Leading distributors talk about how they are serving the rising appetite for drama series across the globe.<\/p>\n
When it comes to barometers for what\u2019s hot in the world of entertainment, there are few better gauges than the annual Comic-Con festival in San Diego. Though the fan event is a leading platform for studios to introduce new movie franchises, in recent years the latest superhero flicks have had to share the stage with a wealth of buzzy TV dramas, reflecting the rising importance of scripted series to the average consumer\u2019s entertainment diet.<\/p>\n
Indeed, of the top ten properties that generated the most social-media buzz at Comic-Con this year, six were TV dramas\u2014led by AMC\u2019s massive hit The Walking Dead.<\/em> (Other shows that made waves at Comic-Con included HBO\u2019s Game of Thrones<\/em>, AMC\u2019s Fear the Walking Dead<\/em>, Starz\u2019s Ash vs. Evil Dead<\/em> and FOX\u2019s The X-Files<\/em> reboot.)<\/p>\n What\u2019s also changed is America\u2019s dominance in the global supply of drama. While there\u2019s no denying that U.S. fare continues to deliver big audiences worldwide, the drama business appears to be booming everywhere. And against that backdrop, the battle is on among producers, broadcasters and distributors to land the best projects, wherever they may hail from.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is very competitive,\u201d observes Ruth Clarke, the executive VP and director of acquisitions and co-productions at ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE). \u201cThere is so much fantastic drama, and there are new drama production companies popping up all the time with great ideas, but the number of commissions is limited. It\u2019s really about finding the right projects that will get support from the broadcasters.\u201d<\/p>\n BROADER HORIZONS \u201cEverybody needs their returning procedurals,\u201d he says. \u201cWe have lots of serialized content that is, when it\u2019s not too complex, working on broader channels; otherwise, it\u2019s going on pay-TV platforms. There are still slots where you can test out Scandi crime, or that are open to inter\u00adnational co-productions that may not be U.S.-driven.\u201d<\/p>\n Liam Keelan, the director of scripted content at BBC Worldwide, backs up Pabst\u2019s perspective, noting, \u201cPeople are choosing much more varied slates than they did a year or 18 months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n As serialized storytelling has found more and more fans across the globe, \u201cit\u2019s almost surprising what will work now,\u201d says Kylie Munnich, the director of drama and comedy at Sky Vision. \u201cThe ability to watch on-demand as well as in a linear environment means that you don\u2019t have to dumb down the drama for any audience. Audiences appreciate complex and complicated stories, so broadcasters are coming to us looking for something that stands out. It\u2019s amazing when you read about what succeeds around the world\u2014there\u2019s a massive variety. And it can come from any country\u2014it\u2019s not just coming from the U.S. or the U.K.\u201d<\/p>\n For Sarah Doole, the director of global drama at FremantleMedia, the series Deutschland 83<\/em> could serve as a case study of just how much the international business of drama has changed in the last year.<\/p>\n \u201cThis time last year [July 2014], it hadn\u2019t even started shooting, and I was in New York persuading Christian Vesper at SundanceTV to read the script. Within a year we finished the series, presold it across the world without a frame going on tele\u00advision and brought SundanceTV on as a full-blown co-producer. I was at lunch with a network executive from another [U.S.] channel and she said, Why didn\u2019t you bring us Deutschland 83<\/em>? And I thought, because this time last year everybody thought we were crazy trying to get a German show on an American network! That\u2019s a milestone for the great storytelling by our guys out of Germany, and for where European drama is heading.\u201d<\/p>\n For all the headlines that serialized shows generate, there remains a clear demand for the types of procedurals that have sustained broadcasters for decades.<\/p>\n ACCORDING TO PROCEDURE FremantleMedia\u2019s Doole also believes that \u201cthere\u2019s a real dearth of great procedurals out on the market. The American networks have moved toward more serial drama. So I think we will see the emergence of procedurals done in a cleverer, more modern way. There\u2019s a commercial need for them, as broadcasters can amortize the cost\u2014they can run those episodes over and over again.\u201d<\/p>\n Alexander Coridass, the president and CEO of ZDF Enterprises, confirms that broadcasters, while open to serialized shows, are still in need of repeatable procedurals to fill their weekly drama slots. \u201cLong-running series are still very popular, especially crime and medical,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n Whatever the subgenre, Coridass says that the most important factors to look for are \u201cquality and the right package. Outstanding content such as The Killing<\/em> and Bron<\/em> have opened up new slots and established a trend. We believe in superior content more than in mathematical factors for success.\u201d<\/p>\n At eOne, Baxter has a few elements that he has an eye on when determining if a drama can cut through the clutter. \u201cThe quality of the writing always has to stand out,\u201d he says. \u201cThe world that it\u2019s set in has to have some sort of originality. There\u2019s got to be a twist: in the character, in the framing of the story, in the setting. And then the feeling that it will travel, that it will appeal not to a specific geography or even to a specific narrow niche, but that it will appeal broadly around the world. Those are the three things that are most important to us.\u201d<\/p>\n For Katrina Neylon, the executive VP for sales and marketing, TV series, at STUDIOCANAL, \u201cIt all comes down to the story, with well developed and creative writing and compelling characters. Some of these stories can be local yet at the same time have a global appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n As an example, Neylon mentions Harlan Coben\u2019s thriller The Five<\/em>, which STUDIOCANAL will be showcasing at MIPCOM. \u201cIt is shot in Liverpool, but you have never seen the city in such a modern way. With the cinematic look and the gripping story, The Five<\/em> could be set in any modern city in the world\u2014and this is exactly what the buyers are looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n Alexandra Heidrich, the head of TV sales and acquisitions at Global Screen, observes that the \u201cdemand for WWII or Nazi topics seems endless.\u201d Also hot commodities, she notes, are crime and romance. Indeed, two of the company\u2019s top drama sellers are the European telenovela Storm of Love<\/em> and the German crime drama Alarm for Cobra 11<\/em>.<\/p>\n Heidrich says that the company\u2019s German-language dramas have been notching up sales across the continent, as well as in Latin America and Asia, for some time now. A new development, however, can be found in Eastern Europe, where Global Screen\u2019s big-budget dramas are now making their way into prime-time slots.<\/p>\n EUROPEAN SUMMER It\u2019s a particularly fruitful time for scripted content in Europe, which is increasingly making its way to foreign shores.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have put even greater emphasis on project developments in key European territories such as the U.K. and Scandinavia,\u201d says Coridass. \u201cWe have partnered with two [U.K.] companies, Bonafide Films and Projector Pictures, on a first-look basis. We believe in the potential of a great idea brought to life with the right package of writers, producers and directors, who are ready to come on board early for projects with international appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n The cross-section of European dramas ZDF Enterprises will be touting at the market this year include the Scandinavian series Viva Hate<\/em> and The Fourth Man<\/em>, HBO Europe\u2019s Wataha<\/em> and two German shows, Sibel & Max<\/em> and From Istanbul with Love<\/em>.<\/p>\n Europe\u2019s biggest generator of top-selling drama today is the U.K., where eOne has stepped up its co-production activities over the last year or so. The company has a deal with Eleven Film that has resulted in two shows, E4\u2019s Glue<\/em> and Sky\u2019s The Enfield Haunting<\/em>. It is also now eyeing opportunities elsewhere in the region, having inked a deal for its first French co-pro, Ransom<\/em>, set for TF1 and produced in partnership with Shaw Media.<\/p>\n \u201cWe weren\u2019t in European production a year ago,\u201d says Baxter. \u201cNow we\u2019ve got three in the U.K., one in Scandinavia and one in France.\u201d<\/p>\n FremantleMedia has an extensive slate of British drama, but it too has been expanding its portfolio of European scripted titles.<\/p>\n \u201cThis time last year, FMI, our distribution company, had never sold any drama that wasn\u2019t in the English language,\u201d Doole notes. \u201cWithin a year we\u2019ve transformed that business. They\u2019re now selling Deutschland 83<\/em> from Germany; Acquitted<\/em>, the top-rating drama out of Norway; Dicte<\/em> out of Denmark. And we\u2019re launching, in October, Modus<\/em>, a fantastic Swedish detective thriller, based on a set of books from Anne Holt, a Swedish best-selling crime novelist.\u201d<\/p>\n Doole has her eye on France and, increasingly, Spain, where signs point to broadcasters now restarting their drama investment endeavors. She is also not taking her eye off the vibrant business in the U.K. \u201cWe\u2019re definitely looking to work with more U.K. indies in terms of bringing their shows to market. We\u2019re going to do that in different ways. We might do one or two individual co-developments with an indie on a project. We\u2019re talking to about five indies about that. Or maybe we\u2019ll do some more formal partnerships with drama indies or drama start-ups in the U.K.\u201d<\/p>\n FremantleMedia\u2019s British production business is substantial already, with its revived Euston Films label and Newman Street working on shows like Suspects<\/em>. And yet the company is still looking outside of its network to further its drama capabilities, as are numerous other distributors seeking out innovative ways to partner with the best talent.<\/p>\n FEEDING THE BEAST Other creative alliances at eOne include a partnership with American super-producer Mark Gordon for an indie studio that \u201cfinances and produces film, network, cable and digital content\u201d that will be repped worldwide by Baxter\u2019s division. He also references the appointment of Pancho Mansfield to the newly created position of president of global scripted programming \u201cto bring the TV division to the next level.\u201d These follow eOne\u2019s international output deal with AMC Networks. Out of that alliance, eOne will be showcasing Fear the Walking Dead<\/em> at MIPCOM, alongside another headline-generating title, Into the Badlands<\/em>.<\/p>\n ITV Studios\u2019 drama resurgence over the last few years has added a wealth of high-profile titles to the ITVS GE portfolio. At MIPCOM, the distributor will be unveiling Beowulf<\/em> and Jekyll and Hyde<\/em>, both from ITV Studios. ITVS GE is also tapping into the slates of acquired companies like Mammoth Screen, the producers of Poldark<\/em>, and joint-venture partners such as Noho Film & Television, which is making the highly anticipated Prime Suspect<\/em> prequel, Tennison.<\/p>\n \u201cPartly because we\u2019ve been bringing these companies into the organization, more is coming from within ITV,\u201d Clarke says of her current drama slate. \u201cBut we\u2019re also working with many third parties. We distribute Scandinavian content like Jordskott<\/em> and Angelby<\/em>. We have an exclusive distribution arrangement with 42, and a first-look development deal with Warp Films. It\u2019s a strong mix and that\u2019s really important for us. Our international broadcasters want a vast range of content, and that means that we should be working with as broad a range of production companies as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n Red Arrow\u2019s Pabst estimates that up to 75 percent of his drama distribution catalogue comes from third-party producers. His slate includes, from within the network, Fabrik Entertainment\u2019s Bosch<\/em>, returning for a second season to Amazon Prime, alongside third-party properties like Cleverman<\/em>, a futuristic drama for ABC Australia, and the ITV event movie Peter & Wendy<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve built, over the course of the years, a great network of producers,\u201d Pabst says. \u201cBecause we are so selective, people like to work with us and we commit ourselves to projects at a very early stage. That means we go in at the script phase of the projects, we share our thoughts on international [appeal], we help where needed to increase the value and make the project better. It is the early-stage involvement that helps us get our hands on projects.\u201d<\/p>\n The selection process, deciding what to invest in, is more important than ever, Pabst says. \u201cIn drama, there\u2019s a 60 percent to 70 percent flop rate. No one in the industry can change that. You can do everything right, you can be 100 percent convinced of a project, but it can still happen that the viewer doesn\u2019t like it. Everybody who wants to play this game should be aware of that.\u201d<\/p>\n STRENGTH AT HOME Neylon continues, \u201cOur focus is on prime-time dramas that can transcend borders. Our productions have a narrative style and pacing with production values that American audiences, as well as audiences worldwide, expect. We work with top-level writers like Danny Brocklehurst and showrunners such as Frank Spotnitz, who understand the storylines that travel across cultural lines and geographical borders.\u201d<\/p>\n Co-production partnerships are also helping companies share risks and allowing them to offer up titles that are innately more international. The MIPCOM World Premiere TV Screening this year is The Last Panthers<\/em>, a collaboration between France\u2019s Haut et Court and Warp Films in the U.K. for CANAL+ and Sky Atlantic. Distribution rights are being shared between STUDIOCANAL and Sky Vision.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s an interesting model, to have two commissioning broadcasters, two distributors and two production companies all jointly invested in the success of an epic series,\u201d Sky Vision\u2019s Munnich says. The collaboration process involved \u201ca lot of communication, a lot of dialogue and a lot of trust and respect. It\u2019s actually been a real pleasure to work together, especially when we know we\u2019re going to deliver something that the audiences will really love.\u201d<\/p>\n Munnich is not just relying on Sky commissions to fill her drama distribution needs. \u201cWe are open for business in terms of finding third-party producers to work with. That could be at any stage in the production as well. We\u2019re looking at scripts, start-up companies and development deals, and also investing in companies, writers and producers. We are out there, just like our competitors, scouring the world for the best drama.\u201d<\/p>\n DRAMATIC SHIFTS Variety and quality are hugely important for any drama distributor of scale, Keelan says. \u201cYou\u2019re dealing with a world where it\u2019s not only the American market on your doorstep via Netflix and other suppliers. There are some amazing dramas being produced in the Scandi region, in France, in Germany, so everything has to stand up to a global market now. That wasn\u2019t the case three or four years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n Keelan also notes that the trend towards co-production partnerships is having an effect on how broadcasters, at least in the U.K., commission new dramas.<\/p>\n \u201cThree or four years ago it was all about, We\u2019ve got a 9 o\u2019clock slot to fill and that\u2019s the most important thing to think about. Nowadays it\u2019s, Is this of interest to an international market? What other co-producers are going to be interested in getting on board? Everyone is thinking the same way, which is encouraging in that scale and being able to stand out in a global market are first and foremost.\u201d<\/p>\n ITVS GE\u2019s Clarke points to the importance of having a diverse slate that will meet the needs of a variety of clients. \u201cWe grew our business as a British distributor but we have become more and more global in the last few years, and it\u2019s really important to have that mix. We want to work with the best drama, wherever it comes from. Jordskott<\/em> has been a phenomenal success in Sweden, and at MIPCOM we\u2019ll launch Angelby<\/em>, another Swedish drama. We\u2019re also distributing some French-language drama. ITV Studios France remade A Mother\u2019s Son<\/em>, which was a British format. [Selling] European-language drama within Europe is a strong business.\u201d<\/p>\n Global Screen has a mix of German- and English-language productions among its MIPCOM highlights. Heidrich cites, among others, the period piece The Weissensee Saga<\/em>, now in its third season, and two brand-new shows, the Ken Creative collaborations across borders are a key growth opportunity for many companies, especially those like FremantleMedia that have a built-in network of producers to tap into.<\/p>\n \u201cWe get 25 or 30 producers in the same room together regularly,\u201d Doole says. \u201cWhen you get the best creatives from Italy and Germany and wherever in a room, clusters of production or co-production units are emerging. Our Danish producers and our German producers are working together on a project, which is really exciting. And this has come out of being in the room together. Our German producers are talking to our Australian producers about a story that would play out across the two countries. These are emerging from the stories, not from the fact that we want our producers to work together. It always has to come from the creative.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, ITVS GE\u2019s Clarke says, \u201cBorders are coming down and talent is traveling far more internationally now. It really feels like a global market at the moment, more so than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Leading distributors talk about how they are serving the rising appetite for drama series across the globe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":290,"featured_media":5516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nAs for what it is that broadcasters are seeking out, the answer appears to be, a bit of everything. Buyers and commissioners are more open to experimenting with new ideas, says Henrik Pabst, the managing director of Red Arrow International.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cBroadcasters used to get a lot of procedurals through their [studio] output deals,\u201d explains Stuart Baxter, the president of Entertainment One (eOne) Television International. \u201cAnd even the studios aren\u2019t delivering as many of those as they used to. The ProSiebens, the TF1s, the Mediasets, the Antena 3s, a lot of them are developing co-production partnerships, development partnerships, specifically to seed, fund and identify these more procedural-type shows.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThis speaks to a trend expressed by ZDF Enterprises\u2019 Coridass: \u201cThere are more and more possibilities for European content to compete with U.S. series on certain slots.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nAt eOne, Baxter mentions an alliance with Creative England, a division of the BFI. \u201cIt\u2019s a joint fund to identify and encourage drama writers to develop projects,\u201d Baxter says. \u201cWe will add creative support and input, and then hopefully help those projects go into proper development and ultimately to get them made. Creative England is trying to encourage regional diversity, to get producers and writers who aren\u2019t all just Central London-based\u2014so, people who work in Glasgow and Birmingham and Newcastle. There is a concern that a lot of the industry is progressively being more London-centric.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nStrategies on how to minimize risk are varied. STUDIOCANAL is tapping into the resources of its storied French film studio. \u201cStarring in high-quality dramas presents strong appeal to film talent, so a lot of the conversations we\u2019re having are around the key talent that we are able to obtain at STUDIOCANAL,\u201d Neylon observes. \u201cOur library contains over 5,000 titles, including remake rights. We\u2019re producing originals for CANAL+, and our TV production companies\u2014TANDEM Productions, RED Production Company and SAM\u2014are all leading producers with an established track record of success in prime-time programming.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nBBC Worldwide is heading to MIPCOM with a host of BBC drama commissions, led by the big-budget War and Peace<\/em>, Tony Jordan\u2019s Dickensian<\/em> and the psychological thriller Doctor Foster<\/em>, among several others. But even with BBC\u2019s significant in-house resources, Keelan is keen on external partnerships such as the one inked with Atresmedia for The Refugees<\/em>. That experience, he says, \u201cwas hugely instructive in terms of how to get these shows off the ground. Now people from different media companies around Europe are approaching BBC Worldwide to get involved in other projects.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFollett adaptation A Dangerous Fortune<\/em> and the German political series Capital Power<\/em>.<\/p>\n