Event Preview: NATPE Europe

More than 20 companies are attending NATPE Europe for the first time, joining some 100 exhibitors that have participated in the market in previous years. This is seen as a vote of confidence in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, which NATPE serves with its event and conference in Prague.

From June 22 to 25 at the Hilton Prague Hotel, these 120-plus exhibitors will include CBS Studios International, NBCUniversal Television Distribution, Telemundo Internacional and Warner Bros., all screening product for buyers from more than 30 countries.

This kind of attendance “proves that there continues to be a healthy respect for the potential of the Central and Eastern European market,” says Rod Perth, NATPE’s CEO and president. This is in spite of the political issues that surround Ukraine and Russia and the economic difficulties experienced by some of the countries in CEE—though the economic situation is expected to improve slowly.

“It’s been an overlooked region, but we continue to believe in it,” adds Perth. “We are putting together this big show where the world’s best content is available, and we are expanding our conference program to welcome a high-level group of executives who will [discuss] the future of the formats and co-production businesses. [We will also be] hearing from Adrian Hodges, who is one of television’s leading creators.”

NATPE Europe will host its first ever keynote breakfast session on Tuesday, June 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., with Hodges, co-creator of the ITV sci-fi drama Primeval, creator of Survivors, and creator of the BBC television series The Musketeers.

“We believe that we are on the right track, and we do everything we can each year to improve the market,” continues Perth. “We listen to people who attend and adapt to those things they believe they need more of or less of.”

The conference portion of NATPE Europe takes place on Monday, June 22, in the afternoon. There will be the session Global TV Formats—What’s Hot and What’s Not?, produced in association with FRAPA. Format veteran Keri Lewis Brown from the international media consultancy K7 Media will present a handpicked list of the top ten international shows of 2015.

The second session is Formats Futures: Buying or Selling? Creating or Adapting? with Jennifer Ebell, the VP of Southeast EMEA for ITV Studios Global Entertainment; Nathan Gibbs, the group head of format acquisitions for Zodiak Media; Luci Burnley, the senior VP of formats for Small World IFT; Pascal Dalton, the regional sales director of TV formats and new media for CEE at the Endemol Shine Group; and Jerome Pichot, the senior VP of formats, sales and acquisitions at French TV.

The last session on Monday is International Co-Productions: Partnerships That Are Taking Center Stage, with Ben Donald, executive producer of international drama at BBC Worldwide; Anne Mensah, the head of drama at Sky; Claude Chelli, producer and general manager at Capa Drama, a Newen subsidiary; and Simon Maxwell, the head of international drama at Channel 4.

NATPE Europe will also offer attendees two evening networking events.
On Tuesday, June 23, a cocktail reception will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Cloud 9 Sky Bar & Lounge, sponsored by Nova, TV Barrandov and APA, the Czech Producers Association.

On Wednesday, June 24, there will be a party from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the historic Municipal House in Prague’s Republic Square, sponsored by AXN Europe and Prague Studios.

Besides NATPE Europe, NATPE, which has been serving the global television industry for 51 years, also organizes a conference in Miami, known as “The Market of the Americas.” NATPE Miami will take place next year from January 19 to 21 at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach.