AFM 2017

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Content Is King But Distribution Is Queen
MIPCOM Paves The Start Of The Autumn Round
Of Content Events Which Increasingly Is Streaming
& Creating Cross-Collateralization Seamlessly
Across The Platforms Digital & Tradition

Headed by Laurine Garaude (above), Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division, and Lucy Smith (above), Director of MIPDoc, MIPFormats, MIPJunior, MIPTV & MIPCOM conferences, and the team at MIPCOM 2017 upped the game in the stakes for the Film and TV conventions at the autumn start of the industry’s important events. As reported in our pages some 4 years ago, the event has become a hybrid for filmed entertainment with stars of the big screen in attedance. This year Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aoi Miyazaki, JK Simmons and Russian star Konstantin Khabenskiy to name a few.

One hopes that in 2018 the dates will give clients WANTING to attend MIPCOM and attend ALL the three markets (MIPCOM, Rome for the Europeans and AFM) more time in between the events. Barely ten days between the MIPCOM and AFM – will see independent buyers and sellers, the innate core of these events, choose which venues to attend. For the major companies the cream on any event’s cake - with resources to match the huge catalogue programming output – it’s not a factor for consideration.

However the independent community of creators who are at the heart of creativity of content should not be seemly sidelined – many remarked to TBOF, on the high cost of attendance for MIPCOM, and many buyers and sellers of content attended only MIPjunior the first two days - the entrée to MIPCOM the main meal.

The opening of MIPCOM 2017 and the Palais saw a number of newsworthy improvements to be mentioned. The entrance to the Palais was changed most days from the cramped usual entrance to mounting the steps to the right of usual Palais entrance - this considerably eased congestion for the participants. Strict security was in place with four detector walk throughs (like at the airport) in place, not always strictly policed as should, but there were enough security at hand to deter any possible threat.

Inside the Palais saw the introduction of new and invigorating arena to the structure to enhance the display of posters and advertising from companies – not an insignificant investment on making the MIPCOM 2017 experience an inviting one.

The Press area and Interview hub for Stars and attending celebrities was given a makeover and looking very much the ‘Diva’ for information for the Press and participants alike.

WME-IMG hosted a non-stop elaborate and exquisitely furnished ‘entertaining hub’ in the Gare Maritime for talent and its association in the world of content entertainment covering all the platforms.

Prior to MIPCOM the MIPJunior was bustling with activity; Animation was the prevailing genre for kids. MIPJunior has grown in stature and was one of the first events to offer onsite screening of programming for it participants.

COMPREHENSIVE EXTRACTS & OBSERVATIONS FROM THE ORGANIZERS’ OFFICIAL ROUND-UP OF MIPCOM 2017 EVENT:

MIPCOM saw a slate of major drama projects come to market, confirming the continued appetite for high-end content and the growing number of international partnerships now in place to produce that content. Proceedings in Cannes opened with 1,600 delegates and a record-breaking 660 buyers attending MIPJunior. With some 13,900 delegates, including 4,800 buyers from over 110 countries attending MIPCOM.

There was much talk of the globalisation of production and the globalisation of creativity. Meanwhile on the distribution front, major companies such as Discovery confirmed they are adopting a ‘glocal’ approach by bringing content to a global audience while also producing local versions of some shows.

A host of companies from around the world made first-time appearances as exhibitors including China’s Tencent, Huace Film & TV, Awesomeness TV, The Africa Channel, and WME/IMG – who announced that their film and scripted television finance and sales groups have been brought together under the Endeavour Content label.

Reflecting the changes that are taking place within the industry, in addition to the major US and international broadcasting, production and distribution companies in town, MIPCOM hosted 1,700 VOD and SVOD buyers from the likes of Netflix, Amazon instant video, SFR Play, Virgin Media, HBO Go, and Fox Play.

Netflix figured in plenty of conversations at MIPCOM as news filtered across from the United States that the streaming powerhouse will invest up to $8 billion in original content in 2018.

With over 460 VOD platforms in Cannes this week, MIPCOM welcomed giants Netflix and Amazon, China’s Youku, Hulu, Maxdome, Stan and first-time attendees iflix, KKTV, Acorn TV, PlayKids and Showmax, which is extending its African reach into Eastern Europe.

MAJOR SCREENINGS HIT RECORD NUMBER

MIPCOM 2017 hosted more World Premiere TV Screenings and International Screenings than before. Sony Pictures Entertainment’s thriller Counterpart, starring JK Simmons, whetted MIPCOM delegates’ appetite for high-end drama during a Pre-Opening World Premiere TV Screening. While Counterpart was produced from the US, it reflects a move towards an internationalisation of projects with talent that includes Norwegian Director Morten Tyldum, UK actors Olivia Williams and Harry Lloyd, Italy’s Sara Serraiocco and Denmark’s Ulrich Thomsen.

The unveiling of historical fantasy drama Britannia, set in 43 A.D. Britain, in front of a packed audience in the Palais des Festivals’ Grand Auditorium, was another example of the growing trend for major companies to pact on high-end drama. Britannia is the first production partnership between Sky Atlantic and Amazon US and is distributed by Sky Vision.

Russia was the themed country at MIPCOM with Russia making a major push into the international market, MIPCOM’s Russian Content Revolution programme included a World Premiere TV Screening of the first major drama devoted to a key figure of the October Revolution, Trotsky. The series was presented by Channel One Russia’s CEO, Konstantin Ernst and Sreda Productions’ Founder Alexander Tsekalo and has been sold to Netflix, which has also acquired TV3 Channel’s (Russia) mystery thriller Gogol – which held an International Screening in Cannes.

MIPCOM PREPARES THE WAY FOR
CANNESERIES LAUNCH AT MIPTV
OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

MIPTV 2018 will see the showcasing of major international drama taken to a new level with the launch of international series festival CANNESERIES, at what promises to be the world’s biggest week in television. Festival President Fleur Pellerin, Managing Director Benoit Louvet and Artistic Director Albin Lewi unveiled details of its programme and introduced its Patron, Danish actress Sidse Babett Knudsen.

CANNESERIES will include a programme of screenings for the general public (CANNESERIES Addicts), an International Competition featuring 10 series, a short-form competition (CANNESERIES Digital) and, in partnership with MIPTV, a forum to fast-track early stage co-production projects (In Development).

Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division commented: “The combination of an international festival for series and a leading business event such as MIPTV will provide the television industry and general public with a unique opportunity to focus on outstanding content from around the world.”

NEW PARTNERSHIPS FORMED IN EVOLVING MARKET

MIPCOM witnessed a multitude of announcements covering new international partnerships. Among them, Mexico’s TV Azteca and Israel’s Keshet International unveiled an agreement to co-produce a new 60-episode, currently untitled series and L.A.-based IM Global Television signed a joint venture with France’s Newen to create original content for the international market.

One partnership that drew particular attention during MIPCOM was the announcement that social media company Snap is partnering with NBCUniversal to create a digital content studio destined to make original shows that will debut on the Snapchat platform.

NBCUniversal says it wants to take mobile TV content to the next level. Observers in Cannes noted that this partnership brings a new player to the online entertainment market that has been dominated by Netflix and Amazon and which has recently seen the launch of the Facebook Watch platform.

In addition to company partnerships, major distribution entities are increasingly bringing programming from around the world to the international market. France’s StudioCanal screened the latest Scandinavian thriller that it is representing, SF Studios’ (Sweden) The Lawyer and Germany’s Beta Film showcased four new, high-end titles to come from Spain: Morocco – Love in Times of War, The Velvet Collection, Farinia – Snow on the Atlantic and La Zona, as part of its strategic drive to develop its slate of Spanish-language drama.

Three of the industry’s leading executives in the international scripted business – StudioCanal’s Rola Bauer, Banijay’s Takis Candalis and Lionsgate’s Steve November – came together at MIPCOM to discuss the wave of cross-border creative connections that are being established. There was agreement that co-productions allowed ambitious series to be made for the international market by bringing together talent and financing not widely available a few years ago.

The rapid evolution of viewing habits and the new services catering to these changes, were clear at MIPCOM. In the final MIPCOM keynote address, by Dominique Delport, Global Managing Director, Havas Group and Chairman of Vivendi Content, said the company’s Studio+ short-form video service, that was first unveiled at MIPTV 2016, now has five million subscribers.

Delport commented that “Content is king of course, but distribution is queen. We’re living in a world where kings and queens are equal. “MIPCOM has confirmed that barriers are tumbling throughout the TV and digital industry. New partnerships are being formed between established television companies and digital platforms. Major groups are embracing change and taking a long-term approach by investing heavily in new content destined for all devices. And there is an increasing acceptance that great content, tailored for different audiences, will be a key to success in the future,” said Reed MIDEM’s Laurine Garaude.

Highlights MIPCOM 2017 edition includes:
MIPCOM Personality of the Year, Discovery Communications President and CEO, David Zaslav was honoured at a gala dinner. Catherine Zeta-Jones took MIPCOM by storm as she joined the A+E Networks team to promote Cocaine Godmother in which she stars. Speaking at the packed Women in Global Entertainment Power Lunch, Zeta-Jones addressed the Harvey Weinstein story head on, telling guests that she hoped the on-going scandal will prove a tipping point in the treatment of women in any industry.

MIPCOM welcomed the second edition of the Diversity Programme which saw new awards and a first keynote address from British comedian, writer, award-winning actor and diversity champion Sir Lenny Henry. The inaugural Diversify TV International Excellence Awards, created by Diversify TV, champion and promote diversity in all its forms across the international television industry. Sir Lenny Henry called for increased diversity behind as well as in front of the camera. “Without diversity behind the camera, certain stories are not being told.” Sir Lenny Henry suggested that one possible way of stimulating diversity within the television business would be to provide tax breaks to companies that passed a diversity and inclusion test. He told his MIPCOM audience, “If we appeal to people’s business sense as well as their better nature, we can achieve a revolution in the TV business.”

Stars were in abundance in support of programmes in Cannes. They included talent from Britannia Eleanor Worthington-Cox, David Morrisey, Nikolai Lie Kaas and musician Donavan. Russia’s NTV brought in Anna Chipovskaya and Yulia Snigir – stars of The Road to Calvary. Major Russian film talent and lead actor in Trotsky, Konstantin Khabenskiy was in Cannes as were William Fichtner (representing Top Gear America), popular Japanese actress Aoi Miyazaki, JK Simmons and Michael Kelly.

The line-up of MIPCOM keynote and conference speakers was heralded as one of the strongest ever. HBO Chairman and CEO, Richard Plepler, attributed his company’s continued success, in a crowded and disrupted market, to the strength of the HBO brand and the quality of the talent it works with. TV Azteca CEO, Benjamin Salinas, who took over leadership of the company in 2015, confirmed that TV Azteca will increase the amount of content it produces rather than simply relying on acquisitions. Sean Mills, Senior Director of Content Programming at Snap Inc, used his keynote to explain how Snapchat has been developing non-scripted content for mobile with such heavyweight partners as NBC, ABC and the BBC. Mills said that Snap is now entering the world of short-form, scripted content for mobile.

The popularity of French animation shows continues. No fewer than 12 of the top 30 shows screened during MIP Junior were French. Most screened was Korean animation series, Magic Adventures – The Crystal of Dark, followed by Italian animation series, 44 Cats. France’s Blue Spirit Productions took third and fifth place with Alice & Lewis and Arthur and the Children of the Round Table.

NHK says that the positive reaction to its 8K UHD footage shown at MIPCOM has encouraged the company to create more content and take the technology on a European tour in 2018 following NHK’s 8K UHD transmission of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Videos of MIPCOM keynote presentations are available on the MIPCOM YouTube channel.

About Reed MIDEM
Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is an organiser of professional, international markets that are essential business platforms for key players in the sectors concerned. These sectors are MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, MIPJUNIOR in Cannes, MIP China in Hangzhou and MIP Cancun in Mexico for the television and digital content industries; MIDEM in Cannes for music professionals; Esports BAR in Cannes and in Miami for the esports business; MIPIM in Cannes, MIPIM UK in London, MIPIM Asia Summit in Hong Kong and MIPIM PropTech Summit in New York for the real estate industry; MAPIC in Cannes, MAPIC Russia in Moscow, MAPIC Italy in Milan, MAPIC China Summit in Shanghai and IRF brought by MAPIC in Mumbai for the retail real estate sector.

About Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 500 events in over 30 countries. In 2016 Reed brought together over seven million event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 38 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.