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GUIDE 2015/2016
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Contents A Note from the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise Group Editorial Director Anna Carugati
Ricardo Seguin Guise President
Editor Mansha Daswani Executive Editor and Editor, English-Language Guides Kristin Brzoznowski Production Director Victor L. Cuevas
Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani VP of Strategic Development and Associate Publisher © 2015 WSN INC.
Associate Editors Joanna Padovano Sara Alessi
1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010
Assistant Editor Joel Marino
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Online Director Simon Weaver
Website: www.tvdrama.ws
Sales and Marketing Managers Alberto Rodriguez Dana Mattison
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No part of this publication can be used, reprinted, copied or stored in any medium without the publisher’s authorization.
Business Affairs Manager Terry Acunzo
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A Note from the Editor Kristin Brzoznowski
In today’s digital, on-demand age, TV dramas are thriving. Even though online streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon may have started out with a strong emphasis on movies, it’s their offerings of scripted series that have been truly game changing. The ability to binge-watch dramatic story lines one episode after another creates the feel of a continuous, cinematic experience. Coupled with the ambitious scale and scope of dramas nowadays (and the ever-increasing size of TV sets), it’s no wonder that more people are opting to stay home in front of their TV sets instead of heading out to the movies. Indeed, there are many reasons that one could argue the superiority of television over feature films when it comes to exploring dramatic stories. First, TV affords elongated storytelling opportunities that allow for more nuanced character and plot development. There’s no rush to the crescendo; the narrative can take its time to unfold. Also, there’s an intimacy that develops between viewers and their favorite characters in TV dramas. Tuning in week after week, or in some cases each day, audiences become committed to following the emotional journeys of these fictional friends and foes. Characters on TV dramas tend to be more complex, with layers that are peeled off over hours of episodes and across many seasons. As of late, a bevy of big-screen talent has headed over to the small screen. This includes influential movie producers and directors—Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Guillermo del Toro among them, as well as Alejandro Iñárritu, who is hot off his Birdman Oscar win—and also A-list Hollywood actors, of which there are too many to even scratch the surface here. With this confluence of factors, it truly seems as though the quality of television drama is at an all-time high. The inaugural edition of the TV Drama Guide features a range of highquality series with dramatic stories that are set to bring audiences from all over the world to their TV sets. 8
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TALENT
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Kevin Spacey Actor & Executive Producer House of Cards
TV DRAMA: How did you first get involved in House of Cards? SPACEY: I produced a film called The Social Network. It was during the shooting of that film that David Fincher and I— we had worked together previously as actor and director in Se7en—started throwing around the idea of wanting to work together again. This conversation went on for maybe a month or so. Then he came to me and said that he had heard that the rights were available for a British television series that he had never seen called House of Cards. I said, Well, I have seen it, and I thought it was really terrific and actor Ian Richardson was brilliant. So he went away to watch it, and I went away and watched it again; we came back together and decided that it would in fact translate very well to a U.S. series. From there we began to develop the idea and Beau Willimon was brought on. We went out and pitched it to all of the networks that one would pitch something like this to, and ultimately we also pitched it to Netflix. TV DRAMA: How did you prepare for the role of Francis “Frank” Underwood? SPACEY: I have been involved in politics for most of my life. That was very helpful in terms of getting a general sense of how things work, and watching the really good politicians, who are not only good at campaigning but at fundraising. That helped me a great deal even before this series when I had to raise money for The Old Vic theater. I learned a lot over the years about glad-handing and being able to convince someone to write a check, to express an idea and get someone on board. I spent some time with politicians. The truth is, I’m still learning about this man. I don’t show up at work every day and think, I know Frank; I know what he’d do here or what he’d do there. The way in which Beau and our team of writers develop what we reveal, what we hold back, how the onion keeps getting peeled—I learn things all the time about him. Part of the joy of coming to work every day is not what I know, but what I don’t know and continue to discover. 10
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Viola Davis
Actress How to Get Away with Murder TV DRAMA: How did you learn about the role of Annalise Keating? DAVIS: My manager and agents said it was the kind of role that they wanted for me and they didn’t think it would be on TV but there it was. I said, let me judge for myself. So I read it and I was floored, only because I don’t get offered roles like this, ever. A wholly explored [character with all] her sexuality, her vulnerability, her strength, her messiness. So I jumped at the chance—I really did. I jumped at it, and with Shonda [Rhimes] being involved in it I said, OK, there’s my blessing! TV DRAMA: Annalise is strong and sexy, but also very vulnerable. Those are a lot of notes to play as an actor. How do you calibrate all of that? DAVIS: Well, you know what? I’ve had a couple of “Aha!” moments while shooting the role. And how I calibrate it is by not calibrating it. I’m not trying to leash it and tame it and put a structure on it. I try not to do that only because I just don’t think that she is that kind of role. She is messy and impetuous. I don’t think that she has boundaries, and if I gave her structure I would be editing her too much. I didn’t want that to happen, because my “Aha!” moment came when I watched the pilot and I saw myself with a wig on and with lashes on. I saw myself as a woman of a certain age, and I said either I can try to fit the image of the sexualized woman that we have seen time and time again on TV and film into a box, and lose weight, and get the high-end wardrobe, and have the whole look going on, or I can deal with what I have and really play a woman that you would see in life who is that messy. I erred on the side of being that woman you see in life who has bad relationships, who is attracted to people who are damaged, and who herself is damaged, but who also has that outward mask or public persona of being very strong, very on top of it, very assured, while her personal life is a mess. 11
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Mariska Hargitay Actress Law & Order: SVU
TV DRAMA: What do you like about Olivia Benson? HARGITAY: I love her because I am challenged by her. I never know what’s going to happen. She surprises me. This character has evolved, which is the most exciting part of it. In many ways I feel that it’s a new character because she has gone through so much that has truly transformed her and she sees things differently. She’s been given this gift of light and love and possibility and something that fills her so deeply and yet scares her beyond fear. They say when you are a parent your heart goes from inside to outside. She is just trying to figure it out. I’ve got all these new notes to play. This show has a different tone now. Olivia’s journey in so many ways is about hope and truth. As we grow, new doors open for us. Because she [went through so many challenges] it’s like the reward of the universe in a way. She went through the fire and then there was light at the end of the tunnel; there are new challenges, obviously, but it is exciting to be on a new journey. Because of that, the show feels so new and the character feels so new to me. There is nothing old about it; it’s all new issues, new challenges. Olivia has new relationships with each person because of what she has going on in her home life, having the baby that she never had. TV DRAMA: You directed for the first time last season. What was that like? HARGITAY: It’s something I wanted to do for a long time and in some ways it felt extremely familiar and was a completely natural fit. It was invigorating and thrilling and part of it was that I’ve done this for so long, I wanted to try something else. With Warren [Leight, SVU’s showrunner] I have to say it was our biggest partnership because of the writing and the way he tones the show—I have him in my head. I felt so safe because the show’s so good. It was this unbelievable creative experience because even though I was doing something new and was so scared, there I was, with my family [the cast and crew]; I had my safety net and him. 12
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Dick Wolf Creator Law & Order: SVU
TV DRAMA: Where did your interest in crime, police work and the justice system come from? WOLF: I have been fascinated with crime and crime-solving since I discovered Sherlock Holmes as a boy. There is nothing more dramatic than life and death. Police, crime stories and bringing criminals to justice have long been a mainstay of storytelling in novels, films and television. We are fascinated by what we fear, yet being able to see crimes solved and criminals convicted brings us closure. And I think readers and viewers enjoy being engaged in the crime-solving process. It’s a low-risk way to play detective. TV DRAMA: To what do you attribute the longevity of the franchise? WOLF: The Law & Order brand has endured in a huge part because of the writing. The showrunners and writers have kept the series current and written stories that are topical and compelling. For 25 years, people have been telling me that Law & Order is addicting. Crime is a constantly renewable resource, so there is no shortage of stories to tell. TV DRAMA: How much more sophisticated have production values become today? WOLF: Cable has really upped the ante when it comes to production values and storytelling. Character development, plot lines, effects and stunts are all factors. But ultimately, the audience wants strong protagonists who are likeable, complicated or both. TV DRAMA: How have pacing, issues and character development changed? WOLF: Storytelling has not really changed that much. Maybe today’s audiences have shorter attention spans, so we need to keep the writing a little tighter. Standards have also loosened up over the years, in large part due to the proliferation of cable dramas. 13
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Shonda Rhimes Creator Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal
TV DRAMA: There are so many shocking moments in Scandal. Do you encourage risk-taking in the writers’ room? RHIMES: We have a lot of fun on that show coming up with those moments. There is magic to the way that room works, to the phenomenon of the energy of all the writers in there together. We’re all excited about politics. We’re all excited about conspiracies. But we also all like telling stories in a fast-paced way. We all have the same level of impatience. We all have encyclopedic knowledge of television shows and say to one another, “That bores me, I’ve seen that before,” or “We’re moving too slowly and things have to go faster.” TV DRAMA: How important has the show’s social-media presence been? RHIMES: To have people discover the show because their friends were talking about it on Twitter really changed the game in terms of how television was talked about and viewed. It changed what water-cooler conversation was, and it also [put forth] the idea that you want to be watching the show live now because you want to be having a conversation on Twitter, you don’t want to miss what is happening there. TV DRAMA: What have been some of the challenges of keeping Grey’s Anatomy fresh year after year? RHIMES: I learned how to write television by writing Grey’s Anatomy—that was my first job in TV. I learned that keeping it fresh really meant that every season you were required to reinvent your show from scratch. And that meant being willing to do things that might be considered unpopular or controversial. So, from a very early time, I felt like at the end of every season we would leave all of our story on the screen and I would walk away thinking, I have no idea what will happen next season. And then the next season I would look at it as if it were an entirely new television show with the same characters, and I would just have to figure out what was going to happen next. 14
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Alex Gansa Showrunner Homeland
TV DRAMA: Would you give us an example of how your writers’ room works and how you break stories? GANSA: At the beginning of every season we all take a field trip to Washington, D.C. All the writers, and sometimes Claire Danes or Mandy Patinkin or both will join us, and we sit down with all our consultants—that is, active intelligence officers, retired intelligence officers, current State Department people, former and current ambassadors, NSA people, occasionally some people from the White House—and we just take the temperature of the town. We get a sense of what is being debated in the halls of power. What are the preeminent issues in terms of keeping America safe, in terms of protecting American power overseas? What are the hot spots? All in an effort to find out what are the issues we should be talking about in Homeland. One of the wonderful things about doing this show is that we get to comment on current events. TV DRAMA: How is the relationship with Showtime? GANSA: The relationship with Showtime is superb. It is a relationship that we value and we view the executives there as real partners. They read these outlines and scripts extremely carefully. They are amazingly passionate about the show and they have very strong opinions and sometimes just outrageously good ideas! TV DRAMA: How has the evolution of flawed characters freed you as a writer? GANSA: When you talk about the golden age of television, if you look at a lot of the protagonists in these shows, these are deeply flawed, complicated antiheroes. And that character became possible on cable television. You weren’t confined by the strictures of what a hero is or should be—up to that point on television there was a tried-and-true formula for that. Cable allowed people to explore what the other side of a hero could be. There is a liberation to that idea. Cable made it possible for a character not to be likeable, as long as that character was compelling. 15
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Julian Fellowes Creator Downton Abbey
TV DRAMA: How do you use history to tell your stories? FELLOWES: I like events that don’t just affect one class, but all classes, because they serve as rather a good reminder that in the last analysis we are all in this together. That’s what’s very helpful about a war or an epidemic or a financial crash, because they touch everyone. Nobody is safe; nobody is protected from them. I feel that Downton’s subtext, if you like, is essentially what unites us. What we all have in common is really more important than the things that separate us. Those events can help bring that out. TV DRAMA: What are the challenges of shooting a period piece, especially when you are off the set and shooting on location? FELLOWES: We pick restaurants like the Criterion and Rules that were already open in the ’20s and haven’t really changed. We like to use real places. Of course, [shooting on location] at times can be difficult with noises [from the street] and so on, but the public now are very film aware. People may stop and watch and they may be curious, but they’re not usually disruptive, because they understand what is happening. TV DRAMA: Aside from examining the difference in classes, are there other themes that you wanted to explore when you started the series? FELLOWES: We knew the show would be about change. By starting it in 1912, it began in the shadow of the Great War, and then we had the second series in the war and then we had the 1920s. It was really during the ’20s that the 19th century left and the 20th century arrived. It was in the ’20s that people realized that things really had changed. Everyone has always done things about the ’30s and the Nazis and World War II looming up, but the ’20s have been much less covered in drama and it seemed to me to be an opportunity. 16
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Matthew Weiner Creator Mad Men
TV DRAMA: When you set out to make the show, were there specific themes you wanted to explore, and did those themes change over the course of seven seasons? WEINER: Yes, certainly things changed and evolved as we did the show, because one of the primary principles of the show was not to repeat ourselves. From the inception of the show I wanted to cover a long period in people’s lives. That in itself was interesting to me if it was about regular people. Obviously there is a plot and Don has this other identity, he is extraordinary and the events in their lives are extraordinary, as is appropriate to drama. But, I really did want the show to feel close to daily life, small problems that regular people have, and what that would be like over a period of time. And specifically I wanted to revisit what at the time was a pretty much forgotten transition in American history. Something happened in between the ’50s and Woodstock. This period was so crucial to American history and so crucial to the formation of how we are right now, but it had been ignored. And I wondered, having missed it, what it would be like to be a regular person and see that transition come in. TV DRAMA: What would you say is Mad Men’s legacy and its contribution to this overused phrase, the “golden age” of TV? WEINER: I always have an issue with the “golden age” expression, because to me it’s insulting to the history of TV. If your show is on the air next year, or it was on the year before The Sopranos, it wasn’t part of this? There is always good and bad TV. Legacy is a weird thing because I think that’s for other people to decide. I did have someone say something very interesting to me. They said [Mad Men] was the last show we all watched together, because so much has happened technologically during the life of the show. When we made the pilot, there was no Gmail, no iPad, no iPhone, no streaming and no VOD really. Somewhere around the middle of the show people stopped watching TV together and either caught shows when they could or binged or whatever. So that is one thing I think will be associated with the show in some weird way. 17
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Robert Kirkman Creator, Executive Producer & Writer The Walking Dead
TV DRAMA: How do you decide when to diverge from the graphic novels the show is based on? KIRKMAN: We sit down and look at the original comic-book stories and then we do our work in the television writers’ room. We look at the different characters we have. We look at how the characters that exist in the show that don’t exist in the comic would affect and change stories we want to adapt from the comics. As we get into the work of doing that, new story lines start to arise, and every now and then one of them leads to a fairly unexpected death. It’s all just a group of writers working to craft the best story. Sometimes that follows the source material, sometimes it doesn’t, which I support 100 percent. If we were adapting the comic book directly, I would be bored. Despite the fact that sometimes I don’t remember all the ins and outs of a story, I do know that I’ve already written it before. So I wouldn’t want to write it a second time. TV DRAMA: The series has become known for killing off major characters mid-season. What kind of environment do you look to create on set to prepare the cast for these changes? KIRKMAN: It’s always hard. There are traditions—we have a big death dinner where everyone goes out and celebrates the actor that we’re losing. I think everyone knows that it’s around the corner for [them as well]. People do sign on to the show now thinking, Am I going to be around for a season? Two seasons? Three seasons? This is a show that portrays a very dangerous world where anyone can go at any minute. In order to honor that, we have to lose characters from time to time. It’s certainly an emotional thing for me coming from the comics. Telling these stories in comic-book form, it’s just artist Charlie Adlard and me deciding not to write and draw an imaginary character. The show is different. [The cast members] are very close on set in Georgia. They’ve become a big family, so it is an emotional thing when we lose a character. But we have to do it for the sake of the show. 18
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Carlton Cuse Showrunner The Strain
TV DRAMA: How did you become involved with adapting The Strain? CUSE: I read the book [by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan], I liked it and then a couple of years later I was approached by my agent at William Morris Endeavor, who was also Guillermo’s agent, and he said, “Would you be interested in adapting The Strain for television?” I was. There was this cool idea embedded in these books, which was, you could upend the current notion of the vampire genre. We had all these vampire stories that were based on romantic, brooding, glittery dudes with love-life problems! It would be much more interesting to go back to the roots of vampires as scary, dangerous, parasitic creatures. I thought that there was a way to take that idea and carve out a spot in the genre that was not occupied. So I sat down with Guillermo and we connected. We shared a lot of aesthetic sensibilities, and I felt we also had really complementary skill sets. The other thing that attracted me to the project was that I felt like Guillermo was one of the best visualists working in film and entertainment. I was confident that he would be able to create these creatures in a way that was interesting and compelling. It was a wonderful collaboration where we each brought the best of ourselves to the table. I very much believe that success in television is a collaborative artistic medium. There is so much work involved in creating the world of a TV show and making a story that plays believably over 13 episodes, our collaboration really made this story special. TV DRAMA: Was there a desire to reach beyond the genre fans and appeal to fans of mysteries? CUSE: Absolutely. While the show was initially marketed on the horror axis, I view the story that we’re telling as an adventure thriller with horror elements. What I do as a writer is cross-genre storytelling. I wasn’t interested in just hard-core horror; it just interests me as a component in a more complex drama. 19
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Jon Bokenkamp Creator & Executive Producer The Blacklist
TV DRAMA: How did The Blacklist come about? BOKENKAMP: The Blacklist came out of an idea from John Fox, one of our producers, and myself. He wanted to do some kind of show about a mythic crime figure. This was right after [the organizedcrime figure] Whitey Bulger was found in Santa Monica. John’s idea was, What if an 80-year-old man was captured and started to talk? What kind of stories could he tell? That was the kernel of the idea that eventually became the show. TV DRAMA: Did you set out to make a hybrid of a serialized cable show and a traditional broadcast procedural? BOKENKAMP: It was very intentional. Quite honestly, I don’t watch a lot of network television. A lot of what I have watched most recently have been hyper-serialized cable shows. I am a huge fan of those characters and of the way those stories can feel very cinematic. Yet at the same time I wanted to try to do something that would fit the network model of a new case each week. That is a constant balancing act that we are still exploring and trying to discover the right balance. TV DRAMA: Raymond “Red” Reddington is a bad guy, and yet he is a likable guy. How do you achieve that? BOKENKAMP: Red is a guy who loves being Raymond Reddington. He relishes life. He is fascinated and interested and open, so for me there is a big element of wish fulfillment with that character. He says and does things that we may want to do or may think about, but he just does them! He isn’t one to sit around and worry about the repercussions. Obviously [James] Spader plays a big part in bringing the character to life. It’s a show that could easily be dark without much of a sense of humor, and we try to recognize when stuff is a bit of a reach or a bit preposterous—Red acknowledges that. I think there is a bit of self-awareness to who he is. The biggest thing is the enjoyment that Red and Spader have in living that life. 20
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Jonathan Nolan Co-Creator & Co-Showrunner Person of Interest
TV DRAMA: Where did the idea for the series come from? NOLAN: I grew up in the U.K. in the 1970s where, because of the troubles with the IRA [bombings by the Irish Republican Army], Scotland Yard and MI5 were backing the installation of security cameras everywhere. Now, between statesponsored CCTV [closed-circuit television] and private surveillance [there are cameras in major cities like New York]. As a little kid I understood intuitively that there were more cameras than there were people to watch them. I was always fascinated by all the stories that might unfold and be caught on camera but no one was watching. All that human drama playing out and no one is watching, or if people are watching, it’s not what they are looking for. They are not looking for kidnappings or gang warfare; they are looking for acts of terrorism. TV DRAMA: With the show you have updated the traditional procedural. NOLAN: What makes the show unique is that it’s building very much on this tried-and-true format of television where you have a story of the week. Cable shows are all novelized. But a huge amount of the audience doesn’t have time to watch every week, and the idea that you can turn on the television and find a compelling story that has a beginning and an end within one episode, that’s the most enduring model of storytelling on television. I look at The X-Files as a benchmark for how you can have your cake and eat it too—how you can have a story of the week but also have a really big, really compelling genre story that is moving forward every week, getting the audience that is watching every week more and more engaged. I really think that doing that model is harder [than serialized drama]. You need writers who can come in and tell one compelling story, wrap it all up in one episode, but also move the ball forward with this huge arc that we are spreading out over 23 episodes. Our writing staff has to do all of that every episode; it’s pretty extraordinary what they do. 21
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Lars Blomgren Executive Producer Bron
TV DRAMA: How did Bron come about? BLOMGREN: The commercial station TV4 and the public broadcaster SVT in Sweden had been airing Danish TV series in prime time for some time, but the Danes didn’t air any Swedish shows at all, or maybe one every five years. It was so difficult for us to get into prime time in Denmark. So I sat down together with the management of SVT in Stockholm and we asked ourselves, How can we possibly get into prime time in Denmark? We said, what if we place the series near the border between Sweden and Denmark? We [wanted] to come up with a series that organically takes place on both sides of the border, with Swedish involvement and Danish involvement, and make it look as Danish as possible. And so we did. TV DRAMA: Were the episodes written before production started? BLOMGREN: We are just like the English. First we write and then we produce. But in this show we were a bit late in the production process. We realized quite soon that the dynamics between [our leads] were just fantastic, so while we were in production we created a lot of new scenes. We decided that in every episode we wanted to have one scene with them, because [their exchanges] worked so well. We made more changes than usual on a Scandinavian show during production. TV DRAMA: What has been driving the success of Scandinavian drama? BLOMGREN: Quality, for one. We could never afford to do big shootouts or thrillers. We have to do more character-driven series. And what happens in a good crime story, at least in the Scandinavian ones, is that you get close to people in stressful situations. We have [the tradition of] Ingmar Bergman. If you haven’t had a war in 200 years then you develop bourgeois problems instead, such as not being loved by your family. We have a way of mixing drama and crime [that has helped these shows travel]. 22
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EXECUTIVES
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David Nevins President Showtime Networks
TV DRAMA: What has been the mission behind your original series, and is there a common fiber that connects them? NEVINS: We want to have the best, most adventurous shows on television, and the last [few] years have been a great time for us. There is not just one show that matters to us. Every week of the year we have cutting-edge, Emmy-caliber shows. Last year at the Emmys, eight of our nine shows received nominations. In fact, we had more series nominations than any network on television. It was not just Homeland [that got nominated]; it was Ray Donovan, Masters of Sex, The Affair. The accolades were pretty broadly distributed across our shows. The common denominator is sophisticated, cutting-edge, original programming. TV DRAMA: What are the creative challenges as series move into the second, third, fourth, even sixth season? NEVINS: Shows can’t stand still. I tend to get bored quickly, so I am always willing to reinvent. If you are willing to continue to reinvent a show in the way that Homeland does, it can have a long life. In our shows, we try to give real human psychology to our characters so that they don’t stand still, and we put them in real situations. There is an art to re-creating your concepts over time. TV DRAMA: The whole landscape of original programming has become so crowded and competitive. Has this influenced your programming choices in any way? NEVINS: Well, there are definitely more people making original programming and more people trying to play in the premium space, which used to be occupied by just Showtime and HBO. So, you have to work harder to get noticed, but fortunately [this climate has] coincided with a time when the best actors, the best writers and the best filmmakers want to be doing television. The pool of talent has opened up, and we’ve been able to get amazing creative talents like Cameron Crowe, Liev Schreiber and Paul Giamatti [for our shows]. 24
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Christophe Riandee Vice CEO Gaumont
TV DRAMA: What was the strategy when you first set up a TV division in the U.S.? RIANDEE: Five years ago there was a trend in the market saying, there must be another model other than the pilot one because it’s extremely expensive and time consuming. We thought that a filmdevelopment model would be nice. We replicated the independent film model in the TV business using international presales, a low license fee from the U.S. networks—because it’s riskier for a network to commit to 13 episodes than to one pilot—tax credits and some money from the banks, and that was done. Nobody had had that idea before and we were lucky to start with Hannibal because NBC was with us from the very beginning. TV DRAMA: What is most different about producing for America, compared to how you put projects together and produce in Europe? RIANDEE: I think the main difference is that [there are] more outlets in the U.S. where you can finance high-end dramas—from the traditional broadcasters to the video platforms to new cable channels—whereas in Europe, the competition is not so high. It is ramping up because of the Amazons and Netflixes of the world that are launching in Europe. The second main difference is that U.S. broadcasters are looking for edgy, high-end dramas, while European broadcasters are looking for the more traditional procedural series. The third difference is that Europe is a puzzle of different countries with different languages and different broadcasters. That is something really complex to handle when you want to produce international shows. TV DRAMA: Are your television units tapping into ideas and access to talent from the Gaumont film business? RIANDEE: We are doing that on a day-to-day basis. We are using our library and we are revamping our main titles as TV shows as well. We are also working with directors either on the movie side or on the TV side. 25
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Kevin Beggs Chairman Lionsgate Television Group
TV DRAMA: Tell us about your approach to production models. BEGGS: Every show has a different model. We have the traditional model of script development and production of a pilot. Then, we are working with [platforms] like Netflix and Hulu and WGN— those are straight-to-series models, which involve just a script or two and then a pickup to series. We are creatively driven and often creator-driven. That gives the people we work with a certain amount of autonomy and freedom. As a studio, we look for buyers that will be a good fit with the creative team [of each show]. We also look to be champions of the [project] that the creator is putting together and sometimes its defenders if there is a fight or a dispute [with the network]. We think that an arms-length relationship between an independent and a network, whatever kind of network it is, is healthy for the business. It’s healthy for the show, because everyone’s interests, while sometimes different, are pulling toward the same goal of a great show. And everyone gets to a great show a little bit differently. A network gets focused on the network’s needs. The studio is focused on maximizing value and distribution and ensuring creator integrity. The creator is usually just focused on making a great show and on having the freedom to deliver on that. And to the extent that we can make their jobs easier in any way possible, that’s one of our roles. TV DRAMA: Do digital channels have a different set of requirements than linear channels? BEGGS: [Digital channels] don’t run commercials, so they have a longer running time [per episode]. The set of rights that they are looking to control and protect are different. The business side of [streaming services] is evolving. The creative is similar in most respects [to a linear channel], except that the way the audience member engages with them is so different. You can watch whenever you want. You can go back and re-watch and the storytelling becomes really interesting. 26
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Jens Richter CEO FremantleMedia International
TV DRAMA: How important is drama for FremantleMedia International? RICHTER: As we further build out our slate, there is a clear push into drama. FremantleMedia North America have their own drama development and production going. We have production labels in the U.K., in Australia. We are probably the biggest drama producer in Germany with UFA Fiction. We have drama going on in Italy and in the Benelux. We have a Scandi production company, Miso Film. We are also focusing on third-party relationships in drama. TV DRAMA: What trends are you seeing in the market? RICHTER: The good thing is that the drama market is changing. You have prime-time procedural drama that is still received very well by terrestrial broadcasters, especially in Europe. You have serialized drama, especially on U.S. cable and in the U.K. You have some amazing serialized drama also being introduced in Europe. And there is more openness as to where drama can come from. English-language drama will always be at the forefront, especially series from the U.S. However, U.K. drama, which has always been strong in some territories, now also travels into more and more territories. For the past five years or so, you’ve had Scandi noir, and it is still going strong. Out of Germany we had Generation War, produced by our company UFA Fiction, which had really good sales. We launched Deutschland 83, which is the [latest] big serialized event from UFA. Platforms like Hulu and Netflix are not only opening opportunities as customers, but they also serve the function of bringing new programming to areas where that programming hasn’t been exposed before. Now you do have German drama and Scandi drama in the U.S. and in other territories as well. You have subtitled drama on SVOD platforms. I think that will have an impact on people’s viewing habits and tastes. It opens the market. It is easier to find a place for outstanding non-English-language drama today than it was five years ago. 27
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John Morayniss CEO Entertainment One Television
TV DRAMA: What gives eOne an edge when accessing talent? MORAYNISS: There’s a lot we can offer. Part of it is obviously the money and support, so we can develop and package projects. The good news in the U.S. is that there are close to 60 buyers commissioning original programs. The bad news is, their expectations are so high and what they’re looking for in order to say yes to a project isn’t just a pitch with a writer anymore. [You need] a great pitch, sometimes a script, a director attached, a great showrunner attached, a piece of acting talent attached. As a global independent, we can bring access to that talent. In the U.S. we’re seeing a co-production mentality really start to take root. It’s always been there on a more opportunistic basis. But now buyers are starting with that thought at the very beginning— creatively, how do we put this together to maximize the access to talent from around the world? As an indie, we’ve always thought that way. We have to be nimble; we have to look outside the traditional creative model when we’re putting something together. It helps that we have a strong capital base and infrastructure, so we can take risks in development. TV DRAMA: What’s the key to managing co-production partnerships? MORAYNISS: It’s not easy. That is the art of co-production. In the old days it was harder because the old co-production model was so driven by the money and not by the creative. The creative became almost a second thought. Now, it starts with the creative; we don’t start by thinking “co-pro,” we start by thinking “great project.” We start by focusing on one market—that’s the best way to have a singular voice and a vision that ultimately translates to quality. And then you make sure you find the right partner with a similar sensibility, a similar brand. Once it’s set with the right partners, it’s still hard, but you’re not trying to put a square peg into a round hole. It’s hard to distill it to a science, but there is an art to what we do, and part of it is just track record and experience. 28
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Tim Mutimer CEO Zodiak Rights
TV DRAMA: Zodiak has placed a big emphasis on drama. MUTIMER: We’ve had a very strong track record with shows such as Braquo, Wallander and Being Human. We’ve got a lot of shows that have traveled well internationally. In particular, we’ve developed a bit of a niche in representing TV series that aren’t filmed in the English language, and they have resonated around the world. The big one for us this year is Versailles, which [is shot in English]. Huge budget, an epic scale, huge ambitions and great showrunners; it really gives a whole new dimension to period drama. TV DRAMA: Is a key to successful drama today finding something that the audience hasn’t seen before? MUTIMER: Yes. Viewers around the world are being stretched all the time and pushed further. There was a time when television used to underestimate viewers, but I think the audience is incredibly intelligent and likes to be challenged and pushed. New technologies have aided that and demonstrated it. People now are able to consume series within a night. If it’s something that really grabs their attention, they can devour it and become more obsessed with it. So, a key differentiator is storytelling that enables people to become obsessed and brings something new that people thought they knew but didn’t. TV DRAMA: How else has the drama-distribution business changed? MUTIMER: I remember when I started [in TV distribution], I sold to Italy. Trying to sell British drama into Italy was a real uphill battle because they looked at our production values and our slow stories, which they thought were boring, and all of this costume, which didn’t really work. It was a battle, but in the end I sold Agatha Christie’s Poirot to Mediaset. But, when I look back, it was such a struggle to sell a British show, and now what British drama doesn’t sell into Italy? The world has changed a lot. 29
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Henrik Pabst Managing Director Red Arrow International
TV DRAMA: What has been fueling the success of the drama strategy at Red Arrow International? PABST: For both Red Arrow International and Red Arrow as a group, we continue to identify projects with exceptional creative value. We always want to be on board at an early stage of the project to make sure that the IP and rights are managed properly for the benefit of all partners involved. This early involvement ensures that we deliver the type of high-end, premium content that our broadcast partners and international viewers want to see. Bosch is a good example. Working with Amazon has proved to be a great experience. Producers Henrik Bastin at Fabrik Entertainment, part of the Red Arrow family, and Michael Connelly, the author of the Harry Bosch novels, had all the freedom they needed to really make an authentic and powerful TV version of the books. And I think the outcome is a pretty special piece of television. TV DRAMA: What types of projects are you looking to invest in? PABST: In scripted, it’s a given that everyone hopes to find a show—for example, a hit crime series—that travels to all the major international outlets. We are no different, but we’re also open to serialized drama, mysteries, thrillers, miniseries and movie cycles. We’re looking for high-end, quality drama in every shape and form. When we see an opportunity, we try to secure the project very early on. We want to be seen as a “mini studio” that comes in early, helps to finance the project and supports the development and packaging. A great example is our work on the drama co-production 100 Code. The major outlets in Europe are all opening up for international co-production, and so is the U.S. It is important to put the pieces together for these projects based on what is best for the actual show itself—there’s no “one size fits all” easy solution. We are doing this very successfully at the moment. 30
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DISTRIBUTORS
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A+E Networks ADDRESS: 235 East 45th St., New York, NY 10017, U.S.A. TELEPHONE: (1-212) 210-1400 WEBSITES: aenetworks.com; sales.aenetworks.com EXECUTIVE VP, INTERNATIONAL: Sean Cohan MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL CONTENT DISTRIBUTION & PARTNERSHIPS: Joel Denton PROGRAMS: UnREAL: 10x60 min., A+E Studios, Lifetime, U.S.A.; The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe: 2x120 min., Asylum Entertainment, Lifetime, U.S.A.; And Then There Were None: 2x90 min./3x60 min., Agatha Christie Productions/RLJ Entertainment/Mammoth Screen, Lifetime, U.S.A./BBC One, U.K.; Sons of Liberty: 3x120 min./6x60 min., A+E Studios/ Stephen David Entertainment, HISTORY, U.S.A.; Gangland Undercover: 6x60 min., crime, Cineflix Productions, HISTORY, U.S.A./HISTORY, Canada. “A+E Networks is a global media content company offering a diverse communications environment ranging from television networks to websites to licensed products and more. A+E Networks’ channel portfolio includes A&E, Lifetime, HISTORY, H2, FYI and Crime + Investigation. A+E Networks’ channels and programming reach more than 330 million households in over 200 countries.” —Corporate Communications
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all3media international ADDRESS: Berkshire House, 168-173 High Holborn, London WC1V 7AA, U.K. TELEPHONE: (44-20) 7845-4350 WEBSITE: www.all3mediainternational.com CEO: Steve Macallister HEAD, ACQUISITIONS: Maartje Horchner CONTACT: Rachel Glaister, rachel.glaister@all3media.com PROGRAMS: Partners in Crime: 6x60 min., crime, Endor Productions/Agatha Christie Productions, BBC One, U.K.; Hinterland 2: 10x60 min./5x120 min., crime, Fiction Factory Films/BBC Cymru Wales/Tinopolis/all3media international, S4C, Wales; Harry Price: Ghost Hunter: 1x120 min., thriller, Bentley Productions, ITV, U.K.; Indian Summers 2: 8x60 min., thriller, New Pictures, Channel 4, U.K./Masterpiece, U.S.A.; Step Dave 2: 13x60 min., comedy/drama, South Pacific Pictures, TV2, New Zealand; Fresh Meat 4: 6x45 min., comedy/ drama, Objective Productions, Channel 4, U.K.; 800 Words: 8x60 min., comedy/drama, South Pacific Pictures, Seven Network, Australia; The Brokenwood Mysteries: 4x120 min., crime, South Pacific Pictures, Prime, New Zealand; Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries 3: 8x60 min., crime, Every Cloud Productions, ABC, Australia; Westside: 6x60 min., comedy/drama, South Pacific Pictures, TV3, New Zealand. “all3media international distributes popular, award-winning TV programs to more than 1,000 broadcasters and media platforms around the world. Our catalogue contains over 7,000 hours of content across all genres. As well as Britain’s top-selling series Midsomer Murders, our lead dramas include Partners in Crime, The Missing, Indian Summers, Foyle’s War, Skins, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Hinterland. As part of the U.K.’s leading multi-label studio, we partner with U.K. and international producers—including our own studios—to develop, finance and deliver high-quality content and formats.” —Corporate Communications
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Caracol Television Internacional ADDRESS: 150 Alhambra Circle, Suite 1250, Miami, FL 33134, U.S.A. TELEPHONE: (1-305) 960-2018 WEBSITE: www.caracolinternacional.com/en-us VP, PROGRAMMING: Camilo Acuña VP, INTERNATIONAL SALES: Lisette Osorio DIRECTOR, PROGRAMMING & ACQUISITIONS: Marcela Montoya CONTACT: Juan David Gómez, jdgomezg@caracoltv.com.co PROGRAMS: Laura, An Extraordinary Life: 25x60 min., drama, Caracol Television, Caracol Television, Colombia; Soul Sisters: 80x60 min., drama/comedy/musical, Caracol Television, Caracol Television, Colombia; La Cacica: 40x60 min., drama, Caracol Television, Caracol Television, Colombia; The Voice of Freedom: 62x60 min., drama/musical, CMO Producciones, Caracol Television, Colombia; Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord: 74x60 min., drama/crime, Caracol Television, Caracol Television, Colombia; The Secretary: 123x60 min., romance/ comedy, Caracol Television, Caracol Television, Colombia; Gabriela, Turns of Destiny: 120x60 min., drama, Caracol Television, Caracol Television, Colombia; The Cartel: 57x60 min., drama/crime, Caracol Television, Caracol Television, Colombia; Fugitives: 40x60 min., drama/action, CMO Producciones; The Dark Widow: 81x60 min., drama/ crime/action, RTI Producciones, Televisa, Mexico/Caracol Television, Colombia. “Caracol has achieved great goals and has conquered different territories all around the world thanks to its wide variety of drama content. I believe that our success is due to the stories that we make, which are stories that the international audience can relate to and enjoy. Some examples of the new productions we will offer for this MIPCOM are Soul Sisters, La Cacica and Laura, An Extraordinary Life, among others. We are confident that our international clients will be able to use them to satisfy their programming needs.” —Lisette Osorio, VP, International Sales
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Content Television ADDRESS: 19 Heddon St., London W1B 4BG, U.K. TELEPHONE: (44-20) 7851-6500 WEBSITE: www.contentmediacorp.com PRESIDENT: Greg Phillips EXECUTIVE VP, SALES & DISTRIBUTION: Jonathan Ford EXECUTIVE VP, ACQUISITIONS, DEVELOPMENT & SALES: Saralo MacGregor CONTACT: info@contentmediacorp.com PROGRAMS: Slasher: 8x60 min., thriller; Clean Break: 4x60 min., miniseries; Halo: The Fall of Reach: 1x65 min.; Dominion Creek: 4x60 min., miniseries; Line of Duty: season 3, 5x60 min. & 1x90 min.; 19-2: season 3, 10x60 min.; Moving On: season 7, 5x60 min.; Roba: season 2, 10x60 min.; Olympus: 13x60 min.; Dead Rising: Watchtower: 1x113 min./9x10 min. “Content Television has established a leading position in the international television marketplace, consistently delivering a diverse range of hit drama series, specials and miniseries that attract high ratings and a wealth of critical acclaim on the global stage. Our portfolio of world-leading drama content includes the multiple-award-winning Line of Duty, voted one of 2014’s best TV dramas; the globally best-selling Halo franchise; and the stunning CGI/live-action drama Olympus. Our catalogue is comprised of more than 5,200 hours of programming. Alongside major prime-time drama series, miniseries and TV movies, it includes internationally appealing factual and factual-entertainment content, special event programming, and kids’ live-action comedy and drama. This rich and diverse lineup ensures we are able to offer award-winning, high-profile daytime and prime-time shows suitable for all schedules and audience demographics. Content Television is a division of one of the U.K.’s largest and fastest-growing entertainment companies, Content Media Corporation.” —Greg Phillips, President
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Eccho Rights ADDRESS: Gamla Brogatan 26, 111 20 Stockholm, Sweden TELEPHONE: (46-8) 5560-9380 WEBSITE: www.ecchorights.com MANAGING DIRECTOR: Fredrik af Malmborg MANAGING PARTNER: Nicola Söderlund SALES & ACQUISITION DIRECTOR, LATIN AMERICA: Barbora Susterova HEAD, ISTANBUL OFFICE: Handan Özkubat SALES & ACQUISITIONS: Petra Larsson CONTACT: sales@ecchorights.com PROGRAMS: White Nights: 45 min. eps., Ay Yapim, ATV, Turkey; Nurses: 50 min. eps., Yellow Film & TV, YLE, Finland; Kacak: 45 min. eps., Surec Film, ATV, Turkey; Karadayi: 45 min., Ay Yapim, ATV, Turkey; Elif: 50 min. eps., Green Yapim, Kanal 7, Turkey; Kurt Seyit & Sura: 45 min. eps., Ay Yapim, Star TV, Turkey; Ice Adonis: 30 min. eps., CJ E&M Corporation, tvN, Korea; The End: 45 min. eps., Ay Yapim, ATV, Turkey; Cherry Season: 45 min. eps., Surec Film, FOX TV, Turkey; Ezel: 45 min. eps., Ay Yapim, ATV, Turkey. “Eccho Rights represents some of the world’s most successful drama and entertainment producers through our offices in Stockholm, Hong Kong, Istanbul and Madrid. Our mission is to empower the producers of top series, many of which are from new markets. We’ve tweaked our company statement for MIPCOM to reflect the country of honor at this year’s market. So, ‘Empowering Creativity Worldwide’ becomes ‘Empowering Turkish Drama Worldwide.’ We are proud to represent some of the very best Turkish producers and are building solid business for them across the globe, including recent success in Latin America and Asia. Our slate this year also includes selected drama producers from the Nordics and Portugal, as well as some successful returning drama formats.” —Fredrik af Malmborg, Managing Director
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Federation Entertainment ADDRESS: 13 Rue Royale, 75008 Paris, France TELEPHONE: (33-1) 8417-6535 CEO: Pascal Breton HEAD, INTERNATIONAL SALES: Jean-Michel Ciszewski VP, CREATIVE AFFAIRS, L.A. OFFICE: Ashley Stern CONTACT: Mathilde Hochet, mathilde.hochet@fedent.com PROGRAMS: The Bureau: 2 seasons, 20x60 min., spy thriller, The Oligarchs Productions (TOP)/Federation Entertainment, CANAL+, France; Hostages—The Original Series: 2 seasons, 22x40 min., thriller, Yetsira Ivrit/Federation Entertainment, Channel 10, Israel; Replacements: 12x60 min., medical drama, Fisherking/Federation Entertainment, Nelonen, Finland; The Greenhouse: 3 seasons, 175x22 min., daily teen drama, Ananey Communications, Nickelodeon, Israel; Marseille: 8x60 min., political drama, Federation Entertainment, Netflix.
“Federation Entertainment is a fully integrated, boutique studio developing, deficit financing and distributing high-end TV programming for the expanding global marketplace.” —Corporate Communications
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FOX International Channels Content Sales ADDRESS: 10 Hammersmith Grove, London W6 7AP, U.K. TELEPHONE: (44-203) 426-7000 WEBSITE: www.ficcontentsales.com EXECUTIVE VP, GLOBAL SPORTS & CONTENT SALES: Simon Thomas SENIOR VP, GLOBAL HEAD, CONTENT SALES: Prentiss Fraser PROGRAMS: Da Vinci’s Demons: season 1, 9x60 min./season 2, 9x60 min./season 3, 10x60 min., drama/history/fantasy, BBC Worldwide Productions, Starz, U.S.A.; Outcast: 10x60 min., drama/suspense/horror, FOX International Studios, Cinemax/ FOX International Channels, U.S.A.; Happiness (Adi Mutuluk): 13x90 min.-120 min., drama/romantic comedy, Süreç Film, FOX International Channels Turkey, Turkey; In Spite of Love (Inadina Ask): 13x90-120 min., drama/romantic comedy, Sinegraf Film, FOX International Channels Turkey, Turkey; Tiger Mom: 45x60 min., comedy/drama, Huang Lan, Fox Asia, China; Besieged (Sitiados): 8x60 min. & 1x60 min. doc., drama, FOX International Channels/TVN, FOX International Channels Latin America/Televisión Nacional de Chile, Chile; Wayward Pines: 10x60 min., drama/suspense/horror, FX Productions, FOX/ FOX International Channels, worldwide; Killing Jesus: 1x180 min./ 2x90 min./3x60 min., drama/history, Scott Free Productions, National Geographic Channel, U.S.A.; My Husband’s Family (Kocamin Ailesi): season 1, 51x123 min./125x47 min. & 13 new eps. coming soon, family drama, Mia Yapim, FOX International Channels Turkey, Turkey; That’s My Life (O Hayat Benim): season 1, 60x127 min./167x47 min. & 13 new eps. coming soon, drama, Pastel Film, FOX International Channels Turkey, Turkey. “FOX International Channels Content Sales (FICCS) has a growing catalogue of highly rated and captivating scripted dramas. This year, Wayward Pines, based on the best-selling novel Pines by Blake Crouch and starring Matt Dillon, became the biggest scripted drama launch in history and we are anticipating great things for Robert Kirkman’s tale of demonic possession, Outcast, in 2016. Along with Outcast, we are also delighted to be launching the third season of Da Vinci’s Demons at MIPCOM. In addition to drama produced by Fox, and increasingly from National Geographic (e.g. Killing Jesus), we are proud to represent some of the best original drama from our production partners around the world. This includes four of the top-rated drama shows in Turkey, as well as a range of contemporary and historical dramas from Europe, Asia and Latin America. As well as completed programming, format rights are available for many titles.” —Simon Thomas, Executive VP, Global Sports & Content Sales 44
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Global Agency ADDRESS: Abdi Ipekci Caddesi, 53/12, 34367 Nisantasi, Istanbul, Turkey TELEPHONE: (90-212) 240-5769 WEBSITE: www.theglobalagency.tv CEO: Izzet Pinto HEAD, SALES: Catherine Stryker HEAD, DRAMA ACQUISITIONS: Senay Filiztekin CONTACT: Fahriye Senturk, fahriye@theglobalagency.tv PROGRAMS: Broken Pieces: 60 min. eps./weekly, Endemol Shine Turkey, Star TV, Turkey; A Part of Me: 60 min. eps./weekly, O3 Productions Turkey, Star TV, Turkey; Love For Rent: 60 min. eps./weekly, Ortaks Yapim, Star TV, Turkey; Butterflies: 60 min. eps./weekly, GOLD, Star TV, Turkey; Maral: 60 min. eps./weekly, Acun Medya, TV8, Turkey; Seeds of Revenge: 60 min. eps./weekly, Koliba Film, Show TV, Turkey; Magnificent Century: 4 seasons/weekly, period drama, TIMS Productions, Star TV, Turkey; Love and Punishment: 113x60 min./weekly, TMC, ATV, Turkey; 1001 Nights: 3 seasons/weekly, TMC, Kanal D, Turkey. “Global Agency is the world’s leading independent distribution company and a major player in the international entertainment industry. Our catalogue encompasses a broad spectrum of genres, including reality, entertainment, talent and game shows, as well as drama, fiction and comedy series. We are proud to present our new formats and drama series at MIPCOM 2015. We are looking forward to presenting yet another dynamic slate to our regular buyers and new clients at MIPCOM.” —Senay Filiztekin, Head, Drama Acquisitions
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Global Screen ADDRESS: Sonnenstrasse 21, 80331 Munich, Germany TELEPHONE: (49-89) 244-1295-500 WEBSITE: www.globalscreen.de HEAD, TV SALES & ACQUISITIONS: Alexandra Heidrich CONTACT: info@globalscreen.de PROGRAMS: A Dangerous Fortune: 2x90 min., drama, Constantin Television/ZDF/Network Movie/Octagon, ZDF, Germany; Fatal News: 2x90 min., political thriller, Zeitsprung Pictures, ARD, Germany; Hidden Identity: 2x90 min., thriller, ConradFilm, Bavaria Fernsehproduktion, ARD/Das Erste, Germany; Capital Power: 6x45 min., political thriller, Real Film, Das Erste, Germany; The Bearskin Prince: 1x60 min., family, rbb/SR/Askania Media, ARD Degeto, Germany; Hans in Luck: 1x60 min., family, NDR/Zieglerfilm, ARD Degeto/Das Erste, Germany; The Tale of Cockayne: 1x60 min., family, Hessischer Rundfunk, ARD Degeto/Das Erste, Germany; Good Göring, Bad Göring: 1x90 min., docudrama, Vincent TV, NDR/BR, Germany.
“The Global Screen highlight A Dangerous Fortune is a 2x90 min. adaptation of Ken Follett’s worldwide best-selling novel (more than 7 million copies). It’s a fascinating story full of love, unfulfilled passion, greed, power, political and amorous intrigues, set in Victorian London, where the poor and rich classes clash and the first budding women’s movement starts to open new doors to empowerment. The opulent drama, directed by Christian Schwochow, features a cast of international stars such as Dominic Thorburn, Laura de Boer, Jeanette Hain, Maria Dragus, Luca Marinelli, David Bennent and many more. Also making its international debut is Fatal News, a prize-winning all-star mystery thriller based on one of Germany’s biggest political scandals ever. It tells the story of young, ambitious reporter David, who investigates the death of Prime Minister Barschel, one of the greatest mysteries of postwar Germany, which remains a riddle to this day.” —Corporate Communications
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ITV-Inter Medya ADDRESS: Valikonagi Caddesi 26/3, Nisantasi, 34367 Istanbul, Turkey TELEPHONE: (90-212) 231-0102 WEBSITE: www.itv-intermedya.com PRESIDENT & CEO: Can Okan MANAGING DIRECTOR: Ahmet Ziyalar CONTACT: info@itv-intermedya.com PROGRAMS: Endless Love: drama, Ay Yapim; Black Money Love (Kara Para Aşk): 157x45 min. HD, Ay Yapim; In Between (Fatih Harbiye): 126x45 min. HD, Koliba Film; Black Rose (Karagul): 113x42 min. HD, Avsar Film; 20 Minutes (20 Dakika): 59x45 min. HD, crime, Ay Yapim. “ITV-Inter Medya started out as a filmdistribution company serving the Turkish film sector. As global developments picked up speed, we soon found ourselves operating both inbound and outbound. The nature of the content we provide also radically changed: telenovelas “Made in Turkey,” TV series and, to a lesser extent, Turkish feature films, started to draw broad interest from all markets, including the Middle East and North Africa. We are now aiming to gain a foothold in Asia, Western Europe and the Americas. This year we observe and celebrate the 23rd anniversary of our company. In these perfect years of service, we never failed to underscore the global transformations structurally changing our markets and deeply affecting how we serve our clients. We have earned our clients’ trust and loyalty: a satisfactory and sustained service record with a library that always manages to stay current.” —Can Okan, President & CEO
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Muse Distribution International ADDRESS: 3451 Rue St. Jacques, Montreal, QC H4C 1H1, Canada TELEPHONE: (1-514) 866-6873 WEBSITE: www.muse.ca CEO: Michael Prupas VP, SALES & DISTRIBUTION: Shawn Rosengarten SENIOR VP, DEVELOPMENT: Jesse Prupas CONTACT: srosengarten@muse.ca PROGRAMS: Tut: 3x120 min./6x60 min., miniseries; The Kennedys: After Camelot: 4x60 min., miniseries; The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: 6x120 min., mystery/TV movie; The Gourmet Detective Mysteries: 3x120 min., mystery/TV movie; Lost Letter Mysteries: 14x120 min., mystery/TV movie; A Wish Come True: 1x120 min., romance/TV movie; Disorderly Conduct: 1x120 min., romance/TV movie; My Life as a Doormat: 1x120 min., romance/TV movie. “In the past 12 months we have extended our track record of developing and producing unique, network-defining, event programming. Muse Entertainment’s six-hour Tut, starring Sir Ben Kingsley, generated record audience numbers for Spike in the U.S and for Channel 5 in the U.K. this summer. Tut’s sequel has been ordered for development. In May 2016 Muse is shooting After Camelot, starring Katie Holmes, which is a sequel to our award-winning The Kennedys. Muse also has a robust slate of mystery movies in production for Hallmark in the U.S., including seven more movies in the Lost Letter Mysteries series, six movies in the Aurora Teagarden mysteries wheel, three movies in the Gourmet Detective mystery wheel and two movies based on the best-selling mystery books of Sandra Brown, starting with White Hot. We are developing many other dramatic series, miniseries and TV movies, including the dark thriller Bellevue for the CBC and Second Chance for Shaw Media.” —Michael Prupas, CEO
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Red Arrow International ADDRESS: Medienallee 7, 85774 Unterföhring, Germany TELEPHONE: (49-89) 9507-2320 WEBSITE: www.redarrowinternational.tv MANAGING DIRECTOR: Henrik Pabst SENIOR VP, SCRIPTED ACQUISITIONS & CO-PRODUCTIONS: Amelie von Kienlin CONTACT: sales@redarrowinternational.tv PROGRAMS: The Romeo Section: 10x60 min., thriller, Haddock Entertainment, CBC, Canada; Cleverman: 6x60 min., genre drama, Goalpost Pictures/Pukeko Pictures/Screen Australia/Screen NSW/Red Arrow International, ABC, Australia; Peter & Wendy: 1x120 min., family event, Headline Pictures/Juliette Films/Catalyst Global Media/Lip Sync Productions/Luxembourg Film Fund, ITV, U.K.; Bosch: season 2, 10x60 min., crime, Fabrik Entertainment, Amazon Studios; Einstein: 6x60 min. & 1x120 min., crime, Zeitsprung Pictures, SAT.1, Germany; Berlin One: 1x120 min., event, Wiedemann & Berg, SAT.1, Germany; 100 Code: 12x60 min., crime, 100 Code AB/Zen Productions/Fabrik Entertainment/Red Arrow International/Strix Drama, Kanal 5, Sweden/Sky Deutschland, Germany. “Red Arrow International is increasingly becoming a home for ambitious, international drama. We continue to see strong demand for well-written, character-driven fiction across an eclectic mix of genres, as reflected in our new lineup for MIPCOM. Our drama series highlights include the high-stakes espionage thriller The Romeo Section for CBC in Canada; the smart, sexy and startlingly original new genre drama Cleverman for ABC in Australia; the hilarious new comedy Donny! for USA Network; the new season of smashhit crime drama Bosch for Amazon Studios; and the fastpaced crime comedy Einstein for SAT.1. Red Arrow’s MIPCOM slate also includes major event TV movies, including Peter & Wendy, a magical new family adventure based on Peter Pan for ITV, and Berlin One, an action-packed crime movie from the award-winning producers of The Lives of Others set in Berlin in the roaring 1920s.” —Henrik Pabst, Managing Director
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Starz ADDRESS: 9242 Beverly Blvd., Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, U.S.A. TELEPHONE: (1-424) 204-4043 WEBSITE: www.starzglobal.com MANAGING DIRECTOR: Carmi Zlotnik EXECUTIVE VP, WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION: Gene George SENIOR VP, GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION & STRATEGY: Mara Minokur CONTACTS: starzworldwide@starz.com; digitalinfo@starz.com PROGRAMS: The Girlfriend Experience: 13x30 min., drama, Starz, U.S.A.; Ash vs. Evil Dead: 10x30 min., horror/comedy, Starz, U.S.A.; Flesh and Bone: 8x60 min., drama, Starz, U.S.A.; The Dresser: 1x109 min., drama/feature, BBC, U.K./Starz, U.S.A.; Black Sails: season 3, 10x60 min., action/drama, Starz, U.S.A.; Power: season 2, 10x60 min., action/drama, Starz, U.S.A.; Survivor’s Remorse: season 2, 10x30 min., comedy/ drama, Starz, U.S.A.; A Secret Life: 1x81 min., thriller/ feature, Lifetime, U.S.A.; A Prince for Christmas: 1x87 min., holiday feature, U.S.A.; Hit the Floor: season 3, 10x60 min., drama, VH1, U.S.A. “Starz is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay-television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation). Starz Distribution is comprised of home video, digital media (Starz Digital) and worldwide distribution (Starz Worldwide Distribution) business units. Starz Digital is the global digital and on-demand licensing arm of Starz and a leading multiplatform distributor of independent feature films in North America. Starz Digital distributes Starz original series and entertainment programming for select media companies, including The Weinstein Company and AMC Networks. Starz Worldwide Distribution is the global televisionlicensing arm of Starz. Starz Worldwide Distribution licenses Starz original series and is a leading distributor of other owned and licensed third-party programming, including movies, television series, documentaries, children’s programming and other video content.” —Corporate Communications
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Telefe ADDRESS: Prilidiano Pueyrredón 2989, 2/Fl., (B1640ILA) Martinez, Buenos Aires, Argentina TELEPHONE: (54-11) 4102-5994 WEBSITE: www.telefe.com DIRECTOR, GLOBAL CONTENT & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS: Tomas Yankelevich CONTENT DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Daniel Otaola CONTACT: dotaola@telefe.com.ar PROGRAMS: Cannibals: 60x60 min., drama/thriller, Telefe/ 100 Bares, Telefe, Argentina/Monte Carlo TV, Uruguay/FOX Life, Latin America; Story of a Clan: 11x60 min., miniseries, Underground, Telefe, Argentina; The Return of Lucas: super series, 60x60 min., Telefe/América TV, Telefe, Argentina/América TV, Peru.
“The international distribution and business division of Telefe has a wide range of offers that cover program distribution, the sale of formats and scripts, and production services, aimed at the international market. Telefe is nowadays one of the three most important programming distributors in Latin America and leads Latin fiction format sales, with a track record of over 15 years in the worldwide TV market. Telefe Internacional provides complete consulting services through new business platforms, seeking new ways, windows and markets for this industry.” —Corporate Communications
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Televisa Internacional ADDRESS: 6355 NW 36th St., Miami, FL 33166, U.S.A. TELEPHONE: (1-786) 265-2500 WEBSITE: www.televisainternacional.tv VP: Fernando Pérez-Gavilán GENERAL DIRECTOR, SALES: Carlos Castro CONTACT: Hugo Treviño, htrevino@televisa.com.mx PROGRAMS: I Dare You to Leave Me: 150x60 min., telenovela/ traditional; Love From the Hood: 150x60 min., telenovela/ classic; Unforgivable: 150x60 min., telenovela/traditional; The Neighbor: 150x60 min., telenovela/traditional; Italian Bride: 172x60 min., telenovela/traditional; Shadows of the Past: 138x60 min., telenovela/traditional; I Don’t Trust Men Anymore: 122x60 min., telenovela/classic; My Heart Is Yours: 177x60 min. “Grupo Televisa is the largest mass-media company in the Hispanic world, and a major player in the global entertainment industry. The company is involved in TV production and broadcasting, restricted TV signals production, TV programs’ international distribution, direct-to-home satellite TV, cable TV and telecommunication services, magazine publishing and distribution, radio programs’ production and broadcasting, live sports and entertainment events, film production and distribution, a website operation, and it also participates in the game and raffles industry. It produces more than 90,000 hours of content a year; it transforms universal stories into local successes by creating alliances and performing tailor-made productions. Televisa is a global entertainment company.” —Corporate Communications
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TM International ADDRESS: Luise-Ullrich-Str. 6, 82031 Gruenwald, Germany TELEPHONE: (49) 8929-0930 WEBSITE: www.tmg.de MANAGING DIRECTOR: Herbert L. Kloiber HEAD, SALES: Carlos Hertel CONTACT: sales@tmg.de PROGRAMS: The von Trapp Family—A Life of Music: 1x90 min., drama/biography; Valentine’s Kiss: 2x90 min., drama/romance, ZDF, Germany.
“TM International is the worldwide sales arm of Tele München Group (TMG). The media group has been successfully operating in the entertainment market for more than 45 years and its activities include, among others, the production, acquisition and distribution of feature films, TV productions and classical-music programs. TM International distributes all in-house productions in the theatrical and television segment, such as the latest feature-film productions Ruby Red and Sapphire Blue, based on the bestselling novels of the same name, an extensive Rosamunde Pilcher collection of sweeping female dramas such as Valentine’s Kiss, as well as the brand-new feature film depicting the true story behind one of the world’s most popular families, The von Trapp Family—A Life of Music. TM International also offers an exciting feature-film catalogue ranging from Terminator, Basic Instinct and Rambo I-III to Hard Rain, Wonder Boys and Primary Colors.” —Corporate Communications
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TRT - Turkish Radio & Television Corporation ADDRESS: TRT Sitesi, A Blok, 6.Kat, 06450 Oran, Ankara, Turkey TELEPHONE: (90-312) 463-2400 WEBSITES: www.trt.net.tr; www.trtsales.com DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL: Ibrahim Eren DEPUTY HEAD, TV DEPARTMENT: Mehmet Demirhan CONTACT: mehmet.demirhan@trt.net.tr PROGRAMS: Resurrection: Ertugrul: 26+x100 min.; Filinta: 26+x100 min.; Baba Can’dir (What Happens to My Family): 5+x100 min.; Yunus Emre: 22x60 min., religion; The Century Old Seal: history; Sedd’ul-Bahir: 10x50 min., history; Ciragan Conspiracy: 4x90 min./8x45 min., history; Ahmet, The Cook’s Aide: 60x40 min. HD; The Poor Boy and the Rich Girl: 121+x90 min. HD; Once Upon a Time Ottoman Empire: Mutiny.
“TRT is the public broadcaster of Turkey and is celebrating 51 years in TV. TRT owns a network of 14 TV channels, from general entertainment to kids’, documentary, sports and news. TRT is one of the major TV stations in the Turkish TV industry, with its competitive market share. We have a great library, expanding with highquality drama, animation and documentaries. We offer a wide spectrum of content. Especially, our period dramas are top quality and dominate the market. Resurrection: Ertugrul anchored Wednesday prime time as the number one show. We are proud that Resurrection: Ertugrul has sold to many countries, varying from Romania to Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Macedonia and Afghanistan. We are about to close deals with more territories. At MIPCOM, we shall present new dramas such as Baba Can’dir, which is the number two show on Sundays in prime time, and Yunus Emre, which is a historical period drama, together with our miniseries Sedd’ul-Bahir and The Century Old Seal. [We also have] 35 TV movies that are TRT productions under the label TRT TV Movies Project.” —Mehmet Demirhan, Deputy Head, TV Department
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ZDF Enterprises ADDRESS: Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, 55127 Mainz, Germany TELEPHONE: (49) 6131-9910 WEBSITE: www.zdf-enterprises.de PRESIDENT & CEO: Alexander Coridass EXECUTIVE VP & COO: Fred Burcksen VP, ACQUISITIONS & CO-PRODUCTIONS, ZDF: Volker Lehmann CONTACT: zdfe.drama@zdf-enterprises.de PROGRAMS: Bron/Broen III: 5x110 min./10x60 min., crime/ suspense, Filmlance International/Nimbus Film, SVT, Sweden/DR, Denmark/ZDF, Germany; Wataha: 6x60 min., crime/suspense, HBO Europe, HBO, Central & Eastern Europe; Johan Falk: 17x90 min., crime/suspense, Strix Drama, TV4, Sweden; The Fourth Man: 3x60 min., crime/ suspense, Sveriges Television, SVT, Sweden; House Husbands: 47x45 min., family, Playmaker Media, Channel 9, Australia; The Team: 8x60 min./4x115 min., crime/suspense, Network Movie/Danmarks Radio/Nordisk Film/Lunanime/ Lumière/C-Films/Superfilm, ZDF, Germany/DR, Denmark/ORF, Austria/SVT, Sweden; Sibel & Max: 24x45 min., family, neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft, ZDF, Germany; Katie Fforde— Trilogy: 3x90 min., love/romance, Network Movie Hamburg, ZDF, Germany; Dr. Klein: 24x45 min., family, Bavaria Fernsehproduktion, ZDF, Germany; Blochin—The Living and the Dead: 1x90 min. & 4x60 min., crime/suspense, Real Film Berlin, ZDF, Germany. “ZDF Enterprises has a longstanding competence in the production, co-production and distribution of drama programming. Our vast and multifaceted catalogue ranges from the classic cop shows and Nordic noir thrillers to family drama or love and romance titles, be it in the format of series, miniseries or TV movies. We have programs to satisfy any audience’s needs. Come and meet our team at our MIPCOM booth and find out how we can work together!” —Fred Burcksen, Executive VP & COO
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