Event Spotlight: Séries Mania European Co-Production Forum

NEW YORK: Laurence Herszberg, the general director of event organizer Forum des Images, talks to TV Drama about the 2016 edition of Séries Mania European Co-Production Forum.

First launched in 2013, the Séries Mania European Co-Production Forum has had as its mission the goal of helping high-end European drama projects find financial partners, mainly through co-production deals or presale agreements. At the next annual event, scheduled to take place in Paris in 2016 from April 19 to 21, 16 selected TV-series projects will be presented to some 300 decision-makers from the TV industry.

“We are looking for new, truly high-end TV drama series with international appeal,” says Laurence Herszberg, the general director of event organizer Forum des Images. “In order to reassure our foreign partners and investors, we will be giving priority to projects presented by renowned production companies with experience in international co-productions, or backed by an international distributor or a TV channel.”

Because European-market co-productions are difficult to organize, Herszberg says they “have to be extremely selective by choosing ‘premium’ projects with an optimal likelihood to be broadcast.”

Producers can submit their projects online up until February 26. This year’s Co-Production Forum saw 12 projects pitched out of 170 submissions from 30 different countries, which Herszberg notes was more than double the amount submitted in 2014. Among the participants at the latest event were noted personalities such as British screenwriter Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Southcliffe) and American producer Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files), who stopped by to pitch their projects.

“Our participants are really satisfied with our event, which focuses on the quality of the projects and on the high profile of our attendees,” Herszberg says. “Séries Mania Co-Production Forum is the best place in Europe to discover high-end drama projects in development and meet the decision-makers of the industry.”

As evidence of the forum’s ongoing success, Herszberg points to a pair of dramas pitched two years ago that are now generating buzz around Europe: Jordskott, a Swedish series distributed by ITV Studios Global Entertainment, and Trepalium, a new French sci-fi title sold internationally by Lagardère Studios Distribution. “We are proud to have contributed to the production of several new, highly anticipated European series now released on the international market,” she says.

French productions are also of importance to the Paris-based cultural institution. For the 2016 edition of the co-pro event, Forum des Images will partner with TV France International to launch a new section called Coming Next from France that will introduce Gallic titles to international buyers.

“Coming Next from France will feature a lineup of brand-new French series, either completed or in post-production,” Herszberg says. “The international market has renewed interest for French drama, which is now more compelling than ever thanks to series like The Bureau, The Last Panthers, The Churchmen, Spiral, Witnesses and Trepalium.”

However, the executive adds that Forum des Images’ support of drama goes beyond the April gathering. She highlights the importance of partnerships with other international events, including an alliance with the Scripted summit in New York (November 9 and 10). “This collaboration will be the opportunity for us to meet top American executives who are looking to Europe for fresh ideas, talents and trends in new dramas,” Herszberg says.

The group is also renewing its partnership with the Berlin International Film Festival’s Drama Series Days (February 15 and 16) as part of a “contribution to the Franco-German collaboration to build a stronger European market,” the executive states.

For now, the focus will be on building upon the success of the last few installments of the Séries Mania European Co-Production Forum come April. “We will continue to collaborate with industry heavy-hitters in 2016, including producers such as Matador, Atlantique, Rubicon, Eyeworks, Lux Vide and RED Production Company.”

“We were the first pitching forum for drama projects in development in Europe and our success proves that there was a real need in the industry for an event like ours,” Herszberg says. “Professionals have the unique opportunity to discover in one place and at one time some of the best European projects to come, introduced by their producers and creators. They come together to do business and network in a smooth, highly professional atmosphere. It’s not a coincidence that other events with intensive pitching sessions came to life after us: they are more and more numerous, expensive and competitive, but Séries Mania still has the lead.”