TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Tuesday 17 September 2024

CMF invests $10M; Hugo Weaving stars in Slow Horses; Coppola returns; Bridgerton Season 4; Ramsay downsizes; Cameron adapts Hiroshima story; French animation, MGM, Star Trek at Comic Con.

Today’s Highlights:

• CMF Invests $10M Through Program for Racialized Communities—A $10 million fund will support projects led by racialized creators in Canada's media industry.

• Hugo Weaving Joins Cast of Slow Horses – Weaving stars in the upcoming season of this Emmy-nominated series.

• Canadian Broadcasters Debate Content Quality and Discoverability – Challenges around storytelling and creative compromises in Canada's content funding system.

• MGM Alternative's Format Strategy – The revival of classic shows like Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? and trends in unscripted content.

• French Animation Faces Declining Exports – The state of French animation and challenges in global markets.

• Francis Ford Coppola Returns with Megalopolis – Coppola discusses his latest project and return to student filmmaking.

• Gordon Ramsay's Studio Downsizes Amid Shrinking Markets—Studio Ramsay is cutting its development team due to market contraction in the US and UK.

• New York Comic Con Features Star Trek and School Spirits – Highlights from Paramount+ lineup at the upcoming New York Comic Con.

• Bridgerton Season 4 Production Begins – Updates on the filming and new cast members of Netflix's Bridgerton.

• James Cameron's Next Film on Atomic Bomb Survivors – Cameron will adapt Last Train From Hiroshima, based on survivor testimonies.

Plus: News, Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals, Renewals, Opportunities and Jobs with ASDAC, NBCUniversal, AMC, Star, A+E, Banijay Roku, Nordisk & ARTE.

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NEWS

CMF Invests $10M Through Program for Racialized Communities

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has allocated $10 million to support projects led by racialised communities through its Program for Racialized Communities. This initiative focuses on improving diversity and inclusion within Canada's media industry, with the funds directed toward the development, production, and marketing of film, television, and digital media. The investment is part of a broader strategy to provide greater opportunities for racialised creators and address long-standing disparities in the sector. Read More.

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INSIGHTS

Hugo Weaving Rarely Does TV – He Made an Exception for Slow Horses

Slow Horses follows MI5 rejects led by Jackson Lamb, played by Gary Oldman. Despite their banishment to the dilapidated Slough House, they consistently outsmart MI5 agents, including Diana Taverner, played by Kristin Scott Thomas. Since its 2022 premiere, the show has been praised for its dark humour and has earned nine Emmy nominations. The upcoming season features Jack Lowden’s character, River Cartwright, facing a mercenary leader, Frank Harkness, played by Hugo Weaving. Read More.

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Canadian Broadcasters Grapple with Mediocrity and Discoverability

Canada’s content funding system needs to prioritise storytelling over financial incentives, says Blink49 Studios CEO John Morayniss. He argues that reliance on tax credits and infrastructure leads to creative compromises and "mediocrity." Morayniss urges more investment in developing new voices and projects to keep talent from migrating to the U.S. Panelists also criticised the slow implementation of Bill C-11, which aims to regulate streaming services, leaving the industry uncertain about future regulations. Read More.

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The Six-Minute Solution: How Next-Generation Showrunners Get a Start

Screen Australia's Lee Naimo, head of online and games, aims to fund creative talent once and help them become self-sustaining. Whether through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, Screen Australia provides a launchpad for new Australian talent. For actor and writer Miriam Glaser, Screen Australia's Online Production fund enabled her and director Charlotte George to become showrunners for Buried, a broadcast-quality black comedy on YouTube, told in five six-minute episodes. Read More.

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MGM Alternative’s Barry Poznick on Format Strategy

Next month, Amazon Prime Video will launch Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? in over 240 territories, hosted by Travis Kelce. This game show builds on the success of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, following a trend of reviving popular IPs like Gladiators, which returned to BBC One earlier this year. Barry Poznick, general manager of MGM Alternative, Evolution Media, and Big Fish Entertainment, discusses the success of reviving classic formats, creating spin-offs to refresh brands, and the current trends in unscripted entertainment. Read More.

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Studio La Cachette, Charades, Dandelooo, Folivari, and Mediatoon Execs Discuss French Animation

Last month, Unifrance and CNC released their annual report on French film and TV exports, revealing a significant decline in French animated program sales. Receipts dropped 11.2% to €51.2m, with a particularly steep 69.7% fall in US trade, now at just €4.3m. Despite France's renowned animation sector—known for hits like Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir and Asterix films—the global content industry faces challenges. Ahead of the Cartoon Forum in Toulouse, French animation execs Julien Chheng, co-founder of Studio La Cachette; Yohann Comte, CEO of Charades; Emmanuele Petry, partner at Dandelooo; Thibaut Ruby, partner at Folivari; and Morgann Favennec, deputy MD of Mediatoon Distribution gathered to discuss the report's findings and the broader state of the industry. Read More.

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Francis Ford Coppola discusses Megalopolis and return to student filmmaking

After directing The Rainmaker in 1997, Francis Ford Coppola, known for classics like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, realised he still had much to learn about filmmaking. Seeking to discover his style, Coppola stepped away from Hollywood's studio system and embraced independent filmmaking with projects like Youth Without Youth, Tetro, and Twixt. This period of creative exploration ultimately influenced his return to professional filmmaking with his ambitious project, Megalopolis. Read More

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Studio Ramsay drops staff from the development team as US & UK markets shrink

Gordon Ramsay’s production company, Studio Ramsay, has recently downsized its development team due to shrinking markets in the US and UK. The move, which saw