THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF FILM, BROADCASTING, BROADBAND, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION April 2016 - VOL. 36 NO. 3 - $9.75

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MIP-TV Preview: Sports in All Television Forms European Fiction Business talk wins is Going Through A Change Is Becoming An over floor business $50 Billion Worth of Change American Drama Page 12 Reiner Moritz into the ports on television is big business worldwide. It has Int’l TV Distribution Sthe most complex license fee Hall of Fame structure of all TV content. Sports TV licensing is going through a structural Page 20 change because of the second screen. And sports is considered the lifeline for FTA. For this reason, sports Italian TV after Netflix leagues are leveraging this strength by increasing license fees. For example, he international television is more of the same in Italy the Serie A football league’s “Well, all the balls are in our court!” business was founded on traditional TV annual budget of 2.4 billion euro is 54 Tthe sale of U.S. dramas — Page 28 percent covered by TV rights. sports and the Winter 15 (some of initially feature films, but primetime them with multiple disciplines). The figures attached to this TV drama quickly followed. So, it form of programming are mind- Yet, there are just 10 top sports on is no surprise that, from the very My2¢: Pity buyers who boggling. According to the World TV: Football (soccer) with 3.5 billion early days, U.S. series dominated Sports Encyclopedia, around the followers, cricket (2.5 billion), field have split personalities world there are 3,000 sports, but hockey (2 billion), tennis (1 billion), international TV drama sales. But as a job requirement the Summer Olympics have only 28 volleyball (900 million), table tennis that is no longer the case — new Page 38 (Continued on Page 32) (Continued on Page 34) Formats: Unloved By The Law, Loved By Viewers

t is, perhaps, a revealing testament to the true nature Iof the television business that, despite the refusal of courts on either side of the Atlantic and Pacific to recognize their existence in matters of legal protection — formats have become one of the biggest and fastest growing industry sectors. So, why is the format so loved and what makes a great format? There aren’t many “hard facts” about the format business, but one (Continued on Page 35) THE LEADER IN PREMIUM TELEVISION

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SEASON 1: 10 X 30 MINS Cover Stories MAIN OFFICES 216 EAST 75TH STREET Fiction outside drama is becoming NEW YORK, NY 10021 TEL: (212) 288-3933 an American drama FAX: (212) 288-3424 WWW.VIDEOAGE.ORG Formats: Unloved by the law, loved WWW.VIDEOAGELATINO.COM by viewers worldwide WWW.VIDEOAGE.IT P.O. BOX 25282 Sports in all TV forms is going LOS ANGELES, CA 90025 through a change: $50 billion worth VIALE ABRUZZI 30 News 20123 MILAN, ITALY of change YUKARI MEDIA YMI BLDG. 3-3-4, UCHIHIRANOMACHI 4. World: Italy, U.S., U.K., CHUO-KU, OSAKA JAPAN TEL: (816) 4790-2222 Australia, India EDITOR SEASON 1: 13 X 30 MINS 8 X 60 MINS DOM SERAFINI 16. DISCOP Istanbul: The EDITORIAL TEAM SHERIF AWAD (MIDDLE EAST) Turkish backlash could ISME BENNIE (CANADA) ENZO CHIARULLO (ITALY) undermine the market LUCY COHEN BLATTER ILANA ENGELBERG Features 20. Int’l TV Distribution CARLOS GUROVICH LEAH HOCHBAUM ROSNER Hall of Fame. Reiner SUSAN HORNIK (L.A.) 10. Book Review: A BOB JENKINS (U.K.) Moritz: Arts & music AKIKO KOBAYACHI (JAPAN) Lynchian director From DAVID SHORT (AFRICA) Another Place. Could it have been his beat from MARIA ZUPPELLO (BRAZIL) PUBLISHER be Twin Peaks? Germany and U.K. MONICA GORGHETTO SEASON 1: 8 X 60 MINS 12. Mart Preview: At MIP-TV BUSINESS OFFICE 24. Some U.S. TV pilots LEN FINKEL SEASON 2: 10 X 60 MINS business talk wins over 1 X 109 MINS SEASON 3: 10 X 60 MINS are out of the hangars LEGAL OFFICE floor business. “Light” ROBERT ACKERMANN, STEVE SCHIFFMAN studio presence good for earlier than usual for WEB MANAGER indies BRUNO MARRACINO the 2016-2017 season DESIGN/LAYOUT CARMINE RASPAOLO 30. Company Profile: 28. Italian TV love affairs: Breakthrough ILLUSTRATIONS BOB SHOCHET Entertainment in an Television before and evolving Canadian after Netflix. VIDEO AGE INTERNATIONAL (ISSN 0278-5013 USPS 601-230) media scene IS PUBLISHED SEVEN TIMES A YEAR: • The Italian JANUARY, MARCH/APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER/DECEMBER. 36. Calendar of events, “traditional” TV PLUS DAILIES BY TV TRADE MEDIA, INC. SEASON 1: 10 X 60 MINS dates to remember and © TV TRADE MEDIA INC. 2015. THE ENTIRE universe in figures CONTENTS OF VIDEO AGE INTERNATIONAL SEASON 1: 8 X 60 MINS SEASON 2: 12 X 60 MINS travel news ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT IN THE SEASON 3: 10 X 60 MINS U.S., U.K., AND ALL COUNTRIES SEASON 2: 10 X 60 MINS SIGNATORY TO THE BERNE CONVENTIO AND THE PAN-AMERICAN CONVENTION. SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO VIDEO AGE INTERNATIONAL, 216 EAST 75TH STREET, SUITE PW, AT MIPTV 2016: NEW YORK, NY 10021, U.S.A. R9.A32 PURSUANT TO THE U.S. COPYRIGHTS Pity program buyers who have split personalities ACT OF 1976, THE RIGHTS OF ALL FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT: CONTENT DONE ON ASSIGNMENT STARZGLOBAL.COM FOR ALL VIDEOAGE PUBLICATIONS as a job requirement. Critics have to deal with ARE HELD BY THE PUBLISHER OF VIDEOAGE, WHICH PLEASE FOLLOW US ON: audience tastes and appreciate the production COMMISSIONED THEM values of shows. STARZ and related channels and service marks are the property of Starz Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved. Page 38 VIDEOAGE World April 2016

VideoAge is Site For CBS’s The Good Wife Gershman’s ast January, Eye Productions, a division of CBS, chose the offices of VideoAge Soul Revealed in New York City to film three segments of one of the last episodes of the long- Lrunning show The Good Wife. in New Book It was episode 16 of the seventh and final season. The series, which premiered in 2009 on the CBS TV Network, will have accumulated 156 episodes when the final episode airs. In the U.S., the series averages 12.5 million viewers per week. Even though The Good Wife is set in Chicago, the interiors are filmed at Broadway Stages in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and the exteriors around the New York City metro area. This is not the first time a production company has chosen VideoAge’s offices. Last March, Broadway Video, the production company of NBC’s Saturday Night Live, approached VideoAge for an episode starring Michael Keaton. At that time, the offices were buzzing with MIP-TV preparations and could not be shared. To film five-minute airtime starring Stockard Channing and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (pictured above), Eye Productions dispatched a crew of 100 people, four 4K cameras and redesigned the interiors to look like an apartment. Usually, it takes seven days to prepare an episode and eight days to shoot. After an episode is completed, it will air in 28 days. The final episode of The Good Wife series will air in the U.S. on May 8 at 9 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) eteran U.S. TV executive Larry Gershman has Vpublished his memoirs: a voluminous book of 424 pages titled A Kid From Brooklyn: Lessons Learned (Amazon U.S.$9.99 for the Kindle version, $14.99 for the printed version). The book is divided into 136 vignettes in chronological order. It is all about Gershman and his various career moves, from NTA to CBS, from NBC to Don King Productions, from Viacom to MGM/UA, and finally to the creation of WIN: World International Network. In between pages the reader can spot a few gems: Gershman describes how Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi’s “financial executive, Carlo Bernasconi,” asked him for a bribe, on page 308. Then, on page 314: “Ted Turner is a nut job, but one of the most honorable and loyal men I have ever met.” Each vignette ends with a “Lesson Learned” explanation. This latter aspect makes the title of the book unique (there are at least five other books with “Kid From Brooklyn” titles, in addition to a 1986 movie and various newspaper headlines, like the New York Times’ recent “The Boy From Brooklyn,” about David Geffen). Gershman’s book also contains 12 pages of photos of himself with TV and religious leaders (including shaking hands with Pope John Paul II). Unfortunately, these pages were not accounted for while numbering the subsequent vignettes. After page 197, each vignette is indicated with a wrong number on the table of contents page (e.g., the vignette on Berlusconi is indicated for page 207 when it is actually on page 210).

(Continued on Page 6) 4 VIDEOAGE April 2016

SEE US AT MIPTV P.C VIDEOAGE World April 2016 (Continued from Page 4) RAI’s Prix Italia Has a New Secretary General Super Bowl Show: Myth, ittorio Argento has replaced RAI veteran Paolo Morawski as Prix Italia’s Secretary General. Reality Organized by RAI, Italy’s state broadcaster, the PrixV Italia radio, TV and Web festival is now in its 68th year. he Super Bowl, the Argento (pictured at right) is the 13th Secretary General to annual game between head the annual event. T the winners of the two American Football Leagues (NFC Born in Milan, the 58-year-old Argento has spent his career and AFC), is usually watched by working in radio and daily newspapers. He is a RAI veteran, over 110 million viewers in the and joined the organization in 1990. He was responsible for U.S. Overseas, the audience is the early morning news bulletins when he became deputy estimated at over 35 million. managing director of RAI Radio1 and RAI Radio News in 2007. Argento entered the field in 1976 with a private station. At times, more popular than He is an expert on air and space flights, and teaches radio the games themselves are the journalism at Scuola di Giornalismo Radiotelevisivo in Perugia. 12-minute live halftime shows (which since 1991, feature famous singers and pop bands), as well as the commercials shown during the games’ broadcasts. Prior to 1991, Super Bowl halftime breaks featured mostly marching bands. Last February’s game was the 50th of the series, and was branded with Arabic numbers, rather than traditional Roman numerals, which would have been “L.” For the League owners, it was too close to interpretations or The Best in Automotive Programming mockery such “Loser” or “Lost.” The success of the Super Bowls and the modern halftime shows depends on the branding value of the competing teams (which this year were the winning Denver Broncos over the Carolina Panthers — 24 to 10), and the popularity of the performing artists. This year’s line-up included Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, and Beyoncé. But it was Texas-born Beyoncé who generated the most buzz with a controversial music and dance performance interpreted as a celebration of the revolutionary Black Panthers and inspirational 1x120 civil activist Malcolm X. 13x30 11x60 Fortunately for the CBS TV network that broadcasts the event live from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the sound was garbled, making the words unintelligible to most viewers. The networks that broadcast the Super Bowl halftime shows are also protected by a five-second sound delay to bleep out potential controversial words. Since 2003, the halftime shows are mostly pre-recorded, with the exception of the singing of the National Anthem, which Lady Gaga performed excellently this year. For the halftime show, organizers have just eight 9x30 41x60 minutes to build the stage in the middle of the stadium and only three-and-a-half minutes to get the sound system set up (and Stand R7.K17 www.grbtv.com• [email protected] seven minutes to clear the field for the second half of the game). Plus, the echo in the stadium can create further problems. (Continued on Page 8) MARCH.2016 JUNIOR PAGE_ 7.284”x 9.055” 6 VIDEO AGE GRB Entertainment Sherman Oaks, California 91423 Melissa [email protected]_818.728.7600 VIDEOAGE April 2016

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Into_The_Badlands_Video_Age_Ad_27x36cm.indd 1 2016-03-23 10:18 AM VIDEOAGE World April 2016 (Continued from Page 6) (as well as the rest of the world) invest in, keeping the next few Sports TV Ratings Across the World years in mind? The NBA is a good bet. n the U.S., American football takes the lion’s share of sports TV ratings. In Europe and South America, association Unsurprisingly the NBA has football (soccer) takes the cake, as is the case in China (even though the most widely played sport is Ping Pong). the second highest ratings, I On the Indian subcontinent, cricket attracts the highest television ratings. In Australia, cricket is in second but basketball also has the place behind Australian Rules Football, a sport similar to rugby that can distinction of having the lowest be played on a modified cricket field. average viewer age, something American football ratings are growing in spite of recent controversy for networks to keep an eye on surrounding the long-term impact of concussions on its players. National in the long term. Football League (NFL) regular-season games attract as much viewership In Europe, primetime as National Basketball Association (NBA) playoff games, with the NFL’s basketball broadcasts (including Super Bowl knocking every other sport in the U.S. out of the ballpark. games of the NBA, the various But with a 17-week season and rumblings about ratings hitting a National Leagues, or the viewership cap in a few years, which sports should networks in the U.S. Europe-wide Euroleague) could be advisable counters to two problems free-to-air networks haven’t been able to deal with: abysmal numbers among young viewers, and pay-TV networks hogging the rights to lucrative football broadcasts. The U.S. National Hockey league (NHL), on the other hand, distinguishes itself by having the highest-earning viewers on average, according to Nielsen. Although the Stanley READY FOR Cup (NHL’s playoff) viewership numbers don’t come near that of baseball’s World Series (finals), the regular-season numbers are surprisingly close. Baseball is still solidly TAKE-OFF in third place, but ratings have been steadily declining over the years, increasing only in markets where the local team has performed well. Baseball also has the heaviest male- dominated viewership. The most consistent global sport is tennis, as it appears in the top seven of nearly every country measured. But viewership varies greatly based on the kind of tournament being played, with the Grand Slam (a combination of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open) getting the highest premium. Football (soccer) in the U.S. continues to be a conundrum. Although numbers are high in regards to international tournaments such as the World Cup and top-level leagues (especially the English Premier League) Major League Soccer

PREVIEW © 2016 Studio 100 Animation All rights reserved. Studio 100 NV. / can’t seem to gain traction. (By Yuri Serafini) AT MIPTV 2016 For more on Sports TV, see this R7.C1 edition’s front cover story.

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160303_S100M_MipTv16_AZ_NilsCGI_VideoAge_185x230MM_RZ.indd 1 8 03.03.16 16:53 VIDEOAGE April 2016 VIDEOAGE Book Review April 2016 A Lynchian Director From Another Place. Could It Be Twin Peaks?

hen you hear the name David Lynch Lim depicts Lynch as a harmless odd duck who’s — director of such decidedly freaky a big believer in the power of Transcendental Wfeature films as Mulholland Drive Meditation (TM), a type of mantra meditation and Lost Highway — you think odd, you think — and even founded an organization, the strange, you think bizarre, you think weird. You David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness- think of a tie-less man with his shirt buttoned to Based Education and World Peace, to fund the the neck at all times and gray hair that sits like teaching of the practice in schools. According to a cresting wave atop his perpetually furrowed Lim, Lynch credits TM with keeping him from brow. You think of films that, while being cult committing suicide at a really low point in his favorites, are often so critically reviled that one life, when his first feature-length film, the black- Variety reviewer called 1977’s Eraserhead, “a sickening bad-taste exercise.” You think of a man and-white surrealist horror movie “Eraserhead so peculiar in taste and bearing that someone had stalled and his first marriage to his first wife, even thought to coin the term, “Lynchian”— Peggy [Lentz], was unraveling.” which is essentially a synonym for “weird” — But despite his somewhat offbeat daily and which UrbanDictionary.com defines as: practices, Lynch still thinks of himself as a small “You have no f-----g clue what’s going on, but you town boy and often describes himself using the know it’s genius.” simple four-word bio, “Eagle Scout, Missoula, In David Lynch: The Man From Another Place Montana.” He speaks in a somewhat halting, (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, 184 pgs., gee whiz, Middle America sort of cadence that $15.43), U.S. film critic Dennis Lim seeks to seems to surprise folks who picture the man pull back the curtain to reveal more about the behind such mind-bending projects as the ABC oddball director, from his early influences and network’s early ’90s Twin Peaks, well, differently. humble beginnings as a painter to his current After all, that series actually included, among its role as the showrunner behind Showtime’s regular cast of characters, a woman known as the forthcoming Twin Peaks revival. He explores each of Lynch’s projects, including his surprising Log Lady, who receives messages from a wooden critical success The Elephant Man in 1980, stump she holds in her arms, as well as a dancing, undisputable flops like 1984’s sci-fi adventure backward-speaking dwarf called, yes, The Man Dune, shameless money grabs like 1992’s Twin From Another Place. Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and headscratchers doesn’t explore the question. Is the excessive weirdness artificial, wonders like 2006’s Inland Empire, which employed a But what the book lacks in personal exploration, Lim, or is the shy-seeming humility the sham? dizzying shift in perspective — one of Lynch’s “There is… something a bit peculiar about preferred directorial tricks — that befuddled it somewhat makes up for with telling personal Lynch’s niceness — a heightened golly-gee, stuck- both fans and critics alike. anecdotes. In this slim biography (it’s under 200 pages) Lim manages to paint a vivid portrait in-the-1950s folksiness that some people think Lim (who’s also director of programming at of Lynch. Fascinating tidbits about the director must be a put-on,” writes Lim. “Whether innate or the Film Society of Lincoln Center) digs deep include the fact that he keeps a preserved uterus cultivated or both, the picture of David Lynch the into each of Lynch’s projects — delving easily in his home — a rather Lynchian gift from straight-arrow square is striking for the obvious into the gross, the grotesque and the surreal onetime collaborator Raffaella De Laurentiis contrast with the darkness and extremity of with ease — although not so deeply into Lynch’s the work, its obsession with grotesquerie and actual life. Sure, we learn about the Missoula, (daughter of late Italian film producer Dino De depravity. In view of the work, in fact, Lynch’s Montana-born auteur’s many significant Laurentiis); that he “tended to eat the exact romantic relationships (four marriages thus same thing every day (at the time, a tuna mild-mannered calm can seem somewhat far and a lengthy love affair with leading lady sandwich) until he got sick of it and switched to creepy.” Who knows what’s real and what isn’t? Isabella Rossellini), but not very much about something else”; and that cooking is forbidden Lim doesn’t. And Lynch isn’t telling. how each woman might have influenced the in his home due to his fear that the cooking Like the movies he makes, Lynch’s working smells will get all over the artwork he keeps in avant-garde filmmaker. The marriages and the life has been fairly unusual. Writes Lim: “Lynch’s his house, such as his drawings and writings. four children that resulted from them are barely career is a series of ups and downs, filed with mentioned. As a result, he only eats things “that you don’t meteoric rises, spectacular collapses, unexpected have to light a fire for.” Lim tells of an interview Some might say that’s because The Man From detours, and long bouts of inactivity. Looked at with U.S. talk show host Jay Leno in which the Another Place is a book about just that, the man. another way, it is also a model of constancy, a director mentioned that “for seven straight But others might argue that we are the way we are testament to a single-mindedness that verges on years he drank a chocolate milkshake in a silver in part due to the people who populate our worlds. the autistic.” In a word, it’s been Lynchian. And Would 1986’s Blue Velvet — possibly Lynch’s most goblet every day at 2:30 p.m. at [burger joint] whether you’re a fan or a foe of the films crafted autobiographical film; he even dressed Kyle Bob’s Big Boy in Los Angeles.” He also describes by this man who seems at times to be from MacLachlan, the film’s star, as he himself usually Lynch’s Hollywood Hills, California home as another planet altogether, you’ll be fascinated by dresses — have become the critical and cult being “spartan, almost bare… Since he rarely The Man From Another Place. favorite that it was without Rossellini’s influence came across furniture that he liked, he left the (and performance)? Who knows? Lim certainly house unfurnished.” (By Leah Hochbaum Rosner)

10 VIDEOAGE April 2016 VIDEOAGE MIP-TV Preview April 2016 Business Talk Wins Over Floor Business. “Light” Studio Presence a Boon to Indies

ome observers have wondered why MIP- new 2D animated comedy Chuck’s Choice there. TV organizers emphasize the conference “We’re also excited to represent Mattel’s latest Sportion of the market — with a rich array offerings: Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam and of seminars and special events — over the market Little People,” he said. “We probably meet with floor. about half of our usual client base. This is still Events include several brand new developments, beneficial for us though because it means we such as the introduction of the MIPDrama can spend more time with our clients who are in Screenings, a new invitation-only event that will attendance,” he said. take place on Sunday, April 3, the day before “We tend to focus our scripted launches at the MIP-TV officially opens, and is, according to L.A. Screenings as well as MIPCOM,” said FIC’s Reed Midem, “designed to meet the growing senior vice president, global head of Content international demand for high-end drama series Sales Prentiss Fraser from London. “So, we use from Europe and other major drama-producing MIPDoc and MIP-TV to focus on our premium territories.” National Geographic and new factual lineup.” Running concurrently with the larger market For that, they’ll meet with about 600 buyers, she is Kids @ MIPTV, a series of meetings and said. A big focus this year will be The Story of God: presentations focusing on children television With Morgan Freeman. (which is also concurrent with Italy’s Bologna Similarly, Peter Iacono, president, International Digital Media, specializing on children’s book Television & Digital Distribution at Lionsgate, publishing and media). commented from Santa Monica: “At MIP-TV we In fact it feels as though MIP-TV is always taking Starz’s Gene George will have the opportunity to give our clients a first place just after, during or before other markets. look at a great lineup of new shows which we will In addition to the Bologna show, MIP-TV is held Group, Mattel’s Richard Dickson, Dominique officially launch and screen full episodes of at the close to Discop Istanbul (March 1- 3), Hong Kong Delport of Vivendi Content & Havas Media, [L.A.] Screenings.” Some of the new “teasers” at Filmart (March 14-17), SportelAsia (March 15-17), Sky’s Jeremy Darroch and Sharon Scott of MIP-TV will be: Greenleaf, Feed the Beast, Graves the NAB show in Las Vegas (April 16-21) and the NBCU Peacock Productions — and a record 105 and Kicking & Screaming. formidable Los Angeles Screenings (May 16-27). seminars scheduled during the combined six-day But for a company like Starz, which doesn’t have event (April 2-7) provide fertile ground on which Undeterred, MIP-TV organizers raise the bar a very large presence at the L.A. Screenings, MIP- to parade those high rollers. with more events, more seminars, more premiere TV offers an important opening. “MIP-TV gives screenings and more top-level executives. This year, Germany will receive special Starz a great opportunity to showcase our original attention with three tailored seminars, as MIP- programming and movie content in advance [of MIP Digital Formats will once again take place TV’s focus. Plus, an array of official breakfasts, the L.A. Screenings], especially series launching at the same time as the main market; and MIPDoc luncheons and galas, create a “must-attend” on our Starz channels in the U.S. in the summer and MIPFormats will be held the weekend before feeling among TV industry executives. and fall,” said Gene George, executive vice MIP (with documentarian Morgan Spurlock president of Worldwide Distribution at L.A.-based giving the keynote speech at MIPDoc). However, as always, VideoAge was interested to know how the timing of MIP-TV works for those Naturally, “who’s going to be there,” is more (Continued on Page 14) sellers on the floor, due to the proximity of the L.A. important than what the talk is about and MIP- Screenings, which this year will start a bit later TV organizers are very aggressive in promoting than usual, but still 38 days after MIP-TV. As it the A-list — such as Guillaume de Posch of RTL turns out, that depends greatly on whom you ask. “We always have new programs in the pipeline so the timing is fine for us, but we usually don’t send our full sales team to MIP-TV,” said Josh Scherba, senior vice president, Distribution at Toronto-based DHX. But they will be launching

MIP-TV organizers raise the bar with more events, more seminars, more premiere screenings and more top-level executives. Mediaset’s Manuela Caputi Lionsgate’s Peter Iacono

12 VIDEOAGE April 2016 VIDEOAGE MIP-TV Preview April 2016 (Continued from Page 12) Starz, who will attend the market along with five other members of their TV and digital sales team. “With the super-strong premium slate we manage, and with the soft presence from the studios, this really gives Starz the opportunity to be one of the most relevant distributors at MIP-TV,” he said. Starz’s new The Girlfriend Experience, which will launch the week after MIP-TV on Starz Channel in the U.S., will be a major focus on the Croisette. For Marielle Zuccarelli, executive president of International Distribution at L.A.-based Sonar Entertainment, the timing works particularly well this year thanks to an already launched series. “The Shannara Chronicles has had a successful premiere season in all major territories, and we Keren Shahar of Keshet International are continuing to ride this momentum as we Marielle Zuccarelli of Sonar Entertainment continue to sell it worldwide,” she said. As such, she is expecting back-to-back meetings. Manuela Caputi, head of Sales for Italy’s Mediaset Library, said she’ll have 30 to 40 meetings per day. “There is a huge demand for scripted formats and new content to adapt locally… and this year we can offer a big catalog of series,” she said. Launches will include action series Task Force 45 from Canale 5, which is a love story between Hungry for formats? an Italian army officer and an Afghani woman, and Not My Son, a passionate thriller-drama about a mother who fights to defend a son accused of murder. But for Keren Shahar, managing director, Distribution for Israel’s Keshet International, the timing of MIP-TV isn’t all that important; it’s more like icing on the cake. “Because we’re constantly on the ground in the territories we sell to, the timing of MIP-TV is not so important to us. Keshet is open for business all year round! MIP-TV just gives us an extra focus/important calendar date to meet with clients from all over the world in one hit,” she said. “Keshet International’s SCRIPTed affiliation to Keshet Broadcasting, along with our gaMe SHow own local production offices and third-party acquisitions, mean enTeRTaInMenT that we have a healthy pipeline of original content which gives us product to introduce at several of the international Meet us at Mip Formatsand Mip TV markets throughout the year.” The company is planning to StAnd P-1 J56 launch new formats, including BBC One drama The A Word, The Writer and Battle of the Chefs, at www.KABOInternA t IOn A l.cO m MIP-TV. (By Lucy Cohen Blatter)

14 VIDEOAGE April 2016 VIDEOAGE DISCOP Review April 2016 Turkish Market Reported Better Results Than Expected

here were mixed reviews for the recently BEHIND EVERY SMART PROGRAM concluded sixth edition of DISCOP TIstanbul. The shortage of buyers and the THERE IS ALWAYS A SMART HEAD. proximity to MIP-TV were lamented. However, fear of terrorism and the reported lack of support from Turkish companies were not major concerns, after all. Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki of DISCOP organizer Basic Lead was satisfied with the turnout, “considering the concerns for safety in the area,” he commented. All distributors contacted by VideoAge said they had no reservations about traveling to Istanbul for the event. Even though all exhibitors registered brisk activity during the first two days of the market, the biggest concern was the reduced affluence of buyers, especially from the Middle East, mostly due to the dire financial situations in many of those territories. Many exhibitors had cancellations in their schedules of appointments with MENA buyers. Mediaset Distribution’s Manuela Caputi reported some cancellations, but The Kanal D stand, part of the main Turkish Pavilion was still very busy with Turkish and CEE buyers, mostly looking for long-running drama series. was present in a big way. being that the Cannes trade show was a month A+E Networks’ Lorenzo Bortolotti was surprised Returning exhibitors with large-sized stands away. Many companies at DISCOP were already by the absence of major Middle East pay-TV were NBCUniversal, FOX and Zee Entertainment, busy planning their participation at MIP and operator OSM. Calinos’ Emre Gorentas lamented plus the new entry of Entertainment One, prefer to introduce new titles at that event. both the reduced number of participating buyers exhibiting in Istanbul for the first time to meet Mediaset’s Caputi, for example, said she will be and the close calendar dates of DISCOP and MIP- their Turkish clients. TV France International offering new content, especially factual titles, TV. He also emphasized the high exhibiting costs set up its own traditional umbrella stand for at MIP-TV. at DISCOP Istanbul, which prompted all Turkish its participating members, and the European Caracol’s Berta Orozco also confirmed that distributors to cut their investments in addition Pavilion housed nine E.U. distributors. Notably her company will unveil new series at MIP-TV, to recreational events at the market (notably this absent were the Chinese and Korean pavilions; nevertheless in Istanbul she was busy showcasing year there was no opening cocktail party and no in fact organizers estimated a 25 percent drop in Caracol’s newest hit The White Slave, among other Global Agency bash). participation from last year in general. titles. She reported a busy appointment schedule A total of 60 exhibitors were present on the DISCOP Istanbul’s three-day market, which and felt that Latin American series are making market floor, with the main 10 Turkish companies ended March 3, was held at the usual Istanbul a comeback, partly because Turkish distributors — Kanal D, TRT, ITV, ATV, Calinos, Gem, Raya International Convention and Exhibition Center, have raised their license fees recently and Group, Horizon, Eccho Rights and Global Agency adjacent to the Hilton Bosphorus hotel, where therefore are now less competitive. — for the first time grouped in two Turkish most of the participants were housed. As for a participating buyer’s perspective, Pavilions to save costs, instead of large individual But MIP-TV was on most exhibitors’ minds, Andreja Sertic of Zagreb, Croatia-based Media stands as in the previous editions. Nonetheless, Acquisitions was back in Istanbul for the fourth each of the major Turkish distribution companies time. She has been acquiring Turkish TV series The biggest concern for many years, since they are very popular in the was the reduced affluence of buyers, especially from the Middle East, mostly due to the dire MANY THANKS TO REINER MORITZ financial situations AND CONGRATULATIONS in many of those territories. Caracol’s Berta Orozco TRT’s Meltem Tumturk Akyol (Continued on Page 18) 16

Reiner_Moritz_k7.indd 1 18.03.2016 11:27:45 VIDEOAGE April 2016

BEHIND EVERY SMART PROGRAM THERE IS ALWAYS A SMART HEAD.

MANY THANKS TO REINER MORITZ AND CONGRATULATIONS

Reiner_Moritz_k7.indd 1 18.03.2016 11:27:45 DISCOP Review VIDEOAGE April 2016 Poorhouse International salutes the Pioneers of International Television (Continued from Page 16) ex-Yugoslavian territories, which she represents; Distribution and the establishment of a “Hall of Fame” to honour those but she regretted that recently the quality of these series has somewhat diminished, mostly executives whose careers helped to shape the world of television distribution. due to shrinking production budgets. Asked to evaluate the busy schedule of markets Without them iconic programmes might not have happened. since the beginning of the year, Sertic found it hard to keep up. She was just back from EFM in Berlin and will head to both NEM and NATPE Budapest, preferring to skip MIP-TV in order to Pippi Longstocking • The Magic of Dance starring Margot Fonteyn • Life on Earth concentrate on MIPCOM and AFM; as for the L.A. Screenings — although she found the event to be Masterworks • Peter Brook’s Mahabharata • Peter Stein’s Faust • Art:21 extraordinary — Sertic prefers working with the studios’ regional offices, which, she said, “are Valery Gergiev’s The Shostakovich Cycle • Robert Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach easy to reach and a more affordable solution.” On the conference side, on the morning of the Robert Hughes’ The Shock of the New • Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii Telemundo Internacional’s Karina Etchison and Beelink’s market’s first day, there was a “Format Day,” co- Donna Jishy (l.) organized with FRAPA, and with conference sessions analyzing the different challenges of the format business in the CEE and MENA territories. In the afternoon a “Format Showcase,” introduced pitches by various format creators looking for distributors. VIDEOAGE On the market’s second day, sessions focused on digitalization via satellite and programming TV movies in Turkey, with a special emphasis on the latest TRT productions. Day three sessions were on product placement and branded entertainment topics. Dates for next year are already planned for February 28-March 2, 2017 in the same venue, but there could still be developments like one of the major Turkish distributors, Global Agency, creating its own screenings in June or even, as reported by VideoAge Daily at NATPE 2016, DISCOP itself moving to the month of June. However, the Turkish distributors’ relationship with Discop Istanbul’s organizers must have improved, since it has been announced that Turkey will be the Country of Honor at Discop Abidjan (May 31-June 2, 2016). MG

May 16th LATAM Issue May 21th Studio Issue

Hollywood Studios and InterContinental Hotel Reiner Moritz The Art of Programming 18

Poorhouse - Witchita films ad.indd 2 14/03/2016 12:40 VIDEOAGE April 2016 Poorhouse International salutes the Pioneers of International Television Distribution and the establishment of a “Hall of Fame” to honour those executives whose careers helped to shape the world of television distribution. Without them iconic programmes might not have happened.

Pippi Longstocking • The Magic of Dance starring Margot Fonteyn • Life on Earth Masterworks • Peter Brook’s Mahabharata • Peter Stein’s Faust • Art:21 Valery Gergiev’s The Shostakovich Cycle • Robert Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach Robert Hughes’ The Shock of the New • Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii

Reiner Moritz The Art of Programming

Poorhouse - Witchita films ad.indd 2 14/03/2016 12:40 VIDEOAGE Int’l TV Distribution Hall of Fame April 2016 Reiner Moritz: Arts & Music Have Been His Beat, From Germany, U.K.

hen Reiner Moritz, now world- distribution company in London, RM Associates, renowned for his arts programs, was which closed because of the Kirch Gruppe failure, Wworking for Leo Kirch’s Beta Film in as they had 51 percent of the voting rights.” Munich, he was a chain smoker. One day Reiner During the early years of his career in program couldn’t smoke all day; the two were driving to distribution, Moritz encouraged the creation Nuremberg and Kirch did not allow smoking in his of trade shows. This need evolved from his car. And from then on he didn’t smoke for 10 years. participation in the ’60s at trade events such But when the violinist Isaac Stern, for whom he as Prix Italia, the RAI sponsored radio and TV did television work, offered him a top Cuban cigar festival. That was created in Italy in 1948, but did (Monte Cristo No. 3), he couldn’t resist. Ever since, not include program sales facilities. “I won twice he has “enjoyed a good cigar after a meal, but not with [film director] Tony Palmer’s profiles of regularly, and no longer inhaling,” he explained. composers Benjamin Britten (1967) and William Embracing quality product has been Moritz’s Walton (1980).” raison d’etre. This is why he’s always been attracted Reiner Moritz and his Monte Cristo His first market was MIFED in Milan. “I have to arts programs, which he produced and co- always attended MIFED so long as EBU members produced first under the RM Arts and Music label Germany. Soon after, he moved to the national went there, who were my clients. We even won the and most recently with Poorhouse International, daily newspaper Die Welt where he remained until Perla Award for our film on Expressionism. MIFED based in London. 1961. Then, at the age of 23, he joined Munich’s was a very pleasurable event, well organized and Over e-mail and for lunch at his Cannes residence Beta Film, then a five-year-old company founded with good viewing facilities. I very much regret during MIPCOM, VideoAge also discussed the by Leo Kirch. that MIFED was [closed],” he said. business model of arts program productions with Moritz entered the entertainment business by Moritz’s second market was MIP-TV, which was Moritz. accident. As he recalled, “I was looking for some first held in Lyon, France in 1963 and two years About Moritz’s famed luncheons, Tarmo writing job and ended up selecting short films for later moved to Cannes because “the mayor of Lyon Kivikallio of Finland’s YLE commented: “YLE a daily slot the young Kirch had clinched from [TV did not want it,” recalled Moritz. has bought a lot of documentaries and classic station] Hessisches Werbefernsehen.” This is how he remembered it: “At the [market’s] programs from him, and many times at MIP-TV Moritz also remembered how difficult it was in winding-up party, the then- mayor of Lyon Louis or MIPCOM I have had the pleasure of joining those early days, especially “to persuade Leo Kirch Pradel (nicknamed Zizi béton, because he had cut his lunch meetings on the last day of the event. to accept the sales prices I negotiated, because he the city in half with the Paris-Marseille motorway) Actually, those meetings are more pleasure always wanted more.” leaned over to me and said: ‘You see, there are not than business and Dr. Moritz seems to enjoy this In 1970, when Moritz left Kirch, he founded RM so many people around. I don’t think television has tradition.” Productions in Munich with the Hamburg-based a chance.’ And so MIP moved to Cannes.” “Arts programming doesn’t necessarily come in Polytel International as the majority shareholder. Compared to today’s international TV trade cheaply,” Moritz said in a subsequent interview. In 1976, he split from the company to found RM shows, the first MIP was a game of endurance. “Although a performance is there, a multi-camera Arts and Music — also in Munich — with Kirch as Recalled Moritz: “MIP was launched in one of shoot, sound recording and post-production cost majority shareholder. the huge halls at the Lyon Trade Fair. Some 200 money. You also have to compensate for seat loss Subsequently, RM became a full subsidiary television executives turned up. [Sellers] had and house fees. Major performances used to cost of the Kirch Gruppe, which had evolved from to bring film prints because no other support between U.S.$1 million and $1.5 million to record.” Sirius in 1956 into Beta Film in 1959, followed by had yet been invented, and in those days France He further explained: “[During] the golden Taurus. When Kirch Gruppe collapsed in 2002, had no automatic telephone system. So, I spent age of arts television in the ’60s and ’70s — when the liquidators sold RM Arts and Music to Arthaus hours sitting on a staircase near an improvised even commercial broadcasters like ITV in the Musik, while Moritz went on to create Poorhouse U.K. [transmitted arts shows] — usually the local International, a London-registered Munich-based public broadcaster would bear the brunt of [the company a year later. “[I] had my own company production costs]. Distributors would put up a again,” he said, explaining, “The name derived minimum guarantee and hopefully make some from the Massachusetts’ summer house of Curt money. [Later on,] laser disc and DVD helped. Davis, formerly VP of Programming for [the New Artists were normally bought out. York City-based] ARTS, later A&E. “Today, most arts programming only exists “It was one of the old buildings in New Haven [and because of foundations and grants and most later on it was used] to house poor people. Davis institutions have contracts, which either include also called his production company Poorhouse the artists or give them a percentage. [As for us, and when he died, I organized a scholarship in his nowadays we] only deal with theme channels, but name and his widow allowed me to use it.” Sky U.K., Sky Germany, Skyarts New Zealand and Poorhouse concentrates on major music Foxtel Arts Australia keep us going.” documentaries and represents selected producers. Moritz has received a number of honors for his In 2013, Moritz was commissioned to do a expansive artistic body of work, and in 1995 he documentary titled Dance on Screen, exploring the was elevated to the rank of Officier des l’Ordre des interaction of film, television and dance. Arts et des Lettres at MIPCOM in honor of the 25th On his frequent commutes to London, which at anniversary of RM. In 1997, the French television times are “weekly, but mostly monthly,” Moritz festival FIPA had a retrospective of Moritz’s films. explained, “I have always held that London is Moritz began his career as a journalist, writing central to our business, and have had connections for the Hannoversche Presse in his native Hannover, [there] since 1962. From 1983 to 2002 I had a Moritz today (Continued on Page 22) 20 VIDEOAGE April 2016 VIDEOAGE Int’l TV Distribution Hall of Fame April 2016 (Continued from Page 20) telephone booth waiting for a call to go through to Moritz first met MIP-TV founder Bernard Chevry producer] Gustavo Alatriste for German-speaking Stockholm. I had been given a scrap of paper with a in 1962, when Chevry was trying to market a rights for his latest film Viridiana by [director] four-line synopsis for Ingmar Bergman’s new film, documentary that he produced, and asked Moritz Luis Buñel. Being careful, I asked for and obtained The Silence. As was typical for the director nobody to sell it. a signed five-point deal on the back of the [Blue knew much about the plot and it was thanks to Chevry quickly realized that facilitating the Bar’s] menu. The next day, the film won the Palme somebody on his staff that I knew anything at all. buying and selling of programs could be more d´Or. Alatriste first tried to wriggle out of the deal When the call finally came through I bought the profitable than producing them, which Moritz but then stood by his signature. This was in May trilogy Through A Glass Darkly, Winter Light and encouraged. At that time the only markets were 1961.” The Silence for a million Swedish crowns [about MIFED in Milan and Prix Italia, which, Moritz At times, selling arts TV programs was difficult U.S.$1.5 million in today’s money] only to get into said, was the best way to meet broadcasters even even in Scandinavia, the biggest consumer of the a heated argument with my boss, Leo Kirch, who though, he recalled, “we were only allowed to genre: “Trying to sell a series of Karajan concerts thought I had bought All These Women (in color talk to the acquisition executives, and we didn’t to Finland’s Mainos TV, I failed miserably,” and a flop) while I had three movies in black and even know the names of people in charge of said Moritz. Later, talking to Mainos’ founding white. Eventually, The Silence passed censorship programming.” president Pentti Hanski, he promised to help. I and Germany was one of the few countries where About Cannes, Moritz recalled: “When the old was invited to their brand new offices in Helsinki the movie was shown uncut, as it was a work of Palais was still standing and the [adjacent] Blue where a buffet lunch had been laid out for the office art. It became one of the highest grossing titles at Bar was an important meeting place during the staff. I had been charged to bring the most popular the time.” Cannes Film Festival, I negotiated with [Mexican of the series, which was Alexis Weissenberg playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto Number 1. We had drinks and a screening after International which Pentti asked everybody present whether they would like TV Distribution to see this on their channel. The answer was an overwhelming Hall of Fame ‘yes’. I got my series placed, which garnered very good Wichita Films Salute ratings between Christmas and New Year against an popular Reiner Moritz YLE comedy show, which nobody could have beaten With your integrity, professionalism, drive and passion anyway.” He recalled another funny story. “It must have been 1967 You are indeed a pioneer in shaping the TV distribution industry when I was desperate to get some deals with Sweden’s SVT, Congratulations who were upset because Beta Film had bought up European And warmest wishes to our distribution partner rights in all important Japanese art-house movies and had them restored. Public service Poorhouse broadcasters at that time preferred to deal at source Clara and Julia Kuperberg and didn’t like distributors a bit. I eventually cornered the program director Nils-Erik Baehrendtz with his deputy Lars-Erik Kjellgren in the old Palais during MIP-TV and asked for a meeting. After having vented their frustration about the impossibility to acquire the Japanese titles from the Tokyo producers they suggested they would do business if I supported their Pippi Longstocking project to the tune of 900,000 Swedish crowns [US$1.3 million in today’s money]. I agreed and various deals were done. Back home I got into trouble because it turned out that SVT had seen every possible ARD station with the project and everybody had turned it down. But when the wichitafilms series and feature films finally 80 rue des Saints Pères were finished they become Ronald Reagan - The Custom Made President 75007 Paris France successes everywhere.” Distributed by Poorhouse International Ltd. www.wichitafilms.com (By Dom Serafini)

22 Poorhouse - Witchita films ad.indd 1 14/03/2016 09:55 VIDEOAGE INTERNATIONAL TV DISTRIBUTION April 2016 HALL OF FAME

ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR Reiner Moritz

CAN HE SELL A CONTEMPORARY OPERA ?

WALTER BENJAMIN, LAST NIGHT SEPTEMBER 25TH 1940 MUSIC BY Michel Tabachnik LIBRETTO BY Régis Debray WORLD PREMIERE COMMISSIONED BY THE OPÉRA DE LYON ©B. Stofleth

www.telmondis.fr VIDEOAGE The New U.S. Broadcast TV Season April 2016 Early Pilot Orders, Early Announcements Mark a Season of Film Remakes For TV he pilots for the new U.S. broadcast TV series based on movies, like FOX’s Lethal Weapon Archie Comics, in CW’s Riverdale. season have been ordered, and most of the and The Exorcist, CBS’s Training Day, NBC’s Cruel Plus, we can’t help but notice quite a few Tcasting done. And before you know it (next Intentions and Taken, and CW’s Frequency. There month to be exact), we’ll find out which of the are also plenty of pilots based on well-established shows about men finding their home lives rather 92 dramas and comedies indicated below will be TV series, like FOX’s updates to 24 and Prison difficult. There’s FOX’s Son of Zorn, a straight-to- making it to a TV screen near you this summer, Break and even oldie MacGyver on CBS. series action/animated show about an animated fall and next winter. Some shows are new twists on much older warrior who finds home life harder than waging This year, the U.S. broadcast networks ordered stories — like Still Star Crossed, an ABC drama war on his mystical homeland, ABC’s The Fluffy their pilots early — before the end of January which picks up where Romeo and Juliet left off Shop, about a stepfather who’s only home and — thanks in large part to the year-round launch and Nancy Drew, the well-known (now vintage) off the road a couple of times a week, NBC’s schedule put in place by cable networks and detective, who may be coming back to CBS. Marlon, about a guy trying to co-parent with his digital nets. Expect these shows to roll out across And, perhaps unsurprisingly given their polar opposite wife, CBS’s Untitled Matt LeBlanc the calendar year, too, as a result. In addition, success on big screens and little screens, comic Project about a man whose wife goes back to the networks also green-lighted earlier 11 pilots book heroes — both Marvel and DC — continue to become series. These are indicated below to be everywhere, including ABC’s Marvel’s Most work, and an untitled Kevin James comedy with an asterisk. Wanted and NBC’s Powerless. A new comic book for CBS about a recently retired police officer, Now, let’s talk trends: You’ll likely notice a lot of series is also getting a chance at a TV series — among others.

Series Contenders for the 2016-2017 U.S. TV Broadcast Networks TV Season

ABC Untitled Hannah McKay and Ed Weeks Project Untitled Meaghan Oppenheimer Project An unapologetic lesbian and her best friend, a neurotic A ruthless Dallas divorce attorney’s life begins to unravel Comedy straight male, navigate their dysfunctional, co-dependent when her emotionally damaged, love-addicted sister friendship and the world of dating. resurfaces exposing family secrets. Chunk and Bean Drama Two misfits living next door to each other — who happen CBS to have two very different sets of parents — have an Conviction unlikely friendship. A ne’er-do-well daughter of a former president is Comedy blackmailed into taking a job as the head of Los Angeles’ Downward Dog newly created conviction integrity unit. Furst Born A single-camera comedy about a disorganized, The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez Australian format about a wife and mother who learns she unapologetic woman and her dog. An immigrant who rose from rags to riches is a celebrated was adopted, and that her birth parents are a flamboyant Dream Team Miami entrepreneur and champion for immigrant rights. but loving family of drag racers. A single-camera comedy that centers on a coach who Designated Survivor* The Great Indoors knows how to win in the world of girls club soccer. A conspiracy thriller drama about a low-level U.S. cabinet An adventure reporter must adapt to the times when he becomes the boss of a group of millennials in the digital The Fluffy Shop member who is suddenly appointed president after an attack during the State of the Union kills everyone above him. department of the magazine. A stepfather navigates his home life during the few days he spends off the road each week. The Jury The Kicker The ultimate social experiment happens thousands of times a day An oddball athlete drives family, friends and strangers Hail Mary in the U.S.: A person’s fate is placed in the hands of 12 strangers. insane after he unexpectedly finds himself cut from a A small town mayor named Mary has dysfunctional siblings, professional football team. a dying father, disgruntled citizens, a nearly bankrupt town Marvel’s Most Wanted and the Mafia on her tail. A drama that will focus on popular Shield characters. My Time/Your Time A hybrid comedy that chronicles the relationship of a young Pearl Model Woman couple as they begin dating long distance. A larger-than-life family matriarch finds out she has cancer A fictionalized family soap inspired by the book “Model Woman: Eileen Ford and the Business of Beauty.” Real Good People and becomes intent on controlling and orchestrating everyone’s life before she dies. Notorious A conservative, small town family that is forced to reconcile their values when they discover their children’s lives are less Inspired by the true-life stories of famed criminal defense than perfect. The Second Fattest Housewife in Westport attorney Mark Geragos and cable news producer Wendy Katie is a strong-willed mother who’s raising her family in a Walker, it looks at how criminal law and the media intersect. Superior Donuts wealthy town filled with “perfect” mothers and kids. Presence Based on the play by Tracy Letts, it follows the relationship between the owner of a doughnut shop, his new young Speechless A former army veteran begins a career as an unlicensed private investigator in Los Angeles. employee and their patrons in a gentrifying neighborhood A special needs child deals with challenges and creates in Chicago. new ones. Spark Untitled Kevin James Project* Square Roots Set in an alternate history where gas and coal fuel the world, this soap centers on the battle for power between A newly retired police officer discover faces much tougher A man from a family of logic-driven engineers is determined to challenges at home than on the streets. use his “gift” to help others — whether they like it or not. two families and a rebellious young woman that could level both their empires. Untitled Matt LeBlanc/Filgos Project Toast Still Star Crossed A contractor learns that raising his kids is more challenging A hybrid comedy that starts at Max and Page’s wedding A period drama that picks up where Romeo and Juliet left off, than expected when his wife goes back to work. rehearsal dinner. charting the stories of the Montagues and Capulets. What Goes Around Comes Around Untitled Adam Goldberg/David Guaracio Project Time After Time Two 40-something parents who were wild and reckless as A comedy that combines live-action and CGI animation and Using the 1979 novel and movie as a starting point, it chronicles teenagers and now face their worst nightmare — raising follows a 30-something bachelorette. the adventures of Young H. G. Wells and his time machine. three teenagers of their own. (Continued on Page 26) 24 VIDEOAGE April 2016

MIPTV / STAND P-1.G50 VIDEOAGE The New U.S. Broadcast TV Season April 2016 (Continued from Page 24) Drama FOX Good Fortune A hyper-structured young woman’s life is upended when American Gothic* (summer series) Comedy she starts taking advice from a fortune teller. A murder-mystery drama set among a prominent family in Good Place* Boston grappling with the fact that their recently deceased Chad: An American Boy patriarch may have been a serial killer. A single camera comedy about a 14-year-old boy tasked A woman wrestles with what it means to be good. with being the man of the house. Braindead* (summer series) Imaginary Friend Charity Case (working title) An intelligent but unmotivated woman discovers a special A one-hour comic-thriller following a young, fresh-faced way of dealing with her mediocre life. hill staffer getting her first job in D.C. A woman inherits her late billionaire husband’s charity. The Enforcers Marlon Bull A female buddy comedy about two wildly different single A comedy loosely based on Marlon Wayans’ life, about a Based on the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw, during his mothers with dreams of being police officers. man trying to co-parent with his polar opposite ex-wife. days as head of one of the most prolific trial consulting services of all time. Making History Me & Mean Margaret Three friends travel through time for truth, justice and riches. A 27-year-old ambitious lawyer babysits for a candid and Bunker Hill often offensive actress. A young Silicon Valley tech titan enlists a veteran surgeon The Mick with a controversial past to start a hospital with a new A hard-living, foul-mouthed woman moves to an affluent Powerless approach to medicine. neighborhood to raise her sister’s spoiled kids after she An office comedy that happens to be set in the world of DC flees the country. Comics. Doubt A smart, chic, successful defense lawyer at a boutique firm Son of Zorn* Sebastian becomes involved with one of her clients who may or may A hybrid live action/animated series featuring animated Sebastian’s old-school Italian values are constantly put to not be guilty of brutal crimes. warrior Zorn who, upon arriving home on Earth for the first the test in the modern world. time in 10 years, finds that reconnecting with his live-action Drew son and ex-wife Edie and dealing with a mundane job are Sunset People harder than waging war in his mystical homeland. A contemporary take on the character from the Nancy A group of millennial friends struggle with their made-up Drew book series. Untitled Chris Case Project rules for success. Four Stars A single camera comedy about an interracial family with an The Trail African American former NFL player player and his white wife. Two powerful rival families in a military community in A young big-city lawyer and his oddball defense team take over a high-profile murder in a small Southern town. Florida make decisions at the highest levels in the interest Untitled Laura Steinel Project of national security. Workplace comedy about a woman who’s caught between Untitled Amy Poehler, Charlie Grandy Project managing her charmingly incompetent team and a new MacGyver After years of partying, “black sheep” Karl returns home to eccentric CEO. compete for the family throne. A reimagining of the TV series of the same name, that follows a 20-something recruited into a clandestine organization where Drama Untitled Matt Hubbard Project he uses his knack for solving problems in an unconventional A guy moves back to his wife’s hometown and has to way to help prevent disasters from happening. 24: Legacy manage her family’s expectations and strong traditions. A new installment of the popular series 24 which follows a Sensory military hero’s return to the U.S. Untitled Tracey Wigfield Project A veteran neurologist and her protégé who has mirror- An already inseparable mother and daughter have a new touch synesthesia, a neurological trait that causes him to A.P.B. challenge when the mom accepts an internship at the experience other people’s sensations. Inspired by the true A tech billionaire purchases a troubled police precinct. daughter’s workplace. story of neurologist Joel Salinas. The Exorcist Untitled Vladimir Caamano Project Training Day A modern reinvention inspired by the book and movie. The son of Dominican immigrants wants to carve his own Begins 15 years after the film left off. An idealistic young Lethal Weapon path despite his co-dependent relationship with his dad. African-American police officer is appointed to an elite A Texas cop and former Navy SEAL moves to Los Angeles to Drama squad of the LAPD where he’s partnered with a morally start anew. ambiguous detective. Pitch Chicago Law (working title) CW A young female pitcher becomes the first woman to A spin-off of Chicago PD. compete in professional baseball. Cruel Intentions Drama Prison Break* Picks up over 15 years after the 1999 film left off. A new event series based on the popular show. Frequency Heavenly Creatures In this reimagining of the film, a female police detective Recon A war hero rediscovers his purpose in life when a celestial discovers she can speak to her estranged (and dead) father A rookie FBI agent embeds herself in a suspected terrorist being offers him a chance to change the world. through a radio. family. Midnight Texas No Tomorrow The Rocky Horror Picture Show In a remote Texas town, your neighbor could be a vampire, witch, werewolf or angel. An hour-long comedy that follows a risk-averse, straight-arrow An event series based on the cult classic from the 1970s about Frank-N-Furter’s crazy abode. woman who falls for a freewheeling man who lives life to the Miranda’s Rights fullest because he believes the apocalypse is imminent. Shots Fired* A legal soap about an idealistic group of lawyers at a start-up firm. Riverdale A dramatic event series that explores the dangerous aftermath of racially charged shootings in a small Southern town. Patient Zero* Based on the characters from Archie Comics, but set in An outbreak pushes characters to the limit, bringing out the the present day, it’s a surprising and subversive take on the Star best and worst in them. gang and their supposedly wholesome lifestyles. Chronicles three young women, all with the hopes of making it big in the music business, and the choices they’re The Reaper* Transylvania faced with along the way. An event miniseries based on a memoir about the deployment Set in 1880, a headstrong young woman in search of her of sniper Sergeant Nicholas Irving, a.k.a. The Reaper. missing father ventures from NYC to Transylvania where Zoobiquity she teams up with a wrongfully disgraced Scotland Yard Unconventional medical procedural follows the unlikely Taken* detective; together they see the birth of one of the most pairing of a driven cardiologist who teams with a socially A prequel based on the 2008 action thriller. challenged veterinarian. infamous monsters in history. Time Untitled Doris Egan Project NBC An unlikely trio travels through time to battle a master A team of explorers who arrive on Mars to join the criminal intent on altering human history. first human colony on the planet discover that their Comedy Untitled Dan Fogelman Project predecessors have vanished. Crunch Time Dramedy based on a unique ensemble of characters all born on the same day. Untitled Kevin Williamson Project A hybrid game show/comedy that alternates between a A young woman seeks help from a parapsychologist when real game show and a scripted workplace comedy about a *Denotes series pick-up she begins to experience paranormal phenomena. game show producer. (As of March 15, 2016)

26 VIDEOAGE April 2016 VIDEOAGE Italian TV Affairs April 2016 Television Before And After Netflix. Traditional TV Still Running Ahead By Luca F. Cadura talian television is undergoing a great meantime, the switch-off from an analog to a TVHH (out of a total 22.7 million), of which change ... again, but this time in a surprising digital TV standard increased the opportunities 100,000 are paying (starting at eight euro per Idirection. The transition to digital terrestrial for Free-to-Air players (as well as for a new month) and 150,000 are still utilizing the free and the rise of on-demand players today offer competitors in pay-TV). Immediately, RAI and promotion available since its launch last October. Italian viewers a rich and competitive landscape, Mediaset started occupying as many digital As for programming, it consists mostly of library which they’ve never had before. Throughout the channels as possible in a defensive move to material, with little original Italian programs, years, three main phases in the changing Italian prevent other players to move in with scale. like the locally produced Suburra, currently in TV landscape can be identified: To a certain extent they succeeded, keeping production. RAI after Mediaset in the 1980s. The first out (or making life very difficult for) the small big change was brought by Silvio Berlusconi’s independent operators. However, RAIset couldn’t Therefore, “traditional” may still be the Mediaset TV networks. After almost 30 years manage to rake up everything. Today there’s essential word to describe the Italian TV diet: of monopoly, state television, RAI found itself Discovery Italia, which is the third TV group by Italy is the country with the oldest population in challenged by young, daring and dynamic cumulative audience shares, achieved through Europe. For example, last February, Italy had its networks. The country opened up to U.S. content bold acquisitions and aggressive TV offerings own Super Bowl-type show, Sanremo the song and started feeling the power of being able to that includes three Free-to-Air channels. In competition that gets very high ratings. One choose its daily diet of entertainment programs. terms of audience, Discovery ranks after RAI and couldn’t imagine a more traditional show: the Mediaset, but before Sky. RAI didn’t take the competition seriously at archaic annual ritual on RAI has been repeated the beginning, since the economics of the state So much for “traditional” linear TV. But for the past 66 years. While talking about Netflix networks were (and still are) protected by a tax what about SVoD and, in particular, Netflix? and expecting traditional TV shows to decline in on every Italian household. So, there was no Italians have been waiting a long time for this popularity, the latest Sanremo — broadcast on incentive to be the best in town, since the revenue new evolution. Interestingly enough, while the five consecutive nights, four hours a day — got streams flew in anyway. country already had very strong on-demand more than 50 percent of share. Italians perceived RAI as the institutional TV offerings by the usual suspects — Infinity by broadcaster, the place to watch the news and Mediaset and Sky On Demand, as well as other So, for now, Italian television after Netflix is get “serious” information. Berlusconi’s channels rich VoD propositions like the OTT channel very similar to the one before Netflix. The real bet were the entertainment side: more fun, music, Chili TV — expectations for the new entrant, for the time being, is still on traditional linear TV. dancers and commercials. The ’80s were the Netflix were high. At least among that part Luca Federico Cadura leads Kenturio, a media golden age of Italian TV. Mediaset opened fire of the population that is up-to-date with the and marketing strategic consulting company he and, belatedly RAI responded with a lot of international media phenomena. The rest of experimental television that brought to Italians Italians probably still think Netflix is a relative of founded. Previously he spent 15 years at NBCUniversal a new relationship with the TV screen: the place the cartoon character, Asterix… . Italy, producing and distributing the company’s branded networks (Studio Universal, Diva Universal, to be informed and improve their knowledge. Such expectations may have been too high: Steel, E! Entertainment, Television became the place for fun and for the SVoD market was already well served, best setting the topics they would discuss the day content already gone and Netflix was bringing Syfy, Style, Calle 13, after at a bar with their friends, while sipping the in just a great brand and a couple of desirable Hallmark Channel in Italy shortest coffee in the world. shows. The rest is below expectations. It will and Universal Channel in RAI and Mediaset after Sky Italia in probably improve in the next months and years, Spain Greece and Turkey). the 1990s. Once the two big players — RAI but Italians haven’t seen the expected (and Before joining the television and Mediaset, then derisively called “RAIset” — feared) shock to traditional TV. arena he worked at found their equilibrium, dividing the TV revenue In terms of Netflix subscribers, there are no advertising agencies Saatchi pie that benefitted both (the television tax went official figures, but they are estimated at 250,000 & Saatchi, Ayer and Grey. to RAI, and the bulk of advertising revenue went to Mediaset), a newcomer came to break all the rules ... again: Rupert Murdoch’s Sky. The Italian “Traditional” TV Universe Given the already very rich TV environment in a country used to getting television for free — According to the Confindustria Radio TV Association, last year in Italy there were from football (soccer) to films — pay-TV had a 406 national television networks that broadcast on digital terrestrial channels and/ very tough start. It required time, investment and or satellite (Sky and Tivusat) for both free and pay services. There were eight fewer a very aggressive strategy to make Sky the player national channels than in 2014, but the number still included the 55 channels that it has now become — a player whose revenues are today higher than those of RAI and Mediaset. broadcast in non-Italian languages. No one would have placed a bet on a strong pay- Of those national channels, 163 were free (of which 130 were terrestrial), while 243 TV market in Italy (not even Mediaset), but Sky were pay. invented a new way of entertainment for an upper class and highly demanding TV audience. Today, As for local terrestrial TV stations, it is estimated that the total number of “call Sky is perceived as the must-have accessory for letters” (e.g., TVQ, TVN, Tele Venezia, etc.) is 500. Being digital, each local TV “call any household. If one doesn’t have it, it’s only letter,” carries several channels (some their own, other for a fee). The number of because one cannot afford it, not because it is not channel owners, however, is fewer than 500 (but not yet documented), since many worth the price. broadcasting companies’ own several “call letters.” RAIset after Netflix in the 2000s. In the

28 VIDEOAGE April 2016 VIDEOAGE Company Profile April 2016 Breakthrough Entertainment In An Evolving Canadian Media Scene By Isme Bennie oronto-based production and distribution Looking at the global shift in how audiences company Breakthrough Entertainment consume content today, Breakthrough has taken Inc. covers a range of genres, including the view that the traditional linear channels are Tprimetime television comedy and drama having difficulties in keeping their viewers in series, factual entertainment, lifestyle, the face of newer digital offerings that can be documentaries, television movies, feature consumed on more portable devices. As a result, films, family entertainment and children’s the company has developed a digital media animation. Breakthrough also produces digital division to focus on producing high-quality digital entertainment on mobile and online platforms. entertainment for mobile and online platforms, i.e. In 2014, the group reported a production slate distributing content through the digital market, valued at over C$26million, putting it into the top such as Youtube or SVoD. The unit produces tier of Canadian production companies. or distributes a large range of digital material including ebooks, webisodes and games, items as The demand for Canadian productions is widely diverse as Jimmy Two Shoes: Mystery and changing. Recent changes mandated by Canada’s Mayhem, an online game; The Agents, webisodes regulatory body, the Canadian Radio-television about real estate agents; the interactive title for and Telecommunications Commission, have kids The Adventures of Napkin Man; and the history affected broadcasters’ need for Canadian content, particularly daytime, and the recently introduced website For King and Country. pick-and-pay system may herald the demise of Breakthrough has a history of having a big smaller specialty channels that do not make the cut. presence at all international film and TV trade Producers are learning their way around shows, such as MIP-TV, AFM, EFM, Cannes Film this evolving Canadian media scene, and it Festival, NATPE Europe, TIFF and MIPCOM. Nat Abraham makes international partnering all the more At MIP-TV Breakthrough will focus on all the important to companies such as Breakthrough. A local initiative recently unveiled by facets of its global business. It also serves as an The company looks for growth opportunities Breakthrough is the broadening of its programming important platform for discussion, for trend- worldwide and co-production is a major part of slate with a move into the production and watching, for forging new relationships, and as a these endeavours. distribution of faith-based film and television source for finding fresh and innovative material. Breakthrough has worked extensively with entertainment. It has entered this burgeoning At MIP-TV the group will be presenting several partners from countries as diverse as France, the faith market via a multi-picture co-production new titles: Resilient Cities (5x30’) a gritty, urban U.K., Brazil, the Philippines and Israel, as well as deal with Toronto’s Reel Deal Guys Entertainment. documentary series that uncovers the underbellies with the Canadian provinces. About one- third of The first title in the three-picture agreement is the of some of the most traumatized cities in the its productions are co-pros. supernatural drama Adam’s Testament, written, world, cities affected by war, natural disaster and As a vertically-integrated entertainment produced and directed by Reel Deal principals political unrest, capturing the hope and optimism studio with 30-plus employees and a catalog of Jason Barbeck and Rafael Kalamat. for the future through the eyes of artistic youth; over 2,200 half-hours (the library is catalogued “Faith-based entertainment has truly come Reefer Riches, a one-hour documentary that in 30-minute segments encompassing series, of age, both as a market as well as a magnet for explores what our marijuana future could look movies, etc.), the company is active worldwide filmmakers and talent alike,” said Williamson. like with shifting cultural values, strange political and it distributes to major broadcasters in over Distribution head Abraham added: “Having served bedfellows, new law enforcement issues, and the 200 territories. Activities also include pre-sales, the global market as a prime resource for family film rush for profits; If the Poet, a one-hour cinematic co-productions and third-party acquisitions. and television entertainment since the formation ride into the heart of slam poetry; and Descending The company was created over 27 years ago by of Breakthrough Entertainment for three decades, (13x60’), a boundary-pushing digital underwater industry veterans Ira Levy and his partner, Peter the impressive faith-based market is a natural documentary series produced by Echo Bay Williamson. Both partners, as executive producers, expansion for our company.” Breakthrough will Media, that brings a mix of emotion, humor and oversee the creative management of projects in all handle distribution of the co-production across all knowledge to viewers of all ages as it uncovers genres, from development through to delivery. theatrical and media channels. stories of human triumph and tragedy. Williamson also oversees post-production. Nat Abraham, president of Distribution, has nearly 20 years of experience in the world marketplace, including roles at Nielsen Media Research Canada, and 20th Century Fox/Astral Distribution. He joined Breakthrough in 2006 and became a partner in 2014. Michael McGuigan, also a partner, is the company’s CFO. He joined Breakthrough in 1999 and became a partner also in 2014. All the partners have played active roles in Canadian industry associations. The company philosophy in developing content is to work with talent with a distinctive voice and international appeal. Their work ranges from the animated series Rocket Monkeys, to the television movie Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, based on the well-known Canadian classic, and starring Martin Sheen. The film had its world premiere in February at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa. It was made for Corus Entertainment’s YTV Channel. Breakthrough Entertainment’s Anne of Green Gables

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Register Today at www.NATPE.com/budapest Sports in All TV Forms VIDEOAGE April 2016 (Continued from Cover) (850 million), baseball (500 million), golf (450 licensee fees) is controlled by cartels such as the million), basketball (400 million) and American EBU. David Jones, the official marketing and sales football (400 million). agent for Monaco’s SPORTEL, one of the world’s Naturally, football (called soccer in the U.S.) premier sports TV markets, calculated that of dominates outside the States, while “the big the some 840 companies attending SPORTEL four” in the U.S. are (in order of importance): Monaco 2015 (VideoAge’s count), only 17 percent American football, baseball, basketball and ice were content providers. Jones is also CEO of hockey. Then, there are world events like FIFA’s Oceanworx, a Majorca, Spain-based sports World Cup and the Olympics. producer, marketing and sales agent specialized in the extreme sport segment. So, it can be estimated that about 20 sports account for most of the over five million hours of In addition, worldwide sports rights are licensed yearly worldwide programming for an audience differently from other TV fare, in the sense that that could reach four billion viewers, or 57 they are controlled by some 20 sports marketing percent of the world population, and almost all of groups, mostly located in Europe (and in the U.K. the globe’s 1.7 billion TVHH. in particular), of which New York-based IMG and Oceanworx’s David Jones (r.) with HSH Albert of Monaco Therefore, it is not surprising that there are Wanda Sports are two of the largest. Last year, more than 730 sports channels worldwide. India, Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda acquired However, he added, “Our sports feature with 114 sports channels (78 national plus 36 Zug, Switzerland-based Infront Sports and Media, documentaries do move through the window model local), is the world’s largest. In comparison, the renaming it Wanda Sports. The Wanda group is with a theatrical release then EST and Home Video/ U.S. has 46 sports channels. These channels also the world’s largest cinema chain operator (in pay-TV and SVoD/ Free TV and AVoD windows, are in addition to sports programming on FTA the U.S. it owns AMC Theaters). such as our Mr. Calzaghe, a feature documentary.” general interest networks. David Gandler, CEO of New York City-based Media consultant Russ Kagan pointed out The business models for most of these niche fuboTV, said, “As a virtual MVPD, we don’t that within sports television there are live channels are a combination of subscription fees acquire programming directly, but rather events and sports programming, and for the and advertising revenues. Many channels depend we secure carriage deals with leading TV former “windowing” has been replaced with also on pay-per-view. VideoAge couldn’t pinpoint programmers such as Univision Networks, beIN packages, which, in the case of NFL for American global subscription revenue figures for those niche SPORTS, GolTV, Benfica TV and others that have football, consist of four packages, plus NFL’s TV services, but the key 20 sports TV channels in live sports rights, and then distribute these linear own TV channel. While the NFL sells U.S. rights the U.S. (out of the aforementioned 46) generated channels to our subscribers.” themselves, internationally they use London- $16 billion from subscription fees alone in 2015. Indeed, the business of selling and buying based MP & Silva. Recently, the NFL put the right In terms of international TV content sale sports rights is very complex, but, according to 7A to stream up to 18 regular-season games up for revenue, Mark Benmore, vice president, Sales Media’s Cesar Diaz, the “easiest sports rights to bids. CBS and NBC, which each paid $225 million and Distribution, Content Television reported, buy are those of boxing because they are handled to broadcast five NFL games apiece, also have “You might expect higher revenues/license fees by the match promoters themselves.” the rights to stream those games on their own from a pay TV channel over free TV, but a larger A unique operator in the sports TV business is platforms. free TV channel will deliver a higher audience, Connecticut-based-based WWE, which sells — in which, in turn will lead to better sponsorship Last fall Yahoo paid about $20 million to stream deals. PPV delivers for highly marketed one-offs the U.S. and around the world — TV rights of their a regular-season NFL game. and is not something we’ve seen strong returns own wrestling productions, both live, canned and specials, similar to a Hollywood studio. VideoAge asked fubo TV’s Gandler if there is a value on to date. In my opinion, subscription (live in re-runs of live sporting events. “There is indeed a or otherwise) on demand has not yet cracked In addition, sports TV programs don’t follow a value for re-runs. Many of Europe’s best games take sports, mainly because it hasn’t been pushed with traditional “windowing” schedule. place early in the morning and therefore re-runs are enough marketing support or scale to date.” Commented Content’s Mark Benmore: “Rather required as a retention tool,” he answered. In 2015 New York City-based consultant group than windowing, we see the strongest demand But according to SPORTEL’s David Jones, Deloitte estimated the total worldwide TV rights for live-events sport. EFC: Extreme Fighting the sports licensing industry has been slow expenditures for that year had been $28 billion, Championship does this very well with 44 live in reaching out to second-screen rights. The while London-based Pricewaterhouse Coopers events to date and more than 120 supporting (PWC) reported that in 2015 global media episodes including weigh-ins, televised press large agencies that handle big international rights reached $35 billion, which represents (in conferences, and half-hour warm-up shows.” tournaments tend to look at the big picture, VideoAge’s estimates) 40 percent of worldwide which is represented by the major TV networks, TV licensing revenues. PWC divided those rights neglecting Internet rights in the process and by region: North America with 38 percent; EMEA protecting broadcasters along the way. For this with 13.4 percent; Asia Pacific with six percent reason, reported Jones, tournament associations and LATAM with 2.9 percent. Plus, PWC stated like LaLiga of Spain are making efforts to reach that 75 percent of the total value of media rights fans on multiplatforms. LaLiga has Barcelona- are generated by 10 sports. based Mediapro as a strategic partner for certain If TV advertising revenues and production projects, while all media licensing and second costs are added, the worldwide sports TV sector screen is now dealt by LaLiga itself. could easily be a $50 billion-a-year industry. Similarly, San Francisco-based Go Pro By including ticket sales (gate revenue) and sponsorships, Chicago-based management executive Claude Ruibal commented that there consultant firm A.T. Kearney estimated that is an “ongoing push to move to IP distribution (excluding merchandising) the global market of live content, and it is impacting sports rights for sporting events was worth $80 billion in fees.” According to Ruibal, “Sports is the last 2014. On the other hand, PWC puts the total remaining live content provider that is essential figure (including $20 billion for merchandising) to broadcasters, and sports leagues (such as at $145.3 billion in 2015. NFL) and agencies are leveraging this strength However, compared to other forms of TV by increasing license fees and in some cases programming rights, sports TV rights are a highly splitting rights, including Internet rights. Some controlled commodity. Excess supply (which can agents, like Barcelona based Dorna Sports, are lower license fees) is controlled by various sports even creating their own second screen offering, organizations, such as FIFA, NFL, IOC, etc. At such as the MotoGP Videopass.” the same time, a short supply (that can increase Mark Benmore of Content Television (By Dom Serafini)

32 53507_INT_2016_MIPTV_VideoAge_Ad.indd 1 3/7/16 10:51 AM Fiction Vs. Drama VIDEOAGE April 2016 (Continued from Cover) Another significant way in which the international drama/fiction market is changing is in the shrinking difference in budgets between If the gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world — particularly the U.K. and mainland Europe. U.S. drama and While cautioning that, “making comparisons fiction produced between budgets is very difficult because it elsewhere is depends so much on which network, which slot and what type of show you’re talking about,” shrinking in terms Content’s Phillips suggested that, “for a major terrestrial broadcaster here in the U.K. — ITV of budget scale or BBC — and in a strong slot, you’re looking and international at around £2 million - £3 million per hour ($2.8 million – $4.2 million), although this can go as success, one area low as £1.5 million - £1.8 million ($2.1 million – of the business $2.5 million) depending, as I say, on the slot and other factors such as whether the script calls of drama/fiction Content’s Greg Phillips for a lot of SFX.” Which, he insisted, “compares favorably with an average U.S. cable/broadcast where differences challengers from Europe and around the world network budget of “around $3 million - $5 still remain is that are winning converts for a genre called “fiction” million per hour.” outside the U.S. of development. Zodiak’s Mutimer concurred that “the gulf Greg Phillips, president of Content Television in budgets has reduced significantly over and Digital, is unequivocal, “[fiction or] non-U.S. recent years,” something he puts down to “the drama competes very ably with American drama increasing number of tax incentives available as there is in the U.S., broadcasters want the in the international market,” adding, “indeed to European producers.” Pointing to a Zodiak best talent they can get and the best talent only it sometimes outperforms U.S. drama.” Citing Fiction production for Canal Plus, Versailles, wants to pitch their project when they are sure it Line of Duty as an example of just such a series, Mutimer insisted, “this was the most expensive is ready for pitching.” Phillips said, “when I say Line of Duty has been a fiction ever produced in France and is able Although Phillips did acknowledge that, big success internationally, I don’t just mean it has to deliver the scale and ambition of its U.S. “nonetheless, it is not uncommon for British sold well to the usual suspects such as Australia counterparts.” and the Commonwealth, Scandinavia and The broadcasters to put out a ‘call’ for a certain type If the gap between U.S. drama and fiction Netherlands, but also to Germany, France and of project. They know their audiences and they produced elsewhere is shrinking in terms of extensively in Latin America and Asia.” know their own minds and will either put out a budget scale and international success, one ‘general’ call, or else they will have a chat with Most of the fiction distributed by Content is area of the business of drama/fiction where certain producers with whom they have a good British, and while Phillips insists U.K. productions differences still remain is that of development. relationship and say, ‘we want a show like this benefit from “strength of storytelling and depth Phillips characterized the differences between for this slot or to replace such and such and we’re of execution,” he did also admit they “suffer from the U.S. and the U.K. as “significant,” adding, thinking of paying about ... .’” the British disease — too few episodes!” He also revealed that Content will be announcing “in the “the U.S. has a very structured development Although having a slightly different take on near future” that they will distribute non-English system and season — and we all go to [the L.A. this question, Mutimer broadly agreed, saying, language fiction. Screenings] every May to see the end result. In “we are finding that the growth in the scripted the U.S., this is a system that must be adhered market is opening up opportunities for a more While acknowledging that, “the U.K. has to —­­ by seasoned and successful producers and flexible approach to development. We are co- always held a very respected position as newcomers alike. By contrast, development in developing projects with a number of partners, producers of world class fiction,” Tim Mutimer, the U.K. is more project-led. There isn’t a ‘season’ rather than being tied to one particular network head of distribution at Banijay Group and CEO or commissioning broadcaster, as this allows us to of Zodiak Rights (pictured on the cover), was cultivate ideas that have a truly global sensibility also at pains to stress the growing importance of and appeal.” non-English language fiction in the international market. Pointing to recent examples such as hits The voice of dissent, however, is offered by The Returned and Deutschland 83, Mutimer also StudioCanal’s Neylon, who reported, “our mentioned Zodiak’s own Versailles and Rebellion model is very similar to how it is done in the as “having sold extensively across the world, U.S. It is a largely collaborative process between including several high-profile deals which are the producers and the network or studio and soon to be announced.” the creatives.” The one difference Neylon did highlight, however, is that, “StudioCanal’s Katrina Neylon, executive vice president, companies do not deliver pilots as in the U.S. Sales and Marketing at Germany’s StudioCanal Our producers concentrate instead in putting also cited Deutschland 83 and The Returned as together high quality material based on the examples of non-English series which were not type of project or genre our potential partners only very successful internationally, but also sold are looking for.” to the U.S. — in both cases to Sundance TV. And, she asserted, “more and more European fiction Much has changed in the 50-plus years since the series are finding a home in the U.S.,” which she television business began to go truly international, ascribed partly to the presence of BBC America and for much of that time U.S. drama has been the and partly to the Internet which, she suggested, 800 pound gorilla. But now fiction is undergoing is nurturing a new generation, “that feels dramatic changes. completely connected on a global scale.” StudioCanal’s Katrina Neylon (By Bob Jenkins) 34 VIDEOAGE VIDEOAGE Formats Biz April 2016 April 2016 (Continued from Cover) If there is diversity of opinion as to the current trends in formats, so too as to what it takes to make a great

format. Armoza Formats’ Avi Armoza

slots, primetime or at least prime-access- which, of course, is where the big budgets are.” Although These are sentiments echoed by Arabelle she does accept that, “these budgets are not as big Kabo International’s Arabelle Pouliot-Di Crescenzo Pouliot-Di Crescenzo, managing director of as they were, but they are bigger than any others scripted format specialist Kabo International, that are around.” seems to be that there is a very broad range who believes, “one element that is currently If there is diversity of opinion as to the current of opinions as to the trends driving its future. of great importance to almost all broadcasters trends in formats, so too as to what it takes to Armoza Formats CEO Avi Armoza identified, “a around the world is co-viewing.” She went on to make a great format. For Armoza, “every format strong trend for wedding and dating shows,” as explain, “there is a lot of demand for formats that is a patent, and the best way to have a successful well as pointing to an established truth that, “once can attract a broad range of demos. Although it a trend has started to gain momentum, what is about to finish in the U.S., American Idol was format is to have a clear patent. The idea needs follows is a test as to who will be able to bring a great example of this — it really was a show to not only be fresh and creative, but it must also a fresh perspective to the genre, or sub-genre.” watched by all the generations together.” have a clear storyline.” As an example of this, Armoza cited his own Keren Shahar, managing director, Distribution Rodrigue is less certain, insisting, “no one company’s new format, Marry Me Now, in which knows the formula for a great format — if we women surprise grooms-to-be with a proposal at Keshet International, on the other hand sees accompanied by an on-the-spot wedding after a driving trend in the “increasing popularity did we’d be on a huge yacht right now!” But he three days of preparation. of scripted formats,” citing, “Keshet’s great did identify certain facets that the formats we success, over the years, with Prisoners of War have come to recognize as “great” tend to have Michel Rodrigue, CEO of The Format People and Loaded.” But she also identified buyers as (pictured on the front cover), sees developing in common. “For one thing,” he observed, “they “always being on the lookout for big, primetime, potential in kids’ formats and also live-show tend to come along only once every few years entertainment shows capable of attracting, large, formats. In the case of the latter, he noted in and are almost always slow burners rather than live audiences.” particular, “the revived interest in live formats is overnight hits that follow the zeitgeist. And,” broad — ranging from stunts to musicals and is Kabo’s Pouliot-Di Crescenzo broadly agreed he continued, “like any other product their helped by the ability to build social media interest with the above assessment, identifying the commercial value is proportionate to the number greatest demand from broadcasters as being, “for alongside an appointment to view.” of potential users — so a great format needs to scripted, game-shows and entertainment-floor Justin Scroggie, a partner at The Format People be flexible. Does it have a scalable budget? Will shows.” But for Pouliot-Di Crescenzo, it isn’t only noted that, “the faltering talent-show genre it work at different lengths to suit the needs of the broadcasters that are held captive to the allure is finding new traction by skewing younger, of big shows and primetime slots, producers too different broadcasters? Can it play in different not only in music and performance, but also in have succumbed. As she pointed out, “ultimately slots and satisfy their different audiences? cooking, business, fashion etc.” all formats want to hit big broadcasters and major Finally, can it play weekly or stripped, weekday He also identified a “come-back” currently or weekend?” Rodrigue thinks the theme of a being staged by the game-show genre, but format can be a significant factor in delivering cautions “they are, however, struggling to slot this flexibility, commenting, “food seems to be a back into primetime,” and suggested, “a great theme that embraces flexibility as we are finding format breakthrough is needed here — a game with our hit format Chef in Your Ear.” format that also encompasses the emotional impact of reality or talent shows.” Shahar believes the need for flexibility also extends to the search for new formats, revealing, Rodrigue is clear that “the biggest force driving these trends is the search for the widest possible “we see potential in nearly all the countries in audience,” asserting, “niche programming is a which we work.” failed TV experiment — a mass medium always She pointed to recent Keshet deals such as hungers for a mass audience — and kids plus a co-production deal with Argentina’s Telefe, grown-up format equals family viewing and live the acquisition of Korean romantic comedy You plus format equals mass co-viewing and social Will Love Me, and an option agreed with China’s interaction.” Although Rodrigue is quick to Huace Croton for the U.S. rights to Dating Hunter. caution, “these formats are driving broadcasters to fill terrestrial TV shows with Internet stars in Unrecognized by law, universally loved and the hope of tapping their massive on line fan base. respected by broadcasters, it seems the great But great formats have longevity, and longevity is magic of the format is — it can be whatever you the antithesis of the Internet.” The Format People’s Justin Scroggie think you want it to be. BJ 35 Event Planner & Travel News VIDEOAGE April 2016

$22 Billion In Profits World Content Market Discop Africa Monte-Carlo TV Festival Sunny Side of the 30 May - 1 June 2016 and Air Travelers May 31 – June 1 May 31-June 2 June 12-16 DOC Get Free Peanuts Moscow, Russia Abidjan, Ivory Coast Monte-Carlo, Monaco June 20-23 16-18 November 2016 Tel: (377) 9310 4060 In 2015, the four major U.S. Tel: (44 207) 6124 350 La Rochelle, France Tel: (323) 782-1300 Fax: (377) 9350 7014 airlines earned a total of $22 www.worldcontentmarket.com Tel: (33 5) 46 55 79 79 Moscow, Russia www.discopafrica.com www.tvfestival.com billion in profits. As a token of VideoAge bonus distribution www.sunnysideofthedoc.com appreciation, they restored free Banff World Media VideoAge bonus distribution snacks in “cattle” class (a.k.a. NATPE Europe Festival coach). Naturally, airfares (as June 27-30 explained by The New York June 12-15 Budapest, Hungary Times) have remained high, Banff, Canada except for routes where they Tel: (310) 453-4440 face competition from low-cost Tel: (416) 921-3171 Fax: (310) 453-5258 airlines. In most cases, airfares Fax: (416) 921-9878 www.natpe.com/europe have increased. www.banffmediafestival.com VideoAge bonus distribution This once again proves that mergers, and especially the The world's only recent rush of airlines mergers, are no good for consumers, but market connecting only for the companies, lobbyists and politicians who benefit from international sellers lobbying money. www.VideoAgeDaily.com The Times also reported that at Newark International Airport, and Russian & CIS “where United (which merged with Continental) accounts for 70 buyers percent of flights, airfares are the highest among the nation’s top airports.” MIP-TV April 4-7 Cannes, France Tel: (212) 370-7470 Why to Attend Face-To-Face Fax: (212) 370-7471 www.miptv.com Key Russian Companies TV & Digital Content VideoAge bonus distribution Meet key Russian TV Channels, distributors and producers Tribeca Film Festival under one roof. Executives April 13-24 Russian-speaking countries New York, U.S. Russian-speaking countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Tel: (212) 941-2400 Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Marketplace Fax: (212) 941-3939 and Uzbekistan - offer new opportunities for business. www.tribecafilm.com Content from Around the World www.worldcontentmarket.com NABShow Las Vegas Join content owners from more than 40 countries, from all April 16-21 continents. Las Vegas, U.S. Tel: (202) 595-2052 Unique Database www.nabshow.com Book your meetings through a unique database with TV and digital media executives. VideoAge bonus distribution Hot DOCS Intensive Program April 28-May 8 Conferences and workshops are focused on industry's latest trends. Toronto, Canada Tel: (416) 203-2155 Venue in the Heart of Moscow Fax: (416) 203-0446 The market is held in a historical city center, not far from www.hotdocs.ca Kremlin and Red Square. Cannes Film Festival May 11-22 Cannes, France Tel: (33 1) 5359 6100 At all major TV trade shows, content buyers read the printed Fax: (33 1) 5359 6110 www.festival-cannes.fr version of VideoAge Daily. Around the world film and TV GET IN TOUCH ! L.A. Screenings executives read the online edition of VideoAge Daily. Elena Sunbeam - Director May 16-27 World Content Market Los Angeles, U.S. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (212) 288-3933 No matter where, when or how, Planet Sunbeam Limited Fax: (212) 288-3424 29 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QR www.lascreenings.org your buyers will see your ad. United Kingdom VideoAge bonus distribution Phone: +44 207 6124 350 Fax: +44 207 1826 772 36 30 May - 1 June 2016 16-18 November 2016 Moscow, Russia

The world's only market connecting international sellers and Russian & CIS buyers

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Key Russian Companies TV & Digital Content Meet key Russian TV Channels, distributors and producers under one roof. Executives Russian-speaking countries Russian-speaking countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Marketplace and Uzbekistan - offer new opportunities for business.

Content from Around the World www.worldcontentmarket.com Join content owners from more than 40 countries, from all continents.

Unique Database Book your meetings through a unique database with TV and digital media executives.

Intensive Program Conferences and workshops are focused on industry's latest trends.

Venue in the Heart of Moscow The market is held in a historical city center, not far from Kremlin and Red Square.

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Elena Sunbeam - Director World Content Market E-mail: [email protected]

Planet Sunbeam Limited 29 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QR United Kingdom Phone: +44 207 6124 350 Fax: +44 207 1826 772 April 2016 My 2¢ Pity program buyers for whom split personalities are a job requirement. Fortunately, this critic doesn’t have to deal with audience tastes, but can just appreciate the production value of shows. It wasn’t an easy task at first, but time served as a teacher.

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t is known that program buyers have split personalities, If we all could see firsthand the work ads have which is a great quality for that line of work. They are that goes into a single TV episode, we’d to appeal to the Iable to separate what they personally like from what be amazed at the professionalism of the their audiences want. people and companies involved. consumer side of This is no easy task. For years, I was totally appalled Recently, VideoAge’s New York City buyers and not to their by some of the new series shown during the Los Angeles offices were used as location to film a “personal” side. Screenings. I could not imagine how audiences could be segment of a U.S. network series. It took a watching such trash and liking it! week of preparation, a full day of shooting I even felt sorry for those poor (just kidding) salespeople and a crew of 100 people for five air-minutes. who had to screen some of those — in my assessment — The preparations are so exhausting that each terrible series. There was even an expression in Hollywood episode is directed by a different director (full that seemed to validate my view: “If they want me to watch report on page 4). those shows, they have to pay me extra.” The more Routinely, however, most of the unrealistic the new shows I liked bombed after plot, the more a few broadcasts, while those I professional the disliked succeeded. This proved, actors must be in first, that I could never be a order to render the program buyer and, second, that I scene plausible. really didn’t understand anything These are all elements about production values. But I took that, perhaps, could not solace from film and TV critics who be appreciated watching often trashed shows that became the pilots on a small TV popular and even from Academy set, but can emerge in all members who did not nominate or their splendor on the large give Oscars to films that became screens now used by all the classics. Strangely, though, critics studios during screenings. are people who actually love films and TV programs. “Miss Simmons, connect me to my other self” I remember that years ago buyers wanted to view Little by little, first talking with the new TV series on a buyers after a screening and, later by watching the pilots small screen in order “to experience how the home viewers over large, cinemascope-size screens, I started to appreciate would be watching.” But no more. Nowadays the studios the workmanship, the talent and efforts behind every show want to parade their multi-million dollar productions in all that I didn’t like at first. their finery on a big screen. I must admit, it wasn’t simple. It took a lot of discipline not to The buyers’ split personalities have to be reflected by be sidetracked by my discriminating tastes and concentrate trade promotion as well. Because buyers look at a TV instead on the production value: the camerawork, the craftsmanship, the acting, the soundtracks, the editing, the shows with an eye toward their audience, the trade ads set, the colors, the image sharpness, the technologic marvels have to appeal to the consumer side of buyers and not to — and not to mention the huge financial investment — that their “personal” side. one single pilot required. Dom Serafini

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