ATF 2023 - Show Daily Day 3

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THE 2023 OFFICIAL Brought to you by

Singapore

Malaysia

Thailand China

Philippines

THE GLAM SQUAD— E s t h e r S u p r e e l e e l a , A y d e n S n g , J i n X i n g , A r j o A t a y d e , Y e o Y a n n Y a n n

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CONTENTS In-Development Special p.02—08

• ATF x Beach House Pictures Scripted Pitch 2023 • ATF x TTB Animation Pitch 2023 • ATF IP Accelerator (Project Market) 2023

Focus on Production | Sessions p.09—18

• The Art of the (Hollywood) Deal in Co-productions • Destination Animation: Why the Medium Works In Every Nation • Acqui-missions: A Balancing Act of Co-Production • Have Asian Drama, Will Travel • Old is Still Gold for International Drama Titles • Steering Investments From Mothership Thailand • Pre-School Addiction That Never Really Goes Away • The Children Are Our Future — And So is The Monetisation of Their Content • Show Me The Money — For Asian Projects

Plenary Sessions p.20

• Hunger Games: Craving for Spanish Content?

• Diverse Genres to Suit Every Taste

Market News p.22—31

Networking p.32—35

Features p.36—38

Raya Distribution Group | Mediahub | Taktoon Enterprise | VFX Istanbul Produksiyon

Special p.40

• Artistes are the Key to Quality Content

Exclusives p.42—64

Buyers p.66—68

project management project director YEOW HUI LENG senior project manager JOYCE CHUA senior account manager PHUA MEENYI assistant relationship manager SAMANTHA LEE relationship coordinator BRIDGET TONG project coordinator JOCELYN PHNG conference executive producer LULU MENDOZA assistant conference producer LERIS LEONG editorial editorial director LULU MENDOZA writers MARCUS GOH LIM JUN XI MARK LEONG DINESH PASRASURUM ADRIAN KUEK designer SHELLEN TEH photography ARTGRAPHY traffic TEO HUI HIANG SOH CHUAN TING marketing marketing director TEO HUI HIANG marketing manager CANDY CHEAH digital assistant manager AYE MIN THU digital executive LIEW BI LIANG operations operations director KAREN LEONG operations manager CHUA LAI SOON assistant operations manager KAREN LIEW

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IN-DEVELOPMENT

Scripting the Inaugural Pitch with Beach House Pictures 10 was the number of hopefuls from across Asia who climbed to the semifinals of the ATF x Beach House Pictures Scripted Pitch 2023 (USA + International Edition) for a shot at getting their show realised.

This year’s event was helmed by a panel of eminently-qualified industry veterans, including Georgina Gonzalez, Director, Scripted Global Series, Universal International Studios (NBCUniversal); Ron Halpern, EVP Global Production & Talent Management, Studiocanal; Jocelyn Little, Managing Director, Beach House Pictures; and Tan Si En, CoFounder, Managing Director, Producer, Momo Film Co. The selection was whittled down to five finalists before a champion emerged — Feng Shui Romance, pitched by Lee Sua from South Korea, is a romantic comedy series about a fengshui master who is able to solve every romantic problem but her own.

Lee Sua, ecstatic about her win, received a S$30,000 full consultation and development package to kickstart her project. “The selection this year was very diverse, every pitch was good, and to choose even five out of the 10 was difficult — we had a very long discussion before we were able to determine a winner,” said Ron. Fellow panel judge Si En congratulated the other four finalists and, in tune with Ron, noted how close the selection was. She also offered their time and expertise if the other finalists needed advice on the next steps of their projects. This year’s selection was truly one to beat.

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The clue is…

‘ENTERTAINMENT’ The answer is…

fremantlescreenings.com

Visit us at booth J18

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IN-DEVELOPMENT

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The People Have Spoken — Something Great Wins the Inaugural ATF x TTB Animation Pitch 2023 Nine pitches duked it out at the inaugural ATF x TTB Animation Pitch 2023, ranging from raunchy comedies to touching comingof-age stories. Both 3D-animated series and traditional adult animation could be seen in the five pitches from Asia and four pitches from Europe.

Global relatability, as well as universal adaptability into other mediums were some of the highlights that the mentors pointed out about the pitches. Having the potential to becoming franchise and being relatable to mass audiences were key observations about the animations presented.

In a radical departure from the other ATF pitches, the winner was decided through audience votes. It was the aptly named Something Great that won the People’s Choice Award. The Singaporean pitch was about a heartwarming story of a forgotten dog who joins a pack of wolves on a pilgrimage and is changed by the journey.

“It’s a beautiful confluence of artistry and the Balinese art carving,” commented mentor Ervin Han, CEO & Executive Producer, Robot Playground Media.

The winner walked away with S$3,000 from the Animation Pitch. “I will use this S$3,000 for a good cause,” was creator Eiji Han Shimizu’s cheeky promise to the judges.

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CELEBRATING OUR SILVER JUBILEE IN 2024 3 DECEMBER 2024 The ATF Leaders Dialogue 4 – 6 DECEMBER 2024 Market & Conference MARINA BAY SANDS, SINGAPORE

www.asiatvforum.com Produced by:

ln the business of building businesses

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IN-DEVELOPMENT

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LINMON’S SWEET SIXTEEN At ATF 2023, Linmon Media International commanded a formidable armada of 16 dramas for war on the market floor, each one bristling with a strong genre identity that also captured the signature Chinese drama flair. More tantalising was the fact that some of these series were just making their debut announcements and had not been seen anywhere else on the market.

Linmon’s classic Chinese drama offerings included A Journey to Love, A Dream Within a Dream, and In The Moonlight, which have strong Chinese historical elements and aesthetics with martial arts action and fantasy. Linmon’s modern dramas included My Boss, a romantic comedy, The Heart, a medical drama, and In Between, a romance drama.

Linmon also diversified its offerings with a selection of Thai dramas like The Thirsty Thirty and Under the Skin, while making space for a younger generation of audience with content from famed Gen-Z director, Cattree. Roy Lu, General Manager, Linmon Media International, noted that the regional rights to these series were being snapped up fast, but attractive territories still remained for interested buyers.

WINNING WITH 4CS: CRIME, CULTURE, CUISINE, COMPANIONSHIP This year’s ATF IP Accelerator (AIPA) Project Market concluded with a prize presentation ceremony that featured a total of four exceptional projects emerging as winners out of 15 finalists.

My Chef In Crime, a crime-comedy series by My Shot Co. Ltd., clinched the 108 Media Development Award of S$15,000.

Singaporean director-producer Colin Wee’s documentary, Pushkar, and the reality-format info program from Thailand, What Do Mums Cook In Asia?, both received the dual prizes of camera package loans of up to US$50,000 from RED Digital Cinema & AV8 Media.

The coveted Film Bazaar Award – which will automatically enter the project in the 2024 edition of NFDC Film Bazaar’s Co-Production Market – went to Love Letter To Laos by Kopnoi, based on a true story of friendship between an adventurer settling in Laos and a teenage boy.

Justin Deimen, President, 108 Media, lauded the quality of projects received this year. “They were represented by top filmmakers, and we have received positive feedback on how well-selected they were as well,” he said.

“The winners today had the right alignment of time, package and value for the prize sponsors, and we look forward to keeping up our track record of having the most produced projects in a project market,” Justin added.

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CONFERENCE

The Art of the (Hollywood) Deal in Co-productions “Companies that really do understand what makes an international story are probably going to be the most successful at making co-productions,” observed Mandy Chang, Head of Global Documentaries, Fremantle, at a session about lessons learnt from Hollywood dealmaking moderated by Sophia Yen, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.

“We’re all coming from the same place,” said Sophia about what she learnt from co-production deals between international streamers like Netflix and local producers. “How do you work around [regional differences] to give streamers the protection they’re looking for from the kind of insurance they’re used to in the US?”

“You want cultural understanding, a story that really functions for both territories, and understanding people’s business needs,” noted Ron Halpern, EVP Global Production & Talent Management, Studiocanal, of co-production success factors.

For Georgina Gonzalez, Director, Scripted Global Series, Universal International Studios (NBCUniversal), it’s about “coming in on shows that can’t be made locally on their own,” be it for funding, scalability, or talent reasons.

“For me, it always begins with a good story,” advised Kimberly Carver, Talent Manager/Producer, Anonymous Content. “If you can explain your show in two sentences, you’re off to a good start.”

Destination Animation: Why the Medium Works In Every Nation Adam Woodgate, Senior VP, Media Insights, Dubit Limited, gave us two compelling reasons why animation is such a powerful medium. The first is that it has its target audience practically made for it.

Adam’s research shows that Gen Z teens and young adults spend nearly half their waking hours on a screen and have a very strong preference for videos as a form of entertainment. This demographic also innately loves animated shows, showing some leaning towards animated series over live action series.

Adam Woodgate Senior VP, Media Insights Dubit Limited

The second reason is an epiphanous one — you can create anything with animation. Adam shared that the nature of animation means any world and character can be built from scratch, letting them escape from the pull of reality at the speed of imagination. Animation is thus able to fulfill all the genre needs of an intended audience more promptly and economically than live action production. The key to harnessing such a freelydelivered boon is to simply fulfill the following criteria: tell a good story, have engaging characters and strong humour of any kind, and offer relevance with a side of escapism. Easier said than done, perhaps, but we shall not look a gift horse in the mouth.

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VISIT OUR BOOTH AT FA-09

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CONFERENCE

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Acqui-missions: A Balancing Act of Co-Production Mixing idioms is a poor practice, are acquimissions another?

Acquimissions are a hybrid form of co-production that grant some editorial rights and equity to partners alongside the benefits of acquisitions. With a panel discussing this mode of co-production, Donovan Chan, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Beach House Pictures suggested that acquimissions are a valuable blend that give producers and partners alike some diversity in project investment.

Panel member Justin Deimen, President, 108 Media, cautioned that producers need to be more careful in acquimission deals because many partners making editorial demands would erode the coherence of a project. Weighing

the scales too heavily in your favour for acquimission deals might also kill partnership potential, so producers should work their way up and get enough experience and confidence to make fair deals, he advised.

Justin also railed against lightly selling off the rights to your project in similar deals and killing the proverbial golden goose. IP continuations like second seasons are not guaranteed if you no longer hold the rights, he said, adding that producers should hold on to projects they believe have long-term value. Certainly, acquimissions as a flexible production channel could be profitable amidst presently poor market conditions.

Have XXX Asian Drama, Will Travel

There’s no denying the influence of Asian dramas worldwide. Clearly, 51% of Asian IP exports come from Korea, with India and Japan each claiming 20% of the pie.

“We’ve seen the rise of Asian fiction beyond borders,” said Florent Careme, Head of Research & Products, Glance Médiamétrie.

He highlighted Nippon TV’s Mother as one of the most well-travelled Asian IPs

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since 2020. The 2010 Japanese drama has seen numerous adaptations, having gone to 19 countries outside of Asia. Mother’s Turkish adaptation, Anne, also travelled to 13 nonAsian countries.

Other dramas that have been received well outside of Asia include 2013’s Japanese drama Woman by Nippon TV, and 2016’s Korean drama My Fair Lady by KBS. Florent pointed out that Squid Game remains Netflix’s most globally watched show. For the streamer,

Alice in Borderland is their most watched Asian drama in the United Kingdom, while the live-action adaptation of One Piece is the most watched Asian drama in France.

When it comes to the most popular dramas across TV and streaming platforms, four clear themes emerge, revealed Florent. Family, love, crime, and fantasy are the themes of all the launches of Asian IPs outside of the region.

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Old is Still Gold for International Drama Titles APAC has seen phenomenal growth in the number of non-Asian drama titles in recent years. The last 3 years have seen a 144% growth in the number of such titles, demonstrating the growing demand for such content, shared Tom Gennari, CEO, BB Media. “It’s not only newer content that’s being bought, but also older libraries.”

“There’s value in a lot of catalogues that have been around in the marketplace,” shared Tom, “and older titles too.”

Netflix, U-Next, and TVING are the SVOD platforms who have the most non-Asian drama tiles and are also the top buyers for 2023. The other top non-Asian drama buyers in 2023 are Lemino, Catchplay, and Naver. “Its part of making their catalogue more international,” explained Tom of the efforts to buy more non-Asian dramas.

So where should buyers look toward? US, France, and UK are the three biggest nonAsian drama producers, he revealed. As for viewers, some of the the most demanded sub-genres for non-Asian titles are Western, adventure, and action.

Tom’s recommendations for non-Asian content that doesn’t have a home yet in the APAC are El Primero De Nosotros, Doc | Nelle Tue Mani, and Winter King.

Tom Gennari CEO BB Media

True CJ Creations — the lovechild of a partnership between Asian giants, True Corp Group from Thailand and CJ ENM from South Korea — has made Thailand the wheelhouse for a heavily-funded push in Asia. Asked about their choice of country for the targeted investment, Michael Jung, CoCEO, True CJ Creations and SVP & Managing Director, CJ ENM HK, explained that Thailand offers an especially high quality of production because of its competitive environment, which has also spawned more than its fair share of media talent.

Steering Investments From Mothership Thailand

Michael and fellow steward, Ari Arijitsatien, Co-CEO, True CJ Creations, agreed that Thai content travelled very well both within and outside of Thailand — another factor that helped the decision for a Thai base of operations where they could more easily wrangle Thai talent to imbue projects with a heavy Thai influence.

Ari noted that while the focus was presently on setting up in Thailand, the eventual goal is to commission original projects across the region and find talent to refresh existing IPs. Partnerships and co-productions would play a big part in expanding their reach, said Ari, especially in areas where OTT-driven demand exists.

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(L-R) Ari Arijitsatien, Co-CEO, True CJ Creations; Cora Yim, Chief Content Officer, Sixty Percent Productions Ltd; Michael Jung, Co-CEO, True CJ Creations and SVP & Managing Director, CJ ENM HK

ERINYES 12X45'

CRUSADE

13X45'

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CONFERENCE

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Adam Woodgate SVP of Media Insights Dubit Limited

Pre-School Addiction That Never Really Goes Away

Well, it’s no secret that kids love animation; that hasn’t changed since Mickey first tooted the whistle on his spiffy train. In an insightful session by Adam Woodgate, the SVP of Media Insights at Dubit Limited, presented a list of reasons why certain content find affinity with kids across continents. Typically targeting kids 2—5 years of age, the session revealed animation’s resounding popularity, with 60%—70% having watched animation in the last seven days alone. While tons of data round off reasons upon studies of why kids gravitate to animation, the simple explanation is that it makes kids laugh.

The Children Are Our Future — And So is The Monetisation of Their Content “There’s never been a better time to make kids’ content than now,” stated Daniel Riddell, CTO, A Parent Media Co, which provides streaming services and digital products focus on kids and their safety.

“There’s a lot of opportunity in the market,” he said, in a fireside chat session about the monetisation of kids’ content.

free ad-supported television (FAST) players. So it’s about building trust with the target audience first — which in his case, are the parents. They’ve done that by providing features such as screen time limits, parental controls, and greater control over the titles on the platform.

Moderating the chat was Adam Woodgate, Senior VP, Media Insights, Dubit Limited, who observed that a key challenge was that “everything competes with everything in a kid’s mind.”

But it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.

“Kids evolve as they go from a 2-yearold to a 13-year-old,” Daniel explained.

Their tastes in hobbies and platforms change, and it’s a matter of addressing these changes with new systems as they grow older.

For Daniel, his competitors are some of the biggest

Ultimately, it’s about putting kids first. “The children are our future. It’s our responsibility to provide the best experiences for them,” said Daniel.

Daniel Riddell CTO A Parent Media Co

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CONFERENCE

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Show Me The Money — For Asian Projects

(L–R) Gary Marenzi, Founder & CEO, Marenzi & Associates; Justin Deimen, President, 108 Media; Richway Ponnampalam, Director, August Law Corporation

The issue of financing in the media world is that “the asset is intangible, it is different from the usual assets like a house or car,” explained Richway Ponnampalam, Director, August Law Corporation. “How do we monetise it in a situation where the global economy is moving towards a recession?”

Richway moderated a keynote panel about the evolution of financing media assets from the different stakeholders involved.

“From an Asian perspective, there’s an infrastructure issue that we face,” shared Justin Deimen, President, 108 Media. “There are very finite ways of putting together a budget.” Nevertheless, he acknowledged that “producers here are very resourceful, we get things done with whatever budget is given to us.”

Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Banking, East West Bank, noted that the financing model in the United States differed from the ones in the region. ”There’s not a lot of institutional money in Asia,” Justin also observed about the contrast in how projects are financed.

Gary Marenzi, Founder & CEO, Marenzi & Associates, weighed in with another perspective. “You need a bit of an anchor in a 18

sales projection that’s credible,” he shared, through “experienced sales professionals who can give [banking professionals like] Bennet the comfort he needs.”

“The most important investment is in developing the IP,” opined Gary, “and getting the right creative auspices. That costs money.”

Justin agreed, but pointed out that “one of the key factors that affects Asia is the lack of development budgets,” which includes getting key talents on board and presenting the vision of the project to investors. “You have to be able to make the project undeniable,” Justin elaborated. “Then you have leverage over the buyers.”

Bennet suggested creating the same kind of ecosystem that China has. “I’ve watched the film market and the streaming market develop and really come together, like 1970s Silicon Valley, with everybody supporting each other.”

But the reality was that not every show would be a Squid Game or Money Heist, cautioned Gary. “For every show like that, 100 other shows fall flat.”

“The old adage of you must spend money to make money has unfortunately become much more true for producers,” said Justin.

Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Banking, East West Bank

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PLENARY

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HUNGER GAMES: CRAVING FOR SPANISH CONTENT? More than half of Spanish content viewers are under 35 in many APAC territories. Spanish content viewers are also 15% more willing to accept advertisements if it means cheaper SVOD costs. “The under-35 demographic is very valuable to advertisers,” explained Fred Black, Principal Analyst, Head of Commissioning Research, Ampere Analysis, as he connected the dots from his research on Spanish content.

Fred shared key insights at a Spanish content showcase facilitated by Jeremiah McMillan, International Content Executive & Strategist. The room was abuzz with anticipation as Fred unearthed surprising data about Spanish content and their viewers.

The content mix for top Spanish titles matched APAC preferences. The largest three genres were crime and thriller, comedy, and drama — which matched

DIVERSE GENRES TO SUIT EVERY TASTE From anime to variety show, unscripted, documentary, and various genre of drama, Japan has it all. Showcasing over 65 titles by 23 companies, the Japanese Pavilion brings highlights such as Arifureta: From Commonplace to Wolrd’s Strongest, a Japan IP returning for Season 3; The Dark Postman, a suspense drama; Black Familia – The Shindos’ Revenge, a mysterious drama; Chiko’s Challenge, which challenges celebrities with child-like questions which are surprisingly difficult to answer; 5 Friends, 5 Favours!, a brand-new studio gameshow where friends battle it out; and many more.

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at least two of the top three most enjoyed genres across most APAC territories.

Yet viewers were often starved because of the dearth of Spanish content in APAC territories. Perhaps the most telling statistic is that there is no APAC market that can access even half of the top 100 most popular Spanish titles.

Fred’s other findings were that besides for Netflix and Amazon Prime, local SVOD players often underinvest in Spanish content. Even so, those two players have been commissioning fewer Spanish titles in the past three years.

“Spanish content in the APAC region is currently attracting a young, techsavvy demographic that is primarily using VOD services already, that are open to advertising,” concluded Fred.

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MARKET PARTNERING UP FOR SUCCESS

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Holly Redfordt Reunion Pacific Entertainment Canada

Reunion Pacific Entertainment is set to position itself as a co-production partner as it attends ATF 2023 for the first time, emphasizing their experience and expertise in series, features, TV movies, and limited series.

Holly Redford, Partner, Reunion Pacific Entertainment revealed that their objective in this year’s event is to explore the Asian markets, and identify intellectual properties that could potentially find success in the North American market.

Based in Vancouver, Canada, and holding over 30 years of industry experience, Reunion Pacific Entertainment is currently capable of delivering production services, treaty co-productions, co-ventures, and Canadian content productions.

MOUs ACROSS THE MARKET

ELEVATING VIRTUAL PRODUCTION TO THE NEXT LEVEL Oceanus Media Global (OMG) inked a partnership with Iskandar Malaysia Studio (IMS) to enhance virtual production for immersive experiences. The mutually beneficial collaboration will allow OMG to leverage on IMS’ state-of-the-art facilities, as well as their international relations, while OMG brings forth a fullscale LED volume complete with sky panel and side panel installations, alongside its complete virtual production solutions.

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PARTNERSHIP PAVES THE WAY FOR GLOBAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Oceanus Media Global (OMG) and DAS UNIVERSE Pte Ltd concluded an MoU to jointly pursue international business opportunities including immersive art exhibitions, co-production of VR/XR contents and commercial metaverse.

: rajesh@spectrumfilmindonesia.com

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GAUMONT SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF KIDS

Juraj Barabas Luminescence KFT Hungary

Fanny Gilabert, VP of international Sales Gaumont, boasted about Gaumont’s ability to speak to kids of any age and background with content that is as diverse as it is universal. This year at ATF, in addition to their large existing library of kids and family content, Gaumont will be bringing three new series for kids that lean heavily on CGI. In ascending order of age: Do, Re & Mi is a musical series for preschoolers with a character voiced by Kristen Bell; Bionix Max is a slapstick series for ages 6+; and Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles is an action comedy for ages 8—12 based on an original IP. Fanny shared that Gaumont’s success in providing such widely-appealing content can be attributed to their ability to crystallise what kids want in a show, then materialising those desires in the form of old stories told anew or new IPs given a chance at life. From more basic 2D animation to top-of-the-line CGI animation, having a variety of content also helps cater to different partners.

Fanny Gilabert Gaumont France

LUMINESCENCE FILM MAKES STRIDES IN ANIMATED FILM SPACE Luminescence Film, an independent company specialising in animated feature films has hooked a big fish this year in the form of commercial feature animation Gracie and Pedro’s (Not So) Awesome Adventure. The film, slated for a 2024 release, boosts several big names — Bill Nighy, Danny Trejo, Susan Sarandon, Alicia Silverstone, and Brooke Shields.

Juraj Barabas, Managing Director, Luminescence Film, is eager to bring this offering to ATF 2023. He noted that the feature was wildly successful at the American Film Market — 24

clinching distribution in “more than half of the world” — and hopes to replicate and amplify that success in the SEA region.

While Luminescence Film’s forte is in the animated film space, Juraj shared that they also possess a strong liveaction catalogue that they intend to use to branch out. His main goal at ATF 2023 is to strengthen the company’s presence and relationships in the SEA region and, in particular, showcase several completed big-budget films such as Freefall, The Biggest Moon, and Wish of the Fairy Fish.

She adds that a large part of understanding the needs of your audience and partner is accessing platforms for communication like ATF where industry players gather, especially in times of great change for the industry.

We bring you engaging, creative, compelling and entertaining films, series, mini-series, formats, and channels from the Philippines.

https://mqworldwide.mediaquest.com.ph/

The Beloved Affair

Love Until The End

Action Drama | Series 65 x 30 mins

Drama | Series 50 x 30 mins

Drama | Mini Series 14 x 60 mins

Sci-fi/Drama | Film Coming Soon

Comedy | Film 96 mins

Historical Drama | Film 122 mins

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MARKET VIETNAM PUNCHES ABOVE ITS WEIGHT

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Chi Tran Sconnect Vietnam

With just 10 titles in their content library, Sconnect might come across as a guppy in a shark tank. Don’t be fooled — they pack a real mean punch. Chi Tran, Director of Business Development at the Vietnam-based production company, is proud and vocal about SConnect’s series Wolfoo.

The Vietnamese animated web series is branded as a show for preschool kids but has very impressive numbers. Clocking over 4 billion views a month and with 15 million subscribers across its Youtube channels, the series is a rare win for an original IP produced by Vietnam.

Chi believes that SConnect has a lot of value to offer off the back of this success and hopes to connect with bigger industry giants at ATF 2023 for co-production opportunities on more hidden gems among Vietnam’s original IPs, as well as for foreign content that could do well in Vietnam.

WAR OR NO, UKRAINIAN COMPANY KEEPS PRODUCTION GOING Evgeniy Drachov, Head of Distribution at the Ukrainian-based FILM.UA Group, had some good news: “Despite the challenges posed by the times of war in Ukraine, we have successfully restarted production”. Right back in the saddle at ATF 2023, Evgeniy is rearing to showcase their diverse range of original Ukrainian content that spans numerous genres, from drama and comedy to feature films and animations.

On the topic of animations and feature films, FILM.UA has seen great success in their recent feature film Mavka: The Forest Song, so much that it has spawned the development of an animated series featuring the titular character and her friends. Other highlights include Bucha, a highly relevant war drama about the Ukrainian war and The Witch of Konotop, a horror feature film set in Ukraine.

Ievgen Drachov FILM.UA Group Ukraine

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Besides of these Ukrainian originals, Evgeniy hopes that the formats of their successful shows prove an enticing prospect for partners at ATF 2023. “This flexibility [of formats] allows buyers to explore diverse storytelling approaches that align with their regional preferences and audience demographics”, he adds.

MAKE GENERATIVE AI WORK FOR YOU, OR WITH YOU?

There has been much ado about the influence of AI on the area of work, leaving many to think about its place in our lives. In a fireside chat with Ho Jia Jian, CEO, Viddsee; Anil Nihalani, Head Digital Products, Mediacorp; Seng Choon Meng, CEO, Scrawl Animation; and Professor David Tan, Law Faculty, National University of Singapore, participants were invited to discover the impact of Generative AI (Gen AI) on individual creators and businesses in the Media sector. The panel covered the creativity, productivity and legal aspects of AI, detailing some use cases of AI as an innovation tool, and the issues surrounding intellectual property and copyright.

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generates an extensive range of voices with a local flavour to it, and “significantly improves the engagement time with our clients, and the entire process becomes more efficient,” said Anil.

“Embracing Generative AI comes with the need for education on what the implications are, even as the level of assumption is so high,” stated Jia Jian. Indeed, while AI seems to be an ideal way to reach a state of instant gratification, it should be used with astute awareness.

“We should remain respectful of the human input in the process,” said Choon Meng, pointing towards the idea that originality of work remains important. Anil’s team exemplified this concept by employing the capabilities of Voice AI and combining it with real-life capabilities of voice talents to create a tool for audio ads. The tool

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IT’S A GOOD TIME TO BE A KID

Children nowadays have access to a plethora of high-quality fun in the form of animated shows. Sophie “Kido” Prigent, Head of Distribution at HARI, proudly puts forth HARI as a major provider of such premium 3D animated shows. At ATF 2023, HARI brought with them three wildly popular animated series for kids. The first, Grizzy and the Lemmings, is a non-dialogue slapstick just entering a fourth season of production. Next is Mystery Lane, a freshly-launched series making waves in the Western market and now making its debut in Asia. Finally, The Weasy Family is a wholesome slapstick show with the likes of France Television and BBC on board with its distribution.

HARI’s passion for producing animated content for kids is well-demonstrated in their endeavour to make the shows as widely available as possible — Sophie shares that many of these series enjoy free-to-air rights as well as content on Youtube as well. Even without access to paid streaming services, it’s a fantastic time to be a kid.

Sophie also looks forward to sharing the long-term vision of the studio at ATF 2023 and catching up with partners and industry players.

Sophie Kido Prigent Hari France

IF YOU NEED A FIX, IT’S WITH INFTY ART UAE company Infty Art has recently secured a key deal in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with MBC GROUP for the animated series The Fixies, in an exclusive TV and SVOD rights deal in the Arabic language, and will start the broadcast on its children’s free-to-air TV channel, MBC3 this December.

In addition to traditional television broadcasting, the content will be available on Shahid, the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform by MBC GROUP, from 29 November 2023. An instant TV hit since its premiere in 2010, The Fixies has grown year on year as an international hit sold into over 150+ countries. The edutainment brand for boys and girls, 4 to 8, boasts 5 seasons of series, 2 feature films, a robust licensing and publishing program, live stage shows and more.

Iulia Nikolaeva Infty Art United Arab Emirates

“Several deals for the Asian territories are now at the final stage of approval, so we expect to announce new partnerships already on the market.

At the same time, we will look for new partners in the region and we will also present IPs in development,” explained Iuliia Nikolaeva, Chief Content Officer of Infty Art. “ATF is a unique content marketplace that brings the majority of significant Asian companies open for international cooperation together.”

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MEDIA CONTENT SUCCESS IS THREE-PART So says Alvina Wong, Executive Director of Mandarin Motion Pictures Limited, a Hong Kong film production company.

She believes that, broadly speaking, a major success has to meet three criteria — financial success, audience-based success, and artistic success. Financial success is a no-brainer — the revenue generated from each film not only pays the production crew, it is also a strong indicator for future investors. Audience-based success, measured by positive audience feedback and high viewership ratings, indicates the success of both the content and the film’s marketing. Artistic success, however, can be hit or miss. “Critical acclaim and awards received from our previous work can validate the quality and artistic merit of our content,” shares Alvina. While professional critics might appreciate the more elevated qualities of a film, that significance could be lost on a bemused audience.

The company’s debut at ATF 2023 is also a strong one. They bring with them several big projects, including Misjudgement starring Donnie Yen and Panda Plan starring Jackie Chan. Alvina shares that projects with such star power have been an effective strategy by the company to heighten their visibility, allowing them to showcase the rest of their library, numbering 130 titles, that include genres from martial arts action to light-hearted romantic comedy.

Jason Soh (left), Jon Penn (center) & Nick Solowski Blue Ant Media Singapore | Australia | Canada

THE TALE OF A MERGER: GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THEIR PARTS Blue Ant Media is no stranger to ATF, but this year is special — it will be their first market ever after a game-changing merger with marblemedia. Jon Penn, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Blue Ant Media, shares an eager anticipation to the market’s reaction to their merger, with an expanded library that now spans practically every genre and a business capacity that now fully encompasses both studio works and media rights.

formats, and children’s animation to pave their way as big players in the industry. Their notable offerings this year include: Lift The Ice, a timely documentary that touches on climate change; Finny the Shark, a preschool series about friendship and family; Macaque Island, a wildlife documentary set in the same soil as ATF 2023; and All-Round Champion, a sporting showdown series produced by marblemedia.

Jon notes that while Blue Ant Media previously specialised in the genres of factual, documentaries, and natural history, they now have marblemedia’s expertise in scripted comedy, drama,

Jon looks forward to meeting everyone at ATF 2023 with the new APAC team at their booth and showcasing their new, expanded library of offerings.

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Alvina Wong Mandarin Motion Pictures Limited Hong Kong SAR

MARKET DIVERSITY WINS One Take Media’s mission is ‘to make entertainment accessible to every home irrespective of geographical and linguistic boundaries’, aligning with the company’s objectives for this year at ATF 2023.

“International Dramas and K-Dramas have been our strongest genre till date, followed by Kids Animation and Hollywood Movies,” said Anil Khera, Founder & CEO, One Take Media, who also emphasised the company’s aim to engage with potential buyers looking for Indian TV and web-series content.

Anil Khera One Take Media Co. India

The India-based media company is also looking out for good titles to acquire for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) market, and to add to their existing content library primed towards evolving interests of the audience and buyers.

QUALITY IS KING Prime Entertainment Group is a global media distribution company based in France, with more than 20 years of experience in the international distribution and production market.

The company’s primary role involves licensing and distributing content to television networks, streaming platforms, and other media outlets worldwide.

It specialises in a wide range of content, including kids’ animation, entertainment programs, and documentaries – putting their target audience to span across a wide spectrum.

Prime Entertainment Group works with and maintains close relationships with worldwide broadcasters and partners.

This year, their buyer-centric approach at ATF 2023 is leading them towards presenting a catalogue of new releases and titles that are specifically catered towards buyers’ needs.

Laetitia Porlouis Prime Entertainment Group France

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STEPPING UP TO THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE Filipino media company ABS-CBN launched its new series The Bagman at the Market, with its leading star Arjo Atayde gracing the event.

Based on the original locally-produced Bagman series that has two seasons to its name, the new series hopes to capture a wider audience as an international co-production.

Filipino representation is one of the key objectives for the Quezon Citybased media and entertainment network when it comes to a worldwide audience, and this move comes with no surprise, especially in the age of modern technology where content is readily available everywhere, and anywhere.

Arjo explains the great economical impact it could have in the Philippines by “bringing more opportunities to acquire knowledge, exchange diverse stories, and create jobs for many.”

“We are very much open, willing, and really passionate about collaborative work in the international market.”

ON A MISSION TO BREAK NEW GROUND A first-ever partnership was forged between Mediacorp and Mission International at the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing in the Singapore Pavillion, with renowned producer Angie Chai (柴智屏), Chairman, Mission International Co., Ltd in attendance.

The MOU was signed by both Angie, a ‘godmother of idol drama’ in the Taiwanese industry, and Ms Virginia Lim, Chief Content Officer, Mediacorp Pte Ltd. This event symbolised the start of a collaboration between two parties on a series of “content development projects with a view to create the next groundbreaking production”.

Angie is known for being the creative force behind the iconic teen idol drama Meteor Garden and the formation of the megastar boyband F4.

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NETWORK WEAVING THE TAPESTRY OF ASIA THROUGH STORIES Content rich in creation, a dedication to craftsmanship, and excellence in details. This is the creed that 1001 FRAMES upholds, as it unveiled six scripted series for the international market; four of which in Thai, and two in English.

The highlight reveal was The Fairest Lady – a two-season series comprising eight episodes each – pairing an analytical male lead that firmly believes in the quantifiable nature of love with a female lead who “turns her everyday experiences into romantic love comics”.

Esther Supreeleela, who stars as female lead Mali, made an appearance to promote the title as well. “What stands out for me the most about this project is the plot. It felt lighthearted enough for everyone to enjoy watching it no matter what age or gender you are,” she said.

DEALS MADE OVER MEALS

The Taiwanese market has always been popular for its idol dramas and romantic comedies, so it is no wonder the crowds spilling over the Taiwan booth at Happy Hour. With over 252 titles in their catalogue and 60 exhibitors, ATF 2023 presented the opportunity to connect with potential buyers and make deals.

“There is a strong focus in co-production this year, especially for TV series and feature films,” said Kim Lin, Project Manager, Partnership & Business Development, International Business, TAICCA.

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GOING ALL IN ON AI How practical is AI in the content you create? What are some applicable ways that you can use AI to enhance your productivity in production? What are some pitfalls of AI you should be looking out for?

As a follow-up session to the afternoon’s fireside chat on Generative AI, IMDA invited participants to connect with industry experts and leaders in an open format to explore how integrable new technology is to their current workflows and processes.

A PARTNERSHIP WORTH CELEBRATING Mono Streaming – part of Thailand’s Media and Content Conglomerate Mono Next – is all out to capture a greater audience by leveraging a stronger focus on original content, and partnerships beyond the national boundaries.

At cocktail hour, it was not unusual to hear a smidge of Korean phrases thrown around, since Mono Streaming signed a Memorandum of Understanding with KT Studio Genie two days ago to cement a partnership to create and distribute content.

Also visited by Thai female actress Esther Supreeleela, MONO Streaming’s cocktail hour was well-rounded, jolly and festive.

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NETWORK A COMMUNION OF CREATIVES The launch of a S$30 million International Co-Production Fund – announced by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) – to prepare and enable local creators to seek out co-production opportunities was met with much enthusiasm.

At the Singapore Hour, both Lim Teck, Founder, Clover Films, and Jack Neo, Founder, J Team Productions, were stellar examples for co-production, as they presented the trailer to their first co-produced film, Money No Enough 3.

HiJack Pictures, a joint venture between both founders’ companies, was established in 2022.

To keep the spirit of collaboration going, attendees were given the space to mingle and connect with local companies, producers and distributors.

CONVICTION TO SPECTACULAR CONTENT

Having a whale of a time at the ball: It’s smiles all around at the G.H.Y x iQIYI Extravaganza dinner, with all-time favourite artistes and trending celebrities like Chinese actress, Jin Xing and Singaporean actress, Joanne Peh in attendance. Gan bei (干杯)!

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FEATURE STORIES THAT SPAN CENTURIES & SUBJECTS

The success of content sales is significantly influenced by the genre, as genre plays a pivotal role in catering to audience demand. For Raya Group Distribution,

GENRES LIKE DRAMA AND HISTORICAL SERIES, RELIGIOUS MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES AND ANIMATIONS HOLD PROMINENT POSITIONS DUE TO HIGH AUDIENCE DEMAND. Raya Group’s unique IPs, which are rooted in Turkish culture, have seen substantial success in Southeast Asia and the MENA region.

The standout IP for the group is the grand historical drama series, Sultan and Khan. The story is about a world ruled by the Khwarzmshahs. Trouble brews when Genghis Khan of the powerful Mongol Empire sets his sights on the Khwarazmshah lands. Epic battle scenes, subterfuge in the royal courts, and convoluted romantic relationships make this an addictive series that viewers cannot seem to get enough of. Compared to other historical dramas produced in Turkey, Sultan and Khan stands out with its highly professional and well-crafted action scenes and unique storyline based on actual historical events. Responding to fans’ insatiable appetite for the series, Raya Group has just released the second season of the show.

In addition to this crowd favourite, Raya is excited to showcase two other compelling titles. Limit, a story about batch of graduating students who conspire against each other to survive in an inhospitable forest after their bus crashes, and #Influencer, a story about a wellknown social media influencer who gets involved in a scandal with a popular football player, stand out as strong titles, says Raya, particularly suited for OTT platforms.

“Ultimately, we believe that our extensive and diverse catalogue offers something for every attendee at ATF,” says Ulas Celikkol, Sales Manager at Raya Distribution Group. With an assertion like that, be sure to hit them up at Booth K10 in the Turkish Pavilion!

Ulas Celikkol Sales Manager Raya Distribution Group

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A GREEN LIGHT FOR VERDANT GROWTH A year of growth is a precious gift and one which Türkiye-based Mediahub has enjoyed most immensely in 2023. Moving from strength to strength, the company that was once just a boutique hub for distribution and rights management has evolved into a formidable all-in-one media partner with investment consultancy, project development, and production.

Sangerim Zhakhina, Sales & Business Development Manager at Mediahub, notes that 2023 held an especially big milestone for Mediahub. Alaca, a 120-episode undertaking, marked Mediahub’s first foray into original content creation. Sangerim shares that

THE DRAMA SERIES WAS METICULOUSLY TAILORED TO CATER TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE, WHILE MAINTAINING ITS TURKISH ROOTS AS ITS PROTAGONIST JOURNEYS FROM THE TURKISH TOWN OF DALAMAN TO THE CAPITAL ISTANBUL. Sangerim proudly adds that this monumental step into content creation is a sign of the commitment that Mediahub has for growing to meet client needs. This commitment, says Sangerim, is a core part of their success, along with instilling confidence that these needs will be met promptly and with consideration for industry trends.

At ATF 2023, Sangerim hopes to meet a diverse array of industry partners and gain a better understanding of the Asian market’s nuances, while capitalising on ATF as a matchmaking platform for companies like Mediahub and buyers.

Sangerim Zhakhina Sales & Business Development Manager Mediahub

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In the meantime, buyers can look forward to their new content, Pip, Woolly and Woo. This novel and inventive stop-motion animation series follows the adventures of the three eponymous characters—Pip, a sheet of blue paper; Woolly, tuft of red wool; and Woo, a piece of yellow wood—as they work together to solve seemingly insurmountable problems in the colourful world of art and craft.

Traditionally, the strongest genre for Taktoon Enterprise at ATF is Pre-school and Kids Animation. More recently, however,

TAKTOON HAS BEEN SEEING INCREASING DEMAND FOR TEEN AND ADULT ANIMATION CONTENT, WHICH IS MOTIVATING THE ANIMATION STUDIO AND IP HOLDER

In addition to promoting their offerings at ATF this year, Soyeon Bae, Project Manager at Taktoon is also excited about exploring and learning more about the diverse market of non-scripted content offerings.

to assess the potential of expanding their expertise to produce titles for those specific audience segments.

Soyeon Bae Project Manager Taktoon Enterprise

SEEING IS BELIEVING With a rich tapestry of services from groundbreaking VFX solutions to captivating 3D animation series and feature films, VFX Istanbul Produksiyon is known for its uncanny ability to seamlessly blend innovation with storytelling. Their commitment to pushing the boundaries of visual experiences has made them a trusted partner in bringing imagination to life on the screen.

This year, buyers can look forward to being feted with their latest content offerings, Champ, a captivating 3D animation series, and Flaminjoe, an exciting 3D feature film. These titles are a showcase of the production house’s versatility in delivering compelling narratives and visually stunning experiences.

Indeed, VFX Instabul has had a track record of success with 3D animation series, with Mice Fiction being one of them.

Serkan Semiz Producer VFX Istanbul Produksiyon

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Serkan Semiz, Producer at VFX Istanbul Produksiyon, enthuses, “We’ll be eager to share insights into the creative process, behind-the-scenes exclusives, and the unique elements that set these projects apart.

ATF FOR US IS NOT JUST ABOUT SHOWCASING OUR SERVICES, BUT ALSO ABOUT LEARNING FROM OTHERS, GAINING INSPIRATION, AND STAYING ABREAST OF TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS in the dynamic world of VFX and 3D animation.

It’s not just a marketplace; it’s a space where creativity thrives, and ideas come to life. The energy and passion of the attendees make ATF an exciting and enjoyable experience.”

When visiting their booth at ATF, be sure to request for a viewing of the before-and-after demo reels of their VFX and 3D services. That, according to Serkan, is the best way to see for yourself the transformative impact of their services. Indeed, seeing is believing.

Book your Exclusive Showcase in

WORLDSCREENINGS

For a full list of benefits and examples of previous Exclusive Showcases, please visit WorldScreenings.ws.

World Screen has totally redesigned its flagship video portal, WorldScreenings.com, offering a slew of improvements and a sleek new look. In addition, we have unveiled four new targeted screenings destinations: • TVKidsScreenings.com • TVDramaScreenings.com • TVRealScreenings.com • TVFormatsScreenings.com For more information, please contact Ricardo Guise (rguise@worldscreen.com) or Dana Mattison (dmattison@worldscreen.com)

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ARTISTES ARE THE KEY TO QUALITY CONTENT “Cross-border productions are instrumental in growing our artistes and giving them valuable opportunities to gain international exposure,” shared Doreen Neo, Chief Talent Officer, Mediacorp. This, in turn, gives them greater representation in foreign markets, which means more opportunities for roles worldwide.

Doreen spoke about how the current coproduction landscape impacted the recruitment and retention of artistes for the local broadcaster.

Mediacorp has taken a broader method to talent representation with a two-pronged approach.

Besides giving local artistes more overseas exposure, they also manage overseas-based artistes from China and Thailand.

“We’re in talks to represent more talents from other Asian markets,” Doreen said.

FOR MEDIACORP, MAINTAINING A ROBUST PIPELINE OF ARTISTES IS VITAL FOR PRODUCING QUALITY CONTENT. THEY DO SO BY LEVERAGING ON REALITY TALENT COMPETITION IPs. “These serve as important talent discovery platforms for us,” she said, and “the winners are offered contracts with Mediacorp to join us as acting or DJ talents.”

Cultivating theatre and performance arts students with arts institutions is another way of developing artiste talents. “In May this year, we inked Memoranda of Understanding with LASALLE College of the Arts and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts,” said Doreen. This will “nurture a talent ecosystem across the industry.”

Mediacorp is also recruiting a broader range of talent, such as celebrity chefs and photographers. This allows them to “tap on a wider and more diversified pool of talent for productions,” Doreen explained.

And of course, talent scouting through recommendations and social media monitoring has borne fruit.

Through all these efforts, Mediacorp is able to strengthen their talent development and business strategies.

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Doreen Neo Chief Talent Officer Mediacorp

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EXPLORING THE LATEST TRENDS & ONGOING DYNAMICS:

CO-PRODUCTIONS BETWEEN ASIAN AND GLOBAL MARKET % in genres of International co-production Season 2022–2023 (based on number of launches of original and adaptation)

The television production industry has seen a significant shift towards international coproductions. This trend, primarily motivated by the desire to reduce production costs and broaden the reach to a wider viewership, is particularly prominent in Asia.

In the 2022-2023 season (01/10/202230/09/2023), co-productions with non-Asian countries increased by 10% compared to the previous season when considering all origins. Fiction replaced factual content as the dominant genre in international coproductions. The United Kingdom was the primary collaborator across all launches, and collaborations were evenly distributed among the United Kingdom, the United States, and France for both original content and adaptations.

% in genres of co-production with Asian countries Season 2022–2023 (based on number of launches of original and adaptation)

China played a vital role in international docuseries co-productions, contributing to 70% of co-produced docu-series in Asia during the 2022-2023 season, thanks to partnerships with British broadcasters like BBC and ITV. Meanwhile, Japan’s Hulu Japan took the lead in fiction collaborations, contributing to almost 90% during the season 2022-2023.

CO-PRODUCTION ENHANCES FORMATS’ GLOBAL APPEAL Co-productions, by harnessing resources and expertise from across the globe, serve to not only broaden the scope of content but also enhance its appeal. Among genres, factual content has proven to be the most mobile, transcending its country of origin.

An example of this phenomenon is the docu-series A YEAR ON PLANET EARTH (Dec.2022) from ITV Studios, co-produced

by Tencent and European companies, which reached four territories beyond China and the United Kingdom. It illustrates the success of documentary collaborations between the two countries, including well-known series created

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EXCLUSIVE Evolution of origin of formats launched in Asia

by BBC Studios, Bilibili, Tencent Video, or CCTV9 (the Chinese documentary channel) such as DYNASTIES (2018) and THE GREEN PLANET (2022), each travelling to over twenty territories by 2023.

Hulu Japan actively participates in international scripted co-productions, as demonstrated by drama series THE HEAD (2020) with The Mediapro Studio. In 2023, Hulu Japan collaborated with multiple Western countries for the drama series THE SWARM (Mar.2023), gaining international recognition in five territories within a year.

COLLABORATION IN ORIGINAL CO-PRODUCTIONS, BUT ALSO IN ADAPTATIONS

Since the 2021-2022 season, a significant 63% of adaptations in Asia have involved non-Asian countries. A noteworthy example is the South Korean adaptation of French IP CALL MY AGENT (2022), which was also adapted in India on Disney+ Hotstar in July 2023. Another IP that has been recently adapted internationally is BBC Studios’ DOCTOR FOSTER (Aug 2023), which found its way onto the regional platform VIU. It is worth noting that while South Korea is not typically known for frequent co-productions, there are instances of collaborations, especially in projects like DRAGON AGE: ABSOLUTION (2022) in the realm of anime on platforms such as Netflix.

Asian countries, particularly South Korea and India, are known for their production of original formats, but in recent times, they have also shown an increasing tendency to coproduce with international markets and adapt content from global formats.

WHAT’S NEXT? While factual content travels well, next collaborations are leaning towards fiction.

International co-productions aim to reach a diverse audience with various cultural backgrounds, making cultural appeal crucial for market expansion. Upcoming projects like FAREWELL SHANGHAI (2024), involving France, Australia, Germany, and China, MARK TWAIN (2024) from the United Kingdom and India, all emphasise the importance of a recognised cultural context.

Track globally new TV & VOD series launches & their ratings

https://www.e-nota.com

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GLOBAL TV & STREAMING MARKET: TRENDS IN NEW LAUNCHES Format types for new TV series launched based on number of launches in season 2022-2023

In the dynamic realm of global TV and streaming, the 2022-2023 season reveals key trends. Analysing 10,700 programmes across 47 territories, a 3% decline in new launches globally, mainly due to the Ukraine war and a 9% drop in Latin America are prominent.

For the same season, online platform experienced a 7% increase in global launches, slowing from the previous season, with Nordic online platforms surging by 35%. Factual programmes led globally, with Western Europe contributing 40% of new launches.

Asia dominated in fiction despite a 2% decrease. Western Europe retained the top spot in entertainment launches.

Australia, New Zealand, and Finland led in importing UK programmes. The United States dominated fiction exports. Turkey

Track globally new TV & VOD series launches & their ratings

https://www.e-nota.com

entered the top 10 for this season, doubling exports to Spain with a focus on “Love & Romance,” “Family,” and “Crime.” In acquired programmes, fiction dominated in Asia, the Middle East/Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, comprising 84% of acquisitions.

Drama series top global acquisitions, with a 3% increase, followed by documentary (-2%) and factual reality (-4%).

Compared to the season 2021—2022, Netflix continued its global dominance with increased content releases from the United States, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Amazon Prime Video experienced a substantial 38% surge in content, investing in IPs like “Citadel” and “Sweethearts,” leading to local adaptations. Paramount+ expanded its local original productions post-mid-2022, featuring notable series like South Korean “BARGAIN” and German “THE THIN LINE”.

Disney+ maintained its focus on Asia, with South Korean series leading new launches, while Viaplay expanded globally with titles like the UK documentary “MAX VERSTAPPEN: ANATOMY OF A CHAMPION” and the Swedish crime drama “THE BEACH HOTEL”. *Methodology: 47 territories, 400 channels, 137 online platforms, between May 1, 2022—April 30, 2023

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HOW CONTENT PREFERENCES SHOULD INFLUENCE ACQUISITION & ORIGINATION OF FILM & TV IN ASIA

BY SAM NURSALL, SENIOR ANALYST, AMPERE ANALYSIS

The APAC streaming sector is a diverse market, with a variety of subscription streaming and ad-supported business models underpinning revenue growth and driving uptake. Indeed, Ampere’s Consumer tracking data indicates that over the last five years, monthly active users (MAUs) of ad-funded (AVoD) streaming services have increased by 58% across the region and currently stand at 15% of all Internet users, while subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) products have grown even quicker, almost doubling MAUs since Q3 2018 and reaching 72% of Internet users in Q3 2023.

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In seven of the nine markets surveyed by Ampere across the APAC region, Internet users report spending longer watching SVoD services than linear broadcast TV each day.

In China, as many as 9 in 10 Internet users actively visit SVoD platforms at least monthly.

Even in Japan, APAC’s strongest remaining linear broadcast market, the proportion of SVoD MAUs has more than doubled since Q3 2018.

Age is a factor: Consumers in APAC aged 25-44 are more likely to use SVoD platforms, whereas 45-64s are less engaged with these

services. However, despite the perception of streaming as a more modern technology, certain markets have a relatively low proportion of young Internet users who use SVoD platforms. In India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, 18–24-year-olds under-index for SVoD use, suggesting there is still opportunity for growth across several demographics in the region.

Further growth across ad-supported and subscription services, though, will be contingent on the provision of content which aligns with viewer needs. Across the APAC

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region, Action & Adventure reigned as the ‘most-favourited’ genre, selected by 11% of consumers as the single top genre they enjoy watching, although Comedy attracts the highest overall following – appealing more widely.

But to reach some of the slightly undersaturated younger demographic groups may require services to adopt a further degree of catalogue diversification.

Younger consumers tend to over-index for less mainstream genres; for instance, 18–24-yearolds in the region are 25% more likely to enjoy Anime and 19% more likely to enjoy Horror than average. And some niche genres are particularly favoured in a selection of markets.

For instance, Anime is widely enjoyed in the Philippines (again, a market where young people under-index for SVoD use) and is highly favourited in Japan but does not score as well in Australia and India.

Attitudes towards local and imported content also vary. Consumers in China, India, Japan, and South Korea favour locally produced TV shows and movies, while those in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand more frequently watch foreign-language content (and Australians tune in to American TV and movies the most). Especially for these latter markets, the correct subtitling and dubbing strategy is imperative for any streaming platform in the region to best

cater to the demand for imported content.

Indonesians have the strongest preference for subtitles, while Thai consumers prefer dubbed shows and movies.

Search activity also gives us an idea of the demand for specific titles, and Ampere has compared this data to catalogue composition for Asia. The leading ‘favourite’ genres of Action & Adventure and Comedy appeared to be slightly underserved, with the genres making up a smaller-than-expected share of titles in the catalogues. Crime & Thriller and Sci-Fi & Fantasy titles were also at risk of being under-served, as they represented a disproportionate share of the most popular titles. While these are expensive genres, it’s clear that consumers had strong appetite for titles in these categories.

A curated approach by SVoD platforms within each market should consider both widely enjoyed, mainstream content to attract broad audiences, as well as up-and-coming niche genres to attract younger consumer groups.

Platforms in the region should also ensure that they have the correct mix of subtitled and dubbed content, tailored to local market preferences, in order to keep audiences engaged and spur future growth.

Methodology Ampere’s Media Consumer study surveys 54,000 nationally representative internet-users aged 18-64 across 28 markets worldwide, bi-annually. This includes a sample of 2,000 respondents in each of the nine APAC markets covered: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and Australia.

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THE GROWING APAC STREAMING CONTENT MARKET

BY TINGTING LI – SENIOR ANALYST, AMPERE ANALYSIS

2023 has seen a change in fortunes for the global streaming industry. Economic pressures have combined with saturation in mature markets to drive streaming growth to its lowest overall level since the pandemic began in 2020.

While Asia Pacific has felt this to an extent, it has been far more resilient than markets such as North America. Diverse and fast-growing economies have supported widespread advances in connectivity and gains in disposable income, which have all supported streaming market expansion. Therefore, Asia will account for roughly a third of the world’s new streaming subscribers in 2023.

Services in Asia continue to grow their catalogues to bolster market positioning, reflecting the relative strength in growth opportunity. To assess how services are aiming to capture this growth, Ampere has been tracking content strategies across 30 local and regional platforms in Asia Pacific, in addition to the major global streamers. Platforms are diverse in size and focus, but major local players in Asia – with catalogues comparable in scale to the global giants Netflix and Amazon Prime Video – include companies such as U-Next and Hulu in Japan, HamiVideo in Taiwan, and South Korea’s WatchaPlay.

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These local platforms curate at least 9,000 movies and TV seasons each, comprising both local and international content. Among global streamers active in the APAC region, Amazon Prime Video has a key focus on Japan, which is a key retail market, and has a large catalogue of 9,500 movie and TV seasons, but its catalogue size in the majority of other markets in Asia remains significantly smaller. Netflix, on the other hand, has a more evenly distributed catalogue across Asia, offering on average around 8,000 - 9,000 titles in each country.

Competition for content is fierce. Local platforms in Japan, especially U-Next and Hulu Japan, have been particularly active in growing their catalogues, adding roughly 17% more titles compared to a year ago.

Taiwanese platforms have also been enriching their offerings, with MyVideo and KKTV both adding new content in the last year, mostly local and regional favourites. As of September 2023, MyVideo offers 9,000 titles to viewers and KKTV 4,800. And while Indian platforms’ catalogues have grown less significantly,

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local platforms still dominate their market, with a few local services already having a large catalogue and subscriber base, such as Disney+ Hotstar and Eros Now – although the recent loss of IPL distribution rights has had a negative impact on Disney+ Hotstar’s subscriber base.

While catalogue investment is growing, genre focus varies by market. Sci-fi & Fantasy and Crime & Thriller are the top curated genres on local platforms in Japan, with Anime content being noticeably popular. In South Korea, local platforms have a large amount of Romance content (15%), followed by Crime & Thriller shows and movies (13%). In general, Korean Romance drama has been well-received across Asia, resonating well with consumers in the region. Meanwhile in India, Romance and Drama are the top genres on local streamers, mostly consisting of Bollywood movies and

Korean Drama, catering to Indian consumers’ interest in these genres.

While Prime Video’s catalogue is largest in Japan, where they have invested significantly in acquired local content to cater for audience’s tastes, India is also a key focus in terms of original content – Amazon has commissioned more original titles in India than any other market except the USA. In addition to its well-developed Japanese and Indian catalogues, Amazon has begun to invest in Southeast Asian markets and acquire more local content, with its Malaysian and Singaporean catalogues growing rapidly in recent periods; Disney+, on the other hand, focused principally on South Korea, with 500 more titles being added to Disney+ South Korea and 20 new Korean Originals being produced and released in the past year.

Netflix has also been ramping up its Korean content productions and has released 34 South Korean originals since September 2022.

These have proven to be popular across Asia, with series like The Glory and Celebrity also performing well in other regions around the world. In addition, Netflix added around 40 Japanese Originals in the past year, bringing its tally to 155 original Japanese titles by the end of September 2023.

So as Asia continues to represent a solid growth opportunity for local and global streamers, and as Asian content (in particular, East Asian shows and movies) grows in popularity outside the region, both local and international streamers are primed for further investment in creating and acquiring content in the APAC region.

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FROM GLOBAL TO LOCAL: A YEAR IN ASIAN ADAPTATIONS OF UNSCRIPTED FORMATS

BY TRANG NGUYEN - APAC, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA MANAGER, K7 MEDIA

In the dynamic world of Asian unscripted, one genre has consistently taken the spotlight: Entertainment. Casting a glance over the diverse landscape of active unscripted adaptations that have graced the region from January to October 2023, it’s no surprise that Entertainment has continued its triumphant reign, commanding a robust 76% share of all format acquisitions.

Delving into the Entertainment genre, Gameshow/Quiz emerged as the leader, boasting a significant 36% market share. In a tightly contested race, Talent Competitions trailed closely behind, securing a commendable 34% share, underscoring the neck-and-neck competition between these two prominent genres. Hybrid singing game show co-shared the third position with cooking, each accounting for a 12% acquisition volume. While cooking has traditionally been a staple of Asian unscripted programming, the popularity of hybrid singing game shows 50

can be attributed to the creativity bubbling within the region, giving birth to formats like I Can See Your Voice (CJ ENM), The Masked Singer (MBC), The Wall Duet (Workpoint), Singer Auction (co-developed by NBCUniversal and Thailand’s Zense Entertainment), and the latest addition, My Boyfriend is Better (CJ ENM). The latter made a dazzling showcase at ATF 2022, creating waves that swiftly led to its inaugural adaptation with a captivating Thai version in June.

However, seizing the spotlight in the realm of Entertainment is the grand resurgence of major talent franchises. Fremantle’s Got Talent has been at the forefront of this spectacular return, with several active adaptations across Asia since January 2023. This impressive roster includes a fresh Japanese rendition produced

by Yoshimoto Kogyo for ABEMA in February, an upcoming Hong Kong adaptation as well as the electrifying return of existing versions in Cambodia, Indonesia, India, and Mongolia.

Notably, the narrative is incomplete without acknowledging the Filipino version of Got Talent’s thrilling spin-off, Battle of the Judges, on GMA. Got Talent’s resurgence isn’t a mere comeback. It stands as compelling evidence that in Asia, we have an enduring affinity for formats that not only spotlight impressive performances but, more significantly, showcase the extraordinary talents of our people.

And as we talk about spin-offs of talent shows, it’s worth mentioning The Voice franchise, which flexes its vocal prowess with not one but two spin-offs: The Voice Kids and The Voice Generations, in the same country, the Philippines, on different channels in 2023.

The Philippines is the first in Asia to adapt the Generations spin-off of the format; after its Australian debut in 2022. Besides this, there are other active versions under The Voice franchise that were launched this year are expected to return soon across the region.

EXCLUSIVE FORMAT DESTINATIONS— THE OLD AND NEW BUYERS When it comes to unscripted format buyers, Vietnam stands tall as the undisputed leader, maintaining its apex position by constituting a substantial 20% of the market share. While this could be easily predicted, given Vietnam’s historical dominance, the real surprise lies in the fact that this steadfast position persists despite reports of a reduction in the country’s unscripted format demand due to prevailing economic conditions. The nuanced reality suggests a strategic shift, perhaps back towards established franchises and more costeffective formats from smaller distributors, rather than an outright cessation of format acquisitions.

India emerges as a close contender, securing the second spot with a 14% share of the acquisition volume. This feat is propelled by the colossal success of Banijay’s Big Brother, with several versions spanning across languages and ranging from linear to the everexpanding world of OTT. Notably, the Indian landscape diverges from the regional trend, with a balanced distribution between in-studio entertainment and reality genres. While we’re sidestepping discussions about scripted format acquisitions here, it’s worth noting that with India’s increasing embrace of scripted formats, a combined tally of unscripted and scripted endeavours could very well position India ahead of Vietnam as the frontrunner in the region.

On the flip side, Thailand’s once soaring acquisition prowess has experienced a dip, slipping from its former position as one of the top two buyers (alongside Vietnam).

Now relegated to the fourth spot, it finds itself eclipsed by the rising star on the unscripted format horizon - Mongolia.

Beyond the aforementioned returning season of Got Talent, Mongolia has embarked on a diverse journey, exploring formats such as Killer Karaoke (Banijay), Rat in The Kitchen (ITV Studios), and That’s My Jam (NBCUniversal). As seen, the country is acquiring formats across genres and origins, and all major channels in Mongolia are actively participating, with Central Television standing as the country’s most prolific buyer in the unscripted format arena.

STREAMERS STEP UP, REDEFINING THE GAME According to K7, Tracking the Giants Unscripted 2022—2023, a resounding global trend was the year-on-year growth of unscripted formats commissioned by both local and global streamers. Asia is not staying on the sidelines of this trend. Over the past 10 months, a substantial 12% of format acquisitions in the region found their debut on streaming platforms. Reality, with its magnetic appeal to younger audiences, has emerged as the darling of streaming platforms, a genre perfectly tailored to capture the hearts of the streamers’ target demographic.

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South Korean formats, in particular, exerted a considerable influence, contributing significantly with a 19% share. This positions South Korea as the third-largest supplier of unscripted formats for the Asian market, trailing only behind the US and the UK. Japan, too, emerges as a promising contributor, with a noteworthy 7% of all active adaptations within the Asian market tracing their origins back to the Land of the Rising Sun. Despite a previous dip in format acquisitions, Thailand is making waves as it transforms into a format creator. The country’s export has seen a corresponding increase, aligning with its shift in focus. In the ever-evolving landscape, neighbouring countries remain the primary buyer of Thai formats as of 2023.

However, the expansion of Workpoint, a major player driving format creation growth in Thailand, hints at a potential shift towards an expanding global footprint. Meanwhile, China, at the nascent stage of unscripted format export, also has the Vietnamese version of Hunan TV’s Sisters Who Make Waves launched in October, marking a promising phase for the country in the region’s unscripted acquisition landscape.

The influence of streaming platforms not only transcends acquisition genres, but also weaves into the history of a nation’s format acquisition. A prime example is Japan.

Historically renowned as the birthplace of many format ideas and a powerhouse in Asian format creation, it was traditionally reserved in acquiring international formats, but has undergone a transformative journey in recent years propelled by streaming platforms. Japan is now ranking on the same par with Malaysia in terms of format acquisition volume. And more than 80% of unscripted formats sold into the country for the year 2023 landed on streaming platforms. Prime Video is taking the lead for this adaptation trend in Japan. In particular, the platform debuted its version of CJ ENM’s EXchange in June while airing the fifth season of The Bachelor Japan (WBITVP) in August. Both Bake Off Japan (BBC Studios) and The Masked Singer Japan (MBC) also took their final bows on the platform in 2022.

Even in South Korea, where the adaptation of foreign formats is a rarity, 2023 has witnessed the launch of only one foreign format adaptation so far, which was indeed a returning season of Saturday Night Live Korea (NBCUniversal), on streamer Coupang Play.

THE RISE OF ASIAN POWERS IN FORMAT CREATION

It comes as no surprise that the US and the UK have emerged as the primary providers of unscripted formats to Asia, given their longstanding status as global leaders in format innovation. However, a compelling revelation unfolds when we delve into the details: a substantial 30% of all active unscripted format adaptations by Asian nations in the past 10 months have roots embedded within other Asian territories.

As we wrap up the current year and anticipate the arrival of the next, the Asian market has witnessed a rollercoaster of highs and lows. The lingering impact of COVID seems to be fading away, but its repercussions continue to subtly influence various Asian economies. Despite this, a palpable sense of cyclical progression is underway. This may not be the moment when buyers open up and aggressively compete for any new unscripted formats introduced. Instead, it marks an era of evolution and excitement.

The region is experiencing a shift towards a more deliberately selective array of imported formats, along with the birth of more Asian creations which appeal not only to the Asian audience but also have the potential to capture the hearts of audiences across the world.

The analysis is based on data collected from January to October 2023, including both new adaptations and returning seasons of existing adaptations launched during this period, as well as confirmed upcoming versions. If not specifically indicated as scripted, all “format acquisitions” mentioned in the article are to be unscripted formats.

For more information, contact Victoria De Kerdrel, Global Business Director victoria.dekerdrel@k7.media 52

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A YEAR IN ASIAN ADAPTATIONS OF SCRIPTED FORMATS

BY MICHELLE LIN - HEAD OF DATA AND ANALYSIS, K7 MEDIA

OVERVIEW The landscape of scripted content in Asia differs somewhat from the unscripted landscape. In the same research period, 100 unscripted format adaptation sales were made in Asia. However, while scripted sales are not too far behind at 68 sales, only 37 adaptations were launched in this research period. Among the calculated 100 unscripted remakes, the majority also aired during the research period.

For those that haven’t, most are already in the casting or filming stages.

This isn’t surprising, as the production of drama is more costly, and carefully localising scripted stories tends to take longer than a

game or talent show. However, the high risk associated with creating expensive dramas is somewhat mitigated by the use of a format with a proven track record elsewhere in the world. With the huge advantages of relying on an already written script, and already filmed visuals from the original tapes, it’s not surprising that scripted formats have garnered record-high interest in the market during such risk-averse, economicallychallenging times.

In the following analysis, we examine Asia’s scripted format acquisition landscape.

Specifically, a total of nine Asian countries bought 68 scripted remake rights for formats originating from 16 countries. In summary,

India emerges as the biggest scripted format buyer among Asian countries, while South Korea stands out as the most successful scripted format seller to Asian countries.

Approximately 67% of the remade dramas in Asia originated from another Asian country.

However, UK stories rank as the second most popular, just after Korean ones, thanks to the efforts of BBC Studios and All3Media International. India is the most open to stories from outside Asia, buying several from the UK, USA, and Israel. Stories from Spain, Norway, Denmark, France, and Turkey also received one or two Asian remakes in this research window.

BIGGEST BUYER India acquired or optioned the most scripted formats, with 17 titles in the research period.

Thailand is one short of India, with 16 titles, and China follows in third place with twelve.

These three are the only countries which bought or aired more than ten scripted titles.

South Korea follows with eight titles, and Vietnam with five titles. The bottom buyers are Malaysia and Japan, both with three titles, Hong Kong with two titles, and Indonesia with one title.

Among the confirmed main broadcasters and/or streamers, Youku is the destination for many scripted adaptations, with five in total. Disney+ Hotstar follows with four, while Tencent Video, SonyLIV, One31, Netflix, and GMM TV showcase three adaptations each.

True ID aired or agreed to adapt a total of five Korean titles, benefiting from its joint venture agreement with CJ ENM. Among these eight companies, five are streamers.

BIGGEST SELLER Unlike unscripted formats, which can be replicated in a shorter time and see more adaptations in various countries simultaneously, in the landscape of scripted

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EXCLUSIVE format sales, fewer titles are sold to more than two countries in one year.

Within the total of 68 sales, 59 distinct titles appear, and among them, only five titles received two or more sales during this window. Limen Pictures (China)’s female-centric drama “Nothing But Thirty” was optioned for remakes in six countries: South Korea (on JTBC), Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The other four titles are CJ ENM’s romantic thriller drama “Flower of Evil” (aired on Zee5 India in October, with Youku’s Chinese interpretation upcoming), MBC’s fantasy romance “W: Two Worlds” (with two versions launched on Tencent Video in February and Viu in November), SET Taiwan’s classic rom-com “My Lucky Star” (aired in two distinctive versions in China on Youku and in Thailand on One31 in April), and the UK’s relationship thriller “Doctor Foster” (had two adaptations aired in Thailand on Channel 3 in August and in Japan on Nippon TV in April).

In terms of the most prolific sales distributor in Asia for scripted formats, CJ ENM surpassed its peers by a distance, with nine sales, among which five titles were produced or are to be produced by its joint venture, True CJ Creations.

Another way to highlight a successful distributor in the region during the research period is by counting the adaptations that have been launched.

MBC takes the lead with five adaptations of their formats launched, surpassing CJ ENM and BBC Studios, both of which had four launched adaptations.

MOST POPULAR GENRES Many compelling narratives are crafted with unexpected twists and turns, leading the audience on a unique journey.

However, this narrative complexity poses a challenge when attempting to pigeonhole a drama into a single genre!

Therefore, among the 68 sales of scripted adaptations, we assign most titles two to three “genre tags” to capture the multifaceted nature of the stories. For instance, SLL’s “Reborn Rich” is tagged with fantasy, revenge, and drama. In total, there are 109 tags for the 59 unique titles sold.

The most sought-after genres for remake opportunities in Asian markets are Romance, leading with 20 titles, followed by Thriller at 18. Crime and Fantasy (including Sci-Fi and Supernatural

elements) jointly hold the third position with a count of nine, with Comedy counting at eight. Additionally, various dramas set against backdrops of business, workplace, medical, legal, political, press, banking, and orchestra contribute to a total of 12 titles.

Diving into the most popular Romance genre, it is often combined with Fantasy (4), Comedy (3), Thriller (2), and Melodrama (2). Among the Thrillers, Crime Thriller is the most popular, followed by Romance Thriller and Relationship Thriller. Interestingly, workplace Thrillers such as political, legal, or high-school backstory Thrillers also help diversify this genre. “Doctor Foster” and “Flower of Evil” are the only thriller formats sold to two countries.

Further investigation into the top three buyers by country reveals that India is a big buyer of Thriller titles, with eight out of 17 adapted being Thrillers. Those Thriller titles mixed with Romance and Comedy each account for three.

On the contrary, Thailand prefers adapting Romance IPs, with five out of the 16 being Romance. High-school-based and Boy Love titles account for four, with three in the Thriller category.

Romance mixed with Thriller, Comedy or Fantasy is the most popular genre in China, with five out of 12 adaptations being Romance-infused dramas.

Finally, in compiling all sales information, we’ve observed a significant surge in the remake landscape for Boy Love stories.

Evolving from the foundation of Romance, Boy Love particularly captivates audiences in countries such as Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan.

These stories, originating in various forms like manga, webtoons, and web novels, serve as excellent source material for TV adaptations.

In addition to two instances of “TV IP to TV IP” remakes—TV Asahi’s “Ossan’s Love” selling to Thailand and GMM TV’s “Why R U?” selling to South Korea—four other Boy Love TV series have been introduced in Thailand and various pan-Asian streaming platforms, all adapted from foreign comics and novels.

This analysis is based on data collected from January to October 2023—it takes into account new scripted format adaptations launched, confirmed as upcoming or optioned during this period, as well as returning seasons of existing scripted format adaptations.

For more information, contact Victoria De Kerdrel, Global Business Director victoria.dekerdrel@k7.media 55

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WHY AFTER SO MANY YEARS IS IT SO ENDURING?

Animation still dominates the entertainment lives of preschool children around the world.

Since 2016, Dubit, the global kids’ strategic consultancy and digital studio has maintained a continuous touchpoint with kids and families in around 20 countries. The study covers children aged 2—15 and their parents. If the child respondent is aged 2—7, parents answer the survey on behalf of their children—ages 8 and above answer the survey for themselves.

Amongst the many questions we present survey participants with which cover devices use, brand and content engagement, consumer journey, channel, and platform use; we ask them to tell us the TV shows/series they like the most (unprompted). That allows us to ascertain the most popular shows from a child’s perceptive, not based on a list of predetermined brands provided for them to select from.

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When we review the top three most popular TV shows/series for children aged 2—15 year across several the countries, we see that without fail they are all animated. Many are established properties, often designed to appeal to audiences in multiple countries, but occasionally there are are IPs that originate in specific nations that achieve high popularity— these include the likes of Upin and Ipin, Boonie Bears or Lottie Dottie Chicken.

Clearly the top preschool TV show/series are animated, which aligns with the answer to another question we pose to survey respondents, asking them which video format they prefer, many state a clear preference for animation to any other video format.

The 2nd chart shows the proportion of children who prefer animation to live-action.

It’s clear to see that most preschool age children in Australia, China, the UK, and the US prefer animated series to live-action, and in India and Malaysia more kids prefer animation to any other video format.

I can think of three key reasons why preschoolers love cartoons and how they satisfy their developmental needs.

We only need to think back to our own childhood to remember how we spent hours glued to the TV set watching cartoons was because quite simply they were fun - they made us laugh. That’s still the top reason

EXCLUSIVE young children still enjoy watching them today. It’s a kid’s laughter that creates an escape from the real-world pressures, cultivating an environment of happiness and positivity.

Because cartoons are humorous, entertaining, and not dull, preschoolers also learn things from watching the animated series they love.

Often it is soft learnings such as imparting essential life lessons to young audiences.

Animation can also stimulate a child’s thinking and discussion; in turn developing their verbal skills. Finally, cartoons are fantastical; remote from reality, this is something I’ll come back to shortly.

In Dubit Trends, we look at the key drivers for preschool children watching TV shows/series; the top response we get across most of the

countries surveyed is that it stimulates their [a kids] imagination. Cartoons naturally do this through vibrant and eye-catching visuals, cartoons ‘cast a spell’ on young audiences.

The animated shows and series preschoolers consume today open-up a world of possibilities, which is much harder to portray as live-action. It’s a place where animals can talk, mythical kingdoms come to life, heroes with super-powers can save the day and even create a world where humans and dinosaurs live alongside each other - the point I made in the last paragraph about cartoons being ‘fantastical’.

animators to develop character personas that children can relate to. Many cartoon characters reflect the experiences, emotions, and challenges that a kid will encounter in their daily life. Love for cartoon characters runs deep as children form emotional bonds with their animated heroes. Whether it’s the infectious enthusiasm of SpongeBob SquarePants, the outgoing Peppa Pig who learns something new every or Mickey Mouse’s timeless charm; animated characters become trusted companions, providing comfort and a sense of security for preschool children.

Another of the reasons given for 2—5-yearolds choosing a particular piece of content is they also want it to have likeable characters and a good story. Love for cartoon characters stems from the exceptional ability of

The affinity for cartoons and their lovable characters, the captivating stories they bring to life are a testament to the power of imagination, humour, and the emotional connections they form.

For more information, contact adam.woodgate@dubitlimited.com 57

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BRAND INTERACTION & IMMERSION ARE IMPORTANT FOR TODAY’S KIDS.

Anyone born post-2010 is part of a generation that’s never been without touchscreen, mobile, interactive media.

Whether you call them ‘Gen A’, ‘Generation Glass’ or what we refer to them as at Dubit, ‘The iCAN Generation’ this is a generation that according to the former head of Amazon Studios, Matthew Ball that thinks very differently because they’re ‘wired’ for interaction, for creation, to participation, for marketplaces, to be a click away for communicating with their friends for shared experiences anywhere.”

However, this is also the first post-WWII generation to have their formative years

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impacted and disrupted by so many global issues in such a short period of time. They started being born just after the 2008/9 credit crunch, are extremely worried about the impact climate change will have on their lives, in most countries they were cut off from school, friends and relatives as a result of Covid-19, and just when the pandemic ends uncertainty begins with a cost-of-living crisis and conflict in Europe and the Middle East.

Their relationship with technology combined with the impact of the world around them means the way they use media and interact with brands is different from previous generations. From the moment they learnt how to ‘tap’, ‘pinch’ and ‘swipe’; mobile

connected screens (tablets and smartphones) have been used as nannies, educations, and entertainers. Unlike their predecessors they don’t just want ‘lean-back’ experiences; they want participation and immersion in the brands they love.

As well as watching TV shows and video they are increasingly engaging with games.

According to our Dubit Trends study of 2—15-year-olds and their parents, across the countries surveyed most recently and average of 47% of 2—5-year-olds play games, and this rises to 73% of 6—11-year-olds. Whilst the games 2—5-year-olds play games tend to be chosen by parents and mainly age appropriate, easy UI games, e.g., matching

EXCLUSIVE

pairs, ABCs, 123s, etc. Those played by older kids include like Angry Birds when time is short but when time allows, they engage with the established franchises, such as Mario or social games like Roblox.

Whilst video still accounts for the largest share of time on screens amongst 6—12-yearolds, the time spent playing games in this age cohort is growing and in our latest Dubit Trends research accounts for around a fifth of the time they spend using screens, which includes use of a television, tablets, smartphones and PCs/laptops for gaming.

Playing games is more than just completing a level or rising to the top of a leader board for this generation. It’s about being creative, socialising with friends, developing new skills, and building or making within games. The top three games played by kids are the so-called ‘metaverse’ platforms offering interactive and immersive experiences to users. Of three biggest kids and teens use (Roblox or Fortnite) make it easy to create their own experiences.

Compared to April 2021, Dubit Trends reveals there has been a significant rise in the number of kids making their own games in Roblox and now with Fortnite Creative on that platform too.

A recent snapshot of our monitoring reveals the numbers of the different ‘unofficial’ games and experiences in Roblox, which are based around popular brands and IP, In a single sweep we discovered over 100 games themed around Peppa Pig, more than 160 using LEGO and 190 with Mickey Mouse. Kids are combining their desire to create within games; building their own mini games, doing so with the brands and characters they really love and on the mobile connected devices they have being using from an early age.

The brands they are choosing are generally familiar and trusted brands. Post-pandemic, with everything kids have been through, feeling safe is their priority. This means kids’ past boredom with the familiar has been

replaced with an appetite for it. They want familiar and comforting entertainment that doesn’t ask kids to take risks they are in no mood to take-on—this is reflected in the table below, which shows the most popular brands with 6—8-year-olds.

Allowing the audience to use and share your IP is key to building a long-lasting relationship with this generation. This is probably outside the ‘comfort-zone’ for television people who have generated revenues through licensing, syndication, and distribution of its content.

However, games and gaming has always been built around fans. The successful brand and IP owners are putting the audience and fans first because they know the value is in an organic, engaged audience.

At Dubit we continually monitor the number of character and brand themed experiences in platforms like Roblox - it gives us a sense much an IP is loved—especially when kids choose them to make a story around or feature them in one of their own game creations.

For more information, contact adam.woodgate@dubitlimited.com 59

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APAC: STREAMING INSIGHTS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT LANDSCAPE

Unveiling viewing preferences, emerging trends, and content offering in the region

USER’S PREFERENCES

In the vibrant landscape of the Asia-Pacific region, a staggering 79% of the monitored households frequently watch content online.

Most of them do so through their Smartphone device (71%), while many also prefer the Smart TV (50%) and the PC (37%). The type of content that resonates the most with APAC viewers is movies (71%), followed by series (60%). Plus, Comedy (57%), Drama (45%), Action (43%), Science Fiction (41%) and Adventure (38%) are the genres that people pointed out as their favorites.

The APAC cinephile is discerning, with 35% watching 3 to 5 movies per month, while 24% settle for 2 movies, and 14% can watch 6 to 9 movies in the same period. When it comes to binge-watching, 36% enjoy 2 episodes during the weekdays, and a substantial 37% indulge in 4 or more episodes on the weekend.

But why do they watch online content?

Flexibility takes center stage, with 58% relishing the ability to watch anytime, closely followed by the ability to seek content (56%) and the freedom to watch anywhere (54%).

However, there is also a small portion that does not see these benefits and chooses not to consume online content. The main reasons behind this are that watching TV is sufficient (32%), a lack of time (26%), and a lack of appealing content (23%).

As a good portion of the monitored households with internet access in APAC pointed out their preference for TV over online content, it is worth noting that the penetration of Pay TV is 56%, surpassing both EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) with 48% and UCAN (United States and Canada) with 47%.

REVENUE MODELS DIVERSITY & LIVE STREAMING When it comes to business models, it is no surprise that SVOD takes the lead as the one with the highest percentage of penetration among households with internet access (61%).

AVOD and FVOD models are also very popular 60

among viewers, with penetration rates of 41% and 31%, respectively, while TVOD (19%) and TV Everywhere (13%) fall behind in the rank.

It is well known that most viewers tend to choose more than one model to have a larger catalog and revenue opportunity. For instance, SVOD and FVOD are the most popular combination of models in the APAC region (24%), while 11% opt for SVOD-AVOD-TVODTV Everywhere, using more than 4 services a month, and 10% prefer SVOD and AVOD. The SVOD model is not only the most combined, but it is mostly chosen on its own (15%), as many households only subscribe to this kind of model. The countries in APAC that use more SVOD platforms on average are India (4.82 SVOD services), Indonesia (3.42), Australia (3.24), Thailand (1.97), and South Korea (1.85), while the total average for the region is 2.95.

Another way that viewers choose to watch content is through live streaming, with 58% of households with internet access in the region tuning in to this service, and 16% exclusively watching live sports or special events. It is also worth mentioning that currently, 47% of streaming platforms available in APAC offer live streaming content, responding to the current trend.

LOCAL CATALOG, TOP TITLES & WHAT’S TO COME With large content libraries and many contenders in the Streaming wars, it can be said that the streaming industry in APAC is in constant flux.

Currently there are +46K monitored titles from the region, available on 3,682 streaming platforms around the world. Among these titles, 4,094 are original content, and 2,393 were released in 2023.

EXCLUSIVE The United States has the largest APAC content library, comprising 23,644 titles.

Japan (22,076), Canada (20,099), the United Kingdom (17,475) and South Korea (15,855) also have impressive catalogs from the region.

What is more, Amazon, a company from the US, is the streaming platform with more titles from APAC (13,889), followed by U-NEXT (10,059) and VideoMarket (9,828), both from Japan.

But what do these numbers consist of? The genre supply from APAC is different from the one available in most regions: in first place there is Drama (26%), as per usual, but Action goes in second, barely surpassing Comedy (13.18% and 12.97%, respectively), and closing the TOP 5 are Romance (8%) and Animation (6%).

It was found that in the United States, which houses the most content from this region, the most demanded APAC movies are ‘Tejas’, ‘Jawan’, ‘Meg 2: The Trench’, ‘The Boy and the Heron’ and ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’.

The first two are Indian films, while the latter is a co-production between India and other countries in the Occident. ‘Meg 2’ is also a coproduction, produced by China and the US, while ‘The Boy and the Heron’ is an Anime aimed at a family audience, in contrast with the other entries.

As for the series in demand, ‘Batang Quiapo’ takes the first place, followed by ‘Pluto’, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, ‘King the Land’ and ‘Oshi No Ko’. Both the latter and ‘Pluto’ are Animes but focus on Science Fiction and Drama, respectively, while ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ and ‘King the Land’ are romantic dramas.

It was possible to identify 51 series from the region that are currently in production, plus 12 movies. The Walt Disney Company, Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery come up as the TOP 3 companies that distribute more content produced in APAC, with the first one owning +170 APAC titles, and the others +80 each.

CONTENT & PLATFORM AVAILABILITY The streaming supply in APAC is an impressive one, boasting a total of 555,554 monitored titles, consisting of 410,909 movies and 144,645 series, including 16,093 original contents. Drama is the genre with the highest presence, with 24% of the offer falling under this category, surpassing Comedy (15%), Documentary (11%), Action (7%), Romance (6%) and many more.

Of the region, Japan is the country with the largest number of titles, with a remarkable library of 218,606. South Korea follows closely with 187,753, and rounding out the ranking are Australia (130,020), India (98,350), and Taiwan (74,754). On the other hand, the streaming

platforms with the most extensive catalogs are KT (93,651 titles), Rakuten TV (69,230), Google TV (43,334), VideoMarket (37,945), and iTunes (37,339). Interestingly, all these services offer a portion, if not all, of their content under a TVOD model, countering the low percentage of viewers in the region who choose this model.

Regarding revenue models, a significant portion of the titles available in APAC falls under the SVOD model (257,303), while TVOD (241,502) and AVOD (149,611) also contribute substantially to the content supply.

Viewers from APAC have a wide range of options when it comes to streaming platforms, since there are 19,058 active services in the region, not to mention that 58 more have been announced. The progression of launches has not been a regular one, but it is interesting to see a huge rise between 2022 and 2023, and one can only except more streaming services to come.

The countries in APAC with the most active platforms are Australia (366), Japan (362), India (355), Indonesia (352) and New Zealand (350). Plus, the main platform categories are Documentaries (25%), Sports (17%) and Anime (12%).

Sources: BB Media – Multiscreens+ | Content Pulse (Nov 9th) BB Media – Multiscreens+ | Content Tracker (Jan 1st to Nov 9th) BB Media – Multiscreens+ | HITS BB Media – Multiscreens+ | Platform Essentials (2023) BB Media – Online Media Essentials (2Q2023)

For more information, contact info@bb.vision 61

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EXCLUSIVE

FAST EXPECTATIONS: APAC’S OPINION VS THE WORLD Is it a trend, a necessity or an industry reset?

GENERAL VIEWS & REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES BB Media conducted a global study about FAST Channels and FAST Business Models, to identify the perception that M+E leaders have on this trend. This anonymous Key Opinion Leaders Survey helps to better understand the general perception of FAST and its status in the industry.In APAC, 51% respondents agreed that they are not invested in FAST or generating any revenue from it now, but they plan on doing so in the future. There is a tie among minority respondents, with 11% indicating no intention to generate income through this model, while an additional 11% express actively generating income, surpassing expectations.

Most respondents around the world also stated their plan on generating revenue from FAST (38%), though an important average

also expressed that, while they are generating income, it is not meeting the expectations (26%).

With this in mind, do industry leaders fully trust this model? Poll participants in APAC rated that their companies’ investment in FAST is that of 4.7 out of 10 points. Around the world this average grows to a 5.9, with streaming platform companies, distributors, industry associations and software enterprises indicating the highest levels of compromise with the model, not to mention FAST channels and FAST service providers.

PREDICTIONS & HOPES

It could be implied that the place of FAST in today’s market is uncertain. When asking if they strongly agree (5) or disagree (1) with certain statements, APAC respondents for

instance consider that FAST will evolve to later have paid business models (3.2), while the other countries incline more towards complete disagreement (2.8).

Convergence may or may not be on the table, with a tendency of 2.6 out of 5 in APAC believing, rather controversially, that Pay TV should abandon its current business model and become FAST streaming services, and a lower one of 2.4 out of 5 worldwide.

A consensus was reached when discussing whether Pay TV should remain as it is and complement FAST services, as both cases lean towards strong agreement (3.7 out of 5). Pay TV providers, channel programmers, and FAST providers show some of the highest levels of agreement on this matter.

Similar moderation was found when discussing if every linear channel should launch its very own FAST version and if every content distributor should launch FAST

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EXCLUSIVE

ATF ATF 2023 2021 D E C hybrid 8edition

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channels. However, distributors around the world appear more resolute about this, with lower inclinations in Europe (2.4), Latin America, and North America (2.7 each).

Finally, regarding the knowledge of media agencies and advertisers on FAST, most respondents lean towards complete disagreement, with a 2.5 in APAC and a 2.6 in other countries. The same tendency was found regarding whether media agencies and advertisers already include FAST in their media planning, with a low 2.7 globally and an even lower 2.5 in APAC.

THE FUTURE OF FAST Where will this path take us? Most respondents both in APAC and around the world believe that FAST will have mid-term popularity, while 20% and 24%, respectively, are certain that it will be a dominant model in the long run.

These mixed answers are interesting when considering that leaders stated that their companies will be invested in FAST in the next 2 years, with a rating of 6.6 out of 10 in APAC and one of 7.1 out of 10 in the other countries.

Plus, most respondents abide for a positive impact on the company’s future revenue when it comes to FAST, especially distributors and production companies. Others agree it won’t have an effect at all, and just a few are certain it will affect the company in a negative way.

While the data shows that most players focus more on SVOD, there are others who have found their place in live content, be it sports, special events, or various broadcasts. Thus, FAST seems to be a good opportunity, but only if platforms know how to leverage it effectively for content that is appealing to watch live.

Sources: BB Media – KOLs Survey – FAST Expectations VS Reality Check – November 2023

For more information, contact info@bb.vision 64

@G18

Enjoy The Drama

p A r Ye v Oi N e w D E

ATF ATF 2023 2021

BUYERS BUYING DRAMA | Feature Film

Who…

Launched “PPTV HD 36” in 2014, the digital terrestrial TV channel in Thailand. Entertainment programs include Local drama Series, Movies, Variety Show & Docs. Online offering—www.pptvhd36.com & App “PPTVHD36”

D E C hybrid 6edition

BUYING DOCS & FACTUAL | History & Civilisation Who…

Most successful Drama acquired…

Korean Series & local Thai Drama Series.

Knowledge Network (Canada) is British Columbia’s public educational broadcaster, available on TV in the province of British Columbia & on streaming platforms across Canada.

Which country sells the best Dramas?

Korea & US Series are still strong in SE Asia

Region most of your Docs are acquired from…

Canada, the UK & Australia—actively looking to broaden the countries of origin for factual programming.

What are you looking for that’s hard to find…

More films from Asia, about Asia—we are eager for new perspectives!

BUYING DRAMA | Romance KRISSADA TRISHNANANDA Executive Adviser— Content & Programming Bangkok Media & Broadcasting Company | Thailand

Who…

An OTT platform operated by True Digital Group, now active in many territories in Southeast Asia.

OANH NGUYEN Content Acquisition Executive Galaxy Play JSC | Viet Nam

Thai & Chinese drama series are always performing well on TrueID.

Finding great Dramas…

It comes with a challenge to compete with other platforms to secure the best ones that could suit our direction and strategy.

Movies & dramas

Best country selling dramas…

Korea

KOMIN AOUDOMPHAN Assistant Director—Content Acquisition True Digital Group | Thailand

SU CHIANG CHEN Program Purchasing Director Wonder Hypermedia Corporation | Taiwan

BUYING DRAMA | Historical Period Drama

Who…

Preference…

LAWRENCE TAPLEY Senior Manager, Acquisitions & Scheduling Knowledge Network | Canada

Most successful Drama acquired…

BUYING DRAMA | Action/ Adventure Galaxy Play (known as FIM+ before) is the first VOD project in Vietnam providing a world class licensed film library service with thousands international titles, including the biggest Hollywood blockbusters, the most successful Asian movies & series from China, Hong Kong, and Korea, along with new Vietnamese blockbusters.

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Who…

The core spirit of EYETV Travel is based on the global blueprint to present local views and native voices.

Most successful drama acquired…

China drama—Monarch Industry (dubbed The Rebel Princess (上陽賦)

Preference…

Drama

Best-selling dramas come from…

China drama

p A r Ye v Oi N e w D E

BUYERS BUYING Part of Asharq TV Group & a free-toair channel dedicated to broadcast documentaries of different genres varying such as current affairs, history, science, business, sports, arts and cultures, etc, covering the MENA region.

+

BUYING DRAMA | Action/Adventure Who…

Expand content business both locally and internationally with subscription video streaming service business…

Best-selling Docs bought from…

Most successful drama acquired…

France

Mono29 (Free TV channel)—Hollywood Action Crime series, Monomax (SVOD platform)—Asian Dramas (Chinese, Korean, Japanese dramas)

Most successful Docs genre…

CURRENT AFFAIRS Looking for but hard to find…

Good Asian content

BUYING DRAMA | Series MOHAMAD SOUEID Acquisition & Commissioning Manager Asharq Channel, | United Arab Emirates

D E C hybrid 6edition

SURAPA UDOMPONWONGSA Senior Acquisition Officer Mono Streaming Company Limited | Thailand

DOCS & FACTUAL | Current Affairs

Who…

ATF ATF 2023 2021

Finding great dramas… …acquire high-quality dramas tailored for our audience… observed the evolution and progress in production and script writing

Prefer…

OTT video streaming service, Drama series.For movies, great owned by Surya Citra Media, both action, thriller & sexy movies. of which is a subsidiary of Elang Who…

NIKKY ANDRIYANI Sr. Manager Licensing & Acquisition VIDIO | Indonesia

Mahkota Teknologi.

Most successful Drama acquired…

Korean drama, Japanese drama, Thailand drama & Western movies

Source of best dramas sold…

Korean, Thailand & Japan

BUYING KIDS

RYAN LEE CHUN HOE Snr Exec Content Devt & Acquisition Sarawak Media Group | Malaysia

BUYING DRAMA | TV Movies

Who…

Kids (Ages 7 & up)—Discovery/Education/ Docs for Kids; Durioo+ is a safe streaming platform for Muslim kids.

What kind of kids’ content work today?

Shorter & more condensed content… also, nursery rhymes still do very well.

Who… To establish Sarawak as a media hub in the region…

Most successful drama acquired…

Turkish medieval drama series

Genres looking for…

Pre-school content is still the top titles we have on Durioo+. We are however looking to fill in our 8—12 age titles too.

NELLI NELLISA ZALIZAM Head of Content Acquisitions Durioo Sdn Bhd | Malaysia

Best-selling drama…

China drama is on the rise. Korea dramas has always been doing well.

Turkish content seems to be the hidden gem that works well in Malaysia.

PRE-SALE INQUIRIES Mr. Gary Marenzi Marenzi & Associates gary@marenziassociates.com