TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Friday 25 October 2024
Screen Australia funds Wolfram sequel; Hallmark sued for ageism; IDA announces documentary shortlist; Kathleen Finch retires; Melodie boosts TV royalties; RTL expands streaming.
Today’s Highlights:
Sequel to Sweet Country Among 19 Projects Receiving Screen Australia First Nations Funding Warwick Thornton's Wolfram and other Indigenous projects secure $7.1M from Screen Australia.
Former Hallmark Casting Executive Sues Over Age Discrimination, Defamation, and Wrongful Termination Penny Perry files a lawsuit against Hallmark Channel over ageism and wrongful termination.
IDA Releases Shortlist of Best Documentary Feature and Short Contenders for 2024 Awards The International Documentary Association announces key contenders, including No Other Land.
Scott Glenn Stars in the action thriller Eugene the Marine with Jim Gaffigan. In Hank Bedford's Eugene the Marine, Scott Glenn portrays a grief-stricken military man.
Variety's 2024 Screenwriters to Watch Recognises 10 Rising Talents Variety celebrates emerging screenwriters at the Santa Fe International Film Festival.
Kathleen Finch to Retire as Warner Bros. Discovery's Chairman and CEO of US Networks Kathleen Finch announces her retirement, with Channing Dungey set to take over.
Melodie Transforms TV Music Licensing into Revenue Stream for Production Companies Melodie's innovative royalty model turns music licensing into profit for TV productions.
RTL Group Expands Streaming with M6+ and RTL+ Integration RTL Group reports streaming growth and is expanding platforms, with a migration planned for 2026.
Doctor Foster, Call My Agent!, and High Intellectual Potential Lead Scripted Formats Market Top scripted formats gain new international adaptations, with Doctor Foster leading the charge.
International Series to Watch from Mipcom 2024 Highlights include Rise of the Raven and Ena. La Reina Victoria Eugenia, showcasing global drama.
Plus: News, Insights, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals and Jobs with ITV, Screen Australia, BBC, NBCUniversal, Disney, Sony, TV2 & France Télévisions.
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NEWS
Sequel to Sweet Country Among 19 Projects Receiving Screen Australia First Nations Funding
A sequel to Warwick Thornton’s Sweet Country, titled Wolfram, is one of 19 new projects to receive funding from Screen Australia's First Nations Department. Set in 1930s Australia, Wolfram follows Philomac as he seeks freedom from the brutality of white men. Other projects funded include Dreaming Big, a series about Indigenous sports stars, and Larissa Behrendt's documentary One Mind, One Heart. Screen Australia’s Angela Bates highlighted the growing demand for First Nations stories, with over $7.1 million invested in 2023-24. Read More
Former Hallmark Casting Executive Sues Over Age Discrimination, Defamation, and Wrongful Termination
Penny Perry, Hallmark Channel’s former top casting executive, has filed a lawsuit accusing the network of age discrimination, defamation, and wrongful termination. Perry, 79, alleges that Hallmark EVP of programming Lisa Hamilton Daly aimed to replace aging stars like Lacey Chabert and forced Perry out due to her age and health complaints. The lawsuit, filed in LA Superior Court, claims Perry was subjected to ageist and ableist harassment, tarnishing her career at Hallmark, where she had worked for decades. Read More
IDA Releases Shortlist of Best Documentary Feature and Short Contenders for 2024 Awards
The International Documentary Association (IDA) has unveiled its Best Feature and Short Documentary shortlist, often seen as a precursor to Oscar success. Among the feature highlights are No Other Land, by Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, and Queendom, focusing on Russian drag artist Jenna Marvin. Notable entries include Sugarcane by National Geographic, Netflix’s The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, and Black Box Diaries from MTV Documentary Films. The 40th IDA Awards will be held on December 5 in Los Angeles. Read More
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INSIGHTS
Scott Glenn Stars in Action-Thriller Eugene the Marine with Jim Gaffigan
In Eugene the Marine, Scott Glenn plays a military man grappling with grief alongside co-star Jim Gaffigan. Filming an intense fight scene, Glenn, an 85-year-old former Marine, ensured safety by modifying a chokehold to avoid harm. Directed by Hank Bedford, the film follows Glenn’s character, Gene Lee Grady, as dark secrets emerge while he opens up to new relationships. Sitting busy with Bad Monkey and The White Lotus, Glenn presents a compelling portrayal of a reluctant hero. Read More
Variety's 2024 Screenwriters to Watch Recognises 10 Rising Talents
Variety has unveiled its 2024 Screenwriters to Watch, highlighting ten young writers whose work will be pivotal in filling screens with stories post-2023 strikes. These screenwriters, selected for their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and creativity, are poised to create memorable characters and thrilling worlds. The honoured writers will be showcased at the Santa Fe International Film Festival on October 18, celebrating their future contributions to the industry. Read More
Kathleen Finch to Retire as Warner Bros. Discovery's Chairman and CEO of US Networks
Kathleen Finch, the outgoing Chairman and CEO of US Networks at Warner Bros. Discovery, is set to retire at the end of 2024. Finch, who has overseen a vast portfolio of domestic cable networks, made the private decision nearly a year ago. Her oversight will transition to Warner Bros. Television chairperson Channing Dungey. Finch’s career highlights include building the Food Network into a lifestyle powerhouse and launching stars like Guy Fieri. David Zaslav praised her impactful contributions. Read More
Melodie Transforms TV Music Licensing into Revenue Stream for Production Companies
Melodie, a music licensing company, is revolutionizing how TV production companies approach music by turning licensing costs into profit. 2022 global royalties from TV and radio broadcasts reached €3.55 billion. Melodie’s royalty partnership model allows production companies to generate revenue from music featured in their shows, with Melodie handling administration and sharing global royalty income. Their innovative tech tools and curated music library have seen over 20 million minutes of music broadcast globally in shows like Ninja Warrior and Real Housewives. Read More
RTL Group Expands Streaming with M6+ and RTL+ Integration
RTL Group has reported strong streaming revenue growth, driven partly by the launch of M6+, which replaced 6play as French broadcaster M6’s new AVOD platform, powered by Bedrock. RTL is now working with Bedrock to integrate its largest streaming service, RTL+, in Germany, with migration set for 2026. Bedrock CEO Jonas Engwall emphasized the importance of partnerships and addressing broadcasters' diverse needs as they expand their streaming offerings. Read More
Doctor Foster, Call My Agent!, and High Intellectual Potential Lead Scripted Formats Market
K7 Media's Tracking the Giants: The Top 100 Travelling Scripted Formats report, covering January 2023 to June 2024, highlights Doctor Foster, Call My Agent!, and High Intellectual Potential (HIP) as frontrunners in the scripted formats space. Doctor Foster leads with five new adaptations across Japan, Thailand, Germany, Slovakia, and the Middle East. French formats also thrived, including Call My Agent! and the U.S. adaptation of HIP. Thailand emerged as a key buyer, with CJ ENM named the most successful distributor of scripted formats. Read More
International Series to Watch from Mipcom 2024
As Mipcom 2024 concludes, new global series are set to captivate audiences. Highlights include Rise of the Raven, a 15th-century historical drama about army commander János Hunyadi defending Europe from an Ottoman invasion, and Ena. La Reina Victoria Eugenia is a biopic about the Queen of Spain, starring Kimberley Tell and Joan Amargós. Additionally, presented by US star Morris Chestnut, Watson reimagines Sherlock Holmes in a modern-day medical drama setting. Read More
TV Showrunners Reflect on Tough Market, Optimism Amid Post-Strike Challenges
The TV industry faces a difficult landscape, with financial pressures and uncertainty surrounding series renewals. However, 2024 has also seen success stories, from FX’s Shogun to Amazon’s Fallout and Netflix’s Baby Reindeer. Showrunners like Fargo’s Noah Hawley emphasize the shift from an entertainment economy to an attention economy, while True Detective's Issa López calls for more support for affordable production in LA. As showrunners navigate these challenges, they remain hopeful for the industry’s future amidst these turbulent times. Read More
ScreenSkills Unveils Five-Year Strategy Focused on Collaborative Partnerships
UK training body ScreenSkills has announced a five-year strategy centred on partnerships with key industry stakeholders. Collaborations include a West Midlands programme with the BBC and Create Central, a pilot survey with Channel 4 to assess the UK's film and TV workforce, and an enhanced partnership with BFI’s Skills Clusters. This strategy follows recommendations from last year’s Skills Task Force and aims to address critical skills needs across the industry through strengthened governance and stakeholder cooperation. Read More
Keke Palmer and SZA's Comedy "One of Them Days" Set for January 2025 Release
TriStar Pictures has officially titled its upcoming R-rated comedy One of Them Days, starring Keke Palmer and SZA. The Lawrence Lamont-directed film, set to hit theatres on January 24, 2025, follows best friends Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) as they embark on a hilarious journey to avoid eviction after discovering Alyssa’s boyfriend spent their rent money. The film, written by Syreeta Singleton, is produced by Issa Rae, Deniese Davis, Sara Rastogi, and others, with Palmer also serving as an executive producer. Read More
Isabella Rossellini Shines in Subtle Role as Sister Agnes in "Conclave"
Isabella Rossellini, known for her iconic roles in Blue Velvet and Death Becomes Her, plays a quietly powerful part in Edward Berger’s Conclave. In this papal thriller, Rossellini portrays Sister Agnes, a nun with few lines but a profound presence. As the eyes and ears for Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), she navigates the Vatican’s ruthless power struggle during the election of a new pope, making her a crucial yet understated figure in the film's high-stakes drama. Read More
Comedy vs. Drama: The Ever-Blurring Lines in TV Awards
The debate over what defines a "comedy" has resurfaced, especially after The Bear broke records with 23 Emmy nominations and 11 wins in various categories. Despite being in the comedy category, The Bear lacks traditional levity, challenging what a comedy should entail. Historically dominated by sitcoms like Frasier, Cheers, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, the comedy genre now faces reinterpretation. Creators and writer-producers offer mixed opinions, with some insisting comedies should simply "be funny" while others seek a more nuanced approach to defining the genre. Read More
20th Century Studios Shines in 2024 Summer Blockbusters
This summer, audiences were again treated to the iconic 20th-century logo, with major hits like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Alien: Romulus, and The First Omen. Even Deadpool & Wolverine, which grossed $1.3 billion, celebrated the Fox-era Marvel movies. Under the leadership of Steve Asbell, president since 2020, 20th Century Studios has deftly navigated the pandemic and the evolving theatrical landscape, balancing franchise revivals with new filmmaker-driven projects for both streaming and theatres. Read More
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