{"id":8497,"date":"2016-04-02T08:06:24","date_gmt":"2016-04-02T12:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/top-factual-buyers-talk-trends-wish-lists\/"},"modified":"2016-04-08T17:29:54","modified_gmt":"2016-04-08T21:29:54","slug":"top-factual-buyers-talk-trends-wish-lists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/top-factual-buyers-talk-trends-wish-lists\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Factual Buyers Talk Trends, Wish Lists at MIPDoc"},"content":{"rendered":"

CANNES: Smithsonian\u2019s David Royle, Discovery\u2019s Nesta Owens, RMC D\u00e9couverte\u2019s Corentin Glutron and ZDF\/ZDF Enterprises\u2019s Kristina Hollstein offered up insight into their programming and acquisition strategies at a MIPDoc panel moderated by World Screen<\/em>\u2019s Anna Carugati before receiving the inaugural World Screen Factual Trendsetter Awards.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe live in an ever-changing, complex, sometimes dangerous world, but television, with its inimitable capacity to join images and sounds and special effects, is uniquely positioned to explain complex issues,\u201d said Carugati, group editorial director at World Screen<\/em>, in introducing the View From the Top: What Do Buyers Want? panel. \u201cComplex issues are often the topic of the programming that [these channels] look into. Factual programming, of all genres, embodies the best of what television can offer. It can illuminate, it can educate, and hopefully it can be awe-inspiring too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hollstein is the director of acquisitions and co-productions for documentaries at ZDF and ZDF Enterprises in Germany. Her team handles the business negotiation side of programming choices, while the editorial decisions are made by the 15 departments buying, producing and co-producing documentaries at ZDF. There is the main channel as well as digital channels like ZDFinfo, which buys around 450 hours a year, and ZDFneo, among others. \u201cIt\u2019s a whole group of channels and there\u2019s a big need for documentaries,\u201d Hollstein said.<\/p>\n

Royle serves as executive VP of programming and production at Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution. \u201cThe Smithsonian is a collection of 19 different museums covering a huge range of subjects, from history to music, natural history, science and aviation. That allows us as a channel to explore all the different areas of nonfiction,\u201d Royle said. \u201cWe\u2019re very involved in the co-production market. So having international co-production partners is at the heart of our DNA. We acquire programming, we produce original programming, and we look for programming that is not just informative but is also entertaining.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corentin Glutron heads up acquisitions at RMC D\u00e9couverte in France, which has only been in operation for about three years. It is a free-TV channel in France specialized in factual. \u201cWe are buying around 1,500 hours a year,\u201d Glutron said. \u201cAnd we are also looking for entertainment in factual.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nesta Owens, as director of programs for Discovery Networks in CEEMEA, buys for at least 15 channel brands, among them the flagship Discovery, TLC, ID and Animal Planet.<\/p>\n

Carugati asked the panelists about recent acquired or co-produced successes. ZDF\u2019s Hollstein mentioned an Australian co-pro called First Flight<\/em>, as well as acquired films on the British royal family and a special on the bombing of Auschwitz.<\/p>\n

For Smithsonian, a key highlight has been Mayday<\/em>\/Air Disasters<\/em>. \u201cWherever it goes out it does wonderfully well,\u201d Royle said.<\/p>\n

That series is also doing well on RMC D\u00e9couverte, Glutron noted, but the channel\u2019s breakout hit has been the French version of Top Gear<\/em>, which doubled the ratings of the original British show.<\/p>\n

Owens at Discovery highlighted Diamond River Hunters<\/em>, which reflects a resurgence in the popularity of \u201cdirty jobs\/hard work\u201d genre shows.<\/p>\n

The conversation moved on to the role of co-pros for these channels. Royle noted that audiences don\u2019t know the difference between acquired or co-produced programs, adding, \u201cOne of the great things about co-productions is you share the risk with an international partner. The other thing is that you have more people bringing perspective to a program, so when that collaborative process works well, you\u2019ve got more input, more insights, and it just makes the whole project richer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corentin noted that co-pros are important \u201cbecause it\u2019s not that easy to have a huge number of hours [of factual content] in French.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hollstein agreed with Royle that the audience shouldn\u2019t be able to tell if you bought a program or co-produced it. \u201cWe have to find programs that feel like ZDF programs. It must feel like it corresponds to the needs of our brands. If we have a co-production for Terra X [a doc slot on ZDF], it may need a German perspective. It\u2019s extremely important for us to have reediting rights for our version. The audience has certain expectations. To be honest, whenever it\u2019s possible I would like to avoid a co-production. A co-production is extremely complicated. It\u2019s a long and unforeseeable process. We can only enter an international co-production if we know the financing is completed. That means sometimes we have to wait a long time until the producer completes the financing. I would rather recommend that a producer comes to us as a presale partner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Discovery\u2019s Owens noted that audiences are unforgiving. \u201cAnything I buy, produce or co-produce has to comparable\u201d to the high-end output coming out of the channel\u2019s sister U.S. feeds.<\/p>\n

Carugati asked the panelists about what audiences expect, especially when it comes to 4K, special effects and reenactments.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re a huge believer in 4K,\u201d Smithsonian\u2019s Royle said. \u201cWe launched as an HD channel when there were very few HD channels out there. So yes we\u2019re pushing it. People have larger and larger TV screens and expect higher and higher quality. But at the end of the day it\u2019s not just about technology. The fundamentals remain absolutely key\u2014great storytelling and the ability to capture great moments on film.\u201d<\/p>\n

Glutron agreed that great storytelling is paramount; 4K is not an issue yet for the channel, as not all channels in France have even made it to HD yet. \u201cThe most important thing is the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Hollstein, \u201cSometimes a simple film can attract a great audience, but depending on the slot our audience is spoiled and they expect reenactments and special effects. This has been true for the last ten years. In terms of 4K, my feeling is that the big projects are already being produced or proposed in 4K. The question is if the post-production takes place in 4K. ZDF switched to HD a couple of years ago. We reserve the right to have access to the 4K version in case we need it in a couple of years\u2019 time, but it\u2019s not necessary yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Royle noted that people\u2019s \u201ctolerance of black and white has gone down. Colorization has become much more important. The pioneers of that are in France. Apocalypse<\/em> was a worldwide success and it was a fantastically good acquisition for us. The colorization of black and white footage was done with enormous care and accuracy. Younger audiences today, certainly in the U.S., find black and white distancing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The conversation then moved to striking a balance between event specials and series.<\/p>\n

Owens said that the move back to specials is being led by Discovery Channel U.S. chief Rich Ross. \u201cI\u2019m delighted. They\u2019re a sprinkling of magic and they make viewers feel special and make the channel feel special.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Corentin at RMC D\u00e9couverte, the balance between specials and series is easy, as it\u2019s based on the channel\u2019s programming slots. The building slot relies on series, and Top Gear<\/em> has it\u2019s own slot. There\u2019s a Tuesday block for specials. The megastructure and history blocks also rely on one-offs or short-run series no longer than six episodes, as finding series for these strands is more challenging. \u201cYou don\u2019t do 20 hours about World War I or the Paris subway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us, having a number of special programs every year that break through the media clutter is absolutely critical,\u201d Smithsonian\u2019s Royle said. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s big, bold programs about discoveries. On other occasions they tie in with events.\u201d One such example is MLK Assassination Tapes<\/em>. \u201cSeries are key to any programmers\u2019 schedule. Series are probably the most important thing we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially in daytime,\u201d Glutron added.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s true you need a balance,\u201d Hollstein noted. \u201cIn general [on the main channel] it\u2019s more difficult to have series. Every documentary we air on the main channel has to be a standalone documentary. Sometimes they are two- or three-parters. The longest would be six hours. We try not have series on the main channel. What is interesting for producers is that the digital channels have a big need for good programming. So we often combine the acquisition of the series for the digital channel with the right to do a special for the main channel.\u201d<\/p>\n

In discussing how audiences are accessing these channels, Royle said that an important issue for producers is rights clearances. \u201cWe don’t look at programs as delivering to audiences simply through television. We have to be able to deliver through multiple platforms. That means you need to clear rights for all sorts of uses.\u201d<\/p>\n

The defining message for producers from these programmers was: do your research. Fully understand what a channel\u2019s needs are before you pitch. If you keep pitching shows that aren\u2019t suitable for that channel brand, you run the risk of them no longer looking at any of your pitches in the future.<\/p>\n

Owens, who has a broad remit, said, \u201cbring us your best ideas. We\u2019re excited to work with everybody.\u201d She went on to note that one of her key requirements is companion pieces to new shows coming out of the U.S., such as Manifesto<\/em>, about the Unabomber, and Harley and the Davidsons<\/em>. \u201cCompanion pieces that explain what\u2019s going on in our big blue-chip productions, that amplify what we\u2019re getting from the States.\u201d<\/p>\n

Royle stressed relevancy. \u201cAn idea that is going to key in with something that they think will happen in the future or something that will capture the public\u2019s imagination. Looking forward into the zeitgeist makes a huge difference for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hollstein\u2019s focus is on historical and space docs, and \u201csomething that surprises me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The session wrapped with discussion about how Netflix and its buzz-generating Making a Murderer<\/em> series has impacted the factual business.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are all attentive to see how Netflix may change the market,\u201d said Hollstein. \u201cWe cooperate with them, as they have a need for local programming in the German market. On the other hand, we have to protect our rights and the programs we have on our channel. For factual Netflix is not a big competitor, but that will change. The market will change and we have to see what it will mean for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Royle said he welcomes Netflix moving into nonfiction. \u201cIt says there\u2019s an audience out there. People are turning to nonfiction in a big way. It\u2019s commercial. Yes it\u2019s more competition but it\u2019s more money going into the genre we all care about and love.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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