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Tag: Palais des Festivals

  • MipFormats, Cannes: Demystifying India’s content formats space

    MipFormats, Cannes: Demystifying India’s content formats space

    CANNES: How do you work with India? Is it a new TV and digital formats’ paradise? These  – among others – were some of the questions raised and answered in the Producer’s Toolbox at MipFormats in Cannes on 3 April in Auditorium A in the famed Palais des Festivals.

    The session began with IndianTelevision Dot Com Group founder, CEO Anil Wanvari giving the 100 strong audience from about 25 countries a quick snapshot view of the Indian television industry.

    He estimated that the TV content creation business is about $620 million with about $500 million of this being accounted for by the Hindi General entertainment space. While soaps, drama, Bollywood films and songs account for a major chunk of the spend, around $90 million (including the format licence fee, production margins, and production and talent costs) is spent on TV formats.

    Wanvari also pointed out that almost all the European majors have set up shop in India, including Endemol Shine, Zodiak, Fremantle, BBC WorldWide productions.  And they have managed to build robust business.

    Wanvari highlighted the potential for new content ideas that has popped up courtesy the proliferation of platforms in the OTT and VOD space. The last couple of years have seen the entry of Hotstar (with about 40 million users; targeted to hit 100 million by end this year), Hooq, VuClip, Voot (from Viacom18), Ditto TV, OZee (from the Zee TV group), ErosNow, ZengaTV, and Netflix. Others like AltDigital (from Balaji Telefilms) are firming up plans for a launch. And the digital opportunity is only going to explode further with the impending launch of 4G services from the Reliance group which is investing about $22 billion on its broadband and 4G mobile play.

    CA Media-backed OML (Only Much Louder) COO Ajay Nair was pretty gung-ho about the Youtube promise. “We are about to launch six new shows – four of which are  formats –  with India’s top comedy talent with the support of brands. As most youth are on mobile devices, brands are willing to support any fruitful engagement they can have with them.”

    GoQuest Media CEO Vivek Lath announced the formation of GoQuest Formats a new company looking to acquire formats – even paper ones from all over the world to market them globally. “We are looking at travel show formats, convergence formats,” he said.

    Grey Matter Entertainment co-founder Rahul Sangari spoke about his music format The Remix which was produced in Vietnam and became the no 1 show there on VTV. “We are going into production in three weeks in China too,” he said. “We are looking forward to closing deals in 16 territories and hope  to do signups in the UK and the US too,” he said.
    Sangari was also pretty oprtimystic about a TV and app integrated show called Street Stars which focuses on street performers which is represented by Dentsu StoryLab at Mip.

    Zee TV’s Yogesh Karikurve opined that foreign companies wanting to explore the format opportunity in India would do well to explore licensing their formats, preferably before opting to set up a full fledged production operation.

    Nair emphasized that any international company needs to find a local partner to do the production and also liaise with the telecast partner, rather than just licence a format.

    Sangari’s view was that the need for an Indian partner arises because “India is a very different country; the cultural sensibilities and nuances have to be born in mind while creating, developing and selling a format in the country is concerned.”

    Lath said that music and dance shows have been rating well in India. “But formats targeting the new millenials  will have legs,” he said.

    Sangari agreed that India had yet to develop in terms of forking out large licensing fees for formats.  Lath interjected and said that should not be a worry for any large format distributor or creator. “Collectively if it is licensed on the regional language channels along with the mainline Hindi channel , then the licence pad can expand,” he stated.

    Karikurve talked about the potential for  factual entertainment  formats as that is a genre that ithe Zee TV group is investing in greatly in that genre. Nair agreed but added that ‘dating,’ extreme sports, music and comedy formats were becoming relevant. He ended the discussion  forecasting that around 40-50 international formats could make their way into India on digital and traditional television in the not too distant future as the appetite is definitely there. .

     

  • MipCom 2015: Combating nature’s fury, and winning

    MipCom 2015: Combating nature’s fury, and winning

    MUMBAI: The world’s largest TV content market Mipcom was hit by a freak storm and floods. It all started on Saturday 5 October when late in the evening what was predicted to be an evening of gentle rain, turned out to be three hours of a raging thunderstorm. Something that had not happened in 50 years. Seven inches of rain fell in one fell swoop. Some 20 people died, and cars were swept out to sea. 

    The Hotel Martinez where MipJunior (the kids content screening and conference) was being held was the most affected. It lost power because of the flooding, internet went off and its ballrooms were water logged. As were most of Cannes and its surrounding towns.

    Reed Midem, the organiser of MipCom and MipJunior acted fast. Overnight the MipJunior screenings and conferences were shifted to the higher levels of the Palais des Festivals.

    The Palais itself was hit by the storm. The basement area (P-1), which constitutes a large part of the exhibition area and where most of the Indian exhibitors are located, had patches, which were damaged courtesy the flooding. The management of the Palais des Festivals and Reed Midem’s operations executives worked through late Saurday night and Sunday to mop up the excess water, used drying machines, changed carpeting, to get the exhibition area spic and span.

    Came Monday morning and to the astonishment of exhibitors and participants, MipCom started on time. Almost as if the resort town had not faced a natural catastrophe. There were queues at the registration desk, and queues waiting to get into the exhibition area. The rest of Cannes, was however, struggling with some areas being without power, most without internet and telephone lines. And most bank ATMs and credit machines were not working.

    In fact, the mayor of Cannes, has made an appeal to the world of film, television and the rich to contribute to get Cannes back on its feet. The town and its businesses have suffered a loss of Euro 45 million courtesy the freak rain.

    During Mipcom business deals, and alliances were struck and TV premieres held. .Hollywood and British celebrities such as Dennis Quaid, Chris Carter, Lily James, Tuppence Middleton and Stephen Rea mingled with attendees after the screenings in the Grand Auditorium. The opening party was shifted to the Carlton Hotel from the Martinez and the red carpet, however, was canceled. Sponsored by Turkey, which was the country of honour or focus, it was one of Mipcom’s finest organised parties in recent times. The food and wine flowed till past midnight.

    Overall, 13,700 executives from 112 countries did make it to Mipcom, a record of sorts. More than 150 broadcasting, production, animation, digital, content distribution, and buyers and sellers from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka jetted their way to Cannes – a record number for the region this year. Each probably has his or her own story on what he/she did during the deluge. We present a first person account of what one such group went through during the storm and thereafter. Read on:

    The lightning shards continuously cut through the dark incessant rain as the 500 or so guests at MipJunior’s opening night inside the tent on The Martinez Beach in Cannes partied.

    They sipped away at their glasses of wine and munched away at the entrees, exchanging business cards on programming pitches – blissfully unaware that the French Riviera village was going through its worst thunderstorm in almost 50 years.

    As the clock ticked away, the gusts of wind grew stronger, and one such blast shattered a few wine glasses, the chandeliers overhead swayed. A couple of the lights went out. Then the water from the sea outside started seeping under the tent as the angry storm pushed the waves higher.

    Jackie – the event and operations in charge of Reed Midem was worried – as she – like Laurine and Jerome and most of us attending the world’s largest content market – had heard the metro department’s report that there would be rain – but the prediction was that it would be a passing shower. Not a continuous cloud burst on account of which the village and other surrounding ones would be inflicted with the equivalent of more than a month and a half of rain in just three hours.

    The situation was getting alarming as the rain, loud thunder, lighting and wind continued. Would the tent hold? The DJ had already been told to pack his console, the wine and food put away by the stewards. And the guests, who had thinned down to 200 odd by then,  had to be kept safe. Thus a decision was taken to evacuate.

    A warning shout went up: “The entire Croisette is flooded. I tried to cross but there’s too much water.”

    But evacuate we had to. So some of us took off our shoes and jackets, packed them in the Mask of Zorro bags, which the concierge provided us, rolled up our trousers, walked out of the tent. And indeed where earlier in the evening there was beach sand, all we could see was water. Carefully, we walked through it and up the stairs to the Croisette.

    What greeted us was a sea of water all through the main street of Cannes. We stepped into it and it reached up to our knees. And it was cold, bitingly cold. But gritting our teeth and with sheer disbelief in our hearts we trudged through it across the street to the famed Hotel Martinez – which has been home to the world’s biggest celebrities. Were we in Cannes the famed beach town of France to which the world flocks every summer? Or were we in some south east Asian country or in India where such flooding is rather common?

    As we reached the Martinez Hotel we heard there were no shuttles to ferry us across to our apartments or hotel rooms. And that we were on our own. We picked up a couple of hotel umbrellas and decided to make our journey home.

    Every street, by lane and tony street was flooded. To make matters worse, the village’s sewer and drainage system had spewed and vomited out all the waste – including feaces – which its denizens had earlier through the day dumped down commodes or waste disposal systems.

    Most of the by lanes leading to the Croisette were angry torrents of fast paced water through which it was very difficult to swim, forget about walking. And yet everywhere we looked there were executives – both men and women – plodding through the knee-deep water. It was a struggle, no doubt, but move everyone had to know because the water was chilling.

    Thankfully, there were no open manholes or sewers, but we were cautious nonetheless courtesy Mumbai’s dangerous streets during the monsoons every year.

    What was even more shocking was that expensive stores, hawking the most premium brands, which line the main street opposite the Croisette were hit by the water flowing down the streets towards the sea. Many of the stores were forced to garbage some of the goods, costing thousands of euros, which were damaged by the flowing waters.

    We waded through the water, taking care not to get clothes wet. Close to our apartment building, a SUV came racing, through the flooded street and the wave hit us as well as the restaurant, which was already knee deep in water. And all my efforts to keep my trousers dry came to naught.

    Even the apartment’s stairwell was flooded. But we made our way up and thankfully our flat had power, unlike others which went without any electricity throughout the night. We took quick hot showers and sipped hot cups of coffee and it was around 1 am that we managed to get some shuteye.

     

    Posted by Larysa Wanvari on Sunday, October 4, 2015

     

     

  • India and the Cannes Film Fest

    India and the Cannes Film Fest

    MUMBAI: Eight months down the line, and there’s nostalgia and a longing to be in Cannes again. The Cannes Film Festival had this habit of growing on you. The high cost of living (hotel and apartment rates in Cannes rise four to six times offseason rates during the fest), and the punishing schedules for the press conferences and for the screenings notwithstanding. (Bed time is 2:30 am, awakening time is 7:00 am as the first screening is at 8:30 am and it’s a 20 minute walk from one’s apartment to the Palais des Festivals’ Grand Auditorium).

    2007 is the 60th year of the Cannes Fest, the 60th year of India’s indedpendence and a great deal of gigs are planned highlighting the world’s second or is it most attractive economy.

    Hopefully, the volume of noise will be higher this year because India’s efforts get lost in the cacophony that is the mark of the festival. The American studios, the UK independents, the Chinese film makers, Latin American and European directors attract so much of the limelight, that India’s efforts simple don’t make much of an impact. Of course, the Indian media will send back reports saying how well India is doing at Cannes, when the truth is far from that.

    Hopefully, the Indian pavilion along the Croisette will be better organized this time around. The CII – which puts the Indian participation together – needs to be patted for the initiative, but a little more organization on the ground, will mean so much for the industry. Obviously, it is learning from its experiences and this year it promises that it will be an eyepopping experience for all.

    The Indian independent film makers group – which had got the support of the Reliance group’s Adlabs in the form of a pavilion – apparently is going to be back. In a much bigger way, says film maker Aditya Bhattacharrya. “It’s become a movement globally, Almost any independent Indian outside of India who is making movies has become a part of it,” he says. “It’s good for the movie business.”

    The nostalgia that wells up is that of Tom Hanks charming one and all even as the da Vici Code got blasted as a disaster by all,Jon Voigt mumbling in an undecipherable language,. the gorgeous Maria Belluci, the maverick outlook of Wong kar Wai, the applause that Babel, Volver, Pan’s Labrynth, received, among many other classy movies which were presented at the festival.

    From the Indian perspective there is the victory of animatrix Gitanjali Rao who won a couple of awards being the sole Indian flag bearer. She in her way charmed one and all by her grace and dignity at the film mart. Then there was this group of French girls who came up to this writer pleading to meet with Karan Johar and Shah rukh Khan. The former was there they were told, the latter would not be coming. But did they meet him? Then there was the Omkara book launch, the Jagmohan Mundra’s Provoked, WEG India’s Avinash Jumaani’s lavish party near the old port, Sunil Doshi’s screening of Mixed Doubles in the Palais, the Film Producer Guild party which had more Indians than the overseas trade which is what it was meant to attract.

    In its 60th year, India’s entertainment barons have an opportunity to set things right. And leave no stone unturned while attempting to do it.

    Below is a snapshot of Cannes Film Fest 2006

    Films in competition

    * L’Amico di famiglia – Paolo Sorrentino
    * Babel – Alejandro González Iñárritu
    * Crónica De Una Fuga – Israel Adrián Caetano
    * Il caimano – Nanni Moretti
    * Iklimler – Nuri Bilge Ceylan
    * Fast Food Nation – Richard Linklater
    * Flandres – Bruno Dumont
    * Indigènes – Rachid Bouchareb
    * Juventude Em Marcha (Colossal Youth) – Pedro Costa
    * El Laberinto del Fauno – Guillermo del Toro
    * Laitakaupungin valot – Aki Kaurismäki
    * Marie-Antoinette – Sofia Coppola
    * Quand j’étais chanteur – Xavier Giannoli
    * La raison du plus faible – Lucas Belvaux
    * Red Road – Andrea Arnold
    * Selon Charlie – Nicole Garcia
    * Southland Tales – Richard Kelly
    * Summer Palace – Lou Ye
    * Volver – Pedro Almodóvar
    * The Wind That Shakes the Barley – Ken Loach

    Films out of Competition

    * The Da Vinci Code, by Ron Howard (Opening Film)
    * Transylvania,by Tony Gatlif (Closing Film)
    * United 93, by Paul Greengrass
    * X-Men: The Last Stand, by Brett Ratner
    * Over the Hedge, by Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick
    * Election 2 (aka Triad Election ), by Johnnie To
    * Clerks II, by Kevin Smith
    * Silk, by Su Chao-pin
    * Shortbus, by John Cameron Mitchell
    * An Inconvenient Truth, by Davis Guggenheim
    * Boffo! Tinseltown’s Bombs and Blockbusters, by Bill Couturie
    * Volevo Solo Vivere, by Mimmo Calopresti
    * Bamako, by Abderrahmane Sissako
    * Ici Najac, a vous la terre, by Jean-Henri Meunier
    * Avida, by Benoit Delepine
    * El-Banate Dol (aka These Girls ), by Tahani Rached
    * Zidane, A 21st Century Portrait, by Philippe Parreno ,Douglas Gordon
    * Nouvelle Chance, by Anne Fontaine
    * The House Is Burning, by Holger Ernst
    * Chlopiec na galopujacym koniu (aka The Boy on the Galloping Horse ), by Adam Guzinski

    Un Certain Regard

    * 977 – Nikolay Khomeriki
    * A Scanner Darkly – Richard Linklater
    * Bihisht Faqat Baroi Murdagon – Djamshed Usmonov
    * Bled Number One – Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche
    * Cum Mi-am Petrecut Sfarsitul Lumii – Catalin Mitulescu
    * El Violin – Francisco Vargas Quevdeo
    * Gwaï wik – Oxide Pang & Danny Pang
    * Hamaca Paraguaya – Paz Encina
    * Il Regista Di Matrimoni – Marco Belloccio
    * La Californie – Jacques Fieschi
    * La Tourneuse de pages – Denis Dercourt
    * Luxury Car – Chao Wang
    * Meurtrieres – Patrick Grandperret
    * Paris, je t’aime – Gurinder Chadha, Bruno Podalydès, Gus van Sant, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas, Christopher Doyle, Isabel Coixet, Suwa Nobuhiro, Sylvain Chomet, Alfonso Cuarón, Olivier Assayas, Oliver Schmitz, Richard LaGravenese, Vincenzo Natali, Wes Craven, Tom Tykwer, Gérard Depardieu, Frédéric Auburtin, Alexander Payne
    * Salvador – Manuel Huerga
    * Serambi – Garin Nugroho, Tonny Trimarsanto, Viva Westi, Lianto Luseno
    * Suburban Mayhem – Paul Goldman
    * Taxidermia – György Pálfi
    * Ten Canoes – Rolf de Heer
    * The Unforgiven – Jong-bin Yoon
    * 2:37 – Murali K. Thalluri
    * Uro – Stefan Faldbakken
    * You Am I – Kristijonas Vildziunas
    * Z Odzysku – Slawomir Fabicki

    Winners

    * Palme d’Or (Won by Ken Loach for The Wind That Shakes the Barley)
    * Grand Prix (Won by Bruno Dumont for Flandres)
    * Prix de la mise en scène (Won by Alejandro González Iñárritu director of Babel)
    * Prix du Jury (Won by Andrea Arnold for Red Road)
    * Prix du scénario (Won by Pedro Almodovar for Volver)
    * Prix d’interprétation féminine du Festival de Cannes (Won by the cast of Volver including Penelope Cruz)
    * Prix d’interprétation masculine du Festival de Cannes (Won by the cast of Indigènes)
    * Prix un certain regard (Won by Chao Wang for Luxury Car).

  • Time Warner chairman, CEO Parsons is Mipcom’s Personality of the Year

    Time Warner chairman, CEO Parsons is Mipcom’s Personality of the Year

    MUMBAI: Reed Midem which organises the television event Mipcom in Cannes France has named Time Warner chairman and CEO Richard D. Parsons as the Mipcom 2006 Personality of the Year.

    Parsons will receive the accolade on 11 October. Mipcom takes place from 9 to 13 October 2006 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.

    Reed Midem CEO Paul Zilk says, “We are extremely pleased to honour Richard Parsons as our Mipcom Personality of the Year. Under his leadership, Time Warner informs, entertains and connects people all over the globe through its leading brands and programming.

    “In an ever-evolving world defined by constant technological and demographic change, Time Warner – with its long tradition of innovation and creativity – continues to shape not only our industry, but the culture we live in.”

    Parsons says, “I am very honoured to be this year’s Personality of the Year and to join the notable ranks of past honourees. I am particularly pleased to be recognised at Mipcom, the veritable hub of the worldwide television market, which gathers industry leaders together from across the globe.

    “This award is a testament to the more than 85,000 Time Warner employees who are the creative source for all that we do. I dedicate it to them and to the hundreds of millions of people around the world who continue to inspire us to provide the best in entertainment and information in these rapidly changing times.”