DGUIDE_1020_COVER.qxp_KGUIDE_908_COVER 9/14/20 2:06 PM Page 1
G U I D E 2 02 0 / 2 02 1
DGUIDE_1020_house.qxp_GUIDE 9/11/20 5:18 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_TOC.qxp_Index 9/14/20 11:21 AM Page 1
Contents A Note from the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise Group Editorial Director Anna Carugati
Ricardo Seguin Guise President
Editor Mansha Daswani
Anna Carugati Executive VP
Executive Editor and Editor, English-Language Guides Kristin Brzoznowski
Mansha Daswani VP of Strategic Development and Associate Publisher
Production and Design Director David Diehl
Š 2020 WSN INC.
Associate Editor Chelsea Regan
1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620
Online Director Simon Weaver
Fax: (212) 924-6940
Senior Sales and Marketing Manager Dana Mattison
Website: www.tvdrama.ws
Sales and Marketing Coordinator Genovick Acevedo
No part of this publication can be used, reprinted, copied or stored in any medium without the publisher’s authorization.
Business Affairs Manager Andrea Moreno
For a free subscription to our newsletters, please visit www.subscriptions.ws 3
DGUIDE_1020_COLUMN.qxp_KGUIDE_1008_EDITORIAL 9/14/20 11:20 AM Page 1
A Note from the Editor Mansha Daswani
COVID-19 may have finally popped the peak-TV bubble. At least for now, with production on scripted series just beginning to resume in many markets, and new safety restrictions requiring a fair bit of getting used to. Travel restrictions mean that jetting off to far-flung locations (with generous tax breaks) may not happen right away. Plus, costs are rising (as they already were before the pandemic). All of these factors have required drama distributors to rethink their strategies somewhat. But for those companies with large catalogs and a presence in markets that have been less impacted by the coronavirus, there are indeed plenty of opportunities for brisk business. Production is slowly resuming with COVID-19 restrictions in place—and some additional cost factors to consider, and development on new content is also proceeding briskly. As for what impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on what audiences want to watch as we all struggle with a new version of normal and hope for an actual return to normal soon, there’s no clear answer. Some people are, no doubt, looking for escapist entertainment; perhaps getting transported back in time with the lush backdrops and elegant costumes of a period drama fits the bill. Others may choose to delve into the love affairs and family dynamics playing out in soapy daytime series or telenovelas. There are crimes of the week to be solved in the many procedurals on the market, complicated characters dealing with high-pressure environments in medical and legal dramas, and twisty whodunits to keep you guessing till the very end. This edition of the TV Drama Guide has a little something for everyone. A post-COVID-19 landscape remains unclear; without a vaccine, there’s no end date for the pandemic and the subsequent delays and complications in producing and deal-making. Nevertheless, distributors know that content is a currency that remains incredibly valuable, and they are preparing themselves to adapt to whatever changes are still to come. 4
DGUIDE_1020_SEPS PAGES.qxp_KGUIDE_908_COVER 9/14/20 11:23 AM Page 3
TALENT
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 1
Patrick Dempsey Actor Devils
TV DRAMA: What appealed to you about Devils? DEMPSEY: When I read the first episode, I kept turning the page, and I was constantly surprised by the reversals. I got ahead and then thought, Oh, that’s not where it’s going at all! That surprised me. And then I had a wonderful conversation with Nick [Hurran, the showrunner and director], and halfway through I was like, OK, I’m in. We shot in Rome and in London, which was another good reason to go! For me, that was perfect. It had a great international cast, and it was a great opportunity to learn something new about finance that I never really thought about before. There was a nice openness to the collaborative process. A lot of things were still ongoing, especially the last few episodes, as they were still in the writing process. And everybody cared deeply and focused on, how do we make the best scene we have today and how do we keep refining it? I really enjoyed the collaborative effort. TV DRAMA: Did you read the book by Guido Maria Brera that Devils is based on? DEMPSEY: I never got a chance to read the book, because it was in Italian. Guido would give us reading assignments [about the world the book is set in] and certain things to watch that really helped. He’d say, This is what I’m trying to do, read this and you’ll understand. There was a great documentary called Four Horsemen, which is about finance; that was very informative. And then you start to watch the [stock] market, and you start to talk to bankers and [see] what they’re doing. TV DRAMA: It feels like there is so much about the 2008 financial crisis that we still don’t fully know or understand. DEMPSEY: We’re still paying the price for that financial crisis, and we’re going into another one now. You’re seeing destabilization: look at Brexit, France, Germany, America. Democracies are fragile. And the unsustainable nature of capitalism; we have to pull back. We have to look at how we’re living in the world. 6
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 2
Tyler Perry
Creator, Producer, Director & Actor Founder & CEO, Tyler Perry Studios TV DRAMA: When and why did you start writing, and when did you realize you wanted to work in the entertainment business? PERRY: I started writing after I watched Oprah on television one day say it was cathartic to write things down. That was my catalyst for writing, and I wrote my first play. It was freeing to get things out of me and onto paper and to have that work. That was my beginning; that’s where it all started. There were people who saw that first play, and it really inspired them and motivated them. That’s what made me want to continue in it. TV DRAMA: Tell us about the studio. PERRY: [The studio is now in a structure that] was built in the 1800s. It was a former Confederate army base. I bought it about five years ago and started converting it. I knew it was a Confederate army base. I knew the history of what that meant, but in the time we are in today, with all that is going on, it has even more significance. To have a Black man own a large piece of land in the city of Atlanta that was used as a home base to strategize to keep Black people enslaved, for me to own that now, that speaks volumes. TV DRAMA: How did you prepare the studio to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic? PERRY: We had a person who worked for me at the beginning of COVID in March or April when it started to hit in the U.S. He was on the set of another movie, and he contracted it and died. We all knew him. The crew knew him, we knew him well, so I knew this virus was serious and much more of an issue than people were letting on. I had to come up with a plan that would allow me to sequester and keep people safe. I had to come up with a housing situation and bring some 360 people into a camp and make sure they are all safe. That was the biggest objective—the safety of everyone while we were working. To have two shows that have filmed their entire seasons, and have that work, has been beyond a blessing. 7
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/15/20 8:35 AM Page 3
Tim Minear Co-Creator & Showrunner 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star
TV DRAMA: How did 9-1-1 come about, and what did you and co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk want to accomplish with the show? MINEAR: It came about because Ryan was fixing to depart for Netflix. He felt a certain loyalty to Dana Walden [at the time, co-chairman and CEO of the Fox Television Group] and thought, “You know what would be nice? If I came up with an idea that would be a hit network show for my friend Dana.” I’ve never met a producer who could just decide to make a hit and then make a hit! Well, he did. He also wanted to create a vehicle that could showcase Angela Bassett on network TV, and he thought America wanted to see Angela Bassett in a uniform. That was the original thought. I remember taking a walk through the lot with Ryan, and he said, “I have this idea about a 911 operator. Wouldn’t it be great to call a show 9-1-1?” The idea was that these first responders, these heroes, [form] three legs of the stool: the dispatchers, the firefighters/ paramedics and the police. Those three elements together create a unique way into a procedural world. TV DRAMA: Was the premise of 9-1-1: Lone Star different from 9-1-1’s? MINEAR: Yes, I would say the biggest difference is that Lone Star began with a premise pilot, whereas 9-1-1 didn’t. In other words, when we came into 9-1-1, for the most part, the world was already in place. With Lone Star, there’s very much a premise there, which is there is a firefighter, Owen [played by Rob Lowe], who survived 9/11 and rebuilt his firehouse. He then comes to Texas to rebuild a firehouse after a similar all-encompassing tragedy. It was told from Owen’s point of view, whereas 9-1-1 was a little more diverse. With Lone Star, there was a lot more world-building that had to take place over the course of the first ten episodes. 8
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/15/20 8:37 AM Page 5
Sally Wainwright Screenwriter Gentleman Jack, Happy Valley
TV DRAMA: Tell us about your connection to Shibden Hall and discovering Anne Lister. WAINWRIGHT: I grew up in Halifax. Shibden Hall was a place I always visited as a child. I always had a real bond with it. I’d defy anyone to visit Shibden Hall and not find it fascinating. I can’t remember the first time I heard of Anne Lister. I think it’s because I visited Shibden Hall since being small and I probably always heard about her—she was part of that knowledge. She was always present when you visited the Hall; there’s a big portrait of her there and people would talk about her, even though there were huge aspects of her life that were kept quiet about for a long, long time. I’ve read so much of the diaries to write the show, I’ve learned a huge amount about her. Some people find her hard to like; she’s Marmite. As a dramatist, it’s interesting and exciting that she isn’t always completely likable or completely good. She could be very Machiavellian, she could be quite difficult, but she was also very charismatic and very charming. My appreciation of her gets deeper and deeper the more I find out about her in the diaries. It’s such a phenomenal document; I don’t think people who haven’t seen it realize just how detailed it is. She literally tells you what she does every day. There are probably a handful of days she misses across the 25 years the journal covers. And she tells you what she’s done from getting up to going to bed. TV DRAMA: Are there particular types of stories or characters you are attracted to? WAINWRIGHT: It’s really about story and finding a vehicle for characters through whom you can tell a good story. Good stories don’t come along every day. They sneak up on you when you least expect it. It’s finding what’s in that story that excites you and developing ideas about characters for how you need to tell that story and what’s important in that story. You’re always looking for something new, something you haven’t quite done before. It’s not a formula. 9
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/15/20 8:37 AM Page 4
Piv Bernth
CEO, Apple Tree Productions Executive Producer, Blackwater TV DRAMA: How did Blackwater come about? BERNTH: Pernilla August, who will direct all six episodes, and Anna Croneman, the head of drama at SVT, contacted me and asked if I was interested in developing Blackwater with Pernilla and Maren Louise Käehne, who is the writer of the show. They asked me if it was something for Apple Tree and, of course, it was. It’s an iconic novel in Scandinavia by Kerstin Ekman. It’s been translated in 25 languages or so. TV DRAMA: Since so many people have read the book, how do you introduce new elements without disappointing them? BERNTH: When you see a feature film or TV series based on a book you love, you are a tough audience because you have your own images in your head. It’s going to be the same with Blackwater. We open the series in the same way the book opens, so you will immediately recognize something you know. We had some ideas for another beginning, but then we realized if we start more or less the same way the book does, it helps people befriend it right away. Then again, the book is split up into three parts and two timelines, 1992 and 1970. In the book, they are separate: the present time, which is the ’90s, and the past. We cut it in a different way, the two levels of time follow each other. TV DRAMA: How have you seen Scandinavian drama evolve since the days of The Killing and The Bridge? BERNTH: There are a lot of good shows now in all genres from Norway, Sweden and Finland. Iceland has done shows as well. But the competition is crazy. There is so much out there. It’s not enough to be from the Nordic noir countries and say Nordic noir. Ten or 15 years ago, you could say Nordic noir and people would say, Wow! But it’s not like that anymore. There is so much good programming and a lot of not so good programming! The streamers have done a big job to help—people are learning a lot. The environment is very competitive but very inspiring as well. 10
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 6
Elwood Reid Showrunner Barkskins
TV DRAMA: What were the challenges of re-creating this time in history? REID: I don’t mean to speak broadly about a whole genre of TV shows—I do watch period shows. I do find the trap that period shows run into is they tend to be all about the costumes and the setting and the look, and a lot of the drama is very interpersonal. When people talk about period, it’s, Oh, everyone walked around in beautiful dresses and they went to balls and rode in carriages and they were going to figure out who they were going to marry! History is incredibly bloody, in particular, this period of time. That seems to get left out. And that seems to go into genre. Anything you read about this era, there were wars and battles and people are screwing each other over land. It was full of plot. So I said, we’re going to have people in beautiful costumes and there’s going to be some dances and there’s going to be some relationships and there’s going to be people sticking axes into other characters. TV DRAMA: How did you bring your background in writing crime procedurals to the show? REID: I came up as a novelist, and I read a lot of crime fiction. When I first came out to Hollywood, I loved procedurals. One thing I noticed about those shows is, the minute there’s a body, when something really bad happens, people by and large, no matter how bad what follows is, are going to stick around to find out what happened and why did they do it. So it’s a very effective motor, and I think we tend to only apply it to cops in Armani suits walking around cities. Why not transplant some of that motor into what you call period drama? I think it really works. It felt good to be able to drive the story around a central mystery. One thing you always have in a procedural is this train track. You can diverge off that train track, but the minute you get back on that story track, the pace picks up. It’s very comforting to have that as a writer. 11
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 7
Darren Star
Creator, Writer & Executive Producer Emily in Paris TV DRAMA: What was the genesis of Emily in Paris? STAR: I’ve been playing with this idea in my head for a long time. I’ve always been a big fan of France, and Paris in particular. I wondered what it would be like to live there. That was the germ of the idea, what it’s like to be an expatriate somewhere. From the time I had spent in France, I knew there was an idea for a show. In this case, it’s a real fish-out-of-water story, about a girl who inadvertently takes a job there for a French luxury-goods marketing firm. I felt it was a good time for a show like this because, in America, we’re so inward-looking. I thought it was a great time to live vicariously through a character who is taking risks [that come with] living in a foreign country. TV DRAMA: What are some of the themes the series touches on? STAR: There are definitely culture clashes. Lily [Collins] plays a girl who is a go-getter, an achiever, and is thrown into a world where that is a priority but not the only one. At the same time, she is struggling to get by, dealing with the language and not reading all of the cultural cues correctly. It’s about her growing from this experience. Travel is so expansive for anyone; that’s a lot of what the show is about—how the culture changes her and how she affects the people around her. It’s a real cultural exchange. TV DRAMA: How has the sheer volume of different platforms impacted your storytelling ability? STAR: TV is going through such an amazingly transformational time right now. There are so many opportunities for writers and creators and for the audience; the amount of wonderful product being made is off the charts. The idea of what a TV series is has expanded. The audience’s response to the shows that are out there really has woken up the networks—they are looking at it and thinking, it’s not a niche audience, it’s the audience and they’re responding to intelligent and complicated programming. It has created so many opportunities for writers. 12
DGUIDE_1020_SEPS PAGES.qxp_KGUIDE_908_COVER 9/14/20 11:23 AM Page 2
EXECUTIVES
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 8
Casey Bloys Chief Content Officer HBO & HBO Max
TV DRAMA: How are HBO and HBO Max attracting talent? BLOYS: At HBO, what we’ve been doing for a very long time and why we continue to have people who want to work with us is that there is a direct relationship with our executives. In other words, there are no studio layers. It’s very direct to the decision-makers. We usually start the relationship by making it clear that the show is their show. We try to have a collaborative approach to working with talent on the production side. We usually ask, how do we execute the creator’s vision? It’s never about, what’s the easiest way to do this? What I’m going to try to do at HBO Max will be a different kind of programming. The idea with Max is to broaden out the appeal, but my hope is that we can offer creative writers and producers a similar experience where they get the same kind of individualized support. TV DRAMA: Will co-productions continue? BLOYS: We have a long history of collaborating with both Sky and BBC, obviously English-language programs. You’ll see in the first quarter we’ll be airing some HBO International shows. There are around 45 series from across HBO Europe, HBO Latin America and HBO Asia that are available to stream on HBO Max, but we are going to air two international shows on HBO for the first time next year. When I talk about the diversity of our slate, co-productions will always be a part of the offering. TV DRAMA: How are you approaching the post-Game of Thrones era? BLOYS: What was nice about the timing of that is that it coincided with the increase in programming in 2019. After Game of Thrones went off the air, there was some of that, Oh my God, what is HBO going to do? And then we were able to say, here’s Chernobyl, here’s Big Little Lies season two. Here’s Euphoria. Here’s Succession season two. Here’s Watchmen. That pretty much put an end to the what’s HBO going to do! [Laughs] 14
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 9
Walter Iuzzolino Co-Founder & Curator Walter Presents
TV DRAMA: In general, what are your criteria for choosing series? IUZZOLINO: When I started Walter Presents, I set myself three criteria, and they’ve never changed. I found them very useful as an initial tool to approach content that comes from abroad. First, I wanted pieces that were big, successful, commercial hits in their country of origin. When we launched Walter Presents in the U.K., [watching programming with] subtitles was considered a snobbish, non-mainstream activity. I didn’t believe that, and I didn’t like that. When I came to London, it was quite clear that everything was very Anglophile and Anglo-American. International content that was dubbed and subtitled was not cutting through. So, my ambition was to create a brand that would be mainstream, broad and commercially successful. Second, I looked at the overall quality of the piece. The writing, acting and directing needed to be of the highest caliber. The crafting that used to be happening in independent cinema in America and has moved to television: great writing, acting, photography and costumes. And the third point was critical acclaim. I remember saying to myself, if two out of three of these criteria are met, then I should seriously consider the piece. The quality of execution was always the top criteria. However, you are either wonderfully made and successful in your country of origin or wonderfully made and critically acclaimed. TV DRAMA: Do you tailor the offering for each territory? How do you curate the offering? IUZZOLINO: I remain very pure. My ambition from the start was that we would be ever more coordinated in our schedule. In the beginning, we had to do a bit of bespoke because we launched in the U.K. in 2016 and the U.S. in 2017, so a lot of titles had either gone here or gone there. I needed to acquire complementary pieces to add volume. But now that we are in seven countries, it’s become much easier. When I buy, I tend to buy for all our territories. 15
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/15/20 8:41 AM Page 10
Michele Buck CEO Company Pictures
TV DRAMA: How have you set up your drama development team in order to best meet the needs of the market? BUCK: We have a development meeting once a week for about two hours where we all talk about everything: things we’ve seen, things we want, we might talk about a book that some of us have read. We’re open for business to everyone. We’re actively looking for young writers. One of the really good things now is you don’t need one of the 12 top writers in England to get a green light. The SVODs are actively looking for young writers, young female writers, young female Black writers. The door is open. That’s exciting. Our development slate at the moment is very eclectic and diverse and for all platforms. In the old days, you had something that could either be BBC or ITV or Channel 4. Now with so many different places to go and drama becoming a little bit more bespoke, if you have a really good idea that is slightly left of center, if it’s good and the writer is good and you can get it there, you should be able to find a home for it. TV DRAMA: What benefits does Company Pictures derive from having the backing of all3media? BUCK: One, they are owned by Americans, so you have that scale. Two, Jane [Turton, CEO of all3media] has a really interesting business model. She has seen the advantages of buying production companies, so she’s buying content. If you’re in the group, you feel the power of the intelligence of a large group, but all the companies work in a very autonomous way. Jane offered me the headspace of running an indie, but actually without losing sleep at night! I was lucky enough to be offered the job of taking on a company with a brand and a heritage and a library and a reputation, but it’s autonomous. I have the support of a big company, the intelligence of a big company, and, most importantly, a really good distributor. 16
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 11
Colin Callender Founder & Chairman Playground TV DRAMA: What was the mission when you set up Playground? CALLENDER: In 2012, it was very clear that international co-productions were driving big-budget, high-quality drama productions. And this was an area I knew very well. While I was at HBO, we did an enormous amount of co-productions, but they were projects we started and then went out into the market to find coproduction money. I felt that it was a great time to start an independent production company that was driven in large part by co-productions. That has been the strategy for the company: a mix of indigenous drama for the U.K. and then higherbudgeted event dramas that would attract co-financing. TV DRAMA: What has the streaming explosion meant for Playground, and indie producers in general? CALLENDER: The streaming model is very seductive, but it is a time bomb that is at some point going to explode and blow up the British independent sector if the public-service broadcasters and the commercial networks don’t remain healthy. The streamers are a very exciting new frontier, but the health of the British independent production market is dependent on a healthy BBC, a healthy Channel 4, a healthy ITV. What’s interesting is how those two universes are going to coexist. I think at the end of the day, the British broadcasters and the streamers may want different things. TV DRAMA: With so much drama being produced by the streamers, will there be an inevitable decline in quality? CALLENDER: That’s the challenge of a volume business rather than a boutique business. That’s a perennial challenge. Back in the Camelot days of HBO, one of the things we prided ourselves on was the consistency across all genres that we were working on. But one of the things that is exciting is the surprises come from unexpected places. Part of the fun of having a breadth of a slate is the ability to take risks; some work, some don’t work. That’s the great advantage that [the streamers] have. 17
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 12
Simon Cornwell Co-Founder & Co-CEO The Ink Factory
TV DRAMA: Tell me about your development process, be it mining the material of John le Carré or other projects you’d like to get off the ground. CORNWELL: It’s a combination of us saying, wouldn’t it be really interesting to find something that tells this kind of story, and the inbound: the calls from agents or the writers. In the best possible world, those two things combine. In contrast to other people, we maybe have a narrower slate—and this is partly because we work with a lot of high-end literary material. We do work with material where, if you don’t get it right the first time, you don’t blame the material. Where you have underlying material that has that real depth to it, if you don’t get there on the first attempt, you dig in and try again. TV DRAMA: How do you approach financing your projects? CORNWELL: We work with a group of investors, so they provide us with an equity financing facility. What that means is, we can put a movie or a TV show together by preselling—in the broadcast world, bringing in commissioning broadcasters, or in the film world, preselling a handful of key territories that underwrite a good chunk of the budget. You then have a smaller chunk of the budget—15 to 20 percent—underwritten by tax breaks of one kind or another. And then we’re able to write a check for the difference. And we invest that effectively against the unsold territories, against the upside. That’s always been the way of financing movies outside of the studio system. It’s a model we’ve used very successfully for television as well. Of course, when you move into a streaming environment, you’re talking a single global sale typically, or maybe there’s an anchor broadcaster in one territory and the streamer handles the rest of the world. That’s a different financing challenge. Those companies cover the cost of production—even if they pay on delivery, you can borrow against that. But in that environment, what counts is being able to finance your development slate properly and not having to go to networks or distributors at a very early stage to raise development financing. 18
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/14/20 11:22 AM Page 13
Sally Woodward Gentle Founder Sid Gentle Films
TV DRAMA: How did Killing Eve come about? WOODWARD GENTLE: A colleague had dinner with Luke Jennings, who had written the [Codename Villanelle e-book] novellas. She said, he’s given these to me, do you want to take a look? We all love a female assassin, and this was a great female assassin. At the center of it was this relationship between Eve and Villanelle. We loved all of it, but then also realized there were other projects like La Femme Nikita and Hanna out there, and I didn’t want to do another sexy male-gaze female assassin. I’d read Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s one-woman play Fleabag before it was on at the SoHo Playhouse and met her and liked her because she was just this wild, enthusiastic, extraordinary ball of charisma. I thought it would be good fun to see what it was like putting a piece that was essentially genre through a different kaleidoscope. That’s how I paired Phoebe up with the books. TV DRAMA: What’s the approach to finding new talent and then helping them hone their craft? WOODWARD GENTLE: We work with a lot of female writers on the Killing Eve team. The hardest thing about the show is you can be an extraordinary writer, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you can get the tone. So it was about drilling down to see if they could get the tone. All of our writers for season three really delivered because we had gone through that process. A lot of them were quite new writers, and we tried to give them as much support as we possibly could in terms of structure and timings. We will give everybody as much as they need, but all writers need different things. What emotional, practical or physical support do any of us need? It all varies. So it’s also about trying to work out what help works. We quite heavily note and support through the whole scripting process, which is, in turn, frustrating and helpful. It’s just casting your net wide and taking a chance and being supportive and having enough prep and enough post. 19
DGUIDE_1020_INTERVIEWS.qxp_DIST_1207_INTERVIEWS 9/15/20 8:44 AM Page 14
Robert Franke VP, ZDFE.drama ZDF Enterprises
TV DRAMA: What trends are you seeing in financing models? FRANKE: We see that there is more willingness among distributors to share rights and combine strengths to create synergies in financing and maximize ROI on new shows. Besides that, COVID-19 is a real blackbox and the pandemic will probably reshape parts of our industry in new ways we can’t imagine yet. My guess is we will see a long-term transformation toward a more B2C-driven approach, especially with the new emerging AVOD players like Pluto TV taking up market share from pay platforms [driven by] users who are unwilling to pay for a whole bunch of streaming services and who are looking for a more casual experience without the financial commitment. These new platforms offering content owners rev shares might incentivize producers to experiment with investing more capital into their own ideas. TV DRAMA: Is it becoming easier to carve out windows? FRANKE: It’s more challenging because we see that broadcasters need to make the most of their investment. They want to make sure they have the first window for themselves. At the same time, clients like Netflix, for example, are still asking for a lot of rights, and there is not a lot of value in the second window for the distributor. You can always patch together co-productions, but are they financially interesting at the end of the day? TV DRAMA: What are the biggest factors you expect will be reshaping the drama business in the year ahead? FRANKE: Technological developments in the world are drastically changing viewership behavior and consumption patterns, possibly rendering a considerable part of the current industry’s business practice obsolete. Despite the growing popularity of Netflix, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime, the streaming giants have their own disruptors to beware of. Consumers will increasingly opt for more personalized streaming services, leading to fragmentation in the market. 20
DGUIDE_1020_SEPS PAGES.qxp_KGUIDE_908_COVER 9/14/20 11:23 AM Page 1
DISTRIBUTORS
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/15/20 8:45 AM Page 1
ABS-CBN Corporation ADDRESS: 10/Fl., ELJ Communications Center, Lopez Dr., Quezon City 1103, Metro Manila, Philippines TELEPHONE: (63-23) 415-2272 WEBSITE: www.internationalsales.abs-cbn.com COO, BROADCAST: Cory Vidanes DIVISION HEAD, INTEGRATED PROGRAM ACQUISITION & INTERNATIONAL SALES & DISTRIBUTION: Maria Cecilia F. Imperial SALES HEAD, NEW MEDIA & INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTION: Pia Bacungan-Laurel SALES HEAD, EMEA: Laarni J. Yu SALES HEAD, ASIA & LATIN AMERICA: Wincess L. Gonzalez PROGRAM ACQUISITION HEAD: Rachel Simon-Palomar CONTACT: internationalsales@abs-cbn.com PROGRAMS: Love Thy Woman: 60x45 min., family drama; I Am U: 7x25 min., suspense; A Soldier’s Heart: 65x45 min., action; Fists of Fate: 80x45 min., action; Our Home: 60x45 min., family drama; The Law of Revenge: 45x45 min., drama; Irreplaceable: 120x45 min., romance/family drama/suspense.
“Content consumption has been influenced heavily by the pandemic, and we see this as an opportunity to expand the audience base of our dramas. We are focusing on strengthening partnerships with different platforms and content players to reach audiences beyond our shores. In the evolving context of the world, we remain a content company that provides relevant, engaging and meaningful stories that inspire and give hope. Our dramas will continue to showcase the strength and resilience of the human spirit in this challenging time.” —Cory Vidanes, COO, Broadcast
22
DGUIDE_1020_ABS.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 3:28 PM Page 1
OUR STORIES ARE FAR FROM BEING OVER. THIS IS THE WHOLE NEW ERA OF ABS-CBN.
International Sales & Distribution abscbninternationalsales ABS-CBN International Distribution
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/15/20 8:46 AM Page 2
all3media international ADDRESS: Berkshire House, 168-173 High Holborn, London WC1V 7AA, U.K. TELEPHONE: (44-20) 7845-4350 WEBSITE: www.all3mediainternational.com CEO: Louise Pedersen EXECUTIVE VP, CONTENT: Maartje Horchner SENIOR VP, SCRIPTED: David Swetman CONTACT: Ben Sawyers, ben.sawyers@all3media.com PROGRAMS: All Creatures Great and Small: 7x60 min., period drama, Playground/all3media international/Screen Yorkshire, Masterpiece, U.S./Channel 5, U.K.; Des: 3x60 min., true crime, New Pictures/all3media international, ITV, U.K.; The Deceived: 4x60 min., thriller, New Pictures/all3media international, Channel 5, U.K./Virgin Media Television, Ireland; Eden: 8x60 min., thriller, Every Cloud Productions/Balloon Entertainment, Stan, Australia; Roadkill: 4x60 min., drama, The Forge/all3media international, BBC One, U.K./Masterpiece, U.S.; The Sounds: 8x60 min., drama, South Pacific Pictures/ Shaftesbury, Acorn TV, U.S./CBC, Canada/Sky TV, New Zealand; Miss S: 30x60 min., detective, Shanghai99 Visual, Tencent, China/ABC, Australia; One Lane Bridge: 6x60 min., detective, Great Southern TV/all3media international, TVNZ, New Zealand; Head High: 6x60 min., drama, South Pacific Pictures, Three, New Zealand; MAXXX: 6x30 min., comedy drama, OTT Lion, Channel 4, U.K.
“all3media international is the distribution arm of the all3media group. We promote and license a catalog of award-winning TV programs and formats to broadcasters and media platforms across the globe. Our catalog contains over 15,000 hours of content across all genres, and we work with over 1,000 broadcast, DVD and digital platform clients from more than 200 countries.” —Corporate Communications
24
DGUIDE_1020_ALL3MEDIA.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 1:53 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/14/20 11:23 AM Page 3
Banijay Rights ADDRESS: Gloucester Building Kensington Village, Avonmore Rd., London W14 8RF, U.K. TELEPHONE: (44-207) 013-4000 WEBSITE: www.banijayrights.com CEO: Cathy Payne CONTACT: sales@banijayrights.com PROGRAMS: The Hunt for a Killer: 6x45 min., true crime, Yellow Bird, SVT, Sweden; Adult Material: 4x60 min., drama, Fifty Fathoms, Channel 4, U.K.; Two Weeks to Live: 6x30 min., comedy, Kudos, Sky One, U.K.; Viewpoint: 5x60 min., drama, Tiger Aspect/Unstoppable Film and Television, ITV, U.K.; RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service: 8x60 min., drama, Endemol Shine Banks, Seven Network, Australia; The Other One: 7x30 min., comedy, Tiger Aspect Productions, BBC One, U.K.; The Inbetweeners: S1-3, comedy, Bwark Productions, Channel 4, U.K.; Grantchester: S1-6, drama, Kudos/Masterpiece, Masterpiece, U.S./ITV, U.K.; Peaky Blinders: drama; Black Lake: S1-3, drama, Jarowskij, NENT/Viaplay, Nordics.
“Leading independent global distributor Banijay Rights represents a world-class, multi-genre portfolio of over 88,000 hours of standout programming. Leading distribution for the largest international creator and producer, Banijay, the division handles the exploitation of some of the planet’s best scripted and non-scripted brands. Representing quality, excellence and experience in the business of linear and nonlinear television and ancillary activity across all platforms, Banijay Rights’ catalog encompasses a host of top titles from Banijay’s 120-plus in-house labels and a number of third-party producers.” —Corporate Communications
26
DGUIDE_1020_banijay.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 1:54 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/14/20 11:23 AM Page 4
CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution ADDRESS: 1400 Boulevard René-Lévesque E, Montreal, QC H2L 2M2, Canada TELEPHONE: (1-514) 347-7706 WEBSITE: distribution.cbcrc.ca DIRECTOR, CONTENT DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSHIPS: Mia Desroches CONTACT: mia.desroches@cbc.ca PROGRAMS: Trop: S1-3 13x30 min. each, comedy, Sphere Media, Radio-Canada, Canada; Conversations with My Parents: S1-3 13x30 min. each., comedy, A Media, Radio-Canada, Canada; Cerebrum: S1 10x6 min., S2 10x60 min. in prod., S3 10x60 min. in dvpmt., police investigation, Sphere Media, Radio-Canada, Canada; One Game One Dream: 10x60 min., sports drama, Melenny Productions, Radio-Canada, Canada; Fragile: 10x60 min., drama, Amalga, Radio-Canada, Canada; True North: S1-6 52x60 min., period drama, Encore Télévision, Radio-Canada, Canada; False Starts: S1 8x9-14 min., S2 in dvpmt., drama, Passez Go, Radio-Canada, Canada; Olivier: 8x60 min., drama, Amalga, Radio-Canada, Canada.
“CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution is the licensing department of Canada’s national public broadcaster. With operations based in Montreal and Toronto, our specialty is working in tandem with independent producers to finance and distribute content worldwide. Each project is unique, and we carefully adapt to the evolving reality of the marketplace and the needs of our business partners. Working closely with our colleagues from the broadcasting arm of CBC/Radio-Canada, we have developed an ever-growing slate of bold and exciting scripted content. We are extremely proud of the rich and varied lineup we are bringing to this edition of MIPCOM. Our library of properties features some great original stories, including Cerebrum, Trop and Conversations with My Parents. These three series delve into themes of coping with the challenges of the world today, taking approaches that range from the deadly serious to the lighthearted. Looking to the future, we are eager to further develop our agility and extend our collaborative approach to the international community through financing, co-distribution and the development of new business models that will enable creators to reach audiences. CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution is open for business.” —Corporate Communications
28
DGUIDE_1020_CBC.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 1:55 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/14/20 2:11 PM Page 5
Cineflix Rights ADDRESS: 1/Fl., 1 Lorenzo St., London WC1X 9DJ, U.K. TELEPHONE: (44-20) 3179-5050 WEBSITE: cineflixrights.com CEO, RIGHTS, CINEFLIX MEDIA: Chris Bonney HEAD, SCRIPTED: James Durie CONTACT: jdurie@cineflix.com PROGRAMS: Wynonna Earp: 60 min. eps., sci-fi, IDW Entertainment/Cineflix Studios/SEVEN24 Films, SYFY, U.S.A./CTV Sci-Fi, Canada; Tehran: 60 min. eps., espionage thriller, Donna Productions/Shula Spiegel Productions/Paper Plane Productions/Kan 11/Apple TV+, Kan, Israel; An Ordinary Woman: 60 min. eps., drama, 1-2-3 Productions/Look Film, TV3 Channel, Russia; Minister: 60 min. eps., political drama, Sagafilm, RUV, Iceland/SVT, Sweden/NRK, Norway/DR, Denmark/YLE, Finland; Marcella: 60 min. eps., crime thriller, Buccaneer Media, Netflix/ITV, U.K.; Happily Married: 45 min. eps., drama, Productions Casablanca, Radio-Canada, Canada; I Was Lorena Bobbitt: 1x120 min., TV movie, Cineflix Productions, Lifetime, U.S.A.; Coroner: 60 min. eps., crime thriller, Muse Entertainment/ Back Alley Film Productions/Cineflix Studios, CBC, Canada; Mirage: 60 min. eps., espionage thriller, Connect3 Media, France Télévisions, France/ZDF, Germany/Super Channel, Canada/Bell Media, Canada; Pure: 60 min. eps., crime drama, Two East Productions/Cineflix Studios, CBC, Canada/Super Channel, Canada/WGN America, U.S.A./Hulu.
“Cineflix Rights is growing its drama portfolio through acquisitions, development and coproduction agreements alongside content from Cineflix Studios and our partner companies, including Buccaneer Media and Connect3 Media. Independently owned and creatively led, we’re focused on distinct English- and foreignlanguage dramas from diverse producers and talent who approach storytelling in a unique way. Our scripted slate includes the cult LGBTQ phenom Wynonna Earp for SYFY and CTV Sci-Fi, which recently sold to NBCUniversal International Networks across Europe; ratings hit Coroner, airing worldwide on CBC, The CW Network, Sky Witness and NBCUniversal International Networks; International Emmy-winning Marcella for ITV and Netflix; spy thriller Mirage; and crime drama Pure. Our foreign-language slate includes the Israeli espionage drama Tehran, launching globally on Apple TV+, as well as the gripping Icelandic political series The Minister and Russian breakout hit An Ordinary Woman.” —James Durie, Head, Scripted 30
DGUIDE_1020_cinemaflix.qxp_GUIDE 9/15/20 3:14 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/15/20 8:47 AM Page 6
Eccho Rights ADDRESS: Kungsgatan 48, 111 35 Stockholm, Sweden TELEPHONE: (46-8) 5560-9380 WEBSITE: www.ecchorights.com MANAGING DIRECTOR: Fredrik af Malmborg DIRECTOR, TURKISH DRAMA: Handan Özkubat CONTACTS: fam@ecchorights.com; handan@ecchorights.com PROGRAMS: The Red Room: 45 min. eps., drama, OGM Pictures, Turkey; My Home My Destiny: 45 min. eps., drama, OGM Pictures, Turkey; Legacy: 45 min. eps., drama, Karamel Yapim, Turkey; Hammarvik: 45 min. eps., blue sky/crime drama, Nordisk Film & TV, Sweden; Love Me: 45 min. eps., romantic drama/comedy, Warner Bros. International, Sweden; The Promise: 45 min. eps., drama, Karamel Yapim, Turkey; Honour: 45 min. eps., drama, Bigster, Sweden.
“Once again, Eccho Rights enters the autumnwinter season with a lineup including the most exciting new series from Turkey and Europe, as well as a collection of new Korean titles from our parent company CJ ENM. The Red Room, from OGM Pictures—producer of the spring season’s breakthrough hit My Home My Destiny—has already had a huge impact on audiences in Turkey, and we are thrilled about bringing this important series to the international market. We also have the latest daily series Legacy, from Karamel Yapim, the producers of international hits like The Promise. Another very exciting new launch is Hammarvik, from Sweden, a Nordic crime series but with a lighter touch than the ‘noir’ series so familiar from the region, a real feel-good, blue-sky series with family and romance stories to complement the murder mystery.” —Fredrik af Malmborg, Managing Director
32
DGUIDE_1020_ECCHO.qxp_GUIDE 9/15/20 10:04 AM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/15/20 8:48 AM Page 7
Gaumont ADDRESS: 30 Avenue Charles de Gaulle, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France TELEPHONE: (33-1) 4643-2000 WEBSITE: www.gaumonttelevision.com VICE CEO: Christophe Riandee PRESIDENT, GAUMONT US: Nicolas Atlan EXECUTIVE VP, TV DISTRIBUTION & DEVELOPMENT: Cécilia Rossignol CONTACTS: cecilia.rossignol@gaumont.com; tvsales@gaumont.com PROGRAMS: El Presidente: 8x60 min., satirical drama; Narcos: Mexico: 50x60 min., action drama; El Chapo: 34x60 min., action drama; Hannibal: 39x60 min., psychological thriller; Hemlock Grove: 33x60 min., thriller/drama; The Art of Crime: 20x60 min., procedural drama; The Frozen Dead: 6x60 min., thriller/crime drama; Relationship Status: 13x22 min., dramedy; Hetty Feather: 53x30 min. & 2x30 min. holiday specials, family/kids/drama; Murder in Lisieux: 1x90 min., crime drama.
“Gaumont is an industry leader, producing and distributing high-quality TV programming and films with A-list talent both in front of and behind the camera. Specializing in producing local stories with global appeal, Gaumont’s current slate includes talent-driven, diverse and distinctive titles across multiple languages for the world’s leading global streaming platforms and channels. For Netflix, the flagship series Narcos in its fifth season; F is for Family in its fourth season; High in the Clouds, the animated feature developed together with Paul McCartney; Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, based on the comic books by Stan Sakai; The Barbarians, the period epic drama set in Germany; and Arsène Lupin, directed by Louis Leterrier and starring Omar Sy in France. For Amazon Prime Video U.S., Do Re & Mi, with Kristen Bell; El Presidente, co-created by Armando Bo and Pablo Larraín in Latin America; and the action thriller Operations Totems in France. For Apple TV+, based on the Zen Shorts book series of Jon J. Muth, Stillwater.” —Corporate Communications
34
DGUIDE_1020_Gaumont.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 1:57 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/14/20 11:24 AM Page 8
Global Agency ADDRESS: Abdi İpekçi Cad., Park 19-1, Kat:3, Nişantaşı, Istanbul, Turkey TELEPHONE: (90-212) 241-2693 WEBSITE: www.theglobalagency.tv FOUNDER & CEO: Izzet Pinto HEAD, DRAMA ACQUISITIONS: Senay Filiztekin PROGRAMS: Mr. Wrong: dramedy, Gold Film; Aleph: 8x60 min., crime drama, May Productions; Rise of Empires: Ottoman: 6x60 min., historical epic/docudrama, Karga Seven Pictures; Daydreamer: S1 161x60 min., dramedy, Gold Film, Star TV, Turkey; Evermore: S1 51x60 min., S2 129x60 min., S3 121x60 min., drama, O3 Medya, Star TV, Turkey; Gulperi: 93x60 min., drama, TIMS&B Productions, Show TV, Turkey; The Boy: 62x60 min., drama, 1441 Productions; Sisters: 65x60 min., drama, Gold Film, Star TV, Turkey; Bitter Sweet: 81x60 min., drama, No Dokuz Productions, Star TV, Turkey; Never Let Go: S1 47x60 min., S2 118x60 min., drama, Show TV, Turkey.
“Global Agency, one of the world’s leading TV-content distributors, offers a broad portfolio of powerful dramas and innovative formats that continue to capture the imagination of audiences worldwide. Putting customers first, our dedicated team blends top-quality and original content with a dynamic marketing approach. Growing quickly to encompass more than 150 projects, Global Agency has enjoyed international hits with hard-hitting dramas such as 1001 Nights, Magnificent Century, Broken Pieces and Mother. It also draws upon a rich pool of creativity and has diversified into formats such as lifestyle, talent, dating and game shows, achieving success with programs such as Shopping Monsters, Keep Your Light Shining, Perfect Bride and The Remix. Its executives attend more than 15 major entertainment content-market events annually to reinforce its worldwide reach. With its powerful programs, trendsetting formats and innovative strategies, Global Agency is well placed to keep providing ‘Content that Creates Buzz.’” —Corporate Communications
36
DGUIDE_1020_GLOBAL AGCY.qxp_GUIDE 9/15/20 7:30 AM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/15/20 8:49 AM Page 9
Global Screen ADDRESS: Sonnenstr. 21, 80331 Munich, Germany TELEPHONE: (49-89) 2441295-500 WEBSITE: www.globalscreen.de HEAD, ACQUISITIONS & SALES, TV INTERNATIONAL/SVOD: Alexandra Heidrich CONTACT: alexandra.heidrich@globalscreen.de PROGRAMS: Turbulent Skies: 8x50 min., drama, Topkapi Films, NPO1, Netherlands; Ferdinand Von Schirach: Enemies (w/t): 2x90 min., crime drama, Constantin Film, ARD, Germany; Dark Woods: 6x45 min., crime drama, Bavaria Fiction/Conrad Film, ARD, Germany; A Good Year: 8x45 min., crime drama, Mockingbird Productions; Amber Alert: 10x45 min., crime drama, Pixcom International, TVA, Canada; Fast: 10x45 min., thriller/action, Yellow Film, MTV Oy, Finland; Copykiller: 1x89 min., crime drama/TV movie, MOOVIE, ARD, Germany; Buried Truth: 18x60 min., crime drama, C-Films/Panimage, SRF, Switzerland; Berko: 4x52 min., drama/thriller, Promocine/Imago, FOX, Latin America/TVN, Chile; Mountain Murders: 16x48 min., crime drama, Luckybird Pictures, ARD, Germany.
“Global Screen starts into the new season with a multigenre lineup that reaches all target groups—from gripping drama and thrilling crime series to lovely family entertainment, captivating feature films and TV movies. Turbulent Skies, for example, combines true events with spectacular flight scenes and great visual effects where you can truly see the high production value. Dark Woods and Ferdinand Von Schirach: Enemies (working title) will affect the viewers emotionally on a very high level, brought to life by outstanding actors. Next to these brand-new programs, we are very excited about the upcoming eight-part action series Fast, about a Finnish special unit of elite crime investigators hunting prison fugitives. So, no matter what content you are looking for, we have exactly the perfect match for you.” —Alexandra Heidrich, Head, Acquisitions & Sales, TV International/SVOD
38
DGUIDE_1020_Global screen.qxp_GUIDE 9/15/20 7:31 AM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/14/20 11:24 AM Page 10
GMA Network ADDRESS: GMA Network Center, EDSA corner Timog Ave., Diliman, Quezon City, 1103 Philippines TELEPHONE: (632) 8333-7633 WEBSITE: www.gmanetwork.com SENIOR VP, ENTERTAINMENT GROUP: Lilybeth G. Rasonable VP, WORLDWIDE DIVISION: Roxanne J. Barcelona FIRST VP, PROGRAM MANAGEMENT: Jose Mari R. Abacan VP, DRAMA PRODUCTIONS, ENTERTAINMENT GROUP: Ma. Regina A. Magno CONTACT: rjbarcelona@gmanetwork.com PROGRAMS: Descendants of the Sun: 30x45 min., contemporary drama, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines; Prima Donnas: 90x45 min., family drama, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines; A Place in Your Heart: 45x45 min., rivalry drama, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines; The Gift: 53x45 min., contemporary drama, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines; My Crown Princess: 45x45 min., romantic comedy, GMA Public Affairs, GMA Network, Philippines; Obsession: 35x45 min., thriller, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines; For Love or Money: 45x45 min., contemporary drama, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines; Love You Two: 45x45 min., romantic comedy, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines; The Silent Thief: 45x45 min., crime drama, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines; Sahaya: 60x45 min., contemporary drama/fantasy, GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Network, Philippines.
“Celebrating its 70th anniversary, GMA Network Inc. is the Philippines’ largest and most trusted media company and the primary source of Filipino content around the world. GMA’s content is currently seen in over 30 countries on four continents. GMA has licensed over 100 titles around the globe through its partner broadcasters and platforms. With the network producing over 26 dramas annually, its clients and partners can expect a consistent stream of well-crafted programs, featuring stories with universal themes and starring the Philippines’ most talented artists.” —Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP, Worldwide Division
40
DGUIDE_1020_GMA.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 1:58 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/15/20 8:49 AM Page 11
Kanal D International ADDRESS: 100. Yıl Mah., 2264. Sk. Demiroren Medya Center, Apt. No:1/21, 34218 Bagcilar, Istanbul, Turkey TELEPHONE: (90-212) 413-5111 WEBSITE: kanald.international CEO, KANAL D: Murat Saygı ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER & HEAD, DRAMA, KANAL D: Lale Tekcan Eren EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Kerim Emrah Turna HEAD, ACQUISITIONS, KANAL D: Burcu Hanağasıoğlu CONTACTS: corporate@kanald.international; sales@kanald.international PROGRAMS: New Life: drama, Karga Seven Pictures, Kanal D, Turkey; Hekimoğlu: S1 44 commercial hrs., S2 in prod., medical drama, Karga Seven Pictures, Kanal D, Turkey; Ruthless City: 136 commercial hrs., drama, Avşar Film, Kanal D, Turkey; Romance Next Door: romantic comedy, Mia Yapım, Kanal D, Turkey; Love Trap: 136 commercial hrs., romantic comedy, ARC Film, Kanal D, Turkey; Price of Passion: 95 commercial hrs., romantic drama, D Productions, Kanal D, Turkey; Wounded Love: 168 commercial hrs., O3 Medya, Kanal D, Turkey; Flames of Desire: drama, D Productions, Kanal D, Turkey; War of the Roses: drama, D Productions, Kanal D, Turkey; Meryem: 94 commercial hrs., drama, D Productions, Kanal D, Turkey.
“Kanal D International is the global business arm of Kanal D, the leading TV channel of Turkey, broadcasting under Demirören Media, Europe’s leading media organization, creating world-class premium content as one of the top content providers in the world for 26 years. Since 2018, Kanal D International has widened its presence in the content world with the Kanal D International Networks brand to reach the end user. The distribution arm of the company continues under the Kanal D International brand, and Kanal D International Networks is the name of the business line that has all the linear pay-TV and free-TV assets. Kanal D Drama is the first Turkish drama channel established in LatAm and Europe and the first [to enter] the U.S. market via Comcast. With Kanal D Drama, the Turkish drama phenomenon has gained new momentum.” —Corporate Communications
42
DGUIDE_1020_KANAL D.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 1:59 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/15/20 8:51 AM Page 12
Lionsgate ADDRESS: 2700 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404, U.S.A. TELEPHONE: (1-310) 449-9200 WEBSITE: www.lionsgate.com PRESIDENT, WORLDWIDE TV & DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION: Jim Packer PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL TV & DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION: Agapy Kapouranis CHAIRMAN, LIONSGATE TV GROUP: Kevin Beggs CONTACT: general-inquiries@lionsgate.com PROGRAMS: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: 25x60 min., drama, Lionsgate TV/Universal Television, NBC, U.S.A.; Manhunt: Deadly Games: 18x60 min., drama, Lionsgate TV/Spectrum, Spectrum Originals, U.S.A.; Cold Courage: 8x60 min., Luminoir/Potemkin/Vico Films/Sagafilm, Viaplay, Nordics; Power Book II: Ghost: 10x60 min., drama, Lionsgate TV, STARZ, U.S.A.; The Spanish Princess: 16x60 min., event series, all3media/New Pictures/Playground Entertainment, STARZ, U.S.A.
“We’re bringing some of our most exciting premium dramas to buyers this year. These are very different powerful stories told in their own special way led by incredible creative teams and talented casts. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist strikes a chord in audiences through its innovative use of music as it reveals the inner emotions of the characters; Manhunt: Deadly Games is a rush of adrenaline as it chronicles the suspenseful search for the Atlanta Olympic bomber; Cold Courage is a mindbending psychological and political thriller; and, from our STARZ family, Power Book II: Ghost is the highly-anticipated next series in the Power Universe and The Spanish Princess is a criticallyacclaimed drama series. Although the narratives and styles are different, all five series are very compelling television spectacles with massive global appeal. We’re proud to continue to offer audiences dramas that are just as visually striking as they are emotionally impactful.” —Agapy Kapouranis, President, International Television & Digital Distribution
44
DGUIDE_1020_lionsgate.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 2:00 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/14/20 11:24 AM Page 13
MarVista Entertainment ADDRESS: 10877 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024, U.S.A. TELEPHONE: (1-424) 274-3000 WEBSITE: www.marvista.net CEO: Fernando Szew EXECUTIVE VP, CREATIVE AFFAIRS: Hannah Pillemer SENIOR VP, DISTRIBUTION: Jody Cipriano SENIOR VP, ACQUISITIONS: Deena Stern CONTACT: dstern@marvista.net PROGRAMS: Brutal Bridesmaids: 1x90 min., thriller, MarVista Entertainment, U.S.A.; Designs for Revenge: 1x90 min., thriller, MarVista Entertainment, U.S.A.; An Organized Killer: 1x90 min., thriller, MarVista Entertainment, U.S.A.; Ruthless Renegades: 1x90 min., thriller, MarVista Entertainment, U.S.A.; A Secret to Keep: 1x90 min., thriller, MarVista Entertainment, Canada.
“Despite the four-month production shutdown due to the pandemic, MarVista Entertainment is set to deliver a steady content pipeline across all our movie genres. Our focus on drama thrillers is stronger than ever, and we have a significant amount of new originals for the fourth quarter. With more people staying home during the pandemic, we see an appetite for viewers looking to immerse themselves into escapist stories. Our output of drama thrillers continues to increase, and our upcoming slate explores the jealousy and vindictiveness of bridesmaids and cheerleaders and uncovers the cruel underground world of baby-napping, along with other edge-of-your-seat thrills. We are also delving into the true-crime genre. Audiences are hungry for the familiar, but with a little more twist and turns and a high level of surprise. During these unpredictable times, we are thrilled to bring some guilty-pleasure viewing to audiences worldwide.” —Hannah Pillemer, Executive VP, Creative Affairs
46
DGUIDE_1020_MARAVISTA.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 2:02 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/15/20 8:52 AM Page 14
Russia Television and Radio/Sovtelexport ADDRESS: 37 Shabolovka Str., Moscow 115162, Russia TELEPHONE: (7-495) 955-8920 WEBSITE: sales.vgtrk.com DIRECTOR, SOVTELEXPORT: Julia Matyash HEAD, INTERNATIONAL SALES, WORLDWIDE, EXCEPT CIS & BALTIC STATES: Maria Dorokhina HEAD, SALES, CIS & BALTIC STATES: Ekaterina Grigorieva MANAGER, INTERNATIONAL SALES: Elizaveta Shcherbakova MANAGER, INTERNATIONAL SALES, CIS & BALTIC STATES: Karina Soldatova CONTACT: ref.ste@vgtrk.com PROGRAMS: Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes: 8x53-55 min., drama, Russkoye, Russia 1, Russia; On the Edge: 8x49-52 min., adventure, Russkoye, Russia 1, Russia; The Blood Widow: 16x51-53 min., thriller/historical drama, Russkoye, Russia 1, Russia; Ekaterina. Pretenders: 16x52-53 min., historical drama, Cosmos studio, Russia 1, Russia; Godunov: 17x42-57 min., historical drama, MOSKINO, Russia 1, Russia; Anna Karenina: 8x42-47 min., classic drama, MOSFILM, Russia 1, Russia; Sophia: 8x52 min., historical drama, MOSKINO, Russia 1, Russia; And Quiet Flows the Don: 14x41-45 min., classic drama, MOSKINO, Russia 1, Russia.
“Russia Television and Radio is the largest media corporation in Russia. Sovtelexport is the distribution arm of Russia Television and Radio, promoting the content of Russia Television and Radio and other major production companies all over the world. The catalog contains over 25,000 hours of the latest programming in various genres: feature films, drama series, documentaries, TV shows, concerts and children’s shows. Every year, Russia Television and Radio’s content is showcased at major international markets and prestigious TV and film festivals.” —Corporate Communications
48
DGUIDE_1020_russia.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 2:03 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_DISTRIBUTORS.qxp_new design 9/14/20 11:24 AM Page 15
ZDF Enterprises ADDRESS: Erich-Dombrowski-Str.1, 55127 Mainz, Germany TELEPHONE: (49) 6131-9910 WEBSITE: www.zdf-enterprises.de PRESIDENT & CEO: Fred Burcksen VP, ZDFE.DRAMA: Robert Franke CONTACT: info@zdf-enterprises.de PROGRAMS: Grow: 8x42 min., crime/suspense, SF Studios Productions/Rocket Road Pictures, TV2, Denmark; Standing Tall: 4x100 min./8x50 min., crime/suspense, Publispei, RAI, Italy; Sløborn: 4x90 min./8x45 min., crime/suspense, Syrreal Entertainment/ZDF/Tobis/Nordisk Film/ZDF Enterprises; Top Dog: 8x45 min., drama, Filmlance International/TV4/C More Sweden/ZDF/ZDF Enterprises; Voltaire in Love: 4x52 min., romance; The South Westerlies: 6x52 min., drama, Deadpan Pictures, RTÉ, Ireland/Acorn Media Enterprises/TV2, Norway; Over Water: 20x45 min., drama, Panenka/VRT/Eén–Telenet; Wild District: 20x60 min., crime/suspense, Dynamo/ZDF Enterprises, Netflix; Hide & Seek: 8x50 min., crime/suspense, FILM.UA; Dead Still: 6x50 min., crime/suspense, Deadpan Pictures/Shaftesbury/RTÉ/Acorn TV/Acorn Media Enterprises/ ZDF Enterprises/BAI.
“ZDF Enterprises was founded in the year 1993 as a 100 percent private subsidiary of the German public broadcaster ZDF, one of the biggest and most renowned television broadcasters in Europe and continuous market leader since 2012. On behalf of ZDF, ZDF Enterprises is responsible for worldwide program sales, the implementation of international co-productions, license purchasing for quality programs, marketing online rights and the merchandising of strong ZDF program brands. During the course of the process of development and diversification to date, it has been possible to incorporate a large number of business activities within the television and media industry within the ZDF Enterprises group. Consequently, today ZDF Enterprises can offer a comprehensive, full-service offer that covers every step in the process of creation and marketing of successful TV productions, from material development in all genres to production and then on to the marketing of television licenses, merchandising, VOD and online rights.” —Corporate Communications
50
DGUIDE_1020_ZDF.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 2:03 PM Page 1
DGUIDE_1020_ALL3MEDIA.qxp_GUIDE 9/14/20 2:04 PM Page 1