TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Wednesday 3 July 2024

Bridgerton tops Nielsen; Barry Diller eyes Paramount; Heath Ledger Scholarship opens; Berlin Film Festival updates; Comcast's Now TV Latino; Illinois expands tax credits; Shah Rukh Khan honoured.

Today’s Highlights:

• Nielsen Streaming Top 10: "Bridgerton" continues to dominate with 1.4 billion minutes watched. "Reba" enters the Top 10, replacing "Dune: Part Two".

• Barry Diller Eyes Paramount Bid: Following a fallout with Skydance Media, Barry Diller is considering a bid to take control of Paramount.

• Heath Ledger Scholarship: Applications are open for the 2024 Heath Ledger Scholarship, offering a prize package worth US$60,000 for emerging Australian actors.

• Berlin Film Festival Changes: The Berlin Film Festival will introduce a new competitive section for debut films called Perspectives, replacing the Encounters strand.

• Comcast's Now TV Latino: Comcast launches a $10-a-month Spanish-language streaming service called Now TV Latino.

• Illinois Production Tax Credit: Illinois expands its production tax credit program to include talk shows, game shows, and other unscripted TV formats.

• Shah Rukh Khan Honored: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will receive the Honorary Leopard Achievement Award at the Locarno Film Festival.

• Cate Blanchett at TIFF: Cate Blanchett will receive the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award at the Toronto Film Festival.

• MIPDoc & MIPFormats Join MIP London: MIPDoc and MIPFormats will be part of MIP London 2025.

• Eastern Promises Awards: "Amedspor" and "Lover, Not a Fighter" win at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival's Eastern Promises Awards.

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NEWS

Nielsen Streaming Top 10: ‘Bridgerton’ Remains No. 1 as Repeat Titles Dominate the Chart

There were no surprises on Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings for May 27-June 2. "Bridgerton" remained on top for the third consecutive week with 1.4 billion minutes watched, including viewership from all seasons. The Top 10 was almost identical to the previous week, except "Dune: Part Two" was replaced by "Reba." "Evil," boosted by its earlier seasons on Netflix, was the only other streaming original in the Top 10 besides "Bridgerton." It's becoming harder for new streaming originals to compete with extensive libraries of acquired titles.

From: Variety

Barry Diller Eyes Paramount Bid Following Skydance Fallout

According to the New York Times, Barry Diller is considering a bid to take control of Paramount, the parent company of CBS, MTV, and Nickelodeon. Sources said that Diller’s IAC has signed nondisclosure agreements with National Amusements, the holding company of Paramount’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone. Representatives for National Amusements, Paramount, and IAC declined to comment. This development follows Redstone's recent decision to cancel a deal with David Ellison’s Skydance Media to acquire NAI and merge with Paramount due to unresolved issues, including shareholder consent votes on the sale.

From: The Wrap

Applications open for the 2024 Heath Ledger Scholarship as the prize package increases to US$60,000

Australians in Film (AiF) has opened applications for the Heath Ledger Scholarship (HLS), offering a prize package worth US$60,000, its largest ever. Now in its 12th year, the scholarship honours the late Academy Award-winning actor by supporting emerging Australian actors aged 18 and older with their international career aspirations. It includes US$10,000 for living expenses in Los Angeles, educational and career preparation, and a year-long mentorship from 2010 recipient Bella Heathcote. Five finalists will be announced in September and flown to LA for an exclusive event where the winner will be unveiled. Judges include US and Australian casting directors, with patrons Ann Fay, Kim Ledger, Susie Dobson, and Gregor Jordan.

From: IF

2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

As Hollywood recovers from the dual actors and writers strikes, the 2024 television landscape is coming into focus. Broadcast networks have set return dates for most shows, though there's no usual Premiere Week. Series are returning with lower episode counts this season.

From: Deadline

Berlin Film Festival Launches New Competitive Section For Debut Films, Ditches Encounters Strand

The Berlin Film Festival is introducing a new section called Perspectives, a competitive strand focused on international fiction feature debuts. This new competition aims to strengthen the festival's breadth of new talent and will replace the Encounters strand, which began in 2020. Perspectives will feature up to 14 fiction debuts worldwide, with a jury of three awarding the Best First Feature Award. Funded by GWFF, the award includes a €50,000 prize, split between the producers and directors of the winning film.

From: Deadline

Comcast Unveils $10-Month Spanish-Language Streaming Package Called Now TV Latino

Comcast has announced Now TV Latino, a $10-a-month streaming video product for Spanish-speaking U.S. consumers. The service includes over 25 live Spanish-language streaming channels and the flagship Peacock service. Now, TV Latino will feature movies, telenovelas, sports, and live news through streaming TV and free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels. This low-cost offering builds on Sky’s Now TV platform technology. Previously, Comcast launched a $20-a-month Now TV service in the U.S., packaging linear TV, FAST, and subscription video-on-demand channels.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Illinois Expands Production Tax Credit Program to Cover Talk Shows, Game Shows and Other Unscripted TV Formats

Illinois aims to attract more talk show and game show productions now that Gov. JB Pritzker has signed bill HB 5005 into law. This new legislation removes restrictions preventing unscripted shows from participating in the state’s production tax credit program. The Illinois Production Alliance announced that the bill allows national talk shows, contest-based, and game shows to benefit from the state's Film Production Services Tax Credit program.

From: Variety

Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan to Be Honoured With Locarno Film Festival Career Award

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will receive the Honorary Leopard Achievement Award from the Locarno Film Festival, recognising his illustrious career spanning over 100 films across various genres. Known as "King Khan" in India, he will accept the award on August 10 at the festival's 8,000-seat Piazza Grande venue, where his 2022 film "Devdas" will be screened. The next day, Khan will participate in an onstage conversation. "Devdas," a love triangle drama, was the first mainstream Bollywood film many Western audiences experienced, earning a BAFTA nomination and numerous Indian awards.

From: Variety

Cate Blanchett To Be Lauded With TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award

Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett will receive the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival. She will also participate in an "In Conversation With..." event reflecting on her career. The award honours a leading woman in the film industry who has supported the careers of others and paved the way for the next generation. Blanchett will accept the award at the TIFF Tribute Awards on September 8 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, with proceeds benefiting TIFF's Every Story Fund, promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in film.

From: Deadline

MIPDoc & MIPFormats To Join MIP London

RX France has announced that MIP London 2025 will also include editions of MIPDoc and MIPFormats. MIPDoc will hold its 27th edition and MIPFormats its 15th on Sunday, February 23, and Monday, February 24. These two days will focus on showcasing new content, gaining market insights, securing global distribution deals, and networking. Screenings and meetings for the unscripted community will continue throughout MIP London from February 23 to 27 at the Savoy Hotel and the IET London conference centre in the West End.

From: World Screen

‘Amedspor,’ ‘Lover, Not a Fighter’ Among Winners at Karlovy Vary’s Eastern Promises Awards

"Amedspor" and "Lover, Not a Fighter" were among the winners at the Eastern Promises Awards, the Karlovy Vary Film Festival's industry section, on Tuesday. The Works in Progress Visual Post-Production Award went to the Turkish documentary Amedspor, directed by Rezan Yesilbas and produced by Ahmet Gurata. The film follows Amedspor, a minor soccer club from the Turkish Second League that gained attention for reclaiming its Kurdish identity.

From: Variety

'Emmanuelle': first trailer for Audrey Diwan's film starring Noemie Merlant

Here is the first trailer for Audrey Diwan's "Emmanuelle," ahead of its world premiere as the opening night film of the San Sebastian Film Festival on September 20. Loosely adapted from Emmanuelle Arsan's novel, the film stars Noémie Merlant as a woman on a business trip to Hong Kong who initiates various encounters, including with an elusive man named Kei. The cast includes Naomi Watts, Will Sharpe, Jamie Campbell Bower, Chacha Huang, and Anthony Wong. Produced by Chantelouve, Rectangle Productions, and Goodfellas, worldwide sales are handled by The Veterans, with Pathé releasing the film in France on September 25.

Tim Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice 2,’ Starring Michael Keaton and Jenna Ortega, to Open Venice Film Festival

Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe, will open the upcoming Venice Film Festival. The follow-up to his 1988 comedy-horror classic premieres out-of-competition on August 28 at the Lido’s Palazzo del Cinema. The new Beetlejuice chapter will be released in the U.S. on September 6 via Warner Bros. and will launch internationally starting September 4.

From: Variety

INSIGHTS

Conan O’Brien Doesn’t Matter*

*That’s his opinion. And yet he’s setting a new standard for what life after late-night can look like. (Hint: It’s a lot like what he did on talk shows.)

From: The New York Times

Postcard from Sunnyside of the Doc in La Rochelle

Sunnyside has been notably upbeat and business-focused compared to other events this year. Deals are happening, evidenced by a buyer receiving champagne to celebrate a series greenlight. This is because Sunnyside is a coproduction market. Buyers from SVT, BBC, Blue Ant, and Nat Geo emphasised the importance of co-funding and coproducing as essential in the current economic climate, with fully-funded commissions now mainly limited to wealthy streamers.

From: C21

Jason Ropell Outlines Growth Ambitions For Mubi As He & ‘Past Lives’ Producer Christine Vachon Reflect On State Of Independent Market: “With Disruption Comes Great Opportunity” — Karlovy Vary

"With disruption comes great opportunity,” Mubi Chief Content Officer Jason Ropell told delegates at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. “It brings evolution, and I think, right now, optimism in the business is warranted.” Speaking at KVIFF’s International Industry Insights with Killer Films co-founder Christine Vachon, Ropell discussed Mubi’s business model and growth ambitions in the independent and auteur space, including theatrical distribution alongside releases on its streaming platform.

From: Deadline

‘For Sama’ Director Waad al-Kateab on Turkish-Syrian Earthquake Doc ‘Death Without Mercy’: ‘These People Didn’t Die Just From a Natural Disaster’

On Feb. 6, 2023, after a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Turkish-Syrian border, Syrian director Waad Al-Kateab was in London, worried about her family and friends. The activist and helmer of the Oscar-nominated "For Sama" couldn't reach the area, having fled the Bashar Assad regime. However, she promptly contacted people on the ground, including friends Fadi Al Halabi, a cinematographer on the Oscar-winning short "The White Helmets," and Fuad Sayed Issa, founder of the Syrian refugee-led humanitarian group Violet.

From: Variety

Christine Vachon: “The Strikes Had a Much More Profound” Impact on Indie Film Than COVID

"The strikes had a much more profound effect on changing the business than COVID did," said independent film producer Christine Vachon at the Industry Days program of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. She noted that as long as people crave original stories, the business will find ways to create and distribute them. Despite acknowledging the strikes' disruptive impact, Vachon emphasised positive signs, like audiences flocking to original stories in theatres, and reflected on the surreal experience of making movies during COVID.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Fox’s Tubi Launches in U.K. With Focus on Fandoms, Including Bollywood, Nollywood and Arthouse

Tubi, the free ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corp., is launching in the U.K. on Tuesday, July 2. Led by CEO Anjali Sud, formerly of Vimeo, Tubi now has about 80 million monthly active users. Unlike other FAST platforms, 90 per cent of Tubi's U.S. viewership is on-demand movies and TV series rather than live, linear channels. In May, Tubi accounted for 1.8 per cent of all U.S. TV viewing, tied with Disney+, according to Nielsen.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Life lessons

Spanish drama Nos vemos en otra vida (See You in Another Life) dramatises the true story of a teenager involved in the 2004 terrorist attack on Madrid. Created by Alberto and Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo, the series approaches the events 20 years later. The 2004 bombings on four Madrid trains killed 192 people and injured nearly 2,000. A month later, seven suspects died in an explosion that also killed a police officer. Now streaming on Disney+, the six-part series by Kubik Films focuses on Gabriel Montoya Vidal's 2014 interview with journalist Manuel Jabois about his connection to these tragic events.

From: Drama Quarterly

Geoffrey Rush on AI, Why Animation Is His Game Show Specialty and His New Film With John Lithgow

In an interview at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Australian Oscar winner also discussed a Groucho Marx movie and growing up seeing Czechs always win the short animation Oscar.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Buccaneer Media’s Richard Tulk-Hart Talks Book-Based IP & The Crow Girl

Buccaneer Media has recently focused on adapting beloved novels, successfully bringing to screen titles like "Whitstable Pearl," "Irvine Welsh’s Crime," "The Doll Factory," and "The Burning Girls." Earlier this year, they acquired rights to Erik Axl Sund’s best-selling thriller "The Crow Girl" for Paramount+. Co-CEO Richard Tulk-Hart discusses Buccaneer’s creative ethos, the keys to producing book adaptations and navigating the current industry climate.

From: TV Drama

Conecta Fiction & Entertainment 2024: TV Industry Trends

Over 1,000 executives from around the world, especially from Spain, Portugal, and Brazil, came from Toledo, Spain, for Conecta Fiction and Entertainment, the 8th edition of the event. Today we hear from Renato Martinez, VP of Content & Acquisitions at Endemol Shine Brasil, Maria Rua Aguete, Senior Director at research business Omdia, and Paloma Mora, CEO of Valencia’s TV ON Producciones.

From: Tellycast