{"id":17860,"date":"2020-01-15T13:00:32","date_gmt":"2020-01-15T18:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev2.worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/worldscreen.com\/"},"modified":"2020-01-15T13:15:02","modified_gmt":"2020-01-15T18:15:02","slug":"flying-high-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/flying-high-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Flying High"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Producers and distributors are rising to the challenge of delivering shows that stand out from the pack. <\/em><\/p>\n

A black hole. That\u2019s how one kids\u2019 television executive described the effect of on-demand services\u2019 proliferation in the industry, within which new platforms are launching at an unprecedented rate. The thing with a black hole\u2014or at least how those of us laymen understand it colloquially\u2014is that you don\u2019t know exactly what possibilities lie within it, whether they be a net positive or negative. Which, of course, tends to make one desperately curious to find out. Another thing about black holes? They suck up everything within reach.<\/p>\n

The major streamers are hungry for content and are gobbling up all types of programming to offer their subscribers. And their gravitational pull, with all of the opportunities they can provide with their seemingly magically expanding wallets and the enormous breadth of their appetites, collects content from producers and distributors that are not unaware of the risks but optimistic about the potential. To survive in this black hole is to stand out from all of the others in there with you. Another exec referred to the massive amount of content as a flood. A show can either catch the wave above the crowd\u2014or sink.<\/p>\n

Intergalactic phenomena and natural disasters could seem to foretell a doomsday of sorts, but the industry is more accurately in the midst of a dawn. That of a new age with new opportunities. The industry is healthy. Supply is good, and demand is even better.<\/p>\n

\u201c2020 is already shaping up to be an interesting year in kids\u2019 programming, with on-demand increasingly dominating the conversation,\u201d says Maria Bonaria Fois, CEO of Mondo TV Iberoam\u00e9rica. \u201cHowever, whatever the platform, it\u2019s clear that worldwide demand for content, in general, is growing fast\u2014and demand for children\u2019s programming, in particular, is strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

With all of these platforms and their corresponding demands for more content, Mondo TV is open to the opportunities they present and mindful of the importance of being aware of their unique needs. \u201cWe, as creators and producers, must bear in mind that there are many more channels and mediums for our output,\u201d says Fois.<\/p>\n

Kate Sanagan, head of sales and distribution at Sinking Ship Entertainment, believes that there has been a \u201crenewed interest and boom in the children\u2019s programming distribution business over the past year in particular,\u201d owed in part to the explosion of SVOD platforms. \u201cThe proliferation of on-demand platforms has breathed new life into kids\u2019 programming, offering up more spaces for kids to view programs.\u201d<\/p>\n

CROWD CONTROL
\n<\/strong>Frank Falcone, president and executive creative director at Guru Studio, sees the appeal of on-demand platforms, but he also recognizes the appeal\u2019s inherent danger. It\u2019s that fear of getting pulled into the black hole and getting lost. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to be careful about the amount of draw there is toward those services,\u201d says Falcone. \u201cThrowing a show into the VOD universe is not unlike launching an app without any support in the iOS system. It\u2019s futile. You need to really think hard about how you approach your business if you intend to sell a show into the expansive, unlimited landscape of VOD distribution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Essential to finding success in the landscape of VOD is marketing. On linear TV, there is a finite number of shows to fill a finite number of slots. If a child is up at 8 a.m. on a Saturday, any show that\u2019s on at that time on the channel bouquet in their household has a fighting chance of being watched just by virtue of being on air. When it comes to streamers, the risk of being a drop in the bucket is significantly greater. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have a plan for marketing your show, you might as well not make it,\u201d says Falcone. \u201cYou\u2019re just kind of rolling the dice that somebody might discover it and viral buzz might happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The amount of content and the difficulty in discovering new shows on platforms is compounded by the frequency with which shows launch, according to Falcone. A long-running theory of his about traditional broadcasters is now part and parcel of the practice of on-demand platforms. \u201cI always joked that traditional broadcasters would launch a new episode every week, if they were lucky, to reignite excitement over a show. Some of these services are launching a new show every week, which is unheard of in the history of content production for kids\u2019 TV.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Konami Cross Media NY, home to such household-name heritage brands as Yu-Gi-Oh!, Frogger and Bomberman, the VOD boom has been an unmitigated boon. \u201cThe biggest and fastest-growing opportunities for us are the OTT and SVOD platforms,\u201d says Jennifer Buzzelli, co-production and distribution consultant for Konami. \u201cAll of our free- and pay-TV clients are launching their own SVOD platforms. So we\u2019ve been able to expand our business digitally in that sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

NO LIMITS
\n<\/strong>Another overall benefit of the broadening VOD landscape, according to Buzzelli, is that producers feel empowered to bust boundaries and push the envelope creatively. More niche segments of the industry like anime and education now have an easier time finding a home. \u201cCreatively, it\u2019s going to be wonderful to see where some of these producers can go,\u201d says Buzzelli, who, like Falcone, is conscious of the imperative for content to differentiate itself. \u201cIf you\u2019re on Netflix, but you\u2019re not a Netflix original, how do you get to be on the homepage? That\u2019s the challenge, to stand apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

The challenge to stand apart is something streamers indubitably present, but it\u2019s also one for which they provide a space to confront. They welcome diverse programming with new ideas and formats and styles, opening their arms to nontraditional original content from those willing to take the chance of getting lost on their services. \u201cMore sophisticated storytelling is possible for series presented on streaming services,\u201d says Martin Krieger, CEO of Studio 100 Media. \u201cStreaming allows a larger narrative arc. Classic TV airing requires a consistent duration and with rather autonomous episodes in order to guarantee broadcasters freedom in programming in regard to the order of episodes.\u201d<\/p>\n

As far as genre is concerned when it comes to sellable kids\u2019 content, comedy remains popular. As do action and adventure series. The great equalizer, however, execs seem to agree, is quality. If a show is inarguably good, it will sell and perform well, no matter the genre boxes it ticks. With that being said, those who put content into the world meant for the youngest among us can assume a responsibility to provide programming that\u2019s not only good but good\u00a0for\u00a0<\/em>its audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a renewed push toward educational content,\u201d says Guru\u2019s Falcone. \u201cThe commercialization of children\u2019s content is obviously necessary to sustain the business, but at the end of the day, we have a duty and a responsibility to children to ensure they eat healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

ECO ADVENTURES
\n<\/strong>Mondo TV\u2019s Fois would argue that shows introducing children to environmental concerns serve an essential role in today\u2019s kids\u2019 content, as climate change has duly become more central to the global conversation. It bears noting that Greta Thunberg is an environmental activist at only 17. \u201cWhen it comes to emerging themes, we are increasingly aware of the importance of the environment to young audiences,\u201d says Fois. \u201cIf there\u2019s a type of content that will be more and more in demand in the future, this is undoubtedly the one.\u201d Mondo TV is on top of this trend with eco-adventure series on its slate such as the forthcoming MeteoHeroes\u00a0<\/em>and YooHoo to the Rescue<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The former, a co-production with MOPI (the weather forecasting group Meteo Operations Italia), follows six kids who discover that they can each control a different weather phenomenon. It addresses issues like climate change, ecology and respect for nature within an action-packed adventure designed to engage its young audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is more than ever a need to reflect cultural issues and world events because our young audience wants to be part of that conversation,\u201d says Fois. \u201cThus, given the volume of content being produced, a point of differentiation now is not just how engaged the audience is, but the depth of engagement of the content produced.\u201d<\/p>\n

Studio 100 Media is likewise looking at how it can incorporate learning into its series, including with Doctor Space<\/em>, an animated comedy series set in an alien ER aimed at the 4- to 7-year-old set that has a \u201csoft\u201d educational curriculum. \u201cLooking at preschool content, we see that at least a soft curriculum is recommended,\u201d says Krieger. \u201cGenerally, for all age groups, gender-neutral comedy is the most sought-after. Nevertheless, if a concept is unique and convincing, broadcasters are also open to jumping in at the deep end and considering it for their network.\u201d<\/p>\n

If genre is a lesser concern, one might suspect that the real debate is between known brands and original concepts, but as we kick off a new decade, the industry isn\u2019t convinced one has too meaningful of an advantage over the other. Known brands are easier to market, sure, but buyers and those on the hunt for a co-production are scanning for new ideas as well. That black hole? It\u2019s eating up everything.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe known brands are often slam dunks in many ways, but there is definitely an appetite for other types of content and angles and boundary-pushing,\u201d says Konami\u2019s Buzzelli, who adds that those who are looking for the next big thing \u201cwant it to be different, to stand out above the crowd.\u201d She points out that Konami benefits from having established brands and that it\u2019s also developing new IP. \u201cWe are trying to find the gaps in the market and fill those gaps with the new IP that we\u2019re managing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sinking Ship\u2019s Sanagan agrees that while known IP\u2019s popularity endures, original ideas are catching buyers\u2019 eyes these days as well.\u00a0\u201cOur current series Endlings\u00a0<\/em>is a good example of that with nine broadcast partners involved in the financing,\u201d she says. \u201cBroadcasters also look for original stories that appeal to kids of today, both topically and thematically.\u201d Sanagan adds that there\u2019s been \u201cmore focus on telling stories with diverse characters and from creators who have not been heard previously.\u201d<\/p>\n

ORIGINAL SPIN
\n<\/strong>One conjecture about the future of the industry is that the tide will organically turn toward more original material out of necessity\u2014how many established brands are there left that are worth adapting or rebooting? As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. So if established ideas are no longer going to cut it, the onus is on kids\u2019 content creators to figure out what will and get to work creating it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe conservative mindset to go with what you know has emerged again with people taking titles from famous books and publishing brands,\u201d observes Guru\u2019s Falcone. \u201cThere\u2019s the reboot phenomenon, which has maybe run its course now that we\u2019ve rebooted just about everything we can. There\u2019s going to be a need for original content and finding the white spaces, finding the places that are untapped and finding that the demand will always be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another marked change in the kids\u2019 TV market is how programs are financed. There are more complex methods of cobbling together the funding for projects than ever; it can be complicated, but it also brings about new opportunities that may not have presented themselves in the past.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach property has a unique and different finance structure from the last one,\u201d Sanagan of Sinking Ship says. \u201cWhen we examine a new property, we devise a strategy we think will best serve the content. That could be one SVOD partner, and it could be a contingent of several partners. If you start from looking at what the series needs, you\u2019ll find the right partner.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Guru, Falcone notes, \u201cWe had three really diverse and inventive models of funding two shows that we got off the ground involving majors and local producers and tax credits and even foreign investors with Chinese roots,\u201d he says. \u201cThe traditional Canadian model of a license fee from a U.S. broadcaster and tax credits, and a Canadian broadcaster taking a lead\u2014that seems like an archaic model at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within the industry, anyone can initiate the conversation about a property from any part of the world. Keeping that in mind, Guru, which counts among its titles Pikwik Pack<\/em>, True and the Rainbow Kingdom\u00a0<\/em>and Big Blue<\/em>, isn\u2019t restricting itself to leads in Canada\u2014or narrow definitions of co-production.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing more co-productions as commercial co-productions, where you have a brand owner or a commercial interest with little or no content development experience looking to produce [with a company with] a track record for creating successful shows,\u201d says Falcone. \u201cAnd they look to us as a content partner to help create stories around brand concepts.\u201d<\/p>\n

TEAM SPIRIT
\n<\/strong>Konami\u2019s Buzzelli finds that the co-production world is robust and that people are eager to join forces on a project, creating varied avenues for financing. While the company has yet to enter into actual negotiations for its titles just yet, \u201cmost of the production partners we\u2019ve engaged with have expressed their openness and flexibility,\u201d says Buzzelli. \u201cIn terms of just different division of labor\u2014who writes the scripts, who does this, who does that? I find a real openness with regard to that, which is pleasing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very engaged with potential production partners and co-production partners on all three of the new IPs that we\u2019re developing,\u201d she says. \u201cWe\u2019re really looking to partner with strong, strategic production partners, both domestically and abroad, and we\u2019ve made progress, but we still have a ways to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mondo TV has partnered with content producers from around the world for co-productions and co-financing, which helps to manage rising budget levels, according to Fois. \u201cRaising production finance has become a complicated business,\u201d she says. \u201cThere is no one formula for financing; every production comes with a different model.\u201d<\/p>\n

Studio 100\u2019s\u00a0Krieger observes, \u201cTraditionally, two commissioning broadcasters combined with interesting funding possibilities\u2014for example in France or in Australia\u2014are the aim for financing a project, together with presales to close potential gaps in funding. This still works, but streaming platforms are also open to co-commissioning together with a broadcaster.\u201dThe company is currently working on 100% Wolf\u2013Legend of the Moonstone<\/em>, a co-pro between its Flying Bark Productions and ABC Australia and Super RTL.<\/p>\n

The influence of digital\u2014on genre, marketing, creative concepts, formats and financing\u2014is touching every corner of the industry. \u201cThere is no longer a simply defined traditional free-to-air\/pay-TV path,\u201d says Mondo TV\u2019s Fois. \u201cContent creators, producers and distributors now need to establish a \u2018holistic\u2019 strategy. That is where we expect to find real synergies\u2014and great opportunities!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Producers and distributors are rising to the challenge of delivering shows that stand out from the pack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1033,"featured_media":17861,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79],"tags":[1945,4452,1272,423,556],"class_list":["post-17860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features","tag-guru-studio","tag-konami-cross-media-ny","tag-mondo-tv-iberoamerica","tag-sinking-ship-entertainment","tag-studio-100-media","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nFlying High - 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\/flying-high-2020\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Flying High - TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Producers and distributors are rising to the challenge of delivering shows that stand out from the pack.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/flying-high-2020\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-01-15T18:00:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-01-15T18:15:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2017\/07\/GURU-STUDIO-BIG-BLUE-THUMB-0120.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"319\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chelsea Regan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Chelsea Regan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/flying-high-2020\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/flying-high-2020\/\",\"name\":\"Flying High - TVKIDS\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-01-15T18:00:32+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-01-15T18:15:02+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/2a2c6d8fb3c7c8b4220b8877ecffb79a\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/flying-high-2020\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/flying-high-2020\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/flying-high-2020\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Flying High\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\",\"name\":\"TVKIDS\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/2a2c6d8fb3c7c8b4220b8877ecffb79a\",\"name\":\"Chelsea Regan\",\"description\":\"Chelsea Regan is the managing editor of World Screen. 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