It has been three years since FOX Entertainment launched its $100 million International Unscripted Format Fund (IUFF), with an eye to finding the next wave of unscripted formats for the global market, and already, four series have launched from it to date. The company has partnerships in place with France\u2019s TF1 and Studio Ramsay Global, among others. All of this has contributed to flexibility in exploring unconventional ideas and embracing risk in the format space. Nathalie Wogue, senior VP of global formats at FOX Entertainment Global, talks about the strategy for third-party deals in taking on format rights and the health and vitality of the unscripted entertainment landscape.<\/p>\n
TV FORMATS:<\/strong>\u00a0What\u2019s guiding the company\u2019s format strategy? In today\u2019s entertainment ecosystem, it\u2019s essential to develop concepts that can be broadly and universally enjoyed by audiences everywhere\u2014something you can watch alongside friends and the whole family, whether that be in the U.S., Germany or Brazil. That\u2019s where we want to be as a global content creator.<\/p>\n One of the secrets to getting there involves actively pitching new ideas to our international clients, sometimes even before securing a greenlight in the U.S. We stay attuned to and ahead of emerging trends, audience tastes and our clients\u2019 needs in every territory, recognizing the value in testing new series in regions where the genre or concept will resonate with viewers.<\/p>\n TV FORMATS:<\/strong>\u00a0How is the International Unscripted Format Fund bearing fruit? With IUFF, we are strategically expanding our partnerships globally by collaboratively merging cultures and ideas while anticipating and exceeding viewer expectations. The ongoing dialogue we maintain across our global network is invaluable and continues to deliver strong original creative, underscoring the strength of the international market.<\/p>\n TV FORMATS:<\/strong>\u00a0How has the collaboration with France\u2019s TF1 worked out? This partnership with one of the main European networks enabled us to successfully test a big performance show\u2014a key genre for linear TV\u2014with a large viewing demo (prime time) and a high production value. And we\u2019re now discussing adaptations with other international channels, based on finished tapes we\u2019re very proud of. Throughout the process we learned a lot about each other, which helps to consider moving on to the next project together. And, more generally, it encourages us to work with more networks around the world, exchanging experiences and perspectives, for the ultimate benefits of the whole industry.<\/p>\n TV FORMATS:<\/strong>\u00a0What\u2019s the strategy for third-party deals in taking on format rights? TV FORMATS:<\/strong>\u00a0How does the partnership with Studio Ramsay Global bolster the format slate, and what are the strengths of that relationship? What sets Studio Ramsay Global apart, however, is the unique combination of two key factors. First, the team reliably delivers groundbreaking and imaginative concepts, continually pushing themselves creatively. Second, and unsurprisingly, there\u2019s the not-so-secret ingredient: Gordon himself. He is an unparalleled talent both in front of and behind the camera and has built a brand that travels the world and tells a great growth story, making Gordon an invaluable part of the FOX Entertainment family. Look at his hit competition series\u00a0Next Level Chef<\/em>\u00a0alone. With three seasons under its belt, the\u00a0NLC<\/em>\u00a0format has already sold into the U.K. and Spain, with more territories coming shortly.<\/p>\n TV FORMATS:<\/strong>\u00a0What\u2019s your take on the health and vitality of the unscripted entertainment landscape and the market for format remakes? Because times are challenging, the whole format industry also seems more open to development and production partnerships. For instance, international hubs are now becoming a standard discussion for cost sharing, as these facilities can present meaningful production and scheduling efficiencies. Consider the FOX format\u00a0Next Level Chef<\/em>. We established a production hub in Ireland for the competition series, where our growing list of format partners can leverage existing sets, infrastructure and expertise, presenting significant creative and financial benefits.<\/p>\n So, opportunity is everywhere with unscripted formats, thanks to the diversity of their genres, their financial and programming flexibility and their global purpose. The opportunity today\u2014and always\u2014is to create great content that can travel everywhere and, hopefully, forever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The senior VP of global formats on the strategy for third-party deals in taking on format rights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":350,"featured_media":10849,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,69],"tags":[3670,1699],"class_list":["post-10848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-interviews","category-top-stories","tag-fox-entertainment-global","tag-nathalie-wogue","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nWOGUE:<\/strong>\u00a0FOX Entertainment prides itself on being a bellwether in the unscripted space, and staying in front of global trends is an important component to our overall content strategy. We approach unscripted with an eye toward creating unexpected, unforgettable entertainment, identifying that hook of originality that will grab the viewer and keep them engaged. This sensibility is applied to both our inbound formats like\u00a0The Masked Singer\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0The Floor<\/em>, as well as outbound formats we bring to worldwide markets, such as Gordon Ramsay\u2019s hit cooking competition series\u00a0Next Level Chef<\/em>.<\/p>\n
\nWOGUE:<\/strong>\u00a0Our International Unscripted Format Fund has yielded significant success, resulting in the launch of four series to date. These include\u00a0The Big Deal<\/em>\u00a0for Ireland\u2019s Virgin Media Television in collaboration with Dublin-based BiggerStage, the celebrity performance competition\u00a0The Masterpiece<\/em>\u00a0(internationally known as\u00a0Celebrity Masterpiece<\/em>) for Workpoint Entertainment in Thailand, the celebrity competition\u00a0Beat My Mini-Mes<\/em>\u00a0(locally known as\u00a0Dream Team<\/em>) for TF1 in France and the dating show\u00a0Marriage Market<\/em>\u00a0for Germany\u2019s ProSieben.<\/p>\n
\nWOGUE:<\/strong>\u00a0TF1 has been a good partner to us and our search for uniqueness.\u00a0Beat My Mini-Mes\u00a0<\/em>started as a paper format created by FOX, co-developed with TF1, and it brought original twists to the singing competition genre: A-list celebrity singers competing against each other, surrounded by talented kids all wearing the same outfit and a vertical set that looks like an arena where they can react while their competitors are performing.<\/p>\n
\nWOGUE:<\/strong>\u00a0FOX Entertainment has a long-standing track record of creating unexpected original content and formats. We enjoy the freedom to collaborate with anyone, anywhere, and when you consider our International Unscripted Format Fund, we have even more flexibility to explore unconventional ideas and embrace risk, delivering meaningful value to our production portfolio and growing content library. This openness also means that ideas can originate from any corner of the world, allowing us to partner with those best suited to help us bring new concepts to life. In fact, we ostensibly function as an independent studio, casting a wide net and maintaining operational agility but also enjoying scale that matches our creative ambitions and growth strategy.<\/p>\n
\nWOGUE:<\/strong>\u00a0We\u2019ve been in business with Gordon Ramsay for nearly 20 years, and we can\u2019t say enough about how fortunate we are to have expanded that partnership with Studio Ramsay Global. They are amazing partners in every sense, driving both creativity and long-term value. It\u2019s widely known that cooking shows consistently captivate audiences across all platforms, despite being a hugely competitive space, but when you look stateside, the top five cooking shows on television are from Gordon and on FOX.<\/p>\n
\nWOGUE:<\/strong>\u00a0There\u2019s always room for great ideas, and we\u2019re thriving in the current landscape thanks to being creatively unrestrained and open to unconventional, innovative approaches. Compared to scripted, the TV format space can be highly cost-effective and agile, allowing for rapid production and quick responses to last-minute decisions by programmers, which is what the market is requiring today. The rise of streaming platforms has expanded opportunities for unscripted content, in all genres now, enabling the swift launch of new series, spin-offs and companion shows across networks and digital platforms, further enhancing brand reach. Niche formats have the potential to evolve into major series, moving from one platform to another or from one territory to another.<\/p>\n