MIPTV 2012 NEWS 3

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DAY

Tuesday 3 April 2012 BRAND OF THE YEAR

Heineken’s Cyril Charzat received the MIPTV Brand Of The Year Award last night as part of the Branded Entertainment programme See page 8

FASHION STAR SALES Electus International has sold the completed series of Fashion Star to 75 territories, and optioned the format to Australia, Germany, France and Turkey. Meet the show’s presenter and executive producer Elle Macpherson...

See page 17

IAIN CANNING

Oscar-winning producer Iain Canning unveiled his first TV series Top Of The Lake yesterday See page 12

FOCUS ON 3DTV Erwin Schmidt, producer of 3D film Pina, opens MIPTV’s series of 3D events with a keynote speech at 09.15 in Auditorium A

www.miptv.com

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DRAMA | 10 x 1 hour | Anchored by life-long best friends – Tommy and Eddie, The Wedding Band are weekend rockstars.

Only they’re not crashing their way into the best parties – they’re paid to perform at them. The groupies are bridesmaids, the drinks are free and the dream is still alive.

The Wedding Band stars Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills 90210, Smallville), Harold Perrineau (Lost, Oz), Peter Cambor (NCIS: Los Angeles, Pushing Daisies), Derek Miller (Secret Girlfriend, Transformers 3) and Melora Hardin (The Office, Monk). Coming to TBS Summer 2012.

MIPTV Stand RB1 Riviera Beach . Cannes www.fmescreenings.com

HERE COMES THE BAND

From FremantleMedia & Tollin Productions for Turner Broadcasting System Inc. USA

8 x 50’ HD Visit us at MIPTV Stand G3.40 bbcworldwidesales.com

An extraordinary new BBC crime series set in the East End of London in the aftermath of the ‘Ripper’ murders.

MATTHEW MACFADYEN (Spooks, Pride & Prejudice)

JEROME FLYNN (Game of Thrones)

ADAM ROTHENBERG

(Tennessee, Alcatraz)

MYANNA BURING

(The Twilight Saga, White Heat)

DAVID DAWSON

(Luther, The Secret Diary of a Call Girl)

LUCY COHU

(Torchwood, Forgiven)

Tiger Aspect Productions and Lookout Point present RIPPER STREET for BBC One and BBC America with the participation of Bord Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board.

Produced by Stephen Smallwood Directed by Tom Shankland Series created by Richard Warlow © 2012 Ripper Street Productions Ltd.

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Contents miptv neWs 3 ®

The official MIPTV daily newspaper Tuesday 3 April 2012 Director of Publications Paul Zilk Director of Communications Mike Williams EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor in Chief Julian Newby Deputy Editor Debbie Lincoln Sub Editors Clive Bull, Sarah Kovandzich, Joanna Stephens Reporters Marlene Edmunds, Andy Fry, Emelia Jones, Juliana Koranteng, Max Leonard, Rachel Murrell, Gary Smith, Chris White, Nigel Willmott Deputy Technical Editor in Chief Frederic Beauseigneur Graphic Designers Muriel Betrancourt, Veronique Duthille, Marie Moinier, Carole Peres Head of Photographers Yann Coatsaliou / 360 Media Photographers Christian Alminana, Georges Auclaire, Olivier Houeix, Michel Johner Editorial Management Boutique Editions.

news

did you kn oW?

MIPT distribute V News : d ev at MIPTV erywhere more th , and in an in Cann 80 hotels e s a nd vicinity the

8 Conference reports; keynote speeches; market deals

people 17 Fashion Star: Elle Macpherson; 21 Malaysian networking; 30 Stars in Cannes;

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Publishing Director Martin Screpel Publishing Co-ordinators Nour Ezzedeen, Emilie Lambert, Amrane Lamiri Production Assistant, Cannes Office Eric Laurent Printer Riccobono Imprimeurs, Le Muy (France).

MANAGEMENT & SALES TEAM Director of the Entertainment Division Anne de Kerckhove Director of the Television Division Laurine Garaude Sales Director Sabine Chemaly Director of Market Development Ted Baracos Conference Director Lucy Smith Marketing Director Stephane Gambetta Programme Directors Tania Dugaro, Karine Bouteiller, Cathie Laven Managing Director (UK/Australia/New Zealand) Peter Rhodes OBE Sales Manager Elizabeth Delaney Vice President Sales and Business Development, Americas Robert Marking Vice President Business Development, North America JP Bommel Sales Managers Paul Barbaro, Nathalie Gastone, Samira Haddi Regional Sales Director Fabienne Germond Sales Executives Liliane Dacruz, Panayiota Pagoulatos, Cyril Szczerbakow Digital Media Sales Manager Nancy Denole New Media Development Manager Bastien Gave Australia and New Zealand Representative Natalie Apostolou China Representative Anke Redl CIS Representative Alexandra Modestova English Speaking Africa Representative Arnaud de Nanteuil India Representative Anil Wanvari Israel Representative Guy Martinovsky Japan Representative Lily Ono Latin America Representative Elisa Aquino Middle-East Representative Bassil Hajjar Poland Representative Monika Bednarek South Korea Representative Sunny Kim Taiwan Representative Irene Liu Germany Representative (Digital Media Sector) Renate Radke Adam ADVERTISING CONTACT IN CANNES Christine Mendes 01 41 90 49 89 christine.mendes@reedmidem.com Published by Reed MIDEM, BP 572, 11 rue du Colonel Pierre Avia, 75726 Paris Cedex 15, France. Contents © 2012, Reed MIDEM Market Publications, Publication registered 2nd quarter 2012. ISSN 1967-5178.

Printed on FSC certified paper

The MIPTV News team is located in the Palais des Festivals Level 01 • Aisle 13

Celebrating its 15th anniversary, Fashiontv sponsored the MIPTV Opening Party, where it staged a runway show

TODAY’S EVENT S

features 40 Incentives: It’s all about the money ...

44 Africa: the links in the value chain start to join together

9.00 – 11.00 Teleglu Social TV by Tele glu: The New Companion Scre en To Watch TV Together Palais des Festiv als – Auditorium I 14.30 – 15.30 Media Plus Holdi ngs Ltd First Time Show case - Meet Zverojaschers (T heromorphs) Palais des Festiv als – Auditorium I 17.00 – 19.00 ORF ORF Cocktail Pa rty Exhibition Hall – Booth N° 21.01 By invitation only

6 N3P6+D.indd 1

03/04/12 10:14

n i s r e d a e l d y l t r i o l a W e r d e t c u r const

Cases of Doubt 500 episodes commissioned to date on R TL in Germany – Delivering an impressive RTL 27% market shar share re 5 successful series on air on Polsat Poland produced by T TakoMedia akoMedia

NEWS FLASH

4 series on air on RenTV Russia produced

Construct ed Reality – la l unching France in n 2012 on in M6, Franc through A e exclusively LL3MEDIA In I ternatio nal

by Mir Reality

FILMPOOL IS THE WORLD LEADER IN CONSTRUCTED REALITY

F O S E CAS

T B U DO

FAMILIES AT THE

CROSSROADS Families es at the Cr Crossroads rossr o ro oads 500 episodes commissioned to date on ermany y – Delivering an incredible i RTL RTL in Germany verage market shar share re 31.7% average Russia, Poland & Ukraine have each produced over 100 episodes to date

X Diaries

First series commissioned in Estonia – new commissions pending

The constructed reality series that lifts the lid on what people get up to when they are away on holiday…

FILMPOOL IS THE WORLD LEADER IN CONSTRUCTED REALITY A Available vailable exclusively through ALL3MEDIA International

Over 260 episodess pr produced roduced o on RTL2 RTL2 – and showing in Poland

And three new launches at MIPTV

The T Trovatos rovatos o

www.all3mediainternational.com

Just Sue Me

Day & Night

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neWs Super-viewers are key to pay TV says Sapan HE SITUATION of pay TV today is a paradox: enormous success, while simultaneously facing an enormous challenge, from the internet and digital video,” Josh Sapan, president and CEO, AMC Networks, said in a Media Mastermind Keynote.

Cord cutting, digital disruption and binge viewing were the buzzwords of this challenge to the industry, heard in the Palais, the Carlton and US conference halls. And with the move from box sets to serving up episodes on the internet, binge viewing was becoming even easier.

The only answer, he said, to the question “what will keep them watching?” was iconic content.

Programming that when we go

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without it, we miss it: Sopranos, Mad Men, Downton Abbey, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad. “These long-arc dramas are widely known, understood, referred to and occasionally parodied.”

With them come the superviewers — fans with a deep personal connection to the series, reÀected in the scheduling of a talk show, Talking Dead, after each episode of The Walking Dead.

Building on this was the way to sustain the industry, he said. “We have seen ratings go up for later seasons against all the trends in TV. The ratings of Mad Men were 40% higher for season ¿ve following the availability of seasons one to four on NetÀix. Working with the new technology is the key to making the pay-TV system continue to grow.”

Josh Sapan, president and CEO, AMC Networks

Brand Of The Year Award “HEINEKEN has been providing social networking for much longer than digital — for 140 years,” said Cyril Charzat, the company’s senior director, global Heineken brand, global commerce. Last night he accepted the MIPTV Brand Of The Year Award for Heineken’s

8

work in engaging with its consumers, promoting conviviality through digital and liquid means. Its Serenade app, part of its ‘The Date’ Valentine’s campaign by Wieden & Kennedy, has resulted in 500,000 serenades in 20 languages. TV is still where the brand creates

Coke’s branded dance movement goes global Jonathan Mildenhall, Coke’s vice-president, global advertising strategy and content excellence

SOFT drinks giant CocaCola Company took branded entertainment to a totally new level yesterday when it unveiled a new global dance movement called Toe Tappy.

Introduced during the Media Mastermind Keynote speech by Jonathan Mildenhall, Coke’s vice-president, global advertising strategy and content excellence, the invention of Toe Tappy is the result of a massive international marketing campaign for the Coke Zero brand.

Conceived as part of the company’s brand-entertainment manifestos, Toe Tappy comes from Coke’s ‘big fat fertile space’ principle, which aims to unlock untapped oppor tunities among today’s young adults.

Working with advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather,

awareness, notably in sports tie-ins, and Charzat expects agencies increasingly to work with TV producers and actors, and to be inspired by the medium. “Now the infrastructure is truly there connecting TV, film, music, ads and digital,” he said. “Of my 15-year career, these last 18 months have perhaps been the most exciting.”

its Paris off ice Ogilvy France and dance troop Jon Chu & The LXD (Legion of Extraordinary Dancers), Coke hosted an audition in 32 countries to ¿ nd a new dance movement.

At Coca Cola, “there is a belief that action drives possibilities and Coke can give today’s generation the means to turn their dreams into possibilities,” Mildenhall said. “So we decided to do something with dance.”

From 500 entries on social media networks and YouTube, they selected the one submitted by Joey aka Knuckledhead, who grew up in poverty surrounded by gangs and drugs in the US and had also been homeless.

Now dance fans in 192 countries are performing their own versions of Toe Tappy.

Heineken’s Cyril Charzat

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Visit eOne at RIVIERA BEACH RB.43 Watch the trailer at EONETV.COM tvinfo@entonegroup.com

Comedy Series (2011) 12 x 30 minutes

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neWs

Tweet of the day

See the stars walk the red carpet into the Emmys Awards ceremony and Opening Party

Jersey Shore’s Vinny on intl appeal of the show: “Someone sitting up in the hills in Mongolia is watching you fist-pump!” #MIPTV

http://blog.mipworld.com/

Nordic crime wave intensifies ORDIC drama’s newfound popularity on the international media landscape is the result of many factors. But some things, such as the need to protect the creative development of stories, don’t change.

That’s the word from Piv Bernth, producer and head of drama at DR Denmark, speaking at yesterday’s Scandinavian Case Studies session, part of the two-day Drama Co-ProXchange. Bernth’s credits include the tremendously popular series The Killing, which has just wrapped production of its third season.

Michael Hjorth, executive producer of Sweden’s Tre Vanner Produktion, said Scandinavian drama was at “a creative critical mass”. Tre Vanner is in the middle of shooting a series of ¿lms and TV projects based on Camilla Lackberg’s Fjallbacka

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Murders, and has also picked up the TV rights for 10 books from the Norwegian crime writer Karin Fossum.

Tone Ronning, commissioning editor for drama for Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, said building a culture of trust was one of the most important aspects of co-production. NRK’s successful drama Lilyhammer starring Steven Van Zandt has been commissioned for a second season.

Christian Wikander, head of drama and entertainment at Swedish Television, unveiled details of a new transmedia drama project called The Spiral, which now has some 10 broadcasters and partners on board. The key to success in transmedia storytelling is development, Wikander said. He added: “Get good writers and let the new generation tell their story in their own way.”

Branded content gives way to strong co-created storytelling

Ogilvy Entertainment’s Doug Scott: “about brands owning content not borrowing it”

AY ONE of MIPTV’s Branded Entertainment conference strand kicked off with a creative showcase and a landscape review by Ogilvy Entertainment president Doug Scott.

“Since 2010, branded entertainment has really been about cocreated content — about brands owning content not borrowing it,” Scott said.

Working in tandem with Tom Bowman, vice-president of strategy and sales operations at BBC Worldwide, Scott provided numerous examples of branded entertainment from companies such as Heineken, Cartier, Du Pont and Macy’s. In the case of Du Pont’s collaboration with the BBC, he said: “that was an

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DR’s Piv Bernth: three seasons of The Killing

10

Tre Vanner’s Michael Hjorth: “creative critical mass”

example of content that would have worked whether there was a brand or not. It sparked a conversation about thought leadership that directly involved Du Pont.”

Bowman came to the session with a broadcaster perspective, arguing that branded entertainment can only work if it is based around strong storytelling, “because you can’t fool the end user”.

He added: “I think you also have to keep in mind that even the most simple executions require a lot of work in the background.

Cartier created an incredible 3.5-minute ¿lm [The Odyssey], but the advertising breaks on our TV channels are three minutes, so accommodating it required a lot of work behind the scenes.”

DEEP BEHIND ENEMY LINES, A GROUP OF ALLIED POWs ARE ABOUT TO MAKE HISTORY UNEARTH ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC STORIES OF WORLD WAR II

Visit eOne at RIVIERA BEACH RB.43 Watch the trailer at EONETV.COM tvinfo@entonegroup.com

Documentary (2011) 2 x 45 minutes or 72 minutes, 66 minutes

miptv

neWs Top Of The Lake partners speak at Drama CoProXchange session NE OF the most hotly-anticipated drama series showcasing at MIPTV is Top Of The Lake, from renowned film director Jane Campion. Set in remote New Zealand, it tells the story of a pregnant 12-year-old girl who suddenly disappears, leading to a missing person hunt.

Top Of The Lake isn’t just editorially interesting, it’s also a complex co-production, involving the BBC, BBC Worldwide, Sundance Channel, See-Saw Productions and various Australian funding bodies. The series was the subject of yesterday’s Drama CoProXchange session.

Participating in the session was See-Saw’s Iain Canning, who has won an Oscar for producing The King’s Speech since first teaming up with Campion. He

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said creating a TV co-pro wasn’t that strange for him and business partner Emile Sherman because they are used to collaboration from ¿lm.

Jemma Adkins, senior vice-president, TV sales and co-productions, scripted, at BBC Worldwide Americas, said the real grind came in business affairs: “There’s a lot of paperwork involved in making sure the deal is right for everyone. That’s why, with co-production, you want a project to be the ¿rst of many.”

Fortunately Sundance was not too rigid in its demands, enabling BBC Worldwide to generate fair value from the US. “We always seek maximum rights,” said Christian Vesper, senior vicepresident, acquisitions, planning & scheduling for Sundance. “But being too dogmatic means you don’t get involved.”

Abbott drama tackles transgender issues FOR HIS latest gritty drama, Shameless and State Of Play creator Paul Abbott has conjured up a heroine with real balls — literally. The protagonist of Sky Atlantic HD’s ¿ rst original drama commission, Hit And Miss, is a transgender woman who discovers she has a family, while coincidentally being a ‘hitman’.

“It’s a ludicrous slamming together of concepts,” he told the Creatives Speaking conference — his ¿ rst appearance at a television festival in 30 years of working in TV. “I just love putting such different elements together. The viewer has already got so many questions before the story even starts.”

Another cross-cultural fertilisation is having the northern

12

English contract killer, Mia, played by Hollywood actor Chloe Sevigny. “We looked at a full list of A-list UK actors, but no one seemed right. In the meanwhile, writer Sean Conway had renamed the character Chloe, clearly with her in mind. He got what he wanted.”

The six-part series is one of the fruits of the writers’ studio set up by Abbott to train and develop writers to work on highend, high-concept dramas.

“I used to complain about writers that weren’t prepped to do this stuff,” he said. So, with the backing of FremantleMedia, he converted a house in Manchester as a residential centre for new writers man or woman enough to make the grade.

Sarah Doole, director of drama and comedy at BBC Worldwide’s indie unit said there was similar Àexibility from See-Saw: “Often we need different duraBBC Worldwide’s Jemma Adkins

Sundance’s Christian Vesper

Paul Abbott

tions for broadcasters. See-Saw were great because they delivered an extra episode to Sundance to account for the speci¿c needs.”

For Canning, perhaps the biggest issue was making sure the $2mper-episode production complied with broadcaster rules: “There are sensitivities around this subject but you can deal with them through communication.”

See-Saw’s Iain Canning

BBC Worldwide’s Sarah Doole

miptv

neWs CCTV-9 WORKS WITH BBC SCIENCE UNIT CCTV-9’s Liu Wen

Meeting the decision makers behind China’s doc channel

W BBC WORLDWIDE and Chinese state broadcaster CCTV’s documentary channel CCTV-9 have signed co-production deals for the new science series Generation Earth and Wonders Of Life.The new Brian Cox series Wonders Of Life is a view of life from the point of view of physics while Generation Earth scopes out some of the most ambitious engineering projects in the world. The deals mark the first collaboration between CCTV-9 and the BBC’s award winning Science Unit.

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, brokered the deals and will distribute the series globally. CCTV-9 channel managing director Liu Wen said: “We’ve had great success with titles such as Human Planet and Frozen Planet so we’re very pleased to be partnering with the BBC on two groundbreaking new series.”

Kim Shillinglaw, BBC commissioning editor for science and natural history, said that the support of international partners like CCTV-9 was instrumental in allowing the BBC’s creative talent to push themselves even further. Steve Macallister, president and managing director, sales and distribution, BBC Worldwide, said that they had been doing business in China for 20 years and had a strong relationship with CCTV.

14

ITH a mind-boggling peak daily audience of 94 million people in China, 200% audience g row t h and 25 million

subscribers to its international channel — all in a little over a year — CCTV-9, the CCTV Documentary Channel, is a force to be reckoned with in international production.

“We want to deepen the friendship with old partners, and create opportunities for new friends,” said Luo Ming, editor-in-chief and vice-president CCTV, at the CCTV-9: Meet The Decision Makers session.

“CCTV-9 is a bridge between China and the rest of the world.”

Luo Ming editor-in-chief and vice-president CCTV

Liu Wen, managing director of CCTV-9, said the channel had purchased 1,000 hours from 60 international partners in 20 countries, including NHK and KBS. He presented clips from five representative CCTV-9 series, including Chinese Mega Projects, a ¿ve-part series focusing on incredible engineering feats.

Zhou Yan, CCTV-9’s deputy managing director, outlined ways it has been working with international partners. Co-productions with global interest included the landmark Generation Earth, with BBC Worldwide. Then there were topics related to China, such as China’s Hidden Landscape: Sinkholes, with Nat Geo. It also co-produced to re-version CCTV shows for international distribution, and worked with production companies to jointly produce output on special topics, such as the Forbidden City 100 series, made partly with the UK’s Skybot.

Zhou Li outlines JSBC strategy THE PRESIDENT of JiangSu Broadcasting Corp (JSBC) Zhou Li is in Cannes to focus attention on the growing international nature of JSBC, the broadcasting network she’s helmed for the past decade.

Zhou moved over to JSBC after a period as president of Nanjing Broadcasting.

Since she began at JSBC, she’s followed a three-step strategy to bring the broadcaster to the position it is in today, as one of the most influential in China.

“The ¿ rst step was to produce programming that suited our own viewers, then to become the most inÀuential company in our region, and then to increase sales

and acquisition of programming abroad.

“Those goals have now been reached,” she said. “We’ve already done some co-production to increase the appeal of our programmes to the international market. We have co-produced but we want to do more.”

Zhou is also a deputy to the 11th National People’s Congress and the vice-president of the Chinese Television Artists Association.

She said that like many countries, China’s congress can make laws affecting television and media.

The supervisory body SARFT (State Administration of Radio, Film And Television) has the power to make regulations as well.

JSBC’s Zhou Li

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14 January 2011

BEHIND

Diana Howie on ITV’s Frills THE SCENES early evening refresh Fat and spills on Big Gypsy Weddings Page 10

INTERVIEW

Zodiak on Being British in LA

Page 30

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to waive Crown Jewels list

BY JAKE KANTER

as part of failed England

bid

The BBC and ITV were set to join forces to battle a secret government decision that could have handed Sky the chance to air the 2018 World Cup. It has emerged that the government guaranteed to football body Fifa that it was BBC insider prepared to waive listed events regulations for the 2018 tournament as part of England’s failed bid to host the event.

Under current rules, the World Cup is on the Crown Jewels TV sports list, meaning that it can only be shown live on free-toair television.

However, at the request of Fifa, England’s 2018 World Cup bid document contained a promise to allow pay-TV companies, such as BSkyB and Disney-owned ESPN, the chance to bid for rights.

Neither the BBC nor ITV – Spain vs Portugal: which traditionally share high-proďŹ le 2010 clash is the type of game free-to-air coverage viewers could have missed of the World Cup – were in 2018 aware of The idea was that, if successful, the guarantee at the time of the government England’s bid. the issue until after would have the digital switchover in 2013.

Sources at both broadcasters sought to renegotiate the guarantee with Fifa, or at expressed concern that Last year, the Conservatives least strike they were a compromise. not consulted and that opposed a Labour-backed the governmove to Such a scenario could have ment appeared willing put the Ashes on the Crown seen to let Fifa England Jewels matches and games “dictate� legislative changes.

TV sports list – a plan that was beyond the second round eventually derailed by “We would have come reserved DCMS spokesman together for free-to-air the May broadcasters. with other terrestrial channels general election. to But had these criteria seek talks,â€? a BBC insider Fifa’s eventual decision been guarantees, otherwise revealed. applied to to award bids could the 2018 the 2010 World Cup, Department for Culture, World Cup to Russia was not proceed. If successful Media terrestrial viewers in mired in controversy and Sport ofďŹ cials have could still have landing after a Panosuggested missed out 2018, we would have on the likes of Spain’s that the guarantee – submitted rama investigation entered into discussions accused three to victory over neighbours with Fifa senior ofďŹ cials Fifa in May last year under Portugal to ensure at the international the pre- or Brazil’s group that the World Cup games. vious Labour government governing body of would have reached football of – was A DCMS spokesman said: the widest accepting essential for the bid to proceed bribes. “Fifa possible audience.â€? and asked the governments for England to stand any The documentary was of all counIt is not clear what the chance of tries bidding branded coalition “unpatrioticâ€? for the 2018 World securing the tournament.

by England’s 2018 government’s position Cup to sign up to a is on listed World Cup number of events after bid chief executive it delayed a review into Andy Anson.

We would have come together with other channels to seek talks

GETTY IMAGES

Broadcast Expert industry intelligence at home and abroad....

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Government made secret decision

We would’ve talked to Fifa to ensure the World Cup reached the widest audience

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miptv

neWs REGIONAL FILM FUNDS ARE ON THE MONEY REGIONAL film funds were out in force at The Producers’ Hub, providing insight into the incentives and operational support they can provide producers.

At Sunday’s The Film Commissions’ Feature, Andrea Romagnoli spoke on behalf of the Lazio Region Film Fund, which covers Rome and the surrounding area. Romagnoli explained how new legislation makes it possible for qualifying productions to access significant subsidies. With 80% of Italian audiovisual companies based in Lazio, he said the region’s mix of subsidies, locations and technical support are a powerful proposition.

Sylvain Rouget of the Cote D’Azur Film Commission emphasised the South of France’s good climate, transport links and locations. “We provide free services to producers who shoot on the French Riviera, helping with accommodation, crewing and filming authorization,” he said.

Abdelhaq Mantrach of the Rabat Film Commission, said the Rabat-Sale region had been used by filmmakers including Ridley Scott and Mike Nichols. Producers visiting Morocco tended to head south to the Ouarzazate Film Commission. Now, Rabat-Sale, with its tax breaks, good locations and efficient crewing, is a strong alternative.

Oliver Zeller of MFG, the German film fund from the Baden-Wurttemberg region, explained the kind of federal and local funding available.

MFG’s aim is to advance the production industry in southwest Germany, he said, adding that there are other funds in locations such as Hamburg and Munich.

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Pitch Doctor prescribes a good story, passion and eye-contact OU NEVER get a second chance to make a f irst impression, Paul Boross told the audience at the Producers’ Hub opening session, The Pitch Doctor’s Guide To Practical Pitching.

Speaking after the event, which offered a suite of “psychological tricks to gain access to people”, Boross said he had been inundated with requests from producers interested in one-on-one training sessions. “It was an incredibly engaged audience,” he added.

“And what particularly pleased me was the mix between new faces and veteran producers — which confirms that smart people always want to learn.”

According to Boross, psychology is the thing that makes the difference between a good pitch and an unsuccessful one.

“People buy from people they like and trust,” he said. “One of my favourite statistics is that 85% of your success in life is down to the quality of your

Y

Pitch Doctor Paul Boross: “People buy from people they like”

relationships.”

Boross summarised the golden rule of pitching as passion, knowledge of your subject matter, narrative drive (“Tell stories — it’s easier for people to remember that way”) and a focus on your audience.

“Great pitchers look into the eyes of the people in front of them for clues,” he said. “A lot of people think that pitching is about what you say. But a lot of pitching is about what you hear.

The best pitchers are the people who listen the best.”

True co-pro is rare but rewarding YESTERDAY’s Producers’ Hub Boot Camp session advised aspiring documentary-makers not to confuse co-productions with co¿nancing.

Speakers at the Factual & Documentary Co-Production Boot Camp agreed that real co-productions are tougher to achieve.

“A true co-production is rare because what most people mean is co-¿ nancing through pre-sales, licence fees and tax credits. A real co-production takes place when the partners are also sharing some of the creative roles,” said Pat Ferns, president and executive producer of Canada-based Ferns Productions’ Pat Ferns: “sharing creative roles”

Ferns Productions.

It is also important to understand the local co-production treaty terms that apply to your project, because the funding available from local film agencies and broadcasters is plummeting.

Ove Rishoj Jensen, web editor and ¿lm consultant at Denmarkbased European Documentary Network (EDN), cited EDN statistics showing that, between 2000 and 2010, the amount of money available to productions has fallen signi¿cantly in most countries. “The Danish Film Institute used to offer 50% of the production budget — it is now under 40%,” he said.

He added: “You should never give your digital rights away to broadcasters and they would be wrong to take them.”

Elle has designs on you ...

UPERMODEL Elle Macpherson is undeniably beautiful, and the body comes with a brain attached.

Macpherson is the presenter and an executive producer of Fashion Star, a new 10-part reality show on NBC in which 14 unknown fashion designers compete for the chance to launch their collection in three high-street stores. And each week, the clothes made in that episode are available to buy online. “There are so many layers to this show,� Macpherson said. “It combines fashion and business and heart. It stimulates the economy. And it’s also inspiring to see these designers working to make their dream come true.�

And Macpherson knows about the commercial side of the industry. “After 20 years of running my lingerie business, I know that selling is as important as making fashion,� she said.

But even she was surprised at the calibre of buyers that executive producer Ben Silverman of production company Electus lined up for the show. “Ben wanted buyers from Macy’s, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue,

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and I thought ‘you’ll never get them to sit next to each other’. But he did,� Macpherson said.

The result was a weekly bidding war between the buyers at which Macpherson was referee. “Sometimes I felt like an auctioneer,� she joked.

Viewers took to Fashion Star immediately. “The show airs on the (DVW &RDVW ÂżUVW DQG E\ WKH WLPH LW DLUV RQ WKH :HVW &RDVW D ORW of the items had sold out,â€? said Macpherson. Not unlike the show itself. Electus International has sold the completed series to 75 territories and optioned the format to Australia, Germany, France and Turkey. Macpherson is eager for a second series. And she’s hands-on. “I’m a team player, and I work long hours like everyone else on the show,â€? she said. “If I’m not on set presenting, I’m on the phone to the contestants or organising some aspect of the show.â€?

Even in the Palais, when an admirer drops by to say hello, Macpherson skillfully turns the conversation into a sales pitch.

Be warned. It’s hard to say ‘no’ to Elle Macpherson.

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neWs Panel offers expert advice on how to find format success in Russia EEP to the point, be precise and make sure your format is relevant to the broadcaster in question.

This was the advice of independent media consultant Alexandra Modestova of Akimbo, speaking at the Meet The Experts session on how to maximise your chances of selling a format into Russia.

Observing that Russia needs to find some 175,000 hours of content a year to feed its 20 free-to-air channels, Modestova said: “There’s a hunger and thirst among Russian channels for new programming, and formats are seen as a way of supplying that content. But there are cultural and language barriers to overcome, which is why you need a Russian partner.”

The panel of experts, which included Olga Goncharova of KVG Research, Leyla Ney-

K

man of Seneschal Neyman and Alexey Sumin of HighWay Production, agreed that, while the Russian format industry is growing rapidly, it is a highly competitive environment.

Not only is Russia’s indigenous production industry large and skilled at reversioning foreign shows for local audiences, but all the major format players are now present in the territory. With the likes of Endemol, FremantleMedia and Banijay selling their formats to the major broadcasters, Modestova said that smaller, unknown producers would do better to target the second-tier channels.

When asked how to go about ¿nding the right Russian partner, Modestova added: “My advice is come to MIP, because the cream of Russia’s TV business is here. But make an appointment ¿rst.”

Eurodata TV’s Amandine Cassi

COMEDY STILL KING FOR KIDS “COMEDY is still the preferred genre for both children and parents,” Amandine Cassi, head of research at Eurodata TV Worldwide told delegates at The Big Picture — the Global Animation Marketplace conference session.

She added the “good news”, for the industry at least, that children are watching more and more television — an average of nine minutes more a day in the five main European territories. She noted that animation can be timeless, as well as having a global reach.

But Kay Benbow, controller of the BBC’s pre-school channel CBeebies, reported increasing concern at the small number of female role models in programmes. She showed clips from an upcoming series for younger children, based on the Tilly And Friends books by Polly Dunbar, which has a female lead character.

A teenage heroine is the star of a series presented by Jules Borkent of Nickelodeon International.

The Legend Of Korra, a spin-off from Avatar, premieres on Nickelodeon this month.

Nickelodeon is also launching an updated series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and has acquired classic series Power Rangers.

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Akimbo’s Alexandra Modestova: “you need a Russian partner”

Meet The Experts From Russia: Alexey Sumin (left), Leyla Neyman, Olga Goncharova and Alexandra Modestova

Nordic’s world-class indies on show THE NORDIC Worldsponsored showcase of the best independent formats from Scandinavia and the Nordic region started with a surprise.

“I’d like to announce Jan Salling that Wales is now part of the Nordic region,” said presenter Jan Salling, chief operating of¿cer and sales director of Nordic World. He was referring to the latest addition to his catalogue, the reality series Farm Factor from Welsh indie producer Cwmni Da, which sees 10 real farmers on 10 real farms battle it out for the title of the nation’s Best Farmer.

Salling presented four other formats that he felt “had that special magic that separates a great format from a good one”.

Included is 24 Hours – Live, from Norwegian production powerhouse Monster, part of NICE Group, which uses TV, the web, Facebook and Twitter to follow and control

a celebrity for a day. Also from Monster comes The Ultimate Entertainer, which pits 10 established pop stars against each other for the title of ultimate artist. Also featured were two cooking shows with a twist. In Jailhouse Cook from Koncern Film & TV, a professional chef opens an up-market restaurant in a high-security prison, training hardened criminals in the genteel art of gourmet cooking. TV2 Norway’s Warzone Cooking sees a wellknown war correspondent and a celebrity chef travel the world in search of the most delicious — and dangerous — meals.

Speaking after the event, Salling said: “Nordic budgets aren’t huge and our audiences are among the most highly educated and critical in the world. That combination is a great catalyst for creativity, as these formats demonstrate. Our producers are prepared to take risks and push the boundaries, which means that there’s a strong chance the Next

Big Thing will come out of the Nordic region.”

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Facebook’s Karla Geci: “a vehicle for getting there”

NHK’s Shin Murata

CO-PRO SUCCESS CALLS FOR FLEXIBILITY

Digital giants find wealth of ways to deliver TV content to viewers HE KEY message of The New TV Players panel was that content owners no longer need to depend on broadcasters to reach mass consumers. Four panellists from global media-and-technology giants declared their future visions of doing business with content developers.

Google TV, the software operating system designed to bring online content to TV, is providing “an easy solution for online content developers and partners

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to get on to the big TV screen,” said Germany-based Christian Witt, Google TV’s strategic partner development manager.

Facebook’s newly installed Timeline service, which highlights all activities uploaded by users based on the chronology, provides a more interesting way of storytelling, said Karla Geci, Facebook UK’s director of strategic partner development. “For years, we talked about going where the audience is. Now we’ve a vehicle for getting there,” she said.

The reincarnated version of the once troubled social-music platform Myspace is launching Myspace TV, a social–media app, on Panasonic smart-TV sets this July. “Our goal is to be accessed by about 20 million devices in the US by the end of the year,” said Blair Day, Myspace’s vicepresident strategy.

“YouTube’s vision is to be the best platform for the next generation of TV channels,” stated Jed Simmons, director and head of original programming, YouTube EMEA.

Panel predicts linear TV still set to stay GROWTH in internet-connected devices has not diminished the demand for linear content, concluded speakers at the Who’s Connecting To Your Audience Now? session.

Christian Bombrun, deputy managing director of M6 Web, part of France’s M6 TV network, said the big TV screen still dominates people’s homes. “We still think the biggest consumption will be of linear TV channels. But we’re also seeing a lot of multi-tasking via the second screen while people watch the big screen,” he said.

Emma Lloyd, director of emerging products at the UK’s biggest pay-TV platform BSkyB, added: “There is more TV viewing in our

households — four hours and two minutes daily — and most of that is still linear TV.” The panellists, however, agreed the tide of internet-enabled devices for watching TV is rising, which has informed Microsoft’s strategy, said Peter Mercier, senior director, content acquisition and strategy at Microsoft UK. “We’ve launched 66 million Xbox consoles, sold 18 million of [the voice and gesturecontrolled] Kinect devices and, during Christmas last year, we announced a series of content partnerships.”

Daniel Saunders, director of content services at Samsung Electronics Europe, said smart-TV

makers are influencing consumers’ access to content: “One in four TV sets sold in Europe is Samsung. Most are capable of connecting to the internet.”

BSkyB’s Emma Lloyd: more TV viewing and most still linear

CO-PRODUCTION is rarely as simple as ending up with one single version of a finished programme, as delegates at the MIPDoc session on Co-productions For Success heard.

The versions of evolution series Life Force, co-produced by NHK, NHNZ, France Televisions, Science Channel and Animal Planet, will be so different as to be barely recognisable.

While the New Zealand/ international version is called Life Force and has a narrator, NHK’s is called Hot Spots and has Japanese singer and actor Masaharu Fukuyama as on-screen presenter. And while NHK wanted plenty of fish and birds, Animal Planet wanted more animals and behind-the-scenes footage for their version, called Mutant Planet. Episode lengths vary from 42 minutes to two hours.

A second season is planned, and this time China’s CCTV will join the co-producers — and require yet another local version.

“Being sensitive to the needs of different audiences and having the flexibility to create different versions for different markets is essential in international co-productions,” said Shin Murata, executive producer, Natural History Team, NHK Enterprises.

Delegates also heard about Apocalypse, The First World War, a series co-produced by Ideacom International (Canada) and CC&C (France), for TV5 (Canada) and France Televisions, airing in 2014, the 100th anniversary.

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people Malaysian reception MIP TV delegates had the chance to network with executives from Malaysia at a special reception in Cannes.

Astro Malaysia Holdings Ahmad Fuaad Kenali, Khazanah Nasional’s Hisham Mokhtar, Pinewood Islandar Malaysia Studios Michael Lake, Tripod Entertainment’s Leon Tan, Inspidea’s CJ See, MAVCAP’s Saifulbahri Hassan and Jamaludin Bujang

FINAS’ Syazli Muhd Khiar, Vision Animation’s Low Huoi Seong, FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME] David Ellender, Finas’ N. Balaraman, FME’s Ganesh Rajaram, Worldwide Rights Corporation’s Farid Ahmad, FMEs Paul Ridley

GCMA’s Adam Ham, March Entertainment’s Daniel Hawes and August Media Holdings Jyotirmoy Saha FINAS’ N. Balaraman and Screen Australia’s Chris Oliver

FINAS’ N. Balaraman with NHK Enterprises Kazamasa Iida

FINAS’ N. Balaraman, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios Michael Lake, MDeC’s Desmond Ngai, C21Media’s Mark Rowland, Creative Content Association of Malaysia’s Dato’ Mahyidin Mustakim

GCMA’s Adam Ham, Spacetoon Media Hub’s Sharifah Hendon, Creative Content Association of Malaysia’s Dato’ Mahyidin Mustakim, Spacetoon Media Hub’s Fayez Al Sabagh, Astro Overseas’ Zainir Aminullah, Everest International Distribution’s Jon Ozcan Omural

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neWs Vision247 service delivers Market looking rosy for speedy streaming solution Studio Hamburg format ROADCAST specialist forms, there is a demand to match Vision247 has launched the sync achieved with satellite or a new low latency HTTP terrestrial transmission with overlive streaming (HLS) so- the-top internet streaming onto any device. lution to Matt Vidmar, Vicrack the issues Vision247’s Matt Vidmar: setting real challenge sion247, chairman of time delay in and group chief live video transtechnology of¿cer, missions. The explained: “Mealatest generation suring from video of content distriinput to client bution networks device screen, we have been hamset ourselves the pered by latency task of achieving issues, most recoaround a ¿ve to a gnisable when a maximum of selive news reporter ven seconds delay. is speaking from That is a real chalthe other side of lenge, especially the world. when it comes to As live news, live auction and gambling channel ope- ¿ne-tuning HLS streaming to morators move to online video plat- bile devices.”

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GERMANY’s Studio Ham- format as we have 1,200 epiburg hit the ground running sodes on offer.” at MIPTV with a new growth Studio Hamburg has been strategy for 2012 and a fresh a long-standing delegate at MIPTV with over 30 years programming portfolio.

“We are very close to penning attendance, but this year it is several deals for our telenovela showcasing an ability to be a one - st op Red Roses, Hamburg’s Christiane Wittich: shop for prowh ich h a s Studio “close to penning several deals” duction and been a radist r ibution tings hit in across all G e r m a n y,” platfor ms. said Studio “We are also H a m b u r g’s lo ok i ng t o head of inacquire new t e r n at ion a l programming sales, Christhis year to tiane Wittich. expand our “Internatioportfolio for nal buyers international particularly distribution,” like this Wittich said. long-running

3D Eyes Wide Open on Tues. & Wed. for all MIPTV participants SESSIONS, 3D SCREENINGS & WORKSHOPS - AUDI A, Level 3 Tues. 3 April T A pril 09.15 3D Keynotes: Erwin Schmidt, Producer, PINA in 3D & Jim Chabin, International 3D Society 10.20 3DTV State of the Market: IHS Screen Digest 10.45 3D Sports 12.00 3DTV Global Entertainment 14.15 3DTV Broadcasting Revenue Opportunities 15.20 Playstation 3D Games 16.00 3DTV New Media Revenues

miptv focus

Wed. 4 April W 10.00-12.30 3DTV Producer Boot Camp Workshop

Including speakers from: 3net, Atlantic Productions, BSkyB, Deutsche Telekom, EBU, HIGHT TV V 3D, Orange, Prime Focus, Sky Deutschland, Sky Italia, Sony

www.miptv.com In partnership with:

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miptv

Chinese city TV broadcasters get their first taste of Cannes DELEGATION of 16 city TV broadcasters from China are in Cannes for the first time, hoping to buy and sell programming, but also taking their ¿ rst look around at MIPTV. Li Yiqun, chief editor of Shenyang Radio & TV, said Shenyang is currently chairing the City TV Stations Association and the City TV Advertising Association, organisations that include 207 local city level broadcasters. “My role is to organise and talk about common issues that affect all of the city stations, and that includes, as an example, mutual programme exchange.”

Zhu Daming, deputy president of Changchun TV, said: “MIPTV

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really is amazing and when I go back to China, one of the ¿ rst things we’ll do is organise the programming we’d like to bring to Cannes next time around.”

Guiyang Radio and TV president Li Baojing added: “At our station, we definitely plan on importing at least 20 episodes of drama in the near future and will certainly be using the networking facilities that being here at MIPTV has provided.”

The city of Xian has a 3,000-year history that spans 13 dynasties, and is the home of the terracotta soldiers unearthed some years ago. “We have many programmes we’d like to export,” Xian TV president Song Zhigang said. “Last year our documentary received an award at the Macao

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58’ OR 72’ PRODUCED B BY Y MOMENTO MOMENTO FILM

International Film Festival and there were Hollywood judges on the panel so we’ve got programming with international appeal.”

But Hunan province, like its food, likes its entertainment hot, said He Dagong, president, Changsha TV. “Hunan is known for its production of entertainment programming. We’re de¿nitely looking to export but we also want to import the hottest TV formats from the US and Europe.”

Reed MIDEM’s Laurine Garaude (centre) with executives from Chinese city TV stations

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WWW.SVTSALES.COM WWW W.SVT ..SV SALES.COM V VISIT ISIT US A AT TM MIPTV: IPTV: S STAND TA AND R30 R30.19 .19 1 Sales contact maria.bergenman@svt.se malin.gullbrand@svt.se malin.gullbrand@svt.se paulette.olofson@svt.se paulette.olofson@svt.se enjoy new talents new programs all genres made in sweden

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neWs Root grows HBO production business in Central Europe NTONY Root is at his first MIPTV as HBO Central Europe’s (HBO CE) executive vice-president of original programming and production. He is reporting strong growth in its production base, notably in Budapest, Prague and Warsaw. “We have six shows shooting this year, and I’m in Cannes looking for scripted formats to produce locally,” Root said, adding that he had attended the MIPTV international co-production event yesterday, which gathered producers from Europe and North America for moderated brainstorming and networking. Root said he has met with 20 to 30 producers. Root has been looking for one-hour and half-hour dramas.

“We take inspiration from the

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US, and echo what it does. We’re bolder than terrestrial channels,” Root said. He also talked about HBO CE’s original documentary production, which includes The One That Got Away, the story of a Holocaust survivor being reunited with the love he lost in a Nazi camp as a boy. He added: “In our scripted formats, too, we’re looking for strong personal stories that speak to the audience in the market.”

Antony Root: “bolder than terrestrial channels”

Peace Point aims high with launch of distribution arm CANADIAN producer Peace alternative travel show Bump Point Entertainment Group (26 x 30 mins); and a new verhas launched its own distribu- sion of Superbodies, the docution arm, Peace Point Rights. mentary that uses CGI to look “We’re very excited about inside the bodies of Olympic athletes to the official show how unveiling t h e y p e rof our disform under tribution pressure. ar m,” said The compagroup preny has devesident Les Peace Point’s Les Tomlin: excited loped iPad Tomlin. “It about official unveiling apps for will disits leading tribute the group’s own product, mainly shows to extend the brand and factual and lifestyle titles, and boost the viewer experience.

Eric Muller is vice-president third-party properties.”

Top Peace Point titles for international sales and acquiMIPTV include: Bake With sitions at Peace Point Rights Anna Olson (40 x 23 mins), and Julie Chang is vice-prethe pastry chef extraordi- sident business affairs and naire; season six of upscale North American acquisitions.

The who’s who of the global industry, enriched with a new dedicated section for Buyers to identify exhibitors by programme genres

Pick up your copy at registration

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miptv

YahLive on track for 30 HD channels by end of 2012 AUNCHED just last December, the YahLive satellite broadcast service is already transmitting 32 HD-only channels to the Middle East and expects to reach 50 by the end of 2012.

In what is still a market dominated by freeto-air services, YahLive aims to prepare the Middle East for a switch to viewer-supported models by offering “quality content and quality broadcasting”.

Mohamed Youssif, chief executive of¿cer of YahLive, said: “About 600 free-to-air channels are available in the Middle East, but our market survey in six countries showed that most people only watch 10. So our aim is to make available a collection of around 100 of

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KBS MEDIA is selling the TV and video rights to its dramas Man From The Equator and Gwanggaeto: The Great Conqueror to Japan’s Culture Convenience Club (CCC), one of the largest distribution

MALAYSIA’s Backbone Entertainment has joined NeonPumpkin and Millimages as the third co-producer on the Call For ChiChi project. Pictured here celebrating the deal are Neon Pumpkin’s Jihyung Bae (left), Backbone Entertainment’s K W Low, Neon Pumpkin’s Sara Kyungwon Han-Williams, Millimages UK’s Jonathan Peel and Backbone Entertainment’s Evelyn Lee

ATF PARTNERS WITH SCREENSINGAPORE Asia Television Forum: “rich networking opportunities”

the most watched channels, all in HD.” The quality of the picture is equally important. “People say Sky News looks much better when they see it in Europe,” Youssif said.

“That’s because in Europe the bandwidth is about 16MB compared with around 6MB in the Middle East. Our signal is between 10MB and 13MB, compared with an average of around 3MB in the Middle East. So we offer much better picture quality.”

YahLive is in Cannes to continue to spread the word to channel operators and contentproviders. One key point for potential partners is that YahLive has a separate footprint for Europe and the Middle East, which simpli¿es rights issues for many content-owners.

companies in Japan. “This is the biggest sale of a historical drama that KBS Media has done in years,” said Dae Hyun Cho, president of KBS Media (left), pictured here with CCC’s Takeshi Yoshimora

MALAYSIA’s Animasia Studios has licensed the digital rights for Canada and the US for ABC Monsters (22 x 22 mins) to pre-school platform Kidobi. The series features three kids, who must search Alphabet Gardens for one of 26 cuddly monsters who get themselves lost there. The three friends are aided by a magical dictionary and various letter-related clues. Pictured here sealing the deal are Animasia Studios’ Raye Lee (left) and Edmund Chan (right) with FINAS’ N. Balaraman.

IN A BID to develop into Asia’s biggest content market, Asia Television Forum (ATF) will partner with ScreenSingapore for the 13th edition of the content market this December. It will also partner with uniFrance, Institut Francais and Alliance Francaise de Singapour for the second Rendezvous with French Cinema.

ATF has announced a new tailored programme on five hot industry topics. The keynotes, panels and workshops include a special focus on digital distribution, the best of Asian programming, co-production in Asia, Asian animation and the future of TV entertainment in the digital age.

ATF organiser Reed Exhibitions Singapore has formed a strategic alliance with Reed MIDEM, its sister company and the producer of the world’s largest content markets. “We aim to deliver rich networking opportunities for both established and new players beyond just the TV industry,” said Michelle Lin, managing director of Reed Exhibitions Singapore. “With the rising importance of Asia in the global content market, ATF offers a highly accessible market platform for international and Asian industry players to explore collaborations and discover opportunities.”

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OFFICIAL CONFERENCES & EVENTS BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT FRESH TV: The Top TV Shows in Social Media 9.15 – 9.45 Esterel In partnership with Speaker ■ Virginia Mouseler, CEO, The WIT, France @TheWitFreshTV

BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT BRANDED CONTENT IN MARKETING MIX 10.00 – 11.00 Esterel

DIGITAL DEALS VOD ON TAP: How to make money on catch-up TV and beyond 14.00 – 15.00 Esterel Moderator ■ Kate Bulkley, M edia C ommentator a nd Jo urnalist, U K @ katecomments Speakers ■ Jeff Henry (photo), CEO, Filmflex Movies, UK ■ Ashley MacKenzie, Founder & CEO, Base79, UK @Base79 ■ Charlie Muirhead, CEO and Founder, Rightster, UK @CharlieMuirhead

MEET THE SPEAKERS SESSION!

Producers’ Hub 9.30 – 10.30

DRAMA COPRODUCTION FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Agora Presented by MEDIA Programme of the European Union Speakers

Sponsored by

■ Virve Indren (photo), Moderator

■ Andy Fry, Freelance Writer and Analyst Speakers

■ Birgit Becker, Marketing & Communications Manager, Nestlé, Switzerland ■ Chet Fenster (photo), Managing Partner, MEC Entertainment, USA @MECideas ■ Patou Nuyteman, EAME Chief Digital Officer, Ogilvy & Mather, UK ■ Evan Shapiro, President, Independent Film Channel, USA @eshap

BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT SEPHORA: Entering the Chinese Market 11.15 – 11.45 Esterel

DIGITAL DEALS DIGITAL DEAL MAKING TRENDS IN THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY 15.15 – 16.30 Esterel In association with the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers ( IAEL)

Programme Coordinator, MEDIA Programme of the European Union, Belgium

■ Letizia Trunfio, Project Advisor, Support for Independent Producers (TV Broadcasting and i2i), MEDIA Programme, Belgium

Moderator ■ Jeff Liebenson, Principal, Liebenson Law, USA @jliebenson Speakers ■ Chris Cass, Head of Sales, EMEA, Gracenote, UK ■ Sima Sistani (photo), Director, Business Development, Yahoo!, USA @sistanisays ■ Massimo Travostino, Lawyer, Studio Legale Pecoraro-Travostino, Italy

FOLLOWED BY MENTORING ONE ON ONE

Speaker

■ Alexis de Gemini, CEO, Director and Producer, A2G Creations, France @alexisdegemini

BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT MEASURING THE VALUE OF BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT 12.00 – 13.00 Esterel Sponsored by Speakers

■ Sean Finnegan, Founder & CEO, The C4 Group, USA @SeanFinnegan ■ François Florentiny, Managing Director, ITV Studios, France ■ Chantal Rickards, Head of Programming/Branded Content, MEC, UK ■ Doug Scott (photo), President, Ogilvy Entertainment, USA @dougscottogilvy

MEET THE SPEAKERS SESSION!

MEET THE SPEAKERS SESSION!

15.00 – 16.00

DRAMA & FICTION: CO-PRODUCTION BOOT CAMP Agora Speakers

■ Pat Ferns (photo), President/ Executive Producer, Ferns Productions Inc., Canada @patferns

■ Pat Quinn, Partner, Manager, Quinn Media Management, USA

FOLLOWED BY MENTORING ONE ON ONE

TUESDAY 3 APRIL

3DTV FOCUS INTRODUCTION AND KEYNOTES 9.15 – 10.15 Audi A

3DTV FOCUS 3DTV PRODUCER MATCHMAKING 13.00 – 14.30 Auditorium J, level 4

Introduction & Opening Remarks ■ Chris Forrester, Contributing Editor, Advanced-Television.com, UK Keynote ■ Erwin M. Schmidt (photo), Producer, Neue Road Movies, Germany ■ Jim Chabin (photo), President, International 3D Society, USA @3DSociety

3DTV FOCUS 3DTV STATE OF THE MARKET 10.20 – 10.40 Audi A Opening scene-setter ■ Tom Morrod, Senior Principle Analyst, TV and Broadcast Technology, IHS Screen Digest, UK @tommorrod

3DTV FOCUS SPORTS & ACTION SPOTLIGHT 10.45 – 11.45 Audi A Speakers

■ Peter Angell, Independent 3D Consultant, France

By Invitation only Focused one on one meetings with 3D content producers.

3DTV FOCUS WHERE ARE THE BROADCASTING REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES IN 3DTV? 14.15 – 15.15 Audi A Featured Presentation ■ David Wood (photo), Deputy Director, Technology and Development, EBU, Switzerland Moderator ■ Chris Forrester, Contributing Editor, Advanced-Television.com, UK Speakers ■ Laurent Baldoni, 3D Producer, 3DMania, UK ■ Ruth Cartwright, Broadcast Account Director / Head of VoD, Maxus / WPP, UK ■ Cosetta Lagani, Head of 3D Channel Sky Italia, Sky Italia, Italy ■ Jacquie Pepall, Producer/ Director/ 3D Consultant, @Jacqpep Dimension Media, UK

3DTV FOCUS PLAYSTATION 3D GAMES PRESENTATION 15.20 – 15.50 Audi A

■ John Cassy (photo), Director, Sky 3D,

Keynote ■ Mick Hocking, Vice President, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, UK

BSkyB, UK ■ Duncan Humphreys, Creative Director, Can Communicate, UK @cancommunicate ■ Ghislaine Le Rhun-Gautier, Head of 3D Project, Orange, France

MEET THE SPEAKERS SESSION!

3DTV FOCUS GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT 12.00 – 13.00 Audi A Chairman

■ Chris Forrester, Contributing Editor, AdvancedTelevision.com, UK Speakers ■ John Cassy, Director, Sky 3D, BSkyB, UK ■ Anthony Geffen, CEO, Atlantic Productions, UK ■ Eric Klein, CEO, HIGHTV 3D, Hong Kong ■ RHA Bong Ha, Executive Director, KCC, Korea ■ Mark Ringwald, Director, Acquisitions & Scheduling, 3net, USA ■ Spencer Stephens (photo), Chief Technology Officer, Sony Pictures, USA

3DTV FOCUS WHERE ARE THE NEW MEDIA REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES IN 3DTV? 16.00 – 17.00 Audi A Moderator ■ Jonathan Tustain, Editor, 3D Focus, UK Speakers

■ Mick Hocking, Vice President, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, UK

■ Torsten Hoffmann, Founder, 3D Content Hub, Australia

@3DContentBlog

■ Jim Landis (photo), Senior Vice President Business Development and Technology, Prime Focus, USA

neWs Parthenon clocks up 110 new hours of programming for 10th birthday PARTHENON Entertainment marks its 10th anniversary with an unprecedented 110 new hours

of programming brought to MIPTV by the company, including Àagship series The Embezzlers:

Inside The Soviet Ma¿a, Bears Of The Last Frontier, and the second series of Crime Town.

Parthenon Media Group’s Carl Hall and Connie Hodson at a MIPTV dinner to celebrate the company’s anniversary

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Parthenon Media Group CEO and chairman Carl Hall said that the Parthenon catalogue now totals some 1,500 hours of programming.

“We have survived in a very competitive marketplace by having a diverse slate of high-quality programming that is immediately identi¿able with Parthenon and its strategy,” he said. “Our partnerships with StoryHouse Productions and Arcadia, and new children’s programming from S4C, have consolidated this success.”

Hall added: “Broadcasters are looking for entertaining and visually striking programming that has immediate appeal for viewers worldwide. Parthenon was producing HD programming long before it became the accepted norm and we are always looking ahead for new strategies that will enable the company to stay ahead of the competition.”

MIPTV delegates cycle into market in name of charity A GROUP of people working in the TV industry have cycled to MIPTV from Paris, raising funds for the Red Cross, The Encephalitis Society and Cancer Research UK as they did so.

The ride was organised by Stewart Clarke, editorial director of Television Business International (TBI) and included riders from SVT, RUV, Parthenon and Audio Network. Bike shipping was provided by Media World.

The hardy group of eight left Paris on Sunday, March 25 and rode an average of 200km a day, to get to Cannes by Thursday of last week, the day before MIPDoc. On the way, they climbed the fabled Mont Ventoux in Provence, and were forced to dismount and walk for the ¿nal kilometre as the road was still closed by snow and ice.

The cyclists have already raised more than £3,000 ($4,800) for their chosen charities. Delegates wishing to donate can do

so at http://tbiblog.tumblr.com/ post/20164630696/its-all-forcharity

The riders climb Mont Ventoux

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BSkyB goes under the sea in 3D with A+E history programming

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+E N ET WOR K S has licensed three new 3D titles to UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB. Titanic: 100 Years In 3D sends 3D cameras two-and-a-half miles under the sea, to the wreck on the sea bed. And History Of The World In Two Hours gives a whistle-stop tour of the last 14 billion years. Both will feature in BSkyB’s History Month 3D programming stunt, with two other A+E titles.

Invisible, meanwhile, unveils a lost Amazon city, a Second World War biplane entombed in ice, fossilised footprints and other marvels we usually don’t see, using CGI and more than 30 different visualisation technologies. It will air later in the year.

“This is a great package of 3D content from A+E Networks, which really brings some of the world’s most iconic historic moments to life,” said John Cassy, director of Sky 3D.

“BSkyB has been a true leader in the deployment of new technology in the UK,” said Dean Possenniskie, A+E’s managing director for Europe. A+E also said it had responded to increased demand for 3D content by ramping up its production of series and specials.

SPI’s catalogue heads to Europe’s Smart TVs SAMSUNG and SPI International have signed a content partnership that will deliver extensive film and TV programmes to Samsung’s Smart TV sets in Europe.

The service will launch with FilmBox Live, an app that allows users to watch, for a monthly subscription, more than 2,000 movies from SPI International’s library, including a wide variety of television programming.

“We are committed to adding high quality video services to Samsung Smart TV throughout Europe and FilmBox Live is a fantastic addition to the platform,” said Dan

Saunders, director of content services for Samsung Europe. “With SPI International’s range of programming we have expanded the level of premium video-on-demand content available, and are delighted to announce this partnership.”

FilmBox Live service includes seven channels available in Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Spain, with Slovakia and the Czech Republic to follow in July.

A further three channels will be made available soon across Europe, as individual apps: FightBox HD, FashionBox HD and DocuBox HD.

Dean Possenniskie of A+E Networks (left) with John Cassy of BSkyB

VISUAL Media Institute’s Ali Ghasemi is at MIPTV to announce the ¿rst Tehran International Video Film Festival (TIVFF) in June, and also to call for entries. “We are looking to ¿nd only narrated ¿ction movies, not documentaries or animation,” Ghasemi said. “It is an opportunity for us to compare the quality of Iranian video films with those produced in other countries and also encourage cultural diversity and understanding.” Supported by Iran’s Ministry of Culture, the TIVFF’s of¿cial website (www. tivff.com) will be launched in two weeks. The submission deadline is May 20, 2012.

Appointments

Fancy selling MIPTV, MIPCube, MIPFormats, MIPDoc, MIPJunior and MIPCOM? We are looking for a top flight Sales & Biz Dev Professional to work in our London office.

As successful candidate you will be able to demonstrate your long term success in bringing in new business and working with companies in the Entertainment industry. While knowing the TV Industry you will be knowledgeable about growing digital media trends including transmedia, branded content and online video. You will be excited about the opportunities offered by MIPCube.

Your previous experience may be in the digital space or in media or programme sales. You are looking for a challenge and an opportunity to bring UK companies to the world stage.

If this sounds like you then let me have your CV. Peter Rhodes OBE Managing Director Reed MIDEM Ltd 28 Brook Street, London W1K 5NQ peter.rhodes@reedmidem.com

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people Stars in Cannes Stars of the small and big screen are in Cannes to promote their latest shows. The MIPTV photographers followed them around town ...

Movie star Jean Reno and writer Rene Balcer pose for the cameras

Actress and star of Hunted, Melissa George, and Golden Globe winning screenwriter of Hunted, Frank Spotnitz

Franka Potente and Tom Weston-Jones are in Cannes to promote crime series Copper

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The cast of Femme Fatales enjoys the Cannes sunshine

Celebrity chef and TV personality Chuck Hughes

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FCCE’s Walter Tiemessen with spiritual healer Omata Tutini

A wedding couple and prankster friend walked the Palais to promote Global Agency’s The Wedding Crasher

Special guest Miss World Ivian Sarcos at the MIPTV Opening Party

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neWs BBC CONTENT DEAL WITH CUBOVISION SHERLOCK, Luther and Torchwood are among over 200 hours of BBC favourites that will be available from April on Telecom Italia’s multimedia broadband Cubovision platform. The deal was announced by BBC Worldwide and Telecom Italia at MIPTV. Everything from period drama (Jane Eyre, Pride And Prejudice) to science programming (Wonders Of The Solar System), history (Atlantis: The Evidence, Ancient Greek Heroes) and kids’ programming (seasons of Little Robots and Teletubbies) is covered.

“A multiplatform, multiscreen experience like the one Cubovision ensures its customers, requires top-tier contents,” Paolo d’Andrea, head of innovative VAS at Telecom Italia said. “We are therefore proud to include BBC Worldwide’s high-quality programmes in our innovative broadband video service.”

BBC Worldwide’s territory manager for Italy, Francesca Doria said: “We are seeing a real hunger for our content in Italy and are increasingly challenged with finding solutions for viewers who demand more options for watching their favourite natural history or drama series. Telecom Italia is a valued collaborator of ours and respected service provider where Italian audiences know they can access their favourite BBC Worldwide programmes.”

TF1 joins Method Animation and DQE for Robin Hood 3D series F1 HAS climbed aboard the Robin Hood co-production train in a new deal with DQ Entertainment (DQE) and Method Animation for the 52-episode CGI animated TV series.

The three partners will be coproducing the series, with TF1 on board for France and French speaking territories. Method

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Animation and DQ Entertainment are co-¿nancing the series and splitting global revenues in a 50/50 partnership.

TF1 has been part of several major co-productions with DQE, including both seasons of Jungle Book. The new series will be broadcast on TFOU in early 2014.

“The series allows us to continue our partnership with DQ Enter-

From left: TF1’s Ambroise Delorme, Nathalie Pinguet, DQE’s Tapaas Chakravarti, TF1’s Yann Labasque and Method Animation’s Aton Soumache

Wiki The Kiwi has global future A 3D ANIMATION co-production between Thunderbird Films (Canada), Flux Animation Studios (New Zealand) and Telegael (Ireland) has been pre-sold to three broadcasters in three territories.

The producers had come to

Cannes to announce their partnership and introduce Wiki The Kiwi, a 78 x 7 mins pre-school series to the market, and quickly scored a number of pre-sales.

BBC Canada and Knowledge Network will share the Cana-

From left: Telegael’s Paul Cummins, Thunderbird’s Michael Shepard and Flux’s Geoff Watson

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tainment and start a new collaboration with Method Animation,” TF1 director of youth programmes Yann Labasque said.

DQE CEO Tapaas Chakravarti said: “The reincarnation of the famous Robin Hood as a 3D TV series in this co-production is testimony to the demand by broadcasters for good stories to be retold for iconic brands.”

dian broadcast, while TVNZ and ABC Australia are also on board.

“It’s a slightly topsy-turvy world, with a kiwi bird, who can’t Ày, and his friend Brian The Bat, a mammal who can,” said Geoff Watson, executive producer for Flux. The pair communicate through musical instrument noises, with Wiki a trumpet and Brian a drumkit. A separate narration makes the animation easy to localise.

“We loved the unusual designs, and the music was a great attraction,” Paul Cummins, Telegael CEO, said.

“It’s simple slapstick that will make kids giggle,” Michael Shepard, president of Thunderbird said. “We have our core broadcasters now. This is de¿nitely a global property.”

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Miramax adds Sky Italia to network of global alliances IRAMAX and Sky Italia have signed a MIPTV deal under which the Italian broadcaster will air many of Miramax’s leading titles across its pay-TV bouquet.

Danny Goldman, Miramax’s senior vice-president and head of sales for Europe, said: “The Miramax library offers hit movies in every genre, from actionadventure and horror to comedy and family ¿lms, along with a vast array of award-winning dramas. We continue to develop alliances around the world and this deal ensures that Miramax ¿lms will continue to be available on the Italian market.

Miramax is also to represent Goldwyn ¿lm library titles un-

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Library deal: Miramax’s Danny Goldman and Astrid de Berardinis (left) with Sky Italia’s Luisa Borella and Margherita Amedei

der a separate deal with the Samuel Goldwyn Jr Family Trust.

Miramax will license content across a range of TV and digital platforms, including free and premium linear services, subs-

cription VOD and ad-supported VOD. Among the legendary titles covered by the deal are Wuthering Heights, The Best Years Of Our Lives and Guys And Dolls.

UNITED stand: Simon Heath (left) and Roderick Seligman of UK production company World Productions, and Greg Phillips and John Schmidt, of Content Television, celebrate sales of World Productions’ 90-minute feature drama United into more than 115 territories.

Also launching at MIPTV is Line Of Duty, another World Productions drama

China and Korea in drama ‘first’ CHINA International TV Corporation (CITVC) and KBS Media (KBSM) in Korea have signed a groundbreaking deal that will see the two companies license drama series from each other.

Under the terms of the deal, CITVC — the distribution arm of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV — will buy the mainland Chinese rights for Believe In Love (62 x 70 mins) from KBSM, while KBSM will buy Great Empire (52 x 50 mins) from CITVC. The deal is described as a new form of mutual co-operation between the two partners.

Groundbreaking deal: KBS Media’s Jinsung Kim (left), In-soo Park and Dae-Hyun Cho, CITVC’s Ma Runsheng, SARFT’s Cao Yin and Zhou Jihong, CITVC’s Cheng Chunli and CITVC’s Lynn Zhang

GREECE GETS IN THE ZONE HOLLAND’s NTVF Productions has closed its first deal for the game-show format The Zone to Greek indie producer Big Sun Media Solutions.

“It’s the perfect format for Greece, where we need fresh programming at affordable prices,” said Big Sun’s CEO Marc Jansen.

“The Zone will, I’m sure, be a very big hit. We are already discussing a stripped version with one of the major networks.”

The Zone uses Skype-like technology to enable contestants to play from their own home or office. “The Zone is easy and cost-effective to produce, which is an important feature these days. But above all, it’s fun and entertaining, and is a fresh, new game-show format.”

BAFTA GOES DIGITAL PUBLICITYMEDIA.com, the subscription-based digital-asset management and distribution platform for the entertainment industry, has signed up the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) as one of its first clients.

Publicitymedia.com, which launches in September 2012, allows entertainment companies of any size to simply, securely and affordably create, manage and globally distribute sales, marketing and publicity material around the world. The platform was announced at MIPCOM 2011 by digital-asset management and workflow specialists Maglabs.

As of September, BAFTA’s digital stills archive — representing more than 60 years of UK film history — will be managed and distributed via Publicitymedia.com.

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neWs International broadcasters share stories to create Great War Diary Bill Roedy: a formula for success

ROEDY BECOMES A GODFATHER BILL Roedy, the former chairman and CEO of MTV Networks International, has joined the Berlin School of Creative Leadership as the ‘Godfather’ of Class 11.

The School, whose mission is to educate the creative-industry executives of tomorrow, chooses the Godfathers to mentor its students as they complete their MBAs. “I’m excited to discuss ideas with creative executives who are as passionate about what they do as I have always been,” Roedy said. “As a mentor, I want to help the participants develop a formula for success with every one of their companies.”

EW partners have been announced for Great War Diary, a major new documentary series being produced to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War. Arte, NDR, SWR and WDR initiated the €5m ($6.6m) series, which is based on diaries from all sides of the conÀict. They have now been joined by the BBC, NTR/ VPRO, ORF, Rai Educational, S4C and TG4, and also entered into a partnership with Ceska Televize, Historia, RTV, SVT, TSR, YLE and the EBU. The series is being produced by Looks Film & TV (Germany) and French documentary makers Les Films D’Ici. Productions starts this summer for delivery in the third quarter of 2013. It will be made in both four-hour and eight-hour versions.

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Great War Diary team members gather at MIPTV

An international team of authors and researchers created dramatic reconstructions based on the dia-

IN A This Is Your Life-style ambush, National Geographic Channels’ CEO and FRAPA co-founder David Lyle was presented with this year’s C21/FRAPA Gold Medal, in recognition of his major contribution to the formats industry. Previous Gold Award recipients include Reg Grundy, Peter Bazalgette, Merv Grif¿n and Dick de Rijk. Lyle is pictured here with FRAPA colleagues Absolutely Independent’s Patty Geneste (left), Grundy Light Entertainment’s Ute Biernat, FRAPA manager Yvonne Seggewiss, Grundy’s Simone Lenzen, The Gurin Company’s Phil Gurin, Reed MIDEM’s Laurine Garaude, C21’s David Jenkinson and The Format People’s Michel Rodrigue.

Previous Godfathers have included Sir John Hegarty (BBH), Keith Reinhard (DDB Worldwide), John Gough (Distraction Formats), Seymour Stein (Sire Records) and Piyush Pandey (Ogilvy & Mather India).

New DIFFA delivers drama from Africa MEDIA Consulting Group (MCG) has been in Cannes this week to promote a new initiative called DIFFA. Developed in partnership with Martika Production in Cote d’Ivoire, the aim of the venture is to sell content from producers in

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ries of thousands of people – soldiers, women, children and noncombatants – to make the series.

French-speaking Africa.

MCG’s Alain Modot — a MIPTV veteran who launched TV France International in 1995 — is behind the project, which also has backing from l’Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. He said that

DIFFA is “a new initiative which currently involves 300 hours of drama content from countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali. Our ambition is to sell the content and feed revenues back to Africa to help fund

further production.”

In phase one, MCG is targeting pan-regional TV channels that serve Africa – with dubbing into English also possible. “There is also potential for us to license content to TV and digital channels aimed at the African diaspora in Europe and North America,” added MCG’s Heloise Fontanel.

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Cartoon Network secures new Cockroaches deal with Xilam ARTOON Network Asia Pacific has signed a co-production arrangement with leading French animation studio Xilam to create season four of the hit animated comedy series, Oggy And The Cockroaches (26 x 30 mins). First produced in 1999 the series has become a popular evergreen in Asia Paci¿c. The new series will air later in 2012.

Meanwhile sister company Cartoon Network Latin America has bought the new comedyadventure animation series Gemini8 (52 x 11 mins) by Brazilian production company TV PinGuim. Aimed at children between six and 10, it features the intergalactic adventures of a young boy, Marco, stranded on a distant planet by a young alien, Polo.

MIPTV NEWCOMER

C Celebrating the Cockroaches deal are Xilam Animation’s Marc De Pontavice (left) and Eric Rouille (right), and Turner Broadcasting Systems Asia Pacific’s Layla Lewis

MADRID-based Vodka Capital has secured a deal for its pre-school animation property Jelly Jamm with Gulli in France.

According to Vodka Capital managing partner Steven Posner, the deal increases Jelly Jam’s free-to-air exposure and means it is now available in more than 150 countries including the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Middle East, Canada and Latin America.

Jelly Jamm is a 52-part show about five friends from planet Jammbo, the birthplace of music. The team behind it was previously involved in the creation of Zinkia hit show Pocoyo.

Kinane hails blockbuster X Factor FREMANTLEMEDIA format The X Factor’s global success continues with the sales to 40 territories. TV4 in Sweden and Rustavi 2 in Georgia are the latest broadcasters to acquire the Syco-owned format created by Simon Cowell and produced or licensed by FremantleMedia around the world.

“The latest sales of The X Factor cement the format’s position as one of the leading entertainment shows of this generation,” Trish Kinane, president, worldwide entertainment, FremantleMedia, said at MIPTV this week.

“This blockbuster format has enjoyed immense success all over the world and continues its remarkable track record of re-commissions, topping ratings lists and inspiring audiences in multiple territories worldwide,”

Kinane said. “We’re extremely proud of the creative and commercial strengths across the FremantleMedia network that have seen formats like The X Factor thrive.”

MASSIMILIANO LANCELLOTTI, FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, CORIMA, ITALY “CORIMA is a production company specialised in creating light entertainment programmes: variety, game, quiz and talk shows for the main Italian networks. We have produced Canale 5’s daily court show Forum since 2008, 720 episodes. Our catalogue includes some of the most important Italian TV programmes and some of the most famous formats from Italian television history, including Lunch Is Served, quiz show Pull And Leave — including the Yes Or No final test programme — and the variety show The Corrida, a primetime talent show from 1986 to 2011.

“We are launching our great game show Lunch Is Served at MIPTV. For the first time an Italian production company is coming to Cannes with a double intent: to see if there are new interesting unscripted formats to buy and localise in Italy and to sell the best Italian creativity. Our game show is already a piece of Italian TV history, but we are adding new elements to the quiz.

“We would love new international partnerships. We want to meet producers, distributors and broadcasters because we believe in the value of exchanging production experience and creativity, and we would like to develop together new unscripted formats. We are very proud of our philosophy and our good values in a very tough market.

“The business is constantly changing and we need to be up-to-date all the time, especially with the new technologies and applications. We are aware of this and we are ready to enter this competitive market.”

Little Mix win The X Factor in the UK (FremantleMedia)

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neWs MercuryMedia signs up doping doc in time for 2012 Olympics We Believe In You (Armoza Formats)

ARMOZA SHARES DREAM FORMAT ARMOZA Formats reports deals in France, Spain and Turkey for its new primetime game show We Believe In You, which sees friends unite to win funds to achieve a shared dream, such as flying to a World Cup soccer match or putting on a fairytale wedding.

France’s TF1 Productions has optioned the format with a pilot commitment. The Spanish and Turkish option deals, meanwhile, were closed at MIPFormats, on the eve of We Believe In You’s official launch at MIPTV. Avi Armoza, CEO of Armoza Formats, said: “Game shows need to raise the entertainment level beyond trivia questions. Bringing a group of friends into the studio and basing the game play around that group’s friendship increases the level of engagement and fun for both the show’s participants and its audience.”

Armoza Formats’ Avi Armoza

ORANGE BUYS UP CONGO GORILLAS PARIS-based Pangolin Films pre-sold two nature documentaries, The Lost Land Of Gorillas and Lesio Louna: Gorillas Rescue, to Orange for 26 territories, including France, Spain, UK and Poland. The programmes should be ready for broadcast in early 2013. Pangolin is now looking for a co-producer.

Both programmes record the plight of gorillas in Congo, where deforestation to harvest wood and exploit minerals is devastating the habitat of the gorillas.

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WEDEN’s Matine Film & Television this week sold The War On Doping (1 x 52 mins/1 x 58 mins) to Finnish broadcaster MTV3, as well as signing a distribution deal with MercuryMedia.

“Doping in sports is a hot topic both internationally and in Finland,” Kaisa Herlevi acquisitions executive at MTV Oy said. “This is a must-see documentary for anyone interested in sports, society, business and the human mind”.

The documentary explores the arguments for and against doping controls, interviews international doping expert Prof. Arne Ljungqvist as he tracks sports cheats, and examines original Stasi police ¿les from the Cold War in which doctors listed the illegal drugs given to athletes and their effects. These documents

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were key pieces of evidence in the prosecution of leading politicians and medics whose ‘experiments’ often ended in cancer, heart disease and deformed children.

But while the 2012 Olympics offers a good hook for the ¿lm, it’s not just athletes who risk their lives by taking unregulated chemical shortcuts.

“We are making the ¿lm so that it has a long shelf life after the 2012 Olympics,” director Mats Omne said. “It will continue to be relevant in the months and years to come.”

“UNESCO has been very supportive,” producer Bjorn Bertoft said. “They will premiere the ¿lm in Paris in June this year, and this has triggered interest in the documentary from members in Belgium, Brazil, Mexico and beyond.”

The War On Doping (MercuryMedia)

Go Dance! captures US interest STAR Media Group and Ukraine’s Studio Kvartal-95 have closed their ¿rst international format deals at MIPTV for Go Dance! with MY Tupelo Entertainment (US) and Effervescence (France). The format brings together talented dance teams from different cities in a mass formation dance competition.

Nigel Lythgoe Productions will co-produce the North American version.

“The deal is very signi¿cant for us because Ukrainian product is rarely purchased for the American market,” said Star Media Group CEO and producer, Vlad Ryashin.

Studio Kvartal-95’s general producer for Inter TV Channel and creative director, Vladimir Zelenskiy, said the dance show is unparalleled in scale. “The show is close in style to Àash mobs — so popular nowadays — and I’m con¿dent of its further success.”

Simone Halberstadt Harari, Effervescence’s CEO, said: “I totally fell in love with Go Dance! when I saw it at MIPCOM. It is full of creativity, radiates team spirit and a sense of empowerment – exactly what the audience needs in these uncertain times.”

Go Dance! (Star Media Group and Studio Kvartal-95)

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Zodiak Kids brokers three-way co-pro for Quick, Quack, Duck!

ODIAK Kids, the children’s arm of the UK content and distribution out¿t Zodiak Media, has brought together a threeway partnership to co-produce Quick, Quack, Duck! (52 x 11 mins).

The new pre-school show will be produced by Zodiak company The Foundation in partnership with the Korean animation studio High1 Entertainment and Tel Aviv-based QQD, which created the concept.

Nigel Pickard, CEO of Zodiak UK Kids and Family, said the show will create “a unique popup world”. The action centres on an inquisitive seven-year-old boy called Remi and his devoted duck Quack. “They use tabs, pulls and other devices to trigger pop-ups that create an interactive story for them and their pre-school

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Cooking up a deal: Screentime ShinAwiL’s Larry Bass (left), with Shine’s Ruth Clarke and RTE’s Eddie Doyle

SHINE SERVES UP IRISH VERSION OF MASTERCHEF Happy ducklings: Steve Kang left), Jerry Jung and Jin Park of High1 Entertainment, with Zodiak Media’s Karen Vermeulen, Nigel Pickard and Matthew Frank

audience,” Pickard added.

Based on an award-winning short film called The Happy Duckling, Quick, Quack, Duck! the show has been co-created by Yvette Kaplan (Ice Age; Beavis And Butthead) and Gili Dolev (The Happy Duckling). Simon Spencer is the show runner.

In a separate move, Zodiak Kids

has concluded deals for Fort Boyard with Karousel (Russia), for Sally Bollywood, Monster Buster Club and Totally Spies! with Prava i Prevodi (former Yugoslavia), for Gormiti and Basketeers with Teletoon+ (Poland), and for Mister Maker and Basketeers with Pro Plus DOO (Slovenia).

Boomerang’s mum heads to Russia with Star Media producer Daria Lavrova and Star Media head of international projects, Maria Grechishnikova.

The Spanish original, which follows the adventures of an ordinary mum who solves crimes, aired on TVE , where it debuted in 2009 to strong audiences. That resulted in a series recommission in 2011.

The Irish version of MasterChef, which consists of a nationwide quest to find the best amateur cook in the country, is produced by veteran format specialist Screentime ShinAwiL for national broadcaster RTE Two. Larry Bass, CEO of Screentime ShinAwiL, said: “Adding MasterChef series two to our production slate completes a very busy year with RTE, with both Dragons’ Den and The Voice on RTE One and Celebrity Apprentice on TV3.”

E M M Y- a w a r d w i n n i n g screenwriter Andrew Davies (third from left) is in Cannes with ITV Studios’ Kate Lewis (left), Tobias De Graaff and Maria Kyriacou. The team is promoting Mr Selfridge, the new drama series about Harry Gordon Selfridge, the Àamboyant founder of retail giant Selfridges, which is distributed by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

MADRID-based Boomerang TV International has licensed the format for its hit drama series, Los Misterios De Laura (Mum Detective), to Russia.

In a deal sealed on the ¿ rst day of MIPTV, the series will be reversioned by Russian studio Star Media. The deal was done by Maria GarciaCastrillon for Boomerang,

SHINE International has added the ratings-topping RTE Ireland version of MasterChef to its roster, taking the number of local adaptations of the toughest cookery show on TV to 34. The format is now broadcast in over 200 territories in 27 languages.

In a separate move, Shine has clinched its first deal for Nordic Noir drama Real Humans (10 x 60 mins), selling the series to Australian public broadcaster SBS. Shine has also licensed One Born Every Minute, History Cold Case and 24 Hours In A&E to SBS. Matthew Ashcroft, Shine’s senior vice-president of Asia Pacific, said: “Scandinavia has quickly established itself as a home for some of the most compelling and creative scripted programming, and Real Humans is a heavyweight representative of that.”

Boomerang’s Maria Garcia-Castrillon (left) with Star Media’s Daria Lavrova and Maria Grechishnikova

Real Humans debuted in January on SVT1, where it beat the slot average by +27%.

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neWs GLOBAL ROLL OUT FOR FCCE’S EXPERIENCE

Actress and scriptwriter Yse Brisson (left) with show runner Randy Bradshaw

FCCE’s Justus Verkerk (left) and Daniel Kok: finalising MIPTV deals

FOLLOWING the international launch last MIPCOM of Dutch media company FCCE’s multi-media project Entertainment Experience, the format has now been launched internationally, with FCCE signing a deal with Sony Pictures Television Arabia to roll out the format in 21 countries throughout the Middle East.

Hollywood film director — and Dutchman — Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Basic Instinct, Total Recall, Starship Troopers) is currently working on Entertainment Experience in the Netherlands where the project has drawn a record number of participants and viewers.

FCCE chief commercial officer, and Entertainment Experience executive producer Justus Verkerk said: “The project is the world’s first multiplatform format creating a user generated movie. The concept combines a TV series, social media and undiscovered talent, ending with two films, both a user-generated and a user-inspired director’s cut.

“Entertainment Experience starts from a partially written script and from there the audience take over all the disciplines including scriptwriting, acting, producing, music score, special effects and game development,” Verkerk said.

FCCE has been in MIPTV talks with several international directors, including major names from the US and UK, for a worldwide roll out of Entertainment Experience.

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Success written in the stars for astrological drama Signs SE BRISSON, one of the lead actresses in the 12-part series Signs, featuring 12 strong and powerful business women representing the signs of the zodiac, is also one of the writers on the project. Originally conceived by producer Michel Zgarka of XII

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Tribes, Panini Media has brought the series to MIPTV. The series, which mixes astrology with big business across a range of stunning locations, will also star Natacha Reigner (The Dreamlife Of Angels).

“We start in August and we’ll be ¿lming in Calgary, Paris, Barce-

lona, Bordeaux, Malaga and Singapore,” said show runner Randy Bradshaw. “We’re well aware that we are up against some stiff competition because the standard of prime-time appointment TV is so very high these days, but I’m con¿dent that we have all the ingredients in place.”

Chef Hughes takes Mexican break BEYOND Distribution has brought Canadian TV chef and restaurant owner Chuck Hughes to MIPTV to promote his latest 8 x 30 mins series, Chuck’s Week Off: Mexico. Speaking to MIPTV Daily News, Hughes admitted that the country was not his ¿ rst-choice destination. “I was asked where I’d like to go to do the new series by the producers, and initially I said Alaska because I ¿nd it fascinating,” he said. “But after considering the implications for a while, I decided that Mexico offered more

possibilities due to the huge variety of landscapes, and also because Mexican food as it is eaten outside of the country is so different to what the locals really eat. Plus I love Spanish, and the

people are so genuinely friendly and open.”

While in Mexico, Hughes encountered realities that he had not expected. “It was a lifechanging trip in that I realised how lucky we are just to have basic things like running water, something that we all take for granted but over there it is a real issue,” he said. “And of course every aspect of cooking involves water. But it’s a fantastic country and it was a privilege to be able to get deep into the culture.”

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ViPass technology sees live-music fans go Backstage at iConcerts IVE-music TV channel iConcerts is incorporating augmented reality into the live and recorded concert experience via its new ViPass technology.

The technology will be applied for the ¿rst time to London Live, the popular series of live concerts recorded and produced for TV by 3DD Entertainment, which has featured hit music acts such as Katy Perry, Usher and Emeli Sande. iConcerts’ augmented-reality version of London Live, called Backstage @ London Live,

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will feature the ViPass app to enable fans to chat and interact with each other on screen during shows. Other technical provisions will allow ViPass subscribers at live performances to access a dedicated rich-media website before, during and after the show. Also, fans will be able to upload their photographs and videos to the website from the concerts.

“Our objective is to offer technical solutions that enable fans to connect to the live experience, rather than take time away from it,” Natalia Tsarkova, iConcerts’

founder and CEO, said. “We are aiming to create a new dimension in music TV by enhancing the recorded show with the power of social media.”

LOG MEDIA AND DRIVE IN 4DTV PARTNERSHIP

iConcerts’ Natalia Tsarkova: creating a new dimension

OCTOPUS Media Technology has completed several MIPTV deals for its new cloud-based accelerated digital delivery service Octopus Digital Courier, including with Accent Films in Switzerland, Canada’s Farmore Distribution and Japan’s Dentsu. Octopus founder and CEO Andrew Eborn is also ¿nalising strategic alliances with companies in the US and Africa.

“The new Digital Courier platform further revolutionises the way business is conducted and content is managed, monetised and delivered around the world. It provides greater security, speed, functionality and intuitive ease of use,” Eborn said.

“Companies of any size from the largest broadcasters and distributors to individual producers and independent distributors can now enjoy the bene¿ts of a robust proven solution, saving signi¿cant time and money in the management and delivery of their programmes.”

Audio Network is music to German ears PRODUCTION music specialist Audio Network has used MIPTV to launch a new of¿ce in Munich, aiming to provide the highest standards of customer service to its growing German client base.

The of¿ce will be run by music licensing manager James Davies and is the sixth Audio Network of¿ce to be opened, after the UK, New York, Canada, Australia and Holland.

A network of global subpublishers also covers France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Poland, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, the Middle East, Japan and South Africa.

“What a great opportunity to

bring an exciting established brand like Audio Network to a new territory,” Davies said. “My experiences of Germany have taught me that it is a country that embraces new ideas, and I believe Audio Network is the perfect fit with that. We have great music, great people and the formula is proven around the world and so we aim to replicate this enthusiasm in Germany.”

Audio Network’s director of inter national sales, Scott Pearce, added: “Audio Network

4D projectionmapping for DJ David Guetta

is continuing to enjoy signi¿cant growth and the new of¿ce will help facilitate further expansion along with the quality product and customer care for which we are known.”

Audio Network’s James Davies (left) and Scott Pearce

LOG MEDIA and Drive Productions have formed a new commercial venture called 4DTV to promote a groundbreaking approach to TV set design described as “4D projection-mapping”.

The partnership follows Drive Productions’ recent creation of a bespoke 4D projection for DJ David Guetta’s performance on the BBC’s Graham Norton Show in the UK. Commenting, Log Media CEO Paul Berrow said: “The creative applications for 4D projection technology within the broadcast industry are vast. Established shows seeking high-impact enhancement and new formats bent on pushing the boundaries of production have a new and dynamic set of tools to wow their audience.”

Ben Fender, company director of Drive Productions, added: “In the last year or so we’ve started to see 4D projection-mapping move increasingly into the mainstream, so the 4DTV partnership with Log Media comes at the perfect time.”

The partners already have a number of 4DTV projects in development, including a music show and an action format.

Log Media is represented at MIPTV on the PACT stand.

39

feature INCENTIVES

It’s all about the money...

Tax incentives, treaties and government and private industry investment are all on the increase, and they are helping create jobs and content. But competition is fierce and it’s increasing. Marlene Edmunds reports Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (All3Media)

T’S HAPPENING everywhere. As production budgets the world over continue to be squeezed, so local and national governments with an eye to the value a production can bring to an area, are devising ways to persuade producers to choose them. And it’s all about the money. Some examples: Screen Australia late last year announced its $17m (€12.9m) investment in 14 projects would likely trigger over $97m in production; France’s Tax Rebate For International Productions (TRIP) has generated some 40 new projects and an additional $220m being spent on French soil in three years; California’s Film And Television Tax Credit had added more than $3.8bn in economic output and supported more than 20,000 jobs in the state in two years.

TRIP directly bene¿ts producers who spend money in France shooting live-action ¿lms, TV series, animation or VFX works. The €170m ($220m) is a “very satisfying income for crew members and vendors that we wouldn’t have reached without such a rebate,” says Patrick Lamassoure, director of Film France. “The animation ¿lms produced with Illumination Mac Guff in Paris alone represent hundreds of highly quali¿ed jobs for several years.”

I

40

Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris and the BBC TV series Death In Paradise and Merlin used TRIP. Among upcoming projects are a sequel to Despicable Me with animation house Illumination Mac Guff; and a Gil Kenan feature called A Giant set to do its VFX in Amy Lemisch France at facilities house BUF Paris.

Big Hollywood productions come to France to shoot for the most part, because they have France in the script — one of the reasons TRIP was created. Lamassoure admits that TRIP faces some competition from the UK and Germany on occasions, but says the biggest challenge this year is from within France, with the French election adding pressure. “We need to convince the [future] parliament to improve TRIP,” he says.

If there’s any question that tax support helps however, we need only to look as far as California,

Demand for the programme far exceeds supply as the $100m per year is assigned in just one day

miptv

Now there are 42 states with credits that are extraordinarily generous in many cases Jean Prewitt

The Stephen King mini-series Bag Of Bones for A&E

NEW FUND IN CHINA THE HARVEST Seven Stars Media Fund, one of China’s largest media funds, was formed earlier this year by Harvest Alternative Investment Group and Sunrock Investment Group, the latter founded by Chinese media entrepreneur Bruno Wu. With an initial target to raise $800m capital, the fund is being advised by Creative Artist Agency in Beijing. The aim is to collaborate with leading film-makers in developing both English- and Chinese-language content with an Asia focus, but global market potential.

where runaway production had seriously threatened the industry on which Hollywood has been built.

California’s ¿ve-year $500m programme administered by the California Film Commission (CFC) was recently extended through the 2014-2015 ¿scal year.

CFC executive director Amy Lemisch says California’s tax credit, when compared with some other US states, is modest — but it has made a difference. The second season of ABC’s Body Of Proof moved from Rhode Island, where the local tax credit was cut to balance the state’s books, to Califormia, and won a saving of $7m.

“It’s a huge deal for us and another example of how our tax credit programme is increasing production,” Lemisch said at the time. “Demand for the programme far exceeds supply as the $100m per year is assigned in just one day,” she says. “It has, however, been enough to stop many runaway productions — projects that would have left the state if we hadn’t had the tax credit.

And that is the relevant point.”

There are some 42 US states currently offering some form of tax credit, rebate or other ¿nancial incentive to ¿lm and television productions. Five of the nine ¿lms nominated for best picture at this year’s Oscars received ¿nancial incentives from US state governments, among them Terence Malick’s Tree Of Life from Texas and Alexander Payne’s The Descendants from Hawaii.

Hawaii’s legislature has been asked to make the state’s temporary ¿lm credit a permanent one, following the success of The Descendants.

The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) has some 150 member companies from 23 countries and a pack of companies are in Cannes under the IFTA umbrella or Àying their own Àag. Among them are Lakeshore Entertainment, ArcLight, Bleiberg, and Camelot.

“Five to 10 years ago we essentially had no tax credits in the US,” says Jean Prewitt, president and CEO of IFTA. “Now there are 42 states with credits that are extraordinarily generous in many cases. The US explosion of credits occurred about the time the value of the dollar dictated that people wanted to come back to the US to produce.”

But the credits merely stem the tide, and Canada, understandably, continues to pull in major projects that

might have stayed in the US if times were different.

Quebec’s all-spend tax credit and digital media tax incentives for live action/CG hybrids has Montreal pulling in new productions such as Sony Pictures Animation’s Smurfs 2, and Relativity Media’s CGI-heavy epic Immortals, among others.

Nova Scotia is one of the shoot capitals of Canada as a result of its generous tax credit. The current credit ranges from 50%-60% for eligible Nova Scotia labour, 50% base credit for ¿lming that occurs in Halifax and 60% for ¿lming that occurs outside the city within 30 kilometres. A 5% frequent ¿lming bonus is also available to producers who begin principal photography on a third project within a two-year period.

Recent TV projects include the Stephen King series Haven for Syfy; Call Me Fitz for HBO Canada; and the Stephen King mini-series Bag Of Bones for A&E.

ABC’s Body Of Proof moved from Rhode Island to Califormia

41

feature

Film France’s Patrick Lamassoure

Bag Of Bones was ¿lmed in Halifax, Grand Lake, Windsor and Brooklyn, the latter three all within the Eligible Geographic Zone for the 60% tax credit.

In 2010, Nova Scotia eliminated the production cost cap on eligible labour for its tax credit. Abbi Hennigar, director of marketing, Film Nova Scotia says: “The move allowed the credit to become more attractive for labour-intensive production such as animation and documentary ¿lming. It also relaxed the residency requirement.

“Prior to the change being implemented, we saw a drop in production activity in the province. Since the change, this activity is rebounding to previous levels.”

Hennigar says they were also able to pick up additional animation projects that were looking elsewhere.

Ireland and Canada have found themselves more than once working on productions that tap Canada’s co-production treaty with Ireland. It is Ireland’s Section 481 that is drawing an increasing number of drama productions from continental Europe, including Titanic: Blood And Steel.

Section 481 has been extended to the end of 2015. The draw, according to industry veteran Michael Murphy, is that Section 481 is very straightforward for European producers in that the money comes in up-front as an incentive, not a tax credit. “That means the producer knows the exact value that they will get from it,” he says.

Murphy recently exited his position as Windmill Lane Entertainment chief executive to put more energy into his company Rockabill Media. The company offers full production services across ¿lm and TV drama, as a coproducer and partner, including post and VFX. “The idea is to access the Irish tax incentives to package services in Ireland for international TV drama producers,” Murphy says.

Experienced players like Italy’s The DeAngelis Group have learned to tap available assets worldwide. But in the case of its latest project, The Great Siege Of Malta, it doesn’t have to go far. The four-hour mini-series is a co-production with UK-based Artists Studio. RAI is already on board and the group has plans to bring in a Canadian partner for the shoot, set to begin in 2013.

“The siege of Malta in 1565 was one of the bloodiest battles between invading forces of the Ottoman Empire and the Knights Hospitalier, or Knights of Malta, for control of the Mediterranean,” says DeAngelis Group managing director Andrea Zoso. “ Malta is eligible for the European tax credit and that means 25% on all EU eligible costs.”

Several titles, including Top Of The Lake and Miss Fisher’s Mysteries, backed by support agency Screen Australia, are getting major buzz in Cannes. Sundance Channel, BBC Two and UK Television in Australia and New Zealand are co-producing the seven-part TV series Top Of The Lake, with BBC Worldwide distributing internationally. Jane Campion directs, with See-Saw Films’ Academy Award winners Emile Sherman and Iain Canning producing, along with Escapade Pictures’

Malta is eligible for the European tax credit and that means 25% on all EU eligible costs Andrea Zoso

miptv

Taking a TRIP: the BBC TV series Death In Paradise

Philippa Campbell.

Top Of The Lake was equity ¿nanced through Screen Australia and Screen NSW (New South Wales). Fulcrum Media Finance cash-Àowed the Producer Offset and the New Zealand Screen Production Incentive Fund (SPIF).

Also a project supported by Screen Australia, Fulcrum cash-Àowed the Producer Offset and a portion of the All3Media distribution advance for Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Fulcrum Media Finance executive director Sharon Menzies says: “Fulcrum is a ¿nance company, but unlike other ¿nanciers all decision making is in-house. It enables us to respond quickly and be Àexible in accommodating different ways of ¿nancing ¿lm and television.” Parent company See-Saw established Fulcrum Media Finance in 2008 with the aim of arranging cash Àow for projects in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Screen Australia often has state agencies involved in the projects it ¿nances. Ross Matthews, head of production investment for Screen Australia says: “The producers deal with the state agencies, such as Screen NSW and Film Victoria, who may be investors or offer cash-Àow facilities, and private ¿nancial companies like Fulcrum and Aver also offer cash-Àow. As investors, we approve the deals.”

Australia’s relatively new 30% offset for post, digital and visual effects, is aimed at luring international producers. In Cannes, Screen Australia is hosting a targeted matchmaking event for Australian and international delegates focused on connecting digital producers with commissioners, distributors and producers.

43

feature AFRICA

Embracing Africa Its fledgling industry not dogged by old business models, Africa is poised to boom in the next few years as the links in the value chain start to join together. Juliana Koranteng reports

T

HE COMMITMENT of foreign money, a burgeoning middle class, the growing adoption of

digital media, a young population and a healthy heritage that is feeding the local content producers’ creativity have made Africa’s TV business the one to watch in 2012.

“We made the decision to enter Africa based on several key factors: long-term economic development prospects and the high growth rates in the key advertising markets, as well as increasing economic, regulatory and political stability that create a more attractive investment climate,” says Joseph Hundah, CEO of MTG Africa, a subsidiary of the Swedish media giant Modern Times Group.

MTG has been investing in sub-Saharan Africa — as opposed to the Arab-speaking North Africa, which is more often linked to the Middle East — since 2007, when it was awarded the licence for Viasat1 in Ghana, MTG’s ¿rst commercial free-to-air terrestrial network outside Europe.

Since then, it has introduced localised African versions of its Viasat channels (Viasat History, Viasat Nature, Viasat Explorer and Viasat Crime) via satellite and cable pay-TV in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

In 2010, MTG launched Modern African Produc-

44

tions (MAP) in Ghana’s capital Accra to sell locally made programming to other African networks, starting with Ghanaian public broadcaster GTV and its commercial rivals.

MTG’s telecommunications sister company Millicom International Cellular, which is quoted on Stockholm’s stock Alex Okosi exchange, also has networks in Africa.

“Our philosophy is that, regardless of what devices or forms of distribution people use, we want them to be able to access our content anywhere at any time and, subsequently, we support and actively contribute to this development,” Hundah says. MTG hopes to be informed by its experiences with Viaplay, its European online pay-TV service, for future African plans.

MTG channels are carried on digital terrestrial pay-TV services operated in Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania by StarTimes, the China-based pay-TV operator. In total, StarTimes is present in 10 African states with more than 200,000 paying subscribers. In Uganda alone, it has pledged to invest $100m in the country’s broadcast

Nigerian comedian Basketmouth, host of MTV’s Big Friday Show

By partnering with MTV, McDonald’s gets high-quality event and TV production

miptv

Today, African producers are selling content everywhere Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki

CHELLO BRANCHES OUT FOR ALMOST 10 years, multi-national thematic TV provider Chello Zone, part of the Liberty Global group, has been licensing its channels, to South African digital satellite multichannel operator MultiChoice. Those channels include Food Network, Extreme Sports and pre-school kids service JimJam. Chello Zone channels can be found on other African platforms, such as South African pay-TV service TopTV, satellite-delivered My TV (owned by Dubai-based equipment maker Strong Technologies), subscriptionbased Zap (in Portuguesespeaking Africa) and rising star Zuku.

“Africa has grown and developed considerably over the years, so our channels have matured in line with ever-more sophisticated and diverse audiences and brand new demographics,” says London-based Louise Cottrell, Chello Zone’s vice-president affiliate sales.

infrastructure. Additionally, StarTimes has formed a joint venture with Nigeria’s broadcasting authority to create NTA-Star TV Network, which introduced satellite-delivered TV set-top boxes to the country. In addition, StarTimes recently unveiled plans to spend $70m to help roll out Nigerian digital terrestrial TV nationwide.

The Chinese company is equally proving to be an aggressive buyer of sports rights. It snapped up the 20122015 sub-Saharan Africa free-to-air rights to UEFA European soccer tournaments, even though it is a payTV company.

Another foreign player in Africa is Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, which has started broadcasting original African content from its unit in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, for the CCTV News channel. Meanwhile, Argentine network Telefe has declared plans to target Africa with its telenovela catalogues.

It is easy to understand the foreign interests. Digital TV Research predicts that sub-Saharan Africa (the 50plus territories on the continent, apart from the Arabspeaking Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Sudan in North Africa) will have about 50 million TV homes by 2017, compared with 38 million by the end of 2011. That represents a mere 30% of total households, indicating massive room for future growth.

International TV networks and content sellers are responding positively to these advancements. MTV Networks (MTVN) Africa, a subsidiary of US media conglomerate Viacom, hosts various channels, including MTV and Comedy Central, in South Africa.

Moreover, it distributes the networks and their most popular programmes to other African markets.

Its hit shows include the six-part drama series Shuga: Love, Sex, Money, which is on its MTV Base channel and aims to highlight awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

“We’ve also been producing a weekly show called the Big Friday Show, which is hosted by Nigerian comedian Basketmouth. It is a huge hit in Nigeria and is driving strong ratings across the continent,” says Alex Okosi, MTVN Africa’s senior vice president/managing director. MTVN Africa has started producing original short-form content for Viacom’s recently launched Comedy Central Africa, and Okosi says there are plans to produce a series of long-form content over the next few months.

Branded programming, the emerging international TV entertainment format, is entering African TV homes.

Top Jock is a DJ-search event and reality-TV show coproduced by MTVN Africa and fast-food giant McDonald’s. “By partnering with MTV, McDonald’s gets highquality event and TV production. Many other brands are

M-Net’s Great Africans: Nelson Mandela

seeking this kind of association to create content for TV and, often, web and mobile too,” Okosi says.

More international players want a cut of the African potential. US factual-content giant Discovery Communications has six channels on the pan-African pay-TV platform DStv, the two most recent being TLC, aimed at female audiences, and ID: Investigation Discovery, a channel dedicated to crime-related documentaries.

African operators expect high standards according to Gerbrig Blanksma, senior sales executive at Amsterdam-based producer/distributor Off the Fence. “Having available rights for Africa is nothing special, so you need to create an added value, be it Àexibility in business, operating on the ground, or bringing African audience knowledge to the table,” she says.

Off the Fence, which has a production arm in Cape Town, is selling high-quality African content overseas.

Blanksma says: “We have always been acquiring and representing content from South African producers such as Aquavision TV Productions, Homebrew Films, and Cooked in Africa Films for international sales and distribution.”

It is worth noting that Africa-originated TV companies have been setting the benchmarks that have lured international content providers to the region.

M-Net, a subsidiary of South Africa’s MultiChoice group, launched Africa’s ¿rst terrestrial pay-TV channel in 1986. On its website, the company admits that as the ¿rst pay-TV service in South Africa, its customers were predominantly afÀuent and white.

Today, it is a major cross-media distribution platform

45

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feature

The Wild: “The first quality telenovela to come from Africa”

that offers its own 30 channels plus numerous international services, and reaches more than three million subscribers in 50 African markets. Under the DStv brand, its digital-satellite operation, it offers a mobile broadcast service (DStv Mobile), a catch-up TV offering (DStv On Demand), and a video-on-demand movies platform (DStv Box Of¿ce).

Additionally, M-Net produces a broad range of original content. Coming to MIPTV this year are shows like The Wild, a ground-breaking daily drama series.

Off the Fence’s Gerbrig Blanksma

“The ¿rst quality telenovela to come from Africa,” says Mike Dearham, M-Net’s head of sales and library.

Jacob’s Cross is an M-Net Original Production drama now in its seventh season and Crimes Uncovered, a 13 x 44-minute series, recently debuted on air. Cooking With Siba is a popular cookery show, while Great Africans is a ¿ve-part documentary series about African icons like Nelson Mandela and environmental activist Wangari Maathai.

M-Net is entering the streamed-video business with the African Film Library, which launches with 110 award-winning African ¿lms in March, expanding to 700 titles later.

“Africa has high economic growth countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, which are leading the way by using the best intellectual capital to stay abreast of technology developments,” M-Net’s Dearham says. “Legislation is becoming responsive and there are new research initiatives for audience ratings and content performance.”

It is a gradual progression that few have noticed. “Until recently, the various countries didn’t even have ways of selling programmes to each other. Today, African producers are selling content everywhere, especially Nigerians with their Nollywood movies,” says Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki, general manager of Basic Lead, the events-production company that hosts several Africa-based trade shows. “Content distributors have learned over the last 15 years how to work with emerging markets. If you’ve the right content, you will always ¿nd someone to pay with cash.”

The international demand for Nollywood can be seen with advertising-funded Irokotv, Nollywood’s answer to NetÀix and aimed at the African diaspora worldwide. It had 152 million YouTube views last year. This business model has enabled Irokotv to overcome piracy, which has blighted African ¿lm-making for years.

Those working on the ground however, have no illusions about the challenges Africa still brings. The political, religious and military conÀicts that have traditionally made the world wary of the continent are still there. The Ivory Coast civil war, civil disturbances in Somalia, clashes between North and South Sudan, and attacks by Islamist militants in Nigeria, for example.

Also, the global analogue switch-off required by the

MTG Africa’s Joseph Hundah

M-Net’s Mike Dearham

47

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MIPDoc, MIPFormats, MIPCube 6-7 April 2013 MIPTV : 8-11 April 2013 Cannes, France

Visit our MIPTV/MIPCOM stand N째04.02 Level 01 or see you next year! www.miptv.com

miptv

feature International Telecommunication Union to convert today’s broadcast signals into digital terrestrial frequencies has had a slow start. Although the digital switchover deadline is 2015, around 35 African countries are yet to make any announcement at all about their plans.

Mauritius is the only territory to have completed the transition. Pilot tests are taking place in South Africa, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. Senegal, Mali, Cameroon and Ghana are among those that have set up task forces to examine how the switch-off will be implemented.

Yet, once digital connectivity is improved, Dearham is optimistic about viewers’ adoption of the technology.

“10 years ago, the internet was used by a few thousand people per country. Now, there are 3.8 million Facebook users in Nigeria alone, and more than one million in Kenya.”

He also notes that nine international ¿bre cables will be installed across the continent by the end of this year, which will trigger faster internet download speeds.

Caleb Weinstein, senior vice president/general manager of distribution at Discovery Networks — Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) believes there will be exciting developments in Africa for mobile TV with penetration increasing throughout the region, depending on the availability of broadband. “There is a transition period between now and 2015 when all African platforms will be digital. African viewers are busy buying new devices such as set-top boxes and HD TV sets.”

He adds: “That said, our view is that players are unlikely to win in this market without working with other parts of the value chain, which is where content providers like Discovery are well positioned as valued partners in the emergence of new technologies, because without great content, the technology means nothing.”

But Weinstein says that traditional, linear broadcasting is doing very well. “I suspect we’ll see a market where multiple business models co-exist for quite some time to come, some new and some old.”

Wananchi Programming, a subsidiary of East African media and telecommunications provider Wananchi Group, already offers Zuku, a triple-play service that includes TV (via its 100-plus African and international channels), telephony and the internet.

“We’re targeting the East African [the growing middle class]. Given the price sensitive market, the emphasis is on value for money,” says Hannelie Bekker, Wananchi Programming’s managing director. “And we’ve started investing modestly in production and co-production, including a co-production with [Kenyan ¿lm production company] QBF.” Zuku reaches about 50,000 subscribers in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and has started offering Bollywood movies for East Africa’s large Indian community.

And it is that potential for diversity that has attracted the big media operators. As MTG’s Hundah says: “We have made it clear that we are committed to Africa in the long term and are always looking for ways to develop and grow the business.”

10 years ago, the internet was used by a few thousand people per country. Now, there are 3.8 million Facebook users in Nigeria alone Mike Dearham

MTV Base’s Shuga: Love, Sex, Money

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