ITV

Tag: Jean Louis Guillaud

  • Despite recession, 3,000 screenings witnessed at Rendez-Vous 2002

    Despite recession, 3,000 screenings witnessed at Rendez-Vous 2002

    SAINT TROPEZ: Television France International’s Rendez-Vous 2002 successfully concluded on 13 September with a dinner conjured by Chef Christope Leroy – a master of his art. Closing cocktails were held first at a sixteenth century castle – La Citadelle, which yielded a panoramic view of the Saint Tropez waterline and Saint Maxime. This was followed by dinner at the Mole Jean Reveille at the edge of the Saint Tropez quay.

    The chief guests for the evening were the deputy mayor of Saint Tropez Jean Michel Couve, the president of the French broadcasting authority Dominque Baudis.

    TVFI executive director Mathieu Bejot revealed Rendez Vous 2002 had generated around 3,000 screenings from the 500-odd television professionals who had assembled to participate in it. Among the companies that generated the maximum viewings figure:

    TF 1
    International 160
    France Television Distribution 154
    Marathon 141
    Doc & CO 128
    Teleimages 115
    Ellipse Distribution 105

    The following is the list of programmes/shows/movies which got the most screenings:

    Jean Moulin (Pathe International) 27
    Operation Lune (Point du Jour International) 24
    Saddam Hussein Le maitre de BAgdad (Les Films du Village) 22
    Guerre Pour de vrai (Doc & Stock) 20
    Les Liasions Dangereuses (AB International)

    Bejot, along with TVFI president Jean Louis Guillaud, said they were delighted with the response from potential buyers. “The numbers are almost the same as last year, if not higher,” he says. “And in a year which witnessed a downturn, this is a good performance. We can only hope for a better turnout next year.”

  • Asia increasingly buying into French animation

    Asia increasingly buying into French animation

    SAINT-TROPEZ: Vive la France! That’s a message that is finding an increasing number of listeners in Asia Pacific. At least if one goes by the figures of French television programming exports released by the French television producers association TVFI, The Institute National de l’Audiovisuel (INA), and the Centre national de la cin�matographie (CNC) at the Rendez-Vous 2002 organised by TVFI in Saint-Tropez in the south of France on 10 September.

    These rose by 32 per cent in 2001 from 8.2 million Euros to 10.2 million euros in 2000. Japanese broadcasters accounted for 40.3 per cent of these sales, China for 10.4 per cent, while Australia and New Zealand chipped in with 9.9 per cent.

    Singapore, India and other countries grabbed 13.4 per cent of the exports, South Korea 8.8 per cent while Indonesia did 3.8 per cent. Asian broadcasters exported more fictional programming than Central European broadcasters accounting for a 15.5 per cent share of the pie, which was led by West Europe (49.4 per cent) and North America (8.2 per cent).

    Asia also had a large part of French documentary acquisitions with a 14.1 per cent share in a genre segment that was once again led by west Europe (59.8 per cent), North America (8.9 per cent). West Europe accounted for 76.6 per cent of French animation exports, north America for 11.9 per cent and Asia for 4.2 per cent. “French animation is finding increasing buyers in Asia. Acquisitions by broadcasters are rising at a fast clip,” says TVFI executive director Mathieu Bejot. Amongst the Asian countries that figured prominently in the buyers list are Japan, China, and South Korea.

    While the appetite for French television productions in Asia has been on the rise, sales on the whole declined by 2.1 per cent from 129.3 million euros in 2000 to 126.7 million Euros in 2001. There was however, a rise in of 21.8 per cent in pre-sales and co-productions from 171.2 million Euros to 208.5 million Euros. “We have had these results at a time when the economy and television companies have been having rough ride,” says TVFI president Jean-Louis Guillaud. “Post 11 September in 2001 everyone has been having a tough time.”

    That tough time is likely to continue in 2002 too. “The first six months trend has been a little slow. We will have to wait till MIP TV to see if the market for programming acquisitions picks up,” says Bejot. “However, it’s a long term perspective we have on the business.”

    Bejot adds that TVFI is considering making a push for French television programming in India in the coming year through special meets between potential Indian buyers and French animation producers and are also inviting the latter to showcase their programmes in India.