{"id":15655,"date":"2021-10-25T08:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T12:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev2.worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/worldscreen.com\/"},"modified":"2021-10-26T09:44:05","modified_gmt":"2021-10-26T13:44:05","slug":"say-it-again-1021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/","title":{"rendered":"Say It Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interest in scripted remakes is picking up pace as producers and distributors look for much-needed shortcuts to get fresh, compelling content onto screens.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Between rigorous testing and other new on-set processes, booked up studio space and creatives\u2019 packed schedules, the global drama business has faced a cavalcade of delays since the start of the pandemic. But audience interest is as high as it\u2019s ever been. Against that backdrop, scripted formats and reboots have emerged as a smart, efficient way to get new content to viewers while saving on development costs\u2014and at the same time having the peace of mind that the property you\u2019re remaking worked for audiences elsewhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have seen a huge growth in interest for scripted formats over the past five years and, even more so in the past 18 months, as broadcasters have seen the benefit of reduced development times on stories that are already proven successes,\u201d says Andr\u00e9 Renaud, senior VP of global format sales at BBC Studios. Renaud cites the breadth of the BBC Studios scripted-format slate, having sealed remake deals on a broad range of shows, from the dramas Doctor Foster<\/em>, Undercover<\/em>, Mistresses<\/em>, Criminal Justice<\/em> and The Split<\/em> to the megahit comedy The Office<\/em>, mainly in Asia but also in EMEA markets such as France, Russia and Turkey. \u201cLocal writers and producers have the flexibility to tell the character\u2019s story in a way that resonates with audiences,\u201d Renaud notes.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of countries that haven\u2019t traditionally done scripted formats are now more interested in them,\u201d observes Kelly Wright, the senior VP of distribution and new business at Keshet International, which has seen recent traction around its romantic comedy The Baker and the Beauty<\/em>, while False Flag<\/em> is being redone in the U.S. for Apple and in India.<\/p>\n

EMERGING MARKETS<\/strong>
\n\u201cIn Poland, there has been a surge in the quality of drama production,\u201d Wright continues. \u201cGiven the coronavirus restrictions that have been pretty severe in the country, I\u2019m seeing more interest in scripted formats. And then you have some markets like the U.S. and India, which have always been scripted-format friendly and continue to be. There\u2019s an overall positive trend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jane Sharp, formats executive at All3Media International, says the company has seen demand for scripted formats grow across all of its sales regions, \u201cboth before and during the pandemic.\u201d Liar<\/em>, in particular, has been a scripted-format hit for the company, Sharp reports. \u201cWhile historically it was volume that was a key driver in a potential deal, we have noticed a big shift to limited series proving very appealing. Equally, we are seeing an increase in the number of broadcasters approaching us to option and license, rather than third-party producers. People are keen to secure the rights for strong stories, even if the cultural nuances are different to their regular dramas.\u201d<\/p>\n

And having a better chance of a hit in the risky business of high-end drama certainly helps. \u201cWhile there is no guarantee of a hit show, arguably you stack the odds in reproducing a show that has worked to critical acclaim in another territory,\u201d Sharp adds. \u201cAnd that, of course, really reduces preproduction and development time\u2014so you can get to screen quicker, and therefore cheaper.\u201d<\/p>\n

KNOWN IP<\/strong>
\nBBC Studios\u2019 Renaud observes that the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic has left audiences clamoring for familiarity, \u201cso instant recognition of a name or story can be useful to drive viewership.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the rise of streamers, both local and global, the competition in creating good drama stories that can attract viewers is getting fierce,\u201d adds Sayako Aoki, who handles scripted format sales at Nippon TV. The Japanese media giant inked remake deals on its Mother<\/em> format in Turkey, South Korea, Ukraine, France, Thailand, China, Indonesia and Spain. \u201cDrama remakes can provide a strong structure and guidance in what has already gained success in other territories, as well as visual examples of how the series is going to turn out, and the data on how well that IP is performing,\u201d Aoki adds. \u201cAll of this is helpful for buyers when exploring the next big hits.\u201d<\/p>\n

But even if you do already have a hit on your hands, translating it for a new territory, taking into account cultural nuances, is no easy feat. Starting with a track record helps, says Nadav Palti, president and CEO of Dori Media Group, but other factors can help guarantee a successful remake.<\/p>\n

\u201cTimes change and create new situations where a certain format is suddenly more relevant,\u201d Palti explains. \u201cFor example, Lalola<\/em> today is more relevant than it was in 2007-08 when we produced it because of the #MeToo movement, and therefore is of huge interest today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dori Media boasts several other successful scripted formats in its catalog, including Split<\/em>, Ciega a Citas<\/em>, In Treatment<\/em>\u2014remade in 18 territories\u2014and Dumb<\/em>, which has been sold for remakes in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. Little Mom<\/em> is in production for Channel 4 in the U.K. as Hullraisers<\/em>.<\/p>\n

LOCAL FLAVOR<\/strong>
\nGMA Network in the Philippines has remade several Korean drama series into local hits that the group has then sold internationally, including Descendants of the Sun<\/em>. \u201cWe only acquire remakes that we can tailor to our viewer\u2019s tastes and preferences,\u201d says Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP of GMA\u2019s worldwide division, which handles content sales, syndication and distribution. \u201cDramas whose concepts are relevant and our viewers can relate to socially and culturally are very important in reboots and remakes. Sometimes we tweak a story or a character to ensure proper engagement with the target demographics as opposed to alienating them.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Series Mania this year, Cineflix Rights launched Rebecca<\/em>, the first adaptation of the critically acclaimed Marcella<\/em>. For Tom Misselbrook, senior VP of scripted sales and development, getting a remake right comes down to the \u201cdelicate balance of keeping close to the original\u2014because that is ultimately what contains the successful formula\u2014but in the process creating a distinction between the two, something that feels unique and that will resonate with local audiences within the market it\u2019s being produced. It comes down to the writing and the execution of a remake. With Rebecca<\/em>, our production partner Elephant has cleverly woven Marcella\u2019s personal journey across the first two seasons into the first season of the remake, which makes for a very emotive, intense and thrilling drama. They\u2019ve also explored Rebecca\u2019s role as a woman and a mother in her professional and personal life in greater depth, which adds another layer to our central character and makes it more relevant for today\u2019s audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Renaud says you have to start with a great idea and authentic characters. \u201cAt BBC Studios, each of our scripted formats has bold and relatable characters at the heart that can comfortably sit in a brand-new set of surroundings. Their stories are both specific and universal: a serious crimes officer trying not to be consumed by the dark crimes he investigates or even the day-to-day goings-on of people in an office environment. It is essential for us that the adaptation process is a collaborative one. We have a dual responsibility to do justice to the original creative work and be sensitive to making an adaptation that remains true to the original. We work closely with our partners to translate stories in a way that will best resonate in their own country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt depends a lot on the experience of the producers you\u2019re working with,\u201d agrees Wright at Keshet International. \u201cExperienced writers and producers can see a piece of IP and immediately form a vision for it based on their own cultural experience, where they come from and the zeitgeist of where that place is at that point in time. That\u2019s the kind of experience we had with Peter Bowker on The A Word<\/em> for the BBC and with Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa on Homeland<\/em>. It was an immediate click where they said, OK, we get your show, we see exactly where this needs to go and we\u2019re running with it. The job of the distribution company is not to interfere too much. On the opposite side of that, you have people who have never done this before. When they try to put too many twists on something that already works as it is, and they don\u2019t have the experience of doing so, that\u2019s when we see projects not succeed the way they wanted them to. And in some places, including the U.S., where they\u2019ve stayed faithful but tried to be too inventive with the material without having that clear, completely separate storyline and vision, they\u2019ve fallen. It\u2019s a tricky line to cross. There has to be creative respect on either side.\u201d<\/p>\n

TRACKING THE TAPE<\/strong>
\nOnce you have a well-executed remake on your hands, your IP becomes even more valuable given the surging interest in foreign-language drama across the globe. Cineflix Rights already fared well with Marcella<\/em> and hopes Rebecca<\/em> will be equally viable on the global circuit. Misselbrook says the company looks to retain the rights to any adaptations of its scripted formats \u201cso that we can control the brand and ensure that any remake is produced, marketed and sold effectively while taking into consideration sales of the original series. Commercially, it makes a lot of sense to do that, as it creates an additional stream of revenue for the business while adding volume to our catalog. When analyzing a particular scripted series for acquisition, we look at the potential for a remake, which forms an important factor in our decision-making process. A good example of this is Manayek<\/em>, our hard-hitting Israeli cop drama from Yoav Gross Productions. We could instantly tell the strength of the original and bought into that, but also felt that it had all the ingredients to be adapted elsewhere. We\u2019re having some interesting conversations around that currently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keshet International, similarly, looks to hold onto the distribution rights to remakes. That approach is more straightforward in some territories than others, Wright observes. \u201cIn the U.S., it\u2019s been challenging. We\u2019ve been lucky with our deal with NBC because we\u2019ve split distribution on most of the shows that we produce for NBC and Universal Television. In cases where the country or the buyer isn\u2019t fully equipped to do distribution, we step in and take on that role. Sometimes these companies want to grow their distribution, and that\u2019s something they will fight hard for, but they won\u2019t necessarily be willing to pay more for it, for example, with an MG or a higher fee. When you take on distribution, you have more expenses, but you also stand to gain. So, it is on a case-by-case basis.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also on a project-by-project basis at Dori Media, Palti observes. \u201cWe aim to distribute the remake, but when the agreement doesn\u2019t allow it, we still receive a percentage of the remake\u2019s sales.\u201d<\/p>\n

BALANCING ACT<\/strong>
\nAt BBC Studios, Renaud says those decisions about rights retention for remakes include \u201cbalancing the needs of the commissioning broadcaster in any region with the desire to have as many people as possible around the world see the great quality of production that countries bring to life. That is often the fine line everyone treads. As audiences become more comfortable seeing shows from around the world, we work closely with all of our partners to find the best way to navigate this together.\u201d<\/p>\n

For GMA Network, the approach has generally been to only take on distribution rights to its own remakes of scripted formats it has licensed from third parties. \u201cThe challenge is when we have limited distribution rights to some of our remakes,\u201d says Barcelona. \u201cAlthough this is not the norm but rather the exception, it does pose challenges in some cases. This limits the amount of content that can be offered to regular clients. But on the other hand, it opens an opportunity for a deeper and longer cooperation between the format owner and the licensee and its distributor. We trust that format owners will promote and market our adaptations and distribute them to a wider audience. If the adaptation is promoted alongside the original, it may also strengthen the marketability of the remake, and in the long run, promote Filipino dramas in general.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other complication in the scripted-formats market is the commissioning model at the global streamers, which will sometimes call for exclusivity. \u201cOn When Heroes Fly<\/em>, we sold the tape to Netflix, and Apple saw it and said, We love it and we can see this being remade with American ex-soldiers in Colombia,\u201d says Wright at Keshet International. \u201cBut when it comes to partners like Apple, you have a lot of incentive to be exclusive to them. We\u2019ve had people come to us wanting to make When Heroes Fly<\/em> and we haven\u2019t agreed to that because we\u2019re committed [to Apple\u2019s version]. The one remake is going to be Apple\u2019s. Sometimes there is no conflict of interest. Often, buyers won\u2019t mind if that IP exists, even on a platform as popular as Netflix. Countries like Germany are a bit warier of foreign-language versions entering the territory, especially if they will be dubbed in German.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are both challenges and opportunities in selling multiple versions of the same series, Dori Media\u2019s Palti observes. \u201cThe opportunity is the better and larger offer to clients, in different languages and with a different number of episodes. The challenge is managing sales worldwide without infringing on granted rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cineflix\u2019s Misselbrook adds, \u201cOne of the biggest challenges we\u2019re seeing is to be able to make a clear distinction between the original series and the remake in a way that local audiences respond to the new version. There are always obvious comparisons to make between the original and remake. If the original is very much associated with a particular platform or channel, then the challenge is to make a remake feel new and fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n

BOOM TIME<\/strong>
\nUltimately, though, the business is filled with upsides, BBC Studios\u2019 Renaud explains. \u201cOne of the most rewarding things in format distribution is to see how a story can be told and retold with different nuances every time. Not only does it give insight into a culture or a community, but it also often can shed new light on the stories themselves and give viewers the chance to rethink or rediscover a part of the story they may have missed before. Making this happen must be explored in a way that gives everyone the space to allow their own version to shine, too, and it\u2019s why we always want to spend time with our partners to talk through how their own unique version stands next to the other versions around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nippon TV\u2019s Aoki agrees, noting, \u201cTo have multiple versions based on the same IP produced, aired and distributed could be tricky when adjusting the terms like languages or holdbacks, but I feel it is more of a good influence in making the IP grow globally. As a content provider, we keep trying to provide relatable stories and innovative viewing experiences to viewers all over the world. The synergy we can see in different versions in terms of marketing and viewers\u2019 engagement is contributing to our new business opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interest in scripted remakes is picking up pace as producers and distributors look for much-needed shortcuts to get fresh, compelling content onto screens. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":290,"featured_media":15656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77,70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features","category-top-stories","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nSay It Again - TVDRAMA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Say It Again - TVDRAMA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Interest in scripted remakes is picking up pace as producers and distributors look for much-needed shortcuts to get fresh, compelling content onto screens.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TVDRAMA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-10-25T12:00:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-10-26T13:44:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2017\/07\/Doctor-Foster-Turkey-0921.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"360\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mansha Daswani\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mansha Daswani\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/\",\"name\":\"Say It Again - TVDRAMA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-10-25T12:00:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-10-26T13:44:05+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/#\/schema\/person\/83da304c8bad8bfdb3edd7eb47cfe5ad\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Say It Again\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/\",\"name\":\"TVDRAMA\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/#\/schema\/person\/83da304c8bad8bfdb3edd7eb47cfe5ad\",\"name\":\"Mansha Daswani\",\"description\":\"Mansha Daswani is the editor-in-chief and associate publisher of World Screen. She can be reached on mdaswani@worldscreen.com.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/author\/mdaswaniworldscreen-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Say It Again - TVDRAMA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Say It Again - TVDRAMA","og_description":"Interest in scripted remakes is picking up pace as producers and distributors look for much-needed shortcuts to get fresh, compelling content onto screens.","og_url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/","og_site_name":"TVDRAMA","article_published_time":"2021-10-25T12:00:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-10-26T13:44:05+00:00","og_image":[{"width":640,"height":360,"url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2017\/07\/Doctor-Foster-Turkey-0921.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mansha Daswani","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mansha Daswani","Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/","url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/","name":"Say It Again - TVDRAMA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-10-25T12:00:57+00:00","dateModified":"2021-10-26T13:44:05+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/#\/schema\/person\/83da304c8bad8bfdb3edd7eb47cfe5ad"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/say-it-again-1021\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Say It Again"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/#website","url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/","name":"TVDRAMA","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/#\/schema\/person\/83da304c8bad8bfdb3edd7eb47cfe5ad","name":"Mansha Daswani","description":"Mansha Daswani is the editor-in-chief and associate publisher of World Screen. She can be reached on mdaswani@worldscreen.com.","url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/author\/mdaswaniworldscreen-com\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/290"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15655\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvdrama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}