Event Review: MIPTV

CANNES: Digital media took center stage in sunny Cannes this week as a reported 11,500 attendees descended upon the city for MIPTV.

The Connected Creativity forum was a key element of this market, allowing traditional media stalwarts to network with new-media mavens about how best to deliver content to multiple devices. The Content 360 multiplatform content initiative, sponsored by FremantleMedia, RTL Group, NFB Canada, Yahoo! and Vivendi, was also an integral element. "The Internet can be a friend of television," said Claire Tavernier, senior executive VP of FMX and worldwide drama at FremantleMedia, at the MIPTV wrap-up press conference. Social media around television shows, she said, is enhancing the experience for viewers. "It’s been a very good year for marrying television with some of the digital trends," she said.

“The development of television, PCs, tablets and mobile technology is changing the relationship between content providers and audiences,” noted Laurine Garaude, television division director at Reed MIDEM. “If companies can harness the multiplatform audience engagement they will be well positioned to reach audiences.”

Branded entertainment was also a major theme, with a summit on the topic organized with Ogilvy. "Brands are really interested in this topic of branded entertainment and branded content," said Patou Nuytemansm, chief digital officer for EMEA at Ogilvy, also at the closing press conference. "Brands are becoming real storytellers."

Continuing a trend seen in the last few markets, there were several celebrities on site this week as distributors brought talent to Cannes to help promote new shows. BBC Worldwide had John Barrowman and Bill Pullman in town to talk about the new series Torchwood: Miracle Day. Eva Green, Joseph Fiennes and Jamie Campbell Bower were showcasing the hot new Starz co-pro Camelot from GK-tv. Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived in the south of France to announce his first post-gubernatorial gig: The Governator, a new animated multiplatform property from Stan Lee and Andy Heyward’s A Squared Entertainment. Also in town were cast members from Tricon’s CBC comedy InSecurity, Richard Yearwood, Natalie Lisinska and Remy Girard; Endgame star Shawn Doyle and, causing much talk in the Palais, the scantily clad reality TV Hunks from Beyond Distribution.

“What was quite clear this week is that there are big shows out there in the market and talented actors prepared to support those shows by attending MIPTV,” said Garaude.

The Palais, many distributors said, seemed quieter than in past years, particularly following the busy and buzzy MIPCOM. Nonetheless, optimism reigned as business was being done up and down the hallways with a slew of deals being announced across all segments of the industry. Brisk business was being done in the unscripted space, from factual-entertainment and lifestyle series to one-hour blue-chip docs, as ZDF Enterprises, AETN International and others announced deals this week. Numerous format deals were announced throughout the week from the likes of FremantleMedia, Endemol and Banijay International as this segment of the business continues to pick up steam. There was plenty of activity in the kids’ space, most notably Zinkia’s acquisition of a stake in CAKE Entertainment and m4e/Telescreen taking on properties from defunct TV-Loonland. There were also deals on Power Rangers Samurai and Rainbow’s PopPixie. And in drama, there was plenty of activity across the board, including a number of deals on CBS Studios International’s The Borgias and Pompeii from Tandem Communications, Scott Free Television and Sony Pictures Television.

Another noticeable trend was the continued emergence of content owners from territories outside of Western Europe and North America. Indeed, Reed MIDEM’s Garaude noted particular gains in attendance from Brazil and Latin America as a whole, Turkey and China, which hosted a new pavilion. Singaporean and Malaysian firms were in attendance, as well as several content distributors from the Middle East.

As the week came to a close, conversation turned to the two upcoming Reed MIDEM content markets. MIPCOM, which is set to feature Russia as the country of focus, is expected to very busy, with many forecasting increased attendance, more stars and more innovation in content creation and digital media. Meanwhile, MIPTV will be taking place on a slightly different schedule; to accommodate the Easter holiday and other markets taking place in Cannes, MIPTV will begin on Saturday, March 31, and end Tuesday, April 2.