SONY PICTURES TV'S STEVE MOSKO NATPE HOT PICKS Page 10 Page 34
TBIvision.com December 2013/January 2014
TBI OFC DecJan14.indd 1 13/01/2014 18:43 pIFC Televisa DecJan14.indd 1 09/01/2014 10:04 p01 Contents DecJan14scJWscFINAL.qxp 13/1/14 18:24 Page 7
TBI CONTENTS DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
10 6 6 2013-2014REVIEW 18 A look at what happened in the TV world in 2013 and some crystal ball gazing on 2014
10 TBI INTERVIEW:STEVE MOSKO
Sony Pictures Television has risen from the ashes and is coming off its best ever year. SPT boss Steve Mosko tells Stewart Clarke how it will maintain its hot streak 18 CREATIVES SPEAKING:RON D. MOORE 28 Sci-fi TV scribe par excellence Ronald D. Moore tells Jesse Whittock about his new series, Helix and Outlander, and shares his views on the TV business
28 US HISPANIC TV
TBI examines the trend of increased original programming on US Hispanic networks and looks at why channels are reaching out to Latino viewers with English-language fare
34 NATPE HOT PICKS
As the Miami programming fest rolls around, TBI checks out the best new shows launching this time out, from glitzy reality series to Spanish period dramas and Latin zombie shockers 32 CONTENTSDECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
REGULARS 2 Editor’s note 8 People 14 A+E 16 Extant 20 Kids 22 Formats 24 4K TV 26 Dutch indies 4o Last word: Stuart Carter, Pioneer Productions
For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM TBI December 2013/January 2014 1 p02 Ed Note DecJan14scJWfINALEY.qxp 13/1/14 19:02 Page 10
EDITOR S NOTE STEWART CLARKE
he vibrant Spanish language TV sector continues to grow in who is behind a new Sony television series, Helix. He tells us about terms of volume and vibrancy. Meanwhile, a growing swathe the show and also about why tension between writers, networks and T of programme makers and talent including Jennifer Lopez are studios still lingers. placing bets that the way to reach US Latinos – and mainstream view- Elsewhere, Jesse Whittock speaks to Mickey Fisher, a writer who ers – is with Latin-influenced English-language fare. Multihyphenate may well be about to become a household name after penning the Lopez is working with US net Nuvo and others are joining the party. massively sought-after script for Under the Dome’s younger cousin Lionsgate is making TV series, formats and movies based on Extant, which bows on US net CBS this summer. Televisa source material, Univision is teaming with Disney and Robert From a business perspective the show is creating a buzz too. With Rodriguez on English initiatives and we speak to all concerned in a CBS committing to a full series and a streaming partner on board run-down of how the US Hispanic scene is changing and diverging. before broadcast, it represents a change in production economics and Elsewhere, we speak to Steve Mosko about the company over which a big shift from the costly piloting model. he presides, Sony Pictures Television. He has built the business back With the first major programming confab of the year, NATPE, upon up after major cutbacks in a largely under-the-radar manner. That’s all us, we also run through the hottest shows launching at the Miami about to change after a meet-the-investors get-together in which TV market, from tequila-fuelled ob-docs to Spanish period dramas to was loudly and proudly touted as the growth engine of the studio’s Ecuadorian zombies and a Three Musketeers adaptation. entertainment business. Mosko tells us about keeping up the momen- tum now that TV is in the spotlight. We also sit down with Battlestar Galactica’s creator Ron D. Moore,
Editor S tewart C lark e stewart.clark e@ informa.com P ublished by Informa Telecoms & M ed ia, M ortimer H ouse, Direct line + 44 (0) 20 7 017 4244 Twitter @ TBIstewart 37 -41 M ortimer S treet, L ond on W 1T 3JH Tel: + 44 (0)20 7 017 5 000 Deputy editor Jesse W hittock jesse.whittock @ informa.com e-mail: tbi@ informa.com web: www.tbivision.com Direct line + 44 (0) 20 7 017 5 8 09 Twitter @ TBI_ Jesse P rinted in E ngland by W ynd eham G range L td , S outhwick , W est S ussex BN 4 4E J.
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COM M ENT VIEWPOINT STEWART CLARKE,EDITOR, TBI Streaming to the rescue Pay TV operators are living in fear of people dumping their services for streaming equivalents such as Netflix or Ama on/Lovefilm. However, amid the apprehension around the threat of over- the-top streaming services, it is these platforms that are now stepping in to save dramas that would otherwise be cancelled or are contributing crucial chunks to budgets to allow series that would otherwise not get made to come to life
K pubcaster the BBC recently that enabled us to bring The Killing back for a That’s not enough for a mainstream confirmed it is looking at third season, said David Madden, president of commercial broadcaster that needs to deliver a partnerships that could enable the show’s producer Fox Television Studios, at mass of eyeballs to its advertisers, but it is a the axed Ripper Street to return the time. Fast-forward to November 2013 and the great marketing story and hook if ad revenues but at better value to licence fee streaming service is going it alone with a six- are not part of the picture. payers .U That is understood to be BBC speak for episode final season in 2014. So, why not bring back something like, for a deal with Amazon’s Lovefilm, with the pair As well as stumping up money for shows, example, The X Files? The ultimate fanboy talking about whether they can work together to OTT services are also allowing viewers to keep series has had its day on network TV, but it has save the Tiger Aspect-produced period cop up with serialised dramas and find them an a loyal set of fans and male lead David drama. That news came a week after the audience in territories where a series has faltered Duchovny is about to find himself with some broadcaster announced it was cancelling the on TV. Breaking Bad scribe Vince Gilligan has spare time after Showtime said it would not series, which was getting hammered in the said streaming services saved his show. In the order any more Californication beyond the ratings by reality show I’m a Celebrity… on arch- UK, Netflix showed the super-buzzy final eps of upcoming seventh season (which might itself rival ITV, provoking a social media storm from Breaking Bad just a day after they air in the US be another salvage candidate). An fans of the acclaimed drama show. and the platform has scored international rights announcement of any show in The X Files Netflix, meanwhile, is already experienced in to spin-off Better Call Saul, meaning it will be on universe would be enough to make Comic Con the salvage business. Its most notable Netflix in Europe and Latin America soon after spontaneously combust. The same could be resurrection act has been Arrested its debut on AMC in the US. said of other shows and there are various online Development. Its new 13x30mins season seven Saving cancelled shows is not a new petitions canvassing support. years after the series wound down may not have phenomenon in the US – DirecTV rescued Amazon will be stepping into unchartered won over the show’s hardcore fans, but showed Damages, NCIS antecedent JAG moved from territory if it does save Ripper Street, but it is its willingness to buy into franchises that were NBC to CBS and Third Rock from the Sun from already influencing what gets made on off air but still in the zeitgeist. ABC to NBC, for example – but having the mainstream TV and contributing a large chunk In the US, The Killing was first part-saved and deep-pocketed OTT players involved widens the to the funding of big-ticket series. then fully rescued by OTT. The US remake of the scope of what might get another chance. As we know, it streams CBS’s hit Under the Danish-originated noir drama is on US cable net But why bother rescuing a show? After all, it Dome. Having stepped in to acquire season one, AMC, which wanted to bring down the curtain was cancelled for a reason. What links all of the CBS boss Les Moonves said that Amazon is after two seasons. That was until Netflix stepped salvaged shows is that even if viewing numbers paying US$700,000 an episode for season two, in. Our agreement with Netflix played an were tailing off they had an existing brand value covering about a quarter of the production cost. extremely significant part in the studio’s strategy and hardcore fanbase willing to seek them out. This means it has turned a profit before even hitting CBS’s air. A similar deal for Halle Berry What links all of the salvaged shows is that even if series Extant has been struck (see page 16). Amid the rescue acts, a logical consequence viewing numbers were tailing off they had an existing of this original programming activity is OTT platforms buying prodcos, but in the meantime brand value and hardcore fan base willing to seek they are keeping producers in work with their them out ever-expanding slates of originals. TBI
4 TBI December 2013/January 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM The Impostor Distributed by Telenovela HD 120 x 1 Hr NATPE 2014 January 27 - 29 Fontainebleau Resort Tresor Tower, Suite 3403 Miami Beach, USA
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M ONITOR REVIEW/PREVIEW
The year that was...
TBI s editorial team pour over the moments that made 2013,while some of TV s top executives predict what will define the coming year for the industry OTT takes o er Zombies pip Jesus to If 2012 was the year OTT services came to the party, 2013 was when they the ratings Holy Grail handed out invites to their own, exclusive, high-end do. Netflix and Lovefilm dominated the news throughout the year, launching original Despite OTTs growing influence, new viewing levels were being hit shows including House of Cards and Alpha House and generally upping elsewhere, with cable series The Walking Dead and The Bible both the ante in SVOD and the wider TV market. Still, it was a shock when generating ratings that have redefined what constitutes a hit on US Netflix secured a deal for four Marvel Universe character series (plus a TV. Beating all of the broadcasters and other cable networks by a miniseries) with The Walt Disney Company. Both companies defined the comfortable margin, the shows regularly delivered twelve million- agreement as unprecedented , and it definitely grabbed the collective plus viewers. In fact, the 16.1 million The Walking Dead season four attention. Meanwhile, upstarts such as Wuaki.tv, backed by Japanese e- opener delivered last year may never be bettered as audiences commerce giant Rakuten, came up on the rails and it is surely only time continue to fragment and evermore platforms emerge. before these platforms are commissioning original programming too. A er British period drama...from America
Downton Abbey went from hit to a mega hit in 2013. The, ahem, with a huge degree of success, and is using that momentum to push upstairs downstairs period drama continued to win eyeballs in numbers Carnival in LA. However, not all period dramas are created equal, and in the US, Australia and just about everywhere else; a very British story high-end series Ripper Street and Copper both came to abrupt ends, from a British channel then? Well, no. Show producer Carnival Films is though the former may still rise from the ashes (see page 4) as OTT owned by US media giant NBCUniversal, which sells it internationally services continue to invest in original content .
6 TBI ADecember ugust/S eptember 2013/January 2012 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM p06-07 Year review Dec13Jan14JWsc.qxp 13/1/14 18:10 Page 7
M ONITOR REVIEW/PREVIEW
> C & > Best of the best Cop and paste the links into our bro ser for the full O :David Frank, Zodiak Media. I :Marc- stories at TBIVision.com Antoine d Halluin O :Barry Meyer,Warner M ost unusualne s stor :Barbie Brazil and ‘The Real Bros. I :Kevin Tsujihara O :David Ellender, Housewives of South Africa’ bit.l /1hXGdcp FremantleMedia International I :Jens Richter Best sho title:Rappers in the Snow bit.l /19M Ighi O :Sander Schwart ,FremantleMedia Kids & M ost originalne format:Slow TV bit.l /1gqOkhf Family I :Rick Glankler O :Neil Berkett, M edia mogulre elation of the ear:Jeffrey Katzenberg Virgin Media I :Tom Mockridge O : Breaks Bad at MIPCOM bit.l /1fjoPOo Biggest break up:Disney and RTL in messy German divorce Stephanie Hartog, All3Media International I : bit.l /19CZIHI Neil Bailey O :Carl Hall, Sky Vision I :Jane Millichip O :Steve Marcopoto,Turner M AJOR DEALS IN 2013 International I :Ricky Ow O Comcast snaps up all of :Jason Thorp, Fox International Channels; NBCUniversal;Libert Globalbuys Naomi Joseph, Endemol;Peter Smith & Christina Virgin Media;ITV Studiosgoes on spending spree;M TG buys DRG & Nice Ents;CBSbuys into TV Guide Network; Wayne, Cineflix Studios AM C Net orksacquires Chellomedia channels business and the year that will be How many of the following predictions will come true in 2014? Get your scorecards ready
Ne t ear I am looking for ard to the S launch of a big nois stunt format t hich illeither be one of the most talked about sho s of 2014 or ou ll Looking ahead to ne t ear, U ne er hear of it again Hopefull it s m prediction for 2014 is Tatiana S the former if it is ou llcertainl M aslan ,star of the superb Orphan i kno about it Blackdrama, inning a Golden Globe f DANNY FENTON, CEO, DAVID WEILAND, EXECUTIVE VP,WESTERN s ZIG ZAG PRODUCTIONS EUROPE, BBC WORLDWIDE
I predict cautious et more optimistic Unprecedented le els of demand for spending in 2014, ith continued and in estment in originalcontent b gro th in production,and more broadcasters and direct-to-consumer coproductions and presales being ser ices illstruggle to be met as forged.2014 illbe better than 2013 talent becomes e en more sought in the orld of TV distribution after.Consumers illbe the inners NICKY DAVIES WILLIAMS, CEO, ANDREW ZEIN, SENIOR VP,WARNER BROS. DCD RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION PRODUCTION
Keep checking the TBIVision website for your answers
For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM TBI December 2013/January 2014 7 p08 People Monitor Dec13Jan14JW.qxp 13/1/14 17:21 Page 34
M ONITOR PEOPLE ON THE MOVE TBI takes a look at the latest comings and goings in the international television business and reports on who s moving where
Red Arrow International s managing director JENS RICHTERhas been appointed CEO of FremantleMedia International and will start in December 2014 upon the ending of his current contract. He will replace David Ellender, who was one of a number of executives who exited after FremantleMedia CEO Cecile Frot-Couta restructured the business last year. Frot-Couta instigated the changes after taking the reins in April 2012 Australia s ABC has reorganised its senior management structure and dispensed with individual channel controller roles, with a head of programming position replacing them. Current ABC1 and ABC2 head of programming Brendan Dahill will fill the position, while current ABC2 boss Stuart Men ies becomes head of TV content and creative development
Shine Group s US arm has tapped producer Collins Ave. to find a senior VP for factual entertainment. MIKE AHO is joining Shine America to lead docu-series development and production efforts on formats for the US market that can be taken international.While at Content Media Corp.-backed Collins Ave., Aho created and developed shows that include Lifetime s Dance Moms RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network has hired JENNIFER BATTY as executive VP, programming and Daniel Fung EVP,distribution at the CBS and RTL joint venture channels business. Batty was most recently a consultant at RTL in Asia and helped to launch the Big RTL Thrill JV net with Reliance. Previously, she was head of programming at Viasat in Europe
Long-serving Disney boss John Cracknell is retiring and will depart in July 2014.He has been with the Mouse House since 1992 and has held the managing director, Disney Australia and New Zealand role since 2010.CATHERINE POWELL will relocate from London to Sydney to fill that role after he leaves. She is currently senior VP and general manager of Disney Media Distribution, EMEA FremantleMedia has named new CEOs for its operations in Bra il and Mexico as part of restructuring that sees former Latin American chief Carlos Gon ale exiting. DANIELA BUSOLI is promoted to chief exec at S o Paulo-based FremantleMedia Bra il,while Adri n Santucho becomes CEO, FremantleMedia Mexico, US Hispanic and regional productions CARL HALL has left his position as managing director of BSkyB-owned distributor Sky Vision, with Jane Millichip stepping up to replace him. Hall has launched his own production company,Warehouse 51,based in Soho, London. Under terms of his departure, he takes Sky Vision s Bristol production office with him. Millichip joined Sky Vision last January.The former Zodiak Rights sales chief has been director of sales and global brands to this point
Former BBC producer KRISHNAN ARORA has joined French prodco Gedeon Programmes to develop formats. Arora has arrived on a consultancy basis and will work with execs at the Paris-based company to develop new formats for market. Based in London, Gedeon said he would be ideally placed to draw on the creativity of UK television
Zodiak Rights has recruited ANDREW SIME as its new VP,entertainment. Sime has joined from Turkey-based distributor Global Agency where he was head of acquisitions.In his new Zodiak role he will work with the global company s in-house prodcos and third party producers to develop formats with international market potential
8 TBI December 2013/January 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM WE BRING YOU THE SHOWS THAT GLOBAL AUDIENCES CONTINUE TO LOVE...
7 series 106 episodes
8 series 239 episodes
2 series 23 episodes
2 series 28 episodes
4 series 104 episodes
3 series 35 episodes
www.beyonddistribution.com
p09 Beyond DecJan14.indd 1 09/01/2014 10:10 p10-12 Mosko Interview DecJan14JWscSCFINAL.qxp 13/1/14 17:28 Page 10
THE TBI INTER IE STEVE MOSKO
In 2001,Sony boss Sir Howard Stringer closed most of Sony s TV production business. Just over a decade later the studio is coming off its best year ever in television and is back in the network game, striking deals with Netflix and preparing to launch a spin-off of perhaps the most iconic cable series ever. Steve Mosko tells Stewart Clarke how Sony bounced back
or seasoned Sony-watchers the content and technology Sony also put its weight behind The Young and the Restless and Days company’s investor day last November marked a watershed. of our Lives when the viability of daily soaps was being questioned. Both It provided a confirmation of a corporate volte-face that has are still running today. However, the key move was working with a new seen television production and distribution shift from an breed of talent and working for a new type of customer: the then- economically unsustainable part of the company to the emerging basic cable channels. engineF of the entertainment group’s growth. Instead of striking deals with established writing talent, Sony gambled Amid calls from renegade shareholder Daniel Loeb, who owns about on the likes of Shawn Ryan, the KZK team of Daniel Zelman, Glen and 7% of Sony through his hedge fund Third Point, to separate the company’s Todd Kessler and a moderately successful scribe by the name of Vince technology and entertainment operations, Sony Corporation’s president Gilligan. The results were The Shield, Damages and Breaking Bad. and CEO Kazuo Hirai told investors that entertainment was part of the We were the first major studio to look at the basic cable business with fabric of the business, was key to its future growth and that there are the likes of The Shield [on FX], Strong Medicine for Lifetime and growing opportunities to combine content and hardware. Damages and Rescue Me [both for FX]. We looked and said, ‘here’s a What was then made clear is that the ‘Entertainment’ in the Sony business that is getting dual revenue streams; the ratings are climbing and Pictures Entertainment moniker is increasingly about television and these channels want to distinguish themselves and original programming not content from the challenged motion pictures division, which arguably is the way to do it’. We were in the right place at the right time and took is in need of the same kind of root and branch restructure the TV unit full advantage of it, says Mosko. has undergone. So we did that, got in early and slowly worked our way back into the Michael Lynton, CEO, Sony Entertainment, confirmed the change in network business. Here we sit today with the most successful show of the Mosko, the capital of Sony TV
focus, telling investors that there will be a significant shift from motion fall season with [NBC drama] The Blacklist. pictures to higher margin television production and networks . In the time away from network TV, the dynamics of the US business Rewind to 2001 and the picture was very different. Sir Howard Stringer have changed and what was seen as a weakness – not having a broadcaster took a look at a TV business that was going through dynamic changes and in the family – is now, Sony says, a strength. All things being equal a said ‘economically this is not headed in the right direction’. We had a lot network show from an external supplier may be more likely to get of very expensive overall non-writing producer deals and essentially he cancelled, but the model gives SPT complete freedom to pitch to called me up one day and said ‘we need to fix this business and you’re broadcast, basic and pay cable and the new wave of streaming platforms. running it’, explains Steve Mosko, president of Sony Pictures Television. I can count on one finger the number of studios that At a time when regulatory changes were allowing networks to produce don’t have any obligation to a broadcast network, Mosko says. Not being and own more of their own programming, the notion of investing in attached to a network when we started this process ten years ago was viewed expensive and risky pilots – at that point Sony was making twenty or more as an obstacle; today it’s a huge advantage and we have made deals with a year – stopped making sense for the only major Hollywood studio not Netflix, Hulu and with 15 or 16 other channels, both from the broadcast and affiliated to a US broadcaster. cable space. What followed was, Mosko admits, a painful period of shedding jobs and We’re hiring people who are writing great television shows and overhauling the business as the network production arm was effectively whether its cable or network, Netflix or Amazon, we let the chips fall where closed and expensive overall writer and producer deals sold off. they fall. The beauty is the people we work with know it’s an open playing What was left was the bones of a production business, albeit one with a field when it comes to pitching their stuff. That is extraordinarily appealing titles such as Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and Seinfeld, which was to some of the better writers, particularly the younger ones who look out churning out decent syndication revenues. there and don’t want to be producing just for broadcast networks or for Mosko says: We knew there were parts of our operation that were cable or streaming. successful and making money but we had to fix this other piece, so we went The Sony modus operandi of pitching to all channels and services is through the painful process of reengineering the business. We all knew we how a recent deal for KZK to make a new original thriller series for Netflix had to go through it and the building process was both difficult and came about (SPT also distributes Netflix’s House of Cards). There are exhilarating. What it allowed us to do was to start from scratch. several other new shows guaranteed to air with Outlander at Starz coming
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THE TBI INTER IE STEVE MOSKO
I can count on one finger the number of studios that don t have any obligation to a broadcast network. It s a huge advantage
through SPT’s Left Bank, Ron Moore series Helix at Syfy and Vince 159 countries, [online network] Crackle and we have production Gilligan’s cop series Battle Creek, which he is working on with House businesses in the US and internationally, with seventeen production creator David Shore, going straight-to-series at CBS. companies in twelve countries and a distribution business. Year-on-year comparisons will be tough given 2013 was the best ever for Being a global business allowed domestic and international production the TV unit and it came to the May Screenings with a bumper crop for teams to work more closely on a much more unified effort across our business. international buyers to peruse including the aforementioned The As with the US content, there has been an uptick in the volume of Blacklist, recently picked up for a second season by NBC and acquired in content coming out of the international formats business with new titles more than 150 international territories. It also had series including such as Release the Hounds, Milky Way Mission and Tough Young Masters of Sex, recently confirmed for a second series on Showtime, Teachers, while Who Wants to be a Millionaire remains a key franchise in Australian drama remake Rake for Fox and returning series Community, the Sony library. Other stalwart performers include Dragons Den (aka Justified and Franklin & Bash among others. Shark Tank), which recently sold to TVE in Spain and Vox in Germany. Other new confirmed series include Better Call Saul in which Bob On the scripted formats side there are local versions of Everybody Loves Odenkirk will reprise his crooked lawyer character from Breaking Bad. Raymond in Russia and the Middle East. In Latin America Sony is focused Netflix will show it in Europe and Latin America soon after the US TX on on local productions such as El Mariachi, the scripted series based on the AMC in a similar deal set up for the final season of its predecessor. Robert Rodriguez action movie of the same name, which will bow on the The TV business outside the US was also developing fast through the Sony Entertainment Television pay TV net across the continent. restructuring period, highlighting another key difference between Sony That will be made by SPT’s Colombia-based prodco Teleset, which is and its studio peers: that despite the Culver City address of the also producing a Spanish-language Breaking Bad, Metástasis, with Diego entertainment business, it is an international operation, ultimately listed Trujillo (El Capo) in the Walter White role and the project is creating a in its home country of Japan. A notable step in the recalibration of the TV huge buzz in the Latin markets where it will play. business was more closely aligning domestic and international almost five A cynical observer could view Kazuo Hirai and Michael Lynton telling years ago, when the different sides of the business were integrated. the financial community that TV is now the focus of the entertainment We merged domestic and international so we now have one global TV side of the business as a way of drawing attention away from the business, says Mosko. We now have successful channels businesses in underperformance of the motion picture division as much as to the
For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM December 2013/January 2014 11 p10-12 Mosko Interview DecJan14JWscSCFINAL.qxp 13/1/14 17:28 Page 12
THE TBI INTER IE STEVE MOSKO
The Blacklist has been a hit on NBC and around the world Release the Hounds is one of Sony s new international formats
performance of the TV operation and to the opportunities the TV market holds. In some senses all that changed following the headline-making investor conference was that the performance of the TV division was finally being talked up in public. Whatever the motivation, the result has been that the TV industry is looking to Sony and asking what the proclamations about the importance of TV mean in practice. The answer is that the increased TV focus will not mean a huge injection of additional funds and investment but it does mean the already lean TV division will be safeguarded from wider cost savings promised to shareholders. One area where there will be activity is international M&A. Having acquired Left Bank, Silver River and others, SPT has an international footprint of production business and is looking for more, having worked on a couple of big deals in 2013 that did not come to fruition. Geographically, gaining greater exposure to certain markets is top of mind, according to Mosko. We’re looking to expand our international Latin markets are bu ing about Spanish Breaking Bad,Metastasis business so if there are opportunities through acquisition we’re looking at them. If there’s one area that’s front and centre for us it’s looking at expanding in Scandinavia, whether through acquisition or organically, broadcast – with all of the challenges that brings. that’s one area in particular. Everybody is focussed on motion picture piracy but television is a huge On the channels front Sony recently added the GEM brand to the mix in business and hasn’t been as front and centre as it should be. It is a big deal in Asia, while AXN Black and AXN White, which replaced AXN Sci-Fi and territories where we have output deals and a show is not scheduled to air for AXN Crime, were launched in the central and eastern Europe region last a couple of months and then turns up on the internet. year. There are also SVOD services such as the Animax-branded one just Studios need to make a concerted effort to commit to the fact we’re going launched in the UK, where a carriage deal for the Sony Entertainment to make shows available day-and-date. We can’t be half-assed about it. It’s a channel was also recently concluded with pay TV upstart BT. On the tough process and requires changes in production schedules but we need to programming front the channels are also now co-commissioning original protect this content as if every TV series we send out is Spider-Man. series such as Hannibal and Crossing Lines, both are on NBC in the US Raising awareness of piracy and getting new channels and shows away and both are now confirmed for second seasons. are, then, the order of the day this year, with the possibility of buying a An area Mosko is keen to focus on in 2014 is raising awareness of the production company in Scandinavia very real as well. The difference in scale of piracy of TV series and looking at what can be done to mitigate its 2014 is that the executives that run the corporation have thrust the TV unit effects. For Sony the issue is a particularly thorny one as it has 124 channel into the spotlight, touting it as the growth engine of the entertainment feeds in 159 territories, making it producer, distributor and broadcaster of business. Mosko is confident of delivering in the face of greater content around the world. shareholder and analyst scrutiny. What came out of rebuilding the The Sony TV chief says the scale of the piracy problem was brought business was making sure we are responsible in terms of making money, home while it was distributing the final instalments of Breaking Bad last not doing a ton of overall deals and doing very strategic deals. Yes, we’re in year and that the solution is to go as close to day-and-date of the original it for the art of it but also in it for the money and to grow out margins. TBI
12 December 2013/January 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM p13 NTV DecJan14.indd 1 09/01/2014 10:13 p14 A+E roundup DecJan14JWscFINAL1.qxp 13/1/14 18:45 Page 30
M ONITOR A+E A+E motors ahead in Europe With new channels in major markets, its first fully-owned operation in Europe and senior executive changes, it s been a busy few months for A+E Networks
out of the picture and the European move is a significant step for the Hearst- and Disney- backed channel operator and content company. Sean Cohan, executive VP, international, said that going forward A+E will seek to run owned and operated businesses where the dynamics of a local market make that a realistic and favourable alternative to licensing the channel brands or running JVs. Cohan is running A+E’s global channels business following Steve Ronson’s departure. TBI broke the news about Ronson’s exit at the start of December. He had been at A+E for over thirteen years and in charge of international since 2004, overseeing channel distribution on pay platforms and on-demand services as well as the programme sales side of the business. In France, Canal+’s factual channel Planete has traditionally been a big buyer of A+E Networks content but this year will represent the n December A+E Networks launched expiring, leaving A+E’s new Italian business in first time Canal+ and A+E have joined forces to A+E Networks Italy. TBI was the first to complete control of History and Crime + launch channels. Planete+ A&E and Planete+ report the news, which meant the Investigation. CI have launched exclusively on the CanalSat launch of two new channels. What Sherin Salvetti will run A+E Networks Italy, pay TV platform. marked the debuts out as significant is it having previously been FIC Italy’s senior VP, Planete+ A&E will focus on fact-ent and wasI the first time A+E has set up a wholly- factual and channel services. She is familiar with factual shows about ordinary people. It will have owned channels business in Europe and – History, having managed it as part of the shows from the US channel including mega hit having taken control of another joint venture in A+E/FIC channels joint venture. In the new series Duck Dynasty (pictured) – which is now Asia – the man running the international role, she will oversee History and Crime + safe from cancellation after the network business, Sean Cohan, says it will seek to do so Investigation and be responsible for all channel rescinded its move to ban family patriach Phil elsewhere where it makes sense. operations, including programming and Robertson from air after he expressed some In Italy, the new business will launch the Crime production, marketing, sales activities, digital highly controversial opinions on sexuality in a + Investigation channel and will take full control and broadcast operations. GQ interview. of History in early 2014, which to this point in Historically, A+E has sought local partners Planete+ A&E will also have other shows Italy has been operated by Fox. when launching its channels around the world, including Storage Wars, Billy the Exterminator The Italian business will be based in Rome and for example teaming with BSkyB on A+E and Pawn Stars. There was no mention of will operate and launch all A+E services in the Networks UK, which runs the A+E channels in scripted programming although the US parent country going forward. Nancy Dubuc, president Britain as well as in Scandinavia and the CEE channel carries some drama series such as and CEO of A+E Networks, said the formation of and Benelux regions. It has a joint venture with Longmire. Planete+ CI will be a crime channel the first wholly-owned operation in Europe was Chello Multicanal in Spain and Portugal that programmed with crime series from the A+E an important milestone for A+E Networks . runs the A+E channels in those territories. In catalogue including Cajun Justice, Crime 360, Crime + Investigation duly launched on Russia it effectively licenses its brands, while in Casanova Killers, and I Killed My BFF. December 16 on Sky Italia, the pay TV platform France A+E’s channels are run through a Meanwhile, the roll out of female-skewed backed by 21st Century Fox. recently agreed deal with Canal+ Groupe. Lifetime continues. A+E has also created an in- The same company’s global networks However, A+E is now seeking to launch house studio in the US this year to feed original division, Fox International Channels, had been owned and operated channels businesses in key content to its US and global channels and drive running the History channel in Italy under a markets. A+E took full control of its Asian joint the company’s syndication business. Numerous licensing agreement with A+E. That deal is venture last year with Malaysia’s Astro moving projects are underway. TBI
14 TBI December 2013/January 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM Paul Hollywood’s Pies and Puds According to Chrisley
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p15 All3Media DecJan14.indd 1 13/01/2014 17:55 p16 Extant Dec13Jan14JWscJWscFINAL1.qxp 13/1/14 17:40 Page 2
CREATI ES SPEAKING EXTANT CBS explores Extant CBS s upcoming sci-fi serial Extant is already making waves in Hollywood. Creator Mickey Fisher and showrunner Greg Walker tell Jesse Whittock about the Spielberg-produced show
her first TV lead in more than two decades (with more to come after she entered into a two-year first-look deal with CBS Television Studios). Berry plays an astronaut returning to Earth after a year-long solo mis- sion, trying to reconnect with her husband and son. Her experiences in space and at home change the course of history. It’s high-concept but the core of it is about one extraordinary family at the epicentre of these massive changes happening to the Earth. The family is a microcosm: if they survive, humanity survives. That’s some- thing people relate to – they’re going root for this family and they’re going to root for Halle Berry, says Fisher. It’s really a story of a family we can all relate to, adds Greg Walker, the prolific US drama producer who will be showrunner. The best way to go is to look at the strength of Mickey’s writing, which is rooted in character, family and emotion. It’s an intriguing vision of the future in which the problems are very much the problems of today – staying connected with family in an advanced world. Much has been made of parallels between Extant and the Stephen King adaptation Under the Dome, which returns to CBS this year after stellar ratings in 2013. Both shows are 13-episode straight-to-series orders that CBS sells globally. Both are science fiction (in itself unusual for a broadcast network) and have had Steven Spielberg take an active executive producer role, which he doesn’t do for all Amblin shows, and both are emblematic of the emerging trend in commissioning originals hen CBS made a 13-episode order for Mickey Fisher’s debut for the traditionally quiet summer period.Additionally, Amazon has script last year, the Eye Network had grabbed one of the near-to-broadcast streaming rights for Extant, just as it did with Dome. W most anticipated shows of the 2014-15 season. It’s going to be fun to have that Under the Dome mystique, says The script for Extant had been gaining traction on Hollywood lots after Fisher. We were very fortunate to come up in its wake. Dome is like the first-time screenwriter Fisher had entered it into a writer’s competition, oldest child – it went through the hard upbringing – so we have a real where the mix of futurism, technology and family themes caught the eye. special position as a show in that sense. Soon Fisher (pictured above), an East Coast playwright, actor and director He describes Extant as being a broadcast show at its core. I believed who had moved out West to chance his arm in Hollywood, had signed to that from the moment I began writing, he says. It doesn’t employ a lot an agency, found a manager and owned one of the buzziest scripts in of what the cable networks go for – it’s not dark and there isn’t a lot of town – one that Steven Spielberg and his Amblin Television imprint violence. It does share some of those cable themes, but the popcorn side would soon identify as a winnner. I went from the basement to the pent- of it is what really makes it right for broadcast. Hopefully we can extract house in a matter of weeks, Fisher recalls. a little bit of both. Following a busy period in which most of the major networks and a CBS executives have been very brave in trying to stretch their own number of film producers sniffed around the project, Fisher signed a horizons by giving us the leash to expand into areas they’ve not done straight-to-series deal with CBS on his 40th birthday. That was a great before ,he adds. They’ve been encouraging us to exploit that while keep- way to ring in a new chapter in my life, he says. ing those big broadcast values at the centre. But the challenges remain the CBS Television Studios and Spielberg’s Amblin are to coproduce the same – how do you tell this human story against a genre background?. series ahead of a summer season launch, just as they did with 2013’s Walker says the answer is a big overall plot with room to manoeu- breakout hit Under the Dome. [The straight-to-series order] is an vre as the show develops. To have this powerhouse [Berry] appearing on exciting thing because you get a real shot, says Fisher. In the feature our television show makes us feel lucky, but it’s also like we just got the world, you’ll work on something for years to get it off the ground. Even V12 engine. It’s going to be fun to see what she wants to do with this if you’re Martin Scorsese, you can develop things for twenty years and it role. Then there’s the Stephen Spielberg factor – someone who can help won’t see the light day. This is going straight to television. us draw out the popcorn, the wonder and the awe. Plus, we get to be on Extant’s chances of success improved even further when it was a network that has the best consistent audience and promotional announced Hollywood A-lister Halle Berry would take the lead role – machine behind it, so it’s ours to blow. TBI
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p17 ABC DecJan14.indd 1 09/01/2014 10:11 p18-19 Ron Moore Dec13Jan14JWscJW_Final.qxp 13/1/14 17:43 Page 90
CREATI ES SPEAKING RONALD D. MOORE Moore to the story Sci-fi guru Ronald D. Moore is launching his first major new cable drama since Battlestar Galactica but hasn t lost his maverick sensibilities or passion for writer s rights. He tells Jesse Whittock about the shows and why scribes are still losing out to networks
hrough Helix and Outlander, the sci-fi stylings of Ronald D. Moore will return to US cable screens this year. The man behind one of science fiction’s greatest critical Thits, the Battlestar Galactica reboot, is concurrently working on both shows, which come through his prodco Tall Ship Productions’ partnership with Sony Pictures Television. First up is Helix (pictured), a 13-part straight- to-series order that debuted on January 10. The story follows a group of disease prevention scientists based at a remote Arctic facility who try to control the outbreak of a deadly virus that could threaten the entire world. The close and claustrophobic setting differs markedly to Galactica, which was an interplanetary story of war between a race of humans and cybernetic aliens and which Moore reimagined for Syfy for six years from 2003 to huge success. Galatica was amazing – it all fitted together and it was great to be part of something very special, and now I’m in a place where I’ve got the sense that Helix is a very special project as well, says the US-based scribe. The script – dark, disturbing; a bit of a horror show, as Moore describes it – comes from Cameron Porsandeh, and Lie to Me exec producer Steven Maeda is showrunner. Moore is an exec producer on the project and says the setting – a non-controlled polar region – and tone mean it will translate well internationally. He also says the fact Helix bypassed the pilot process, which he calls a bad economic model and a waste of an enormous amount of time and energy , was a key factor in his participation in the project. Though licence fees on straight-
18 TBI December 2013/January 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM p18-19 Ron Moore Dec13Jan14JWscJW_Final.qxp 13/1/14 17:43 Page 91
CREATI ES SPEAKING RON MOORE
to-series orders are lower, it makes much more sense to commit to a whole show because then you can take your time, figure out how you’re going to do it and make it the best it can be . He adds: The broadcast space is dealing with pilots and the potential of the show being cancelled after one or two episodes [and] the security is just not there as much. There are a lot of ways that cable is just more fun to write and produce for. Later in the year, Outlander will launch on Starz as Moore’s – and SPT’s – first series for the premium cabler. The 16-part show is based on a series of novels from Diana Gabaldon that have achieved cult-like status and will be produced by Tall Ship, Story Mining And Supply Company and SPT-owned Left Bank Productions in association with SPT, which will sell it globally (Starz has domestic pay rights). It will be significantly more female-skewed than any of Moore’s previous works, which include his early work on the Star Trek It feels like the corporations make an enormous franchise and the short-lived Galactica spin-off amount of money on the backs of everybody and prequel Caprica. Irish actress Caitriona the writers, directors, crews.There are billons of Balfe will play Clare Randall, a mid-20th century nurse who is transported back in time to a dollars flowing into these companies and yet warring mid-18th century Highland Scotland. somehow, when it comes to compensating those Fans have been concerned how Moore – who create them, they beg poverty associated with straight sci-fi projects – would approach the romantic elements of Gabaldon’s novels but Moore says he spent a weekend at the The strike ended with a deal that gave writers in various ways. The different outlets allow you to author’s home outlining his vision of an guarantees of new media residuals – though later create more idiosyncratic pieces for niche markets adaptation and that the pair subsequently clicked. lawsuits and continued mudslinging suggest and you don’t have to have something for Diana paid a lot of attention to historical there are still issues to iron out – but does Moore everyone. That’s all great. Writer’s compensation, detail and we are taking that side of it very feel the industry is now a fairer place? however, is still lagging behind. seriously, he continues. We have a full-time Digital revenues are changing things a lot. We’re in a place where it feels like the historian working on the show, we have Gaelic The landscape of viewership is changing. There corporations make an enormous amount of speakers, dialect coaches and medical advisors. isn’t a coherent model; the players are just money on the backs of everybody – the writers, We want it to be as authentic as the books. grabbing individual pieces and hanging on to directors, crews. Essentially, there are billons of Moore is writing the scripts and exec whatever revenue they can. Ultimately, the dollars flowing into these companies and yet producing alongside Jim Kohlberg. Shooting audience wants to watch whatever they want on somehow, when it comes to compensating began in Scotland in October and the series will any device at any time. The studios and the those who create them, they all beg poverty. deliver later this year. networks have to figure out how people can do However, Moore says the biggest problem for Besides his recognition as one of the most that. Moore says old rights agreements scribes in 2014 is not a financial one but a prominent sci-fi TV producers of the modern relating to dying formats like DVD, plus a creative issue. You’re constantly trying to do era, Moore is also well known as being among lot of inertia is hampering progress. People something new and take risks and you are the most vocal advocates of writers’ rights, don’t want to let that go, he adds. constantly telling the powers that be that especially during the strikes that crippled The debate over remuneration rages on, but the it is a risk worth taking: you don’t have to explain Hollywood for more than three months in 2007 backdrop is changing with Netflix and Amazon everything to the audience and that sometimes and 2008. Back then, he walked the picket lines both getting in on the original production space in it’s okay they’re confused, for example. after clashing with studio executives over a noisy way. This both offers opportunity and There are a lot of people whose job it is to say payment for the emerging medium of web causes concern for writers, Moore contends. no. If they say yes, they’re afraid they’ll lose their content – or as some would put it, the absence There’s a bigger market now – a lot more jobs. That’s the biggest challenge: constantly of payment for the webisodes that execs were outlets. Broadcasters and web channels are trying to get people to say yes when they almost beginning to demand. expanding and getting into the network business always want to say no. TBI
For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM TBI December 2013/January 2014 19 p20 Kids Monitor DecJan14JWscFINAL.qxp 13/1/14 17:33 Page 30
M ONITOR KIDS DHX gets into the channels business
DHX Media is buying leading Canadian children’s net Family Channel and three Disney-branded channels for C$170 million (US$160 million) from Bell Media. Bell-operated Disney Junior and the English and French-language Disney XD pay TV networks are part of the agreement, which needs approval from the Competition Bureau and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to satisfy closing conditions. Canada-based DHX, which recently acquired Teletubbies rights owner Ragdoll Worldwide for 17.4 million (US$28.3 million), will finance the deal through an underwritten credit facility and cash in hand. Bell had been forced to put the channels up for sale following the closure of its C$3 billion takeover of Canadian cable rival Astral last year. Since March 2013, French-Canadian businessman Pierre Boivin has held DHX s In the Night Garden them in a blind trust. Broadcasting is a natural extension for the company, said Steven DeNure, President and COO of DHX Media. The acquisition of Family million on revenue of C$81 million for the 12 months to August 31. Channel further enhances our ability to operate as a vertically integrated DHX is best known for producing and distributing kids’ shows such as player in the global children’s content business. Inspector Gadget, Paddington Bear and Caillou and now owns the Family Channel in particular will be of value of DHX as the number Teletubbies and In the Night Garden brands through its acquisition of one children’s channel in Canada. It has an approximately 5.7 million the commercial arm of Anne Wood’s indie Ragdoll. subscribers and an English language market share of 29.6% of 2-11s Since buying Ragdoll Worldwide, the firm has hired a UK brand during the 2011/12 season, according to the Broadcast Bureau of director for its acquisition, with Tor Bushell joining from HIT Measurement. Entertainment where she was brand marketing and retail development Overall, the acquired channels netted direct earnings of around C$27 director for Thomas & Friends. She is based at DHX’s London office. Goldberger goes it alone with Gold Bee
Former Imira Entertainment sales chief Christophe Goldberger has on January 1. The commercial arm of German pubcaster ZDF acquired Asian distribution rights to the ZDF Enterprises kids previously sold its shows into Asia itself and occasionally with local catalogue, which includes live action series Wolfblood (pictured). agents but wanted someone dedicated to look after the slate , Goldberger has launched consultancy Gold Bee, which is based out Goldberger told TBI. of Barcelona, and headed to the Asia Television Forum at the end of Gold Bee has taken selected regional rights to animated series 2013 with ZDFE.junior programmes including Q Pootle 5and the including ZDF/BBC coproduced preschool show Q Pootle 5, which aforementioned Wolfblood. comes from the UK’s Snapper Productions and ZDFE; KiKA’s high Gold Bee has also secured distribution of the catalogue in Spain, rating bilingual edutainment series JoNaLu, which comes from Portugal and Latin America, and this part of the agreement took effect Germany’s Scopas Medien; and Tempo Express, which is a coproduction of France’s Les Cartooneurs Associés and Fantasia Animation. On the live action front, Goldberger has 26x26mins CBBC and ZDF coproduced 8-12s drama Wolfblood and accompanying 13x12mins documentary series Wolfblood Uncovered, plus music-themed Dance Academy, Jonathan M. Shiff series H2O – Just Add Water and follow- up Mako Mermaids. Gold Bee also has rights to new comedy adventure series Sam Fox Extreme Adventures and 41x15mins Prix Jeunesse-winning doc show Smart! That’s My Story. Goldberger exited from his role as head of sales and acquisitions at Imira in May last year after eight years. He has also held roles at Moonscoop and Kik Animation. He told TBI that besides straight television sales, Gold Bee will also seek to develop, produce and Gold Bee has taken on ZDFEnterprises series such as Wolfblood finance content. TBI
20 TBI December 2013/January 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM TV Series TV Series
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p21 Imagina DecJan14.indd 1 09/01/2014 10:03 p22 Format Wars DecJan14JWscFINAL.qxp 13/1/14 17:39 Page 30
M ONITOR FORMATS Formats wars:two battles resolved
Disputes over the originality of formats have sparked several legal and corporate battles in recent years. Two of these have been settled in recent months with Banijay s recent record reading won one, lost one
wo big format disputes have been resolved in recent months with French and Dutch courts making decisions regarding the buzzy diving formats that were sellingT around the world continually last year, and clarifying a ruling relating to the Dilemme and Loft Story formats. Dutch authorities ruled in favour of Eyeworks in the bitter copyright infringement case with Banijay, after which Eyeworks judge is saying it is the same immediately said that it is considering legal idea and that there are more action against its rival producer and similarities than not but that distributor for damages. Banijay had alleged [Eyeworks] has not broken Eyework’s Celebrity Splash format infringed Dutch rules. It’s obviously its copyright relating to older format TV Total not good news. Turmspringen (aka Stars in Danger). We still don’t know what However, a Dutch court ruled this was not the we’re going to do [in case, despite accepting similarities existed. response]; we haven’t decided if we will appeal France’s Big Brother adaptation Secret Story Eyeworks said the judge had in making his or go to another court. Are we happy with and the latter’s spin-off Loft Story. ruling confirmed the fact that the current new what the judge has ruled? No, we’re not, but This ruling was subsequently overturned at show Banijay has been marketing and selling we were not placing all our eggs in the legal the Paris Court of Appeal and Endemol forced [Stars in Danger: High Diving] is a different basket and have sold the show in 12 territories to pay back the damages, plus a further format to TV Total Turmspringen. Jeff and enjoyed great success. €100,000 in legal costs. This allowed Banijay Goldman, managing director of Eyeworks Banijay is still mulling over its next move in International to reintroduce the Dilemme Distribution, said: From our perspective, it that case, though a victory in a separate legal format to its catalogue and also cleared Alexia was always clear that not only was Celebrity row involving Endemol demonstrates how Laroche-Joubert, the former Endemol France Splash an original, unique entertainment difficult it is to prove format theft allegations boss who founded the Banijay-owned format but that in turn Banijay simply in courts of law. Dilemme producer ALJ Productions, of any capitalised on our success by copying the TBI learned late last year that France’s wrongdoing. Banijay recently hired another overall look and feel, as well as several key Supreme Court rejected Endemol’s appeal Endemol France formats boss, Philippe Stoltz, elements, of our format. against a ruling that cleared Banijay from to become managing director of its prodco Goldman added that the case had allegations of ripping off a French reality H2O, adding another ingredient to the mix. undermined his company’s ability to sell the format. The Cour de Cassation, a court for last The Supreme Court confirms the the show. Banijay created confusion in the resort appeals for civil and criminal cases, Court of Appeal judgment that rejected market place [by] selling this ‘new show’ into decreed a previous ruling in favour of Banijay Endemol’s accusations and upheld Banijay’s several territories, resulting in their profiting was legally binding and that the case now over. position regarding the programme created for on Eyeworks’ success while at the same time The case goes back to March 2011, when W9, Dilemme, de Brugada said of the latest undermining Eyeworks’ ability to fully exploit Endemol was awarded €1 million (US$1.4 verdict. Endemol cannot claim any monopoly Celebrity Splash in those same territories. million) in damages in relation to Banijay over reality TV. We consider this to be a victory Banijay Group’s COO François de Brugada, format Dilemme, which was ruled to have for creativity in the entertainment content responded, telling TBI: The feeling is that the taken format elements from Endemol business. TBI
22 TBI December 2013/January 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM p23 Rio Conent Market DecJan14.indd 1 13/01/2014 11:55 p24 4K TV DecJan14JWscJWFINAL.qxp 13/1/14 18:38 Page 30
M ONITOR 4K TV OTT leads the way on 4K As if the OTT players weren t bumping heads with traditional broadcasters enough already, they ve now claimed the high ground on the latest original programming battlefield:ultra high- definition, also known as 4K.Jesse Whittock and Andy McDonald report
hile Michael Bay was According to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, 4K traditional TV companies are taking is much suffering an autocue- is going to be a key differentiator for web TV more measured approach than the streamers. induced meltdown on services as the the first format that is internet- The BBC has effectively conceded it cannot stage at the Consumer only . It’s really focused on internet delivery. compete with BSkyB in the race to develop ultra Electronics Show earlier So broadcast, cable, satellite – they’re not going HD in the UK and said deployment is a way thisW month, numerous new ultra HD 4K sets to have Ultra HD, at least not in the next five off , while Discovery’s director of new media were being unveiled to the hordes of executives, years. It’s all going to be internet delivery, he distribution, EMEA, Alberto Horta has said the journalists and fanboys who had descended on said in a BBC interview at CES. channel operator and producer would take up the event in the world’s showiest city, Las Vegas. Manufacturer Samsung has been particularly to five years to fully adapt its content to 4K. For programme makers, the 4Kmedium active in 4K development, partnering with In fact, the BBC – which has also stopped its provides them with the chance to trumpet their Netflix, Amazon, NBCUniversal owner experiments in 3D as it looks to reduce costs in latest projects through the clearest pictures yet Comcast, pay TV platform DirecTV and the the face of a shrinking licence fee – only and with the highest level of detail. And as the DreamWorks and Technicolor streaming undertook its first live HD stream in 2013 and most technologically advanced image display on service M-Go to implement their programming its flagship iPlayer platform streams only go up the market – a resolution of 8.3 million pixels, or on a new range of sets. The Comcast agreement up to 720p format. four times that of standard 1080p HD – it will see Samsung’s net-connected 4K TVs In terms of IP distribution, I think we’ve got shouldn’t really be a surprise that the newest bypass Comcast’s set-top boxes and offer a long way to go before 4K becomes really entrants into the original content market, the programming through a bespoke app. important, said Henry Webster, the BBC’s OTT players, have been the first to commit to it. The fact these companies and others are executive product manager, media service at the In December, Amazon Studios, the original working in the 4K medium confirms they all pubcaster’s Future Media division. film and TV production arm of the online see potential in the medium, despite its biggest Should 4K become the standard production shopping giant, pledged to shoot all of its drawback – the gigantic prices attached to medium of the future, OTT services will have original content in 4K in 2014. current 4K sets. It is true, however, that had a very healthy head start. TBI As a premium original content creator, we’re excited about 4K and the future of Ultra HD technology, particularly as we move into drama series, said Amazon Studios’ director Roy Price. Furthermore, Amazon’s Prime Instant Video platform is working with content companies including Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Discovery Communications and Twentieth Century Fox Television on 4K projects. Meanwhile, rumours Netflix would offerseason two of its flagship original, House of Cards, in 4K have been confirmed by CEO Reed Hastings. Furthermore, the electronics arm of House of Cards distributor Sony is working to ensure the latter’s line of new ultra HD TV sets support 4K streaming of the Netflix service. YouTube has too gotten in on 4K, using its presentation at CES to unveil its VP9 codec programme, which it says will reduce buffering and make the experience of online viewing more pleasurable. The Google service already LG s 105 curved Ultra HD TV is one of the latest generation of mass-produced 4Ksets supports 4K formats but this is its major play.
24 TBI December 2013/January 2014 For the latest in TV programming news visit TBIVISION.COM 7-10 April 2014 Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France
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p25 Midem DecJan14.indd 1 09/01/2014 10:06 p26 Dutch Indies DecJan14JWscFINAL.qxp 13/1/14 17:41 Page 30
M ONITOR DUTCH INDIES
Sony departures swell Dutch indie ranks Several high profile departures and corporate changes at Sony Pictures Television in the Netherlands have bolstered the ranks of the Dutch indies, reports Stewart Clarke
he Dutch indie TV sector has found its ranks swelling in recent months after a raft of changes that all involve Sony Pictures Television. Sony, which company-wide is focusing Tefforts on TV (see interview on page 18) says it is committed to maintaining its Amsterdam headquarters and using it as a base from which to buy and sell formats. However, recent changes mean it will face competition from some of its ex-staff on that front. Perhaps the biggest change came at the end of 2013 when the management of Tuvalu bought out SPT and took control of the Dutch production company. SPT originally acquired the firm in 2008 before its management partnered with finance house Karmign and retook majority control of the business. Taco Zimmerman will remain with the firm as managing director while its cofounder Roel Tuvalu for local pubcaster NED1. Tuvalu’s other create the That’s the Question and Take It or Kooi will depart following the deal. Kooi is in key titles include Cover Me and Maestro. Leave It formats as well as the Who Wants to Be charge of the Association of Independent Tuvalu had already absorbed another indie IP a Millionaire spin-off 50:50. Indy Ideas is Television Producers in the Netherlands and is firm acquired by SPT, Intellygents, before the working with van Berkel’s content firm expected to remain in the content business. MBO. The latter is, however, no longer actively TVMark on new projects and with Netherlands- Speaking to TBI on the day the buyout was creating new content. Its cofounder, Kirsten Jan based multiplatform prodco NewBeTV on made official, Zimmerman said that the deal van Nieuwenhuijzen, had become creative other emerging formats. was six months in the making. We had a director at SPT in Amsterdam, but revealed to A third major departure from Sony at the productive six years with Sony, but the time had TBI late last year that he has started a new back end of last year was on the sales side and come to move on, he said. business, Indy Ideas. saw Ed Louwerse leave the studio. The exec, Now Tuvalu is free of the Sony connection the Van Nieuwenhuijzen cofounded who left SPT in November, is one of the most path to expansion outside of the Netherlands is Intellygents, the interactive content firm that experienced formats distribution executives in clearer – because it will not compete with the was acquired in 2006 for about €5 million the international TV business having spent regional operating divisions of a parent (US$6.75 million) by 2waytraffic, which in turn almost seven years at SPT after it acquired company in global territories. Zimmerman said was bought by Sony in 2008. I worked with 2waytraffic. Prior to that he spent seven years at international is a clear part of the plan: With John de Mol at Endemol for six years, had my Endemol. Having been managing director of Karmign’s backing we are a fully independent own company for five and was then at SPT for 2waytraffic International, Louwerse then producer and can move into the areas we want seven and I wanted to do something different to headed up formats sales at SPT. Following and we can expand internationally. stay inspired, he told TBI. SPT’s recent effort to combine its formats and Referring to Kooi’s exit, Zimmerman said: The new business, Indy Ideas, will create finished programming sales teams Louwerse The management deal and change in original ideas and work with outside producers took a newly created product management role. shareholding allowed Roel to move on. We’ll on formats and entertainment shows. The Informing colleagues of his departure, miss him, but respect his decision. idea was to start something like I had with Louwerse said that after two decades in the Sony owned a 60% stake in Tuvalu and has Intellygents, van Nieuwenhuijzen said. It formats business he planned to take a break now been completely bought out. It will, won’t be a producer but a creative company that before making his next move. If he decides to however, continue to work with the firm on collaborates with producers and channels. go independent too, then Sony and the other buzzy space format Milky Way Mission and sell After working at Endemol, van existing Netherlands-based formats firms will it internationally. The show, in which celebrities Nieuwenhuijzen created Intellygents in 2002 find a trio of new competitors to go up against undergo ultra tough space training, is made by with Mark van Berkel. The company went on to and/or collaborate with. TBI
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M ARKET FOCUS US HISPANIC TV
TV channels chasing US Hispanic viewers are programming an ever increasing ammount of original content to win share among the young and increasingly affluent target demograph- ic. Meanwhile, J-Lo and Robert Rodrigue are joining the fray and going after Latino viewers with targeted English-language programming, reports Stewart Clarke
yeball-winning original program- seven million viewers across a two-hour ming and moves by some to broadcast and fitted with the goal for the main programme English-language Univision network to programme family- channels and content for the US friendly originals on Sunday nights, Ciurana Hispanic population are shaping says. This year there will be a particular focus on Ethe Latino and wider media sectors in the US. originals for younger-skewing net Unimas. One result is more competition for the tradition- As the US Hispanic media sector continues to al US networks, which are already seeing the grow at a fast clip, the new battlegrounds are not major US Hispanic channels compete with only channel-distinguishing original them toe to toe for audiences. Indeed, the likes of programming but, in an increasing number of Univision pinpoint the major broadcasters as the cases content or channels luring both US competition, not the other US Hispanic nets. Hispanic and mainstream eyeballs with English- Univision competes every day and night with language shows. the English broadcasters in the US; our position Univision is starting to play in the English- is well recognised by not only Hispanic viewers language space, although Ciurana says the but also Anglos and bilingual viewers, says primary mission will always be servicing Alberto Ciurana, president of programming and Spanish speakers. content for leading broadcaster Univision If English-language fare for US Hispanics is Networks. one new front in the battle for viewers, there are Univision has a long-running programming other services that are claiming the sensibilities supply deal in place with Televisa, the Mexican of an English-language channel, but with media giant. Televisa is the most important Spanish-language content. provider of Spanish-speaking programming in Months after the launch of the MundoFox the world, Ciurana claims, adding: But we also channel, Fox International Channels president do originals as we are an American network in and CEO Hernan Lopez told TBI: Spanish- the US that happens to speak in Spanish and we language television hasn’t changed much in the need to speak to the community. Accordingly past ten years and the telenovela is a style of the broadcaster makes 14,000 hours of original storytelling that hasn’t evolved at the same pace programming output across its networks as English-speaking viewing. MundoFox looks annually with its coverage of the Latin Grammy and feels like US television, but it just happens to music awards last November propelling it ahead be in Spanish. of CBS, NBC and Fox and making it the number The upstart US Hispanic network launched in two overall network on the night among 18-to- August 2012 and as part of 21st Century Fox’s 34s. Other ratings highlights through 2013 channels division FIC it has a deep-pocketed TV included the finale of Univision and Endemol- industry backer. Its other partner is Colombian produced reality dance competition Mira Quién broadcaster RCN, which brings its Baila! (Look Who’s Dancing!), which reached programming nous to the party. While getting Originals and English reshape US Hispanic TV
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M ARKET FOCUS US HISPANIC TV
ElCapo 3 marks MundoFox s entry into the original scripted programming world
wide distribution remains a key challenge, original is on the Fox broadcast network and like says Adriana Iba ez, who joined MundoFox MundoFox has made a noise with formats and is the Latino equivalent Syco format, is produced from Telemundo last year as the channel’s LA- making originals that it hopes will set it apart. by FremantleMedia. based executive VP of programming. Not many The mainstream sensibility – and the benefits The summer run of the El Factor X, shot in people imagined we could get the rights and it of having Fox as a backer – are best illustrated by Mexico, was relatively short given the imperative was difficult, but we’re in a great family and we the channel’s talent series El Factor X, a Spanish- not to run into the Fox channel’s broadcast of the had the support from Fox that allowed us to do it. language version of The X Factor for 8-to-15 year original version (or, for that matter, Idols, which It was a great statement in the market to our olds. The series launched last July and was also has a big US Hispanic following) but the Fox stripped through the week in a 7pm slot. The family connections were what made it possible, continued on page 32 >
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M ARKET FOCUS US HISPANIC TV
range of English-language services aimed at US Hispanics and overall production deal late last year. He was already working on Nuvo mainstream English-speaking viewers that want to tune into US series Mario Lopez: One on One and the first show to come from the AHispanic culture and celebrity are changing the TV landscape. development deal is dating-meets-dance competition hybrid series Salsa What is now the NuvoTV cable network started out as production in the City, which will roll out this year. company S TV in the late 1990s, making English-language, Latino- The relationship with Jennifer Lopez generated huge press for Nuvo. focussed shows such as The Brothers Garcia for Nickelodeon. In 2004 S What was clear was that neither Jennifer or Nuvo wanted a traditional TV rolled out as a full cable net, programmed with the English-speaking development deal, so we found a deeper more multifaceted relationship, Latino culture-skewed content it had been producing. says Schwimmer. She’s chief creative officer; she’s involved in all key The next landmark was a 2011 rebrand to NuvoTV; a move which creative decisions and decisions around branding and marketing. And she preceded megastar Jennifer Lopez joining as chief creative officer last will produce and exec produce through [her prodco] Nuyorican. year. Boosting the privately-held cable channel’s ambitions was a US$40 Lopez was the subject and exec producer of biopic Legacy: Jennifer million injection of funds last year with Columbia Capital, Rho Capital, Lopez, produced by Nuyorican, while A Step Away is a behind the scenes Veronis Suhler Stevenson and Tennenbaum Capital Partners all putting look at the work and lives of back-up dancers on a Lopez live tour. Also cash into the business. Announcing the financing deal last August, Nuvo from her production company is a project based on the Paul Cuadros said the funds would be used to expand a diverse roster of book A Home on the Field about the academic and author’s experience groundbreaking, original programming . of coaching a young Latino soccer team. Chief exec Michael Schwimmer says there is a gap in the market and In the same way Viacom’s BET tackles African American viewers’ lives Nuvo is filling it. What we do is capture the essence of what it means to and interests but also pulls in a mainstream audience, Schwimmer says be Hispanic in the US. What we think is missing is an accurate, non- Nuvo goes wider than just hitting English-speaking Latinos. stereotypical portrayal of this cultural identity beyond the hackneyed The network does not however have this space to itself, with two new telenovela. Our audience is not confined by language. networks, Fusion and El Rey, chasing English-speaking Hispanic viewers. The channel recently picked up basic cable syndication rights to Dexter, Schwimmer argues that this pair are going after narrower segment of the English:the new language of US Hispanic television?
giving it all of the eight seasons of the crime drama, but over half of the audience than his network and that there are large number of viewers to content on the channel is original and Schwimmer says, the issue is not win outside of the millennial demo they are chasing. the number of hours but investing in quality . To that end Nuvo locked I thought there would be more competition, he says. Latin culture is Mario Lopez, the Saved by the Bell star and X Factor presenter, into an mainstream culture, it’s not an exclusive club. Univision is tuning into the English-language fray, backing the aforementioned Robert Rodriguez’s cable net El Rey (The King) and joint venture network Fusion. Fusion launched last October and is a JV between Univision and Disney-ABC Television, pooling their respective news and current affairs expertise to programme the news, lifestyle and culture channel. El Rey will go after Latino audiences with English fare and rolled out last December. Its major original project of note thus far is a ten-part TV version of Rodriguez’s 1996 movie From Dusk Till Dawn, which is in production and will primarily be distributed internationally by Miramax. So will Telemundo be the next to make an English-language move? The hiring of Cesar Conde from Univision might exacerbate just such a move. He announced late last year he was swapping companies to take an executive VP role at Telemundo. While in his previous role as president of the networks division of Univision, Conde was part of the team that decided to roll out Fusion as well as optimise the UVideos catch The Lope effect:NuvoTV s Hispanic starsJennifer and Mario Lope up service for English as well as Spanish users.
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M ARKET FOCUS US HISPANIC TV
elevisa is the world’s largest Spanish-language programmer and one of the world’s largest media companies, but was not top of Tmind among Hollywood executives until 2012 when it joined forces with Lionsgate to create TV, movie and production divisions that are repurposing its content for English-speaking audiences. As VP of entertainment at HBO, Michael Garcia worked on shows including The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire and The Wire. He started consulting for Televisa and Lionsgate in 2011, looking at shows that had the potential to be remade for the mainstream US market before then taking the full-time role of chief creative officer at Televisa USA. Having been an English-language TV exec, he freely admits to approaching the task of perusing the Televisa library with a healthy degree of scepticism, doubts that were shared by the rest of the US TV business. There was a stigma here in the US about the supposed production values etcetera, but the stories really grabbed me and I thought there were things that could be adapted, Garcia explains. I started watching a lot of these [Spanish-language] shows and I fell in love with them – I remember Devious Maids has just been commissioned for a second season on Lifetime thinking ‘this isn’t supposed to be happening’. The challenge was getting people past the idea that ‘this is a telenovela’. The growth of the US Hispanic networks and a number of breakout illness. The show follows her life as she tries to come to terms with the hits helped Hollywood become more informed about novellas and the illness and find true love. The US version, titled Chasing Life, is about to main players in that world. What was really helpful was the ratings bow on cable net ABC Family and Garcia says Televisa USA wants to story, Garcia says. People might not have known what a telenovela was, show it can bring in Latin formats, Latin talent (Televisa has deals with a Televisa USA:from Mexico to the English-speaking world
but they understood eight million people watched it on Univision. raft of stars) and Latin audiences but can also reach a wider viewership. The breakout show for the Televisa Lionsgate group was Devious He describes Chasing Life as a general market show that happens to Maids. Created by Desperate Housewives’ Marc Cherry, the Lifetime over-index with the US Hispanic audience . series was based on Televisa’s Mexican show Ellas son la Alegr a del Associated to Televisa USA is the Pantelion film studio, which bills itself Hogar (They Are the Home’s Joy). Devious Maids shows the audience as Hollywood’s first Latino studio and which is run by the same partners, does want to watch a story with a strong overall Latin character, says Televisa and Lionsgate. It made last year’s Instructions Not Included, Garcia, who is one of the show’s exec producers. which was the largest grossing Spanish-language film ever in the US. Another big win for Televisa USA has been Terminales. The Mexican On the talent side, Televisa has cut a development deal with actor and drama, which originally aired on Televisa’s Canal 5 in Mexico was created comedian George Lopez, who will star in the English-language motion by Miguel Angel Fox and tells the story of a young female picture La Vida Robot, which is based on a magazine article in Wired, was journalist – April Marquez – whose life is struck short by a terminal shot in Mexico and tells the story of four Mexican-American teens who make a state of the art robot. Lopez will also make TV shows with Televisa USA and its production banner South Shore under the terms of the pact. The other major talent deal has been with That 70s Show star Wilmer There is a stigma in the US Valderrama who, like Lopez, will work on TV and movie projects. but when I started watching a There’s a potent crossover between Mexico and the US and we can lot of these Spanish-language play at both ends, in English and Spanish and in film and in TV, says shows I fell in love with them. Garcia. Talking about 2014 goals he adds: You will see a big expansion of I remember thinking, this isn t our operation that will include [talent] deals bearing fruit, bringing more projects to market and having a bigger presence in unscripted and supposed to be happening formats adaptation. And we’ll be taking some bigger shots with broadcast Michael Garcia, Televisa USA [as opposed to just cable] TV.
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M ARKET FOCUS US HISPANIC TV
> continued from page 29 series El Capo. The original RCN show was Next up for Discovery en Espanol is a move popular on the channel and the US-Hispanic into the reality space with Texas Chrome (WT), competition and to our audience. It said, ‘we are specific series will run to 60-to-80 episodes with which is in production and will debut later this here and we want the best product with the best Fox’s Telecolumbia on production duty and year. Following the lead of the main Discovery talent’, which is what we accomplished. Colombian star Marlon Moreno reprising his channels as well as other US cable stalwarts such In terms of talent formats NBCUniversal- role as drug lord Pedro Pablo Leon Jaramillo. as A+E that have made the observational doc a backed Telemundo also adapted The Voice along With the original El Capo we had something major programming currency, the show will similar lines with its version, La Voz Kids, and with a very Colombian point of view but wanted follow a Texas family of Latin descent and relays preparations are underway for season two after a something original and for a US audience, says their trials and tribulations as they go about successful first run in 2013. Iba ez of El Capo 3. She adds another original running the titular truck customising business. The company does not offer English content drama is in development; a period piece about an Michela Giorelli, VP, production and but does claim to match the standards of the air force captain partly set in Spain. Mexican development for Discovery Networks Latin mainstream broadcast nets and produces 85% of actor Humberto Zorita and El Cartel writer Juan America/US Hispanic has spearheaded the the content it transmits. Recent successes Camilo Ferrand are attached and Telecolombia company’s original content drive and says the include La Patrona (The Return), which averaged will produce. Fox’s Colombia-based prodco also Discovery Studios-produced 8x60mins over a million viewers across its run. made Alias El Mexicano, about a drug lord and series represents a branching out and We differentiate ourselves from other local cofounder of the Medellin Cartel, Gonzalo experimentation with a new genre. It’s the first Hispanic broadcast channels by producing Rodriguez. The dramas are stripped at 9pm. time we have done doc-reality, she explains. It’s television content on the standards of the Anglo Brazilian content works in some cases, very aspirational because the business, which is market, says Marcos Santana, president, notably with US Hispanics on the West Coast, now run by two of the family’s brothers, is doing Telemundo Internacional. Being part of the but content aimed at viewers with Mexican or very well. Comcast NBCUniversal family provides us the Colombian heritage is still the major Prior to this the Discovery original slate was infrastructure to work our telenovelas with a programming currency in the US Hispanic more focused on current affairs-based content distinctive character and with the support of our media world. and specials such as Trata de Mujeres: De first-class talent from all over Latin America, As the spending power and influence of the Tenancingo a Nueva York (Trafficking in including Mexico, we make our stories relevant US Hispanic population increases, the thematic Women: Tenancingo to New York) about the to universal audiences. cable channel operators are growing and growing people trafficking and sex trade between MundoFox’s The X Factor run has been winning share. As with the English-language Mexico and the US and Huesos Que Hablan followed with a Spanish-language adaptation of cable scene, success creates channels targeting (Talking Bones), which goes inside a Mexican another popular English-language series – again new niches. Alterna’TV is a subsidiary of Latin forensic crime lab focused on crimes involving produced by FremantleMedia – Family Feud. It American satellite company Satmex and women. Both were commissioned late last year launched as part of the channel’s fall 2013 launched the Hispanic-focused wellness channel and produced by Peru’s Pacha Films, debuting in schedule in a 7pm slot and comes without the INTI Network TV to cable television providers in December on Discovery en Espanol as part of its scheduling baggage of El Factor X. the US last October. current affairs and behind the headlines strand We want to take it to the next step in 2014 and FIC’s Nat Geo meanwhile runs Nat Geo Discovery a Fondo. Giorelli says: In terms of the move beyond gameshows and talent shows and Mundo and its rival Discovery has two Spanish- original programming we have been doing a lot into original drama, Iba ez says. The net’s first language services in the US, Discovery en has been on topics relating to current affairs, but scripted series will be a new season of crime Espanol and Discovery Familia. if Texas Chrome works we will start leaning more towards observational docs, which would be more in tune with what’s on the rest of the channel. Discovery also has soccer series Futbol 360 and there will be more soccer programming ahead of this year’s World Cup in Brazil. Sports related content is popular across the US Hispanic nets and one upcoming original for Telemundo’s Mun2 is Combate Americas a mixed martial arts competition reality series produced by BMP Latin, part of Banijay-owned Bunim/Murray. It will follow professional Hispanic MMA fighters as they compete to win a coveted spot in the new Combate Americas franchise. As with all areas of US Hispanic TV and Endemol-produced Univision talent series Mira Qui n Baila! media, the gloves are off. TBI
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NATPE 14 HOT PROPERTIES
Tel: +44 0207 845 4350 web: www.all3mediainternational.com Contacts Liza Thompson, SVP Derren Brown - The Great Art Paul Hollywood Episodes 20x45’ Reflex Episodes Format Genre International Sales; Facundo Bailez, Robbery Episodes 1x1.5hrs Genre Genre Factual Entertainment Synopsis Entertainment Synopsis The Reflex International Format Sales Entertainment Synopsis Using a team The UK's favourite baker,Paul trigger sounds,synapses fire,muscles of old age pensioners, acclaimed phsy- Hollywood,invites you into his kitchen tense,breathing halts,pupils dilate… chological illusionist, Derren Brown, is to learn how to bake with the maestro and in the blink of an eye,the world’s going to steal a prized painting from himself and a whole smorgasbord of fastest gameshow has begun. right under everyone's noses. international guests.
Tel: +90 212 4135111 Secrets Episodes 18x90’ Genre Love Episodes 13x90’Genre Forbidden Love Episodes 79x90’ web: http://sales.kanald.com.tr Drama Synopsis With a strong cast Romance Synopsis Name one thing Genre Drama Synopsis Betrayal Natpe Stand: 410 and a gripping script,“Secrets”will be money couldn’t buy… Some would shades the innocence...Passion and Who’s there Kerim Emrah Turna, the most talked about action-packed say happiness, some would say health love capture loyalty. International Sales Executive drama of this season! and some would say love. Stronger and more precious than anything. More precious even than money.
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Tel: +34 915 81 54 01 web: www.comercial.rtve.es Isabel Episodes 26x70’ Genre Fiction Knowing & Winning Episodes Together Episodes Format 155’ Genre Natpe Stand: 233 - Audiovisual Synopsis The life of one of the most Format 30’ Genre Quiz Show Synopsis Public service format Synopsis A useful From Spain, Market Floor prominent woman in Spanish history, In this half-hour format, three contest- public service format that channels Fontainbleu Resort Queen Isabella the Catholic.The recov- ants face one another in a series of dif- requests for help and proposals for sup- Who’s there Rafael Bardem, Deputy ery of Granada emerges as one of the ferent cultural knowledge and mental port."Together" encourages solidarity programme sales director main plot developments. agility tests within society.
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NATPE 2014 HOT PICKS NATPE HOT PICKS
THE SHOW:Tequila Sisters THE DISTRIBUTOR:Lionsgate International THE PRODUCERS:Rogue Atlas,Lionsgate Television THE BROADCASTER:TVGuide Network (US) THE CONCEPT:A Kardashians-style reality series featuring a wealthy Mexican-American family in Los Angeles
Sure to be of major interest to Latino buyers thing all Latin American buyers and their television as a growth area. at the Fontainebleau is Tequila Sisters, a audiences can relate to," he says. "As many Latino American families settle Keeping Up With the Kardashians-style Iacono bills the sisters as "the Latina in the United States, the common theme is docu-soap that follows rich Mexican Kardashians" who bring a mix of US and the merging of traditional values and cultural importer Bill Marin, his wife Lori and their Mexican sensibilities to the screen "with a traditions with the myriad opportunities in four glamorous daughters (pictured) as tequila chaser", while their father Bill is the America today," says Iacono. the Laguna Beach family tries to reconcile "overbearing father to beautiful young girls, Tequila Sisters’ production team of cultural issues and financial problems with each of whom has to deal with his traditional Lionsgate and indie Rogue Atlas includes the family business. demands and yet embrace the opportunities reality TV specialist Eli Frankel (Top Chef, Distributor Lionsgate International's and thrills of a luxurious, independent life Project Runway), which will help the series managing director, television, Peter Iacono in today’s California". "engage on different levels", Iacono predicts. says Tequila Sisters has the edge on the Lionsgate, which operates Latin American Lionsgate part-owned cable channel TV Kardashians thanks to the Latino twist. joint venture businesses Pantelion and Guide Network debuted the series on "The Mexican-American dynamic is some- Televisa USA, has identified Hispanic reality December 10 last year.
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NATPE 2014 HOT PICKS
THE SHOW:The 100 Code THE DISTRIBUTOR:Red Arrow International THE PRODUCERS:Fabrik Entertainment, Red Arrow International, Strix Drama THE BROADCASTERS:Kanal 5 (Sweden),Sky Deutschland (Germany) THE CONCEPT:A US cop is sent to Sweden to assist with the search for a serial killer targeting young women A fter N ord ic noir a new type of S cand i d rama is d eveloping, says R ed A rrow International's managing d irector Jens R ichter: the A merican- in-S cand inavia thriller. R ed A rrow first tried out the genre with L ilyhammer, the N etflix show that sees S teve Van Z and t playing a mobster in witness protection in snowy N orway. It s attempting to recreate that show's international sales and critical success with The 100 C od e. " This is S cand i crime of a d ifferent breed ," says R ichter. The title refers to a police cod e for a serial k iller. Billed as 'part cop d rama, part psycholog- THE SHOW:Through the Keyhole ical thriller', it follows a 30 year-old single- THE DISTRIBUTOR:FremantleMedia International mind ed N Y P D d etective whose hunt for a mur- THE PRODUCER:Talkback d erer of young women goes cold until the THE BROADCASTER:ITV (UK) k illing starts again only this time in S wed en. THE CONCEPT:A tongue-in-cheek revival of the popular daytime H e travels to E urope and partners with a weary gameshow series veteran S wed ish homicid e cop with his own problems. The pair clash but are forced to work together to bring the k iller to justice. Through the Keyhole is a solid option for this year, when ITV reluanched it with The script comes from O scar-winning writer buyers with mainstream audiences – the FremantleMedia producer Talkback attached to Bobby M oresco (C rash) and prod uction is d ue series brings together humour, intrigue and take on production duties. to begin in M arch. " It's a great original story- celebrity, and has comic character Keith The format has been updated but at its core line," says R ichter. " W e originally d eveloped Lemon (real name Leigh Francis) presenting. relies on the same notion: a panel of three the show for S BS 's K anal 5 in S wed en and For Latin American channels at NATPE, those studio-based celebrities attempt to guess which set it up with S k y Deutschland as their first elements could be key, says Sheila Aguirre, famous face’s home the presenter is snooping original coprod uced d rama. H ere they've tak en senior VP, sales and development for Latin around based on a series of subtle clues. the big step." America and US Hispanic at distributor Lemon, whose creator Francis is best known S ome of the pilot is shooting in N ew Y ork FremantleMedia International. for near the knuckle comedies such as Bo but most of the show is filming in S tock holm. “Lately, celebrity shows have been trending Selecta!, has toned down his risqué persona in " S wed ish characters will speak E nglish to the across Latin America,” she says. “Because of the series, dropping cheeky hints about the A merican and S wed ish to each other. O verall, this focus on celebrities, I am confident that identity of the homeowner, meaning it is it's going to be 8 0% E nglish-language, which Through the Keyhole will be a success. It suitable family viewing. “With a combination of mak es it very feasible for the U K , the U S and gives viewers a unique peek into the way that humour and local celebrities, this is a format that A ustralia," says R ichter. their favourite celebrities live, their lifestyles clearly works for all channels,” says Aguirre. The ex ec points to notion that, though the and things they didn’t know or could have “There are many celebrity formats but no S wed en-set and BBC W orld wid e-sold U K ever imagined.” others in which the viewers can actually see version of N ord ic noir W alland er was popular Through the Keyhole initially ran on ITV in inside celebrity homes and get a humorous globally it d id n't rate in S wed en because " it was the UK for more than two decades with the taste of what their life is like,” she adds. irritating for local aud iences to see S wed ish late journalist David Frost hosting but had FremantleMedia is expecting both finished characters in S tock holm speak ing E nglish" . been on hiatus between 2008 and August 31 and format sales in Miami.
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NATPE 2014 HOT PICKS
THE SHOW:The Red Road THE DISTRIBUTOR:Entertainment One Television International THE PRODUCER:Kopus Productions THE BROADCASTER:Sundance Channel (US) THE CONCEPT:A small-town sheriff struggles to keep control after a tragic incident triggers a clash between the townsfolk and the indigenous locals The R ed R oad is one of the first S und ance C hannel titles to pipe through E ntertainment O ne s scripted programming d istribution agreement with A M C N etwork s, which was ink ed in autumn last year. E ntertainment O ne Television s presid ent, international, P eter E merson d escribes the show as potentially more cutting ed ge than A M C shows such as The W alk ing Dead and Break ing Bad thank s to its ind ie roots as THE SHOW:There s Something About Susan a S und ance original. THE DISTRIBUTOR:Zodiak Rights It s about a clash between two communi- THE PRODUCER:Firecracker Films ties an ind igenous one and the white THE BROADCASTER:ITV (UK) community that surround s it and is THE CONCEPT:An intimate one-off feature on Britain s Got Talent encroaching. There s an incid ent a small runner-up Susan Boyle as she deals with fame and mental health issues child is k illed by a car and that just mak es these two communities fight, he says. The show also ad d s to a recent trend for Television talent shows have made stars of around 70 territories through Zodiak Rights, d ramas such as The S lap and Broad church to many unlikely personalities over the years. Of leading to its spiritual successor’s creation. ex plore how groups, and in some cases this unique group, none has had an impact “Sony’s London office phoned us to make entire communities, may react to shock ing on the global media business comparable to a programme around the news Susan had incid ents involving child ren. Y ou re going to middle-aged Scottish singer Susan Boyle, been diagnosed,” recalls Firecracker’s that same approach tak ing an incid ent or who appeared on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent managing director Sue Oriel. “She’d been told a broad , big back ground and inserting really in 2009. she’d been brain damaged at birth for such a strong, big characters, says E merson. Her widely-shared YouTube videos helped long time that she just assumed that’s what A n ensemble cast includ es G ame of take FremantleMedia’s digital video plays it was but that was completely erroneous.” Thrones Jason M omoa, Devil s K not s M artin count north of a billion and her down-to-earth What followed was an intimate insight into H end erson and Board walk E mpire s Julianne persona has made her a tabloid fascination. Boyle’s journey, beginning with small N icholson. A aron G u ik owsk i (P risoners) Recent news that she had been diagnosed performances in Scotland and ending with a d eveloped the 6 x 6 0mins series and is writer with a mild form of Asperger Syndrome made show at a huge church in Houston, Texas. and ex ecutive prod ucer, along with prod ucers headlines and is a central theme in There’s Says Oriel: “Susan has overcome some of S arah C ond on (Bored to Death) and Brid get Something About Susan, a fly-on-the-wall her challenges but she will always have C arpenter (Frid ay N ight L ights), who will documentary charting her attempt to sing mental health issues, so this is a great insight serve as showrunner. James G ray (W e O wn with a full backing band for the first time that into someone who has a huge talent and is the N ight) is d irecting the final episod e. Big Fat Gypsy Weddings producer Firecracker inspiring to many people but is seen as an eO ne launches the series in M iami, mak ing Films is making. ordinary woman who buys her stage clothes it one of the freshest series on show at The Tinopolis-owned company was familiar at John Lewis. It’s a really moving thing and N A TP E this year. to the temperamental star, having previously it’s why people find her fascinating.” The series is set to d ebut on S und ance created Susan Boyle – An Unlikely Superstar Zodiak Rights is back to sell the one-off doc C hannel in the U S on February 27 as the for ITV on the behest of Got Talent creator and Firecracker’s Oriel says that global network s second original series. Its first, the Simon Cowell and his contacts at Sony Music. broadcasters that are “ITV equivalents” ITV S tud ios-sold R ectify is also coming back An Unlikely Superstar scored 5.8 million should be keen to check out the latest chapter in 2014 and a first miniseries, The H onorable viewers in the UK and was shopped to in this most unusual of modern fables. W oman, is also slated to launch.
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THE SHOW:The Musketeers THE DISTRIBUTOR:BBCWorldwide THE PRODUCER:BBC Drama Production, BBC America, BBC Worldwide THE BROADCASTERS:BBC One (UK),BBC America (US) THE CONCEPT:A modern retelling of literary classic The Three Musketeers
The BBC's latest reworking of Alexandre budgets and big name actors and The the new star of Doctor Who) adds some star Dumas' 19th century novel is a "natural fit" Musketeers has secured both. UK-based power as the scheming Cardinal Richelieu, for Latin American audiences, according to BBC Drama Production, BBC commercial arm who learned he was to be the new Doctor BBC Worldwide's executive VP Fred Melina, Worldwide, British pubcaster BBC One and while filming Musketeers on set in Prague thanks to the continent's passion for US cable channel BBC America are in the Czech Republic. literature and storytelling. coproducing the 10x60mins show, with the "Doctor Who fans will certainly embrace Along with an already-proven BBC hit based channels getting first windows and BBCWW the show because of him. He will work as a on the same principle – Sherlock – The launching the series officially at its BBC way of bringing those fans to Musketeers Musketeers will gain traction because Showcase event in the British city of through social media and Musketeer fans to "these stories are well known to the region Liverpool later this year. Buyers at NATPE Doctor Who," says Melina. and the demand is high", says the BBCWW will be among the first to see footage. On Another interesting angle for Latin buyers exec. "Ultimately, it's about good the talent front, Luke Pasqualino (Battlestar is Melina's assertion that it contains all the storytelling. What we have clearly Galactica: Blood & Chrome) plays ingredients found in a typical telenovela demonstrated over the past few decades is protagonist d'Artagnan, Tom Burke (The despite being a broad, UK- and US- that the BBC is one of the best storytelling Hour) plays Athos, Howard Charles (Sound) produced period action drama on the face of organisations in the world, so it's always plays Porthos and Chilean-born actor it. "In telenovelas there's passion, romance, about what the next big production to bring Santiago Cabrera (Heroes), who is a big star action and a hero. Musketeers has all these into the region is." in his home country and known throughout components but does it as a high quality Big-scale productions require big-scale Latin America, is Aramis. Peter Capaldi (aka BBC production."
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NATPE 2014 HOT PICKS
Mayne, who to this is point has been better known as a consultant to acts, including Penn & Teller, and a publisher of magic books, as he performs a number of breathtaking feats. "We brought in Andrew and found he was telegenic, charming and catches you a little off guard as he’s like the boy next door. We were looking at the idea of a revenge show and what he brought us was something that is a magic project with a revenge element," says series executive producer Drew Tappon. The "moral" element Murphy cites is the the way Mayne helps people find resolution with those who've wronged them. Each episode has six set pieces, which build up to a final 'act of revenge' that aims to help THE SHOW:Don t Trust Andrew Mayne someone get even, says Tappon, adding it is THE DISTRIBUTOR:A+E Networks International not about "punishing" wrongdoers and is THE PRODUCER:Joke Productions "edgy but not mean". "There’s also a fair bit THE BROADCASTER:A&E (US) of jinx and comedy and that gives it more THE CONCEPT:Reality TV series in which an illusionist helps people get universal appeal," adds Murphy. revenge on wrongdoers by performing tricks and stunts The show rolled out on the A&E channel in the US, which previously ran magician Criss Angel's programmes, in January and launches Don't Trust Andrew Mayne is a magic-themed over its rivals. "What I love about this is not internationally on A+E channels. A&E's sales reality series entering an increasingly busy just the magic but the main story thread and team at NATPE will be looking to sell later niche format space but A+E Networks' senior that runs through it. It actually has a bit of a window rights. "Magic has been good to us VP, international programming and marketing moral to it," he explains. and we hope this will strike a chord with Christian Murphy says it has an advantage The concept follows the titular illusionist viewers," says Tappon.
The series is the first to come from ITVS G E s joint venture with Israeli channel R eshet, The L ab, which launched last year. Israel is very d u jour at the moment so we re very ex cited to have a format coming out of our joint venture, says Beale. R eshet is in a very strong place right now with success from The Voice and The X Factor and to now come out with a big show of their THE SHOW:Game of Chefs own is great for them. W e re very proud to THE DISTRIBUTOR:ITVStudios Global Entertainment tak e it out internationally. THE PRODUCERS:Constantin Entertainment, The Lab The series launches on R eshet at the end THE BROADCASTER:Reshet (Israel) of this month in the slot following The X THE CONCEPT:A cooking competition format with a warm and supportive Factor , Beale says, which mak es it a big tone at its core primetime show for the channel . The format is classic reality competition an aud ition process, a bootcamp stage, W ith a whole heap of competition reality The original title was M entor C hefs; it s battles and a finale and apes the style of series ad opting a much lighter, supportive warmer and more nurturing [than many cook - The Voice, with characters who are not tone than shows of the past, ITV S tud ios ing competition series]. Bak e O ff is the height complete novices though not yet at profes- G lobal E ntertainment is placing a bet on of warmth and we re somewhere between sional stand ard . These are not amateur chefs G ame of C hefs, a series that will sit in the that and H ell s K itchen, says ITVS G E s but more lik e the sous chef from the local heart of that canon. d irector of international formats M ik e Beale. hotel, says Beale.
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THE SHOW:Valdivia THE DISTRIBUTOR:Sierra / Engine Television THE PRODUCER:Unit Films THE BROADCASTER:TBC THE CONCEPT:Spanish language ombie novel frm Gerado Mej a G erard o M ej a, the actor and singer of R ico S uave , is the writer and force behind Vald ivia, which is setting out to be the L atin eq uivalent of The W alk ing Dead . M ej a was one of the originators of the ombie novella and also plays the lead , Joaq uin, a formerly corrupt cop seek ing a peaceful life as a pastor in the E cuad orian fishing town of Vald ivia. H owever, that plan is mad e impossible by a pand emic that lead s to a ombie outbreak , setting up a S panish- language d rama about the survivors attempt- ing to live through the und ead apocalypse. Joaq uin lead s a group of survivors d efend ing Vald ivia in the young ad ult-sk ewing series. O ther k ey characters includ e Joaq uin s brother THE SHOW:Velvet O ctavio (Javier M eija) and A rturo, an ex - THE DISTRIBUTOR:Beta Film military man who joins the band of survivors. THE PRODUCERS:bambu producciones, Beta Film P rod uced by U nit Films and d irected by the THE BROADCASTER:Antena 3 (Spain) show s other creators, A li and E man THE CONCEPT:A love story set in a high-end fashion store in 1958 S hahk amrani, the ombie series will launch Spain, from the team behind Grand Hotel internationally at N A TP E this year with C rossbones and The Black Box d istributor S ierra / E ngine on sales d uty. Period drama is the most in-vogue form of main television audience out there is still S ierra / E ngine boss C hris P hilip says he is scripted programming in the world right now, interested in romantic stories". "With the confid ent of sales in the wak e the N A TP E with Downton Abbey going from strength to success of those [shows], you can forget that launch. It s perfect for a U S H ispanic broad - strength and Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire those big audiences also want entertainment caster and for buyers from L atin A merica. W e among the leading shows on US cable. close to the heart. Velvet is a straightforward hope also to sell it to one of the k ey pan- Spain's most notable addition to the grow- love story and it’s beautiful," adds Welbers. regional [pay TV operators]. ing list of period-set dramas was Grand Hotel, Latin buyers might just as easily order The thirteen-part d rama is in prod uction an Antena 3 series from bambu producciones Velvet as a telenovela format or a straight and S ierra / E ngine will have early footage to that Germany's Beta Films continues to shop acquisition, Welbers predicts. "It’s glossy with show buyers in M iami ahead of the series successfully around the world. It was hailed high production values and very modern d elivering this spring/summer. as 'the Spanish Downton' in some quarters of storytelling with great actors and music. It’s The push for Vald ivia comes in the wak e of the press and Beta will be hoping bambu and taking telenovela and creating a big, horizontal S ierra / E ngine land ing a d eal for another Antena's latest series will have the same love story," he adds. S panish-language show, M y P roblem with impact at NATPE this month. One issue for the finished tape is the W omen, about a bachelor who seek s therapy. Velvet is set in 1958 in the Velvet Fashion unusual 70-minute run time. Welbers accepts Mall and is a love story that explores the some broadcasters may struggle with that forbidden affair between Alberto, a young format and points to Beta's track record in man destined to inherit the mall from his reworking shows to fit other slots. father, and Ana, a poor dressmaker. "We might end up with an 18x50mins Beta's managing director Eric Welbers says version," he confirms. "It’s too early to say but the tone is "Cinderella meets Mad Men". we did the same for Grand Hotel. With hori- The German company is banking on the zontal shows like Velvet and [another Beta- notion that, though hard hitting series such sold Spanish drama] Alatriste we were as Breaking Bad and House of Cards have involved at script stage so we can build in dominated headlines internationally, "the enough exit and entry points to do that."
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STUART CARTER, CHAIRMAN, PIONEER PRODCUTIONS LAST WORD STUART CARTER, PIONEER PRODUCTIONS Beyond Duck Dynasty
o what would you do if you sud- hotels. That morphed into Dual Survival; Man, hard into the terrestrials. Duck Dynasty pulls denly won US$1 million dollars on Woman, Wild; and now Naked & Afraid. audience numbers that even the networks the lottery? To help give you some And then along came the History Channel, covet and the recent brilliant Skywire Live with ideas, one million is enough to buy which totally reinvented itself with the highly Nick Wallenda smashed all records. Big events you a Pagani Huayra supercar addictive Pawn Stars (isn’t it amazing what the and live shows are back in town. Personally I capableS of 230mph. Very tempting. A Hublot residents of Las Vegas find to bring in… did that love these – I started in live television and know Big Bang watch (hideous but there are those guy really own the suit of armour?) and that it brings an energy that’s impossible to that buy them) or a bottle of Mendis Coconut American Pickers. Both were brilliantly capture in the edit room. brandy (who would be brave enough to pour it executed. These shows paved the way for a So where would you direct your million out?) are also options. different type of factual that was highly dollar development team? Would you chase Or you could buy one year’s worth of Pioneer ‘produced’ and yet still full of interesting content more hillbillies or is Porter Ridge one reality Productions development team’s time – yes, and the added appeal of colourful characters. show too far? Or do you put your energy into we spend US$1 million a year – and try to come Then there was the next lurch into even dramatising famous moments of American or up with the next big thing in factual television. more extreme characters – preferably WWII history? Would you go down the more Your challenge is to think of what lies beyond hillbillies, swamp people, Alaskan hunters and cerebral route of Nat Geo’s Brain Games, Duck Dynasty; get it right and the rewards are any other subculture you could imagine, brimming with entertainment, audience great. It’s the classic high-risk, high-reward especially if they had beards. Discovery has participation and – critically – takeaway approach and it all depends where you think made a huge transition over its lifetime from information? Would you get your team to take factual television is going next. blue chip to red neck, and has prospered risks and create concepts that are entirely new? Over the last decade factual has lurched extremely well off the back of it. A snap shot of I remember when I tried to persuade the through several huge transitions, leaving its successful slate now includes Amish Mafia, world that weather programmes were worth smaller and smaller vestiges of its previous Moonshiners, Klondike, Gold Rush, Alaska: making in the early Nineties, everybody existence behind. First there were the info- the Last Frontier and Yukon Men to name but thought I was bonkers – everyone except for documentaries about space, the human body, a few. And if anyone had told me at the TLC. And when we first suggested Life Before weather, technology, explorers, biographies and beginning of my TV career that shows about Birth (aka In the Womb), it took risk-taker wildlife. Born out of some of these fishing would become the next big thing I Simon Andreae (now Fox’s alternative programmes came character-driven series wouldn’t have believed them but shows like programming chief) to commission the show. such as Deadliest Catch, which proved real life River Monsters prove that there is an audience The pitch was a two-hour special with no could be a damn good soap opera. Exploration for almost anything if it is well-made with a talking heads and filming focused inside the shows turned into survival shows led by the knowledgeable and passionate host. womb for the entirety of the programme! likes of Bear Grylls, hopping between drinking The evolution of factual shows on cable The 1000lb gorilla these days is scripted his own urine and allegedly staying in comfy channels has been so successful it has eaten reality (which seems a contradiction of terms) – reality turned into non-reality. My own hunch Where would you direct your million dollar development would be to put some of my development money in this space if the characters are right team? Would you chase more hillbillies or is Porter Ridge and game to do what the producer tells them. one reality show too far? Or do you put your energy into High-end event specials will get bigger and louder – if that is possible – but there will dramatising famous moments of American or WWII remain a significant market for smart, history? Would you go down the more cerebral route of intelligent shows that deliver content. It’s just a Brain Games, or will you get your team to take risks and matter of finding a new way of doing them. But no one really knows. I wonder if that come up with concepts that are entirely new? Pagani will appreciate in price. TBI
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