ITV

Category: Specials

  • Portfolio Entertainment inks deals with multiple broadcasters








    MUMBAI: Toronto-based Portfolio Entertainment cruises into next week‘s television trade event Mipcom with nearly a dozen recently signed broadcast deals with territories spanning the globe for programming across multiple genres including lifestyle, animal, children‘s, culinary, travel and how-to series.

    Portfolio Entertainment director of sales and acquisitions Jon Rutherford says, “The growth of our sales this past year is due in part to the diversity of our current slate of programming. We are committed to acquiring even more new series in a variety of genres in the months ahead”.


    Discovery Asia (Japan) renewed the second and third seasons of Animal Miracles.


    The Pet Network (Canada) has acquired 26 hour-long episodes of Top Dogs. This is a series featuring canines of all sizes, shapes and breeds as they compete in spectacular events worldwide.








    Canal + / Domo TV (Poland) is the first in line for the first season of Mansions. The series provides a glimpse into the world of high-stakes wheeling, dealing, designing and building of multi-million dollar homes.


    Astro Xpresi (Indonesia) set its sights on all 26 half-hours of Workforce. This is a career exploration series designed to help young people make educated decisions about their future careers.


    City7 TV (Hungary) purchased all 26 half-hours of Campus Vets which details dramatic tales of students and animal patients; all 26 half-hours of Workforce the career exploration series for tweens; the first season of French Food At Home.


    Here host Laura Calder articulates the philosophy of French cooking with passion; and all five seasons of Chef At Large featuring Chef Michael Smith as he travels to meet other skilled chefs, investigates their amazing, diverse kitchens and documents their unique and challenging worlds.


    OutTV‘s Netherlands channel picked up a full order of Bump!, an international travel series targeting the sights, culture and cuisine of gay-friendly locales.


    Telemundo (Puerto Rico) picked up 26 half-hours of Heads Up!. This is an astronomy series that takes children and tween viewers beyond the basics of the Big Dipper and the Moon, and introduces them to the magical content and practical context of the universe.


    Civitel (Chile) sets off on a journey with the DVD rights for all 26 half-hour episodes of the animated children‘s adventure series Toad Patrol.

  • Tata Interactive Systems eyes animation biz at Mipcom

    NEW DELHI: Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), the e-learning company of Tata Group, is looking beyond providing e-learning services at the trade event Mipcom this year.

    TIS aims at providing 2D and 3D animation services to television production houses and film production houses.

    Says Tata Interactive Systems head innovation and design Manisha Mohan, “This year at Mipcom we will be going beyond e-learning services that we had been providing for sometime now. Our main aim will be to sell our 2D and 3D animation services to television production companies as well as film production companies. We have also started a studio completely for the purpose of providing animation services to the television and film industry.”
    Tata Interactive Systems is popular for its services in the sector of e-learning. Since its inception in 1990, the company has extended its presence with more than 950 development centers in Mumbai and Kolkata in India and US, UK, Mainland Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and Japan in the international market.

     

  • Sony Pictures to showcase new content at Mipcom








     

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) will travel to the television trade event Mipcom which kicks off in Cannes, France on Monday with a raft of new content.

    SPTI director licensing India Leena Dutta says that the company will be taking new shows which clients have not seen before. “Due to the Writers‘ strike in Hollywood this year, we, like all the other Hollywood Studios, were not able to screen as many shows back in May during L.A. Screenings as they were not ready or had not been picked up at that time. Now that we have additional pilot pick-ups, we will be introducing these new shows to clients at Mipcom. In addition, we will be showcasing a new multi-platform show starring movie star Rosario Dawson called Gemini Division.”


    Gemini Division is a science fiction series consisting of five to seven minute long webisodes.








    As far as Asian content is concerned, it is showcasing the upcoming Bollywood film Meerabhai Not Out. This is a cricket themed film with Mandira Bedi. It also features Anil Kumble. Korean films Venus and Mars and Open City will also be on offer.


    One show from the US that will be showcased is The Beast. In this pilot Patrick Swayze plays an undercover FBI agent. The Unusuals is a one-hour dramedy set in Manhattan, featuring Amber Tamblyn as a police officer whose choice of profession has made her the black sheep of her wealthy family. Tamblyn will play Casey Shraeger, a newly transferred homicide detective who learns that her fellow officers have quirks and secrets.



    On the animation front the company will showcase Sit Down Shut Up. This is a new animated series, with animated characters against non-animated backgrounds. It depicts the lives and quirks of nine staffers at a high school in a small fishing town. This series shows that teachers have lives and personal problems too. It airs in the US on Fox.


    Dutta adds that while Mipcom is certainly an essential part of the calendar, this year it is a bit unusual. Normally, Mipcom would be a good time to close deals on new shows screened at LA Screenings which by mid-October would have already launched in the US. But due to the Writer‘s strike earlier this year, SPTI will be looking to debut new shows at the market.


    Asked about the impact of the economic recession on the business that will be transacted at Mipcom, she conceedes that the global economic crisis affects every single one of the players and it will definitely influence the mood of the market. “The entertainment business, however, seems to be quite resilient during times of economic hardship. History has shown that when times are tough, people tend to turn to movies and TV shows for escapism even more so. We hope this will hold true as we deal with these tough times.”

  • Toel Animation sells shows to broadcasters ahead of Mipcom

    MUMBAI: Ahead of Mipcom, France animation production studio Toei Animation has announced that their shows have been acquired by several leading broadcasters in Europe and Asia.

     

    Asataro, The Onion Samurai will be aired on TV Asahi in Japan from 12 October. My 3 Daughters and Master Hamsters has been acquired by GMA7 in the Philippines and by France 3 in France.

     

    Happy Lucky Bikkuriman has been acquired by Cartoon Network in Italy, by France 3 in France and by Hong Kong Cable in Hong Kong.

     

    GeGeGe No Kitaro 5 has been acquired by Tooniverse in Korea.

     

  • Shemaroo to focus on films & animation at Mipcom

    MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment is gearing up for the television trade event Mipcom which kicks off on Monday in Cannes, France.

    Shemaroo Entertainment director Hiren Gada says that Mipcom in the past has been a great platform to build relationships and showcase products. “Business is, however, at a nascent stage and depends on various factors,” he adds.

    The focus will be on acquiring and selling content for animation, films and alternative content. It is also looking at co-production deals in the animation field.

    When asked about the content that will be showcased, Gada says, “In animation we will showcase Ghatothkach – Master of Magic; Bal Ganesh; Dashavatar; Return of Hanuman. Then there is Tina and Magical Alphabets which is an edutainment series. Fruit Salad is a fun series with morals.”

    In films, Shemaroo will showcase Mera Baap Pehle Aap; Jannat; Ugly Aur Pagli; Mission Istanbul; Chamku and Hello. As far as alternative content goes, there is Shilpa’s Yoga. The company will also offer shows on lifestyle, travel, food and health.

  • Mipcom to screen TBSL’s ‘Hot Gossip Bollywood’

    MUMBAI: Mipcom has instituted a new section for the mobile and internet content. Time Broadband’s content ‘Hot Gossip Bollywood’ has been selected for special screening under this section.

     

    Hot Gossip Bollywood is a two-minute show about Bollywood stars.

     

    Apart from Time Broadband, the other selected content is from major networks like MTV, Disney, Turner Broadcasting and Fox.

     

    European Broadcasting Union’s Nicoletta Laccobacci headed the selection committee. The selection, from 1000 entries, was based on innovation, customisation, and inventiveness of the content.

     

  • Colosceum to acquire formats at Mipcom

    MUMBAI: Colosceum Media, the creators of the popular Splitsvilla which aired on MTV, is set for Mipcom with the focus of acquiring formats from across the world.

     

    Colosceum Media CEO Ajit Andhere says, “Taking into account the booming television market in India, our aim is to acquire the best of both fiction as well as non fiction formats and bring them to India.”

     

    However, the production house which is almost a year old is not pitching in to sell any formats developed by them.

     

    “At the moment we are not selling anything. Our focus is to develop our catalogue with many more shows and exploit them sufficiently. May be after a year, when we have good shows we can also get into selling,” adds Andhere.

  • ZDF, AETN renew programming, co-production deal









     

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster A&E Television Networks (AETN), which owns The History Channel, A&E and The Biography Channel, and ZDF Enterprises have announced at the television trade event MipTV the renewal of their existing programming and co-production deal for three years. The agreement, originally reached in 2005, includes co-production and programme acquisition components, as well as a new syndication representation deal.








    The agreement calls for ZDF Enterprises to acquire non-fiction programming from AETN International’s History catalogue for the top-rated ZDF History programming block, which broadcasts weekly on Sunday nights. The block is programmed under the editorial control of ZDF programmers with content provided by both ZDF and History (US).


    In addition, The History Channel in Germany will acquire local history programming from ZDF Enterprises for broadcast on its service, as well as biography and lifestyle programming for The Biography Channel. Amongst the programmes are the two-parter The Last Voyage of the Gustloff about the largest disaster in naval history with a death toll of 9,000 and the series Final Days of an Icon which examines the lives of 13 historical figures and their deaths under mysterious circumstances.


    Through a third component of the agreement, History (US) and ZDF Enterprises have extended their co-production partnership to produce nine contemporary and ancient history programmes over the next three years for broadcast on ZDF in Germany and on History in the United States.


    In the final part of the deal, AETN International has named ZDF Enterprises as its syndication representative for German-speaking Europe for Modern Marvels. This is a show on the history of technology. Produced for History, the Modern Marvels catalogue features over 400 hours of programming.








    ZDF Enterprises president and CEO Alexander Coridass says, “The combination of AETN, ZDF and ZDF Enterprises programming expertise is synonymous to high-calibre programming for audiences around the globe. We are very proud of this longstanding and fruitful partnership of global players in the most significant fields of the television industry.


    “In this very competitive time of digital changes, we are pleased that our close relationship with this successful and reliable partner is still going strong.”


    AETN SVP, international Sean Cohan says, “ZDF Enterprises has been an important production and distribution partner for AETN through the years, and we are very pleased to extend our relationship by appointing them as syndication representative for Modern Marvels in the German-speaking Europe.”








  • MySpace in deal with content distributor ShineReveille








     


    MUMBAI: MySpace, News Corp‘s online social network, is ready to launch a new global partnership with content distributor ShineReveille International.

    The deal empowers MySpaceTV to internationally distribute its original content series in various forms including international television, DVD and merchandise.

    The announcement of this new partnership was made at the MipTV television trade event in Cannes.









    MySpace MD of International Travis Katz said, “MySpace provides the creative community with a launch pad to virally test and distribute content to the world‘s largest focus group. MySpaceTV has quickly become Hollywood‘s digital playground and our relationship with ShineReveille opens up the globe to MySpace‘s international content creators.”


    As the newly merged sales and distribution arm of Shine and Reveille, ShineReveille International is a member of the Shine Group of companies that includes Shine, Reveille, Kudos, Firefly and Princess Productions.


    The company distributes programming from independent producers and US networks to approximately 150 territories worldwide.








    Shine Group president Alex Mahon said, “MySpaceTV is a proven fertile ground for emerging creative approaches and techniques; this deal gives their content the opportunity to transfer directly to traditional platforms.”


    Adding to this, ShineReveille International president Chris Grant said, “There is an appetite to create versions of successful online content that can work for the traditional television platform, as MySpace have already demonstrated. This partnership allows this to be taken to the next level.”


    The distribution deal enables MySpaceTV content to be sold exclusively to television and traditional media by ShineReveille International, while MySpace retains all distribution rights in the U.S. as well as international web and mobile distribution rights.


    MySpace‘s partnership with ShineReveille will create a new distribution model making MySpaceTV programming available to distribution platforms such as television, DVD and merchandise outlets worldwide.








  • MipTV announces winners of Content 360 competition








     


    MUMBAI: MipTV has announced the 10 winners of the 2008 Content 360 competition, which rewards outstanding interactive and multi-platform content. The contest took place in Cannes on 10 April.


    Digital commissioners from Content 360‘s partners such as the BBC, the Korean Broadcasting and Communications Commission (BCC), the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and OgilvyInteractive Worldwide selected the 10 winners from 27 short-listed producers and designers across the competition‘s eight categories.









    Poltergeist 360 from Shoal Media (UK) has won the title in Mass Participation Fiction & Entertainment of BBC category. The winning project will be given a ?15,000 development contract with the BBC.


    In the New IPTV Concepts category of BBC, Krishna Stott of Bellyfeel Limited (UK) was announced winner for Interactive Programme Templates. This project will also get a ?15,000 development contract with the BBC.


    Gail Dudleston and Matt Pallatt of Twentysix Leeds (UK) won the Advanced Mobile Interaction with TV Content (BBC category) for their project Coded Vision. David Eccles and Tom Evans of Numiko (UK) won the prize in New Forms of Web-based Audio and Video Aggregation BBC category for Micro Stations.








    In the Multi-Platform Projects Suitable for International Co-production on Cultural or Natural Heritage category of BCC, Tom Cunningham and Dorigen Hammond of Metadigita Limited (UK) won the award for B4 Mobile. The project will receive a €10,000 development award from BCC.


    In Cross-Media Formats for Children including DMB or Interactive TV category, Inpyo Hong and Kyung Jo Min of BD Corea (Korea) gets the award for Mimi and Dada‘s Art Odyssey. It will receive €10,000 development award from BCC.


    In Multi-platform Co-production on Human Rights category of NFB, Bronwyn Berry and Stan Joseph from Ochre Media (South Africa) has won for Relate. The winning producer will receive a co-production development deal from the NFB, which will include up to €5,000 in development funding.


    In Ogilvy Interactive Category, Rachelle Boyle from Australia wins for Using the Power of the Brand for the Power of Good for project Fanta‘s Heroes. Boyle will receive a partnership deal for an Ogilvy Group UK client project valued at minimum €10,000.


    Ogilvy Entertainment US will award two surprise partnership deals for an Ogilvy Group US client project valued at $5000. Australian Marissa Cooke wins it for Expressions of Kindness and Okuhle Media‘s (South Africa) Paula Brown and Karyn Romero for Young Ambassadors.