FormatspOFC AprMay14 26/3/14 18:54 Page 1 Formats Television Business International TBIvision.com April/May 2014 FormatspIFC-01 Banijay AprMay14.indd 2 26/03/2014 17:47 FormatspIFC-01 Banijay AprMay14.indd 3 26/03/2014 17:47 THE ONLY SENIOR LEVEL EVENT HIGHLIGHTING THE GROWTH IN VIDEO OVER LTE
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TBI FORM ATS INSIDE THIS ISSUE
6 VIEWPOINT:DIANA BUDDINGH
FremantleMedia’s global entertainment production chief Diana Buddingh explains how to freshen up a long-running series while respecting the format
10 FORMATS GRID
What’s going on in the formats world in grid form
11 SHED US
Pamela Healey on her mission to continue Shed US’s push into reality shows. Rob Shepherd reports 14 SPAIN 18 Madrid’s La Compentencia is working with Mexico’s Televisa to ship Spanish formats to the international market. Emiliano de Pablos reports
16 ZODIAK RIGHTS:DROPPED
Zodiak Nordic has attempted to take reality TVback-to-basics with its new adven- ture format, which dumps celebrities in remote terrain, without food or maps
18THE MAKING OF DE MOL
John de Mol, television’s most influential producer reveals his often controversial views on the international market in an exclusive interview with Jesse Whittock 22 DATA:MOST VALUABLE FORMATS 26 Come Dine with Me and Money Drop are Europe’s most successful formats. TBI reveals why 26 OB DOCS 30 Is the fashionable ob-docs genre a permanent fixture in international TV sched- ules, or is its popularity beginning to wane? Jesse Whittock reports
30 FORMATS HOT PICKS
TBI editors pick the hottest new formats hitting the market this April at MIPTV
36 LAST WORD
Iacono’s Simon Ingram on how to successfully marry TV shows and technology
CONTENTS APRIL/MAY 2014
For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM TBI Formats April/May 2014 3 Formatsp04-5 ITVSGE AprMay14.indd 2 26/03/2014 17:49 Game Of Chefs The cooking format is on the move.
itvstudiosge.com
Formatsp04-5 ITVSGE AprMay14.indd 3 26/03/2014 17:49 Formatsp06 Viewpoint Buddingh AprMay14scFINALCBjw.qxp 27/3/14 09:59 Page 26
LAST WORD DIANA BUDDINGH, DIRECTOR, GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION, FREMANTLEMEDIA VIEWPOINT DIANA BUDDINGH, FREMANTLEMEDIA Freshen up your formats
remantleMedia is the home to It may also be that you want to add an extra on having a string of global hits that appeal to some of the best-loved brands element of excitement that ups the jeopardy of local audiences, and its success is based on and formats in the world: from a situation, which is why we introduced the acting global but thinking local. Our hit shows Family Feud to Farmer Wants a Six Chair Challenge at the Boot Camp stage of work because local audiences relate to the Wife, through The X Factor, Idols The X Factor UK; or it could be that you want production. Just because a change works in Fand Got Talent. to find new ways for the audience to engage one market doesn’t necessarily mean that it Many of these globally renowned titles have with the show such as we did recently by will work in every other territory. been on air for a decade or more, and often sit adding Google and Facebook voting for Take cultural differences into consideration at the heart of the networks’ schedules, drawing American Idol. and bear in mind that not every country has in millions of viewers each week. Another tip is to ensure you’re familiar with the GDP of the US or the UK. Like all things, however, familiarity can your content: keep on top of each format, in To that end, suggested changes also need to sometimes breed contempt, so it’s my job each market, and look at it on a regular if not be scalable, allowing the more developed and that of my team to look at our shows on daily basis and use the expertise of your local nations to big up a change, or a smaller nation a daily basis to see how we can keep them production teams. to scale it down; and make sure that ideas from fresh, relevant and exciting for audiences of all FremantleMedia benefits from having a a smaller market have an equal share of voice generations so that they keep on watching our team of flying producers, who as their to those of the bigger ones great ideas aren’t shows. After all, variety is the spice of life! name suggests fly around the world to based on your geography. The challenge of keeping classic brands advise on each of our productions, Finally, never forget that we make shows for fresh isn’t rocket science, but it’s surprising guaranteeing the production values and the viewers, and it’s their voice we need to hear at how easy it is to get it wrong. integrity of our brands. the end of the day. Companies with the Think in the first instance about why you’re They provide the local production teams function should listen to their audience doing it. If you’re changing for changing’s with insights and learnings from successful research team, and use the insights they offer sake, then you’ve got it wrong. Any refresh has refreshes across the world, and just as on audience feedback. to have a purpose. importantly advise local crews on ideas that These teams are invaluable for any It may be that you want to attract a new didn’t work, so that they can avoid making the production team looking at changing up a generation of viewers, particularly if it’s a same mistake twice. show. But as valued as they are, there really is franchise like The Price is Right or Family Avoid taking a one-size-fits-all approach to a no substitute for listening to the audience Feud that has been on air for decades. format refresh. FremantleMedia prides itself directly. Travel, go see your shows being made, sit in an audience where possible and listen to the The challenge of keeping classic commentary afterwards. Get viewers to tell you what they love about the show or what’s not brands fresh isn’t rocket science, but working for them. As for how often you need to refresh a show it’s surprising how easy it is to get it and at what point in the show’s cycle, there is simply no set answer; you do it as and when it wrong. Think in the first instance is needed. The more you are familiar with a show in a about why you’re doing it. If you’re market, the more on top of it you’ll be. And my final piece of advice: don’t change the format changing for changing’s sake, then so dramatically that it looks nothing like the show that viewers fell in love with in the first you’ve got it wrong place. TBI
6 TBI Formats April/May 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM Formatsp07 TBJ AprMay14.indd 1 26/03/2014 17:39 Formatsp08 DRG Monitor AprMay14_h_JWscFINAL.qxp 27/3/14 10:26 Page 30
M ONITOR DRG
DRG formalises formats business UK-based distributor DRG, now part of the Nice Entertainment Group, has launched a dedicated formats team in time for MIPTV as the demand for guaranteed hits grows
t has been an eventful period for DRG, the Also on her team will be Albertina Marfil, even gone to air, comes from Nice-owned London-based distributor. After its former who has been promoted to formats manager, producer Monster. “It’s a story of three people financial backer, Ingenious Media Active sales and acquisitions and will oversee the born on the same day, following their lives and Capital, found a buyer for the company in Nordics and Asia; former BBC Worldwide, where they end up. The third person is always June last year in the shape of Scandinavia- ITV Studios Global Entertainment, Fox Look someone significant perhaps they became the basedI Modern Times Group, DRG welcomed and Shine International exec Jenny prime minister,” says Jackson. “It’s a way of back former CEO Jeremy Fox and began life as a Harrington, who has joined as senior formats looking back at recent history.” part of a more vertically integrated media group. manager for the CEE region; and a senior Other formats from the Nice stable piping With an expanded catalogue, the renewed executive from another international TV through DRG include dating series Adam and vigour that comes with the security of a major new partner and the wider context of being a key part of an ambitious developing content company, the firm got back to what it was best at shopping programmes to international broadcasters. It initially sat within the MTG Studios division alongside MTG’s other programme production and distribution companies selling shows including Catch Phrase, The Bar, 15 to 1, This is Your Life, Don’t Tell the Bride, Slow TV and Doc Martin. Then, after MTG acquired Scandi production giant Nice Entertainment, MTG Studios was rebranded as Nice Entertainment Group, with Patrick Svensk installed as CEO. That division now comprises DRG, Strix Television, Paprika Latino, Novemberfilm, Redakt rerna, Monster, One Big Happy Family, Playroom, Rakett, Titan, Baluba, Nice Drama, Moskito, Production House, NRK social history format Born On is key to DRG Formats Grillifilms and Gong. From this group, DRG is now the sole distributor of formats from Strix, Monster, company whose name was being kept under the Eves from Denmark’s TV3, primetime Gong, Baluba, Rakett and Paprika Latino. It wraps at press time as final negotiations quiz show Crossfire from Ireland’s TV3 and means only one thing: a huge pipeline of new were ongoing. We Know What You’re Searching For from shows for it to take to the international market. Among new shows for MIPTV, DRG DR3 in Denmark, all from Gong. There is aslo Its formats business has been growing Formats will launch a pair of factual studio-based comedy entertainment format organically over the past few years with titles entertainment titles from Swedish public Long Live!from Dedsit, which originally made such as Never Ever Do This at Home and broadcaster SV; It Happened Here and The it for Belgium’s VTM. Teenage Boss selling internationally. With Angry Doctor; M6’s stripped relationship With international distribution rights representation deals with Norway’s NRK, format Best Couple Ever (see page 32); and becoming more of a scarce commodity every Ireland’s TV3 and UK broadcaster Channel 5 Whose Holiday is it Anyway? from Coco passing month, Jackson categorises DRG also secured, the distributor has now launched Television for Ireland’s RTE. Formats’ creation as “the right step to be taking DRG Formats, a dedicated unit lead by DRG Formats will also be pushing Born On, at the right time”. managing director of acquisitions and formats a social history format that leverages the new “With our new partners at the Nice Group Andrea Jackson. “We’ve been selling formats relationship with the Nice prodcos. and strong third party deals with the likes of throughout the existence of DRG and it is The show, which NRK in Norway has NRK, we are expecting exponential growth,” becoming much more valuable,” she explains. greenlit for two seasons before the first has she says. TBI
8 TBI Formats April/May 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM p23 Televisa AprMay14.indd 1 26/03/2014 16:02 Formatsp10-11 Matrix AprMay14_JW1sc.qxp 27/3/14 10:06 Page 12
INDUSTR FOCUS FORMATS The Formats Matrix
Eyeworks wins its legal war with Banijay over rival diving formats Celebrity Splash High Co and Stars in Danger. Days later, Banijay scores a decisive French Supreme Court victory against Endemol in the long-running case over the former’s format Dilemme
BBC Worldwide sells SEWING BEE to American dramas GOSSIP GIRL, Pretty Norway’s NRK, Swedish commercial Little Liars and ER set for Asia after Warner broadcaster TV4 and France’s M6. Option Bros. International Television closes deals deals are also closed in Italy with with broadcasters in the region. ER is also Magnolia, Holland with Blue Circle and going local in Colombia with a remake for Spain with Shine Iberia TC and FIC. $ Low
Talpa Media launches branded joint ventures in the UK, Italy and Scandinavia as it seeks to pipe shows such as new hit Utopia into the territories
Irish gameshow formats come into the spotlight as Red Arrow International snaps RTL5 in Germany gets technical as it up rights to TV3’s The Lie and Warner Bros. commissions a local version of Danish format International Television adds BBC daily SEX ACADEMY, in which ordinary couples show THE LINKto its ranks are schooled on topics including the importance of foreplay, different sexual positions and role-playing, before heading home with a camera to film the results
French paper format Who’s Got the Money? sells to the Middle East’s Imagic and Italian producer Toro TV Comic singing format KILLER Come Dine with Me broadcast in three times KARAOKE continues to chalk up as many formatted hours on European channels as its nearest rival, Fish on the sales, with Indian channel Z ee Cake (see pages 22-25) Tamizh ordering a local version and MCOT in Thailand launching its remake in Q4 2013. Middle Eastern nets also get in on the action Low Co
10 TBI Formats April/May 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM Formatsp10-11y Matrix AprMay14_JW1sc.qxp 27/3/14 10:06 Page 13
INDUSTR FOCUS FORMATS
TBI’s at-a-glance guide to the biggest deals in international format television
Prisoners of War, the Israeli drama that inspired Homeland, is to be remade in South Korea after producer Star J Entertainment acquired local Concept remake rights
US Hispanic channel Univision cooks up a remake of AMC drug drama Breaking Bad called METASTASISin a deal with Germany’s Sat.1 and the US’s Fox line Emmy-winning French drama BRAQUO Sony Pictures Television up remakes of Turkish political mystery gets a Russian reworking after national drama THE END, with Shine France broadcaster Channel One buys the scripts working up a French version from Z odiak Rights $ High
Content Media Corporation acquires production and distribution companies from Seven Stars Entertainment and Media to pipe its formats in to the Chinese market.
Following launch at MIPCOM in October, Armoza Formats’ celebrity show ICAN DO THAT!scores deals in 15 territories Despite middling US ratings, NBC’s multiplatform gameshow MILLION SECOND QUIZscores global production deals for vendor All3Media Rising Star’s distributor Keshet International with FremantleMedia and Shine International claims research proves the talent series is the fastest-selling format in television history. Deals are closed with broadcasters including ABC in the US, ITV in the UK, RTL in Germany and CBS Studios International claims a deal to take M6 in France finished and format rights to Russian comedy Concept Kuknya (The Kitchen) is the first of its kind
For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM TBI Formats April/May 2014 11 Formatsp12 Shed Monitor AprMay14jwSCfinalFINAL.qxp 27/3/14 18:04 Page 30
M ONITOR SHED
Pam Healey on Shed’s US reality mission Taking over from the boss of a successful company is never easy. Pamela Healey did just that last year when she left Cake Boss producer High Noon Entertainment to replace the outgoing Shed US pioneer Nick Emmerson, who set up the American arm of the UK business, Shed Media. She speaks to Rob Shepherd
hen Nick Emmerson left to become CEO of Shed subsidiary Ricochet in The beautiful thing about the the UK, Pam Healey reality medium is it’s one of stepped in as general creative entrepreneurs. Many Wmanager with a brief to build on his success by channels are entirely unscripted spearheading development and production of and some have made so much original series in the US. That may sound straightforward, especially money from it that they are able to with Shed’s pedigree in the reality space. Yet the do scripted as a side play” genre has a growing number of detractors, so will there not come a tipping point when view- ers tire of elements of the genre? “The beautiful thing about our medium is of bourgeois and professional women in challenge”, Healey says, although she does it’s one of creative entrepreneurs,” Healey says. different American cities. Shed is behind The give some insight into the next wave of reality “The metrics help it evolve. Many channels are Real Housewives franchise. in the US. entirely unscripted and some of those have “Real Housewives works because we can “What we are seeing here is fixed-camera made so much money they are able to do change the ladies in different seasons,” Healey shows are gaining traction,” Healey says. scripted now as a side play.” says. “The franchise endures because people “They’ve been much more popular in the UK She points to the fact that gameshows that know what the premise of each show is.” until now. Big Brother is a huge hit here, but we have been going from “the dawn of time” fall Healey is sure Housewives will continue to haven’t quite found the success with fixed- under the reality umbrella. “Then, of course grow. “Of course, nothing lasts forever, but it’s camera. One Born Every Minute went two there is the legacy of reality shows: The Real hard to contemplate ending when you look at cycles on Lifetime, but these shows have not World, Survivor, Top Chef, Project Runway the most successful shows, Survivor is on been as big as they are in UK.” they are the old guard and there is a nostalgia for season 23,” she says. “The Real Housewives of Healey sees social experiments as having this tier of reality here in the US,” Healey says. Atlanta is getting stronger and Beverly Hills is in longevity and says her team is developing a “Reality will never go away.” its sixth season. We’ve just had our biggest order number of ideas based on UK series. Although Although Healey’s team is charged with for New York and are making 20 episodes this she is unable to confirm which network has “dreaming up ideas” and finding the next gap in season, excluding the reunions. It seems to be taken it, Healey says the ink is almost dry on a the reality space, that does not mean new getting stronger as it goes on.” deal for a US version of UK show First Dates. formats come easy, she says, and all indies need Shed has more clout than most production Made by Shed Media subsidiary Twenty a bit of inspiration from each other now and houses because entertainment giant Warner Twenty for Channel 4 in the UK, First Dates is a then. “Like anything, people overdose on it then Bros. owns a majority stake in the business. fixed-camera dating show and the networks are they go another direction looking for something Healey admits having the clout of a studio very excited about it, Healey reports. new,” she says. “We’ve seen a wave of comedy backer is a big help. “It is underway as a pilot and we’ve had over here and Duck Dynasty has been a colossal “Being owned or majority-owned by a huge multiple offers on it,” she says. “[Channels] like success,” studio might not be for everybody, but I know the fact the show offers something different. It’s Healey says the A&E show works because of that High Noon has benefited from being set in a restaurant and everybody there is on a its simplicity. “It’s a reality sitcom with families backed by ITV,” she says. “In terms of Shed, if first date.” and a religious touch. Theres a good example of we ever need an 800lb gorilla for negotiating Just over a year after joining, Healey is how the medium has evolved to another level.” points, Warner is invaluable. We are in a land presiding over one of the most successful periods WE tv’s Bridezillas was one long-running war but if the big bomb needs to be dropped, in the recent history of Shed US. With over nine series that ran its course, but it is hard to argue and by that I mean if Warner has a relationship pilots with various networks, hers appears to with Healey when she says reality will “run and with the network already, of course it helps.” have been a successful transition from High run”. She points to is the success of Bravo’s The Even when you have a big backer, finding Noon. Shed, like other producers, is just looking Real Housewives, the series that follow the lives the next big show is “the multi-million dollar for that next reality ratings smash. TBI
12 TBI Formats April/May 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM THE DOGS ’ DON T KNOW ’ IT S A GAME
THE HILARIOUSLY HORRIFYING GAME SHOW UNLEASHED ON THREE CONTINENTS
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Formatsp13 Sony Hounds AprMay14.indd 1 26/03/2014 17:35 Formatsp14 Spain Monitor AprMay14CBjw.qxp 27/3/14 10:03 Page 30
M ONITOR SPAIN
Televisa makes Spanish format play Distributed by Televisa Internacional, TV formats created by Madrid-based outfit La Competencia are travelling worldwide, helping the Mexican giant to conquer new international markets. Emiliano de Pablos talks to Javier P”rez de Silva, the Spanish production company’s CEO, about the joint venture
icking off 2013, the alliance with Televisa has opened the interna- tional market to La Competencia’s TV entertainment formats in a moment when, for Spanish pro- ductionK companies, looking abroad is crucial for survival, given the deep economic crisis that has hit the local TV market. The five-year exclusive deal, which linked La Competencia and Televisa for the development, financing, production and sales of entertainment formats, aimed to build Televisa’s formats catalogue. Before teaming with Televisa, La Competencia was FremantleMedia’s TV partner in Spain. “Our relationship was magnificent,” says CEO P”rez de Silva. “But we only could P”rez de Silva (centre)and team work with FremantleMedia in our territory; Televisa then also threw in the possibility of working as well on the international front.” FremantleMedia in all of the countries where it coming-of-age drama A Cambio de Nada. La Competencia’s line-up of TV formats has a production capability. “Our relationship with Televisa is so fluid that follows a formula: “They are based on ideas that For Televisa, the partnership has allowed it to it has made us explore new avenues for have already worked, with an original twist,” gain a presence in new TV territories such as collaboration in areas such as fiction or factual,” says P”rez de Silva. The added value brought by those in Northern Europe and Asia, and develop P”rez de Silva says. the company rests in part in its TV production business opportunities in other more mature However, La Competencia’s core business know-how, he adds: “When we are creating a TV TV markets. remains TV formats. Its newest TV creations, format, we constantly think how we can produce Madrid-based La Competencia was co- often reflecting fresh trends in the international it in the simplest possible way, always eyeing the founded in 2011 by P”rez de Silva and partners TV market, include Dolphins with the Stars, a international market.” Joaqu n Zamora and I igo P”rez Tabernero. It primetime format in which Dancing with the Meanwhile, Televisa brings to the table its has created shows for Spain’s top broadcasters. Stars meets Celebrity Splash. muscular international sales operation and one For Mediaset Espa a’s channel Cuatro, the It has already been licensed by two Western competitive advantage: unlike most format giant prodco is prepping the third season of docu- European broadcasters. Reality show Adam & giants, it can produce and broadcast a format on series Gypsy’s Honor, the Spanish debut of Eve Project mixes the spirit of Big Brother, its own networks, in Mexico. Everybody and Their Brother and police factual Extreme Makeover and The Biggest Loser in the Launched September at Televisa’s Canal 5, series Cop Operation. For pubcaster RTVE’s search for human perfection, while Madmall is Puedes con Cien?, the Mexican adaptation of channel La1, it is making the second season of a hidden-camera show in production for Everybody and Their Brother, was a notable primetime doc Spain on the Horizon. Mediaset Espa a in Spain and Televisa in success. “Everybody was a turning point that On the scripted entertainment front, with Mexico. Shiny-floor entertainment format The showed the international market our creativity local partner C”sar Rodr guez Blanco, La Wacky Old Games, meanwhile, is a new take on worked,” P”rez de Silva says. Competencia is producing the fourth season of the Wipeout style physical gameshow. The show will be on air or in production in hit comedy Caught with My Pants Down for “There is a huge deficit of TV formats in the about 20 countries by June, including Spain Atresmedia’s Antena 3 and is developing four international market,” P”rez de Silva says. “But (Mediaset Espa a), Italy (RAI) and Russia TV fiction projects, two commissioned by all the entertainment formats paths have already (Channel Rossiya). Televisa Internacional took Spanish broadcasters and two for international. been trodden; the only thing we can do now is Latin American and some North American It’s also entered the movie business, just mix elements of one TV genre with another rights and sub-licensed them to coproducing Spanish actor Daniel Guzmán’s in order to create new formats.” TBI
14 TBI Formats April/May 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM THE #1 BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT FORMAT.
A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY.
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Formatsp15 Sony Dragons AprMay14.indd 1 26/03/2014 17:36 Formatsp16 Dropped Monitor AprMay14JWscscFINAL.qxp 27/3/14 16:38 Page 30
M ONITOR ZODIAK
THE SHOW:Dropped THE PRODUCER:Mastiff Sweden Format focus: THE DISTRIBUTOR:Zodiak Rights THE BROADCASTER:TV4 (Sweden) FORMAT:1x60mins/1x90mins CONCEPT:Back to basics reality- Dropped into reality adventure format
oel Karsberg, chief creative officer of hand, the first series was scary’ to produce. format, it is not a race against the clock and Zodiak Nordic, says Dropped came out The contestants have no food, maps or there are no predetermined time constraints. It of a desire to simplify the often over- assistance (although did have sleeping bags generally took contestants three or four days to Jthought world of reality TV and specif- in Alaska and mosquito nets in the jungle), reach civilisation. “There is a time factor in a ically to bring a more authentic feel to making their challenge considerable. The lot of formats and we wanted to take that the survival/adventure genre. same could be said of the production team away,” Karsberg says. “There are lots of reality shows in this area that was filming their exploits. Produced by Mastiff Sweden, Dropped ran Amazing Race, Peking Express but we felt “It was a logistical nightmare the first time,” to four parts and took in Mexico, Alaska, the they were quite formatted. So we made says Karsberg. “How much gear and so on Malaysian jungle and Namibia’s Skeleton something that does have a format, but also a were we to take? The crew were being dropped Coast. TBI very basic concept: what happens if you put into mountains, jungles and deserts, but we people in difficult terrain? We pitched it to TV4 couldn’t cut back on the production values. [in Sweden] and they loved the simple, This was still a big primetime weekend show.” DROPPED BOX:RATINGS relatable idea,” says Karsberg. Although nature provides some natural In the show, two teams of celebrities are format beats, having picked up the requisite 1.1 million viewers and 30.15% audience dropped into various inhospitable evironments logistical and production skills, Zodiak is share averaged across its four week run (in and the challenge is simply to find civilisation. shopping Dropped as a format. It will be one of the target demographic of 12-59 year olds) The first group to find a power source, charge the company’s big launches for MIPTV. a 51.50% above the current primetime TV4 their phone and call back to base wins. A host The Swedish version had two teams of average of 19.9% (among 12-59s) and local expert are viewing events from a five sports stars competing. On TV4 it was Peak audience of 1.2 million for the season base camp. going up against Stars in the Castle and finale The losing team fires off a distress signal, is performed well (see box). Strong performance against SVT’s picked up by helicopter and enters an It has a broad family appeal, Karsberg says, established entertainment series Stars In elimination round that comprises survival- with kids particularly enjoying the overall, and The Castle (Stjä rnorna på Slottet), which themed games, which will see their number elimination games, and the parents the social lost 400,000 in viewers whittled down ahead of the next drop. experiment element. “Kids love the games and The back-to-basics approach yielded a parents love the stories,” he says. * Source: MMS Sweden commission, but Karsberg says, with that in In keeping with the simple aesthetic of the
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Formatsp17 Zodiak Pawn AprMay14.indd 1 26/03/2014 17:42 Formatsp18-20 deMol Interview AprMay14JW_HFJWcbSCFINAL.qxp 27/3/14 10:31 Page 18
THE TBI INTERVIEW JOHN DE MOL
John de Mol co-created Endemol, is set to sell his shareholdings in the production giant for the second time, heads up The Voice producer Talpa Media and uses his own Dutch channel as a test-bed for his globally successful formats. TV’s most powerful indie producer is now betting on social-experiment reality show Utopia, which makes its global debut in Cannes. Here, he sits down with Jesse Whittock for an exclusive interview The making of de Mol
ew reality show Utopia is one of the most ambitious for- one or two territories and JVs in another 15. I want a steady model. I would mats you’ve ever conceived. What was the idea behind it? only shift to an Endemol model when I know the right companies are The idea comes from the fact that over the past few years available in five or six countries. At the moment, that is not a possibility. we’ve been in crisis and people are uncertain about the We do own a shareholding in Mir Reality in Russia, which was a matter future. They’re very unhappy with the millions of rules of timing it came at the very beginning of Talpa when we still had the andN regulations they live with and we felt if the present society is so bad, ambition to buy. why don’t we give people the chance to start a new one and see if they can make it better? Do you still have your 25% stake in Endemol? Apollo Global Management bought the [Endemol] debt from a few other One of the show’s most interesting elements is the online ‘Utopia banks and made an offer to Dasym [the investment company that Passport’. How does it work? manages part of de Mol’s wealth], who are taking care of this, for their We thought we’d give those people entering Utopia a passport as it’s a part as well. As far as I can see, it looks like Apollo will acquire Endemol. little country. For €2.50 a month, you have unlimited access to 120 cameras, four video streams and two 360-degree cameras you can Does that affect your plans for Talpa? operate yourself; and you can vote and be involved with the programme. No. I was a minority shareholder in Endemol and if you look at it purely You’re the parliament in the democracy. from a financial perspective, the offer looks healthy and I can make a good profit from my investment. We don’t have any joint ventures with When you launched Talpa Media, you had intended to build it in the Endemol, so it changes nothing internationally. same way as Endemol, through acquisitions, but later switched to a strategy whereby you set up several country-specific joint ventures. Will How much are you investing in Talpa Media USA? this continue in the future? Besides Holland, the US is the only country where we own a 100% Talpa As long as there is not a good alternative, this is as close to perfect for subsidiary. It’s the most important television market, so that makes Talpa as we can get. We can pick the best production companies, though sense. We will make more investments in the US because that is the we don’t want to buy them but make them a partner. We can assess if model, we do that with Talpa like we did with Endemol 20 years ago. their production capabilities are good enough for the range of genres we What network executives like so much is I always come with proven stuff. create. In that respect, you don’t need cash. On the other hand, [the I have the luxury position of having three channels in Holland through downside is that] if you have the number of successful shows that we my investment in SBS to launch formats and then export them to the rest have, you share a lot of the profits. of the world.
You’ve just launched your first Talpa-branded JVs in the UK, Italy and the How do you remain innovative? Nordics. Will this mean you want to take more control of these ventures? Looking for innovation in of itself should not be the goal. We are in this We look at every TV market on an individual basis and then determine business to create TV shows that reach a big audience. I like to see Talpa what is the best way to exploit our content. For example, in the US we as a content development company development is the most important decided it is better to have a fully owned subsidiary, while in China it is thing. In the past five years we’ve created about 25 successful better to make commercial deals with individual companies. It is not a international formats. That’s where we invest if I believe in it, we make matter of getting more control per se in the JVs we’ve just launched. The pilots and I’ll finance shows to air if necessary. set-up of our own entities, however, means by definition we get more involved and control. You can air content through your SBS channels. Are you actively involved in managing the channels. Do you enjoy the channel operation side of Do you still feel it isn’t a buyers’ market out there? the business? I don’t want to get into a situation where you have an acquired structure in No, not at all. I’m not involved in it.
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THE TBI INTERVIEW JOHN DE MOL
Every broadcaster should at least once a year open up 12 or 13 slots for the real new big thing.What about testing the theory of putting a show on air you think won’t work? If you then make a mistake, it means the show works.
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THE TBI INTERVIEW JOHN DE MOL
DE MOL’S MIPTV 2014VINTAGE
Talpa Media hits the Croisette with Utopia (pictured) as its headline play but also has another pair of new formats for buyers’ perusal U topia is q u ic k ly growing to the same level as The Voic e, b u t we are going to MIP with new grou nd b reak ing formats, John d e Mol says. Borne ou t of the glob al ec onomic c risis, H ow Mu c h Are Y ou W orth is an S BS 6 format in whic h rand om people gu esstimate how mu c h everything they own homes, d eb ts, possessions are worth b efore financ ial ex perts find the tru e valu e. It s one of the final tab oos people are happier to talk ab ou t their sex lives than their financ es, says d e Mol. Beat the C rowd , meanwhile, ru ns on R TL 4 and is b ased on the princ iple of the wisd om of c rowd s. It sees a single c ontestant attempt to d efeat an entire au d ienc e, whose answers are c rowd sou rc ed .
So how do you assess the SBS Benelux investment? There has been further centralisation of about three, four or five bigger global players who disagreements over channel performance between you and Finnish have come together to make stronger global companies. majority shareholder Sanoma. We had differences of opinion on how [to take the channels forward], but So does All3Media interest Talpa at this point? they’re all solved. We spent many, many hours sitting round the table and No. We’re fine as we are. we came to a new agreement. We are now standing shoulder to shoulder and will build that group of stations further. If there was one thing you could change about the international market, what would that be? What have you achieved so far? Every broadcaster should at least once a year open up 12 or 13 slots for the SBS is slowly moving in the right direction. It was a group of stations in real new big thing. Look at programming at every station in the world that deep shit when we invested in it and we knew it would take time, but we has the intention of the finding right shows to bring ratings: it sometimes have new successful formats and we’re moving in the right direction. fails. So what about testing the theory of putting a show on air you think won’t work? If you then make a mistake, it means the show works. Which territories offer the best opportunities in the formats business? I treat every territory the same. When we create something like The Voice or Utopia, I think in global terms. My playground has always been the When we create something like The whole world. Voice or Utopia, I think in global terms.
How do you assess Warner Bros. recent multi-million dollar acquisition My playground has always been the of your Dutch rival Eyeworks? whole world” What Warner did by acquiring Eyeworks was acquire infrastructure. Warner has content from other parts of the world it wants to put into that Being able to air formats in Holland has somewhat protected you from that infrastructure, which in itself makes sense. But if you look at the size and throughout the years. popular position of Warner in the entertainment market, I would have If you look at the history of my most successful formats of the last 20 years gone for Endemol. Endemol is Champions League and Warner is like Big Brother, the initial reaction was always, It’s crazy, it doesn’t work’. Champions League. That fits better. If I hadn’t had the opportunity to put them on air in Holland, they never would have happened. You had an investment indirectly in Zodiak. What is the situation there? I don’t look at my investment catalogue every day so I don’t know. You’d Finally, how do you view the rise of OTT players and their push into have to ask Frank Botman. [Botman is chairman of Dasym, the original content? What does it mean for the traditional television investment vehicle that evolved out of Cyrte, which de Mol set up to production company? manage his assets after selling Endemol for the first time in 2000.] It means opportunity. Every new platform should be viewed as another opportunity. Right now, Netflix is 99.9% a global product, and they’ve not So how do you see the independent production market evolving? invested in local products in local markets yet. That’s going to happen There are a lot of production companies for sale All3Media and soon because in each country competitors are coming. In Holland, RTL is Eyeworks were for sale, and Endemol was too. There were a lot of launching Videoland, which is already commissioning drama. Netflix has opportunities, and in the next two or three years you’re going to see to compete on local product. TBI
20 TBI Formats April/May 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM Zodiak Los Angeles for truTV MIPTV stand R8.D3 zodiakrights.com
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FORM ATS UPDATE DATA
Europe’s most valuable formats The UK is the most lucrative formats market in Europe, while TF1 is the leading broadcaster and Money Drop and Come Dine with Me are the most successful formats in the region, according to new research. Endemol, ITV and FremantleMedia, meanwhile, are Europe’s most successful formats distributors. TBI digs into the numbers
nowing the value of your content is a vital tool in the their latest report, TV Formats in Europe, reveals the financial success of international market. That’s why media specialists unscripted entertainment shows that have been made in multiple Madigan Cluff, Essential Television Statistics and Digital territories. TV Research have measured the number of hours of The results make for interesting reading. Going by distributor, formatted programming scheduled across European free- Endemol, FremantleMedia and ITV are the three frontrunners in terms Kto-air channels and the income generated by each format. Specifically, of both hours of formats on air and the value these formats generate for
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FORM ATS UPDATE DATA
Endemol’s Big Brother format remains popular
their broadcasters. However, the top three change dependant on which of The research houses have found that the cumulative value attributed to those metrics is used. the broadcast of entertainment formats across Europe slipped last year, In terms of number of hours, ITV Studios Global Entertainment is top although it has largely withstood the economic impact of the recession. of the heap with 4,352, comfortably ahead of Endemol Worldwide The top 100 formats generated US$2.9 billion compared with US$3 Distribution with 3,460 and FremantleMedia International with 3,136. Red billion in 2012, but the figure is ahead of the 2011 total. The UK, France and Arrow and Shine International place fourth and fifth ahead of Zodiak Germany account for 72% of the total, with the UK generating the most Rights, All3Media International, Eyeworks and Talpa. from formats by bringing in US$600 million of the total in 2013. However, The top four distributors account for just under half of the format hours this is a decrease on the 2012 total of US$677 million. screened in 2013. ITVS, which is also the largest distributor by hours in The value of formats to French broadcasters is growing and was US$599 2012, held the top spot mainly because of the ongoing success of Come million last year compared with US$547 million in 2012. In terms of Dine With Me. FremantleMedia supplies ten titles in the top 100, while revenue generated by formats, French commercial broadcaster TF1 leads Endemol and Red Arrow supply nine apiece. the way, generating US$331.5 million. In terms of the value created by the distributors’ formats, Endemol tops Meanwhile, the number of hours of formatted programming aired the list with its formats generating US$589 million, 20% of the total. across the 84 channels surveyed is flat year-on-year at 28,386. FremantleMedia is second, generating US$439 million, 15% of the total. Madigan Cluff director Michael Cluff says that the Europe-wide market ITVS generates 10% of the total, almost US$300 million. for formats is showing resilience given that there has been an advertising
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FORM ATS UPDATE DATA
From left;Come Dine With Me,Who Wants to Marry my Son? and Money Drop
TOP FIVE TITLES BY FORMAT HOURS Jonathan Bailey, managing director at Essential Television Statistics and BROADCAST co-author of the report, notes that food formats remain in vogue. “The most significant trend is the continued growth of food formats, often scheduled Title 2012 2013 in access prime time,” he says. C ome D ine W ith Me (ITV) 3 ,7 42 3 ,7 7 8 By value, Come Dine With Me also wins out, although despite increased Fish on the C ak e (R ed Arrow) 1,7 6 5 1,200 broadcast hours and the US$205.6 million generated, it earned slightly less MasterC hef (S hine) 6 00 1,19 9 than in 2012 when it made US$209.5 million. W ho W ants to Marry My S on? (E yework s) 1,03 7 1,101 Another Endemol format, Money Drop, also made less money (though Big Brother (E nd emol) 1,16 0 1,03 2 the format has grown quickly since its international launch in 2010). In 2013 it generated US$197.5 million compared with US$224.7 million a recession and several top-performing titles have peaked. year earlier. The trend continues, with Deal or No Deal generating He adds: “Across Europe, TV advertising revenues declined, which US$140.5 million against US$141.7 million in the previous year. The one explains why the value for major formats in 2013 was 3.3% down on the show in the top five that made more money in 2013 than 2012 is Talpa 2012 total. Despite this decline, revenue was higher than in 2011. The singing competition series The Voice, which pulled in US$140.1 million number of hours for formats broadcast across the channels we monitored last year and US$128.1 million a year earlier. was almost exactly the same in 2013 as in 2012.” In terms of specific titles, Come Dine With Me is the top European ALL-DAY FORMAT HOURS BY DISTRIBUTOR format, notching up 3,778 broadcast hours across the continent, (2013) fractionally more than it attained in 2012. Red Arrow’s celebrity cooking show Fish on the Cake is second with a cumulative 1,200 hours, a total significantly down on the 1,765 the previous year. Shine International’s MasterChef is third, recording a massive increase from the 600 broadcast O ther ITV 4,3 5 2 hours it attained in 2012 with 1,199 hours. Eyeworks’ Who Wants to Marry 7 ,3 26 My Son and Endemol’s Big Brother round out the top five, with largely similar broadcast hours as in the previous year. E nd emol 3 ,46 0 TOP FIVE TITLES BY VALUE CREATED Talpa 1,15 0 FremantleMed ia (US$ MILLION) 3 ,13 6 E yework s Title 2012 2013 1,28 8 C ome D ine W ith Me (ITV) 209 .5 205 .6 All3 Med ia Money D rop (E nd emol) 224.7 19 7 .5 1,3 3 3 D eal or N o D eal (E nd emol) 141.7 140.5 Z od iak R ed Arrow 1,7 05 S hine 2,6 7 6 The Voic e (Talpa) 128 .1 140.1 1,9 3 6 D anc ing with the S tars (BBC W orld wid e) 129 .1 117 .3
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FORM ATS UPDATE DATA
FOOD FORMATS IN FOCUS E x c u se the pu n, b u t c hannels are getting hu ngrier and hu ngrier for food formats. As the au thors of TV Formats in E u rope note, appetite is inc reasing as au d ienc es c rave everything from major vehic les lik e MasterC hef (ab ove) to loc al c eleb rity c hef-fronted originals. VALUE CREATED BY DISTRIBUTOR IN 2013 For ex ample, E u rope s most valu ab le format, C ome D ine W ith Me, (US$ MILLION) has b een remad e 3 6 times, most rec ently in Ind ia for S tar TV and Bra il for G lob o, mark ing its first appearanc es in Asia and L atin Americ a. Meanwhile, R ed Arrow s inventively titled Fish on a C ak e remains a staple of b road c asters, espec ially in S c and inavia, and O ther 5 5 9 MasterC hef, whic h d ou b led the nu mb er of its b road c ast hou rs last E nd emol year, has had 45 signed prod u c tion agreements. 5 8 9 Z od iak Besid es these old favou rites, new food -themed formats are hitting 13 0 the mark et and c oming from all c orners of the glob e. O ne interesting d eal has seen All3 Med ia International ac q u ire rights S ony FremantleMed ia to U ltimate Braai Master, whic h has ru n to two seasons on pu b lic 144 43 9 b road c aster the S ABC and b eat other c ook ing formats inc lu d ing the R ed Arrow S ou th Afric an version of MasterC hef. A third season is in the work s, 147 b u t for S ABC s commerc ial rival E TV. All3 Med ia ITV The C ook ed in Afric a Films-c reated format, b ased on the S ou th 148 29 8 Afric an b raai b arb ec u ing c u ltu re and lau nc hing at MIP TV, sees 15 pairs Talpa of c ook s emb ark on a 6 0-d ay road trip and tak e part in c hallenges 15 3 BBC W W S hine inc lu d ing c atc hing and c ook ing their own food and rec reating c lassic 15 4 16 9 d ishes on an open fire. Also in S ou th Afric a, Food N etwork rec ently ord ered the first non- Money Drop and The Voice have enjoyed considerable growth over the N orth Americ an version of C hopped , whic h sees fou r loc al c hefs per last four years,” Michael Cluff says. “This research also reveals the strong episod e task ed with tu rning everyd ay ingred ients into an ama ing legacy value of maturing titles, with Who Wants to be a Millionaire at three-c ou rse meal, with the eventu al winner netting a c ash pri e. number nine and Big Brother still at number ten.” E lsewhere, S ou th K orea s C J E & M, whic h is emerging as one of the Below the top five, All3Media’s Be My Guest added the most value in Asian territory s premiere formats d istrib u tion c ompanies, sold its 2013, increasing from US$11.1 million in 2012 to US$60.2 million in 2013. 13 x 6 0mins C ra y Mark et food -q u i format in Balland i Mu ltimed ia in Not quite as dramatic but still impressive, Global Agency’s Shopping Italy, while U k rainian c ommerc ial c hannel 1+ 1, Ab u D hab i TV, S erb ia s Monsters climbed from US$17.4 million in 2012 to US$49.1 million in N ova, Mac ed onia s Alfa TV D ooel and K a ak hstan s C hannel 7 have all 2013. At the other end of the scale, the value generated by Galileo fell from gone for loc al versions of the G lob al Agenc y-d istrib u ted R ivals in L aw, US$150 million in 2012 to US$96.2 million in 2013. Similarly, CBS in whic h mothers and d au ghters-in-law are pitc hed against eac h other Studios International-shopped Survivor dropped from US$63.8 million in in a c u linary c ompetition. 2012 to US$11.0 million in 2013. TBI In the U K , prod u c er Twofou r is work ing on another food ie series for C hannel 4, titled C ook s Q u estion Time (W T), fronted b y S u e *The value attributed to programming is the financial benefit sourced by P erk ins, who is also the fac e of BBC W orld wid e-sold c ook ing-themed activities such as advertising revenues or a proportion of annual household format hit G reat British Bak e O ff. license fee income that broadcasters receive from screening these formats.
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GENRE FOCUS OB DOCS
Ob docs: obsolete or of the moment? Rumblings that the ob doc trend is stifling creativity on both sides of the Atlantic have divided the factual programming industry. Is the genre coming to the end of its cycle, or is it simply evolving, asks Jesse Whittock
he commissions of History’s commanding eyeballs, programmers began Unsurprisingly, networks soon began Pawn Stars and American Pickers moving away from formatted shows and asking scrambling for the next big ‘beard’ show. As in 2009 and 2010 respectively producers to find the next evolution of the Las Brent Montgomery, CEO and founder of Pawn ushered in a new wave of factual Vegas pawn shop and its owner Richard ‘Old Stars producer Leftfield Pictures, says: “To say programming in the US cable Man’ Harrison. Duck Dynasty was lightning in a bottle isn’t market:T the male-skewed, character-driven A&E was the network that came up with the fair to those people trying to catch lightning: observational documentary celebrating goods. Duck Dynasty launched two years ago it’s an anomaly.” Americana. With so many cable channels and has gone on to become the biggest non- The US and the UK are the territories that needing content for their slates in an ultra scripted cable series ever, with its fourth season have really embraced the making of ob docs, competitive market and this type of ob doc launch taking 11.8 million viewers. although they have proved popular with
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GENRE FOCUS OB DOCS
manager Rob Sharenow claimed there was a “horrible creative crisis” engulfing factual programming in the US, with networks and producers both endlessly chasing their tails to find samey programming. (Lifetime parent A+E Networks declined an interview for this article.) Over in the UK, Channel 5 director of programmes Ben Frow made similar criticisms that the ob doc genre was saturating the market toward the end of last year. If the wider industry agrees with Sharenow and Frow, there is only one conclusion: ob docs will make way for something else. “There is some validity to Sharenow’s remark,” says Jim Berger, CEO of ITV Studios-owned US producer High Noon Entertainment. “If you look at the number of shows set in the American South featuring men with beards, there is a herd mentality.” “One of the dangers of the push to the extreme is at some point you run out,” says Bruce Klein, president of prolific cable TV producer Atlas Media Corp. While the initial spate of ‘beard docs’ were “fresh”, Klein says that “the beards are definitely coming to an end. Networks are starting their pitches by saying, ‘we don’t want beards’”. In the UK, there are similar signs of burn-out, says unscripted prodco Pioneer Productions’ managing director Kirstie McLure. “The shows as they are now are starting to feel tired, so the question is whether they are walking into the autumn of their shelf life,” she says. Words are one thing, but broadcasters keep ordering ob docs. In the UK BBC One is preparing an uncompromising look inside London’s Metropolitan Police Service, and will soon launch Wild Pictures’ three-parter Inside KFC. Channel 5’s Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers has run for three seasons and the network is also working on a series titled On the Buses, while Channel 4 has stuck with Gypsy Wedding spin-offs, despite officially cancelling National Geographic’s Ultimate Airport Dubai the show two years ago. In the US, CMT has had success with channels internationally. came back into fashion, while shows including Leftfield’s Guntucky, which follows a family- Until recently in the UK, networks were BBC Three’s The Call Centre and Libertys of run gun range in Kentucky. “Guntucky is a moving away from lightly formatted London for Channel 4 arrested attention. Love show that encapsulates a lot of the recent programmes like Wife Swap and Secret Productions’ recent Benefits Street caused trends,” says Montgomery. “On the surface, it Millionaire, with the ob doc making a return. national dialogue about both the ethics of sounds violent and dangerous but it’s actually Channel 4’s Big Fat Gypsy Weddings from programming making and future of the welfare about a family business.” Firecracker Films launched in 2011 and scored state – and won a huge number of eyeballs for High Noon, whose best-known ob doc-type the network’s highest ratings since Big Brother Channel 4. series is TLC’s Brooklyn-set Cake Boss, has ended in 2008. Fixed-rig ob docs such as 24 However, at the Realscreen Summit in gained commissions from Spanish-language Hours of A&E and One Born Every Minute January, Lifetime’s executive VP and general networks for ob docs such as Tr3s shows Familia
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GENRE FOCUS OB DOCS
Irish adventure format from Burning Bright Productions in which a presenter gets his mother to take part in crazy capers such as High Noon makes Divas del Azucar for Tr3s nipple piercings, at MIPTV. “It’s a mix of proper documentary and soft formatting, utterly de Circo, about five Mexican brothers who own represents another ReelzChannel ob doc, The charming and lovely and with format potential a circus, and Divas del Azucar, which follows a Capones, as part of a wider distribution with the right casting,” says Millichip. Cuban mother-and-daughter-owned cake shop agreement. The 10x30mins series follows Hamish Mykura, a UK-born former Channel in Miami. “Latinos are as keen on the idea of descendants of legendary gangster Al Capone 4 doc boss and now National Geographic family as I’ve ever seen, and that plays to our who own a family restaurant in Chicago. Sky Channels International’s executive VP and head strengths as we look for family units – be it the Vision’s managing director Jane Millichip says of content, says that the ob doc trends on both Velascos or the Hermanos brothers at the the show is attractive to international buyers sides of the Atlantic have spotlighted how to film circus,” says Berger. because though it is a classic cable ob doc in one the genre in innovative new ways. “The High Noon is also working up half-hour sense, “It’s not in a really niche American question is how to make them new without reality series Polka Kings for ReelzChannel’s environment”, adding: “Those shows have been moving from the core sensibilities.” fall schedule. The show follows a group of good but we need a change from them now”. Mykura points to Ultimate Airport Dubai, a Nat young American polka dancers set on This is because international channels are not Geo series about life at an international airport that stardom. “It’s another family with a mission in showing a sustained appetite for US cable-style was commissioned out of the global paycaster’s life,” says Berger. “Just as [Cake Boss star] ob docs, she explains. “There is a limit to the London office as an example of evolution. Buddy Valastro wants the best cake store in number of storage units, antique hunters or By combining the character-driven elements America, Jake and his friends want the best catfisherman the rest of world will have an of cable ob doc and adding in narrative around polka band in the world.” appetite for.” That’s why Sky Vision is launching major engineering projects at the airport, “You BSkyB-owned distributor Sky Vision Sky1 series 50 Ways to Test Your Mammy, an get something quite innovative”, he explains.
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GENRE FOCUS OB DOCS
This is already happening. TruTV’s Storage Hunters, which follows storage auctions, has performed well in the States since launch in 2011 and travelled internationally to networks including Dave in the UK. Jenny Daly, president of its producer, T Group Productions, says that while producing reality-style ob docs means there will be time constraints and therefore the need to direct action through formatting, Storage Hunters works because “the characters are lively and fun and what they’re doing is very real”. Adding format to a docu-soap gives producers the guarantee of “good television”, she says. T Group’s latest ob docs include one- hour docu-soap special My Big Fat Geek Wedding for NBCUniversal’s Syfy. Networks and producers are in agreement that shows with authentic situations, process, and characters with a real investment in their surroundings will remain key. It is the style of production that will change. “We’ve got two projects on the go where we’re looking at different ways to exploit user- generated content, but in a more active way [than normal]. We’d call it ‘produced UGC’,” says Plimsoll’s Mansfield. Each producer interviewed agrees formatting à la Cake Boss or Storage Hunters is creeping back into commissioners’ long term T Group makes Storage Hunters for TruTV strategies, though they expect the ob doc template to remain strong. Building Wild, which Mykura bills as USA and an ex-commissioner at the BBC and For example, Leftfield launched Celebrity “Grand Designs for outdoorsmen”, and ITV. He recently launched a UK indie, Plimsoll Home Raiders on Lifetime on March 6, while Highway Thru Hell, about truckers traversing Pictures, which will produce programming for Atlas has had four seasons of fixer format Hotel the wilderness of the Coquihalla highway in the US and the UK. Impossible on Travel Channel. In the UK, British Columbia, Canada, have a similar He says there is an clear move toward Channel 4’s ob doc Gogglebox, a meta-format sensibility – character mixed with process. networks “building formats with an from All3Media’s Studio Lambert in which the Another factual exec whose career has taken observational touch” – a trend from the past audience watches people watching the past him from the UK to US (and now back again) and an indication of the cyclical nature of week’s TV, has been among the biggest hits of is Grant Mansfield, the former CEO of Zodiak factual programming, he adds. the last year. It is being remade in Ukraine and China and in the US, as The People’s Couch, for Bravo. “The next generation is more about layering formats on top of the ob doc,” says Atlas’s Klein, who is working on a number of such “If you look at the number of projects for cable channels. shows set in the American South Nat Geo’s Mykura rejects the notion ob featuring men with beards, there docs have negatively impacted development and expects them to remain a staple for years is a herd mentality” to come. “Ob doc is evolving rather than running out of steam,” he says. Jim Berger, High Noon Entertainment “It’s up to us as commissioners and the producers to find more defined and innovative ways of doing things.” TBI
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TBI FORM ATS HOT PICKS
FORMATS HOT PICKS
THE SHOW:The Big Picture THE PRODUCER:A Cappella THE DISTRIBUTOR:A Cappella THE BROADCASTER:N/A THE CONCEPT:Players use a giant screen to answer picture questions while viewers play along at home
There is no doubt MIPCOM 2013 belonged to The format, from Israeli creator and that cost a cool US$1 million to show them. Keshet International format Rising Star, which magician Nimrod Harel, sees contestants Presenter Andrew Günsberg, who is known for wowed buyers at a massive Cannes screening answer multiple-choice questions based on the Australian versions of Idols and The and has gone on to sell around the world. pictures projected through a massive 20 foot Bachelor, hosts. Added to the continued success of Israeli screen in order to win up to US$1 million. If A Cappella has purposely not aimed the scripted formats, just about every producer in they cannot answer a question, producers format at Israeli channels before taking it to Israel is understandably feeling they have a then go to a randomly selected viewer at market, as this has allowed it to own more of hit up their sleeve (or on their slate). A home who has been playing along via a the IP. Shaked says this faith is based on the Cappella, which former Channel 10 dedicated free-to-download app. This person firm’s belief that “it comes at a time where you programming bosses Einat Shalmir and Tal becomes the contestant’s partner, and any can see things changing, with the talent show Shaked launched in 2012, has as good an winnings are shared between them. The not as strong as it was” and that The Big offer as any of them with big-budget format contestant has three such lifelines, meaning Picture is a cost-effective and potentially long- The Big Picture. four people winning the jackpot would pocket running alternative. “We see this as the next generation of US$250,000 each. “We feel there is a drift; one the one hand, studio-based gameshows,” says Shaked, who A Cappella is heading to MIPTV to find scripted is getting stronger and stronger and is A Cappella’s co-founder and VP, business broadcasters – “Our target is the big on the other, it feel like there is desire for development. “It combines pictures with live territories, big channels and big primetime nostalgic, family-viewing television and this participation of the audience at home.” slots,” says Shaked – and has a pilot episode format answers those needs,” she says.
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THE SHOW:The Link THE PRODUCERS:STV Productions in association with LTV THE DISTRIBUTOR:Warner Bros. International Television Production THE BROADCASTER:BBC One (UK) CONCEPT:Access primetime gameshow in which single questions are linked together to create an overall answer
Based on a b oard game c reated b y game- d esigner trio Tristan H yatt-W illiams, Ben D ru mmond and D ean Tempest c ollec tively L ink ee The L ink is a 25 -episod e ac c ess prime gameshow series for BBC O ne in the U K in whic h c ontestants answer q u estions that, in eac h rou nd , ad d u p to c reate the answer to a larger q u estion. W arner Bros. International Television P rod u c tion has swooped in to tak e format rights from LTV, a joint ventu re b etween L ink ee and former E nd emol ex ec P au l Johnson s Tu valu E ntertainment. THE SHOW:Grandpas Over Flowers W hat was attrac tive to them was also THE PRODUCER:CJ E&M attrac tive to u s, and that was the THE DISTRIBUTORS:Small World IFT (worldwide, ex-Asia),CJ E&M international potential, espec ially in the U S , THE BROADCASTERS:tvN (South Korea),EBC (Taiwan),TVB (Hong Kong), says And rew Z ein, W BITVP s senior VP , Youku (China),MediaCorp (Singapore),Myanmar (MKCS),Channel M c reative, format d evelopment and sales. (pan-Asia),Mnet (Japan,US),Thailand (Workpoint TV) W BITVP has high hopes that Mik e D arnell THE CONCEPT:Four veteran Korean actors are fish out of water as they travel and the W arner Bros. u nsc ripted d ivision in the world completing tasks with a young porter Americ a c an plac e the show with a U S b road c aster given that great gameshows are Take four well-known South Korean actors of Switzerland, Germany, France and Taiwan – b ac k at the top of b road c asters wish lists , pensioner age and a young porter-cum- some in hastily added extra episodes. says Z ein. minder on a backpacking trip in a far-flung However, despite the logistics of sending The L ink will hit MIP TV withou t the b enefit country and you get Grandpas Over Flowers. four grandfathers around the world with a of viewing figu res prod u c tion is c u rrently The series, from creator Na Young Suk, has bucket list of things to do and see, Crescenti wrapping ahead of a May b road c ast d eb u t been a major hit on CJ E&M-owned general says it has not been an expensive show to b u t Z ein says it has the wond erfu l shop entertainment pay TV channel tvN, with the make, and the design means promotion and wind ow of a BBC O ne c ommission . channel recording a 9.99% share for the sponsorship prospects from travel and retail O nc e on air, The L ink will try to replic ate season one finale episode in its Friday night product companies are plentiful. “The air fare the su c c ess of long-ru nning BBC game show slot. Season two, set in Spain, recently was sponsored and even the clothing and the P ointless, whic h performs well on week d ays, opened with 7.7% share, way up on the water were too,” says Crescenti. More critical to has transferred to higher-profile S atu rd ay 4.9% garnered by the season one opener. the success is the casting: “You have to get it night slots and whic h E nd emol has sold to Interestingly, a key demographic driving right,” he adds. b road c asters in P oland , Mac ed onia and those ratings are the 20- to 30-year-old age The show is made for the major networks’ S erb ia for loc al ru ns. group,” according to Tim Crescenti, founder primetime schedules, says Crescenti. “This Z ein says the k ey is that The L ink s of the format’s worldwide vendor, Content was must-see-now TV in South Korea,” he prod u c ers have avoid ed simply remak ing a Television-backed Small World IFT. adds. Asian vendor CJ E&M has already popu lar b oard game for television That “That is because the quartet are living like shopped it around the contintent. way d isaster lies, he says b u t have students out of their backpacks and are A select few Western buyers have already rec ognised what mak es the game interacting with the youth,” adds Crescenti. had Small World’s pitch, and Crescenti is attrac tive is the hu man c u riosity of what “Also, everyone can see their dads or expecting numerous sales in Cannes. “We link s things together and d eveloped a show granddads in these people.” want to make a big splash about this format arou nd that . The first season saw the group travel to at MIPTV,” he says.
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THE SHOW:The Best Couple Ever THE PRODUCERS:Terminal 9 Studios, Studio 89 Production THE DISTRIBUTOR:DRG THE BROADCASTER:M6 (France) THE CONCEPT:Four couples compete to prove their approach to love is the most effective, in a stripped weekly format
W hile Franc e 2 has opted for a loc al version of BBC format Antiq u es R oad show as its d aytime format gamb le in 2014, c ommerc ial rival M6 has gone for an entirely new c onc ept, Terminal 9 S tu d ios d ating show The Best C ou ple E ver. I k new TF1 and M6 were look ing for a d aily show for ac c ess primetime stripped over the week , as Frenc h au d ienc es are u sed to that slot with shows lik e Fou r W ed d ings and Fou r in a Bed at TF1 and C ome D ine W ith Me at M6 , says Terminal 9 s C E O C lau d e L ac a e. For M6 , the format s u niq u e approac h to the THE SHOW:The Love Table d ating genre was enou gh for a greenlight. E ac h THE PRODUCERS:Thames, TV Asahi d ay c ou ples of d ifferent ages who b elieve they THE DISTRIBUTOR:FremantleMedia International have fou nd the sec ret rec ipe of a perfec t THE BROADCASTER:TV Asahi (Japan) relationship a passion for c heerlead ing or a THE CONCEPT:Fun dating show in which contestants’ personal lives are b elief in ind epend enc e, for ex ample open revealed on an electronic interactive table at which they are seated their home to three others and share their lifestyle and romantic ac tivities. O n Frid ay, the The Love Table came out of FremantleMedia’s choices, and if there is a match, they are sent females of the c ou ples vote on fou r c ategories relationship with broadcaster Asahi and is on a classy date. Where there is not a two- to d ec id e who is the winning pair. born out of a Japanese dating phenomenon way match, the pairs are sent on a more L ac a e b ills Best C ou ple as a feel-good whereby singletons sit around a table trying budget outing. format , mak ing it u niq u e b ec au se there are to find love. The English-language version “The show has a defining element,” Clark no formats ab ou t c ou ples who are happy on will launch at MIPTV. says. “The LED screen is the perfect way of the mark et. Y ou meet many people in life who Rob Clark, director of global entertainment showing what happens in the contestants’ think they ve fou nd the sec ret of happiness and development at FremantleMedia, says that a lives including on their social media, and that I wanted to c ompare their id eas, he ad d s. key part of the dating show is that it will shows their true character.” Alb ertina Marfil, formats manager, sales and make audiences laugh. “It’s a dating show The formats veteran has worked on ac q u isitions at the show s d istrib u tor D R G , says but with a comedic touch,” he says. “It is the numerous dating series including Blind Date. d ating formats in ac c ess prime are an area of funniest thing I have seen in a studio for “Dating only works at two extremes,” he potential and that Best C ou ple tic k ed all the years. I laughed like a drain.” says. “We have the two most successful b ox es . S he ad d s: It s great to have a c hannel FremantleMedia’s UK prodco Thames has formats in the world in Take Me Out and lik e M6 on b oard , b u t more than that the pitc h reworked the Japanese show and there is a Farmer Wants a Wife. Take Me Out is played ju st really work ed for u s. There will b e a lot of pilot for international buyers to view at MIPTV. for fun and there haven’t been any weddings, fu nny c onflic t, and it is ju st a very sellab le In the show, three men and three women while Farmer Wants a Wife is played purely c onc ept . sit across from one another at the Love Table. for love and there have been dozens of Marfil d esc rib es d ating formats as still su per Said table is electronic, and talks and marriages.” hot in the ind u stry, b u t says the u niq u e tone effectively acts as a second host alongside The Love Table is firmly in the ‘played for Terminal 9 is tak ing to prod u c tion, whic h is on- the more usual human version. The table fun’ camp. It is being pitched as a primetime going at press time (with episod es read y for reveals intimate details of the participants’ hour but could be cut to 30 minutes and MIP TV), will b e a k ey fac et of sales. private lives in the lead-up to the moment would also work as a stripped show, That series, ac c ord ing to L ac a e, is a fu nny that they push the ‘love buttons’, indicating according to Clark, who adds that the game show that c hallenges viewers on their own to which member of the opposite sex they are could be replicated online or as an app to relationships. For M6 , it s very important for attracted. Viewers can see the singletons’ promote the show. viewers to learn something, he says.
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or to compete in some way,” she says. “But this is just a conversation that follows the same schedule each week without interruption, but it was set up so it didn’t feel like an interview designed to catch the politicians out.” Those conversations – which see psychotherapist and presenter of SVT format Par i Terapi Poul Perris meeting with each of Sweden’s political leaders (regardless of public appetite for their opinions) to discuss the moments that influenced their outlook of politics and society – have been making waves in Sweden since beginning their broadcast on SVT2 on January 19 (Sweden’s general election will be held on September 14). “When you follow the interview, the drama THE SHOW:Politics and Life around the figure makes more sense. You THE PRODUCER:SVT might not agree with why someone is how THE DISTRIBUTOR:SVT International they are, but you can at least understand THE BROADCASTER:SVT2 (Sweden) better,” says Rosas Hott. “There is no political THE CONCEPT:Party leaders reflect on what influenced their political agenda – it is just letting the leader speak persuasions in frank exchanges with psychotherapist Poul Perris without being questioned.” SVT faced a backlash for including far-right Political ideas as formats are not the most What makes the eight-part Politics and Life politician Jimmie Åkesson but Rosas Hott says straightforward sell in the world, but that has different from a regular political show is the tone inclusion is part of the format’s appeal. not stopped SVT International, the acquisition and format, says SVT International programming Ratings have been strong and social media and sales arm of Sweden’s pubcaster SVT, sales executive Paulette Rosas Hott. reaction on Twitter and Facebook suggests taking this new format to MIPTV. “Formats normally want you to win something younger demographics have tuned in.
S inc e winning the third season of ITV s Britain s G ot Talent with his d anc e trou pe D iversity in 2009 , Ashley Banjo has estab lished himself as one of payc aster c hannel S k y 1 H D s k ey talents. H e appeared as a ju d ge on talent show G ot to D anc e in 2010 and fronted d oc u -reality format Ashley Banjo s S ec ret S treet C rew two years later. H is latest effort for the c hannel is Ashley Banjo s Big Town D anc e, whic h is perhaps his most amb itiou s projec t to d ate. The format sees the 25 -year-old attempting to revitalise the c ommu nity of little-k nown N orth-E ast THE SHOW:Ashley Banjo’s Big Town Dance E ngland town S toc k ton-on-Tees b y THE PRODUCER:Shine TV c horeographing a massive street d anc e. THE DISTRIBUTOR:Shine International It s a series b ased on the positivity Ashley THE BROADCASTER:Sky1 HD (UK) saw at the opening c eremony of the L ond on THE CONCEPT:Breakdancer Ashley Banjo tries to rejuvenate a British O lympic s, says Tim W hitwell, head of town by getting thousands to take part in a choreographed dance programmes at the show s prod u c er, S hine TV. H e s always had a d ream of getting a whole S tu art Mu rphy has often talk ed of a d esire to Banjo, b u t with street d anc e movements c ommu nity together and renewing it throu gh c ommission shows that have strong feel-good b ooming arou nd the world , W hitwell says this d anc e. H e s u sing d anc e as a way to b ring valu es, and W hitwell says Big Town D anc e fits c an b e overc ome. S ec ret S treet C rew has sold people together in a town that feels somewhat the b ill. It has positivity pou ring ou t of its arou nd the world [for ex ample in D enmark ], and neglec ted b y the rest of the c ou ntry. pores, he says. people have fou nd that person, so there s no S k y s d irec tor of entertainment c hannels A potential prob lem is find ing a loc al Ashley reason it c an t b e sold in that way.
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THE SHOW:Are You the One? THE PRODUCER:Lighthearted Entertainment THE DISTRIBUTOR:Viacom International Media Networks THE BROADCASTER:MTV (US) THE CONCEPT:Show in which a group of couples must pair off according to their profiles to win a US$1 million prize
There is a glut of new dating formats it opened to 1.4 million viewers. exercise, the group collectively shares a launching at MIPTV, and at first glance Are In the show, described by The Huffington US$1 million prize. You the One? looks like another to add to the Post as ‘the anti-Bachelor’, ten single men “It’s a very MTV show but also hits a list. Not so, according to Caroline Beaton, and ten single women live together on the broader, older demo than the traditional MTV senior VP, international programme sales, island of Kauai, Hawaii, with the task of reality and gameshows,” says Beaton, Viacom International Media Networks. “It’s finding perfect matches. Ten ideal pairs have adding that although the contestants live not a dating show, it’s a social experiment been identified in advance, and the 20 together, it needn’t be an expensive and about love,” she says. “I don’t know how contestants are aided in their quest by a complex show to make. many more dating shows the world needs!” team of matchmakers and psychologists as “It’s not as complex a set-up as a Big VIMN is launching the finished show and well as family, friends and exes. Brother; it’s more like The Real World, where format internationally at MIPTV. Produced by At the end of a week together the we see the house and parts are filmed but US indie Lighthearted Entertainment, it contestants pair off, and if they match the it’s not around the clock. Also, ours is in launched on Viacom’s MTV in the US, where pairs predetermined by a deep-profiling Hawaii but it needn’t be made there.”
THE SHOW:The Guess List The show will b e on BBC O ne in the U K this THE PRODUCER:12 Yard Productions spring. In eac h episod e there are two THE DISTRIBUTOR:ITV Studios c ontestants c ompeting for pri es spec ially Global Entertainment selec ted for them. They are assisted in THE BROADCASTER:BBC One (UK) answering the thou ght- and gag-provok ing THE CONCEPT:Primetime comedy q u estions b y a c eleb rity panel. The host plays gameshow in which a panel of it for lau ghs, as d o the c eleb rities, and the celebrities help contestants who are q u estions are d esigned with that in mind . O ne competing for fun prizes su c h q u estion is what women c onsid er a man s most annoying hab it to b e. The G u ess L ist stems from a entertainment ITV S tu d ios d irec tor of international formats format that was to b e fronted b y Brend an Mik e Beale says the show is reminisc ent of the c onc ept. O 'C arroll, b etter k nown as Mrs Brown from the c lassic , fu n entertainment shows of yesteryear ITVS G E will head to MIP TV with a fu ll pilot wild ly popu lar Irish c omed y series Mrs su c h as The G eneration G ame and Throu gh to show interested parties. Brown s Boys. The su c c ess of the latter show the K eyhole. I think it hark s b ac k to some of The BBC version is b ig, and it c ou ld b e meant O C arroll c ou ld not c ommit to the series the gameshows from the 19 8 0s and some of sc aled b ac k ac c ord ing to b road c aster b u d gets, and it has b een rework ed as The G u ess L ist, the pri es are a b it tongu e in c heek . The level Beale notes. It c ou ld even play in d aytime, or with c omic ac tor R ob Bryd on presenting. of c omed ic talent u nd erpins the BBC s b elief in there c ou ld b e a d aily version, he ad d s.
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tipped backwards out of the game. “It has a classic entertainment look on one level. but the chairs are the centrepiece,” says Flynn. However, at the core of the format is “classic Q&A”, he adds, pointing to similarities in tone with previous hit The Weakest Link. “The chair tip is just a device for making questions even more costly and full of jeopardy.” ITV commissioned the show last year after Helen Warner joined as director of daytime. THE SHOW:Ejector Seat Filming began in December at MediaCityUK in THE PRODUCER:Remarkable Television Salford, which is used for producing daytime THE DISTRIBUTOR:Endemol Worldwide Distribution productions. Flynn says that though ITV had THE BROADCASTER:ITV (UK) one successful daytime gameshow in The THE CONCEPT:Contestants answer questions in order to avoid Tipping Point, which comes from RDF being tipped out of their imposing ejector chairs Television, the network needed another as it looked further ahead in its schedule. After a Endemol’s latest effort in the daytime/access will be a hit with buyers. “It will look like no pitch that included physically acting out the primetime space is Ejector Seat, a fast-paced other show on TV and certainly like no other gimmick using wheeled office chairs, a 30- 30x60mins quiz show for ITV. Remarkable show in an access prime slot,” he says. episode run was given the go-ahead with Television, one of Endemol’s more prolific That gimmick is based on a motif regularly presenter Andi Peters attached. gameshow creators with Pointless, Deal or No seen on UK television – the tipping chair. Six Buyers will flock to the show, Flynn Deal and The Million Pound Drop on its credit contestants on armchairs that rest on tracks predicts. “When you get a quiz with a real list, is producing. answer questions in a number of rounds. If point of difference like this that looks David Flynn, Endemol UK’s chief creative one gives an incorrect answer, the chair different, works from beginning to end and is officer and former joint managing director of moves backwards, and too many mistakes funny to boot, you don’t worry about buyers’ Remarkable, says the show’s visual gimmick will result in the contestant being literally needs,” he says. “It if works, they will buy it.”
THE SHOW:Win It Cook It THE PRODUCER:Plum Pictures THE DISTRIBUTOR:Hat Trick International THE BROADCASTER:Channel 4 (UK) THE CONCEPT:Cooking show in which teams answer questions to win ingredients to cook with
H at Tric k International is tak ing U K ind ie P lu m P ic tu res first-ever attempt at a glob al format to C annes this April. The show, W in It C ook It, plays with the c onc ept of the trad itional c ook ing c ompetition format b y forc ing c ontestants to answer general k nowled ge q u estions in ord er to win appetising ingred ients. This means the losing team end s elements od d food s together c ou ld c reate C ontald o, P au l R ank in, Thomasina Miers, Atu l u p with mu c h less appealing food stu ffs with ama ing new rec ipes to try at home and the K oc hhar, R ac hel Allen and Theo R and all all whic h to c reate a d ish. hu mou r that the c onc ept natu rally c reates. It s appear d ec id e whic h d ish is the winner. There are q u ite a lot of c ompetition food a really fu n show b ec au se the gu ests P lu m has prod u c ed 3 0 episod es for C hannel 4 s shows arou nd , b u t this is a q u i , says H TI s ab solu tely have to c ome u p with something, first ru n of the show, with the b road c aster managing d irec tor S arah Tong. The point of she says. lik ely to ru n it in the ac c ess prime slot that d ifferenc e is that. E ac h week , presenter and c eleb rity c hef S imon C ome D ine W ith Me and C oac h Trip have filled S he also points to potential tak eaway R immer and a popu lar gu est c hef G ennaro over the years.
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LAST WORD SIMON INGRAM, CEO, IONOCO LAST WORD SIMON INGRAM, IONOCO
Mind the gap... between creativity and technology
echnology is exciting, enriching So how do you use the technology in the coming in over budget. In TV, projects have to and enabling. It’s helping us to right context to simplify the production work, be on time and stay on budget. reinvent the way we entertain process, minimise costs and maximise The next point is that less is usually more. and engage viewers. But don’t creativity? When a new technology hits the market — for a moment believe that shiny The first lesson is always to approach a TV ten years ago it was LED screens, then it was Ttechnology can stand in for old-skool project from a creative rather than IT point of touch screens and now second-screen is the creativity. It can make a good show better — view. Technology has to be there for sound hot thing — there’s a tendency among but it can never make a bad show good. editorial reasons. Like a dog walking on its producers to think, “Ooh, we’ve got to do That’s the crux of what I’ve learned in 20 hind legs — it’s clever, but why? — something with this exciting new tech… I years of working in broadcasting. During that technology will distract and detract from your know, we’ll combine touch screens with time I’ve launched 17 channels, mothered creative vision if it’s not integral to the second-screen interactivity and augmented through the UK’s first independent red- gameplay or narrative. reality, and let’s throw in an animatronic button service on digital satellite and worked Even worse, if the technology doesn’t work marmot for good measure…” Enough already. as a producer for, among others, Action as it should, it may even kill your concept Keep it simple. If you try to do too much, too Time, Ginger TV, Hat Trick and Celador. I’m before it’s born. I’ve seen many a reasonable soon, you’re likely to end up with a not very now chief executive of Ionoco, which I show fail to get off the ground because the good show, with not very good interactivity launched with Chris Goss in 2008 to devise technological underpinnings were flawed. and a not very good online presence. Again, bespoke technology that supports and That’s not only a shame for the show in focus on finding a great show, or a great enables creative vision. question, but it also doesn’t help the online idea, or a great social media idea. Then I list my credentials simply to make the industry’s evolution to have producers going start looking for the technology and systems point that my career has taken me to both round saying, “Oh, don’t bother to use such- to drive it. sides of the IT/creativity divide. As a result, and-such technology. We tried it and it doesn’t So from now employing social media fully I’m in the relatively rare position of work…” If it didn’t work, it was probably in shows such as Skype for Let’s Ask America understanding the pressures of production because the show was treated as an IT project and Twitter in Spin the Bottle, to working with and editorial while knowing what’s possible, rather than as a creative work. IT projects have innovative companies to push live virtual desirable and affordable technologically. a reputation for not working, being late and graphics into a real-world studio to present data and information in a totally new way, each step opens up a raft of opportunities for "There’s a tendency among producers producers working on smaller budgets. And that’s another thing. This sort of to think,‘Ooh, we’ve got to do bleeding-edge technology is no longer only accessible to producers with deep pockets. something with this exciting new Creatives of all shapes, weights and sizes can identify the best and cheapest way of realising tech… I know, we’ll combine touch their vision. In many cases, we go on to prototype the screens with second-screen solution so when somebody comes to us with an editorial idea, we often find we’ve already interactivity and augmented reality done something similar, or can adapt existing technology to fit their creative and and let’s throw in an animatronic commercial parameters. Sometimes, though, we just like the challenge of helping a new marmot for good measure’” and exciting show to fly. TBI
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