V I D E O • A G E MA Y 2 0 1 1 8 There were no April showers in sight at last month’s MIPTV, held at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France April 4-7 and preceded by the traditional MipDoc. For once the weather cooperated with bright sunny days, and though the market was a day shorter than its traditional five days, attendance was steady and business was booming, at least for the deserving indies. Going into the market, exhibitors were adamant that the truncated conference would not have any adverse affects. Yet when push came to shove, this year’s MIP-TV was indeed more hectic than usual. Another change at the market came in the form of reduced studio presence caused by the approaching L.A. Screenings. Only CBS and NBC Universal took traditional booths, while Disney and Sony were stationed in offices at the Palais, Warner Bros. stayed in hotel rooms and Fox sent only representatives from its channels. Nevertheless, Reed Midem’s Laurine Garaude reported 11,500 total participants, 4,000 of whom were buyers, and 1,500 exhibiting companies: The same as in 2010. This was no small feat, considering tragedies in Japan and financial problems in Greece, Portugal and Ireland, while Italy is going through a paralyzing political impasse, the Maghreb countries are in turmoil and war is ravaging Libya. For their part, the smaller companies VideoAge spoke with were thrilled that the studios took a less active role, which, as one independent distribution exec put it, “[Gave] indies more chance to spend time with buyers.” Sure enough, buyers from all over Europe confirmed that they did have more time for the indies, although for many, meeting with studio reps was still a priority. One thing at this year’s market seemed to indicate that the recession is receding into the past: the amount of parties. VideoAge Daily counted more than 30 bashes in booths, hotels, restaurants, beach tents, bars, and on yachts. More elaborate affairs can cost between $30,000 and $50,000, and the fact that companies are once again shelling out for extravagant cocktails and dinners can only prove that things are looking up. Day One was the busiest day for soirées, which was unusual, since that particular honor usually goes to Day Two. Plus, A-listers were everywhere one turned. The biggest stir was caused by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was on hand to launch A Squared’s animated series The Governator, for which he will voice the title character shaped in his likeness. The stars of GK-tv’s period drama Camelot and Tricon’s InSecurity were also under foot, as was former Miss World Diana Hayden, among many others. In lieu of one over-arching theme, MIP-TV 2011 had four central concepts: formats, a spotlight on3D, co-production and branded entertainment. Organizers seemed to have hit the nail on the head, as the convention floor was a-buzz with talk of these topics. In its quest for news, VideoAge Daily “uncovered” a fifth theme, albeit not an official one: Adult fare in many shapes (2D, 3D) and forms (TV and mobile). Formats remained a prominent trend. This year marked the second annual MIPFormats, an event dedicated specifically to those in format production and distribution, which kicked off the Saturday before the market. This year, FRAPA, the London-based international association of format producing companies, organized a workshop on how to resolve format disputes, and also launched its new online format price calculator to help small companies estimate the price of a license fee for a series. And naturally, new formats abounded from powerhouses such as FremantleMedia, Endemol, Zodiak, Eyeworks and many more. In addition to formats, 3D was the issue on many executives’ minds. Day Three’s “3D Spotlight” tackled the coming 3D revolution. According to executives surveyed on the floor, the technology is perfectly suited to sports and big event television. However, it’s not without problems, being at least 50 percent more expensive than 2D. Still, the industry has seen the number of 3D channels jump from 10 to over 60 in just the past 12 months, so the platform is gaining ground. Co-production, too, was a matter of much discussion. Latin American co-productions in particular were in the spotlight, due to Day Three’s “Working With Latin AmericaWorkshop.” Panelists from Brazil, Mexico and Argentina touted the region’s many attributes that make it favorable for collaboration, not the least of which is the recent increase in tax incentives in a number of countries. Another industry trend well represented at MIP was the rise of international digital channels. Luca Cadura of Universal Networks Italia was just one of the many executives who was reportedly looking to expand his company’s digital reach. Asked what kind of content works best on such channels, Cadura pointed to classic movies and quality TV series, and stated that the market was a great place to meet suppliers. A delegation from the Bruges Group was on the hunt for ways to appeal to the expatriate sensibility. The association, which is made up of public TV organizations from 21 countries, looks out for the interests of companies broadcasting content abroad in their native languages. Representatives of the The Sun Shone, The Studios Shunned And The IndiesWere A Shoo-In M I P - T V R e v i e w Lionsgate’s Peter Iacono and Jim Packer At Echo Bridge’s party (l.t.r.): Lipson & Co.’s Howard Lipson, Boomerang’s Joy Ross, Turner Latam’s Doris Vogelmann, Echo Bridge’s Emilia Nuccio, Mediaset’s Cristina Veterano, Luca Meschini Record TV Network’s Delmar Andrade (Continued on Page 10)
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