{"id":14094,"date":"2018-03-23T09:49:10","date_gmt":"2018-03-23T13:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/team-spirit\/"},"modified":"2018-03-26T09:37:22","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T13:37:22","slug":"team-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/team-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"Team Spirit"},"content":{"rendered":"

PREMIUM: David Wood hears from leading producers and distributors about managing co-production partnerships.<\/em><\/p>\n

The co-production partnership, a familiar feature of the kids\u2019 TV production landscape for decades, is showing few signs of going out of fashion. That is not surprising. As broadcasters increasingly face squeezes on their program budgets, co-pros remain a crucial way to raise production finance.<\/p>\n

\u201cBroadcaster contributions are under pressure,\u201d reports Jo Daris, the chief content officer at Studio 100 Media & m4e. \u201cThey ask for more rights and pay less than a few years ago. That puts a lot of pressure on other financing mechanisms, like soft money or tax incentives. The access to those incentives is often linked to having an official co-pro, in line with bilateral treaties, creating additional obligations to all partners involved and making outsourcing work to Asia much more difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

One unintended consequence is that the logistics of co-production seem to be getting more complicated, Daris adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere seem to be more pieces to the puzzle now and [the financing] takes longer to finish. This results in co-productions often being repeats of previously tested models: \u2018If it worked last time, let\u2019s not go through the hassle of finding partners somewhere else, let\u2019s copy and paste what we did before.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Jean-Philippe Randisi, the CEO of Zodiak Kids, points out that one major change that has served to make co-pros more complicated is the scarcity of master-toy-license advances.<\/p>\n

Ten or fifteen years ago, you could have launched a new series on the back of a licensing-and-merchandising advance and a couple of main broadcasters in major territories. Nowadays, because the market is so dominated by Disney, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, the space for a new entrant is very limited. \u201cBig players in the toy business\u2014Disney, Hasbro, Mattel\u2014are now producers themselves and retailers won\u2019t give space to new IP unless they think it can compete with those companies,\u201d says Randisi. \u201cAny L&M money is now likely to come later\u2014when you are in production or in season two or three\u2014when you can see if a show is a big success.\u201d<\/p>\n

One trend that has helped compensate for decreased L&M activity in kids\u2019 co-pros is the growing impact of Asian players.<\/p>\n

As Christine Brendle, the CEO of Hong Kong-based FUN Union, declares, \u201cWe see a growing pool of talent and production studios in the Asia-Pacific region and we can expect to see more characters and stories coming from South Korea, China and Japan, which are giants and involved in many co-pros. Interestingly, much more is now going on in India, Malaysia, Singapore Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and other Asian countries. This region is becoming a huge epicenter for co-pros.\u201d<\/p>\n

NEW PLAYERS<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s a trend that Jillianne Reinseth, the VP of creative affairs at Entertainment One (eOne) Family & Brands\u2014which co-produces the preschool superhero series PJ Masks<\/em> with Disney Junior and France 5\u2014also picks up on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing more original series coming from countries that were previously better known for animating purely on a service level. Original series from these regions were mainly broadcast locally but didn\u2019t travel well. Now there\u2019s more of an East meets West and North meets South approach to kids\u2019 co-productions, with characters and plots having more universal themes to appeal to a global market.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the same time, Zodiak\u2019s Randisi detects another contrary trend towards more localized co-production, certainly in Europe. \u201cThere\u2019s a definite upside and a downside to [European] co-production with Asian studios. There are certainly cost savings, but the significant downsides are that communication is more complicated, it\u2019s more difficult to keep track of what is happening on the ground and editorial ideas sometimes get lost in translation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those hiccups, combined with the strengthening of support for kids\u2019 production in key European territories and quotas for European-produced content, have led to a revival in co-producing with EU partners. \u201cIt might work out to be a bit more expensive, but it\u2019s easier to manage,\u201d says Randisi.<\/p>\n

The benefits of co-production are clear to most producers and broadcasters. OTT services, however, are not as active in such alliances yet.<\/p>\n

Streaming global players wield large program budgets and are typically looking to bankroll the entire budget for a show in exchange for rights in all territories. That has meant that as OTT players concentrate on building their kids\u2019 content libraries, many shows that might otherwise have been co-produced across different territories are instead born out of much simpler commissioner-producer relationships.<\/p>\n

Take 9 Story Media Group\u2019s deal with Netflix to reboot The Magic School Bus<\/em>. \u201cThe Magic School Bus<\/em> was one show that, if we hadn\u2019t done a deal with Netflix, we would have had to co-produce to make it work,\u201d says Vince Commisso, co-founding partner, president and CEO of 9 Story. \u201cTerritory splits don\u2019t really work for Netflix as they are global players.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commisso adds that the OTT platforms\u2019 minimal interest in kids\u2019 co-production may not always be the case. \u201cAs their subscriber bases grow strongly, it makes sense to fully finance\u2014and tempt subscribers with original kids\u2019 content. But as growth ultimately tails off, we might see OTTs get into co-pro themselves,\u201d he predicts. \u201cThey will put less money into content and producers will seek to diversify some of the risks.\u201d<\/p>\n

OTTs aside, if the overall trend is for more complicated co-productions, it\u2019s increasingly essential for partners to be able to manage projects successfully.<\/p>\n

The keys to making co-productions work haven\u2019t really changed, explains Commisso. \u201cThey need financing from more than one territory because program budgets are usually too big for finance from one,\u201d he notes. \u201cYou need partners who know each other well, who have developed some kind of understanding. Communication is critical with co-pros, so you need a group of people on both sides who are all in sync professionally and get along well personally.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reinseth at eOne also emphasizes the importance of dialogue between partners. \u201cFrequent and open communication is the best way to stay on top of the production and ensure we\u2019re all moving in the same direction. At eOne, broadcaster notes are shared with all production partners to take into consideration all of our stakeholders\u2019 requirements. Weekly calls, especially by Skype so we can communicate face to face, are great for relationship-building during the development process.\u201d<\/p>\n

CAN WE TALK?<\/strong>
\nFUN Union\u2019s Brendle adds, \u201cSometimes it\u2019s a matter of finding the right medium for communication as well. When we first started working with China\u2019s CCTV Animation [on Krash and Hehe<\/em>], we were debating over details and direction and it appeared our views were diverging until we started working with visual examples and realized we had both been talking about the same thing all along.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another golden rule is a clear division of services, Commisso notes. \u201cSay a 26-episode series has 12 important processes,\u201d such as character design, storyboarding, production, post-production, marketing or distribution. \u201cOne partner does six of the processes across the whole series and the other the rest. That way you develop expertise by specializing and exploiting economies of scale, as does your partner. Dividing up the episodes is a terrible idea. The risk is that you end up not making the same show because you will be using different directors and writers. And you lose the opportunity of both teams becoming really good at different disciplines.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicolas Atlan, the president of animation at Gaumont, likens a co-production to marriage. \u201cIf you\u2019ve chosen the right partner and genuinely like the project and you have some chemistry with the people involved, then you can solve any problems that crop up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gaumont\u2019s latest co-pro is Jack Zero<\/em>, a preschool series created by Alexander Bar and co-produced with his company, Milk Cow Media. It joins Trulli Tales<\/em>, with PVP in Canada and Fandango and Congedo in Italy; and Belle and Sebastian<\/em>, also with PVP Canada, on the French studio\u2019s slate.<\/p>\n

\u201cCo-pros can become complicated\u2014in an ideal world it would be just my team and me,\u201d quips Atlan. \u201cBut let\u2019s be realistic: co-productions are often the best way to get a show financed. But you have to think of more than just the money that a partner might be bringing to the table,\u201d he insists.<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk yourself what strengths potential partners have in their own territories,\u201d Atlan continues. \u201cPVP is a great co-producer for us in Canada and DreamWorks is great on Noddy Toyland Detective<\/em>. They are both strong and well connected. We look for a mix of finance, artistic potential and a strong relationship with their host broadcasters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marc du Pontavice, the chairman and CEO of Xilam Animation, has historically avoided co-production to protect the studio\u2019s IP, but with his facilities at full capacity, he is having to look at co-producing afresh. \u201cI think it\u2019s a luxury to say, \u2018I don\u2019t want to co-produce and deal with multiple partners.\u2019But I am skeptical when it comes to multiple co-production territories. That\u2019s because it makes it more difficult to get everyone to share one vision\u2014especially when multiple broadcast partners each have their own agenda. This can weaken the vision and everything can get more complicated and expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

VISION PROTECTION<\/strong>
\nDu Pontavice stresses there should be one creative lead. \u201cAlthough the views of other co-pro partners have to be taken into account, there has to be one vision. I am also a strong believer that there should be one company in charge of commercial activities\u2014when it comes to distribution, a division of territories usually results in a weakening of the marketing strategy. Ideally, the distribution partner should have an equity position in the property so that it is incentivized and has a bigger interest beyond the commission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daris at Studio 100 & m4e adds, \u201cThe first prerogative for successful collaboration is a clear understanding and alignment at the creative level. Even when investors are involved that are only putting in cash, there has to be a unified vision of where the production is going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reinseth of eOne notes, \u201cFinancing is important of course, but it isn\u2019t the primary driver of our collaborations. The creative collaboration is at the heart of each of our series and we believe that\u2019s the key to its success. From the very beginning of development, we work to align ourselves with our co-production partners to ensure that the tone and creative vision are coming through. Finding a production partner who believes in your series as much as you do is critical to producing a successful show.\u201d<\/p>\n

OFF THE RAILS<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s probably safe to assume that in co-productions\u2014as in any form of production\u2014things can go wrong. \u201cMisunderstandings or different interpretations based on vague deal terms and democratic principles\u2014\u2018both parties need to agree\u2019\u2014happen in almost every production,\u201d Daris says. \u201cSo discuss everything in detail in advance of signing an agreement, and make the agreement as detailed and complete as possible,\u201d he recommends. \u201cBut there\u2019s always something you forgot to discuss in advance because it seemed self-evident.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zodiak Kids\u2019 Randisi agrees. \u201cWe try to remove problematic ambiguities before committing to projects, but there can still be differences of perception behind the same words from different partners,\u201d he warns, adding that projects involving multiple broadcaster partners need special attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne broadcaster will tend to take the lead on editorial and the others will follow that lead once everyone is comfortable with the basic characters, design and positioning,\u201d Randisi continues. \u201cBut while everyone might agree at the beginning, parties may have different views of elements that come later in the process\u2014during the writing typically\u2014regarding what is age-appropriate, what is gender-appropriate or whether the script contains the right educational elements. Some may want it to be educational; others might think that\u2019s boring and don\u2019t want any of it. You need to make sure that there is enough overlap between what the different broadcasters want at the outset.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daris concludes that differences of opinion can be resolved if there\u2019s a structure in place to deal with them. \u201cThere has to be one leader who has the power to overrule for the benefit of the production, the schedule and the budget. A successful co-pro is not managed like a democracy, but at its base it\u2019s a deep, open and democratic discussion about every parameter and stage.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

David Wood hears from leading producers and distributors about managing co-production partnerships.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14095,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features","category-top-stories","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nTeam Spirit - TVKIDS<\/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\/tvkids\/team-spirit\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Team Spirit - TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"David Wood hears from leading producers and distributors about managing co-production partnerships.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/team-spirit\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-03-23T13:49:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-03-26T13:37:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2017\/07\/2018-03-23-tip-the-mouse.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"320\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"World Screen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"World Screen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/team-spirit\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/team-spirit\/\",\"name\":\"Team Spirit - 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