ITV

Category: TV Shows

  • Popular show ‘In Lieu of Flowers’ sold in Italy

    Popular show ‘In Lieu of Flowers’ sold in Italy

    Mumbai: ComediHa! Distribution and Zone3 have announced the sale of the adapted format of the popular show In Lieu of Flowers to Italian production company Stand By Me.

    Produced by Zone3 and shot in front of a live audience, In Lieu of Flowers is a variety show with a twist where celebrity guests attend their own fully improvised funeral services, upending the darkness of death with comedy and drama.

    Hosted by Patrice L’Écuyer for the past 12 seasons on ICI Radio-Canada Télé, each episode features the recently departed and the people closest to them.

    The audience is presented with a short fictional account of the circumstances surrounding the person’s death. Their loved ones then take turns in the spotlight delivering their eulogies—a mix of monologues, variety acts (singing, dancing), comedy sketches and testimonials—all dedicated to the deceased. The guest star stands alone in the corner of the stage, watching their memorial service as they’re confronted with the ups and downs of their life and what a colourful life they’ve led!

  • Harbour Rights bolsters summer content lineup with new titles

    Harbour Rights bolsters summer content lineup with new titles

    Mumbai: Hong Kong-based TV distribution company Harbour Rights has licensed three new wildlife titles to Canal+ Myanmar, including “Wild Caribbean,” “A Wild Quest In Scotland,” and “Becoming Butterfly.” The first episode of the collection focuses on the world of insects and bugs with the upcoming episodes that include “Realm of the Ants” and “Black Bees: Season 4.”

    Tokyovision acquired its social investigation “China, My Wife Has Social Credit” which unveils the newly introduced social credit system in China and how it affects intimate and social relationships, as well as “Oriental Express: The Ultimate Train Experience,” which is about a luxurious journey from Bangkok to Singapore on one of the most beautiful trains in the world. Both titles will be part of the special Nippon TV show “World Greatest TV.”

    NATV in Korea was interested in the development of civilisations that reflect on the evolution of nature and humanity throughout the world and acquiring “The Path of Men.”

    Just before French president Emmanuel Macron won his second term in office this week, newly launched Taiwan Plus acquired Macron’s “Road To Elysee” and “Brigitte Macron, A French Saga.”

    The former tells the inside story of how Macron came to power without the backing of a traditional political party in 2016, the latter reviews the secret side of France’s first lady, that made a name for herself in the political world.

  • Promax India announces speakers for Regional Conference and Awards

    Promax India announces speakers for Regional Conference and Awards

    Mumbai: Promax India has announced the line-up of speakers for their upcoming Promax India Regional 2022 Conference and Awards to be held virtually on 22 April from 2 pm onwards. The Promax Awards are a celebration of outstanding achievements in entertainment marketing and design.

    The awards ceremony will recognize outstanding creative works from regional markets of India across 36 categories. The second edition will host a slew of virtual panel discussions with eminent speakers.

    The first-panel discussion explores ‘Crafting A New Tomorrow’. Led by Shankar Bala, the session will have speakers like Guruprasad Rao, Raghavanand D V, Ramsai Panchapakesan, and Shriram Sanjeevi, who will take us through the journey of the evolution of the regional market in the entertainment industry. They will also throw light on the fast-paced growth of the sector, its tremendous potential and what to expect in the year.

    The second session is ‘Hot spots: Elevating The Regional Experience’. On the panel led by Rahul Mishra, brand curators and industry doyens such as — Ajit Thakur, Ajit Varghese, and Ashish Golwalkar — will come together and share their thoughts on how trendy content, creative styles, innovation, and strategy have helped in creating the power that has led to a boom in regional content in India.

    “Promax, over the past 25 years, has marvelled at how the Indian M&E industry continues to break new ground. In a country as diverse and large as ours, the growth of regional media is nothing short of phenomenal,” said Promax Asia country head and strategic partnerships India, Hong Kong and Philippines Rajika Mittra. “The inaugural edition witnessed a host of fabulous speakers who engaged and informed audiences about the remarkable strides made in the industry. With the sector scripting new success stories, we welcome a new set of esteemed speakers to share their valuable insights and what to expect in the year ahead.”

  • MTV Roadies Season 18 to premiere on 8 April

    MTV Roadies Season 18 to premiere on 8 April

    Mumbai: The Season 18 of Infinix Smartphones MTV Roadies is set to premiere on 8 April starting at 7 pm. The show will be on air thrice a week from Friday to Sunday on MTV. It will also stream on Voot.

    The show is shot in South Africa and will be hosted by actor Sonu Sood. CoinSwitch, Paree Sanitary Pads, Leverage Edu and Lakme Sun Expert have come on board as ‘co-powered by’ sponsors. The show has been produced by PipPip media private limited.

    “At MTV, we have always delivered unprecedented, clutter-breaking experiences to our young audiences leading with the pop-culture phenomenon that is Roadies,” said Viacom18 head of youth, music and English entertainment Anshul Ailawadi.

    “With the new season, fans will get to see the classic, enduring passion to become a Roadie, but with innovation in format, South African locales, with superstar host Sonu Sood. We will also be airing the show thrice a week for the first time, giving fans more entertainment and adventure. We are confident that MTV Roadies Journey in South Africa will break new ground in the realm of adventure reality shows.”

    “Infinix is a premium smartphone brand, and like MTV Roadies, embodies the spirit of ‘Ab Rukna Nahi’ with its contemporary and innovative tech,” said Infinix Mobiles CEO Anish Kapoor.

    “With both MTV and Infinix Smartphones catering to the young audience, through this partnership, we aim to reach out and connect with the youth of India. As a forward-looking company, we are sure this new season in a new format will be a thrilling journey offering unmatched adventure and excitement,” Kapoor added.

    The first episode of the season will be simulcast across 19 channels along with a content roadblock on 15 channels across the Viacom18 network.

  • Ormax Media, Film Companion to launch ‘O Womaniya!’ report in June

    Ormax Media, Film Companion to launch ‘O Womaniya!’ report in June

    Mumbai: Media consulting firm Ormax Media and entertainment journalism platform Film Companion have announced the launch of the second edition of their initiative on female representation in the Indian entertainment industry titled ‘O Womaniya!’. The report will be released in June this year.

     The 2022 ‘O Womaniya!’ report is supported by the Producers Guild of India, Active Telugu Film Producers Guild, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, Voot, Hoichoi, and SonyLIV.

    Unlike the 2021 report which focused only on films released in 2020, the 2022 edition will also look at the streaming category extensively analysing the major digital-series and direct-to-OTT films, along with theatrical films, released in 2021 across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam entertainment industries, said the statement.

    “The latest edition will also analyse female representation in the boardrooms of the top media and entertainment companies in India, and how the industry can work towards creating a nurturing environment that helps women grow into leadership roles,” it added. 

    “I believe that cinema can shape the world. Which is why inclusivity and diversity is paramount. ‘O Womaniya!’ is our attempt to push the needle to move faster,” said Film Companion founder and editor Anupama Chopra. “We hope that data will trigger conversation, which will trigger change. We are happy to collaborate with industry bodies like the Producers Guild of India and Active Telugu Film Producers Guild, and streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, an important part of India’s rapidly evolving creative ecosystem, to take this conversation forward meaningfully. With multiple industry players joining hands with us for the second edition of ‘O Womaniya!’ we believe we are moving the needle, slowly but significantly on this important subject.”

    “With every edition, we want to expand the ambition of this report, such as covering digital series this time,” said Ormax Media founder and CEO Shailesh Kapoor. “But the section of the 2022 report that I’m keenly looking forward to is on the representation of women in the senior management of Indian entertainment companies. These are the decision-makers who have the ability to shape the industry’s future, and hence, the analysis must start from the top.”

    The initiative has associated with Sunitha Rangaswami who is an independent consultant and has expertise on the subject of gender and women’s economic empowerment.

    “The previous report highlighted how we are missing a trick on promoting gender equality in the Indian Entertainment industry,” said Rangaswami. “I see this report more as a provocation (catalyst) on how each of us can engage in charting new pathways – through small actions and big – to make change possible. And motivate Indian entertainment companies to adopt a whole new gender paradigm in sync with the times we live in. The audience is ready for it…. are we?”

    The report will employ various qualitative and quantitative methods including trailer talk time, Bechdel Test, and more to report the findings.

    “On the corporate side, the report will ask some hard questions on creating equitable opportunities and a supportive environment, while on the creative side it will take a deep dive into the type of content being created, how women are being profiled in it and how it is being marketed,” said the statement.

  • MipTV: Docubay to double content offering via content partnerships

    MipTV: Docubay to double content offering via content partnerships

    Mumbai: The longest-running global TV market MipTV kicked off on Monday. Major international production companies, distributors and buyers showcased their ‘wares’ at the industry event that includes programming such as drama, documentary, kids, and factual formats.

    Last year’s edition of MipTV took place virtually and there is a bit of excitement about returning to the on-ground festival this year, according to the industry. The trade event that is held in the Palais de Festivals in Cannes, France brings together a rich conference programme, matchmaking events, and a dedicated co-production marketplace for international producers, buyers, commissioners, and distributors.

    This year, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Docubay (IN10 Media Network) and GoQuest Media Ventures are attending the event on the buyers’ side whereas IndiaCast, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, One Life Studios, and IndianTelevision.com are attending on the exhibitor’s side.

    As per media reports, Zee Content Sales, the licensing and distribution arm of Zeel, is bringing 40 new shows launched over the last two years to the marketplace. Zee’s lineup includes Bollywood films such as “Sooryavanshi,” “Sanak,” “Squad,” “Uri – The Surgical Strike,” “Rashmi Rocket” and drama series such as “Bhagya Lakshmi,” “Kundali Bhagya,” “Kashibai Bajirao Ballal” and “Baker’s Table.”

    On the buyer’s side, IN10 Media Network senior AVP acquisition and syndication Adita Jain said, “We are excited to meet our colleagues from the industry after two years. This year we wish to expand our content offering by 2X through content partnerships.”

    IN10 Media Network operates several TV channels and OTT platforms. It operates a factual entertainment streaming service called ‘Docubay’ and a recently launched kids’ entertainment channel called Gubbare.

    “We are looking to engage with new emerging aggregators and studios to find a home at our OTT platform, Docubay, for their latest releases. We are also hoping to renew existing partnerships and sign a few new ones,” said Jain.

    “We also hope to find the latest and innovative kids animation series for our kid’s channel – Gubbare. We are very keen to showcase anime, slapstick comedy, chase and adventure series,” she added.

    Post pandemic, Jain remarked that documentaries that find favour with audiences are the ones that are about world leaders, technology, electric cars, digital currencies, e-commerce, sports and adventures, and world politics. She will also be attending the session on ‘Factual and Documentary Trends’ on Monday presented by K7 Media.

    Recently, broadcasters have started developing unscripted shows based on a range of international formats and adapting them to suit Indian viewers. The most successful example is “Shark Tank India” televised on Sony Entertainment Television which is based on a TV format developed by Nippon TV called “Dragon’s Den.” Last year, Zee Tamil had launched the show “Survivor” based on the popular CBS unscripted series of the same name. This year, Viacom18 is launching a bold new unscripted format with “The Inventor Challenge” on its English entertainment channel Colors Infinity based on the American series “Everyday Edisons.” In the previous year, it had launched a reality series “The Big Picture” helmed by actor Ranveer Singh as the host that was based on a format owned by British production and distribution company ITV Studios.

    TV production accounts for 97 per cent of the content in India at 1,55,820 hours of content produced annually excluding 400,000 hours of news bulletins, as per FICCI-EY media and entertainment Report 2022. This is followed by 2512 hours of OTT content and 1972 hours of film content.  

  • RK Swamy Media Group releases ‘Media Pocketbook 2022’

    RK Swamy Media Group releases ‘Media Pocketbook 2022’

    Mumbai: RK Swamy Media Group has released its Media Pocketbook 2022, reflecting the changing media landscape post the Covid-19 pandemic. 

    The 13th edition of the pocketbook is a compilation of salient information on India’s ‘vast, complex, and evolving’ media landscape. “This pocketbook has been a ready reckoner for the marketing and media community for over a decade,” said the statement.

    “It’s been our endeavour to update this latest edition to reflect the changing media landscape post-Covid,” said RK Swamy Media Group president Sandeep Sharma. “Content truly became king and digital media equaled television. OTT came into its own during this period and connected TV and mobile have changed the way people consume content, movies, and music.”

    “Apart from conventional media, data has been included in the digital section on OTT, gaming, e-commerce, devices, app, updated and verified by our media experts with significant experience in their respective domains,” Sharma further said.

  • Le Monde De Demain, Dark Heart, and Chair Tendre win at Series Mania Festival

    Le Monde De Demain, Dark Heart, and Chair Tendre win at Series Mania Festival

    PARIS & LILLE, FRANCE: Series Mania 2022 has come to an end. The international TV Series festivals that started on 18 March and concluded on 25 March garnered potential attention. The 2022 edition brought together 70,000 participants and 3,300 accredited persons from 64 different nations this year.

    In the previous years, there were 2,100 accredited persons on-site in 2021 and 2,700 accredited persons on-site in 2019. The visits to the Series Mania Website and Series Mania Digital Platform totalled 260,000 views.

    Speaking about the event, the founder and general director of Series Mania, Laurence Herszberg said, “As we close the doors to an incredibly successful edition, we would first like to thank the public and the professionals who attended in record numbers, but also want to thank the city of Lille and the Hauts-de-France Region for their unwavering support of Series Mania.” 

    She said, “We are delighted to be announcing our new dates for 2023, and in terms of final numbers, our numbers far exceeded our expectations for the Forum, and we could not be prouder.”

    “While the highlights are numerous from this year for the Festival, Forum, and Lille Dialogues, I certainly want to acknowledge our Jury President and my dear friend, Ukrainian producer film producer Julia Sinkevych, who was truly an inspiration to everyone who met her. I’d also like to congratulate all the Festival winners, as well as the team from Paradys, winner of the Forum’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Series Mania 2023, ” she added.

    The Series Mania 2023 dates will be announced shortly. Herszberg also announced on Friday the winners of the Series Mania Festival and the final number of participants.

    We have listed below the Series Mania Winners:

    French show Le Monde De Demain bagged the grand prize in the International Competition, which was created by Katell Quillévéré, Hélier Cisterne, Vincent Poymiro and David Elkaïm. The jury was chaired by Ukrainian producer Julia Sinkevych. The production from Les films du Bélier and Arte France airs on Arte and Netflix.

    Michelle De Swarte was named best actress for The Baby (UK) broadcast on HBO and Sky, while for the Israeli show Fire Dance, Yehuda Levi won the best actor, which will be broadcasted on HBO and Sky.

    Sweden’s Dark Heart won the best series created by Oskar Söderlund and Gustav Möller in International Panorama and is broadcast on Discovery+ in Sweden with Reinvent International Sales on sales.

    Maria Von Heland’s Sunshine Eyes from Germany produced by Maze Pictures, Red Balloon Film GMBH and Tindra Film received the special jury prize. Another German show, Funeral For A Dog created by Hanno Hackfort, Bob Konrad and Thomas Pletzinge, bagged the best series that was awarded by the student jury. Sky Studios/NBCU represented international sales and Sky was the broadcaster. 

    Created by Yaël Langmann, the Chair Tendre won the best series honours in the French Competition. France TV airs it and sales are handled by France TV distribution. 

    The best actress was won by three actresses Inès Ouchaaou, Charlie Loiselier and Assa Sylla from Reusss. It is broadcasted by France. tv Slash and sold by France TV Distribution. 

    Moreover, Axel Granberger was named best actor for Les Papillons Noirs created by Bruno Merle and Olivier Abbou. Mediawan Rights handled the sales and represented it. Arte and Netflix are the broadcasters.

    The best original music was won by Clement Doumic, Antoine Wilson, Sebastien Wolf from the group Feu! Chatterson.

    Besides the above, in the Night of Comedies section, Kastina Communications’ High School Jury-Bloody Murray from Israel won the best series. The best series in short formats was won by Black Camel Pictures’ Float (UK) directed by Arabella Page Croft.

    The Audience Prize is awarded to the audience’s favourite series among all the titles in competition – except for Short Formats- voted on at the end of the screenings went to The Birth Of Daniel F. Harris (UK). It is created by Pete Jackson and directed by Alex Winckler and Alexandra Brodoski. The broadcast is on Channel 4 and BBC Studios handles sales.

  • ALTBalaji & MX Player’s show ‘Lock Upp’ reaches 100 mn views since its release

    ALTBalaji & MX Player’s show ‘Lock Upp’ reaches 100 mn views since its release

    Mumbai: The unique captive reality show ‘Lock Upp’ by ALTBalaji & MX Player has successfully managed to garner 100 million views within 19 days of its release.

    The show is currently streaming on ALTBalaji and is hosted by actress Kangana Ranaut. To create an exclusive user experience, MX Player & ALTBalaji has introduced two new features: Super Voting/for Loyal and Super Fans and Khabris on the apps. 

    Other features that will soon be introduced on the app are the audience suggestion poll and contestant chat. Additionally, MX Player & ALTBalaji will unveil the highly engaging ‘appeal box’ for a wholesome interactive experience.

    ALTBalaji & MX Games are innovating and providing audiences with a chance to predict and win. Speaking on the new features, MX Media’s CEO Karan Bedi said, “At MX, we are always attempting to entertain our audiences with exciting and unique concepts. Our user-first approach in offering such content has made MX Player India’s largest entertainment platform. Our latest hit reality series, Lock Upp has something for every user.” 

    “We have introduced dynamic interactivity so that they get a chance to get involved with the contestants and increases the likelihood of building a long-term connection with them. To ensure our proposition succeeds, we believe in giving people more of what they love to build compelling connections,” Bedi added.

    “A user who predicts elimination before it starts builds an emotional investment in the outcome and creates their unique personal journey with their favourite contestants on the show. We have lots more in store to create an entertaining real-time engagement for our users,” he said.

    “AT ALTBalaji, the focus is always on introducing content that appeals to the mass audiences. With Lock Upp, an ALTBalaji Production, we have created multiple milestones with massive audience engagement topping the lists across all platforms. Extra-ordinary audience interactivity is a USP that ALTBalaji is looking to innovate even further. On the same lines, we are happy to introduce the concept of super fans where the ‘aam aadmi of India’ will have super-power to decide the fate of the contestant in the show and we will also give a super fan a chance to become a Khabri and intermingle with the contestants. To connect the audiences directly to the show, there is much more in store for everyone to stay engaged,” Czarina Ekta R Kapoor shares. 

    For example, the accurate winning prediction, team captain prediction or an elimination prediction will help users regularly earn points and prizes. This interactivity feature increases the chances of audience involvement in the show and helps them stay connected to their favourite contestants. The results will be announced on the show. 

  • Harbour Rights unveils slate of new titles for 2022

    Harbour Rights unveils slate of new titles for 2022

    Mumbai: Harbour Rights, a TV distribution company based in Hong Kong has unveiled its content slate for this year.

    The company has licensed another season of “Combat Approved” to Defence TV channel by Viettel Media in Vietnam. The series provides an insider look at Russia’s most advanced military equipment on land and sea, as well as in the air.

    Japanese broadcaster NHK has picked up a biography of one of the most famed and sought-after film stars in the world – “Leonardo DiCaprio: Most Wanted!” – that unveils the secret of how Leonardo lived his dreams to step into Hollywood’s limelight and make film history with an iron will and natural talent. From the same producer, a new biopic release on an icon of the 90s, Winona Ryder – “Fighting Demons.”

    Metro TV has acquired 10 episodes of the series – “Face To Face” for the Indonesian audiences. Each episode features the rivalry of 2 well-known figures in diverse fields of technology, economy or arts and how their confrontation have often changed society and deeply impacted our lives.

    Filmart 2022 is coming up next month, Harbour Rights will be joining the virtual event online. And we are thrilled to introduce our new cultural titles “Champs-Elysees,” “The Avenue of A Thousand Secrets” and “Tomorrowland Summer.” The former series unveils the backstage and unknown places of the most famous avenue in the world; while the latter takes us behind the scenes of the biggest techno festival in the world.

    The upcoming science and environment titles include “Dear Plastic” which tells the love-hate relationship between man and plastic; “Kelp – A Forest Under The Sea” investigates the history, economic and scientific potential of kelp to build a new type of sustainable agriculture, maintain biodiversity or fight global warming.

    Last but not least, the recent pandemic has made us aware of how vulnerable we are facing new and ever-evolving viruses, we might presume we are more equipped to fight against bacterial infection which we are much more familiar with. “The Silent Pandemic” – a new science investigation unveils the fact that bacteria are developing resistance to existing antibiotics and their potential to upend our health system.