{"id":12006,"date":"2019-10-04T13:00:23","date_gmt":"2019-10-04T17:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev2.worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/worldscreen.com\/"},"modified":"2019-10-04T13:15:03","modified_gmt":"2019-10-04T17:15:03","slug":"killing-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/killing-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Killing Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Andy Fry spotlights what\u2019s new in the always popular crime-drama genre.<\/em><\/p>\n

Crime dramas have been a staple on broadcaster schedules since the dawn of television. So it\u2019s no wonder that when SVODs started upping their original content game, crime drama was front and center (think Narcos\u00a0<\/em>on Netflix, Bosch\u00a0<\/em>on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+\u2019s upcoming Shantaram<\/em>).<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the genre grows, so does the range of crime drama coming to market, from one-off TV movies to long-running franchises such as Midsomer Murders<\/em>, which is currently celebrating over 20 years of success,\u201d says Maartje Horchner, the executive VP of content at all3media international.<\/p>\n

\u201cProcedurals, particularly those with many episodes, remain popular and provide flexibility to broadcasters who need to be innovative with scheduling,\u201d Horchner adds.<\/p>\n

Robert Franke, VP of ZDFE.drama at ZDF Enterprises (ZDFE), references his company\u2019s success with German procedurals. \u201cGerman case-of-the-week crime dramas work well for us internationally. We sell hundreds of episodes to European broadcasters because they know they can schedule them in any order, which is one of the limitations of a limited series with an extended story arc.\u201d<\/p>\n

The classic example of this is ZDFE\u2019s SOKO\u00a0<\/em>crime procedural franchise, which has spawned several popular spin-offs since it launched in 1978. \u201cThey are so popular with buyers,\u201d says Franke. \u201cThey are entertaining and easy to digest, with a consistent formula that audiences and networks around the world trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, a fundamental shift in the market has been the growth of \u201cbingeable\u201d limited series, of six to ten episodes, at the expense of U.S.-originated case-of-the-week procedurals.<\/p>\n

At The Mediapro Studio, which has 30-plus Spanish- and English-language productions on its slate, the focus in the crime-drama space is on \u201ctwo trends that still have a long way to go: shorter formats and hybrids that will help renew the genre and keep audiences excited,\u201d says Spanish writer and producer Mariano Baselga, a senior development executive at the company. \u201cProcedurals still have the power to bring large audiences to free-to-air, and they allow for reruns. However, our focus will be innovative, serialized dramas.\u201d<\/p>\n

BINGE ON<\/strong>
\nGrowing demand for binge-viewing opportunities has led to \u201cserialized crime shows like Baptiste\u00a0<\/em>and Hidden<\/em>, a serial made up of interweaving narratives linked by a single crime,\u201d Horchner says. \u201cBoth can be broadcast weekly or enjoyed as a box set.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Horchner\u2019s opinion, the evolution of crime drama also includes some increasingly innovative storytelling methods. \u201cLiar\u00a0<\/em>lets the audience see the crime from the perspective of the victim. Meanwhile, Blood<\/em>, a psychological thriller about family and memory, is told from the point of view of the perpetrator\u2019s daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carrie Stein, executive VP of global scripted series at Kew Media Group, thinks that the HBO breakout hit Big Little Lies\u00a0<\/em>has caused a shiver of excitement across the TV industry. \u201cIt\u2019s a show that has a crime at the heart of its narrative, but it is so much more than a crime series. That\u2019s how I\u2019m looking at my development slate right now. There is crime in there, but explored from a different angle to traditional shows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mar\u00eda-Jes\u00fas P\u00e9rez, international sales director at Spanish public broadcaster RTVE, believes that characters have become more critical in crime dramas, \u201cand their personal storylines are interwoven with the cases. Crime resolution is no longer the only plot that matters; developing the real life of the characters is important because it adds authenticity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horchner also stresses that \u201cthe best crime series have a relatable detective, whether that is a police officer like Inspector George Gently or the London PR whiz turned Cotswold-dwelling amateur sleuth in Agatha Raisin<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caroline Torrance, the head of scripted at Banijay Rights, points out that \u201caudiences love crime dramas that have strong characters\u2014but also a strong sense of place. In Hierro<\/em>, the director\u2019s aim was to connect the landscape of El Hierro, one of Spain\u2019s Canary Islands, with the intensity of the storyline.\u201d<\/p>\n

Torrance makes a similar point about The Gulf<\/em>, a six-part German-New Zealand thriller that will be launched at MIPCOM. \u201cThe Gulf\u00a0<\/em>is set on a beautiful island with lush vineyards, white sand beaches and olive groves\u2014where location plays a big role in the story. It is about the moral disintegration of Detective Jess Savage as she investigates crimes in Waiheke Island, New Zealand.\u201d<\/p>\n

SCANDI SCANDALS<\/strong>
\nIt was the global success of Nordic noir crime dramas that paved the way for content creators and audiences to think differently about location, Torrance says.<\/p>\n

ZDFE was one of the first players outside Scandinavia to recognize the potential of Nordic noir, backing series such as The Killing<\/em>, Blue Eyes<\/em>, Thicker Than Water\u00a0<\/em>and Arne Dahl<\/em>. One of its newer offerings is the book-based Kristina Ohlsson\u2019s Sthlm Requiem<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese days, Nordic shows remain key to our crime portfolio, although the challenge is always to move the formula on,\u201d Franke observes. \u201cWe have a show called Before We Die<\/em>, which is selling well despite not being a typical Nordic noir series. It centers on a woman in her [early 60s], which gives it a different emotional feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Franke says ZDFE has another offbeat Nordic noir series, based around Jens Lapidus\u2019s acclaimed novel\u00a0Top Dog<\/em>, and is also seeking to expand its portfolio into English-language crime drama.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd as an alternative to the bleak world of Nordic noir drama, we are pushing back the boundaries of dramas from other territories,\u201d Franke adds. \u201cThere is definitely a demand for a kind of lighter, blue-sky drama that is not all about bodies buried in snow. For example, we are talking to potential partners in South Africa, where there is a lot of creative talent.\u201d<\/p>\n

BLUE-SKY APPEAL<\/strong>
\nWith one new show set against the majestic backdrop of St. Petersburg, Kew Media\u2019s Stein stresses that \u201cyou have to have some distinctive elements now, more than just a crime.\u201d However, extending the point made by ZDFE\u2019s Franke, she says she is not so interested in relentlessly bleak dramas but \u201cmore in sexy blue-sky thrillers in exotic locations. There have been some terrific series like Trapped\u00a0<\/em>that transport you to an icy enclosed world, but I\u2019m looking more along the lines of Riviera\u00a0<\/em>than Nordic noir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stein isn\u2019t quite ready to discuss details of her crime slate just yet, but she says one advanced concept is a whodunnit set among a quirky community on Staten Island, New York. \u201cThere\u2019s something unique and complicated about that community that we want to tap into. For example, it\u2019s known as being home to a high number of 9\/11 widows. And it has an interesting mix of immigrants.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new sense of daring in choice of location has not, however, changed the basic fact that broadcasters and platforms like to invest in known IP where it is available.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are keen to acquire crime dramas based on highly successful books as there is a ready-made fan base,\u201d says Banijay\u2019s Torrance. \u201cRebecka Martinsson<\/em>, produced by Yellow Bird for TV4 Sweden, is a riveting drama series based on \u00c5sa Larsson\u2019s best-selling crime novels.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is also a lot of interest in reboot or \u201corigin\u201d stories, says Torrance, who points out that Netflix has ordered the six-part Young Wallander<\/em>, about the early years of iconic detective Kurt Wallander.<\/p>\n

BACK FOR MORE<\/strong>
\nHorchner at all3media international can also point to a high-profile reboot, the three-part series Van der Valk<\/em>. \u201cThere is a continuing need for 90-minute procedural crime dramas, so we are pleased to answer that demand. The program is being shot on location in Amsterdam. It has already been presold to ITV in the U.K., France T\u00e9l\u00e9visions and NPO in the Netherlands.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s even scope for shows that build crime narratives around familiar characters from history, notes Torrance. \u201cCasanova Investigates\u00a0<\/em>is in development at Banijay Studios Italy. Set in 18th century Venice, adventurer Giacomo Casanova is entrusted by a female secret society to investigate murders whose victims are women. Casanova\u2019s mission to avenge female victims touches on the issue of violence against women, something that still happens everywhere today.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, of course, contemporary crimes are ripe for adaptation, especially following the recent success of FX in the U.S. with its O.J. Simpson and Gianni Versace limited series.<\/p>\n

RTVE\u2019s P\u00e9rez is relatively upbeat about the prospects for basing shows on real-life crime stories. \u201cThey can make the story more attractive for the local audience because the potential [viewers] know all the particulars of the crime, and besides it helps the screenwriters to better define the characters and the situations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey interest audiences, as we can all tell by the rise in true-crime documentaries,\u201d adds Mediapro\u2019s Baselga. \u201cAs the volume of scripted shows increases and we are bombarded by all kinds of imaginable plots and twists, to have a real story to tell makes you stand out from the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Timur Weinstein, general producer at Russia\u2019s NTV Broadcasting Company, says viewers are \u201cexcited to watch stories that show real-life situations. So, a lot of our projects are based on true stories. The basis of the crime series Death Highway\u00a0<\/em>is a story about a gang attacking drivers on a highway. The Consultant\u00a0<\/em>is based on the biography of one of the most notorious killers of the 20th century, Andrei Chikatilo.\u201d<\/p>\n

At all3media international, meanwhile, Horchner references The Interrogation<\/em>, \u201ca verbatim drama based on the transcripts of police interviews of a suspected murderer. This authentic form of storytelling sourced every word from real interviews.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kew Media\u2019s Stein, however, doesn\u2019t show too much interest in real-life crime stories. \u201cThey tend to focus on older stories that the public has forgotten about. Possibly that\u2019s because they present a few legal challenges, or maybe it\u2019s because non-scripted is strong in the true-crime area. But it\u2019s not an area that is especially prominent on our development slate right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

MAKING THE CUT<\/strong>
\nDespite the popularity of the crime-drama genre, Stein says it is not an easy one to get right. \u201cWe get shown a lot of crime stories\u2014and often the writing is really good. But it takes more than that to make something pop. You\u2019re not going to have global success with a crime drama unless you have something really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

RTVE\u2019s P\u00e9rez also acknowledges that it is difficult to stand out. RTVE\u2019s response, she says, has been to innovate with hybrid shows like Estoy Vivo\u00a0<\/em>(I\u2019m Alive<\/em>). \u201cIt\u2019s a perfect combination of sci-fi and authentic detective drama.\u201d<\/p>\n

This approach has paid off internationally, says P\u00e9rez. \u201cEstoy Vivo\u00a0<\/em>has been sold to different channels and platforms in LatAm, the U.S. and Europe, and we have agreements for the format to be adapted in the U.S., France and Italy.\u201d<\/p>\n

NTV\u2019s Weinstein agrees that \u201cviewers prefer mixed-genre stories to pure crime. For example, Shadow Behind\u00a0<\/em>has crime and melodrama features, and Beyond Death\u00a0<\/em>combines the crime and [paranormal] genres.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need a distinctive voice, a personality that stands out from the rest and makes it unique,\u201d adds Mediapro\u2019s Baselga. \u201cThis, together with a good story, is the key for shows to cross borders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting a show greenlit internationally is only part of the challenge. Even more challenging, says Baselga, is securing a renewal. \u201cThe higher the concept, the bolder the bet, the harder it will be to keep up with the premise,\u201d he warns. \u201cThat is always the challenge. The best solution to that is good writing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spain has become, like the Nordic territories, a hot scripted market, attracting the interest of several international distributors. Russian producers like NTV are similarly looking to raise their profile in the global drama sector. \u201cIt\u2019s important for us to find stories that are interesting to audiences in different territories,\u201d Weinstein says. \u201cWe are constantly looking for ideas that can be implemented in any country.\u201d He is confident that NTV can compete effectively. \u201cDue to the tough competition in Russia, the level of production is really high,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

As for partnering with overseas firms, Weinstein says, \u201cWe are just entering the co-pro market. A key consideration for us is that Russian viewers prefer watching projects in Russian.\u201d<\/p>\n

AIDING AND ABETTING<\/strong>
\nAs audiences have become more receptive to the use of exotic locations as backdrops for crime dramas, the potential for co-productions has increased, says Torrance at Banijay. The result has been a steady stream of fish-out-of-water detective stories, cross-border culture clashes and groups of international citizens fighting for their lives in remote locations. As Torrance points out, Hierro<\/em>, The Gulf <\/em>and next year\u2019s GR5\u00a0<\/em>are all co-pros.<\/p>\n

Horchner at all3media international adds that crime dramas \u201chave such a broad appeal, there is a great deal of scope to co-produce and co-develop series.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trend is currently to co-produce all content,\u201d says RTVE\u2019s P\u00e9rez. \u201cIt makes it possible to have more money and that means a better product that can reach global audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether or not a show is financed across borders, the end goal is the same\u2014coming up with a concept that will travel around the globe. \u201cThe globalization of audiences is here to stay,\u201d Mediapro\u2019s Baselga says. \u201cSo even if one single operator finances a show completely on its own, they are looking at not one but all markets.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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