TV Real MIPCOM 2016

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OCTOBER 2016

MIPCOM EDITION

Food Shows / History Documentaries / HISTORY’s Jana Bennett CuriosityStream’s Elizabeth Hendricks North / Planet Earth II’s Tom Hugh-Jones

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CONTENTS FEATURES

Time for a Reality Check

18 DINING IN With so many food-related series on the market, we explore what a show needs to stand out.

Reality TV has earned a bit of a bad rap as of late, marred by train-wreck television moments and accusations of scripting and staging. Cue the backlash.

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Joanna Padovano Managing Editor Sara Alessi Associate Editor Victor L. Cuevas Production & Design Director Phyllis Q. Busell Art Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Elizabeth Walsh Sales & Marketing Manager Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Real © 2016 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvreal.ws

Audiences have begun to feel somewhat duped by docusoaps that have the heavy hand of a producer and may be edited in a way that creates fictional story arcs. Beware the “frankenbite”—the combination of “soundbite” and “Frankenstein” used to describe the way conversation excerpts are stitched together to create a whole new exchange. While some viewers are still keen to indulge in the occasional guilty-pleasure reality show (the Kardashians franchise is going strong 12 seasons in and Real Housewives are continuing to pop up around the world), there has been a turn toward more authentic viewing experiences.

The rise of fixed-rig shooting technology has changed the game for observational docuseries. This production technique allows cameras to be embedded in situations in a less intrusive manner, which oftentimes achieves more true-tolife results as participants aren’t being inundated by a pack of people filming their every move. Also, social media has made people more open to sharing. Personal pictures and anecdotes are being uploaded to Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and the like all the time, making private lives more public than ever. As this culture of sharing thrives online, it no doubt impacts how much of their lives people are willing to expose on TV—and also what viewers expect to see. And audiences expect a lot from factual programming these days. Virtual reality is taking viewers to places they’ve never dreamed of going before, from the far reaches of outer space to the deepest depths of the ocean. There are legions of true-crime devotees who are hooked on series and specials that allow them to tap into their inner sleuths. High-quality history programming that transports viewers back in time is in demand globally, as TV Real highlights in this issue. Audiences are also hungry for food shows, another genre we explore in-depth in this edition. TV Real also speaks with HISTORY’s Jana Bennett and CuriosityStream’s Elizabeth Hendricks North about the types of programming that are engaging audiences on their respective platforms. Also, Planet Earth II producer Tom Hugh-Jones shares behind-the-scenes insights about the techniques used in the ambitious new 4K production. As 4K, VR and other cutting-edge technologies transform the possibilities for deeper exploration in factual programming, audiences’ expectations for being immersed in real worlds will no doubt continue to rise.

—Kristin Brzoznowski

18 26 MAKING HISTORY The demand for history documentaries remains strong, but viewers are eager to see innovation in the genre.

26 INTERVIEWS

32 HISTORY’s Jana Bennett

34 CuriosityStream’s Elizabeth Hendricks North

38 Planet Earth II’s Tom Hugh-Jones

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A+E Networks Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End / Counting Cars / The First 48 A+E Networks boasts a varied factual catalog that features blue-chip documentaries, transactional-based reality programs and crime titles. At MIPCOM, the company is presenting Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End, a documentary about potential apocalyptic disasters. Alongside Storage Wars and Pawn Stars, A+E Networks is highlighting the transactionalbased reality show Counting Cars. “The character-driven title works well internationally and attracts a balanced male and female audience,” says Denis Cantin, the VP, head of sales for EMEA at A+E Networks. There is also the long-running crime series The First 48, which airs on both pay and free TV. “We always look to surprise our clients by pushing boundaries, which we’ve done in the crime area with 60 Days In and with high-end documentaries like Doomsday,” Cantin adds.

“A+E Networks seeks to maintain our position as a dominant factual distributor that establishes and nurtures long-term relationships with clients.”

—Denis Cantin Counting Cars

APT Worldwide The Crowd & The Cloud / Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 / Paleo Sleuths The science series The Crowd & The Cloud, which APT Worldwide is showcasing, explores the new frontier of citizen science in the age of mobile technology. The documentary Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, meanwhile, recounts the passenger plane bombing that took place over Scotland in 1988 and the struggle for justice carried out by the victims’ families.

Another factual highlight for APT Worldwide is the naturalhistory documentary Paleo Sleuths. From Nebraska ETV, it follows paleontologists as they search for fossils in North America. “In addition to our terrific documentaries, we have a strong catalog of lifestyle programs, including travel, food and home décor,” says Judy Barlow, APT Worldwide’s VP of international sales. “We also offer nature, performance, business, arts and culture, and health programs.”

“We’re always looking to do business with new channels and platforms in every territory.”

—Judy Barlow The Crowd & The Cloud

ARTE Sales Let’s Dance! / Biopesticides, A Revolution in the Making? / Wind Quest The performing-arts series Let’s Dance! is a key focus for ARTE Sales at MIPCOM. The show follows the creative process of dance and its many forms. Biopesticides, A Revolution in the Making? is another factual highlight for ARTE Sales. It investigates whether microorganisms that fight pests naturally are actually risk-free for the environment.

The company is also showcasing the travel and adventure series Wind Quest. Céline Payot Lehmann, head of the distribution department for ARTE, says the highlights’ “universal themes—travel, dance, green issues—will speak to a wide audience.” She adds: “Our main goal at MIPCOM is to establish ourselves as the ultimate reference in documentary distribution, specifically aiming this year to provide creative programs to the new SVOD and VOD platforms worldwide.”

“Our series are written in such a modern way, with a fast pace, and they feature the coolest and most talented people on Earth.”

—Céline Payot Lehmann Wind Quest 482 WORLD SCREEN 10/16

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Breakthrough Entertainment Breaking Bread with Brooke Burke / Wonder Women / Hollywood Homicide Uncovered Female-skewing factual programming features prominently on Breakthrough Entertainment’s MIPCOM slate. Breaking Bread with Brooke Burke is a food-oriented lifestyle talk show featuring celebrity guests. The host performs cooking demonstrations and shares recipes at celebrities’ homes and favorite restaurants. Breakthrough is also presenting Wonder Women.

The title looks at women around the world who are accomplishing extraordinary things and breaking down boundaries.

“This year especially we have a lot of content that is targeted at female-focused networks, so we are looking to attract buyers from those markets,” says Craig McGillivray, the VP of distribution. Another highlight on Breakthrough’s slate is Hollywood Homicide Uncovered. The documentary series examines murders in which a celebrity is at the center of the crime.

“Breakthrough is consistently creating highquality factual content and forging new and exciting relationships with international buyers.”

—Craig McGillivray Breaking Bread with Brooke Burke

Corus Entertainment Home to Win / Backyard Builds / $ave My Reno In the competition series Home to Win, a lucky viewer will be awarded the prize of a fully renovated and furnished house. The series, presented by Corus Entertainment, sees renovation and design experts such as Scott McGillivray, Mike Holmes, Bryan Baeumler and Danielle Bryk gather under one roof. “With Home to Win, we have hosts that are known worldwide, and with other series we are bringing to the market, our hosts have the confidence and charisma that buyers and their audiences will connect with,” says Rita Carbone Fleury, the company’s head of worldwide sales. Further highlights include the lifestyle series Backyard Builds, which showcases the opportunities outdoor areas can provide without breaking the bank, and $ave My Reno, in which cash-conscious homeowners get the renovations they’ve been looking for at a fraction of the price.

“Our channel brands are some of the best-known and most-respected, so international broadcasters can feel confident in their choice.”

—Rita Carbone Fleury Home to Win

Distribution360 Bryan Inc. / Summer Home / Up in Arms At MIPCOM, Distribution360 (D360) is presenting a range of titles, including factual-entertainment shows and documentaries. Among these is Bryan Inc., featuring lifestyle star Bryan Baeumler and his wife, Sarah, as they start their first property business. D360’s slate also features the gun-control documentary Up in Arms and the factual-entertainment series Summer Home. “D360 heads to MIPCOM armed with 115 hours of new content [that] we’ve added to our catalog over the last couple of months,” says Diane Rankin, the senior VP of international sales and acquisitions at Distribution360.

“We look forward to introducing our buyers to those new titles, and will also be actively pursuing presales for a crime series and a disaster series we are co-developing through our partnership with Partners in Motion.”

“We always bring our buyers a mix of new programming with proven audience appeal, characters that are entertaining to watch and a variety of informative and timely doc stories.”

—Diane Rankin Bryan Inc. 484 WORLD SCREEN 10/16

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Gusto Worldwide Media One World Kitchen / A is for Apple / Fish the Dish Food series filmed in 4K are the core of Gusto Worldwide Media’s catalog. One World Kitchen presents Italian, Indian, Thai, Argentinean and Japanese cuisine. More than 200 webisodes accompany this title, along with recipes and food photography. Gusto is also showcasing the cooking series Fish the Dish, which takes the mystery out of how to cook seafood, and A is for Apple, shot on a unique set.

“Our programming features the highest production values in native 4K/UHD with engaging hosts in shows designed for the global market,” says Chris Knight, the president and CEO of Gusto Worldwide Media. “All of our series come packaged with webisodes, recipes, beautiful highresolution images and digital assets for complete turnkey broadcast solutions.”

“We are aggressively looking for co-production partners and the opportunity to launch the Gusto TV format into new territories.”

—Chris Knight A is for Apple

New Dominion Pictures A Haunting / FantomWorks / The FBI Files Through first-person accounts and dramatic re-creations, A Haunting delves into true events that plagued innocent people when spirits invaded their lives. “By the end of each story, audiences experience a lingering sense that life and death are much stranger than anyone could have possibly imagined,” says Kristen Eppley, the senior VP of international distribution at New Dominion Pictures. Another top title from the company’s catalog is FantomWorks, set in the largest automotiverestoration shop in America. “It’s the stories behind the restorations that set the show apart from other car shows,” says Eppley.

The classic crime series The FBI Files is also on offer. “It’s advertiser-friendly, prime-time programming and can play in the daytime,” says Eppley. “We are working with various international partners to bring this series back into production.”

“Real characters and amazing restorations in FantomWorks drive this show.”

—Kristen Eppley FantomWorks

NHK Enterprises T-Rex: An Evolutionary Journey / The Great Amazon / Evolving AI: Blessing or Curse?

A top factual highlight for NHK Enterprises (NEP) at MIPCOM, T-Rex: An Evolutionary Journey uses high-resolution 4K computer graphics to depict the evolution of the Tyrannosaurus rex.

“We use the latest research from the world’s top experts to tell the grand story of the evolution that turned those tiny dinosaurs into the undisputed kings of the world,” says Yukiko Unno, the deputy general manager of program sales, global business headquarters, at NHK Enterprises. The company is also presenting the 4K doc series The Great Amazon. Two episodes of the series, “Secrets of the Mighty River” and “Monkey Enigma,” respectively feature a mysterious fish (which had hardly ever been filmed before) and rare monkeys, according to Unno.

Evolving AI: Blessing or Curse?, meanwhile, examines what artificial intelligence means for the future of humankind.

“This year, NHK and NEP are actively producing and marketing 4K content.”

—Yukiko Unno T-Rex: An Evolutionary Journey 486 WORLD SCREEN 10/16

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Parade Desert Vet / Chris Humfrey’s Animal Instinct / Backpacker Nightmares Rick Fenny, who has been a veterinarian for 40 years, is the focus of Parade’s docuseries Desert Vet. The show follows Fenny, his family and his network of vet clinics as they encounter challenges that come from working with animals in some of the most remote and hostile conditions across the vast state of Western Australia. The first season of Chris Humfrey’s Animal Instinct, another top title for Parade, follows the Aussie zoologist as he showcases the importance of protecting all living creatures. “You’ll fall in love with this modern-day Dr. Dolittle and be entertained by his animal adventures at home and around the country, leading us all to help save the planet,” says Matthew Ashcroft, the company’s CEO. There’s also a first season of Backpacker Nightmares, about the scams, robberies and abductions that can occur while traveling.

“Parade offers premium factual programming from the world’s leading producers.”

—Matthew Ashcroft Chris Humfrey’s Animal Instinct

Rive Gauche Television Kid Diners / Egg Factor / Wives with Knives Two kids who love to eat take viewers along as they explore different restaurants in new cities in Kid Diners, one of Rive Gauche Television’s highlights. The company is also showcasing the documentary series Egg Factor, following the journeys of individuals who rely on egg donors to have children. “This [series] is groundbreaking, as it looks at a topic that affects many people around the world,” says CEO Jon Kramer. Rive Gauche Television is also presenting Wives with Knives, which tells the true stories of women who killed their partners after the romance faded. It features interviews with the women themselves and their families and friends, as well as dramatic reenactments. Kramer says the show “hits the sweet spot in the fast-growing crime genre.”

“The knowledge we gained by having so many different types of shows over the years has helped us provide a unique perspective on creating original productions.”

—Jon Kramer Kid Diners

Silver Wolf International Animal Society / Curious / Cities of the World Silver Wolf International is promoting an array of factual, lifestyle and documentary titles. The series Animal Society explores how animals establish communities. Another show from the company’s slate is Curious, which answers a range of questions about the mysteries of science, technology and inventions. The lifestyle/factual program Cities of the World, meanwhile, showcases the cultures and hidden gems of various cities. “These programs in particular [cover] subjects that are relatable and easy to watch and digest,” says Abdul Rashid Budin, the company’s CEO. “They will appeal not only to global buyers but also to the global audience. We are also on the lookout for opportunities to collaborate on projects, as well as [for] content owners who are looking for a representative for their content.”

“Our catalog is heavy on factual titles, and we also spend a good amount of time and effort marketing and getting our new titles out there.”

—Abdul Rashid Budin Animal Society 488 WORLD SCREEN 10/16

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TCB Media Rights Encounters with Evil / Combat Ships / Revolution School The archive-based crime series Encounters with Evil, which TCB Media Rights is showcasing at MIPCOM, looks at what it’s like to come face to face with deranged criminals. According to Paul Heaney, CEO of TCB Media Rights, the title “takes advantage of the current demand for truecrime stories.” The company’s offering also includes the history program Combat Ships. The series examines the history of combat vessels over the last 150 years. TCB is also presenting Revolution School, in which everyday kids in an underperforming school are exposed to the science behind improving education. “Strong visuals and controversial subjects contribute” to the appeal of these titles, Heaney says. “TCB likes pragmatic programs that are direct and easy to pitch, and buyers like that too.”

“As we now have a MIPCOM stand in an enviable location, we will see our shows take a profile that they may never have had before.”

—Paul Heaney Revolution School

Twofour Rights Impossible Engineering / Extraordinary Animals / Born to Kill: A Class of Their Own Now in its third season, Impossible Engineering is one of Twofour Rights’ factual highlights at MIPCOM. The hourlong episodes cover unique structures, from a polar research station to the International Space Station. The company is also promoting Extraordinary Animals, a title from Oxford Scientific Films for BBC One that delves into the behaviors of animals around the world. It uses “bold experiments and brand-new camera technology,” says Anthony Appell, the director of Twofour Rights. The company’s slate also features Born to Kill: A Class of Their Own. A spin-off of Born to Kill, the title “looks at some of the most notorious serial killers in history, finding similarities between them with the same drama and suspense that has made the previous series so compelling,” says Appell.

“Our factual business is really important to us, and we’re demonstrating that by producing more volume and through our commitment to returning series and brands.”

—Anthony Appell Extraordinary Animals

ZDF Enterprises The Desert Sea / Children of the Wild / The Celts: Blood, Iron & Sacrifice America’s Sonoran Desert takes center stage in The Desert Sea, a MIPCOM highlight from ZDF Enterprises’ (ZDFE) factual catalog. “Everybody is familiar with those iconic pictures of the deserts in the southwestern corner of the United States,” says Ralf Rückauer, the VP of ZDFE.factual. “But did you ever wonder about the wildlife living there under extreme conditions?

Our friends from New Zealand (NHNZ) did—in beautiful UHD pictures about the ‘wild wild west’ in The Desert Sea.” Also being presented by ZDFE.factual is Children of the Wild, which investigates if a child could survive in the wilderness without any human interaction, and The Celts: Blood, Iron & Sacrifice, a BBC and ZDF co-production in association with ARTE and ZDFE about the titular group of people who lived in Europe several millennia ago.

“These programs use the latest scientific knowledge, provide deep insights and tell fact-based stories in an entertaining manner.”

—Ralf Rückauer Children of the Wild 490 WORLD SCREEN 10/16

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FremantleMedia International’s Simply Nigella.

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DINING With so many food-related series on the market, producers and distributors weigh in about what a show needs to stand out.

By Kristin Brzoznowski

IN ood programming has come a long way from its instructional standand-stir origins. Rather than a prim homemaker demonstrating the proper way to make a super-fluffy soufflé, the food shows that are popular today feature high-tension competitions, around-the-world explorations, celebrity chefs who have achieved rock-star status and practically everything in between. And the inventive iterations just keep on coming, as the appetite for foodrelated series shows no signs of waning.

While it’s true that cooking and food have long been popular on TV, recently there has been a particular resurgence, according to Chris Knight, the president and CEO of Gusto Worldwide Media, who has authored several best-selling cookbooks and produced hundreds of hours of culinary TV content. “It has tapped into a zeitgeist,” Knight says. “People have a renewed interest in where their food comes from and how to prepare it.”

This programming is resonating with a new generation as well, Knight adds, noting that Gusto’s shows feature “younger voices, higher production values and great music.”

“As of late, there’s been a strong surge of interest with younger audiences,” agrees Angela Neillis, the director of nonscripted for EMEA and the Asia Pacific at FremantleMedia International (FMI). Being healthy and having an active lifestyle have become more important to a younger generation, she says, and the latest crop of food series reflects that.

F

FIT FOR THE SCREEN “There are a lot of well-known personalities who are now offering healthy food shows,” Neillis explains. “We have a huge amount of success with Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Super Food. He’s gotten into healthy food and is passionate about it. He carries the viewers with him when he talks about it.

That appeals to the motivation in a lot of younger audiences for healthier lifestyle choices.”

“Viewers’ appetite for food programming mirrors the current focus on locally sourced food, seasonal eating and healthy lifestyles,” agrees Caroline Stephenson, the senior VP for northern EMEA at all3media International.

Stephenson has observed the genre’s evolution away from its chop-and-chat beginnings and divides what’s

currently trending in the food space into two different camps. There are the “‘how-to’ shows that revel in simple food being brilliantly executed with an emphasis on excellent ingredients; and the grandstanding shows such as Great British Menu that showcase the finest foods that chefs can create.”

KITCHEN WARFARE Michael Lolato, the senior VP of international distribution at GRB Entertainment, says that culinary battles are also in vogue. “What has evolved from the traditional [food] shows is the competition element,” he says. Another new development, Lolato adds, is the rise of “exploration elements— whether it is people searching for new types of places to eat, variations of foods or exploring different cultures.”

These intrepid food explorers are no longer confined to their kitchens, either. “Today, presenters are traveling and cooking on location,” says Munia Kanna-Konsek, the head of sales at Beyond Distribution, highlighting the series Chuck’s Week Off: Mexico. “They are joining competitions, like those seen in BBQ Crawl; cooking for royalty, as seen in Cooking for the Crown; covering feasts at assorted weddings, as seen in I Do…Let’s Eat; and rediscovering their roots and foodie passions, like in My France with Manu.

“They are also exploring cuisines that haven’t always been the most popular or common,” she adds. For example, Beyond will launch season five of Pati’s Mexican Table at MIPCOM. “Although extremely popular throughout the world, Mexican cuisine has, I feel, largely been neglected on screen,” says Kanna-Konsek.

Given the plethora of possibilities for food programming to cross over into other genres and the sheer volume of cooking-related shows on offer, the marketplace has become quite crowded. So what can make a show cut through? Star power, for one, certainly provides a boost.

“It helps if you have an established brand that has other ancillary distribution such as books, a social-media presence and fans and fanatics loving and following the show,” says Emilia Nuccio, the senior VP of sales at Dynamic Television. “The global appeal of the talent and the cuisine is hugely important.”

Dynamic Television is home to a catalog of shows featuring the veteran celebrity chef and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich, including the PBS cooking series Lidia’s Kitchen.

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Beyond Distribution is showcasing the fifth season of Pati’s Mexican Table at MIPCOM.

“Lidia has universal appeal because most people in the world know a grandmother who cooks,” says Nuccio of Bastianich’s nostalgic approach to TV food prep. “I also think that Italian food is loved everywhere, and Lidia teaches you in the most loving and supportive way how to cook Italian. Lidia’s show is modern and yet it speaks to the fundamental core of human beings: family, getting together, celebrating holidays, eating and enjoying as a community.”

TOP CHEFS FMI’s roster of cooking talent includes, alongside Jamie Oliver, presenter and food writer Nigella Lawson. Neillis explains that the company works very closely with producers and talent to “really max out the noise they can make in a territory. We’ve got a very honed process for maximizing visibility [for brands] in a given market.” As an example, she cites the simultaneous rollout of Lawson’s Simply Nigella series and the companion cookbook last MIPCOM. “Integrity makes the best food shows stand out from the crowd,” says all3media International’s Stephenson. “It’s about having the right chef in the right show. Gordon Ramsay had the drive and presence to create Kitchen Nightmares, with his unique brand of tough love having turned around so many struggling restaurants—a model he followed with Hotel Hell. This has been transposed by casting similar passionate characters in local versions. Equally, Heston Blumenthal really is the only chef to create the fabulous and fantastical menus in three seasons of Heston’s Feasts.”

Others argue that there doesn’t necessarily need to be a hotshot celebrity chef commanding the kitchen for a series to resonate; the host just needs to be someone viewers can relate to.

“To engage the audience, authenticity is important,” says Tony Iffland, the general manager for ABC Content Sales at

ABC Commercial. “It’s not about having a ‘food actor,’ but having a real person who is authentic without being pompous or condescending.”

Iffland says that this is also a good way to open the genre to viewers who are new to the cooking space. “Food can be pretty scary for people who are average everyday cooks for their family and just want to prepare something a little better, in a more interesting way or make sure they have the nutrition right. It can be quite daunting for people to approach that. It’s important to have a host who’s welcoming, engaging, brings you in and takes away some of that fear of not knowing how to do it.”

Often, having a charismatic host is what gives a food show its flavor—whether it be a well-known personality, a highly regarded professional with a long list of culinary credits or a less experienced but passionate presenter who’s just downright relatable. Hayden Quinn, for example, didn’t have the background of working in a five-star restaurant when he first appeared on TV; he got his start as a contestant on MasterChef Australia. “His personality is just so endearing that now everybody is in love with him,” says Lolato at GRB, which represents Hayden Quinn South Africa. “On the flip side, we’ve had BBQ Pitmasters now for six seasons. Myron Mixon, who is the head judge, is an expert. He’s become so popular that he got spun-off with one of our new shows, BBQ Rules, which is more instructional barbecue versus the competition [angle of Pitmasters].

The expert element in that one paid off.”

Twofour Rights, meanwhile, supplies a number of shows that have no hosts at all, among them World’s Best Restaurants.

This recipe has even helped the series to achieve a wider breadth of sales, according to Anthony Appell, the director of Twofour Rights.

“We don’t like to put the light on a presenter; the stories should speak for themselves, and the food should speak for itself,” he says. “Internationally, taking the host out works much better for us. The individual broadcasters can top and tail the show with their own host perhaps, or can keep it as is.”

One of the company’s most popular food-centric series is Choccywoccydoodah, set within a shop that creates custom cakes. “It isn’t about one person; it’s about how, as a team, this group comes to build a cake or meets a deadline,” Appell explains. “It has suspense in it and quirkiness. [Our shows] are meant to be about a journey rather than about a presenter.”

FAMILY GATHERINGS In much the same way that families come together at the dinner table for a night’s meal, food series have the ability to get everyone in the household to gather around the TV set, Appell says. “It’s a genre that’s come back in fashion because anyone in the family can relate to it—it doesn’t matter if you’re young or old. Parents are watching these shows with their kids.”

Appell says that there’s even an eye on making more shows that cater to the younger and older ends of the demographic spectrum. “MasterChef Junior does really well, maybe even better than the adult version in some territories,” he notes. “Is there something else we can do around fabulously talented kids? Also, what about the older generation? There hasn’t been a type of show that relates to them and their recipes and traditions. There’s a

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majority of our food-programming titles are in their second or third seasons,” says Beyond’s Kanna-Konsek.

“These series offer additional security for buyers who want to ensure they are acquiring successful shows and the additional benefit of having more series content available.”

They also provide a nice amount of scheduling flexibility for broadcasters and can work across a variety of slots.

“The advantage of food shows is that they can be played any time of day,” says GRB’s Lolato. “It’s general entertainment and safe for the family—there’s no violence, death, sex. These shows can be for daytime, prime time when they’re brand new or weekend fare.

“The other beauty of it is that they’re self-contained, so you can dip in to watch a show and not have to have seen the episode before it,” he adds.

That’s another scheduling bonus for the broadcasters.

all3media International is home to several shows featuring Gordon Ramsay, including Kitchen Nightmares.

lot more we can do in the food genre with kids and the older generation equally.”

HUNGRY FOR MORE Indeed, food shows can have cross-generational appeal, Not only does this genre play well across various dayparts, and many are equally alluring across genders. “Food prepathe sales potential spans nearly all types of channels. Food ration and the enjoyment of food is classless and appeals to series can be seen on large general-entertainment broadboth men and women,” says Beyond’s Kanna-Konsek. “I casters and niche lifestyle networks alike—and certain think the trend toward competitive cookery shows brands may make their way onto both. brings out the opportunity for more family-orientated FMI, for example, has nurtured the Jamie Oliver franviewing, too.” chise with a targeted windowing strategy. “In all the terriStephenson of all3media International echoes this sentitories we’ve taken his shows into, we’ve worked with a ment. “Our broadcasters tell us that the majority of our food combination of channels and slots to really maximize the shows appeal to both men and women, especially compevisibility,” says Neillis. In Australia, Oliver’s shows air on tition series such as Worst Cooks in America and Great commercial broadcaster Network Ten in prime time, then British Menu, and shows such as Kitchen Nightmares, in another window will be on pay-TV platform Foxtel in a Heston’s Feasts and Gok Cooks Chinese. The chef world is slot generally reserved for lifestyle fare. predominantly a male environment and thanks to a wide range of highprofile male food talent, men are cooking at home more than ever.”

The wide audience reach is but one of many reasons that cooking and food series are popular with broadcasters, Stephenson adds.

“Food shows led by strong, noisy talent build an audience following very quickly, and non-sequential series offer a quick scheduling solution and a potentially enhanced ROI for broadcasters. Equally, competition series create a following and often build on-demand appetite with viewers desperate to know what happens next.”

Given their ability to garner loyal viewers, many food shows go on to become long-running franchises that return to a broadcaster either with new seasons or spin-offs. “The Gusto’s Fish the Dish with Spencer Watts focuses on accessible recipes using sustainable fish and shellfish.

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Nuccio, noting the volume of followers Bastianich has amassed across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

“Ancillary products are also very important. Lidia has ten or more cookbooks out there that are a huge success. Today, without social media you’re missing a key piece of the equation.”

FMI’s Neillis agrees that social media has become an important asset for food-related franchises. “It amplifies the brand,” she says. “We’re working with a new talent, Silvia Colloca. She started as a blogger, then that blog became a book, then that book became a series. She also has a Twitter and an Instagram account.”

Dynamic Television is the international distributor for the Lidia Bastianich library of food content, featuring shows like Lidia’s Kitchen.

“The only thing I don’t see happening is selling food proDIGITAL SNACKS grams to the big public broadcasters; they have their own,” Instagram is a particular favorite among the culinary says GRB’s Lolato. crowds, as its picture-based platform can showcase dishes He adds that sales to VOD and digital services are “defiin a purely visual form. Nigella Lawson has around 806,000 nitely gaining.” Digital platforms are “no longer the tiny litfollowers, and counting, on her Instagram, and Jamie Oliver tle cousin sitting at the big kids’ table; they’re starting to buy a whopping 4.9 million. across all genres, including food.”

“If you like Jamie Oliver, you [can engage with his In his experience with pitching food programming to brands] on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter—what a digital on-demand platforms, Twofour’s Appell has found noise it’s all making!” Neillis says. “It really does make the that these services often want a strong central celebrity to brands bigger. It creates a two-way engagement so you be involved in the show. “They need it to be relatable either have audiences who feel connected to the talent, and the with an American host who people know or they want it to talent can talk directly to the audiences.” be about everyday food items like hamburgers and hotFollowing on the success that FMI has had with its existdogs. It’s not what Twofour does.” ing food brands and personalities, including the bearded Where Twofour’s content has taken off is with induo known as the Hairy Bikers, Neillis says the company is flight deals. “Whenever we have a new food show, nine actively scouting for fresh talents. “We’re looking to make times out of ten it ends up on British Airways or Virgin even more relationships with brands. We are always on the because they are relatable series for passengers,” says lookout for new talent and shows to complement the sucAppell. “Also, they’re quite high-end. We’re transporting cess of the ones that we already have.” viewers into a different world and behind the scenes of And she’s not the only one feeling confident about the fabulous restaurants.” ever-increasing appetite for food shows. “Because it’s such Something all broadcasters like nowadays is getting a full an important part of our society, we’re always going to have digital package to support a program for 360-degree food programming,” asserts ABC Commercial’s Iffland. exploitation. Cooking series lend themselves to this quite “There are endless ways to look at food. As we grow and naturally. “Our series have original webisodes, all the evolve as a society, food will move along with that. Those recipes, high-resolution art—when we sell our shows we changes will be reflected in our programming.” sell the entire package,” says Gusto’s Knight, adding that the company’s food brands are designed to live in a multiplatform environment. “That’s an extremely powerful way to grow your viewer loyalty, through pushing out additional original content. For instance, One World Kitchen has 30 episodes, but it has 110 webisodes. It has 200 recipes, each with high-res art. It’s a full package for consumption on multiple platforms.”

And viewers are certainly ready to engage with their favorite cooking shows and culinary personalities in a variety of ways that extend far beyond the TV screen.

“Social media has become very important,” says Dynamic’s GRB’s Hayden Quinn South Africa stars a chef who first came to prominence as a contestant on MasterChef Australia.

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Sky Vision’s Mystery Files.

MAKING HISTORY Andy Fry analyzes the demand for history documentaries and looks at innovations in the genre. elevision audiences love history programming. Ratings for prime-time series such as Vikings, Wolf Hall, Versailles, Roots and Generation War prove that.

Of course, these are all scripted series. So what does this mean for documentary producers? Is there still a market for factual history programs, or is this important part of the TV landscape suffering at the hands of fictionalized history?

T

“History documentary is still an important part of the mix,” says Mark Reynolds, the director of factual at BBC Worldwide.

“But the growth in high-end historical drama means factual producers need to emulate what is happening in drama.”

David Royle, the executive VP of programming and production at Smithsonian Networks, is not troubled by the new wave of scripted historical shows. “The TV universe is so full of fabricated reality that it’s led to something of a backlash,” Royle says. “Today, a substantial number of viewers

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crave shows that are not just entertaining but also accurate and informative. Smithsonian Channel strives to meet that demand, and we are constantly looking for strong, dramatic history programs that contain new revelations.”

Danny Tipping, the director of programming and development at Sky Vision, likewise sees continued demand for history—though more for thematic TV than on terrestrial. “There are a few high-concept, big-budget history programs on free TV, but the majority of demand comes from the digital channels.”

One free-TV broadcaster that continues to make significant investments in history content is ZDF. Its commercial arm, ZDF Enterprises, meanwhile, “is selling more history than ever before,” says Ralf Rückauer, the VP of ZDFE.factual, citing examples such as The Ascent of Civilization, The Celts: Blood, Iron & Sacrifice and Last Secrets of the Third Reich.

Rückauer says that there is a growing demand for history programming. “If we look back at the last couple of years, it seems that we are facing fundamental geopolitical and cultural changes: different religions, different values, the [widening] gap between rich and poor as well as old conflicts that seem to reappear suddenly. So people are looking for explanations.”

ZDF’s passion for history is echoed by its near neighbor and close collaborator, Austrian public broadcaster ORF. Tom Matzek, the deputy head of ORF’s Universum doc strand, says that the broadcaster’s commitment to the genre has increased significantly since the introduction in 2013 of the Friday night Universum History strand. “We are airing history documentaries around 45 weeks of the year,” Matzek says.

In the wake of the rise of historical drama, ORF is not tinkering with the format of its history docs, which are typically 52 minutes in length, “but we are working with the fiction department, [using] some of their creative talent to improve our storytelling in history,” says Matzek.

Cedric Hazard, the head of international sales at ARTE Sales until last month, also sees elements of scripted storytelling having an effect on the doc world.

“We have seen less reliance on talking heads and black-and-white archive footage and more emphasis on dramatic reenactments and colorized archive. More than ever you need strong stories, excitement and romance—not the exhaustive, encyclopedic approach of some more academic-style productions.”

uncovered a Viking site in Newfoundland, Canada. It wasn’t attempting to compete with HISTORY’s Vikings drama, but for people who were interested, it was a breakthrough in our understanding of the Viking expansion into North America.”

Regarding stylistic approach, Smithsonian’s Royle says there is no simple formula that guarantees success. “It all comes down to the quality of the storytelling and the choice of subject. History at its best is infused with a level of drama and surprises and characters that Hollywood would struggle to invent. Combine that with insights and context and you should have a winner.”

That said, Smithsonian Channel does have some basic rules of engagement, says Royle. “We are great believers in relevancy—creating historical content that plays off events on people’s minds. It can be programs that key off anniversaries or relate to popular cultural or news events. We enjoyed great ratings and critical success with Million Dollar American Princesses.

It tells the true stories of the rich American women who married into the British and European aristocracy. We timed it to coincide with [the broadcast of] Downton Abbey and had Elizabeth McGovern [Downton’s Lady Grantham] presenting.”

Smithsonian Channel has also enjoyed success with more contemporary history programs such as Brook Lapping’s 9/11: Day That Changed the World and Ursula Macfarlane’s Paris Terror Attack: Charlie Hedbo. However, Royle adds, “We will only do these if we have special access to witnesses and powerful archival footage.”

TIE-INS Hooks are key, agrees Sky Vision’s Tipping. “An amazing piece of access or a great discovery are helpful, as is an event you can relate your show to. On top of that, you need to find new ways to tell old stories.” An example of that approach from Sky Vision is Mystery Files, which looked for answers to historical mysteries.

STYLE AND SUBSTANCE BBC Worldwide’s Reynolds believes that distributors looking to invest in history docs need to ask a number of questions before taking a project on: “What is the point of telling this story in documentary form? Is there a new insight that will interest the audience? Are there new forms of technology that will help us tell the story in a different way?”

In many cases, the existence of a successful historical drama about the same subject can be a blessing, says Reynolds. “It means there is a cultural conversation around that subject matter, a kind of zeitgeist that can help factual producers with their own projects.”

He cites the example of The Vikings Uncovered, co-produced with PBS, NOVA/WGBH Boston and France Télévisions. “This show 10/16 WORLD SCREEN 501

BBC Worldwide’s Jungle Atlantis explores the history of Angkor Wat in Cambodia using laserscanning technology.

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So we rely on the latest historical and scientific findings only if there is enough proof to really rewrite history— such as new evidence that the Nazis were about to launch an atomic bomb (Last Secrets of the Third Reich), or [evidence] that the Wright Brothers were one of the first to conduct the first motorized flight but maybe not the first (First Flight: Conquest of the Skies), or the discovery of a subterranean tunnel underneath the pyramids of Teotihuacán near Mexico City (Teotihuacán’s Lost Kings).”

NEW DIRECTIONS

Many of ZDF Enterprises’ history highlights feature lavish reenactments, such as the three-part The Celts: Blood, Iron & Sacrifice.

BBC Worldwide’s Reynolds offers a similar opinion, stating, “We can’t just tell the stories in the same way as we did before.

We need to make it more dramatic and use the technology at our disposal to bring subjects to life.”

As an example, he cites the BBC’s What Lies Beneath franchise, which has covered topics such as Rome, Egypt and Stonehenge. “These shows use satellite archaeology and high-tech remote-sensing tools to peel back the layers of history,” says Reynolds. “Revelations are then presented using CGI animation.”

The big challenge, says Sky Vision’s Tipping, is finding new ways to engage with audiences. “In the past, you could have done a film about the best tanks or best planes in World War II. Today you’d probably have to rebuild them and get them running again. This is why science and engineering play a role in history programming.”

Smithsonian’s Royle concurs, noting, “There is always demand for programs that include science and new discoveries. We recently launched a major event, Behind the Lost Empires. It includes programs like Interspot’s Lost City of Gladiators, which revealed [the remains of] the only school for gladiators ever discovered outside Rome, and Pompeii: The Dead Speak, for which Lion Television gained special access to a team of forensic scientists who use CT scans to peer inside Pompeii’s plaster casts and study the bones within.”

Ancient Assassins is another title that delivers a unique spin on a well-worn subject, according to Barnaby Shingleton, director of factual and entertainment acquisitions at Sky Vision. “This is a story about elite fighting forces through

“It pays to have constant contact with academics and [to be familiar with] new forms of technology being used by historians to support their work,” Tipping adds.

Regarding the way technology can unlock stories, Tipping cites the example of The Lost Diary of Dr. Livingstone, a Sky Vision show that has aired on PBS in the U.S. and on National Geographic Channels internationally. “This show used spectralimaging technology to decipher some faded and illegible notes in Dr. Livingstone’s last field diary,” says Tipping. “It’s a great example of how you can achieve new insights by applying technological innovations to historical artifacts.”

Smithsonian’s Royle cites a similar example. “Recently we had a program that hit the front pages of major newspapers, The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima. The production company, Lucky 8, took one of the most famous photographs from World War II and used forensic science and some remarkable historical sleuthing to prove that one of the central characters was not who people thought he was.

We’re bringing this film to MIPCOM. It’s a film that has changed the historical record.”

On the subject of style, ZDF Enterprises’ Rückauer says, “Often the question is, Am I using the appropriate stylistic technique in a way to tell my specific story the right way? If you want to paint an intimate portrait of Osama bin Laden’s personal life, for example, you can use painted images to create a more abstract or distant point of view. Whereas if you want to show what the daily life of the Celts looked like you will need more reenactments and give the audience a kind of ‘I was there’ feeling.”

On top of this, Rückauer continues, “there are always different tastes in different countries. In continental Europe, history programming is more fact-driven, whereas the U.K. audience prefers presenter-led storytelling and the U.S. taste is for more action-related and much faster content. If you coproduce history programs, like we just recently did with The Celts, you need to feed the demands of different markets and create hybrid programs that incorporate the elements requested.”

When it comes to cutting through the clutter, Rückauer says shows need something “that is new, outstanding and spectacular. 9/11: Day That Changed the World is among the contemporary history docs that have aired on Smithsonian Channel.

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ARTE Sales’ The Great Greek Myths uses animation and art to recount ancient stories.

history,” Shingleton says. “It combines dramatic reconstruction, documentary filming and expert testimony to tell a story that will resonate with audiences in most markets.”

Warfare isn’t the only subject that sells, however. “We are going to market with a ten-part series from Sky’s production team in Milan called Artists in Love. This looks at great unconventional romances, such as those between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis.”

In terms of content, ORF stays away from some subjects, says Matzek, because other broadcasters have already covered them in detail. “ZDF is so strong in World War II, it doesn’t make sense for us to develop stories in that area. But we try to have a full range of epochs and approaches, from biopics to turning points in history. For us, variety is the key to success.”

Examples featured in the Universum History strand include Europe Divided: Cold War Chronicles, Winnetou: The Real Story and Gonsalvus: The Real Beauty and the Beast, a co-pro that saw ORF partner with epo-film, Smithsonian Networks and ARTE. “As a small player we have to play to our strengths,” says Matzek, “so areas like espionage are an opportunity given Austria’s pivotal position in history. But as we build up our brand we aim to increase the number of partners and subjects we work with.”

LENGTH MATTERS ARTE France primarily deals in 52-minute documentaries, “though the channel has explored two-part productions in which one film deals with the history of a subject and the other looks at the current situation,” Hazard says. “It’s a way to understand what is going on in places like Korea and Iran.”

The channel is also exploring 26-minute episodes as a way to reach new audiences. “We made a series called The Great Greek Myths that is entirely animation,” says Hazard. “It focuses on the subjects of power, sex and betrayal that are a key part of those myths. We are also working on a series that looks at historical characters such as Jack the Ripper.”

ORF’s Matzek says his audience seems to prefer seeing a new subject every week. “We find the audience drops quite a lot if we schedule a three-part series week after week. So for us, a multipart series works better if each episode can be aired as a stand-

alone story. That way we can broadcast it across the year. Or we may broadcast two episodes back to back the same night.”

Playing with episode length is also helping producers target younger audiences. After all, history programming has long been regarded as being inherently older-skewing. To attract younger audiences, Smithsonian’s Royle advises, “Start with color. We do believe there is a younger audience for history, but young viewers have a low tolerance for black and white. We are so convinced of the importance of color that we are making a commitment to producing quality colorized archival shows.”

THE YOUNG ONES “We are also convinced younger viewers don’t want to feel they are being lectured,” Royle continues. “We’ve enjoyed success with a raw style of filmmaking—programs that don’t have talking heads and narration but let the footage speak for itself.

Tom Jennings’s MLK: The Assassination Tapes is an example.

It won the Peabody Award, and we are planning shows in the same style. I believe it worked because it has the same rawness you see on the internet—it feels like history unedited.”

Sky Vision’s Tipping says computer gaming might provide a way to entice younger viewers into the genre.

“Games like Assassin’s Creed are set in very realistic settings. So maybe there is an opportunity to create connections with games that bring younger viewers to history programming.”

Hazard, meanwhile, calls for producers to use “a quicker pace, fast-cut editing, animation and graphics. It’s almost like introducing the aesthetic of a video game.”

In response to changing viewing habits, Rückauer says ZDF has produced short content for digital platforms. “We recently launched season two of Moments of History, which is now a library of 200 three- to four-minute short films on central themes of history. In addition, if a client requests more than just a linear 52-minute program, ZDFE.factual can provide further material such as short films out of our Contunico [clips] library or even VR. We are just about to build up a library of VR 360° shots, and we started with a special on volcanoes.”

“We’re also moving into VR,” says Smithsonian’s Royle.

“And although our first VR productions are not historybased, it’s only a matter of time.”

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TV REAL: Moving over from FYI last year, what strategy did you want to implement at HISTORY? BENNETT: I was very aware of what a strong brand it was.

That was something to continue to keep developing. In a way, history spans all of time, so there’s a huge storybook that is available to us as storytellers to think about. We can keep defining the brand as we evolve the next generation of programs. I love factual-based storytelling and historical storytelling, so I’m looking at, What haven’t we done? What else can we do to keep cracking open new territories? We have a built-in audience who likes history, but we also need to reach out to the next generation and the one after that to keep refreshing our appeal. And something else has happened. There is a quote from [Vladimir] Lenin about how sometimes it feels like it takes decades for anything to happen and other times in history a decade’s worth of things happen in a few weeks. That’s the kind of period we’re in right now. There are so many extraordinary, real-world events: the U.S. presidential election cycle, Brexit, the rise of terrorism, the increasing pace of technological change. A period of accelerated change increases the need and the appetite for history that gives you context and tells stories about how we got here, where we’re heading and where we came from.

By Mansha Daswani

Consistently ranked as a top-ten basic-cable network in the U.S., HISTORY’s mission is to connect audiences with history in “informative, immersive and entertaining” ways across multiple platforms. The channel, led by Jana Bennett as president and general manager, has been doing that with signature unscripted series like Pawn Stars and Alone and, increasingly, fact-based drama like the upcoming Knightfall. Bennett, who joined A+E Networks in 2013 to lead FYI and LMN and moved over to take the reins at HISTORY last year, tells TV Real about how she’s building on the platform’s success.

TV REAL: Tell us about the ways in which the channel is exploring different takes on history programming.

BENNETT: We’re the number one TV brand in the U.S., according to several measures. Therefore, we have a lot of permission as to how we go about having history in our content. American Pickers and Pawn Stars are franchises that import lots of stories that link objects to the past in an effortless way. On the other end of the spectrum is scripted.

HISTORY is a wonderful platform for male-skewed drama, while so much of broadcast and cable have more femaleleaning scripted. Vikings is still going strong—it’s in the top ten of U.S. cable drama series, and has amazing story lines coming up, based and rooted in the actual journeys the Vikings took. I also wanted to open up the channel to more recent history as well. SIX is drawn from SEAL Team Six missions of the last 15 years. SIX gets us into the heart of more recent historical events. It is also a way of showing that history is so relevant to understanding the world as it is and as it’s becoming. We did a successful miniseries called D.B. Cooper: Case Closed? about a notorious hijacker. That cracked open a present-day investigation and found out a lot of new things. We’ve done other investigations in the contemporary space. Hunting Hitler used files that are only now being opened up to the public inside the FBI. The Rise and Fall of El Chapo was much more in the contemporary space. We’ve got different ways of opening up the doors to a more contemporary world while also embracing the ancient world and everything in between. Knightfall goes back 1,000 years and tells the story of the mysterious Knights Templar, who were born out of the Crusades and ended up having control of the world’s biggest bank. It’s very much about power politics and religious schisms and religious fundamentalism. That has Jeremy Renner as our exec producer.

TV REAL: When I’m watching fact-based dramas I’ll often go online and research the event or the key figures in question.

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What kinds of supplementary materials can you offer viewers when delivering drama based on real-life events?

BENNETT: It’s a different version of what people talk about as a two-screen experience. I do it sometimes after a program—I find myself asking questions like, Did that person really exist? What really happened? There’s an extra element of satisfaction when you find out that the program-makers have taken the time and the trouble to translate the facts into some great piece of story, whether it’s scripted or unscripted. So [off-screen engagement is] really important for us. We have several ways of trying to give that enhanced experience. One is companion documentaries. For example, we’re doing a doc about the real stories of the Vikings for the next season. We’re also doing one on the real stories of the Navy SEALs as a companion set of docs for SIX. We also have History.com as a well-trafficked property in its own right, and short-form content. For example, the short-form pieces from Roots have been nominated for an Emmy, which I’m really proud of. That was very much doing a supporting role in giving more facts, context and some of the social history around the original Roots and how much it impacted the cultural conversation in this country at the time. It was a wonderful complement to the scripted miniseries. I would call those multiplatform ideas: they can be on Facebook or on our website and on our air as short form. I’m happy to have short-form content on linear TV. It’s something we pioneered here on different channels. We find that there is a relatively easy acceptance of those as adsupported content as well.

going through the toughest of selections that the Special Forces could devise. It’s a powerful show about getting to know what you’re made of. It’s not a competition, it’s not a reality show, it’s incredibly dramatic, and it’s very real. It will tell us why these Special Forces have come to be the way they are. We also have Alone coming back, this time from Patagonia, from the ends of the Earth. The Oval Office [consists of] individual miniseries about turning points of the Presidency, going right back through our history. I’m looking to do one or two a year over a number of years. We’re developing something on the history of Silicon Valley. We’ll also be telling the story of the L.A. riots. And we have a lot of mysteries we want to solve in terms of present-tense investigations as well. [For the 75th anniversary of] Pearl Harbor we’ll have a combination of short form [and long form]. The Last Word is short form with incredibly articulate servicemen who are now in their 90s—the oldest is 104—with such clear memories of why they went to serve in the Pacific, what happened that day and in that theater of war, what their aspirations were, why they served their country. It’s incredibly moving. We’ll run that on and off air. That complements [a long-form doc on Pearl Harbor], which is telling the real story as we now know it.

TV REAL: Looking ahead, what are some of your highlights?

BENNETT: A big push this autumn is Vikings, which is coming back in good form with some amazing, historically based plotlines. SIX airs at the beginning of next year.

We also have some very exciting unscripted, such as The Selection: Special Operations Experiment.

It’s being made by Peter Berg’s company, Film 45. It’s based on the different Special Operations Forces—Rangers, SEALs, Green Berets—and the tasks and challenges they use to select the best of the best. The Selection has a set of instructors drawn from the Special Forces, who help us to weave in the Darwinian reason for having these very tough selections, which involve all sorts of deprivations, physical challenges and mental challenges. We then have a set of civilians who are also tested to get into this program. Men and women are seen 10/16 WORLD SCREEN 507

Alone, in production for its third season, follows ten individuals as they attempt to survive the wildnerness on their own.

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TV REAL: What are some of the things you’ve learned about your subscriber base since you’ve been up and running?

NORTH: They enjoy watching on Roku, that’s been a great platform for us. We’re surprised at how many watch on mobile, as well. You wouldn’t think that a documentary would be something that people would want to watch on their phone or their iPad, but apparently, that’s very popular as well. We’ve also learned that the [average] age of our subscriber has gone down significantly since launch, so we’re pulling in a younger and younger group watching CuriosityStream. When we started off we were around the 55 age range; now our average is 33. It means that younger generations are just as interested in factual content as the older generations, which were the mainstay audiences of documentary TV. When our head of programming, Steve Burns, was at Science Channel and NatGeo, his demographic was 55 and up.

TV REAL: The OTT space seems to get more crowded by the day. What were the biggest challenges for you, first in getting the service operational, and then making people aware of it?

NORTH: The largest challenges were just to make sure that we were on as many platforms as possible, the back-end design and constantly improving the platform. We have a redesign across all of the platforms coming up soon. It is hard to be a new business, to let people know that you exist. But Facebook has been a really good platform for us to reach our target audience. [From those ads] people know, if you are interested in documentaries, if you like

By Mansha Daswani

In the 1980s, John Hendricks set out to create a space in the nascent cable landscape exclusively for lovers of factual programming. Last year, he embarked on a similar quest, this time in the digital arena. After retiring as chairman of Discovery Communications, Hendricks founded CuriosityStream, an internet-delivered on-demand platform serving up documentaries for a monthly subscription fee. With Hendricks’s daughter, Elizabeth Hendricks North, as president and CEO, CuriosityStream has been expanding internationally, embarking on original productions—most recently commissioning the three-part Deep Time History—and steadily building its membership base. North tells TV Real about the platform’s progress thus far and its plans for the future.

TV REAL: When you launched the platform in March of last year, what gaps did you want to fill in the marketplace?

NORTH: There wasn’t a service that was dedicated to documentary streaming, particularly the kind of high science and technology documentaries that we wanted to showcase on CuriosityStream. We also wanted to make sure that there was an ad-free subscription source for quality nonfiction programming.

these types of programs, you probably would like watching CuriosityStream.

TV REAL: What are you doing on the original programming front? What kinds of shows are you looking to invest in, and will international co-pros factor into your strategy?

NORTH: We’re still young, and we are continuing to grow.

We are still heavy on acquisitions and licensing, just because that’s more affordable for us at this time. But we’re certainly very interested in good-quality co-productions that we can do, particularly with filmmakers that have experience in creating great CGI and science and technology programs. We had success this summer with Destination: Jupiter, a show following the Juno mission.

We were able to work with a British production company for that one. We’re looking for good partners on the kinds of programs that we’re seeing our subscribers are interested in. A lot of our subscribers want to see more of the science and technology shows that aren’t on television anymore. I always tell people this, and they’re surprised: the most popular program on our service last year was

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CuriosityStream has begun investing in originals such as the 4K series Deep Time History.

The Secrets of Quantum Physics. It was recently replaced by a show about gravitational waves. Our audience is quite sophisticated! They like high-minded science programs, especially if you can find ways of telling the narrative so that it’s easy for anybody to grasp. I’m not a physicist, but I enjoyed watching The Secrets of Quantum Physics and the one about gravitational waves because it’s all about storytelling. If you can tell a good story, you can make science, technology, anything, really fascinating and easy to grasp.

TV REAL: What about your acquisitions strategy? Where are you sourcing content from?

NORTH: We have a good partnership with the BBC, so that provides a lot of great content for the U.S. We’re trying to work with them to get more programming that can be available in other countries worldwide. We work with a lot of European producers, a lot of French producers, NHK in Japan, ZDF Enterprises has been a great partner. We’re particularly open to anyone that has a great library of shows that they’ve already created and are looking to distribute to a wider audience. That’s really important to us, particularly since we have a worldwide service. If they have the SVOD rights, that’s a win-win for everybody.

TV REAL: Why did you opt for a tiered pricing strategy?

NORTH: If you’re streaming SD you’re not sending as much data, so it’s less expensive for us to stream, and we can offer a lower price. If you’re streaming high definition and 4K, it costs a little bit more. 4K is twice as much data as HD, so the pricing reflects the burden on us to get that data to the customer.

TV REAL: How has the 4K take-up been?

NORTH: It’s been OK. It’s still a small market. What was most important to us was making sure we got there as quickly as possible. And we pushed ourselves to get the technology down. So that was quite a challenge for our team, and I’m proud of our group of engineers, who were able to figure out how to stream 4K. It’s hard to do, and we’re glad that we have a service that can offer that tier.

TV REAL: What are your plans for CuriosityStream globally?

NORTH: We’re already available internationally—we launched in September 2015. You can be in any country and log in. We decided consciously from the start to look toward worldwide distribution. So we’ve been [acquiring] as many [worldwide] rights as we can get. It took a little bit longer than we expected. We had to get the geoblocking and the caching ready from a back-end perspective. But we are available worldwide. Since we’re an English-language-only service, we’re finding the strongest markets for us are English-speaking countries.

Surprisingly, Scandinavia has been a strong market for us as well.

TV REAL: What do you want to tell international doc producers who are keen to work with CuriosityStream?

NORTH: We’re looking forward to bringing to the table another option for people who are trying to get programs made and maybe they just need that one more partner to help them round out the budget. We’re open to being that great producing partner that can help them do the quality science and technology shows they’re looking to create.

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HUGH-JONES: To make a series like Planet Earth, it probably takes three and a half years, and we spend almost the first year trying to work out what we’re going to use to film, what stories we’re going to film, where we’re going to go, who’s going to make the team. So it’s probably almost a year before we even begin our first filming, and then we spend two years filming out in the wild all over the world and then probably about another half a year editing and putting the programs together.

TV REAL: You have produced and directed numerous productions for the BBC’s Natural History Unit, including Human Planet and Planet Earth. What were the biggest challenges you faced in making these series?

HUGH-JONES: I think the biggest challenge making a big landmark like Planet Earth or Human Planet is coming up with exciting new stories. The Natural History Unit has been making amazing wildlife films for 60 years and coming up with new stories that the audience is going to be excited by is very hard.

We spent a lot of time trying to speak to scientists and researching to find those little pieces of information that might lead us to an animal you’ve not seen before, or capturing behavior you

By Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari

Released in 2006, Planet Earth marked a new high for blue-chip natural-history filmmaking. The big-budget production from the BBC’s Natural History Unit, using innovative filmmaking techniques to capture the wonders of the world, was a commercial and critical success for the British public broadcaster, with BBC Worldwide selling it to more than 200 markets across the globe. Ten years later the BBC is doing it again, making Planet Earth II in 4K UHD. David Attenborough is returning to narrate the ambitious six-part series. Tom Hugh-Jones, series producer, gives TV Real insight on making high-end natural-history content today.

TV REAL: What makes Planet Earth II different from the first one?

HUGH-JONES: I worked on the first Planet Earth and ten years on it’s time to make something totally fresh and new.

The way we can film animals has developed with new camera technology and also our understanding of the natural world and animal behavior has also developed. That’s what we want to show—a new perspective on the world. So, this time, you’re going to feel like you’re actually exploring these worlds for real rather than seeing them from afar. We want to take you deeper in terms of your understanding by actually showing you some surprising things about how the different environments on Earth work.

TV REAL: How much preproduction time does such a series usually take?

haven’t seen before. But with every new series that gets more difficult, so you have to spend more time in the field or be even more rigorous, and it’s challenging.

Out in the field, probably the biggest challenge I’ve had was when we were filming in Angola and we stupidly didn’t take enough equipment when we traveled to an island. We got stuck on a boat—the petrol ran out in the middle of the sea—with no way of contacting anyone. It was a tiny little dinghy, and we spent about 12 hours desperately trying to sail back to shore with a piece of tarpaulin that we had to keep the camera dry.

Probably for a good eight hours I was sure we were just going to drift down the Atlantic Ocean with nobody knowing where we were, and we were going to die of starvation or sunburn.

That was quite scary.

TV REAL: After all your travels, do you have a favorite place to film in?

HUGH-JONES: I have a real passion for the Amazon Jungle. I have become known as one of the producers in the Natural History Unit who’s happy to go and film in jungles. There’s something rewarding about getting exciting animal behavior or working with tribes in the jungle. It’s such a challenging environment; it’s so humid and wet, and there are so many diseases. You feel like you’re battling nature the whole time. But now and then you see something beautiful or amazing, and it makes it feel all the more precious.

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