ITV

Category: Specials

  • MipJunior 2014: Upfront funding from b’casters for kids’ programme on a decline?

    MipJunior 2014: Upfront funding from b’casters for kids’ programme on a decline?

    CANNES:  Producers in Asia and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) are in for some trouble, if IHS Technology principal analyst TV Tim Westcott is to be believed. According to a study conducted by IHS Technology in 28 countries comprising a mix of producers and broadcasters, upfront funding is seeing a downward trend. While most producers still get funding from broadcasters before they get into production, overall, the producers in Asia and MENA are less likely to receive upfront funding.

     

    In the same study, while 58 per cent of the producers accepted that they still get upfront funding from broadcasters for children’s programming, 42 per cent of producers did not receive any such funding. The observations were shared during a session on ‘Kids and Multi Media’ on the first day of MipJunior.

     

    This apart, another key finding of the survey was that broadcasters today place strong emphasis on original programming in their budgeting. “More than half the broadcasters surveyed spend a majority of their budget on original programming. Not only this, one pubcaster spent 100 per cent of its budget on original programmes, while other broadcasters spend 80-85 per cent of their budget,” said Westcott.

     

    A majority (63 per cent) of producers expect broadcaster budgets to decline, while 9 per cent of those surveyed are still optimistic. Another point that came to the fore was that producers tend to not stream the programmes on their own sites. “People are not seeing a great deal of revenue coming from digital and certainly not enough to compensate from any decline they’re having from linear TV sales,” said Westcott.

     

    According to Westcott, episodes are more likely to be streamed on a third party site and then on the producer’s own site. Of those surveyed, 37.5 per cent of respondents still do not have their content online. “Over the top subscription like Netflix was cited as the most significant revenue stream for online content,” he added. This is followed by free to the end user streaming, supported by advertising.

     

    Kids are moving beyond linear television. With 34 per cent of British kids in the age group of 5 to 15 years, using smartphones and tablets to view content, linear TV could just be witnessing a downward trend. Westcott during his presentation said that kids in the US, UK, France, Netherlands, Sweden and Germany have shown a decline in linear TV viewing.

     

    So is digital making up for the losses caused due to decline in linear TV viewing? Answered TVE head of children’s content Santiago Fandino Lousa, “Things are changing year by year. Today, broadcasters face difficulty in formulating long term strategies. Kids today want the content they like, at the place of their choice.”

     

    While broadcasters may be facing difficulties, Hit Entertainment VP global productions and content Keenan Christopher is quite happy with the development. He said, “All of our content is character based. Kids find time to invest in these characters, regardless of the platform. For us, the second screen has become the first screen, which is good as there is decline in linear television viewing.” For Toca Boca VP brand and marketing Jonas Carlsson, second screen is highly immersive. 

  • World animation industry comes together at MipJunior 2014

    World animation industry comes together at MipJunior 2014

    CANNES: The wait is over as the influential buyers, sellers and producers from world over unite at MipJunior 2014, what is called the biggest international digital library of kids’ programmes. Over the next two days, these influential digital players, publishers and licensing executives will present, discover and screen the very latest content, giving them the edge on concluding deals at MIPCOM.

     

    Presenting a huge bouquet of content is also the Indian animation industry, which is looking for co-production deals with international players, while also presenting its work to the world.

    Being held at Palm Beach in Cannes, MipJunior has a new address this year.

     

    The focus at this year’s MipJunior is to capture kids where ever they are watching content. Setting the right tune for the exciting two days, is the session on ‘Kids and Multi Screens’, where panelists will find out how changes in technology is impacting kids’ viewing habits.

     

    Another exciting session to look forward to is ‘The digital strategists show and tell: Hit IPs breaking through all screens’, moderated by World Screen managing editor Brzoznowski Kristin. The session will see Rovio Entertainment head of content strategy Dorra Nick, PlayKids worldwide head of content Gorfine Bethany, Unicorn Black founder and CEO Haroon Rashid Aaron and 1B9 Entertainment COO Liberini Marcelo educating people on the strategies that work the most to engage young audiences in multi-screen content consumption.

     

    While day one will conclude with close to four screenings, day two will see speakers talking about the emerging multi-platform acquisition trends, the next gen TV projects for connected kids, keeping up with connected kids and a guide to developing the future kids’ classics on the web.

     

  • Venus Entertainment to woo buyers at MIPCOM

    Venus Entertainment to woo buyers at MIPCOM

    MUMBAI: It’s not just Indian television content. Bollywood too is the buzzword at MIPCOM 2014, the biggest content market in the world and Venus Entertainment is out there to woo buyers with its set of films.

    With movies like De Dana Dan, Garam Masala, Tezz, The Train, Main Hoon Na, Aksar, Hulchul, Hungama, Humraaz, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, Ajnabee, Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, Josh, Mela, Bandhan, Keemat, Yes Boss, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Baazigar and many more to its kitty, it has surely has a huge library to showcase at the event.

    Venus was founded in 1985 to set up a record label in Mumbai. The company initially produced non-film albums and gradually bagged the worldwide rights of Bollywood film music and created a niche for itself in the music world.

    It then evolved into producing motion pictures and has become one of the top production houses in Bollywood. It has an integrated business model covering the entire value chain from Motion Pictures Production and Record Label to Distribution worldwide.

    Today, the company has diversified into myriad fields, encompassing different facets of the entertainment industry. Besides Record Label, Motion Pictures Production and Distribution, Venus is actively involved in production of ad films, post production and state-of-the-art music recording studio.

    Being a regular MIPCOM participant for the last seven years, Venus Entertainment international sales head Sushil Jain feels MIPCOM is a great platform to meet content owners, buyers and distributors from across the globe and gain knowledge and feedback. “We have regularly been attending MIP TV and MIPCOM for the last seven years. We have been selling movies and this is a great platform where we can know how to make our content better.”

    Jain will be focusing on markets like African, Middle East, European and Asian. “There is a great demand and interest for Bollywood movies from such markets,” says Jain. Moreover, it will be focusing on all platforms like television, digital, new media and etc.

     

  • Gaumont TV France set to produce ‘Spy City’

    Gaumont TV France set to produce ‘Spy City’

    MUMBAI:  Gaumont TV France, a division of the European based motion picture studio Gaumont, announced that the company plans to produce Spy City, a 10 x one-hour English language drama series focusing on the intense spy game in early 1960s Berlin.  

     

    Spy City will be co-produced by Odeon in Germany, with CEO Mischa Hofmann and head of international co-productions Britta Meyermann, responsible for the deal. Acclaimed novelist and UK-based screenwriter William Boyd is set to create and write with respected French director Pascal Chaumeil to direct.
     
    In addition, it was announced today that Gaumont TV France has hired Elizabeth Dreyer to the newly created position head of international co-productions. Based in Paris, Dreyer will oversee co-productions originating out of Europe that will be produced in English.  Gaumont TV France plans to produce one to two English language European series a year, while Gaumont’s production and distribution studio Gaumont International Television,  will continue with its mandate to produce and distribute programming for the global marketplace.
     
    Gaumont CEO Christophe Riandee said “Spy City is the perfect English language project for us to produce in Europe and we are thrilled that William Boyd and Pascal Chaumeil are attached to this project,” He went on to add that with Elizabeth on board they will be able to focus on additional strong international projects financed and produced out of Europe.
     
    With high-stakes political intrigue at its core, each episode of Spy City will be played out in an elaborate chess game with post WWII superpowers vying for power in Berlin. Spy City is also an intimate look at the personal lives of those who chose to become spies. The series focuses on a group of men and women of different nationalities and backgrounds as they endeavor to realise their hopes, dreams and ambitions in the hornet’s nest of divided Berlin.

     

    William Boyd has received worldwide acclaim for his novels, A Good Man in Africa, An Ice Cream War, Brazzaville Beach, The Blue Afternoon and Any Human Heart.  Boyd’s most recent works include his novel Ordinary Thunderstorms, the latest James Bond book Solo, and the espionage novel Waiting for Sunrise.  Boyd wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed film Chaplin, directed by Richard Attenborough, and has been nominated for two Emmy Awards.
     
    Pascal Chaumeil has both film and television credits to his name. He is currently directing Spotless, a London-set series for Canal+.  His film career includes A Long Way Down, A Perfect Plan and Heartbreaker.  On the television side Chaumeil’s credits include the French TV series Fais pas ci, fais pas ça, and the French miniseries L’état de Grace, among others.
     
    A well-respected film executive with experience spanning acquisitions, development, production and sales, Dreyer joins Gaumont TV France from Velvet Calico Films where she served as president consulting and advising a variety of clients in feature film, animation, and television. Prior to that position, she was vice president, development and acquisitions, at Liaison Films, Focus Features’ Paris-based subsidiary, sourcing European-originated projects for production by Focus. Dreyer began her career with Miramax Films in acquisitions, buying independent and foreign films while based in New York and then London, ultimately being promoted to vice president.
     

     

  • IDOS 2014: Niche content to play a critical role in digitised era

    IDOS 2014: Niche content to play a critical role in digitised era

    KOLKATA: With more consumers looking at content tailor-made for them and with TV consumption growing on multiple screens, niche content is likely to work as a pivotal differentiator in a digital universe. The viewership for special content has grown substantially, and with digitisation at a growing trajectory in the country, broadcasters with niche channels bet on the growth.

     

    Speaking at a session titled ‘Specialised content and channels in the digital ecosystem’, at IDOS 2014, FoodFood CEO SK Raj Barua said, “TV penetration has reached the masses and the lifestyle category is improving. I think there is a lot of opportunity in terms of capacity in the next phases of digitisation. We see a great opportunity for us. With new media on the rise, demand for food content has gone up by more than 200 per cent.”

     

    On the other hand Insync founder and managing director Ratish Tagde, a classical music channel, said: “There is a huge demand for classical music and the audience is looking for Sufi music. When we talk about niche channel, it is all about content. The digital era is likely to monetise content. There are many new platforms and niche content has a good future.”

     

    Apart from FoodFood and Insync, A+E Networks is also slowly growing its footprint in the country. A+E Networks APAC VP sales and operations Saugato Banerjee said that the ability to create local content is main for niche channels. He added that A+E Networks, that operates with Network 18 in India, can’t depend on advertising and sales for everything it does. “Growing audience share is our target and there is a lot of optimism here,” he said.

     

    While Videocon d2h deputy CEO Rohit Jain said that one needs to look at niche channels from an economic point of view. “If any new channel is launched in the market, we have to have the whole push model so that the customer gets a chance to see the content first. Every channel has its own audience base,” he said.

     

    While AsiaSat, that leads in the satellite broadcasting and telecommunications sector in Asia Pacific region, believes the same what Indian broadcasters feel about niche channels. AsiaSat senior regional manager Paulus Chau said that the broadcasters are looking at launching more channels. “We are also looking at the opportunity because regulation is India is not simple,” he said.

     

    Scripps Networks, a US-based media company, specialising in lifestyle content like food, home and travel categories, is evaluating its strategy in Asia and India. Scripps managing director APAC Derek Chang said that India is a huge market for the company as compared to other markets. He hinted that Scripps might look at the Indian market for launching its niche content related to lifestyle. “It could translate into partnerships. It depends on how we see the potential market. It has its own characteristics and challenges,” he said.

     
    All the panelists agreed that niche content providers have to invest in the content and said the broadcasters have to understand that niche in India has various definitions considering the national and regional clients.

     

    While talking about the challenges faced by the channels, Barua said that carriage fees have gone up. “In the process, the business model has to be slightly different. We do research for content creation for particular people,” he said.

     

    Tagde however felt that the niche channels involve too much of research and investment. “We are struggling with the issues of technology like reaching out to people overseas. The content is owned by us and we have to invest in marketing too. There is a hope that we will get support from distributors,” Tagde said.

     

    Niche channels are not cheap to create: tremendous funds are needed to do research, and programming teams to implement concepts for informative channels.

     

    While the digital world is changing phenomenally, a bouquet of channels, with some mainstream entertainment channels and other niche channels, will soon adapt to the change.
    Viewership will be segmented leading to an increase in the number of niche channels.

     

    Going niche is the future of television as it helps to target specific viewers and in terms of revenue generation from advertisers, it is much more focused.

     

  • The new Alisa`s adventures: the Russian animated series will be presented at MIPJUNIOR

    The new Alisa`s adventures: the Russian animated series will be presented at MIPJUNIOR

    MUMBAI: The new Russian children’s animated series by Bazelevs, (Riki grou) and Studio Moskva Alisa Knows What To Do! based upon the Kir Bulychov`s series Alisa’s Journey will be presented at the world’s showcase for kids programming MIPJUNIOR, which will take place in Cannes, France, on October 11-12, 2014.
    The animated series will be presented as a part of Russian Animation stand, organized by the Cinema Fund with the support of the Ministry of culture of the Russian Federation.

    In March of this year, Alisa Knows What To Do! was marked by a special award of the XIX Open Russian animation festival in Suzdal as the animated series with the highest international potential. The nomination was established by Reed MIDEM, the organizer of world`s markets of audiovisual programming – MIPJUNIOR and MIPCOM in Cannes (France). As a prize, the project team was awarded by an offer for the world`s showcase for kids programming in Cannes in October 2014. Here, the creators of “Alisa” are going to present to foreign buyers not only the animated series, but the full-length animation feature as well.

    Timur Bekmambetov, producer: “We hope the story about adventures of a common Moscow schoolgirl Alisa will be close and understandable for children from all over the world. There is no secret Kir Bulychov`s books have been translated into many languages and published in millions of copies. This story is about that age when kids hardly differ from each other. Therefore, to my mind “Alisa” undoubtedly has a great potential to make an immediate appeal to viewers in other countries. It’s really important for us the project to become a significant phenomenon both in Russian and around the world. And for this reason story must be highly amusing, funny, touching and sincere, what we are seeking”.

     

    Anton Malyshev, head of the Russian Cinema Fund: “A high valuation of the Russian project by international professional community will give an opportunity to draw attention not only to the concrete project, but also to the modern Russian animation in general. The Russian animation has already gained certain achievements at international markets and one of the strategic priorities of the Cinema Fund is supporting Russian full-length animation feature projects, which give to the Russian studio an opportunity to reach a new qualitative level and to draw the youngest kids` audience to cinemas, thus to generate sustained interest for a qualitative Russian animation programming”.

     

    Alisa Knows What To Do! series tells a story about fantastical adventures of Alisa and her four friends – 12-year-old schoolchildren, placed in the near future, in the year 2093. The series is filmed in 3D graphics. The first season is completed. It consists of 24 episodes. Currently the second season is being created. Co-production of the series by Bazelevs, the RIKI Group and Animation Studio Moskva with the support of the Ministry of culture of the Russian Federation. The artistic head of the project is the famous Russian-American director of animation cinema Igor Kovalev. Producers: Timur Bekmambetov, Ilya Popov, Elena Malenkina. Production of the full-length animation feature has started this autumn and is provided with the support of Cinema Fund on the terms of partially refundable financing. The release is scheduled for spring 2016. Producers: Timur Bekmambetov, directors: Olga Baulina and Viktor Gluhushin.

     

     

  • Fred Graver, creative lead, Twitter TV, to make first ever presentation at MIPCOM

    Fred Graver, creative lead, Twitter TV, to make first ever presentation at MIPCOM

    MUMBAI: Fred Graver (@FredGraver), Creative Lead, Twitter TV, joined by Twitter’s global TV team, will discuss how Twitter is driving television audience engagement at a major MIPCOM presentation in Cannes, on Monday 13th October (15.00-16.00).

     

    The Twitter Global TV team will highlight how Twitter brings TV audiences to life, driving engagement, loyalty and intent to view. The public will be taken through the best practices for social TV live experiences, as well as the behind-the-scenes secrets of Twitter’s work with networks, shows and talent.

     

    Studies show that a majority of mobile and tablet users talk about what they’re watching on television with others spontaneously. Viewers now watch TV together with Twitter instead of time-shifting or watching alone, creating a real-time “social soundtrack of TV”. All over the world, producers from Awards shows to reality, game-shows to scripted series, are trying to make the most of those conversations.

     

    Recently awarded an Emmy for its work in creating a new way for the audience to watch TV, Twitter’s TV team works with the global TV ecosystem to help them integrate Twitter into broadcasts and networks, extending the reach of shows and talent, innovating new ways of storytelling, and giving millions of Twitter users a new way of enjoying television.

     

    Fred Graver, who will be leading the session, is the Creative lead for Twitter TV. A former comedy writer and producer (Late Night With David Letterman, Cheers, In Living Color, Jon Stewart), interactive producer (The MY Vh1 Awards, ZoogDisney), and creator of shows that span the web and television (Best Week Ever) at the service of product, Fred Graver has 7 Emmy Nominations (including one for the post-9/11 “Concert for New York City) and 3 Emmys, as well as a NAACP award and a Webby.

     

  • MDS to debut at MIPCOM 2014

    MDS to debut at MIPCOM 2014

    MUMBAI: It has been a pioneer in the art and technology of computer animation and digital VFX in India since the early 90s. Carrying the legacy of world-class 3D animation and digital visual effects for over 17 years, Maya Digital Studios (MDS) stands for continuous innovations and cutting-edge technology.

     

    It also offers competence in high-quality 2D animation as well as Stereoscopic 3D conversion of content. It has demonstrated the capability to conceptualise and produce complex feature film length animated films like Ramayana: The Epic.

     

    Travelling for the first time to MIPCOM, the biggest content market in the world which attracts more than 12,000 participants from more than 100 countries, MDS is all geared for it.

     

    Says MDS head sales and marketing, creative writer Devdatta Potnis: “We are one of the largest television animation production houses in the country. We are doing shows for all the leading broadcasters in India and are looking at widening our horizons with MIPCOM.”

     

    As an exhibitor, it plans to sell animated TV series and capture those audiences with the Hindi content that it has on its plate. Moreover, the company is seeking international co-productions for its upcoming projects. “We have set up a few meetings where we will be discussing selling of rights of the shows that we already have. That is our main agenda,” says Potnis.

     

    Apart from a focus on the high-end animation outsourcing, MDS is now also focussed on the development of IPR content, through the creation of Indian content that crosses over globally. MDS’s recent offerings, The Adventures of Motu Patlu and VIR -The Robot Boy, are drawing high TRPs in the Indian kids TV space.

     

    At this year’s MIPCOM, the company is moving to broader territories like outside of Asian or European markets. Its aim is to focus on platforms like television, digital and VOD.

     

    MDS has had undertaken international collaborations to produce content for BBC (UK), Ragdoll (UK), Rainbow, Mike Young Productions (USA), Electronic Arts (Canada), Sony (USA), Activision (USA), Google (USA), Big Screen Entertainment (India), VGI Entertainment (UK), Brown Bag Films (Ireland), Flickerpix (USA), Norm Hill Entertainment (USA) and Sparky (Singapore) amongst others.

  • MIPCOM 2014: Toonz Animation looks at international co-productions

    MIPCOM 2014: Toonz Animation looks at international co-productions

    MUMBAI: From the creation of India’s first 2D animated TV series and 2D feature film, to India’s first 3D stereoscopic theatrical- Toonz Animation has indeed emerged as one of the biggest and the most admired animation production houses in South Asia.

     

    With an established clientele of the likes of Walt Disney, Turner, Nickelodeon, Sony, Universal, BBC, Paramount, Marvel and Hallmark, Toonz Animation, which is celebrating 15 years of animation journey, has emerged the preferred destination for major European and North American media conglomerates.

     

    Providing an integrated value chain in conceptualisation, production and distribution of content and services across diverse media platforms, the company is all set to attend MIPCOM, the largest conglomeration of the entertainment industry, to showcase its new products and library.

     

    Participating for over a decade now, it tags itself as the flag-bearer of the Indian animation industry at MIPCOM. Toonz Animation CEO P. Jayakumar believes that MIPCOM is a platform that serves an opportunity to meet all such stakeholders who can make a difference to selling of the content produced by Toonz. “MIPCOM provides the platform to meet the producers, financers, distributors and important stakeholders, who can buy our content or collaborate with Toonz to produce content.”

     

    This year, Toonz is specifically looking at buying content in the action comedy adventure genre which Jayakumar feels has a huge demand in the Indian market. “But we are also looking at expanding in the Asia Pacific region and hence, will look at content that will work in general with such regions as well,” he adds.

     

    He further reveals that this year it is planning to tap into the Indian and Asian markets with focus on broadcast, VOD and digital platforms.

     

    Moreover, it is launching a new show called ‘HTDT’, a 52 x 11 minutes series. The show which is created by live shots and produced and distributed by Toonz, is currently in pre-sale.

     

    So what does the company expect from MIPCOM this year? “We’re hoping to have maximum exposure and opportunities to meet with those interested in our library of content, which has, Wolverine, Magic beyond Words and FreeFonix series.”

     

    Jayakumar hopes to get a few international co-productions kick started and meet with international producers interested in producing content, for which the company can get Indian rights. 

  • Fashion One Dish Out The Most Notorious Fashion Feuds Over The Recent Years

    Fashion One Dish Out The Most Notorious Fashion Feuds Over The Recent Years

    MUMBAI: In an industry packed with eccentric and passionate people with strong and often egocentric personalities, the fashion world is like a soap opera, full of drama and with never-ending catty remarks. Fashion One, the premiere international channel for fashion, entertainment and lifestyle, serves up another batch of the hair-grabbing, face-scratching, icicle-shooting high profile clashes in Fashion Feuds.

     

    Past grudges, highly publicized scuffles, and fashion controversies are in abundance that listing them out needs more than one serving. Fashion Feuds is an ongoing series that dishes out the biggest and most notorious catfights in the fashion industry that had kept the press and fans entertained throughout the years. Get the juicy details and quotes straight from the protagonists of these feuds themselves. From top fashion designers calling each others names, to a top model falling asleep during an interview called out by journalists, and a music star turned fashion designer that just doesn’t seem to get along well with others, get the back stories and play-by-play account of these events.

     

    “[Chloé] should have taken a big name. They did, but in music, not fashion. Let’s hope she is as gifted as her father.” – Karl Lagerfeld on Stella McCartney’s appointment at Chloé.

     

    Feuds featured are:

    Anna Wintour and Lady Gaga’s Diva Battle
    Karl Lagerfeld dissing Stella McCartney… twice
    Roberto Cavalli calling Giorgio Armani ‘Little King’
    Naomi Campbell calls Victoria Beckham ‘racist’
    Cara Delevingne falling asleep during a Vogue interview
    Kanye West against the world.

    “Feuds are always present especially in a very competitive industry such as the world of fashion,” explains executive producer, Ashley Jordan, “We may love them or hate them but either way, they do invoke human interest, and that’s what we are giving our viewers” 

     

    Fashion Feuds telecasts on October 14, Tuesday at 21:30 (GMT+8 for Asia / GMT+2 for the rest of Europe), exclusively on Fashion One and Fashion One HD. Check your cable operators for your local TV channel listing.

     

    Fashion Feuds is a Fashion One original series. The show is created by executive producers Michael Gleissner and Ashley Jordan, with Aida Murgia as producer.