I N T E R N A T I O N A L www.V i deoAge.org Photo Caption BUSINESS JOURNAL OF FILM, BROADCASTING, BROADBAND, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION MARCH/APRIL 2013 - VOL. 33 NO. 2 - $9.75 (Continued on Page 34) My 2¢: Pinky-ring, puff fold, collar pin-wearing syndicators Canada’s docs take flight at Toronto’s Bloor page 42 page 24 (Continued on Page 22) Second Screen to the Rescue MIP-TV at 50: Remembering Good Ole Days (Continued on Page 26) Despite Riches, Quality Channels Hitting Snags page 18 page 10 L.A. Screenings: Sneak preview of hot new U.S. TV season Book Review: FOX News. What you already suspect is on To celebrate MIP-TV’s 50th anniversary,VideoAge(present at themarket since 1982) called on a few former — and some current —TV executives who led the industry during its “golden era.” Distributors and buyers alike recall what MIP-TV was like in those early years. Nowadays, traditional linear television is battling fragmentation, disruption, reducedrevenues, legal, technological and regulatory challenges and increased costs. But haveno fear,what technology taketh, technology giveth. If new technology spearheaded a plethoraofproblems for theTVscreen, new technology is now coming to the rescue with a second screen. As 2nd Screen Society’s Chuck Parker explained, traditional television could recapture viewers’ attention by engaging them through a second screen, be it a smartphone, a tablet or laptop. By Dom Serafini The successful business model created by cable and satellite channels is bringing the companies that own them billions of dollars in profit and a large catalog of high-quality programs. Actually, what drives the financial growthofthesechannelsisthequality of the shows which the channels leverage in order to get more money per subscriber from providers. And yet, this El Dorado could represent the tip of the bell curve, marking the beginning of the end of the same model that created it. Curiously, while this drama unfolds, companies are flooding the markets with even more new channels, especially sports channels, like Clint Eastwood’s Back9Network golf lifestyle channel. For the TV provider sector, churn is no longer even contemplated, the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are: * Cord-nevers: Young people who don’t subscribe to a cable or satellite TV service when they move out of their parents’ house. If they want to watch a particular show, they stream or download it. TV AND VIDEO An analysis of evolving consumer habits AnEricssonConsumer InsightSummaryReport August2012 consumerlab “Gosh, this is really hell!”
MAIN OFFICES 216 EAST 75TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10021 TEL: (212) 288-3933 FAX: (212) 288-3424 WWW.VIDEOAGE.ORG WWW.VIDEOAGELATINO.COM WWW.VIDEOAGE.IT P.O. BOX 25282 LOS ANGELES, CA 90025 VIALE ABRUZZI 30 20123 MILAN, ITALY YUKARI MEDIA YMI BLDG. 3-3-4, UCHIHIRANOMACHI CHUO-KU, OSAKA JAPAN TEL: (816) 4790-2222 EDITOR DOM SERAFINI ASSISTANT EDITOR SARA ALESSI EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS ISME BENNIE (CANADA) ENZO CHIARULLO (ITALY) LUCY COHEN BLATTER CARLOS GUROVICH LEAH HOCHBAUM ROSNER BOB JENKINS (U.K.) AKIKO KOBAYACHI (JAPAN) DAVID SHORT (AFRICA) MARIA ZUPPELLO (BRAZIL) PUBLISHER MONICA GORGHETTO BUSINESS OFFICE LEN FINKEL LEGAL OFFICE ROBERT ACKERMANN, STEVE SCHIFFMAN WEB MANAGER MIKE FAIVRE DESIGN/LAYOUT CARMINE RASPAOLO ILLUSTRATIONS BOB SHOCHET VIDEO AGE INTERNATIONAL (ISSN 0278-5013 USPS 601-230) IS PUBLISHED SEVEN TIMES A YEAR: JANUARY, MARCH/APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER/DECEMBER. PLUS DAILIES BY TV TRADE MEDIA, INC. © TV TRADE MEDIA INC. 2013. THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF VIDEO AGE INTERNATIONAL ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT IN THE U.S., U.K., AND ALL COUNTRIES SIGNATORY TO THE BERNE CONVENTIO AND THE PAN-AMERICAN CONVENTION. SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO VIDEO AGE INTERNATIONAL, 216 EAST 75TH STREET, SUITE PW, NEW YORK, NY 10021, U.S.A. PURSUANT TO THE U.S. COPYRIGHTS ACT OF 1976, THE RIGHTS OF ALL CONTENT DONE ON ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL VIDEOAGE PUBLICATIONS ARE HELD BY THE PUBLISHER OF VIDEOAGE, WHICH COMMISSIONED THEM Cover Stories I N T E R N A T I O N A L www.VideoAge.org PhotoCaption BUSINESS JOURNALOF FILM,BROADCASTING,BROADBAND,PRODUCTION,DISTRIBUTION MARCH/APRIL 2013 -VOL.33NO.2 - $9.75 (Continued onPage34) My2¢:Pinky-ring,puff fold,collarpin-wearing syndicators Canada’s docs take flight at Toronto’s Bloor page42 page24 (Continued onPage22) SecondScreen to theRescue MIP-TVat50: Remembering GoodOleDays (Continued onPage26) Despite Riches, Quality Channels Hitting Snags page18 page10 L.A.Screenings: Sneakpreviewofhot newU.S.TV season BookReview: FOXNews.What you already suspect is on To celebrate MIP-TV’s 50th anniversary,VideoAge(present atthemarketsince1982)called ona few former—and some current —TVexecutiveswho ledthe industry during its “golden era.” Distributors and buyers alike recallwhatMIP-TV was like in thoseearlyyears. Nowadays, traditional linear television is battling fragmentation, disruption, reducedrevenues,legal,technological and regulatory challenges and increasedcosts.Buthavenofear,what technologytaketh,technologygiveth. If new technology spearheaded a plethoraofproblemsfortheTVscreen, new technology isnow coming to the rescuewithasecondscreen. As 2nd Screen Society’s Chuck Parker explained, traditional television could recapture viewers’ attentionbyengaging them through a second screen,be ita smartphone, a tabletor laptop. ByDomSerafini The successful businessmodel created by cable and satellite channels is bringing the companies thatown thembillionsof dollars in profit and a large catalog ofhigh-qualityprograms. Actually,what drives the financial growthofthesechannelsisthequality of the shows which the channels leverage in order to getmoremoney per subscriber from providers. And yet, this El Dorado could represent the tip of the bell curve, marking thebeginningof theendof the same model that created it. Curiously, while thisdramaunfolds, companies are flooding themarketswith even morenewchannels,especially sports channels, like Clint Eastwood’s Back9Networkgolf lifestylechannel. For theTVprovidersector,churn is nolongerevencontemplated,thefour Horsemenof theApocalypseare: *Cord-nevers:Youngpeoplewho don’t subscribe toacableor satellite TV servicewhen theymove out of their parents’ house. If they want to watch a particular show, they streamordownload it. TV AND VIDEO An analysisof evolving consumerhabits AnEricssonConsumer InsightSummaryReport August2012 consumerlab “Gosh, this is reallyhell!” How we miss those pinkyring, puff fold, collar pinwearing U.S. domestic syndicators page 42 18L.A. Screenings: A sneak preview of the hot new U.S. TV season 30Cable-satellite TV networks: New Canadian channel initiatives have power 32On the road to MIP! Veteran seller-turned-buyer recalls her first market 24Canada’s docs: Feature-length documentaries take flight at Toronto’s Bloor News 10Book Review: FOX News fills a niche 17Emerging Mart: A bull TV market at DISCOP 40Calendar of events and airport news 14Mart Review: NATPE’s activity, attendance and costs all climb Features 4 Hollywood, Czech Republic 8 Switzerland. Plus, Letters 6 China, Thailand World Channels’ fortunes and high quality shows still hit snags MIP-TV reminiscences for the good ole days 50 years ago The second screen is coming to the first screen’s (linear TV stations) rescue
March/April 2013 4 World www.breakthroughentertainment.com e distribution@breakthroughentertainment.com (Continued on Page 6) Under new owner Jay Penske, Variety ceased publication of its daily edition last month, and now puts out a weekly print edition on Tuesdays. To save the beleaguered trade, no fewer than three editors-in-chief were named: Claudia Eller, who came over from The Los Angeles Times, plus insiders Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein. Former editor Tim Gray moved over to special projects. Variety originated as a New York-based weekly publication in 1905, expanding to a Hollywood-based daily edition in 1933. In 1987 it was purchased by Reed Elsevier. PenskeMedia Corporation (PMC)—which owns publications/blogs likeBGR, Deadline, Hollywood Life, HollyBaby, ENTV, MovieLine, TVLine, and OnCars — acquired Variety from Reed Elsevier in 2012 for a reported $25 million, but it was maintained as a separate profit center outside PMC. Financing was provided by Third Point, a hedge fund founded by investor Daniel S. Loeb. More Changes at Hollywood’s Rag Tereza Polachová (executive producer), Antony Root (executive producer and HBO EVP), Ondrej Zach (SVP of Programming) Presented inPrague, Czech Republic, at the end of January, Burning Bush is the first major local production of HBO Europe. It is a threepart miniseries created for HBO by Polish director Agnieszka Holland that reconstructs the story that has left a deep mark on the Czechoslovak society and, more broadly, in all the countries of Eastern Europe. Burning Bush focuses on the personal sacrifice of Prague history student Jan Palach who in September 1969 set himself on fire in protest against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia (the so-called “Prague Spring”). Dagmar Burešová, a young female lawyer (played by Tatiana Pauhofová, shown below), became part of his legacy by defending Palach’s family in a trial against the communist government. “To open a line of large-scale production in Europe, we chose a story with universal values of truth, humanity, honor, justice and courage,” said Antony Root, executive vice president of HBO Europe, during a preview presentation to 167 journalists frommanyWestern and Eastern European countries. The Burning Bush press conference took place at Prague’s Lucerna Kino, followed a few days later by the Premier Gala Event, held at Prague’s Slovansky dum and then a reception at Obecni dum. (By Enzo Chiarullo in Prague) HBOEurope’s FirstMajor TVSeries
March/April 2013 6 World (Continued on Page 8) (Continued from Page 4) Thai TV audiences were recently introduced to three new channels — KIX, Thrill and Celestial Classic Movies. Last February, the three channels became available on Cable Thai Holding’s (CTH) platform, which reaches over 3.5 million TVHH in Thailand. The channels come from one-year-old company Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE). KIX, which is dedicated to action entertainment across all genres, is offered in CTH’s basic pack. Thrill — a channel focusing on horror, thriller and suspense—and Celestial Classic Movies — which specializes in Chinese film — are both carried in CTH’s premium packs. Thai TV Gets New Channels Last year, four terrestrial broadcastingorganizations and several broadcasting associations formed the “Future of Broadcasting TV” (FOBTV) initiative with its secretariat based in Shanghai, China. Broadcasters included Canada, CBC, Brazil’s GloboTV and Japan’s NHK. Among the associations were NAB and EBU. Subsequently,manyothers joined in and signed a memorandum of understanding that set the goals for the initiative. According to a statement issued by FOBTV, broadcasters around the world face numerous challenges on technical, business and regulatory fronts: Spectrum is being sought after for broadband by technology providers, putting pressure on thebroadcastindustrytoimprove spectral efficiency. The style of media consumption is changing drastically with time-shifting, place-shifting, connected and multi-screen services. FOBTV requirements reflect the broadcast industry’s commitment to take advantage of future broadcast systems. Requirementswill bedeveloped with cooperation among broadcasters, communications companies and manufacturers of broadcast equipment and all types of receiving devices. Next generation systems include the following requirements: * Mobility — broadcasting to devices used on the move. * Configurability — the ability to dynamically change transmission parameters. * Adaptability — intelligent receivers that can adapt to changes in transmission. * Scalability — video quality such as resolution and frame rate. * Higher-resolution systems, and consumer-friendly services for those who require special needs. * Collaboration between broadcast and Internet content providers to provide attractive services. * Critical role played by broadcasters in times of emergency. * Unnecessary spectrum consumption fuelled by competition should be avoided. * Possibilities of crosssectorial, cross-border and cross-regional cooperation should be explored. B’casters Ready For Challenges
Available in Brilliant High Definition Carsey-Werner now offers six of our timeless comedies in vivid high definition: Roseanne That ’70s Show The Cosby Show 3rd Rock From The Sun A Different World Grounded For Life With others to follow. The Gold Standard of Comedy © 2013 Carsey-Werner Television. All Rights Reserved.
March/April 2013 8 World (Continued from Page 6) I really enjoyed learning about VideoAge at NATPE. I hope our paths cross again soon. Angela Ober Dead Wrong TV, Charlotte, NC, USA Your reporting [at NATPE 2013] was a delight. Thank you for taking a different angle in our interest. Good work and interesting article. Lanny Huang Promo Group TV, Hong Kong Correction In the January 2013 issue of VideoAge, the assistant CEO of MDA (Industry) was incorrectly named. It should be Yeo Chun Cheng, instead of Cheng-Chun Yeo. Chun Cheng is his first name, while Yeo is his last name. Letters to the Editor WCP Safe As a Swiss Bank Recently, Starz, SierraEngineandElectusjoined other major producers, distributors and broadcasters participating in a test withWorld Content Pole (WCP). World Content Pole is a Swiss company offering an approach to cloud-based B2B content management and distribution. WCP is powered by Swisscom, the Swiss national telco and provider of secure data services for the Swiss banking system. “World Content Pole simply bridges the gap between commercial licensing and technical transactions,” explained Maurizio Zuccarini, founder of World Content Pole. According to Chicca Pancaldi, VP Worldwide Sales for World Content Pole, “WCP radically changed the way to store, transcode and deliver content.” WCP acts exactly as a bank. Just as online banking simplified secure B2B financial transactions,WCPsimplifiesB2B content licensing and technical logistics. It’s an online service under licensor exclusive and complete control.” Expanding on the bank metaphor, Pancaldi explained, “When you do a wire tranfer, you simply access your onlinebankingand transfer your money from one bank account to another bank account. WCP works exactly in the same way: You store your mezzanine files and all your collaterals on your WCP account and send out screeners and deliver content transcoded — according to the licensee’stechnicalrequirements — to another WCP account.” Zuccarini added, “WCP is not an improvised service like some others that are now on the market. We at WCP have been perfecting the service for the past five years, not only in terms of security, but also to make it very user friendly.” “GaryMarenzi, who’s nowour senior board advisor, helped identifytheneedsofbothcontent owners and broadcasters alike. Nevertheless, we continue to research, develop and release more services every day,” said Pancaldi. “By the way, opening an account on WCP is free,” Zuccarini said.
10 The FOX Effect: How Roger Ailes Turned a Network Into a Propaganda Machine (Anchor Books, 329 pages, $15), is a case study of FOX News’s journalistic bias written by journalists David Brock and Ari Rabin-Havt. The authors cite research collected by Washington, D.C.-based Media Matters for America, a news watchdog agency founded by Brock where Rabin-Havt is the executive vice president. The book is a quick read, and it is enjoyable, mainlybecause the readersmost likely topick it up will easily agree with the authors’ intent: Proving that FOX News is a thinly veiled conservative propaganda machine. Though commendable in scope, the research falls mostly flat on the ears of habitual viewers of Jon Stewart’sThe Daily Showon Comedy Central, which regularly pans the conservative network for its poor journalistic standards. The book, however, is a useful reference tool, providing many specific, well-researched examples as to how FOX is a powerful arm of the U.S. Republican Party, most alarmingly in its attacks on Media Matters itself. The story of the creation and development of FOX News is an interesting one, and the book is always most captivating when it is narrating interpersonal history of the key figures within the network. The network’s founder, Rupert Murdoch, looked for amarket ripe to be exploited, and as he is wont to do, found the right people to do it. To this day, FOX News is the one and only conservative news channel, and it has become the largest news channel in terms of absolute ratings. At the head of this operation is Roger Ailes, depicted here as the closest possible real-life equivalent to Malcolm Tucker, the fictional takeno-prisoners P.R. guy in the BBC comedy/drama The Thick of It. A conservative stalwart, Ailes held several posts within Republican campaigns and administrations, all connected tomedia relations. Notably, in 1971 the Nixon administration granted Ailes an office in the executive building right next to the White House, where he worked as a sort of a “political troubleshooter.” He also worked for George Bush, Sr. during his presidency, and Rudolph Giuliani during his tenure as Mayor of New York City. Quotes from media outlets that worked with Ailes during his political activism characterize him as an effective and energetic — albeit aggressive and sometimes vindictive — spin doctor. The book strongly insinuates that Murdoch himself has taken issue with the way the channel seems to dictate the sensationalistic populism that has become the signature of the Republican Party’s right wing. This has left moderate conservatives powerless to do anything but follow FOX’s line as it uses misleading reporting and questionable source material to shape the news to Ailes’s agenda, or indeed fabricate news stories when in fact there are none. Program hosts who are either unbridled radicals or influential leaders of the Republican Party further exacerbate this. The authors’ claims are supported by extensive research and internetwork as well as cross-network comparisons, bringing to light a specific formula that FOX News uses to sell half-truths as “news stories” and shame everyone else for ignoring them. With much pomp and circumstance, the book repeatedly shows how FOX News is, in effect, a political entity of its own, giving massive exposure to fringe groups (such as the Tea Party) and forcibly making room in the mainstream media narrative for fringe issues (such as President Obama’s birth certificate). All for the sake of what? The answer is evident even as Brock and Rabin-Havt attribute it to Ailes’s desire to play puppet master to the Republican Party. Ratings are only discussed as testaments to the great reach FOX News enjoys. But nowhere do they acknowledge the sources of its ratings success. The mainstream operator in a niche market, FOX News has captured the entire conservative viewer base by pandering to the least common denominator, presenting content that is agreeable to their target audience but void of credibility to the left and center. The authors show how Republican performance seemed to improve in districts soon after FOX News began to air, but is FOX’s misleading promise of “fair and balanced” reporting to blame? More powerful than the channel’s cartoonish reporting is its monopoly on televised conservative opinion. The authors show how Republican candidates flock to FOX looking for maximum exposure and the freedom to blatantly advertise their PACs (or Political Action Committees, which unlike individual contributions, have no spending cap). Would they still do so if therewere amore credible way to speak directly to their base? In fact, would Republican candidates have ever taken refuge in the audacity of the Tea Party’s radicalism if FOX weren’t the only place offering them shelter after their 2008 defeat? The network itself has dismissed Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin. The authors attribute this to personal clashes with Ailes, but it is far more likely that even FOX News understands that a minimum of credibility is necessary for a news channel, especially if that lack of credibility is making advertisers pull out, as was the case with Beck’s program. Brock and Rabin-Havt take issue with FOX News’ undeniable bias, and so have many individuals within the media. The Daily Show hardly goes a day without ridiculing FOX. The network is indeed ridiculous to everyone but its viewers, who will never be swayed by the meticulous research of a watchdog agency or the biting observations of a comedian. What might convince some of them, however, could be an intelligent, honest and less sensationalistic place to turn for informed but staunchly conservative opinions. In the meantime, FOX News has no obligation apart from that of guaranteeing an audience to its advertisers. After all, if entertainers like Will.I.Am and Young Jeezy can brainlessly rap about President Obama’s virtues because their audience laps it up, can’t FOX News apply the same commercialist principles to its reporting?YS The making of a U.S. TV propaganda machine, with help from one politically connected TV president March/April 2013 FOX News Succeeds with Believers and Fills a Niche Book Review
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14 This year, NATPE was held for the third consecutive time at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach — where it will remain in 2014 as well — at the end of a sunny and warm January. This time the organization celebrated the 50th anniversary of its inception, even though the market itself has only been staged for the past 35 years. For the occasion, the market was hopping with parties and stars such as Larry King, Arsenio Hall and Jason Priestley. But these weren’t the only things keeping the market hopping — plenty of attendees made their way to Miami Beach with buying and selling TV content on their minds. According to the Miami Herald, some 5,000 attendees from 60 countries took part in the market, marking a 19 percent increase in overall attendance compared to last year. On the exhibition floor, in poolside cabanas and hotel suites, VideoAgecaught up with a number of exhibitors during and post-market, asking them to weigh in on just how successful it was. Valerie Cabrera, EVP of Entertainment One (eOne), reported that the company was very busy this year. “All of our schedules were full, however we were able to accommodate a few additional appointments on the ground,” she said from her Beverly Hills office. Plus, Cabrera found that in general, “market sales were up from last year.” “NATPE was definitely more active in 2013 — both for Starz Worldwide Distribution and the conference at large,” concurred Gene George, Starz’s Beverly Hills-based EVP. “The greater overall activity was due in part to the increase in attendance,” he said. Starz brought its full sales team to NATPE this year, and their schedules were “fully booked. Along with our usual meetings, we also met multiple broadcasters from France, Spain and Scandinavia,” George noted. Melissa Wohl, SVP of Worldwide Distribution, and Diana Zakis, VP of Worldwide Distribution for the U.K.’s Content Television and Digital, both reported that “Meeting schedules are always packed, especially with U.S. and Latin American buyers, but this year we also had meetings with a number of new channels, as well as an increased number of digital platforms.” In fact, Content’s TV and digital executives from both their London and Los Angeles offices conducted more than 150 meetings at NATPE this year. “Despite the fact that everyone had full schedules, we were able to accommodate some walk-in meetings. One of the great things about attending these markets is the opportunity to meet new clients and to introduce our product,” Wohl and Zakis said. The team was kept busy with buyers fromLatin America (the pan-regional channels and free-TV channels from various countries, along with digital platforms), the U.S. and U.S. Hispanic, Canada, Spain, France, Germany and the Middle East. Esperanza Garay, SVP of Sales and Acquisitions for Latin America at Miami-based Telemundo Internacional, reported that her “schedule was completely full without a break all throughout the market” and because “NATPE is only three days long, and customers’ time is very restricted, [it was] only possible to hold half-hour meetings with each company.” She did not have time for walk-ins. This year was a milestone for Toronto-based Peace Point Rights, which exhibited with a stand for the first time (Peace Point Rights is the distribution arm of Peace Point Entertainment and was launched in March of 2012). “Although we’ve attendedmany times, thiswas our first time exhibiting, and we found it to be fantastic. The show floor was extremely busy,” said president and CEO Les Tomlin. “We had three sales people in Miami, and our schedules were filled, plus we also had some great walk-ins. There are alwayswalk-ins, so the quality of them is important, and we have deals already pending from many of those meetings,” Tomlin said, adding that he and his team met with panregional Latin American clients, U.S. Hispanic buyers, and buyers from Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama and Australia. “Our review of the whole market was very positive, and we’re happy to be doing a significant amount of business out of it. It was overall a very positive experience,” he said. According to Power’s Miami-based senior representative for LatinAmerica, PepeEchegaray, the market was successful because the U.K. company was on hand with a slate of finished programming, whereas last year much of its slate was still in production. “When you have the programs finished [as opposed to in production], clients really go for them,” he said. Plus, he was confident that “the economy in most of the Latin American countries is improving and stabilizing, so people have a good budget for 2013 and are ready to make decisions and buy product. This was better than last year because at that time, people didn’t know how much money they had [in their budgets] and needed to wait for the L.A. Screenings [to make decisions]. This year was very positiveandIhope it continues thatwayandnothing upsets the trend we’re seeing at this point.” Echegaray added that, “In the suites, we don’t usually get many walk-ins, but since clients came to meetings early, and walk-ins came in ready to buy, I had plenty of time to see them, even though we had a solid schedule.” Going into the market, he had 32 scheduledmeetings, and beganmeeting with clients on Sunday afternoon, the day before the market actually started. He also conducted meetings on Thursday, and was booked through Wednesday, the last day of the market. Echegaray also said he thought the elevator situation had improved over last year, and Peace Point Rights’ Tomlin concurred, saying, “being on the show floor negated the elevator issue.” eOne’s Cabrera agreed that while “the elevators were still an issue [it wasn’t] as bad as in previous years and both buyers and sellers seemed to be able to work around it quite nicely.” Yet, Content’s Wohl and Zakis both found that “the elevators in the Tresor Tower were still problematic,with longwait times at certainpoints during the day, affecting our meeting start time and causing delays.” But, they tempered their comment, adding, “we enjoy being in Miami for NATPE; it has become a lively market to start off the year and the Fontainebleau is a good venue.” However, one issue that left a bit of a sour taste in Echegaray’s mouth was the exorbitant costs of the Fontainebleau. For example, it was impossible to purchase a glass of house wine for less than $21, he said. “The cost of NATPE continues to increase at an alarming pace, and it’s not just the cost of badges, By Sara Alessi Activity, Attendance and Costs Climb for Mart’s 50th March/April 2013 NATPE Review Gaumont International Television’s Tim Farish, Richard Frankie, Erik Pack and Globo TV’s Paula Miranda PE Media’s Pepe Echegaray and Raul Escudero, Peace Point Rights’ Eric Muller and Les Tomlin The cost of NATPE continues to increase at an alarming pace, and it’s not just the cost of badges, suites and stands. (Continued on Page 16)
16 ad_lindholm.indd 1 05.03.2013 10:40:49 To draw more traffic onto the market floor (and help everyone relax after long days of buying and selling), NATPE hosted Happy Hours each evening, offering participants complementary red and sparkling wine. But booze wasn’t just flowing on the market floor. Lines still formed throughout the day at the elevator banks as attendees waited to ascend the Tresor Tower lifts for meetings with exhibitors in the suites, and to keep participants happy while they waited, organizers offered sparkling wine and sparkling water at certain points of the day. Bubbly Saves the Day For NATPE March/April 2013 NATPE Review ( Co n t i n u e d ) (Continued from Page 14) (Continued from Page 14) suites and stands, which all went up, but it’s the cost of the Fontainebleau,” said Echegaray. “It’s becoming such an expensive venue, and the cost of everything is escalating to a point where people are shocked.” This includes the cost of food, drinks and valet parking. Of course, Echegaray recognized that “NATPE can’t control [the price hikes at the Fontainebleau], but the client base can by saying that if the prices continue to rise, they will not stay at the Fontainebleau, and will instead stay elsewhere.” He added that the NATPE organizationshoulddowhatitcan to “try to bring the costs down, to control the costs.” As Echegaray said, the “cocktail parties on the floor and welcoming cocktail parties all helped somewhat” because exhibitors were able to bring their clients to those events for a drink. “But when you sit down [at the bar] to have a glass of wine with a client, that high cost is ridiculous,” he said. Yet Echegaray remained positive,saying,“Theorganization was very friendly and very informative, and right there ready to assist you, andmost of the hotel staff was very attentive. The cost is my only complaint.” While Peace Point’s Tomlin agreed that the costs at the Fontainebleau are high, he acknowledged that “Miami is expensive at the best of times and worst of times. You get used to an 18 percent tip added to every receipt — that’s just Miami.” He also noted that no one from his company stayed at the Fontainebleau. “We were at the Grand Beach, and we quite enjoyed it,” he said. Regardless of the costs, everyone seemed to be happy with the sunny locale. “We look forward to Miami again next year,” said eOne’s Cabrera. Starz’s George concurredbecause “the location seems to be a good draw for the expanding European buying base.” Rod Perth, NATPE’s president and CEO, has confirmed that the market will once again be held at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, January 27-29, 2014. Activity, Costs Up at NATPE
17 DISCOP West Asia was in full swing early last month in Istanbul. Market organizer Patrick Zuchowicki of Paris- and Los Angeles-based Basic Lead, announced on the first day of DISCOP West Asia (formerly known as DISCOP Istanbul) that the third annual event saw a 20 percent increase in attendance as compared to last year, bringing the total to 748 attendees. Stands and meeting stations were very busy from day one. Distributors confirmed packed schedules and the same was true on the buyers’ side: Mohammad Ahmadi of Afghanistan’s Elena Productions said that he met with several Turkish and Latin American distributors to shop for new series. Despite censorship issues, regional TV stations (about 50 in Afghanistan alone), driven by viewer demand, are airing commercial content. Unfortunately, at times it’s done without acquiring the rights, and content piracy is a big issue in these territories. In order to save money, many stations dub the acquired product themselves. Reportedly, total acquisitions of foreign programs for the region in 2012 added up to U.S.$200 million. The conference portion of the event kicked off with a two-part session on drama production and distribution in Arabic countries in the morning, followed by conferences on formats and coproductions in the afternoon. The conference venue was moved to a spacious ballroom in the Dolmabahce wing of the Ceylan Intercontinental Hotel, next to the market registration area. Nabil Kazan, a pan-Arab advertising pioneer, introduced the seminars and emphasized how therehas beena 100percent increase inproduction of Arabic drama from 2010 to 2012, that the market has also seen 160 new Arabic satellite TV channels in the past two years, and that 80 million Arabic households now have access to satellite. A new trend in the area is to acquire popular novela formats (successful examples being Ruby from Televisa, Telemundo’s La Patrona, Comarex’s La Otra Cara del Alma and Caracol’s La Ruta Blanca) and adapt them for the Arabic market. Telemundo Internacional’s Xavier Aristimuño was part of a panel that analyzed TV content development and co-production with Latin America. “Telenovelas and drama series no longer have geographical or cultural borders, and the format and co-production thematic is essential in today’s global television. Our presence in Istanbul reflects our commitment to continue working on such projects,” he said in a release. Panelists discussed the growing trend of establishing strategic alliances between Latin American and West Asian producers. Telemundo’s Melissa Pillow, for one, was pleased withthemarket,andsaidthathercompany’sdecision to send two people (she and Katarina Etchison) instead of just one this year was warranted in order to better handle the busy meeting schedule. And of course, what would a show business event be without some parties? The opening night cocktail party, sponsored by Kanal D, was followed by an Orange Party sponsored by ATV. Late night on Wednesday was the Hangover Party, sponsored by Global Agency. One logistical snafu concerned the large construction in Taksim Square, right next to the market venue. The unregulated traffic was oppressive, and it was very difficult to walk anywhere to or fromthe hotel without risking being run over. Another interesting thing to note is that although the euro is widely accepted (even by taxicabs), people prefer paying in Turkish lire because they can get better exchange rates. And there seemed to be a bit of a TV market rivalry brewing in Istanbul (though it didn’t have anything to do with the event itself). Staff from a new Istanbul TV event (ITVF — Istanbul TV Forum & Fair) was at DISCOP West Asia trying to recruit participants for their own event, which is being scheduled for June 20-22, 2013 at the Halic Congress Center and conflicts with NATPE Budapest. However, DISCOP executives were trying to persuade ITVF organizers to cooperate with a joint event, rather than have two competing TV markets in Istanbul. And on the subject of NATPE Budapest, several small- and medium-sized distributors are unhappy with the fact that NATPE Budapest — now being organized by NATPE and not Basic Lead — keeps attracting most of the U.S. studios, changing the nature of the market. The smaller companies fear that buyers will screen new U.S. TV season fare instead of indie product. This issue could also affect Eastern European attendance at the L.A. Screenings, if the companies choose to save money on travel and wait for the studios to come to them in Budapest. MG Istanbul TV Market Rebuilding Ottoman Cultural Splendor March/April 2013 DISCOP Review ITV’s Can Okan Caracol’s Berta Orozco Azteca’s Adela Velasco, Martha Contreras Televisa’s Cristina Gonzalez, Silvia Garcia, Mario Castro Telemundo’s Karina Etichson, Melissa Pillow
18 Casting is done and shooting underway for the U.S. networks’ fall 2013, winter and spring 2014 commissioned pilots. We’ll have to wait until the week of May 13 — the networks’ advertiser Upfronts — to find out the fate of these pilots, but for now here’s what we know for sure: there are nearly 100 pilots in the running, with NBC coming in at the most with over two dozen. Two pilots have already been ordered to series: An NBC sitcom starring Michael J. Fox that’s loosely based on his life and Fox’s live-action Seth MacFarlane comedyDads. As usual, this year the L.A. Screenings will follow the Upfronts. It’ll all kick off on May 16 with Fox’s general screenings and Paramount and Lionsgate’s screenings for the Latin American contingent (see the full calendar at: videoageinternational.com/screenings). Among the comedy pilots that have been ordered, the vast majority are single-camera (even CBS, which has resisted the genre in the past is embracing it with seven out of 12 sitcoms being shot as single-camera). And many are inspired by true life, often those of the show’s producers and/or writers. In addition to the aforementioned Michael J. Fox comedy at NBC, there’s an NBC comedy pilot presentation based on the life of Jessica Simpson, ABC comedy How the Hell Am I Normal?, based on the dysfunctional childhood of writer Adam F. Goldberg; an untitled ABC comedy from John Leguizamo based on his life as a husband and father and fish-out-of-water in Manhattan; CBS’s untitled Jim Gaffigan comedy based on the comedian (and father of five) and an untitled John Mulaney/Lorne Michaels comedy at NBC that’s loosely based on the life of stand-up comic John Mulaney, among others. As for the dramas, the genres really run the gamut. There are the futuristic ones — including the CW’sThe Selection, set 300 years in the future, as well as some anchored way in the past, like the CW’s Reign, about Mary Queen of Scots. There are also a handful of already established brands being revisited. In addition to remakes of series from Israel, Argentina, England, Australia, and other countries, there are based-on movie series like About A Boy for NBC, Beverly Hills Cop and Bad Teacher for CBS. ABC’s S.H.I.E.L.D, which will be produced, written and directed by Joss Whedon, is based on the secret intelligence organization that’s appeared in countless Marvel comics. Of course there are the spin-offs, too: NCIS: Red (spin-off of NCIS: LA) and The Originals, a CW spin-off of The Vampire Diaries. And what would pilot season be without some cop dramas? There’s CBS’s aforementioned Beverly Hills Cop, and a whole slew of them on Fox, including Gang Related, about a gang member who infiltrates the San Francisco Police Department, Human, which gives a futuristic spin to the drama, taking place in a world where cops have been paired with robots. Fox also has a cop comedy, now untitled, from Dan Goor and Mike Schur. Therearealsosoaps—likeABC’sGothica,which is set in present day but incorporates legends like Dracula and Jekyll and Hyde as well as ABC’s Betrayal, about a photographer having a torrid affair with her husband’s professional rival; and the medical dramas — like ABC’sBig Thunder, set in the 19th century, CBS’s The Surgeon General, about the U.S.’s most prestigious medical job and NBC’s After Hours, about army doctors. Call it the Homeland effect, because this year we’re seeing lots of drama pilots that focus on the U.S. government, including CBS’s Hostages, about a political conspiracy that leads a surgeon and his family into a hostage situation; CBS’s Intelligence, about the U.S. Cyber Command, a unit created around an agent with a special gift; Fox’s Boomerang, about a family of assassins for the U.S. government and The List about a U.S. Marshal on the hunt for the person who killed members of the Federal Witness Security Program; and an untitled Rand Ravich project that follows an idealistic Secret Service agent who finds himself at the epicenter of an international crisis when the president’s son and friends are kidnapped. For more, see the full pilot list on the right. U.S. network pilots commissioned for the new season ABC COMEDY Back in the Game A recently divorced singlemothermoves inwith her estranged father, a former baseball player. Bad Management Set in a luxury department store, a female boss finds her ways challenged by the boss’s son’s plans to sex up the place. Divorce: A Love Story Based on an Israeli format about a recently divorced couple who can’t stay out of each other’s lives. How the Hell Am I Normal? Inspired by writer-producer AdamF. Goldberg’s dysfunctional childhood, set in the 1980s. Keep Calm and Karey On Karey is the clean-nosed black sheep in a family of petty thieves, addicts, and narcissists — but when her brother is sent to prison, she must raise his kids. Middle Age Rage A fed-up middle-aged mom begins to speak up and demand respect. Mixology Set in the sexy world of New York City nightlife, the show chronicles the exploits of singles looking for love — over the course of one night. Pulling Based on a British series, about three 30something women living the lives that they want (not the ones society tells them to have). Spy Based on a British series, the father of a highly intelligent and verbal son —who also happens to be his complete opposite — inadvertently takes a job at the Secret Service. Super Fun Night Revolves around three nerdy female friends and their quest to have “super fun” every Friday night. Trophy Wife A former party girl falls for a man with three manipulative children and two difficult exwives. Untitled John Leguizamo Project Based on the actor/comedian’s life. A Bronxborn man with Latin roots marries into a more privileged lifestyle. DRAMA Betrayal A female photographer begins a torrid affair with a lawyer for a powerful family who turns By Lucy Cohen Blatter Sneak Preview of Hot New U.S. TV Season 2013-’14 Pilots March/April 2013 L.A. Screenings 2013 Seth MacFarlane’s first live-action sitcom, Dads, has already received a six-episode order from Fox (Continued on Page 20)
March/April 2013 Argument of the Page Headlinenew Author 2013-’14 Pilots L.A. Screenings 2013 ( Co n t i n u e d ) Friends with Better Lives A group of 30-something friends each think the other has it better. Jacked Up A recently retired baseball player has trouble adjusting to retirement. The McCarthys A family comedy about a loud, sports-crazed Boston clan. Mom A newly sober single mom tries to pull her life back together in California’s Napa Valley. Super Clyde Centers on a meek, unassuming fast food worker who becomes a superhero. Unauthorized Greg Garcia project A recently divorced man’s life is complicated when his parents decide to move in with him. Untitled Jim Gaffigan project The semi-autobiographical comedy revolves around the stand-up comic and his five kids. Untitled Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky project Based on an Israeli format, a married mom struggles to balance family, life and work. Untitled Tad Quill project A recently widowed father raises his 12-yearold son while jumping back into dating. DRAMA The Advocates A lawyer and an ex-con team as “victim advocates,” going to the very edge of the law to right wrongs. Anatomy of Violence A criminal psychologist with an expertise in sociopaths partners with a female detective with whom he has a past. Backstrom An offensive, irascible detective tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior. Beverly Hills Cop Continuation of the movie franchise, focusing on Axel Foley’s police officer son who’s based in the tony California neighborhood. Hostages A Washington, D.C., surgeon is thrown into a political conspiracy (and her family into a hostage situation) after being chosen to operate on the president of the United States. Intelligence Centers on U.S. Cyber Command, a unit created around one agent with a gift: a microchip implanted in his brain that offers him access the entire electromagnetic spectrum. NCIS: Red Spin-off to popular series, follows a mobile team of agents who are forced to live and work together as they crisscross the country solving crimes. out to be defending a murder suspect whom her husband is prosecuting. Big Thunder A brilliant, late-19th-century New York doctor relocates to a frontier mining town run by a powerful but mysterious tycoon. Doubt A charming former cop and low-rent lawyer uses his street smarts to work the system for his clients. Gothica A sexy gothic soap set in modern day that incorporates the legends of Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde and Dorian Gray, among others. Influence Two brothers head a unique agency designed to attack their clients’ problems using the real science of human motivation and manipulation. Killer Women Based on Argentinean series Mujeres Asesinas, the drama revolves around the only woman in the Texas Rangers. Lucky 7 Seven employees of a service station in Queens find their lives changed in unexpected ways when they win the lottery. Murder in Manhattan A dramedy about a mother-daughter amateur sleuthing team. Reckless After his wife is unjustly imprisoned during a political uprising overseas and his legal plans to free her are stymied, a man turns to less-thanlegal options. The Returned The people of Arcadia find their dead loved ones returning as if not a day has gone by. S.H.I.E.L.D Based on Marvel Comics’s secret intelligence organization that has appeared in countless titles. Venice A soap about two rival families: the haves and the have-nots of Venice, California who battle for control (and the forbidden romance that ensues). CBS COMEDY Bad Teacher Based on the 2011 film about a less-thanvirtuous woman who becomes a teacher to find her next husband. The Crazy Ones A father-daughter workplace comedy set in the advertising world. Ex-Men A young guy finds camaraderie living among the more experienced guys he meets in a shortterm rental complex. The Ordained The son of a famous political family leaves the priesthood and becomes a lawyer to prevent his politician sister from being assassinated. Reckless A sultry legal show set in Charleston, SC, where a gorgeous Yankee litigator and a Southern city attorney struggle to hide their intense attraction while clashing over a police sex scandal. Second Sight A gothic psychological thriller about a detective with an autoimmune virus that causes hallucinations reflective of his subconscious. Catching the killer depends on his insight. The Surgeon General A medical show centered on America’s top doctor. CW DRAMA Blink A dramedy about a family patriarch in a comalike state who can’t speak or move, but can see and hear. His narration and fantasy sequences offer context to the family’s stories. Company Town Chronicles the aftermath of a scandal at a Navy base that touches the lives of both civilians and military personnel. The Hundred Set 97 years after a nuclear war destroyed civilization, 100 juvenile delinquents are sent back to Earth to investigate the possibility of recolonizing the planet. The Originals A spin-off of the CW’s The Vampire Diaries revolving around the Original family in New Orleans. Oxygen Nine secret aliens are integrated into a suburban high school. Reign The tale of Mary Queen of Scots’ rise to power when she arrives in France as a 15-year-old, betrothed to Prince Francis. The Selection Set 300 years in the future, a working-class young woman is chosen by lottery to participate in a competition with 25 other women for the Royal Prince’s hand. The Tomorrow People Based on a U.K. series, young people across the globe represent the next stage in human evolution, with special powers to defeat the forces of evil. FOX COMEDY Dads From Seth MacFarlane, it centers on two successful guys in their 30s whose lives are turned upside down when their nightmare dads move in with them. Enlisted Follows three very different brothers working together at a small army base in Florida. 20
March/April 2013 Argument of the Page Headlinenew Author il Assistance Revolves around Nora, an idealistic assistant who attempts to find balance in her lif while juggling the demands of a larger-than-life boss, “work husband” and real fiancé. Brenda Forever Stories from the past and present of Brenda Miller’s life are interwoven to create a portrait of how a chubby, awkward, but incredibly confident 13-year-old grew up to be a 31-year-old who still does her own thing. Family Guide After his parents’ divorce, a son idolizes his blind father and is bemused by his mother’s newfound adolescence. The Gates Based on the British comedy of the same name, the show is set at the gates of an elementary school and revolves around the parents and staff who navigate the social minefield twice a day. Girlfriend in a Coma After a long coma, a 34-year-old woman wakes up to find out she has a 17-year-old daughter from a pregnancy she was unaware of. Holding Patterns Ensemble comedy about a group of friends whose lives completely change after they survive a plane crash. Joe, Joe and Jane Centers on a children’s book author caught in an ongoing tug of war between two needy, flawed people: his wife and his co-author/best friend. Undateable A “bromantic comedy” about a couple of friends who are terrible with women, whose lives are altered when a confident guy enters their world. Untitled Greg Daniels/Robert Padnick project Revolves around the trials and tribulations of dating in your 20s as told through a group of friends. Untitled Jessica Simpson project (pilot presentation) A comedy loosely based on the pop/reality star’s life. Untitled JohnMulaney/LorneMichaels project An ensemble comedy loosely based on the life of John Mulaney, about a guy who writes jokes for a game show. Untitled Michael J. Fox project (pictured below) Inspired by the former Family Ties actor’s life, Fox stars as a husband and father of three with Parkinson’s disease who goes back to work as a news anchor. Friends & Family Adaptation of BBC series Gavin & Stacey, about a couple trying to maintain their long-distance relationship while combining their polarizing families’ lives. The Gabriels Centers on a neurotic family of introverts that tries their best to fit into their small Midwest town where everyone knows each other. I Suck at Girls A story about a boy becoming a man, and a man becoming a father, in a time before coming of age was something you could Google. To My Future Assistant Revolves around assistants at a big New York law firm who band together to cope with their obnoxious overbearing bosses who challenge their sanity on a daily basis. Two Wrongs Two star-crossed lovers, Nick and Jenny, must contend with friends and family who don’t think they’re right for each other. Untitled Dan Goor/Mike Schur project Revolves around a diverse group of detectives at a New York police precinct. DRAMA Boomerang Focuses on the drama surrounding a family of assassins for the U.S. government. Delirium Set in a world where love is deemed illegal and is eradicated with a special procedure. Gang Related A gang member infiltrates the San Francisco Police Department’s Gang Task Force. Human An action-packed buddy cop drama set in the near future, in which all LAPD cops are partnered with highly evolved human-line androids. The List When members of the Federal Witness Security Program start getting killed, a U.S. Marshal leads the hunt for the person who stole “the list” — with the identities of every member of the program. Rake Based on an Australian series, about a brilliant but self-destructive criminal defense lawyer named Keegan Joye. Sleepy Hollow A modern-day supernatural thriller based on the legend of Sleepy Hollow, in which Ichabod Crane partners with a local female sheriff to solve the town’s mysteries. Wild Blue Ensemble about the working men and women on board a U.S. aircraft carrier. NBC COMEDY About a Boy An adaptation of the novel and film about the relationship between an immature bachelor and the young boy who moves in next door with his odd, single mother. UntitledOwen Ellickson/Greg Daniels project A talented musician adjusts to his new life as a middle school music teacher. Untitled Victor Fresco/Sean Hayes project Centers on a guy who must figure out how to parent his 14-year-old daughter — who just moved in — while juggling a temperamental new boss at work. Welcome to the Family A white family and Latino family are brought together by their children who fall in love and quickly have an unplanned pregnancy. DRAMA After Hours An ensemble medical show following Army doctors working the late shift at a San Antonio hospital. Believe An unlikely relationship develops between a young girl with emerging powers and a man sprung from prison who has been tasked with protecting her. The Blacklist A master criminal turns himself in and offers to give up everyone he has ever worked with, but only if he can work with a newly minted FBI agent with whom he seemingly has no connection. Bloodline An orphaned young girl is caught in a struggle between two warring families of mercenaries and killers, set against the backdrop of modern suburbia. The Gilded Age A period drama about the millionaires of 1880s New York, by the creator of Downton Abbey. Hatfields & McCoys Places the legendary family feud in modern day Pittsburgh with the wealthy Hatfields facing off against the working-class McCoys. I Am Victor Revolves around a high-powered divorce attorney named Victor Port with a unique view of relationships. Ironside A remake of the 1960s series about a tough, sexy but acerbic wheelchair-bound police detective who runs a team that solves the most difficult cases in the city. The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives A drama about the secrets exposed after a murder in suburban California. The Sixth Gun Based on a supernatural Western graphic novel it revolves around six mythical guns, each with its own other-worldly powers. Untitled Rand Ravich project An idealistic Secret Service agent finds himself at the epicenter of an international crisis when the president’s son and his schoolmates are kidnapped. 21
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