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TVASIA
WWW.TVASIA.WS
DECEMBER 2020
ATF ONLINE+ EDITION
Distribution Trends / WarnerMedia’s Jessica Kam Applause Entertainment’s Sameer Nair
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10 TV ASIA
CONTENTS
A New Battleground
FEATURE
ASIA FOR THE WIN An intensifying streaming landscape has translated into Asia remaining a robust acquisition market, despite the turbulence of 2020.
India and China tend to garner the most ink when it comes to the streaming wars in Asia, but all eyes will be on Southeast Asia in the coming months following the arrival of Disney+.
Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Chelsea Regan Associate Editor David Diehl Production & Design Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Genovick Acevedo Sales & Marketing Coordinator Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager
Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Asia ©2020 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvasia.ws
In September, the streamer, hot off huge gains in the U.S. and Europe, went live in Indonesia as Disney+ Hotstar, teaming with telco giant Telkomsel and delivering a mix of global originals, Indonesian films and content from India. (Meanwhile, Hotstar rolled out in Singapore on November 1, available as a standalone and via cable operator StarHub.) Recent research from Media Partners Asia (MPA) saw online content consumption surging in the region: total video streaming minutes on mobile reached 657 billion in the first half of 2020 in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Excluding YouTube, total streaming minutes in the second quarter grew by 57 percent to reach 107 billion. Of that, Netflix had a 39 percent share thanks to its gains in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Viu had a 17 percent share. Other key players in the region include Vidio in Indonesia, iQIYI, Thailand’s WeTV and Line TV and Tencent-owned iflix. The region added 3 million SVOD subs in the period to reach about 10 million in Q2. “The growth of premium video services has been significant, with a greater scale of consumers paying for online video in large emerging markets such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand,” said Vivek Couto, MPA’s executive director. “Global, local and regional platforms are rolling out more affordable OTT plans, catering to a large mobile broadband universe, while also investing in premium entertainment. It’s only the beginning with plenty of more work, investment and execution to be done to create sustained, recurring demand for paid, legal SVOD services.” The increasingly competitive SVOD landscape will be on the agenda at ATF Online+ as it creates a wave of opportunities for local, regional and global content owners alike. Our report in this edition about distribution trends points to digital as being an increasingly important driver of deals in AsiaPac. We also hear from WarnerMedia’s Jessica Kam about her approach to curating a slate of original series for HBO Asia and its increasingly popular OTT service, HBO GO. And Sameer Nair of Applause Entertainment talks about catering to India’s streaming platforms. —Mansha Daswani
GET DAILY NEWS ON THE ASIAN REGION
INTERVIEWS Applause Entertainment’s Sameer Nair
WarnerMedia’s Jessica Kam
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12 TV ASIA
Dr. Panda
9 Story Media Group Donkey Hodie / Bad Nature / Dr. Panda Donkey Hodie, a preschool puppet series from Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures, is among 9 Story Media Group’s highlights for ATF Online+. With a social-emotional curriculum, it follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie and her pals as they empower young viewers. “The series is inspired by the quirky sense of humor of children’s TV pioneer Fred Rogers and his mission to help young viewers navigate the everyday challenges of childhood,” says Federico Vargas, VP of distribution at 9 Story Media Group. A hybrid series with live-action animals that have CGI-animated mouths, Bad Nature sees kids join talking animals as they dive into the disgusting but amazing things that animals do. Meanwhile, the animated title Dr. Panda is returning with new episodes set in the world of Panda City for its second season.
all3media international
“Though the medium is different, my plans at the market remain the same: to sell our amazing content to broadcasters all over the region.” —Federico Vargas
All Creatures Great and Small
All Creatures Great and Small / Knock Knock / A World of Calm Set in the Yorkshire Dales and following the adventures of a young small-town vet, All Creatures Great and Small leads all3media international’s slate for ATF. “As the world struggles to adapt to the ‘new normal’ of COVID-19, this heartwarming seven-part series is the perfect escapist viewing,” says Kit Yow, sales manager for the Asia-Pacific region at the company. The family game show Knock Knock, based on the classic “Memory Pairs” game, sees teams compete to win a jackpot in a test of general knowledge and memory. In A World of Calm, stars such as Nicole Kidman, Keanu Reeves and Kate Winslet narrate beautiful footage. “In such a stressful year, this half-hour show is a perfect way to relax the body and soothe the mind,” says Yow.
CAKE
“all3media international’s diverse and eclectic catalog allows us to provide titles that fit and fulfill our buyers’ needs.” —Kit Yow
Mush-Mush & the Mushables
Tish Tash / Jorel’s Brother / Mush-Mush & the Mushables The preschool show Tish Tash, on offer from CAKE, follows the adventures of a young bear called Tish, her bear family and her larger-than-life imaginary friend Tash. The series is a collaboration between South Korean animation shop Studio Gale, Singapore-based August Media Holdings, Philippines media group Synergy88 Entertainment Media and BAFTA- and Emmy Award-winning U.K.-based Karrot Entertainment. “This has given Tish Tash a truly global approach,” says Julien Farçat, sales manager at CAKE. Jorel’s Brother centers on the everyday adventures of an awkward and nameless 9-year-old boy, who is overshadowed by his more infamous sibling. Mush-Mush & the Mushables charts the outdoor adventures of the Mushable community, pocket-sized guardians of the forest, as they embark on a journey of self-discovery.
“Our plan for Asia at this virtual ATF will be to reconnect with our partners after a challenging year.” —Julien Farçat
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Calinos Entertainment Better Together / Our Story / Woman Centering on a young widow named Bahar, Calinos Entertainment’s Woman shows a mother who has to endure life’s hardships with only her two children by her side. “There are so many single mothers and widows all around the world; Bahar is a very good example of a strong woman who is standing on her own feet and taking care of her children,” says Asli Serim Guliyev, head of international sales at Calinos. “Even though many problems surround her, she always chooses to be happy and shows the good out of even bad things and explains the meaning and importance of love and family.” Better Together follows four people who turn 35 on the same day, the most important day of their lives. Our Story, a drama starring Hazal Kaya, is another highlight in Calinos’ catalog.
Our Story
“Our connection will continue online to meet our clients’ program needs and find the most suitable content from our catalog.” —Asli Serim Guliyev
Ana’s Revenge
Caracol Televisión Ana’s Revenge / Living to Love / The Road to Love With a strong message of female empowerment, the series Ana’s Revenge on Caracol Televisión’s slate boasts thrilling plot twists for viewers to enjoy. The series follows Analía, who becomes a political candidate’s advisor and right hand, putting him at the top of the polls only to later tear him down and bring his corrupt past to light. “It has been trending for several months in the Latin American market, and we are looking forward to its premiere in the Asian market during ATF,” says Estefania Arteaga, international sales director at Caracol. Among the company’s romance and family-style drama titles are Living to Love and The Road to Love, featuring lighthearted stories with strong and independent characters. “Both have a fresh and innovative take on family life and matters of the heart,” says Arteaga.
“In 2020, Caracol Televisión has focused on creating innovative ideas and storylines suitable for format and remake opportunities.” tktktktk —Estefania Arteaga
Cyber Group Studios Droners / Gigantosaurus / Taffy Targeting the 6-to-10 set, Cyber Group Studios’ highlight Droners tells the story of Team Tikis, which is determined to win the drone race competition the Whale Cup. Co-produced with La Chouette Compagnie and Supamonks Studio, the series received the Audience Choice Award at the Festival Ecran Jeunesse. “In this action-adventure comedy series, the girl lead is modern and unusual,” says Raphaelle Mathieu, senior VP of sales, acquisitions and new media at Cyber Group Studios. “The stakes underlying the fun and excitement are connected to ecology issues that we need our kids to be familiar with.” Gigantosaurus features four adventurous young dinosaurs growing up in the Cretaceous period. In the slapstick series Taffy, hijinks ensue when a raccoon pretending to be a cat moves in with a loyal hound dog and its owner.
Droners
“Asia is one of our focuses this year; I have hired Jessica Laloum to work directly with our buyers in these territories.” —Raphaelle Mathieu
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Dori Media Group Dumb (Rampensau) / In Treatment (Brazil) / Power Couple Dori Media Group is spotlighting two dramas and the reality format Power Couple, which sees couples face challenges to uncover how well they really know each other. In the crime drama Dumb (Rampensau), an actress goes undercover as a high school student in an effort to save her boyfriend after he’s arrested on drug charges. The Brazilian adaptation of In Treatment follows five ongoing psychotherapy treatments from within a therapist’s clinic. “With more streaming services emerging in the market from new players, as well as traditional broadcasters getting into the OTT game, buyers in Asia are constantly looking for content that could differentiate their offering,” says Haikal Jamari, sales manager for Asia and the Middle East at Dori Media.
France 24
In Treatment (Brazil)
“Dori Media remains committed to the Asian market with our diverse catalog of awardwinning, popular and buzzworthy content.” —Haikal Jamari
France 24 journalist in studio
News Available in English and French in Asia, France 24 reaches 86.7 million TV households as a 24-hour channel and 12.5 million with part-time distribution, mostly in Southeast and South Asia. “This strong distribution is mirrored by strong audiences,” says Eric Cremer, VP of distribution at France Médias Monde. “Some 20 percent of our overall weekly audiences around the world are from Asia, even though only a few countries are actually measured.” The channel’s main markets in Asia are India and Thailand, with 46.1 million and 22.2 million TV households, respectively. Vietnam follows, “with TV operators showing an appetite not only for France 24 English but also for our French channel,” says Cremer. Strengthening its presence in Thailand, India and the Philippines is a priority looking ahead.
GMA Network
“The Asia-Pacific region is one of the most dynamic TV markets in the world, and for France 24, it accounts for almost a quarter of its worldwide distribution.” —Eric Cremer
Prima Donnas
Descendants of the Sun / Prima Donnas / I Can See You The love story between the captain of the special forces of the Philippine military and a surgeon plays out in the GMA Network highlight Descendants of the Sun. It is the first GMA production to be picked up by Netflix in the Philippines. Prima Donnas centers on triplets, separated from their father, as they find their way back home to get their share of the family wealth. An anthology series, I Can See You uses a camera as the silent witness to tales of love and mystery. “We believe these dramas will appeal to many viewers looking for themes that revolve around modernday issues that affect society, giving hope and touching the hearts of viewers, especially in the time of the COVID-19 crisis,” says Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP of the worldwide division at GMA Network.
“Through GMA Network’s worldwide division, we aim to establish business relationships and partnerships with content distributors and aggregators in the new normal.” —Roxanne J. Barcelona
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Infocomm Media Development Authority Singapore Media Festival / Singaporean content & collaboration Ochre Pictures’ Last Madame The seventh edition of the Singapore Media Festival takes place from November 26 to December 6, with a mix of physical and digital offerings that uncover the latest trends and innovative media content in Asia. “Through our annual flagship event, we look to facilitate the creation of quality content and commercial opportunities within Southeast Asia’s vibrant media ecosystem,” says Howie Lau, assistant chief executive for media and innovation at Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). There will be more than 500 hours of content across 74 titles at ATF’s Singapore Pavilion. “As we reimagine Asian storytelling and spur on ‘Made-with-Singapore’ content, IMDA continues to open new doors and provide pathways for international partners to tap into our vibrant media ecosystem and expand into the region,” Lau adds.
“Singapore and IMDA are uniquely positioned in Asia to bring the industry together.” —Howie Lau
Inter Medya Ramo / Respect / Mehmed the Conqueror Inspired by a true story, the Inter Medya highlight Ramo shows a man going against his superiors in a tale that encompasses conflicts of family, justice, revenge, friendship and love. The protagonist of Respect, Ercüment Çözer, is a sociopath obsessed with the idea of respect, as are young lovers Helen and Savas, who find themselves mistreated and subsequently responsible for a chain of murders. “The concept of disrespect instantly turns into a social and mediatic struggle between the two generations,” says Can Okan, CEO and founder of Inter Medya. The period drama Mehmed the Conqueror traces Mehmed’s journey to conquer Constantinople, finding success against the odds and laying the foundation for an empire. “We consider ATF a great opportunity to develop professional relationships with new countries and clients throughout Asia,” says Okan.
Kanal D International
“Although still a new region for us, we believe that Asia has great potential when it comes to Turkish content distribution.” —Can Okan Ramo
Hekimoğlu
A Mother’s Guilt / Hekimoğlu / Meryem Starring Özge Özberk, Musa Uzunlar, Emre Kınay, Mert Yazıcıoğlu, Simay Barlas and Pamir Pekin, the Kanal D International highlight A Mother’s Guilt is an adaptation of the Philippines’ Hanggang Saan that follows a mother who commits a crime for the sake of her child. A remake of House, Hekimoğlu, with Timuçin Esen playing the titular diagnostician, is another featured title in Kanal D International’s catalog. “Even the original House fans in Turkey are watching the title,” says Kerim Emrah Turna, executive director at the company. Meryem centers on the love triangle between a woman who undertakes a crime for the man she loves, a prosecutor and a man who seeks revenge. Furkan Andıç, Ayça Ayşin Turan and Cemal Toktaş star.
“In 2021, we will be focusing on creating new business in Asia; we will keep on growing in alternative mediums.” —Kerim Emrah Turna
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Kidoodle.TV Safe Streaming The global Safe Streaming AVOD platform Kidoodle.TV is geared to families and kids aged 12 and under. “We serve low-, middle- and high-income homes and do not have a barrier to entry, be it that you’re watching on the TV in the living room or on a tablet or phone, we are there for free,” says Brenda Bisner, chief content officer at Kidoodle.TV. “Our Safe Streaming standards of adhering to the highest letter of the law give relief to families looking for a better alternative.” Kidoodle.TV, which recently launched its first original, is seeking completed kids’ content to add to its curated offering. At ATF, Kidoodle.TV’s aim is to “meet with as many of our current and prospective brand owners as possible to strike deals for the content that our audience is seeking,” says Bisner.
“We are always open to content that travels well and partners who are considerate of the dedication we have to keep kids Safe Streaming.” —Brenda Bisner
Nippon TV 9 Windows / Mute it! / TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit FantasyThe format 9 Windows is a comedic and fast-paced game show-meets-talent contest celebrating ordinary people with outlandish skills. Set in an interactive studio, each episode features nine contestants all beamed in from their homes through giant studio screens. “Our latest format that we coproduced with The Story Lab, 9 Windows was planned and developed before the COVID-19 outbreak, and we were able to produce and air the show in September 2020 under strict production regulations,” says Sayako Aoki, manager of sales and licensing for the international business development unit at Nippon TV. Also from Nippon TV, the game show Mute it! features one simple rule: don’t make a sound. The anime TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit Fantasy- rounds out the company’s ATF slate.
9 Windows
“Studio-based formats that maintain a fun atmosphere and a creative structure but with cost-effective measures and manageable production styles will continue to be a trend.” —Sayako Aoki
Russia Television and Radio/Sovtelexport Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes / The Blood Widow / On the Edge Sovtelexport is presenting three series from Russia Television and Radio that are rooted in real events. Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes is based on a novel by Guzel Yakhina inspired by her grandmother’s dramatic life. “It is a touching story about a woman who finally finds her own voice and starts building a life for herself,” says Julia Matyash, director of Sovtelexport. The Blood Widow tells the story of a Russian serial killer who tortured and murdered over a hundred innocent serfs. On the Edge is an action series about three young women who fight for their lives and freedom. Sovtelexport is looking to maintain its ties with partners in markets such as China and South Korea while securing new ones in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia.
The Blood Widow
“The Blood Widow is a spine-chilling thriller based on a real-life story of the most notorious female serial killer in Russia.” —Julia Matyash
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SeaBelievers
Studio 100 Media SeaBelievers / FriendZSpace / 100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone Each animated episode of Studio 100 Media’s SeaBelievers leads kids on an eco-adventure. “SeaBelievers is an outstanding TV series, the first ever to represent the whole new genre of ecotainment,” says Dorian Bühr, head of global distribution at Studio 100 Media. The animated FriendZSpace is about three best friends who may seem like regular human kids, but behind their normal façade, they are risk-taking deep-space friend-makers. 100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone follows Freddy Lupin, heir to a proud family line of werewolves who accidentally transforms himself into a pink poodle, as he navigates life at Howlington Academy. “Our mission in the kids’ entertainment world is to bring brands to life that are content-driven and entertain kids and families on every platform and wherever they are,” says Bühr.
“The demand for good entertainment and making people laugh is needed now more than ever.” —Dorian Bühr
T&B Media Global Start It Up / Tasty Tales of the Food Truckers / FriendZSpace Start It Up is the latest rom-com feature film from T&B Media Global and SMG Pictures and WingsMedia. Tasty Tales of the Food Truckers is an animated series about three friends who travel the world in their souped-up, sentient food truck seeking out rare ingredients to turn into exotic dishes. The show is distributed by Boat Rocker Studios. FriendZSpace is an animated comedy series about three human kids dedicated to making friends with alien children all across the universe. It is a co-production between T&B Media Global and Flying Bark Productions and sold by Studio 100 Media. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the best partners,” says Dr. Jwanwat Ahriyavraromp, CEO and founder of T&B Media Global. “None of these projects could have come this far without their professional experience and expertise.”
“Our goal is to vibrate happiness to diverse audiences with quality content.” —Dr. Jwanwat Ahriyavraromp
FriendZSpace
Universal Cinergía Dubbing Localization Services / Dubbing Universal Cinergía Dubbing offers content-localization services in Spanish, Portuguese, English, French and Castilian. “Despite the challenges affecting the global economy, our studios have been able to continue working, and we have been consistently assisting our clients worldwide with new dubbing projects,” says Liliam Hernandez, president and CEO. Remote recording has been fully incorporated across the board in all the studios owned by the company. For in-studio recordings, new guidelines have been implemented and are being strictly followed. With its recent expansion, the company now has 49 recording suites worldwide. It is looking to extend its reach in Asia in the year ahead. “We have the ability to provide dubbing samples free of charge so that companies can evaluate our quality and outstanding customer service,” says Hernandez.
Universal Cinergía facilities
“Our goal is to expand our client base in Asia, as we know how important it is for Asian companies to distribute their content internationally.” —Liliam Hernandez
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The Undoing on HBO GO
WarnerMedia HBO GO HBO GO is WarnerMedia’s regional streaming service in Southeast Asia. It is currently available to audiences in eight territories—Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Indonesia—either via distribution partners or direct to consumers via app stores. “2020 really marked the beginning of HBO GO’s growth story in the region, with the sales and marketing teams extremely busy closing deals and boosting subscriber numbers,” says David Simonsen, WarnerMedia’s senior VP of business development and digital distribution for Southeast Asia. HBO GO is the streaming home of the entire HBO original programming library and HBO Max originals. There are also HBO Asia originals, titles from Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation, firstwindow Hollywood blockbusters and more.
“We are building a truly compelling environment for viewers of all ages.” —David Simonsen
Winsing Animation Team S.T.E.A.M.! / GOGOBUS / GG Bond: Dino Diary Winsing Animation’s Team S.T.E.A.M.! features kids who overcome problems using the STEM curriculum, incorporating science, technology, engineering and math, with athletics and the arts thrown in for good measure. “Team S.T.E.A.M.! is specifically designed to appeal to a worldwide audience,” says Ben Gu, CEO of Winsing. GOGOBUS, a series for preschoolers, centers on a school bus that transforms into different vehicles. GG Bond: Dino Diary follows as GG Bond and his fellows travel back to the Mesozoic Era to collect information about different dinosaurs. New IP is in development, according to Gu. “We are working closely with a global script-writing team and recruiting production talent from around the world, aiming to develop more new shows that will appeal to major broadcasters and audiences worldwide.”
GG Bond: Dino Diary
“We’ve been in deep dialog with major broadcasters in Asia.” —Ben Gu
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Nippon TV’s 9 Windows.
Asia for the Win
An intensifying streaming landscape has translated into Asia remaining a robust acquisition market, despite the turbulence of 2020. By Mansha Daswani
A
s one market after the next moved online this year, there remained hope that Asia TV Forum (ATF), the last industry sales event of 2020, taking place in a region that has fared better against the coronavirus than most other places, might still be able to proceed in person in Singapore. But travel restrictions and ongoing uncertainty over COVID-19 sadly made a physical gathering this year impossible. “The ATF team has had many candid conversations with our partners over the past few months about proceeding with the market and conference in December 2020,” the organizers said. “To date, there is still much uncertainty on travel restrictions globally, thus impacting our partners who come from all over the world to attend ATF. After much
consideration, and in the best interests of the industry, we have decided to take ATF online in order to facilitate business and networking.”
VIRTUAL MEETUPS ATF Online+ is set to be held from December 1 to 4, allowing content sellers from around the world to showcase their titles to buyers from across the region. The event is a vital part of the Singapore Media Festival, hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which is putting the spotlight on Asian storytelling for its seventh edition. “This year has been undeniably challenging, but the resilience and creativity of our media community as it navigates uncharted waters, adapts, collaborates and continues telling our stories has been inspiring,” said Howie Lau,
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ABS-CBN is finding new markets for its Filipino drama slate, which includes La Vida Lena.
assistant chief executive for media and innovation at IMDA. “This has brought on a fresh wave of new experiences and uncovered growth opportunities for the region. As the market reopens and global players look to tap into the diverse stories in this region, we stand ready to celebrate novel ideas, talents and innovation, and to reimagine Asian storytelling for the global stage.”
ASIA IN FOCUS
But it has been a challenging year, concedes Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP of the worldwide division at GMA Network, with virtual markets proving to be less effective substitutes for physical gatherings when it comes to meeting clients. Meanwhile, “Almost all clients were hit badly by the pandemic, so business has slowed for clients acquiring TV rights,” she says. “This, plus the fact that our production of content was at a standstill for at least six months since March, resulting in less new content to offer clients. However, we have started production again, and we will have fresh content to offer in Q1 and Q2, 2021.” As for the needs of clients, Nippon TV’s Aoki references “content for family viewing, lighthearted entertainment, nothing too dark or serious, and a proven success with a good track record in other territories. Of course, these are not new trends that suddenly popped up due to COVID-19, but rather are criteria that Asian buyers have always valued, and we also feel that the tendency or the preference toward ‘safe’ content is getting stronger.” Barcelona says that transactions with streamers are on the rise, a view backed by Nippon TV’s Aoki. “Looking at the revenues raised from digital exploitation of our programs outside Japan, Nippon TV saw an increase of about 160 percent during the second quarter of 2020, compared to the same time last year. What is interesting to see is that the digital space is now working as an initial window to evaluate the performance of content. For example, our scripted drama formats such as Abandoned or Mother were first adapted for streaming on online platforms, but the series went on to also be acquired by traditional free-to-air channels, thanks to the positive feedback from viewers on digital platforms. In Southeast Asia, the mergers and expansions of various digital players have been accelerating, and the competition among the platforms is getting fierce. Local players are gaining power, international giants are trying to penetrate the market, and big players from China and Hong Kong are climbing up the ranking in each country. We are expecting that this competition will bring us better deals and more opportunities in offering Nippon TV content to viewers across Asia.”
There will indeed be a host of Asian distributors participating at ATF Online+, with digital and linear players alike demonstrating a sustained need for content originated from the region. “Although many projects were put on hold, especially during the first half of 2020 due to COVID-19, and the licensing of our formats aiming for original production in local Asian countries slowed down, our finished tape sales remained quite strong, especially in the Chinese market, with anime and drama series leading the sales,” reports Sayako Aoki, manager for sales and licensing in the international business development unit at Nippon TV. Wincess Gonzalez, the sales head for Asia and Latin America at ABS-CBN Corporation, reports Japan and China have opened up to the company’s content in the last year, with new opportunities in Vietnam and Cambodia as well. “Even in China, where we did not expect to get censorship approval for one of our films within one year, the process was surprisingly quicker, and we hope to follow it up with more content soon, including our new slate of shorter dramas.” GMA will be offering series such as I Can See You at ATF Online+.
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Cyber Group is continuing to build its AsiaPac presence with key properties like Taffy.
Asian animation is also on the upswing, with demand for both properties developed or co-produced in the region. China’s Winsing Animation has seen substantial gains for its GG Bond property, with offline activities and consumer projects in Thailand, while GOGOBUS is faring well in South Korea and Indonesia, according to Amanda Hwang, overseas media specialist at the company, speaking on behalf of its sales team. “While the series is broadcasting on the TV stations, the toys of GOGOBUS catch people’s eyes and jumped to ‘best sales’ SKUs at Toys “R” Us in South Korea during this hard time.” The ratings for Winsing’s shows have increased, Hwang adds, and the company stepped in to serve the needs of buyers with public-health content promoting the importance of good hygiene amid the pandemic.
Studio 100 expects SeaBelievers, an eco-focused edutainment series, to resonate with buyers.
CAKE arrives at ATF Online+ with a slate that includes Tish Tash, a collaboration between South Korean animation studio Studio Gale, Singapore-based August Media Holdings, Philippines’ media group Synergy88 Entertainment Media and U.K.-based Karrot Entertainment. “This has given Tish Tash a truly global approach,” says Julien Farçat, a sales manager at CAKE. Of the company’s Asian ambitions, Farçat reports: “More and more platforms are launching, and we continue to grow our presence on SVOD and AVOD platforms in the region.”
PLAYTIME Digital is indeed contributing to a robust kids’ content landscape, which has been less affected by COVID-19 delays as animation production has been able to continue remotely. “Our Bali studio has been working safely from home and we are lucky that our animation work can still be completed,” says Federico Vargas, VP of distribution at 9 Story Media Group. “We are actively developing new content even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as we were able to secure our entire staff with the technology they needed to support our pipelines within three weeks of our office closures in March.” Vargas says there has been a “significant spike in demand for animation” from Asia over the last 12 months, “especially during lockdown, with consumption habits dramatically increasing. We’ve been busy over the past several months, responding to the demand across the Asia Pacific with new and existing partners.” At Cyber Group Studios, Raphaelle Mathieu, senior VP of sales, acquisitions and new media, says that China has been a particularly fruitful market for the company over the last year. “During the past 12 months, we have strongly developed our relationships with China thanks to the strategic agreement we have put together with PMG, a key player in this territory,” Mathieu says. “We are extremely proud to say that Gigantosaurus, our big hit, has aired not once, not twice, but three times on CCTV this year, which is very rare for nonChinese content. In addition, the series was part of the New Year parade/event on CCTV. It was the only non-Chinese show present on this occasion.”
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A special episode of 9 Story’s Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood helps young ones cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Studio 100 Media has had a good year in Asia, according to Dorian Bühr, head of global distribution, especially in China, Korea, India, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand. “We have noticed an increase in demand coming especially from India. However, it’s our policy to target all territories across the region. We put a lot of effort into dealing with broadcasters from smaller Asian countries as well, and we have noticed an increasing demand from Southeast Asia, with Malaysia now coming into more focus.” With kids spending more time at home amid COVID-19, “Parents are turning to readymade content in the form of educational shows, YouTube tutorials and online workbooks and activities,” says Vargas at 9 Story. “Consequently, the demand for content has never been greater.”
DIGITAL SHIFT This has been especially true among digital services. “We’re pleased with the sustained demand for our content from the AVOD and SVOD platforms, with various volume and strategy discussions since the lockdown started,” Vargas notes. “The nonlinear business is growing dramatically at the territory level, with new platforms increasing at quite an impressive pace,” adds Bühr. “Nevertheless, television remains our focus for the first window. It continues to be the most important medium for creating a high level of awareness of a property and thus remains crucial, especially for our merchandising and licensing partners. Additionally, we are exploring different ways of placing our content on nonlinear platforms, always considering the specific needs of the market. Of course, we are more cautious when selling a new show, especially regarding ‘free’ VOD content.
However, depending on the region, AVOD can also coexist with television at the beginning of its life cycle without jeopardizing each other.” The expanding nonlinear environment has boosted the prospects for drama distributors, who are finding new opportunities on channels and streaming platforms alike.
A WORLD OF DRAMA “We were fortunate to have finished principal photography for most dramas, including Roadkill, All Creatures Great and Small and It’s A Sin, so we have been able to move forward on deals with these titles,” notes Sabrina Duguet, executive VP for the Asia Pacific at all3media international. “Thanks to the rise of digital viewers, platforms have had to acquire more, and rapidly diversify their content offerings. Due also to U.S. dramas being delayed, we have been able to fill some of these demands with the dramas that we had already delivered.” Asli Serim Guliyev, head of international sales at Calinos Entertainment, references sales to Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam and Pakistan amid the pandemic. “The habits and needs of the audience are shifting from traditional TV to more online. So, this makes buyers look for more younger-targeted series with shorter episodes. Also, due to bad clouds around, audiences would like to watch happier and lighter series and movies to get away from the current situation.” Russia Television and Radio’s sales arm, Sovtelexport, has also had a good year in Asia. “Surprisingly, even in lockdown, we have managed to sign agreements with a few Chinese airlines!” says Julia Matyash, director of Sovtelexport. “It should be noted that the international industry is getting more and more into Russian content—the number of Asian channels and platforms interested in acquiring Russian
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viewing—and, Matyash notes, the growing need for younger-skewing content—continues apace. “Since the pandemic is not slowing down and it seems like it will continue at least for one more year, content that is more suitable for digital rights would be the trend,” agrees Calinos’ Guliyev.
FUTURE FORECAST
Sovtelexport has licensed the Russian title Anna Karenina into South Korea, among other markets.
titles is increasing, among which are companies from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia. These are new and complicated territories for us. We are just starting to establish relationships here. The mentioned-above territories demonstrated interest in our traditional classics—TV series Anna Karenina, And Quiet Flows the Don—and feature films.” Of note, in Korea, Sovtelexport sold Ekaterina to Sangsaeng Broadcasting Corp. and Demon of the Revolution to CJ ENM. In addition, the TV channel WeLike will air Anna Karenina and the drama series Fyodor Dostoevsky. On the non-scripted front, Discovery Channel in Japan opted for Firing Range. Matyash is eyeing new opportunities with streaming platforms in China after developing relationships with iQIYI and Bilibili, among others. The lingering impact of COVID-19 remains unclear as the world waits for a vaccine. But the shift to more digital
Streamers will continue to provide a range of opportunities for content owners, GMA’s Barcelona says. “OTT players are interested in local content from each region in order to attract local viewers. This made up for the slowdown in the syndication of free-TV rights due to the pandemic.” Plus, Barcelona adds, “Since OTT is a new avenue and not subject to censorship, content producers can experiment with storylines, plots and length. This will result in more diverse stories and content not traditionally produced for free to air.” Across digital and free to air, there will remain a need for COVID-19-proof shows, Nippon TV’s Aoki observes. “Our latest format that we co-produced with The Story Lab called 9 Windows was planned and developed before the COVID-19 outbreak, and we were able to produce and air the show in September 2020 under strict production regulations. Just like this format, in the non-scripted world, it is likely that studiobased formats that maintain a fun atmosphere and a creative structure but with cost-effective measures and manageable production styles will continue to be a trend.” Duguet at all3media sees growing interest in scripted formats. “Clients want safe, reliable content with track records, which will also help getting sponsors. Formats also allow a fast track to production. We have had great success with Miss S, the new Chinese scripted format adaptation of the globally popular Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, seen on Tencent and HBO Asia. Marzi, the Hindi adaptation of award-winning producer Two Brother Pictures’ thriller Liar, was also a success, and we are continuing to work with local producers to explore local production with international topics and exploit local content.” ABS-CBN’s Gonzalez, who reports that schedule gaps led to clients acquiring more or relicensing titles, feels that there will be increased demand for foreign-language finished content, “especially those that have ticked the boxes for buyers in terms of ratings and budget.” Vargas at 9 Story predicts the need for a “steady stream of new, diverse and informative kids’ content in Asia and worldwide as kids start to carve out their lives in this ‘new normal.’ There will be an increased focus on creating content to help kids and families navigate through these times, like our new special from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood entitled ‘Won’t You Sing Along With Me?’ The timely, music-filled 22-minute special helps address some of the challenges and disappointments ‘little tigers’ and their families may be experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think we can expect to see a lot more of this in the next 12 months.” And Cyber Group’s Mathieu is finding that “more than ever, in Asia comedy is definitely a universal flavor.” Southeast Asia and its fast-moving digital landscape will also continue to provide new opportunities, Vargas adds. “Mobile video streaming has seen significant jumps in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand in the past year, surely continuing to fuel the need for more content.”
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TV ASIA: When you launched Applause Entertainment, what gaps were you looking to fill in the market? NAIR: My sense for the streaming space has always been optimistic, despite the success of linear television in India. With Jio coming into play, we have the cheapest data in the world. Also, the fact that we have 500 million smartphones only adds fuel to the streaming business. I’ve always been super bullish about streaming video. The other thing is, in India, TV content has remained frozen in time. We are still doing the daily soap operas on television. We never had an HBO/Showtime moment; we never did The Sopranos. We do great reality, but fiction has been confined to daily soap operas. That Netflix and Amazon would soon come to India was a no-brainer, even as the others continue to grow—Hotstar, SonyLIV, MX Player, Eros Now, Zee 5, ALTBalaji, Voot. They need premium drama series, what we also call cinematic television. That’s what we set out to do with Applause Entertainment as a content studio. A venture of the Aditya Birla Group, we have set up a unique hub-and-spoke model. We are a core team of about 40 people—a creative team, a marketing team and a revenue team. We work with a variety of talented creators, directors, writers and production houses. We invest time and money in writing and development, we oversee the creative process and we finance the entire production. We make finished tape and then we show it to platforms. That was a punt—we’re going to have it ready and then show it to people. We said we’d do three things initially to achieve speed-tomarket. The first would be international adaptations—or as we call it, smart originals. We did Criminal Justice, The Office, Hostages and Your Honor, among others. Then we said we’ll take books as source material. One of our productions, Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, is based on a book by Sucheta Dalal and Debashish Basu. We have also produced Avrodh: The Siege Within, based on India’s Most Fearless by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh. Finally, there is original writing. This was a
Sameer Nair Applause Entertainment By Mansha Daswani
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etween buzz-generating versions of international hits (among them Hostages and The Office), best-selling book adaptations and original ideas, Applause Entertainment has established itself as a leading provider of content for India’s voracious OTT landscape. CEO Sameer Nair, who founded the company three years ago in partnership with Aditya Birla Group, tells TV Asia about the exciting opportunities emerging in Indian storytelling as global and local streamers alike battle for subs, and how he and his team are now looking to expand their unique model to the international marketplace.
three-pronged attack to create a myriad of content. In the last three years, we’ve produced 18 series that have streamed on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, MX Player and soon on Eros Now. We work with a variety of excellent creative partners. Sudhir Mishra did Hostages for us, as showrunner and director, and Banijay Asia produced it. We then showed it to Hotstar and they picked it up. The market is colossal and the demand for content is massive. You have 500 million Indians who have walked into this candy store only wanting more. It takes
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18 months to get one season ready from idea to screen, while the audience finishes a show in a weekend and starts asking for the second season right after! TV ASIA: I’ve heard that the speed with which OTT is growing in India is outpacing the capacity of the content production community. Do you think that is the case? NAIR: I agree with this completely. In the ’90s, when satellite television started in India, content and distribution grew together. Initially, there was Doordarshan and then satellite television came into being, which then prodded us to make content. When we did KBC (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) in 2000, there were 25 million cable and satellite homes; by 2010, there were 90 million, and now in 2020, there are 197 million. As distribution laid the cables, content grew. In the case of streaming, because of the telecom revolution, you already have a billion phones. Those phones one day converted into 4G and 500 million people got access to 4G, but the content has not been geared up for that. The content is still TV. Even if someone says, I have a lot of cash, I’m going to throw money at this problem, you still have to make the content. There’s no HBO/NBC/ABC library to buy from. The broadcasters themselves have set up their own platforms, and all the big libraries are mainly daily soap operas. TV ASIA: And the difference between those and the premium storytelling you are doing is staggering. NAIR: There is an opportunity to tell so many different stories. There are brave new voices and ideas, allowing you to explore different genres and milieus. We’re doing a version of the French workplace comedy Call My Agent!, set in a talent agency in Bollywood, with cameos by real actors. It’s such a delightful experience. How could you do that on a daily soap on TV? There’s no chance. We’re trying to tell really strong and intensely local stories that will have global relevance. We’re not trying to tell the great crossover story. You have to tell a story to your core market. If your core market loves it, the rest of the world might like it too. Stories with authenticity at their core often resonate with audiences globally. TV ASIA: Tell me about your international plans. NAIR: We’re doing a series with Gurinder Chadha and Sunder Aaron called Seeker, which is being written out of Mumbai, London, New York and L.A. We also have adaptations of the popular global series Fauda and Luther in the planning stages. We’re trying to do some co-productions with U.S. studios for a couple of films. We have made many originals that I believe are unique and can be remade anywhere in the world. We did a show called Hasmukh about an aspiring small-town comedian who discovers he only performs well after killing someone; he has to literally kill offstage to kill on it! Stand-up comedy is today a universal phenomenon and this “small-town-big-dreams” dark drama in a comedic universe can resonate with audiences everywhere. There are many other original series that we have created that can be adapted in other markets and milieus. We’ve been speaking to producers in Canada, the U.S., Israel, South Africa, Indonesia. We’re happy to partner, co-produce and work together. I believe these Indian stories have global resonance. Not all of them, but some do.
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TV ASIA: You’ve made so many scripted-format adaptations. What’s the key to getting those right? NAIR: When we’re picking these formats, we firstly think about if we can imagine this in India. If you take all the international shows that get made, 90 percent don’t make the cut. They’re either too specific, too unique or too different. On the other hand, let’s look at The Office—I think it should be remade in every country. It is that show: a sleepy little town, a sleepy little office, a boss from hell who is self-absorbed and a bunch of people goofing off who think they are doing great. It has those universal insights. On the other hand, Hostages at its core is a thriller that can find expression everywhere. We’re also producing Fauda; the conflict over Kashmir lends itself to that Israeli-Palestinian storyline. It’s a matter of land and people separated by religion and, therefore, politics. We did Your Honor and set it in Punjab. It’s not urban. And everything doesn’t have to be in Hindi. Scam 1992, our most recent show, has so much Gujarati in it. The new streaming audience is up for a lot of color and variety. TV ASIA: What are some of your plans for 2021 and beyond? NAIR: We want to build on our hub-and-spoke model and expand it. We’re growing into movies, documentaries, animation and gaming—and we want to use the same strategy. Our business is finding like-minded talent, enabling them and investing in them to create premium content. That could be fiction series, a reality show, a movie, a documentary, an animated series—any story really, and technically, anywhere in the world.
Applause produced Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story for SonyLIV.
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Jessica Kam WarnerMedia n 2013, HBO Asia made its first steps into the original-programming game, commissioning the English-language period piece Serangoon Road. Since then, the premium platform has ramped up its efforts, setting locallanguage original series in markets across the region. Jessica Kam, as head of original production, entertainment, for WarnerMedia in Southeast Asia, is leading this initiative. She tells TV Asia about the current slate and her approach to partnering with top-notch creatives. By Mansha Daswani
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TV ASIA: Tell us about the slate of originals you’re working on. KAM: We have a romantic comedy called Adventure of the Ring, which is shot in Taiwan. The dark fantasy Halfworlds is in season three. We had season one in Indonesia and season two in Thailand. For the third season, we brought it to the Philippines. We have a couple of documentaries, one from China, one from Thailand, in postproduction. Those will air next year. More were greenlit, including a YA series in Thailand and another horror anthology from different countries. TV ASIA: What have been some of the critical lessons learned as the slate has grown since the days of Serangoon Road and then since you joined the company? KAM: I’ve been with HBO for about three and a half years. The original productions have gone through different phases of progression and learning. We are by and large an Englishlanguage channel—people expect it to be a Hollywood movie channel. So when we started [doing originals], the shows were by and large in English, like Serangoon Road and Grace, and we were taking it slow because we were testing the market. We started doing our first local-language show, The Teenage Psychic, right around the time I joined. We didn’t know how a foreign-language show on an English channel would fare. It turned out to be a phenomenal success, and not just in Taiwan, where it came from, but everywhere else. In Taiwan, we won a Golden Bell Award. For a little show like that, it was quite phenomenal. That gave us some confidence that local language is not a problem. Our audience doesn’t mind. As long as your genre is clear, your story is well told, the actors act well, you do all the right things for the show, then the language doesn’t seem to be a huge barrier. From then on, we started doing many more local productions—more than 90 percent are local. I think I’ve produced shows in more than ten different languages or dialects. We’ve tried different genres too. We went from horror and drama to having pretty much everything—horror, action, period, romantic comedy,
sci-fi, documentaries. We are trying different genres and seeing what works. So far, most are doing quite well. TV ASIA: There are so many storytelling opportunities available across multiple markets in the region. How are you determining where you want to align with producers? KAM: There is some low-hanging fruit. We start with places we are in first, the priority markets for HBO’s footprint: Taiwan, Thailand, the Southeast Asian countries where we are based. Quite a lot of our productions started in Southeast Asia, like Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia. We had something in China. And then we started branching out into places we’re not in, like Japan, Korea, Vietnam, India. They may not be in the HBO footprint, but they are good to source content from. Who doesn’t like Korean dramas? Japanese production has always been well recognized as high quality. We have a series called Miss Sherlock that we did with Hulu Japan. So even when we’re not in a market, we will partner with local players. It makes sense for us, as we can leverage the local expertise. The Talwar documentary [Behind Closed Doors] was done with Hotstar in India. So we have a bunch of productions done in places where we don’t have a strong footprint, but we have good partners. We don’t just go anywhere. We try to pick those places where products tend to travel, or they have good production values for the region. One of the key lessons learned is that Asia is full of talent, but it is not always in one place. As we do more and more local productions—we have done shows in more than ten countries now—we can identify more and more talented crews or creative teams in different places. We are doing more crosspollination to bring talent across borders to work together or fix problems in another place, so our production quality can improve. We have used consultants from Hollywood and New Zealand to help with local script development. On a show in Taiwan, we brought over an editor from Singapore to help finesse it. We used a Thai stunt team for the Indonesian show
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the audience is not that big. But now our originals are on HBO Max.
HBO Asia’s growing slate of local-language originals includes Adventure of the Ring, which was made in Taiwan.
Grisse. We found a director from Taiwan for the Malaysian film The Garden of Evening Mists. Often, we will shoot a show in one country and then finish the postproduction in another. Being a regional broadcaster, we have the advantage of leveraging resources or talent pools in different markets. That allows us to achieve a higher production quality. TV ASIA: Are the creatives you are partnering with mostly from the film space or the free-TV arena? How are you assisting creatives in making the transition to premium storytelling? KAM: We use a lot of film directors on our shows. Their standards for quality are different. They tend to produce things with a lot more craftsmanship. That [better] fits our palette. And anthologies like Food Lore or Folklore are technically a bunch of films. We managed to get six excellent directors for Folklore and eight different directors for Food Lore. When they have worked with us on one project, they will pitch us something else. We have built up that trust level, so you can expand the relationship. We have quite a few success stories like that. We get a lot of pitches from around the region. That’s one of the advantages of working with a strong brand. We have no shortage of pitches. As we work with directors, writers and producers, we bring them over to Singapore to do some workshops. We have done workshops in directing, producing, showrunning, casting and writing. We bring them over for a couple of days; it’s immensely popular. The younger professionals from film and TV appreciate that opportunity. I brought a Game of Thrones director from the U.S.—he was well-loved here! TV ASIA: I’m sure the creatives you’re working with are also excited to see their shows now airing in the U.S. KAM: Definitely. It’s one of the advantages of working with our platform. Our anthologies are like television movies. If a director made a film like that in Vietnam or Indonesia, it might not travel that far. It would take a lot to get to the audience in the U.S. or Europe. The festival circuit is the only way. Even if you make it to the festivals, it’s usually considered an art film and
TV ASIA: What are the keys to delivering shows that can go on for multiple seasons? KAM: The first thing is you have to lock in the key cast, so it’s partly people-oriented. If the first season is popular, you have to be prepared to meet [the viewers’] expectations. You want to preserve some of the best elements of the first season—if they loved your two lead characters, then you keep them, or if they liked the humor in it or like certain nuances, then you preserve those. At the same time, you have to bring some freshness to your audience. So with Halfworlds, we moved it from Indonesia to Thailand and then to the Philippines. A multi-season franchise is best planned early on, ideally before you shoot the first season, so you leave certain hooks for the next season. Teenage Psychic was our first returning series. It was an experimental adaptation of a student short film. No one expected it to be such a wild success. It was a sixepisode series and we finished the story. It was a romantic story and in the end the lead male died. So, when you do season two, now what? This was a romantic story and people loved that part of it; they loved the male lead, and we had killed him. And that actor himself was not even available [for a second season]. Luckily, this is a genre show—the girl can see ghosts, so that makes it easier. She could have seen the boy even though he was dead. But since the actor himself wasn’t available, what do we do? In the end, we used a creative solution—the character reincarnated and possessed another body to come back to her. We preserved the romance, but we will have to use another actor in that role. If we had planned a second season from the start, we probably would have done it slightly differently. We may not have killed him! We are doing more returning series, so we have to think in advance about season two and season three, so we have a blueprint. TV ASIA: How much did COVID-19 impact your production this year? KAM: Some places were affected more than others. Luckily in Asia, we have quite a few places that returned to work faster than others. Especially places in North Asia. China is back to normal. Taiwan is not much of a problem. Hong Kong too. Korea and Japan, even during their brief lockdowns, television [production] didn’t stop. Of course, there are places more heavily affected, like India and Indonesia. The show we have in the Philippines was delayed. Dream Raider was in post in China and all of a sudden, the studio was in lockdown and nobody could go back there. We ended up exporting the visual-effects files, the postproduction files, to Hong Kong and Taiwan and we finished it. So it can still air this year. Fortunately, most of our shows for 2020 and early 2021 were already in postproduction, so our department’s output hasn’t been seriously affected. We have plenty more titles in development ready to shoot as production restrictions ease up gradually in the region, which we hope will be the case soon.
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