Guide 2025 INTERNATIONAL www.VideoAge.org THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF FILM, BROADCASTING, STREAMING, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION May 2025 - VOL. 45 No. 3 - $9.75 24x60 39x60 My2¢: Issues Beyond the Control of the Execs Who Created Them Page 3 Major Hollywood Studios’ Executive Sales Teams Page 16 L.A. Screenings ’25 Under the Sign of the Phoenix Page 18 New Program Guide: Studios and Indies Page 20 Electric Electric © 2022 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BLOCKBUSTER FAMILY MOVIES
3 My 2¢ May 2025 MAIN OFFICES 216 EAST 75TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10021 TEL: (212) 288-3933 WWW.VIDEOAGEINTERNATIONAL.COM WWW.VIDEOAGE.ORG P.O. BOX 25282 LOS ANGELES, CA 90025 VIALE ABRUZZI 30 20131 MILAN, ITALY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DOM SERAFINI EDITORIAL TEAM SARA ALESSI (NY) ENZO CHIARULLO (ITALY) LEAH HOCHBAUM ROSNER (NY) SUSAN HORNIK (L.A.) CAROLINE INTERTAGLIA (FRANCE) OMAR MENDEZ (ARGENTINA) LUIS POLANCO (NY) MIKE REYNOLDS (L.A.) MARIA ZUPPELLO (BRAZIL) PUBLISHER MONICA GORGHETTO BUSINESS OFFICE LEN FINKEL LEGAL OFFICE STEVE SCHIFFMAN WEB MANAGER BRUNO MARRACINO DESIGN/LAYOUT CLAUDIO MATTIONI, CARMINE RASPAOLO © TV TRADE MEDIA INC. 2025 There is a disconnect between the market floor and the conference rooms. Two issues are showing up on my turbulence radar screen. Both issues, in my view, will be solved by actions that are beyond the control of the executives that have created the issues. The first issue on my radar is the business model of streaming platforms, which require a high volume of highcost original series. The second issue concerns the business model of the many TV trade shows that are proliferating around the world. The current streaming model is expensive, unproven, and unprofitable. However, if the streaming sector doesn’t take action, Wall Street will do it for them. After years of providing the financial resources for streaming’s extravagant model, the message in a recent Wall Street Journal front cover headline story was: “Investors Switch to Dividend Stock.” From other publications one could glean that companies that don’t offer consistent free cash flow, like Netflix, would struggle to find the cash to return to shareholders on a quarterly basis. Companies with persistent dividend growth have provided competitive returns during periods of market volatility, and the WSJ reported that investors are “rattled by the threat of trade restrictions and a slowing economy.” The Journal added, “The tech-heavy bets that delivered blockbuster returns in the last year’s market have faltered so far in 2025.” Historically, dividend-paying companies have been lowgrowth businesses, but their ability to generate strong, recurring free cash flow and commitment to paying out consistent dividends has allowed them to outperform the market. This recent development raises questions about those media companies that rely heavily on their streaming services, which are notoriously money-losing enterprises. Will they be able to invest in high-cost original productions? Will the number of new streaming series decline? The stock market will soon give some answers. As for the proliferation of smaller TV trade shows that rely on seminars, conferences, and panels to attract more participants, attending the most recent TV markets in Miami and London made me realize that there is a disconnect between the market floor and the conference rooms. It looks like the conferenceorganizing teams are working overtime to get content buyers away from the exhibitors and into the frigid conference rooms (which are purposely kept cold in order to keep attendees awake). In my opinion, before a conference title or description is developed, the organizers should ask themselves, “How is this going to help things on the market floor?” How will it help the buying and selling process? Recently, event organizers were pitching a story to VideoAge about the great response that they’d gotten to a series of seminars. Our response to that was that it is our job as a trade publication to encourage market participants, and especially buyers, to be on the market floor and not away from it. Actually, this should be the job of every trade publication that is supported by exhibitors’ advertising. What is also incomprehensible is the focus of market organizers, after the end of their trade shows, on illustrating how wellattended conferences were, ignoring the sales floor, which is the reason for the trade show’s own existence. This model encourages content producers and distributors to simply pay for a badge in order to attend a market — and not for a stand or exhibition room — with the aim of seeing the buyers who are attracted by the seminars, and meeting them for coffee, basically chasing buyers rather than being stuck at a stand while clients are all off attending conferences. When TV trade show organizers eventually see their market floors reduced to coffee table rooms perhaps they will then change their model and return it to the buying and selling focus of yesteryear’s events. They could also confine their conferences to a day prior to the market floor activities, or better yet, after the market, in order to keep participants onsite a bit longer. Dom Serafini
4 ly introduced NATPE Honors celebration at the Dorothea, while Tuesday evening is set for the very popular Boat Party. The market will close at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 26. Market organizers pointed out that NATPE doesn’t have a hotel block at the Dorothea (just at the IC). A slate of major screenings will be staged by A+E Global Media, Lionsgate, Paramount Global Content Distribution, and Sony Pictures Television. In total, over 65 exhibiting companies and more than 300 buyers have already confirmed their participation. Caroline Hurmson, senior director, Content Strategy, Acquisition and Sales at the London office of Greece’s Antenna Group, offered an overall view (more comments from buyers will be featured in VideoAge’s June Issue): “NATPE is the perfect market to view content from the U.S., Europe, LatAm, and Asia, without missing out on the smaller productions and companies. We are no longer only relying on the traditional U.S. series and broadcasting season in CEE thanks to high-quality productions from all around the world.” About companies screening outside the NATPE venue, Hurmson commented: “Screenings should happen on the Monday and Tuesday morning only to give the smaller distributors a chance to meet buyers. However, some of us buyers attend the L.A. Screenings in May and at NATPE we can focus more on meeting different partners, screening new content, instead of running from external screening venues back to the NATPE main area.” As for the on-the-floor strategy, Hurmson said: “As buyer and seller my meetings are very much timed and scheduled. I rarely visit distributors on the spot but I do send members of our team out to do research and if something interesting catches their eye they do approach partners to get more information.” There are some new developments in the works for NATPE Budapest, considered the premier TV trade show for the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market. This year, most of the screenings will be taking place on Monday, June 23, 2025 at the Dorothea Hotel, which is located just around the corner from the InterContinental Hotel (IC), the traditional venue for NATPE. And VideoAge is told that some studios are likely to proceed with other offsite screenings on Tuesday, as well. However, the registration and market floor areas, which will both open at 1 p.m. on Monday, are still at the IC, while all conferences will be taking place at the Dorothea on Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday will also see the opening party at the Corso Terrace of the InterContinental Hotel, and the newNATPE Budapest To Revitalize CEE Content Market With Added Buying, Selling Functions VIDEOAGE May 2025 World FOR YOUR CEE CONTENT LICENSING, JOIN THE TOP LEAGUE OF TV TRADES Whether you’ll be at Content Warsaw, NEM, or NATPE Budapest, no other publication can offer you the services that VideoAge reserves for CEE buyers in order to highlight your content.
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6 The term “Mediaverse” is a fusion of “media” and “metaverse,” encapsulating the intersection between the media industry and technologies. Mediaverse: The Rise of Decentralized Media Explained By a Legacy Media Executive By Stephen Tague* Giovanni A. Pedde, author of Mediaverse — The Rise of Decentralized Media, is an experienced media executive with a unique insider’s perspective. After working as an entertainment lawyer in New York City, he moved to Rome, Italy, where he led Paramount Pictures International TV’s operations in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. He later took a similar role at CBS. Mediaverse offers a multifaceted analysis of decentralization in the media industry, enhanced by Pedde’s extensive experience. The book was published in 2024 by 2137 AD, an online company, and it is available on Kindle. Pedde does not advocate for a utopian vision of decentralized entertainment but rather presents a nuanced discussion of its strengths and weaknesses. His background allows him to dissect the economic, legal, and business implications with authority, making Mediaverse a must-read for media executives, content creators, legal professionals, and investors looking to navigate the Web3 (i.e., the interaction of the Internet and decentralization) landscape. It explores the shifting dynamics of entertainment in the age of blockchain, DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations), and tokenization, and examines how these emerging technologies are disintermediating the relationship between creators and audiences. Breaking the traditional gatekeeping structure that has long defined media production and distribution, Pedde presents decentralization as both an opportunity and a challenge, offering a thorough assessment of the financial, legal, and business implications. A central theme of Mediaverse is how decentralization disrupts the gatekeeping mechanisms that have historically controlled entertainment. For over a century, content-creation, financing, and distribution were largely dictated by Hollywood studios, record labels, and corporate platforms, leaving creators with limited autonomy. Pedde examines how blockchain and smart contracts provide an alternative framework, where creators can interact directly with their audiences without needing institutional approval or relying on legacy financial structures. The 179-page book illustrates how tokenization allows for new monetization models, such as Non-Fungible Token (or NFT, as the online token is called) projects where audiences buy into a creative work at an early stage, receiving ownership stakes or exclusive content in return. Similarly, DAOs provide a community-driven governance model, where fans participate in funding decisions and even content development, shifting power away from executives and financiers toward decentralized collectives. Streaming services, while disruptive to traditional media, have retained a centralized business model, controlling pricing, licensing, and revenue allocation. Pedde discusses how decentralized platforms could challenge this by giving content creators a more equitable share of profits while allowing audiences to directly support and engage with their favorite artists, filmmakers, and game developers. While Web3 technologies offer promising alternatives to traditional funding and revenue-sharing models, Pedde is careful to examine their sustainability. He addresses the volatility of tokenized economies and the speculative nature of many NFT-based entertainment projects, warning that early adopters may benefit disproportionately while average creators struggle to generate meaningful income. The book contrasts decentralized financing with traditional media investment structures, explaining how blockchain-based crowdfunding could replace venture capital models but also introduce new risks related to investor protection and regulatory oversight. Pedde argues that while decentralization reduces reliance on major studios and labels, it does not automatically guarantee financial stability for creators. Mediaverse provides a clear analysis of the legal uncertainties surrounding decentralized entertainment. Pedde highlights critical issues, such as the intersection of blockchain and copyright law, the enforceability of smart contracts, and the governance of decentralized platforms. Pedde acknowledges that while decentralization empowers creators, it also introduces legal grey areas that need to be addressed for long-term viability. He emphasizes that the shift toward Web3 will require significant adaptation from entertainment lawyers, regulators, and policymakers. The book also examines how traditional media companies are responding to decentralization. Some studios and labels are experimenting with blockchain-based engagement tools, while others remain skeptical of the viability of tokenized revenue models. Pedde suggests that the most likely outcome is a hybrid model, where decentralization enhances but does not entirely replace corporate structures. He provides case studies of platforms and companies that are adopting blockchain solutions, illustrating how some are integrating direct-to-fan monetization strategies, subscription-based DAOs, and NFT-backed streaming services. These experiments demonstrate the potential for decentralized finance and governance but also highlight the barriers to mainstream adoption, such as scalability challenges and consumer adoption rates. *Stephen Tague is a London-based media executive with his own advisory company — Asparagus Enterprises. He is the former EVP of CBS Studios International based in London. VIDEOAGE May 2025 Book Review
8 Market Will Be Back With Screenings. Final Numbers Good on Both Fronts London’s three concurrent TV content events started with a bang on Sunday, February 23, 2025 — but they positively exploded on Monday. On Sunday, MIP London began with five conferences — including one on finances — and the opening party. And judging from that opening cocktail party, it looked like the whole international TV sector was at the inaugural MIP London, so large was the crowd. The London Screenings also started on Sunday with screenings from Studio Canal. On Monday, prior to the Screenings’ opening night party sponsored by Avalon, and a party that was part of the MIP London program, which was sponsored by Boat Rocker, there were screenings from MGM, Regency, and Fifth Season. Sunday’s London Marathon was a bit of an inconvenience, as it blocked the entrance at the front of the Savoy Hotel, which, together with the adjacent Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) building constituted the venues of MIP London. However, the marathon route only really affected those who had to cross Strand Street to get to the Savoy since the actual entrances for both venues were on the parallel Savoy Place Street. Another inconvenience for future Londonbased trade shows is that foreign travelers will need to apply online for a travel authorization before entering the U.K. The electronic-travel authorization (ETA) costs about U.S.$13. Attendees will have to figure this all out by next year because MIP London will be back in 2026, since, according to Lucy Smith, director of MIP London and MIPCOM Cannes, with over 2,800 delegates, including more than 1,000 buyers, “MIP London’s debut exceeded expectations.” The dates for MIP London 2026 have not yet been disclosed, but it will most likely take place during the last week of February since that’s when the sixth edition of the London Screenings, which runs in conjunction with MIP London, is taking place. “Plans are already under way for the 2026 edition, which will take place during the final week of February,” stated a press release issued by the organizers of the London Screenings, which consist of several English distribution companies. “Our plan has always been to complement existing events,” stated MIP London’s Smith. London Screenings organizers reported that their organic (i.e., free) market attracted “a record 850 key buyers from across all genres.” While the London Screenings are events set up by each of the participating 35 companies (all of which also sent invitations for their screenings and after-hours parties to buyers), MIP London required registration fees for participants (and exhibition costs), while buyers were invited for free if in attendance. On the other hand, if buyers registered but failed to attend, they were charged £500 (U.S. $650). Monday, February 24, was also the start of the BBC Showcase, held at 180 Studio on Strand Street. On the MIP side, Monday began with a barrage of conferences, and, of course, the market’s opening, plus NBCUniversal Television Alternative Studio took over the MIP London Happy Hour. The Monday conference on YouTube was so overcrowded that safety concerns necessitated the evacuation of people who couldn’t be seated. The same issue arose during Monday’s NBCUniversal Television Alternative Studio party at the Savoy, where the Beaufort Bar was overflowing. MIP organizers were ready for a crowd at Tuesday’s David Beckham conference, where the football (soccer) star was interviewed by Netflix COO Bela Bajaria, but many would-be attendees still wound up outside the doors to the event once the theater was filled up. One observation is that the YouTube event failed to explore whether it is a partner or competitor of broadcasters; and not even a single clip of Beckham’s new Netflix documentary was shown at his conference. These overcrowded conferences were mostly attended by participants who were looking for contacts to enter the entertainment business and delegates who did not have content acquisition duties. The crowd, however, was much thinner on the market floors. MIP London was staged at two venues, with a total of seven floors: three at the Savoy Hotel (for 30 exhibitors), and four at the adjacent IET building (for 54 exhibitors). Of the 84 total exhibitors, 18 hailed from the U.S., 11 from the U.K., and six from Turkey (among the largest contingents), and included content distributors such as A+E and FilmRise from the U.S., Nippon TV from Japan, Global Agency from Turkey, TelevisaUnivision from Mexico, and Record TV from Brazil. The venues were elegant, attendees agreed, especially the Savoy Hotel. However, the market floors at the IET were busier than the Savoy. There were also several representatives from distribution companies who chose not to exhibit, but who instead opted to walk around MIP London’s venues and get the lay of the land, including executives from Turkey’s Inter Medya, who came to investigate the market for possible future participation. As for the final MIP London numbers, the market officially recorded 1,000 buyers out of a total 2,800 delegates (including 100 journalists). In addition to European buyers, there were American and Canadian buyers interested in content for the Latin American market. Some buyers commented that it was difficult to attend both MIP and the concurrent London Screenings — especially in instances where their companies could not send more than one acquisition executive. Smith pointed out that MIP started a day before the London Screenings so as to help out buyers facing just such a predicament. Record TV’s Delmar Andrade was among the exhibitors Lucy Smith, director of MIP London and MIPCOM Cannes VIDEOAGE May 2025 MIP London Floor Report
10 A Successful Event Rises On the Banks of The Hauts-de-France Region The closing of MIPTV, which used to take place in early April in Cannes, located in the south of France, has moved an even larger business crowd to Lille, a city in the north of France, in March, for the fourday Forum (the professional part of the Series Mania Festival), which ran March 24-27, 2025. In effect, MIPTV leaving the city of Cannes has helped Lille make Series Mania an even bigger success than previous years. And the town of Lille showed its appreciation, giving it great visibility throughout the city center. Series Mania was co-founded by Laurence Herszberg in 2010 as the world’s first festival dedicated to TV series. It moved to Lille in 2018 from Paris, its original venue. The Forum, the professional (or business) side of the Festival, began in 2013. The model has been replicated by Canneseries in Cannes (April 24-29, 2025); by Seriencamp in Cologne, Germany (June 3-5, 2025); by the Italian Global Series Festival in Riccione and Rimini (June 21 to 28, 2025); and by SerialMania in Turin (October-February 2025). The weather in Lille is not nearly as temperate as Cannes, but the Flemish-style city is conveniently located a one-hour train ride from both Paris and Brussels, and less than two hours from London, which makes it easily reachable via international air travel (the local airport mainly serves domestic flights). The marketing abilities of Series Mania’s organizers also contributed to the success of the event, giving unusual emphasis and consideration to international trade media, hiring talented PR firms active in both the U.S. and Europe, and cultivating relationships with showrunners and content distribution companies. The Series Mania Festival is open to the public, with some 350 entries screened in various venues throughout the city. This year's festival started on March 21 and ended on March 28, 2025. The Forum consists of TV conferences devoted to the development and production of international TV series (with some 55 conferences and keynotes on this year’s program), including the Co-Pro Pitching sessions, which bestowed a 50,000 euro (U.S. $54,000) prize to French/Japanese comedy-romance Tokyo Crush. The conferences had a big Hollywood studio imprint, with a panel featuring Paramount Global Content Distribution’s Lisa Kramer and Lindsey Martin from CBS Studios, but a keynote from Gerhard Zeiler of Warner Bros. Discovery had to be cancelled. Netflix — one of the event sponsors — featured an elaborate presentation previewing its upcoming offerings prior to a panel on local European productions. This year, for the first time, there was a “Buyers Upfront” held on the Forum’s opening day, March 24, at the Lille Chamber of Commerce building. The “Upfront” was an invitation-only event for some 120 buyers (mostly European) with clips from 10 series that have global appeal. This first Upfront saw Gaumont’s thriller series The Deal winning the first annual “Buyers Choice Award.” The Forum kicked off with an opening night reception at the Lille Chamber of Commerce. Forum director Francesco Capurro was on hand, together with Series Mania co-founder and general director Laurence Herszberg, to welcome delegates. March 25 opened with a record 83 exhibiting companies on four levels of the Lille Convention Center, the Lille Grand Palais. Among the highlights of the Forum’s first day was the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, culminating with the aforementioned announcement of the winner at an awards ceremony and cocktail held at the Barriere hotel theater. Also on day one, the Matchmaking Area was dedicated to meetings with book publishers. The initiative — called “Shoot the Book!” — was organized by SCELF, the European Commission’s non-governmental Intellectual Property collecting society, and this year expanded into an IP pitching session for six titles, held on day two. Sessions and panels continued through the last day of the Forum. One of the most interesting sessions on day four was “All Eyes on Advertising Budget. What are the Impacts on Content Creation?” A number of evening festivities were held for the Forum’s Lille Dialogues, including a dinner for producers and journalists in the presence of one of the eight guests of honor at the Festival, American actor Christina Hendricks, star of the TV series Small Town, Big Story, distributed internationally by NBCUniversal and screened at the Series Mania Festival. Overall, this 2025 Forum welcomed 5,000 professionals, including 500 buyers, from 75 countries — a 20 percent increase from last year. “This edition marks a major milestone for the series industry, confirming than Series Mania Forum is now the one stop shop from content creation to international distribution,” stated an official press release. Next year’s dates are March 20-27, 2026, for the Festival, and March 24-26 for the Forum, and Series Mania organizers are said not to be thinking about moving the event to April. It’s growing every year, which shows that the end of March date works well. Just for Entertainment Distribution’s Alex Avon and Zoé Crabtree Francesco Capurro, director of Series Mania Forum Inter Medya’s Beatriz Cea Okan, Hasret Özcan, and Sinem Aliskan VIDEOAGE May 2025 Series Mania Review
12 The official position of RX, the organizer of MIP Cancun — along with other content trade shows, including MIP London and MIPCOM Cannes — is that “MIP Cancun returns for its 12th edition this November at the Moon Palace Cancun. Plans for 2026 will be confirmed and outlined in due course. Suggestions of any changes at this stage are purely speculative.” Nonetheless, talk of the possibility of moving MIP Cancun to April (from its current November dates) is persistent, fueled by the assumption that many LatAm buyers are skipping MIPCOM in October since MIP Cancun is just a few weeks later. With the current arrangement, MIP Cancun seems to be cannibalizing MIPCOM, and since the month of April became void of any major TV trade shows after MIPTV was cancelled and MIP London was set in February, April could serve RX perfectly for its MIP Cancun. If MIP Cancun would indeed move to April, what effect would it have on the independent portion of the L.A. Screenings, held a few weeks later in May in Los Angeles, and which is mainly patronized by LatAm buyers? In order to bring some order to the disjointed talks, VideoAge reached out to some prominent LatAm TV executives directly affected by these potential changes to get some perspective: “MIP Cancun is a very different market compared to the L.A. Screenings,” said Miami, Florida-based Doris Vogelmann, VP of Programming and Operations at V-ME Media. She added: “While the L.A. Screenings offer opportunities to meet with distributors, their main focus is on the screening events hosted by the major studios. In contrast, MIP Cancun is a larger and more diverse market, offering broader opportunities for meetings with Latin American producers and distributors, as well as companies from around the world. They are very different markets that satisfy very specific needs and they do not really cancel each other.” A similar opinion is held by a key LatAm buyer from North America who asked to remain anonymous. He predicted that MIP Cancun in April would not affect the L.A. Screenings because the studios are the main attraction at the latter event. Pedro Lascurain of Mexico’s TV Azteca was even more forceful: “If MIP Cancun changes to April, no matter where in Mexico, we will not be interested in attending because the L.A. Screenings are the most important market we attend. I believe that MIP Cancun will appeal to Central and South American interests because some of them do not attend the L.A. Screenings.” Then there is the discordant opinion of a major content buyer from South America, who also requested anonymity: “With the actual industry restrictions, it would be hard both for buyers and distributors to attend two markets within two months. According to the specific nature of business, executives will be able to choose which one to attend, but at the end, I do not see room for both — not only from the acquisition side’s perspective but on the distribution side as well. The investment is huge for them. Then, if MIP Cancun continues to pay for the acquisition executives’ trips, I think they will have more chances to survive than the L.A. Screenings.” Finally, from the point of view of an international content distributor, Beatriz Cea Okan of Turkey’s Inter Medya, one of L.A. Screenings Independent’s main exhibitors, stated that “the move of MIP Cancun to April will surely negatively affect the L.A. Screenings since many LatAm buyers are already cutting down on L.A. Screenings attendance due to the fact that very little studio product is available to be acquired.” Universal Cinergia’s Liliam Hernandez and Gema Lopez with Canal 10 Uruguay’s Patricia Daujotas Talk of the possibility of moving MIP Cancun to April is persistent, fueled by the assumption that many LatAm buyers are skipping MIPCOM since MIP Cancun is just a few weeks later. The MIP Cancun Question and Its Effect on MIPCOM and L.A. Screenings VIDEOAGE May 2025 Markets at a Crossroad
16 L.A. Screenings 2025 May 2025 VIDEOAGE Studios’ Global Sales Teams May 17-20 May 19-20 David Decker President, Global Content Sales Mickie Steinmann, SVP & MD, Content Sales, Canada Phil Goodhew, SVP, Commercial Strategy Martyn Holmyard, VP, Content Licensing & Commercial Strategy Roni Patel, SVP, Sales, Nordics, Middle East, CEE, Turkey & Greece Kai Rowley, Director, Content Licensing, CEE Alison Morris, SVP, TV, Affiliate & Digital Distribution, UK & Ireland Toby Etheridge, Executive Director, Sales, UK & Ireland Guillaume Coffin, SVP Affiliates, Ad Sales & Content Licensing, France, Benelux & Africa Alessandra Ghoneim, Executive Director, TV Sales, France, Benelux & Africa Matthias Heinze, SVP, Distribution & Partnerships, Germany, Austria & Switzerland Klaas Woebken, Director, TV Distribution, Germany, Austria & Switzerland Angel Yllera, VP, TV Licensing, Affiliate Sales & Digital Distribution, Spain, Portugal & Italy Luis Garcia de Figueroa, Sales Director, TV & Affiliate Sales, Spain Manuel Garcia Del Rosso, Executive Director, TV Sales & Digital Distribution, Italy Patricia Jasin, SVP, TV Distribution, Latin America Michael Brooks, Managing Director, Australia & New Zealand Jae Chang, SVP, Content Licensing, India, SE Asia, Korea Jito Rai, Director, Content Sales, Japan Sunday Lu, VP, International TV, China Warner Bros. Discovery International Content Lincesing Warner Bros. Studios, Steven J. Ross Theater 4000 Warner Blvd. Burbank, CA 91522 Tel: (818) 954-6000 www.warnerbros.com May 18 Keith Le Goy Chairman, SPT Mike Wald, Co-President, Distribution & Networks Jason Spivak, Co-President, Distribution & Networks Flory Bramnick, EVP, Distribution Paul Littmann, EVP, Distribution John Rossiter, EVP, Distribution, Networks & Production, LATAM Mark Young, EVP, Distribution & Networks, SPE, EMEA Ian Durndell, EVP, Digital Distribution & Direct to Consumer Adam Herr, SVP, Distribution, APAC Ramon Garcia, SVP & MD, TV Distribution, LATAM Selina Nederhand, SVP & Co-Networks Head, Content Strategy and Acquisitions, LATAM Monica Veiga, SVP, US Distribution Holly Comiskey, SVP, Distribution & Networks, UK and GSA Jorge Lezaun Valverde, SVP, Distribution & Networks, Spain Louise Emblem, SVP, Distribution & Networks, Benelux & Nordics Irina Panfilova, SVP, Distribution & Networks, CEE & Russia Zelda Stewart, SVP Sales & Country Manager, TV Distribution, France & Italy Ziad Yaghi, SVP, Distribution & Networks, MENA & Turkey Sony Pictures Television 10202 West Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232 Tel: (310) 244-4000 www.sonypictures.com/tv Michael Bonner President, Global TV Distribution Carolyn Stalins, EVP, Sales Liaison, International Bruce Casino, EVP, Sales & Distribution, U.S. Ron Suter, EVP & GM, Sales & Distribution, Canada Jay McNamara, EVP & Global Head, Distribution Strategy & Operations Rob Bell, EVP, Global Content Strategy & Digital Sales Chris Taylor, MD, APAC, TV Distribution and International Networks & DTC Lizzie Avery, SVP, Lead Sales Liaison, EMEA Rajiv Dhawn, SVP, Sales Liaison, Asia Pierre Weisbein, SVP, Sales Liaison, Latin America Tamara Misert, SVP, Sales Liaison, Iberia, Italy, Israel Atsushi Miyasaka, SVP, Sales Liaison, Japan & Korea Sven Noth, SVP, Liaison, German-speaking Territories, Benelux, Nordics Anne-Lorraine Villeroy, SVP, Liaison, French-speaking Territories, Greece, CEE, Poland, Africa NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution Universal Studios Lot Universal City, CA 91608 Tel: (818) 777-1300 www.nbcuniversal.com May 18 Prentiss Fraser President, FOX Entertainment Global David Smyth, EVP, Content Sales & Partnerships Simona Argenti, SVP, Content Sales Nathalie Wogue, SVP, Global Formats Cyrus Farrokh, SVP, Content Sales Brook Peters, SVP, Sales & Business Development Jody Cipriano, VP, Content Sales Tara Gaule, Director, Content Sales EMEA Robyn Hurd, Sales Consultant Michelle Payne, Sales Consultant FOX Entertainment Global FOX Studio Lot Tel: (310) 369-5500 www.foxentglobal.com Roosevelt Hotel Exhibitors Alfred Haber Distr. T4 Allen Media/Entert. Studios 734 Amazon MGM Studios 1101 American Cinema Inspires T11 Astory Col. 905 Atresmedia 1232 ATV 1200 Azteca 901 BetaFilm 1123 Bighouse Entertainment 909 Blue Ant Studios 1238 California Films T8 Calinos Entertainment T12 Caracol Television 125 CDC United Network 1137 Cisneros Media 601 CJ ENM 910 Comarex 537 Disney Entert. 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Buena Vista St. Burbank, CA 91521 Tel: (818) 560-6017 www.disney.com Dan Cohen Chief Content Licensing Officer, Paramount and President, Republic Pictures Lisa Kramer, President, International Content Licensing, Paramount Global Content Distribution Jonathan Bingaman, President, Domestic Multi-Platform Licensing & Distribution Andres Alvarez, EVP, Home Entertainment Jonathan Greenberg, EVP, Content Licensing Regional Sales, North Asia Melissa Bustos, SVP, Global Content Licensing & Distribution Matthew Downer, SVP, Regional Content Licensing Katherine Kaufman, SVP, Domestic Content Licensing & Distribution Lauren Marriott, SVP, Content Partnerships and Brand Strategy Philippe Renouard, SVP, Regional Content Licensing Maria Sanchez, SVP, Content Licensing, Latin America Bernhard Schwab, SVP, Regional Content Licensing Nicole Sinclair, SVP, Regional Content Licensing, South Asia Doug Smith, SVP, Streaming & Content Licensing Laura Burrell, VP, International Formats Paramount Global Content Distribution Paramount Lot 5555 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038 www.paramount.com May 17-18
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18 Hollywood is well-versed in dramas — those created for the big or small screen, as well as those generated by social, financial, or climatic forces. Turbulence has, from the start, tried to rattle Hollywood with all kinds of earthquakes — geological, technological, managerial, labor-related, and talent-induced. It has faced scandals, market upheavals, scam artists, and fires. According to The Los Angeles Times, January’s Los Angeles County wildfires killed 28 people, destroyed 18,000 structures valued at more than $275 billion, and triggered vast evacuations and many displaced families. The 2023 Hollywood strikes that included the Writers Guild, the Screen Actors Guild, and the Federation of Television and Radio Artists resulted in an estimated 45,000 job losses in the entertainment industry and a $6.5 billion economic loss to Southern California’s economy. Plus, the six months that the strikes went on caused $60 billion in losses for the Hollywood studios, and this is on top of the estimated $100 billion losses from the start of streaming platform competition. Despite all the adversity, Hollywood has kept its good humor by producing a good number of comedies over the years. Nonetheless, it also let everyone see the drama behind the facade. This could be the reason that the Screen Actors Guild Awards statuette represents the twofaced mask of comedy and tragedy. In May, L.A. Screenings 2025 will have reps for the Hollywood studios putting on their happy-face masks as they welcome some 1,000 key TV content buyers from around the world (down from the traditional 1,700 buyers of the pre-pandemic era) who are attracted by the studios’ quality productions, star power, and the extravagant parties that only Hollywood knows how to stage. And at these upcoming L.A. Screenings there will be plenty, with shindigs hosted by Disney, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures TV, FOX Entertainment, and Amazon MGM. Plus, on the indie side, there will be cocktail parties, including the one thrown by Argentina’s Telefilms. This is why VideoAge’s symbol for the L.A. Screenings 2025 is the phoenix, the mythological bird that rises from the ashes of its predecessor. The L.A. Screenings, now in its 62nd year, is scheduled for May 15 and 16 for the independents and for May 17-21 for the major studios. The related Upfronts for broadcast TV, which are held in New York City, will start on Monday, May 12, 2025, and end on May 15. So, what does the international content sector expect to see at these L.A. Screenings? According to Joe Flint, who knows Hollywood, since he writes about television for The Wall Street Journal from Los Angeles, Hollywood is pivoting conservative with the removal of transgender stories and the fear that some programs could be perceived as “woke” (i.e., alert to racial discrimination). Flint writes that “media giants ... are scaling back on DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] initiatives,” explaining that the FCC, the U.S. communications regulatory agency, is investigating NBC for promoting DEI. Flint concludes with the notion that “most of the shows launched recently began development during Trump’s campaign,” which to VideoAge indicates that the new series that will be presented during the L.A. Screenings will reflect this conservative trend. This year, the independent screenings that precede the studios’ L.A. Screenings will have a new venue: The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, which is replacing the traditional Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. Isabella Marquez, the organizer of L.A. Independents, found a new venue because the costs associated with the Century Plaza had become exorbitant. Since 1983, when VideoAge began covering what was previously called the “May Screenings” (before VideoAge changed it to the current “L.A. Screenings”), independent TV companies set up shop at various hotels around Los Angeles on their own. Some rented suites at the Westwood Marques (now The W), others at the Four Seasons, forcing buyers to rush from place to place in L.A. traffic. That was until Isabella Marquez swooped in to coordinate all the independents, first at the Century Plaza, then at the InterContinental, then back at the Century Plaza until the hotel became too expensive and indifferent to the needs of the distributors. Now Marquez has found a solution with the selection of The Roosevelt Hotel as the new venue for the Independent Screenings 2025. “The iconic hotel,” said Marquez, “offers a range of suites and event spaces to accommodate various needs. We were looking for a hotel that could meet the diverse requirements of our clients and TV buyers. The Hollywood Roosevelt stood out for its spacious and comfortable suites, reasonable pricing, and ability to provide sleeping accommodations for both exhibitors and buyers throughout the entire event schedule.” The Hollywood Roosevelt is a four-star hotel located on Hollywood Boulevard, and the rate for a standard sleeping room is $239 per night. But will the buyers be there? It is the recurrent general question from content distributors. And the answer is that buyers will, as usual, be in Los Angeles in droves, attracted by the studios’ invitations. How many of those will trickle down to the indies two days before the studios’ screenings, is, as always, a matter of speculation, and mainly a function of the content being offered by the indies. The indies’ exhibitor list can be found on page 16. As for the 2025-2026 TV season, the talk has mostly centered on renewals since there are few newly ordered series, like 911: Nashville for ABC, Boston Blue for CBS, and Tomorrow, a New Amsterdam sequel, for NBC. The full list of new, renewed, and indie series can be found starting on page 20. The major U.S. commercial TV broadcast networks have renewed a total of 35 series. Scores of cable TV channels have also renewed lots of current shows. Finally, what will save the U.S. TV season in commercial spots in 2026 will be heated elections and tons of sports content, with the Winter Olympics (February 6-22 in Milan-Cortina, Italy), the FIFA World Cup (June 11-July 19 in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico), various U.S. sports like football and basketball, and the mid-term congressional elections. Hollywood’s Dramas Won’t Affect Its Best Television Dramas VIDEOAGE May 2025 L.A. Screenings 2025
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20 A Recycled TV Season Rules in the Upcoming Broadcast Schedule By Mike Reynolds Go back just five years and there were 56 pilots picked for the U.S. TV season, all hoping to become U.S. hits locally, before turning into hits globally, which many of them did. A few years before that, 80 or so pilots would not have been an unusual number of debuts. Today, however, the U.S. TV sector finds itself with a much different scenario. Between them, the major networks aren’t even capable of a mere handful, let alone double-digit pilot numbers, as they’re caught between an audience loss to streamers and the domino effect causing advertising downturn, leading to an inevitable remit to reduce budgets. Writers, in particular, and everyone else working behind the scenes, are desperately seeking jobs — any jobs in any industry — as TV work has dried up. Even shows that have an on-screen life have reduced writers rooms (though none contain the traditional one or two writers per series seen in the U.K., where episode orders are smaller than in the U.S.). The reduction in new orders can be understandable on one level, while on another level investing in new projects could lead to a higher return on the content they greenlight — but it’s still a gamble. Network executives are boringly and overly playing it safe, wanting to keep their jobs and going for themes, titles, and characters associated with an alltoo familiar past. Sure, COVID and Hollywood strikes got in the way, but so too has what seems like a “worry about the job” attitude from decision-making executives. The “If we go for that it might fail and we might lose our job” mentality seems to have truly hit big-time, as the networks they represent stay with existing titles and refuse to branch out into something new. Many new shows recently hitting the U.S. network airwaves are Americanized versions of global franchise hits (The Traitor and talent/ dance/Masked Singer-type formats immediately come to mind). While production of network shows has been cast aside, production of streaming content is providing some work — Adolescence, Severance, The White Lotus, Invincible, Reacher, Zero Day, Paradise, and 1923 are among a growing list of series with overseas interest and sales. However, networks stand to lose even more of their audience to streamers, or lose previous overseas buyers of their limited new content offerings. Confided an English-language content buyer: “For several years now we have not been that interested in [U.S.] network shows, with the odd exception. The best shows for us, which we have picked up in recent years, have been made for the likes of Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+ (even for U.K. and Australian broadcasters). The days of tracking the new crime procedural shows, which run to 22 episodes, and the bidding wars which went with them are long gone. As I say there is the odd exception and we picked up St. Denis Medical, as did the BBC and it is a great little show.” U.S. Broadcast Networks 2025-2026 Season (confirmed as of April 30) ABC Abbott Elementary - renewal Grey’s Anatomy - renewal High Potential - renewal The Rookie - renewal Shifting Gears - renewal Will Trent - renewal 911: Nashville (drama pick-up) Writer/Executive Producer: Ryan Murphy, Tim Minear, Rashad Raisani Executive Producers: Angela Bassett, Brad Falchuk Production Company: 20th Television, Ryan Murphy Productions Cast: Chris O’ Donnell, Jessica Capshaw Premise: Follows the police, firefighters and medical personnel who respond to major emergencies that rock their city. CBS Elsbeth - renewal FBI - renewal Fire Country - renewal Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage - renewal Ghosts - renewal Matlock - renewal NCIS - renewal NCIS: International - renewal NCIS: Sydney - renewal The Neighborhood - renewal Tracker - renewal Watson - renewal Boston Blue (drama pick-up) Writer/Showrunner/Executive Producer: Brandon Sonnier, Brandon Margolis Executive Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, Donnie Wahlberg, KristieAnne Reid Production Company: Jerry Bruckheimer TV, CBS Studios Cast: Donny Wahlberg Premise: Danny Reagan relocates to Boston to take a job as a detective with Boston PD. His partner is detective Lena Peters, the daughter of a prominent law enforcement family in Boston. Distribution: Paramount Global Content Distr. CIA (working title) (drama pick-up) Executive Producer: Dick Wolf, David Hudgins (showrunner), Nicole Perlman, David Chasteen, Peter Jankowski Production Company: Universal Television, Wolf Entertainment, CBS Studios Cast: Tom Ellis Premise: FBI spin-off. A fast-talking, rulebreaking loose cannon CIA case officer and a by-the-book, seasoned and smart FBI agent are assigned to work out of CIA’s New York Station. Distribution: Paramount Global Content Distr. DMV (comedy pick-up) Executive Producer/Writer: Dana Klein Executive Producer: Aaron Kaplan, Wendi Trilling, Robyn Meisinger Production Company: CBS Studios Premise: Based on award winning author Katherine Heiny’s short story, a single camera workplace comedy set at the place everyone dreads going most: the DMV. Distribution: Paramount Global Content Distr. Sheriff Country (drama pick-up) Creators: Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Max Thieriot Showrunner/Executive Producer: Brandon Sonnier, Brandon Margolis Executive Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, KristieAnn Reid, Max Thieriot, Rony Phelan, Joan Rater Production Company: CBS Studios, Jerry Bruckheimer TV Cast: Max Thieriot, Morena Baccarin, W Earl Brown Premise: Mickey Fox investigates criminal activity and patrols the streets of small-town Edgewater while contending with her ex-con father and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter. Distribution: Paramount Global Content Distr. FOX American Dad! - renewal Bob’s Burgers - renewal Doc - renewal Family Guy- renewal Krapopolis - renewal Murder in A Small Town -renewal The Simpsons - renewal Universal Basic Guy - renewal The CW Sullivan’s Crossing - renewal NBC Happy’s Place - renewal St Denis Medical - renewal VIDEOAGE May 2025 U.S. Broadcast TV Season
22 L.A. Screenings 2025 May 2025 VIDEOAGE Programming Highlights AMERICAN CINEMA INSPIRES Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries (mystery) After Cheryl’s 3-year engagement ends in a devastating breakup, her life is turned upside down when her aunt offers her an escape to the Amish town of Sugarcreek. Struggling with being a fish out of water, Cheryl uncovers an unsettling secret that could disrupt the small town. Chasing June (drama movie) Dakota’s attempt to escape trouble leads her and Liam on a runaway adventure, leaving behind the ordinary. What begins as a pursuit of freedom becomes a quest for love, identity, and the unknown. Birth - Nacimiento (drama movie) The movie follows Kim Dae Gun, a young Korean man who was baptized and selected to study theology by a French priest. He travels to Macau with two of his companions aiming to become the first Korean-born priest. Christmas Oranges (family movie) Orphan Rose teaches the meaning of hope to all those around her. Share a slice of Christmas sweetened with friendship in this poignant story based on a classic holiday tale. Hasta La Muerte (drama series) Fed up with his mysterious and inexplicable wife, Hadi meets a spontaneous and special woman during a business trip. Contact: carlos@americancinemainspires.com chevonne@americancinemainspires.com Roosevelt Hotel, Table 11 ATV The Nightfall (drama) (pictured) Police inspector Mahir is determined to avenge his father, who was assassinated by Kürşat Kilimci. Mahir has a fateful encounter with Canfeza, Kürşat’s daughter, and instantly falls in love. Hidden Destiny (drama) Successful lawyer Mehmet reconnects with his young daughter, Doğa, who has distanced herself after her mother’s death. This effort will bring long-hidden secrets to light. Ceylan (drama) Ceylan is a strong woman forced into marriage. While studying medicine and working to support her son, she endures her abusive husband. Her life changes when she starts working in the home of Atmaca Bekri, a powerful underworld figure. Snowdrops (drama) Hicran and Arif’s family is torn apart by betrayal and tragedy. A reunion with estranged son Onur ends in a car accident, claiming Onur and his wife’s lives, and leaving Arif in a coma. Safir (drama) In the Gülsoy family mansion, housekeeper Feraye falls for Yaman, one of the family’s heirs. However, Yaman must wed Aleyna. Contact: muge.akar@atv.com.tr Roosevelt Hotel, Suite 1200 CALINOS ENTERTAINMENT Farah (drama) (pictured) An Iranian woman who ran away from her country to live in Istanbul, works as a cleaning lady in order to afford her son’s medical treatments, but she soon turns into a mafia accomplice. Ana (drama) Ana is an ambitious young woman living in a foster home. She takes a genetic test to find her biological mother and investigates why she was abandoned. Love with Lavender Scent (drama) Anda, a single mother and respected family doctor, sees her simple life take a dramatic turn when she learns that Stefan, a stranger to her, has inherited her house and land through her father’s will. Adela (drama) Sisters Adela and Andreea were raised by their parents in a slum near Bucharest. One day, Adela’s biological grandfather decides to repair his past mistakes. Deceiver (drama) Dr. Aseel, her architect husband Saif, and their son Yazan, live a seemingly perfect life. Their idyllic family unravels when Aseel finds a blonde hair on Saif’s scarf, revealing his two-year affair with a woman 15 years younger. Contact: info@calinosentertainment.com Roosevelt Hotel, Table 12 DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT LATIN AMERICA 24 (action, adventure) (pictured) Midnight. Jack Bauer discovers his daughter has disappeared out of her bedroom window, but before he can go look for her, he’s called into the office to deal with a sudden emergency, leaving his wife, Teri, to track down their daughter. Avatar: The Way of Water (action, adventure, fantasy) Set a decade-plus after the events of the first film, this breathtaking movie tells the story of the Sully family, and introduces audiences to the majestic ocean tulkun. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (action, adventure, science fiction) Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of the death of their beloved king. The Golden Girls (comedy) Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Betty White, and Estelle Getty star as four South Florida seniors sharing a house, their dreams, and a whole lot of cheesecake. The Little Mermaid (family, fantasy, musical, romance) The Little Mermaid is Rob Marshall’s live-action reimagining of Disney’s beloved animated musical classic, the story of Ariel, a beautiful young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. Contact: Tel. (305) 239-8148 Roosevelt Hotel, Suite 1010 ELECTRIC ENTERTAINMENT The Librarians: The Next Chapter, Season 1 & 2 (action, adventure) (pictured) The spinoff of the original series centers on a “Librarian” stuck in the present and who inadvertently releases magic across the continent. Leverage: Redemption, Seasons 1-3 (action, crime) This season the team pits themselves against a power broker, a Mayor, a pool hustler and an industrialist exploiting child labor, all while dodging a plan of vengeance from a Season One enemy. The Ark Seasons 1 – 3 (drama, sci-fi) The spacecraft “Ark One” and remaining crew members fight to survive after a catastrophic event causes massive destruction to the ship during its mission to save humankind. One Big Happy Family (drama, comedy) Lisa Brenner stars as Rachel, a woman who goes on a journey of shock, dismay, disillusionment, and self-discovery, filled with surprisingly hilarious comedic moments, along with Linda Lavin, who plays her Jewish mother, Lenore. Contact: sales@electricentertainment.com Roosevelt Hotel, Table 1 INSURGENCE Founded in 2019 by technology executive Niccolo Messina, Insurgence is breaking new ground in the production and distribution of independent films and documentary content. Since its inception, the independent entertainment studio has premiered over 100 original movies and 60 documentaries on its own YouTube channel, amassing more than 9 billion streams worldwide. Insurgence also licenses select titles from its library of independent features to digital streaming platforms worldwide, further demonstrating the company’s successful production and distribution formula aimed at empowering emerging filmmakers and reshaping the traditional movie distribution landscape. Contact: Nick@Insurgence.co INTER MEDYA Eshref Ruya (drama) (pictured) Eşref spent years searching for a girl he once loved from afar. In the process, he rose to power as a high-ranking member of a mafia syndicate. Nisan, an idealistic young musician, gets entangled in his world. Valley of Hearts (drama) Sumru, a woman who abandoned her twins, now lives a wealthy life in Cappadocia. When her twins discover her identity, they confront her and seek retribution. Meanwhile, the Şansalans’ mansion is rife with family drama. Heartstrings (family drama) The lives of Mahinur Aydın and Aras Yılmazer (Continued on Page 24)
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