Elizabeth Guider Reports: Indies at the L.A. Screenings

LOS ANGELES: The Turks have turned out to be the tonic that the international indie distribution sector needed this week to energize its business.

With the Hollywood majors having consolidated so much of content ownership and licensing operations under their own banners, the U.S. indie sector has for years been hanging on by a thread. But with countless new outlets around the world—and a new appreciation of production styles and format options from abroad—the sector is finding new opportunities for alternative fare.

First it was Nordic Noir that broke onto the global stage (think The Killing and The Bridge), and then Israeli political thrillers (think Prisoners of War—the basis for Homeland—and Hostages) became all the rage. This year it's sudsy or suspenseful Turkish titles like Milat (TRT), The Girl Named Feriha (Calinos) and Black Money Love (ITV-Inter Medya) that are drawing prospective buyers—mostly Latin American—into the hotel suites at the Century Plaza.

It doesn't hurt that NBC is placing a Turkish-originated format called Game of Silence on its fall prime-time schedule—a first for a Big Four American network. Producer Carol Mendelsohn (CSI), who is now based at Sony Pictures Television, is behind that creative re-versioning.

“This is milestone for the Turkish TV industry,” said Izzet Pinto, the CEO of Global Agency. “For the first time, a Turkish script will be produced for a U.S. network. I have no doubt that Game of Silence will become a phenomenon in the U.S. and will be sold all over the world.”

For its part, ABC is developing a crime series called Runner, based on the Turkish format The End, but its fate is uncertain.

Taking advantage of this burgeoning interest in their wares, nine companies from Turkey set up shop in the Century Plaza hotel with two goals in mind: maximize their sales of drama series to the Latin Americans, and, secondarily, step up their connections to U.S. outlets, both Hispanic webs and English-language networks. (The 60-odd other distributors on hand are mainly North or South American entities, not European or Asian.)

Chats with a number of Turkish reps Thursday afternoon suggest that by and large the contingent will head back to Istanbul with a thumbs-up on the informal Century Plaza market's usefulness.

"We're signing all kinds of deals here," said Muge Hanilci, a content sales specialist for major media conglom ATV. "Twenty years ago, Latin telenovelas took off in Turkey; now we're returning the favor, supplying that continent with some of our titles."

"I'd say the face time we've had here has been beneficial, especially for our three new titles," added Ozlem Ozsumbul, the head of sales and acquisitions for another major Turkish media company, Kanal D. In one year, she added, her company has placed nine drama titles in Latin America, and she expects that number to hit 16 within a month or so.

Chile, in particular, has had solid ratings success with recent Turkish titles.

Turkish distributors have been spurred to look westward for several reasons. Production budgets for their dramas have doubled in the last three years, so backend revenues are increasingly important. Further, their traditional program clients in the former Soviet "stans" have turned to Korean serials. And, their client stations in the Mid East have been devastated by war or political unrest.

Besides, the license fees paid in the West for programs tend to be higher.

While the first Turkish title to break through in the West (in 2013 on Univision) was a lavish period piece set during the Ottoman Empire called Magnificent Century (handled by Global Agency), many of the latest crop of Turkish titles are contemporary in setting and style.

Kanal D's latest batch includes Matter of Respect, War of the Roses and For My Son. Several deals for these series are pending, Ozsumbul said.

Not that the inroads on this side of the world have been instantaneous for Turkish distributors.

"It took us five years to break into Latin America," explained Annabelle Aramburu, a sales consultant at ITV-Inter Medya. "But now our dramas are working well in much of Latin America." ITV-Inter Medya has also licensed two drama series to MundoFOX in the States: Black Money Love and Black Rose. Similarly, Eccho Rights placed its crime drama Kacak on Azteca America and Kurt Seyit and Sura on MundoFOX.

"It's our first time here but I'd say it's been quite an effective week for us," added Emre Gorentas, an international sales exec at distributor Calinos. He cited a deal closed at the Century Plaza with a station in Peru and another in Chile for a current homegrown hit called The Girl Named Feriha.

"And yes, I do think the deal for Game of Silence [on NBC] will spark other format conversations with U.S. networks," he added.  

Game of Silence, which has a 10-episode commitment from the Peacock, is based on the Turkish drama Suskunlar, sold by Global Agency. The plot centers on an attorney who risks losing his perfectly crafted life when long-lost childhood friends unexpectedly reappear, with unsettling secrets.

The U.S. version is penned by David Hudgins, who wrote for Friday Night Lights; Mendelsohn, Julie Weitz and director Niels Arden Oplev exec produce. NBCUniversal International Television Distribution is repping the show outside of the U.S.

As an indication of just how many cross currents ripple through international waters, another unexpected player in the Turkish drama arena surfaced at the Century Plaza: FOX International Channels (FIC) was on hand to license several of its own dramas produced locally in Turkey for its channel in that territory.

"We're focused here in L.A. for the first time with our Turkish output, all contemporary stories," said Ana Barreto, director of regional sales for FIC Content Sales. They include This is My Life and Cherry Season.

The Miami-based SOMOS Distribution is also at the screenings with a number of Turkish dramas, among them The Poor Boy and the Rich Girl and Love Story.

Check out World Screen's guide to the network fall season here.