The question remains, however, whether producers are willing to sacrifice the Los Angeles Screenings in late May in favor of a few previews in April, and whether there will actually be pilots or sizzle reels ready for viewing. 14 This MIP-TV might be better than expected due to the changing strategy of the U.S. TV networks that are now giving the green light to an increasing number of new series prior to the New York City Upfronts in mid-May. For MIP-TV, this development means studios and other distributors will be in Cannes with a greater number of new series compared to previous editions of MIP. In fact, among the four big U.S. networks alone — ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC — 16 dramas and comedies have long been announced for Fall 2014 on (see the full report on page 16). The total number of new shows, including those for cable, that have been ordered straight-to-series could reach into the 40s. The question remains, however, whether producers are willing to sacrifice the Los Angeles Screenings in late May in favor of a few previews in April, and whether there will actually be pilots or sizzle reels ready for viewing. Naturally, new series attract more buyers, even though some buyers, especially from Latin America, will still make the trip to L.A. The MIPTV mix is particularly interesting to those buyers who like to stay one step ahead of the competition by reviewing the newly available slate one month early. According to MIP’s official figures, the breakdown of buyers by region indicates that Europe has the largest contingent with 67 percent, followed by Asia-Pacific with 16 percent, the Americas with nine percent and MENA with seven percent. Another question involves the actual number of acquisition executives that will be able to go to Cannes. Some smaller buyers who usually get market access through their companies’ sales departments exhibiting at MIP-TV have reported that they will not be able to get free badges, either due to the fact that their sales department will not be exhibiting this time around, or because they will be scaling down exhibition space and will therefore be entitled to fewer badges. Even though participants will be caught up in back-to-back business meetings, MIP-TV organizer Reed MIDEM has once again packed themarket endingApril 10withkeynote speeches, screenings and sideshow attractions such as the newly launched Junior at MIP. Now the question is, will these additions to the program schedule have an impact on the event’s bread and butter, the buying and selling of content? Exhibitors VideoAge caught up with ahead of the market were focused on sales. Caracol Television Internacional’s Juan David Gomez Gutierrez said MIP-TV has experienced “great growth year after year,” and noted that his company basks in the reduced presence of the U.S. studios, as they believe “this brings us more attention and we are able to make our presence even stronger.” Asked where her company tends to launch new titles, A+E Networks’ Marielle Zuccarelli responded, “Traditionally, we use MIP-TV and MIPCOM as launch pads for unveiling our new content. That said, with the development of A+E Studios, we are looking at L.A. Screenings as a potential platform to introduce new dramas coming out of our studios in 2015. We are fully dedicated to bothMIP-TV and the L.A. Screenings alike, as we target different buyers at each market.” Similarly, Hat Trick International’s Sarah Tong said, “We launch the majority of our new shows at either MIP or MIPCOM, as most of the world’s content buyers attend these markets and it’s a good platform to show off what we have.” She added, “In between the markets, our sales team goes on dedicated sales trips focusing on areas of expansion and importance.” Hat Trick’s goal at this MIP is to launch new shows and meet up with existing clients from Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, France, Germany, Benelux, Poland, Russia and more, as well as to “explore new opportunities in Asia and some parts of Eastern Europe.” A+E’s Zuccarelli explained, “Our goal is to increase our TV movie sales in Europe and Asia.” She also noted that formats are a key part of the company’s expansion strategy. In the weeks leading up to MIP, Esther van Messel of First Hand Films was confident that her company would have a very busy market. “Our schedules are almost already fully booked and we haven’t even done our mailing to buyers yet,” she said. This time around, First Hand Films is looking to expand relationships in places such as Europe and Asia, as well as tackle newer territories, such as Russia. This year MIP-TV will host a “Focus on Israel,” shining a spotlight on the growing international success of Israeli TV content. Though MIPCOM-goers look forward to opportunities in children’s television offered by MIPJunior, which is held directly before the October event, this year MIP attendees will also get to explore the newly launched Junior at MIPTV, which will be held on Tuesday, April 8. Also new this year are the “MIP Digital Fronts,” the new international screenings for original online video. MIP-TV will be heavy on screenings this year, with the “World Premiere TV Screening” of Starz Worldwide Distribution’s original drama series Power on Monday, April 7. There will also be screenings at the aforementioned “MIP Digital Fronts.” “Fresh TV Fiction” will showcase drama from across the globe in two different sessions, “Fresh TV Fiction” and “Best of Fresh TV.” Plus, U.S. restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill was named MIP-TV’s Brand of the Year in recognition of its original online series Farmed and Dangerous. The series, which was produced with New York-based studio Piro, will make its international premiere on April 9 in the Grand Auditorium of MIP-TV’s Palais des Festivals. Finally, MIP-TV has gathered a group of speakers from well-known organizations, including Chris Albrecht, CEO of Starz, who will participate in a keynote as part of the Media Mastermind Keynotes. By Sara Alessi A Burst of Activity and Change in U.S. Pilot Pattern Could Bring Bursting Sales April 2014 MIP-TV Preview
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