ATF 2020 - Show Daily Day 4

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DAY 4 ONLINE

THE 2020 OFFICIAL – 4 Dec 2020

SMF_Artwork_2.pdf

CANAL+ CHANNELLING INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS

YOUKU THE HEART OF CHINA THROUGH DOCS

STEERING BANIJAY RIGHT

DISCOVERY DOCUMENTING NEW WORLDS

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26/11/20

3:22 PM

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HIGHLIGHTS

DECEMBER 1—4 ON DEMAND MORNINGS with Industry Leaders ON DEMAND LUNCHTIME Buying ON DEMAND COFFEE HOUR Content Showcase ON DEMAND

Gone old school to combat the pandemic: ATF keeps the fun and surprises going by taking it offline before the online craze… Some lucky buyers received exclusive Smurf masks via snail mail… How cool!

MARKET News Special Featured Screening: 2049

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EXCLUSIVE: The Queen’s Gambit – Why So Successful?

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CONFERENCE – Southeast Asian Film Financing Forum (SAFF)

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FEATURES

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PRODUCTS

CONFERENCE @ ATF

An Event of

Scre F’s Libr ening ary)

Production AFTERNOONS ON DEMAND

CONTENTS 04

FE SCR ATURE E D Full ENING Epis S Ava ode ilab s le! (via AT

Hosted by

Southeast Asian Film Financing Forum

COFFEE HOUR CONTENT SHOWCASE Daily On Demand

Variety in Genre & Formats

EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION TEAM EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lulu Mendoza WRITERS Priscilla Hendriks, Suhaimi Saini CONFERENCE WRITER Serene Ong DESIGNER Shellen Teh VIDEO PRODUCTION Lim Eu-Jin (Reel Productions HD) PHOTOGRAPHER Hairol Salim PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROUP PROJECT DIRECTOR Yeow Hui Leng SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER Joyce Chua PROJECT COORDINATOR Amanda Koh, Samantha Lee BUYERS RELATIONSHIP MANAGER Lim Li Min EXHIBITORS & PARTICIPANTS SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Phua Meenyi ATF CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Lulu Mendoza PRODUCER ASSISTANT Chua Jia Yin MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER Hairol Salim MARKETING EXECUTIVE Priscilla Hendriks OPERATIONS OPERATION EXECUTIVE Felicia Wong

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A S ’ T I

IN-STUDIO BABY!

SELFIE TIME!

ROLL THE RECORDING FROM SYDNEY

ATF FORMATS PITCH THE FINAL ZOOM

LONDON CALLING!

SAFF AND TTB: ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM

WRAP! CREDITS

IN SESSION: ATF GOES TO SYDNEY ON THE SOUNDSTAGE

MUMBAI MAGIC: BEHIND THE SCENES

IT’S A WRAP FROM TAIPEI SINGAPORE: REHEARSAL BEFORE THE CAMERAS ROLL

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MARKET SPECIAL: Featured Screening

2049

Genre: Thriller 驚悚 / Horror 恐怖

TECHSTORM MARKS INAUGURAL LAUNCH IN TAIWAN Asian Esports and tech-centric entertainment channel, TechStorm announced its landmark debut in Taiwan through partnerships with Taiwan’s Portico Media and ONLINE MEDIA. The launch brings to viewers a stellar line-up of programmes on tech trends, pop culture, global and panAsian esports.

The line-up includes award-winning titles, such as, “Shark Tank”, “The

Gadget Show” and “Innovation Nation”. To cater to the appetites of esports fans, a dedicated esports TV belt will also see exclusive programmes, such as, “Gamerz” and “First Warriors Championship 2020”.

In addition, audiences looking for the latest from the tech and esports scene can keep updated with TechStorm’s very own original magazine show “Storm Bytes”.

ITV SCORES IN INDIA ITV Studios announced a raft of new sales in India totaling over 300 hours across its scripted and non-scripted slates. Among the deals are “Love Island” with Viacom 18 acquiring both series of “Love Island USA” and Discovery Plus’ deal for factual titles produced by ITV Studios label, Potato.

Another deal concluded with Lionsgate Play was for World Productions’ 04

forthcoming adrenaline-fuelled thriller, “Vigil”, as well as “Romulus”, Cattleya, Groenlandia and Sky’s ambitious drama that reconstructs the epic tale of the founding of Rome.

These latest deals follow on from the announcement earlier this year that Sony Liv had acquired a total of 185 hours of scripted content from ITV Studios.

The year 1949 has been a year of global development for the Chinese, and after 70 years, the Chinese race still holds a certain influence in the world, now in 2019. The background of “2049” is set in the future, 100 years after 1949, with its motive of linking together different foreign nations by the Chinese industry.

“2049” covers three mini stories, including, “Perfect Prediction” for human beings controlling destiny through big data; “Hedgehog Rule” for finding pain in life through new consultative techniques, and “Conversation of Happiness”, talking about whether communication aids can improve interpersonal relationships. The above is expected to present an imagination of the future in the areas of daily lives, technology, education, medical and even global situations.

MARKET IQIYI ANNOUNCES A SLEW OF SUCCESSES AT ATF iQIYI International announced at ATF a slew of the company’s successes.

First up, is its first-ever Korean original production, “My Roommate is a Gumiho”, which is based on one of Korea’s most popular webtoons called, “Living Together”.

The company also shared its success in bringing titles to the global stage, which include, “The Bad Kids”, which won Best Creative Award at this year’s Busan International Film Festival, and “Youth With You 2”, which saw 300 million views on YouTube. iQIYI International also signed a threeyear Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Singapore Tourism Board to market Destination Singapore in China and other key markets.

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EXCLUSIVE

THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT – WHY SO SUCCESSFUL?

AUTHORED BY PAUL YOUNGBLUTH, DIRECTOR TAPE CONSULTANCY LTD

For many years, I’ve been professionally intrigued by the question of why does one drama project take-off and become a hit, while another might crash and burn? Personal opinions are useful, but also highly subjective and prone to biases.

recurring elements that have been proven to influence appeal – positively or negatively.

Think of them as elements in a recipe. Get the ingredients right, and the result hugely enjoyable, get them wrong and it ends up straight in the recycling bin!

influencing our so-called viewing decision, the application of this established and consistent framework, delivers a numerical score – an index of potential appeal. As such, it identifies key intrinsic strengths, and potential weaknesses, from an audience perspective.

Fortunately, I can also draw upon the proprietary system that we use at TAPE, to shine a light on how the audience processes the key elements that make up a piece of content, assigning weightings to what they like or dislike, and the relative impact of such factors in determining the decision “to view or not to view”. It’s a process all of us do when we watch a piece of content, but we rarely question how it works…and we all do it quickly, subconsciously and repeatedly.

By breaking a project down into the Content Drivers, that have been identified as

I recently found myself perusing the EPG and finding nothing of interest I turned to Netflix… and decided to take a dive into their new series…. THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT...a period drama about a young female chess prodigy.

At first glance, such a logline might not seem especially encouraging.

The tool we use is called App.Dex© – it’s an analytical tool TAPE has developed for quantifying audience appeal, drawn from an intense and on-going study of viewer behaviour, based on what audiences actually choose to view. The system identifies 06

By breaking a project down into the Content Drivers, that have been identified as influencing our so-called viewing decision, the application of this established and consistent framework, delivers a numerical score – an index of potential appeal. As such, it identifies key intrinsic strengths, and potential weaknesses, from an audience perspective.

Paul Youngbluth Director TAPE Consultancy Ltd

However, I very quickly realised that it was a show whose appeal factors, as reflected by the AppDex system, suggested that it was a property capable of inspiring an incredibly positive audience reaction. At its centre there is the character of Beth Harmon, a selfcontained lead, who not only finds solace, but inspiration in the game of chess.

What moves her presentation onto a higher plane (and not forgetting an eye-catching

EXCLUSIVE performance from Anya Taylor-Joy), is her positioning as not only a young female usurper, challenging a male dominated world, but also a singular talent – determined, confident, whose only hurdles reside in her personal weaknesses. In effect, she fits a welldefined pattern in which audiences are quickly captivated by characters who not only possess an almost preternatural talent, but also a single-minded focus, and tendency to speak in an unfiltered fashion!

Her journey is a compelling one, an inexorable progress through an obstinate hierarchy, where the audience relish her composure, talent and unblinking tenacity – even if her own demons are rarely far from view.

App.Dex also picked up on the value, and importance of the small, yet well-drawn supporting cast, the highly inventive way in which the complex game of chess is used to drive the drama (rather than confuse the audience), and the unique sense of a period in time undergoing significant change.

While creating successful drama is not something that can be done purely by the numbers, having a way of being able to accumulate 40+ years of audience behaviour systematically, and using this information to objectively measure the value of the key ingredients to the recipe, does mean that understanding the audience can be a quantitative process that sits comfortably alongside more subjective, and instinctive personal judgements.

Think of it as quantifying that other critical measure, gut instinct!

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CONFERENCE

A gripping session that focused on CANAL+’s collaborations and global content strategy, where Jacque spoke on maintaining position and relevance within and outside of France, in addition to addressing its content investment across APAC. Moderated by Avril Blondelot, Head of Content Insight at Glance – Mediametrie, the session was a valuable one that appraised decisions made and strategies taken, as we head into 2021

On Expansion Strategies Canal+ is based in Vietnam and Myanmar, which they identified as growth markets. Jacques commented that the users there adapt quickly to innovation, reflecting that the first 4K TV he saw was in Vietnam and not France!”

– Jacques du Puy, CEO, Canal+ International

Jacques du Puy (CEO, Canal+ International) spoke about connectors, collaborations and the global content strategy of Canal+. Canal+ is a French TV channel, owned by the Canal+ Group, that has shown tremendous growth recently. Slightly over a decade ago, they realized that the French market was quite saturated, and that expansion would have to come from outside France. So, the group took the decision to foster international development. From 2011 to 2020, they grew from 2.7 million subscribers to over 12 million subscribers internationally outside France.

Canal+ is now operating in roughly 40 countries and are publishing channels in nine different languages. Their team now number 4,600 people, across three continents: Europe, Africa and Asia. The group had made the decision to focus on these emerging markets, and Europe. Their fastest growing market is Africa, but they see deep potential in Asia as well. Canal+ is based in Vietnam and Myanmar, which they identified as growth markets.

Jacques commented that the users there adapt quickly to innovation, reflecting that the first 4K TV he saw was in Vietnam and not France!

Jacques described their hybrid business model, which comprises about two-thirds organic growth and one-third structural growth. They had embarked into some mergers and acquisitions activities to accelerate their international development. He credited OTT technology as the key to transforming the business model and reinventing the way they sell packages to customers.

Jacques also discussed the importance of content for a TV company, and how they are investing in content.

While international platforms are important, local platforms are also relevant. Canal+ have developed local productions in all the countries they are

JACQUES DU PUY CEO, CANAL+ INTERNATIONAL

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based in. When they provide customers with good content, they prefer it local.

Of course, they need to have a balance of international and local content, but local content provides added value.

They have done this in Africa, and they are doing it in Asia – they have already produced five difference series in Myanmar and financing about 10 movies a year. Jacques also described how they leverage on their expertise in blending content from different geographies. Particularly in as diverse a region as Asia, there is vast potential in engaging across different cultures.

And to carry this out successfully would require close partnerships with the local people.

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DAY 4 ONLINE

CONFERENCE Blazing New Trails in Documentary Forms Gan Chao (VP, Youku) discussed how Asia has not only become a force in documentary acquisition, but also a trendsetter in producing radically compelling documentaries. He noted that documentaries need to move into two worlds: the starry sky above us to pursue the dreams of humankind, and the personal innermost being to find and propagate the value of goodness.

Documentaries aim to shorten the distances between people, not only to bring the users to what producers want the audience to view, but also for the producers to understand what their users want. Thus, while documentaries are based in factual worlds, for Youku, their documentaries have a strong humanistic content as well. They focus attention on the people and their stories.

not passive consumers of programs but promote and critique programs as well.

As a result, Youku has more brands targeting the youth group compared to last year. There were 20 additional brands that have not cooperated on humanities programs in the past and are slowly exploring the potential of the documentary industry.

Gan Chao pointed out that while documentary themes such as food or nature remain constant over the years, the forms of expression have changed.

Youku’s documentaries are popular with the youths because they are more contemporary. For instance, to make history more attractive to the younger audience, producers need to make history more immersive, with a strong

Gan Chao commented that the mainstream audience for documentaries tend to be highly educated, with a high socioeconomic status.

They pay attention to themes that uncover secrets, and exploration, such as nature, animals and good. Youku, China’s top streaming service, has also noticed that the proportion of female viewers is increasing, particularly young women aged 18—35 years.

Understanding their audience enables producers to present topics that viewers care about most.

For many years, the content, growth and market were driven by a young audience. Youku’s main business model is based on subscriptions and advertising.

Their humanities programs have performed well, doubling the revenue from advertising alone in 2020, and receiving highly positive reviews on social media. The young audience are

narrative. Science documentaries, too, have a long history in China. To appeal to younger audiences today, science documentaries have to describe the

A captivating session, Youku’s documentary man in charge makes a special appearance at ATF Online+ and gives some rare understandings if what has come to be in the Chinese landscape, as well as Youku’s own strategy. Moderated by TAPE Consultancy’s Ella Yu, who also has an extensive background in documentaries, the session added greatly to a new dimension at ATF this year – giving greater focus on documentaries, as the industry gravitates towards the wonders of the universe.

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Youku’s documentaries are popular with the youths because they are more contemporary.

For instance, to make history more attractive to the younger audience, producers need to make history more immersive, with a strong narrative.”

– Gan Chao, VP, Youku

evidence and the scientific process; they have to be critical and justify the conclusion. Youku plans to continue to explore these narratives and interactive approaches to their documentaries in upcoming releases for 2021.

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CONFERENCE Part of a unique series of sessions focused on documentaries at ATF Online+, this panel session with doc buyers focused on the region of APAC was an enlightening exercise into a trending genre that has become increasingly part of today’s sustainable strategies among linear and OTT players. Moderated by Paul Youngbluth, Partner at TAPE Consultancy, it offered greater insights into buyers who understand the attraction of how hot docs can be

Buyers Speak: Targeting Documentaries Documentaries are now regarded as a serious and popular segment of the market, and platforms now feature an array of documentaries.

There are even specialist documentary platforms. As well, wide diversity in documentary topics are offered, from true crime and natural history to culture and environment.”

– Paul Youngbluth, Partner, TAPE Consultancy Ltd

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Documentaries are now regarded as a serious and popular segment of the market, and platforms now feature an array of documentaries. There are even specialist documentary platforms. As well, wide diversity in documentary topics are offered, from true crime and natural history to culture and environment. Julian Chou-Lambert (TVF International) noted that popular genres include wildlife, science, history and current affairs. With the pandemic keeping everyone at home, escapist travel and lifestyle have also been increasingly popular.

Ishaan Misra (Discovery) explained that with the vast amounts of information available these days, people want to make sense of it all. At the same time, they also crave real stories and experiences. Julian agreed, noting that people want in-depth insights rather than news pieces. For instance,

COVID19-related documentaries were highly popular earlier in the year, as people strove to understand the pandemic, though some fatigue has since set in.

With the plethora of platforms as well as content out there, Shaun Levin (Switch International) advised that relationships are particularly important. The producers need to know who the buyers are and what they want, and distributors continue to play an important role in creating these relationships and pathways. Shaun also elaborated on the particularities and opportunities of the Australian market, such as the way government financing incentives shaped the commissioning of Australian content.

While the genre of documentary as a whole has become less niche, the documentaries themselves are

turning out to be increasingly targeted.

Ishaan said that what matters when Discovery acquires content is whether the audience would be excited and passionate about the genre. There is increasing appetite for Asian content, as Asian viewers want to see faces and places they can relate to. Julian noted the popularity of content that have direct relevance to the local population, for example, the recent “India on Film” was well-received in India. It illustrates that unique angles on the country or culture are also popular, such as documentaries that took a European lens on Asia, or vice versa. Indeed, the traditional boundaries between Western and Asian content is blurring.

Finally, the panellists discussed the impact of OTTs, as well as acquisition pricing on the market, particularly on the centrality of securing rights.

ISHAAN MISRA, EXECUTIVE

PAUL YOUNGBLUTH, PARTNER

CONTENT STRATEGY & ACQUISITIONS

TAPE CONSULTANCY LTD

SHAUN LEVIN, CHAIRMAN

JULIAN CHOU-LAMBERT

SWITCH INTERNATIONAL

ACQUISITIONS MANAGER, TVF INTERNATIONAL

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CONFERENCE Gourav Rakshit, COO, Viacom18 Digital Ventures

Clara Yang, VP, Int’l Business, Uyoung Culture & Media Co Ltd Jayakumar P., CEO, Toonz Animation India

Gulshan David, VP, Media Sales, Imira Entertainment

Hendy Lim, Content & Channel VP, Indonesia Entertainment Group (IEG)

Brenda Bisner, Chief Content Officer, Kidoodle.TV Leslie Lee, VP of Kids, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks

individual pets, while taking away strong messages.”

Manman Chen, Coo & Creative, WeKids

Another Year of Amazing Concepts in Animation The ATF Animation Pitch 2020, despite the pandemic, saw a record number of entries from 19 countries across the world. While this disqualified many, as only entries from the APAC region could officially be accepted, remaining entries still made up a large number of concepts that the shortlist judges had to sieve through.

Across several incredibly fun meetings, the first round of judges trimmed over 60 entries down to just 5. A daunting task, Brenda Bisner, Chief Content Officer of Kidoodle.TV, Gulshan David, VP, Media Sales at Imira Entertainment, and Manman Chen, COO & Creative of WeKids did a fantastic job of identifying the top contenders.

The 5 projects looked at was evaluated by the finalist judges, Clara Yang, Vice President, International Business of Uyoung Culture & Media Co Ltd; Gourav Rakshit, COO of Viacom18 Digital Ventures; Hendy Lim, Content & Channel Vice President of Indonesia Entertainment Group (IEG); Jayakumar P., CEO of Toonz Animation India; and 16

Leslie Lee, VP of Kids at WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks.

PROJECTS Abigails Tales The judges enjoyed the transition from a child’s curiosity to the crazy, moral filled world of toons, and were quite taken by its frenetic motion and craziness that ensues, which should be fun for the viewers.

Hard Boiled The judges noted that the creator for this entry is a thinker, and the project was depicted well to draw kids into the detective world. The foodie driven characters were entertaining, but one of the judges noted that he would have liked the food groups to be more germane to the plot, to deepen the connection and the uniqueness of this world.

Pete and the Pets The judges though it was a very well thought out world and the premise with pets with personality disorders makes it very non-threatening. Said a judge, “I can see kids falling in love with

Across several incredibly fun meetings, the first round of judges trimmed over 60 entries down to just 5. A daunting task, Brenda Bisner, Chief Content Officer of Kidoodle.TV, Gulshan David, VP, Media Sales at Imira Entertainment, and Manman Chen, COO & Creative of WeKids did a fantastic job of identifying the top contenders.”

The concept is a very fertile area to build a large number of episodes, and another judge noted that he would like to have seen clips to better understand the texture of the show.

Stain Alive Judges felt that for this project, the world of stains is a wonderful leaping point for the imagination of kids, who encounter them all through their lives. The stain mimicking real world objects is clever and being used well to trigger the imagination of kids.

However, the judges noted that they were not able to fully visualize how entertaining it would be without actually exposing kids to the real world (perhaps midway in the show), so they get to experience stuff as the stains do. As well, other judges noted that it would be tough to extend the IP into merchandising for further monetization.

Tech Babies One if the judges noted that this was an ambitious project to help demystify the world of AI computing and possibly animation for kids.

“The premise is engaging, but the world that has been created lacks the entertainment value,” noted a judge.

Another felt that she was not getting enough of the storytelling associated with the content to bring it to life.

In the end, while there were favourites, there was a unanimous decision on Hard Boiled as the winner this year. What a great journey! Many of the judges will look forward to what may come next year!

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CONFERENCE

A first at ATF, Paul takes the inaugural documentary exclusive session out of the park, looking at the global rise of documentary from the point of view of the key platforms, the drivers that have caused this escalating interest and what future lies ahead for this exciting and multifaceted genre

The Meteoric Rise of Documentaries Paul Youngbluth (Director, TAPE Consultancy) examined the global rise of documentaries from the perspectives of key platforms, the factors that drove this escalating interest, and look ahead for this genre.

From dry filler comprising of archival footage and talking heads, documentaries are now regarded as a competitive and popular segment of the market. Driving this appetite for documentaries are younger viewers.

This trend parallels the rise in content delivered by OTTs, whose algorithms identified increasing audience interest in content that offer novel insights into the world around us. There is an incredible diversity in topics, with audiences indicating their interest in subject matters ranging from true crime and natural history, to health, food, exploration, tech, politics and culture.

One reason for the increased interest in documentaries is the recognition that empirical observations can be more effective in exploring universal themes in ways that fiction often cannot.

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become much more sophisticated in their ability to tell stories, engage the audience, impress visually and demand their attention.

Technical advances in production techniques have also made possible what was previous impossible. Finally, the reason audiences are turning to documentaries could be a reaction to a ‘post-truth’ culture, where many feel insecure and uncertain about their ability to process reality from ‘fake news’.

One reason for the increased interest in documentaries is the recognition that empirical observations can be more effective in exploring universal themes in ways that fiction often cannot.”

dramatic stories; (3) unique or exclusive access; and (4) realistic budgets. Paul also reviewed some of the biggest platforms and their documentaries, including emerging names in China.

New models of connecting with audiences in innovative ways are evolving, so documentary creators will need to stay nimble.

– Paul Youngbluth, Director, TAPE Consultancy

Key categories that are increasing in popularity include (1) the theatrical documentary, such as “Honeyland”; (2) the docu-series, which run multiple episodes; (3) the event documentary, a one-off landmark special that deliver a global impact and recognition, and (4) the short form documentary, mirroring the rise of fast content on video sharing platforms.

The advent of big streaming platforms has also changed the markets. These OTT players are looking for (1) big characters, characters that stand out; (2) high stakes, which make for

TAPE’s Paul: A great start to ATF’s documentary segment in 2020

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CONFERENCE

MICAH TADENA, COUNTRY MANAGER (PHILIPPINES)

JEREMY CHUA, PRODUCER

108 MEDIA

POTOCOL

RASHID KARIM, CEO

PAUL SPURRIER, WRITER/DIRECTOR

ISKANDAR MALAYSIA STUDIOS

COMMERCIAL FILMS SIAM

Experiencing SEA Changes: The final session of the Southeast Asian Film Financing Forum ends with a panel of industry veterans who sit to discuss Fresh Perspectives in Southeast Asian Co-Productions. Real lessons are deliberated on by Micah Tadena, Country Manager (Philippines) of 108 Media, Rashid Karim, CEO of Iskandar Malaysia Studios, and Paul Spurrier, Writer/Director at Commercial Films Siam. Moderate by Jeremy Chua, Producer at Potocol, the session dealt greatly with working with new pandemic measures across the board

Fresh Perspectives: Disruptions & Opportunities Budgets everywhere are much tighter generally.

Financing coming in from various major players have dwindled, leaving local sources the only funding option.

International producers and co-producers are generally taking a wait-and-see approach. There are government grants and incentives, the amounts and ease of access varying depending on country.

– Micah Tadena, Country Manager (Philippines), 108 Media

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The COVID-19 pandemic was without doubt the biggest shake-up in the region’s filmmaking industry this year, but it was not the only disruptor – digital was the other left fielder. Fortunately for Malaysia and Thailand, the pandemic has been fairly contained. Thailand, in particular, has been touted as having dealt very well with COVID-19, though that achievement was not without costs that affected the industry: strict lockdowns, curfews, and travel restrictions. Quarantine requirements, for instance, are making it more difficult for foreign productions to commit and come into the country.

Budgets everywhere are much tighter generally. Financing coming in from various major players have dwindled, leaving local sources the only funding option. International producers and co-producers are generally taking a wait-and-see approach. There are

government grants and incentives, the amounts and ease of access varying depending on country.

However, the disruptions were not without opportunities. Micah Tadena (108 Media, Philippines) said that moving to digital has opened a lot of themes in the Philippines, with previously niche genres reaching mainstream audiences. Rahm Emmanuel famously said “You never let a serious crisis go to waste.

And what I mean by that is it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” The pandemic crisis has also mobilized people to campaign for what they deserved, such as basic labour rights. Rashid Karim (Iskandar Malaysia Studios) commented that COVID-19 is forcing a rethink of a fairly fragmenting filmmaking industry in Malaysia. The pandemic has also accelerated use of technologies, such as virtual studios.

Paul Spurrier (Commercial Films Siam, Thailand) noted the implications of the pandemic on production pipelines. At a local level, Thai cinemas are starved for films, with the dearth of Hollywood blockbusters this year, that they need Thai films. Yet, the channels for making money from Thai films have been narrowing for some time.

Taking a long term and global view, there will be a shortage of films and TV programs next year. At the same time, Southeast Asia has been managing the pandemic relatively well. This implication potentially puts the region’s filmmaking industries at a massive advantage: if they can still shoot relatively normally within their countries and around the region while other countries are forced to halt productions, this is a valuable opportunity to get international eyeballs on regional films.

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FEATURE

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Looking for Finished Programmes that ‘Travels’ Well Across Global VOD Platforms

Indigenius SL is a content aggregator that cooperates with VOD portals around the world. Their needs constantly change, driven by consumer trends and partner briefs. “Factual content, especially lifestyle, crime and nature series are preferred, not individual programmes. Also, no prebuys nor exclusivity,” stated CEO Hans Spielthenner.

THE SALE OF “JUNICHI”: GOOD STORIES FIRST, & ALL ELSE FOLLOWS While crime has always been a popular genre, Emanuele Galloni, Chief Executive Officer, Video Plugger Ltd, rightly puts it, “Good stories will always travel, and stories that work on a universal level can always be localised into the specific language and be received well.”

For Video Plugger, its price benefit is in working with different budgets and rights customisation that is in line with the clients’ needs. However, Emanuele is aware that buyers are now more cautious, as advertising revenue has fallen for many companies that are reliant on it.

“On the flip side, new SVOD streamers pop up everywhere with niche audiences such as 24

The differences in storytelling, pacing and set design can be crucial for a show’s success. Over the years, Hans keen eye has observed that shows from South Korea and the Philippines tend to work better internationally.

We are always looking for fresh innovative content and to work with some great producers who are great at storytelling.

Emanuele Galloni Chief Executive Officer Video Plugger Ltd.

Setting expectations, Hans added that, “Due to millions of viewers in their home markets, the Asian sellers’ license fee expectations for US or European VOD rights are simply not realistic.

Sometimes, we can only offer revenue share deals, but at least the show would get a chance to be shown to an audience abroad.”

LGBTQ, comedy or horror, and this is a positive sign.”

Having already worked with broadcasters and producers in Japan and Australia, Asia is no stranger to the company, who hopes to find new content from the region to represent. “We are always looking for fresh innovative content and to work with some great producers who are great at storytelling.”

Just recently, Japanese commercial broadcasting TV station, Kansai TV and Video Plugger announced that “Junichi” has been picked up in a deal with ContentScope, to stream on their VOD platform in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Hans Spielthenner CEO Indigenius SL

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FEATURE

CAPTAINS OF ANIMATION It has been a challenging journey for Asian content to break through into foreign markets. With many Asian content pioneers paving the way, the rest of the world has become more curious about Asian stories.

Telling such stories require particular care, and Alice Huang, Producer, Maple Toon Animation Studio, knows just the right way to do it.

“Shaping a show is like having a captain who knows the direction and knows the wave in the ocean. We try to avoid resemblances.

Offering uniqueness is akin to creating the next trend. We always ask ourselves, ‘What’s special about it?’. The answer should be clear, short, and one-of-a-kind! We filter and take specific directions from buyers to apply in our shows.”

Looking at the demand for language dubbing, Alice noted that simply translating and dubbing is not enough – proper localisation is essential in maintaining the authenticity of the show while respecting the new audience.

“Some dubbed shows from big companies are not satisfying in Mandarin. It’s a big thing for the audience. It’s even easier to sense the awkwardness in voice than visuals.”

When it comes to selling rights, the Beijingbased production company is all ears to listen to the needs of its buyers.

“Each show has a different cooperation model and a strategy. We are open to discussion, and the goal is to make sure shows get viewed by the most audience possible, and partners can benefit from the IPs in the long run.

Some dubbed shows from big companies are not satisfying in Mandarin. It’s a big thing for the audience. It’s even easier to sense the awkwardness in voice than visuals.

Alice Huang Producer Maple Toon Animation Studio

CREATING CONTENT WITH ASIA IN MIND For Tolga Temeltas, Founder, TT International Media, the company’s content was created with the Asian region in mind. This is in line with his focus at ATF this year, with it being the second time they are participating.

The company has priced its content fairly, and buyers seems to have changed. In addition, Turkish consumers are open to foreign content, which is not far off from the general trends throughout the world.

Tolga Temeltas Founder TT International Media

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The Turkey-based company’s strength lies in its documentaries, but also has a whole slate of Asian content in its catalogue.

In terms of selling rights, Tolga shared that he believes the company has priced its content fairly, and buyers seems to have changed.

In addition, Turkish consumers are open to foreign content, which according to Tolga, is not far off from the general trends throughout the world.

“Our company has a vision for the digital media market, with aims to provide production and marketing of all kinds of digital media content. We certainly hope to be successful in the market this year.”

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DEEP INSIGHTS TO MEETING MARKET DEMANDS For Insight TV, their genre strengths of lifestyle, entertainment and sports have so far been the perfect strategy, driving the company’s success.

“Our demographic focus is complemented with a commissioning strategy that relies on social media research by our data team, who provide us not only with subjects and topics for development, but editorial and other guidance to ensure our programming is relevant for our target audience. By using this data driven approach, we are constantly improving the performance of our content, making content differentiation something we build into our production process,” explained Graeme Stanley, Chief Commercial Officer, Insight TV. While consumers are being inundated with content from all over the world as OTT platforms proliferate, they are, in turn, watching more and experimenting with content that was not easily available even two years ago. This may therefore change viewing trends over time, regardless of the content’s origin.

“La Casa De Papel is a prime example of this trend. The Netherlands is probably more open compared to other countries, given its highly multilingual population and historical exposure to international media.”

Insight TV is, according to Graeme, lucky in that all of its content premieres on international channels, hence reducing reliance on content sales.

“It also allows us to demonstrate how well our content performs and as such, we generally go into a discussion with a clear view about how our programming can fit within a channel’s programming strategy.”

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Graeme Stanley Chief Commercial Officer Insight TV

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RUSSIAN DOCS: TOUCHING A NERVE, TURNING TO THE PAST & THINKING OF THE FUTURE

For Natalia Andronova, Executive Director of Nonfiction.film, the first word that comes to mind when talking about Asian buyers is EXPERIMENTAL. “We think that Asian buyers are very demanding and forward thinking. For us, they present a group that are not afraid of any experiments and usually, they invest in the most advanced and promising projects on the market” she elaborated.

Joining ATF for the first time, this company aims to establish a foothold in Asia for Russian documentary and streaming, particularly in China, Korea, Japan and Singapore. Bullish on the Asian prospects, given that the box office of Soviet classics had always been good, Natalia shared that they are also open to cooperating and creating multi-cultural

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documentary content relevant for Asia, Russia and the wider world audience.

Leading their foray into Asia is “Sorokin Trip”, a documentary about Vladimir Sorokin, a writer and dramatist of modern Russian literature. Shot on location in Moscow and Berlin, the documentary gives a dramatic insight into his life, starting from his childhood in a worker’s settlement and the persecution he faced at the hands of the KGB and proKremlin youth organizations.

Natalia enthused, “In our documentaries, we’d like to touch a nerve, stimulate a stream of associations and encourage people to turn to the past and think of the future. Then the documentary will be fulfilling its primary task.”

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FEATURE

RUFILMS: DELVING DEEPER INTO CHINA & KOREA Focusing mainly on animation for children, RuFilms has seen a rising interest of Russian content in China and Japan, albeit with some degree of wariness.

“This is perhaps due to strong cultural differences. Buyers have a tendency to take a more sophisticated and quality-conscious approach,” explained Ekaterina Milekhina, Deputy Managing Director, RuFilms LLC, currently looking at casting a wider net at ATF this year to reach out to more territories in the Asian market.

“We are seeing more demand for and interest in Russian content in China and Japan. Our focus now is mainly on China and South Korea.”

Ekaterina highlighted that given the current situation, subtitles have become more popular, as dubbing gets more expensive and difficult to source for. “Localisation is an art, so we always strive to include the most creative and talented people to the production cycle.

We aim to become partners and friends on the journey to creating the best product.”

Ekaterina Milekhina Deputy Managing Director RuFilms LLC

Looking at selling rights, Ekaterina explained that they always try to accommodate the interests of the involved parties. “We have a

flexible price policy in our company. There are possibilities of ‘batch-pricing’ short demos recording and much more.”

TREND SETTERS, NOT FOLLOWERS Producing content that goes against trends is one of Brutal Media’s strategy to differentiating themselves in a sea abundant with content distributors and producers. And for them, it has paid off.

“About five years ago, when sales of classical music were down more than ever, we still went ahead to produce the series, “This is Opera”, and it has been broadcasted in more than 70 countries. Similarly, we produced the series, “This is Art”, which has been sold to more than 30 territories,” shared Arlette

It is something we couldn’t have imagined just 5 years ago. Quality is no longer available only for English content, and the audience is aware of it.

Arlette Peyret Head of Sales Bdistribution

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Peyret, Head of Sales, Bdistribution.

Up next for the company is “This is Philosophy”, which is likely to materialise in 2021. According to Arlette, Spanish content travels better than ever as consumers around the globe are open to content regardless of its language.

“It is something we couldn’t have imagined just 5 years ago. Quality is no longer available only for English content, and the audience is aware of it.”

However, she noted that in general, acquisitions have suffered a cut due to the pandemic, and budgets for cultural programming have been lowered in order to prioritise news and factual programmes on the global pandemic or scripted entertainment.

“We are open to new kinds of deals and proposals from broadcasters, as we are aware of the special circumstances and needs of the channels this year.”

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FEATURE

BRINGING THE SUN WALKER TO LIFE The world is a melting pot with people from multiple backgrounds. Asian content has travelled far and wide, with some being dubbed and others given subtitles, removing language boundaries and allowing audiences worldwide to be able to enjoy the same content. This is something that Czarina Liu, Producer of Rescue Master Tang / Legend of Sun Walker, Digital Frontier Motion Pictures Corp is accustomed to.

“As long as the film tells a good story, I believe that our audience will not only be Asian. With that being said, we didn’t just create a story to put it worldwide. We believe in originals and classics.”

Enter “Legend of Sun Walker”, the company’s first animation film, which Czarina hopes will be ready by the end of 2021. Rather than simply producing the film, Digital Frontier Motion Pictures Corp is going one step ahead to bring the character to life in terms of developing more content related to the film. These include an AR audiobook, gifts, merchandise, video games and more.

Czarina Liu Producer of Rescue Master Tang / Legend of Sun Walker Digital Frontier Motion Pictures Corp.

“We hope that our audience are not just watching the film passively. Our goal is to achieve something more than just a one-way communication. This time, we present one of the classics from the “Journey to the West” series, and we want the film characters to interact with our spectators.”

UNCOVERING CONTENT FROM A HIDDEN GEM OF JAPAN When people think of Japan, the associations that usually come to mind are its capital Tokyo and seafood haven Hokkaido. But there is so much more to Japan other than these wellknown destinations.

Enter Niigata, the hidden gem of Japan, situated on the west coast of Japan’s Honshu Island and best known for its beautiful coastal and mountainous sceneries, skiing in winter and hot spring bathing around the year.

Akiko Shichiku Expert Manager, Programming Department Television Niigata Network Co Ltd 36

It is no surprise, then, that Television Niigata Network is coming to ATF this year with a bagful of content that focuses on the beauty and activities that take place in Niigata. Some of these include the company’s latest lifestyle show, “The Natural Lifestyle”, that targets audiences who enjoy nature documentaries, as well as a documentary revolving around a koi fish farmer’s life.

“Our focus at ATF this year is on Europe, Middle East, USA and more, as we want to promote Niigata as Japan’s hidden gem,” explained Akiko Shichiku, Expert Manager, Programming Department, Television Niigata Network Co., Ltd. “While Japanese animation will travel more easily worldwide, our local content will cater to people who have some form of hobby or interest in a specific lifestyle. It isn’t easy for global buyers to find such local content.”

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CO-PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITIES & CONTINUING TO EVOLVE TO STAY RELEVANT Parovoz Animation Studio from Russia is bringing four co-production opportunities to ATF as part of its strategy to penetrate the Asian markets. “Asia is very interesting for us, as many of the studio’s projects have already been featured on Asian platforms and TV channels and have had a warm welcome from

the audience,” shared Marie Lida, Head of International Production.

Targeting the kids’ demographic, the four projects – Amazing Café, Boo the Cat and the Good Boy, Spaceport and Tweetville – promises to bring a mix of comedy, adventure

and family friendly content that will be pitched to the international markets. While trying to continue to evolve to stay relevant to industry trends, Parovov Animation Studio promises to always stick to their values of creative storytelling, quick production and new project launches in high quality 2D and CGI animation.

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Looking for New Content Formats for meWATCH

meWatch, Mediacorp’s digital video service, has had an extraordinary year with huge increases in user base and consumption rates.

Always on the lookout for quality content, they are at ATF this year to source for new content formats, such as virtual concerts and

eSports on top of the usual slate of quality content in different genres.

Hung Sheng, Lead, Business Planning (OTT) shared, “While video OTT is growing exponentially and competition is getting tougher, we hold a strong position in our Singapore market.” meWATCH is definitely open to explore different rights arrangements and business models with content partners, so make sure to get the conversations going at ATF! Hung Sheng Lee Lead, Business Planning (OTT) Mediacorp Pte Ltd

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FEATURE

A NEW SET OF BEST PRACTICES, INCREASED DEMAND FOR CONTENT FROM THE CONSUMERS & A LOWER BARRIERTO-ENTRY WITH MORE INNOVATIONS For Ian McKee, CEO, Vuulr, the uncertainty of the year has brought about innovation, with the industry changing fundamentally from theatrical releases, to global same-day releases, and ‘few first-window, high-value exclusive’ deals to ‘many non-exclusive and multi-territory’.

It is, then, not surprising that the old “best practices” are no longer “best” anymore.

Add to entertainment now becoming an Internet-delivered product, a new set of best practices are emerging.

“The underlying fundamentals are stronger and better than ever before – with an increased demand for content from the consumer and with technology evolving to provide ever-faster, cheaper and better ways to get it, there is more money in the industry than there ever has been.”

These days, it has also become quicker, cheaper and easier to develop a streaming platform, and this lowered barrier-to-entry has resulted in more innovations.

Buyers are increasingly seeking performance-based pricing, and this is a global trend. Some buyers couple this with an MG, which makes it easier for sellers to feel comfortable with the deal.

Ian McKee CEO of Vuulr

“What we see is a ‘bifurcation’ in the industry – a thinning out of the middle with concentrations on each end. At one end, a few, very large players competing for an audience as providers of general entertainment, and on the other end, a huge number of streaming platforms, each being very successful by super-serving niches at a global scale.”

of a button, acquisition teams around the world can now acquire better content more quickly.

Vuulr sees itself as well positioned to tap into the demands of the industry with its digital content marketplace that seeks to connect buyers and distributors of Film & TV rights completely online. With more than 130,000 hours of finished content available at the click

Even amidst the pandemic, Vuulr has managed to complete more than 1,200 licencing transactions this year. While action, adventure and drama has continued to do well, there is also, according to Ian, strong growth in high-end factual and comedy.

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“Vuulr provides more content creators with the opportunity to get their content seen and licensed. For those with catalogues, we offer them a zero risk (as there are no fees upfront) access to a global audience of buyers.”

“4K is also coming to the fore more now than ever with a lot more interest than a year ago.

Family and children’s programming have been particularly strong globally.”

In addition, as audiences migrate towards streaming platforms, changes in the prevalence of payment models have also started to show.

“Buyers are increasingly seeking performancebased pricing, and this is a global trend. Some buyers couple this with an MG, which makes it easier for sellers to feel comfortable with the deal.”

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BUILDING ON A SUCCESSFUL ATF LAST YEAR In 2019, newly formed Manqué attended ATF and found a partner in Malaysia’s Evo Pictures, giving birth to the co-production of “Heads Will Roll”, a film aimed at international audiences and directed by Michael Chuah, renowned for his combat sequences. Boasting a ChineseMalaysian male and a Finnish female lead, the feature film is expected to have a wide appeal across territories.

Confident of another successful outing at ATF this year, Carl D-Broughton, Producer, Manqué added, “ATF has been very important for us.

We aim to establish ourselves as a producer of content that has international appeal, so we’re very keen on building mutually beneficial long-terms partnerships with Asian companies.

This year too, we are hoping to obtain predistribution sales and/or other key financing on ‘Heads Will Roll’.”

For a company that was started just before COVID-19 hit, markets such as ATF and its ability to still connect the industry even if

virtually, becomes even more crucial for them to make new connections and strike new deals.

Manqué is currently focusing on fictional content such as thrillers, action and drama and noted that Korean content is huge at the moment. Interestingly, Carl added that the only thing they are avoiding are comedies.

ATF has been very important for us. We aim to establish ourselves as a producer of content that has international appeal, so we’re very keen on building mutually beneficial long-terms partnerships with Asian companies.

Carl D-Broughton Producer Manqué

COVERING BASES: FROM THE DEPTHS OF DRAMA TO THE LAUGHTER OF KIDS

This year, due to COVID-19, we can only nurture our business relationships virtually. In this context, ATF has a major role to play (even if only digital) for us this year to maintain and develop our relationships in the region.

Sophie Eap International Sales Manager Newen Distribution

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No matter where you are in the world, there are some stories that will always connect. Take “L’Opera”, an 8x52’ high end drama series set in the fascinating and glamorous world of ballet dancers, with its themes of finding redemption, pushing one’s limits to excel and the struggle for acceptance. Meanwhile, for kids’ content, straightforward, simple comedy that is funny, with minimal dialogue works best, as proven by “Kikumba”, which was picked up by Wekids in Asia.

Asia will be a major focus next year with the soft launch of “IMAGO” (26x26) in 2021. A new comedy adventure show commissioned

by TF1 in France, it is based on an original concept by Sylvain Dos Santos, who is

passionate about Japanese anime and manga. Produced by La Chouette Compagnie (Droners, Kev’s World) and Studio REAZ, its first episode will be available for screening in Q4 2021.

“ATF is the main event we attend yearly in the region. It is crucial to connect with our clients and prospects face-to-face on a regular basis. This year, due to COVID-19, we can only nurture our business relationships virtually. In this context, ATF has a major role to play (even if only digital) for us this year to maintain and develop our relationships in the region” shared Sophie Eap, International Sales Manager of Newen Distribution.

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A TIME FOR RUSSIAN ANIMATION For Eugene Venkovsky, Sales Director, OPEN Alliance Media, animation has always been the more sought-after genre worldwide, compared to other genres from Russia, as it never runs the risk of becoming passé.

Eugene comes to ATF this year representing 4 production studios – OPEN Alliance Media, ToyRoy Media, Mirball Studio, and Umka Studio – in hopes to find a few huge broadcasters and perhaps a co-production partner for his companies’ animated series.

“In my opinion, the Southeast Asian region is the fastest growing region in media today. Global buyers have always been very sophisticated. It is very hard to urge them to pay a lot for independent content at all times.

They haven’t changed.”

Eugene reiterated that in differentiating itself to move according to trends that new buyers want, the company’s production teams are ready to make changes if they find foreign co-production partners who share their love for projects. However, they will not

In my opinion, the Southeast Asian region is the fastest growing region in media today.

Eugene Venkovsky Sales Director OPEN Alliance Media

change the core value of the programme to accommodate trends, because trends are transitory.

Its award-winning 3D animated series, “JingleKids” has been successfully sold to

Chinese Tencent Video, Indonesian ANTV, Taiwanese LTV, Thai TrueVisions, and more.

In terms of selling rights, Eugene shared that should a buyer like to acquire a huge scope of rights/territories, he would always be open to discounts.

MEDIATOON HAS ITS PLATE FULL, WITH A SLATE OF CONTENT “ATF 2020 will be, for Mediatoon, a first in many ways. We have over 150 business partners in the APAC region, and ATF allows us to further strengthen the business relation with our current partners PAN TV broadcasters and platforms,” said Fanny Gilabert, Sales & Business Affairs Executive, Mediatoon Distribution.

Fanny Gilabert Sales & Business Affairs Executive Mediatoon Distribution

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“Alongside our evergreen co-viewing classics, such as, “The Garfield Show”, “Tintin”, “Lucky Luke”, “Asterix”, the appetite for preschool, bridge and comedy content is massive. Besides, non-dialogue comedies are highly appreciated in the global market. Humour is an international language, right?” Fanny continued, hyped at being awarded the Best Export Award 2020 in the animation category by TV France International, attributing the award to preschool show “Fox-Badger Family”.

At ATF, Mediatoon Distribution will be highlighting “Kid Lucky”, an animated comedy for young kids and prequel to “Lucky Luke”.

The series has already been picked-up by European broadcasters, such as M6 (France), RAI (Italy), Super RTL (Germany), RTS (Switzerland) and TVP ABC (Poland).

“We strongly believe that the funny adventures in the far west will enchant kids in the entire APAC region.”

Add to the fact that French speaking viewers are massive anime fans, France’s animation industry benefits from a large pool of talents, a strong network state and regional subsidy funds and powerful public and commercial broadcasters.

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CHILD’S PLAY: FUN A MILLION TIMES OVER Ex-M-net singer turned CEO, John Yang, sure knows how to mix business with pleasure.

ACE EDU’s focus on edu-tainment has the company developing innovative educational animation content using K-Pop to help children learn things like the English language and other school subjects – all in a fun manner.

In Korea, the company’s content has made its mark under the brand “Rap Tong (memorizing texts with rap)”, which is used in more than 1,000 schools and has several videos garnering over a million YouTube views.

The benefit for children? A 3-minute music video replacing a 1-hour class. Cue the cheers from children everywhere.

“Our USP is unlike many children’s songs, which are made of simple melodies, “K-Pop English”, maximises the English memorisation effect through addictive and sophisticated K-pop melodies, developed innovatively with eight years of music production know-how” John also has a vision of being a Netflix in the educational sector. “Our numerous edutainment contents on the platform we are developing will provide users price benefit by a subscription business model.”

Like BTS and “Baby Shark”, Korean content is spreading around the world, and global

John Yang CEO (Global Area) ACE EDU

buyers are looking for Korean stories and new content. Content for kids has an especially low barrier when entering a foreign market.

“With all content removed from borders and exported freely, the business of language dubbing will naturally increase.

DANDELOOO: RIDING ON THE SILVER LINING Amidst the challenges faced by the industry throughout this year, Dandelooo has found a silver lining in the growing need for educational content for kids. High end preschool edutainment series has been a hit for the company, and according to Melissa Vega, International Sales & Acquisition - Partner / Barcelona office, Dandelooo, animated content travels very well.

Melissa Vega International Sales & Acquisition / Partner (Barcelona office) Dandelooo

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“I feel that dubbing studios have an important role to play in adapting content to suit the local cultures. With multiple VOD platforms available, viewers seem to watch more content in the original language and rely on subtitles instead. This is an exception for kids’ content, where the original version remains very important. Thus, we’ve been investing more in dubbings.”

The company is now developing and distributing content for kids, with titles in its slate including, “The Upside Down River”, “The Golden Apple” and sitcom comedy series, “Royals Next Door”.

Looking at pricing benefits, Melissa emphasised that they always try to reach a win-win situation with clients, in order to successfully bring content in the best way to the region.

“We are flexible in our terms. As we work mostly with public broadcasters, there has definitely been an impact on budget and/or selection of content from buyers.”

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FEATURE

KIDS SPOILT FOR CHOICE Looking at the slate of exhibiting companies in ATF this year, one can’t help but wonder if the sheer number of kids’ content is a reaction to demand by parents to have something to keep their kids busy, while they work from home.

Superights is an ATF exhibitor who distributes kids’ programs covering all genres and demographics, including all rights from traditional TV to VOD services, and theatrical.

Pointing out that Asia is a lucrative market for kids’ content, Pedro Citarisiti, Sales Manager of Superights noted that their content has always been successful in Asia thanks to the increasing demand for European content.

Serving anyone from linear broadcasters to local or regional platforms and local distributors, ATF has grown to become an important platform for them to chat with new and old clients and be as close to the market as possible.

This year, Superights is presenting several new programmes, including “That’s Joey”, a 5+ comedy show of a little kid called Joey, and “Percy’s Tiger Tales”, a CGI preschool series produced by La Fabrique D’Image.

Superprod, their sister company, is also busy cooking up the third season of their flagship IP, “Pat the Dog”.

AN UPSWING IN REGIONAL BUYS AS BUYERS KNOW WHAT THEY WANT “Five Gold Rings”, as well as strong demand for its factual programmes. ITV Studios has also struck deals with Lionsgate Play, Discovery Plus and Viacom 18 for various titles.

Augustus Dulgaro Executive Vice-President, Distribution, Asia Pacific ITV Studios

One of the outcomes from the rise of streaming platforms is the requirement for large volumes of content, which spur buyers into looking for the best content globally.

“It would be fair to say that each global player is at different stages of penetration into the Asian market. What is clear is the focus is still on the scripted local originals and 48

everything else seems to be secondary,” said Augustus Dulgaro, Executive Vice-President, Distribution, Asia Pacific at ITV Studios.

Even amidst the pandemic, the depth and breadth of ITV Studios’ catalogue has driven its renewal of long-standing volume deals in the region. The company has seen an uptick in interest for its entertainment formats like

“In terms of growth, we are delighted to be developing more key partnerships in India, where we have announced a range of deals across our scripted and non-scripted slate.”

Looking at pricing benefits, Augustus shared that the company prides itself on having a flexible approach, especially with increasing requirements for additional rights across the board.

“Any B2B operation needs to meet the needs of the marketplace. We keep those relationships by listening to our clients. It is possible for all parties to feel they have won in deal-making and for us, the ultimate aim in any negotiation is to get to that point.”

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FEATURE

ATRESMEDIA TELEVISION: MORE THAN JUST FICTION SERIES IN THE BAG Atresmedia Television, the company behind the action thriller series “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”), comes to ATF this year with a couple of series in tow. Having seen success with its titles showing in Japan, China, Vietnam, Philippines, and more, it is no surprise that the company aims to enhance its business relations with key partners in new territories such as India and Korea.

First up is “Veneno”, a transgressive series of 8 episodes, showing the life of Cristina Ortiz, an LGTBI icon who gave visibility to this group in the 90’s, and is currently available on HBO MAX for US and LATAM. Second on the agenda is “Toy Boy” (S1), a 13-episode suspense drama – available worldwide on Netflix –where a young stripper will have to prove that he has not killed his lover’s husband.

Although the market has seen a drop in advertising investment and in content acquisition prices, Diana Borbon, Sales Manager at Atresmedia Television, believes that buyers are looking for something new that will attract viewers from the very start.

“Drama is always the bestseller, although suspense and thrillers work very well with the general audience. Atresmedia is increasingly committed to somewhat different and innovative content that adapts to the trends of the moment.”

Meet us at

sales@atresmediatv.com

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This is in line with the company’s direction, which sees its productions evolving according to new trends, needs and audiences. While fiction series remain key products, Atresmedia also produces documentaries and shortformat series. Diana also noted that the market is constantly changing, with different business models as well as new operators.

Drama is always the bestseller, although suspense and thrillers work very well with the general audience. Atresmedia is increasingly committed to somewhat different and innovative content that adapts to the trends of the moment.

“Atresmedia always tries to adapt to all clients. Although we believe that our products have a value on their own, it is common to see a share revenue model and an increase in AVOD platforms. This AVOD system works better for us with library series or in those territories where international content is being embraced.”

productions, such as SVOD platforms and AVOD platforms.”

When it comes to selling rights, Diana shared that these has evolved as well. “Few years ago, we used to sell series to other TV channels around the world. Nowadays, there are more windows for us to show our

Nevertheless, the company is open to all possibilities in order to maximise the exposure of its content. While doing so, it also emphasises on win-win deals, especially during this year.

Diana Borbón Sales Manager Atresmedia Television

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PRODUCTS COMEDY

ZOMBIEDUMB SEASON 2

DOCUMENTARY

MIRACLE HABITS

All for one, one for all! Zombiedumb meet new enemies in a second season of ridiculously funny slapstick comedy. A human girl Hana becomes friends with Zombiedumb. One day, new enemies intrude into their peaceful lives. They are the trio Zombie Hunters who plan to drive out Hana and take over the Moonstreet. Zombie Hunters try to capture Zombiedumb, while they try to save Hana and the Moonstreet from the bad guys.

One small habit can change your life! Habits are developed over time.

By the time you realize those habits have become threats to your life, it is already difficult to stop. A group of medical experts observes the daily routine of a celebrity and analyzes his/her habits from every move to every ingredient consumed. We can easily relate to the celebrity on the show, as we have our own habits to compare and more importantly, learn healthy lifestyle tips advised by the medical experts!

COMPANY: ANYZAC CO LTD

COMPANY: SOMETHING SPECIAL

DRAMA

ANA’S REVENGE Analía is a beautiful young woman who decides to take revenge against her mother’s murderer, the candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, Guillermo León Mejía. She will become the candidate’s most important political advisor and right hand; she will place him in first place in the polls, and then tear him down by bringing to light his corrupt past. She will make him lose the presidency and even freedom. However, she does not know that the man she hates so much is her own father.

COMPANY: CARACOL TELEVISION

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Meet us at

sales@atresmediatv.com

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PRODUCTS DOCUMENTARY

LION HEART An encounter with lions in the savannah, Simba resigns from work resolutely, bid farewell to his wife and daughter, and goes off to the Masai Mara Prairie in Kenya. For six years, he faces extremely vicious poachers repeatedly. He has been threatened by wild animals and his life has been endangered for more than two thousand days and nights. In the face of questioning and incomprehension, he shelters the grassland silently with his faith and body.

COMPANY: CHINA BROADCAST & TV CULTURE (QINGDAO) CO., LTD

DRAMA

YOU ARE MY HERO Surgeon Mi Ka was rescued by Xing Kelei in a hijacking incident. Since then, Mi Ka has been obsessed with this “masked” hero. Three years later, the two meet again in the emergency rescue training camp but don’t recognize each other. Their different concepts brought about by career make the two difficult to get along, unpleasant misunderstandings. After their joint efforts in successfully rescuing others, the two make a better impression on each other and their hearts come closer.

COMPANY: CROTON CULTURAL MEDIA CO., LTD

DRAMA

ORDINARY GLORY This is about an amazing “rebirth” of a master and his apprentice, two “losers” in their desperate fight for a way out. The apprentice is a green hand, while the master is a perpetual manager who is brilliantly capable, but not valued by the employer. After collisions and understanding of each other over time, they find that they are of the same kind. In the workplace, a battlefield without smoke of gunpowder, they carve out their own path to a new life...

COMPANY: CROTON CULTURAL MEDIA CO., LTD

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Asia Weekly Receive all the critical news of the week from the original and most formidable entertainment business news source since 1905. There’s only one Variety.

SIGN UP TODAY Variety.com/Newsletters > Asia Weekly

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PRODUCTS DRAMA

TO LOVE

FORMAT

THE CHALLENGE

Yan Jin, a businessman who was once a policeman, decides to investigate a drug-trafficking case that caused the death of his close friend many years ago. He decides to infiltrate into the organization as an undercover cop, and in the process gets to know Ji Xiao’ou. This causes Zhan Yu Meng, who has a one-sided crush on him, to be jealous.

However, later on, Zhan Yu Meng was murdered, and Yan Jin becomes the number one suspect. With Ji Xiao’ou’s help, Yan Jin sets out to clear his name and to investigate the murder of his close friend.

The Challenge: Super Humans, the most watched survival Reality TV show in Colombia´s Prime Time. This reality show focuses on the physical competition, the participants have been thoroughly selected, only the best high-performance athletes can be part of the challenge.

The tests they must face are designed to have a very demanding level of physical trials. The problems they have living together have been left behind and now it’s only about proving who is the strongest competitor, both physically and mentally.

COMPANY: CENTURY UU (TIAN JIN) CULTURAL COMMUNICATION CORP. LTD

COMPANY: CARACOL TELEVISION

ANIMATION

DINO TRAINERS S2 Ritchie is an 8-year-old boy. He lives in a world where humans and dinosaurs live in harmony. He loves being close to dinosaurs. In order to become a good dino trainer, he and his partner Tyrannosaurus go on an adventure. During the journey, Tyrannosaurus is targeted by the hunting team, a group of dinosaur hunters. They hunt dinosaurs and develop them into super dinosaurs, causing damage to dinosaurs and nature. In order to protect the dinosaurs and nature, Ritchie uses new energy to help Tyrannosaurus evolve into Dino-man to stop the hunting team.

COMPANY: GUANGZHOU LOTTA ANIMATION DESIGN CO., LTD

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> 4007 Participants > 1512 Buyers > 125 Countries > 701 Cities > 6435 Site Sessions > 9271 Video Reproductions THANKS FOR BEING PART! www . pre n s ari o . n e t

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THE FIRST SHOT Jo Dal-hwan plays Lee Ho-yeon, a salesman from a pharmaceutical company who is very shy when meeting or interacting with people.

In spite of his many good traits and sometimes added advantage, he always gives up his chances to others. One day, he receives a magic tie from an ex-CEO, and starts building his confidence in both work and love.

COMPANY: LIAN CONTENTS

DRAMA

MY FOREVER SUNSHINE Paeng’s parents have bailed out their dear friend Prateep – owner of Sunlight Farm – from debt. In return, Paeng’s father asks for Prateep’s son, Arthit, to be engaged to his daughter. However, Arthit’s feelings towards Paeng has always been sisterly, and he finds it hard to look at her as a romantic partner. Soon after, Paeng is forced to move in with Arthit’s family when her parents passed away. But after two years, Paeng causes an incident and is shunned by Arthit’s family. She is then sent abroad to study for six years. When she returns to the farm, what will become of her relationship with Arthit?

COMPANY: JKN GLOBAL MEDIA PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED

ANIMATION

DIARY OF DINOSAURS To complete the dinosaur’s information, GG Bond travels back to the ancient age of dinosaurs, but he loses his way in an accident. Thus, Woody runs into the dinosaur world alone looking for GG Bond. While traveling the dinosaur world, Woody meets Yaya, Nutty and Sharpy. They fight with the Gang led by Diego and successfully repel them.

Finally, Woody finds GG Bond and comes back to their world together.

COMPANY: GUANG DONG WINSING COMPANY LIMITED

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It’s a Virtual NATPE Miami, and VideoAge

will be on every Buyer’s Virtual Door

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DIANA’S WEDDING

DRAMA

A CHINESE GHOST STORY

In 1981, Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles. The same day, it’s the newly-weds Liv and Terje’s wedding party. Their daughter, Diana, like her famous namesake, will be facing a lot of chaos in the years to come. The wedding, and following years are less glamorous than the royal counterpart, but indisputably much more fun. Through the eyes of Diana, we witness the rollercoaster of her parent’s marriage. Miles away from doing a decent job, constantly fighting yet still in love, Diana prepares for her own marriage 30 years later.

In the late Tang and early Song Dynasties, the scholar Ning Caichen studied in the Lanruo Temple and fell in love with the little witch Nie Xiaoqian. After Ning Caichen escaped from the Devil World, and suffering from the pain, he lost his memory. Ning Caichen later met a female teacher who was exactly the same as Xiaoqian. The two wiped out the sparks and went through hardships. Adapted from a famous classic, it tells the story of the greatness of love, friendship, affection and the trials and tribulations that comes with it.

COMPANY: PICTURE TREE INTERNATIONAL GMBH

COMPANY: HANGZHOU IX MEDIA CO., LTD.

DRAMA

BEHIND THE SHOP WINDOW A fairy tale love story following brilliant fashion entrepreneur Andrey Vetrov. The young handsome man is a tough businessman, ruthless to any manifestation of weakness, and one of the most eligible bachelors in the city. He never suffers from a lack of female attention so why can’t he stop thinking about Galiya, a poor girl who came to city – an inconspicuous saleswoman who is desperately trying to get out of poverty and feed her two brothers? There is a prince charming, Cinderella, an evil stepmother, a brave fairy, enemies, friends, and breath-taking situations Behind The Shop Window.

COMPANY: GOQUEST MEDIA VENTURES PVT LTD

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COME OVER TO MY HOUSE This Variety show gives you a closer look at Korean Pop-stars, sports stars, and other celebrities’ houses while the hosts enjoy their time there! While at each celebrity’s house, the hosts have a ball of a time, indulging in various activities such as having heart-to-heart talks, playing games and cooking and enjoying the delicious meals. We invite you to the home party with us at these celebrities’ houses!

COMPANY: SKYLIFETV

DOCUMENTARY

BECOMING PREY Mawindo is the Swahili word for ‘prey’. For the carnivores in the Serengeti territory, every day is a survival game: hunt or starve, provide or perish. Predators do not hunt for fun and risk their lives daily in their struggle for survival. On the other hand, the herbivores of the African savannah may die from disease, starvation or becoming the victim of a predator. However, animals are not the only predators of the region. It is in the power of man to destroy or preserve, and poachers do not kill to eat.

COMPANY: WILD STORIES DISTRIBUTION SL

DOCUMENTARY

MASTER’S TALK

By Migu Reading, “Master’s Talk” is a tailor-made video programme for millions of readers. The programme regularly invites writers, scholars, celebrities, entrepreneurs and other famous names. It uses speech, reading, dialogue and book-signing as a way for club members all over the country to meet face-to-face, building a bridge for masters to interact with the readers and sharing a good book.

COMPANY: MIGU CO LTD

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Telling you what’s going on with content in Asia and what it all means. On the ground in Asia.

All day.

Every day.

C

NTENT

www.contentasia.tv

contentasia

For more info, please contact i_want@contentasia.tv 65

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THE BUREAU The Bureau operates within the DGSE and is a department in charge of training the most undercover agents of the French secret services.

Dispatched to key locations all around the world and living under false identities for years, their mission is to identify potential sources. The series begins with the return to the DGSE headquarters of our hero, after a mission in Syria. But his return to “normal” life is proving difficult especially when he is informed that Nadia, a woman he was in love with in Damascus, is actually in Paris. For love, he is willing to take risks… for him and the Bureau.

ANIMATION

DONKEY HODIE Donkey Hodie lives in the land of Someplace Else where everyone dreams big – clouds can talk, pandas are purple, and Donkey spends her days pursuing her ambitions with gusto. Donkey and her friends will help young viewers navigate the frustrations and challenges of childhood, with character-driven stories full of adventure and imagination.

COMPANY: 9 STORY MEDIA GROUP

COMPANY: FEDERATION ENTERTAINMENT

FORMATS

KING OF CULINARY 2 King of Culinary, the exciting variety program, is back with a second season! In this program, renowned Celebrity Chefs will pit their skills against contestants who are not professionally trained. With their reputation at stake, the Chefs are going all out to win. And who are they contesting against? Self-trained chefs from all walks of life! Expect surprising results as the program will uncover hidden talents among us.

Can these self-taught chefs be able to win all Celebrity Chefs and bring home the much-coveted prize? Episodes: 13 x 60 mins COMPANY: MEDIACORP PTE LTD

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mip junior April 2021 October 2021

November 2021

June 2021

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