MIPTV & Canneseries to Host Second In Development Forum

MIPTV and Canneseries have opened the call for entries for the second In Development Drama Producers’ Pitch.

Designed to act as an accelerator for content discovery and development at an international level, In Development is moving to the Palais des Festivals. Over three and a half days, producers and creators will receive the opportunity to pitch their projects to key decision-makers, including commissioning editors, platforms, distributors, co-producers, investors and talent agencies.

The selected projects may be eligible for development funding from In Development’s official partners. Federation Entertainment will co-develop, co-produce and distribute one of the selected projects. French investment fund La Fabrique des Formats will offer financing for up to two series from the selection backed by a French producer or co-producer.

A pre-selection committee will look at all entries before an international jury selects the projects that will be pitched on stage. Jury members include, among others, Rola Bauer, managing director of STUDIOCANAL TV; Tara Cook, development producer at Carnival Films; David Ellender, president of global distribution and co-productions at Sonar Entertainment; Vanessa Shapiro, president of worldwide TV distribution and co-production at Gaumont Television; and Ben Donald, executive producer for international drama at BBC Studios.

The deadline for submissions is January 11, 2019.

In Development will also feature the third edition of the Drama Digital Short Form Series Pitch, roundtable meetings, a lineup of keynotes, masterclasses and workshops, as well as other facilitated networking and one-to-one matchmaking opportunities.

Laurine Garaude, director of television at MIPTV organizer Reed MIDEM, said: “There is definitely a strong appetite from throughout the industry to discover and invest in drama series at a very early stage. Distributors are increasingly acting as rights management companies by helping producers find their way in the international market, and as a result, they are eager to connect with rising talent.”

Benoit Louvet, managing director of Canneseries, added: “Canneseries is present at all creative stages to provide a series with the recognition it deserves. In 2019, we aim to make In Development a unique event to detect the fledgling signals that will form the great narratives of tomorrow.”