Europe’s main gamers in TV and movie attending Mipcom Cannes sensed a wave of alternative coming at them from throughout the Atlantic, as Hollywood muddles via a interval of strategic uncertainty and steep losses from the transition to streaming platforms.
The prolonged labor strife within the U.S. this 12 months, with the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA waging historic and concurrent strikes, has Euro producers touting the attraction of lensing on the continent with a powerful pool of expert expertise accustomed to working at a lot lower cost factors.
Also looming over Mipcom was the extreme safety protocol deployed across the Palais and headlines of bomb scares in France. The nation has been on excessive alert within the wake of Hamas’ assault on Israel on Oct. 7 and the homicide of a highschool trainer a couple of days later. Despite the tense geo-political backdrop, the general temper of marketgoers appeared livelier than final 12 months, which was nonetheless marked by the pandemic.
Private conversations this week with a number of savvy gamers massive and small confirmed that producers from outdoors the U.S. have watched carefully the rollercoaster drama of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Distributors and gross sales brokers have been left wanting in lots of instances because the manufacturing shutdown compelled delays within the deliberate launch of TV packages and movies. At the identical time, Paramount Global and different large distributors confirmed up in a giant strategy to Mipcom, pledging to be again available in the market for bespoke content material licensing offers. Disney additionally made its presence felt outdoors the Palais.
“People appear to be again and shopping for, which is nice,” mentioned Lisa Kramer, president of worldwide TV licensing for Paramount Global Content Distribution. “We’ve been having very lively curiosity and conversations about large-volume offers. We’re feeling very optimistic about 2024.”
With streamers pulling again on the manufacturing of originals, the highest Mipcom acronym was IP. The market kicked off with a reboot of “Zorro” which Mediawan Rights is promoting, together with an English-language sequence tailored from Alexandre Dumas’ traditional novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” starring a global solid led by Sam Claflin (“Daisy Jones and the Six,” “Peaky Blinders”). Retaining rights over IP’s can be the crux of the battle. “Monte Cristo,” which is now filming with Palme d’Or successful director Bille August, is the primary present that’s totally produced, financed and repped by Mediawan because of its partnership with personal fairness movie Entourage Ventures.
While a handful of foreign-language sequence resembling “Lupin” have turn into world phenomenon, large European teams are greater than ever concerned with enjoying a key position in producing and financing formidable English-language reveals that may be exported world wide. Studiocanal, as an example, is making “Paris Has Fallen,” an motion sequence tailored from the Gerard Butler-led “Fallen” movie franchise which is able to mark Studiocanal’s first sequence obtainable to all Canal+ subscribers throughout all world territories. Big Euro youngsters IPs had been additionally trending at Mipcom, as an example “The Adventures of Paddington,” whose third season was launched by Studiocanal.
Elsewhere, Latin American behemoth Globo introduced a primary worldwide model of its mega-hit “Brazil Avenue.”
Angela Colla, Globo’s head of worldwide enterprise and co-productions, mentioned the tightening of handbags and escalating manufacturing prices has made co-production extra very important than ever. “The future is all about partnerships,” mentioned Colla. Citing the worldwide remake deal on Globo megahit “Brazil Avenue,” with Turkey’s Ay Yapim, Colla mentioned “When we companion with robust corporations, it’s all the time the most effective for everybody.” “Co-productions, format offers diversifications: change of content material. Whatever we are able to do collectively, it’s all the time going to be the most effective,” she continued.
Over at Banijay Rights, Cathy Payne mentioned the corporate was additionally making “continued efforts globally to retain our rights.” “Through occasions like these, completed tape, catalogue licensing and a give attention to single IP quick channels gives consistency,” mentioned Payne. “And within the latter, we proceed to develop, and could have 200 FAST channel streams dwell by finish of 12 months,” the chief continued.
FAST (free advertiser-supported tv) channels had been certainly the speak of Mipcom, with a devoted summit organized in the course of the market with audio system from corporations like Little Dot Studios and Banijay and a great deal of bulletins being made. Pluto TV, as an example, made offers with BBC Studios to roll out the “Top Gear FAST” within the EMEA area, and with Fremantle to distribute devoted channels to chef Jamie Olivier. ZDF Studios, in the meantime, made a pact with Hispanic media group Castalia Communications to have them launch a FAST service boasting ZDF titles for the Latin American area.
Meanwhile, specialised producer-distributors resembling Germany’s Telepool and Israel’s Dori Media got here to Mipcom this 12 months with large ambition.
The Dori Media staff is shaken by the outbreak of warfare in Israel. Nadav Palti, the corporate’s CEO, was one of many uncommon Israeli trade executives who was in a position to attend the market within the South of France. Out of 70 Israeli delegates who had registered for Mipcom, most skipped the occasion or despatched their European employees.
Palti is a former commander within the Israel Defense Forces, whose 34-year-old son is within the IDF reserves. He thought of backing out of Mipcom, however in the end selected to proceed to maintain as a lot order as attainable in Dori’s formidable agenda for the approaching 12 months. Palti knew he may remorse the choice to journey to Cannes however merely refused to knuckle beneath to the phobia.
“If we let our enemy dictate our life or dictate what we’re doing — they win. We’ll not allow them to win. Winning isn’t solely on the battlefield, it’s a 360-degree operation,” mentioned Palti. “We should proceed. If not, they may win.”
Dori Media introduced a number of high-octane new dramas to {the marketplace}, together with “Amia” and “Indal,” each edgy political thrillers. The response from consumers was robust and Palti expects to clinch strong offers in key territories for each reveals.
Telepool, headed by CEO Yoko Higuchi-Zitzmann, is making a giant wager on a fancy dress drama restricted sequence “Davos 1917,” that includes German star Dominique Devenport. The sequence is a co-production with German broadcaster ARD and a string of different labels. It’s the type of lush historic drama that’s catnip to streamers seeking to serve world audiences.
Among the notable offers from the Oct. 16-19 convention:
*Eva Longoria and Cris Abrego launched Hyphenate Media Group, backed by Banijay.
*Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed it is going to be launching its streaming service Max in France, following a rollout in 22 international locations throughout the Nordics, Iberia, Spain, the Netherlands and Central Eastern Europe within the spring, mentioned Gerhard Zeiler, WBD president of worldwide.
*Paramount introduced a brand new multi-year tie-up with Greece’s Cosmote TV, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish, Mipcom Personality of the Year speaking up the ability of “new age” native and regional content material licensing partnerships after accepting his award.
*The Mediapro Studio revealed it’s heading to the Sahara for ‘The Head,’ Season 3 because it goals to drive into English-language manufacturing within the U.S.
*’Sisi’ producer Story House Pictures in Germany unveiled it goals to adapt ‘The Book of Longings,’ concerning the spouse of Jesus of Nazareth, a robust IP challenge.
*Studiocanal unveiled gross sales for Xavier Dolan’s ‘The Night Logan Woke Up,’ together with Netflix for the U.S.
*AGC Television confirmed it has boarded ‘Amapola’ exploring the true origins of the drug commerce.
*’The Long Shadow,’ about serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, bought to Sundance Now in U.S.,and consumers worldwide.
*Turkey’s Madd Entertainment unveiled gross sales, manufacturing pacts with Paramount – an expanded quantity deal for Argentina, Chile – Cris Morena, The Mediapro Studio, Globo, and Secuoya.
*Sam Heughan Thriller ‘The Couple Next Door’ was bought by Beta Film to Spain and the Nordics.
*’Gangs of London’ Season 3 is beginning manufacturing with director Kim Hong Sun and author Peter McKenna.
*Viaplay Content Distribution is partnering with Germany’s ARD on journey sequence ‘Ronja the Robber’s Daughter,’ amongst different titles.
*Sky Italia launched at Mipcom the “Overlooked Serial Killer” docuseries.
*Cineflix Rights confirmed offers on ‘Last King of The Cross,’ ‘Reginald the Vampire,’ ‘Sugar.’
*Former HBO Max exec Christian Toksvig is launching Cocoa Media to deliver a big Turkish drama library to world FAST channels.
*Terra Mater Studios is transferring into fiction with historic sequence ‘Salon of Sugar.’
Marta Balaga contributed to this report.
