World Screen AFM 2012

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THE MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA • NOVEMBER 2012

www.worldscreen.com

AFM Edition

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contents

NOVEMBER 2012/AFM EDITION

Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise

departments WORLD VIEW

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Editor Anna Carugati

A note from the editor.

UPFRONT

WORLD’S END

In the stars.

Executive Editor Mansha Daswani

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New content on the market.

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Managing Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Contributing Editor Elizabeth Guider

spotlight TELEVISA’S EMILIO AZCÁRRAGA

Special Projects Editor Jay Stuart

The chairman and CEO of Televisa discussed the company’s gift for producing emotional storytelling and its initiatives in the U.S. market in his MIPCOM keynote.

—Mansha Daswani

content trendsetters

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Superpanel at MIPCOM and received the World Screen Content Trendsetter Award.

—Mansha Daswani

special report

Online Director Simon Weaver Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell Sales & Marketing Director Cesar Suero Sales & Marketing Manager Vanessa Brand

INDIE VISION

International demand for indie feature films and TV movies is strong, buoyed by the growth of digital channels.

—Anna Carugati

one-on-one

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Executive Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Rafael Blanco Associate Editor Joanna Padovano

ACQUISITION SUPERPANEL

Programmers from the U.K., Canada, Australia and Norway took part in the Acquisition

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Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari

ENTERTAINMENT ONE’S DARREN THROOP

The company’s president and CEO shares his views on the film industry and the rapidly changing digital landscape.

Business Affairs Manager Terry Acunzo Senior Editors Bill Dunlap Kate Norris Contributing Writers Chris Forrester Bob Jenkins Juliana Koranteng Joanna Stephens David Wood Copy Editor Grace Hernandez

—Anna Carugati

Ricardo Seguin Guise, President Anna Carugati, Executive VP & Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani, Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development

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world view

BY ANNA CARUGATI

Fundamental Rights During the last few weeks, there has been much talk in the media and in everyday conversations about basic freedoms that we take for granted: freedom of the press and freedom of expression in whatever form—in newspapers, magazines, Internet video or film.

Everyone has been talking about whether magazines should have printed pictures of a topless Kate Middleton, the wife of Prince William, and if the French magazine Charlie Hebdo should have printed cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad, and whether Google’s YouTube should have taken down the vile video Innocence of Muslims, which denigrates Islam.

At dinner tables, in work break rooms, in coffee shops, on campuses, we have all been debating whether there should be limits to what the press can print and what individuals have the right to say, criticize, mock or disparage; and whether, in the volatile and incendiary times we live in, particularly with the wave of violent fanaticism that has arisen in recent decades, members of the press and owners of media outlets should not exercise some self-censorship, particularly when innocent lives are at stake.

Rather than expound on my views (although if I were Kate I FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION just wouldn’t go topless, thus avoiding the whole unsavory mess got caught up in), I would like IS...CENTRAL TO THE HEALTH she to share what others much more knowledgeable and eloquent than AND VIABILITY OF THE I have said on the issue of freedom of expression.

Recently, Christiane AmanFILMMAKING INDUSTRY. pour, on her eponymous show on CNN International, had as a guest Bernard Henri-Lévy, the French writer, intellectual and philosopher, known in France as BHL, whose numerous works include Who Killed Daniel Pearl? and American Vertigo: Traveling America in the Footsteps of Tocqueville.

Amanpour asked BHL, “Now, I know you come down on the side of freedom of expression. So do we all. But the question is, is [publishing the cartoon mocking the Prophet Muhammad] a smart editorial choice at this moment? Do we have responsibilities—you, me and those cartoonists?”

And BHL answered, “My opinion is the following: I don’t like these cartoons. I respect the Koran deeply and I don’t like [gratuitous] offense like this. But those who feel offended must know three things. Number one, they have to appeal to the law [to the courts]. This is the way of democracy. Number two, if Charlie Hebdo or whatever newspaper makes a mistake, [the newspaper] is responsi8

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ble for the mistake, not the state, not the embassies,”—if someone is offended by an article or cartoon in a publication, the offended must not confuse the publication with the government of the country where that publication is based. “The newspaper is the beginning and end of democracy,” BHL continued. “And number three, the right to blasphemy is a key point of freedom. This cover of Charlie Hebdo mocks a Muslim man—and a rabbi. I don’t like it. I don’t like blasphemy against my creed. But I know that since Voltaire, the right of blasphemy is really the nuclear core of freedom in general. Everybody must understand that, even if we feel offended in our hearts.”

BHL was referring to a quote often attributed to the French philosopher Voltaire: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

It’s not surprising that the American Founding Fathers took so much inspiration from the French when drafting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, whose First Amendment protects the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Former President Bill Clinton, in fact, referred to those very tenets when discussing Innocence of Muslims in an interview with Charlie Rose.

“We weren’t disrespecting Islam by not squelching a film trailer that nobody in authority knew anything about, that 99 percent of us think was crude, and disrespectful, and awful,” he said. “We have learned the hard way, over more than 200 years, that in order to preserve freedom and liberty, including the freedom of religion, you have to allow people to say and do things that you find abhorrent. And you can’t react every time you’re insulted.... If you live in a shame-based society where you think nothing good’s going to happen, the temptation is to wait for somebody to say something you’d find offensive and you can lash out against it. But free people absorb destructive things and refuse to be destroyed.”

Freedom of expression is at the core of democratic societies, but it’s also central to the health and viability of the filmmaking industry, many of whose constituents will be gathering in Santa Monica at the American Film Market. As they discuss the challenges of pitching their ideas, finding financing and mastering marketing techniques, there is one thing they won’t have to worry about: their right to express their visions.

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upfronts Artist View Entertainment www.artistviewent.com • Magic • Concrete Blondes • Stunt Sport

“We expect to see further movement in the digital-platform world

and look forward to being a key content supplier in that space as it expands globally.

”

Christopher Lloyd, best known for his role as Emmett “Doc” Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, lends his voice to the family adventure film Magic in the role of a talking dog. At the AFM, Artist View Entertainment is presenting the title, which is expected to “work in all areas of distribution,” according to Scott Jones, the company’s president.

As for other highlights, Jones calls Concrete Blondes a “tightly crafted thriller with high production values; it has already caught the eye of many clients both [in the U.S.] and abroad.” Meanwhile, the 90-minute documentary Stunt Sport is set in the world of parkour, break dancing and tricking, which are “all highly popular sports that continue to take the world by storm,” says Jones.

He adds, “We look forward to presenting our new titles to the market and will continue to make deals on the slate of product we have launched over the past couple of years.”

—Scott Jones

Stunt Sport

Breakthrough Entertainment www.breakthroughentertainment.com • The Resurrection of Tony Gitone • Please Kill Mr Know It All • Unlucky

At the American Film Market, Breakthrough Entertainment is launching the market premiere of a trio of movie titles. Directed by the award-winning filmmaker Jerry Ciccoritti, The Resurrection of Tony Gitone follows the life of a young Canadian actor who moves back home after living in Hollywood.

“This movie reminds me so much of Big Night, which was a classic film about friendship, life and family,” says Marina Cordoni, the company’s VP of movies.

Breakthrough is also showcasing at the market Please Kill Mr Know It All, which screened at the Montreal World Film Festival. “It’s a comedy about a hit man falling in love,” notes Cordoni, “perfect for all audiences, with its Hollywood production style and feel-good ending.”

Rounding out the company’s slate is Unlucky, another Montreal World Film Festival title. This comedy tells the story of an unlucky man who happens to be employed by a lottery company.

“These are feel-good movies which leave the audience happy to have journeyed with these characters.”

—Marina Cordoni

Unlucky

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FoxTelecolombia www.foxtelecolombia.com

“Colombia has a lot of

• Mental • Don Pedro: The Drug Lord • Lynch

This market is the inaugural outing for FoxTelecolombia in Santa Monica. “We are very excited to attend, as we will be promoting the vast production services we offer in Colombia,” says Ana María Barreto, the commercial director at FoxTelecolombia. She also highlights a new film law that has been approved by the Colombian government that will “benefit all the international producers that want to come to our country to film. What this legislation basically offers is a 40-percent cost rebate on all production services and a 20-percent cost rebate of all transportation, catering and accommodation expenses to those projects that are shot in Colombia.”

The company has a number of international productions to its credit, including Mental. It also produced the premiere special for the fifth season of Burn Notice, “The Fall of Sam Axe.” The company is working on the second season of El Capo (Don Pedro: The Drug Lord) for RCN and MundoFox, as well as the second season of Lynch, produced for MovieCity.

competitive advantages that make us a very important production epicenter.

”

—Ana María Barreto

Mental

MarVista Entertainment www.marvista.net • Collision Course • Love for Christmas • Pop Star

Pop Star

Eleven brand-new titles make up the catalogue that MarVista Entertainment brings to this year’s American Film Market. One of the top three highlights is Collision Course, a new action film featuring Tia Carrere, David Chokachi and Dee Wallace. “In addition to the intense action, there’s also an underlying mystery that viewers will want to resolve, so it engages audiences on many different levels,” says Vanessa Shapiro, the company’s executive VP of sales. Love for Christmas is a feel-good holiday movie, which Shapiro describes as “one of those wonderful holiday films that reminds all of us of what is really important in our lives.”

The new teen flick Pop Star incorporates both humor and heartbreak, along with the overall theme of working hard to follow a dream.

“In addition to these three titles, MarVista Entertainment has a really diverse slate of films that we believe serves every targeted demographic group,” adds Shapiro.“The films’ production values are superior, the story lines are engaging and each offers true entertainment.”

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“Our goal is to continue to exceed the entertainment needs of our clients.”

—Vanessa Shapiro

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MNet www.mnetsales.com • Projek Mandela • Heartlines • Long Street

“ We would like to dispel the myth

that all African content is of low budget and quality.

”

MNet is very keen to showcase its African movies, which are available for license all over the globe.

“MNet’s African films appeal to a far wider audience than just the local demographic, which has been proven by the massive increase in content requests we are receiving daily,” says Mandy Roger, the company’s head of sales, acquisitions and business development.

Projek Mandela is a documentary that plays out like a political thriller. “The slow-brewing Projek Mandela comes to fruition on February 11, 1990, when Mandela walks through the gates of Victor Verster to freedom and into history,” notes Roger. Heartlines is a film about “second chances, the power to make different decisions and the transforming effect of unconditional love,” she says. Directed by Revel Fox, Long Street is based on the life of Fox’s daughter, a recovering drug addict. Roger describes Long Street as “a poetic, powerful, music-driven film about contemporary middle-class ennui in urban South Africa.”

—Mandy Roger

Heartlines

Multicom Entertainment Group • Lovemakers • Finding Hope • Mask Masters

Following a successful MIPCOM, Multicom Entertainment Group is optimistic heading into the American Film Market. There, the company will be presenting the new comedy feature Lovemakers, about a financially struggling dating agency in Budapest that is charged with making a Hollywood star fall in love with a woman who is both depressed and high maintenance. Finding Hope follows the story of a 16-year-old girl who escapes the control of a polygamist cult leader and must learn how to lead a new life. Then there is Mask Masters, an animated series that revolves around four guardians—Blue Dragon, White Tiger, Red Phoenix and Great Tortoise—who must protect the four corners of the planet from evil forces.

“We feel we’re offering something special for the general market and emerging digital markets,” says Irv Holender, Multicom’s chairman. “Our catalogue is diverse and covers multiple genres, from Lovemakers, which features a diverse setting while boasting a stellar cast (Billy Zane, Daryl Hannah), to Mask Masters, a unique 3D animated series.”

Lovemakers

“ With more television broadcasters attending the market, we look forward to introducing our extensive catalogue.”

—Irv Holender

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Red Arrow International www.redarrowinternational.tv • Restless • Jo • Bosch

“ We have a terrific fiction lineup, featuring five new drama series, [and] an extensive TV-movie slate with amazing talent.

”

A mini-series and two crime series are among the highlights of the current Red Arrow International slate.

Inspired by William Boyd’s bestselling book, Restless is an event thriller that portrays the British Secret Service operations in America during the Second World War. The mini-series is scheduled to air on the Sundance Channel in the U.S. later this year. Jo is an hour-long crime series created by the Emmy Award winner René Balcer (Law & Order) and starring Jean Reno. “Projects like Jo and Restless show our strength in gap financing and co-production and we will continue to further increase our work in this field,” says Jens Richter, Red Arrow International’s managing director.

Another crime series on the slate is Bosch, set to premiere next year. “With over 45 million books sold worldwide, Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch franchise has an enormous international fan base and makes for perfect event TV,” notes Richter. Eric Overmyer, a producer on The Wire and Treme, serves as showrunner.

—Jens Richter

Jo

VMI Worldwide www.vmiworldwide.com • Cottage Country • The Last Keepers • Mickey Matson & the Copperhead Conspiracy

“ Our goal is to further establish VMI as a passionate

sales agent for independent films, both internationally and domestically.

”

At this year’s American Film Market, VMI Worldwide is looking forward to presenting a lineup that shows the maturation of its film division, according to André Relis, the company’s president. “We’re also enthusiastic about our ever-increasing representation of the domestic rights to our films, turning VMI into a global sales agent, rather than just focusing on international sales,” he says.

One of the titles in VMI’s catalogue for AFM is Cottage Country, a comedy starring Malin Akerman, Tyler Labine and Lucy Punch. The Last Keepers, which Relis describes as “a magical coming-of-age story,” features Zosia Mamet, Virginia Madsen, Olympia Dukakis and Aidan Quinn. There is also Mickey Matson & the Copperhead Conspiracy, a family adventure with Christopher Lloyd and Ernie Hudson. “These films will appeal to audiences based on the universally regarded themes of the films, matched with well-known names and recognizable faces,” notes Relis.

—André Relis

Mickey Matson & the Copperhead Conspiracy

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spotlight Televisa’s Emilio Azcárraga with World Screen’s Anna Carugati.

Televisa’s

up with many more turning points, and then always reward the viewers’ loyalty with a happy ending. If Titanic was one of our telenovelas, we’d maybe include a pair of dolphins to save Jack at the end! We never kill the good guy.”

The U.S. Hispanic market, where Televisa’s content fills 70 percent of Univision’s primetime schedule, “has been a great sounding board,” he said. “They’ve kept us on our toes and they’ve kept us current. U.S. Hispanics have constantly pushed us to adapt, grow and evolve. Our partnership with Univision… gives us a powerful window into that soughtafter market.” And that alliance with the leading U.S. Hispanic broadcaster is a “partnership made in heaven.”

Also in the U.S., Televisa is working with Lionsgate to produce feature films, under the Pantelion Films label. It also co-produced its first English-language show, Hollywood Heights on Nickelodeon.

The company will remain focused on generating “the best, most emotional, universal content and distribute it through every mass medium.”

It is also diversifying, with Azcárraga mentioning the huge potential for growth in the pay-TV market. “We’ve merged with Mexico’s top independent cable operations and we are now the main pay-television provider.”

He also discussed the investment in Iusacell, a strategic acquisition that positions Televisa as “Mexico’s main provider of quadruple-play” services.

“Our content is increasingly embracing the new multiplatform and transmedia era,” he continued.“We were a multimedia company before the concept even existed.

We want to stay at the frontlines of the world’s entertainment business and be the best possible partner.”

Concluding his keynote address, he said, “I am excited about this new era of global Televisa,” noting that the company will continue creating “stories for the heart and from the heart.”

Sitting down with Carugati on stage of the Grand Auditorium, Azcárraga elaborated on some of his key growth opportunities, including the importance of the U.S. market. “The gross national product of Mexico is basically the gross national product of the Hispanics in the U.S.” He also discussed Televisa’s success in lowering broadband connectivity prices in Mexico, as well as its work with advertisers on campaigns outside of the traditional 30-second spot. Also crucial to Televisa’s success has been its approach to new-media platforms. “At the end of the day, I don’t know which device is going to be there in the future, but I definitely believe the [viewer] is going to want their entertainment whenever they want and wherever they want. We need to be prepared to deliver that.”

Emilio Azcárraga

By Mansha Daswani Emilio Azcárraga Jean, the chairman and CEO of Televisa, discussed the company’s gift for producing emotional storytelling and its initiatives in the U.S. market in his MIPCOM keynote, which was followed by a Q&A with Anna Carugati, World Screen’s group editorial director.

In his early remarks, Azcárraga noted,“My grandfather, who founded this company, always told me that a good story can enchant the world. As technology has evolved, more stories are told through multiple platforms.”

Azcárraga, this year’s MIPCOM Personality of the Year, noted that the company’s success “always starts with strong emotions and drama.”Televisa has been producing novelas for more than 50 years and has exported them across the globe. Today, it produces nearly 80,000 hours of content annually, targeting viewers who are “yearning for truly emotional entertainment—and we deliver that entertainment.”

Foreign co-productions are a top priority for the company, Azcárraga said, with Televisa fine-tuning its engaging formats to local needs and tastes. “Televisa has a storehouse of thousands of stories.”

The telenovela, he continued, “is the best format that we have and it’s the best format we can apply from Mexico to any part of the world…. Our goal is to make truly powerful and truly global formats. Melodrama is by nature global and universal. If I tell you a story about two teenagers, one rich, one poor, who are crazy about each other but are kept apart by their families, you will probably think of Romeo and Juliet or one of our classical telenovelas from the ’80s [or] even a mega hit like Titanic. While Titanic has to grip your attention for three hours, our stories are a 100-day programming solution.We have to mix in lots of subplots, come 16

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content trendsetters

World Screen’s Anna Carugati (left) with Rogers’ Malcolm Dunlop, Network Ten’s Beverley McGarvey, TV 2 Norway’s John Ranelagh and Channel 4’s Gill Hay.

By Mansha Daswani

T

he business of negotiating rights across multiple platforms and finding ways to monetize online, on-demand services were identified as the key issues facing broadcasters by top programmers from the U.K., Canada, Australia and Norway during the Acquisition Superpanel at MIPCOM, moderated by World Screen’s Anna Carugati.

The Acquisition Superpanel: What Do Buyers Want? session featured Malcolm Dunlop, the executive VP of television programming and operations at Rogers Media in Canada; Gill Hay, the head of acquisitions at Channel 4 in the U.K.; Beverley McGarvey, the network head of programming at Network Ten in Australia; and John Ranelagh, the head of acquisitions at TV 2 Norway. At the end of the panel, the four programmers were honored with the World Screen Content Trendsetter Award, presented in partnership with Reed MIDEM, for their accomplishments in spotting hit shows and building schedules that deliver both audiences and advertisers.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with World Screen for this award to recognize your outstanding contribution to the industry and, of course, your audiences,” said Laurine Garaude, the director of Reed MIDEM’s television division, who joined Carugati on stage at the Grand Auditorium to present the buyers with their awards.

Rogers’ Dunlop acquires for a portfolio that includes the flagship Citytv, as well as a host of niche specialty services. About 60 percent of Citytv’s grid is acquired.

Ten’s McGarvey buys for three channels:Ten, Eleven and One. Ten has a smaller ratio of acquired fare, at about 30 to 40 percent; the bulk of the acquisitions go to Eleven and One. Ranelagh oversees TV 2, as well as Bliss and Zebra, among other brands in Norway. He noted that TV 2’s acquired slate has dropped from 50 percent to 25 percent in 18

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the last year. Bliss and Zebra acquire far more, about 80 percent of their grids. Hay’s remit includes Channel 4, More4, Film4 and E4, as well as its 4oD service; the biggest acquirer is Film4, followed by E4.

SHOPPING LIST

Each of the programmers was asked about their current shopping lists. C4’s Hay noted, “We’re not driven by slot needs or volume needs,” but rather by the quality of the shows. Ranelagh is keen to pick up some formats, “particularly cheap and cheerful ones than can go into daytime.” Acquired dramas, he said, are not working the way they used to. As an example, he cited the second season premiere of Homeland, which was 40 percent down on the season one premiere.American and British scripted product is still playing well in Australia, McGarvey said. She too, however, is looking for formats, in the entertainment and comedy veins. Dunlop picks up most of Citytv’s acquisitions at the L.A. Screenings. “We rely on the U.S. for most of our quality top-rated programming. We’re hoping that all our shows are successful and that we don’t have to replace anything at this point…. Usually you overbuy, you have a couple of shows on the shelf that you can put in” if something is cancelled by its U.S. network.

Citytv simulcasts its purchases with the U.S. networks.

Ten, meanwhile, tries to launch shows as close to the U.S. transmission as possible. That’s a strategy occasionally employed by C4. “Homeland we launched within the same week as the U.S.,” Hay said.“Other shows we like to see how they launch in the U.S. and we want to make sure they get the right launch pad in the U.K. Also, the U.K. audience doesn’t like hiatuses in the transmission schedule.”

That view was echoed by Ranelagh, stating, “For the

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[broadcast] network shows, we wait till we have about eight shows in stock, so about two months after the U.S.” The buyers all weighed in on output deals. “When we go to the Screenings, we know what we’re getting,” said Ten’s McGarvey.TV 2’s Ranelagh noted: “We have output deals and I’m very anxious to change that to cherrypicking [titles].” However, Ranelagh continued, “We’re lucky; we chose many years ago to be with CBS [Studios International].We hitched our sails to [Les Moonves’] masts and am very glad that we’ve done so.” TV 2 also shares a Warner Bros. output deal with SBS. In the U.K., cherry-picking individual shows is the model employed by Channel 4. “It’s great to be able to use your money wisely,” Hay said.

Asked by Carugati about how they’re targeting the allimportant 18 to 49 demo, the programmers soon began discussing the need for online and on-demand services.

While much loved by audiences, particularly younger ones, online video services are proving to be a challenge for broadcasters.“I don’t think anybody in Canada has figured out how you’re going to make money” from online video players, Rogers’ Dunlop said. Obstacles include the difficulty of measuring non-linear views, and figuring out ways to insert advertising in nonlinear broadcasts online.

Ranelagh then brought up the topic of over-the-top television services that are providing a competitive threat to broadcasters, particularly as young people embrace the binge-viewing model of online platforms that make entire series available in one sitting.

C4’s Hay said that broadcasters can remain relevant in the digital age by continuing to “buy cleverly and produce spectacular shows. When it comes to launching new shows, a terrestrial platform is still the best.” There

are opportunities, she said, to work with OTT platforms in order to help drive linear viewership.

Carugati then shifted the conversation towards windowing and rights negotiations. “Next to every successful buyer is a very competent lawyer,” quipped C4’s Hay. “One has to navigate the rights very carefully. This has been the year of the rights. It’s as complicated as it may ever get at this particular moment.”

McGarvey added,“It’s got to the point that if we don’t get the [digital, catch-up] rights, it will be a deal breaker for the main channel.We can’t afford to relinquish bits and pieces.

There’s no such thing as a straightforward deal anymore.”

Carugati then asked the schedulers what their most successful and surprising acquisitions had been. For Channel 4’s Hay, the most successful recently has been Showtime’s Homeland, while the most surprising was Glee, “in terms of the universal appeal of the show. It did unbelievable ratings for E4.”

For TV 2’s Ranelagh, Pacific Blue has been a flagship on the schedule nearly every summer since its initial purchase. A surprising acquisition was the 1990s French sitcom Hélène et les Garçons, which, he said, “had profound effect on the teaching of French in schools [in Norway].

I was very proud of that.”

McGarvey said she couldn’t take credit for many of the successful acquisitions that have come through from output deals with the studios. She noted her surprise at the success of the British reality show Snog, Marry, Avoid? “We put it on with not very much marketing support. It popped by itself.”

For Dunlop at Citytv, comedies like Modern Family and New Girl have been huge hits, and he has been pleasantly surprised by the early traction on Revolution.

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International demand for indie feature films and TV movies is strong, buoyed by the growth of digital channels.

By Anna Carugati

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or years the American Film Market, or AFM, as it is more commonly called, has championed independent films. While the industry has felt the impact of a sluggish economy and a subsequent tightening of financing, the AFM still provides a forum where hopeful producers can pitch their ideas, distributors can find projects

F

they feel have sales potential and a wide range of finished movies is on offer.

What has changed, and continues to evolve, is the media landscape, ever more complex and layered.

Besides the traditional theaters, pay-TV, broadcast, cable and satellite channels, there are now digital platforms of all sorts, many of which are offering distributors new opportunities.

“We’ve seen quite a nice demand from most places internationally,” says Fernando Szew, the CEO of

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Vision

Indie MarVista Entertainment. “One of the growth areas has been the digital terrestrial channels around the world who need good content.”

“Many major terrestrial channels have a lot of digital platforms and they are opening up some opportunities for us to do business, but we are still looking to do deals with the main channels because that is where the bulk of the value is,” says Gene George, the executive VP of worldwide distribution at Starz Media.

One company that is noticing a healthy demand for films is Breakthrough Entertainment. “The AFM 2012 is a landmark year for Breakthrough, because—for the first time—we are exhibiting,” says Marina Cordoni, the company’s VP of movies. “That is quite exciting for us, because it shows the growth of our movie division.”

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Tasty treat: MarVista Entertainment has been a strong supplier of TV movies to the international market, with titles such as Doggie Boogie.

In fact, in November of 2011 Breakthrough formed a unit specifically dedicated to the acquisition and sales of feature films that is headed by Cordoni. “We have been in business almost 30 years, and there has been some film production and distribution in the past, but in January 2012 we officially launched the unit, and within [this short time] we acquired 12 films. We are still committed to TV movies, but my main focus now is acquiring feature films.”

Cordoni attends all the major film festivals in Sundance, Berlin, Cannes and Toronto, and has a number of criteria she follows as she makes her selections. “For me it’s about what makes a good quality film, and first and foremost it’s the script; it has to be a good story, it must have universal appeal. Secondly, who is the cast and are they saleable in foreign markets. And obviously it’s the execution of the film and who is directing it. I look to acquire films that are festivaldriven, independent in nature and perhaps commercial in appeal.”

Breakthrough is bringing three new films to the AFM. The Resurrection of Tony Gitone is about a Canadian actor of Italian descent returning to Toronto to shoot a film after years of struggling in Hollywood. “It’s a film that resembles Diner, featuring a group of friends who come together,

and it centers on one evening,” explains Cordoni. In addition, there is Unlucky, which is about a profoundly unlucky man who works for the lottery corporation, and Please Kill Mr Know It All, a romantic comedy about an extremely attractive hit man.

“We recently announced a new production, and I will be looking for presale opportunities during the

AFM,” adds Cordoni. “The movie is called Cas & Dylan and stars Richard Dreyfuss and Tatiana Maslany and is directed by Jason Priestley.”

Another company that uses presales to finance its films is VMI Worldwide, which was formed by André Relis, now the company’s president, after he parted ways with his former partner at a company called Vision Films. “In a matter of

two years we’ve launched a new film division that has really taken off,” says Relis. “Part of it comes from the fact that we have moved up the scale of the productions we are working on.”

One of the films the company will be presenting at the AFM is Scorched Earth, a post-apocalyptic action movie, which stars Sean Bean and is directed by 24’s Brad Turner. “It has a budget of $5 million and we have three or four other projects we are preselling now in that realm,” adds Relis.

Not every film is suitable for presales, however. “We’re very selective, we read scripts to make sure the genre is commercial and we work with producers to attach a cast that is saleable. We have to make sure that the film’s elements are appealing to our buyers so they will come in early. The big keys to a successful presale are: first, the genre; second, the cast; and third, the director.”

A cast that is known internationally is typical of independent movies.

Starz Media is banking on the power of Cuba Gooding, Jr., who won an

Drawn to success: Breakthrough Entertainment’s Please Kill Mr Know It All, one of several movie titles the company has amassed for its slate, was screened as an official selection at the Montreal World Film Festival this fall.

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Digital channels are providing distributors with a variety of new sales opportunities.

“A number of the digital channels belong to bouquets owned by some of the main broadcasters who already are our clients— now they just have more outlets,” says MarVista’s Szew. “So it’s very healthy for us because some of our broadcast partners now have specialty channels, which is a little bit different from what we saw eight or nine years ago with the growth of cable and pay TV. Those were new buyers, but now, for the most part, a lot of them are the same, they are just buying for a bouquet of channels.”

OPENING WINDOWS

Embracing the market: Presales are often used by VMI Worldwide to cover the financing of its films, which include productions such as The Last Keepers, starring Virginia Madsen.

Academy Award as best supporting actor for his role in Jerry Maguire, for its thriller Summoned. And Frankie Muniz, known for his role in the series Malcolm in the Middle, stars in the action-disaster film Blowing Vegas off the Map. Some distributors are looking for new ways of financing films.

“We tried something new; there is a European co-production called Lovemakers,” says Irv Holender, the chairman of Multicom Entertainment Group. “It’s a comedy with Daryl Hannah and Billy Zane and has a European cast and it’s about a matchmaking agency that goes awry.”

While independent features can span a wide variety of genres, the TV movies that find homes on international broadcast, cable and satellite outlets have traditionally fallen into specific categories: the female thrillers, or women-injeopardy movies, action-disaster films and holiday movies.

MarVista Entertainment, a leading supplier of TV movies to major cable networks in the U.S., has

been active in all these genres, but recently, as Szew explains, they “have carved a very nice niche in the family-movie genre, not just from a family point of view but from a teen or tween point of view. We’ve done movies with Disney Channel and those have been very successful for us internationally as well.” Among the teen-skewing titles MarVista is bringing to the AFM are Circle of Lies, I Kissed a Vampire and Pop Star.

LICENSE TO THRILL

MarVista’s slate also includes thrillers: Fatal Justice, about a woman who takes matters into her own hands when a gang injures her 12-year-old niece; A Fall from Grace, the story of a 17-year-old girl who is accused of killing her best friend in a drunk-driving accident; and the high-action movie Collision Course, about an airplane struck by a solar flare.There are also the romantic comedies Today’s Special, a super-feel-good story about a young chef at an exclusive Manhattan restaurant, and Language of a 26

Broken Heart, about a best-selling author struggling to keep his girlfriend’s interest.

TV movies with holiday themes continue to have enduring appeal among international broadcasters.

MarVista has two such films, Love for Christmas and Oh Christmas Tree!

This genre has also been successful for Starz Media. “We have a very steady flow of holiday movies, particularly for Christmas,” explains George. “They work very well in late-afternoon slots.”

Starz also focuses on female thrillers, which “work well later in the evening, in post prime time,” continues George. “If you get a disaster film or a thriller that has a higher level cast, or it’s an event, or a Christmas movie during the holidays, many of them do get licensed for prime time, and that is our upside.”

Events, thrillers, romantic comedies and holiday movies are also part of Red Arrow International’s movie slate, which includes The Spy, Baby Bonus, Keep on Dancing and Matchmaker Santa.

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The increasingly complex landscape is certainly making deals more complicated, forcing distributors to carve out windows that in some cases didn’t even exist a couple of years ago.

“The good thing that is happening in the international marketplace with a lot of these new platforms emerging is that we’ve seen a lot more flexibility from a lot of broadcasters,” says Starz’s George. “Although they are seeking, in many cases, broader rights to cover what they are doing with their platforms, we are seeing a lot more flexibility in the deals—shorter windows, carve-outs and things of that sort—which is great, especially for a company like ours that is very meticulous in working the windows. I always say we are not in the business of making a dollar anymore, but we’re in the business of making 20 nickels.

We’ve really got to chop everything up, slice and dice it and do whatever we can to maximize [the opportunities in a market].

Sometimes when you chop it up it’s not 20 nickels anymore, we can get 25 or 30 nickels. It’s extra work, but in many cases we can monetize [our content] better by managing it.”

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average person below the age of 40 really doesn’t know. So it opens up a market for knowledge and we’re doing very well in China and in some of the other [emerging] territories. People are beginning to acquire these rights because they want to know the history of the 1940s, 1950s and so on.”

VMI is not only supplying digital channels with programming, but launching its own as well. “We are moving into the digital platforms very aggressively with our content,” says Relis. “We recently acquired 1,000 hours of military programming, war documentaries. At MIPCOM we launched a new channel of military programming and we will sell it to the VOD market in North America as well as internationally.We also have a separate music division, so if this works for us, we’re going to launch a music channel as well.”

MONEY HUNGRY

Chain reaction: The catalogue at Red Arrow International, formerly SevenOne International, features a number of strong drama offerings, among them the two-hour The Legacy of the Traveling Whore.

“In this day and age you have to make the rounds with all distribution entities,” agrees Relis of VMI. “If we can do an all-rights deal with a theatrical component to it, great. If we can get a free-TV deal and it’s more lucrative than allrights then we’ll consider that. If we go into a certain territory and we strike out on all-rights theatrical or free TV, then we have to start looking at home-video and payTV deals. It’s about monetizing

each territory and managing that territory to the best of our ability.”

OUTLET SHOPPING

“There are plenty of outlets but the revenue per outlet is very, very small,” says Multicom’s Holender.

“So you have to cover more of an area and there is less revenue [for] that area. But at the same time fragmentation is causing more opportunities, so you have to have a very deep catalogue.”

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Holender recently relaunched Multicom, a distribution outfit originally formed in 1995, that today focuses on selling to the global TV marketplace, as well as to digital platforms, pay-per-view, Internet and mobile channels. “Since November of 2011, we have acquired a tremendous amount of library content,” says Holender. “We have a documentary catalogue that has 1,100 broadcast hours of biographies, events and history. It deals with things that the World Screen

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“It’s about combining your income from different outlets,” Relis continues. “If you have a lot of content you will always be able to monetize it and keep your company afloat. We have income coming in from our television programming that will keep us stable so that we can go out and do these bigger films, so that we can actually invest the time and energy into building these film projects that do require a ton of work.”

Despite the work and risk involved in making movies that will appeal to a broad audience, these distributors remain committed to the 90-minute storytelling form.

“It’s very risky. I have been in it for more than two decades and I find that people will always be drawn to a short version of entertainment,” says Breakthrough’s Cordoni. “As much as we love dramatic series and reality series that keep our attention for weeks and months on end, I still think that everyone requires a beginning, middle and end within 90 minutes. I find that the psychology of human nature is that we will always want something that has a full story that we can go in and come out of quite quickly.”

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one on one tion, it recently acquired Alliance Films, which now makes eOne the largest independent film distributor in both Canada and the U.K. In the international television industry, eOne has a reputation as a producer of quality series and has established a track record as a trusted co-production partner. Active in developing and producing a number of genres, eOne has placed series on leading broadcast, cable and pay-TV outlets in the U.S. and Canada, and then sold these shows around the world. Its slate includes Rookie Blue on ABC and Shaw, Call Me Fitz on DIRECTV and HBO Canada, Haven on Syfy, Hell on Wheels on AMC, Party at Tiffany’s on OWN and Saving Hope on CTV. eOne is currently producing the suspense drama Rogue with Greenroom Entertainment.

Like all producers and distributors, eOne is finding new opportunities to sell and market its content on new-media platforms, over-the-top services and social-media sites.

Throop shares with World Screen his views on the film industry and the rapidly changing digital landscape.

ntertainment One (eOne) is a leading producer, buyer and distributor of films and television programming. With businesses in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, South Africa and South Korea, eOne has established itself as a mini-major with an international footprint.

President and CEO Darren Throop has been guiding the company to this level of success through strategic acquisitions and partnerships.

The aim of the film division is to acquire upscale art house, independent films and feature documentaries, distribute them theatrically, in home entertainment, as well as across digital platforms. eOne released more than 150 films theatrically over the past year, including The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, We Need to Talk About Kevin and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. As part of its growth strategy, eOne has been expanding its operations in Europe and in the U.S. In addi-

Darren Throop Entertainment One

WS: A few years ago, eOne made

several acquisitions. Are you still looking to make those opportunistically or has the company reached an adequate size for a mini-major?

THROOP: We are always looking for strategic acquisition opportunities.

We’ve been pretty consistent from a strategic standpoint for a number of years.We do like our multi-territory distribution infrastructure, and that means having our own people on the ground in different territories. Last year, we acquired the Hopscotch business in Australia, which has turned out very, very well. We’re always working to build and broaden partnerships in both developing and established markets. So you will see us continue to be active on the acquisitions front as well as in organic growth.

WS: Entertainment One has posted some very good financial results, despite the difficult economy in many territories. What has been fueling this good performance?

THROOP: A number of things. Our various divisions have been performing very well. We had an excellent year last year with our 11/12

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one on one television programming. We had a number of season two, season three and even season four [commissions] for Rookie Blue and Call Me Fitz that are driving our TV numbers.

On the film side we released 152 films theatrically last year, some very small, some very big, but overall we increased our performance in the film business and doubled our digital revenue. And, finally, there is our family division, led by Peppa Pig and other key brands that are doing quite well internationally.

We’ve put Peppa on top networks around the globe, and it’s remarkable how quickly it becomes a favorite among children in those markets. That sets us up to launch successful licensing and merchandising campaigns. If you look at each one of our core pillars of business, we’ve seen good continued momentum in each of them.

On top of that, of course, we invest heavily in content, so we do expect growth.

WS: The company has made some

significant inroads into the U.S. market. Why were they important and what further expansion do you see in the American market?

THROOP: In August of 2011 we announced that we were expanding in North America and increasing our focus and commitment to the theatrical business in the U.S. We think that if we are a little more active in the theatrical business we can acquire genre-type films, independent films and feature documentaries that will give our ancillary revenues, the other windows past theatrical, a little more exposure.

We’re aiming to do 12 to 15 theatrical films a year in the U.S., but again, we’re really focused on upscale art house, independent genre films and documentaries, etcetera.

We continue to build on our worldwide strategy to attract and secure great titles for all of our territories, including the U.S. We’ve got the infrastructure and we certainly have the management expertise to do so.

Cause for celebration: Entertainment One Films is representing the much-buzzed-about movie The Master, which stars Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, for the Canadian market.

It’s all about finding and exploiting premium content, and that would come with new partnerships with producers, filmmakers and distributors in the U.S., the U.K., in Europe and worldwide. We also announced in November 2011 that we expanded our international film business in Europe and in the U.K. Both initiatives provide us the opportunity to partner with talented producers at a little higher level and offer them our sales services and our infrastructure. We will acquire rights for territories where we have our own businesses and then we will use our international sales group to sell off those rights to local distributors where we don’t have infrastructure.

WS: What are the main issues

impacting the independent film industry?

THROOP: It’s a highly competitive field both for funding and for viewers. There are so many enter32

tainment options available to consumers; the competition for viewers’ eyeballs is getting fiercer as technology continues to offer new delivery platforms. There is also so much competition for people’s disposable time—from games to music to film to television. It’s driven by access; the access is getting so fluid and their choices are so many that there are just limited amounts of time consumers have to find the independent movie. From a funding standpoint, the equity investors are not as prolific as they have been in the past. There is not as much disposable income or investment and it’s still a very expensive medium. To produce a feature film is not like recording a music album. Films are multimillion-dollar productions, for the most part, and you can get them done for less than that, but you risk commercial viability.That is another big issue that independent producers continue to face.

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WS: In general, the cost of marketing feature films can be huge. Has eOne found some cost-effective ways of marketing its films?

THROOP: We have found creative ways to market films, including social media and developing sponsorships and partnerships with local, global and national brands to drive awareness of the film itself.

Certainly one of the strategic benefits of the multi-territory platform that we have is sharing resources—partnering with our own divisions. So we get efficiencies in the creation of trailers, in TV campaign art, etcetera. From a publicity standpoint, exclusive previews and content have certainly been helpful in different territories and building their awareness before the film actually hits the market.

WS: And is social media also helping to get the word out in a different way?

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THROOP: Absolutely. Social media

is where our customers, the fans of the film, are the ones who are driving the awareness of the films. Our U.S. team recently [collaborated] with a web platform that enables moviegoers to choose the films that play in their local theaters. I think we’ll see more and more of this.

WS: Social media didn’t even exist

a few years ago and now it has added a whole new dimension to the business.

THROOP: It really has. It truly allows us to get closer to the consumer and inform our audiences.You sit on any bus, train or airplane and it’s now easy to be in touch with what is going on in the world. These are very, very good things for content.

WS: From your perspective, it seems the Hollywood majors have

been more reluctant to embrace digital platforms than independents.

THROOP: I think you are right. I think there are specific economic reasons for that. Monetizing our new commercial film and TV titles online has been quite successful.

But clearing rights, investing in coding and delivering older titles can make it cost-prohibitive for companies that have big libraries.

So if you have a very deep, old library of titles that may not get watched or acquired that many times, you have to make a commercial decision on whether or not you are going to invest in coding and uploading for digital delivery, because the rationale has to be that enough people will watch to at least offset the cost. That is a reality that the major studios that have the deepest libraries are faced with. We had 152 new theatrical releases last

year, and we are very proactive and active [in insuring that] those releases all go to digital platforms.

WS: For content in general, there

is so much discussion about overthe-top services, like Netflix and LOVEFiLM, and whether or not they are a friend or a foe to broadcast and cable channels. But from a distribution point of view, I imagine they open up a new world to you.

THROOP: As a distributor, even as a content producer, we welcome new entrants to the marketplace: new platforms and windows. So for us it’s about, How do we get our content and our producing partners’ content into the hands of consumers? Competition among buyers of that content is good for the producers, it’s good for the distributors and, quite frankly, it’s good for

consumers. We are quite happy with new distribution platforms.

WS: Do you have teenage children? Have you seen how they multitask with multiple screens?

THROOP: I have two daughters, 15 and 16, and they are armed and dangerous with every kind of tablet and electronic device you can think of !

WS: We have to keep an eye on our

teenage kids! They are the focus group we need to watch carefully to see where the business is headed.

THROOP: It’s really absolutely true. You can learn so much from what they are doing. They’re watching Rookie Blue on the TV screen, they have a handheld in one hand and a tablet in the other.They are texting and talking and watching; it’s multitasking on a whole new level!

Luxury travel: From director David Cronenberg comes Cosmopolis, a contemporary thriller based on the prophetic novel by Don DeLillo. Entertainment One Films is managing the title, which stars Twilight sensation Robert Pattinson, for Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Benelux.

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world’s end

IN THE STARS

Almost every national constitution forbids the establishment of an official state religion. But this secular bent doesn’t stop people from looking to the heavens for answers to life’s most troublesome questions: Will I succeed? Will I find love? Will Hillary Clinton ogle my cleavage?

Every day, papers and magazines worldwide print horoscopes—projections for people born in a specific month, based on the positions of the stars and planets. While many people rely on these daily, weekly or monthly messages for guidance in their lives, some readers skip over them entirely.

The editors of WS recognize that these little pearls of random foresight occasionally prove prophetic.

Lindsay Lohan

Hulk Hogan

Mariah Carey

Danny DeVito

Mariah Carey

Global distinction: Short-statured actor.

Sign: Scorpio (b. November 17, 1944) Significant date: October 8, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The marriage between DeVito

Global distinction: Music diva.

Sign: Aries (b. March 27, 1969) Significant date: October 2, 2012 Noteworthy activity: A feud reportedly breaks out on

and wife Rhea Perlman comes to an end after 30 years of wedded bliss. The reason? The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star reportedly has a penchant for young women that dates back quite some time. An alleged former crew member on the early-’90s movie Hoffa claims that the star and a young blonde extra would frequently “get intimate” in DeVito’s limousine.

Horoscope: “The Scorpio man must learn discipline; this is a nasty topic that he’ll resist. If he can incorporate control over some of his passionate urges, he’ll emerge a stronger man for it and will enjoy a longer, more satisfying life.” (horoscopes.lovetoknow.com)

the set of American Idol between Carey and fellow judge Nicki Minaj. TMZ publishes explosive footage of the two female singers going head to head.

However, many sources claim that the spat could all just be a publicity stunt to drum up interest for the show’s new season.

Horoscope: “The symbol of the ram is appropriate for Aries because both are strong and determined. Aries are hot-tempered and are not afraid to lock horns with those who oppose them.” (tips-astrology.blogspot.com)

But rather than poring over charts of the zodiac to predict world events, our staff prefers to use past horoscopes in an attempt to legitimate the science.

As you can see here, had some of these media figures remembered to consult their horoscopes on significant days, they could have avoided a few surprises.

Britney Spears

Lindsay Lohan Global distinction: Tabloid target.

Sign: Cancer (b. July 2, 1986) Significant date: October 12, 2012 Noteworthy activity: During a promotional event at

the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel, the young starlet announces her support for Governor Mitt Romney as the next U.S. president. However, according to Los Angeles Country Voter Registration, LiLo isn’t even registered to vote yet.

Horoscope: “If you can’t show others that you are willing to stay true to your word, you are going to lose tremendous support.” (glo.msn.com)

Hulk Hogan Global distinction: Wrestling champ.

Sign: Leo (b. August 11, 1953) Significant date: October 4, 2012 Noteworthy activity: A video surfaces of the wrestling

icon having sex with the then-wife of his longtime friend Bubba the Love Sponge. Hogan files a lawsuit against his pal, claiming that Bubba knowingly taped him having sex with the woman, Heather Clem, for the purposes of profiting from the tape at a later time.

Horoscope: “Leos can cut ties, and leave others heartbroken, but usually there is a good reason why they have broken a tryst.” (psychicguild.com) 34

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Hillary Clinton Global distinction: U.S. Secretary of State.

Sign: Scorpio (b. October 26, 1947) Significant date: October 3, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The former First Lady is

snapped in a photo with Christina Aguilera at the McGovern Leadership Award Ceremony, where the pop star was being honored.The picture shows Clinton starring down at Aguilera’s cleavage, exposed in a lowcut purple dress.

Horoscope: “This month can get quite hectic for you, Scorpio. Be sure to take the time to stop and admire the beautiful things in the world.” (cafeastrology.com)

Britney Spears Global distinction: Pop-music royalty.

Sign: Sagittarius (b. December 2, 1981) Significant date: October 2, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The former Disney darling turned

pop princess turned fallen star has been under conservatorship for more than four years. Though it appears that Spears, a new judge on The X Factor, is back on track, Radar Online is reporting that her Internet and cellphone use are still closely monitored and even restricted to help protect her mental health.

Horoscope: “Those born with the sun sign Sagittarius are believed to be free souls and are in love with exploration.

This is applicable in case of their career, profession and business also.” (indianastrologyhoroscope.com)

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Stand Out at NATPE! World Screen TV Kids TV Latina TV Novelas TV Niños Guía de Canales Guía de Distribuidores World Screen Newsflash Diario TV Latina For more information contact Ricardo Guise on 212-924-7620 or email rguise@worldscreen.com

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