aaaMay_2008 5/7/08 6:30 PM Page 2 THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF FILM, BROADCASTING, BROADBAND, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION MAY 2008 VOL. 28 NO. 3 $9.75 L.A. Screenings Guide ® www.videoage.org Challenges As Opportunities: Foreign Series Take Writers Strike Benefited Indies Root in U.S. Soil BY ERIN SOMERS BY LEAH HOCHBAUM ROSNER While many have speculated that fewer n the industry all are well aware of the Hollywood writers strike’s effects on his year, the pilot process is pilots might become the norm during upcoming TV seasons worldwide and the changes to the U.S. television industry. somewhat different. It had to future pilot seasons, others believe that It remains to be seen if these changes are going to be permanent, as predicted, be, what with the time next year, things will go back to the way or just temporary, as hoped. constraints imposed by the they were in a pre-strike world. The big lengthy Writers Guild of However, little has been said about (Continued on Page 54) the effects –– one way or another –– America strike in of the strike on the U.S. the U.S. Iindependents and foreign television TLast year, the U.S. TV China’s Foreign TV Content production and distribution companies. networks commissioned At first sight, many independents seemed their typical number of Viewed With Contempt to have come out of the strike unscathed, pilots (ABC had 29; CBS, BY LEVI SHAPIRO and a lucky few even saw some benefits. 21; CW, 12; Fox, 24; and VideoAge spoke to a cross-section of NBC, 20). This year, the enry Luce, the founder of Time Magazine, once independent companies to find out if and numbers are notably famously remarked, “There is no such thing as why David fared better than Goliath different (as of press time, a China expert, only varying degrees of during the writers’ crisis, which engulfed ABC had 17; CBS, 14; CW, H ignorance.” The same could be said about TV networks, studios, producers, 4; Fox, 14; and NBC had Western content owners selling their programming to distributors and even cities. already greenlit 13 shows at local Chinese television stations. Because of economic, its early mini-upfront). (Continued on Page 56) (Continued on Page 50) Latin America’s Top Guns Shoot For Region’s Top Show orum Brasil is fast becoming Latin America’s premier TV trade show. This year’s ninth edition promises F improvements, and, next year, there’s an even more drastic plan to move the event from its traditional São Paulo location to Rio de Janeiro. These changes are viewed as a signal to the international TV sector to get an early jump on the bandwagon in order to secure a more privileged standing in the future. Forum Brasil, which will take place June 3-5 in São Paulo, will bring (Continued on Page 52) EN ESPAÑOL • DISCOP Africa • Hollywood apunta al EST • Dólares de los L.A. Screenings • Evaluando los daños post-huelga May Cover Ads.indd 2 5/5/08 4:33:15 PM May Ads.indd 1 5/5/08 4:47:02 PM aaaMay_2008 5/7/08 10:17 AM Page 2 ONTENTSVIDEO AGE • No.3 • May 2008 Cover stories: 17. Official L.A. Screenings Guide Comparing TV Seasons. This time foreign series take root in U.S. soil for reel • Indie Programming Selection. When Fare is Fair Brasil TV Forum: Latin America’s top guns shoot for region’s top TV trade show • Where, When and Who is C screening Local Sino TV: China’s foreign TV content viewed with contempt • Parties & Events Challenges and opportunities: Hollywood writers • 2008-2009 new season TV strike benefited indies and foreign producers series. Yes, that’s all there is! • Capturing the moment. Photopage World: U.K., Afghanistan, Australia, U.S., China 4. • Studio sales team. They’re the stars’ stars Plus: Famous Quotes, Letters • Key acquisition executives. Always nice to see y’all. 43. Sección en Español: 8. Book Review: Schulz’s life • Dólares de los L.A. Screenings para Los Angeles in the unfunny pages. Not just a few peanuts for • DISCOP Africa: la última frontera de la TV Peanuts • Evaluando los daños post- huelga. La calma luego de la tormenta • Hollywood apunta al EST 58. Conferences & Events News. Plus, your usual portion of dates and places 12. MIP-TV Review: Few parties, many deals. Eco-friendliness now a plus 60. My 2¢. To dis-cuss or not to dis a cuss (like the “F” word on television) FremantleMedia Enterprises is pleased to announce MERLIN A YOUNG MAN WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY FUTURE DRAMA 13 x 1 HOUR Coming soon in primetime to the BBC and NBC www.fi dtv.com 1 Stephen Street, London W1T 1AL, UK E: fi [email protected] May Ads.indd 3 5/8/08 11:59:19 AM aaaMay_2008 5/8/08 9:14 AM Page 4 reside on SurfTheChannel’s network. down on pirates, though. In March, the Sony’s 88 Minutes is just one of government began focusing on file 95,000 titles on Stockholm-based sharing after the International SurfTheChannel, which boasts about Federation of the Phonographic 650,000 viewers a month. The site offers Industry registered complaints against films that are still in theaters, as well as PirateBay.com, which locates pirated movies that aren’t out yet, such as Time material — just like SurfTheChannel Warner Inc.’s Good Chemistry. does. Online piracy cost the movie biz $7.1 billion in 2005 and, according to the Movies Pirated A new danger in the Web piracy arena, Motion Picture Association of America, SurfTheChannel links to a number of is the fastest-growing threat to the film Afghan Clerics Before Premiere other sites, including Tudou.com, industry 56.com and many sites around the globe. Anti Indian Soaps Streaming technology makes movies and A host of other sites, including l Pacino thriller 88 Minutes TV shows instantly available on Web QuickSilverScreen.com, Joox.net and ndian soap operas have caused opened in U.S. theaters on browsers and hides viewers’ identities, SideReel.com provide similar services. outrage in Afghanistan in recent SurfTheChannel even had a page on April 18. But according to making it nearly impossible for anyone months. In April, a Muslim to stop them. The site uses an Internet MySpace.com, a social networking site movement opposing the scandalous A Bloomberg.com, prior to its owned by News Corp. The page was I service to hide its location and links to programs gained steam when members debut, SurfTheChannel.com had blocked after the company learned of its sites that make copyrighted material of Parliament, backed by the national already played the film roughly 51,000 existence. available. According to a site spokesman, Ministry of Information and Culture, times. it’s legal because the content doesn’t Sweden has recently started cracking issued a statement demanding that private TV channels stop broadcasting five of the controversial shows. Since they hit the airwaves, the soaps have provoked protests from conservative Muslim clerics and politicians. Opponents object to the shows because men and women are portrayed together, the Hindu religion is prominently featured and women are dressed “immodestly.” Following the demise of the Taliban in 2001, a dozen or so private television stations emerged and began to broadcast the soaps to eager subscribers. A spokesman for Tolo TV, the country’s leading private channel, dismissed the parliamentary declaration, claiming it was against the law. However, many of Kabul’s most influential Muslim leaders have taken up the campaign and have vowed to resort to violence if the shows are not removed. U.S. Video Game Sales Hit The Roof he ailing U.S. economy has not affected video game sales, according to industry data T released on April 17. March video game sales in the U.S. were up 57 percent from 2007, reaching $1.7 billion. Nintendo, which led the boom with its Wii console sales, boasted its biggest non-holiday month ever. The sudden popularity of Nintendo Wii accessories has been attributed to the release of the “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” game. The company reported 720,000 Wiis sold, and an additional 2.7 million copies of the hit game. “Wii Fit,” an innovative game that encourages couch potatoes to get some exercise, hits the shelves in May. Nintendo is confident that, with the help of the new game, its strong showing will continue. Sony’s PS3 game console also took off in March, with figures doubling from (Continued on Page 6) M AY 2008 If you think it’s tough at the top in Hollywood – you’ve never been at the bottom! STARRING: BRENDAN PENNY, BRITT IRVIN, ZAK SANTIAGO, MEAGHAN RATH, MICHAEL B. JORDAN 1 Series: 13 x /2 hour LA SCREENINGS CONTACTS: Saralo MacGregor, Executive Vice-President Worldwide, saralo.macgregor@contentfi lm.com Melissa Wohl, Senior Vice-President, melissa.wohl@contentfi lm.com Diana Zakis, Vice-President, diana.zakis@contentfi lm.com 1337 Third Street Promenade, Suite 302, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA. T: +1 310 576 1059, F: +1 310 576 1859, www.contentfi lm.com May Ads.indd 5 5/5/08 5:32:52 PM aaaMay_2008 5/7/08 6:38 PM Page 6 figures for Nintendo and Sony. As The BBC opposes the idea of sharing mandatory fee paid by all British Nintendo’s ability to keep Wiis in stock the license fee with its rivals and has said households with a TV set. improved, sales hit new heights. Though that a cut in funding would hurt its Nintendo is still dealing with pockets of ability to fulfill its public service shortages, it has become much more requirements.