TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Tuesday 17 December 2024
BC boosts tax incentives; Netflix expands Squid Game deals; The White Lotus goes to Thailand; CBC warns of sector risks; Sony adapts From Blood & Ash; Sundance celebrates global shorts.
Today’s Highlights:
British Columbia Increases Tax Incentives to Attract Global Productions—BC will raise film tax incentives in 2025, benefiting both Canadian and international productions and aiming to strengthen ties with global studios.
Netflix’s Territory Explores Family Conflict Over World’s Largest Cattle Station - Greg McLean’s Australian drama blends Succession and Yellowstone, depicting a family feud over Marianne Station with extensive post-production work.
Media Megadeals: Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery Lead Consolidation Talks—Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast are restructuring, while Paramount may see new ownership as media giants prepare for mergers in 2025.
Outgoing CBC Head Catherine Tait Warns of "Worrisome" Future for Canadian Production Sector - Catherine Tait raises concerns over rising costs, fewer commissions, and delayed implementation of Canada’s streaming rules.
Aussie SVoD Budgets Rise, But Global Distribution of Local Content Falls - Australian platforms increased spending, but global exports of local titles declined sharply across most continents.
Sundance Film Festival Reveals 2025 Shorts Program with 57 Films from 28 Countries—Sundance announced its shorts lineup, which includes over 11,000 submissions and showcases diverse global talent.
Netflix Turns Squid Game Into a Marketing Juggernaut Ahead of Season 2—To capitalise on the series’ massive global appeal, Netflix unveils 20 new brand partnerships in food, fashion, and gaming.
Sony Developing TV Adaptation of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood & Ash - Sony will adapt the fantasy series, following Poppy’s conflict between duty and desire, with plans to cover all five books.
Production Begins on Man vs Baby Starring Rowan Atkinson - Netflix begins production on the Man vs Bee follow-up, with Rowan Atkinson reprising his comedic role in a new 4-episode series.
HBO's The White Lotus Season 3 Teaser: Thailand Welcomes Parker Posey, Walton Goggins, and Carrie Coon - The new season, set in Thailand, teases themes of spirituality, death, and satire with an expanded star-studded cast.
Plus: News, Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals, Renewals and Jobs with Channel 4, Sky, Pluto, Fox & Prime.
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NEWS
British Columbia Increases Tax Incentives to Attract Global Productions
British Columbia (BC) will raise its film and TV tax incentives starting in 2025 to bolster its appeal as a prime production hub. The Film Incentive BC (FIBC) for Canadian-content productions will rise from 35% to 36%, while the production services tax credit (PSTC) for international projects will jump from 28% to 36%. Productions spending over C$200M in BC will gain a 2% bonus. These measures aim to rebuild relationships with global studios, which drive over 80% of local production spending. Read More
Minimax AI Tool Creates Videos with Logos of British Broadcasters Without Authorisation
Hailuo.ai, a video generator by Singapore-based Minimax, has produced videos featuring logos of ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5, despite the broadcasters having no relationship with the tool. Prompts unrelated to the networks resulted in videos displaying the logos. ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 confirmed they did not authorise their content for training and are investigating. Minimax, valued at $2.5 billion, has not commented on the issue. Read More
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INSIGHTS
Netflix’s Territory Explores Family Conflict Over World’s Largest Cattle Station
Director Greg McLean helms Netflix’s Territory, an Australian drama blending elements of Succession and Yellowstone. The series centres on a family feuding over Marianne Station, the world’s largest cattle station, with rival interests threatening their legacy. Despite minimal special effects, extensive post-production removed crew reflections from the characters’ sunglasses in 560 shots. Read More
The ATS Team Elevates Safety in Challenge and Game Shows
Specialising in challenge-based productions like Ninja Warrior, The Titan Games, and The Amazing Race, The ATS Team prioritises contestant safety with a tailored duty-of-care approach. CEO Nate Moore minimises physical risks through in-house obstacle testing, citing adjustments to prevent shoulder injuries and ensure pool, padding, and height standards. Read More
Why TV Keeps Rebooting Old Hits
Reboots, sequels, and prequels thrive in today’s cutthroat TV landscape, offering built-in fanbases and name recognition. Hits like House of the Dragon and Rings of Power capitalise on established universes, while shows like The Day of the Jackal and The Night Manager extend their original narratives to critical acclaim. This strategy ensures immediate audience engagement, as iconic franchises like Wicked highlight the enduring appeal of revisiting beloved stories. Read More
Heretic: Script Read the Screenplay by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck
Dive into the chilling screenplay of Heretic, written by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. The story promises a gripping, atmospheric tale rooted in psychological horror and dark intrigue. Read More
How to Continue Producing Premium Shows on a Smaller Budget
Dean Devlin, CEO of Electric Entertainment, shares how creativity and strategic production enable the company to deliver premium content with limited budgets. Shows like The Ark, Leverage: Redemption, and The Librarians: The Next Chapter use global locations like Serbia and New Orleans for cost-effective filming while maintaining high quality. Devlin credits skilled directors and innovative strategies, including ElectricNOW and ElectricNOW en Español, for reaching diverse audiences and building loyal fan communities. Read More
Media Megadeals: Comcast, Warner Bros. Discovery Lead Consolidation Talks
The media industry is poised for significant transformations in 2025 as moguls at Warner Bros. Discovery, Comcast, and other giants prepare for significant mergers and acquisitions. Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast are restructuring their operations, while investor John Malone influences Live Nation’s strategy. Paramount, which owns MTV and Nickelodeon, could see new ownership under David Ellison, backed by billions in capital for future deals. Read More
Outgoing CBC Head Catherine Tait Warns of "Worrisome" Future for Canadian Production Sector
Catherine Tait, outgoing president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, has raised concerns about Canada’s production sector amid rising costs, fewer commissions, and slow regulatory changes. Despite the passage of Bill C-11 (Online Streaming Act) in 2023, its complete implementation lags, with new rules for streaming contributions facing industry challenges. Tait emphasised the need for investment in Canadian-owned content as viewership for local broadcasters declines, warning of a "perfect storm" affecting independent producers. Read More
Aussie SVoD Budgets Rise, But Global Distribution of Local Content Falls
Australian SVoD platforms, including Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Paramount+, and Stan, increased local production spending to A$341m in the past year. However, the export of Australian content has dropped sharply, with titles and hours declining across all continents except North America. Drama budgets rose slightly to A$201.6m, but children's and documentary genres hit their lowest levels since 2019. Screen Producers Australia calls for stronger local content regulations to address declining investment. Read More
YouTube's TV Dominance: The Future of Broadcasting
YouTube is rapidly becoming a formidable competitor to traditional TV and an indispensable broadcasting partner. Efforts by media players like ITV, CBC, and Channel 4 to integrate YouTube into their distribution strategies have resulted in significant audience growth and revenue generation. With younger audiences gravitating toward YouTube, 2025 is poised to be the year YouTube solidifies its dominance on television screens. Read More
Canal+ Celebrates IPO Amid Volatility Following Split from Vivendi
French pay-TV leader Canal+ officially debuted on the London Stock Exchange, marking its separation from Vivendi in its 40th anniversary. Led by CFO Amandine Ferré, who oversaw the IPO, Canal+ shares opened at 290p but dropped 20% by midday, valuing the company at £2.4 billion. Ferré anticipates price stabilisation by January, as the listing aims to unlock value following Vivendi's "conglomerate discount." Read More
Brian Cox Calls Out Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Strong, and Slams the Oscars as “Nonsense”
Succession star Brian Cox reflects on his rise to fame, opening up about his difficult childhood, how acting saved him, and his career-defining role as Logan Roy. He also dismisses the Oscars as “nonsense” and shares which Roy child he’d spend Christmas with while praising the perks of his post-Succession career. Read More
Netflix Turns Squid Game Into a Marketing Juggernaut Ahead of Season 2
Netflix has announced 20 new brand partnerships for Squid Game Season 2, adding to 26 collaborations revealed earlier this month. Deals span fast food (Burger King, McDonald’s), gaming (Call of Duty mode), fashion (Puma tracksuits), and more, including oddities like a Barbie-style Young-Hee doll. With a focus on leveraging its biggest-ever series, Netflix’s cross-promotional strategy underscores its push for revenue amid slower subscriber growth. Read More
Denis Villeneuve & Luca Guadagnino I Directors on Directors
Denis Villeneuve ("Dune: Part Two") and Luca Guadagnino ("Challengers" & "Queer") sit down to discuss the crossover of working with Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, the portrayal of intimacy on-screen, and just how much these two icons have influenced one another.
Daniel Craig & Josh O'Connor | Actors on Actors
Daniel Craig ("Queer") & Josh O'Connor ("Challengers") discuss what it was like to work on the two films that Luca Guadagnino has released this year. They also share stories of joking around on the set of the third "Knives Out" movie.
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