TCB Media Rights to Host Fifth Annual Development Day

TCB Media Rights is set to kick off its fifth annual Development Day pitching event in London this week, where top global and emerging indies will pitch ideas to buyers and commissioners.

The 2019 TCB Development Day has attracted a record number of attendees. Among them will be 35 buyers and commissioners from 15 core TV territories, including those from Discovery, RMC Decouverte, Channel 4 and SBS. All of the shows to be presented have been assessed for distribution potential by TCB Founder and CEO Paul Heaney and his team.

Since the launch of TCB Development Day in 2015, a number of successful factual projects have been greenlit and subsequently sold around the world. Last year’s Development Day generated two of TCB’s MIPCOM releases—Curve Media’s How Did They Build That?, acquired by Germany’s Welt and the BBC for Africa, Asia, CEE and the Scandinavian territories; and Monster Films’ Plane Reclaimers, picked up by Discovery Italy and Viasat World.

Nicola Davey, TCB’s acquisitions and co-productions executive, said: “We should thank our friends at RMC Decouverte in France for first suggesting this day take place five years ago, and then WELT in Germany for enthusiastically asking to join too. Since its inception, the day has now developed a real head of steam and we’re infinitely proud of what it’s evolved into. There’s a lot of talk about how important it is for distributors to become involved in projects at the point of development and this day really hits that mark, acting as TCB’s very own development stage.

“That said, it’s also not just a day designed to help build our pipeline, it’s beneficial to everyone involved. It offers indies a uniquely intimate platform from which to launch their ideas to key buyers and, with luck, secure the presales needed to fund those projects; and it gives buyers access to fresh, original ideas from the best factual producers in the business before anyone else. The day takes a lot of planning, but judging by the caliber of shows it has helped bring to life its more than worth our time and we’ve every intention of continuing the day and growing it year on year.”