TODOTV | Nº 57 | 2010 | OCT | MIPCOM 2010

Summary

_/112

_/22

_/14

Special Report AUDIOVISUAL Production Brazil, Production in its Prime _/22

Hsm Specials - Leaders The Man to Follow Isaac ‘Biz’ Stone, Twitter Co-Founder and CEO _/14

ttv ©2010

_/42 _/107

ttv Specials Telenovelas _/35

_/92

Kids & Teens _/71 Formats _/107

Executives Organic Growth _/18

Tom Toumazis, Chief Commercial Officer, Endemol Group

Keeping Formats Real _/30 Gary Carter, COO, FremantleMedia

Always One Step Ahead _/32

Bruce Paisner, President and CEO of The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

The Next Level _/56

Brendan Fitzgerald, SVP International Production, Sony Pictures Television

_/62

Iberian Diversity _/96

María Jesús Pérez Gómez, Director of Channel Sales for RTVE

Independent Drive _/100 Adriano Civita, CEO of Prodigo Films

Web Content: the Profitability Challenge_/104 Didier Rappaport, Co-founder, DailyMotion & Content Creator

Original Productions in Spain _/128

Pepa Sánchez-Biezma, Area Director of Mini Series and TV Movies for Telecinco

_/18

MARKETS

BEHIND THE SCENES

Gallery

The Russian Experience _/62

‘Eye for an Eye’ _/92

Discop East 2010 _/68

Telefe International Expanding

Telemundo International

23rd to 25th June - Sofitel Hotel Budapest - Hungary

ttv ©2010

PRESIDENT / CEO Sebastian Lateulade EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Soledad Saldías EDITORIAL MANAGER Sebastián Amoroso EDITOR Stephanie Biscomb ONLINE DIRECTOR Omar Méndez ONLINE EDITOR Diego Alegre EDITORAL ASSISTANTS Sebastián Torterola Dino Cappelli PROOFREADER Josefina Mezzera Regules OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Rodrigo Ros INTERNATIONAL SALES Dolores Irazábal Renata Del Pup PRODUCTION MANAGER Dario Aleman IT MANAGER Alejandro Barros IT ASSISTANT Ricardo Pereira DATA OPERATIONS Fernando Moreno WEBMASTER Nazario Pereira TRANSLATORS Josefina Caviglia Rosina del Pino Ken Mandel Marlyn Mandel FINANCE MANAGER Cr. Michel Schwartz FINANCE ASSISTANT Mónica Iriarte art & Design Unik design info@unikbureau.com www.unikbureau.com Headquarters Ruta 8 Km 17,500 Of 503 A Zonamerica / CP 91600 Tel. (+598 2) 518.2848 Fax. (+598 2) 518.2849 Montevideo - Uruguay EuropE 114, rue Villiers de l´ Isle Adam 75020 Tel. (33) 6 6726.5894 París - Francia ttv is a monthly publication owned by TodotvMedia.

Its distribution is free of charge. The articles reflect the opinions of the individual authors on the topics covered, without implying editorial control or endorsement of the content by the management and ownership of the magazine. For all purposes, the advertisements and their content are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Reproduction in whole or in part, in electronic or print form, of the content of this publication, without express written permission of TodotvMedia is strictly prohibited.

6 TTV MAGAZINE

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Adopts the U.S. Digital TV Standard The Dominican Republic adopted the American ATSC DTT standard to implement in country. The measure was adopted by Decree No. 407-10 issued by President Leonel Fernandez, according to the President of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), José Rafael Vargas.

“The analog blackout in Dominican television is set for September of 2015, and from this time on - and in the format we’re going to announce - we’ll begin developing the most significant phase, the most important stage on television in the Dominican Republic since its inception in the 50s,” the officer said. Vargas noted that some operators already acquired their transmitters and digital equipment, while the INDOTEL is making sure that, via the country’s General Customs Administration, “all the facilities to all television and radio operators so they can bring their equipment” are provided. The government established within the Decree “a period of five years in order to make the transition from analog to digital terrestrial television in the country.” The government commissioned INDOTEL with the responsibility to lead the entire transition from analog to digital terrestrial television. The regulatory body “shall [also] form a Special Committee comprised of six representatives of the sector to implement the ATSC standard.”

SOUTH AMERICA Argentina to Propose Creation of Regional DTT Area The Advisory Council of the Argentine Digital Terrestrial Television System (SATVD-T), through its General Coordinator, Osvaldo Nemirovsci, will ask the Union of South American Nations (USAN) to create a specific area that’ll work on digital television. “The fight against digital exclusion does not recognize borders,” said Nemirovsci to news agency Telam, and warned that “we cannot allow business logic to be imposed, as it happened in the late ‘70s, where the choice of a particular standard did not accommodate to sociocultural interests.” The South American countries that have opted to adopt the ISDB-T standard are Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Hybrid IP Interactive TV in Latin America: 27.8 Million Households By 2015 Consulting company NexTV Latam, which focuses on the communications market in Latin America, presented its “Hybrid IP TV in Latin America 2010-2015” report based on surveys conducted in 18 Latin American countries. Hybrid TV gives IP access through a set top box or other device with decoding capability for domestic TV reception, and offers multiple interactive features for digital, open or subscription TV: VOD, PPV, catch-up, widgets, and access to search engines and social networks, among others. The report shows that by 2015 there will be 27.8 million households with TV Hybrid IP in Latin America. This volume is equivalent to 17.4% of households with television and television reception of some kind. Perhaps more important, Hybrid TV households projected for 2015 will be equivalent to 41.9% of households with access to fixed Broadband in Latin America.

The consulting company also noted that 41.4% of those households with Hybrid IP TV will have the DTH-IP option, 38.4% DTT-IP, and 20.2% digital cable-IP.

NEWS

HISPANIC U.S. More TVs and More Households Two of every five new homes with television in the U.S. for this new television season will consist of Hispanic Americans, according to estimates released by the Nielsen agency and quoted by EFE. Nielsen estimates that during the 2010-2011 television season, which began this September, Hispanics will constitute approximately 397,680 new homes equipped with at least one television. Thus, the U.S. will have about 13,348,190 registered Hispanic households with at least one television, from 12,950,510 last season, a 3.07% increase. A total of one million new homes with a television will arise in the nation, a 0.87% increase, bringing the total to 115.9 million households. This expected increase in Hispanic households also marks an improvement over the last season, which was 2.3% over the previous year. Nielsen also projects increases for this season among households headed by African Americans and Asians, although in much more modest numbers (0.54% and 0.62%, respectively).

Floresta: Sony’s New Production Branch in Brazil Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has confirmed its creation of Floresta, a new production joint venture based in Brazil, which reinforces the expansion of the company’s international production division and will be led by local executive producer Elisabetta Zenatti. Based in Sao Paulo, Floresta will represent SPT’s portfolio of TV entertainment formats in Brazil. Through Zenatti, SPT is already working closely with several Brazilian television networks to develop some of the most recognized formats, including ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’. Along with its non-scripted

Emiliano Calemzuk Leaves Fox Television Studios Emiliano Calemzuk’s departue from Fox Television Studios’ presidency was confirmed in August, as well as his appointment as Chief Executive for America for Shine Group, working directly with Elisabeth Murdoch, founder and head of the production company with worldwide presence. As an executive who has earned the confidence of the largest media mogul in the world, Rupert Murdoch, announcement of the new corporate responsibility entrusted to the executive is a statement about the challenge ahead and the successful management he just accomplished. “Emiliano is a world-class executive, who is creative, respected, innovative and enterprising. He’s being outstanding at News Corporation, in television, where he’s carrying out a leading marketing strategy in pay TV networks on several continents, and as responsible of high quality worldwide productions and programming,” said Elisabeth when confirming the appointment. From his base in Los Angeles, Calemzuk will start supervising Reveille, the independent television studio owned by Shine that has gained reputation in the market with hits such as ‘The Office’, ‘Ugly Betty’, ‘The Tudors’ and ‘The Biggest Loser’. The executive comes to Shine with another medal attached to his record, accomplished in three intense years at the demanding Fox studios in Los Angeles, where he was noted for his originality and ability to implement a management model unknown in the history of the company. Cost reduction, adjustments in programming investment, new ways to produce: that is what his strategy was about. One of the variants introduced was the sale of overseas programs first before offering them to U.S. networks. He also implemented the idea of producing contents bound for the U.S. market outside the country. The implementation of historical variations of the traditional models of production and distribution had its effect in the accounts. Calemzuk left the Fox Television Studios in a much better shape than it was when he arrived. The unit had substantial red numbers before his arrival yet, in 2009, it generated about US$ 20 million in revenues.

programming, Floresta aims to fill a gap in the local television market, also producing scripted content, tailored to the needs of local television. This latest investment by SPT is part of an active expansion strategy of its international production division. In October 2009, SPT created Toro Productions in Spain and Italy, led by Marco Tombolini and Pasquale Romano. In March, the company increased its stake in Tuvalu Media in The Netherlands. SPT has also expanded its list of well-established producers through investments in Gogglebox in the UK and Starling in France, Teleset in Colombia and Lean-M in Russia. Embassy Row was acquired in 2008, bringing Michael Davies to the SPT family.

ECUADOR Government Approves Screen Quota for Local Production Ecuador’s National Assembly approved its Communications Act, a rule governing the country’s film and audiovisual sector by setting a percentage of screen time reserved for local production. Ecuadorian stations shall progressively allocate at least 40% of their total daily programming content to domestic production at times suitable for all ages, as provided by the law. Their total daily schedule shall include at least 10% of independent national production certified as such by the country’s national institution for development of cinema and audiovisual content, the Consejo Nacional de Cinematografía de Ecuador (CNCINE). This mechanism would support Ecuador’s domestic independent production and also encourage television stations to establish mechanisms for cofinancing and acquisition of independent productions.

Once the requirement is fully implemented, television channels will devote about 1.8 hours per day to independent Ecuadorian production, representing a 12.6 hour total per week. The legislation also determines that 25% of each channel’s total content can be purchased from a single producer or independent filmmaker, so there is no concentration or monopoly.

The law provides a progressive mechanism for this measure’s implementation, spanned over five years and starting once the law is established, at a rate of 20% of the requirement for each year.

NEWS

Kevin Campbell, New EVP of Marketing for The Walt Disney Studios The offices of The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California have announced the appointment of Kevin Campbell, who joined the Studios as Executive VicePresident of Marketing. The executive joins MT Carney’s marketing team and will focus on DreamWorks titles. Kevin Campbell recently worked as a marketing consultant on corporate image and transmedia strategy for a well known group of entertainment brands.

Before joining Fox, Campbell worked for many years at Universal Pictures, occupying positions of great responsibility, marketing films such as ‘Meet the Fockers’, ‘A Beautiful Mind’, ‘Ray’ and ‘Bruce Almighty’.

Manuel Arroyo Dir. General Comtelsat y James Ganley COO Fox Pan American Sports

MEXICO Fox Sports Opens High-Tech Studios in Mexico City Considered the best-equipped in Latin America, the new studios were designed from their inception to operate completely in HD. Fox Sports’ new installations, located south of Mexico City, were designed, adapted and integrated by Comtelsat, a Mexican company specializing in the provision and integration of advanced technology, with over 15 years of experience in telecommunications and, now, also responsible for operations. The new studio includes, among other things, equipment such as HD cameras and portable studios, 100% tapeless facilities with multi-system K2 Grass Valley video servers for editing and postproduction, Final Cut HD systems from Apple and Grass Valley Aurora Edit systems, live production systems controlled by ENPS (Electronic News Production System), master controls and other facilities for Fox Sports in the United States and Argentina. “We have integrated the latest technology in telecommunications in the world in order to produce our high definition signal and to strengthen our valuable offer in the international sports television scene,” Fausto Ceballos, VP of Programming and Production for Fox Sports, affirmed.

COLOMBIA Chilefilms Invests in Colombia Grupo Chilefilms, the Chilean conglomerate that also operates in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, just acquired Colombian firm VFX as part of its projection in the Colombian market, while installing a laboratory in the Cota region, where it’s investing between US$5 and US$6 million. This landing was produced as part of the conglomerate’s deployment strategy in an area of great film and television development, its managers explained. Chilefilms operates in the rest of Latin America under the Cinecolor brand, and the Project Manager of the company, Juan Carlos Arriagada, said that with the construction of this laboratory in Cota, “the idea is to offer movie film processing, a field in which firms such as Technicolor compete, and produce copies of films for their distribution, as well as sound and digital cinematography.” This laboratory will be operational as of March 2011, and will generate almost 100 jobs, on top of the 500 positions in its headquarters, where they also work in other areas of the audiovisual industry and film distribution for home video, television production and movie theaters, among others. Chilefilms was born in 1942 as a state-owned company and was privatized in 1988. In 2009, it earned US$ 150 million, which represented 80% of their total income.

COLOMBIA Award for Third Open Channel Suffers Setback Colombia’s Comisión Nacional de Televisión (CNTV - National Television Commission) provisionally suspended the tender for the third channel after receiving a recommendation from the Attorney General’s Office. The decision came after the Attorney Delegate, Maria Eugenia Carreño, indicated that “in the sake of caution,” the CNTV should refrain from awarding the grant until the State Council resolves the appeal imposed by the Public Ministry, against a high court decision that suspends the conditions of the process that allows the award, even if only a single bidder is presented. The official insisted that, contrary to the opinion of the State Council, the CNTV can assign the third channel to a single bidder, after meeting the advertising criteria in the process, as the inspection agency found. “For reasons that have nothing to do with the CNTV, not all of the interested parties can participate or voluntarily waive their right to compete,” said the Attorney Delegate as reported

by El Tiempo newspaper. Meanwhile, all organizations involved are studying the legal alternatives needed to reopen the tender, which has been questioned for being a one-bidder auction, where the Planeta group is the only interested party.

10 TTV MAGAZINE

LEADERS - HSM SPECIALS

Isaac ‘Biz’ Stone, Twitter Co-Founder and CEO

The Man

to Follow The universe of communications has changed radically in the last five years. And Biz Stone has lots to do with that. As Twitter Co-Founder and CEO, this genius of the XXIst century communications succeeded in transforming the way of understanding and using new interactive media offered by technologic advances. In the following interview, this Internet guru comments on his most prized creation: the Twitter phenomenon.

*ttv special “We started wondering what our friends were doing while offline. This led us to combine the functionality of instant messaging with SMS; we tried it with friends and they liked it.”

“Now we have companies that use this platform to know what users think of their service or product.”

F

* This article arises from an interview from the HSM Specials series of ManagemenTV, in agreement with ttv

14 TTV MAGAZINE

or Biz Stone, Twitter is not a runof-the-mill social network because it is not defined under the same interaction concepts of Facebook, for example. This new communications format changed the real essence of instant messaging, combining what it is known as SMS and“instant messages”, allowing the generation of tweets from different platforms.

TWITTER: A WELL EXECUTED IDEA. Where do good ideas as this one come from? This is the question that any mortal immediately makes himself when facing this kind of innovative and revolutionary ideas. “Everything started when my partner and I decided to make our own project. We were studying and trying to understand the way in which people get in touch; at the same time we became

Jack Dorsey and Biz Stone, creators of Twitter

attached to what we would later call Twitter.

We had two intensive weeks of work, in which we exchanged ideas to get what we really wanted: a communication media that would revolutionize the world,” Stone recalls.

As every endeavor, it was a project based on trial and error. Through strict studies about the different chat platforms in sites such as Facebook, Yahoo!, Google and MSN, these young entrepreneurs tried to understand the real essence of why people got in contact through this media. “We saw the online and offline mechanisms, which were mainly defined by the availability that we have for chatting. And we started wondering what our friends were doing while offline. This led us to combine the functionality of instant messaging with SMS; we tried it with friends and they liked it,” the executive explains.

But the Twitter platform finally emerged in 2007. “The first time that we saw it working was at a Technology conference in Texas (U.S.). The site was full of people without coordination. I tell this because when someone observes a flock of birds, he can notice the harmony of their movements, which produce a work of art. They do so by communicating with each other; people did it via Twitter. A viewer felt the pressure of the thousands of people present at the conference and decided to tweet the location of one of the least visited stands.

In the course that took him to go from the place where he was to the suggested one, 100 people were already there thanks to the tweet he had sent. This confirmed our hypothesis: platforms as accessible and open as Twitter were nonexistent. From now on, both people and us realized the benefit that could be taken from this new platform,” Stone affirms.

TWITTER ESSENCE. Today, 200 million people use this communication medium worldwide.

Twitter not only offers a message service but also has a searching scroll that allows users to find accounts belonging to interesting people, companies, services or products. “In some of the thousands of tweets that converge on this network per hour, there will be something or someone who wants or looks for the same thing as you. And there will be something or someone who will provide you with that piece of information you are interested in. It is a service that benefits all of us, and especially companies.

Nowadays and increasingly so, the companies’ growth and/or stability depend on the Internet.

With Twitter they can get to know and interact with consumers,” the executive highlights.

Business people constantly ask themselves: “What do people think of my product? Will it please the audience?” Twitter offers a new interaction channel in which trademarks and users turn their opinions into concrete actions.

In order to improve the commercial relationship

between them, users satisfy their material needs and any company its commercial needs.

“It is a world where communication between supplier and user is essential. Now we have companies that use this platform to know what users think of their service or product. We found forums where users participate directly and are listened to and served. So we can say that great value has been generated for companies,” Biz Stone stresses.

BUSINESS MODEL. So far, the Twitter service is free for all users. “And it will continue to be free. But we are planning a platform called Promoted Tweets. This new application will allow companies or people to advertise their tweets through this platform, but with the peculiarity of being advertisements in the tweet format of 140 characters. This demands greater creativity by twitterers - the way users of this technology are called -, since they will have to write in one or two lines what they want to tell or sell. This new service offers customers the possibility of first-placing their advertisement among thousands of tweets.

As Stone said: “For example, if Starbucks wants to advertise a message, we offer that any code written in the search engine - relating to Starbucks - appears in first place, whether you follow the company’s account or not. Thanks to the possibility of calculating the number of people who like, follow or read a tweet, we can remove those Promoted Tweets that do not have a certain number of visits from the network. In this way, users do not have to see those Promoted Tweets and companies do not have to pay for a Tweet which is not followed or seen by anyone,” Stone concludes. ttv

“For example, if Starbucks wants to advertise a message, we offer that any code written in the search engine - relating to Starbucks appears in first place, whether you follow the company’s account or not.”

@NEW MULTIMEDIA TWITTER Weeks ago, Twitter announced an important user interface redesign. The new version gives Twitter users easy access to video, pictures, maps and content within others’ tweets.

Furthermore, it also offers marketers a more resourceful platform to target customers. “Twitter’s new web functionality is a significant evolution that promises to attract more visits to Twitter. com, improve Twitterers’ interactions with content and each other and ease adoption for Twitter newbies,” Augie Ray, analyst for Forrester Research said in his blog.

TTV MAGAZINE 15

NEWS

Caracol Locates Its Content On Telemundo ScreenS in the U.S. Telemundo Communication Group and Caracol TV sealed a long-term output deal, which exclusively secures all Caracol TV content produced for the international market to the American broadcaster to air on its U.S. screens.

Stated directly, any new production or project that has the seal of Caracol and its entire library will have Telemundo as the only broadcaster in the U.S. for several years. “We have enjoyed great success with Caracol in the past and this agreement strengthens our relationship and positions us to be better in the future,” said Don Browne, President of Telemundo Communications Group.

On behalf of the Colombian group, its President, Paulo Laserna, stressed that “reaching the U.S. Hispanic audience in a coherent and sustained way through a first-class station such as Telemundo, represents a major step for Colombian talent, and establishes Caracol as an exporter of world-class original content.”

The U.S. open channel has aired very successful material originated from Caracol such as ‘Pedro El Escamoso’, ‘Without Breasts There is No Paradise’ (‘Sin Tetas No Hay Paraíso’), ‘Newly Rich, Newly Poor’ (‘Nuevo Rico Nuevo Pobre’), ‘The Cartel 1 and 2’ (currently on air on Telemundo), ‘Neighbours’ (‘Vecinos’) and ‘The Mafia Dolls’ (‘Muñecas de la Mafia’), among others. “This partnership with Telemundo strengthens both our relationship with one of the largest television companies in the Hispanic world, and also confirms the success of the Caracol product and the Colombian talent that has conquered audiences in over 80 countries on five continents,” stressed Angelica Guerra, VP of Caracol Television International.

APPOINTMENT NBC Universal Promotes Paul Newman as Its New SVP of Technical Operations The Executive Vice-President of International Technical Operations for NBC Universal (NBCU), Ian Trombley, reported that Paul Newman has been promoted as the new Senior Vice President of Technical Operations, based in London. “Paul’s leadership, his passion and his great knowledge of the international scene have been invaluable in supporting aggressive growth plans of the division of Universal Networks International,” Ian Trombley commented on the appointment. “The many contributions of Paul have made him a valuable asset to this organization and this role will give him the opportunity to contribute even more in the future. It is a pleasure to announce his promotion.” Newman will continue to support growth for Universal Networks International’s channel and other technical operations of NBCU International. Since he joined NBCU in January 2008, Newman’s success includes the creation of a large task force, developing an innovative marketing initiative, supporting the launch of 15 international channels and successfully distributing other business initiatives.

YouTube Breaks Records in the U.S. YouTube broke its own record in May with 183 million visits from the U.S. according to comScore. It also broke its national record with 14,600 million videos viewed online in the U.S. by Internet users, who watched about 200 videos per person on average, according the report, collected by AFP. Google websites, predominantly YouTube, are among the most prominent video sites, covering 43.1% of the total videos watched, comScore reported. Portal Hulu ranked second, with 1,200 million, while Microsoft came in third with 642 million users watching their videos.

APPOINTMENT René Cortázar Named President of Canal 13 in Chile Last August, the Pontificia Universidad Católica of Chile and Grupo Luksic Group agreed to appoint René Cortázar as President of the future board of Channel 13. The name of the former Chief Executive of TVN, between 1995 and 2000, generated a consensus among partners. René Cortázar Sanz (58), is a commercial engineer at UC and has a doctorate in economics from MIT. While he was at the head of TVN, the channel reached leadership of Chilean television and managed to maintain profitable operations that have persisted over time. Cortázar has developed a career in both private enterprises and the public sector. He’s been part of several business directories and served as President of ANATEL and the Federación de Medios de Comunicación (Communication Media Federation), Vice-President of ICARE, Director of the Centro de Estudios Laborales Alberto Hurtado (Alberto Hurtado Work Studies Center) and Chairman of the Corporación de Estudios para Latinoamérica (CIEPLAN – Latin American Studies Corporation).

Ibope Measuring Paraguayan Market in Real Time The Paraguayan Ibope subsidiary introduced real-time television audience measurements to the market in June. Its fully automated system is now incorporated in the Paraguayan market, covering Asunción and Greater Asunción, measured through installed people meters. The data is then transferred to Ibope Media’s headquarters in Brazil for processing.

The results are then pondered and findings are broadcast via the Internet to companies hiring the service, in less than a minute. This is Ibope’s fifth market that counts with the realtime rating system currently used in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia. The launch was celebrated at the Sheraton Asuncion Hotel, with the presence of Flavio Ferrari, Executive Director of Ibope Media International, Luiz Antonio da Silva Motta, Director of Research and Development of Ibope Media, Operations Director Luisa Fernanda Hinojosa Streber and Business Director Fabia Juliasz.

EXECUTIVES

Organic

Growth

The format factory continues colonizing markets around the globe and already counts with 80 production companies in 26 different countries. Its CCO described the group’s successful ‘production hub’ model to ttv and highlighted the importance of Endemol Argentina within its global production strategy.

By Sebastián Torterola “Acquiring the largest producer in the Southern hemisphere made us very strong in the scripted entertainment market.”

“What that leaves us with is a business with over 80 production companies in 26 countries, basically covering all areas of entertainment.”

The Successful Mr. and Mrs. Pells Spanish Version Genre: Comedy Series

18 TTV MAGAZINE

S

ince January 2009, Tom Toumazis is the man who keeps a close eye over the majority of Endemol Group’s commercial operations worldwide. His main - and titanic - role is to support the growth of the group’s companies, while achieving an ‘organic’ global strategy across all of its areas. This includes its distribution branch, Endemol Worlwide Distribution, its division in charge of licensing, merchandising, social gaming, music publishing and gambling business, Endemol Worldwide Brands, as well as its sport content division - Endemol Sports and the company’s global marketing and communications. “The key is to work closely with the different operating companies and create teams with very clear management, roles and responsibilities,” he explains to ttv.

AN ORGANIC ACQUISITION STRATEGY. ‘Strategic’ is one of the words Toumazis repeats the most. In this regard, Endemol has

had an organic business growth approach through the acquisition of companies from its very early stages, and this practice has been intensified during recent years. As a first strong step towards global expansion in terms of infrastructure, Endemol acquired Australian production company Southern Star in January 2009. This operation boosted its distribution business by creating Endemol Worldwide Distribution. “Acquiring the largest producer in the Southern hemisphere made us very strong in the scripted entertainment market.

That’s one example of an acquisition in a market where we already had strong presence in factual entertainment reality programming, but felt this was an opportunity for us to extend our business,” Toumazis assures.

Opportunities kept showing up and in early 2010 Endemol also acquired three British producers: Tiger Aspect, “one of U.K.’s largest and most prolific drama and scripted title producers,” Darlow Smithson, “a very established factual entertainment and documentary filmmaking company,” and docu-reality content producer Tigress Productions. “We have also acquired one of the most successful production companies in Russia, where we have already commissioned 16 scripted projects and have recently launched ‘The Money Drop’ - one of our key priorities for Mipcom,” the executive adds.

Recent acquisitions include that of Authentic Media, a leading producer of factual reality documentary programming in the U.S. and creator of hits like ‘Ace of Cakes’ and ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’.

This billion-dollar strategy assures the Group an extensive portfolio that combines multigenre content: drama, comedy, animation, kids, entertainment, factual and original

Tom Toumazis,

programming, all distributed by its international sales team. “Endemol is consistently looking at acquisition and organic growth as two drivers of road. What that leaves us with is a business with over 80 production companies in 26 countries, basically covering all areas of entertainment: production, marketing, distribution and franchise management,” the executive sums up.

LATIN AMERICA: A COST-EFFECTIVE CONTENT SOURCE. When asked about the importance of the Latin American regions within the company’s global strategy, Toumazis mentions Argentina as a key market for Endemol’s ‘production hub’ model. “We used Buenos Aires as a hub to produce a number of our shows, starting out with ‘Wipeout’, which is now being produced from Argentina to 22 countries. We chose this country because we thought there was a strong production and creative community, and it was cost-effective.

We can never build the kind of structure needed for the ‘Wipeout’ set in every country around the world; so, without the Latin American blend of resources, people, and economics, we wouldn’t have this reach,” he affirms.

Another example of this is ‘101 Ways to Leave a Gameshow’, a show created in the U.K. and produced in Buenos Aires, which was picked up

by RTL in Germany, Globo in Brazil and Fox in Turkey. Furthermore, Endemol Argentina shot a pilot for ABC, which has also commissioned the show. “Creating this production hub model in Latin America delivers great value to our broadcasters and essentially enables us to put more value on screen,” Toumazis explains.

However, Endemol’s Latin American facilities are not only economically convenient production centers but also valuable sources of original ideas. In fact, ‘Extra Extra Small’ (‘XXS’) was originally created by Endemol Argentina, shot in Buenos Aires and then produced for Portugal and Turkey. There are other local productions travelling around the world. “One of them is ‘Nini’, which airs on Telefe and which we are rolling out around the world, not only as a TV show but also as a merchandising and licensing opportunity. ‘The Successful Mr. and Mrs. Pells’ [which has 10 local versions] has also come out of our Latin American business.

We are also actively exploring developing our telenovela business and we think it’s an exciting opportunity for the company,” the executive announces. Endemol also has production capabilities in Chile, Brazil, Miami and Mexico, through a joint-venture with Mexican giant Televisa.

Chief Commercial Officer, Endemol Group

“Creating this production hub model in Latin America delivers great value to our broadcasters.”

fact, Endemol seems to have the solution to tackle this migration: ‘The Money Drop’, a game show aired live and during primetime, two unusual facts for the genre.

“Now the audience can bring their mobile phones or laptops into their living room again and begin to interact with the live show. ‘The Money Drop’ is probably the most recent and best example of how Endemol has taken the interactive element and designed a game specifically around the TV experience, but keeping a very close eye on the online interactive opportunity,” he explains. This way, viewers can answer the same question as the contestant, and the host will inform the audience how many people are playing, and how many got the questions right or wrong.

“Across the course of the show, 450.000 people have participated by playing,” the executive adds.

Mipcom will definitely host discussions on these subjects. In the meantime, the format factory has been very active, and will feature strong new ideas. “Our new slates are a blend of shows that are now beginning to appear on air, such as ‘101 Ways to Leave a Gameshow’, ‘The Marriage Ref’ and ‘The Money Drop’. We will also present ‘Stuck in a Gameshow’, a crossover between a daily reality show and a game show, in which the only way to leave the show’s set is by winning the competition; ‘Zoom’, which blends TV and social media, and we think could be another face of how TV and online interactivity can work; and, lastly, ‘Timeline’, a traditional reality show combined with the game show format. We are also bringing a number of big shows from of our TV distribution business, including TV Land’s ‘Hot in Cleveland’. This show’s three main stars will also be present at Mipcom,” Toumazis concludes. ttv

The Money Drop Genre: Game Show

101 Ways to Leave a Gameshow Genre: Game Show

MULTIPLATFORM TV. TV viewing has tended to drift away from the living room to other rooms in the home, mostly due to popularity of Internet, video games, cell phones and social networking, among others. Despite this

TTV MAGAZINE 19

todotvnews

HIGHLIGHTS

ARGENTINA

Actions to Promote Audiovisual Production The government of the city of Buenos Aires proposed the creation of an Audiovisual District, tax exemptions and other actions to support and encourage local producers. > By Dino Cappelli In an isolated move amidst Argentinean reality, which currently discourages original television production, the city of Buenos Aires is now conducting a series of actions to boost it.

Tax exemptions, promotions, the creation of an Audiovisual District, these are all part of the Bill of Audiovisual Industry Promotion to be debated soon in Buenos Aires’ legislation.

The proposal creates an Audiovisual District and provides tax breaks for businesses of the industry. The classical Argentinean production companies, Ideas del Sur, Pol-Ka and Cuatro Cabezas are being joined by big names in the international market such as Endemol, Dori Media, Disney Media Networks, FremantleMedia, MTV, Televisa and Sony, among others. Plus interest in producing is now conceived as state policy.

The Minister of Industrial Development, Francisco Cabrera, said that this law “seeks to promote new employment posts and added value in a sector with a high concentration of talent,” newspaper Clarín quoted. He said that the project has two main features: first, it defines audiovisual productions - now regarded as a service - as an industry. Thus, the tax would go from 3.5% of gross income to 0%. A vast market is ready to receive the benefits and profits from those exemptions

and facilities. Only the Cámara Argentina de Productoras Independientes de Televisión (CAPIT – Argentinean Chamber of Independent Television Producers) brings 23 production companies together, engaging over 3,000 professionals. Thus, the creation of a Film District, similar to the experience with a Technological District that already exists in the southern part of the city, is seen with good eyes. This area would include the neighborhoods of Villa Ortúzar, Chacarita, Paternal and Palermo, where most companies and business of the industry are already located.

But that is not all. In addition to lowering tax rates and making it easier for production companies to set their businesses up, the project also implies that every company that is already established, as well as others that may settle into this area in the future, will be exempted from paying ABL taxes and Sello taxes for a period of 15 years if they are Argentinean companies and ten years in the case of foreign companies. The Head of the Buenos Aires’ Government summed it up, from the conception of the idea to the lobby in Congress: “I hope this legislation can generate better opportunities for the whole community. (...) The audiovisual industry has much to offer in the city.” ttv

APPOINTMENT Tina Hernandez, Joins VIP 2000 TV’s Staff 2000 VIP TV announced the addition of executive Tina Hernandez, with the aim of strengthening its co-production and original production areas, operating from its Miami office.

“The alliance with Casablanca requires us to strengthen this area of the company by hiring someone who has experience in programming, production and sales,” said Roxana Rotundo, CEO of VIP 2000. Rotundo and Arlette Siaretta, CEO of Grupo Casablanca, consider Hernandez “to be the right person to manage operations in the Latin market.”

Hernandez, who is already working at her New Projects position, will work from Miami with a production team chosen by Arlette Siaretta.

New strategies for the production company include drama productions in both Spanish and English. The opportunity to represent Casablanca, Brazil’s biggest independent production company, is for VIP 2000 TV “a great commitment and responsibility; we understand that this company’s production quality generates a very important commitment for us as a distributor, especially at this moment, when quality content is the most important thing in the business.”

CHILE Grupo Luksic Takes Control of Channel 13 The country’s most important conglomerate acquired a 67% stake of the channel owned by the Pontificia Universidad Católica, worth US$ 55 million.

“As you are aware, several factors, such as the change experienced by the national television industry, have complicated the management of Channel 13. This situation has resulted in, among other aspects, an increase of the financial debt, which now totals approximately US$ 55 million dollars,” said Ignacio Sánchez in the formal announcement to the university’s community. There is not, as you can see, a more compelling case than these financial reasons. “New challenges, such as implementation of digital television, will require significant additional resources. Aware of this reality, and in the presence of Chancellor Archbishop Francisco Javier Errázuriz, I signed the initial agreement with the Luksic Group to transfer ownership of the channel to them.” This agreement sets the stage of a study on specific aspects for two months, where the new major partners will make their first decisions. The contract also contains a clause of some significance to the university: the possibility that it may exercise an option to buy 17% within the next few years, and reach half ownership, regaining control.

20 TTV MAGAZINE

SPECIAL REPORT / AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION

India - A Love Story Behind the Scenes Production: Globo

Brazil, Production in its Prime > By Sebastiรกn Torterola The giant is moving and brimming with life. Brazil is the Latin American market of the hour and its economic leadership impacts the region. In order to understand the Brazilian production market, ttv prepared this special report covering all essential behind-the-scenes details about the business.

SPECIAL REPORT / AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION

F

or the Latin American and TV industry worldwide, Brazil has somehow always been labeled as the “promised land”. Regional giant, continent of its own, huge potential, and many other epithets have been assigned to it. And with good reason: this immeasurable and heterogeneous country takes up over 47% of the South American territory, is divided into 26 states and hosts a population of over 190 million inhabitants. It is the fifth country in the world in terms of extension and population, and it could be said that, by now, no longer stands among the underdeveloped countries, but ranks as one of the future largest economies of the world. It is currently leading the boosting economies of several Latin American nations that, unaffected by the 2009 global recession, are trying to break into the global map of the most powerful.

However, these aren’t the only characteristics that earn Brazil the title of “a continent of its own”. Adriano Civita, CEO of Brazilian production company Prodigo Films, accurately summarizes the country’s current situation regarding the audiovisual industry: “Brazil continues to be Latin America’s ‘ugly duckling’. The largest part of the TV industry’s political and business structure is based in Argentina, Venezuela and, to a smaller extent, Colombia. Executives are located in Miami and there are offices in Argentina because they have to speak Spanish with all Latin America. This has not changed. What has changed is Brazil’s economic situation; it’s the only country that has shown sustainable internal growth. Ours is a market that doesn’t have to worry about what is going on abroad” The country’s language and cultural barriers have historically caused large multimedia groups to look at the Brazilian market with moderate interest. However, its economic bonanza has changed plans and has turned it into a market that cannot be disregarded. Its increasing consumer purchasing power - especially of massive social classes C and D -, growing advertising investment and an annual growth of 15% for local pay TV, are some eloquent indicators evidencing the audiovisual sector’s potential.

Eliana Russi, Executive Manager of the Brazilian TV Producers (BTVP) program, names the country’s advantages as a target for investment on audiovisual productions. “Television has a territorial penetration Alice Genre: Series Production: Gullane Filmes

rate of 98%; Internet usage is the highest in Latin America, and Brazilian government sees technology as the primary tool in raising the education level of the country. Besides, Brazil has a multicultural society, a democratic political regime, and in the last ten years, government incentives transferred almost US$ 700 million to the sector.” Undeniably, the government’s incentive policy for national productions is a very distinctive feature of the country at a regional level.

Another aspect that ranks the country as a regional reference is the creation of the Japanese-Brazilian DTT norm, ISDB-T; its adoption has been successfully promoted around the world and most South American countries have chosen it, while negotiations are being held with 20 African nations to massively adopt it in that continent, among others.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been intensively lobbying in different parts of the world, succeeding in bringing the region together around its proposal and in positioning Brazil as leader of digital TV implementation.

Meanwhile, pay TV is another rising sector of the market, and national independent content is becoming increasingly prominent in the country’s screens. Subscription TV in Brazil has been growing at an annual rate of 15% since 2003, reaching 8.2 million homes according to figures disclosed in May by Anatel (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações, an autonomous regulatory agency for the sector), drawing 27 million viewers and a penetration rate over 15%. The sector shows a compound annual growth of 10% in 2010 so far. Brazil has the largest absolute number of subscribers to restricted TV services in the region, and also leads the introduction of high definition digital channels in Latin America, with over 20 signals available.

ADVERTISING INVESTMENT: A QUANTITIVE LEAP. Considering the South Africa World Cup 2010 and the elections taking place this year in Brazil - which imply an unusual cash injection into media - the advertising market share for this country showed an impressive inter-annual growth. Figures monthly disclosed by Projeto Inter-Meios, a service condensing over 350 media and communication groups - which represent 90% of all advertising investment in Brazil - show that ad spending amounted to US$ 6.96 billion, accumulating since June 2009 to June 2010, while comparative figures for the previous year reported an investment of US$ 4.48 billion (35.6% growth).

These final figures include the following media: free-to-air TV, pay TV, radio, written press, movie theaters, guides and lists, street advertising (outdoors, panels, urban furniture, out of home and mobile digital) and the Internet. In this sense, it is worth noticing that the largest part of the investment pie was absorbed by TV: 65% representing an investment of US$ 4.45 billion, compared to the US$ 2.7 billion (60.8%) of the previous year. Following in importance are other media such as newspapers (13.3% representing US$ 889 million), magazines (7.7% representing US$ 447 million), Internet and radio (4.7%, representing US$ 299 and US$ 291 million, respectively) and pay TV (3.9%, representing US$ 248 million).

Furthermore, the consulting agency also stated that the “interactive digital media” category also grew 36.66% compared to the previous semester, keeping a 30% or more growth rate during the last three years. According to IBOPE, the number of users accessing the Internet in Brazil climbed to 67.5 million people (16+), and IAB Brazil (Interactive Advertising Bureau) foresees that by the end of 2010 that number will reach 73.7 million Internet users. Meanwhile, data reported by Projeto Inter-Meios shows that mobile technology reached the 187 million cell phone mark, increasing its penetration rate to 96.83 cell phones per 100 inhabitants.

AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION: THE BRAZILIAN SCENE. Brazil’s audiovisual content production sector is another feature that distinguis-

24 TTV MAGAZINE

SPECIAL REPORT / AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION

hes this market from the rest of the region. The reason for this is the absolutely dominating figure of large free-to-air TV channels, which consolidated since their beginnings in the sixties. Their main characteristic is their great ability to fully match their line-up needs with their own original content, produced in production studio-cities, which are actual moving image factories.

This self-sufficient production model started with TV Globo, owned

by Roberto Marinho, breaking into the market with financial support from American group Time Life, which positioned the station at a higher technological and human resource level. The broadcasting station, which hired U.S. trained marketing professionals, purchased its preceding TV Paulista, and completely changed the market: sponsors - who had so far been the sole owners of primetime and TV shows - were no longer ruling, and the new idea that broadcasting stations had to create their own content started to prevail. Its main director at the time, Walter Clark, introduced a new advertising package where advertisers could only show their products during primetime, if they also bought minutes during other hours.

Since then, Globo has remained leader of free-to-air Brazilian TV, in addition to becoming a reference in terms of content generation at an

Fishtronaut Genre: Animation Series Production: TV Pingüim

international level. Rede Globo, owned by the business group Organizações Globo, the fourth largest media conglomerate in the world, is the fourth largest TV channel worldwide - coming after American ABC, CBS and NBC. The Central Globo de Produção (known as Projac) located in Rio de Janeiro works as a sample of the group’s infrastructure possibilities: the largest production complex in Latin America, it extends over 1,650 km2, including three studio-cities, 10 production studios, 32 moveable units, 8,000 employees and the list continues. There, 2,500 annual hours of all kinds of productions take place, even though the quality of their telenovelas is known worldwide, with international hits such as ‘Escrava Isaura’, ‘Tieta do Agreste’ and the recent Emmy winner for best telenovela ‘India - A Love Story’ (‘Caminho das Índias’). “This award is, for all of us producers and creators at Rede Globo, the crowning point of our creativity, efforts and investments, and a reason to continue producing higher-quality and world-appealing telenovelas.

Projac is currently operating at full capacity, and building new studios is already a necessity,” Guilherme Bokel, International Co-Production Director of TV Globo, says to ttv.

Globo’s strongest competitor in the fight for the free-to-air TV market is Rede Record, pioneer in the market since broadcasts began back in 1953 under the name of TV Record, becoming the second broadcasting station after TV Tupi. The channel currently ranks second in audience terms, with a line-up that has doubled their bet on news content since the nineties, and has devoted these last years to producing telenove-

26 TTV MAGAZINE

las such as ‘Prova de Amor’, ‘Bela, a Feia’ (‘Ugly Bela’) and ‘Another Power’ (‘Poder Paralelo’), as well as series like ‘The Law and the Crime’ (‘A Lei e o Crime’) and ‘Esther, the Queen’ (‘Ester - A História de uma Rainha’). This original production strategy is led by RecNov, the station’s TV tele-dramaturgy section launched in 2005 in Vargem Grande, Rio de Janeiro, which is the second largest production complex in Latin America with its whopping 208,000 m2.

“Today, we hire 2,095 people including technicians, cameramen, makeup artists and production, representing 550% growth in five years. Our telenovela ‘River of Intrigues’ was shot on a especially-built studio-city that cost almost US$ 2.75 million, apart from the over US$ 1.6 million invested on sets. Each telenovela episode costs an average of US$ 220,000; an entire telenovela would therefore have a total budget of US$ 44 million,” Hiran Silveira, Rede Record’s Director of TV dramaturgy, states.

Three channels complete the top five stations fighting over the TV market. SBT, managed by the everlasting communicator-businessman Silvio Santos, owns 8 studios in a 231,000 m2 area where the channel centralizes the entire production for its screen. Rede Bandeirantes, presided by Johnny Saad - son of the founder, João Saad - that, according to local media Meio&Mensagem, is now investing US$ 8 million to expand its production studios. And finally, Rede TV!, created in 1999 to replace the old Rede Manchete, with its Centro de Televisão Digital (CDT) located in Sao Paulo, which has been recently fully renovated and owns 7 completely digital studios lying on a 36,000 m2 area. In addition, even though they are not competitive in rating terms, there are other two channels of national scope, TV Cultura and TV Brazil, which have an educative-cultural profile, and represent a very good chance for independent production companies to have their original contents aired across the entire Brazilian territory.

These five large media groups fulfill original the production needs of almost all Brazilian free-to-air TV, comprising 478 broadcasting stations and 9.896 rebroadcasting stations. However, during the past years, coproduction formats between these channels and large international companies have become more popular. That is the case of FremantleMedia (‘Price is Right’, ‘Idols’, and ‘The Apprentice’ with Record; ‘Password’, with Rede TV!, among others) and Endemol (‘Big Brother’ with Globo and ‘Zero Bala’ with Bandeirantes, among others). Following this model, the participation of Casablanca, one of the most important independent production companies of the region, stands out, holding agreements with Rede Record to produce, for instance, seasons of the ‘The Apprentice’ (‘O Aprendiz’), comedy ‘Louca Família’ and the series ‘Turma do Gueto’; It is also co-producing the format ‘Zero Bala’ together with Endemol and Bandeirantes. It must be pointed out that Casablanca, directed by Arlette Siaretta, is the only independent company that holds a significant amount of agreements with large broadcasting stations, so it constitutes a very rare exception for independent production in Brazil.

INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION: VERSATILITY TO SURVIVE. ABPITV (Brazilian Association of Independent TV Companies) is one of the bodies supporting the 107 production companies producing audiovisual content for TV channels currently registered in Brazil. According to this association, producers face “distrustful competition” by Brazilian broadcasting stations, which, unlike most countries of the world, work as large content production companies. “Groups have everything they need because broadcasting stations screen, air and produce content.

Fortunately, that situation has changed and laws are starting to guarantee the presence of Brazilian content in pay TV,” Marco Altberg, President of ABPI-TV, explains to ttv.

Of all registered production companies, 42.7% are located in Sao Pablo, 36.9% in Rio de Janeiro, 7.8% in Rio Grande do Sul, 4.9% in Brasilia and

India - A Love Story Behind the Scenes Production: Globo

the rest are spread out in other states. According to a report carried out by ABPI-TV, over 50% of all registered production companies has a turnover of up to US$ 580,000 a year; 20% make between US$ 580,000 and US$ 2,900,000 and the other 20% have a turnover higher than US$ 2,900,000 per year. Of all 103 registered production companies to date, 52 produce documentaries, 27 specialize in animation, 18 in TV movies, 6 in telenovelas, 33 in TV shows, 12 in series and 29 produce films (fulllength and short films).

Leaving free-to-air TV aside - which is almost entirely out of reach for independent production - production companies have three main targets: the advertising industry, pay TV and the foreign market. In this sense, producing advertising spots is essential to these companies’ economies. “In five years, we made 2,000 advertising spots,” Denise Gomes, Executive Producer of BossaNovaFilms, informs this magazine, whereas Adriano Civita tells ttv that Prodigio Publicidad produces 200 commercials a year. Furthermore, both pay TV agreements and projects with international companies have been promoted by creating associations and passing incentive laws for the sector.

REGULATORY BACKGROUND. One of the distinctive features of this market related to independent productions is the regulatory background that the Government is promoting in order to favor the sector.

These incentive policies started to materialize since Provisional Measure 2.228-1 of 2001, creating the Film Industry Council and National Film Industry Agency (Ancine, agency in charge of regulating, promoting and inspecting the activities of the sector.) Altberg provides further examples that came later: “Public promotion has guaranteed resources through several instruments, just to quote a few: Art. 1A from Lei do Audiovisual (2007); Art. 3A of the same law (2009); Funcines (2005) and Fundo Setorial do Audiovisual (2009). Thanks to this support, independent production has managed to develop high quality programs.”

Legal instruments above are primarily aimed at implementing tax exemptions for parties of the sector, for example, as stated in popular “Article 3A”: “Foreign tax payers may invest up to 70% of their due taxes and resources may be reinvested to develop full-length film production projects by independent Brazilian production companies and to co-produce Brazilian independent short, medium and full-length films and videophonographies, documentaries, TV movies and miniseries.”

Thus, article 3A is meant to contact the film and TV industry with independent production companies, enabling national productions to make their way into national and international line-ups, as well.

“Over 90% of independent productions benefit from these laws. It is a sound example of fostering and strengthening of a market. These laws allow the public sector or private companies to invest in audiovisual works by reducing taxes equivalent to invested amounts. In 2010, it is forecasted that the Government will spend US$ 250 million in total tax credits and incentives. Usually, in a co-production, Brazilian producers are able to come up with 30% of the total budget,” explains Eliana Russi, who runs a project carried out by ABPI-TV to broaden national production horizons beyond frontiers, called BTVP. Additionally, a new legislative milestone is about to open more doors for the sector: PLC 116 (formerly proposed in 2007 as PL29), which will have an impact on Brazil’s pay TV market. “Under article 3A, in five years time US$ 35.5 million have been invested in independent national productions. However, once PLC 116 is passed, we will have an estimated investment of US$ 75.7 million in one year,” says Adriano Civita from Prodigio Films. Already approved by the House of Representatives and currently under discussion at the Senate, the bill opens the pay TV market to telecommunication companies (to stimulate competition) and fixes a minimum quota of national production to cable channels (to stimulate national production). “By introducing telcos into the market,

TTV MAGAZINE 27

SPECIAL REPORT / AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION

HBO PRODUCES IN BRAZIL HBO Latin America Group (LAG) is, evidently, one of the corporations investing more in Brazilian autochthonous production.

Luis Peraza, Executive VP of Acquisitions and Original Production of the company, described the model that the company has used to make associations with production companies to work in series like ‘Alice’ and ‘Mandrake’. “We work with Ancine public funds. A series of 13 half-hour episodes has a budget of about 6,800,000 reais (around US$ 3,840,000). The Law for Audiovisual Incentive enables financing up to 95% of the project. The other alternative - if you have the money - is to get financing through fiscal incentives. The remaining 5%, called balancing entry, comes from co-producers, other funds or your own pocket. This is the scheme that we are currently using,” he explained to ttv. Also in Brazil, HBO Latin America Originals is producing the special ‘Alice - Un Especial en Dos Partes’ - that should be finished by November -, co-produced with Gullane Filmes, while also preparing the series ‘Mulher de Fases’ (13 x 30’). This is HBO’s first try at comedy, which will be launched in 2011. “The series was shot in Super 16mm, and is now in post-production,” Peraza said. the audiovisual sector will develop all over Brazil and number of subscriptions, as well as the space to air independent content programs in different regions of the country, will increase, ensuring diversity of views and new work opportunities,” Marco Altberg comments on the law’s potential repercussions. With these perspectives, pay TV gains a good position to become the most prolific segment for Brazilian independent production companies.

A GUIDE TO BRAZIL’S PRODUCTION COMPANIES. Brazil’s largest independent production company is - no doubt about it - Grupo Casablanca, a group of companies that focuses 80% of their resources on film productions, but also works with TV shows, advertising, and offers a very wide range of production, post-production and satellite transmission services. Casablanca, which provides stable jobs for over 4,000 people, develops content for pay TV channels’ Sony and Fox’s Brazilian feeds. In addition, the Casablanca Online division provided online coverage services during the 2010 World Cup for Rede Globo and ESPN. Among other projects by Casablanca Content, one finds the first Brazilian telenovela to be entirely produced in HD, ‘Metamorfosis’, as well as the telenovela ‘Fútbol, Pasión y Samba’, co-produced with distribution company VIP, the reality show ‘1 contra 100’, co-produced with Endemol Brasil and Bandeirantes and the controversial format ‘Choosing My Religion’, among others.

full-length films, such as award-winning ‘2 Filhos de Francisco’ and the recent ‘A Mulher Invisível’. This company was also in charge of producing the series ‘Mandrake’ for HBO LAG, two-time finalist of the Emmy Awards for Best Drama Series.

The latest incorporation to the sector is Floresta, based in Sao Paulo, which settled into the market in July carrying a heavy load: representing the Sony Pictures Television portfolio of TV entertainment formats.

“We are going to concentrate our energies on ‘The Dr. Oz Show’, a format that has been very successful worldwide. We will also develop fiction in line with teen series such as ‘Isa TKM’ and I would like to create a sitcom like ‘The Nanny’, since weekly series are just starting to become more popular in Brazil,” Elisabetta Zenatti, Executive Director of Floresta, announced during an interview with ttv.

CONTENTS FOR EXPORT: AN INTERACTIVE WINDOW. In order to find new businesses for independent production companies, several associations have appeared in Brazil throughout the years, aimed at creating investment opportunities from and towards the international content market. The Associação Brasileira de Produtoras da Produção de Obras Audiovisuais (APRO – Brazilian Association of Audiovisual Work Production), Cinema do Brasil (Cinema of Brazil) and the aforementioned ABPI-TV are just some of them, which together with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) and the Audiovisual Department of the Ministry of Culture of Brazil (SAV/ MINC) have developed Brazilian TV Producers (BTVP), a program meant to “promote multiplatform production opportunities, develop international commercial agreements, stimulate Brazil’s production sector and train companies to do multiplatform business,” as the organization states. Its Executive Manager, Eliana Russi, provides ttv with significant data relevant to the project: “BTVP takes participation in 72 events and missions held in 10 countries, what comprises over 7,000 meetings.

Filming, producing or co-producing in Brazil is an excellent business.

Besides competent professionals, incentive laws, cultural diversity and a variety landscapes, there is an enormity of opportunities.”

The considerable list of outstanding production companies goes on.

Mixer has received 47 Cannes Lions and two Emmy Award nominations, and is responsible for creating series such as ‘Europa Paulistana’ (aired by pay TV channels Eurochannel and TV Cultura), and ‘Mothern’ (GNT). Prodigio, which produces 200 advertising spots a year, was in charge of developing and shooting the series ‘FDP (Filho da Puta)’, under a US$ 5.3 million budget, for HBO Latin American Group (HBO LAG) and the full-length film ‘The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga’, with a budget of US$ 2.5 million.

One of the most outstanding initiatives by BTVP is the International Training Program (PIC) that already has two editions and a third one that will take place at the end of the year. “The PIC Animation and PIC DOC editions were extremely positive, with even some agreements sealed after training. PIC New Formats is meant to stimulate the creation of new possibilities for audiovisual media, and we have great expectations regarding the innovative projects that are being submitted,” the executive affirms. The initiative consists of a call for, and later selection of, original projects to participate in a five-day workshop with international market professionals including, seminars, talks and individual counseling for each project. Some of the topics that will be discussed include financing, distribution and licensing methods. The PIC Animation and PIC DOC editions held in 2009 gathered about 60 independent production companies of all over Brazil, and included the participation of European and North American specialists. Currently under development, PIC New Formats received 58 projects from all over Brazil, from which 25 will be selected by the association to participate in the workshop. Projects are currently under the selection process, which is guided by Jacques Bensimon (former President of National Film Board, Canada).

Furthermore, TV Pingüim became a successful animation reference point thanks to the series ‘Fishtronaut’ (‘Peixonauta’) on Discovery Kids, which, according to its CEO Celia Catunda, “has more than 20 local licensees” involved in 120 consumer products around the series. Gullane Filmes, a critical success in Brazil and in the international market with movies like ‘O Ano em que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias’ and ‘Bicho de Sete Cabeças’, is also co-producing with HBO Latin America Group (LAG) the series ‘Alice’, while BossaNovaFilms produces six full-length films a year, three TV series, an animation and live action series and two documentary series. Along this line, Conspiração Filmes has among its credits 18

“We are very pleased with the results achieved,” Marco Altberg, President of ABPI-TV, tells ttv. “Positive results are coming from young producers trained in our project, who are currently co-producing with companies like Turner and Viacom.” The Executive discloses that from the 16th to the 18th of March, 2011, ABPI-TV will organize its first market event, Rio Content Market. “Rio will open its arms to receive the most important people of the TV business and new media. Meanwhile, over 50 representatives from 34 independent production companies associated with ABPI-TV will be present at Mipcom 2010 in Cannes,” Altberg concludes. ttv

28 TTV MAGAZINE

EXECUTIVES

Keeping Formats Real Success has no limit for FremantleMedia Enterprises, which heads an unstoppable search to conquer new media. However, far from being a quest towards the unknown, the company keeps its traditional and newest formats real and entertaining.

Gary Carter, COO of the company, updates ttv on the latest operations of one of the world’s leading format sources.

By Sebastian Torterola “We’ve recently developed console games, iPhone and iPad apps, and we now have the most successful branded social game on Facebook” “The X Factor’s 2010 launch was its best ever in the UK, and it has now been produced or licensed by FremantleMedia in 20 territories. It will also launch in the U.S. next year”

Take Him Out Indonesian Version Genre: Reality Show

30 TTV MAGAZINE

B

eware, format buyers. Mipcom is here, and giant format producer and distributor FremantleMedia has already extended its tentacles throughout every key territory and platform known. And when it comes to the company’s operations around the - territorial and virtual - globe, Gary Carter has a lot to say: especially in regards to the exploration of new business windows.

BRAND NEW MEDIA. Alternative screens have ceased to be alternative for FremantleMedia.

It’s not about monetizing; it’s about innovative ways to engage consumers and about redesigning the relationship audiences have with brands. “We have used new media platforms to enable viewers to enhance and extend their TV viewing experience and create new levels of interaction. A good example of this is the work we’ve done with our iconic

games hows like ‘Family Feud’ - from the development of SMS and WAP games in the U.S. almost a decade ago, to console games, iPhone and iPad apps more recently, and we now have the most successful branded social game on Facebook,” Carter points out.

Gary Carter,

He describes this business area as an “interesting and fast-moving space,” on which FremantleMedia is investing on an ongoing basis. The company has taken a stake in developer and publisher of interactive casual games Ludia, and the results of that operation will be announced in the coming months, the executive remarks.

“We are thrilled to announce the first format borne out our partnership with Fuji, ‘Total Blackout’, which will form part of our slate for MIPCOM this year”

Social media is also a field in which FremantleMedia has been and is actively venturing. “On shows such as ‘The X Factor’ and ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, we now have a social media editor who is purely dedicated to managing our very popular Facebook and Twitter accounts. ‘The X Factor’ has more than a 1.5 million fans on its official Facebook page, and its YouTube channel is one of the UK’s top three most viewed of all time,” Carter assures.

On other online platforms such as MySpace and YouTube, virtual auditions of ‘America’s Got Talent’ have been taking place, and this year one of this show’s key performers submitted her original audition on YouTube and went on to become a finalist.

YouTube’s importance isn’t anecdotic at all. “Some of our other activity includes distributing our content online - we were one of the original YouTube partners to put up long form content when it launched in the UK with ‘Baywatch’ - and we are now one of the site’s most active content partners, with over 15 official channels,” Carter notes. Recent launches include the food channel ‘Sorted’, which has been selected as an editorial pick by the YouTube team. Furthermore, catchup viewing through official websites is also a highly valued resource, led by ‘Neighbours’ and ‘Masterchef’ websites in Australia.

“In addition, we produce original content for new media platforms. Our online scripted drama ‘FREAK’ was selected as the world’s best “Original Online Program, Interactive” at this year’s Rockie Awards at the Banff World Television Festival, and it was also selected as an Official Honoree of the 14th Annual Webby Awards,” he adds. FremantleMedia also received two International Digital Emmy Award nominations in the category of “Best Digital Program: Fiction” earlier this year, for the online comedy ‘PrintFriends’ and for ‘Pietshow’.

GREATEST HITS. FremantleMedia has been responsible for three out of the top eleven travelling formats of 2010: ‘Got Talent’, ‘Take Me Out’ and ‘Password’. ‘Take Me Out’ has

COO, FremantleMedia

been the fastest, having entered seven new markets in 2010 and been produced in fourteen territories till now. “‘Hole In The Wall’, the hilarious game show from Fuji, has also been a huge hit having now travelled to 40 territories worldwide - the format was most recently sold to CCTV1 in China and launched in September. Meanwhile, ‘Got Talent’, coowned by FremantleMedia and Syco, has commissions in 40 territories, becoming one of our most successful formats of all time,” Carter lists. The show entered four new markets in the first six months of 2010, and has aired in 38 territories. “In the U.S., it is NBC’s number one series this year and in the UK it’s again the highest-rated entertainment show. Series four in Australia has been the best to date and it’s now the Nº1 show for broadcaster RTL4 in Holland,” he assures.

Widely present i n Latin America and co-owned

by FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment, ‘Idols’ aired in 42 territories since its launch, and Syco’s ‘The X Factor’ continues to write its own successful story. “The show’s 2010 launch was its best ever in the UK, and the hit format has now been produced or licensed by FremantleMedia in 20 territories. It will also launch in the U.S. next year,” the executive announces.

On the factual entertainment side, ‘Farmer Wants A Wife’ has travelled to more than 19 territories, and is particularly popular in Europe: it’s currently the top entertainment show on French M6, and the number one show in Holland.

THE FORMAT MARKETPLACE. Gary Carter also gave his vision about format trends, assuring that a great idea is likely to come from anywhere. “It is fair to say that the format

business is now truly global. The UK is still the top exporter of the world’s travelling formats, followed by the U.S. and the Netherlands, but travelling formats originating from the rest of the world have reached a five year peak this year,” he states. However, one of FremantleMedia’s most successful shows in recent years is Fuji TV’s ‘Hole In The Wall’, which originated in Japan. “On the other hand ‘Take Me Out’, which is FremantleMedia’s fastest selling format in the first half of 2010, was developed by FremantleMedia in France, first went to air in Australia, and is now very popular with audiences in Asia and Europe.

It’s now airing in Chile and a second season has just been commissioned in the UK.” Additionally, in April 2010 FremantleMedia signed a Creative Exchange with Fuji TV, with the objective of developing and co-producing new TV formats for the international markets.

Carter described this agreement as a unique opportunity for bringing cuttingedge ideas to the market. “Fuji TV’s Mr. So Fujinuma has completed a very fruitful secondment at FremantleMedia North America, and now Henrik Nielsen is going to Fuji TV’s headquarters in Tokyo where he will be involved in numerous activities, from planning and development to production,” he explains. Carter also announced the first format borne out of this partnership: ‘Total Blackout’, which is part of the MIPCOM 2010 slate. “The new format, which originated in the U.S.A., is an extremely funny game show that sees contestants perform the most unusual and daring tasks in complete darkness, often totally unaware of what they’re doing.

The show already has pre-sales in Sweden, Denmark and Norway and we are excited to be bringing it to MIPCOM,” the executive concludes. ttv

TTV MAGAZINE 31

EXECUTIVES

Always One

Step Ahead

As the 38th International Emmy Awards come closer, The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences proves that it continues to keep up with the times.

Bruce Paisner, its President and CEO, talks to ttv about digital formats, unique networking events, Latin America and its traditional award ceremony, painting a realistic - albeit colorful - picture.

> By Stephanie Biscomb

W

ith over 600 members from 50 different countries, The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences manages to represent all sectors pertaining to television, including Internet and mobile TV. Bruce Paisner, its President and CEO, is currently occupied organizing the 38th edition of its top-most award gala: The International Emmys, to be held on November 22nd in New York.

“The International Emmy Awards are a celebration of excellence in television,” Paisner tells ttv from his offices in New York.

The selection process truly shines light on his words: potential nominees submit their work and wait 6 months and three rounds of judging to find out if they made the cut. The process is strict and time-consuming, with 720 independent jurors - experts in their category - participating. And, after all is said and done, there’ll only be four nominees and one awardwinner in 15 categories from copious amounts of entries.

Bruce Paisner,

President and CEO of The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

This will also be the third year in which an International Emmy for the best Telenovela will be announced. Despite its Latin American origins, the genre has evidently spread its wings to become an international phenomenon, something the Academy recognizes as fact.

“This genre is very important in terms of number of viewers it attracts worldwide, and that has been a fact for decades,” Paisner explains. “We needed the telenovela genre to be truly global to be able to recognize it as an Emmy category, and clearly it is.”

Apart from the excitement of announcing the best in the world, the event, chaired by

32 TTV MAGAZINE

PBS CEO Paula Kerger, will also feature two special awards for ‘American Idol’ Judge and ‘X Factor’ Executive Producer, Simon Cowell and ‘Saturday Night Live’ Creator & Executive Producer, Lorne Michaels.

The Award Gala will be preceded, as every year,

by The International Emmy World Television Festival, an event that Paisner defines as “an amazing networking opportunity for television professionals who want to meet and do business with the leading players in our industry.”

Originally designed as an opportunity for attendees to see all programs nominated for an International Emmy, the event has taken shape of its own, providing a unique platform for international promotion and networking.

Steven Spielberg, during the 2009 International Emmy Awards ceremony

EXECUTIVES

International Academy Day, yet another of the institution’s grand events, was first held in Mexico in 2005 and, in 2008, celebrated its third edition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (its 2006 edition was held in Beijing, China).

“TV Globo, the host of Academy Day in Rio, put together a truly unique industry event that brought together the leading players in the television industry from Latin and South America and a group of International Academy Members from around the world,” the International Academy’s President recalls. The event’s schedule – brimming with social events and industry-related topical panels – remained pretty much the same during its three editions but Rio’s had one distinct feature: “To have President Lula Da Silva inaugurate the event in person was a testament to the economic and cultural importance of the television industry and of TV Globo in that industry,” Paisner remembers.

Rede Globo’s team with the Emmy Award for Best Telenovela: ‘India - A Love Story’.

The Festival takes place on the weekend before the big Award Gala (Friday, November 19th-21st) and only Academy Members and their guests, as well as Nominees and Jurors, are invited to attend.

Yet The International Emmy Awards and its preceding Festival aren’t the only things occupying Paisner’s mind. When not presiding over the Academy, he is Advisor to Hearst Corporation’s CEO and serves on the boards of Hearst’s Cosmopolitan TV Channels in Spain, Latin America and Canada. He also serves as Senior Advisor to Pleiades Multimedia, a Russian cable television programming company. His lifetime career in media took a kick start in print but quickly turned to television and video.

With over 40 years in the industry, he’s clearly seen it all, but remarkably remains open to what will come next. “There has been a shift in how viewers worldwide watch television and therefore television producers have had to adapt to multiplatform delivery content,” he says, not oblivious to the fast-paced changes technology presents for the entire industry.

“Multiplatform content is the norm now, and audiences’ viewing patterns are leading growth in the digital sector. The challenge for television organizations is to integrate these new technologies, while keeping focus on their core business,” he continues. Yet, one must remain realistic: Paisner is the first to note that monetization isn’t necessarily immediate and, therefore, keeping up with

34 TTV MAGAZINE

the trend might prove expensive for both large and small companies alike.

And what about the Academy itself, how does it adapt to these changes? “As a trade organization, we stay one step ahead of developments in our industry,” Paisner assures. “That is why 5 years ago, we launched The International Digital Emmy Awards categories, which we present in partnership with ReedMidem every year at MIPTV.” The International Digital Emmy Awards acknowledge outstanding digital and/or interactive content and programming on any platform – mobile devices, online, interactive television, you name it – created outside the U.S. in three different categories: Fiction, NonFiction and Children & Young People.

Very much like the pre-Gala festival the International Academy hosts, International Academy Day brings television industry professionals together to explore opportunities.

“Participants were able to make business with each other and are still doing so, 4 years later,” Paisner adds, pointing out the depth and strength of every business relationship born from this event.

However, attendees aren’t the only ones who benefit from this event: “International Academy Day is an initiative which can truly shine the global spotlight on the television industry of a certain region and Academy Day in Rio did just that,” Paisner affirms, as further proof of the Academy’s profound interest and wager on the Latin American television industry and market.

However, the mere acknowledgment of the importance of multiplatform television by a world-renowned International Academy should not be taken as a sign of its onedimensional counterpart’s demise; as Paisner rightfully says, “although technology is leading changes in our industry, content is still king.”

As the world becomes even more globalized, the industry runs the same course, bringing new markets into the international scene.

The International Academy continues to showcase the talent and excellence of nonU.S. products, bringing producers, distributers, creative professionals and anyone in the global television industry together – even when it comes to digital platforms.

This is good news, especially for Latin America and its current content factory status. “Content coming out of Latin America is increasingly successful throughout the world, including in non-Spanish speaking markets,” Paisner highlights. “I’ve had the opportunity to work directly with both broadcasters and content producers and, of course, Latin America is very strategic for any company involved in the international marketplace.”

Despite its traditional roots, the Academy keeps on growing… and, according to Paisner, the Latin American market follows suit. “I think the importance of the Latin market is growing every year in the global marketplace,” he concludes. “It’s exciting for us to be an international platform for content and talent from the region.” ttv

And The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences certainly shows it agrees.

* For further information on how to enter a program into the International Emmy Awards and the competition’s rules, visit www.iemmys.tv.

Canal de las Estrellas Takes Original Production to Europe

united states

‘Missing’, Telemundo’s Audience Record - Breaking Telenovela

Canal de las Estrellas Europe, Televisa Networks’ signal meant for said region, started broadcasting telenovela ‘Fill Me With Love’ (‘Llena de Amor’) on Monday, August 16th. This production, based on an original story written by Carolina Espada for Venezuelan TV, under the title ‘Mi Gorda Bella’, was adapted by the channel to combine melodrama, comedy and suspense. Producer Angell Nesma Medina, responsible for other telenovelas such as ‘Chispita’, ‘Rosa Salvaje’ and ‘María la del Barrio’, as well as actors Valentino Lanús, Ariadne Díaz, Altair Jarabo, Laura Flores, Armando Araiza, Alexis Ayala and Roberto Palazuelos, bring to life and to millions of viewers’ screens, the story of Marianela, an overweight girl that is forced to live with her Aunt Fedra since her mother’s death, where she will find hatred, but the love of her life as well.

‘Missing’ (‘¿Dónde Está Elisa?’), which airs at 10:00 PM in the U.S., has become the most-watched telenovela in the history of Telemundo with a 955,000 viewer average since its debut, appealing to adults 18-49 years old and about 1.6 million viewers (2+ Persons). For the second consecutive month, this Telemundo International production averaged more than a million 18-49 year-old adults, with 1.026 million in July. The broad scope of the telenovela is evident, having increased Telemundo’s performance when compared to July 2009, also increasing numbers across key demographic groups including +80% in women 18-49 years old (618,000 vs. 344,000 ) and +58% in adults 18-49 years old (1.026 million vs. 650,000). The ‘¿Dónde Está Elisa?’ adaptation for the U.S. Hispanic market has been nominated as Best Telenovela at the popular Rose d ‘Or, to be held in September in Switzerland. The Chilean version of ‘¿Dónde Está Elisa?’ - produced by TVN - won the award for Best Telenovela at the Banff World Television Festival Rockie Awards, and was recently nominated for the Seoul Drama Awards. The telenovela starring Gabriel Porras, Sonya Smith, Catherine Siachoque, Roberto Mateos and Jorge Luis Pilas has also been sold in over 25 countries.

APPOINTMENT

Roberto Romagnoli is TV Azteca’s New Production Director

URUGUAY

La Tele Renews Wager on Globo Soap Operas Uruguayan broadcasting network La Tele (Canal 12) acquired broadcasting rights for all telenovelas that’ll be commercialized this year by Brazilian distributor Globo TV International: ‘India - A Love Story’ (‘India – Una historia de amor’), ‘Seize the Day’ (‘Vivir la Vida’), ‘Watercolors of Life’ (‘Acuarela del Amor’) and ‘Paradise City’ (‘Ciudad Paraíso’), plus the documentary series ‘Globo Doc Wild Life’, specially produced for the international market. ‘Watercolors of Life’ has already been sold to over 12 countries since its release during last NATPE. It became significantly successful in Brazil gaining 57% market share and 34 rating points. Meanwhile, ‘Paradise City’ will be the next premiere to be aired during the afternoon at 5.00 pm.

Roberto Romagnoli took over as Production and Entertainment Director of TV Azteca in June, after leaving Televisa on the last days of February. According to an interview published by Mexican newspaper El Universal, the producer is interested in “making popular television for the masses, with simple language and a lot of imagination.” Ratings are one of Romagnoli’s primary objectives: “popular shows are at the head of programming; I can take criticism, as long as it is good, but when watching television, shows must use a language that is easy for the people at home to understand,” the producer explained.

Romagnoli is Argentinean and first went to Mexico in 1999 to produce a talk show called ‘Cosas de la Vida’ with Rocío Sánchez Azuara, for TV Azteca.

Now he will be, among others, behind shows like ‘Laura de Todos’, hosted

by Peruvian Laura Bozzo. Part of his responsibilities includes the creation of a new edition of ‘Muévete’ on Saturday mornings. The executive worked at Canal 9 from Argentina, TV Azteca, Telemundo, Univisión, Televisa and is now coming back to TV Azteca.

TTV TELENOVELAS T.

TTV TELENOVELAS | NEWS

Telefe Agrees on Co-Production with Shanghai Media Group

COLOMBIA Canal Caracol to Premiere New Telenovela, ‘Secretos de Familia’ Canal Caracol will launch its latest production, ‘Secretos de Familia’ on August 30th, a telenovela about the problems faced by five women when they discover that “their men” were not what they thought. Two recording units and almost one hundred people are responsible for giving life to this telenovela, a story produced in HD format at the Bogota studios, as well as in farms in Bojacá and Zipacón, near Facatativá, and houses in Cota, Chía and Cajicá. Directed

by Germán Porras and Juan Carlos Delgado, with three scriptwriters and an outstanding cast, the novela, featuring drama and action will occupy the Colombian channel’s primetime. “We are fortunate to work with this cast. It’s drama with love, romance and action scenes related to politics and money laundering,” said Germán Porras, who also directed the telenovela ‘Neighbors’ (‘Vecinos’).

Rede Record Signs Deal with Televisa for Co-Production of ‘Rebelde’ The Brazilian channel announced that it will not produce the local version of Mexican telenovela ‘Cuidado con el Angel’, bearing the name of ‘Vivendo o Amor’, but will produce a new version of the ‘Rebelde’ teen series in its place. The Brazilian version of the series, based on an original idea by Cris Morena Group, began shooting in August and will be released in November this year. According to statements by the station’s Director of Teledrama, Hiran Silveira, the change was endorsed after analyzing the product’s characteristics in order to define the timeslot where it’ll be most potentially successful, 7 PM. ‘Rebelde’ was one of the first titles Record intended to produce in association with Televisa. The station, however, opted for ‘Bela a Feia’ (a version of ‘Ugly Betty’). “Initially, ‘Bela’ had a negative point: the end of the story was widely spread. ’Rebelde’ offers the possibility of changing the story,” Silveira pointed out. There are still no confirmed actors for ‘Rebelde’, while some of the professionals who had committed to the realization of ‘Vivendo o Amor’ will join the new production. The actors who make up the band may be chosen from among the station’s cast or from musicals outside Brazil, Record explained. Meanwhile, the telenovela’s name might be kept the same – even though Record does consider the possibility of a subtitle - and its writer will be Margareth Boury with Ivan Zetel directing.

As part of the multi-sector trade mission in China (Beijing and Shanghai) by Argentina’s President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, a Telefe entourage announced an agreement with Shanghai Media Group (SMG) for the first Chinese-Latin American co-production: the telenovela ‘Heartbeat’. The agreements include CTN and SVP as associated production companies, a turning point in AsianLatin American relations in regards to audiovisual material. “This original idea was written for our partners at the SMG and adapted by them, and is being produced entirely in China, specifically in Shanghai. The cast is born in that country, as well as its settings. The production team is largely Chinese but is led by Argentinean directors and producers.

The telenovela, which is currently in preproduction, will initially have a first 40episode season and a second season of 40 more episodes is being written,” Michelle Wasserman, International Sales Manager for Telefe International, commented on the agreement.

‘First Lady’, a Launch by Latin Media and WRC Latin Media Corporation, the distributor headed by José Escalante, confirmed its launch of telenovela ‘First Lady’ (‘Primera Dama’) at MIPCOM. The telenovela is a new production from Chile’s Channel 13, represented internationally by Latin Media Corporation, that will be part of the channel’s international catalog, which includes the telenovelas ‘Don Amor’ (100 hours) and ‘Fierce’ (‘Feroz’) (100 hours), the teen series ‘Amango’, ‘El Blog de la Fena’, ‘Nadie me entiende’ and ‘Química’, and the competition formats ‘Vértigo’, ‘Amor Ciego’ and ‘Acoso Textual’. “Chile’s Channel 13 is focused on the production of this great telenovela, and we know that it will be a successful product, not only in Chile but also in Latin America, Europe and Asia,” José Escalante, President of Latin Media Corporation and Director of Worldwide Rights Corporation, commented on the release.

TTV TELENOVELAS | special REPORTS

EASTERN EUROPE Esther, The Queen 10 x 60’ Distribution: Record TV Network

A Heyday

for Telenovelas The genre recovers its place in Eastern Europe’s grids. New actors, new developing projects and above all - a strong comeback to the region’s screens, suggest an optimistic outlook after the closing of DISCOP’s last edition.

Our magazine consulted twelve of the main distributors of the genre to learn more about their performance in Eastern Europe. > BY RODRIGO ROS T. TTV TELENOVELAS

N

owadays Hungary, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Greece, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Belorussia, Georgia, Moldavia, Estonia and Czech Republic are among the most outstanding markets in Eastern Europe, some of them confirming the trend noticed a couple of years ago. In the case of Hungary, for example, Claudia Sahab, Sales Director for Europe for Televisa Internacional, tells ttv that “this territory has been growing a lot for some time, and more specifically in this last period, and today, we are present in both national channels and on cable TV.” According to the executive, the genre’s strong comeback to the region is, at least in Hungary’s specific case, due to the fact that “after the crisis, many of these countries stopped producing at a local level, choosing to purchase canned material instead.”

In this same line, Camila Reyes, Sales Executive for Eastern Europe for Caracol TV Internacional, considers that “one of the reasons that explain

Family Secrets 120 x 60’ Distribution: Caracol TV International

this return has to do with the high costs of local production, which in a context of economic crisis favors the return to canned products.”

of Ukraine, Moldavia, Georgia or Kazakhstan), is that these countries used to purchase directly through Russian distributors.

But there are also other factors. Among them, and as specified by Sahab for the cases of Albania and Croatia, the fact that “although it is true that there was an increase in the slots allocated to the genre, new channels are also being developed; for instance, in Croatia, six telenovela slots are currently being planned (…) Finally, the result is that we have grown a 25 per cent in sales within the region, and those expectations are kept for this year.”

In this way, for instance, Imagina from Spain succeeds in reaching Ukraine directly for the first time, through the adaptation of ‘Aída’, and Artear from Argentina manages - also for the first time - to enter negotiations with markets like Moldavia, Ukraine or Kazakhstan.

According to Melissa Pillow, Sales Manager for Europe for Telemundo International, this process - especially in countries like Hungary and Croatia - “has been occurring during the last few years, although it was reinforced by results obtained in this last market.” Results that were heightened by the fact that “in this market, some countries have been more present than in other opportunities, such as the case of Armenia, or the countries of the ex Yugoslavia,” she adds.

Another strategy to reach these territories is the one followed by Dori Media Group: through the adaptation of ‘LaLola’ for Russia on the CTC channel, for example, the group keeps the distribution rights and reaches, for the first time, markets such as Latvia and Estonia.

Eva Luna Genre: Telenovela Distribution: Venevision International

On his part, Marcel Vinay Jr., executive in charge of International Sales for TV Azteca, underlines that the greatest interest in the telenovela genre comes from buyers from Belorussia, as well as Bosnia, Macedonia, Serbia, Poland, Georgia and Ukraine.

NEW MARKETS. In this context, what’s new appears to come from several fronts: new markets, new adaptation agreements, new channels, but also, as in the case of Globo TV International, new genres. And this group has just signed an agreement for the sale of documentaries to Hungary, which is a relatively new agreement within the company’s sales.

On the other hand, there are several distributors who, as Globo TV International did with the telenovela ‘India - A Love Story’, have managed to enter markets that didn’t bear good results not long ago, such as Ukraine, Lithuania or Russia. One of the reasons behind this increase in sales within the territories of the ex Sovietic Union (the case

TTV FORMATS T.

TTV TELENOVELAS | special REPORTS

A RETURN TO CLASSICS. With most traditional telenovelas making a strong comeback, some companies have succeeded in obtaining benefits from both catalogs and a new line of telenovelas. One finds a clear example of this in Record TV Network, which is obtaining good results with telenovelas such as ‘River of Intrigues’, a production that according to Delmar Andrade, its International Sales Director, “allows drama lovers to go back to their roots with an authentic drama that

blends intrigue, passion and, above all, a great amount of satirical and simple humor.”

Telefe International is getting good results with ‘Secrets of Love’, thus confirming the trend towards the return of classics, while Televisa, with ‘Esmeralda’, comes back to the Czech Republic, a territory where it has not been present for the last four years.

Another group positioned in the production of classic telenovelas is, without any doubt, Venevision International, present in this market with titles like ‘A Woman’s Sacrifice’, ‘Salvador: A Knockout Lover’, and the new ‘The Perfect Woman’ and ‘Eva Luna’, which had already been presented at Univision’s last upfront.

ABSENT AND PRESENT. Three major absences were identified at the past DISCOP: a poor presence of Russian players and those from the Baltic States, the latter affected in a great extent by the recent economic crisis, as well as the main Polish, Bulgarian and Rumanian networks. On the other hand, these territories were present with the arrival of new actors connected with content distribution through new platforms and payment chains, with a growing number of local producers in search of new production deals.

Furthermore, some of the companies chose to reinforce their presence through a ground-deep approach. This applies, for example, to Argentinean Telefe International, which was present one week before the event to visit main clients from Hungary, and then make two subsequent tours throughout the market to contact its main clients in Serbia and Croatia, as well as in Spain and France, through Guillermo Borensztein and Diana Coifman, both responsible for Sales in these territories.

Secrets of Love Genre: Telenovela Distribution: Telefe International

This is also the case of Artear Argentina that, after a regional tour carried out last year by Mariana Fernández, the company’s Sales Manager, now expects to get good results this 2010: “in addition to the increase in the demand for finished products, many buyers are coming to ask for IPTV and VOD rights; these are digital services and Internet suppliers that used to not be present in these kinds of events in the past,” she recalls.

In regards to digital rights, Marcel Vinay Jr. states that “although it is true that on the one hand many agreements already include digital platform and payment rights, the truth is that these rights should be offered separately. And this is due to the fact that we are still in an experimental stage; that is why we must wait to see the results obtained through these means.”

LaLola Genre: Telenovela Distribution: Dori Media Distribution India - A Love Story Genre: Telenovela Distribution: Globo TV International

THE RETURN OF BUYERS. According to official figures, about 400 companies interested in purchasing these programs were present at the show, that is, around 800 purchase executives in total. However, one of the most noteworthy facts concerning Latin American distributors has little to do with the number of buyers, but with the evolution in the relationships developed with these buyers. In this sense, Silvana D’Angelo, president and CEO of Flor Latina Entertainment Group, states that “in the past they came to ask for information, and they had a general idea of what the telenovela was, and what to expect from it.

Now, however, they come knowing exactly what they need: they know the genre very well, and this speeds up the negotiation process and closing agreements.”

Elena Antonini, VP of Sales of Dori Media Group, explains this in greater detail: “We realize that these executives, who during the crisis came to get information and left, weren’t really unable to purchase products but were waiting to see how the market reacted to the crisis. Today we know that the worst is over and they now come with very specific requests, and with budgets that show the same - or sometimes higher - purchasing power as the one they had before the crisis.” ttv

T. TTV TELENOVELAS

TTV TELENOVELAS | INTERVIEW

César Díaz, Vice-President of Sales for Venevision International

Integrity

and Experience One of the gears of Grupo Cisneros, international distribution company Venevision International counts with 25 years of experience distributing TV shows for the global market.

Its production headquarters - Venevision Productions and Venevision Venezuela - are responsible for generating 1,000 hours of content per year, making the Venevision International catalog one of Cannes’ heavyweights from Latin America.

> By Sebastián Amoroso

T. TTV TELENOVELAS

T

here is not much to add when writing about the media conglomerate run

by Gustavo Cisneros, except for the fact that these companies constitute a media network that goes across the entire entertainment content production and distribution chain. From creating and producing telenovelas to producing and distributing movies, artists and music content, home entertainment, and digital media, Venevision International serves as distribution branch and, as such, plays a prominent role regarding territorial and business expansion for Grupo Cisneros. Its Vice-President of Sales, César Díaz, talked to ttv about their strategy and current position in the global market.

The Perfect Woman 120 x 45’ Genre: Telenovel

Venevision International exploits all productions generated by Grupo Cisneros’ two major production infrastructures: Venezuelan TV channel Venevision and production company Venevision Productions, based in Florida (U.S.). What are the production dynamics of these audiovisual production factories? Both of them have their infrastructures dedicated to producing telenovelas, which continues to be the main focus among productions represented by Venevision International around the world. However, each center

César Díaz,

Vice-President of Sales for Venevision International

develops additional shows that complete the list of programs that currently make up our catalog. For example, Venevision Productions in Miami produces talk-shows such as ‘Who’s Right?’ (‘¿Quién Tiene la Razón?’), ‘Casos de Familia’ or ‘I Need a Friend’ (‘Necesito una Amiga’); and variety shows like ‘Tu Desayuno Alegre’. At the same time, Venevision’s TV channel in Venezuela produces contest shows like ‘Battle of the Sexes’ (‘Guerra de los Sexos’), variety shows like ‘Sábado Sensacional’, comedies like ‘I Bet You Laugh!’ (‘A que te Ríes’) and ‘Que Locura’, as well as several series and shows specially developed for young audiences, plus the famous beauty contest ‘Miss Venezuela’.

How many telenovelas do you annually produce and how many programming hours do they add up to? Currently, Venevision International distributes approximately 8 telenovelas a year worldwide, created by its different branches and by other sources; this totals an annual average of 1,000 hours worth of telenovelas.

How is Venevision International’s global distribution catalog doing in Latin America and the international market? We are focused on offering a variety of products to meet and satisfy the needs of our customers.

With over 35 years in the industry, Venevision International owns a vast and diverse catalog, and we have been able to expand to other continents around the world, distributing shows to over 102 countries in more than 20 languages.

How are ratings for these shows working out in those markets where they are being broadcasted? The variety of titles of our catalog provides customers with enough versatility to schedule shows for their required times and audiences. Our shows’ return on audiences is the reason why our customers keep us on their fixed suppliers list.

In general terms, how does the canned product business complement with the format business? In Venevision International, we are always careful to offer our customers the benefit of purchasing a format together with the canned version that we have available. An example of this is ‘Battle of the Sexes’ (‘Guerra de los Sexos’) in Ecuador, where TC Televisión (channel 10), broadcasts the version produced by Venevision Venezuela one day and its local version produced by TC Televisión the following day. The latter is - in fact - highly popular.

Based on your experience in the distribution business, are buyers following any trends?

What is working best on global screens? All buyers have a clear sense of what their needs and requirements are when purchasing a

“Currently, Venevision International distributes approximately 8 telenovelas a year worldwide; this totals an annual average of 1,000 hours worth of telenovelas.”

product, so given the recent economic crisis – and depending on how the crisis is impacting each market - buyers are getting more and more selective and demanding, at least in terms of how the product they are purchasing performs. As for the question itself, I think the prevailing choice for global screens is still telenovelas, movies, formats, and series.

on a good reception for our products, as it has happened before. We are confident about the fact that many markets have already overcome the financial crisis’ obstacles, so this would increase product purchasing volumes.

What are you expecting from this tradeshow in particular? We are counting

What is your opinion about NATPE 2011 taking place in Miami? We are very enthusiastic about the change and NATPE coming to Miami next January. We believe that the convention was ready to change locations and choosing Miami will inject the enthusiasm that the convention deserves.

Besides, Miami offers plenty of advantages compared with preceding Las Vegas. Tropical weather during winter time will certainly constitute an appealing factor for Europeans, whose flying hours have been reduced and can now travel across the Atlantic Ocean and arrive at destination by taking only one plane. Likewise, Latin Americans will be able to enjoy the benefits of this change, since Miami continues to be the “door” to the Americas. ttv

Eva Luna 120 x 45’ Genre: Telenovela

A Woman’s Sacrifice 120 x 45’ Genre: Telenovela

What is Venevision International showing at MIPCOM 2010? The offer that Venevision International has for Cannes includes a wide variety of shows, led by eighteen long-running telenovelas and world hits, together with new releases, such as ‘Eva Luna’, starred by Blanca Soto and Guy Ecker, produced in high definition format by Venevision Productions; and ‘The Perfect Woman’ (‘La Mujer Perfecta’), an enjoyable production by Venevision in Venezuela, which gives a close look at the obsession with beauty and the search for eternal youth.

TTV TELENOVELAS | IN FOCUS

Carlos Castro, General Director of International Sales, Televisa Internacional

Dago García, VP of Production and Content at Caracol

“ “

“ “

“ “ Any content produced or distributed by Televisa is previously analyzed and studied.

Televisa counts with an established and very strict investigation and analysis process applied to every product the company offers to the market, both locally and internationally.”

When we first saw the storyline of ‘Secretos de Familia’, we liked it; it was what we were looking for, a novella centered on the female gender, with a strong plot.”

Raphael Correa Netto, International Sales Director at Globo TV International In an international context, TV Globo acknowledges co-production projects as a way to expand our international business process. With them, we can reinforce our brand as producers of high-quality dramaturgy and develop new opportunities for our creative talent. Undoubtedly, co-productions offer us the opportunity to take our main strategic asset to various countries of the world.”

Patricio Hernández, Programming Director at UC-TV (Channel 13) in Chile

We have to boost the entire channel. This is a complex task, but there is no doubt that Channel 13 will be able to increase its audience levels. It’s just a matter of time and perseverance. In order to do this, all products are strategic: with ‘Primera Dama’ we want to recover a genre with a broad-target family teleseries and we’re convinced that this product will increase our ratings.”

José Escalante, Executive Director at Latin Media Corporation Being able to be present in Eastern European screens must be satisfying for any show producer/distributor; in Eastern Europe dramas/telenovelas are usually included in line-ups because this is a genre of great acceptance in their audiences.”

Manuel Pérez, VP & CFO at Venevision International Focusing on new technologies and mobile content is part of our new determination to anticipate market needs and forecast industry turns in order to consolidate our position as a global entertainment business, following the strategy of our Executive President and Organización Cisneros Operations Director, Miguel Dvorak.”

T. TTV TELENOVELAS

LISTINGs TELENOVELAS This section features the companies at Mipcom 2010 and their catalogs of Telenovelas.

Left on the Shelf

Artear

Caracol Televisión

Booth: 20.18

Booth: 09.24

Executives Attending

Mariana Fernández, Sales Manager Julieta González, Sales Executive Daniel Zanardi, General Manager Adrian Schwartz Kirzner, Programming Manager Pablo Codevilla, Content Manager Eduardo Fernández, Production Manager Walter Sequeira, Acquisitions Manager Facundo Bailez, Acquisitions Executive

Left on the Shelf

(Para Vestir Santos) (Series – 35 x 60’)

MiPCOM

2010

Split – Second Season

Dori Media Group Booth: 12.02

Executives Attending

Nadav Palti, President & CEO of Dori Media Group Leora Nir, VP of TV Channels, Dori Media Group Michal Nashiv, President & CEO of Dori Media Distribution Argentina; President & CEO of Dori Media Contenidos Claire Elbaz, CEO of Dori Media Spike Andres Santos, VP of Sales, Dori Media America Elena Antonini, VP of Sales, Dori Media Distribution Argentina Revital Basel, CEO, Dori New Media Nili Naor, Chief Operating Officer, Novebox.com Tali Fink, Director of Marketing, Dori Media Group

Split – Second Season

(45 x30’)

After solving the age-old conflict between vampires and humans, 16-years-old Ella refuses to live in absolute isolation, merely because she is the new prophet. As she sets out to find a resolution, she is exposed to the unfamiliar world of Demons, a world that will soon force her to choose between Adam, a young demon who is the new love in her life, and Leo, the vampire who still loves her. Sold to over 60 countries in only 1 year since its debut.

T. TTV TELENOVELAS

Women on the Edge

The harsh and biting widow Gloria (Blum) suddendly passes away.

Her three spinster daughters, Susi (Toscano), Virgi (Siciliani) and Male (Cid), come to realize that the death of their dreadful mother is absolutely no liberation at all. As if cursed their lives seem to be marked by the fiasco of being unable to connect with the opposite sex… These three beautiful smart and young women, unable to find Mr. Right… have each other to lean on. This intense sitcom boldly confronts frustration and despair in the pursue for something which comes close to happiness.

Executives Attending

Angélica Guerra, International VP Lisette Osorio, International Director Andres Morris, International Manager Camila Reyes, Sales Executive for Eastern Europe Berta Orozco, Sales Executive for Western Europe Alejandro Toro, Sales Executive for Asia and Africa

Women on the Edge

(Mujeres al Límite) (Miniserie - 120 x 60’) Moral dilemmas, extreme circumstances, uncomfortable positions… are some of the situations in which each one of our characters will be immersed and that will place the viewer before an ethical dilemma that our main character will have to face and solve during the show. The show is fed with real stories, as well as with current topics and matters that create social concerns. Some of these stories will have unsolved endings, but most of them will have astonishing endings that will always make the viewer reflect about each case and in some cases have them feel indentified with the main character.

First Lady Internal Affairs

Globo TV International Booth: A0.01

Executives Attending

Ricardo Scalamandré, Head of International Business Raphael Correa, Head of International Sales Guilherme Bokel, Head of International Production Hugo Aloy, Sales Manager Portugal and Asia Pacific Victor Teixeira, Sales Executive Western Europe Pedro Dombrasas, Sales Executive Eastern Europe João Fonseca, Sales Executive Africa, Middle East and Asia Gabriel Rohonyi, Sales Executive Center Europe, Scandinavia and Baltic Republics Alejandra Moreno, International Marketing Manager Claudine Bayma, Marketing Coordinator Americas

Internal Affairs

(Series - 12 x 30’)

A thrilling, action-packed police series with a twist, ‘Internal Affairs’ centers on day-to-day operations of the law enforcement agency that investigates crimes committed by the police. Led by Colonel Caetano, played by Milton Gonçalves, from ‘Little Missy’ and spearheaded by ‘The Clone’ star Murilo Benício, the task-force battles deeply-rooted, self-serving powers in its quest to bring rogue cops to justice.

Latin Media Corporation & Worldwide Rights Corporation Executives Attending

José Escalante, Executive Director of Latin Media Corporation Farid Kahleeque Ahmad, Executive Director of Worldwide Rights Corporation Guillermo Isturiz, Director of Sales, Latin Media Corporation Azi Shafian, Asst. Manager of Worldwide Rights Corporation

First Lady

(Primera Dama) (Telenovela Series - 100 x 45’) ‘Firts Lady’ tells a story about Sabina Astudillo an ordinary, young but ambitious woman who is willing to do anything to seduce Leonardo Sandander, a Presidential candidate of Chile to become the First Lady. Sabina will go through five men to get what she wants. However Estrella, Sabina’s mother becomes her moral guardian and insists that she returns Caetano’s stolen money.

Sabina also becomes distracted with Mariano, the man she truly desires. Will she succeed in her brutal ambition? First Lady – when love faces power.

River of Intrigues

Cain & Abel

Someone’s Watching

Record TV Network

Telefe International

Telemundo Internacional

Booth: 05.02

Booth: RSV 14 - Riviera Sea View

Booth: A0.21

Executives Attending

Delmar Andrade, International Sales Director Edson Mendes, International Sales Coordinator

River of Intrigues

(On Air)

‘River of Intrigues’ is a contemporary novel with diverse scenarios.

It has a smart plot emphasized by a wide range of characters: cheerful, fun, whiny, arrogant but mostly in love. The plot consists of many mysteries that will leave the spectator intrigued and involved in the novel as it progresses. River of Intrigues is a historic city with beautiful landscapes. A small river runs through it where extreme sports are practiced. In spite of the beautiful landscape, the main wealth of the city lies in the diversity of its people.

Executives Attending

Michelle Wasserman, Head of International Distribution Programming, Formats & Production Services Diana Coifman, Senior Sales Executive Programming & Formats Jesica Stescobich, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Guillermo Henrich, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Guillermo Borensztein, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Meca Salado Pizarro, Head of Marketing

Cain & Abel

(Telenovela - 150 x 60’) Produced: 2010 – On TV LLorente & Villarruel / Telefe This new fiction deals with the biblical myth of the confrontation between brothers, the eternal battle between good and evil. A second reading that blends two brothers’ current confrontation within a powerful family.

Echoes From the Past

(Unitary - 6 x 60’) Produced: 2010 – Underground It deals with six exquisite unitaries which recreate real events that are historical milestones, to commemorate the Bicentennial.

Among the selected titles we can find: the last days of Eva Perón, the birth of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, the Malvinas War, etc. ‘Echoes from the Past’ is produced by Underground, under Felipe Pigna’s historical supervision, with Adrián Caetano/Luis Ortega’s integral direction. Besides, each episode has outstanding directors from the audiovisual industry and a rotating cast of first rate actors.

Executives Attending

Marcos Santana, President Xavier Aristimuño, VP International Business Development Asia Esperanza Garay, Senior VP Sales & Acquisitions Latin America Luis Daniel Capriles, VP Sales International Digital Media Karina Etchison, VP Sales in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East Karen Barroeta, VP Marketing & Promotions Melissa Pillow, Director of Sales in Europe Peter Blacker, Senior VP Digital Media

Someone’s Watching

(Alguien Te Mira) (Telenovela - 80 x 60’) A story filled with mystery, drama, and passion about four friends that will witness a crime. The victim is a well-known socialite, and hers is the third murder to shock the city. According to the investigation, a psychopath serial killer is choosing beautiful and independent women as targets. The police are trying to gather evidence that would lead them to the identity of the psychopath.

In the meantime…everyone will be a suspect and an intense love triangle will shake the lives of Piedad, Rodrigo, and Julian – the latter two will confront each other in war for love.

Teresa

Televisa Internacional Booth: 02

Executives Attending

Fernando Pérez Gavilán, Vice President of Televisa Internacional Carlos Castro, General Director of Sales Ricardo Ehrsam, General Director, Europe & Asia Claudia Sahab, Director for Europe Elsa Garcia, Business Manager, Spain & Portugal Patricia Porto, Business Manager, Central & Western Europe Beatriz Rodriguez, Business Manager, Eastern Europe Manola Martin, Business Manager, Eastern Europe & Nordic Region Pedro Font, General Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Silvia Garcia, Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Douglas Welch, Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Mario Castro, Director of New Business Claudia Silva, Director of Sales for Licensed Products Jose Luis Romero, Director of Formats and New Content Cecilia Rivera, Director of Marketing

Teresa

(Telenovela – 150 x 60’) Available in HD - Format Also Available - Year 2010 Teresa is a young woman dominated by her own greed. She would rather lie and cheat her way out of poverty than find an honest job. Her parents have made great sacrifices to give her a good, decent life, but Teresa wants more, and her beauty is her most powerful weapon to obtain that. She will destroy the heart and happiness of those around her, who love her, without a shred of remorse. But, she fails to realize that, eventually but inevitably, a time of reckoning will arrive, and life will want its due.

T. TTV TELENOVELAS

Eva Luna

Venevision International Booth: 14.02

Prófugas del Destino

TV Azteca Booth: LR 2.06

Executives Attending

Marcel Vinay Hill, Vice President International Sales Marcel Vinay Jr., CEO Comarex Carmen Pizano, Sales, Latin America & Spain Martha Contreras, Sales, Asia Adela Velasco, Sales Europe & Africa Raúl Mendoza, Marketing

Prófugas del Destino

(Romance/Drama - 130 X 60’)

Three women are serving time in prison for crimes they never committed. Suddenly, a riot breaks out and they take the opportunity to escape. On their way to freedom an accident involving three nuns takes place and the women take on the nuns identities and personalities in order to survive. This event soon leads them into countless adventures and romances where they will have to look into their souls and passions to overcome their past and make peace with the injustices of their lives.

Executives Attending

Miguel Dvorak, President & COO of the Cisneros Group of Companies Manuel Perez, Vice President & CFO of Venevision International Cesar Diaz, Vice President of Sales Miguel Somoza, Regional Sales Director Daniel Rodriguez, Sales Director for Latin America Cristobal Ponte, Exclusive Independent Representative for Europe, Africa & M.E.

Eva Luna

(Eva Luna) (Telenovela – 120 x 45´) When Eva’s father is killed by a hit-and-run driver, she vows to find the culprit. Her life becomes a nightmare when she starts suspecting the man she loves. But there are sinister forces leading her to believe this lie… and she finds herself involved with the real killer, who’ll do anything to have her for himself.

The Perfect Woman

(La Mujer Perfecta) (Telenovela - 120 x 45´) This original telenovela tells the story of six totally different women with one thing in common: they all want to be “perfect,” and they’ll do anything to achieve that goal - from extreme dieting to Botox to plastic surgery. A thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking look at today’s obsession with beauty and the quest for eternal youth.

Three films currenty in development in Canada, Bulgaria and Los Angeles, its recent acquisition of international rights for all ‘Power Rangers’ titles and several other projects on the way, have led independent production company MarVista Entertainment into a global consolidation stage of its operations.

By Sebastián Amoroso

Fernando Szew,

CEO of MarVista Entertainment

M

arVista Entertainment - an independent production company based in Los Angeles and led by an Argentinean man with a long career in the industry - has won a place of respect for itself in the U.S. market as an independent production and distribution company. Rights acquisition, international representation of TV titles, and a strategy focuses on permanent production of TV movies are included in the company’s operative dynamics. Currently, MarVista produces twelve films a year.

“We never stop producing. MarVista has teams responsible for coordinating and supervising these projects. However, in the case of productions that currently take place in Los Angeles and Bulgaria, we outsource their production, execution and shooting,” Fernando Szew, CEO of MarVista Entertainment, explains to ttv. The company also co-produced ’16 Wishes’ in Canada with Unity Films. It is worth noticing that, even though MarVista is an independent company, “it has several contacts at a local U.S. market level, apart from having a solid presence in other markets such as in Europe,” the executive adds.

and negotiations are still being carried out.

One of the main areas is to focus on creating non-scripted content through Snap,” Szew says. The aim of this alliance is to bring MarVista’s catalog to the region through Latin American partners, while promoting Snap formats in U.S.A. and Europe.

season – its eighteenth - that will be released on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons in 2011 and presented at Mipcom 2010.

“Betting on the ‘Power Rangers’ is a milestone for MarVista, considering it’s a consolidated brand and that means it has already come a long way; this will be a huge sensation at Mipcom. Incredible sums have been invested in this product and, more than likely, it will bring a new era to the company,” Szew explains. MarVista is used to deal with the kids&teens niche: an example of this is its first series ‘Beach’, targeted at teenagers.

However, the executive explains that MarVista does not manage licenses and consumer products under the ‘Power Rangers’ brand.

“This area is managed by Saban Brands, for instance, through Borders, the second largest bookstore of its kind in the U.S. after Barnes and Nobles, with 600 stores across the country, where toys, t-shirts, CDs, etc. are found.”

The catalog the company will take to Mipcom 2010 amounts to about US$ 25 million, not counting ‘Power Rangers’ or ‘The Witches of Oz’, the new miniseries to be launched in Cannes.

“Thus, the total amount is significantly larger than that, which means that - despite not reaching major players’ budgets - for an independent company, we are set above anything else done in Latin America,” the executive affirms.

KIDS&TEENS: THE BET. MarVista’s highest bet is on its recent acquisition of all international TV rights for the children’s classic ‘Power Rangers’, after an agreement with Saban Brands. This popular hero series from the ‘90s includes about 700 episodes produced throughout seventeen years, as well as 20 new episodes produced for an upcoming

Szew foresees a promising future given MarVista’s growth, solidity, and future opportunities in view of proliferation of new channels and businesses, such as licenses and branded entertainment. “It could be said that MarVista is today at a breaking point, an essential time in its growth and consolidation in the international market,” he points out. ttv

Power Rangers Children/Live Action 40 new episodes in production

The Witches of Oz 2 x 90’ Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Furthermore, the company is also working on expanding its presence and activities in Latin America. This objective is intended to be achieved through an alliance between MarVista and Snap TV, an Argentinean format production and distribution company run by Ariel Tobi. “An alliance with Snap is strategic

TTV MAGAZINE 55

EXECUTIVES

Level The Next

Appointed with the task of creating content from the loins of Latin America, Sony Pictures Television has one of its most outstanding sources of original production in Colombia - along with production company Teleset - and great growth potential in Brazil. Precisely, the aim is to make its new Floresta company “the number one independent production company” in the Brazilian content market.

By Sebastián Amoroso

“We are making a strong push into “teleseries,” an emerging genre combining storytelling elements from both novelas and series into daily shows with a 60 to 90 episode run.”

56 TTV MAGAZINE

A

s an active observer or as an undercover private detective, Sony Pictures Television (SPT) penetrates local markets with the best existing resource needed to speak the same language as its clients: original production. Brendan Fitzgerald, who heads this market-to-market production strategy, is the perfect person to describe the company’s ongoing business model for Latin American territories.

Acquiring production company Teleset in Colombia is inscribed within SPT’s production group’s expansion plans. What can you say about these years of working in Colombia? We are more committed, and more excited about the future of Teleset than ever before - as one of the few production companies in Latin America with a proven, and ongoing, record of both scripted and light entertainment production, it is uniquely positioned. Since we stepped in, Teleset has produced ‘Isa TK+’ for Nickolodeon, ‘Rosario Tijeras’ for RCN and is producing ‘Niñas Mal’ for MTV Latin America, while at the same time making ‘Hole in the Wall’ and ‘X Factor’ for RCN. In terms of the larger Colombian industry, it’s hard to imagine a better conflagration of elements - some of the best writing, directing, photography, acting and logistical production in the region, all resulting in quality evidenced in shows like ‘Zorro’, ‘Rosario Tijeras’ and ‘La Pola’ at costs considerably below Mexican rates and in a Spanish language that is easily exportable throughout the region

Rosario Tijeras Genre: Teleseries Channel: RCN Colombia

Brendan Fitzgerald,

and the U.S. Hispanic market. We believe that Colombia and Teleset will prove to be a long term hotbed of exciting, innovative and profitable television production for us.

SVP International Production, Sony Pictures Television

In a previous interview, you told us that original production is “strategic”. What does this imply for SPT? In the region, SPT historically enjoyed a straight distribution relationship with its free TV and cable clients.

However, it wasn’t until we started developing and producing original content with and for those historic distribution clients that we were able to really add a new, truly vibrant level to the relationship - one where we were uniquely positioned to build trust, cement creative business relationships and, from time to time, take common risks in pursuit of moving the collaboration to the famous “next level”.

What kind of productions and coproductions does SPT intend to develop in the region? To date we have focused on quality, long-form scripted content production.

This year we are also committing ourselves to light entertainment production throughout the region, kicking this initiative off through Teleset in Colombia and Floresta in Brazil.

SPT produces for its own pay TV channels (‘Los Caballeros las Prefieren Brutas’ for Sony Entertainment Television Latin America) but is also focused on co-producing and producing for third parties (‘Isa TK+’ for Nickelodeon or Telefe’s ‘Pretenders’, for Televisa). How is SPT’s production area’s business model established? In something of an echo of our U.S. production model, wherein we develop and produce programming specifically tailored to the needs of the commissioning broadcaster 100% of the time on a third party basis, our business model is predicated on a need to really learn and truly understand the client and its audience, regardless of who they are and who owns them, etc., and come up with entertainment that will work for them at a price and volume that allows both of us to make a sustainable profit, whether Sony Entertainment Television or MTV, Telefe or Televisa.

The company also works with local independent producers (‘Los Caballeros las Prefieren Brutas,’ with Laberinto Producciones). What requirements does an independent production company need to have in order to work with SPT? Communication is the key. Developing and producing television is a complex process, especially across cultures as diverse as the ones in this region, and problems will arise - we look to production partners who can communicate often and honestly, truly collaborate on the creative and operational levels, and give us a chance to work together and resolve challenges, both foreseen and

“The plans are to make Floresta the number one independent production company in Brazil.” otherwise, instead of sweeping them under the rug.

When planning original productions for the region, is SPT receptive to ideas brought to you by third parties? Absolutely. I can say with complete certainty that SPT production does not suffer from a “not invented here” mentality at all. ‘Aqui No Hay Quien Viva’ from Antena 3, classic Latin American literature like ‘Doña Bárbara’, contemporary novels like ‘Rosario Tijeras’ and ‘Los Caballeros las Prefieren Brutas,’ ‘Pretenders,’ from Telefe and Damian Szifron… and the list goes on. We look for and are committed to good storytelling that can be replicated as commercial successes around the globe, without regard as to origin.

Los Caballeros las Prefieren Brutas Genre: Series Channel: Sony Entertainment Television

What projects is SPT planning for the short-term? Taking into account that the company already has experience in the telenovela genre (‘Zorro: La Espada y La Rosa’, for Telemundo), are you considering producing another one? We are making a strong push into “teleseries,” an emerging genre combining storytelling elements from both novelas and series into daily shows with a 60 to 90 episode run, such as ‘Rosario Tijeras’ and ‘Niñas Mal’, without ever completely turning our back on sitcoms, classic novelas, dramedies or straight drama series.

The company recently launched Floresta, SPT’s production branch for Brazil. What’s the purpose behind creating a production company in one of the planet’s most important economies? Within the area of both scripted and non-scripted television, the plans are to make Floresta the number one independent production company in Brazil. ttv

TTV MAGAZINE 57

EXECUTIVES

N

earer, more accessible, more international, easier… in one word: better. NATPE has moved to Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau Resort, and the positive impact of this decision is already in the air. “The move to Miami in 2011 has been incredibly well-received, resulting in quicker sales than ever before,” Rick Feldman, President & CEO of NATPE, told ttv. He revealed that among the confirmed exhibitors are BBC, Televisa, Venevision, Twentieth TV, NBC Universal, Disney, CBS TV Distribution, Lionsgate, HBO, Debmar-Mercury and Globo TV. “As of today [September], we have about 60 confirmed exhibitors. It is still early, but last year, at this same time, we hadn’t even started to sell exhibit booths and suites,” Feldman adds.

Feldman explained the good reaction of the industry players. “Aside from Miami being more of an international destination, the Fontainebleau allows us to make everything more accessible and will save people time and money. Everyone at the hotel will be NATPE delegates. Our move celebrates our robust Latin market and is much easier to reach from European cities,” he points out. Buyers and sellers will be in the same location, since exhibit space will be available on the NATPE floor and in suites, all under one roof within the Fontainebleau complex.

Thus, with the entire Resort taken over for the event, the organization is creating “an exciting, refreshing and upbeat environment” for attendees. “Our conference program will

feature creative people sharing the world’s best TV content. Besides, we will have a cocktail party each night and coffee outside by the pool in the mornings,” Feldman added.

NATPE attracts over 5000 affluent media professionals that shape pop culture and have major professional and personal buying

Rick Feldman, President & CEO of NATPE

The road to NATPE is clear. Over 50 exhibitors have already turned on their engines and the traffic light has already turned green. Sunglasses and T-shirts are already being packed to meet the video media marketplace’s new destination: Miami.

By Sebastián Amoroso

58 TTV MAGAZINE

power. “Content First” is this year’s conference theme, which insinuates a strong focus on hot subjects along session rooms, on the market floor and at networking events. “We intent to put our attendees on the leading edge with eye-opening sessions where they will hear from key international media industry masters. NATPE is packing the program with key attractions, topical discussions, nuts and bolts workshops, keynote addresses, special displays, events and awards programs – all focused on the content lifecycle,” Feldman says.

This is a very special stage for the TV business.

The multiple screens and business windows that come up every day are a real challenge for content providers, since audiences and buyers - have acquired a high level of standards that have raised the bar to towering levels. However, to the hungry entrepreneur this may be the perfect ground for business opportunities. “The business is more competitive than ever. It will take years to see who the winners and losers will be. It’s an exciting and challenging time, but there is more great content than ever before and that is what NATPE is all about,” the executive affirms.

As 2010 goes on, the road to NATPE becomes shorter. natpemarket.com holds complete details on conference, registration and accommodation. In the meantime, we can already mark an unavoidable appointment for January 24, 2011 in our calendars. ttv

LOCAL PRODUCTION

Uruguayan Fiction Searches Screens Local productions multiply every year, reinforcing their commitment to quality and tackling subjects of universal interest. Uruguay’s driving market is trying to make a place for itself among the content producers that supply screens from around the world.

By Diego alegre

U

ruguay, a small South American country of 176,215 km2 with less than 3,500,000 inhabitants, has managed to achieve an outstanding international presence in the last few years, with its cinematographic and television fiction productions. Enriched by the education of local talent in the field of advertising, its incipient local television production is doing better each year.

In this sense, the industry’s foundation stone was the sale of the first three seasons of ‘Lives’ (‘Vidas’), a Channel 12 program, to Turner’s Hispanic network in the U.S.A. Soon thereafter, ‘Urban Tales’ (‘Voces Anónimas’) was sold in the Philippines. Following this trend, the Uruguayan channel continued producing, the series ‘Addictions’ (‘Adicciones’) being its most recent endeavor.

This impulse has led to new challenges which are materializing in the country. “There is a fact that cannot be put sideways, and it is that we have very good talent in addition to very low costs to produce in the country,” Eugenio Restano, Channel 12’s Programming Manager and main promoter of the channel’s original productions, tells ttv.

PROJECTS IN PRODUCTION. Gender-related violence is tackled in a moving series which intends - through its 26 episodes - to show a universal problem, presenting well-known cases on the different ways in which this type of violence is embodied: physical, psychological, sexual, economic, work-related, due to isolation or femicide itself, comprising the different types of violence that women suffer all around the world, and that Channel 12 assumes as the main subject matter for its most recent original production challenge.

Conceived as a product with the necessary characteristics for its international distribution and with systematic care over scenic details

60 TTV MAGAZINE

- avoiding icons from the local culture - this fiction is shot in HD on real locations. Based on adaptations of real cases, ‘Mistreated’ is being produced and shot in Montevideo by Uruguayan and Argentinean technicians, and also benefits from the participation of a rotating cast of renowned and established actors of international level.

This production - attributed to Channel 12, Flor Latina Entertainment and scriptwriter Esther Feldman - was conceived thinking about the international market. From subject matter to an audiovisual language that avoids repeating episode structures, to the numerous stories that could be told, ‘Mistreated’ proves to be a versatile fiction, where scripting stories from each territory and even including those that have affected locals from different countries, remains an easy task, especially due to the global prevalence of this scourge.

MISTREATED, UNIVERSAL STORIES. This original production was written by Esther Feldman, a television industry veteran with series such as ‘WAGs: Love for the Game’ (‘Botineras,’ 2009) in her resume, and co-writer credits for ‘LaLola’ (2007–2008) and ‘The Successful Mr. and Mrs. Pells’ (‘Los Exitosos Pells’) (2008), two successful television series.

The script is co-authored by Alejandro Maci, responsible for writing series such as ‘The Successful Mr. and Mrs. Pells’ (2008) or ‘LaLola’.

‘Mistreated’ (26 X 45’) is directed by Alberto Lecchi, who previously directed both ‘Epitafios’ (2004) and ‘Killer Woman’ (‘Mujeres Asesinas’) (2006).

“Each story has a different personality. In this first chapter we tell both stories with different esthetics; one has warm esthetics and the other is shown under a colder light, and we distinguish them in that way. The fact that we are shooting it in HD allows us to work better on make-up as well as on details, colors, and the materials that we use,” Federico Rivares, Photography Director of ‘Mistreated’ explains to ttv. ttv

MARKETS - TELEFE INTERNATIONAL EXPANDING

The Russian Experience Argentinean distribution company Telefe International paves the way towards adaptations in Russia with three products: ‘The Successful Mr. and Mrs. Pells’, ‘Countdown’ and ‘Turning Points’, the distribution company’s new stakes for the Russian market. The following report focuses on the adaptation process and the mechanisms of the Russian television sector, as described by Michelle Wasserman, Head of Distribution, Formats and Production Services for Telefe International.

By Sebastián Amoroso

T

he entire process “emerged between vodka and vodka,” Michelle Wasserman, head of Distribution, Formats and Production Services of Telefe International, explains to ttv lightheartedly. She also takes the time to explain and describe the extensive and deep liaison work of the Argentinean distribution company with big actors from the Russian television sector, a market where the advertising pie for TV is around the US$ 1,5 billion mark, whereas the final number for the media marketi is US$ 3,5 billion, an eye-opening amount when comparing to other countries of this region.

Argentinean distribution company Telefe International recently informed that a Russian adaptation of romantic comedy ‘The Successful Mr. and Mrs. Pells’ is already in its production phase. The version is produced

by CTC and Kostafilm and will bear the title ‘Novosti’, meaning “news” in that language.

The production will air in 2011 in the station’s 9.00 p.m. primetime. The story, adapted to local reality, is based on ‘The Successful Mr. and Mrs. Pells’, which has toured the world with its original version, being sold in over 20 countries. Its format was adapted in Chile, Mexico, Spain, Peru, Turkey and Ecuador and is also in development in Poland, China, Greece and the U.S.A. In addition to this news, two other titles from the Telefe International catalog are also being produced in Russia. One case is an adaptation of the series ‘Countdown’, which is being produced at present by 2-V and will be aired by REN TV under the local name of ‘Poslednyaya Minuta’. The original version of ‘Countdown’ has been sold to over 70 countries and adaptations have also been produced in Georgia and Paraguay, while three seasons were developed by production company FoxTelecolombia.

Finally, ‘Turning Points’, a fiction that seeks to break the clichés of its genre, is currently under development by production company Red Square, bound to be aired at the end of this year by one of the country’s main channels.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. Telefe International entered the Russian market for the first time fifteen years ago, through the commercialization of about 50 canned titles which captivated Russian audiences, mainly telenovelas, series and kids & teens material.

“These were fifteen years of great efforts,” the executive underlines to emphasize the importance that this market has - in terms of television business - in the entire world. “Russia is a great power that, in spite of being one of the most affected countries by the global economic crisis in Europe, is still a very attractive market

62 TTV MAGAZINE

and a complexity that begs to be analyzed.

One of these characteristics, as the Argentinean executive underlines, is the way in which negotiations are established. “In some cases some difficulties arise during negotiations, where things are much faster than on paper.

It is a very complicated market because while negotiating, the client may be already adapting, although the material has not been sent yet,” Wasserman states.

in terms of economy, because it is recovering,” Wasserman says.

During the last three and four years Telefe International’s presence has been strengthened, thanks to development of adaptations such as ‘Montecristo’, ‘The Roldans’, ‘Amor Mío’, ‘Detectives, Brothers and Co’ and ‘Pretenders’. A milestone for the distribution company was the entire production of telenovela ‘Tango para Tres’ for Russia, shot in Buenos Aires, with original Russian scripts and Argentinean script contributions, but strictly thought for Russian audiences since its original conception. The contribution was basically focused on dialogues and character creation. “These adaptations were produced for different Russian channels; in some cases we negotiated directly with the channels and in other cases, directly with independent production companies,” Wasserman explains.

In 2007 - and thanks to the distribution company’s growth in that market - Telefe decided to open an office in Moscow. “The decision of opening an office was made mainly due to the importance of the Russian market.

In Telefe we believe that Russia is a market that has special domestic potential, similar to the United States or Spain. When content cannot be commercialized at a national level by developing a format or by selling a canned product - it can be offered to small provincial TV stations, which may generate an interesting business value.”

Another factor that influenced opening a local office was the fact that, when developing formats or productions, the number of mediators from Russian production companies or TV channels is greater than usual, and many of them don’t even speak English. Additionally, decision-making processes are often lengthy and time-consuming and, therefore, regular contact is vastly necessary. As Wasserman puts it, “the decision of purchasing a format to produce an adaptation takes much more time than purchasing a canned product, because it

requires deeper analysis; it also implies a risk of investment in resources and in screen time, because those resources are generally invested over content aimed at primetime or key times.”

This means that, in many cases, the acquisition executive isn’t the only one involved, and the entire production and programming departments oversee the purchase. Therefore, these acquisitions do not have the same timing seen at tradeshows, for instance. “We must go to them in order to convince them, and that process is much longer and difficult, since there are many people analyzing a much higher budget. This combo led us to hire an agent, due to the day-to-day nature of these relationships, due to the language, and lastly, due to the fact that having a Telefe office in Russia is an investment,” the executive highlights.

In this sense, Telefe International shares their office with RCN from Colombia, a station, production and distribution company that also counts with a large portfolio of adapted projects, and with whom they share experience and know-how.

GOSSIP. Russia is characterized as being a television market with its own mechanisms

Why is this so? The answer is simple: the material can be downloaded from YouTube, since 75% of Telefe content has been sold to Russia, produced and dubbed into the local language and, therefore, the client can gain access to all that content and its corresponding script.

“The truth is that there are many production companies that can produce content and we, owners and distributors, do not even hear about it. It is complicated,” Wasserman states. “The fact is that all production companies working with Telefe International are very professional and, even though in some cases have obtained materials through alternative channels different from Telefe, they have always notified us. Such is the case of ‘Countdown’, where materials were obtained during the format’s negotiation; this case was very particular, since when we were moving forward in negotiations and offered them content, they told us ‘not to worry, we already have them’. This came as a surprise and we actually thought they were confused from taking one too many vodkas…”

“We now have an executive producer for ‘Countdown’ in Russia who is supervising adaptations. The product on which 2V has been working has outstanding quality and esthetics and we are very delighted with it,” the executive concludes. “In any case, we must admit that if this should happen before starting negotiations, bargaining power may be affected; this has not happened to us so far, but nobody is exempt from it, and not only in Russia. We have known many cases that come from beyond Europe.” ttv

RUSSIA: EVOLUTION OF SUPPLY-DEMAND Since formats achieved importance and magnitude in the Russian market, the canned product has turned into a marginal product. This is a fact from reality: clients purchase it less and pay less for it than in the past. “In the beginning we sold canned packages, eventually selling both ready-mades and cans; nowadays the canned program is basically bought for smaller or short-range channels, inland channels or national ones. This is also one of the reasons behind creating an office in Moscow: selling one format might be equivalent to five canned sales, but the process is much more complex, and that is why a local and constant mediator is necessary in the region,” Michelle Wasserman underlines. “It is the business’ inevitable evolution, which is not limited to Russia. We have experienced this process in several European countries.

They used to have less capacity or resources to carry out a production, and canned programs were a great solution. Then, in order to customize content and use their own talent in front and behind the scenes, they opened up and tried producing works based on international successful productions... and those that will be successful later. I have always believed in exporting know-how but limiting the experience transfer... You have to be careful! Don’t let it turn into a double-edged sword,” she adds.

TTV MAGAZINE 63

todotvnews

HIGHLIGHTS

TRENDS

APPOINTMENT Snap TV Incorporates New Sales Director for Latin America Companies Snap TV and Marvista Entertainment announced the incorporation of Ezequiel Olzanski as their new Sales Director for Latin America.

Carnaval 2010.

Foto: Marcio Souza (TV Globo)

The future of 3D TV The future of 3D TV is still confusing: low sales, lack of interest in consumers and great complexities to produce stereoscopic contents makes the industry rethink when it’ll reach mass production. > By Diego Alegre A recent study developed by the NPD Group in the U.S.A., which studied the latest sales of equipment with capacity of reproducing 3D content, has demonstrated very low interest in the technology. The study showed only a meager number of consumers acquainted with this service, something reflected by the sale numbers of the first compatible televisions.

According to NPD, during the first three months of 2010 American consumers spent US$ 55 million in receivers with 3D capacity and related equipment. However, the study carried out on some of the greatest traders of U.S.A. which are distributing the products, including Best Buy and Amazon.com, indicates that the industry still has a long way to go before the technology produces its great impact.

Numbers also show that these stores sold nearly 20 thousand units, a huge disappointment if compared with the nearly 7 million 3D television sets solicited by stores during that period, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) of the U.S.A. Both NPD data and information offered by the CEA align with data obtained last July by Parks Associates, showing that despite the success of some recent 3D movies, the conscience of the technology at home is not enough.

COMPLEXITIES TO PRODUCE. The complexity of the stereoscopic era is not

64 TTV MAGAZINE

only about promoting its consumption and investigating its technologic development.

Producing 3D content is a lot more important, as well as expensive and complex. With sports as the great promoter of 3D – and having already shown how difficult adapting live content is - the industry has much to learn.

An example can be found in the sets and scenarios where productions are carried out.

Stadiums, for example, were not created taking 3D into account, forcing ESPN to create obstructed images so that viewers had images at ground level during soccer and basketball games.

Nature programs, another genre which in principle has unrivalled stage attractiveness to exploit stereoscopic images, also has different technical difficulties. Long-distance shots cannot capture this kind of images due to optical reasons and high speed shots where backgrounds are blurred in connection with close-ups cannot be captured either.

And still, this is without even considering the dimensions equipment should have and what this implies for their relocation and setting up.

There is a lot to learn, exercise and think before having an array of quality 3D content. For the moment, everything indicates that 3D TV will undoubtedly arrive, but perhaps with much fewer aspirations than current ones, and probably later than what has been thought. ttv

Olzanski will have responsibilities in the area of Distribution for Latin American and U.S. markets. This executive graduated Cum Laude in Broadcasting in the U.S. and now has 13 years of experience in the production area.

Since 2006, he has been working with Ariel Tobi in the development of the division for Endemol International Distribution.

“We incorporated Ezequiel with the aim to promote Marvista’s catalogue and increase the represented product for Latin America. Many of you are acquainted with the Endemol stage, where Ezequiel has done an excellent job,” Tobi, President of Snap TV, commented on the appointment.

RTVE Implements Changes in its Top Management RTVE’s Board of Directors has approved several new appointments for the corporation. One of them is Eva Cebrián, who has so far had served as TVE’s Program Director, and has now been named Director of the Film Area, replacing Gustavo Ferrada.

Furthermore, the Board also agreed on the appointment of Carlos Guerrero as News Director for Radio Nacional. Until now, Guerrero had been Director of Territorial Radio Stations for RNE, and is now replacing Francisco Medina. The third appointment is Maribel Sánchez-Maroto as Director of Magazines and Current Affairs for TVE.

EXECUTIVES

For over one year the British company has had two strategic associations with two independent production companies, GP Media in Argentina and Mixer in Brazil, with which it intends to develop it television content production business.

By Sebastián Amoroso

Gareth Williams,

SVP of Content and Production for South America for BBC Worldwide

E

nglishman Gareth Williams has been living in Buenos Aires for a few years, getting acquainted with the “Latin American culture,” as he tells ttv, in very fluent Spanish, with the intention of establishing BBC’s original production business in Latin America. There, he works together with GP Media, an independent production company specialized in TV content - open TV, pay-perview, formats, etc. - with renowned programs such as ‘Un Mundo Perfecto’ and ‘PNP’, among others.

At the same time, Williams also travels regularly to San Pablo and Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil - a country where he lived for twelve years when he was 20 years old, teaching English - where the offices of local production company Mixer are located. Founded in 2003, BBC’s strategic partner in that country specializes in advertising, documentary, cinema and TV, and animation.

In his own words, “BBC Worldwide has an exclusive production agreement with independent production companies GP Media and Mixer. We work closely with both companies on the development of exclusive content for the Latin American market,” Williams explains.

The presence of BBC content in Latin America dates back to decades, increasing continuously in the last years. “BBC’s success in the region has inspired us to develop contents exclusively

66 TTV MAGAZINE

designed for broadcasters and audiences from Latin America,” the executive affirms.

He also states that Latin America has always been a key region for the British company,

and a market where a “great potential” for the production business has been discovered.

“The association with production companies GP Media and Mixer offers us a great advantage, since we have the possibility of getting involved with local culture and, thus, knowing the latest trends of the Latin American media first-hand, in order to be able to identify our clients’ needs better,” Williams stresses.

In that sense, BBC is now negotiating some projects that will be announced in the near future. “We have already produced the format ‘Juego del Bicentenario’ for Argentina with our partner channel, TV Pública (Channel 9). This series has proved to be a hit with Argentinean audiences,” Williams confirms.

Finally, it is worth noting that, during the last BBC Showcase Latin America - which took place last August 29th to the 31st at the JW Marriot Hotel in Rio de Janeiro - Williams presented BBC’s formats to the audience during the presentation of the Format genre: ‘Juego del Bicentenario’, ‘Animal Showtime’, ‘Plus’ and ‘The Weakest Link’. “All formats were well received by the audience,” Gareth Williams affirms. ttv

7th annual BBC Showcase Latin America in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

DISCOP EAST 2010 23rd to 25th June - Sofitel Hotel Budapest - Hungary

The 18th edition of DISCOP East took place from June 23rd to the 25th in Budapest. Several new advances on the road to convergence, greater presence of Belorussian companies and substantial progress in the creation of new formats for digital environments, characterized this new edition’s closing.

_/02

_/01

_/04 01. DISCOPRO 2010 pitching session

05. Patrick Jucaud (DISCOP Organization)

02. Claudia Sahab (Televisa Internacional)

06. Guillermo Borensztein y Diana Coifman (Telefe International)

03. Camila Reyes (Caracol TV Internacional) 04. Melissa Pillow y Karina Etchison (Telemundo Internacional)

_/05

_/03

_/06

07. Marcel Vinay Jr. (Comarex)

_/07

_/08

_/09

_/10

_/11

_/12

08. Michal Nashiv y Elena Antonini (Dori Media Group) 09. Mariana Fernández (Artear Argentina) 10. Carolina García (Flor Latina Entertainment Group)

_/13 13. Michel Rodrigue (The Format People Group) y Francois-Xavier Poirier (Novavision Promotion Internationale)

11. Avi Armoza (Armoza Formats)

14. Gabriel Rohonyi y Vinicius Pagin (Globo TV International)

12. Barbora Susterova (Imagina International)

15. Marie-Laure Hebrard (Film & Picture TV Distribution) 16. Begoña Esteban (Imira Entertainment)

_/14

_/15

_/16

todotvnews

HIGHLIGHTS

SPAIN

Positive Semester for Audiovisual From Spain Distribution and production companies from Spain nucleated under this Spanish brand have expressed their satisfaction with the results obtained for the first semester of 2010. > By Diego Alegre Spanish TV distributors and producers completed the first semester of 2010 with a positive balance thanks to results obtained from their performance in the international market. Despite the fact that prices have remained on the low - at the same level for the last three years - demand seems to be gradually reactivating, which is promising for the rest of the year.

According to the latest poll on commercial evaluation carried out by Audiovisual From Spain, completed in April after the end of Miptv 2010, sales of Spanish production companies distributing shows for the international market represent 25% of all annual income. This percentage is substantially larger for animation companies and international income is over 50% of its annual turnover in almost all cases. Animation production companies also count with additional incomes that come from copyright, brand and character license management. Thus, these companies also participate in licensing tradeshows, such as the Licensing International Expo – the largest worldwide – that takes place every year in the U.S.A, where Spain had a pavilion comprised by seven exhibiting companies this year.

Spanish companies show two strong trends.

On the one hand, an increasing demand for online broadcasting rights alongside traditional TV broadcasts, with emphasis on animation and extending towards fiction. On the other hand, reactivation of international co-production models, especially for fiction, also stand out.

“Production budgets in most European countries are hard to maintain, given the arrival of DTT and, obviously, due to decreasing advertising income suffered during the last two years; this makes it difficult to offer the kind of quality that audiences demand, and has reactivated the international fiction coproduction scheme. This is why we trust that certain markets will open further if we count with products that are conceived for international audiences,” said Talinka Martínez, Commercial Director of ZZJ, a production company responsible for some of Spain’s great season, such as a miniseries about the Duchess of Alba or ‘Paquirri’, internationally distributed by Tele5. ttv

URUGUAY Teledoce Begins Production of ‘ADDICTIONS’ The series is being filmed in HD entirely and is distributed internationally by Flor Latina Entertainment Group.

Produced by Contenidos TV - owned by Conrad Polvarini - in conjunction with open channel Teledoce Uruguay, the series has begun its production stage, the companies confirmed. ‘Addictions’ (‘Adicciones’) is a fictional series that will be released very soon on Uruguay’s Teledoce channel.

Thirteen 60-minute episodes linked by a single line of addictive behaviors, narrated in a highly dramatic style, portray the physical and psychological dependencies of different characters in a realistic way, creating a special product for primetime, where each episode focuses on a compulsive motivation and its serious consequences.

Teledoce has already produced and/or coproduced international hits such as ‘Urban Tales’ (‘Voces Anónimas’) and Contenidos TV counts with award-winning programs such as ‘Lives’ (‘Vidas’) and ‘Cámara Testigo’.

Sales results, for all brands included under the Audiovisual From Spain umbrella, have been very good for fiction, including feature films and TV movies, series, miniseries and their formats, apart from entertainment shows, which have been welcomed by the market. According to the organization, France continues to be the first market for Spanish fiction, while it is also showing a growing interest for entertainment formats and is promoting further co-production agreements of animated series between both countries.

CHILE Chilean Olympic Committee to Have TV Channel 70 TTV MAGAZINE

The channel will be called Canal del Deporte (‘Sports Channel’) and is expected to reach 10,000 subscribers within a year. It will be launched in September with an initial investment of approximately US$ 7 million.

The news, released by Chilean newspaper El Mercurio, announced that the cable channel will have a similar format to that of Chilean sport channel Canal del Fútbol. Primary investment for the operation will include construction of a closed gym with capacity for 2,500 people and an indoor Olympic pool. The channel will focus on broadcasting disciplines such as basketball, volleyball, field hockey, handball and other sports, such as a preview of the 2014 Odesur Games. The Chilean Olympic Committee (COCh), sports federations, and some basketball teams from Chile will own the new station.

MarVista Obtains Distribution Rights for ‘Power Rangers’ The legendary kid series, owned by Saban Brand, comes back to the international market with over 700 episodes and a new series that’ll be presented at Mipcom. The Saban Capital Group, Inc. subsidiary reached an agreement with MarVista Entertainment to represent the international TV rights for the company’s series ‘Power Rangers’. Under the agreement, MarVista Entertainment is responsible for global sales of the full library of ‘Power Rangers’, which includes more than 700 episodes produced over 17 years and 20 new episodes for the next season, the 18th, which will premiere on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons in 2011.

More Days and More Screen Time for The series has been distributed to over 60 countries and has constantly remained in international children’s ‘Sueña Conmigo’ in Nickelodeon programming blocks.

‘Sueña Conmigo’, the new co-production between Nickelodeon, Televisa and Illusion Studios, has increased the number of days it will broadcast on Nickelodeon Latin America, and will be on screen Mondays through Fridays. This new teen telenovela is produced in Spanish and will be translated into Portuguese for Nickelodeon Brazil. There will also be digital interaction, via SMS, Web and mobile platforms, in addition to its fan page on Facebook. On the other hand, around mid-July, Nickelodeon Argentina carried out the premiere event for its new teen telenovela in the city of Buenos Aires. The presentation, which counted with the presence of over 300 guests, including several Argentinean celebrities, had an “orange carpet” for actors who arrived by limousine to walk over. Three musical shows were performed during the event, in which some of the songs of the series were presented. Sofía Ioannou, General Director at MTV Networks Latin America, and Tatiana Rodríguez, Senior VP of Programming and Creative Strategy at Nickelodeon Latin America are in charge of the executive production of these series. Televisa’s production area, led by Roberto Gómez Fernández, participates in the creative process and the general production is in charge MTV Latin America and Sony Pictures of José Luis Massa, Alejandra Giaccio and Ronnie Amendolara from Illusion Studios.

Television (SPT) announced that they began shooting ‘Niñas Mal’, the first original telenovela from MTV, in Colombia with Latin American talent. The cast has established and new pan-regional figures such as Mexican Carmen Aub, Mexican Isabel Burr and Colombian Jessica San Juan. The announcement was made by Fernando Gastón, Senior VP of Content, Creative and Music for MTV Networks Latin America, and Marlon Quintero, VP of Development and Production Programs for SPT Latin America.

The production will be recorded in sets and exterior locations in Colombia. ‘Niñas Mal’ will premiere on MTV Latin America in the third quarter of 2010 and will have additional distribution through Tr3s in the U.S. and VH1 in Brazil. “Everything is ready to begin filming. This project, inspired by our successful movie of the same title, has become an unprecedented story for MTV, which also explores new developments in the making, direction and argument,” Quintero commented.

An Original Production Alliance between Sony and MTV

‘Pocoyó’ Toward U.S.A., Among Premieres and Licenses

The animated cartoon series ‘Pocoyó’, co-produced between Zinkia and ITV Studios Global Entertainment, is now broadcast on American TV channel Nick Jr., as the Spanish production company specialized in entertainment informed, cited by Expansión. Through this channel, aimed at children and belonging to American media conglomerate Viacom, the series has a potential audience of over 70 million Anglo-Saxon homes. While this television premiere takes place, the multinational toy shop Bandai, master-toy licensee of ‘Pocoyó’, is preparing a wide range of toys and accessories to be launched in the U.S.A. and Canada, based on the series. Meanwhile, Zinkia highlighted that ‘Pocoyó’ has reached record audience figures on the Internet, with over 300.000 users registered at the virtual community mundopocoyó. com, over 200 million of reproduction of chapters on Youtube and more than 25 million downloads at its official website.

TTV KIDS & TEENS K&T.

TTV KIDS & TEENS | NEWS

Filmax, 10 Years of Original Animation Filmax Galicia celebrated its 10th Anniversary in Santiago de Compostela, within the framework of production for of its ninth animation film: ‘Copito de Nieve’. The celebrations included a visit to the production company’s offices in Galicia, with the presence of Filmax’s producer and president, Julio Fernández, the Minister of Culture and Tourism and president of the Audiovisual Consortium of Galicia, Roberto Varela, Filmax representative in Galicia Inmaculada Castaño, and Animation Director, Alberto Neira. Since the founding of this animation company in May 1999, Filmax has produced eight films and one animation series in Galicia. Their new project, ‘Copito de Nieve’, is directed by Andrés G. Schaer and is the first feature film about the only white gorilla that exists on earth. On a budget of 6.5 million euros, this film combines real action with animation, and was partly shot in Barcelona (real action) and Santiago de Compostela (animation). Five out of eight feature films produced by this company have won the Goya Award to the Best Animation Film and all of them have been sold worldwide: ‘Goomer’ by José Luis Feito and Carlos Varela, ‘El Cid, la Leyenda’ by José Pozo, ‘P3K Pinocho 3000’ by Daniel Robichaud, ‘Gisaku’ by Baltasar Pedrosa, ‘Pérez, el Ratoncito de tus Sueños’ by Juan Pablo Buscarini, ‘Nocturna’ by Adrià García and Víctor Maldonado, ‘Donkey Xote’ by José Pozo and ‘Pérez, el Ratoncito de tus Sueños 2’ by Andrés G. Schaer.

‘Jake & Blake’ Breaks Into France on Disney Channel The new series ‘Jake & Blake’ produced by Cris Morena Group and RGB Entertainment and starring Benjamín Rojas (‘Rebelde Way’, ‘Floricienta’ y ‘Chiquititas’) was released in France this past 4th of August on Disney Channel. ‘Jake & Blake’ is the story of two teenage twins who were separated at birth and were not aware of each other’s existence.

Destiny reunites them and they make a pact to use their physical resemblance to replace each other and be able to live a very special adventure. However, this will not be easy since, even though Jake and Blake look physically the same, they have very different personalities. This is a comedy of adventure, mix-ups, romance and humor that has its own CD, including 14 original songs from the show sang by the main character, Benjamín Rojas. The album was released in Argentina, Chile and Spain and will soon be released in other countries.

‘Expo Toons’ Competition Open Call Cookie Jar Series Available in DLA’s VOD Service DLA, a company specialized in developing and delivering digital platform solutions, has signed an agreement with Cookie Jar that enables it to provide children’s series such as ‘Arthur’, ‘Inspector Gadget’, ‘Caillou’, ‘Daniel el Travieso’, ‘Rosita Fresita’, ‘Madeline’ and ‘Johnny Test’ to users of its VOD service in Latin America. The agreement with The Cookie Jar Group, that allows the group to expand its content portfolio for children to VOD and broadband services, will be taking its children’s production to users in 25 countries in the region. “This agreement allows our affiliates in the region to cover this need with over 460 hours of children’s content and strengthen their VOD and broadband service offers with products that are highly profitable and extremely attractive to parents and children alike,” Bruno Duran, Vice-President of Sales and Affiliate Services for DLA, pointed out. The Cookie Jar Group, one of the most recognized companies worldwide for its development, production, distribution and marketing of children’s high educational content, counts with a portfolio brimming with leading products such as ‘The Doodlebops’, ‘Gerald McBoing Boing’ and ‘Spider Rider’. The agreement with DLA allows the company’s affiliates to offer many of these programs to their subscribers in the language of their choice, be it Spanish, Portuguese or English.

K&T. TTV KIDS & TEENS

Official call for the fourth edition of the international animation festival to be held next December from 1st to 3rd in Buenos Aires is now open. The event will take place in Puerto Madero, where official activities, business opportunities, international guests, competition, training, business rounds and the presence of technicians and artists are scheduled, among others. The organization informed ttv that animation pieces made in any technique are already being received to compete in the following categories: feature films, short films, advertising films, TV Series and graduation short films. Deadline is scheduled for August 31st, and it is worth noting that registration is free of charge.

With regard to 2009 edition, some figures illustrate the magnitude of the event: 3,800 people participated in the activities; 450 pieces competed in 5 categories; 47 countries participated; 167 films were screened; 150 meetings were held between producers, buyers and distributors; 120 professionals of the animation industry were gathered at Cartoon Connection; 100 companies and organizations sponsored the event; and 18 conferences were presented by international speakers.

TTV KIDS & TEENS | special REPORT

LATIN AMERICA

Alienated to Trends In a year considered to be a developing period by all sectors related to TV, content for children in Latin America finds its seat of honor in most programming grids, comes out of the small screen to turn into a multi-sensory experience, and is an excuse to connect continents through an industry that is growing permanently.

> By Ana Clara Knopp

Club 10_Caracol TV

K

ids’ and animation TV can be blatantly found in top ranking spots all around the world. But this is not only happening in “the rest of the world”. Today, in Latin America, local branches of mayor TV channels for kids lead metrics at homes with pay TV. “In the past few years, the number of channels taking children’s programming, as well as the viewership and demand for kids programming has grown. Kids’ channels such as Discovery Kids, Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and others have been on air for less than 15 years and, today, they find themselves placed in the top spots of ratings in the Moms and Kids demographics,” states Pam Westman, Executive Vice President for The Americas at HIT Entertainment - one of the main companies to own kids entertainment rights, including some of biggest and most successful international trademarks in our region: ‘Barney’, ‘Bob, the Builder’, ‘Angelina Ballerina’ and ‘Thomas, the Tank Engine’.

Indeed, the average most-watched channels based on pan-regional ratings for the first six months of 2010 yielded as a result the leadership of Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Discovery Kids, Disney XD and Nickelodeon, in that order, according to Ibope Media Information’s data extracted from the universe of homes with cable TV from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Chile and Central America. Discovery Kids stands as the channel with greatest distribution in pay TV, reaching over 6 million of users in Brazil, and also comes first in Chile. In Argentina, Disney Channel occupies first place, as well as in Mexico, while Cartoon Network is at its heels and Nickelodeon ranks number one in the 4 to 11 years old target.

Despite the fact that the universe of homes with cable TV may give the impression of being a small sample, it in fact affects 8.6 million of homes in Brazil, 9 million in Mexico and 6.7 million in Argentina: the three main markets of the region, according to Private Advisor. At the same time, studios such as Signals Telecom Consulting show that pay TV penetration is and will continue to grow in Latin America, expecting over 22.5 million new subscribers in the region by 2014. To complete the picture, hours of TV consumption have increased at least in a quarter of an hour from five years ago; this is apparently due to a greater offer of free and paid content and almost 50% of this increase is found in the 2-12 year-old age group.

Consumers in general are more diverse, demanding and connected.

Accuracy when selecting and separating markets is a key element for a signal’s success. Regional broadcasters adapt to this trend by segmenting broadcasts and connecting content for TV and new media. They split their schedule by time zones and work out their targets: Disney Channel has incorporated Playhouse Disney and Disney XD. Nickelodeon divides its schedule by age-groups: Nick Jr. (preschooler), Nick

El Chavo Show_Exim

(schoolchild and tweens) and Nick at Nite. On the other hand, Cartoon Network commits itself to style instead of segmentation by ages, being characterized by humor and original productions, unlike others that bet on educational content and connecting with kids by conquering their parents, showing that they can take care of preschoolers 24 hours a day.

Even open TV, which is usually more unbalanced in its schedule, operates by blocks, like Channel 13 in Argentina (Mondays to Fridays from 9:30am to 12:30am), Channel 7 of TV Azteca in Mexico (Niños 7, block starting at 7:00am and containing products by HIT Entertainment), TV Globo in Brazil (TV Globinho block, from Mondays to Saturdays in the morning, containing purchased series and the local ‘Turma da Mônica’, a classic Brazilian animated export).

THE SECTOR’S NETWORK. But this is far from being just a matter of numbers on charts and programming in channels. There is a whole industry which is affected, in close relation to buying habits and ways of production and broadcasting. “The advance in technology, and the drop in prices have opened new markets and, due to the same reasons, the Latin American industry has grown in a very important way,” states Fernando de Fuentes, Director of Anima, Mexico’s main animation studio, responsible for products broadcast all over the continent as well as

Sueña Conmigo_Nickelodeon

for success in the licenses’ sector, with series such as Televisa’s ‘El Chavo Animado’.

TV is no longer alone to conquer markets. New media, licensing, VOD, social networks, videogames, complement it and turn into the center of debates and conferences in the main markets of the world. Each signal is spread carrying content through different media. “Nowadays there are different platforms which are suitable for strengthening the emotional relationship in and out of the TV screen. These platforms comprise different aspects of kids audience’s life and children can be reached through different media - TV, online, broadband, VOD, mobile - with original content,” agrees Migdalys Silva, Director of Programming and Acquisitions for Nickelodeon Latin America, pointing out examples like Guarida Azul, “the social network created for [series produced in Venezuela] ‘IsaTK+’, which joined the story on screen and had over 250,000 fans from all Latin America,” or Soytusuperstar.com, “a social network created for our most recent local production, ‘Sueña Conmigo’, based on the concept of creating fan clubs.”

The entire region carries high figures when it comes to content visualization on the Internet and participation in networks, Mexico standing out as a main market. For example, an episode of the ‘Pocoyo’ series (preschooler - animation) is the 9th most seen video in Mexico in YouTube, with over 20.5 million views as of September 2010. Mexico is also

TTV KIDS & TEENS K&T.

TTV KIDS & TEENS | special REPORT

the country that occupies eighth place worldwide in use of Facebook, with 16 million users (followed by Argentina with 8.2 million, Colombia with 7.5 million, and Brazil and Chile with 6.2 million each). The second strongest market, discoverykidsbrasil.com, registered approximately 20 million page views in the first six months of the year, while tudiscoverykids.com (pan-regional) has reached 100 million monthly page views, while counting with approximately 100 thousand users in social networks (Facebook, Twitter and YouTube). Cartoon Network has over 7 million users in its sites from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela and its pan-regional sites in English and Spanish, which have a new registering proposal as of August with Toonix, original characters that also appear in TV signal’s redesign. Disney Channel also follows the trend and makes sure it aligns its operations to new media and these new ways of consumption.

Another logic operation to which all producers, distributors and broadcasters are joining is the generation of mobile content. Apps, mobile TV and games are just some of the services offered to a region which heads the list cell phone purchasing and use (187 million of telephones in Brazil, or 1.2 telephones per person in Argentina). Exim Licensing Group, an Argentinean company with pan-regional coverage in regards to kid content licensing, has noted this trend and currently develops preloaded virtual content for mobile devices, “accompanied by developments on hardware - which is the decoration of the telephone itself - so that some of the characters that we represent are promoted all together,” says Jonathan Hofman, CEO of Exim. “These actions complement and strengthen the exposure level of the trademarks,” he adds.

This is also a concern for Televisa Consumer Products, division of Televisa, responsible in Mexico for licensing the Televisa, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and ‘Star Wars’ trademarks, among others, which also positions production of videogames as a necessary stake for the industry. Products like ‘El Chavo’ for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS, ‘Atrévete a Soñar’ or ‘Los Héroes del Ring Triple A’ for Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox have emerged from that production. And according to Gonzalo Frasca, Director of videogame production company Powerful Robot (Uruguay) and a ludology specialist, the relationship between television content and videogames is “an essential formula in the kids’ market” since “the videogame is another way of seeing content and it is a natural language for the new generations. We have been working with large TV networks (Warner, Disney, Cartoon Network) from the very beginning and that experience has allowed us to offer videogames which not only entertain the viewer but also allow networks to fulfill their promotional objectives, either through websites, iPhones or consoles,” Frasca explains.

According to Nick’s Director of Programming, the main benefit of the expansion to new media is “the possibility of generating more points of contact with kids who watch and follow the channel, applying a 360ºstrategy that allows us to cover different aspects of all kids’ life”. But in spite of the boom of new media, studies reveal that the small screen continues being the platform preferred by audiences, broadcasters and sponsors, pay TV being, in some way, the focus of the industry, not only because it has more space solely devoted to kids’ programming, but also because subscriptions to cable TV are one of the main signs depicting populations with certain purchasing power, and therefore the capacity of completing the circuit of consumption products created and distributed from TV content licenses for kids.

THE TV OUT OF THE TV. Licensing of kids’ content is another central point at Mipcom, and in all TV markets, as the distribution of contents, their licensing as brands and their distribution in the region as consumption objects in other commercial and cultural spheres away from the screen, have sealed TV’s industrial movement in the last decade, and it is growing in importance, also in Latin America.

K&T. TTV KIDS & TEENS

Jonathan Hofman explains that this movement “is synergetic”. “The broadcaster tries to attract audiences and must pay attention, among other things to make his decision, to what is successful for this target audience. This implies seeing who the partners of the trademark in other regions are: who broadcasts it, who are in charge of the toy business, if there are actions which activate the trademark like live shows or advertising in QSRs, etc. Once they have noticed ‘the importance’ of the trademark they decide whether they will buy it or not.” And this has to do with the opportunity this generates for the user - kids in this case - of having a multisensory experience in relation to the characters watched on TV. The live show, the toy or the game, make available what used to be behind a screen and since kids, especially preschoolers, do not notice prices, they have a great deal of influence on their parents, increasing the consumption in all the instances of the chain implied by a license. Although it used to be the other way round, today, the possibility of licensing marks the creation and launching of content.

Producers think about strong characters and funny stories which may expand beyond the screen, extending success and therefore the vital time of a brand.

The concept of TV out of the TV is embodied in different kind of products and productions: “The base of many kids’ products and the first common ground with the consumer is the toy line, then, all the products connected with clothes and accessories - outwear, underwear, socks, shoes, etc. - and thirdly, and very important, everything that’s stationary and back to school stuff. Once this platform has been built, other products start being developed such as personal care, dinnerware, etc.,” states Hofman. Meanwhile, Celia Catunda, CEO of TV Pinguim - a Brazilian production company - has “20-plus licensees in place with over 120 licensed products like books, magazines, cards album, toys, apparel, plush, etc.,” for its animated series ‘Fishtronaut’.

But this is not the only brand created in Latin America which is successful in local and international markets. “‘Club 10’ is a great trademark in Colombia, under which many products, discs and an itinerant show have been launched all over the country,” shares Diego Arbelaiz from Caracol TV. Programs like ‘Casi Ángeles’ by the Cris Morena Group (Argentina), have a strong penetration of products of stationary and accessories, discs and live shows both locally and in Europe and the Middle East.

“Trademarks such as ‘El Chavo’ and [the Latin version of ] ‘Sesame Street’, for example […] are two properties originated and with marked Lobo Aurelio - Mery Moon - Dinodoro_ Caracol TV

Latin American features,” the CEO of Exim explains. “Brazil has many local trademarks like the Susi de Estreka doll, with which Exim is now starting to work on its licensing program and advertising; Chile has interesting developments of series for local TV that we have had the opportunity to exploit; Peru released a locally produced movie distributed by Fox called ‘El Delfín’, etc.”

Latin productions are reaching broader markets, undoubtedly, in part thanks to this licensing capacity, but also thanks to the connection generated with international signals, which in turn find the performance of original and local productions to be one of the keys to their success.

“Maintaining the range of local production in our grid is a compromise that we have with talent and producers of the region.” Migdalis Silva explains. “Nick is a pan-regional channel reaching over 25 countries in Latin America and local production allows us to be closer to the audience, as we have done in the past with ‘Skimo’ in Mexico, ‘Escuela para Perros’ in Brazil, ‘Isa TKM’ in Venezuela, ‘Isa TK+’ in Colombia and now with ‘Sueña Conmigo’ in Argentina.” The latter is a co-production between Nick, Illusion Studios (Argentina) and Televisa (Mexico), which embodies the spirit of co-production and expansion taking place in the kids’ universe of TV content in Latin America.

Production in the continent is growingly visible, not only as an outsourcing region – such as the case of Encuadre (Argentina), which produced the 5 season advertainment ‘Olocoons’ for Bimbo and Televisa; or Hook Up Animation, which has worked for “Cartoon Network, Disney Channel and Fox for quite some time, having produced pieces with very successful characters: ‘Ben 10’, ‘Powerpuff Girls’, ‘Tom & Jerry’, ‘Roadrunner ’, ‘Bugs Bunny’, ‘The Flintstones’, ‘Winnie the Pooh’, ‘Lilo & Stitch’, ‘Aladdin’, ‘Mickey Mouse’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’, among others,” according to Gonzalo Azpiri, founding partner of the Argentinean studio.

Therefore, Latin America is also being taken into account as a producer of original content. Such is the case of ‘El Chavo Animado’, where “Televisa and Grupo Chespirito are the owners and producers of the series and Anima Estudios acts as producer,” Fernando de Fuente explains. The series is aired on different open TV and pay TV channels for the last five years in the entire continent, ranking high in Canal 5 (Mexico), an important fact when considering that Latin American countries have few broadcast compulsory quotas of animated local content.

Brazil is also home to two paradigmatic cases: ‘My Big Big Friend’, the 2D animation series created and produced by Brazilian studio 2DLab, in co-production with Canadian Breakthrough Entertainment, won the Licensing Challenge in Mip Jr. 2009, and started broadcasts in September on Discovery Kids Latin America successfully.

And ‘Fishtronaut’, the first animated series in 2D made in Brazil that was pre-sold to an international signal (Discovery Kids), and broadcast in all Latin America and Hispanic U.S.A., created by TV Pinguim, which will present its second season (52 x 11’) in Mip Jr. 2010 in October.

“Although we don’t feel ‘Fishtronaut’ as a regional show, it sure has a unique appeal for Latin Americans. That’s mostly because of the music and landscapes,” Celia Catunda comments.

Nowadays, local production is a red-hot issue; it is being postulated in new media regulations, bills or approved laws in different Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, among others, and is being highlighted as a high-potential branch of industry. “Some countries already have great international exposure and the animation industry does not have limits. Latin America is a focus of attention all over the world due to the opportunities that it offers and the growing development generated by its acknowledged artistic and creative talent,” shares Migdalys Silva. And she is not the only person who thinks so.

A similar recognition arrives from Europe, laying the foundations for companies from the Old World to visit the region in search of content and alliances. “There is plenty of creativity in the region and in a style similar to what is done in Europe: very modern, dynamic, and also a very strong knowledge on pitching. They seem to have a fair commercial angle,” states Yolanda Alonso, from CARTOON - the European Association of Animation Film located in Belgium. Yolanda is the organizer of Cartoon Connection, the European and Latin American congress for animation professionals, which will take place for the second time in the continent, this time in the city of Mexico, from the 6th to the 9th of December, co-organized together with Anima Estudios. The congress will gather producers, broadcasters and distributors from all of Latin America interested in tightening commercial ties with their European equals. It will also encourage co-production and distribution of animation series in both markets, as well as increase mutual knowledge between both continents. The organizer explains that “production and distribution are very important in Europe; […] they are much more open because the different countries of the European Union have been coproducing for over fifteen years, and TV stations also co-produce with different production companies.” According to Alonso, this working method is what “saves companies in the current crisis,” and, when taking into account that audiovisual entertainment consumption tends to increase during economic crisis times, Cartoon appreciates “the opportunity for Europeans to always work with other creative talent, not only in Europe, but also in the rest of the world.”

In parallel with Cartoon Connection, different congresses with similar objectives, focusing on the trend that brings Latin American producers to increasingly attend these kinds of training and business congresses. An example is PIC Novos Formatos, which will take place in Brazil in December, or the international animation festival Expotoons - taking place from November 30th to December 2nd - in Buenos Aires, the city that hosted the first edition of Cartoon Connection in 2009. This year, the city highlights its Animation Market, joining Latin American stars and productions together with international buyers and producers. Migdalys Silva states that for Nickelodeon, and by extension for the other companies based in the region, “it is important to participate in congresses of the region such as Cartoon Connection and Expotoons, since they gather the best of world animation, with exhibitions, trade fairs, conferences, shows, business rounds and training sessions.”

New media, licenses, original productions, videogames, markets, international participation: there is no doubt that Latin America joins the children global entertainment industry, with its unique and distinctive characteristics, excellent predictions from all sectors and growing recognition by the rest of the world. ttv TTV KIDS & TEENS K&T.

TTV KIDS & TEENS | INTERVIEW

Matteo Corradi, Board Director, Mondo TV

Animated Territorial Mesh Fifteen years in the TV industry have given Matteo Corradi an experienced scope of the animation and licensing markets in Europe. However, the group of companies gathered by Italian animation creator Mondo TV also form a distribution structure with offices in dissimilar territories such as Spain, the U.S., France and Latin America. > by SEBASTIÁN Torterola “The companies of the group coproduce over 20 different TV series, which is translated into a total of almost 500 half hours.”

I

talian animation producer and distributor Mondo TV has a strong reputation and influence across Europe. The group features a flexible co-production model and is supported by seven companies spread all over the world, which represent a powerful international distribution arm. Matteo Corradi talked to ttv about recent operations and described Mondo TV’s catalog at Mipcom 2010.

What place do licensing and consumer products occupy in Mondo TV’s business model? Licensing and publishing are extremely important to fulfill productions that

K&T. TTV KIDS & TEENS

aim to really take profit from the market. Today, Mondo TV’s business model is based on coproducing titles that are already famous in the licensing world. We take a successful title and turn it into a TV series.

How would you describe the company’s production and distribution capacities? We have a big production department. Currently, the companies of the group co-produce over 20 different TV series, which is translated into a total of almost 500 half hours, an interesting amount. The catalog is new, fresh and very appropriate for the licensing business area. We

Matteo Corradi,

Board Director, Mondo TV

have a very significant worldwide TV & Video distribution chain with over 15 sellers in 6 offices throughout the five continents. There are eight companies under the umbrella of Mondo TV Group: Mondo Distribution, Mondo Licensing, Mondo Kidz, Mondo TV France, Mondo TV Spain, Doro TV Merchandising and Mondo Igel Media. Each one has a production or distribution target, though Mondo TV France is today the most important of them, proficiently headed by Eve Baron.

What is the current situation of Mondo TV’s business areas? The company has three main goals: development of high quality products with licensing potential; growth of co-productions with broadcasters; and sale of roundabout 900 hours of animation. We are coproducing five new important licensingwise co-productions, which we will be announcing in BLE and Mipcom. Apart from that, our HD animation property ‘Puppy in my Pocket’ is already presold - being still currently in production - in over 130 countries. We have a world class library which keeps on increasing our sales.

Mondo TV also distributes third party catalogs. What can you say about this business area? Mondo TV holds distribution rights for the catalogs of RAI Trade, YFE and Cake Entertainment. The results have been very good. We’ve a very strong relationship with these companies and we aim to continue enlarging our distribution capacities.

“Mondo TV France is today the most important of them, proficiently headed

by Eve Baron.”

Exim Licensing Group, which is a cutting edge, multiplatform animated series that we distribute in Europe, Africa and Middle East. We are delighted about this production and we believe that the relationship with our co-producers is the best possible. ‘Bondi Band’ will launch during back to school 2011; furthermore, we are also creating its theatrical version, to be co-produced with Play Entertainment and Starbright, and we are major co-producers in this property. We are absolutely convinced that Latin America will be one of the key markets for us in the future.

In which way is Latin America important for Mondo TV’s expansion plans? Latin America is decisive for us. Our company Mondo TV Spain, which is headed by Maria Bonaria Fois and has Emilie Pasquet as a South American seller, is doing excellent business.

We are currently co-producing ‘Bondi Band’ with Argentinean companies Ledafilms and

What will Mondo TV feature in MIPCOM 2010? Mondo TV will be present in BLE and MIPCOM, offering international buyers a world class catalog that includes properties such as the ‘Angel’s Friends’ series (52 x 13’) and movie; ‘Virus Attack’ (52 x 13’); ‘Puppy In My Pocket’ (52 x 13’); ‘Powerbuggz’ (26 x 26’); ‘Playtime Buddies’ (52 x 13’); ‘Monster And Pirates’ (26 x 13’); and ‘Bondi Band’ (52 x 13’), among others. ttv

Playtime Buddies Genre: Animation

Virus Attac Genre: Animation

“We are currently coproducing ‘Bondi Band’ with Ledafilms and Exim Licensing Group, which is a cutting edge, multiplatform animated series that we distribute in Europe, Africa and Middle East.”

Puppy in my Pocket Genre: Animation

TTV KIDS & TEENS K&T.

TTV TELENOVELAS | IN FOCUS

Toper Taylor, President/COO at Cookie Jar Entertainment

Cris Morena, CEO at Cris Morena Group

“ “

“ “ “ “ Cookie Jar is starting to produce two new exciting teen and tween live action series. In addition, we recently launched a tween animated action adventure series on Cartoon Network called ‘Metajets’. For our CBS block in the U.S., we need educational content for kids; this is a good opportunity for companies with ideas, co-financing, or series that are already in production.”

We are currently finishing shooting the fourth season of ‘TeenAngels’ (‘Casi Ángeles’).

We released two new albums in 2010 in Argentina. The musical presented at the Gran Rex Theater was a blockbuster success, selling over 155,000 tickets in 55 shows. The series screens in Latin America, Spain, Italy and Israel.

Yolanda Alonso, Cartoon Connection Organizer Cartoon Connection is an initiative included in the Media International program located in Brussels that is currently trying to give Media International beneficiary projects, and other European companies, the opportunity to contribute to develop closer ties and business foundations, outside of Europe.”

Esteban Garrido, Director of Content Lab at Illusion Studios.

‘Gaturro, la Película’, has been the most fulfilling and fruitful experience so far. In fact, it has enabled us to open the possibility of developing new movies in 2011 (…). We already have three new series in development for 2011.”

Mark Evestaff, Producer of ‘Jimmy Two-Shoes’ ‘Jimmy Two-Shoes’ is part of the Three Hours of Awesome programming block on Canadian Teletoon and has recently renewed its partnership with Breakthrough Entertainment to a total of 52 episodes. “Jimmy Two-Shoes takes audiences on a wonderfully ridiculous adventure to a world filled with wild monsters, zany gadgets, and bottomless laughs,” said Evestaff.

Migdalys Silva, Programming and Acquisitions Director at Nickelodeon Latin America Nowadays, different platforms exist in order to reinforce emotional relationships, on and off-screen. These platforms cover different aspects of our young audience’s life and enable us to reach children through different media – TV, online, broadband, VOP, mobile – with original content.”

K&T. TTV KIDS & TEENS

LISTINGs KIDS&TEENS This section features the companies at Mipcom 2010 and their catalogs of Kids & Teens.

Rocket Monkeys

4kids Entertainment

Bavaria Media Television

Booth: R32.24

Booth: 20.01

Executives Attending

Brian Lacey, Executive VP, International Gia DeLaney, Consultant, International Program Sales Sandra Vauthier-Cellier, Managing Director, International Sales Thea Westmoreland, Marketing Assistant

Rocket Monkeys

(Animation - 26 x 30’ or 52 x 11’)

mipcom

2010

A House of Animals

Five million years of evolution have led to this. Meet Wally and Gus. Best friends and NOSA trained monkeynauts on an odyssey through outer space. Blasted into strange new worlds on a unique and specially equipped rocket, these two simians experiment with new technologies and discover alien species never seen before.

Despite Dr. Chimpsky’s instructions for space travel, neither the optimistic Wally nor the brainy Gus has a clue as to how to pilot their ship, but somehow they have the right stuff to complete their mission. New life forms, techno-gadgets and collisions with space pirates all add up to a zany, fun-filled series. Its close encounters of a primate kind.

Executives Attending

Philipp Kreuzer, Vice President International and Co-Production Helge Köhnen, Director Sales Stefanie Fritz, Director Sales Iowanka Sprehe, Junior Director Sales Bojan Ritan, Marketing Manager Dana Höfinger, Acquisition Manager Alexandra Streichfuss, Head of Business and Legal Affairs

A Houseful Of Animals

(Children - 13 x 25’)

Veterinarian Dr. Philipp Hansen moves to the idyllic Black Forest with his family to open a new practice. The move is hard on 10-year-old Greta, but she soon makes a best friend and begins saving the lives of animals which she then puts up in her family’s big villa.

Crazy About Love

(Series - 52 x 50’)

A sparkling romantic comedy series that revolves around Laura and Paolo, both in their early 40s, both with children to raise, who rediscover love after years of singleness and let a wave of romance sweep into the lives of their family members, friends and colleagues.

Shadow Raiders/War Planets My Big Big Friend

Breakthrough Entertainment Executives AttendinG

Ira Levy, Executive Producer Peter Williamson, Executive Producer Nat Abraham, Head of Distribution Marina Cordoni, Executive Producer, Movies Kate Blank, Sales Executive Joan Lambur, Executive Producer Aron Dunn, Director of Development

My Big Big Friend

(Animation Series - 52 x 11’ / 26 x 30’)

CCI Entertainment Booth: 2.10

Executives AttendinG

Arnie Zipursky, President Jill Keenleyside, Executive V.P., Distribution Rekha Shah, VP Distribution and Co-Production Federico Vargas, Sales and Acquisitions Executive

Shadow Raiders/War Planets

(Animated Sci-Fi - 26 x 30’)

Inhabitants of four mutually hostile worlds unite forces to face the menace of an invading planet & population.

Artzooka!

Chop Kick Panda

GAIAM Americas Booth: 01.02

Executives AttendinG

Bill Sondheim, President Entertainment & Worldwide Distribution Sam Toles, Vice President, Content Acquisitions Myriam Diaz, Director, International Sales Carolyn Ryan, Director International Market Development

Chop Kick Panda

The imaginations of children are truly incredible and with ‘My Big Big Friend’, they can go anywhere, be anyone and do anything.

Sometimes they can even create new playmates; which is exactly what happens to three young friends Yuri, Lili and Matt who, along with their imaginary big big friends discover that with a bit of help from each other and a whole lot of imagination, even their big problems can shrink down to size.

(Kids/Live Action/Animation - 26 x 30’)

(Animation – In Production Episode: 1 x 50)

A live action and animation series that shows kids that art is everywhere and that there is an artist in everyone.

The Mooh Brothers

Farzzle’s World is the real world seen from a baby’s point of view…with a twist - simple explorations always turn into magical adventures.

Lu is a large (okay, fat) lovable panda who is the sixth generation owner of the Tae Kwon Do dojo in the small village of Daluo. Once respected for training the fiercest warriors, the dojo has since devolved into a hangout for the town’s misfit young animals (think Bad News Bears) including Lu’s own son, Ju-Wan. What Lu doesn’t know is that buried beneath the dojo is the ancient Amulet of Fury. The mythical amulet gives its owner ultimate power and protection. When the villainous tiger warrior, Kudo, terrorizes the small village in pursuit of the amulet, it’s up to Lu and his rag-tag team of martial artists to stop him.

(Animation Series - 26 x 11’)

A visually captivating series that inspires outdoor activities, teaches family values and provides kids with valuable lessons on getting along with their friends,

K&T. TTV KIDS & TEENS

Farzzle’s World

(Pre-school Animation - 130 x 3’)

Monsters INC.

Disney Media Networks Latin America Executives Attending

Fernando Barbosa, SVP, Distribution and Production Henri Ringel, VP, Distribution Jack Morera, Director, Distribution Leonardo Aranguibel, Director, Production Fabiola Bovino, Senior Manager, Marketing

Monsters Inc. The Academy Award-winning creators of ‘Toy Story’ open the door to a frightfully funny world of monsters and mayhem and scare up lots of laughs in their new movie, ‘Monsters, Inc.’ This witty and imaginative new computer-animated adventure is the latest film from Disney/Pixar and is the second feature in the current five-picture association between the two studios. Top Scarer Sulley (voiced by John Goodman) and his enthusiastic Scare Assistant Mike (voiced by Billy Crystal) work at Monsters, Inc., the largest scream processing factory in Monstropolis. The main power source of the monster world is the collected screams of human children. Monsters believe children are dangerous and toxic, however, and they are scared silly when a little girl wanders into their world. Sulley and Mike do their best to return the girl home, but they face monstrous intrigue and some hilarious misadventures along the way.

Karkú

Power Rangers

Imira Entertainment

MarVista Entertainment

Booth: R32.25

Booth: RSV46

Executives Attending

Sergi Reitg, CEO Christophe Goldberger, Head of Distribution and Marketing

Karkú

(Live Action - 76 x 26’) The series follows the adventures of 13-year old Emilia as she is sent to live in Santiago by her parents. Determined to plan an exciting holiday oversees, she and her new school friends embark on a series of enterprises to earn the money to pay for the trip. Dog-sitting, flower-selling and party-planning, Emilia, Fernanda, Valentina, Zico, Alex and Martin quickly become entrepreneurs. However, it is the experience of growing up together that teaches the friends, and occasional rivals, more about life, love and friendship.

Executives Attending

Fernando Szew, CEO Joseph Szew, CFO/COO Vanessa Goglio, SVP, Worldwide Sales Robby Amar, Director, International Sales Laura Hoffman, Director, Sales and Contract Administration Ariel Tobi, Presidente, SnapTV Ezequiel Olzanski . Sales Manager, Latin America, SnapTV

Power Rangers

(Children/Live-Action - 700 x 30’ + 40 x 30’ New episodes in Production) 20 original episodes of this kids television phenomenon will debut early in 2011 in the U.S. on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons.

Sandra The Fairytale Detective

(HD Flash Animation - 52 x 13’)

Sandra is a ten year old girl who turns detective when she travels to the Land of Once Upon a Time, a parallel world where classic fairytale characters live. What happens if someone steels Cinderella’s glass slipper? Or if the Prince kisses Sleeping Beauty but she doesn’t wake up? Sandra the Fairytale Detective springs into action, giving a twist to classic fairytales.

16 Wishes

(Teen/Comedy/Family - 1 x 90’) Co-produced with MarVista, a Disney Original Movie starring Debby Ryan about a teenager whose secret wishes come true when she receives a magical box of birthday candles.

Ratatouille In this new animated-adventure, a rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his family’s wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. Despite the apparent dangers of being an unlikely - and certainly unwanted - visitor in the kitchen of a fine French restaurant, Remy’s passion for cooking soon sets into motion a hilarious and exciting rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down.

Mulán Disney’s 36th full-length animated feature, ‘Mulan,’ chronicles the daring adventures of a young Chinese woman whose irrepressible spirit clashes with her tradition-bound society. When her country is forced into war by the invading Hun army, Mulan searches deep within herself, takes her ailing father’s conscription notice, and joins the Chinese army in order to save his life. With the support of Mushu, her feisty, fire-breathing, “wanna be” guardian dragon, Mulan disguises herself as a man, trains to become a brave and disciplined warrior, and in a bold and selfless act of courage, brings victory to her country and honor to her family.

Scaredy Squirrel

Nelvana Enterprises Booth: N6.04

Executives Attending

Doug Murphy, President, Corus Television Colin Bohm, Vice President and Managing Director, Dale Hancocks, SVP, Operations and Associate General Counsel Irene Weibel, VP, Int’l Development and Co-production, Corus Kids Laura Baehr, Vice President Marketing, Corus Kids Lynn Chadwick, Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Distribution Peter Maule, Vice President, Worldwide Home Entertainment and Licensing, The Americas, Nelvana Enterprises Jerry Diaz, Sales Representative, Latin America and Iberia

Scaredy Squirrel

(2D Animation - 26 x 30’ / 2 x 11’) Join a loveable, creative, and nerdy hero... with just a hint of OCD. He may seem quirky at first, but Scaredy is one confident squirrel.

He is what he is, does what he does, and it’s awesome

Franklin and Friends

(CGI Animation - 26 x 30’ / 2 x 11’)

A new CGI series featuring international fan favorite Franklin the turtle, Franklin is still the undisputed star of the show and filled with passion for Woodland, his family and friends. Franklin isn’t perfect but he is working on it and his daily adventures encourage kids to be curious about the world.

K&T. TTV KIDS & TEENS

The Witches of Oz

(Fantasy/Sci-Fi - 2 x 90’)

A two-part fantasy adventure with a creative modern twist on the classic tale starring Christopher Lloyd and Sean Astin.

Puppy in My Pocket

Super Grover 2.0

Vivi

Mondo TV

Sesame Workshop

Booth: 23.02 / 25.01

Booth: R30.24

Skywriter Media & Entertainment Group

Executives Attending

Booth: 02.10

Executives Attending

Orlando Corradi, President & CEO Gian Claudio Galatoli, Production Director Matteo Corradi, Senior VP of International Sales Micheline Azoury, Head of International Sales & Brand Manager Roberto Farina, Sales Manager Alessandro Venturi, Sales Manager Theo Kouroglou, Sales Manager Maria B. Fois, General Manager, Mondo TV Spain Emilie Pasquet, Sales Manager

Puppy in My Pocket

(Animation - 52 x 13’)

Terry Fitzpatrick, Executive Vice President, Distribution Miranda Barry, Executive Vice President, Creative Scott Chambers, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Media Distribution Maura Regan, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Global Consumer Products Renee Mascara, Vice President, International Television Distribution Miles Ludwig, Vice President, Executive Producer Digital Media Susanna Phillips, Director, International Publishing, Home Video and Audio Celia Musikant, Manager, International Television Distribution

Super Grover 2.0

(Children - 13 x 6’) Friendship is a universal feeling. It’s the warmth that heats your heart up, it’s the joy of not being alone, of having someone next to you who returns your love and takes care of you- Friendship is a strong power, and the purest the heart of those who need a friend is, the more explosive this energy gets… and who is purer than children?

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Super…Grover! With a billowing red cape, silver helmet, and the letter “G” across his furry blue chest, Sesame Street’s Grover is coming to the rescue in a brand new series called Super Grover 2.0! As he questions, observes, investigates and reports, our hero literally stumbles across the solution to problems all across the planet. This new series, which will also be featured as a segment on Sesame Street in the U.S. this September, emphasizes a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum by encouraging young children to be active participants in the learning process by formulating observations into questions, finding solutions through trial and error, and making scientific concepts understandable.

Executives Attending

Kevin Gillis, Executive Producer & CEO Gwen Jones McCauley, VP, Distribution & Acquisitions Ashley Rite, Marketing Manager/Associate Producer

Vivi

(Kids - 52 x 11’) Join Vivi and her grandmother on their fun-filled journey in search of paradise. Vivi is a curious and artistic girl who likes to paint, collect, photograph, glue, sing, and imagine everywhere she goes.

Camp Lakebottom

(Animated Comedy - 26 x 11’) Dear Mom and Dad, The lake is toxic. The trees are scary. The camp counsellors have fleas and smell like cheese. They might even eat your brain! Having an awesome time here at Camp Lakebottom!

Send more cookies. XOXO McGee.

Monsters & Pirates

(Animation - 13 x 13’ + 13 in production) An enchanting adventure in the seas of the fantasy, searching of the legendary treasure of Captain Barracuda, in which friendship and courage triumph. This series is a coproduction of Mondo TV and Magic Production Group S.A (MPG)., a subsidiary of Italian confectionery giant Ferrero Group.

Armor Hero

Televix Entertainment The Resistance

Telefe International Booth: RSV 14 - Riviera Sea View

Executives AttendinG

Michelle Wasserman, Head of International Distribution Programming, Formats & Production Services Diana Coifman, Senior Sales Executive Programming & Formats Jesica Stescobich, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Guillermo Henrich, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Guillermo Borensztein, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Meca Salado Pizarro, Head of Marketing

The Resistance

Playtime Buddies

(Full HD Animation - 52 x 13’) Each Playtime Buddies story encourages the development of positive social interaction and cognitive skills. “Because that’s what Buddies do!” is the recurring underlying message of sharing as communicated in each new Playtime Buddies episode. Playtime Buddies offers an imaginative palette of characters and a wide array of stories.

K&T. TTV KIDS & TEENS

(Teen Telenovela - 150 x 60’) Produced in: 2010 - Cris Morena Group / RGB Entertainment The new Cris Morena and RGB production.

Executives AttendinG

Hugo Rose, CEO Katherine Kaufman, VP of Sales

Armor Hero

(Live Action – 52 x 30’) Five boys who respectively possess special genes of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth become Armor Heroes, defenders against the evil beings who threaten our world.

Rubi

(Animation – 52 x 6’) Yoyo, a cute bunny-shaped creature, is from outer space. Rubi is a lively little girl who often climbs on Yoyo’s back. These best friends make quite the pair.

The Fuccons

(Live Action – 52 x 3’) The chronicles of the Fuccons, an American family that has relocated to Japan. James, Barbara, and their son Mikey attempt to adapt to a foreign culture with hilarious consequences.

Increasing the presence of its series in big Latin American markets like Brazil, Hollywood major CBS Studios International arrives at Mipcom with a strong catalog packed with action and movie stars. Stephanie Pacheco tells ttv about the company’s recent distribution operations in the region.

By Sebastián Torterola

Stephanie Pacheco, Managing Director, Latin America, CBS Studios International

T

he screening offered by CBS International Studios at Paramount Studios, during the LA Screenings 2010, was the perfect platform to boost the company’s new series to global markets. Stephanie Pacheco, Managing Director for Latin America, updated ttv on the most recent deals reached by this Hollywood major. “CBS had very successful screenings with lots of attention and competitive offers for the following four excellent new series: ‘Hawaii Five– 0’, ‘The Defenders’, ‘Blue Bloods’, and ‘The Borgias’. We reached agreements with Discovery Networks Latin America, Omega TV (Brazil) and TV Azteca (Mexico),” she recalls.

not only express it, but also make it effective through commercial deals. “In addition to the Omega TV deal for the new series, we recently closed deals with Bandeirantes for ‘NCIS:Los Angeles’ and ‘NCIS’; a deal with Globosat for ‘The Real L Word’; and a deal for re-runs of ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ with Rede Record, who also carries ‘60 Minutes’”, she affirms.

Pacheco also assures that it is her intention to do business with all of free TV stations in Brazil, and that, because of this market’s growth, she is convinced that it will foster even more deals in 2011. “Our key territories in terms of revenues are Pan-regional cable, Brazil and Mexico,” she explains.

Meanwhile, ‘The Borgias’ new series, starring Jeremy Irons, is currently being shot in Europe and is scheduled to premiere in Spring of 2011. “We are excited that production has recently started. There is currently a deal in place and we have received strong interest from free TV in numerous markets,” Pacheco reveals.

the initiative to secure this deal. We are excited to have closed this deal and look forward to the success of these series on their channel,” Pacheco says.

CBS Studios International keeps ambitious expectations towards Mipcom, where it will take its full catalog and more news.

“We anticipate that Mipcom will be a good market for us, with more deals to close before the end of the year. We will be presenting a new mid-season drama called ‘Chaos’ in addition to our other new series,” Pacheco concludes. ttv

Likewise, CBS pursues growth in one of the most attractive Latin markets: Brazil. They

Hawaii Five - O Genre: Series Year: 2010

This renewed portfolio, which is full of action and intrigue, strengthens the company’s presence in the Latin American region and heads its expansion towards local markets.

“CBS series are definitely increasing on Latin American free TV, and should have an even stronger presence in 2011. ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ is on in every country, and we see an increase in pick-ups with our top series ‘NCIS:L.A.’, ‘NCIS’ and ‘The Good Wife’. Additionally, we expect strong sales of ‘Hawaii Five– 0’’. Definitely, major content keeps working for Latin broadcasters and pan-regional networks.

Proof of this is the commission by Discovery Networks Latin America for new series ‘Hawaii 5-0’ and ‘Blue Bloods’, which will air in Discovery’s new pan-regional network LIV. “Discovery was aggressive this year in taking

TTV MAGAZINE 91

BEHIND THE SCENES

‘Eye for an Eye’

92 TTV MAGAZINE

from Telemundo Internacional Based on “Leopardo bajo el Sol”, a book by Colombian writer Laura Restrepo, the telenovela ‘Eye for an Eye’ (‘OJO POR OJO’) (120 x 60’) is Hispanic network Telemundo’s newest production. Premiered last September, the telenovela is inspired on a William Shakespeare classic - the story of Romeo and Juliet - and is distributed by Telemundo Internacional. Throughout these pages, ttv offers an exclusive behind the scenes account of the telenovela’s production process.

By Sebastián Amoroso

I

Very nice landscapes will open this story’s atmosphere, following the esthetic concept that Telemundo Studios has accustomed its viewers to, through Colombian production company RTI,” Hugo León Ferrer, Executive Producer of the telenovela explains to ttv.

The story tells that everything started when two of the cousins bet on a woman’s love, ending up with the death of the Monsalve cousin at the hands of Nando Barragan. This event puts an end to the relationship between both families and marks the beginning of a declared war, where Barraganes and Monsalves will spend their time exterminating each other via vendettas, while getting involved in all sorts of illegal businesses. In spite of the hatred between both families, the plot is softened by the touching love story between Nadia Monsalve and Arcangel Barragan, and is humanized by the leading role of women in their eagerness to preserve their children’s lives.

“A team of over 60 people with experience in this sort of performances participates in this production, under the direction of Mario Mitriotti and Ramiro Meneses, who also participates as actor in his role as Fernelly, a hired killer paid by the Monsalve family,” León Ferrer highlights.

nspired in the story of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (1597), William Shakespeare’s universal literature classic, ‘Eye for an Eye’ the new telenovela distributed by Telemundo Internacional - tells the saga of two rival families, The Barragans and The Monsalves, who condemn each other to an unstoppable chain of blood unleashed from the heart.

LIGHTS, CAMERA; ACTION! Based on “Leopardo bajo el Sol” (1993), the book by Colombian writer Laura Restrepo, pre-production of telenovela ‘Eye for an Eye’ (120 x 60’) took two months of work, a total of six between pre-production, production and post-production.

The telenovela was shot in high definition format (HD) using two production units, one for studio filming and another for on location shoots around Colombia, specifically in La Guajira, Cabo de la Vela, Girardot, Nariño and Bogota.

About 100 people - including technical staff and talent - worked on this production. The executive production is led by Hugo León Ferrer, scripts were written by Colombian Gustavo Bolívar, and direction is under the command of Ramiro Meneses and Mario Mitrioti. The cast of ‘Eye for an Eye’ is composed of Gaby Espino, Miguel Varoni, Carmen Villalobos, Gregorio Pernia, Marcelo Cezán and Gonzalo García. ttv

BUZZ FROM SOCIAL NETWORKS “Congratulations on this new production. A very good cast. A story of intensity… Congratulations to all the cast from Venezuela.

Good luck!”

“A lavish production; first-class scripts.”

“Wow… it looks fantastic. I will definitely not miss it, and it’s great seeing Carmen Villalobos again. This girl keeps improving her acting.

Best of luck.”

“I can’t wait for this telenovela to premiere!”

TTV MAGAZINE 93

EXECUTIVES

”We are breaking paradigms,” Luis Peraza, HBO Latin America Group’s General Producer, tells ttv. The group’s factotum of series has certainly broken the mold, won several international awards and received compliments from specialized critics. In this interview, the executive tells us about the group’s line-up of original productions in Latin America.

By Sebastián Amoroso

Luis Peraza,

General Producer for HBO Latin America Group

T

he programmer has several original fictions in production and post-production stages, including new seasons, two-hour specials, and premier ingfictions as well. ‘Capadocia 2’, produced in Mexico by production company Argos Comunicación, is a great example: a second season to a successful and award-winning series set in a penitentiary. “It is our top award-winning original production,” Luis Peraza highlights, later adding: “In our projects, we always try to leave the door open for series to continue, so there can be further seasons depending on the series’ success.” ‘Capadocia 2’ was shot on Super 16mm and changed to high definition during post-production. Thus, the result is a high definition product with cinematographic qualities adding visual depth to it, something not commonly seen in Latin American TV. PRODUCING IN MEXICO. One of the countries where HBO Latin America Group has based its creative work is Mexico. About this Peraza points out that “it is a huge country, with great amount of resources and talent; however, it is a more complex market to produce than Argentina, for example. The audiovisual Mexican market is mostly centralized in big TV stations that control a substantial part of the infrastructure and talent and, on the other side, there are small independent production companies working for open TV, shooting soap operas or making movies,” Peraza explains.

Yet when it comes to HBO’s original series, “production dynamics are sort of different (…) Mexico has a production scheme that, for the first season of ‘Capadocia’, needed to

94 TTV MAGAZINE

be learned,” the executive recalls. “It was quite a titanic challenge,” he underlines. “For the second season, we had already learned the lesson; the process was much easier, faster and more efficient,” he adds.

BRAZIL, CHILE AND… Among several projects demanding time and flying hours for the executive, a special about the series ‘Alice’, filmed in Brazil, wears the top priority badge. The special should be finished for next November. “It is a miniseries-like special divided in two parts. This time, it was not directly shot in high definition because it is a shorter story, but visual aspects are flawless; it has a wonderful aesthetics appeal,” the executive reveals. The series ‘Mulher de Fases’ Alice Genre: Series Production: Gullane Filmes

(13 x 30’), also filmed in Brazil, is being worked on simultaneously, and represents HBO’s first try at comedy. The series was shot in Super 16mm, and is now in post-production. The comedy will be ready for next year and – according to what the executive reveals - will be premiered during the first quarter of 2011.

Another original production that HBO Latin America is betting on is the series ‘Prófugos’ (13 x 60’), made in Chile by F3 / Fábula, a partnership specially put together for this project by production companies F3 (owned by actor Cristián de la Fuente and his associate Rodrigo Flores) and Fábula (owned by Pablo Laraín). “It is a road series about four guys that, after a business failure, are forced to constantly be on the run. This series has many location settings, a lot of action, many special effects - explosions, persecutions, crashes – and therefore, we have to be very careful so special effects look perfect,” Peraza explains enthusiastically.

According to the executive, any Latin American country can be a target for HBO productions. “We are looking for projects more than countries, for ideas that, in our opinion, are what the public expects from and wants to see on HBO. Any Latin American country is capable of hosting our products. Actually, we have a project that is being developed in Colombia: we already have the idea and we are writing scripts. If that project becomes a reality, then production will probably take place in Colombia,” Peraza states.

It is worth mentioning that HBO Latin America Group has two production teams based in Brazil and Mexico, two markets where it has stronger presence in TV projects. “Each of these projects takes years of pre-production.

A significant number of them are now under development and we will soon start piling them up on the production line,” Peraza concludes. ttv Capadocia 2 Genre: Series Channel: HBO

EXECUTIVES

Iberian

Diversity TVE will be presenting an arsenal of audiovisual content in Cannes, especially in the realm of fiction, with new TV movies and sitcoms, including the season’s greatest hit: the series ‘Gran Reserva’. RTVE’s Director of Channel Sales talks to ttv about this news, among other issues.

> By Sebastián Amoroso

A

s of last April, and as a consequence of the lack of advertising on RTVE, the Commercial Department of the Corporation was reorganized and completely renovated. The new Commercial Director is Rodolfo Domínguez, who is responsible for three sub-divisions: Program and Product Sales headed by Rafael Bardem, a Sponsorship Division headed

by Carmen de Miguel, and Channel Sales, directed by María Jesús Pérez, who in the following interview granted to ttv describes the latest news on RTVE. One of the big announcements on RTVE Corporation is its launch of DTT test emissions of a high-definition channel, which will soon become the first high-definition channel with national coverage in Spain. “Our content is not only notable for its rigor and production quality, but also for being at the forefront of technology. Among our plans for 2011, we plan to launch a high-definition TVE channel in America,” Pérez Gómez reveals.

María Jesús Pérez Gómez,

Director of Channel Sales for RTVE

96 TTV MAGAZINE

On the other hand, one of the main advantages of the Spanish Corporation’s channels is that all of its programs are one hundred percent designed based on original productions. In that sense, its programming schedule includes content for all tastes and ages. From news and sports to fictions and cartoons, “RTVE leads fiction production due to its quality and its capacity of reaching all audiences. Our latest success ‘Gran Reserva’ is added to traditional series such as ‘Cuéntame Cómo Pasó’, ‘La Señora’, ‘Amar en Tiempos Revueltos’, ‘Águila Roja’ and ‘Pelotas’. Children programming and promotion in the fields of culture, economy, society and above all, news programs, with an international and

objective view of the current situation, make up a reliable programming schedule full of information and entertainment that is now aimed at a global audience. Naturally, investment in content production is the key element of this system,” the executive explains.

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION. This system also offers RTVE the possibility to design an eclectic content portfolio, ready for its international distribution through commercialization with other open TV channels, pay TV, etc. “TVE offers a broad catalog classified in the following categories: fiction, documentaries, series, TV movies and children, which are presented in the most important international markets (Miptv, Mipcom, NATPE, DISCOP),” Pérez Gómez describes.

In regards to content distribution facing international markets, the executive highlights new episodes of the series ‘La Huella del Crimen’, as well as police series ‘Patricia Marcos, Desaparecida’, ‘U.C.O.’, ‘Guante Blanco’ and ‘Los Misterios de Laura’; the traditional ‘Cuéntame Cómo Pasó’, ‘La Señora’, ‘Amar en Tiempos Revueltos’; TV movies such as ‘23F, El Día Más Difícil del Rey’ or ‘Ojo por Ojo’; and cultural programs such as ‘Ciudades para el Siglo XXI’ and ‘Destino España’.

Spanish presence at Mipcom 2009 amounted to 270 official companies, according to data provided by the tradeshow’s organization.

204 of them were distributors and exhibitors.

One of the main courses of the event revolved around the presentation of the documentary series entitled ‘El Bulli, Historia de un Sueño’, featuring chef Ferran Adrià, and produced

EXECUTIVES

Gran Reserva Genre: Series Production: Bambú Producciones

“Our content is not only notable for its rigor and production quality, but also for being at the forefront of technology” “Among our plans for 2011, we plan to launch a high-definition TVE channel in America” On the other hand, there was also great interest in the new TV movies and fiction series, especially from pay TV channels from U.S.A, Italy and France. In regards to closed sales, agreements with several pay TV channels in Spain for ‘Los Misterios de Laura’ (1st season), ‘Muchachada Nui’ (1st season) and ‘Plutón BRB Nero’ (1st season), stand out, as well as ‘El Día más Difícil del Rey’ for Slovenia.

“Naturally, investment in content production is the key element of this system”

and marketed by TVE. “It had a magnificent reception. Many channels and distributors from countries such as Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, United States, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Norway, Suede, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, Hungary and Saudi Arabia, were interested in the series. Agreements are being closed in all that countries,” Pérez Gómez recalls.

RTVE SIGNALS IN LATIN AMERICA AND HIPANIC U.S.A Distribution of TVE and 24-hour channels in Latin America is characterized by its major coverage and presence in all markets. The Southern Cone region is the area with the largest penetration rate of TVE Internacional, while the biggest growth in number of homes that receive TVE is taking place in the U.S.A, mostly due to the great potential that the Spanishspeaking audience has in that country. “This year our efforts will be mainly devoted to strengthen and increase our presence in emerging countries such as Brazil and Colombia,” María Jesús Pérez Gómez told ttv.

98 TTV MAGAZINE

On the other hand, TVE’s traditional series continue to find their place as new seasons of ‘Cuéntame Cómo Pasó’ were sold in Finland, ‘Ala...dina’ in Mexico and ‘U.C.O.’ in the U.S.A. As for documentaries, ‘Gitanos de Buenos Aires’, ‘Tiempo de Leyenda’, ‘La España Prehistórica’, ‘Piratas del Siglo XXI’, ‘Coyote’ or ‘Flisch, el Susurro de las Rocas’ were also well received. Pérez also highlights interest in RTVE’s children’s programming, mentioning Turkey’s interest in the new ‘Lunnis’ and Russia and Brazil’s interest in ‘Sandra, Detective de Cuentos’. “Regarding formats, several Latin American networks were interested in ‘Pelotas’ and ‘El Conciertazo’ and ‘El Club Pizzicato’, and we managed to close a sale for the traditional format ‘Si Lo Sé No Vengo’ to Rede Record from Brasil,” the executive affirms.

FACING MIPCOM 2010. In Cannes, the Corporation will present all of TVE’s programs, especially in the realm of fiction with new TV movies and sitcoms, especially the big success of the season, ‘Gran Reserva’. “We will also present the new sections and new faces who will lead the different areas of the 24-hour channel. At the moment we can only anticipate that the new programs will have an innovative and high international profile and will be led by renowned journalists in Spain,” the executive concludes. ttv

EXECUTIVES

Independent

Drive

The complex and sometimes hard-to-understand Brazilian TV market is revealing itself, year after year, as the industry develops within and outside ITS borders. Adriano Civita, CEO of production company Prodigo Films, tells ttv about everything concerning the independent production industry and Brazilian TV in general.

B

By Diego Alegre “Prices are exaggerated, it is true, but there are still people willing to pay them; demand is stronger than supply.”

“Once the PL 29 now PLC 116 - is passed, we will have an estimated investment of over 130 million reais in one year of original production.”

The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga 1 x 100’ Director: Vinícius Coimbra

100 TTV MAGAZINE

razil is the market of the hour.

Factors such as pay TV’s constant growth, the country’s excellent macroeconomic situation, highfigure annual growths reported for the market, and the imminent approval of a key bill to substantially change pay TV business models, shape a golden stage for the country’s industry. Results of the last ABTA Fair and Congress, one of the best-attended pay TV editions of the past years - 200 companies exhibiting in 97 stands and 30% growth compared to 2009, plus 80 industry professionals and 9.203 visitors - confirm the Brazilian momentum.

Even though in Adriano Civita’s opinion Brazil continues to be the “ugly duckling” of Latin America, the feeling is that something has changed. “The largest part of the TV industry’s political and business structure is based in Argentina, Venezuela and, to a smaller extent, Colombia. Executives are located in Miami and there are offices in Argentina because they have to speak Spanish with all Latin America. This has not changed. What has changed is Brazil’s economic situation; it’s the only country that has shown sustainable internal growth. Ours is a market that doesn’t have to worry about what is going on abroad,” the executive explains to ttv.

Adriano Civita,

Precisely, what’s going on revolves around the internal growth of a market as peculiar as the Brazilian one. “Prices are exaggerated, it is true, but there are still people willing to pay them; demand is stronger than supply. It is said that Argentina has double the number of subscribers than Brazil; however, one has to take into account how much those subscribers are paying,” Civita points out. In that sense, the executive gives the example of the Argentinean “old fashioned” Internet system, compared to Brazil’s optic fiber and triple play development.

INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION. From his perspective as CEO of one of the largest production companies in Brazil, and as a consultant for the Brazilian Association of Independent Production Companies (ABPITV), Civita analyzes the sector’s situation and the incidence that legal provisions have had on content production.“Thanks to section 3A, in five years time 61 million reais have been invested (about US$ 35 million) in national independent productions. However, once PL 29 - now PLC 116 - is passed, we will have an estimated investment of over 130 million reais (about US$ 75 million) in one year of original production,” he says. The PLC 116, which has already been approved by the House of Representatives and is currently under discussion at the Senate, defines opening the pay TV market to telecommunication companies as a means to stimulate competition, as well as establishing fixed minimum quotas of national production to cable channels in order to stimulate national production.

It is a self sufficient market regarding content generation, but with the peculiarity that large broadcasters are their own producers, so independent production companies base their economies on the advertising market.

Thus, they have developed specific divisions as a way to diversify the business, which is the case of Prodigo Publicidade, a division responsible for over 200 commercials a year.

Furthermore, according to Civita, there are certain resources used by large networks that are made available by these production companies. “If I can have 15 documentaries about lions, I do not necessarily have to negotiate with a big programmer. The producer has the chance to directly negotiate with iTunes or Amazon to sell them, using DLT. Content is what matters,” he adds.

On the other hand, Brazil is also leading the way when it comes to implementation of DTT in the region, heading an intercontinental lobby to advertise the Japanese-Brazilian norm.

This fact broadens opportunities, especially given the amplification of frequencies, which will also improve content quality. “It is said that open TV networks will rather have four signals in SD than one in HD. And, what do

CEO of Prodigo Films

“We were recently in charge of development and shooting for the series ‘FDP (Filho da Puta)’, with a budget of 9.16 million reais (about US$ 5.33 million) for HBO.”

they win by doing that? New line-ups full of programs would have to be put together for three additional channels. But the advertising market did not multiply by three,” the executive says, meaning that high definition comes in hand with digital television.

VERSATILE PRODIGY. As mentioned before, Prodigo – as many of Brazil’s independent production companies - is financially based on advertising spots through Prodigo Publicidade.

“They are two separate companies. That divis ion is managed by my brother, Francesco Civita, but it is constantly in contact with Prodigo Contenidos. Projects originate from there, such as, for example, branded content,” he says. This model implies the production company developing the idea together with an advertiser, in order to integrate the brand in a differential experience, which may also include Internet episodes, apart from TV. “One tries to integrate the brand, keeping with the quality and attitude of its products. We have had two experiences: with Banco Real and Capricho magazine (Abril Group),” the executive affirms.

This is one of the many resources that Prodigo is managing in order to innovate and grow. In this sense, and apart from offering advertising production services, the production company also provides outsourcing services for TV, makes documentaries for big programmers such as HBO, manages distribution rights for its productions, plans development of consumer products, while handling paralyzed negotiations, strategic partnerships, coproductions, agents, platforms and other elements inside a very dynamic sector.

“Prodigo produces a lot. We were recently in charge of development and shooting for the series ‘FDP (Filho da Puta)’, with a budget of 9.16 million reais (about US$ 5.33 million)

for HBO. We have also produced for A&E and NatGeo. All of this makes open TV channels pay attention to our content,” Civita explains.

Prodigo was also responsible for the feature film ‘The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga’, with a budget of a million reais (about US$ 2.31 million) and have an upcoming feature film already confirmed for February 2011. “At the same time we will be producing the PokerStars series for the Bandeirantes open channel and we also have another project for E! about cruel murders of Brazilian women; meanwhile, we have bought the movie rights of two books and are planning to co-produce a feature film for 2015,” the executive announces.

“Brazil is a very strong market, the one with largest cable penetration and with an income concentration that is starting to add C and D classes, which is what everybody is interested in, since they have more money to consume and they are no longer satisfied by open television,” Civita says. Furthermore, he highlights the creation of laws that facilitate financing and distribution opportunities so that content is generated at more competitive costs. “I am fighting against the government anyway, telling them that we are fine with the chapter on programming rules but that, in regards to the chapter on purchase of foreign equipment, we are not. It is very expensive to produce because we are paying double the price than an American company, in foreign currency, but we still have to make the production cost effective in reais. The government must understand -especially considering the fact that the World Cup will be held in Brazil in 2014 - that we must have a technology base set up for stronger production companies with the ability to compete in a market that is more and more international,” Civita concludes. ttv

TTV MAGAZINE 101

EXECUTIVES

Executive Producer Denise Gomes explained to ttv the production model followed by BossaNovaFilms, a Brazilian production company that has produced 2.000 advertising spots, 20 original productions and around 130 hours of TV programs in its five years in the business.

By Sebastián Torterola

Denise Gomes,

Partner and Executive Producer of BossaNovaFilms’ Entertainment and Branded Content Area

C

reated in 2005 in San Pablo, BossaNovaFilms is the result of six talents from audiovisual production and management joining forces: Eduardo Tibiriçá, Denise Gomes and Willy Biondani - until then partners at Made to Create - and Julio Xavier, Paula Trabulsi and Irma Palma (who commanded JX Plural). Currently, it is defined as “one of the main Brazilian production companies, specialized in advertising, entertainment, web content, branded content and digital media,” according to Executive Producer Denise Gomes.

The production company has a strong inclination towards the advertising market, although it also produces TV programs, feature films and projects for digital platforms. “The multidisciplinary nature of the production company’s talents allows planning project development aimed at media convergence.

On the other hand, we offer a natural content core, in co-production with the diver and submarine moviemaker Lawrence Wahba, who is completely focused on projects for the international market, and who produces content oriented at ecologic issues, natural history and adventure,” Gomes explains.

With in the entertainment area, BossaNovaFilms has clients and associate channels such as Rede Globo, Canal Futura, Rede Record, GNT, TV Cultura, Bravo Canadá, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Arte and TBS Japan. On

102 TTV MAGAZINE

the other hand, as an audiovisual production company, it is part of diverse organizations such as ABPITV (Brazilian Association of Independent Production Companies), Cinema do Brasil and APRO (Brazilian Association of Production of Audiovisual Works), with the aim of promoting Brazil as a production pole and encourage the sector at a local level.

As for BossaNovaFilms’ production capacity, the numbers speak for themselves. “In its five years in the business, the production company produced 2.000 advertising spots for clients like Avon, Casas Bahia, Citroën, Danone, Fiat, GM, Nestlé, Nivea, Nokia and Unilever, among others, in addition to working with main advertising agencies from Brazil and the

world, such as AgenciaClick, Almap BBDDO, Borghierh Lowe, Dentsu, J.W. Thompson, Lew Lara/TBWA, McCann Erickson, Ogilvy & Mather, Publicis and Young & Rubicam, among others,” the executive affirms. In regards to entertainment, it has already produced seven documentaries, thirteen short films and around 130 hours worth of TV programs. It is currently developing six feature films, three TV series, one cartoon and live action series, and two documentary series.

“With the recent opening of the interactive area, we have produced projects that involve programming, animation and interactive design. That division works together with the advertising and entertainment staff (cinema and TV) in response to the general demands of the market,” the executive producer describes. Since its creation, BossaNovaFilms experiences an annual mean growth of approximately 15%.

In addition to its offices in Brazil, the production company has other five production bases in Latin America: Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela,“which generate more options for international clients interested in carrying out full production and production service projects,” Gomes says.

When asked about the situation of independent production in Brazil, the executive thinks that “the business has developed since Ancine’s creation in 2002, which created stimulus for cinema and TV production. More recently, article 3A, which stimulates alliances of open TV with independent production companies, has been regulated.” Another big expectation for the independent sector is the imminent approval of bill PLC 116, which will imply a boost in local production, as “it will bring more money for this segment.” ttv Across the Amazon Documentary Series Channel: National Geographic

EXECUTIVES

Web Content:

the Profitability Challenge Conceived as an ambitious operation of brand content for the Web, ‘Live@home’ format created by DailyMotion’s cofounder gives people food for thought. In this interview with one of the big names of the online scenario, a non-concession debate is opened on the tension between new and old media and on the projects of a mutating sector.

By Rodrigo Ros “The internet undergoes tests that hinder the correct analysis of its capacity to generate profits” “Platforms will always be free; it’s the advertiser who has to finance the business”.

Creator of ‘Live@home’ format conversed with ttv about the trends of entertainment in the era of media convergence.

Could you explain what Live@home format is about? With Live@home we produce a show, in this case it’s an emission broadcasted every 15 days only in the web, and we invite huge worldwide stars such as Mika, Jamie Cullum or Sting, among others. We want to produce a high quality emission. The format is simple: we give artists a key to the house and let them do whatever they want. It’s a show of an extremely high cost of production: we’re speaking of fifteen cameras, all in HD, cranes, slides and more, apart from the house, which is interactive. We put screens all over the house so that internauts can interact by writing their questions and comments. In all,

104 TTV MAGAZINE

Live@home Genre: Web Format

the format provides celebrities with a sense of privacy that makes them free themselves and feel at home, and so they carry out incredible, inedited improvisations never seen before on TV. The aim with these kinds of formats is plain: to put an end to the idea that the internet is equal to lowcost, to bad quality.

Ours is a straightforward bet: music-lover new generations are not on TV but on the Web, and this is the format’s goal. The show is delivered on WAT TV (French leader network TF1’s video platform) and DailyMotion. We are about to close a deal with a TV network. The idea is to adapt the format and to create real interaction between platforms. This is getting viewers to check the Web to see what they missed of the

Didier Rappaport,

TV broadcast and vice versa. Our goal is to get TVnauts to be part of these kinds of events through the Web. In what way does this project participate in the debates on Web content profitability?

For some time now and in many debates, the internet and the TV are seen as two opposing mediums, almost antagonistic. However, I think reality has shown that this is an anachronistic debate, for in a few years time, when technology becomes available to everyoneand that is to happen soon- users will have large screens at home to access Web contents and those known as classical TV contents.

In practice we’ll have two situations: one of mobility, the iPhone way or similar; and one of immobility, in which comfort will be privileged, and comfort is nothing but a huge screen.

There are those who go beyond my words and forecast the final end of home PCs in favour of a total convergence. In a way this is the trend introduced by iPad, which is not a computer, but a small screen with the current functions of a computer. All in all, I believe the future is iPod, but bigger. People will be in the need of other type of contents, which somehow combine lineal aspects of TV with Web content features.

And I think audiences will want to interact with the content in relation.

Sounds interesting; however, the internet has not been able to find a business model of its own, one capable of incorporating economic patterns that are not always compatible… There is a big issue with the internet- ComScore’s President spoke of it not long ago in an interview- which is that its advertising effectiveness measurements are not well measured. Media agencies and advertisers continue to take the unique user’s click as a reference when in practice that click means nothing. Like when you think of traditional media, the click rate does not count at all. In those cases the effectiveness is calculated a posteriori, once advertising is done with, when time comes to evaluate the behaviour towards purchase of those exposed to this or that brand. In other words, proneness towards consumption is estimated.

The paradox here is that when traditional evaluation of the internet and of some classic media is carried out, with the aim of getting a clear idea of the ROI (Return on Investment), it turns out that the internet is far higher.

Co-founder, DailyMotion & Content Creator

“Our goal is to get TVnauts to be part of these kinds of events through the Web”.

Where do these profits come from? There is only one possible answer: from advertising.

Platforms will always be free; it’s the advertiser who has to finance the business.

Advertisers criticise that while with TV one attends a massive event, that mass being the media “captive viewers”, internauts are a heterogeneous community in a state of temporary and physical spread. What is your opinion about? First of all, I don’t agree with this. I think that while with TV you face a “massive effect” for a determined period of time, with the internet that massive effect is generated on a long term basis. I mean, for a brand to achieve its goals on TV, it is necessary to captivate a large portion of public in a given moment, while with the internet you reach a wider public but on a longer period of time. ttv Live@home Genre: Web Format Artist: Mika

Live@home Genre: Web Format Artist: Jamie Cullum

However, we remain attached to this click rate, which means nothing, since an internaut does not need to click on a brand in order to be exposed to it. Besides, the internet enables a more precise awareness of target’s behaviours than TV. Finally and to answer the question, I think the internet undergoes tests that hinder the correct analysis of its capacity to generate profits. However, this will change, be sure of it.

TTV MAGAZINE 105

todotvnews

HIGHLIGHTS

BraZil

Hysteria Amongst Operators, Fear Amongst International Programmers While some are concerned about possible cunning actions by the National Agency of Telecommunications (ANATEL), others are in panic due to a bill that keeps getting closer to becoming law. > By Omar Méndez The market for pay TV in Brazil has turned into a hotbed over these months: at the National Congress, at the official sphere of telecommunications, at the heart of associations and chambers of each sector, among most programmers providing channels to the market, companies providing pay TV services, telcos, local content producers, those producing for the local market from abroad and among consumer protection groups.

Opinions are pouring out from every sector of the market, criticizing and supporting one side or the other. There are two main issues that fuel the comments of all protagonists involved: the very controversial bill PLC 116/2010 (new name for another acronym that disappeared amid criticism, the PL29) and a new design for pay TV being cooked up by the National Agency of Telecommunications (ANATEL – National Telecommunications Agency). These two subjects are causing two parties to move apart when, out of pure logic, they should be walking together.

There are sectoral organizations clashing against regulatory agencies, opposing interests in the depths of the chambers for the sectors involved and pay TV channel cable operators and DTHs confronting independent producers. Alarms are being raised everywhere: international pay TV programmers alert authorities about the impact that the new wording of the bill will have on their operations and current and future investments while radical legislators demand half the content of operators’ lineup to be Brazilian, angering almost the entire spectrum of foreign signal generators, all directly affected. The largest pay TV operator is freezing its investments given the prevailing market uncertainty and the country’s largest DTH announced to its customers a likely substantial increase in its subscription rates due to the threat of the new content quotas.

Legislators from the government’s party and the opposition amplify their war at the Planalto, as consequence of the exaggerated time devoted to discuss the PL. CONTENT QUOTA: WILL THE RAVINGS BECOME LAW? The PL, which was swiftly sent from the House of Representatives to the Senate,

106 TTV MAGAZINE

does include items that justify the upset nerves of foreign channel programmers, the Chamber that groups them together in Brazil - the Associação Brasileira de Programadores de TV por Assinatura (ABPTA – Brazilian Subscription TV Programmers Association) - and of several pay TV operators in the country.

The text passed by the House includes the obligation to broadcast three and a half hours of local content a week on movie, series and documentary channels. It also requires a third of the channels included in the different packages to have national content, which naturally generated reactions from the international programmers’ sector.

The fact that a bill that was criticized the most by this group was sent to a more defining arena, as is the Senate, infuriated most content generators even more and one in particular: Sky. In the midst of heavy criticism, the DTH decided to launch a very aggressive campaign and communicated to their subscribers, in plain language, that once local content and foreign content quotas were made law, prices would increase. ABTA supported Sky by reminding the market that an increase in pay TV service costs will take place if the measure becomes effective.

As if these limits imposed by the bill once it was passed by the House of Representatives were not enough, immediately after the PLC entered the Senate, further amendments were suggested to infuriate even more panregional programmers. Senator Adelmir Santana submitted two rather controversial proposals before the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ), introducing changes: one that seeks that 50% of all packages sold by companies be comprised of national channels, and the other one that seeks to include news, sports and live shows with an audience in national content packages to be broadcast by the operators.

“That is my view, since according to the Federal Constitution, we must value Brazilian culture,” Santana said. The amendments proposed by Santana were the only ones to be submitted before the CCJ Senate. The person assigned to this decisive legislative chapter, Demóstenes Torres from the DEM-GO, has the authority to

accept or reject these amendments and also propose further changes. In the event that these proposals are sent to the CCJ, they must also be endorsed by three other commissions: Education, Environment and Consumer Protection and Science and Technology, and if the new amendments are in fact endorsed, the bill must be then sent back to the House of Representatives.

OPERATORS VS. ANATEL. Just as manufacturers of the circle of foreign satellite signals are disturbed by the new regulations being discussed in Congress, the operators’ circle, being cable, DTH and MMDS, is losing sleep over telcos breaking into its field. The original wording of the PL 29 (now 116) submitted to the House by Rep. Bornhausen in 2007 had the opening of the pay TV market as its main foundation. This proposal would allow fixed and mobile telephone operators to offer these multichannel TV services and set rules for fair competition in the sector.

This proposal was aimed at, as it was pointed out at Planalto, “benefiting consumers by increasing the offer, lowering prices and expanding subscription TV networks,” given that only 260 cities out of 5,654 Brazilian municipalities have pay TV services. By having telcos entering the sector, those promoting these regulatory changes expect to increase penetration rates. This project also proposes technological convergence for pay TV service operators, since there are currently different determinations for services provided by cable, MMDS, and DTH. These are not the kind of proposals that most upset operators - in fact, main telcos are already part of the leading pay TV suppliers - but the way ANATEL has been disobediently acting, according to its most bitter critics these days.

For example, the ABTA has put its members on the defensive line, concerned about the way the agency is handling new pay TV licenses, very close to the delivery date. Many assumed that the agency would rush into opening the cable market, but the 60 days set by the agency last July to measure the level of collective demand reassured stakeholders nucleated at ABTA. Whether the feared flood of applications takes shape will be known in mid-September. If this is so, and if it is found that the requests are from telcos, the sector still has the option to submit a complaint before the agency. The telecommunications entity itself clarified to ABTA that they had not yet deliberated about the limitations of the concession contract to be imposed on telecommunications companies in response to fears arising from pay TV operators, which still remain distrustful: still afraid of the agency and rumors of an indiscriminate opening of the market. ttv

Frecuencia Latina’s ‘Mi Problema con las Mujeres’ Premieres Original Version in Israel Peruvian series ‘Mi Problema Con las Mujeres’ of Frecuencia Latina International (FLI) has been adapted for the Israeli market and is already being broadcast on Channel 10. Some of the new version’s changes can be found in the leading role of the psychiatrist, portrayed by Alberto Isola in the original version, which will be female in the Israeli version, performed by one of Israel’s most popular actresses: Hanna Laslo, famous actress, comedian and winner of the Best Actress award at the 2005 Cannes Telefe International Undertakes Film Festival for her role in the movie ‘Free Zone’. “The Israeli adaptation was produced in superb quality and provides original Three Adaptations in Russia and fun new ingredients to this series that, we are convinced, the audience will value, not only in the local market but also ‘Telefe International’s sales team reported that it has begun production of in the rest of the world,” said Miki Ivcher, CEO a Russian adaptation of romantic comedy ‘The Successful Mr. and Mrs. Pells’ of FLI. The new version will be available through FLI’s (‘Los Exitosos Pells’). The Russian version is produced by CTC and Kostafilm and will catalog and will be officially presented bear the title ‘Novosti’ meaning “news” in that language. The production will air in 2011 during MIPCOM. during primetime, at 9:00 PM, in that station. The story, adapted to local realities, is based on ‘Los Exitosos Pells’, which has toured the world: its original version has been sold in over 20 countries and its format adapted in Chile, Mexico, Spain, Peru, Turkey and Ecuador. In addition to this news, two other titles from the Telefe International catalog are also currently in preproduction in Russia. One case is the adaptation of the series ‘Countdown’ (‘Tiempo Final’), which is currently being produced by 2-V and will be aired in September by REN TV with the local name ‘Poslednyaya Minuta’. The original version of ‘Countdown’ has been sold to over 70 countries and its adaptations have been produced in Georgia and Paraguay, as well as three seasons produced by FOX Telecolombia. Finally, ‘Variaciones’, a fiction that seeks to break the clichés of its genre, is currently under development by a production company, bound for one of the main Russian channels.

Talpa Content Adds Three New Commissions for ‘I Love My Country’

Colombia ‘A Corazón Abierto’ Reaches Historical Ratings

En lo que calificó como “el próximo paso en su expansión de negocio”, Power ha acusado la necesidad de responder a las tendencias dominantes a través de la creación de una nueva división. Se trata de Powerlocal, que inicialmente se enfocará en el drama serializado para prime time y access prime time. La división está encabezada por Sue Green, ejecutiva con 20 años en el negocio, quien se encargará de crear y viabilizar nuevos proyectos para su producción local en todo el mundo.

Desde la dirección de Power, su CEO Justin Bodle admitió que Green “ha estado en el radar” de la compañía por varios años, pero que este es “el momento justo” para disponer de sus servicios. “Son muy respetados internacionalmente, con una reputación de primera clase”, se despachó a su vez Sue Green, quien se desvinculó de FremantleMedia Productions el año pasado.

‘A Corazón Abierto’, Colombia’s own version of successful ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, has become the most watched series in that country. The series – created by RCN channel and Vista Productions – has earned the highest ratings of all productions broadcast on television in the history of all private channels in Colombia, with an average rating of 18.7 per episode.

Ever since its premiere, the series has led Colombia’s primetime and recently obtained 45.9 household rating points and 57.5% household share. In an effort to accomplish an impeccable production, a hospital - exclusively destined for shooting the series was built within the RCN studios: 1,600 m2 following hospital and sanitary regulations currently in force in the country. The entire series is recorded with three HD cameras, in order to assure excellent image and sound quality.

TTV FORMATS F.

TTV FORMATS | noticias

Resonant TV Presents New Format: ‘Serial Frank’ The new 22 half-hour episode series is now in its second season in Canada, its country of origin, while new versions are being produced in Europe and the U.S. According to the company led by Gonzalo Cilley, ‘Serial Frank’ is a comedy about the different aspects of one person: the feminine, the masculine, the funky, the funny, and even the child-like. “We all have them, inner voices that tell us what to do or stop doing.

But what if those voices become flesh and blood people living with us and influence our decisions?” the synopsis reads.

SevenOne International Takes the ‘My Man Can’ Format to China The German distribution company sold a production order for the weekly gameshow ‘My Man Can’ (produced by Redseven Entertainment) to an open TV station in China.

The show’s second broadcast reached 16.2% share for the 14-49 year-old segment on SAT.1 in Germany in late July. ‘My Man Can’ exceeded the channel’s average by 66% and even reached its premiere’s ratings, 14.3% in the 14-49 year-old range. “’My Man Can’ became very popular among German viewers immediately. I am completely optimistic that the show will delight Chinese viewers the same way,” said Yan He, Regional Director of Sales for SevenOne International. The format features four women who bet on their partners skills, then test the skills and courage of their men.

BRAZIL PIC Novos Formatos Will Select 25 Projects for TV The PIC (Projeto Internacional de Capacitação – International Training Project) Novos Formatos gathering took place from July14th to August 27th.

Addressed to all independent production companies of Brazil registered with Ancine (National Cinema Agency), the initiative looks to motivate a generation of ideas for television, involving concepts that include new digital media integration: mobiles, Internet and games. The selection process of the 25 audiovisual projects for TV has already started, with distribution, display and/or interactivity versions in the aforementioned platforms. The winners will participate in the PIC Novos Formatos event, consisting of a five day workshop attended by professionals from the international market, which will include workshops, talks and individual counseling sessions for each project. Financing, distribution and licensing methods are just some of the issues that will be discussed. The event will take place between December 6th and 10th in Sao Paulo. “The objective of PIC Nuevos Formatos is to promote creative processes that may result in the development of new kinds of content for television and digital media,” reads the press release issued by BTVP, an association formed by ABPI-TV (Brazilian Independent Television Producer Association), SAV/MINC (Secretariat of the Audiovisual from Brazil’s Ministry of Culture), and Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments). Through this, BTVP is continuing with the initiative of providing workshops organized by small, medium and large size Brazilian independent production companies to compete in the international market, such as PIC Animação (May 2009) and PIC DOC, which took place between November and December 2009. These events brought about 60 independent production companies from all over Brazil together, including the participation of European and North American specialists.

F. TTV FORMATS

Justice Renders Judgment against Disney in a Millionaire Decision An American jury decided in early July that The Walt Disney Company media group must pay US$ 270 million to the British company which created the TV program ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’, corresponding to broadcasting and products sales. Reuters agency pointed out that Celador Entertainment had brought action against Disney six years ago, but the case just went to trial on May before a jury from Riverside in California. The program was first broadcasted in Great Britain in 1998 and reached the U.S. through Disney channel’s ABC network the following year. Paul Smith, President of Celador’s Board of Directors, said that the case was decided upon interpretations of the contract between his company and Disney. “Clearly, I am delighted.

This is the story of David against Goliath. I think that very few small and independent companies dare to pick on the giants; we did it and we won,” said Smith in London, in conversation via telephone with Reuters.

Celador claimed that 50% of sales were owed to them for broadcasts of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ in the U.S., in addition to products related to the program, such as the board game. Disney’s Executive President, Bob Iger, was one of the witnesses at the trial to which the company is expected to appeal. “We believe that this verdict is essentially wrong and we will find the way to revert it,” a Disney press release cited.

Latin America Venevision Expands its Formats to Panama’s TVN Venevision International has reached a production and broadcasting agreement with Televisora Nacional (TVN) in Panama for the format ‘Battle of the Sexes’ (‘Guerra De Los Sexos’). “‘Battle of the Sexes’ (‘Guerra de los Sexos’) is one example of the excellence and versatility of our extensive catalog. This emphasis on selling formats responds to a strategy of diversification of the company and the new trends that are emerging in international markets,” Manuel Perez, VP & CFO of Venevision International, highlighted. In Ecuador, local production of this format has seen success since its debut, becoming the highest-rated program in its timeslot (primetime Sundays).

TTV FORMATS | special report

TRENDS Foto: ReedMiden

Branded Formats Digital technology has joined TV screens, to the extent that they are currently sharing audiences and doing business together on cross-platforms under the same umbrella - in some cases as a brand, and in others as a show sponsored by brands. New business models, with direct influence on format creation, have adopted advertising concepts using branded entertainment to diversify their business opportunities. The following report analyzes three examples that belong to this “new generation� of formats. > By Diego Alegre

T

V format industry has entered a new era regarding production conception as a natural response to current advertising saturation, offer and demand segmentation, and logic of emerging platforms.

Multi-platforms with advertising have become the ideal combination to stimulate the so-called “new generation” of formats, giving rise to novel formulas that revitalize creative development and the entertainment format business. Based on the premise of promoting identities, values and even philosophies, brands today are looking to convey - through format content - their own objectives using branded entertainment, a tool that creates and encourages ties between advertiser and consumer. This is one of the innovative concepts applicable to creative processes, now involving the entire business chain.

Creating a multi-platform brand around a TV product implies a series of aspects that start to come up since the early development stage of the show, including brand concept, name, visual concept and marketing strategy, which must be thought as an indivisible whole from preproduction to post-production.

Applying different formulas after the same objectives, a number of formats have been introduced showing a wide range of financial logic, involving creators, producers, advertisers, announcers and broadcasting stations. They go across every available platform, to increase their exposure, profitability and audience loyalty. Thus, the fusion of TV with

new technologies comes out as one of the main trends followed by new generation formats.

Among new interactive reality shows, there are some cases that have been and will be subject for analysis. Some of these cases include the format ‘uMan’ by Dori Media Group and Cellcom, ‘The Frame’ by Armoza Formats, and maybe the most innovative one since the conception of the idea: ‘Thumbwars’, created by South African advertising agency Stimullii for the telecommunications company Vodacom. uMAN. This format appears as an attractive opportunity for television to incorporate new screens: mobile phones, computers, social networks, games and supplementary media, such as radio and urban interventions. Here, it is not about making platforms profitable but promoting a double benefit. First, the implementation of a new resource that works as an “audience-catcher”. Extending content towards a transversal element like multi-platforms, suits perfectly well with current audiences, who have moved from the living-room to other parts of their homes, having several screens on at the same time. While currently one-directional contents are condemned to offer an extremely high-quality experience or die trying, cross platforms have become an alternative and dynamic way to capture the attention of audiences, who are, in the end, the ones deciding if the show is successful or not.

Secondly, another benefit is users - not longer viewers - being motivated to employ several tools to actively interact with the TV screen. This

TTV FORMATS F.

TTV FORMATS | special REPORTS

to ttv. The fact that actions carried out through the Internet directly affect what is happening on the screen of the station broadcasting the show enables the format “to take audiences from one platform to the other, so they come across the commercial in every platform,” the executive explains.

THUMBWARS. This format was proposed by South African telecommunications company Vodacom to introduce a change in consumers’ habits: to demythologize in a very fun and entertaining way mobile technology by introducing a game that prevents competitors from using any mobile voice applications. Participants must trust their wit, thumbs and Samsung cell phones as they travel towards 20 South African destinations searching for a treasure. Each week, four teams of different ages take the test of the hour while time starts running out to win a big money prize.

has multiple consequences: the show may “educate” consumers in order to encourage them to use tools/products they did not use before, increase the number of available advertising spaces on several platforms with a niche target and, finally, open doors to financing by companies interested in powering their brands during the show. Since users interacting with uMan are granted decision powers regarding every aspect of the show, they may also be in contact with every object or product related to the participants, or even to the users, or both.

Not to name the amount of income that may be produced through paid interactive elements. As announced by the show’s presentation, revenues come from: “video streaming, video downloads, SMS, reminders, games, ads, sponsorship, products, ancillary business.” ‘uMan’ is an international format that can be easily adapted to different countries and cultures around the world. It has already been sold in 10 countries since its debut and is on the process of being sold to other countries. In Israel, it received 7 million Internet votes over 21 days; during that period, 700 thousand people - out of a total of 7 million inhabitants - visited the website, many visiting the site several times a day for an average of 12 minutes per visit.

THE FRAME. The format by Armoza Formats has been one of the most demanded during the latest industry tradeshows, awakening the interest of markets such as Greece, France, Austria, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Rumania, Hungary, Denmark and Finland, among others. ‘The Frame’ format applies the cross-platform model to develop its show’s premise: live for a month with a person chosen by the participant. During that month, several cameras follow the eight participating couples 24 hours a day, participants themselves being the ones responsible for maintaining the audience attention since the pair accumulates points for every minute that a viewer spends watching them on the Internet.

The first TV experience for this format was launched in Spain by Antena 3, on September 14th. The model developed by the Spanish network integrates multiple ways of interaction with the audience: social networks, SMS voting, and phone calls, plus a popularity rank point-system coming from every registered click on the reality shows’ online transmission, and a weekly TV-aired show when everything starts over again. “Interactive possibilities offered by cross-platform shows, including platforms such as, mobile phones and the Internet (…) give TV shows the chance to create a strong brand, brand consciousness, and to be more straightforward in terms of branding through the Internet, mobile Internet and mobile content. There is a lot more potential to explore,” tells Avi Armoza, CEO of Armoza Formats,

F. TTV FORMATS

The project applied an above and below-the-line (BLT) strategy on TV, radio, printed press and the Internet. This time, media partners were South African network SABC and newspaper Sunday Times, which posted riddles a week before each episode. Additionally, a SMS line was available for viewers and readers to send their answers in, apart from contacting a winner live, at the end of every show. Distributed worldwide by Engine Entertainment, the American version of the format will be in charge of Electus, a company recently founded by Ben Silverman.

Created as a brand since its inceptions, based on Samsung’s and Vodacom’s advertising communication needs, this business model has the benefits of contemplating in a personalized/customized manner all elements that may favor the brand: constant exposure, motivation to use the product, exploration of the product’s features and actual construction of a brand image. As Douglas Scott, President of Ogilvy Entertainment, said at MIPTV, “brands really have a good opportunity to get involved in creative matters again, but also to get involved in targeting matters: identifying precisely who they want to communicate with.”

These three examples evidence the trend to create cross-platform formats, custom-made to meet the needs of every advertiser. In this way, content/brand may guarantee a greater impact on its target, which is not focused on just one medium nowadays: quite on the contrary, it is increasingly consuming multiple parallel platforms. Based on this behavior, and on the initiatives promoted by advertising agency labs, production companies, networks and creators, the entertainment format takes a step forward in its evolution, heading towards the road that over ten years ago broke paradigms in the history of multimedia entertainment. ttv

TTV FORMATS | interview

Maarten Meijs, Managing Director, Talpa Distribution, Talpa Media Group

A Flexible Format Factory Talpa has news for Mipcom and is convinced that they’ll be the market’s sensation.

The Dutch holding firm that comprises John de Mol’s media activities has operations all over Europe, from Spain to Russia. The Managing Director of its distribution branch tells ttv about the ultimate format trends, which can already be found at Mipcom. > by Sebastián Amoroso “We have set up of a dozen fifty-fifty joint venture partnerships with premium production companies around the world.”

F. TTV FORMATS

H

aving returned to Talpa Media Group in 2009 as Director of Sales after a one-year period in Endemol International, Maarten Meijs manages the Distribution division of Talpa Media Goup. In an exclusive interview with ttv, the executive describes his tasks at the helm of the company’s operations and how to keep up with worldwide format trends.

territories. On that behalf, we have set up a dozen fifty-fifty joint venture partnerships with premium production companies around the world. Looking at the partnership agreements that we have closed during this year we have covered the key international markets.

What strategies have been developed to maximize Talpa’s distribution business?

We have focused on increasing Talpa’s international production presence in key

With a team of professionals we have first identified our main strengths. One of the drivers of our successful launch is the fact that the Talpa Media Group comprises all expertise

The Voice of Holland 17 x 45’ Genre: Talent Show

Maarten Meijs, Managing Director, Talpa Distribution, Talpa Media Group

within the company with content creation as the driving force. We are therefore able to truly deliver full support to our international clients. In a market where more and more formats pop up, the possibility to share all knowledge about a project with our clients is of great value. Talpa operates its own diverse international development unit aimed at the development of appealing formats for television and multimedia concepts. Through Talpa Productions - the group’s own TV production unit - and Talpa Distribution worldwide licensing -, we succeed in covering a multi-genre format offer.

What can you tell us about Talpa Distribution’s portfolio? What recent deals could you mention? Talpa offers a wide variety of different genres with an emphasis on entertainment in the field of primetime entertainment shows, game shows and reality formats. We have a brilliant creative team dedicated to develop formats that can easily be adapted internationally.

Since the main focus of the company is the development of content, we’re very flexible to adapt to content trends and demands.

Talpa has a number of formats that have built up an impressive track record in only a short period of time. Our reality dating format ‘Dating in the Dark’ is running in over 20 countries which local adaptations in Colombia and Brazil in Latin America.

Furthermore, our primetime entertainment show ‘I Love My Country’ is currently on air in over 30 countries, whereas our game show ‘Divided’ is running in 21 countries.

How does Talpa Distribution keep up with global trends? Looking at the complex media landscape you need to try to be ahead of the game. It is essential to have very short lines between creative and distribution units in order to deliver turnkey and to be able to play in on global trends. Our distribution unit also shares the information that we receive from our international network on trends and demands.

Why is Talpa Distribution interested in Latin America? What can you say about the company’s recent operations in the region?

We foresee growth in the Latin American territory. In comparison to other regions where Talpa formats are very well represented on television, Latin America still covers only a very small part of our international distribution business. As mentioned, ‘Dating in the Dark’ runs in Colombia and Brazil; this format is also suitable for central backto-back productions. We believe the Talpa catalog has a strong cultural match within the region, and we consider flexibility to be very important in order to adapt our formats to local standards.

“Our reality dating format ‘Dating in the Dark’ is running in over 20 countries with local adaptations in Colombia and Brazil in Latin America.”

What will Talpa Media bring to Mipcom 2010? One show that is going to be important for us at MIPCOM is a new music talent show called ‘The Voice Of...’. It has a few new elements compared to other music competition shows, which I think make it really new and fresh. The basic idea is that instead of the shows we all know - like ‘The X Factor’ or ‘Idols’ - where a jury judges people from behind a table, we start this show with four very successful, well known music artists in Holland, who offer their know-how to unknown talent to help them become successful. And the level of quality at the beginning of ‘The Voice Of...’ is equal to where the mentioned shows get to in the semi-finals. Furthermore, this show is conceived to lead a winner to be a successful artist for the next five years in the country in which the show airs. In Holland we’ve had 10 years of music competition shows.

We started with ‘Idols’, ‘Popstars’ and ‘The X Factor’, but none of the winners of any of those shows play any role whatsoever in the music business right now. They were famous for six months, they made one hit record and then they all disappeared. What we are trying to do, together with the music industry and

four very successful Dutch recording artists, is create the next generation of pop stars in Holland. The very interesting element is that this is the first talent competition show with blind auditions. The four established artists are going to only hear the voice of the contestants and not be distracted by looks -whether they look great or look bad- it’s just about the voice.

So you are focused in the musical show area… We have another show on in a totally different area: ‘Ten Ways to Turn You On’. It’s based on the fact that we have discovered that there is now equipment for sale that can scientifically measure how much a woman or a man is turned on sexually - we can show that. Currently, we are casting 25 good-looking young men, who think they are very cool; and we cast 25 very good-looking women who can choose men from the audience, who get $1,000.

They go into a special room -sometimes it’s dark, sometimes it’s very romantically lit- and the woman gets three minutes to see if she can turn the guy on, which is very clearly shown on the equipment we have. If she is successful, the guy has to hand over the $1,000 to her. If she is not successful he can keep the money. I think that this could be a very surprising, funny and talked-about new program. Also, we’ll be bringing a factual entertainment show called ‘Put a Ring On It!’ It’s about every woman’s ultimate dream, to be proposed out of the blue in a moment filled with love and romance. It’s all about saying those 4 magical words: “Will you marry me?”

What are Talpa Distribution’s challenges for 2011? In 2011 we will broaden our client base, especially into Latin America and Asia, and diversify our format portfolio. ttv I Love my Country 70 x 90’ Genre: Entertainment

TTV FORMATS F.

TTV FORMATS | IN FOCUS

Leonardo Aranguibel, Production Manager for Latin America at Disney Media Networks Latin America

Patrick Schult, CEO at FremantleMedia Asia

“ “

“ “

“ “ Our four heroines (from ‘Los Años Dorados’, Latin America’s adaptation of ‘The Golden Girls’) are Latinas with three different nationalities that, due to the economic difficulties nowadays and personal problems, end up sharing a house. The story narrates the fun adventures they go through while learning to live together amidst needs and dreams they have yet to fulfill.”

We are delighted to be working with CCTV1 in this great project.

‘Hole in the Wall’ is a one-of-akind, creative and entertaining game show that has become a major success worldwide, and we are very pleased to be launching this show in China in association with the CCTV family.”

Silvana D’Angelo, CEO at Flor Latina Entertainment Group The ‘Impostores’ format is currently commissioned in Spain and Italy; through the Electus sale, it is making its way onto new territories, where the distributor has decided to trust in the expertise of Electus’ executives, and confide them the challenging task of conquering American audiences.”

Gonzalo Cilley, President of Resonant

More European and Latin American networks and producers are convinced by the benefits of a previously developed fiction format adaptation for their territory.

The risk of an original project failing is very high, and there is nothing better than a proven format to reduce that risk.”

Manuel Pérez, VP & CFO at Venevision International The success of our formats is a reflection of our wide and diverse catalog of shows that deal with universal topics and concepts, which are perfect to be adapted to any territory or directed to a specific demographic to ensure their acceptance.”

Avi Armoza, CEO, Armoza Formats In many territories, due to some difficulties in economics, there’s need for new ways of financing shows. Branded content is yet another way to increase production budgets. Branded TV Shows have given good results to media corporations”.

F. TTV FORMAT

LISTINGs formats This section features the companies at Mipcom 2010 and their catalogs of formats.

Connected

Armoza Formats

Caracol Televisión

BOOTH: LR2.05 (Lerins Hall)

Booth: 09.24

Executives Attending

Avi Armoza, CEO Mihal Brezis, VP International Relations Anat Lewinsky, Sales Europe Kelly Wright, Sales Metin Bilman, Development Kara Flanagan, Reception

Connected

2010

Disney Media Networks Latin America Executives Attending

Fernando Barbosa, SVP, Distribution and Production Henri Ringel, VP, Distribution Jack Morera, Director, Distribution Leonardo Aranguibel, Director, Production Fabiola Bovino, Senior Manager, Marketing

A Corazón Abierto

(HD Series - 140 x 60’)

‘A Corazón Abierto’ is an adaptation of ABC’s hit series ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. University Hospital Santa María was built in a 1,600 square meter area, including 40 sets. The entire set brings together over 100 production and filming teams. Apart from its regular TV crew, the production also counts with special effects groups, physicians, surgeons, specialists in different areas, nurses and hospital support staff. Thus, the steady cast, made up of 13 leading actors and actresses plus guest stars making appearances every episode, receives constant support on and off set, so as to create an environment that feels like an actual, high-budget University Hospital.

Women on the Edge

(Mujeres al Límite) (Miniserie - 120 x 60’)

Five women, who don’t know each other, are each given cameras to film their lives. Through the cameras, five parallel stories will unfold in this intimate, provocative format.

Moral dilemmas, extreme circumstances, uncomfortable positions… are some of the situations in which each one of our characters will be immersed and that will place the viewer before an ethical dilemma that our main character will have to face and solve during the show. The show is fed with real stories, as well as with current topics and matters that create social concerns.

Some of these stories will have unsolved endings, but most of them will have astonishing endings that will always make the viewer reflect about each case and in some cases have them feel indentified with the main character.

(Game Show – 45´)

A unique game show format that combines online player participation into a mega-jackpot to be won in just seven questions in this prime-time studio program!

The Money Drop A Corazón Abierto

Executives Attending

Angélica Guerra, International VP Lisette Osorio, International Director Andres Morris, International Manager Camila Reyes, Sales Executive for Eastern Europe Berta Orozco, Sales Executive for Western Europe.

Alejandro Toro, Sales Executive for Asia and Africa.

(Factual Entertainment – 25´)

7-Question Millionaire

mipcom

Women on the Edge

Endemol Group Booth: LR5.15

Executives Attending

Miki Ivcher, CEO Patricia Jasin, Directora de Ventas Internacionales

The Money Drop

(TV Game show)

A nail biting TV game show that can be simultaneously played online at home. The format is already a smash hit in the UK, Fox in the US have commissioned a broadcast pilot and the format is rapidly rolling out to major markets around the world. Contestants face the ultimate high stakes game. They are given their prize at the top of the show - a million in cash. All they have to do is keep hold of it by correctly placing their winnings on the trapdoor displaying the correct answer. If the answer is wrong their money will fall through the floor and be lost forever.

Timeline

(Reality TV)

This emotionally charged series combines traditional reality TV with the classic game show format. Players are asked general knowledge questions about major world events, and quizzed on unforgettable and life changing moments about their own past.

ANTIMAFIA SQUAD

Mediaset Distribution Booth: 32.07

Executives Attending

Patricio Teubal, Mediaset Distribution’s Head of Sales, Clare Mc Ardle, International Sales Manager, Manuela Caputi, International Sales Manager Paola De Santiago, International Sales Executive

ANTIMAFIA SQUAD

(Scripted Format – Mafia Series – 12 X 50’) After the arrest of Provenzano, the last godfather, the mafia still has not found a new leader respected by everyone. Inner tensions and rivalries, have so far prevented the re-establishment of a single leader… Option: USA, ABC Studios

INTELLIGENCE

(Scripted Format – Action Miniseries - 6 X 100’) Inspired by features such as the Bourne trilogy, the latest James Bond and Mission Impossible films, ‘Intelligence’ is the first series dedicated to espionage and secret services produced by Italian television. Option: USA, Lionsgate

TODOTV FORMATS F.

The Choice

The Voice Of…

3, 2, 1 Let’s Win!

Si Hay Ideas

Talpa Distribution

Telefe International

Booth: 09.05

Booth: LR3.09

Booth: RSV 14 - Riviera Sea View

Executives Attending

Juan Pablo Gaviria, VP Daniel Ucrós, Creative Director

The Choice

(Reality)

Executives Attending

Maarten Meijs, Managing Director Annelies Noest, Sales Director Gepke Nederlof, Licensing Manager

The Voice Of…

(Talent Show - 17 x 45’) Think about a reality show where, one week before its end, people from any country could enter to compete for the major prize. ‘The Choice’ features three key differential elements: 1) Each week, one participant is eliminated, and another one enters the competition.

2) The program has 13 weeks of permanent casting. 3) Not only can viewers vote from their homes to eliminate participants, but can also enter the competition anytime and change the course of the game.

The Wish List

(Gameshow)

Four well-known artists choose singing talent in a blind audition.

Once chosen, the singers battle against each other in live shows - guided by there celebrity coach.

Trouble with the Neighbours

(Factual Entertainment – 45’)

Two hosts join forces in an attempt to solve long-term conflicts between fighting neighbours. Each host siding with one of them to talk and negotiate.

Think about ten thing you’d like to buy if you had US$ 1 million. You are in ‘The Wish List’. By entering our web catalogue, competitors can register their list of prizes. Once in the studio, they will only be able to select the test that they will have to overcome. Every test will be surveyed with a representative sample of the country.

Each competitor can choose a different order to face the tests; however, he has to bear in mind that the bigger the prize, the more people he will have to beat to win it.

Executives Attending

Michelle Wasserman, Head of International Distribution Programming, Formats & Production Services Diana Coifman, Senior Sales Executive Programming & Formats Jesica Stescobich, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Guillermo Henrich, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Guillermo Borensztein, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Meca Salado Pizarro, Head of Marketing

3, 2, 1 Let’s Win!

(Entertainment – Format) Produced by: On TV Llorente & Villaruel and Telefe ‘3, 2, 1… Let’s Win!’, is a game show in which the contestants participate in different challenges to reach a grand finale where they can win a trip. ‘3, 2, 1… Let’s Win!’ airs in Argentina Monday through Friday at 6pm leading its time slot. The program presents amusing inflatable action games, games of physical dexterity, chance and strategy, within great stage designs. It also features phone games so people can win big prizes from their own homes. Some of the games of this program are: “The Human Pinball, “Pegatlon”, “The Ball Gorilla”, “Robot from the Future”, “The Traveling Scales”, among others.

Teresa

Televisa Internacional Booth: 02

Executives Attending

Someone’s Watching

Telemundo Internacional Booth: A0.21

Executives Attending

Marcos Santana, President Xavier Aristimuño, VP International Business Development Asia Esperanza Garay, Senior VP Sales & Acquisitions Latin America Luis Daniel Capriles, VP Sales International Digital Media Karina Etchison, VP Sales in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East Karen Barroeta, VP Marketing & Promotions Melissa Pillow, Director of Sales in Europe Peter Blacker, Senior VP Digital Media

Someone’s Watching

(Alguien Te Mira) (Telenovela - 80 x 60’) A story filled with mystery, drama, and passion about four friends that will witness a crime. The victim is a well-known socialite, and hers is the third murder to shock the city. According to the investigation, a psychopath serial killer is choosing beautiful and independent women as targets. The police are trying to gather evidence that would lead them to the identity of the psychopath. In the meantime… everyone will be a suspect and an intense love triangle will shake the lives of Piedad, Rodrigo, and Julian – the latter two will confront each other in war for love.

F. TTV FORMATS

Fernando Pérez Gavilán, Vice President of Televisa Internacional Carlos Castro, General Director of Sales Ricardo Ehrsam, General Director, Europe & Asia Claudia Sahab, Director for Europe Elsa Garcia, Business Manager, Spain & Portugal Patricia Porto, Business Manager, Central & Western Europe Beatriz Rodriguez, Business Manager, Eastern Europe Manola Martin, Business Manager, Eastern Europe & Nordic Region Pedro Font, General Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Silvia Garcia, Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Douglas Welch, Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Mario Castro, Director of New Business Claudia Silva, Director of Sales for Licensed Products Jose Luis Romero, Director of Formats and New Content Cecilia Rivera, Director of Marketing

Teresa

(Telenovela – 150 x 60’) Available in HD - Format Also Available - Year 2010 Teresa is a young woman dominated by her own greed. She would rather lie and cheat her way out of poverty than find an honest job. Her parents have made great sacrifices to give her a good, decent life, but Teresa wants more, and her beauty is her most powerful weapon to obtain that. She will destroy the heart and happiness of those around her, who love her, without a shred of remorse. But, she fails to realize that, eventually but inevitably, a time of reckoning will arrive, and life will want its due.

Beyond Boundaries

Zodiak Rights Booth: LR4.02

Executives Attending

Matthew Frank, CEO, Zodiak Rights Jane Millichip, Managing Director Anne-Marie Pardoe, Head of Sales Myriam Lopez, Vice President of Sales

Beyond Boundaries

(Factual Entertainment - 60’ format) Challenges such as crossing the Andes are tough enough for the able-bodied, but these inspiring individuals are not about to let disabilities hold them back.

How do you cut through dense undergrowth in a wheelchair?

How do you navigate a rainforest if you’re blind? These are just some of the problems faced by 11 intrepid adventurers in the trek of a lifetime.

Bound By Blood

(Factual Entertainment - 60’ or 90’ format) This adventure reality game show sees 12 teenager-and-parent duos competing to trek the length of the mighty River Amazon.

Only one team will go the full distance and scoop the prize money.

Whether it is a mum and her fast-growing son, or a dad and his only daughter, they must form an indestructible alliance.

EXECUTIVES

Original Productions

in Spain

Encouraged by growth in pay TV network audiences, as well as in DTT and other platforms, several Spanish fiction projects have gone from mere alternatives to innovation paths within original productions. From production design to variations in the use of TV language, major networks are searching for, and actually finding, fertile fields to experiment with original fiction, both on and off the main screens.

W

ith the aim of getting to the core of Spain’s production boom and its evolution, ttv sat down with Pepa SánchezBiezma at her office in Madrid for an interview. An unquestionable reference in regards to fiction in television for the last 20 years, Sánchez-Biezma is Production Director of Fiction of Telecinco since 2007 and current Area Director of Miniseries and TV Movies.

By Rodrigo Ros “Costs to produce for DTT are up to ten times lower compared to amounts invested in productions for the national network.”

PRODUCTION SCHEMES. Synergy among different platforms is imposing innovative rhythms and production schemes. A good example of this is the production of ‘La Pecera de Eva’, a series exclusively created for channel 7, a DTT network owned by Telecinco group that, according to Sánchez-Biezma, is characterized by a strong difference in language. Its mark is that “even though actors are given a general line to follow, departure and arrival points, there are many

“Audiences of generalist networks are clearly shrinking in favor of smaller ones; this leads us to think more thoroughly about how we want to reach out our audiences.”

Tierra de Lobos Genre: Series

124 TTV MAGAZINE

improvised dialogues, which make it almost documentary-like.”

The origins behind this model show an increasingly common search for networks, demanding new production schemes.

According to the executive, this kind of production allows production companies to “have a different type of budget, because everything’s shot in a much more immediate way, with shades of docu-fiction. This is why there isn’t a planned stage production and all formal aspects (lights, sound, location, etc.) are no longer top priority.”

But, how much cheaper is this new project for the network? By heart, the former Executive Producer of ‘BocaBoca’, answers that “costs to produce for DTT are up to ten times lower compared to amounts invested in productions for the national network.” Thus, DTT networks face the double challenge of profitability and

Pepa SánchezBiezma,

distinction. Distinctive features come - as Sánchez-Biezma underlines - from original productions, since this is what “gives them their own personality, their profile. This is why we are looking for our own projects, regardless of whether we end up using some of the products aired on channel 5 or not, so we can use them to identify the network. Telecinco is a generalist network, and that requires that we produce something that reaches the widest audience possible; whereas channel 7 enables us to approach a more specific public, a younger audience. In fact, those projects we carried out through channel 7 would represent too high investment risks for Telecinco. Risk controls in production for networks like channel 7 are quiet high. At the same time, this allows us to give talented new producers, with new ideas, a chance, while keeping the same criteria.”

NEW PLATFORMS. These experimental processes not only open the possibility to work under innovative producing methods, with the further advantage of having talented new producers, but also favors and accelerates product migration towards the rest of the platforms, as on the case of ‘La Pecera de Eva’ and ‘Sexo en Chueca’ - the latter, a production initially conceived for web broadcasting, that later on went to channel 7.

Among technological, technical, legal and strategic changes, the Spanish TV sector is going through a time of large structural transformations, and this is perceived by our interviewee as “a very interesting time of experimentation: using different means, products, production methods, budgets, etc. This is a time during which a lot of reflection is going on. Audiences of generalist networks are clearly shrinking in favor of smaller ones; this leads us to think more thoroughly about how we want to reach out our audiences.”

In this context, it is appropriate to ask ourselves about the elements that characterize production trends of big Spanish networks, and Sánchez-Biezma provides an answer: “The trend that all national networks are currently following in Spain is heading towards the adventure genre. For example, we are now launching ‘Tierra de Lobos’, which is our new project, and Antena3 is presenting ‘Hispania’.

But, in the end, everybody is always betting on something that they deem original.”

Regarding production level, the executive notices that “nowadays, there is not so much work in the studio. In the past, we used to use studios a lot. For instance ‘El Pantano’, I think, was the first time in Spain where all locations, in and outdoors, were real. This has increased the number of shooting days. Let’s say that a normal series takes eight or nine days of shooting; one with many outdoor location

Area Director of Miniseries and TV Movies for Telecinco

“Today, the idea is for generalist networks to bet on a single, but stronger product.” shots may take up to ten or eleven days, which is not that much.”

FLAGSHIP PRODUCT. So it seems that one of the essential features of the networks’ production strategies is planning and producing “flagship products”, which are being encouraged by thicker production and promotion budgets, since “today, the idea is for generalist networks to bet on a single, but stronger product.”

La Pecera de Eva Genre: Series

Under this perspective, then, there are several previous processes comprising the decisionmaking behind big projects that acquire a leading role. For example, preproduction, a stage that the executive admits currently takes up “much more time, giving us a much clearer idea of what we will see on the screen. From the script, to the technical team, the production company we will be working with, the bible, etc., everything is more closely studied, and thanks to this, we face the production stage with more confidence,” she concludes. ttv

TTV MAGAZINE 125

EXECUTIVES

S

aying that China is one of the largest markets for doing business is easy.

Yet actually disembarking on Chinese fields is a thing few players of the industry can accomplish.

Metan Development Group has built a strong strategic line between Los Angeles and Beijing and, through it, develops customized content for audiences from the most populated nation around the globe.

What are Metan Development Group’s activities in the industry of television entertainment? First and foremost, Metan specializes in program development and production for television and Internet for the China market. We have studios and production facilities in both the United States and China and create programs for Chinese audiences only. Our flagship program ‘Hello! Hollywood’, is an entertainment news program that is broadcast on a first-run syndication network consisting of over 45 television stations that reach over 600 million people in China today.

We also have three more exciting new shows planned for 2011, including some very big international formats that we believe will be a huge success in China.

How and when did this relationship with the Asian giant begin? In 2008, I was invited by the Chinese government to lecture young television executives about creating innovative television programming. I had a chance to really understand the Chinese media industry at the time, but was even more excited about the possibilities of where it was headed to. Here is a market where there

are over 3500 television stations hungry for good quality television content. On the next trip, I took my partner, Marty Pompadur, to witness the change and evolution himself.

Immediately after the trip, we rounded the rest of the founding team and formed Metan Development Group.

In regards to television content production, what kind of content does Metan work with? For 2009 and 2010, we focused on the basics and wanted to make sure we did television right in China. Developing television programming across international borders is not easy - but I am proud to say that we just celebrated our one year anniversary with ‘Hello! Hollywood’. From all the research we’ve done on the Chinese market, we knew its audiences loved Hollywood and everything that had to do with it. This is an evident fact in big blockbuster films ruling the Chinese box office and through the cult followings of

Larry Namer,

President at Metan Development Group Who wouldn’t want to have a couple of offices flourishing in Chinese grounds as the extension of a truly successful business?

Listening to the words of Larry Namer, President of Metan Development Group, is certainly a good start. In this interview, he describes the inner details of the Chinese TV market, with which he’s been working for almost four years and counting.

By Sebastián Amoroso 126 TTV MAGAZINE

Hello! Hollywood Genre: Entertainment News

Western shows such as ‘Gossip Girl’, ‘Heroes’, and ‘Prison Break’ that dominate the Chinese online scene. However, what the Chinese consumer wanted was something that tied Hollywood to China. They weren’t interested in a dubbed program that was developed for another market – what they wanted was a show produced specifically for them.

What could you say about the potential of the fastest growing consumer market in the world? There is no question that Chinese viewers are increasingly becoming a more valuable audience for content providers. Chinese viewers are one of the most sophisticated and tech-savvy groups in modern history. China is home to over 420 million Internet users (most in the world) and over 500 million mobile users. They truly are at the forefront of multi-platform viewing.

Today in China, programming - whether on television, online, or mobile - is treated separately and the content rarely crosses beyond its silo. Our programming is exploited so that non-television platforms are not merely just an extension of distribution, but are utilized to create two-way communication between our program and the audience. We believe interaction is driving the Chinese viewer today and develop our programming to enhance that viewing experience beyond the four walls of television.

The company distributes and promotes Chinese cultural programs that cater to Western audiences in every possible form and format. What could you say in this regard? There are two philosophies about China and its Western counterparts, such as the United States. One is that the Chinese market is and will follow the media trends of Western markets. The other philosophy is that the Chinese market will eventually lead and pioneer the media market for the rest of the world. I am a firm believer of the latter and believe that Metan is at the cusp of being that conduit between China and the rest of the world. ttv

MIPCOM 2010

LISTINGS 128 TTV MAGAZINE

Stay Cool

American Cinema International Booth 17.21

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Chevonne O’Shaughnessy, President George Shamieh, CEO

Stay Cool

(Romance Comedy/Drama) Starring Winona Ryder (‘Star Trek’), Hilary Duff (‘Lizzie McGuire’), and Chevy Chase (‘Caddyshack’). After 20 years, a successful author Henry McCarthy (Polish) returns to his home town to give a commencement speech, only to fall in love with his old crush Scarlet Smith (Ryder) but is asked to the prom by a sexy high school senior Shasta O’Neil (Duff). Henry faces tough decisions which cause him to consider his love for Scarlet who’s the perfect girlfriend, but when Principle Marshall (Chase) gives advice on love things start to become hilariously entertaining.

Born to Race

(Action) Shooting in October 2010 After being arrested, a rebellious young L.A. street-racer is sent off to Texas to live with his estranged father, a washed up NASCAR racer. But when he enters the local high school drag racing competition, he is forced to turn to his father for help in order to defeat the fastest racer in town.

IRT Deadliest Roads

AETN INTERNATIONAL Booth Fax: TBD

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Bob DeBitetto, President & General Manager, A&E Network & BIO Channel Steve Ronson, Executive VP, Enterprises, A&E Television Networks Sean Cohan, Senior VP, International, A&E Television Networks Christian Murphy, VP, International Michael Katz, VP, International Programming & Production Dean Possenniskie, Managing Director, Europe Jonathan South, Senior Director of International Content Sales, EMEA Joss Duffield, Program Sales Executive, EMEA Ling Sze Gan, Regional Director, International Content Sales Mayra Bracer, Latin America Television Sales Kerri Tarmey, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, A&E Television Networks Emma Salter, Senior Manager, Intl Publicity & Communications Akhila Khanna, Digital Media Content Coordinator Joel Denton, Sales Consultant

IRT Deadliest Roads

(Real Life - 10 x 60’)

Ice Road Truckers’ toughest drivers take on the most challenging roads in the world. ‘IRT Deadliest Roads’ shifts gears and hits the gas with Lisa, Alex, and Rick hauling loads across another continent in the world’s highest mountain ranges. Racing to deliver supplies through dangerous unknown territory and along mountain passes whose huge expanse, height and size have hindered trade routes for thousands of years, their journey is a passage through history with skill, courage and mental fortitude tested along every mile.

Ghost Hunters

Alfred Haber Distribution Booth: 22.02

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Alfred Haber, Founder Andrew Haber, Vice President, International Sales Adam Haber, Vice President, International Sales Edward O’Donnell, Vice President, International Sales Christopher Brouder, Vice President, International Sales Steven Weiser, Vice President, Domestic & International Sales Jennifer Askin, Director, International Sales Patricia Villagran, International Sales Executive

Ghost Hunters

(Reality - 154 x 60’)

One of cable’s highest-rated supernatural series: the frighteningly successful show that features real life ghost-hunting experts exploring unexplained haunts in the U.S.

2011 53rd Annual Grammy Awards (Special - 1 x 210’)

Expect exhilarating performances and exceptional ratings when music’s brightest megastars light up the stage on television’s most prestigious annual music event.

Skins 5

ALL3MEDIA International Booth: LR 3.22

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Louise Pedersen, Managing Director Rachel Glaister, Head of Press and Marketing Maartje Horchner, Head of Acquisitions Stephanie Hartog, Executive VP- Format Sales Selma Turajlic, Head of Interactive Media and Licensing Stephen Driscoll, VP, International Sales Liza Thompson, VP, International Sales Peter Grant, VP, International Sales Sabrina Duguet, Format Sales Executive Andrea Dunn, Head of Business Affairs Fraser Cameron, Marketing Coordinator

Skins 5

(Drama - 8 x 60’) The new series of the award-winning cutting-edge youth drama returns with a fresh and talented cast, melding hard-hitting emotional themes with wit and charm.

Connected

Left on the Shelf

A Houseful Of Animals

Armoza Formats

Artear

Bavaria Media Television

Booth: LR2.05 (Lerins Hall)

Booth: 20.18

Booth: 20.01

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Avi Armoza, CEO Mihal Brezis, VP International Relations Anat Lewinsky, Sales Europe Kelly Wright, Sales Metin Bilman, Development Kara Flanagan, Reception

Connected

(Factual Entertainment – 25´) Five women, who don’t know each other, are each given cameras to film their lives. Through the cameras, five parallel stories will unfold in this intimate, provocative format.

7-Question Millionaire (Game Show – 45´)

A unique game show format that combines online player participation into a mega-jackpot to be won in just seven questions in this prime-time studio program!

My Big Big Friend

Breakthrough Entertainment EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Ira Levy, Executive Producer Peter Williamson, Executive Producer Nat Abraham, Head of Distribution Marina Cordoni, Executive Producer, Movies Kate Blank, Sales Executive Joan Lambur, Executive Producer Aron Dunn, Director of Development

My Big Big Friend

(Animation Series - 52 x 11’ / 26 x 30’) The imaginations of children are truly incredible and with ‘My Big Big Friend’, they can go anywhere, be anyone and do anything.

Sometimes they can even create new playmates; which is exactly what happens to three young friends Yuri, Lili and Matt who, along with their imaginary big big friends discover that with a bit of help from each other and a whole lot of imagination, even their big problems can shrink down to size.

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Mariana Fernández, Sales Manager Julieta González, Sales Executive Daniel Zanardi, General Manager Adrian Schwartz Kirzner, Programming Manager Pablo Codevilla, Content Manager Eduardo Fernández, Production Manager Walter Sequeira, Acquisitions Manager Facundo Bailez, Acquisitions Executive

Philipp Kreuzer, Vice President International and Co-Production Helge Köhnen, Director Sales Stefanie Fritz, Director Sales Iowanka Sprehe, Junior Director Sales Bojan Ritan, Marketing Manager Dana Höfinger, Acquisition Manager Alexandra Streichfuss, Head of Business and Legal Affairs

Left on the Shelf

(Children - 13 x 25’)

(Para Vestir Santos) (Series – 35 x 60’) The harsh and biting widow Gloria (Blum) suddendly passes away.

Her three spinster daughters, Susi (Toscano), Virgi (Siciliani) and Male (Cid), come to realize that the death of their dreadful mother is absolutely no liberation at all. As if cursed their lives seem to be marked by the fiasco of being unable to connect with the opposite sex… These three beautiful smart and young women, unable to find Mr. Right… have each other to lean on. This intense sitcom boldly confronts frustration and despair in the pursue for something which comes close to happiness.

A Houseful Of Animals

Veterinarian Dr. Philipp Hansen moves to the idyllic Black Forest with his family to open a new practice. The move is hard on 10-year-old Greta, but she soon makes a best friend and begins saving the lives of animals which she then puts up in her family’s big villa.

Crazy About Love

(Series - 52 x 50’)

A sparkling romantic comedy series that revolves around Laura and Paolo, both in their early 40s, both with children to raise, who rediscover love after years of singleness and let a wave of romance sweep into the lives of their family members, friends and colleagues.

Intersections

CABLEready Corporation Booth: R31.17

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Gary Lico, President/CEO Lou Occhicone, Senior Vice President of Operations Tatiana Figueiredo, Sales Representative Reess Kennedy, Director of Digital Media

Intersections

(Factual/Documentaries, Science, Technology – 13 x 30’ HD) As man and machines intersect, we go inside the technology and break down what makes it all possible.

The Mentalist

(Lifestyle, Food – 13 x 30’ HD)

(Animation Series - 26 x 11’)

The Mooh Brothers

New York Times food writer, culinary expert and TV personality Mark Bittman teaches us how to prepare simple yet fabulously delicious dishes from beginning to end!

A visually captivating series that inspires outdoor activities, teaches family values and provides kids with valuable lessons on getting along with their friends,

(Factual, Crime & Investigation, Medicine, Technology – 398 x 30’ HD)

Forensic Files

True crime series that profiles cases in which science succeeds in solving the mystery.

Women on the Edge

Caracol Televisión Booth: 09.24

EXECUTIVES ATTENDING

Angélica Guerra, International VP Lisette Osorio, International Director Andres Morris, International Manager Camila Reyes, Sales Executive for Eastern Europe Berta Orozco, Sales Executive for Western Europe.

Alejandro Toro, Sales Executive for Asia and Africa.

Women on the Edge

(Mujeres al Límite) (Miniserie - 120 x 60’) Moral dilemmas, extreme circumstances, uncomfortable positions… are some of the situations in which each one of our characters will be immersed and that will place the viewer before an ethical dilemma that our main character will have to face and solve during the show. The show is fed with real stories, as well as with current topics and matters that create social concerns.

Some of these stories will have unsolved endings, but most of them will have astonishing endings that will always make the viewer reflect about each case and in some cases have them feel indentified with the main character.

TTV MAGAZINE 129

Hawaii Five-0

Nic and Tristan

Grachi

CBS Studios International

CDC United Network

Comarex

Booth: R30.01

Booth: 04.14 / 06.13

Booth: LR 2.06

Executives Attending

Executives Attending

Executives Attending

Armando Nuñez, President, CBS Studios International Joe Lucas, EVP, Sales and Marketing Barry Chamberlain, EVP, Sales

Erik Jensen, Managing Director Jimmy van der Heyden, International Sales Executive

Hawaii Five-0

(Family Movie)

(Drama - 13 x 60’)

‘Hawaii FIVE-0’ is a contemporary take on the classic series about a new elite federalized task force whose mission is to wipe out the crime that washes up on the Islands’ sun-drenched beaches.

The Defenders

(Drama – 13 x 60’)

‘The Defenders’ stars Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell in a comedic drama about two colorful Las Vegas defense attorneys who go all-in when it comes to representing their clients. No matter the offense, they aim to prove that when the stakes are high, they’re willing to bet the house on the clients they defend in Sin City.

Nic and Tristan

Two skateboarding twins’ plan to compete in a skate Competition are smashed when their parents leave town and stick them with a babysitter.

Shortcut To Happiness

Marcel Vinay Hill, Vice President International Sales Marcel Vinay Jr., CEO Comarex Carmen Pizano, Sales, Latin America & Spain Martha Contreras, Sales, Asia Adela Velasco, Sales Europe & Africa Ernesto Ramirez, International Sales & New Media Raul Mendoza, Marketing

Grachi

(Teen Telenovela - 75 x 60’

(Comedy)

Directed and played by Alec Baldwin, ‘Shortcut To Happiness’, tells the story of an unsuccessful writer who sells his soul to the Devil (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt) in exchange of fame and fortune.

He will meet a publisher (played by Anthony Hopkins) who offers him a chance to break the contract.

Grachi has moved house to attend a school for children who are especially talented in the fields of the arts, science and sports. But the story began in the colonial era in a city where Grachi’s ancestors lived. At that time, Grachi’s great-great-great-grandmother was in love with a young ship’s captain. They soon married but this lead jealousy as her great-great-great-grandmother‘s neighbor was also in love with the captain. On the day of the wedding she cast a terrible spell and cursed that the family’s first woman descendant would be a witch. Many generations passed without a girl being born, but then Grachi came into the world.

Split – Second Season The Spin Crowd

Comcast International Media Group Booth: G3.14

Executives Attending

Ted Harbert, President, Comcast Entertainment Group Kevin MacLellan, President, CIMG & Comcast Entertainment Studios Duccio Donati, EVP, International Brad Wald, Managing Director, EMEA Gracia Waverly, SVP, International Networks Lee Raftery, SVP, International Marketing Jene Elzie, VP, Sales & Strategic Planning Lesley Drukker, Sales Director, EMEA Boyana Beneva, Associate Director, International Sales David Ball, Director, Program Planning & Acquisitions Matt Goff, Associate Director, Affiliate Sales EMEA Jay Sodha, Senior Manager, Affiliate Sales Craig Bohland, Sales Executive Leilani Farinas, Executive Director, International Marketing Gary Forsyth, Marketing Manager, International Marketing Laura Civiello, VP, Development G4 Cheryl McDermott, SVP, Business Operations Katie Buchanan, VP, Programming – The Style Network

The Spin Crowd

Dori Media Group Booth: 12.02

Executives Attending

Nadav Palti, President & CEO of Dori Media Group Leora Nir, VP of TV Channels, Dori Media Group Michal Nashiv, President & CEO of Dori Media Distribution Argentina; President & CEO of Dori Media Contenidos Claire Elbaz, CEO of Dori Media Spike Andres Santos, VP of Sales, Dori Media America Elena Antonini, VP of Sales, Dori Media Distribution Argentina Revital Basel, CEO, Dori New Media Nili Naor, Chief Operating Officer, Novebox.com Tali Fink, Director of Marketing, Dori Media Group

Split - Second Season

Disney Media Networks Latin America Executives Attending

Fernando Barbosa, SVP, Distribution and Production Henri Ringel, VP, Distribution Jack Morera, Director, Distribution Leonardo Aranguibel, Director, Production Fabiola Bovino, Senior Manager, Marketing

A Corazón Abierto

(45 x30’)

(HD Series - 140 x 60’)

After solving the age-old conflict between vampires and humans, 16-years-old Ella refuses to live in absolute isolation, merely because she is the new prophet. As she sets out to find a resolution, she is exposed to the unfamiliar world of Demons, a world that will soon force her to choose between Adam, a young demon who is the new love in her life, and Leo, the vampire who still loves her. Sold to over 60 countries in only 1 year since its debut.

‘A Corazón Abierto’ is an adaptation of ABC’s hit series ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. University Hospital Santa María was built in a 1,600 square meter area, including 40 sets. The entire set brings together over 100 production and filming teams. Apart from its regular TV crew, the production also counts with special effects groups, physicians, surgeons, specialists in different areas, nurses and hospital support staff. Thus, the steady cast, made up of 13 leading actors and actresses plus guest stars making appearances every episode, receives constant support on and off set, so as to create an environment that feels like an actual, high-budget University Hospital.

Ladronas

(E! – 8 x 30’)

(26 x 60’)

Docusoap following Jonathan Cheban and Simon Huck as they set up their company, Command PR, on the West Coast.

Is an action series which tells the story of widowed Emma Blinder, who is shocked to discover that her deceased husband, a prominent judge, was in fact a corrupt man. Determined to right his wrongs, she recruits 3 attractive, professional women-thieves to help her. In each episode, the women embark on risky yet comical tasks, using all of their abilities to get justice done.

130 TTV MAGAZINE

A Corazón Abierto

Degrassi: The Next Generation

Thorne: Sleepyhead HD

Mistreated - Guilty for being born women

Echo Bridge Entertainment

Fireworks International

Booth: RB.33

Booth: RB.44

Flor Latina Entertainment Group

Attending Executives

Booth: 13.15

Executives Attending

Daniel March, President, International Emilia Nuccio, Senior Vice President, International Distribution Melissa Caron, Vice President International Sales, Europe Sonia Mehandjiyska, Vice President International Sales, Eastern Europe Natalie Yuen, Vice President International Sales, Asia Pacific Susan Hewitt, International Sales Michael Rosenblatt, President & CEO

Degrassi: The Next Generation

(Drama - Season 10 - 48 x 30’ new / 236 x 30 total)

Award-winning teen drama series set in the fictional Degrassi universe that candidly explores real-life teen issues.

Crash Test Mommy

(Lifestyle, Reality - Season 5 - 13 x 60’ new / 65 x 60’) Part comedy, part chaos, Crash Test Mommy is a reality series that throws would-be moms into a wild 48-hour test drive of their parenting skills.

Greg Phillips, President Saralo MacGregor, EVP Worldwide Distribution Diana Zakis, VP Sales, Latin America and Asia Bob Kennedy, EVP Non-Fiction Programming Jonathan Ford, EVP of Digital Acquisitions and Distribution Kathryn Rice, SVP European Sales and Acquisitions Melissa Wohl, SVP Worldwide Distribution Alex Grahame, Director of Digital Distribution Cecilia Twomey, Digital Accounts Executive

Thorne: Sleepyhead HD

(Drama Series - 3 x 60’)

Detective Inspector Tom Thorne’s latest case drags him back into the nightmares of his past as he heads up the investigation into a series of unusual attacks on young women.

Thorne: Scaredy Cat HD

Executives Attending

Silvana D´Angelo: CEO & President Carolina del Valle García: VP, International Sales & Production Erika Lerebourg: Assistant

Mistreated - Guilty for being born women

(Drama - 26 X 60’)

An intensive drama in 26 episodes which delves deep into one of the most critical and worrying subjects affecting all societies around the Globe: women abuse (physical, harassment, economic, verbal and cultural violence). Unitary stories base on true cases, each of them offering both a unique fiction starred by renowned actors, in the aim of arising consciousness among the community on a problem hard to ignore which encreases every year: one out of four women murders is committed by their own couples.

(Drama Series - 3 x 60’)

Detective Inspector Tom Thorne is on the hunt for not one, but two serial killers, who seem to be working together, yet killing separately.

Internal Affairs

Globo TV International

Healthy Gourmet

Fremantle Corporation

The X Factor USA

Booth: 35.14

FremantleMedia Enterprises

Executives Attending

Booth: FremantleMedia Village - RB1

Randy Zalken, President Irv Holender, Principal Director Lisa Dunn, VP Sales and Acquisitions Paul McConvey, VP Production Diane Tripp, International Sales Director Sharon Beverly, Administration Sales

Healthy Gourmet

(Nutrition and Lifestyle - 13 x 30’) In each episode Nutritionist Julie Daniluk and Chef Ezra Title show a unique group of people (ladies on Harleys, a Dragon Boat crew, women fly fishing, a fire hall, rock climbers) that healthy food doesn’t have to be bland and tasteless.

All My Children

(Daytime Drama - Over 10,000 x 60’) ‘All My Children’ is based in a small town called Pine Valley, a quiet suburban community, where everybody knows just about everything about everyone else. The backbone of Pine Valley has always been about the families that live there. Whether it be the Martins or Tyler’s, The Cortland’s or Chandler’s, ‘All My Children’ has consistently provided well defined and thoroughly orchestrated family drama.

132 TTV MAGAZINE

Executives Attending

David Ellender, Global CEO, FremantleMedia Enterprises Mel Alcock, CEO FremantleMedia Enterprises, EMEA Keith Hindle, CEO FremantleMedia Enterprises, Americas Sheila Aguirre, SVP Sales & Development Latin America & Hispanic USA Maximilian Bolenius, VP Sales – German-speaking Europe & Eastern Europe Gordon Craig, Head of Archive Sales Justin Hatfield, SVP Sales – Benelux, Scandinavia, UK & Ireland Lisa Honig, SVP Program Distribution – North America Pete Kalhan, SVP Home Entertainment – EMEA & Archive Sales Jamie Lynn, VP Sales – Middle East, Southern Europe & Africa Jeff Siegel, VP Home Entertainment – The Americas Richard Tulk-Hart, VP Sales Home Entertainment – EMEA Hendrik Van Daalen, SVP Sales – Spain, Portugal, France & Italy Jeff Tahler, SVP Acquisitions & Development

The X Factor USA

(Entertainment)

Simon Cowell’s #1 entertainment format that has taken the world by storm comes to Fox for Autumn 2011.

Booth: A0.01

Executives Attending

Ricardo Scalamandré, Head of International Business Raphael Correa, Head of International Sales Guilherme Bokel, Head of International Production Hugo Aloy, Sales Manager Portugal and Asia Pacific Victor Teixeira, Sales Executive Western Europe Pedro Dombrasas, Sales Executive Eastern Europe João Fonseca, Sales Executive Africa, Middle East and Asia Gabriel Rohonyi, Sales Executive Center Europe, Scandinavia and Baltic Republics Alejandra Moreno, International Marketing Manager Claudine Bayma, Marketing Coordinator Americas

Internal Affairs

(Series - 12 x 30’)

A thrilling, action-packed police series with a twist, ‘Internal Affairs’ centers on day-to-day operations of the law enforcement agency that investigates crimes committed by the police. Led by Colonel Caetano, played by Milton Gonçalves, from ‘Little Missy’ and spearheaded by ‘The Clone’ star Murilo Benício, the task-force battles deeply-rooted, self-serving powers in its quest to bring rogue cops to justice.

ShowMatch

Scarlet Shore

Karkú

IDEAS DEL SUR

Imagina International Sales

Imira Entertainment

Executives Attending

Booth: R 32-31

Booth: R32.25

Mariano Elizondo, CEO Mario Schajris, Fiction Director

ShowMatch

(Entertainment)

A program for the whole family.

Los Roldán

(Fiction)

A family comedy

Executives Attending

José Huertas, CEO Géraldine Gonard, Sales Director Laura Miñarro, Sales Manager Barbora Susterova, Sales Executive Guillermina Ortega, Sales & Marketing Coordinator Alicia López, Sales Assitant

Scarlet Shore

(Mystery - 12 x 50’ / 9 x 70’)

Criminal

Two unsolved murders in a small town on the coast, inexplicable events and visions shape this new TV series. The arrival of a strange 16 year old girl and two policemen at Scarlet Shore will reveal the dark secrets many of the inhabitants hide behind their quiet lives. The police will immerse themselves into an investigation putting their lives at risk in an attempt to find out who the murderer is.

An action series full of intrigues.

(Comedy Show - Diary x 25’)

Patito Feo

(Fiction)

A story for children/teens.

(Fiction)

The Joke Club

‘The Joke Club’ gives a new and a trendy space to the humor where the backstage shows us the three previous and nervous minutes of the performance.

Executives Attending

Sergi Reitg, CEO Christophe Goldberger, Head of Distribution and Marketing

Karkú

(Live Action - 76 x 26’) The series follows the adventures of 13-year old Emilia as she is sent to live in Santiago by her parents. Determined to plan an exciting holiday oversees, she and her new school friends embark on a series of enterprises to earn the money to pay for the trip.

Dog-sitting, flower-selling and party-planning, Emilia, Fernanda, Valentina, Zico, Alex and Martin quickly become entrepreneurs.

However, it is the experience of growing up together that teaches the friends, and occasional rivals, more about life, love and friendship.

Sandra The Fairytale Detective

(HD Flash Animation - 52 x 13’)

Sandra is a ten year old girl who turns detective when she travels to the Land of Once Upon a Time, a parallel world where classic fairytale characters live. What happens if someone steels Cinderella’s glass slipper? Or if the Prince kisses Sleeping Beauty but she doesn’t wake up? Sandra the Fairytale Detective springs into action, giving a twist to classic fairytales.

The Day John Lennon Died

ITV Global Entertainment Booth: R38.01

Executives Attending

Jason Binks, VP of Digital and New Media Andrew Bowers, Acquisitions Executive Tobias de Graaff, Director of Global Television Distribution Jennifer Ebell, Senior Sales Executive, Central and Eastern Europe Noel Hedges, SVP Sales and Acquisitions, The Americas Maria Kyriacou, Managing Director Global Entertainment Richard Life, Head of Acquisitions & Co-productions Gary McDonagh, Acquisitions Manager Flavio Medeiros, Senior Sales Executive, Latin America Giles Ridge, Head of Brand and Product Development & Acting Head of Merchandising and Licensing

The Day John Lennon Died

(Documentary)

On December 8 2010, it will be 30 years since the death of the inspirational musician, John Lennon. Made by Bafta-winning producer/director Michael Waldman, this riveting documentary reconstructs the story of John’s last day in forensic detail.

First Lady

Latin Media Corporation & Worldwide Rights Corporation Executives Attending

José Escalante, Executive Director of Latin Media Corporation Farid Kahleeque Ahmad, Executive Director of Worldwide Rights Corporation Guillermo Isturiz, Director of Sales, Latin Media Corporation Azi Shafian, Asst. Manager of Worldwide Rights Corporation

First Lady

(Primera Dama) (Telenovela Series - 100 x 45’) ‘Firts Lady’ tells a story about Sabina Astudillo an ordinary, young but ambitious woman who is willing to do anything to seduce Leonardo Sandander, a Presidential candidate of Chile to become the First Lady. Sabina will go through five men to get what she wants. However Estrella, Sabina’s mother becomes her moral guardian and insists that she returns Caetano’s stolen money.

Sabina also becomes distracted with Mariano, the man she truly desires. Will she succeed in her brutal ambition? First Lady – when love faces power.

Power Rangers

MarVista Entertainment Booth: RSV46

Executives Attending

Fernando Szew, CEO Joseph Szew, CFO/COO Vanessa Goglio, SVP, Worldwide Sales Robby Amar, Director, International Sales Laura Hoffman, Director, Sales and Contract Administration

Power Rangers

(Children/Live-Action - 700 x 30’ + 40 x 30’ New episodes in Production) 20 original episodes of this kids television phenomenon will debut early in 2011 in the U.S. on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons.

16 Wishes

(Teen/Comedy/Family - 1 x 90’) Co-produced with MarVista, a Disney Original Movie starring Debby Ryan about a teenager whose secret wishes come true when she receives a magical box of birthday candles.

TTV MAGAZINE 133

Antimafia Squad

Stargate Universe

Mediaset Distribution Booth: 32.07

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios (MGM)

Executives Attending

Booth: Riviera Sea View 24 (RSV 24)

Patricio Teubal, Mediaset Distribution’s Head of Sales, Clare Mc Ardle, International Sales Manager, Manuela Caputi, International Sales Manager Paola De Santiago, International Sales Executive

ANTIMAFIA SQUAD

(Scripted Format – Mafia Series – 12 X 50’) After the arrest of Provenzano, the last godfather, the mafia still has not found a new leader respected by everyone. Inner tensions and rivalries, have so far prevented the re-establishment of a single leader… Option: USA, ABC Studios

INTELLIGENCE

Executives Attending

Gary Marenzi, co-President, Worldwide Television Distribution Jim Packer, co-President, Worldwide Television Distribution Bruce Tuchman, President, MGM Networks

Stargate Universe

(TV Series - Drama - 40 x 60’)

A new Stargate team is stuck aboard the spaceship Destiny, where they’ll discover new worlds, encounter new enemies, and desperately try to find a way to return home to Earth.

Teen Wolf

(Scripted Format - Action Miniseries - 6 X 100’)

(TV Show - Drama - 12 x 60’)

Inspired by features such as the Bourne trilogy, the latest James Bond and Mission Impossible films, ‘Intelligence’ is the first series dedicated to espionage and secret services produced by Italian television. Option: USA, Lionsgate.

A high school boy is bitten by a werewolf and now possesses super-human abilities as he’s pursued by werewolf hunters.

Manhunt

Puppy in My Pocket

Mondo TV Booth: 23.02 / 25.01

Executives Attending

Orlando Corradi, President & CEO Gian Claudio Galatoli, Production Director Matteo Corradi, Senior VP of International Sales Micheline Azoury, Head of International Sales & Brand Manager Roberto Farina, Sales Manager Alessandro Venturi, Sales Manager Theo Kouroglou, Sales Manager Maria B. Fois, General Manager, Mondo TV Spain Emilie Pasquet, Sales Manager

Puppy in My Pocket

(Animation - 52 x 13’)

Friendship is a universal feeling. It’s the warmth that heats your heart up, it’s the joy of not being alone, of having someone next to you who returns your love and takes care of you- Friendship is a strong power, and the purest the heart of those who need a friend is, the more explosive this energy gets... and who is purer than children?

(TV Show – Action – 24 x 60’) A crime drama that will have viewers on the edge of their seats with every twist and turn the characters take in their quest to bring hardened criminals to justice.

Left on the Shelf Bikini Destinations

Moving Pictures Film & TV Booth: 09.06

Executives Attending

Ted Chalmers, President, Film & TV Division Paul Rich, Senior Sales Executive Scott Kirkpatrick, International Sales Manager Romy Ricart, International Sales Executive Monique Nayard, International Sales Representative

Bikini Destinations

Pol-Ka Producciones Booth: 20.18

The Event

NBC Universal International Television Distribution

(Para Vestir Santos) (Dramatic Comedy - 35 episodes)

Executives Attending

Three sisters, haunted by memories of their dead mother, will try to break the spell of bad love affairs that seems to be on them. They might be single, but never alone. When Gloria – their mother – died, Susi, Virgi and Malena didn’t feel sad; but even relieved. Nowadays these grown up women live together in their childhood home.

They are smart, beautiful, young… So why do they have no luck on love relationships? That’s a mystery. And for that they blame their mother, who had an odd sense of humor and never lost a chance to make them feel miserable; even after her death.

(Beauty & Adventure - 46 x 30’)

Established as one of the world’s most popular shows featuring beautiful women, top bikini models travel to spectacular distant locales for dramatic photo shoots. 13 new episodes.

(Drama - 13 x 60’)

Moving Pictures Live!

A compelling half-hour weekly series using live interviews with the principal players involved in major studio and independent films.

The Men7 Show

(Magazine Lifestyle - 13 x 60’) ‘Men7’ delivers what men want most: business insight by industry leaders, advice on men’s fashion, gorgeous women, and maximizing leisure time.

134 TTV MAGAZINE

Left on the Shelf

Booth: H4.05 Belinda Menendez, President, NBC Universal International Television Distribution

(Entertainment/Lifestyle - 26 x 30’)

Executives Attending

Fernando Blanco, CEO Alex Lagomarsino, International Business Virginia Verberian, International Business

The Event

‘The Event’ is an emotional high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker, an Everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Leila, and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history.

Outlaw

(Drama - 13 x 60’) Cyrus Garza is a Supreme Court justice who abruptly quits the high-level position. A playboy and a gambler, Garza had always adhered to a strict interpretation of the law until he realized the system he believed in was flawed. Now that he’s quit the bench and returned to private practice, he’s determined to represent “the little guy” and use his inside knowledge of the justice system to take on today’s biggest legal cases.

Killer Women

(Mujeres Asesinas) (Drama - 78 episodes) What’s the difference between men and women who kill? Women don’t stab once, they stab until they run out of strength. Those who believe that women are the “fair sex,” will undoubtedly change their minds once they are acquainted with the real stories reconstructed in these mini-series. Spine-chilling episodes, first class actresses playing the leading roles, and a common element: killer women who do not make concessions.

ICE

River of Intrigues

Lisa Williams: Live

power

Record TV Network

Rive Gauche Television

Booth: H4.27

Booth: 05.02

Booth: 26.01

Executives Attending

Justin Bodle, CEO Eloise Trippier, Managing Director Sue Green, Managing Director, Power Local Todd Jackson, President of Worldwide Acquisitions Eric Muller, Vice President of International Sales Andrew Schreiber, Senior Vice President of Worldwide DvD & VIDEO Sales & Distribution Mark Dinely, Vice President of Digital Media Sales And Srategy Torquil Macneal, Senior Vice President of International Sales Andrew Whiteman, Sales Controller Ewa Radwanska, Head of Drama

Ice

(Mini Series – Disaster - 2 x 120’) With power-hungry oil giants exploiting the world’s limited fuel supplies against the advice of staunch environmentalists, the collapse of a rig in the Arctic causes global panic. Devastating weather patterns emerge and plunge the world’s temperatures into steep decline. The entire planet is left to contemplate the dawning of a new ice age.

XIII: The Series

(Thriller – 13 x 60’)

Executives Attending

Delmar Andrade, International Sales Director Edson Mendes, International Sales Coordinator

River of Intrigues

(On Air)

‘River of Intrigues’ is a contemporary novel with diverse scenarios.

It has a smart plot emphasized by a wide range of characters: cheerful, fun, whiny, arrogant but mostly in love. The plot consists of many mysteries that will leave the spectator intrigued and involved in the novel as it progresses. River of Intrigues is a historic city with beautiful landscapes. A small river runs through it where extreme sports are practiced. In spite of the beautiful landscape, the main wealth of the city lies in the diversity of its people.

Everything in that quiet City is suddenly transformed with the arrival of a large company, which will have large repercussions in every aspect of the social life of its citizens. The reason why this large company has chosen this little city is not only because of its economic potential, but also because of a secret. As if all these changes weren’t enough, a series of brutal and unexplained crimes start occurring in River of Intrigues. The police crackdowns and political maneuverings in the city have grown considerably ending the peace and tranquility of its people. A sequence of events transforms the life of the quiet and traditional inhabitants and jeopardizes the very existence of the city.

Following the phenomenal success of the adrena¬lin charged mini series thriller XIII: The Conspiracy, comes this explosive new series.

This stunning action series will bring XIII closer to the truth about his identity and the conspiracy which took it from him.

Executives Attending

Jon Kramer, Chairman & CEO David Auerbach, President Gary MacKinney, Vice President, International Sales Marine Ksadzhikyan, Vice President, International Sales Tomas Silva, International Sales Executive Michele Berman, Sales & Marketing Manager, International Edwin Zane, Vice President Development & Acquisitions Bryan Gabourie, International Sales Analyst

Lisa Williams: Live

(Reality/Lifestyle - 6 new episodes! 12 x 60’) See world renowned clairvoyant Lisa Williams as she does live events readings in front of large audiences in theatre settings.

Witness Lisa Williams live where her senses flow and through a process of elimination. Lisa is able to communicate with spirits of various audience members to their own amazement and surprise.

Scare Tactics

(Reality Series 4 - 13 30’; Series 3: 25 x 30’; Series 1 & 2: 46 x 30’) Thirteen new episodes of the deliciously frightening hidden camera series has friends and love ones set up into elaborately staged scary situations involving movie-style special effects and make up. Laugh along to the hilarious reactions of the shows “victims” as they are caught off guard and on camera.

Blackout

Gran Reserva

Radio Televisión Española Executives Attending

Rodolfo Domínguez, Director Comercial María Jesús Pérez, Directora de Venta de Canales Rafael Bardem, Director de Venta de Programas y Productos Carmen de Miguel, Directora de Patrocinios

Gran Reserva

(Series)

The secret is in the grapefruit. Produced by Bambú Producciones - also producers of ‘Guante Blanco’ and creators of the awardwinning series ‘Patricia Marcos, Desaparecida’, both broadcast

by TVE-, ‘Gran Reserva’ brings a saga on the world of wine. ‘Gran Reserva’ is a thriller, a melodrama, a familiar saga… a passionate combination which takes us to the fight between the new wine producers and people from the old school, between big and small companies, between land lovers and businessmen. A fight in which, sooner or later, everybody will have to choose their side.

136 TTV MAGAZINE

SevenOne International Booth: H4.12

Executives Attending

Jens Richter, Managing Director Axel Boehm, Regional Sales Director / International Fiction Acquisitions Bodo Braun, Regional Sales Director Yan He, Regional Sales Director Caroline Kusser, Regional Sales Director / International Formats Acquisitions Zasha Robles, Director Spiral International Fabiola Flores, Sales Director Latin America / US Gillian Kirby, Sales Director Pan Regional Latin America

Blackout

(Catastrophe - 1 x 90’) When blackness rules, chaos ensues: in gripping thriller ‘Blackout’, a giant power failure plunges the city of Berlin into a deadly turmoil.

Vivi

Skywriter Media & Entertainment Group Booth: 02.10

Executives Attending

Kevin Gillis, Executive Producer & CEO Gwen Jones McCauley, VP, Distribution & Acquisitions Ashley Rite, Marketing Manager/Associate Producer

Vivi

(Kids - 52 x 11’) Join Vivi and her grandmother on their fun-filled journey in search of paradise. Vivi is a curious and artistic girl who likes to paint, collect, photograph, glue, sing, and imagine everywhere she goes.

Camp Lakebottom

The Whore

(Animated Comedy - 26 x 11’)

Based on an international bestseller by Iny Lorentz, the TV event ‘The Whore’ is set in the Middle Ages and tells the mesmerizing story of a young woman who is accused of being a whore.

Dear Mom and Dad, The lake is toxic. The trees are scary. The camp counsellors have fleas and smell like cheese. They might even eat your brain! Having an awesome time here at Camp Lakebottom!

Send more cookies. XOXO McGee.

(Drama - 1 x 120’)

The Big C

The Voice Of…

Cain & Abel

Sony Pictures Television

Talpa Distribution B.V.

Telefe International

Booth: RB.20

Booth: LR3.09

Booth: RSV 14 - Riviera Sea View

Executives Attending

Steve Mosko, President, Sony Pictures Television Kees Abrahams, President, International Production Keith Le Goy, President, International Distribution Mike Morley, Executive Vice President & Chief Creative Officer, International Production Stuart Baxter, Senior Executive Vice President, Distribution, Europe Donna Cunningham, Executive Vice President, Operations, International Production Kim Hatamiya, Executive Vice President, Marketing Mike Wald, Executive Vice President, International Distribution Paula Askanas, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications Brendan Fitzgerald, Senior Vice President, Production, Latin America Jeff Lerner, Senior Vice President, Development & Current Programs, International Production Alexander Marin, Senior Vice President, Distribution, Latin America Angel Orengo, Senior Vice President, Distribution, Asia-Pacific Ed Louwerse, Managing Director, 2waytraffic International, SPT Victoria Ashbourne, Senior Vice President, Creative Development, 2waytraffic International, SPT

Executives Attending

Maarten Meijs, Managing Director Annelies Noest, Sales Director Gepke Nederlof, Licensing Manager

The Voice Of…

(Talent Show - 17 x 45’) Four well-known artists choose singing talent in a blind audition.

Once chosen, the singers battle against each other in live shows – guided by there celebrity coach.

Trouble with the Neighbours

(Factual Entertainment – 45’)

Two hosts join forces in an attempt to solve long-term conflicts between fighting neighbours. Each host siding with one of them to talk and negotiate.

Executives Attending

Michelle Wasserman, Head of International Distribution Programming, Formats & Production Services Diana Coifman, Senior Sales Executive Programming & Formats Jesica Stescobich, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Guillermo Henrich, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Guillermo Borensztein, Sales Executive Programming & Formats Meca Salado Pizarro, Head of Marketing

Cain & Abel

(Telenovela - 150 x 60’) Produced: 2010 – On TV LLorente & Villarruel / Telefe This new fiction deals with the biblical myth of the confrontation between brothers, the eternal battle between good and evil. A second reading that blends two brothers’ current confrontation within a powerful family.

The Big C

(Comedy - 13 x 30’) Three-time Academy Award nominee, three-time Emmy winner and three-time Tony Award nominee Laura Linney plays a reserved suburban wife and mother whose recent cancer diagnosis forces her to shake up her life and find hope, humor and the light side of a dark situation, while managing her immature but well-meaning husband, played by Oliver Platt.

Someone’s Watching

Telemundo Internacional Booth: A0.21

Executives Attending

From Paris with Love

Telefilms Booth: 1316

Executives Attending

Tomas Darcyl, Director Ricardo Costianovsky, CEO

From Paris with Love This action film, concerns young CIA agent James Reece (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers who has a cushy day job but dreams of an exciting life in the field. When the agency offers him his first big-time assignment, James must team with crazed lone wolf Charlie Wax to stop a terrorist bombing plot. Although James is initially in way over his head, he soon realizes that he needs to trust Charlie if he wants to live his dream and save his own life, because the bad guys not only want to cause damage to the city, but want James killed.

Marcos Santana, President Xavier Aristimuño, VP International Business Development Asia Esperanza Garay, Senior VP Sales & Acquisitions Latin America Luis Daniel Capriles, VP Sales International Digital Media Karina Etchison, VP Sales in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East Karen Barroeta, VP Marketing & Promotions Melissa Pillow, Director of Sales in Europe Peter Blacker, Senior VP Digital Media

Someone’s Watching

(Alguien Te Mira) (Telenovela - 80 x 60’) A story filled with mystery, drama, and passion about four friends that will witness a crime. The victim is a well-known socialite, and hers is the third murder to shock the city. According to the investigation, a psychopath serial killer is choosing beautiful and independent women as targets. The police are trying to gather evidence that would lead them to the identity of the psychopath.

In the meantime…everyone will be a suspect and an intense love triangle will shake the lives of Piedad, Rodrigo, and Julian – the latter two will confront each other in war for love.

Eye For An Eye

(Ojo Por Ojo) (Telenovela - 120 X 60’).

Inspired by the story of Romeo and Juliet, ‘Eye for an Eye’ tells the saga between two rival families, the Barragáns and the Monsalveses, who condemn each other to an uncontrollable cycle of death, which began for reasons of the heart.

Teresa

Televisa Internacional Booth: 02

Executives Attending

Fernando Pérez Gavilán, Vice President of Televisa Internacional Carlos Castro, General Director of Sales Ricardo Ehrsam, General Director, Europe & Asia Claudia Sahab, Director for Europe Elsa Garcia, Business Manager, Spain & Portugal Patricia Porto, Business Manager, Central & Western Europe Beatriz Rodriguez, Business Manager, Eastern Europe Manola Martin, Business Manager, Eastern Europe & Nordic Region Pedro Font, General Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Silvia Garcia, Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Douglas Welch, Director of Sales Asia, Africa and Middle East Mario Castro, Director of New Business Claudia Silva, Director of Sales for Licensed Products Jose Luis Romero, Director of Formats and New Content Cecilia Rivera, Director of Marketing

Teresa

(Telenovela – 150 x 60’) Available in HD - Format Also Available - Year 2010 Teresa is a young woman dominated by her own greed. She would rather lie and cheat her way out of poverty than find an honest job. Her parents have made great sacrifices to give her a good, decent life, but Teresa wants more, and her beauty is her most powerful weapon to obtain that. She will destroy the heart and happiness of those around her, who love her, without a shred of remorse. But, she fails to realize that, eventually but inevitably, a time of reckoning will arrive, and life will want its due.

TTV MAGAZINE 137

Prófugas del Destino

Lone Star

TV Azteca Booth: LR 2.06

Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution

Executives Attending

Booth: E3.01

Marcel Vinay Hill, Vice President International Sales Marcel Vinay Jr., CEO Comarex Carmen Pizano, Sales, Latin America & Spain Martha Contreras, Sales, Asia Adela Velasco, Sales Europe & Africa Raúl Mendoza, Marketing

Prófugas del Destino

(Romance/Drama - 130 X 60’)

Three women are serving time in prison for crimes they never committed. Suddenly, a riot breaks out and they take the opportunity to escape. On their way to freedom an accident involving three nuns takes place and the women take on the nuns identities and personalities in order to survive. This event soon leads them into countless adventures and romances where they will have to look into their souls and passions to overcome their past and make peace with the injustices of their lives.

Drowning City

(Suspense/Thriller - 20 X 60’) The story of an old conspiracy and the disparity that arises between two different worlds in the darkest depths of Mexico City.

It also follows the trials and tribulations of a tenacious investigator from an elite police agency specializing in solving all forms of serious crime and dealing with emergency situations that put the safety and stability of the world’s largest city at risk.

Executives Attending

Mark Kaner, President, Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution Marion Edwards, President, International Television, Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution Gina Brogi, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Pay Television Gerard Grant, Senior Vice President, Sales Europe Richard Samuels, Senior Vice President, Managing Dir. of Sales Asia

Lone Star ‘Lone Star’ is a provocative drama about a charismatic and brilliant schemer who has meticulously constructed two lives in two different parts of Texas. He’s juggling two identities and two women in two very different worlds – all under one mountain of lies.

Ride-Along ‘Ride-Along’, a new drama from Shawn Ryan (‘The Shield’, ‘The Unit’) presents the city of Chicago as a paradox that serves as the setting. During a ride-along, a civilian spends a shift in the passenger seat of a squad car, observing the workday of a police officer. But in this series, the audience is the passenger, taking an unpredictable ride through the streets of Chicago and navigating crime and corruption with the most respected - and notorious cops in the city.

Eva Luna

VENEVISION INTERNATIONAL Booth: 14.02

Executives Attending

Miguel Dvorak, President & COO of the Cisneros Group of Companies Manuel Perez, Vice President & CFO of Venevision International Cesar Diaz, Vice President of Sales Miguel Somoza, Regional Sales Director Daniel Rodriguez, Sales Director for Latin America Cristobal Ponte, Exclusive Independent Representative for Europe, Africa & M.E.

Eva Luna

(Eva Luna) (Telenovela – 120 x 45´) When Eva’s father is killed by a hit-and-run driver, she vows to find the culprit. Her life becomes a nightmare when she starts suspecting the man she loves. But there are sinister forces leading her to believe this lie… and she finds herself involved with the real killer, who’ll do anything to have her for himself.

The Perfect Woman

(La Mujer Perfecta) (Telenovela - 120 x 45´) This original telenovela tells the story of six totally different women with one thing in common: they all want to be “perfect,” and they’ll do anything to achieve that goal - from extreme dieting to Botox to plastic surgery. A thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking look at today’s obsession with beauty and the quest for eternal youth.

Being Human Raw Listen To Your Heart

vision films Booth: R29.33

Executives Attending

Lise Romanoff, Managing Director/CEO, Worldwide Distribution Adam Wright, Executive Vice President, International Sales & Acquisitions Liz Levenson, Director of Marketing

World Wrestling Entertainment International Booth: R31.37

Executives Attending

Zodiak Rights Booth: LR4.02

Executives Attending

Matthew Frank, CEO, Zodiak Rights Jane Millichip, Managing Director Anne-Marie Pardoe, Head of Sales Myriam Lopez, Vice President of Sales

A compelling film starring Cybill Shepherd, the overprotective mother of an eternally optimistic deaf girl who falls in love with a singer/songwriter but cannot hear the music she inspires him to write.

Andrew Whitaker, EVP, WWE International Dominic Hayes, SVP & Managing Director, Int’l TV & Digital Ed Wells, General Manager & Vice President, North Asia Joel Satin, VP, Home Entertainment & Retail Marketing Gillian Hughes, Director, International Digital Sophie Stone, Director, International Television, Asia Pacific Thomas Sitrin, Director, Int’l TV & Affiliate Relations Ania Carvouni, Manager, International Television, EMEA Heather Lubin, International Affiliate Marketing Manager Kathryn Martino, Affiliate Relations Coordinator

Cupid’s Arrow

Raw

(Factual Entertainment - 60’ format)

This live event show is the most exciting and unpredictable actionpacked program on television with ‘Raw’ featuring an incredible roster of “larger-than-life” Superstars.

Challenges such as crossing the Andes are tough enough for the able-bodied, but these inspiring individuals are not about to let disabilities hold them back. How do you cut through dense undergrowth in a wheelchair? How do you navigate a rainforest if you’re blind? These are just some of the problems faced by 11 intrepid adventurers in the trek of a lifetime.

Listen To Your Heart

In this romantic comedy C. Thomas Howell is a college professor who discovers a drug that can make the person you love, fall madly in love with you, with unwelcome side effects.

138 TTV MAGAZINE

(Sports/Entertainment)

Being Human

(Drama - 13 x 60’)

Three 20-something roommates, a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf, struggle to keep their dark secrets from the world, while helping each other navigate the complexities of living double lives.

Beyond Boundaries