Realscreen May/June 2023

FORMAT FOCUS

Eastern Innovation: New formats from Japan and Korea

ALSO: FACTUAL UNDER 40 ROUNDTABLE ARTHUR SMITH EXTENDS HIS ‘REACH’

Realscreen’s Factual Under 40 Roundtable features three execs from our inaugural list.

FIRST LOOK

Unscripted execs examine potential impact of the writers strike; columns from Gena McCarthy and John Smithson

FORMAT

REALITY REPORT

Our Factual Under 40 roundtable discusses the industry’s new realities; a look at the new cohort for DIALOG

ON THE COVER

Kamiwaza: The Superhuman Skill Show pushes participants to do the impossible (or at least the extremely difficult), and is one of Tokyo Broadcasting System’s hot new formats. (Photo: TBS)

FORMAT FOCUS

Format specialists from Japan and Korea in the spotlight

THE FINAL CUT

An excerpt from Arthur Smith’s memoir, Reach

Silver linings

When you’ve worked in a job for a number of years, one of the things that you can be sure of is that you’ll have to say goodbye to a trusted and valued colleague. This is a reality that many of you reading are all too aware of, especially now in this time of massive upheaval in the entertainment business.

Sometimes, it’s market conditions that dictate this turn of events, and other times, an opportunity arises for that colleague to move onto something new and bring their formidable talents to another level, enriching their new “home” in the process.

We at Realscreen are seeing this now as we bid adieu to our longtime SVP and publisher, Claire Macdonald, who is moving to another brand within the Brunico portfolio and leading the team for NATPE Global. But while we are sad to see her go, there are, as they say, reasons to be cheerful. First, the NATPE brand couldn’t ask for a better leader; and second, it gives Realscreen the chance to welcome back Mary Maddever to the brand as EVP, Realscreen. Mary has helped build many brands at Brunico, and Realscreen is no exception — those of you who have been reading us over the past 25 years may recall that she served as executive editor during the magazine’s launch in 1997.

So, speaking of opportunities, I’d like to take this one to thank Claire for all she has done for our brand, and for me personally, over the course of the past 15-or-so years. When I first joined Realscreen , moving over from one of Brunico’s other publications at the time, she instilled within me the confidence that I needed to serve as editor for the most trusted trade publication for the non-fiction and unscripted screen content business, and over the course of the past couple of decades she has been our North Star. The Realscreen team has gone through many changes over the years, but one thing has remained a constant — seeing Claire’s tireless efforts to make the brand the best it can be, and to serve you as effectively as we possibly can, has always inspired us to do better. And I know her team, and audience, for NATPE Global will hugely benefit from that care and attention.

Over the course of this brand’s history, the unscripted and non-fiction production industry has seen its share of peaks and valleys, and we at Realscreen have been fortunate to ride along with you on the rollercoaster. Hopefully, we have provided some important context and practical information along the way.

Right now, a sizable portion of the business — particularly in the U.S. — is in a “valley” phase. Consolidation and restructuring is the order of the day for most of the major network groups, and economic turbulence is prompting a cooling-off of commissioning in various territories around the world. And, of course, what impacts you impacts us. The fact that this is a digital issue and not the usual print edition is a direct result of the current climate.

But I choose to look for silver linings. While change keeps us on our toes, it also paves new paths for our journeys. I know you’ll join me in wishing Claire all the best in hers, and as for Realscreen , we look forward to continuing to travel together with you as we also embark upon new roads.

Be well,

Barry Walsh

Content director and editor-in-chief Realscreen

May + June, 2023 Volume 26, Issue 4

Realscreen is published 4 times a year by Brunico Communications Ltd., 100- 366 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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September/October 2023

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It So long, for now

has been 15 years since I penned my first column in Realscreen. After more than 60 issues, 14 Realscreen Summits, 13 Realscreen Wests (formerly known as the Factual Entertainment Forum) and Realscreen Awards, and a couple of Realscreen Londons and Branded Entertainment Forums sprinkled into the mix, I have accepted a new challenge to launch NATPE Global in Miami in January of 2024. So it’s with mixed emotions that I write this, my final Letter from the Publisher.

Helming Realscreen has been my privilege and honor for the past 15 years. It is part of who I am, and many of the relationships I have made within the industry will last the rest of my career and beyond. I was fortunate enough to take the reins at Realscreen as unscripted content exploded and this quiet little genre rocketed into the mediaverse, bringing with it fresh, exciting and adventurous talent.

I am proud of what my all-star team has accomplished over the years. I think we have been instrumental in fostering a community that advances business opportunities and develops talent; there is a sense of belonging and camaraderie here that I’m not sure exists in other content genres. It’s true that we are navigating difficult times right now, but I’m optimistic that this will pass — that the uncertainty and disruptions brought on by seismic shifts in the media landscape will settle, and that things will return to “normal,” whatever that might be.

Bonus distribution:

• MIPCOM

• World Congress of Science & Factual Producers

• International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

• Wildscreen

Booking deadline: September 18, 2023

Digital advertising: Daily newsletter and realscreen.com

Contact Realscreen sales:

For information on these opportunities, or if you’re interested in sponsorship or private meeting space at Realscreen Summit (January 29 - February 1, 2024 in New Orleans) email us at sales@realscreen.com or call 416-408-1376.

I cannot name all of the people in the industry that have supported me over the years — there’s not enough space on this page. But I do want to thank my team for making me look good for the past decade-and-a-half. Barry Walsh was my first hire, and continues to be the editorial brain of Realscreen, with the support of Andrew Jeffrey, Andrew Tracy and Justin Anderson. Joel Pinto and Kristen Skinner will continue to provide expertise in elevating your brand. Lead conference producer Tiffany Rushton returns after her maternity leave this month, and Jen Fitzgerald will join me on the NATPE brand. Mark Lacoursiere, our creative director, and Karyna Dovnich, our marketing coordinator, keep all of our products looking fresh and relevant. Behind the scenes there are scores of people in the event logistics, creative, finance and admin, IT and marketing teams, and several past Realscreeners to whom I am forever grateful.

I leave this brand in great hands, as my longtime colleague and friend Mary Maddever, EVP of Realscreen, steps in to lead it. She’s got you! As executive editor of the magazine during its debut in 1997, Mary is no stranger to our audience and community, and she’s looking forward to reconnecting with you all.

Launching NATPE Global is an exciting opportunity for me, and I’m hopeful that I’ll see many of you when we bring back the auspicious flagship event in January, as we look to unite the global entertainment ecosystem together under one umbrella.

‘Til next time, go well,

Claire Macdonald SVP and publisher Realscreen

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WAIT AND SEE

By Andrew Jeffrey

The U.S. writers strike has already seriously disrupted scripted film and television. But at a time when the unscripted production community needs a boost, the question of how it will be impacted by the strike is still unanswered.

WALKING THE LINE Gena McCarthy explores both sides of the pitch 14

POINTED ARROW John Smithson on making an impact

the time the Writers Guild of America’s strike reached the end of its first month, its ripple effect on U.S. scripted content had already been felt strongly.

After failing to reach an agreement by the May 1 deadline with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), thousands of film and TV writers in the U.S. went on strike. The WGA maintains that the business practices of these studios and streamers have slashed writers’ compensation and residuals, and undermined their working conditions.

Scripted TV has already taken a major hit from the strike’s first month. Late-night comedy shows, a nightly staple for many networks, have nearly all gone dark.

Production has paused on new seasons of hit streaming titles including Stranger Things and Severance, and writers’ rooms for upcoming seasons of popular titles such as Abbott Elementary and Yellowjackets have temporarily shut down.

The situation could soon be complicated by another work stoppage, as the threat of a Screen Actors Guild strike looms as well. SAG-AFTRA will enter into negotiations on a new contract with the AMPTP on June 7, with the union’s current deal scheduled to expire on June 30. But before those negotiations begin, its board has agreed to pursue a strike authorization vote in the event that a deal can’t be reached. The Directors Guild of America’s deal with the AMPTP also expires at the end of June, which could rub even more salt in the entertainment industry’s wounds.

The situation is familiar to many who remember the 2007-08 writers strike, which has gone down in industry lore as something of an historic boost for reality television. Because unscripted is typically much less expensive and time-consuming to produce than its scripted counterpart, and because a fair percentage of the workforce on these projects is not unionized, a whole season of TV can be filmed and delivered to air quickly to fill the demand for content while scripted production is on hold. During the last WGA strike, Big Brother aired two seasons on CBS in quick succession, and NBC brought back The Apprentice for a

seventh season and introduced The Celebrity Apprentice for the first time, reviving the show’s popularity.

The dearth of scripted content at this time also led to ratings boosts for massive reality hits such as The Amazing Race and American Idol and prompted meteoric rises for cable series such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which was fresh out of the gate at the time. Thus, the question facing many in non-fiction content during this strike is whether history can repeat itself in an entirely different media landscape.

In Realscreen‘s conversations with sources across the film and TV industry, opinions from many in documentary

and unscripted content range from cautious to downright skeptical about whether the ongoing strike will affect the fortunes of their genre.

CreativeChaos co-founder Ilan Arboleda says he’s noticed that the major difference between the 2007-08 strike and the current situation is that there hasn’t been the same mad dash for content, with buyers instead largely adopting a more wait-and-see approach.

“I think there will be an uptick, [but whether there’s] a giant boom and change in the landscape, the sort of result [as we had] the last time, I don’t necessarily see that,” Arboleda says. “There’s a long tail of content that hasn’t aired yet. Myself, [we have] a series that won’t air until next June that’s in post-production right now.”

At the same time, Arboleda — whose Brooklyn-based company works primarily on the doc side, with such projects as Murder of God’s Banker in its portfolio — says he’s cautiously optimistic about a surge in demand for non-fiction content, adding that CreativeChaos is working on development for a number of projects that his team plans on pitching this summer.

“This year, we’ve just decided to really focus on development. We’re preparing a lot of things to take to both Cannes and Banff this year. We’re getting ready to do a big push on our development slate, more than we ever [have] in the last couple years,” Arboleda says. “We want to make sure that if there is an uptick, we’re not left behind.”

Others in the industry are more doubtful about the possibilities of replicating that previous boost to unscripted content in the current media climate.

“I wish I could say the opposite, but I don’t see a bump coming — a bump [that] we could all really use,” says J.C. Mills, who leads both scripted and unscripted content strategy for Torontoheadquartered Cineflix Productions ( American Pickers , Property Brothers ) as president and head of content. That rueful postscript was referencing the difficult year for the industry in

Mills

... The streamers don’t need to buy anything. They don’t have a schedule that dictates how they run their calendar. So do they buy more unscripted? Not necessarily.”

the lead-up to the strike, as cost-cutting initiatives at major media companies such as Disney, Amazon and the recently merged Warner Bros. Discovery have led to waves of layoffs and an industry-wide commissioning slowdown.

Mills points to how much the TV industry has changed since the last writers strike, which predated the boom in global streaming. Mills notes that today, far less linear cable buyers are in the scripted content market when compared to 2007-08.

“Broadcast may have a bit of a boost if they think there’s going to be an extended strike, which it sounds like the majority thinks there will be,” Mills says. “And then the streamers, they don’t need to buy anything. They don’t have a schedule that dictates how they run their calendar. So do they buy more unscripted? Not necessarily. They may all see this as an opportunity to save money and just park it and wait and see what happens.”

With the upfronts from early May revealing that most, if not all, of the major U.S. broadcast nets are stacking their 2023-24 slates with unscripted — with ABC finally hitting the “go” button for its long-awaited, senior-skewing Bachelor spin-off, The Golden Bachelor, and Jamie and Corrine Foxx hosting a new game

show for Fox, We Are Family — Mills’ prediction about a small broadcast boost for the genre seems to be bearing fruit. He adds that what could really complicate the situation for networks, studios and streamers is if a broader strike occurs involving the actors or directors guilds this summer.

Dorsey Pictures’ Maine Cabin Masters, on the air since 2017, is currently part of Magnolia Network’s schedule.

It’s not a question of whether we’ll have scripted or unscripted, it’s a question of how much of each, and who has mastered cost controls.”

Dorsey

Netflix, the industry’s leading streaming platform, has expressed confidence about its ability to withstand the writers strike. In an earnings call with investors in April, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said his company didn’t want a strike but has made plans for it, adding that he believes the platform has a robust slate of releases that will be able to carry Netflix for a long time.

Chris Dorsey, founder and CEO of Building Alaska and Maine Cabin Masters prodco Dorsey Pictures, notes that, amid the WGA strike, it’s now factual producers’ duty to give buyers solid content options at a fair price.

“We focus on taking care of our own brand by delivering what was promised, on time and on budget. We think that’s the best long-term hedge against volatility in the content space,” Dorsey says, adding that, given the ongoing financial pressures in the film and TV industry, many platforms will evaluate the cost-per-viewer when weighing future investments in scripted projects, as opposed to reality pitches. He also notes that unscripted can be boosted from compelling and strange true stories, and with market boosts from social media.

“We see the content world being tumultuous for quite some time as the linear-to-streaming world continues to shake out,” Dorsey says.

“Whomever can deliver the most value is likely to be left standing when the landscape eventually settles. It’s not a question of whether we’ll have scripted or unscripted, it’s a question of how much of each, and who has mastered cost controls.”

(With files by Barry Walsh)

STRIKE-PROOF SLATES?

In the wake of the WGA strike, U.S. broadcast networks are bulking up on unscripted content for their fall slates, with a mix of tried-and-true favorites and new series. But will viewers tune in? Here’s an overview of the unscripted series making their way into the 2023-2024 slates at “the Big Five,” and a couple that could make their way into the mix should the strike be prolonged.

FOX

We Are Family (new)

Snake Oil (new)

Farmer Wants a Wife

Hell’s Kitchen

I Can See Your Voice

Kitchen Nightmares

Lego Masters

The Masked Singer

Name That Tune

ABC

The Golden Bachelor (new) Bachelor in Paradise

Celebrity Jeopardy!

Dancing with the Stars (moving from Disney+)

Shark Tank

America’s Funniest Home Videos

What Would You Do?

CBS

The Amazing Race (extended 90-minute episodes)

Survivor (extended 90-minute episodes)

The Buddy Games (ordered but not yet on schedule)

Lotería Loca (ordered but not yet on schedule)

Special Forces

NBC

Deal or No Deal Island (new)

The Americas (new, natural history event series)

The Voice

The Wall

THE CW

FBoy Island (new)

FGirl Island (new, midseason)

I Am (bio doc strand)

Masters of Illusion

Penn & Teller: Fool Us

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

World’s Funniest Animals

We Are Family

Arboleda

We’re getting ready to do a big push on our development slate... We want to make sure that if there is an uptick, we won’t be left behind.”

LINE THE WALKING

Without blowing smoke up your caboose, I think I’ve heard thousands of pitches.

Across my eight tenures developing and creating unscripted content at diverse brands, I’ve become both a fan and a connoisseur of artful sales techniques. After moving officially to the maker side, I wondered if there was a secret formula that guaranteed a faster, smarter green light — and if so, how could I cleverly adopt it? While there’s no easy shortcut, I do think there are simple things that help both buyers and sellers build their businesses. After all, one hit show transforms everything, for everyone.

As a coach from my school years that I didn’t particularly like once told me: keep it simple, stupid. While it enraged me as a teenager, I endorse the “KISS” principle as an adult. In this case, it means “know your brand.” When I was working for a network at any level — from writer/producer to EVP — my job was to understand and respect the audience I served. The best people I ever worked for taught that and held teams to it. I viewed the audience as a series of concentric circles — not a bullseye, because hurling sharp objects at humanoid targets sounds violent. But the more you knew about them, the higher your odds were of super-serving the meat and potatoes they craved, and of launching a delicious delight that could push the boundaries of their palate. It was always that new, impossible, or even “too bizarre” idea, as I was sometimes told, that smashed the edges of the brand and reinvented it.

IIBy Gena McCarthy

The same rules apply when you’re selling. The more you know about the brand you’re pitching, the stronger your pitch will be. As a new production label entering the market, we’ve spent a lot of time setting general meetings with people who graciously, patiently spend time walking us through their content performance and needs. We’re using their wisdom to frame fresh development. So far, so good. If you’re always shooting in the dark, sometimes you hit, but the greenlights for us have come faster when we know and respect the target.

I think most people know this, but selling takes guts. It ain’t easy sticking your neck on the block waiting for the chop, given most pitches wind up as passes, for very practical reasons. We love working with people who deliver good and bad news directly, because we bake that feedback into our next pitch. We constantly recalibrate ideas to make them better for buyers, in the same way a failed series launch during my network career would inform my next greenlight decision.

Theories abound regarding the best pitching techniques. As someone who enjoys observing people, I can tell you the range of successful styles is impressive. Some people are horse whisperers

who quietly and efficiently persuade others. Some are master performers who dazzle with their wit and charisma. Some are palpably nervous and awkward but absolutely wonderful, with the best ideas. And I swear that I once saw two producers launch a military pincer movement on my boss, approaching from each flank and charming her into a greenlight.

As someone who leans toward the shyer side of the spectrum — shout out to all the successful introverts in extroverted careers — my advice is to be true to who you are. If I entered a room with a top hat and cane, thumping my chest and twirling my mustache, I’d terrify everyone, including myself. Be authentic, knowledgeable

and passionate in whatever style suits you best. Buyers are tolerant, and if they like your idea, they don’t care how you deliver it. At the end of the day, it’s all about the content. Which brings me to the question of who to pitch. Some people preach going straight to the top; others recommend going to the lean and hungry ones on the team. I say, go to the people you genuinely like and trust, no matter their level. We’re a democracy after all, not an aristocracy, so spend time building longterm partnerships. When success arrives, and it will, you’ll have friends for life.

Gena McCarthy is the president and founder of Unconventional Entertainment, a part of Sony Pictures Television.

POINTED ARROW A PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE

By John Smithson

Itis perhaps one of the hardest things for any producer to achieve, and it’s something you desperately crave. I’m talking about impact. You spend months or years slaving over a project, struggling to find funding, spending forever in the cutting room searching for magic. Then, finally, when it’s released to the public, it has an impact. Your show does not disappear, as you feared. It’s being talked about. People write or tweet about it; it surges across social media. You’re directly resonating with your viewers.

The power of word of mouth, accelerated to hyper speed by going viral, is a seductive thing if it is your work they are recognizing. What’s exciting is that true impact is achieved when the audience owns the discussion, not the network or platform, with social media acting as the catalyst.

This is on my mind as for the last few weeks all anyone seems to have talked about has been The White Lotus or Succession You can only look on with admiration and a tinge of envy. Work of this quality deserves such mega-impact.

But how do you create it? That’s the tricky bit. Too often, shows you feel will have impact wind up falling off the stage, unnoticed and unloved. There’s clearly a wide range of triggers that press the elusive impact button. Your work could generate emotion or humor, warmth or fear, pleasure or fascination. And it’s not always positive. Impact can be poisonous, sparking anger and contempt. There’s something zeitgeisty about impact, the right show hitting at the right time.

I do feel, however, that it’s especially tough to hit such moments in the world of non-scripted. In news, even a short clip can generate shock or horror. In sports, an amazing moment gives unadulterated pleasure. Scripted can meticulously manipulate all the triggers. But in non-scripted we’re stuck with what we’ve gathered from the real world, and that’s where the real skill comes in.

If only there was some sort of Impact 101. I think it boils down to instinct and experience, and a bit of talent does not go amiss. You sort of know what might hook your audience, but the challenge is crafting it with the material you have.

The other major issue in generating impact for nonscripted is getting noticed in the crowd. So many platforms with so much content and such an abundance of viewer choices means that those few shows that truly deserve to make an impact often don’t, because they simply do not reach enough eyeballs. A worthy show sinking without a trace is a sad reality of our world.

Can money buy you impact ? It’s certainly good for your self-esteem. There’s nothing better than seeing a giant billboard for your new masterpiece on Sunset Boulevard or Times Square. Heavy marketing and promotion can certainly lure viewers, but it can’t create the impact. That’s purely the domain of the audience.

The consequences of impact ultimately make it so desirable. It drives viewers to your show, which in a glorious virtuous circle keeps growing the audience, as more and more people talk about you. It makes a second series a shoo-in, and seduces rival networks to come and take your pitches. It brings you closer to a big award. A show that’s made an impact is much more likely to be the one everyone remembers at voting time.

And even if your impact is underpinned by controversy, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. At least you’re being talked about, and at the end of the day that’s what matters.

John Smithson is the creative director of Arrow Pictures, a feature and high-end factual label created out of Arrow, the UK-headquartered indie which he founded in 2011.

Heavy marketing and promotion can certainly lure viewers, but it can’t create impact. That’s purely the domain of the audience.”

ANIETIE Antia-Obong

COSTAS Nicolas

RODNEY Hawkins

TRACY Ofosuhene

MANNIE Holmes-Leach

RUTH ANN Thorn

CIARA Ingram

ROBYN Van Bosstraten

TAMARA John

JOHANNA Vanderspool

THE FACTUAL UNDER 40 ROUNDTABLE

By Andrew Tracy

Idehen

Evans

McDermott

The Realscreen Factual

Under 40 list, which spotlights the younger generation of talent across the unscripted industry, elicited an enthusiastic response from our audience and community when we revealed the inaugural edition of the annual initiative at the beginning of this year.

Since the 2008 WGA strike predated all of your entries into the industry, what are your impressions of these early days of the current labor action? Are you and/or your colleagues anticipating anything approaching the “unscripted boom” that happened last time?

McDermott: Obviously, people do talk about the “glory days” of the reality boom, but it’s going to take time for there to be less content out there. The supply has to run low for there to be more demand, and there were a lot of shows bought especially in the last year and a half, two years coming out of the pandemic — a lot of our shows from that time are just starting to deliver. So I think it’s going to take more time for us to really know the impact [of the strike] on our business.

Idehen: If I were a betting woman, my instinct would be that we’re not going to see an impact from [the strike] until the end of the summer, if they’re still striking — but like Geno, I think it’s hard to tell right now. So while we do pay attention to what’s going on, our team is trying to stay laser-focused on our own projects, to really lean into our creativity. So it’s about what we do well, what do we love, what are our relationships, and where can we find that union to expand our business model and set ourselves up for growth and success long-term.

There are some companies that can bounce back and forth, but you can very easily be pigeonholed into a certain format or genre, because buyers, and even audiences, want you to continue doing what you do best.”

You’ve all worked on projects across the unscripted spectrum, from premium docs to low-cost, returnable reality series. Do you think that there’s less siloing of different types or levels of non-fiction production these days, and more freedom for teams to move back and forth?

Evans: I do feel that it is still a bit siloed. There are some companies that can bounce back and forth, but you can very easily be pigeonholed into a certain format or genre, because buyers, and even audiences, want you to continue doing what you do best. But I hope that we can see more companies [moving between different genres], because we certainly are all capable of doing more than one thing really well.

the dream projects they hope to make a reality.

McDermott: I’ve always considered myself a jack of all trades, master of none, able to bounce back and forth. On the more commercial television side, I agree that everybody has what they’re known for and it’s very challenging to break out of your box — like, you’re the true-crime company, or they’re the reality-show company. And that’s actually part of the reason why I joined eOne, because eOne is known for formats and reality shows, and I was more known for true crime and docs, so I was really interested in learning about that side of the business.

As part of our ongoing efforts to spotlight how this cohort is helping to advance and transform the unscripted landscape, we invited three members of the class of 2022 — Valerie Idehen of Hot Snakes Media, Rebecca Evans of Campfire Studios, and Geno McDermott of eOne — to sit down for a roundtable discussion about the current challenges facing the industry, the opportunities for innovation that still exist, and some of

To what extent do you feel that you have the freedom to innovate, on either the doc or the reality side?

Evans: On the doc side, four or five years ago a lot more chances were being taken, but now buyers definitely want a lot more guarantees. And that means being a lot more buttoned up in development — making sure you have the research done, you have all the characters you need, getting some exclusive access agreements signed, etc. We were never the company that throws spaghetti at a wall, but now we’re definitely digging in even deeper than we ever have to make sure we’re lining up everything you would need to know about how a project’s going to be told, start to finish. Also, something that’s unique to us in the past two years is working closely with buyers to develop the concepts together. We’ve built some really good relationships, and it makes the development process more exciting knowing that you’re working with somebody’s audience directly.

So speaking of unique ideas — what’s one dream project you have that is different from anything else that came before? What’s one concept or niche that hasn’t been touched that you think would make for a great unscripted project?

McDermott: Obviously, studios and production companies are businesses, and we need to make money. So when it’s a tough market, like it is now, you need to invest in things you know are going to sell — you have to take on less development projects and really know that you’re going to punch something through. And it’s definitely more of a challenge now with this [commissioning] downtick, because even the buyers are trying to figure out what they’re going to put out there [that will hit]. But for us, we’re kind of ignoring it — we’re not developing less or more, everything we think we can convert we’re developing and putting strong efforts into, and we’re just continuing to be super-aggressive.

Idehen: On the premium documentary side I’ve found it’s a lot tougher to innovate, because buyers want you to come in with these blue-chip packages and everything super-developed, and it’s really competitive. But on the reality side, I do think there’s still room to innovate: buyers are still looking for fresh faces, the loud characters they’ve never seen before, that surprising world they’ve never heard of that feels like it has layers and can go on for multiple seasons.

Evans: I definitely agree with that. On the reality side I think innovation is key — that’s where you’re really going to be able to make a difference, by having a unique idea that no one else has done before.

Idehen: I have an unscripted kids pitch in development that I’m really excited about. It’s based around a 10-year-old talent I previously produced for a popular pageant show, and I feel like there’s a lot of opportunity to innovate in the unscripted kids space in a way that hasn’t been done. So I’m excited to finish up those materials and bring that to market this summer.

Evans: Well, I think right now I’m going to keep my untapped ideas to myself! However — a trend I’m seeing [is that] the early 2000s are very hot right now. So I keep asking myself: what crimes were there in the early 2000s that people don’t know about? Or what happened to the stuff we used to have around, like Tamagotchis? What topics can we cover from that decade?

McDermott: I think that just getting back to the simple things [is key]: there’s so much temptation to overproduce, [like] make a social experiment that has so many [elements] to it that the viewer just gets lost.

One format that I’ve had in paid development a few times is, “Married at First Sight, but with business partners.” I’ve always thought, because having a business partner is like being married to someone, that putting two strangers together with their different assets, different strengths and weaknesses to start a business without knowing each other, would make for something really interesting.

Buyers are still looking for fresh faces, the loud characters they’ve never seen before, that surprising world they’ve never heard of...”

When it’s a tough market, like it is now, you need to invest in things you know are going to sell. You have to take on less development projects and really know that you’re going to punch something through.”

SPOTLIGHT ON

The Realscreen DIALOG (diversity, inclusion, accountability, learning, opportunity and growth) program is designed to align mid-level executives who are BIPOC or who identify as d/Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent, with senior-level mentors who will work with the mentees to guide them to access opportunities and advance their careers.

For this third year of the program, 10 executives who applied through the Realscreen DIALOG submission portal were selected by an advisory board to participate in the mentorship program. Each participant is being matched as closely as possible with one of 10 senior-level unscripted or non-fiction content executives who have volunteered their time to the initiative.

Benefits provided by the program include individualized pairings with mentors expertly positioned to provide bespoke, actionable feedback on plans and objectives; mentorship as a cohort via virtual educational workshops facilitated by Realscreen; a meet-and-greet opportunity for participants with mentors at Realscreen West 2023 in Dana Point, CA and Realscreen Summit 2024 in New Orleans; complimentary access to all Realscreen events, including networking opportunities (virtual or live), for one year; and a travel stipend of US$500 per person per Realscreen event, where a live event takes place.

Mentors for this year’s program include: David Cornwall, managing director, Scorpion TV; Stan Hsue, co-president, Lion Television USA; Jill Johnson, EVP, entertainment partnerships, Neo Studios; Casey Kelly, VP, unscripted development, Blue Ant Studios; Ryann Lauckner, chief strategy officer & COO, Fulwell73; Ari Mark, co-founder, Ample Entertainment; Hayden Meyer, agency partner, EVP, head of alternative & factual programming, senior agent, APA; JC Mills, president & commercial director, Cineflix Productions; Cheryl Mulingbayan (formerly MGM Television) and Tamra Simmons, CEO & executive producer, The TSB Agency & Live Always Productions.

HERE ARE THIS YEAR’S DIALOG MENTEES:

Aniete Antia-Obong is an award-winning producer/director/writer working in TV, film, theater and the internet, producing projects for various entities from studios and large corporations to nonprofits. She’s the founder of Shaken World Screenworks, and is currently developing the docuseries Love & The Marriage Squeeze; Unstoppable, a rock musical; and a documentary on body image and teens. Most recently, she produced the Lifetime documentary Beyond the Headlines: Black Girl Missing

Rodney Hawkins is an award-winning producer and founder of Tiny Hawk Productions (THP). With THP, he has produced a Paramount historical documentary, an immersive experience at AT&T’s global headquarters, and directed productions in various locations. Prior to THP, Rodney worked as a journalist at CBS National News, earning an Emmy, an Alliance for Women in Media Gracie, an American Bar Association Silver Gavel, and National Association of Hispanic Journalist awards.

Ciara Ingram is a producer, script reader, and writer based in New York City. She supports media, brands, and entertainment companies in discovering and producing compelling stories highlighting diverse emerging talents across women’s sports, art, cultural and creative communities.

Mannie Holmes-Leach is currently an associate producer for Jimmy Kimmel Live! with aspirations of advancing to a leadership role in unscripted television. In addition to producing celebrity late-night segments, she has written for Entertainment Tonight and Variety

Costas Nicolas has been casting talent for over 10 years, and is now creating show concepts. He is also a chair representative for NonFiction Casting United.

Tamara John is a freelance television producer based in Los Angeles, CA. She has produced shows for Netflix, HBO Max, HBO, Apple TV +, OWN, WE tv, Bravo, Lifetime, Roku and Quibi. Tamara was born in San Fernando, Trinidad and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Her goal is to tell stories that we do not yet see prevalent in media and create content that uplifts and inspires viewers globally.

the indian doctor

ocean souls rick steves’ europe

classical stretch: by essentrics

Ruth Ann Thorn (Payómkawichum/ Luiseño) is a pioneer Native host/producer and creator. An enrolled tribal member of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, Thorn aims to give voice to Native American culture through content.

Tracy Ofosuhene currently serves as manager of development at Cineflix Productions in New York, where she manages and oversees its companies’ development of projects as well as ideation, research, and casting. Prior to joining Cineflix, Ofosuhene served as a coordinator at A&E, and worked at various other entertainment companies such as Scott Rudin Productions, AwesomenessTV, Wise, and The Gersh Agency.

Robyn van Bosstraten is currently head of development at Concept Street, a production company based in the Netherlands. Van Bosstraten develops IP for international distribution and acquires international formats for local production, such as the local adaptation of NBCU’s The Real Housewives Shows pitched by Robyn have been commissioned and produced for partners such as Prime Video, Discovery, RTL, Talpa, and public broadcasters. Prior to her current position, Van Bosstraten worked with Zodiak.

Johanna Vanderspool is a multi-platform Latinx executive producer/director/writer in documentary and scripted television, films, branded digital content and commercials, with 20 years of development, production and post experience in Los Angeles and New York. Through her boutique production company, Rolling Ball Productions, she focuses on comedy, societal and environmental impact, and female-centric stories and campaigns that champion content for women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and disabled persons.

EASTERN INNOVATION

The formats industry, like the entertainment business at large, has been profoundly influenced by the creativity seen in Asian programming. Now, through global streamers, more innovative Asian content is making its way to larger international audiences. Below, we talk to several format specialists in Korea and Japan to find out what is currently connecting with their viewers, how to work with them, and what might be the next global format hit from the region.

By Barry Walsh

TBS

(TOKYO BROADCASTING SYSTEM TELEVISION)

What are the top entertainment formats airing on TBS right now? Is there one genre of format that is the most popular?

Goshu Segawa ON THE WAY

Manager, Global Business Department

:

Outsing the Choir! (above), in which singers try to remain in tune while a choir singing with them tries to throw them off pitch.(Photo: TBS)

The top entertainment/non-scripted formats airing now on our channel come from a wide range of genres, but one common element might be that most of the successful shows are either hosted, or cast the most popular comedians in the country. Among those shows, Banana Sand, which is an in-studio comedy game show hosted by two very famous comic duos, is the format that draws the most public attention. We developed a singing game show format named Outsing the Choir! from the most popular element in that show and presented it at MIPTV in April.

Do you produce the formats in-house through your own content hub, or do you also work with outside producers in Japan?

We do both, but the majority of our shows are produced by in-house producers.

Is TBS interested in establishing codevelopment deals for formats with producers from other countries — for example, the U.S. or UK?

We have already started co-developments with producers from other countries, and we launched a format named Love by A.I. last year which we co-developed with Craig Plestis, the producer of the U.S. version of The Masked Singer. We are [also] proceeding with a partner from the UK at the moment.

Several Japanese formats have been adapted in other territories with great success, including TBS’ Sasuke (Ninja Warrior). Do you think that will increase with the global popularity of international streaming services?

We do hope so, and believe the chance for Japanese formats to succeed internationally should increase in regards to the demand for a broad range of content from the streamers.

NIPPON TV

What are the top entertainment formats airing on Nippon TV right now? Is there one genre of format that is the most popular?

Yuki Akehi

ON

THE WAY

: Another season of the long-running hit Old Enough! (pictured), in which children go on errands for the first time by themselves, with camera crews in tow.

The top entertainment format would be Old Enough! , with [an] upcoming episode scheduled to air this summer as a three-hour special on primetime. We are currently in production, filming the big adventures of little children all over Japan. This time we will once again have children of celebrities go on errands to help their family. It is always fascinating to see a different side of someone famous and how their children are just like ordinary kids; the parents feel so proud, and the children all have memories of a great day at the end.

Do you usually produce the formats in-house through your own content hub, or do you also work with outside producers in Japan?

We always produce the formats in-house, and we own 90% of all the content that is created by Nippon TV. We work with both in-house and with local production companies which each have expertise in their respective genres, and the final decision and responsibility is ours.

You’ve entered into co-development deals over the last few years with various territories — Turkey’s Sera Films, for example. Is Nippon TV interested in establishing more co-development deals for formats with producers from other countries — for example, the U.S. or UK?

Absolutely. Our experience with Red Arrow Studios for the co-development of a format based on our game show Block Out has seen it produced in Spain, the Netherlands, Thailand and Vietnam so far, and we also have co-developed game shows with The Story Lab, ITV Studios, and Sera Films. All these projects have been very meaningful for us, as we are able to pitch ideas that are said to be very unique from a Western perspective. For our part, we are always excited to hear how viewers’ tastes are always changing, but [know that we will] still be able to provide them with timeless concepts.

Several Japanese formats have been adapted in other territories with great success, including Nippon TV’s Silent Library among others. Do you think that will increase with the global popularity of international streaming services?

We truly believe so. When we were the only Japanese TV company attending MIPTV when it resumed as an in-person event in 2022, we had the time to exchange thoughts with existing as well as new partners in the industry and kept on hearing that there is a big craving for fun Japanese game shows, even more than before. That trend continued at MIPCOM 2022, ATF 2022, London Screenings 2023 [and] MIPTV 2023 as well, and we are currently in talks with producers who want to create their versions of our hilarious formats.

We are witnessing successful Japanese formats on international streaming services currently, which is opening many doors for our game show formats such as Block Out, Silent Library and Old Enough! All of our formats are simple but so satisfying to watch for any generation, and [are] especially in need in these times.

Director and Head of Marketing, International Business Development

FORMATEAST

(A SUBSIDIARY OF SBS)

You’ve entered into co-development deals over the last few years with various territories — Canada’s Media Ranch, for example. Is FormatEast interested in establishing more co-development deals for formats with producers from other countries — for example, are there co-development deals with producers or distributors in the U.S. or UK on the way?

Tell us more about FormatEast and its relationship with SBS.

FormatEast is a 100% subsidiary of SBS, established in 2018 with the aim of developing and distributing newly created formats. We are a subsidiary of SBS, but we are able to work with many different partners other than SBS, such as other broadcasters, streamers, and production companies, which I believe is one of our biggest strengths. For the past four years starting from 2019, we’ve been selected as [an official] operating company of KOCCA and organized FormatEast Creative Lab, developing new paper formats together with top-notch entertainment show creators in Korea. As a result, we have accumulated a catalog of 200 paper formats.

Do you usually produce the formats in-house through your own content hub, or do you also work with outside producers in Korea?

In the case of SBS, most of the formats are produced in-house. Unlike SBS, FormatEast can work with other broadcasters, streamers and prodcos, like I’ve mentioned. To give an example, in 2019 we co-developed a music game show, Lotto Singer, together with Wonwoo Park, the creator behind The Masked Singer, and it was produced and aired on MBN, not SBS.

Besides our co-development deal with Media Ranch, there aren’t [currently] any other codevelopment deals with other partners. So far, we completed an option deal on Lotto Singer with Fox Alternative Entertainment, and a format licensing deal for DNA Singer with Fremantle. In terms of Lotto Singer , it’s currently undergoing its U.S. and UK localization, and DNA Singer was successfully launched in the Netherlands early this year. FormatEast is always interested in and open to establishing more format co-development deals with producers around the world.

Several Korean formats have been adapted in other territories with great success. Do you think that will increase with the global popularity of international streaming services? Definitely. Since Squid Game , many Korean shows such as The Glory , Physical 100 and Single’s Inferno have been successive hits on the international streaming platforms, further highlighting the global influence of Korean content. Netflix’s recent announcement regarding their $2.5 billion investment in Korean content over the next four years also shows how much global streamers value and are excited about Korean content. As Korea is a powerhouse with not only constant fresh ideas but also a high level of production capabilities, K-content never seems to let down global audiences’ expectations. With such support from international streamers, I believe the number of successful Korean formats is only going to increase.

During MIPTV’s K-Format Showcase, we launched a new format called Gganbu Race which was very well received, and a lot of companies have shown interest since then.

Fay Zhang ON THE WAY: Gganbu Race

Senior Manager/Producer

(pictured), in which young people and seniors form unlikely alliances to take on challenges, and the team with the biggest age difference can win the biggest prize.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

What types of formats are especially popular in Korea right now?

Jin Woo Hwang ON THE WAY:

The Beatbox (pictured), co-developed with Fremantle, in which contestants have to perform popular songs using everyday objects as instruments.

Korean viewers are possibly the most dynamic audience in the world, [and] change their viewing habits so often that even new hit shows find difficulty in surviving more than three seasons. From the 2010s, and even now, Korean formats have been heavily celebrity-driven in the unscripted scene. However, there have been several efforts to change this, as restless Korean viewers begin to seek new ideas. As a result, producers began to expand their creativity by mixing celebrity talents into the themes. Music (singing, performing talent, entertainment) was a huge theme for almost 10 years, then it was food — eating (e.g., “Mukbang” videos), cooking, and then, especially last year, there was dating. There were 46 dating shows being made for primetime in 2022. Most of these dating shows had one common segment

— all participants were being observed by celebrity panels. But again, audience tastes changed, and it seems that last year there were just too many dating shows, so that now in 2023 there are only five shows out of the 46 confirmed to return.

Surrounded by the many dating shows, there have been new formats about music, singing, game shows, dancing, cooking, travelogues, etc., and celebrities were the common denominator in most of the formats. And one genre that feels particularly fresh among all unscripted shows and is currently trending here in Korea is competition reality. Whether it is social experimental, strategy-themed, physical, or even entertainment variety, this genre will be the favorite format of 2023. The successful competition reality shows will figure out an interesting way to wisely incorporate celebrity talent.

Co-founder/Executive Producer/President

In terms of popularity, what kinds of formats seem to be most in demand from other territories you work with?

I believe there have always been some successful factors in formats. Formats that are simple, flexible, scalable, great storytelling, evolving, play-along — those always gain huge popularity and receive demand. As long as you can input these factors into your original and universal idea, it will become a format able to travel. Considering what we have witnessed in the industry for many years, game shows, studio entertainment shows, [and] music (including singing) show formats always receive more demand in multiple territories.

With Netflix’s recent announcement about an increase in investment for Korean content, do you see many more opportunities for your formats to reach international audiences? Are there still substantial challenges in working with global streamers or has it become easier lately, regarding retaining rights?

Absolutely. Netflix has been a great gateway for Korean content to be seen by the world. And there is no doubt that Netflix is currently the most influential and powerful platform for local companies in the nation. Because of its influence, working with global streamers now is becoming inevitable... And as for retaining the rights, it will become much more important upon signing the deals. Nevertheless, formats work best by expanding with international adaptations, rather than being limited to one language version.

Lastly, are there any formats from Something Special on the way that you’d like to tell us about?

Our format You Picked the Wrong is now confirmed for production this year. This is a compelling new physical game show format that asks how non-judgmental we can be about other people. [In] each episode the audience will see an all-rounder contestant testing their athletic abilities against 10 mysterious opponents during five rounds, including the final. This format was not only the winner of 2022 BCWW international Format Pitch Competition, judged by global acquisition executives, but also secured KOCCA production funding. We believe this format will be something special that viewers around the world will want to see.

Also, we are beginning to open our newest development ideas to our partners — all the newly created formats have originated from the minds of our top-tier Korean creative talent partners. These new ideas include reality competition, music entertainment, game shows, and factual entertainment. And of course, we are always open for international collaboration!

Off the Fence

Herengracht 105, 1015 BE Amsterdam, Netherlands Tel: +31205200222

Contact: info@offthefence.com – www.offthefence.com

Flying Knights

Science – 4 x 60’

In less than fifty years, aviation went from flying objects made of wood and fabric to weapons of war! Who were the first fighter pilots in history? How did their planes evolve during the two world wars? Embark on a journey of technological advances, foolish bets, courage, and sacrifice.

More than a simple history of aviation, this series tells the story of the ‘Flying Knights’, aviators without whom these machines would remain inanimate objects, deprived of their chance to soar through the sky.

Silverback

Nature & Wildlife – 1 x 90’

Silverback is an epic observational documentary following the award- winning wildlife cinematographer Vianet Djenguet as he joins the effort to protect the critically endangered eastern lowland gorillas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Born in neighbouring republic of the Congo, and with a specialist interest in filming gorillas, Vianet was the perfect choice to be invited to the Kahuzi-Biega national park to document the work being carried out there to habituate some of the region’s endemic sub-species. Habituation is the process of gradually familiarizing wild gorillas to human presence so that conservationists can carry out vital work to help raise the animals’ population back up to safe and acceptable levels. However, with the DRC still suffering from the impacts of war, will this extremely personal journey for Vianet help in the effort to save the largest gorilla sub-species from extinction.

An otf studios production for the BBC, France Télévisions & Xumo in association with Featuristic Films

Engineering Evolved

Science – 6 x 60’

The world’s 7.8 billion people are constantly in motion and their chosen modes of travel are a testament to incredible engineering that helps us move faster, further, and more efficiently than ever before. But behind each swept wing and third rail, underneath the highest temperature heat shield on rockets like the Falcon Heavy, is the hidden story of perfectly optimized design. How did we get here and where are we headed? Trial and error, parallel histories, and problems resurfaced set the stage for stunning breakthroughs. We set out to tell the story of these complex machines, one mode of transportation at a time. What do innovations in process promise to help us achieve?

Go Button Media / otf studios

INA/Histoire TV

REACHING THE

In addition to being a veteran television executive and founder of one of the top unscripted prodcos in the U.S., Arthur Smith can now add “author” to his list of accomplishments. In this excerpt from his newly published memoir, Reach, Smith recounts an experience on the set of The Titan Games, one of many lessons learned over the course of a career that continues to reach new heights.

The one time I stepped away from the set was to attend the Emmy Awards. American Ninja Warrior had been nominated that year for Best Reality Competition Program — for the third year in a row! I really wanted to attend the ceremony, believing wholeheartedly in the old gambler’s theory that the third time’s the charm. Also, I was tremendously proud of the show, and the thought of not being there with our team would bother me. It would have been a drag on the esprit de corps I had worked so hard to cultivate in our Ninja offices if we actually won the Emmy this year and I wasn’t there to share in the celebration. I had to find a way to be there.

Timing was on my side. The ceremony began at 5:00 p.m., and we didn’t really get going on set until 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. Still, it was a schlep with the stress of fighting traffic in both directions. Our Titan Games director, Alex Rudzinski, was also nominated that year and made the trip as well. The thing about the Emmys, though, is you never know when your category is going to be scheduled. I worried I might not make it back to the speedway in time, but I went for it anyway.

As it happened, our category came up in the first hour — and we lost again that year, this time to RuPaul’s Drag Race, but I was glad I’d made the effort. I kissed my wife and kids — who’d go off to the Governors Ball following the ceremony without me — changed out of my tux, got back in the car, and drove back to Irwindale.

Turned out I only missed some rehearsal and setup shots, so it all worked out — other than the fact that we lost out on the Emmy — but the mild disappointment allowed me to see a side of Dwayne Johnson that most people don’t appreciate.

He was the first person to greet me when I got back to the set. He knew where I’d been, and he came up to me all excited. “Did you win?”

I shook my head. “Not our year.”

“Oh, man,” he said. “I’m so sorry. We were all rooting for you. Everybody

THE GOAL

The show did well enough to get picked up for a second season, and this time we figured out a way to do the king-of-thehill format I’d been pushing for all along. We staged and shot the second season on a massive 50-thousand-square-foot sound stage in Atlanta. (Dwayne’s idea.) There was no more overnight shooting. (Also Dwayne’s idea.) He has a home in Atlanta, and we squeezed the shooting in when Dwayne had a break while shooting the Netflix film, Red Notice, with Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds.

here. It’s like they say, ‘It’s an honor just to be nominated.’ And it is. It’s incredible.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I guess it is.”

It was sweet of him to ask about the award and console me over our loss. I got the sense that this wasn’t just something to say with Dwayne. He was genuinely disappointed for me that Ninja didn’t win the Emmy that year, and at the same time he wanted me to know it was a real accomplishment that we’d been honored with a nomination. Then he turned the conversation back around to The Titan Games. “We’ve got to get our show nominated,” he said. “Next year. You and me.”

It struck me as the most generous gesture. He went out of his way to lift me up and point me forward, an aspect of his character that had surely served him well in his career. In the end, it all worked out to the good, and for the most part, the 10-day shoot went smoothly.

Dwayne’s hard-charging work ethic is legendary — he’s got one of those full-speed-ahead personalities that has obviously been one of the key drivers of his success. His career has been all about the reach. But he also has this thoughtful, magnanimous side, and he’s quick to bring others along with him. He reminded me that it’s not enough to reach and stretch and light your own fire in pursuit of your goals. You also have to reach out to those around you and help them to stretch and ignite their own fires.

Dwayne’s example resonated with me because it reflected the ways I’ve always tried to live my life, and reinforced the importance of reaching back and extending kindness. At A. Smith & Co., I’m not only proud of the shows we’ve put on the air and the awards and honors we’ve collected along the way. Mostly, I’m proud of the ways we’ve helped our people reach their goals — freelancers and full-timers alike.

After all, we don’t get where we’re going on our own.

From Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Television by Arthur Smith. Used with the permission of the publisher, Blackstone Publishing. Copyright ©2023 by Arthur Smith.

... It’s not enough to reach and stretch and light your own fire in pursuit of your goals. You also have to reach out to those around you and help them to stretch and ignite their own fires.”

JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 1, 2024

SAVE THE DATE

SHERATON NEW ORLEANS

The definitive annual global market and conference for the business of unscripted and non-fiction entertainment, bringing together senior executives and creators shaping the future of the genre. SUMMIT .