge Of The World, which is a wildlife journey around Ireland’s magnificently raw and powerful west coast. For millennia, Europeans considered this wild shore the very edge of the world. It’s a place where people have always lived extreme lifestyles, but it’s also a place that inspires awe. The Wild Edge Of The World begins its journey at the monastery of Skellig Michael, which is set to feature in the next Star Wars film. The monastic site, founded in the 6th century, is perched on top of precipitous, 160-metre high cliffs on a remote Atlantic rock, which is also home to magnificent wildlife. The project’s confirmed financiers include ORF, the BBC, PBS, TG4, France Televisions, NDR, SVT, SBS and the MEDIA Programme — now known as Creative Europe. The series will also benefit from Irish government tax credits. Murray adds: “My first step is always getting an enthusiastic key broadcaster on board and, in this case, ORF was first in and has helped us greatly in bringing it all together. Next on board were PBS and then the rest of the partners came in one by one.”
Also on Crossing The Line’s development slate is The Voyager Project, which Murray is currently in the process of funding. “This is a very ambitious creative documentary about the Voyager space programme — perhaps humankind’s greatest journey of exploration,” he says. “Financing is tricky as we are very keen on producing a striking feature-length version and TV versions subsequent to that. The Irish Film Board was first in and helped out with development funding, which we are using to approach other funders.” The project received development assistance through MEDIA’s slate development programme, and PBS and SVT have come on board to co-produce and pre-buy. “We are currently in talks with a number of other interested parties,” Murray adds. “If we can get a number of European broadcasters to commit, then we’ll apply to the new Creative Europe programme for production funding. Once the rest of the financing is complete, we’ll avail ourselves of the Irish government tax credits as well.”
First Hand Films’ Esther Van Messel
“Investor-funded programmes are going to be a big feature in the next few years in my opinion” Kate Beal
“While selling to the networks in the US is a straightforward proposition — you present the idea, they commission it and they own it — some US networks are now willing to share international rights. But it’s still rare.” That’s the word from Tom Jennings, founder of 1895 Films/Tom Jennings Productions, a producer and journalist who has also picked up a pack of awards in his career, including the George Foster Peabody Award for MLK: The Assassination Tapes. While MLK was entirely financed by The Smithsonian Channel, the more recent The Fidel Castro Tapes: The Story Of The Cuban Dictator’s Turbulent Leadership was backed by both National Geographic International and PBS. Financing for one of Jennings current projects — a documentary about serial killer Ted Bundy — has come from an unusual source. “We were approached by someone who had a family member who dated one of Bundy’s victims,” he says. “That person had some new information about the case that he wanted to explore. It turned out the new information was preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
Woodcut Media’s Kate Beal
WildBear Entertainment’s Micheal Tear
33
correct and investigators are looking at what we brought forward.” Jennings adds: “The person who contacted us is doing the majority of the financing. We’re looking at which network would be best to partner with regarding finishing funds and at the international market for sales that will recoup costs for the investor.” Jennings, who generally works on several projects at one time, says he has been exploring bringing together financing for blue-chip docs from several foundations and grant organisations. “There are hundreds of places that finance good quality documentaries, but the tough part is that there’s a lot of paperwork up front and that takes a lot of time,” he adds. In many ways, the financing of factual series is moving towards the model more usually found in the scripted-content world, with multiple investors financing the project. Kate Beal, CEO and creative director of Woodcut Media, says this is certainly true for Defenders Of The Sky, one of Woodcut’s latest projects. The first significant funds came from AETN’s 012_ZDF_PV_DOC H2 in the UK. “This didn’t quite make up the
Colombia: The Green Silence (OTF) full budget, but it gave us the momentum to seek funds elsewhere,” Beal adds, noting that the next partner to come on board was Flame Distribution, which paid an advance against sales. The remainder of the deficit was funded by a private investment firm based in the UK called Bob & Co. Beal cautions that, with factual, it is always best to have a broadcaster attached first, either for pre-sales or commissions, but she
preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
adds: “Investor-funded programmes are going to be a big feature in the next few years in my opinion. There’s an upward trend of investors realising the value of IP that has longevity and Defenders Of The Sky is an example of this.” Defenders Of The Sky’s storyline about airfields in the UK also has passport. “The subject covers much of World War One and World War Two and both of those conflicts have a naturally broad international appeal,” Beal says.
34
Tips & Services
Welcome to MIPDoc! Thank you for attending the show this year. There is much to think about to be fully prepared, so we’ve designed this section to help you make the most out of MIPDoc To ensure you start off with a bang, please refer to our Quick Checklist Things to do before the Show: n Have you prepared your transportation?
Have you arranged your transfer to Cannes? n Have you booked your accommodation? If not, book now at www.miptv.b-network.com and choose from a wide selection of hotels and apartments at special rates n Remember to print out your e-ticket before the show to save time on your badge collection at Registration
n Have you connected the Online Database
on Mymip to find out in advance who else is attending the show, to set up meetings and discover projects? n Have you checked the full show programme of MIPDoc conferences, screenings and events not to be missed? Find answers to all these questions on the following tips & services section. For more details please refer to my-mip.com
Inside
1• USEFUL TIPS GETTING TO THE FRENCH RIVIERA GETTING TO MIPDoc UPON YOUR ARRIVAL
2• SERVICES DIGITAL LIBRARY CLUBS & CONFERENCE ROOMS FACILITIES
1• USEFUL TIPS GETTING TO THE FRENCH RIVIERA BY AIR The nearest airport is Nice Côte d’Azur International (NCE), which provides direct flights to many cities around the world. Promotion code (Air France and KLM): 23910AF www.airfranceklm-globalmeetings.com BY TRAIN The Cannes train station is a short walk away from the Palais des Festivals. T: +33 (0)8 92 35 35 35 www.tgv-europe.com
GETTING TO MIPDoc TAXI T: +33 (0)4 93 99 27 27 or book online: www.taxi-cannes.net/en/reservation BUS FROM THE AIRPORT You have several options for bus travel. Tickets must be bought beforehand.
4 Where to get tickets: Desk at Terminal 1: outside arrivals, Gate A0. Opening hours: 8.00 – 23.00 Desk at Terminal 2: outside arrivals, between gates A1 and A2. Opening hours: 8.00 – 24.00 • The Nice AirportXpress line to Cannes (bus N°210) goes to and from Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport and the Cannes bus station via Le Cannet everyday from 8.00 to 20.00 every 30 minutes. Journey takes 50 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €20 and a return ticket costs €30. 4 Where to catch it: Terminal 1: gate A0, platform 3 Terminal 2: between gates A1 and A2, platform 3 • Bus N°200 also goes to Cannes from Monday to Saturday at 20.45 and 21.55. 4 Where to catch it: Terminal 1: platform 3 • Noctam’Bus N°200 will get you to Cannes in the evenings. It is available Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and travels from 23.30 to 4.10 every hour and a half. 4 Where to catch it: Terminal 1: platform 3 preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
TRAIN FROM THE AIRPORT To get to the Nice train station from the airport, go to Terminal 1, gate 6, take bus 23, direction Vallon des Fleurs (€1). Buses depart every 5 to 12 minutes. Disembark at Gare SNCF Saint Augustin (second stop). The station is just a few meters walk. Trains for Cannes depart every 5 minutes. A one-way ticket costs from €5,80. Book your train tickets at www.tgv-europe.com or by calling +33 (0)8 92 35 35 35 CAR RENTAL If you wish to rent a car, our official partner Sixt Rent a Car can provide you with preferential rates. Promotion Code (up to 10% discount): 9963828* T: +33 (0)1 44 38 55 55 www.sixt.com *Please note that this reduction is subject to availability.
HELICOPTER Azur Helicoptère operates regular 7-min flights between Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport and Cannes. A shuttle takes you from the Cannes heliport to your destination. Show participants benefit from a negotiated rate of €135 per person (+€15 heliport tax). T: +33 (0)4 93 90 40 70 www.azurhelico.com / info@azurhelico.com
35
Tips & Services PRIVATE TRANSFERS
MARKET OPENING HOURS
SELLERS
Chabé Limousines For short or long trips, from 1 to 7 people, rent a private car with driver and save over 20% with our official partner Chabé. Airport shuttles from Nice to Cannes: €115 (Sedan) or €145 (Van-7 pax) Evening offer* (4 hours): €333
• Saturday, 11 April: 8.30 -19.00 • Sunday, 12 April: 8.30 -19.00
To view a list of the buyers who have screened your programmes and/or projects, please log in to the dedicated stations in the Networking Lounge with the login & password indicated on your badge: Login: use the 6 digits displayed on the top left corner after @ Password: use the badge number on the bottom right corner under the barcode. This list will also be sent to your mail box (if you have filled it in the contract) at the end of each day.
*For quotes and bookings, visit www.chabe-limousines.com/en/events/miptv
For more information: riviera@chabe-grandsud.com T: +33 (0)4 93 43 90 91 SHUTTLES TO OUR PARTNER HOTELS MIPDoc offers you free shuttle service to and from our partner hotels if you are staying outside Cannes during the market.
UPON YOUR ARRIVAL USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT CANNES Address: Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez 73 La Croisette – 06400 Cannes T: +33 (0)4 93 90 12 34 or visit cannesmartinez.grand.hyatt.com Country dialling code: +33 Time zone: GMT +1 Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Round two-pin plugs are standard. Measurement system: Metric. Currency: Euro. YOUR BADGE Your badge is your primary means of identification during the market. It provides access to the conference sessions, networking events and the digital library (buyers only) during opening hours. Please carry it at all times, and be ready to show it at entry points and security checks around the area. Do not exchange your badge with anyone. Even if your photo does not appear on the badge, it will appear on security guards’ monitors when they scan it. Shared badges will be confiscated and not returned. REGISTRATION Sponsored by All participants & press representatives can pick up their badges at the Registration area. Important E-ticket holders: E-tickets will be sent to you via email a few days before the show. They include a barcode for ID recognition. Print it out to collect your badge at a self-service delivery point or scan the QR Code on your smartphone and save time at the Registration area. REGISTRATION OPENING HOURS • Friday, 10 April: 14.00 -19.30 • Saturday, 11 April: 8.00 -19.00 • Sunday, 12 April: 8.30 -19.00
PLAN YOUR SHOW Make appointments and contacts before arrival. Connect to the Online Database, the best way to schedule meetings in advance! Visit my-mip.com to: • Identify and contact the right people to meet among all attendees • Increase your own visibility by completing your company and personal profiles • Showcase and identify projects of interest • Schedule and plan meetings • Select the conferences and events you want to attend EVENTS FOR ALL DELEGATES MIPDoc Networking Lunch Sponsored by
Saturday, 11 April, 13.00-14.30 Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez Beach Formats & Factual Opening Party For all MIPDoc & MIPFormats delegates Sponsored by
Important: At MIPTV, final lists of buyers who have screened your programmes and/or projects during MIPDoc and Programme/project lists for buyers will be available by request at the Palais des Festivals (Help Desk – Palais 0).
CLUBS & CONFERENCE ROOMS NETWORKING LOUNGE Open to all participants. Features include a meeting area, Wi-Fi access and email points. REGISTRATION LOUNGE Sponsored by
Saturday, 11 April, 19.00 Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez Beach
Open to all participants. Features include a meeting area & Wi-Fi access.
Focus on the Nordics Snack & Screen
AGORA
Sponsored by
Sunday, 12 April, 12.30-14.00 – Agora
2• SERVICES DIGITAL LIBRARY
See schedule page 13 BUYERS & COMMISSIONERS CLUB See schedule page 13
FACILITIES CONNECTIVITY
• Saturday, 11 April: 8.30 -19.00 • Sunday, 12 April: 8.30 -19.00
Wi-Fi Free Wi-Fi is available inside the Registration Lounge, Networking Lounge, Buyers & Commissioners Club, Agora and Screening Booths. Connect to: “Palais des Festivals Wi-Fi” network. You can connect one device at a time. Email stations Located in the Networking Lounge. To check and send email free of charge.
BUYERS
MOBILE RENTAL
Access the unique Digital Library of international doc & factual programming via individual screening booths. NEW! All “Co-production projects seeking funding” are now included in the MIPDoc digital library. SCREENING HOURS
Log in to the digital library with the login & password indicated on your badge: Login: use the 6 digits displayed on the top left corner after @ Password: use the badge number on the bottom right corner under the barcode. You can review a list of the programmes & projects you have screened during the event. This list is available at the dedicated stations in the Networking Lounge. It will be sent to your mail box (if you have filled it in in the contract) at the end of each day. preview magazine I March 2015 I www.mipdoc.com
If you wish to rent a smartphone, SIM card or 3G data card during MIPDoc, please contact Cellhire at www.cellhire.fr/reedmidem BUSINESS CENTRE Provides a complete range of secretarial & administrative services (fax, printing services) located on the ground floor facing the reception. FREE COFFEE BREAK Located in the Screening Booths and the Networking Lounge, from 8.30 to 11.30 and 14.00 to 17.30.