World Screen June 2020 by World Screen

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JUNE 2020

WWW.WORLDSCREEN.COM

THE MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Special Reports: Period Drama / Kids’ Distribution Panel / Wildlife Docs Interviews: ProSiebenSat.1’s Henrik Pabst / CuriosityStream’s John Hendricks / Electric Entertainment’s Dean Devlin

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CONTENTS

JUNE 2020 6 WORLD VIEW By Mansha Daswani. 16 WORLDSCREENINGS Electric Entertainment’s Dean Devlin. 77 ONE-ON-ONE ProSiebenSat.1’s Henrik Pabst. 104 TRENDING ON WORLDSCREENINGS.COM The most-viewed clips on our video portal for the last 30 days.

SPECIAL REPORTS 8 BACK IN TIME Period dramas continue to enliven bygone eras with perennial stories and modern twists. 18 BY THE BOOK Russia Television and Radio has brought the best-selling novel Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes to TV. 22 NO LIMITS SIC International Distribution is expanding its presence worldwide.

Production & Design Director David Diehl Online Director Simon Weaver Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell

32 SUCCESS STRATEGIES World Screen’s Anna Carugati moderated a panel with CAKE’s Tom van Waveren, eOne’s Monica Candiani, Jetpack’s Dominic Gardiner and Toon2Tango’s Ulli Stoef. 34 LOOKING FOR LAUGHS A look at what it takes to make kids laugh. 48 IN-DEMAND: PRESCHOOL Spotlighting new preschool shows. 52 SERIOUS LUNCH’S GENEVIEVE DEXTER A video interview with the founder and CEO of Serious Lunch.

58 CALL OF THE WILD New narrative and production techniques are being used in wildlife filmmaking.

Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Dana Mattison Sales & Marketing Coordinator Genovick Acevedo

66 CURIOSITYSTREAM’S JOHN HENDRICKS The cable industry veteran talks about how he is serving factual programming fans through the streaming service CuriosityStream.

Business Affairs Manager Andrea Moreno

85 PROGRAM LISTINGS Highlights from several distributors.

Ricardo Seguin Guise President

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 ©2020 WSN INC. No part of this publication can be used, reprinted, copied or stored in any medium without the publisher’s authorization. For a free subscription to our newsletters, please visit www.subscriptions.ws.

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Contributing Writers Steve Clarke Andy Fry Joanna Stephens Jay Stuart David Wood

Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development

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WORLD VIEW

BY MANSHA DASWANI

Facing Change Paper cuts are awful. How can something so seemingly harmless cause that much pain? I get a lot of them when I’m closing our print editions (I always quip that our 700-page MIPCOM editions are tinged with blood, sweat and tears). In the absence of markets, we haven’t published a print edition in a few months, so my fingers are pristine, but how I miss waiting for the boxes from the printer and flipping through those glossy pages! Until we get back to paper and ink, we’ve been making digital editions, and you’ll notice a brand-new look with this one. A cleaner design to make it easier to read. Lots of multimedia features. Embedded videos. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we have loved putting it together. This is, we hope, the last edition pulled together working from our respective homes, with New York City now reopening. Back to business in a way, in the midst of both a global pandemic and an unprecedented global pushback against police violence and racism. Media companies are rushing to put out statements of solidarity. Actual change, including making sure there is representation in boardrooms and management offices, would be a start. Will the powerful Black Lives Matter protests, in the U.S. and elsewhere, change what actually gets made, and who gets to make it? I am cautiously optimistic. The media industry has been talking about diversity and representation for years. Perhaps the protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement will finally bring about the change that so many of us have been wishing for, on screen and off. 6 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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Russia Television and Radioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ekaterina: Pretenders.

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Back Time in

Period dramas continue to enliven bygone eras with perennial stories and modern twists. By Chelsea Regan

ast is prologue, as they say. And period dramas, set in the distant and not-too-distant past, color our understanding of both yesterday and today. The prologue of the present is perpetually relevant and endlessly relatable to modern television audiences. Fans of period drama still want to be transported through the past and its lessons under the guise of entertainment. “Period drama is a staple and will always be in vogue,” says Moreyba Bidessie, A+E Networks’ director of international scripted development and sales. “There is a place for good stories, no matter what time period they are being told in. Good dramas transcend time periods.” The very nature of history and its habit of repeating itself, according to Carlo Dusi, executive VP of commercial strategy 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 9

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for scripted at Red Arrow Studios International, “is a big inspiration, particularly with big period stories and historical dramas. The human condition is often more effectively examined when you can do so from a bit of a distance. Period provides you with that ability to step away Inter Medya’s Bitter Lands is set in the 1970s. from current events and look at both personal and individual themes of love, identity, personal growth and ﬁnding your place in society.” Julia Matyash, the director of Sovtelexport, which represents Russia Television and Radio’s catalog, finds that “the choice between ultimate power and ordinary human life and the cost of such a choice” proves to be an enduring subject of fascination. “Most of us feel interested in powerful and rich people,” she says. “But we are most interested in how they managed to reach that life, which traits or talents made them so powerful.” Timur Weinstein, general producer at NTV Broadcasting Company, says, “The mix of mystery, tragedy and romance wrapped in beautiful costumes and lavish settings certainly contributes to the genre’s popularity, but the main reason [for its popularity] is the insatiable human curiosity to experience different epochs and the unique ambiance of the old times.” 10 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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Aysegul Tuzun, managing director for Turkey’s Mistco, says, “When you give the audience the choice of watching a period drama, even if it is mostly fiction, audiences can get information about time periods and characters that are heroic in their culture or any other culture.” In addition to the 13th-century set Resurrection: Ertugrul, Mistco represents the epic The Last Emperor, based on the real-life story of Abdulhamid Han. “It doesn’t matter which culture or religion or period the series represents,” says Tuzun. “Even though period dramas are telling local stories, they are telling their stories with a global approach.” Russia TV’s slate includes Ekaterina and Godunov, which take place in 18th-century and 16th-century Russia, exploring pivotal moments in the country’s ruling history. Matyash says, “We joke

A+E Networks’ 19th-century crime drama Miss Scarlet and the Duke will air on Masterpiece. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 11

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Red Arrow’s Dignity is inspired by the true story of a German cult in Chile.

that Russia is a country with an unpredictable past. Today the same can be said about the rest of the world. As long as the past gives us the basis to understand, interpret and attribute to the present, the interest for period drama will constantly grow.” As the demand for stories set decades and centuries ago remains healthy, the challenge lies in ﬁnding new ways to approach them. “It’s about whether content creators can ﬁnd ways to tell period stories that are innovative, different and fresh rather than whether there’s an appetite for period or not in the current market,” says Red Arrow’s Dusi. “I think as viewing tastes become more elevated, there’s pressure on all of us who generate and exploit content to come up with ideas and narrative styles that are distinctive.” One way to reinvigorate the well-worn eras often visited in period drama is through hybrid series that dive back in time with a crime story at its center—or more daring yet—a bit of 12 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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the fantastical. “The best period pieces are always a mix of fantasy, mystery and outstanding historical events that together create irresistible appeal and attract loyal viewership internationally,” says NTV’s Weinstein. “They all blend fantasy elements with universal themes on the background of transformative historical events.” A+E’s Bidessie says, “Hybrids are great and can sometimes breathe new life into a tried and tested format. But like everything in drama, it’s always about the story; what it says to the audience, how it makes them feel and ultimately how it entertains them.” She adds that “music is also a great way to present the past.” Enlivening history anew can come with a high cost. Commitment to accuracy is rarely going to come cheaply, according to Mistco’s Tuzun. “It is very costly to produce such a genre, as it

Mistco has found success with the TRT epic Resurrection: Ertugrul. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 13

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NTV’s The Road to Calvary is based on Alexei Tolstoy’s trilogy of the same name.

requires reﬂecting the period perfectly,” she says. “The places, customs and even the smallest details are important to make a series successful, and if you cannot make the audiences believe what you did, it will directly affect the success of the series. But if it is a good and detailed production, it’s like magic and timetraveling for the audiences and you will manage to hook them.” Can Okan, founder and CEO of Inter Medya, which distributes TIMS&B Productions’ period love story Bitter Lands, credits technology for improving the process of bringing to life stories set in the past. “Technology gives producers the ability to unlock greater opportunities to ensure more authentic period dramas,” he says. “Of course, a long pre-production process, as well as ﬁnancial investments, are necessary to create original and high-quality period dramas that meet the audience’s expectations.” The average cost of making period drama is rising in part because more players are willing to put more money into them. 14 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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“The bar has always been high, but with streamers and payTV channels now looking at period drama as a genre to commission, there are certainly richer production budgets now attached and with bigger stories that are perhaps not so focused on regionality,” observes Bidessie. With all of their money and resources, Dusi adds, “The streamers’ invasion has given period drama an incredible injection and it’s broadened how period drama can be created.” Content creators and broadcasters are also taking safer bets with known IP, with NTV’s Weinstein stating unequivocally that “epic novel adaptations undoubtedly have an advantage.” A+E’s Bidessie acknowledges that there remains a beneﬁt to having a property with a built-in fanbase, but points out a known hazard. “With those fans comes an expectation too.” But, as Red Arrow’s Dusi highlights, period dramas can take up that rare space of being known and familiar without incurring the risk of compromising a beloved novel, for instance, and irking its devout readers.

FEELING NOSTALGIC “History itself and known historical events are a form of preexisting IP,” he says. “It might not be IP that you can buy like a novel, but there are known facts and known data that can bring that same element of familiarity to an audience.” The key to ﬁnding the right window into the past is ﬁnding a window into the present. “It’s very important to be able to answer the fundamental question about why that particular period story may need to be told now,” he says. “It can be for entertainment, for escapism, or it could be because it provides a lens into modern-day issues that are important to discuss.” 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 15

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WORLDSCREENINGS

By Kristin Brzoznowski

Dean Devlin Electric Entertainment n April, Electric Entertainment launched its OTT Electric Now app, a linear and on-demand streaming channel offering feature ﬁlms and series. Electric Now offers Electric Entertainment’s movies and shows such as the topperforming Leverage and The Librarians. The app contains bonus materials from Electric’s programs and Electric’s podcast network, Electric Surge, featuring the entire video podcast library, adding more original content every week.

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The Electric Now app and Electric Surge podcast network are but two of the ways that Electric Entertainment is serving fans of genre entertainment—a passion point for the company. The app, in fact, grew out of a desire to serve the enormous fan bases for its shows all in one place. Dean Devlin, CEO of Electric Entertainment, spoke to Kristin Brzoznowski, World Screen’s executive editor, via video conference to discuss the state of the company’s various productions around the world and the rollout of its new services.

Watch a clip of The Outpost on WorldScreenings.com.

In addition, Devlin talks about Electric’s popular fantasy adventure series The Outpost, in production for its third season on The CW; the episodic crime show Almost Paradise, currently airing on WGN America, starring Christian Kane; and the recently announced reimagining of the cult fanfavorite Leverage, Leverage 2.0. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 17

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BY THE BOOK Russia Television and Radio has brought the best-selling novel Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes to TV. By Kristin Brzoznowski

he debut novel of Guzel Yakhina, a young author from Tatarstan, was a bestseller in its home country. Translated into 34 languages, Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes has gone on to win multiple literary awards and fans worldwide. Russia Television and Radio has now brought the story to TV in a series of the same name, which Sovtelexport is selling worldwide. “The premiere of Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes was a huge success,” says Julia Matyash, the director of Sovtelexport. “It became the best prime-time series aired in Russia from the beginning of 2020. By now, more than 36.5 million viewers have watched it on TV and more than 20 million on the internet.” The story is inspired by the life of Yakhina’s own grandmother. It centers on Zuleikha, a quiet and obedient Muslim wife, who is living with her abusive husband and tyrannical mother-in-law in a remote Tatar village in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. When her husband is murdered by communist soldiers for hiding grain, she is arrested and sent to Siberia. In this severe wilderness, she begins to build a new life for herself. The story is about transforming the challenge of the most miserable circumstances into power and winning,” says Matyash. “Forgiveness, devotion, love and truth make this weak woman so strong. Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes is a beautiful and magical story about the power of the human spirit based on real facts.”

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The series is directed by Egor Anashkin and was ﬁlmed all over Russia. The village of Ulbash, where Zuleikha lives with her husband and mother-in-law, was depicted by the museum of Tatar culture, Tatar-Avili, in Tatarstan. The settlement of Semruk was built in the Laishevo region near the Kama River speciﬁcally for the shooting of this series, and it will soon be turned into a tourist attraction. Attention to detail was paramount in bringing the story to life, Matyash acknowledges. The central character is portrayed by a popular Russian actress of Tatar origin, Chulpan Khamatova.

“Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes is a beautiful and magical story about the power of the human spirit based on real facts.” —Julia Matyash

“It’s an amazing story that creates a ﬂood of emotions through the masterful director’s work and brilliant lead-actors’ performances,” Matyash says. “The unique settings and historically accurate re-creation of the world of the story make it a real adventure for the viewers. It resonates even more nowadays when people come to understand how drastically life can change, how hard sometimes it is to ﬁnd the inner power to cope with the challenges imposed from the outside. This story gives the viewer power and belief that you can overcome everything and become even stronger.” 20 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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SIC International Distribution’s Nazaré.

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NOLIMITS Cristina Vaz Tomé, member of the executive committee and chief revenue officer at Impresa, talks about the strength of SIC International Distribution’s offering. By Kristin Brzoznowski

he Impresa Media Group bouquet boasts eight TV channels, including the flagship free-to-air Portuguese network SIC, as well as two publishing assets. Its content-distribution department has established itself in the international market as a reputable supplier across a number of key genres. Previously operating as SIC Content Distribution, it is now called SIC International Distribution, handling both content sales as well as the distribution of linear channels. “The recognition of the quality of SIC’s fiction has made it unstoppable as it continues to make its way around the globe,” says Cristina Vaz Tomé, member of the executive committee and chief revenue officer at Impresa. “In a world that tends to become a global community, SIC has taken the first steps into crossing borders, delivering our content and channels both to traditional and new-media partners.” While Portugal has been impacted by the global coronavirus pandemic, SIC International Distribution is in good standing to help buyers around the world fill their programming needs. “Due to last year’s strategy of preparing the content for international distribution, we managed to have some dramas ready to deliver,” Vaz Tomé says.

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She highlights a number of titles from the company’s catalog that are proving popular. International Emmy winner Blood Ties has sold to Indonesia, and Frozen Memories premiered in Mexico and is about to debut in three other LatAm markets. In terms of what’s trending in the scripted space, Vaz Tomé says it is series with “glocal appeal and high production budgets for our daily drama, focused on global themes such as love, strength and honor. The importance of values balances with the needs of a sustainable society and the protection of our planet.”

“The recognition of the quality of SIC’s fiction has made it unstoppable as it continues to make its way around the globe.” —Cristina Vaz Tomé Nazaré, which has been a ratings hit on SIC, is a prime example. “Family-oriented, this fresh story is suitable for any channel’s programming grid,” says Vaz Tomé. Living Passion, meanwhile, has been broadcast in over 23 countries, from Canada to the Middle East. The series is on its way to Georgia. Lucky Break, which debuted last year in Portugal, has made its way to Russia and is now piquing the interest of OTT buyers in CIS territories. “Our quality fiction continues to make its way around the globe, reaching the homes of people worldwide.” 24 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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TVKIDS

WWW.TVKIDS.WS

JUNE 2020

Kids’ Comedies / Panel: Distribution Strategies Serious Lunch’s Genevieve Dexter

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CONTENTS 8 SUCCESS STRATEGIES FOR DISTRIBUTORS Anna Carugati, World 8 Screen’s group editorial director, moderated a panel via video conference with CAKE’s Tom van Waveren, eOne’s Monica Candiani, Jetpack’s Dominic Gardiner and Toon2Tango’s Ulli Stoef focused on navigating the kids’ content distribution business in these “new normal” times.

10 LOOKING FOR LAUGHS Comedy remains in high demand, but as the distributors we surveyed indicate, it’s tough to get right.

24 IN-DEMAND: PRESCHOOL Our new series of genre reports includes a spotlight on shows in the preschool space.

28 SERIOUS LUNCH’S GENEVIEVE DEXTER The founder and CEO of Serious Lunch spoke to Kristin Brzoznowski, World Screen’s executive editor, via video conference about launching new IP and staying connected amid the current global lockdown.

GET DAILY NEWS ON KIDS’ PROGRAMMING

Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise Group Editorial Director Anna Carugati Editor Mansha Daswani Executive Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Associate Editor Chelsea Regan Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari Contributing Editor Elizabeth Guider Production & Design Director David Diehl Online Director Simon Weaver Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Dana Mattison Sales & Marketing Coordinator Genovick Acevedo Business Affairs Manager Andrea Moreno Contributing Writers Steve Clarke Andy Fry Joanna Stephens Jay Stuart David Wood

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Kids ©2020 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 www.tvkids.ws

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WHERE H THE EN NTERT TA AINME ENT IS distribu ution@studio100media a.com I www.studio100gr 0group.com

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Success Strategies

for Kids’ Distributors

Anna Carugati, World Screen’s group editorial director, moderated a panel via video conference with CAKE’s Tom van Waveren, eOne’s Monica Candiani, Jetpack’s Dominic Gardiner and Toon2Tango’s Ulli Stoef focused on navigating the kids’ content distribution business in these “new normal” times. The panel, titled Success Strategies for Kids’ Distributors, featured Tom van Waveren, CEO and creative director of CAKE; Monica Candiani, executive VP of content sales for eOne Family & Brands; Dominic Gardiner, CEO of Jetpack Distribution; and Ulli Stoef, CEO of Toon2Tango. The panelists shared their knowledge and insights about buyers’ needs, the impact of COVID-19 on production capabilities, changing ﬁnancing models, providing optimum exposure for shows and opportunities for growth. 32 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

ntact:

n please co

informatio For further

LUANA PERRERO for enquiries ROW luana.perrero@mondotvgroup.com www.mondotvgroup.com

ULLI STOEF for enquiries GAS, Scandic, BeNeLux and English speaking info@toon2tango.com www.toon2tango.com

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TV KIDS

Looking for Laughs Character-driven comedy elevates kids’ content across all genres for all markets and all ages. By Chelsea Regan

elevision titles aimed at kids—whether they are about superheroes or heroes from the pages of history—need comedy. And kids’ comedy— whether it be slapstick or situational, if it wants to travel across continents or your living room—needs character at its heart to drive it home. Comedy is not only the best-selling and best-performing genre in the kids’ content arena, according to leading industry execs, it’s also the key ingredient across all other genres of programming aimed at kids, peppering everything from action and adventure series to the programs that seek to educate its young audience. The universality of wanting to be entertained and wanting to laugh is as true—if not more true—for kids as it is for 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 35

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their elders. Comedy’s ability to engage and connect is all the more ampliﬁed by carefully constructed characters to support it. “Comedy is the essential component for most genres,” says Dominic Gardiner, CEO of Jetpack Distribution. “Even if a series isn’t supposed to be funny, it’s good to have comedy in it. Preschool, education, adventure, everything has Jetpack Distribution’s slate of comedies comedy in it. If you’re trying to get includes Rainbow Butterfly Unicorn Kitty. kids to pay attention, then comedy is the best way to hold their eyes. Comedy is like the currency of kids; the way kids behave with each other. They’re always laughing, they’re always making jokes or doing silly things, so that’s what the content needs to do in order to engage with kids.” Vince Commisso, president and CEO of 9 Story Media Group, concurs with Gardiner that comedy is essential. “I don’t think you can make any kind of kids’ content these days without there being a comedic element to it,” he says. “Kids always want to be entertained with a smile, with a giggle. You can engage them through some other ethos—creativity, friendship, family, empathy—but if there’s not a comedic element to it, you won’t succeed.” As a frequent supplier and partner of PBS Kids, 9 Story has ample experience infusing comedy into content that aims to have kids learn while they’re laughing. Those shows “always have an educational component, but they [also] always have entertainment at the forefront,” says Commisso. “I think you have to actually lead with the entertainment and with the 36 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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Half Heroes is a new comedy being developed at Cyber Group Studios.

comedy and then deliver the education in that construct because that’s what sticks.” At Guru Studio, “we’re always focused on character-driven stories,” says Jonathan Abraham, VP of sales and business development. “Comedy has to come from characters being put in situations where their personalities can come through.” Tom van Waveren, CEO and creative director at CAKE—which recently secured a global deal for a series based on the Lucas the Spider YouTube shorts—also sees characters and the comedy that spools out and around them as the true pulse of shows that want to help kids learn. “You put the characters at the center of the storytelling and wrap the educational around it, rather than making a show about the education and trying to wrap a character story around it,” he advises. It’s a given that comedy can be a portal to learning, providing kids an education on all matter of topics and subjects without them feeling like they’re back in the classroom. Curriculumbased comedy, so to speak, is part of a larger pattern in demand that sees broadcasters and SVODs being more interested in 38 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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genre shows with comedy than shows with comedy as the sum total of their parts. “It has moved to action-comedy, adventure-comedy, while before it was just pure comedy; it’s segmenting into genres,” says Guru Studio makes a number of character-driven comedies, Pierre Sissmann, chairincluding the preschool series Pikwik Pack. man and CEO of Cyber Group Studios, who believes that comedy can help kids absorb more important topics, including family values and dynamics. Finding the right sort of comedy to inject into a series, however, can be difficult. According to those making and distributing these series, creating quality comedy comes with unique challenges that many companies struggle to meet—a reason for the ongoing demand for such shows. “There’s always a lack of comedy because it’s hard to make good comedy,” as van Waveren succinctly puts it. “It’s a hard genre to get right. There’s not a diminished appetite for it; I think it’s as good a time as ever to do a good comedy.” Josh Selig, CEO of Little Airplane Productions, which is developing the new comedy Doctor Space with Studio 100 Media and Fantawild Animation, was similarly blunt. “There’s always a big demand for good comedies for one simple reason: the supply is always so limited,” he says. “Good comedy is very hard to make, especially in animation.” Having a funny showrunner on board overseeing every step of the process is Selig’s advice to beat the 40 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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Doctor Space is a new comedy series from Little Airplane, Studio 100 Media and Fantawild.

odds of a comedy bust. But otherwise? “Companies should stay away from comedies unless they are great at making comedies.” Slapstick has been around since the silent era. And modern non-dialogue programs aimed at preschoolers continue that tradition. The appeal of creative but ultimately innocuous injury endures. Though depending on who you ask, slapstick’s ability to resonate is up for debate and contingent on all kinds of factors— from age to country to the vehicle of that comedy. Mr. Bean, for instance, referenced by two execs surveyed for this feature, resonates because of the titular character. “Mr. Bean is a great example of how physical humor can work really well,” says CAKE’s van Waveren. “Because ultimately it informs the character.” Cyber Group’s Sissmann has observed a rise in slapstick’s popularity in recent years, a trend that has beneﬁted the company’s hit show Taffy. In the vein of Tom and Jerry, the series centers on a raccoon who invades a dog’s rich domestic life by disguising itself as a cat. “Slapstick humor has always worked,” says Sissmann. “There have been ups and downs, but I think that 42 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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Mediatoon’s Garfield Originals features the beloved cat in a series of shorts.

today it works much better than it did ten to 15 years ago. Maybe because times are more serious and there are more issues around the world and people need to laugh more.” Of course, in order to achieve good slapstick, there’s that pesky need for a character worth investing in to support it, to make people care. “You can’t just have an anvil fall from the sky; you have to have it set up by character,” says Commisso of 9 Story. The characters become even more vital to the success of a series and its comedy beats when the target audience is older. The comedy then “comes from interactions between the characters,” says Commisso, and the characters “do things that are unexpected or say things that are unexpected.” When the audience gets a little bit older still, “the comedy gets to be kind of wise-cracky.” When you’re looking at comedy that can do as well in Asia as in Europe as in North America and so on, slapstick would seem to have fewer barriers to entry. And it can and does travel well. “The pie in the face, regardless of what part of the planet you’re from, 44 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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that’s a funny gag,” says Jetpack’s Gardiner. “You don’t need to explain that or translate that.” Guru’s Abraham echoes the point. “Slapstick comedy is obviously going to travel internationally the easiest,” he says. “The biggest challenge when it comes to comedy traveling around the world is having to dub the show into local languages. Sometimes the context of the jokes is lost, or the way the words are positioned will directly impact the delivery and the comedy is entirely missed.” While Jérôme Alby, managing director at Mediatoon Distribution, joins the consensus in pointing to slapstick’s ease of entry to markets the world over, he also finds that programs can travel on the coattails of known characters— like Garfield, for instance. “Garfield is a global character; for people in America, it’s American, for the Chinese, it’s almost Chinese,” he says. “Typically, the best shows are the ones that have global reach, and that people in every country think that it’s local, that it’s theirs.” Odd couple comedy duos also have broad appeal, according to Alby. “It’s a global and universal thing. You can be somewhere in a small tribe of Amazonia as well as a village in Germany and everyone laughs at it.” CAKE secured the distribution rights to Lucas the Spider. 46 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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In-Demand: Preschool As part of our efforts to help buyers find the best content to fill their slates, TV Kids has launched a series of genre reports, spotlighting new shows in a variety of areas. In our debut edition, we’re highlighted hot properties in preschool: Guru Studio’s True and the Rainbow Kingdom, ZDF Enterprises’ Ziggy and the Zootram, Acamar Films’ Bing and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation’s Little J & Big Cuz. Watch clips for these shows and more here.

Ziggy and the Zootram Commissioned By: VRT/Ketnet, ZDF, ZDF Enterprises and coproduced with WunderWerk Produced By: Grid Animation, Fabrique

d’Images

(S1)

Telegael (S2) Rights Available: ZDF Enterprises is representing all rights worldwide outside of co-production territories. Description: A 3D animated series about a group of animals who live in a small zoo and who have a very special secret: they go home at night! Aimed at upper preschool (3-6), the series consists of 52x11-minute episodes. Pitch Perfect: “Ziggy and the Zootram is such a sweet series!” says Katharina Pietzsch, director of ZDFE.junior at ZDF Enterprises. “We are convinced that the fun adventures of Ziggy and his animal friends will entertain audiences all over the world—both children as well as their families, and will brighten up their days.” Sales Contacts: Katharina Pietzsch, Marei Bruckmann, Jan-Frederik Maul. 48 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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True and the Rainbow Kingdom Commissioned By: Netflix Produced By: Guru Studio Rights Available: First-run linear rights and L&M opportunities in all major territories. Description: Geared to the 3 to 6 set. Compassionate superhero True and her hilarious best friend Bartleby the cat come to the rescue of Rainbow Kingdom’s whimsical citizens. All four seasons available for license, including: 30x22-minute episodes, 5x22minute seasonal specials, a 1x44-minute holiday special in 19 languages and bonus short-form content for social and digital platforms. Pitch Perfect: “True is everything you’d want in a hero: she doesn’t wield a sword or wave a wand, but her kindness and compassion make her an aspirational role model for both girls and boys,” says Jonathan Abraham, VP of sales and business development at Guru Studio. “The show’s timely and important message empowers children to be mindful, courageous and respectful of all living things.” Slot Winner: With strong international broadcast partners including Tiny Pop (U.K.), Discovery Kids (U.S.), Gloob (Brazil), Frisbee (Italy), Canal Panda (Spain & Portugal), RTS (Switzerland), Hop! (Israel), DR (Denmark), CBC Kids (Canada) and Radio-Canada (French-Canada), True and the Rainbow Kingdom continues to be a highly in-demand and top-rated show around the world. The series has received multiple award nominations, including the Daytime Emmy Awards, Banff Rockie Awards, Kidscreen Awards and Canadian Screen Awards. A full line of consumer products that includes books, plush, costumes and toys has launched in North America and is poised to launch internationally later this year. Sales Contact: Jonathan Abraham, VP of Sales & Business Development. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 49

Co perfo accor ingre aime and a educa want as tru ers. C the m acter

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Bing Produced By: Acamar Films & Brown Bag Films Rights Available: All rights available from Acamar Films. Description: Adapted specially for television from the original books by Ted Dewan, Bing authentically mirrors a young child’s experience and celebrates the noisy, joyful, messy reality of preschool life. Bing values emotional development and soft learning, and has a team of educational consultants informing the content. Episodes available: S1: 26x7 minutes, S2: 26x7 minutes, S3: 26x7 minutes, S4: 26x7 minutes. Pitch Perfect: Bing has seen extraordinary success since it launched in the U.K. in 2014, winning an International Emmy for best preschool program, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award for best writing in a children’s program and a BAFTA nomination for best children’s program. Bing has been licensed to 130 territories worldwide and continues to “move and delight” Bingsters and their grown-ups through an increasing range of award-winning films, books, magazines, apps, consumer products, digital, live shows and cinema experiences. Slot Winner: Number one most requested preschool show in the U.K. on BBC iPlayer with over 423 million requests since launch. Number one on the RaiPlay Yoyo app and in the top 20 for kids on RaiPlay (Italy). Named Property of the Year at the Bologna Licensing Awards for 2019 activity in Italy. Nominations include 2020 Rockie Award in the Children & Youth: Preschool category and Best Animated Entertainment/Character Brand for Licensing International Excellence Awards 2020. Bing consistently outperforms all competitors on Facebook in terms of growth. Bing awareness, affinity and purchase intention has increased year-on-year. Sales Contacts: Eroulla Constantine, Director of Sales & Distribution; Ben Taylor, Sales Executive. 50 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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Little J & Big Cuz Commissioned By: NITV Producers: Ned Lander, CoProducers: Alicia Rackett & Colin South Rights Available: Australian Children’s Television Foundation is offering all international rights to the title. Description: Tells the story of 5-year-old Little J and his 9-year-old cousin Big Cuz. They’re a couple of Indigenous Australian kids living with their Nanna and Old Dog, exploring their world, whether that’s in the playground, the classroom, the backyard... or beyond. There’s always something surprising going on, and with the help of Nanna and their school teacher Ms Chen, Little J and Big Cuz are finding out all about culture, community and country. S2: 13x12 minutes, S1: 13x12 minutes. Pitch Perfect: In series two we see Little J and Big Cuz exploring more of their world and having lots of fun along the way. With episode titles such as “Road Trip,” “School Sleepover,” “Bush Medicine,” “Desert Camp” and “Finding Home,” it’s clear that Little J and Big Cuz are learning more about life around them and where and how they fit in. Sales Contacts: Roberta Di Vito, International Sales Manager; Tim Hegarty, International Sales Manager.

In-Demand

Virtually Pitch Your New Kids’ Shows This June

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By Kristin Brzoznowski

Genevieve Dexter

Serious Lunch

he educational live-action series Operation Ouch! has been going strong on CBBC for eight seasons, with season nine in production and a slew of global sales to boot. When one of the twin doctors fronting the show contracted a mild case of the coronavirus, the team sprang into action to use the series as a teaching tool for young ones about health and hygiene related to COVID-19. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this type of informative, and yet oh-so-entertaining, kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; content that broadcasters are looking for these

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days, according to Genevieve Dexter, the founder and CEO of Serious Lunch. She also points to fantasy as an indemand genre among children’s programming buyers at present. With its highly curated catalog, Serious Lunch is ready to deliver. Dexter spoke to Kristin Brzoznowski, World Screen’s executive editor, via video conference about launching new IP, such as The World According to Willow Wong, and staying connected amid the current global lockdown. Also the founder and CEO of the animation studio Eye Present, Dexter is able to speak from both a distribution and production

Watch a clip of The New Legends of Monkey on WorldScreenings.com.

perspective on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. With a spirit of optimism, she believes there will be “an outpouring of beautifully developed properties” to come from the additional time and attention for projects that are in the development phase, once production is back to firing on all cylinders. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 53

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CONTENTS Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise Group Editorial Director Anna Carugati Editor Mansha Daswani Executive Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Associate Editor Chelsea Regan Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari Contributing Editor Elizabeth Guider Production & Design Director David Diehl Online Director Simon Weaver Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Dana Mattison Sales & Marketing Coordinator Genovick Acevedo Business Affairs Manager Andrea Moreno Contributing Writers Steve Clarke Andy Fry Joanna Stephens Jay Stuart David Wood

4 CALL OF THE WILD New narrative and production techniques are being used in wildlife filmmaking, with messages of conservation front and center.

12 JOHN HENDRICKS Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Real Â©2020 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 www.tvreal.ws

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The cable industry veteran discusses how he is serving factual programming fans through the streaming service CuriosityStream, which is aggressively expanding worldwide and upping its originals slate.

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ZDF Enterprisesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wild Bavaria. 58 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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CALL WILD of the

New narrative and production techniques are being used in wildlife filmmaking, with messages of conservation front and center. By Kristin Brzoznowski

ith its ability to bring viewers up close and personal with mighty jungle animals, endearing woodland creatures, terrifying ocean predators and awe-inspiring insects alike, nature programming has long been a solid draw with audiences. But the days of a narrator quietly whispering over delicate images of elephants drinking from a waterhole have given way to something much more dynamic. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular wildlife programs are bigger, bolder and more ambitious than the genre has ever been. And rightfully so, as the messages they can carry are pressing to be heard in this time of environmental threat and looming extinctions. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 59

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Portugal—Wild Land on the Edge is part of ORF-Enterprise’s Universum slate.

“As a genre, natural history is going from strength to strength,” says Patricia Fearnley, the head of natural history, unscripted and content partnerships at BBC Studios. “It used to be seen as attracting only the older demographic, but since Planet Earth II, younger audiences and families have been coming to natural history in a way we haven’t seen before.” While the images themselves have always been arresting, it’s become more imperative nowadays that the stories are too. “Natural-history content is more character-driven than it was ﬁve or ten years ago,” Fearnley says. “We are far more likely to care about an individual animal with relatable characteristics rather than a generic group of animals.” Narratives around climate change, carbon emissions and environmental issues at large are now “inevitably woven into most natural-history content,” she adds. “Even ﬁve years ago, that is something that would have been less palatable to audiences. It’s now an expectation. It’s virtually impossible to tell a 60 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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story about the natural world without illustrating how behavior has changed in response to the changing environment.” Indeed, there has been a rise in green thinking all across the world, “in particular by the younger generation,” says Anne Olzmann, managing director of Albatross World Sales. “People have become more environmentally conscious and thus are more interested in seeing what is going on on our planet, what it has to offer and what is at stake. So, there is an even higher need for wildlife and nature programming at the moment.”

“Natural-history content is more character-driven than it was five years ago.” —Patricia Fearnley, BBC Studios

Olzmann believes that with the current environmental movement, “the C-word”—meaning conservation—is no longer a nogo. “Five years ago, we had buyers who were only looking for beautiful landscape films where the story didn’t really matter, and especially environmental issues did not work for them,” she explains. “Since this has now changed, we’ve been doing really well with wildlife films that feature a conservation story.” “Humankind’s future on our planet Earth is undoubtedly at stake, and we as a media industry bear a specific responsibility by covering the diversity of life,” says Armin Luttenberger, the head 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 61

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of content sales international at ORFEnterprise. “By presenting high-quality documentaries in the field of nature and wildlife to the public, viewers all over the world experience the flora and fauna Humor is a key element in Albatross World Sales’ Going Nuts: regardless if it’s right Tales from the Squirrel World. on their doorstep or in faraway places. We are raising awareness about the fragile balance of nature, not only by showing its beauty but also by acknowledging our responsibility in preserving it for future generations.” Ralf Rückauer, ZDF Enterprises’ VP of ZDFE.unscripted, agrees that there’s been a shift in how people view wildlife and nature, and this is being reflected back in natural-history programming. “The perspective has dramatically changed from just saying, yes the Earth is nice and we love cute animals,” he says. “Now, we’re shifting in another direction, where we really think about the state of our Mother Earth and almost worship it. “On the other side, people are a little bit fed up with all of the climate-change discussions,” he continues. “So, we have to balance that. The question is more, can people learn while they watch TV programming about wildlife, nature and the changes that humankind has brought to the Earth?” Céline Payot-Lehmann, head of international distribution at ARTE France, also acknowledges that wildlife programs should help promote ecological messages, “but it has to stay entertaining,” 62 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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she cautions. “You don’t want to overwhelm or depress the viewer. The way you can do that is to show the beauty of nature, what’s fascinating about it. We need to say what the problem is, but also what the solution is, or at least say what is being done, keeping a positive take on things.” Payot-Lehmann emphasizes that it’s important to have a strong story at the heart of the program. “It’s not just about putting your camera up and watching nature,” she says. “There has to be a story—a beginning, middle and ending, with a storyline that gets viewers attached.” Backing that up with science is also increasingly crucial, she adds. “There has to be scientiﬁc facts and a scientiﬁc base.” For as much as narrative techniques are evolving, technological advancements have had an even greater impact on the natural-history genre. Albatross’ Olzmann is particularly enthused by the new low light/high ISO cameras, which can capture animal behavior in twilight and even almost complete darkness. And while she admits that the move from HD to 4K has been a bit slow on the broadcaster side, Olzmann asserts that for wildlife, it is the way forward. “I strongly recommend any proBBC Studios’ Seven Worlds, One Planet used new technology ducers to produce in to provide an up-close look at animals in the wild. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 63

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4K now, as this will become the standard in the next year or two. Since it usually takes several years to finish a film, it is important to keep up with the latest technology as it gives you more possibilities to sell the film afterward. There are more and ARTE is offering up The Private Life of Sharks. more buyers now who will only buy 4K, while others prepare to test 8K.” “Every time there has been a next-step scenario, like with the move to HD, for example, people have gotten more interested in wildlife—the same is true with 4K,” says ZDF Enterprises’ Rückauer. “Now we have 8K around the corner, so people are looking at nature again because there are all these beautiful pictures and they are getting even more detailed than ever before. Plus, there’s HDR, and this is very interesting.” Heat-sensitive cameras, drones and stabilized rigs are all part of the filmmaking arsenal helping to capture new angles and get closer than ever to the action. The MoVI Pro stabilizer used on BBC Studios’ Planet Earth II, for example, gave viewers an on-the-shoulder perspective. “The intimacy this added to the series was tangible,” says Fearnley. “Seven Worlds, One Planet used this same technology alongside some incredible advances in drones, which meant they could fly longer in the air, to places further away and with far more accuracy. They were also much quieter, meaning so much more could be shot with them, offering a perspective we hadn’t had previously.” 64 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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Of course, none of this comes cheap, making co-productions necessary. Most of the wildlife ﬁlms in Albatross’ catalog have been commissioned or co-produced by German and international partners, according to Olzmann. “With lower budgets from the broadcasters’ side, it is now crucial to get more than one partner on board to get a project off the ground, and with the needs of different partners, it takes some time to get the ﬁnancing.” Bigger budgets mean shows can be more ambitious, which is essential for cutting through in the market today. “The times are

“The times are over when you can just show beautiful pictures of the planet and be happy with that.” —Ralf Rückauer, ZDF Enterprises over when you can just show beautiful pictures of the planet and be happy with that,” Rückauer asserts. “You have to do more because people have a different perspective now. One way could be that you become a little bit more political and really make a statement about extinction or hunting animals. On the other side of that spectrum, it can be more about the personal involvement and relationship; you could show people who are trying to preserve animals of any kind of species around the world. The connection, or really the reconnection, with nature is more and more in the foreground.” 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 65

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John Hendricks

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pioneer of the U.S. cable industry, John Hendricks was so convinced that millions of people would share his passion for documentaries that he launched Discovery Channel in 1985. After he stepped down as chairman of Discovery, Hendricks once again bet on people’s interest in science, technology, nature, history and society—this time choosing to address consumers directly—and founded the OTT service CuriosityStream. Hendricks and his teams are expanding the platform’s slate of originals and aggressively pursuing international expansion in a variety of ways. Hendricks tells TV Real about the early days of the cable industry, the advantages of serving factual programming fans through a streaming service, the importance of price points in the streaming wars and the value of stimulating curiosity and rendering accessible the big questions about our universe, our world and ourselves. By Anna Carugati

TV REAL: Why is curiosity so important? HENDRICKS: Curiosity is a fundamental human trait that drives [us] toward progress. Curiosity is behind all entrepreneurial efforts, but it’s also part of driving civilization forward. It’s fundamental to who we are as humans. I’ve discovered in my career that in terms of television, all humans are curious, but about 40 percent are deeply curious— about where we came from, our history, where we’re going. They’re passionate about science and technology. My career has been focused on trying to satisfy curiosity through this magical medium of television, which has progressed through the years. Now we have on-demand streaming, which is what I think of as the third revolution of television. We’re pleased to offer this service to help satisfy curiosity. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 67

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David Attenborough’s Light on Earth was co-produced with Terra Mater Factual Studios.

TV REAL: What is CuriosityStream’s mission? HENDRICKS: There are four big, durable categories of television: movies and scripted content; factual; general entertainment, with everything from sitcoms to game shows and reality TV; and live sporting events. When you look at factual entertainment, it’s been durable through broadcasting. We address the entire category of factual entertainment; we are not a niche service. By doing so, we embrace and encompass all of the many niches under factual. There’s science, nature, history, technology, human interest stories about the human spirit and there’s also a big category that we label as “society,” which covers current-events programming, and we offer that through our short-form feature Bright Now. We address the full category of factual entertainment, and we think that’s the best way to help satisfy curiosity. We have noticed that in the streaming business, it’s very perilous if you’re a niche service. We’ve seen several niche movie services that have shut down. We think it’s safer to play the full factual category the way that Netﬂix has certainly played all the categories of movies; that’s going to have a bigger future than 68 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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someone who addresses a niche. That’s the big lesson from our years in the business. TV REAL: At what point in your career did you start to understand the power of on-demand programming? HENDRICKS: My early insight was when we did a very expensive original production called In the Company of Whales. Many people were ordering the VHS tape, paying $19.99, waiting ﬁve or six days for delivery. That was our ﬁrst indication that people would pay money and be patient to try to get control of one great video. We began to test near-video-on-demand in the early ’90s, when digital started to materialize; we created channels dedicated to individual TV shows. We saw again that the consumer would readily respond to that. And we tested if consumers would pay $8 a month—this was back in 1993—to have a menu of content that they could watch at any time, and we saw that the results were very encouraging. As a result of that, at Discovery, we were one of the earlier investors in TiVo because TiVo allowed people to get more control of the content they wanted to view. I’ve been armed with this knowledge since the late ’80s, early ’90s, that when streaming would materialize or tech would allow people to watch what they want to watch, it would sweep the planet. TV REAL: Since you launched CuriosityStream, what have you learned about viewers’ tastes, and how does that inform what new programming to produce or acquire? HENDRICKS: We closely monitor the viewing interests of our viewers. For years in linear TV, we only had audience estimates through Nielsen. But now we know exactly what people are watching. 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 69

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From the very beginning, I was surprised by the interest in subjects as deep as quantum physics! Maybe that was because, during our launch years, there was the search for the Higgs boson particle, which was ﬁnally discovered. I think a lot of people CuriosityStream’s slate of originals includes Classic Cars. didn’t study quantum physics in college and wanted to understand more about that; television and CuriosityStream was a great way to do that. We’ve also looked at subjects that people have an interest in, like home and food. By tackling all of the topics under factual television, we can leave ourselves open to follow the viewers’ interests. We are pleased to see the interest in our history programming. At the same time, there can be [interest in] a large animal like some of the big cats that roam the planet. I would put nature, science and history programming at the top of the list. Then there’s lifestyle programming, for people who just want to know about things that they encounter in their lives like cuisine and homes. TV REAL: How are you looking to grow the service’s subscriber base? HENDRICKS: We want everybody on the planet to be able to access CuriosityStream if they have a broadband connection. We 70 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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want to make it extremely affordable. Twenty years ago, people would pay $4 to rent a movie for a few days or $19.99 for one DVD or VHS. Our service has an annual plan that costs only $19.99, so, for $19.99—what we used to pay for a DVD—you can have all 3,000 titles of CuriosityStream available at any moment for a whole year. That’s one way we continue to drive our service, going direct-to-consumer, over-the-top. In addition to that, we are working with major distributors—from Comcast and Cox to Amazon and Apple TV+—to make sure that our

“We address the full category of factual entertainment, and we think that’s the best way to satisfy curiosity.”

content is easily accessible for everybody who has a satellite service, cable connection or streaming connection. We call that “working back through the middle,” as services like Netﬂix and CuriosityStream are offered more and more through distributors. To grow that, we’re coming up with exciting plans where we’re now bundled as part of the basic customer offering of major distributors. One of the ﬁrst of those distribution arrangements was with a large cable system in Singapore, StarHub. All of the StarHub subscribers have access to CuriosityStream. In the U.S., we made a similar arrangement with Altice. We refer to those as 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 71

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Out of the Cradle, featuring CGI from Square Enix, explores human evolution.

bundled relationships, and that will be the key to our growth into tens of millions of households around the world. TV REAL: Which territories are you focusing on for expansion? HENDRICKS: Outside of the U.S., we’re focused on Europe. We have an agreement with SKY in New Zealand. We are looking at Africa; we launched in South Africa on DStv. We’re looking at all the continents. We started in the United States, but within a few months, we had our service available in over 175 countries. Our platform is very robust. When we produce original content, we own all the rights, worldwide, in perpetuity in all forms of media. When we acquire rights from a third party, sometimes it’s partial rights. We have done a great job of clearing most of the rights for a worldwide exhibition. It’s challenging for everybody who wants to be an international streamer, but the rewards are many when you get your service viewed worldwide by families on every continent. 72 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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TV REAL: The streaming wars have begun. Where does CuriosityStream sit in this landscape? HENDRICKS: The first advantage that we have is that factual content doesn’t cost nearly the amount that a scripted series or movie costs. There’s a huge cost advantage when you don’t have to pay actors and film producers and film directors. The big competition in the streaming world is largely in that scripted space. To demand a $12.99-and-above price [per month] for a scripted SVOD service, you need to invest enormous sums.

“We are right in the midst of the streaming wars, and we want to keep safely in the factual space, where the content spend is much less.”

And they have to have exclusive content, which means exclusive relationships with certain producers and directors. We are right in the midst of the streaming wars, and we want to keep safely in the factual space, where the content spend is much less. We also have the advantage of not playing in a niche area. We think there might be a lot of competition in niches within factual, so we want to stay above the niche plays and play the full factual category. That’s a safer place to be to develop a service that has universal appeal; that has a much greater chance of getting packaged in a bundle on distribution systems around the world. 74 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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ONE-ON-ONE

HENRIK PABST PROSIEBENSAT.1 MEDIA n March of this year, ProSiebenSat.1 Media—which is structured around entertainment, content production and global sales, and commerce segments—announced it would be returning its focus to the entertainment business. With a portfolio of 15 free and pay-TV channels, as well as video-on-demand services, including the recently launched Joyn, the group can reach some 45 million households in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Henrik Pabst, the chief commercial officer of the newly formed SevenOne Entertainment Group, is responsible for content and its use on all platforms. WS: Tell us about your vision of SevenOne Entertainment Group as the home of German-speaking entertainment. PABST: ProSiebenSat.1 is refocusing on what we know we do best: delivering ﬁrst-class entertainment. As viewing behavior continues to change, we are transforming our business from a national linear broadcaster into a platformagnostic content company; a company that is driving demand for digital content and creating new digital offerings, such as our digital platform Joyn and new audio business FYEO, while also strengthening our linear channel 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 77

By Anna Carugati

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brands. In a nutshell, we want to be the home of entertainment in the German-speaking world, distributing content that people love across our own and third-party platforms, and always ﬁnding the best mix between reach and MaPa is an original dramedy on Joyn. monetization. Thanks to various data, we are getting a much clearer idea as to what our customers want and how they want to consume their entertainment. WS: ProSiebenSat.1 includes several free-TV stations, pay channels and VOD services, including Joyn. How do you ensure you have the right mix of content across all these services? PABST: Fortunately, our free-TV stations are all geared towards very distinct demographics and have clearly deﬁned brands, and each member of our fantastic team of channel executives knows the audiences of their channels inside out. So we commission content for these platforms and audiences—both linear and digital—in a very targeted way. When it comes to acquiring shows, we usually make decisions based on our whole portfolio of channels and platforms to find the best content for the best audiences. WS: How has Joyn been received by consumers? PABST: Joyn has been extremely well received by customers and keeps on growing, so we are delighted by the response. Joyn attracted over 3.9 million unique users in March and already 78 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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G R B

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offers free access to over 60 channels, and a growing slate of Joyn originals such as jerks. and Check. Check, our latest original MaPa, and coming soon A Day in the Life of an Uber Driver. WS: How does viewing differ on linear channels compared to VOD services? PABST: Live TV shows and jerks. has been a huge success for Joyn. local productions like The Masked Singer, The Voice of Germany or Celebrity Big Brother, live sports, daily magazines and news are all in high demand by viewers on our linear channels and digital platforms. As one of the leading broadcasters in Europe in terms of reach across all platforms, we ensure the linear and digital success of our content offering by considering three core values: deep understanding of our audience across all touchpoints, high expertise in different consumption behaviors and consistent [funneling] of key ﬁndings into a content development process for all channels and platforms—always with a 360-degree approach that provides additional digital content. Of course, we also see, besides cross-platform successes, speciﬁc preferences on different VOD and on-demand offerings like scripted series or daily magazines. Our science magazine Galileo with its leading position among subscribers on YouTube is just one example of how we understand and serve the different needs of audiences on digital services. 80 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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WS: What role does acquired product play on the various stations, channels and services? PABST: Licensed shows have always played an important role for ProSiebenSat.1 and will continue to do so in the future. While it’s a priority for us to expand our local content, there’s no doubt that audiences still also love to see the latest blockbuster or popular U.S. series, whether on our linear stations, pay TV, or digital platforms like Joyn. WS: What kinds of content do you schedule on the different channels and services to obtain the broadest reach? PABST: It’s all about applying the perfect windowing strategy. We believe that linear and digital worlds can work together perfectly: some content is best left in one world, whereas other shows may thrive in both. The great asset of linear TV is live programming, such as sports and must-see local formats that cannot be found anywhere else. With live shows such as The Masked Singer on ProSieben, or homegrown reality hits like Celebrities Under Palm Trees on SAT.1, our linear channels are bringing in great numbers, with skyrocketing market shares way above channel average. Combining this with local daily news and magazines and the right mix of licensed shows, linear TV continues to do very well. The perfect orchestration of our content across linear and digital is based on data and deep understanding of audiences and different consumption behaviors on different platforms. VOD drives binge-watching of scripted content or shows and offers great opportunities for more niche and edgy content. Also, Joyn is the perfect platform to introduce new shows that can run as an exclusive preview before hitting linear screens. Platforms like YouTube or 6/20 WORLD SCREEN 81

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Facebook Watch are serving a more “snackable content” offering, which ﬁts perfectly for shows, comedy, magazines and news, in a short and curated way. The online platforms of our channel brands are well-positioned as “home of fans” destinations, aggregating catchups of entire shows and Check. Check airs on Joyn and ProSieben. all the content pieces of different platforms—offering orientation through 24/7 entertainment around lighthouse brands like Germany’s Next Topmodel by Heidi Klum, resulting in three-digit growth in the number of registered users. WS: How do you coordinate with your sales team to monetize the audience reach in the most efficient way? PABST: It’s important for us to understand both what our viewers want to see and when and where, and which platforms and shows are important to our advertising clients. Therefore, we have a close relationship with the sales team, as we strive to understand the “total reach” for each of our brands and formats. This enables our advertising clients to benefit from the advantages of our portfolio of different platforms—from high-reach linear TV to the targeting opportunities of digital offers. 82 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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TVLISTINGS

WWW.WORLDSCREENINGS.COM

JUNE 2020

THE LEADING SOURCE FOR PROGRAM INFORMATION

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TV LISTINGS

Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne (Bio./factual, 1x120 min.) Who is the real Ozzy Osbourne? The heavy metal madman, rocking out with Black Sabbath and biting heads off bats...or the befuddled patriarch of a reality sitcom family? We reveal the heart in the Prince of Darkness.

A+E NETWORKS

O (1-212) 210-1400 m intl.sales@aenetworks.com w sales.aenetworks.com Contact: Patrick Vien, group mng. dir., intl.; Ellen Lovejoy, SVP, head, sales, Americas & formats; Glen Hansen, SVP, global content sales, AsiaPac; Helen Jurado, VP, global content sales, LatAm; Robyn Hurd, VP, intl. content sales, EMEA; Michael Oesterlin, VP, intl. content sales, EMEA. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Surviving Jeffrey Epstein (Doc./factual, 4x60 min.) Investigates how the elusive Epstein built a global network that preyed on young girls and women, and gives his alleged victims and courageous survivors a platform for sharing their shocking, untold stories with the world.

AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN’S TELEVISION FOUNDATION

m roberta.divito@actf.com.au w www.actf.com.au

Contact: Roberta Di Vito, intl. sales mgr.; Tim Hegarty, intl. sales mgr. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS First Day (Live-action drama, 4x24 min. & 1x17 min.) It’s 12-year-old Hannah Bradford’s first year of high school. it’s the first day she will wear a girl’s uniform to school and go by her chosen name, rather than the boy’s name she was given at birth. Little J & Big Cuz (Preschool, S2: 13x12 min., S1: 13x12 min.) Five-year-old Little J and his 9-yearold cousin Big Cuz are a couple of Indigenous Australian kids living with their Nanna and Old Dog, exploring their world.

Desert One

Desert One (History/doc./factual, 1x150 min.) In November 1979, Iranian revolutionaries occupied the U.S. embassy in Tehran, holding 52 Americans hostage. President Carter pledged diplomacy, but secretly developed a daring rescue mission. This is the true story of the year-long international standoff. First Day THE LEADING ONLINE DAILY NEWS SERVICE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA INDUSTRY. For a free subscription, visit subscriptions.ws

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TV LISTINGS

Are You Tougher than Your Ancestors (Liveaction adventure, 10x24 min.) A fun and immersive living history series that pits the skills of today’s kids against the exploits of children from Australia’s past, to find out how they measure up.

BOWERY MEDIA

O (1-917) 767-1514 m info@bowerymediaus.com w www.bowerymediaus.com Contact: Wamiq Jawaid, fndr. & head, global dist.; Ian Herman, head, dvmpt. & studio relations. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Entitled (Drama/comedy, 1x48 min.) After the sudden death of a pessimistic father, his three children are left an inheritance beyond their means, as they begin to uncover the secrecy of their father’s double life.

Draupadi Unleashed

Draupadi Unleashed (Romance/period drama, 1x110 min.) A young woman, in 1930s British India, seeking an identity of her own against an arranged marriage and the manipulations of a powerful guru. Investor’s Business Daily (Business/edu., 1,080 min.) A massive library of long and short

content on financial literacy, investing strategies, personal finance and interviews with thought leaders and CEOs. Killing Lust (Short/thriller, 1x22 min.) Clark Andrews is under pressure to write his next bestseller and loses the ability to differentiate between fantasy and reality when he sees his femme fatale in the flesh. Blowout: Inside America’s Energy Gamble (Doc., 1x82 min.) Investigative journalists, scientists and citizens take a deep dive into how America’s energy appetite impacts global profits, public health, and climate change. The Girl Who Ventured West (Adventure/ nostalgia/folklore, 1x110 min.) A pessimistic paralegal struggling to uncover her own path finds herself swept up in a westbound adventure of American Folklore, led by none other than a modern-day Johnny Appleseed. A Broken Trust (Doc., 1x48 min.) A harrowing investigation into how race, politics and the law have prevented American Indian and Alaska Native rape survivors from finding justice. Asylum: Beyond the Border Crisis (Doc., 1x25 min.) This special report follows the roots of the U.S. border crisis back to violence in Central America and the legacy of U.S. involvement. War 2.0: Blurring the Battlefield (Doc., 1x27 min.) A special report on the frontlines of a global hybrid war, where conventional, cyber and information warfare blend into one. Sold in America (Doc., 3x20 min.) Sex. Profit. Violence. Covering a wide range of perspectives and experience, this original series pulls back the curtain on the U.S. sex trade.

THE LEADING SUPPLIER OF GLOBAL MEDIA NEWS IN SPANISH

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TV LISTINGS

the Great Tress, where Taina and the Guardians of DANDELOOO the Amazon are always ready to help. O (33-9) 7264-4601 Treehouse Stories (Live-action preschool, S3: m contact@dandelooo.com 28x7 min.) Our friends meet in a secret treehouse w www.dandelooo.com to share their favorite books. In each episode we dive into one story through a different design with Contact: Emmanuèle Pétry Sirvin, head, intl.; top children’s books from around the world. Mélissa Vega, head, sales & dist. (Spain, LatAm, Petit (Preschool, 39x7 min.) Discover Petit’s Middle East, Asia); Gennarino Romano, head, sales unique and imaginative perspective about daily sit& dist. (Germany, Italy, Central Europe). uations, which become fantasy adventures he will PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS have to face, along with his friends. Stinky Dog (Kids comedy, 52x13 min.) Based on the successful series of books by Marc Boutavant (author of Mouk’s World Tour) published by l’école des loisirs in France, presents the hilarious and hectic adventures of a maverick mutt and a flattened cat. Pompon Little Bear (Preschool, 39x7 min.) Pompon is a 6-year-old, in bear years. He is mischievous, cheerful and playful. But above all things, he has an incredible and precious talent that his best friend Rita and his parents enjoy tremendousShooom’s Odyssey ly: he can make extra out of ordinary. Hungry Bear Tail (Preschool, 26x7 min.) An ani- Kosmix (Kids, 26x5 min.) An educational program mated comedy series about two bears with a sweet for the little ones, full of space adventure. tooth who don’t mind getting into trouble as long as The Jolly Jesters (Kids comedy. 26x3.5 min.) A they can obtain something good to eat. fun, burlesque, slapstick, edutaining series about a Shooom’s Odyssey (Kids drama, 1x26 min.) theatre troop. Shooom, a baby owl, hatches just as a storm turns Mum Is Pouring Rain (Kids drama, 1x26 min.) the bayou surrounding her tree upside down. She’s Eight-year-old Jane is sent to spend Christmas with determined to find a mother, even if that mom turns her grandmother. When she meets Cloclo the out to be an alligator or a raccoon! gigantic hobo who lives in the forest and two local Taina (Preschool, 26x11 min.) When the forest is kids, she learns to open herself to others and will in distress, the “Cru-Cru” call echoes all the way to inspire her mother to get back on her feet.

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TV LISTINGS

DORI MEDIA GROUP

O (972-3) 647-8185 m sales@dorimedia.com w www.dorimedia.com

trying to help her arrested boyfriend, and finding herself enjoying the danger a bit too much. Corte y Confeccion (The Fashion House) (Fashion talent/reality) Seeks out the best talent among the self-taught, amateurs, students and professionals in the fashion industry with careers related to clothing design. The Best of All (Shiny-floor game show) Is the average answer from a large group of people always closer to the right result than one personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s answer? This game will test that theory. Shall We Kiss (Drama, 13x60 min.) A drama, tragedy and a comedy rolled into one that reveals the most intimate fears and desires of modern life, with parallel plot lines that intertwine in surprising ways. The Selfie Challenge (Reality game show) Reality game show filmed around the world that draws its inspiration from the cross-culture selfie phenomenon through a competition between two groups of three friends performing selfies. Las Estrellas (5 Stars) (Romantic comedy, 120x60 min.) One father, three mothers, five sisters. The death of Mario Star leaves his five daughters facing a challenge (to successfully manage a boutique hotel), which they will have to fulfill in order to claim the inheritance.

Contact: Nadav Palti, pres. & CEO; Carolina Sabbag, VP, sales, Western Europe, U.S., Canada; Maria Perez Campi, dir., sales, LatAm, U.S. Hispanic; Camila Premet, sales mgr., CEE, CIS, Africa; Haikal Jamari, sales mgr., Asia, Middle East; Einat Borovich-Naim, mktg. dir., Dori Media Group. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Losing Alice (Psychological thriller, 8x60 min.) Tells the story of Alice, an ambitious 47-year-old film director, who becomes obsessed with 24year-old femme-fatale Sophie and eventually surrenders all moral integrity in order to achieve power, success and unlimited relevance. Normal (Drama, 8x60 min.) When 24-year-old Noam Ashkenazy hits rock bottom, he finds his own route to normality in the unlikeliest of places: the psych ward. Esau (Drama, 4x60 min.) Follows a 40-year-old writer who returns to his family home after half a lifetime to face the brother who stole both his love and livelihood. Power Couple (Reality format) Puts love to the test like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never seen before as eight couples face extreme challenges that will test how well they really know each other. Rampensau (Dumb Germany) (Crime drama, 10x60 min.) A frustrated, impulsive 30-year-old actress goes undercover as a high school student, Losing Alice

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TV LISTINGS

DYNAMIC TELEVISION

O (1-323) 433-0100 m internal@dynamictelevision.com w dynamictelevision.com Contact: Dan March, mng. partner; Klaus Zimmermann, mng. partner; Gilda Demirtas, SVP, sales; Ryan St. Peters, sales cnslt.; Isabelle Carrière March, VP, sales. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Vagrant Queen (Sci-fi, 10x60 min.) Follows Elida from child queen to orphaned outcast, as she scavenges the treacherous corners of the galaxy, always one step ahead of the Republic government out to extinguish her bloodline. The Sommerdahl Murders (Crime/mystery, 4x90 min./8x45 min.) A love triangle between Dan Sommerdahl, his wife Marianne and their best friend Flemming Torp occurs as they try to solve killings in Helsingør. Deliver Us (Drama, 8x60 min.) Five people in a small Danish town join forces and plan the perfect murder of the local town psycho, Mike, only to realize that when you start playing God, it is easy to end up as the Devil. Creepshow (Sci-fi/horror, 6x60 min./12x30 min.) The fictional Creepshow comic books come to life in this anthology series of terrifying tales. Almost Never (Teen comedy/drama/music, 26x30 min.) Follows the ups and downs of boy band The Wonderland as they seek fame and fortune while trying to juggle friends, family, school and relationships.

Trapped (Crime drama, 20x52 min.) In a remote town in Iceland, police desperately try to solve a crime as a powerful storm descends upon the town.

Vagrant Queen

How to Stay Married (Comedy, 16x30 min.) Greg and Em Butler have been married 14 years but as in most marriages, things have become a bit stale. When Em takes on a new job and Greg loses his, they get more change than they bargained for. Black Market Baby (TV movie/thriller, 1x90 min.) Escaping an abusive husband, Melissa takes her baby Ryan to her parents’ cabin in a small Louisiana town. But when Ryan is abducted and the local authorities are less than helpful, Melissa is forced to take matters into her own hands. Sinfidelity (TV movie/thriller, 1x90 min.) When Angela suspects her husband of cheating again she has an affair of her own. Soon after discovering her husband’s innocence, she begins to see the man she cheated with everywhere. Conan (Non-scripted, 8x23 min.) Conan O’Brien discusses current news topics and interviews celebrities and personalities.

GET DAILY NEWS ON FACTUAL & REALITY

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TV LISTINGS

ELECTRIC ENTERTAINMENT

O (1-323) 817-1300 m sales@electricentertainment.com w www.electricentertainment.com

Contact: Dean Devlin, CEO; Rachel Olschan, founding partner; Sonia Mehandjiyska, head, intl. dist.; Nolan Pielak, SVP, intl. dist. & coprod.; Steve Saltman, head, domestic sales. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Leverage 2.0 (Action adventure, 13x60 min.) The rich and powerful take what they want. In this new world, our team is back to use their collective skills to take them down. Almost Paradise (Action/crime, 10x60 min.) Set in the Philippines, a DEA agentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tropical retirement gets interrupted when he is pulled back into investigating crimes on the island of Cebu. The Outpost (Fantasy/adventure, S3: 13x60 min.) Talon has summoned Zed and his Blackblood comrades to save the Outpost. She finds herself betrayed by her own kind, and struggles to reconcile her human friends and her Blackblood heritage. Stephen J. Cannell Library This collection of drama series comes from award-winning writer/producer Stephen J. Cannell, whose impressive roster of programs includes TV hits from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Librarians (Action-adventure, 42x60 min.) Based on TNTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hit movie franchise, centers on an ancient organization dedicated to protecting an unknowing world from the secret, magical reality hidden all around.

Almost Paradise

Change in the Air (Drama, 1x94 min.) A peaceful community is forever changed when a mysterious young woman with a secret moves in. Say My Name (Comedy/romance, 1x83 min.) When a one-night stand gets interrupted by a robbery, strangers are forced to navigate the underbelly of a sleepy Welsh isle to get back their stolen property. Alone (Horror/thriller, 1x81 min.) A writer finds peace in the countryside far from the city but soon realizes that her inner demons are not the worst of her problems.

GMA NETWORK

O (632) 8333-7633 m gwi@gmanetwork.com w www.gmaworldwide.tv Contact: Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP, worldwide division; Daphney P. Ticbaen, sales specialist. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS A Place in Your Heart (Drama, 45x45 min.) A good stepmother battles against the evil ex-wife of the man she loves and the mother of the children she has learned to love.

THE LEADING ONLINE DESTINATION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA BUSINESS.

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TV LISTINGS

The Gift (Drama, 53x45 min.) Joseph may be The Silent Thief (Crime drama, 45x45 min.) In blind, but he sees what ordinary eyes cannot see— Jessie’s quest to find her abducted son, she uncovglimpses of past and future events. ers secrets that will point to unlikely suspects and push her to the limit. Sahaya (Drama/fantasy, 60x45 min.) Will a young woman’s new world bring her happiness and peace? Or will she return to her roots to find her purpose and destiny?

GRB STUDIOS

A Place in Your Heart

My Crown Princess (Comedy, 45x45 min.) Can a man-hater survive a male-dominated field and reach her dream of becoming a female ship captain? Obsession (Thriller, 35x45 min.) Yvie faces off with a strange rival—the vengeful spirit of her husband’s dead ex-girlfriend who will stop at nothing to wreak havoc in her life. The Better Woman (Drama, 35x45 min.) Andrew’s fidelity is put to the test when he meets Juliet, an exotic dancer who is his wife’s long-lost identical twin. For Love or Money (Drama, 45x45 min.) Will a devoted wife let her fidelity be shaken and give in to an indecent proposal if it is the only way to save her husband’s life? Love You Two (Romantic comedy, 45x45 min.) Sisters Raffy and Sam had a perfect relationship until they unintentionally fell in love with the same guy. Beautiful Justice (Crime drama, 50x45 min.) A common grief brings together three ladies to team up and infiltrate a drug syndicate responsible for the death of their loved ones.

GET GLOBAL MEDIA NEWS IN SPANISH

O (1-818) 728-4140 m sales@grbtv.com w www.grbtv.com Contact: Hud Woodle, EVP, intl. sales & ops.; Melanie Torres, VP, intl. sales; Liz Levenson, sales & acq. cnslt.; Torquil Macneal, sales cnslt. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Handcrafted America (Docuseries, 39x30 min. & 3x60 min.) Join Jill as she travels the country meeting talented artisans who create products the traditional way—with their own two hands. Turquoise Fever (Docuseries, 7x60 min.) The unforgiving Great Basin Desert may not seem like an ideal place to strike it rich, but buried beneath the barren landscape is a treasure worth millions. Comedy Dynamics (Comedy, 500+ hrs.) Over 500 hours of hilarious comedy content from the world’s most beloved comedians. Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History (Comedy/doc., 1x60 min.) Kevin Hart highlights the fascinating contributions of Black history’s unsung heroes in this entertaining and educational comedy special.

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TV LISTINGS

GUANGDONG WINSING COMPANY

O (86) 134-2047-2354 m amanda@winsing.net, media@winsing.net w en.winsing.net Contact: Echo Gu, VP; Jinming Lu, dir.; Sophie Lau, head, intl. mktg. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Team STEAM! (Kids 3-6 3D edutainment, 104x15 Handcrafted America min. 4K) Team STEAM! is made up of six amazing kids Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter who each use a different STEM-based area of expertise (Celeb., 56x60 min.) This roundtable interview to solve the problems they face. series features the hottest A-list stars and directors from the year’s most acclaimed films and television series. Untold Stories of the E.R. (Factual, 150x60 min. & format) These real stories demonstrate the dramatic nature of medicine practiced under pressure. Executed (Crime, 10x60 min.) Shines a light on the true stories behind some of the most famous murders portrayed on the silver screen. Cashed Out (Lifestyle, 10x60 min.) Whether it’s drugs, dishonest accountants or greedy parents, our Hollywood insiders know the real stories behind your favorite celebrities’ massive fortunes Team STEAM! and fallouts. On the Case (Crime, 226x60 min.) Explore mur- GoGoBus (Kids 2-5 3D edutainment, 156x13 der mysteries through in-depth interviews with wit- min.) When trouble strikes the kids, Gordon the nesses and suspects and examine the evidence to school bus is there to solve the problem and save unravel the mystery. the day. The Bay (Scripted, 62x30 min.) This Emmy win- GG Bond: Undersea Wonders (Kids 4-8 action ning drama follows the affluent, yet dysfunctional adventure, 104x15 min.) GG Bond will lead his residents of a posh seaside town. team members to explore a world underwater. Video interviews with leading players in the media business, industry analysis and a recap of the week’s events—delivered to your inbox every Thursday. FOR A FREE SUBSCRIPTION, PLEASE VISIT SUBSCRIPTIONS.WS

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TV LISTINGS

They will meet the trapped Tina and the brave Princess Coral. GG Bond: Dino Diary (Kids 3-6 3D comedy/adventure/action, 104x13 min.) GG Bond and his fellows travel back to the Mesozoic Era to collect information on different dinosaurs. GG Bond: Diary of Dinosaurs (Kids 3D comedy/adventure/action, 1x90 min.) GG Bond travels back to the age of dinosaurs, but loses his way accidentally. Woody runs into the dinosaur world alone looking for GG Bond.

True and the Rainbow Kingdom (Preschool 3D, 30x22 min., 5x22 min. seasonal specials & 1x44 min. holiday special) True, our bright and fearless heroine, and her hilarious best friend, Bartleby the cat, come to the rescue of Rainbow City’s whimsical citizens. Justin Time (Preschool 2D, 74x11 min. & 2x22 min.) Justin’s imagination catapults him into largerthan-life adventures set in different points in history.

KANAL D INTERNATIONAL

GURU STUDIO

O (1-416) 599-4878 m sales@gurustudio.com w gurustudio.com Contact: Frank Falcone, pres. & exec. creative dir.; Jonathan Abraham, VP, sales & business dvpmt.; Rachel Marcus, VP, creative dvpmt.; Corey Caplan, dir., intl. sales; Emily Jenkins, dir., creative dvpmt.

Pikwik Pack

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Pikwik Pack (Preschool 2D, 52x11 min.) Follows Suki the hedgehog and her team of adorable animals as they deliver magical packages to the kind citizens of Pikwik.

O (90-212) 413-5666 m sales@kanald.international w kanald.international

Contact: Kerim Emrah Turna, exec. dir.; Mikeala Perez, sales exec., LatAm, Spain; Selim Türkmen, sales exec., Western Europe, MENA, Africa; Ekin Koyuncu, sales exec., CEE; Salmi Gambarova, sales exec., CIS; Gamze Utma, sales exec., Asia. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Hekimoğlu (Drama) The local version of the hit U.S. scripted series House stars Timuçin Esen as Ateş Hekimoğlu, an acclaimed infectious diseases and nephrology physician. New Life (Drama) Premium drama about the chain of events that happens when two very different families cross paths. The story is about the conflict of love and the family. Ruthless City (Drama, S1: 30 eps., S2 in prod.) Seher was living with her two daughters, son and mother in law in Antakya, a small city southeast of Turkey. Her family’s life changes dramatically when

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her mother in law makes a deal to sell one of her daughters to a wealthy man from her hometown. Love Trap (Romantic comedy, 136 eps.) Ayse, a poor girl, forces Kerem, the son of one of the wealthiest families in Istanbul, to marry her.

with their children to manage the modest hotel left to Yildiz by her father. Forbidden Love (Drama, 158 eps.) Modern-day adaptation of the work of the foremost Turkish author Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil. Meryem (Drama, 94 eps.) An accident on a rainy night changes the lives of a woman who undertakes a crime for the man she loves, a prosecutor who will do anything for his career and a man whose eye darkened with revenge after he lost his lover.

MATTEL

m content_sales@mattel.com w www.mattel.com

New Life

Wounded Love (Historical drama, 168 eps.) The story of one of the most tragic heroes of his time, who is condemned to face the ruin of his family while he can do nothing to stop it. Price of Passion (Romance drama, 95 eps.) Ferhat is a hit man working for his criminal uncle. Asli is a young and idealistic doctor. Their paths cross in the most unexpected way. For My Son (Family drama, 241 eps.) Suspended from the police force for a crime he didn’t commit, Poyraz Karayel loses everything he cared for. Waves (Drama, 113 eps.) Evren Erguven owned a successful hotel chain, but when his business goes bankrupt, he and his wife, Yildiz, move to Bodrum

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Barbie Princess Adventure (Animation, 1x72 min.) Barbie discovers what it means to be a modern princess in this full-length, original musical when she switches places with her royal doppelganger. Barbie helps a young monarch find her voice and use her position for social change. Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures (Animation, S2: 22x22 min.) Watch as Barbie navigates school life and sports with her special blend of wisdom, warmth and can-do attitude. Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures: Magical Mermaid Mystery (Animation, 1x80 min.) What starts out as a summer job at an epic waterpark in Malibu turns into an underwater mystery that has Barbie and her friends reuniting a lost baby whale with its family. Barbie Vlogger (Animation, 60x5 min.) Barbie shares information about her life, inspirations and favorite

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things. She loves to do silly challenges with her friends Ken, Harper, Ryan, and her sister Chelsea. Enchantimals Spring into Harvest Hills + Secrets of Snowy Valley (Animation, 2x44 min.) In Spring into Harvest Hills, after a magical accident, the Enchantimals mount an epic quest for Harvest Hills where they must ask the heart of nature to restart spring before Everwilde and everyone in it ceases to exist. In Secrets of Snowy Valley, Pristina Polar Bear embarks on a harrowing search for her missing Bestie, Glacier. Enchantimals Tales of Everwilde S2 (Animation, 13x5 min.) This season, the Enchantimals and their besties discover and explore an exciting new world full of wonder.

Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures

Thomas & Friends (The Royal Engine + Marvelous Machinery) (Animation, S24: 20x11 min. & 3x22 min.) Adventure and excitement abound for Thomas and the Steam Team on the island of Sodor. Thomasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new friend Ruth shakes things up with exciting new inventions and technology. Thomas & Friends (Digs & Discoveries + Steam Team to The Rescue) (Animation, S23: 20x11 min. & 3x22 min.) In Digs & Discoveries Thomas continues his global adventure. In Steam Team to The Rescue Sodor falls into chaos as the

docks are overrun with deliveries and the diesels are out of action.

RUSSIA TELEVISION AND RADIO/SOVTELEXPORT

O (7-495) 955-8920 m ref.ste@vgtrk.com w sales.vgtrk.com

Contact: Julia Matyash, dir., Sovtelexport; Maria Dorokhina, head, intl. sales (worldwide, except CIS & Baltic States); Ekaterina Grigorieva, head, sales, CIS & Baltic States; Elizaveta Shcherbakova, mgr., intl. sales; Svetlana Lyakh, mgr., intl. sales. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes (Historical drama, 8x52 min.) Zuleikha, a quiet and obedient Muslim wife, is living with her abusive husband and despotic mother-in-law in a remote Tatar village in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. When her husband is murdered by communist soldiers for hiding grain, she is arrested and sent to Siberia. Ekaterina. Pretenders (Historical drama, 16x52 min.) 1774. The rule of Ekaterina is threatened. Numerous pretenders appear with claims to the throne. Her personal life also is troubled. Godunov (Historical drama, 17x52 min.) Sixteenth century. The mysterious death of the heir to the throne ends the rule of an ancient dynasty. For the first time, the Russian people elect a Tsar. It is Boris Godunov. Blackout (Crime drama, 11x44 min.) In turbulent 1990s Russia, a veteran of the Soviet-Afghan War comes home to find a completely different countryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; morally devastated and drowning in crime.

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footage, which has never been aired, is the foundation of a documentary about the birth of a new state—the People’s Republic of China.

SERIOUS LUNCH

O (44-20) 8771-7310 m sales@seriouslunch.co.uk w www.seriouslunch.co.uk

Blackout

Anna Karenina (Drama, 8x42-47 min.) The late 19th century. Russian high society. St. Petersburg aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a reckless love affair with the dashing count Alexey Vronsky. Who Are We? (Travel/psychology, 1x54 min.) A young Parisian of Russian origin goes to the distant Solovetsky Islands to trace his ancestors. Antarctica: 200 Years of Peace (Nature/current affairs, 1x44 min.) Antarctica is the only place on Earth with no borders, armed clashes and political conflicts. To protect and preserve this region’s valuable biological resources, peaceful cooperation is a task of crucial importance for all countries. Solzhenitsyn: Repentance (Bio./culture, 1x64 min.) The last interview of Alexander Solzhenitsyn about the future of Russia and the world in the 21st century. He shares his most private thoughts. Salyut-7 (Space, 1x44 min.) The space flight to the Salyut-7 station is a unique case in cosmonautics history. The cosmonauts brought the uncontrolled vehicle back to life. Great China Reborn (History, 1x72 min.) In 1949, Stalin sent a large group of Soviet camera operators to China to make a film about the victory of Chinese communists in the civil war. This historical

Contact: Genevieve Dexter, fndr. & CEO; Leila Ouledcheikh, dir., global sales. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Art Ninja (40x26 min. & 15x20 min.) This BAFTAnominated Dot To Dot Productions series for CBBC is a top-five-rating, new-look art show for kids interested in experimenting with modern art techniques.

Art Ninja

Bo & To’s Family (54x5 min./54x3.5 min.) Brand new stop-motion series starring Bori, Toto and Mochi. Our three eccentric rescue cats live above a café with their barista ‘servant’ and have fun entertaining his customers and hanging out with other neighborhood animals. Gigglebug (52x5 min.) Based on the awardwinning mobile app of the same title, this series is set in an enchanted forest with a little bug with an irresistible laugh.

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Horrible Science (10x26 min.) Based on the famous Scholastic books, this scripted “show within a show” comedy stars Ben Miller. Monty & Co (34x11 min.) A musical puppet sitcom series for preschool children featuring a blended family living together in a house above their bring, buy and mend shop. Operation Ouch! (100x26 min.) This ongoing, double BAFTA-winning, Emmy-nominated factualentertainment show helps kids combat their fear of hospitals by showing them how amazing the human body is at fixing itself. Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter (26x26 min.) The International Emmy-winning animated series from Studio Ghibli, based on the book by Astrid Lindgren. The New Legends of Monkey (20x26 min.) Live-action adventure kids’ and family series about a young girl who discovers a lost statue of the Legendary Monkey King, an ancient god who has been imprisoned for 500 years. Together they will bring an end to demonic rule and restore balance to the world—or so they think. Tik Tak (104x5 min.) Toddler show that stimulates children’s cognitive development in a relaxed, simple way.

Living Passion

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Nazaré (Drama, S1: 75x45 min., S2: 75x45 min.) Nazaré is a force of nature. She is young and determined, willing to do almost anything to save her mother’s life, which depends on an expensive surgery. Lucky Break (Drama, S1: 30x45 min., S2: 52x45 min., S3: 25x45 min.) Topped Portuguese ratings due to being a truly inspirational and relatable story. What would you do with €100 million? Living Passion (Drama, S1: 57x48 min., S2: 53x48 min.) Convicted for a crime he did not commit, Miguel will seek revenge, fight for his love and build a father-daughter relationship with Catarina. More Than Love (Drama, 107x43 min.) The fight between fraternal and passionate love, the struggle SIC INTERNATIONAL of Clara, a young woman facing the law. DISTRIBUTION Frozen Memories (Drama, 110x48 min.) Rosa O (351) 2142-58504 will become a stranger to herself and forget everym sales@sic.pt one around her: the good, the bad and even the w www.internationaldistribution.sic.pt faithful hearted, where love always lived. Contact: Carlota Vieira, content & channels dist. Heart of Gold (Drama, 110x48 min.) From the same mgr.; André Santos Silva, sales exec. writers of the International Emmy-winning telenovela

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Blood Ties, the story of Maria, a woman willing to do sacrifice everything for her daughter Catarina. Blood Ties (Drama, 161x45 min.) International Emmy-winning telenovela. Two sisters were swept away by the current but 25 years later their paths cross again. Love Bet (Drama, 13x25 min.) Lara discovers that her boyfriend had an affair and her world collapses. Moved by an act of rage, she posts a video online shouting about how she feels. Tangled Lives (Drama, S1: 160x45 min., S2: 165x45 min.) A woman in her early thirties loses everything she holds dear to her, including Marco, her husband, who has been living a double life. World in Sight (Doc., S1: 6x8 min., S2: 6x20 min.) From the frozen steppes of Mongolia to the most infernal African heat, remote people struggle to preserve ancestral ways of life.

SOMOS DISTRIBUTION

O (1-786) 220-0440 m mvillanueva@somosdistribution.net, fvillanueva@somosdistribution.net w www.somosdistribution.com Contact: Luis Villanueva, pres. & CEO; Francisco Villanueva, VP & COO; Mariana Villanueva, sales dir. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Súbete a Mi Moto (Drama bio., 15x60 min.) The series is plotted in three acts, relating the story of the famous musical group Menudo. Sweet Revenge (Drama, 80x45 min.) The story of Pelin, a beautiful girl who is abandoned at the altar and must seek forgiveness from the people

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she hurt in the past to lose the bad luck she is having in love. Sunshine Girls (Drama, 117x45 min.) Günes, a 35-year-old literature teacher who has three daughters, meets Haluk, a rich businessman with a past full of secrets.

Súbete a Mi Moto

Gümüs (Drama, 200x45 min.) A Cinderella story from present day. Life can sometimes change with a simple phone call. Lady’s Farm (Drama, 140x45 min.) A story about a rebellion against injustice in society, and the love of Güllü and Kemal. Matter of Respect (Drama/soap opera, S1-3: 76x45 min.) Two brothers decide to avenge the death of their father; Yigit does not respect the laws in his quest for revenge, while Emir tries to do it legally. Camelia La Texana (Telenovela, 60x40 min.) An innocent and beautiful young woman tries to flee from her destiny. The story begins in the ’70s, when Camelia escapes with her mother from one of the most important capos in Mexico. La Fuga (Drama, 5x55 min.) Five prisoners appear to have escaped the Bausari prison; in fact, they are hiding inside the facility, digging a tunnel. Based on a true story. Maleducadas (Youth musical, 15x45 min.) Four rebellious teens get to know each other after being

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expelled from their schools and sent to a reeducation campus, where they must uncover a strange mystery. Ginayei (Youth musical, 15x60 min.) Gina has won a scholarship to the Caribbean Musical Institute located on the island of Puerto Encantado.

STUDIO 100 MEDIA

O (49-89) 960-8550 m distribution@studio100media.com w www.studio100group.com Contact: Hans Bourlon, CEO, Studio 100 Group; Martin Krieger, CEO, Studio 100 Media; Dorian Bühr, head, global dist.; Tanja Aichberger Schaetzle, snr. sales exec.; Vanessa Windhager, sales exec. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS 100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone (CGI comedy adventure, 26x22 min.) Freddy Lupin, heir to a line of werewolves, was in shock when on his 13th birthday his first “warfing” went awry, turning him into a poodle. Enrolled in the Howlington Academy, Freddy is going to try to prove that despite his appearance, he still has the heart of a werewolf.

100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone

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Heidi (CGI adventure, S1-2: 65x22 min.) Old and new adventures of the happy and communicative orphan girl who handles all challenges of everyday life with a smile. Tip the Mouse (CGI preschool comedy, S1-3: 104x7 min.) From the best-selling children’s book series, little Tip is pure fun and curiosity for preschoolers. Season three now available. Wissper (CGI preschool adventure/comedy, S1-2: 104x7 min.) Wissper is a little girl who can talk to animals. She can sense their feelings and thus she can help animals around the world. Arthur and the Minimoys—The Series (CGI adventure/fantasy, 26x24 min.) Arthur found the world of the Minimoys and visits his friends Selenia and Betameche. This time the King of the Minimoys is organizing the resistance against tyrant Malthazar. Maya the Bee (CGI preschool adventure, S1-2: 130x13 min.) Two seasons featuring exciting adventures with Maya, the little bee who is so unlike any of the other bees, and her very best friends. Mia and me (Fantasy/adventure, S1-3: 78x23 min.) The adventures of Mia and her friends in the magical land of Centopia, where they have to protect unicorns from all kinds of villains. Drop Dead Weird (Live-action comedy, 26x24 min.) Three Aussie kids trying to fit into their new hometown are harboring an enormous secret: their parents are zombies. Random & Whacky (Live-action comedy, 15x24 min.) Comedy series about a top-secret agency that solves the problems faced by real-life kids. Ghost Rockers (Live-action mystery, 209x12 min. & 1x92 min.) In teenage soap-style, five friends

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with big dreams and a raw musical talent discover rather mundane household breakthroughs to spechaunted spirits of an old rock band that help them tacular innovations in technology and science. turn the tide. Anthropocene—The Rise of Humans (Science/ knowledge, 3x50 min.) This stunning and optimistic portrait reveals cutting-edge scientific and societal ZDF ENTERPRISES solutions to our planet’s greatest danger: the devasO (49) 6131-9910 tating impact of humans on planet Earth. m info@zdf-enterprises.de Heirs of the Night (Kids live action, 26x26 min.) w www.zdf-enterprises.de Ailsa and her classmates at vampire school were once mortal enemies, but they must unite to defeat Contact: Fred Burcksen, pres. & CEO; Ralf Dracula and save the world from eternal darkness. Rückauer, VP, ZDFE.unscripted; Peter Lang, VP, ZDFE.junior; Robert Franke, VP, ZDFE.drama. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Freud (Crime/suspense drama, 8x45 min.) Contemporary storytelling meets the decadence of Vienna in the 1890s, as Freud unwittingly becomes part of a nerveracking investigation into a murderous conspiracy. Top Dog (Crime/suspense drama, 8x45 min.) Ambitious Swedish lawyer Emily wants to solve a Freud kidnapping. Ex-con Teddy just wants out of the Mafia. Together they are unstoppable. Coconut, the Little Dragon (Kids animation, S2: Sløborn (Crime/suspense drama, 4x90 104x12 min.) It takes an adventure into fascinating min./8x45 min.) From the showrunner of Netflix’s worlds for misfits Coconut the Little Dragon and his Dogs of Berlin, this modern epic mixes coming-of- best friends to realize that other dragons have age drama with pandemic thriller to tell the story of problems too. a group of islanders confronted with a fatal virus. #LikeMe (Live-action junior, 13x26 min.) Caro’s famWataha (Drama/crime/suspense, 18x60 min. HD) ily is forced to move to the city due to her mother’s illThe series is set in the Bieszczady Mountains and is ness. In a school full of strangers, she has to start about border guard officers, who are tested to the lim- again from scratch: making new friends, navigating its of their morale and physical endurance. her way up high school’s tricky hierarchical ladder. Great Inventions (Science/knowledge, 35x50 Surprise Supervise! The PRISM IS A DANCER min.) A celebration of humankind’s great inventions Show (Unscripted, 90 min. eps.) An unsuspecting that have completely transformed our world, from studio member is confronted with their awkward

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online past in this award-winning comedy show, and detail the new and exciting world around them: planet Earth. proving that the internet forgets nothing. Little Princess (Preschool animation, 135x11 min.) Little Princess is full of energy, charm and ZODIAK KIDS BANIJAY GROUP questions about how the world works. She has an O (44-20) 7013-4431 impressive curiosity and is delightfully stubborn. m sales@zodiakkids.com Totally Spies (Animation, 156x26 min.) Saving w www.zodiakkids.com mankind from a dastardly archvillain and passing Contact: Benoit di Sabatino, CEO; Delphine that impossible algebra exam—it’s all in a day’s Dumont, SVP, sales, acq. & coprod.; Julia Rowlands, work for super spies Clover, Sam and Alex. VP, sales, acq. & coprod.; Cecile Cau, VP, sales & coprod.; Diane Bernier, sales & contracts exec. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Cry Babies Magic Tears (Preschool animation, S1: 12x3 min., S2: 26x5 min., S3: 36x5 min., S4: 26x5 min. in prod.) Join the cute little babies with their big personalities as they explore this imaginative world where tears are magical and carry special powers. Lost in Oz (Animation, 26x30 min.) Dorothy needs magic to return to Kansas, but quickly Cry Babies Magic Tears learns that Oz is in the middle of the worst magic shortage in years. LoliRock (Animation, 52x26 min.) When Iris joins Little Big Awesome (Animation, 26x15 min./13x30 the girl group LoliRock, her life is changed forever, min.) Follow the antics of Gluko, a Jelly Giant as a new world of music, mysteries and magical shapeshifter, and Lennon, a little guy with a pom-pom powers is revealed. hat that contains everything he could ever want. Monster Buster Club (Animation, 52x26 min.) Kody Kapow (Preschool animation, 52x11 Juggling school and top-secret monster busting min./26x22 min.) An aspiring martial arts-style can be tough—especially when your science superhero named Kody spends the summer with teacher turns out to be an alien. his extended family in a small village in China. Zack and Quack (Preschool animation, 78x11 Floogals (Preschool animation, 130x11 min.) min./39x22 min.) Follow the adventures of a Fleeker, Flo and Boomer are pocket-sized alien dynamic and adventurous boy named Zack and his adventurers on a mission to observe, experience best friend, an impulsive young duck called Quack.

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Trending on WorldScreenings.com Watch the most-viewed clips on WorldScreenings in the last month.

Hero Elementary (Preschool animation, 40x22 min./80x11 min.) Welcome to Hero Elementary, a school where young superheroes learn to master their unique abilities and take on some day-saving action.

Snackmasters (Format, 60 min. eps.) Two great chefs battle it out to make perfect replicas of a beloved snack; can they convince the experts and master the snack?

Anthropocene—The Rise of Humans (Science/knowledge, 3x50 min.) This stunning and optimistic portrait reveals cutting-edge scientific and societal solutions to our planet’s greatest danger: the devastating impact of humans on planet Earth.

True and the Rainbow Kingdom (Preschool 3D, 30x22 min., 5x22 min. seasonal specials & 1x44 min. holiday special) Compassionate superhero True and her best friend Bartleby the cat come to the rescue of Rainbow Kingdom’s whimsical citizens.

Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes (Historical drama, 8x52 min.) Arrested and sent to Siberia, Zuleikha begins to build a new life for herself and discovers an inner strength. 104 WORLD SCREEN 6/20

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