World Screen ATF 2013 by World Screen

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THE MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA • DECEMBER 2013

www.worldscreen.com

ATF Edition

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contents

DECEMBER 2013/ATF EDITION

Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise

DEPARTMENTS WORLD VIEW

Editor Anna Carugati

A note from the editor. UPFRONTS

Executive Editor Mansha Daswani

New content on the market. SPOTLIGHT

David Rocco. MARKET TRENDS

activeTV’s Michael McKay. RESTAURANT GUIDE

A directory of restaurants in Singapore for ATF. WORLD’S END

Managing Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Contributing Editor Elizabeth Guider

behind the scenes

Special Projects Editors Jay Stuart Bob Jenkins

12 DEAN NORRIS The star of CBS’s hit Under the Dome reveals what attracted him to the series.

Associate Editor Joanna Padovano

—Anna Carugati

In the stars.

Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari

in the news

14 AMAZON STUDIOS’ ROY PRICE The director of Amazon Studios talks about developing content for “the new TV.” —Mansha Daswani

Associate Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Jessica Rodríguez Online Director Simon Weaver Production & Design Director Victor L. Cuevas Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell

TV Asia Pacific appears both inside

asia pacific World Screen and as a separate publication.

Sales & Marketing Director Cesar Suero Sales & Marketing Manager Vanessa Brand

FEATURES

36 SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP 48 AUSSIE ALLURE 54 GOLD RUSH

Business Affairs Manager Terry Acunzo Senior Editor Kate Norris

Top buyers on their acquisition strategies.

—Mansha Daswani

Copy Editor Maddy Kloss

Australian content is making inroads across Asia and around the world. —Kristin Brzoznowski Ricardo Seguin Guise President

A look at Asia’s kids’ channel landscape. WORLD SCREEN is published nine times per year: January, March, April, May, June/July, September, October, November and December. Annual subscription price: Inside the U.S.: $70.00 Outside the U.S.: $120.00 Send checks, company information and address corrections to: WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, Suite 1207 New York, NY 10010, U.S.A.

—Mansha Daswani & Bob Jenkins

INTERVIEW

44 BBC WORLDWIDE’S PAUL DEMPSEY The president of global markets at BBC Worldwide discusses the company’s businesses in Asia and beyond.

—Mansha Daswani

For a free subscription to our newsletters, please visit www.worldscreen.com.

THE LEADING ONLINE DAILY NEWS SERVICE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA INDUSTRY. For a free subscription, visit www.worldscreen.com/pages/newsletter

4 World Screen 12/13

Anna Carugati Executive VP & Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development WORLD SCREEN is a registered trademark of WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, Suite 1207 New York, NY 10010, U.S.A. Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.worldscreen.com ©2013 WSN INC. Printed by Fry Communications No part of this publication can be used, reprinted, copied or stored in any medium without the publisher’s authorization.

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world milestones view BY ANNA CARUGATI

Tell Me a Story Have you ever seen how children often want a specific story read to them over and over? Similarly, they may watch the same episode of their favorite TV show again and again and again. No matter how many times they’re viewed, certain scenes are always thrilling.

THE

The bewitching power of storytelling maintains its grip on us even as we get older. Some of us read voraciously, others do not, but stories are not only told through the written word. Tales are spun for the large and small screen. Americans watch, on average, 1,900 hours of movies and TV programming per year—that equals five hours a day! Brits and Italians watch more than four hours a day, and in other European and Latin American countries the average is close to four hours. Stories also go beyond books, movies and TV shows— we are enveloped by them each and every day, from the ones we actively seek out to the ones we encounter in our daily routines. I became aware of the ubiquitous nature of stories when I discovered Jonathan Gottschall, an author, researcher and prolific writer whose most recent book is The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. As Gottschall puts it, is what sets us apart BEWITCHING POWER storytelling from animals. Story is like gravity, he says, a force that surOF STORYTELLING rounds us and influences all of our movements. Think of the different forms MAINTAINS ITS stories take. Millions of videogame aficionados liken roleGRIP ON US EVEN playing games to being inside a novel as it’s being written. Songs and symphonies tell stories in AS WE GET OLDER. language that ranges from lyrics to melodies. In business, the best proposals and presentations tell stories. So do TV commercials; the most effective are those that emotionally transport consumers so they are compelled to buy a product or service. For example, a commercial for a frozen entrée doesn’t cite the ingredients in the dish; it shows a stressed-out working mother whipping up dinner better and faster. A car commercial tells a story that emotes class, status and style—great attributes, but none that have anything to do with the steel, rubber, leather and aluminum that make up the car. Sportscasters bring to life countless events by telling stories: they describe the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, and they help us experience rivalries, wins and losses. In politics, contests between candidates and 6 World Screen 12/13

even the gerrymandering in Congress are depicted as stories between characters: the experienced against the amateurs, or more often these days, the righteous versus the errant. In the court of law, the most heightened form of drama—good against evil—is on display every day. This becomes all the more interesting when a defense lawyer must work on behalf of a client who is clearly guilty. In fact, the key to a good story is a moral compass. As Gottschall explains, the most riveting tales are almost always about humans facing challenges, large and small, and trying to overcome them. But if a story doesn’t communicate some message or moral, a set of values or ideas, it’s not satisfying. What I found really amazing is that when we aren’t being told a story of one sort or another, our brain conjures them up in the form of daydreams. The daydream is the mind’s default setting, and if we aren’t engaged in something really interesting, our minds wander off. We drift off in some 2,000 daydreams a day, Gottschall claims, each about 14 seconds in length. That, he posits, is evidence of how much we crave stories. Luckily for us, television is serving up so many good ones these days. More evidence of our need for stories is binge viewing: once we get caught up in a series we like, we, just like children, want more and more of it. But as adults, it’s not one episode we watch over and over; instead, we want more and more episodes to watch all at once. Binge viewing is fueling quite a battle among studios, channels and OTTs like Netflix. Studios want to sell complete seasons of series to Netflix for very handsome prices. Studios get money and Netflix gets mustwatch series that attract more subscribers. Both sides are happy. But a third branch of the television ecosystem, networks and channels, is not happy.They want the right to stack all episodes of current series on their VOD and catch-up TV sites (they currently can offer up to five episodes) in order to boost viewing, and in turn, advertising. This battle is still unfolding and its end is not yet clear.What is clear is that great stories and viewers’ desire to enjoy them are at the center of this battle. And at the heart of great stories is creativity. In this issue, we examine the creativity within the Australian market, which for decades has been churning out stories for young and old. We never tire of asking, “Tell me a story.”

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upfronts

all3media international • Reflex • The New Gadget Show • Undercover Boss Among all3media international’s ATF highlights is the primetime family entertainment format Reflex, from the producers of the hit game show The Cube. “Reflex is a visually stunning game show that is the ultimate test in high-speed reactions and physical and mental agility,” says Stephen Driscoll, the senior VP of international sales. Other formats that the company is keen to place within Asia include The New Gadget Show. “The Gadget Show is custom made for all those who love to keep up to date on the latest developments worldwide and has already attracted presales for broadcast pan-region and in South Korea,” Driscoll says. “I’m confident we shall sign more deals before the end of the ATF.” Also on the roster is Undercover Boss, a reality series featuring high-level corporate execs.

“We definitely aim to license more local versions of our top formats across the Asia-Pacific region.” —Stephen Driscoll The New Gadget Show

Azteca • Lucky Me • Forbidden Passion • The Agency

Telenovelas are still going strong in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Martha Contreras, who leads sales for Asia at Comarex. At ATF, the company will be presenting three new telenovelas from the Azteca catalogue: Lucky Me (Corazon en condominio), Forbidden Passion (Prohibido amar) andThe Agency (Hombre tenias que ser). “We are renowned for our captivating telenovelas, so with creative writers on board, great casts and compelling story lines, these titles will attract buyers,” says Contreras. “We are also offering and producing some successful and fantastic formats, which will appeal to a global audience.” Among those highlights is Academy Kids (La Academia Kids), a reality contest that looks to discover the musical child stars of tomorrow and develop their talents.

“We believe our new stories are tracking media trends and are suitable for all audiences.” —Martha Contreras The Agency

Breakthrough Entertainment • Zerby Derby • Lost & Sold • Antisocial Breakthrough Entertainment has listed its top three highlights for ATF as the children’s series Zerby Derby, the reality show Lost & Sold and the feature film Antisocial. “Based on early treatments and trailers, these [titles] have already enjoyed success in the region,” says Kate Blank, the director of international distribution at Breakthrough. “Lost & Sold was presold to Foxtel in Australia ahead of the market, and as we present the series at ATF we believe Asian broadcasters will also find this series appealing for their audiences.” Zerby Derby was prelicensed to MBC in South Korea. Blank believes that Anti social will appeal to Asia-Pacific buyers “given that the horror and thriller genres have always rated well for both studio and independent films.”

“Asia continues to be a strong territory for Breakthrough’s content; this past year we saw growth in our regional sales specifically to broadcasters in Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan.” Lost & Sold 8 World Screen 12/13

—Kate Blank

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Caracol Television • The Voice of Freedom, Helenita Vargas • Football Dreams: A World of Passion • The Dance Floor Caracol Television has been increasing its business within Asia, according to Estefania Arteaga, a sales executive for the region. “We have had wonderful progress with some OTT platforms in the region, along with some great interest in our entertainment and scripted formats in countries such as China, India and Vietnam,” she says. For this year’s ATF, Caracol is highlighting the music-filled series The Voice of Freedom, Helenita Vargas; the dance-based entertainment show The Dance Floor; and the soccer-themed Football Dreams: A World of Passion. “We believe these will have a huge appeal because we are touching on universal themes such as music and dance and, with the World Cup coming up, soccer,” says Arteaga.

“It is important for us to have content that audiences from all over the world can relate to and we really nailed it with our latest productions.” Football Dreams: A World of Passion

—Estefania Arteaga

Dori Media Group • Enigma • Little Mom • Win the Crowd

From daily dramas to weekly comedy series to entertainment formats, Dori Media Group is bringing a diverse catalogue to the ATF. “Our stories are creative, interesting and have depth,” says Andres Santos, the VP of sales for Dori Media America. The stories, he adds, “translate universally, since they look at daily life, for instance in the case of Little Mom, through a human perspective rather than a cultural one. Enigma has a bit of everything: secrets, revelations, truth, action, mystery. It will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. For those seeking to produce cost-effective entertainment formats, Win the Crowd is the answer.” Santos describes Win the Crowd as a “talent show with a twist that is truly entertaining.”

“Bringing to the market both scripted and unscripted titles helps us reach a wider scope of potential Asian clients.” —Andres Santos Enigma

GMA Worldwide • Genesis • Wealth & Passion • Perfect Vengeance There are several factors that draw regular buyers toward GMA’s titles, according to Roxanne Barcelona, the VP of GMA Worldwide, the distribution arm of the Filipino broadcaster. She points to the “compelling story lines, powerful acting, wonderful cinematography featuring a picturesque tropical countryside and the cultural parallels with our Asian neighbors. Because of these, audiences are able to enjoy and identify with our programs.” For this market, GMA Worldwide is highlighting Genesis, about a mission to save Earth from an impending apocalypse; Wealth & Passion, the story of a farm girl working hard to provide for her family; and Perfect Vengeance, a contemporary drama about a woman who turns vengeful against the people who wronged her.

“We look forward to breaking through uncharted territories and cultivating an even bigger following and appreciation for GMA and Filipino programming.” Wealth & Passion

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—Roxanne Barcelona

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ITV Studios Global Entertainment • Breathless • Tricked • Big Star’s Little Star Set in London in 1961, Breathless is a drama series starring Jack Davenport that follows the lives of a group of young doctors and nurses. The ITV Studios series is being presented at ATF by ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) along with Tricked, a hidden-camera magic show, and Big Star’s Little Star, which sees celebrities taking part in funfilled games with their young children in a bid to win money for charity. “It’s a very warm, fun show that makes ideal family viewing in any culture,” says Hyeonza Hong, ITVS GE’s VP of sales for Asia, about Big Star’s Little Star. “Our format business has been growing in Asia, along with our finished business, particularly in the new-media sector,” Hong adds.

“The Southeast Asian market has grown considerably, due to the sheer number of new media operators launching in the region.” Big Star’s Little Star

—Hyeonza Hong

RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network • The X Factor USA • Elementary • Beauty & the Beast

Earlier this year, RTL Group and CBS Studios International teamed up to launch RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network for Southeast Asia.“We have received a fantastic response from all key operators in the market,” says Jonas Engwall, the CEO of RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network. “After announcing the RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network joint venture in late August, we launched RTL CBS Entertainment HD in four important markets in just six weeks: Malaysia and Thailand in September and Singapore and the Philippines in October.To me, this truly shows that we are bringing a unique offering to the market and we are very grateful for the interest from all operators.”Among the programs it boasts are The X Factor USA, Elementary and Beauty & the Beast as well as the daily show Entertainment Tonight.

“With two of the world’s biggest content producers and media powerhouses as shareholders, we are very fortunate to be able to access some of the world’s most popular shows.” The X Factor USA

—Jonas Engwall

Shine International • Slide Show • The Face • Minute to Win It Shine International is targeting North and Southeast Asia with its formats at ATF, including the comedy improv series Slide Show and the modeling competition The Face. Another format highlight is Minute to Win It. “Broadcasters continue to use our talent, game and variety formats as tentpole events to hang the rest of their schedule off throughout the ratings period,” says Matt Ashcroft, Shine International’s senior VP for the Asia Pacific. Ashcroft says that another priority for ATF is to secure renewals for MasterChef and lock in commissions in untapped markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. From its scripted slate, Shine International is presenting new dramas such as the crime thriller The Tunnel.

“Big shinyfloor shows dominate prime-time and drive advertising revenue.” —Matt Ashcroft Slide Show 10 World Screen 12/13

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Dean Norris

Under the Dome In what is traditionally a quiet season for the broadcast networks, CBS had a monster hit this summer with Under the Dome. Based on a novel by Stephen King and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, the series, which has been renewed for a second season, focuses on the citizens of a small town who wake up one day to find they’ve been cut off from the rest of the world by a transparent, indestructible dome. Fresh off his turn on the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad, Dean Norris stars as the show’s main antagonist, James “Big Jim” Rennie. Norris shares with World Screen what attracted him to the series, which CBS Studios International has placed with broadcasters across the globe.

WS: What appealed to you about Under the Dome? NORRIS: I had just come off a show that I had been on

for six years where I played a really good guy [laughs], so I wanted to play someone completely different—that was number one. I also wanted to do a project that had a different feel to it. [I liked] that Under the Dome was science fiction, that it was Stephen King, that it was epic in scope. I also liked the people behind it, CBS, Stephen King and Steven Spielberg—that’s a good group to be in business with. WS: Is Big Jim a good guy, a bad guy, or a good guy

who does bad things for good reasons? NORRIS: I’ve spent a lot of time thinking and talking to the producers and writers about this. It was important to me that he wasn’t just some stereotypical bad guy. I don’t think people grow up and decide to be bad people. I think people, particularly politicians, think they’re doing good things. It would be too easy to dismiss Big Jim if he were just a bad guy. So some of the things he does are bad, but he thinks he’s doing them for the right reasons. He doesn’t think of himself as bad.You may look at him and go, that’s a bad guy, but he thinks he’s doing the right thing. In fact, he saves the town in Under the Dome more than once. He thinks he’s doing good. We’re going to explore that even more next season. WS: I read that you chose not to read the novel that the

show is based on. Is that correct? NORRIS: I bought the novel for Stephen King to sign, and I bought [another] one that I was going to read. Having talked to the producers and the writers, and realizing that the TV show was going to be different, I didn’t want to confuse myself by thinking of the Big Jim in the novel. I figured I would only take Big Jim from what they wrote for me in the TV script.

acter and one show that it’s difficult for them to pull out. But was Under the Dome a good vehicle for you to give the audience a different view of you? NORRIS: Exactly, it was a great vehicle. That’s why I took it. [Big Jim] was such a different guy to play and as much as I love Hank and Breaking Bad, six years is a long time to be in one character. It was a great journey, but I was ready to do something that was very different. WS: Can you reveal anything about season two? It

seems there are two factions who think they are in the right. NORRIS: To be honest with you, I don’t know specifically [how it will play out]. I think that [the two factions are] what [the producers] have set up, and I hope we get to explore that. I am also going to encourage them to explore the whole insanity versus sanity thing, because I think it’s a really interesting topic. If you look at bad leaders in history, they’ve done some really horrible things but in most cases they think they’ve been ordained, by God sometimes. I think they’re delusional in a really weird megalomaniacal way. So I hope we get to explore that. There are some of these issues in the Rennie family with the departed wife and the son that would be a really interesting thing to explore. If you really believe that God, in the form of this dome, has chosen you to do [certain] things, then wow, that justifies a lot of things. [These are] interesting topics. WS: And another interesting topic is whether the dome

is there to protect or punish. NORRIS: Right, exactly, and whose side is that dome

on? It’s not clear. We made it clear in the season that it is a sentient being of some sort, it has feelings, so to explore that and explore one’s relationship with that dome is interesting. WS: Did you expect the show to be a huge breakout hit? NORRIS: I must say, with the promotion that CBS put

behind it...it would be arrogant for me to say I expected the show to be a hit, but it wasn’t unexpected. WS: And the show had a pedigree, too. NORRIS: Right. At some level you [say], that should

work! But there have been no-brainers before that didn’t work. You never know till it happens. I’m happy that it happened that way. WS: This is a rich time to be working in television,

WS: A lot of viewers know you as Hank from Breaking

isn’t it?

Bad. Sometimes actors get so identified with one char-

NORRIS: It’s a phenomenal time to be working in TV. 12/13 World Screen 13

By Anna Carugati

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in the in the news news

Amazon Studios’RoyPrice

By Mansha Daswani

Roy Price, the director of Amazon Studios, discussed his approach to developing content for “the new TV” in a MIPCOM keynote speech that was followed by a Q&A with World Screen’s Anna Carugati.

With some high-profile acquisitions, notably CBS’s Under the Dome this summer, Amazon is making a major play for the SVOD space that has been dominated by Netflix over the last few years. Amazon currently offers streaming subscription services in the U.S., the U.K. and Germany. To better serve those customers, it set up Amazon Studios last year to develop original content to be deployed on Amazon Prime, Amazon Instant Video and LOVEFiLM alongside its licensed content. “We act as a studio at times, and we also do co-pros, so we’re super flexible,” Price said in his address. The approach Price and his team took was to “develop [content] in a way that took advantage of the realities of technology in the contemporary world.” In coming up with a new development approach, Price said there were three trends to consider. “One is that it’s so much cheaper to create than it used to be. Number two, it’s so much easier to collaborate. It’s easier to find other people with common interests.And it’s so much easier to communicate. People share opinions—they share, tweet, like, retweet…. There’s a flood of information and opinion that is always accessible, which affects the velocity of enthusiasm. In today’s world, ideas and enthusiasm are more contagious than ever before, which can lead to a democratization of everything.The individual has more power than ever. In TV, we see a move from top-down, hierarchical, expert-driven processes to a creative bottom-up world. This changes the world for artists.... What we want to do in TV is devise a process that is driven as much as possible by customers and creators themselves. We facilitate this process.” 14 World Screen 12/13

Price said that Amazon Studios takes its cues from customer preferences, but he cautioned about being too dependent on analytical data—“it can be too simplistic.” He also stressed the need to “perceive the difference between a show that is moderately popular with everyone versus a show that a smaller group of people passionately love. In the digital on-demand [world], the latter show, where you have some people that have a passion for it, is much more valuable than the other show.” The kind of content Amazon Studios is developing “will be watched mostly on a TV, but is accessed differently, is not scheduled, does not have commercials, and people will commonly watch three to four episodes in a row…. The new TV is going to be a bit more like the novel used to be. The new TV idiom will be defined by a mix of people with experience in more traditional TV storytelling and people who came up in the new way.” Amazon Studios has an “open system for ideas,” he explained. “We’ve received 5,000 TV pilots, and 20,000 movie scripts,” from 100-plus countries. The studio also gets “large-scale multinational feedback on all the pilots.” That’s important, he said, because “smart executives working together tend to define some rules; they have to. They’re helpful 99 percent of the time. But the game changers are often rule breakers…. Audience members don’t have sets of rules.We think that will be very helpful.” Of the 5,000 pilot scripts submitted, 14 pilots were produced and 11 more are in the works. “Hopefully in the future we’ll have a much higher percentage of incoming scripts to be visualized,” Price said. “What audience members need is something visual.” To assist this effort, Amazon Studios has developed a Storyteller tool that helps creators storyboard. “What if, in the future, instead of producing 25 pilots a year, we could have 25,000 pilots a year?” Following the keynote, Price sat down for an interview with Anna Carugati, the group editorial director of World Screen. She began by asking about how the development process at Amazon Studios differs from that of traditional broadcasters. On the issue of global feedback on pilots, he said, “It’s different when you ask 1 million people around the world about a show versus 50 people in Tarzana [California].You can get more out of it.” On scheduling, he said, “[On a linear network] there’s a lot of analysis that needs to go into the exact sequence of shows, [like deciding] what day they come out, and having one thing lead into another. That is not part of the new world. Each show is more of an island, and you have to reach out to customers specifically for that show. It’s not about sequence. People have to reach out and discover that particular show. The marketing and P.R. strategies become very different. If the day before you launch a show the demand is zero, that’s not a problem. We don’t care if people watch it on day one or day five or day 30, as long as they eventually discover it and they stay engaged.”

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in the spotlight news

By Kristin Brzoznowski

DAVID ROCCO

Growing up in an Italian family, David Rocco learned about cooking as a way of bringing people together. He took his passion for food and flair for acting to television, first in the series Avventura: Journeys in Italian Cuisine and then in the highly successful David Rocco’s Dolce Vita and David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway. His latest series is David Rocco’s Dolce India, produced by Rockhead Entertainment and distributed by Breakthrough Entertainment. Rocco talks to World Screen about discovering the wonders of India and putting his own spin on the local cuisine.

WS: How does your show present food and travel in a new light? ROCCO: Straightforward instructional cooking shows are great, and they have their audience, but that content has now become something that you can download on the web—you can find any recipe anywhere. So with my show, it’s about entertainment value; it’s about sharing experiences and inspiring people. There’s a universal truth: we all have to eat! And people generally love to travel, and those who don’t love to see someone else traveling. I really love people, I love to travel and I love to make that connection. Even before I got into the TV business I would always cook to bring people together. So, with our Dolce India series we really see that.The language will draw people to watch the show, and they get to see an India that no one has really seen before. 16 World Screen 12/13

WS: Why did you choose India as your next travel adventure? ROCCO: We did extremely well with the Dolce Vita brand in Italy. With Avventura, Dolce Vita and Amalfi Getaway, we had compiled almost 80 episodes. It is a big library of work and we could have continued—our broadcasters certainly were saying that they would buy more—but what we wanted to do was really expand and push it to the next level. With Avventura, it was more like the Lonely Planet [guide books] meets food; no one else had really done that before. When we did Dolce Vita, everyone was doing stand-in stories, but we went out into the field. Dolce Vita became something very different. We then started seeing everyone go to Italy. We had seen this beautiful country and its beautiful countryside, but we decided to go back and be renegades. That’s where India came from. It’s exotic, it’s unique. Our broadcaster in India, FOX Traveller, called us saying,You guys are really big here, come to India! The initial reaction was, India? Like Slumdog Millionaire? There was total ignorance [on my part]. Then we went there and it was unbelievable—the food, the culture, the chaos! I went in with virgin eyes—I wanted to be that link to the viewer who has never been to India. I didn’t want to go in with a judgment or my own idea on how to make something. I decided that I wanted to learn right along with the viewer and just be present in the moment. WS: Indian cooking can come across as being quite

complex and intimidating. How were you able to present this cuisine in a more accessible way? ROCCO: In one episode there’s a competition between one of India’s top chefs and me. I’m in flip-flops and a t-shirt, he’s in a chef ’s coat—his staff is looking at me like I’m a hack! We decided to make meatballs. He makes Galouti kebabs, which are Indian-style meatballs, and he has 19 ingredients. I make a Sicilian-style meatball with four ingredients. That really [illustrates] the two extremes. I was able to take the perspective of a guy who cooks, who understands ingredients, and strip down all that complexity.We did a really interesting job with it. I have cooked for Indians before; when it comes to a bad dish, they will not eat it. We wanted to strip it down and show an easy way of cooking. We also did a lot of fusions. I made some Italian recipes with an Indian sensibility. One is a lamb/mutton/goat Bolognese, finished off with a chana masala. It was really nice. In fact, I may like it better than the authentic Italian dish—as my grandmother is rolling in her grave! I will not give up my olive oil though. Olive oil is the king of oils—forget mustard oil or ghee. The Indians have nothing on us there! [Laughs]

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in the market news trends

activeTV’s

Michael McKay By Mansha Daswani

With a list of credits that includes The Amazing Race Asia, Cash Cab Asia and Asia’s Next Top Model, activeTV, based in Singapore and Melbourne and led by Michael McKay as president, has emerged as one of the Asia Pacific’s leading producers of unscripted entertainment. Having built a reputation as a goto partner for adapting international concepts—it picked up an International Emmy for The Amazing Race Australia, among a host of other accolades— the company has now expanded into developing original concepts that it can roll out worldwide. While awaiting a flight at Singapore airport, the globetrotting McKay, who is overseeing productions across the region, spoke with World Screen about formatting big American shows and developing content that will resonate with audiences worldwide.

WS: How did your involvement in the Amazing Race

franchise come about? MCKAY: In 2006, AXN wanted to do a version of The

Amazing Race. I was working on the U.S. version. Bertram van Munster [co-creator of the show, and today McKay’s partner at activeTV], said [to AXN], There’s only one bloke who can do this for you, only one bloke silly enough to do this for you! So that’s how we started doing Amazing Race. We wanted to do a version that stood up well [to the original].We had a fraction of the budget. Some audiences will say, Our industry isn’t as big, I’m sure the producers don’t have as much money, so [our version] is not going to be as good. The Asian market does not have that expectation. They have an expectation that their version is going to be just as good and relevant to their market. They cut you no slack, which is good in a way! WS: So how do you deliver that high level of quality

that viewers of the original show are used to, on a very different budget? MCKAY: You can’t afford the people that CBS might be able to afford. We made the decision not to bring in a lot of international people but rather to train local people [to work on the show]. We spend a lot of time on the 18 World Screen 12/13

training, so we need to be a little more patient, write up very good briefs, pick the right people in the right roles, and take a longer-term view to encourage the right people to get involved. WS: What are some of the considerations you take into

account when adapting a format? MCKAY: We do an Israeli version of Amazing Race.We’ve

done a Filipino version.We co-produced a Ukrainian version. We realize that each version needs to be localized. If you’re doing a pan-regional version of a show in Asia, you need to understand that Asia is not one big country. It’s a lot of different countries. Even one country could be three or four different regions.You’ll make a show that might be popular in Singapore but isn’t as popular in Malaysia or vice versa.You need to put a lot of thought into a regional show and how that works from the perspective of all the different audiences around the region. WS: What are your plans for activeTV Originals, your new division for creating formats for the global market? MCKAY: We’ve hit the ground running with a couple of original formats. We’re doing one that’s on MediaCorp’s Channel 5 called The Food Detectives, which is about what’s in your food. It’s not [done] in a negative preachy way; it’s actually quite fun, entertaining and informative.There are probably three series that we got up and running almost straight away. WS: What are your expansion plans for the company? MCKAY: We see ourselves doing more of the bigger inter-

national formats.We are noticing an increasing appetite for original programming that frankly wasn’t there 18 months ago. Eighteen months ago when we tried to get up an international format, no one was particularly interested in this part of the world. Asians love their brands—Chanel, Louis Vuitton, etc.The same goes for their programming. So for original formats, [buyers would ask,] where else has it been on? That is very much the situation in Australia: they want to know where it’s been on, want to see the data, etc. I’m finding more and more in Asia that there’s a real appetite for original programming. For us, it’s a balance between our original programming, the bigger formats that we’re commissioned to do and the formats that we snap up and do ourselves.

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