TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Wednesday 18 September 2024
Ace Producers selects top filmmakers; GMA wins big at ContentAsia; Quebecor eyes Corus; Netflix shifts strategy; AI bills pass; Camden doc woes; Student Oscars go global; Sun Valley moves.
Today’s Highlights:
Ace Producers' Annual Workshop Selection - Andrea Berentsen Ottmar and Carla Fotea were selected for the prestigious Ace Producers' 34th annual workshop program.
GMA Network's Wins at ContentAsia Awards 2024 - GMA Network secured four top awards, including Best Current Affairs Programme for Secret Slaves.
Canada Media Fund's 2024-2027 EDIA Strategy - The CMF launched its EDIA Strategy to support underrepresented creators in Canada's audiovisual sector.
Quebecor's Reported Acquisition Offer for Corus—Quebecor formally offered to acquire Corus Entertainment despite the company’s financial struggles.
California AI Bills Protect Performers' Digital Likenesses - Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills to protect the digital likeness of performers during and after their lives.
Student Academy Awards 2024 Goes International—For the first time in its 50-year history, the Student Academy Awards will be held internationally in London.
Disney Explores Bundle Deals with Max - Disney reported success in bundling Disney+, Hulu, and Max, with plans for more deals.
Documentary Distribution Challenges at Camden Film Festival - Independent documentaries face distribution challenges, particularly with politically sensitive content.
Netflix's Ted Sarandos on Content Strategy - Sarandos highlighted Netflix's focus on local content and success with U.K. productions at the RTS London Convention 2024.
Sun Valley Film Festival Moves to December in 2025—The festival will move to December to better align with awards season.
Plus: News, Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals, Renewals, Cancellations, Events, Opportunities and Jobs with ITV, Sony, NBCUniversal, Disney, BBC, Paramount, Google, Amazon MGM & Groupe M6.
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Producers: Fifth Season, Banijay, Fremantle, Endemol Shine, Gaumont, Pathé, Warner Bros Television Productions, UFA Fiction, Vivendi, Entertainment One, BBC Studios, Paramount Television International, Warner Bros Discovery, Talpa Studios, Keshet, Tiger Aspect, Wild Bunch TV, Red Planet Pictures, Go Quest Media, Eureka Productions, The Ink Factory, Nordisk Film, Reel One Entertainment, Bunya Productions, Beach House Pictures, Beyond, The Global Agency, Esha Bargate Productions, blue Entertainment, Paper Plane Productions, Paprika Studios, Playmaker, Off the Fence, Goalpost Pictures, Spin Master, Stand By Me, Halcyon Studios, DPG Media.
Also: Aarhus Series Festival, The Wit, Norwegian Film Commission, New Zealand Film Commission, IMDA, MIA, Getty Images, Ottawa Film Office, Simkins, Harbottle & Lewis, Screen Brussels, Sheffield DocFest, FilmChain, Documentary Business, Zero Gravity Management, SXSW, MEA, DOC.
NEWS
ACE 34 selection includes The Worst Person in the World microFILM producers
Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, producer of The Worst Person In The World, and Carla Fotea of Romania’s microFILM are among 18 independent producers selected for the 34th edition of Ace Producers’ annual workshop program. Participants will attend three workshops through 2024 and 2025 to develop their submitted projects and join the Ace Network later. Ottmar is participating with Stefan Faldbakken’s Slave and producing Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value. Read More
GMA Network wins four ContentAsia Awards 2024
GMA Network secured four top honours for the Philippines at the ContentAsia Awards 2024. "Secret Slaves: The Jessica Soho Special Report on Human Trafficking" won the Gold Award for Best Current Affairs Programme. "Firefly" earned a Silver Award for Best Asian Feature Film, and "All-Out Sundays" earned a Bronze Award for Best Variety Programme. "The Betrayal" also won the Gold Award for Best Asian Drama Series. Read More
Canada Media Fund unveils 2024-2027 EDIA strategy
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has launched its 2024-2027 EDIA Strategy, titled "All In: Embedding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Audiovisual Industry." Building on past efforts, the strategy supports underrepresented creators and Equity-Deserving Communities. Key initiatives include expanded accessibility support, targeted growth for diverse companies, inclusive decision-making panels, data-driven accountability, and enhanced industry partnerships. The strategy aims to foster a more inclusive and thriving audiovisual sector in Canada, reflecting the country's rich diversity. Read More
Embattled Corus reportedly received a formal acquisition offer from Telco Quebecor
According to sources, Quebecor has reportedly offered to acquire Corus Entertainment, but Corus has not engaged. Quebecor approached Corus executive chair Heather Shaw six months ago and followed up with a purchase offer, but Corus has not responded. Corus, which controls Global News and Stack TV, is dealing with financial struggles, including a $1 billion debt load, recent job cuts, and losing key Warner Bros. Discovery channels to Rogers in 2025. Read More
AI bills supported by Gavin Newsom for Hollywood performers
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills today to protect performers' digital likenesses during their lives and after death. A.B. 1836 expands postmortem rights, requiring estates' permission to use digital replicas of deceased individuals, with exceptions for specific uses like satire and documentaries. A.B. 2602 strengthens contract protections for artists regarding the use of their digital likenesses. The legislation, supported by SAG-AFTRA, ensures greater control and advocacy for individuals over their name, image, and likeness. Read More
Student Academy Award Winners 2024 Announced
The Student Academy Awards are going international for the first time. On October 14, the 2024 ceremony will be held at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, marking a shift from its 50-year history in Beverly Hills. The event will honour 15 student filmmakers selected from 2,683 entries worldwide. Winners’ films will be eligible for the 2025 Oscars, and they will gain access to exclusive networking opportunities through the BFI London Film Festival and Academy members. Read More
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INSIGHTS
New Wives' Tale
Helen Black, creator of The Wives, discusses her journey to making her first original series, highlighting its focus on female camaraderie and the need for writers to "hold their nerve." Produced by Gaumont for Channel 5, the six-part domestic thriller follows four sisters-in-law whose lives unravel over a summer in Malta. Black emphasizes that the show spotlights women’s messy, funny, and complex lives, giving them agency and independence while navigating family and personal crises. Read More
TV Buyers Show Reluctance for Awards Impact Content
The Emmy winners highlight an interesting divergence from what the industry typically demands. Hacks, a comedy about a working woman over 60, and the drama Baby Reindeer, featuring relatively unknown names, stood out despite not fitting the market’s current appetite for lighter fare or mainstream dramas. Even the period drama Shōgun, primarily shot in Japanese, contrasts today’s preference for accessible, Must See TV-style programming. Historically, Emmy wins boosted shows like Mad Men and Hill Street Blues, helping networks rise. With these unconventional winners, it's unclear if such bold swings will continue inspiring industry trends. Read More
We Don’t See Ourselves as a Free-to-Air Network
Paramount became the first Australian TV company to present at the 2025 Upfronts. It showcased its diverse assets, including free-to-air commissions for Network 10, Paramount+ local content, and advanced advertising technology via Paramount Connect. The rebrand unifying linear and streaming under the "Ten" brand highlights Paramount’s unique position, offering advertisers access to SVOD, BVOD, FAST, and FTA audiences. Unlike other companies with fragmented assets, Paramount's global pipeline and multi-platform integration offer the potential for a more cohesive and valuable media proposition. Read More
Disney Eyes Bundle Deals and Partnership with Max
Disney is exploring more bundling deals after reporting positive results from its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery's Max. The Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle, launched in the U.S. for $16.99 per month, has been described as a success by Nami Patel, Disney’s SVP of Strategy and Business Development. Patel highlighted the bundle's effectiveness in increasing viewer engagement and reducing subscriber churn, though no specific figures were disclosed. Read More
Roxwell Films on their ‘King Ivory’ hit at Venice
The King Ivory team had an unusual journey to the Venice Film Festival. After missing their flight connection in Munich, stars Ben Foster and Melissa Leo, producer Jeremy Rosen and writer/director John Swab faced a long waitlist for the next Venice-bound plane. With slim chances of securing seats, Rosen made an "executive decision" to rent a Mercedes Sprinter van, leading to a seven-hour drive through the Austrian Alps to reach Italy. Read More
Peaky Blinders Creator Steven Knight on Game of Thrones
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight admitted he initially thought "Game of Thrones" was a children's show, only to realise its mature themes after casting one of its actors. Speaking at the Royal Television Society conference, Knight recalled how his young son requested the "Game of Thrones" DVD boxset, which Knight assumed was child-friendly due to the dragons. It wasn't until he cast Aidan Gillen, who played a brothel keeper in the series, that Knight realised the show was far from kid-oriented. Read More
David Beckham’s on his Netflix Documentary
David Beckham opened up about the challenges of being interviewed for 50 hours for his hit Netflix documentary at the RTS London event. Beckham praised director Fisher Stevens for making him feel "uncomfortable," which he believes was crucial to the show’s success. Addressing questions over the doc's authenticity, Beckham clarified that he wasn’t involved in the editing process and only saw the final product at its premiere. Read More
Celebrity Biopic and Documentary Boom in Streaming
When Imagine Documentaries president Sara Bernstein pitched a film about New York Post columnist Cindy Adams, Adams questioned the interest, joking, “Everybody has a documentary. My dentist has a documentary!” The surge of celebrity documentaries is evident, with a wide range of figures from Simone Biles to Bruce Springsteen featured in recent releases. Producers like Bernstein note that it’s becoming harder to find famous subjects whose stories haven’t been told, with biographical series on streaming platforms increasing by 373% since 2020. Read More
The Ark’s Richard Fleeshman and Reece Ritchie on the Show’s Success
In the second season of SYFY’s The Ark, the crew of Ark One reaches their destination only to discover it’s uninhabitable, forcing them to fight for survival as they search for a new home for humanity. As the 12-part season nears its finale, stars Richard Fleeshman and Reece Ritchie discuss their involvement in the series, the loyal fanbase, and the changes both on and off screen between the first and second seasons. Read More
Dog Man Movie Trailer: Visual Style Explained
DreamWorks Animation's new film, based on Dav Pilkey's Dog Man character from the Captain Underpants books, is set for release. The trailer showcases the film’s distinctive "high-end handmade" visual style, featuring the voices of Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, and Ricky Gervais. Director Peter Hastings discussed the creative process behind bringing Dog Man to life, detailing his team's approach to maintaining the playful essence of Pilkey's beloved character while elevating the animation to cinematic levels. Read More
Nightsleeper actors Alexandra Roach and Joe Cole | BFI Q&A
The stars of Nightsleeper, an adrenaline-packed thriller written by Control Room's Nick Leather, are set to join Leather and executive producer Kate Harwood for a Q&A at BFI Southbank. Nightsleeper explores the terrifying scenario of a cyber-attack on the UK railway system. The real-time thriller follows the hacking of a sleeper train travelling from Glasgow to London and the desperate efforts of a government agency to thwart escalating events onboard. Two strangers must work together to save the passengers as the train speeds towards a potentially catastrophic end.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Amazon Prime Video Names New Heads for Australia, New Zealand, and Canada
Amazon Prime Video has announced a new organisational structure for Australia, New
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