C21October 2020 - Main

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international Everything about content

Mipcom Online+ 2020

Top players on coping with the new normal

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What next for our embattled TV markets?

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Birth of a giant: Banijay and Endemol Shine

PLUS: 21 new shows to catch during Mipcom Online+ – 29 Graham Sherrington on future of freelancing – 36 | Views & More

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Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020 | Issue #302

UPFRONT

Pining for the Palais

E

verything is still a bit weird, isn’t it? I for one never thought I’d crave hearing an executive utter those immortal words, “It’s all about great content” for the 786,000th time in the Palais des Festivals whilst feeling a little worse for wear. But here we are.

If a physical event were possible in Cannes this October, it’s quite likely the exec might qualify that well-worn phrase with the addition of “as long as it involves dogs or it’s set in a zoo.”

Such are the challenges of filming in a pandemic that many producers are choosing to do away with humans altogether and focus on filming their pets instead. Never mind “peak TV,” get ready for John Landgraf’s presentations on “peak pooch”.

The fact dog ownership has gone through the roof since March is reflected in our pick of some of the new titles launching at Mipcom Online+, beginning on page 29. Meanwhile, Mipcom’s digital event comes as the future of physical markets to buy and sell TV shows looks increasingly iffy.

There’s no doubt there was a surplus of TV events prior to the pandemic. And it’s clear not all of them will still be there to welcome delegates back once a vaccine for Covid-19 has been found.

Meanwhile, some companies have launched their own online screenings, continuing a trend we saw before the pandemic. Then there’s the global streamers, buyers with the ability to take your format or show around the world without you ever necessarily having to set foot on the Croisette.

The consensus, according to those we asked

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about the future of TV events (pages 14-18), appears to be for them to embrace a mix of the physical and the virtual when they return.

Some are already doing just that.

SeriesFest, scheduled for June 24 to July 11, 2021, has announced a “hybrid” festival format, which will include a combination of physical and virtual screenings, panels, professional development workshops and socially distanced in-person events.

Welcome to the new normal.

There’s no denying what people miss most about markets is the ability to catch up in person and build new relationships from chance encounters. As long as the winemakers of France continue to produce rosé, there will always be TV execs to drink it in exotic locations. But buyers travelling to sit in a screening room will be a thing of the past when things return to whatever passes for ‘normal.’ Given our planet is facing a climate emergency, that’s probably for the best.

Systemic racism within the industry is another emergency requiring urgent attention. The Black Lives Matter movement has been the catalyst for overdue conversations, and we have seen numerous major players commit significant resources to bringing about long-term change.

After so many false dawns, there’s a real sense of urgency now and the momentum seen over the summer must continue. For all the upheaval – or perhaps as a result of it – the pandemic may have provided the reset moment the industry needs.

Nico Franks

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CONTENTS

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: The new normal Leading players in the content business speak to C21 editor-in-chief David Jenkinson about how they are adapting to the new normal amid the pandemic.

These interviews were conducted for a C21TV series titled Coming Up Next, a coproduction with The University of York’s SIGN programme.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: The future of TV markets Producers, distributors and buyers tell C21 how they have coped without physical events, markets and conferences whilst speculating what form television’s busy events circuit will take post pandemic.

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ANATOMY OF A DEAL: Banijay & Endemol Shine Banijay’s acquisition of Endemol Shine has transformed Stéphane Courbit’s company into the largest unscripted producer in the world and placed it among the top five in drama.

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NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21 Vital stories, ambitious children’s series and plenty of dogs are among the big programming trends emerging at Mipcom Online+. C21 picks out 21 of the shows worth keeping an eye out for.

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PRESENT IMPERFECT FUTURE TENSE: Graham Sherrington UK director and executive producer Graham Sherrington, whose credits include Top Gear and Grand Designs, discusses the future of freelancers in a post Covid-19 world.

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Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: The new normal

Coming Up Next The Covid-19 pandemic devastated the global content business as the world went into lockdown. But pressing the pause button has allowed the TV business to take stock and reimagine how to do things differently once we return to a new normal. David Jenkinson reports.

“W

hat did you do in the pandemic?” will likely be a question we all have to answer for the rest of our lives. It’s the Third World War, and as we passed one million deaths in September with no end in sight, it’s not a struggle that will be ‘over by Christmas.’

The pandemic has also given the world more time to consider global anxieties, about race, populism, inclusion, equality and the environment. It’s no coincidence that the Black Lives Matter movement came to the fore in the time of Covid.

As the global content business struggles to get back to a new normal, many leading the charge believe good as well as bad will come out of this, as it has allowed us to pause for thought and take time to reflect on how to do things better, from more effective production strategies to the kinds of stories people will want to watch.

Jens Richter, CEO of international at Fremantle, says: “One thing we have all learned during this crisis is how we can trust our people – how we can all work in a more flexible environment and still make it happen. In terms of production technology, we learned an awful lot too about how to use smart, more flexible technologies and be more nimble.

And none of that will go away after Covid.”

At the structural level of how to get things made, the business has certainly adapted, but as production swings back into action, the challenge is about getting a show up, and keeping it there.

Dana Goldberg is chief creative officer at Skydance Media, one of the most prolific producers of film and TV in the world, including Netflix’s longest running series, Grace & Frankie, and the Mission Impossible franchise.

“We will have to adjust the way we make shows,” she says. “Will you throw 1,000 extras together for a crowd scene? No, that’s not going to happen. Will we be spending a little more on CGI to accommodate that? Absolutely.

We’ve all been making TV shows and movies the same way for a very long time, and now we’re all going have to learn a new way.

“The easiest way to move forward is to put people in

“

One thing we have all learned during this crisis is how we can trust our people – how we can all work in a more flexible environment and still make it happen.

Jens Richter Fremantle

different groups in terms of who they interact with. That way, if you have someone who tests positive, you’re not shutting down an entire show, you’re just shutting down one part.”

It’s clear production will have to change but the bigger shift for all of us is about getting used to greater separation and reliance on online communication. And this will change the nature of the shows audiences want to watch.

Goldberg says: “If you look at difficult times in history, whether it’s post-war or post-depression, people have always gravitated towards aspirational, inspirational, more light-hearted fare: comedies, musicals, adventure.

And we’re going to pay attention to that, as I think everyone else is. The world right now is a scary place and people don’t want to see dark and dystopian. They want to be reminded that it’s all going to be OK. They want to laugh, dream again and go to fantasy lands.” u

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: The new normal

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We will have to adjust the way we make shows. Will you throw 1,000 extras together for a crowd scene? No, that’s not going to happen. Will we be spending a little more on CGI to accommodate that? Absolutely.

Dana Goldberg Skydance Media

Writer and producer Frank Spotnitz agrees, and when asked about the sorts of stories he has been developing during lockdown, he says: “It’s interesting. I’ve thought about ideas that are directly related to the pandemic, and there are some of those ideas that may be worth doing. But I suspect that most of the stories people are going to tell that spring from this period are not directly related to the fact we’ve had to stop ordinary life for a period of time.

“We’re in such an extraordinary moment of social, political, cultural and economic change that our task as storytellers is to make sense of all of that. And we’re in the midst of it. So, it’s very hard to reach any conclusions about what’s happening. You can’t help feeling these very strong currents that are running through the entire world, and this instability that doesn’t feel like it’s going to go away anytime soon.

“I find myself thinking a lot about the 1960s, because that was a period also of huge change, rapid change. I think you’re going to see a lot of dramas that are about the present moment but not set in the present moment, because it’s changing so quickly. There’s a fear that your show Simon Mirren will be out of date by the time it reaches the airwaves. We’ll find ways to talk about what we’re going through but set in another time or place. It’s almost impossible to make anything contemporary without having reference to the pandemic.”

It’s also clear that broadcasters have rushed into commissioning more unscripted television over the past few months, rather than drama, which has been more difficult to restart.

Rob Wade is president of alternative and specials at Fox Entertainment in the US, overseeing the network and also the studio Fox Alternative Entertainment, which makes shows like The Masked Singer. He hopes unscripted comes back strong, but cautions that at the top end it’s not necessarily in a better position than drama.

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

“What I’m trying to do is make people understand that our audience in unscripted television is as important as extras in a scripted show, because they provide all the context, reaction, emotion that you need to understand as a viewer to make these shows really good,” he says. Which means it has the same scale of challenge as drama. “I’m very, very, very focused on that at the moment.”

He’s also considering a fast-changing landscape in which the business itself is also being redrawn. “The pandemic has made us realise how good we had it. The past 20 years has been a phenomenal time in unscripted television with amazing hits.

But the fact the news cycle now generates so much noise makes it very difficult to create the urgency and loudness the early unscripted hits had when everyone was talking about Nasty Nick in Big Brother or Carrie Underwood winning American Idol. It’s very difficult to break through now, and certainly sustain. I feel like we need new hits. We have to find a way, as an industry, to start to innovate more, and the pandemic has accelerated that.”

Simon Mirren, the LA-based writer and showrunner best known for his work on Criminal Minds and Versailles, believes the structural changes in the business, alongside social and political shifts, will have a lasting impact. “We all feel like finally we’re in our own movie. And the really scary thing is we don’t even know what the ending’s going to be,” he says. “But it’s forcing us to reconsider and adapt what we do.”

For Mirren, that boils down to fundamentally revisiting the subject matter for the kinds of projects he creates. “If you try and pitch a cop show, they just don’t want to hear it, because the youth doesn’t want anything to do with cops,” he says. “Which is interesting, because some of the biggest shows of the last 20, 30, 40 years on television have been cop shows. So, there is a kickback, and a lot of other things are going to change too. u

“

We’re in such an extraordinary moment of social, political, cultural and economic change that our task as storytellers is to make sense of all of that. And we’re in the midst of it.

Frank Spotnitz

Normal People: ‘This little story out of Ireland, it could be anywhere.’

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: The new normal

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

“Our stories are going to be even more diverse, even more interesting. And the Black Lives Matter movement, along with all of the other significant things that have raised consciousness during 2020, are not going away.”

Mirren say there’s an appetite for more authenticity and that will also impact the sorts of shows that get made. “I saw Normal People during the pandemic, because I had time to search it out and watch it. I didn’t know who was in it. I didn’t know who had written it. I didn’t know who produced it. And it was one of the best things I’ve ever seen.

It was absolutely brilliant. The filming was extraordinary.

The writing was beautiful. The actors were just great. And that defied everything that I’ve been taught here, which is you’ve got to have a name, you’ve got to have this, you’ve got to have that. No, you don’t actually, you don’t have to have any of any of those things. You just have to have something that’s absolutely authentic.

“There has to be more diversity, because stories are diverse. This little story out of Ireland, it could be anywhere. They didn’t have to be white people. It could be black people in Detroit having the same experience.

There’s going to be a river of stories when we come out of this, because the only people that can do something are writers. But it’s important that the wheelhouse of our business changes dramatically to try to find those authentic stories, because there must be so many storytellers now desperate to tell them. So, that is diversity and the diversity has to start at the top.”

The Handmaid’s Tale director Kari Skogland also believes the pandemic has spawned a more connected authenticity between television and its audience that will inform the future. “It’s probably one of the most interesting fallouts of all this,” she says. “As a result of this online interaction with all of the stars, all of the creators, the nature of how we are communicating has simplified.

“All of a sudden, we’re seeing the books they’re reading behind them on their wall. There’s an intimacy that’s Richter is also optimistic about the future: “I’m a happy developed as a result of this, which means we see people as they are. They’re not all made up. They’re not a fabrication realist,” he says. “I tend to see the glass half full, but then of themselves. That is probably the biggest game-changer I also consider the risk. I talked a lot with my three kids we will see, and that means things need to be more during lockdown. For me, it was a reset and a chance to think about how things could be different. authentic. It will make television even better.”

“I was reminded of stories I heard from my parents and Spotnitz agrees: “I thought before the pandemic began, my grandparents about postand I continue to think, this war Europe. I grew up during is the best time in the history There’s an intimacy a time when things just of television. There’s more that’s developed as a got better. And now we good and interesting work result of this, which means know it can be different. being done now than ever we see people as they are.

Life is more than just before. There’s more work That is probably the biggest about consumption and being done now, period, but where to take your next so much of it is good. I’ve game-changer we will see. holiday. This pandemic always believed that you Kari Skogland has made people think should try to make television about themselves and where that is nutritious. That is to say, it’s saying something. It’s making you think it’s they are in life, and we will tell different stories as a result. challenging you. It’s television that you will reflect upon. We will also be more open to take risks in telling new People have rushed to their screens during this pandemic stories and giving new perspectives on life, because there’s and it’s been the fireplace for all of us. We’ve all gathered a change in the way we live. We are all a lot more curious coming out of this, and our audience is too. around, and to a remarkable degree.

“What we are living through is a real, long-lasting “Television has served people really well during this period. The most interesting thing is the acceleration of experience, and that will have consequences in the way we cultural unity, on platforms like Netflix in particular. You work, think and entertain people for years to come.” can watch shows from Germany, Turkey, Korea, Africa, all over the world in local languages. And there is a cross- These interviews were part of the Coming Up Next pollination of cultures that is happening right now that is series, a coproduction between C21 and The University of York’s SIGN programme. unprecedented. I can’t help but think that’s a good thing.”

“

Top: The Handmaid’s Tale was directed

by Kari Skogland. Above: The Masked Singer came out of Fox Alternative Entertainment under Rob Wade (below)

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AHEAD OF THE CURVE: The future of TV markets

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

What next for TV events?

Producers, distributors and buyers tell C21 how they’ve coped without physical events, markets and conferences and speculate on what form television’s busy events circuit will take post pandemic.

Bethan Corney, MD and coproduction broker at distributor and financer Silverlining (UK) It’s been liberating and hasn’t impacted our business at all.

As a relatively small company, we’ve been able to save that cost of going to Mip and now we’re asking how we use those resources differently and what opportunities it opens up to us.

We’ve been hosting meetings via Powow, which allows us to display our catalogue and clips to a virtual room of buyers while talking them through it. Based on the success of that and our conversations with buyers, we decided not to bother with the online version of Mipcom.

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I will always want to go to the big markets – it’s how I’ve spent my life and I know it’s so vitally important to see your friends and business partners.

Phil Gurin

The Gurin Company

Mipcom in full swing back in 2017

Phil Gurin, president of The Gurin Company, board member at Natpe co-chair of Frapa (US) You need markets for face time, to see people and be around them, but some things will not survive. We’re reinventing our lives and it will impact how we do business. You’re already seeing people realise they didn’t need that many people in the office. I didn’t need to spend that much money going to trade shows.

It’s a purge.

I will always want to go to the big markets – it’s how I’ve spent my life and I know it’s so vitally important to see your friends and business partners. I don’t want to name events that might suffer a death knell, but there are a few out there that may not come back from this.

Laura Marshall, CEO of indie Icon Films (UK) It’s been a bit of a relief not having to go away for a bit but if you’re a distributor and it’s your key market, that’s difficult. We will all think twice about getting on a plane just to go and have a conversation in future. How business-critical is that? It will have an impact on the bottom line – saving money and the planet – if we reduce the amount of air travel we do.

David Royle, exec VP and chief programming officer at Smithsonian (US) It may slow down the commissioning process, because ideally we want to follow up with face-to-face meetings, but as long as we don’t miss, for instance, two Mipcoms in a row, I think we’ll be OK. My suspicion is we’ll be back on the road as we were before.

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AHEAD OF THE CURVE: The future of TV markets

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

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Could bustling market floors be a thing of the past?

Ian McKee, founder and CEO of online marketplace Vuulr (Singapore) Covid on a personal level has been a disaster. But from a business point of view, it has helped us. It’s forced the industry to take a hard pivot to digital. As a digital marketplace that allowed for transactions to happen that would ordinarily have been done face to face, we’ve obviously had a lot more people willing to try that.

The rate at which we’ve got new buyers and sellers on board has gone up. The quality of content we’re getting listed has gone up faster than we thought – we have front-catalogue, A-list, Hollywood films listed on our platform for sale. A year ago we were told this would never happen, or wouldn’t happen for a long time.

The number of physical events will decline. Everybody was thinking there were too many anyway. We will still have physical events – you can’t beat sitting with a glass of rosé talking to contacts about business – but they will change in nature. They will be much more focused around the networking, knowledge sharing and relationship building, and what will decline will be the frantic running around on 20-minute schedules trying to watch screeners. That will go digital, into the cloud, on platforms like Vuulr.

Stefanie Fischer, MD of sales at producer and distributor Off The Fence (Netherlands/UK/Germany) We miss our face-to-face time and casual meetings on the Croissette.

You don’t have these points of the calendar to get everything together and see everybody with the whole slate; it’s like one big blur now.

I see my clients a lot more. I used to just call them; now it’s always a Zoom or Teams meeting and that’s quite nice. There’s a different personal touch, as we’re all in it together. I’m stuck at home with two children and a cat walking through my screen. It’s a different bonding experience than drinking in Cannes.

We don’t need to travel to the extent we were before and we won’t go back to that. But you do get more energy from being in a room together.

A video call with a lot of people can be draining, whereas if you sit together, it gives energy.

Jonathan Ford, founder of distributor Abacus Media Rights (UK) It is a challenge because you can never beat the face-to-face meeting. I always want my sales teams in territories sitting down with buyers to not just pitch but also find out what the buyer is looking for and what development they have coming down the line.

Without the capability to do that, either at a market or on a sales trip, it’s difficult to get that info from people remotely.

But lockdown has proved businesses can still operate and we can close business this way.

There are a lot of markets. The press has covered how certain markets have shrunk in recent years, and it may be that this period proves we have to be more sensible about what is needed and not needed. There may be a thinning out of those markets to the ones that have always been more popular anyway.

Danielle Lux, MD of Red Arrow-owned CPL Productions (UK) It’s difficult to get to know new people. We’ve worked in the UK for a long time and know commissioners, and when you’re picking up conversations with writers or commissioning editors over something specific, it’s fine. But it’s difficult to get a vibe off an initial introduction.

On the other hand, there is a democratisation of the process. Realscreen is far easier for us to get to than it used to be. You used to have to fly to have a meeting in the US. That’s been a game changer for us, being able to just plug in and have a chat with somebody in America from home.

Danny Fenton, CEO of factual and formats at producer Zig Zag Productions (UK) I don’t find the online versions of events that appealing. I’ve reached saturation point on webinars.

Being able to get face time, albeit via a video call, with buyers is good. The thing you miss from the markets is not just the socialising, but the random meetings or conversations that lead to something.

I’ve heard a lot of distributors saying they’ve never been selling more, but this is false optimism – they can’t see the wave that’s coming in to wash over them. Yes, they’re selling a lot at the moment, but they haven’t got markets to sell at, and come 2021, they won’t have new programmes to sell. It will creep up on them – how do you find and make content, how do you interact without markets?

As soon as there is a market I can go to, I will definitely want to go to it, because I want to see people and, having been on that merry-go-round for many a year, I’ve made friends and contacts in different countries. But until there is a vaccine, I don’t think there will be markets into next year. Most of the studios and big networks aren’t going to allow their staff to travel.

Tim Haslam, partner in distributor and financer Embankment Films We don’t need to (UK) Who needs a travel to the extent market? It’s the IP we were before and we and storytelling that won’t go back to that. sells. That’s why we’re involved But you do get more early – get the storytelling right energy from being in a and the consumer wants it. The through line in our projects is room together. A video great filmmakers and storytellers. call with a lot of people The most important person isn’t can be draining, whereas in the room at the market, it’s the if you sit together, it gives consumer. They’re more powerful energy. than anything, especially now with on-demand, online reviews, Stefanie Fischer referrals and social media Off The Fence recommendations. It’s incredibly powerful and it’s an opportunity. u

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AHEAD OF THE CURVE: The future of TV markets

David Cornwall, founder and CEO of distributor Scorpion TV (UK) Markets provide a focus and give the whole thing a jolt of energy. They get everybody focused on a certain point in time when the buyers are there to buy and you’re there to sell, and without that there is a loss of energy.

The upside is that I’m able to meet people I may not have met at the market via Zoom.

I’m able to access panels in my own time that I might not have had time to physically go to.

I’d be happy if this period has given these markets a chance to re-evaluate their offering and make it more attractive for us to put our hands in our pockets and make the journey. I’ve heard some online festivals have been quite successful for producers in terms of screening films because suddenly their audience is the world, as opposed to a theatre.

There are positives, and if somebody can work out a way to combine the best of physical and virtual, that could be a compelling offering. I do miss the 20 meetings a day, but I’m re-evaluating the need to travel so much.

Stephen Stewart, MD of indie Green Inc (UK) The biggest loss has to be those surprise meetings; the opportunities you gain by just bumping into people. Those are the ones that always seem to reap the rewards, rather than the formal meet-ups. Down the line, who knows the true cost of what missing these ‘chance meetings’ will be.

As far as the formal panel sessions go, many of these have worked successfully online. So in many ways, we’ve had more time to watch these than we would at physical events. In this sense, there is a silver lining. I think all the events will return, but just not as we know it. Fewer delegates may turn up, there may be a mixture of online and physical sessions, and social distancing measures will be in full force, to begin with at least.

Jorge Franzini, director of content and development, CuriosityStream (US) It’s sad not to be able to see partners you work with and meet new people at markets; we do rely on them a lot to find new projects. But this has been an international service from day one, so we’ve been using all forms of tech to meet with producers and distributors from all over the world. We’ve participated in digital markets and have already heard of some terrific projects.

Email us, get in touch. We never don’t answer; it may take longer than it did because of the situation at the moment, but we’ll always respond.

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

The sun shines on last year’s Mipcom

Axel Arno, commissioning editor for documentaries, SVT, chair of EBU documentary group (Sweden) The online pitching sessions I’ve been involved with have been well organised – more exhausting, but more effective. I don’t think it’s forever, but it’s a good alternative. Event organisers will have to weigh up whether it’s better to do it online with more attendees and lower costs, or big pitching sessions that will be live. IDFA has to be live, HotDocs has to be live, but the smaller ones can go online.

The discussion about going to MipTV, particularly MipDoc, had already been going on a long time. It’s so old school to go to a room of computers and watch for two days. So that will probably change. Mip has to rethink its whole structure.

Chris Knight, Gusto Worldwide Media president and CEO (Canada) With no markets to attend, it’s difficult to build new customers and sales. I always thought of Mipcom, ATF and others not so much as people signing contracts but as a way to find new potential buyers. In the new reality, how do we find people who don’t know we exist?

I don’t think events will exist in the same way. Until there is a vaccine, there are too many ifs for everything to go back to the way it was. I have visions of me wandering around the Palais bunker with 9,000 people from around the world coughing, wheezing and sweating. I don’t see how it’s possible.

Karen Young, founder and CEO of distributor, Orange Smarty (UK) We’re people people and we miss the chance to build relationships. But it’s made us innovate, which we’re great at in this industry. We’d never heard of Zoom a year ago and now it’s part of our daily lives, and suddenly markets like Australia aren’t far away because of it. It’s opened up a lot of opportunity and made people realise business can be done, and done quickly face to face, without travelling. In the end, it would be nice for physical and virtual to run hand in hand because you can’t replace human contact and we all crave it.

© picture: christophe blain

9 > 11 march 2021 Bordeaux Nouvelle-Aquitaine

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ANATOMY OF A DEAL: Banijay & Endemol Shine

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

Big Bfrother Israel

Big brothers in arms I

Banijay founder Stéphane Courbit and CEO Marco Bassetti

t’s two years since Banijay’s potential takeover of Endemol Shine Group was the buzz of cocktail hour at Mipcom and a year since confirmation was announced.

But finally, this summer the deal was done. The events of 2020, however – or rather lack of them as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – means any plans for a suitably lavish Cannes coronation have, for the time being, been well and truly scuppered.

While the world grapples with the biggest health crisis of modern times, the global TV industry has witnessed the creation of the biggest independent production and distribution business outside the US. Banijay’s €3bn (US$2.2bn) takeover of Endemol Shine in July marked the culmination of a protracted courtship by the former’s founder and chairman, Stéphane Courbit, who first tried to buy out the Dutch giant in 2006 when he was CEO of Endemol France.

Having missed out in the bidding, he set up Banijay with backing from Bernard Arnault’s French luxury goods firm, LMVH, and through his own investment vehicle, LOV Group, went on to fund a string of acquisitions including Keeping Up with the Kardashians maker Bunim/Murray in 2010 and, more substantially, Zodiak Media in 2015.

Having established a strong French base through longrunning reality show Temptation Island and talent format Popstars, Banijay bolstered its unscripted credentials further with the Zodiak buy, introducing Fort Boyard maker Adventure Line and Wife Swap outfit RDF to the stable.

It also strengthened a slim scripted presence, at the time nascent with Versailles, by acquiring producer Yellow Bird (Wallander, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) in Sweden.

That deal was, in part, a response to escalating M&A activity, with Discovery and Liberty Global buying All3Media and the merger of Endemol, Shine and Core Media Group – a move that saw 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management share ownership until the alliance was undone

by Disney’s acquisition of the former in 2019.

Banijay’s acquisition of Endemol Shine has transformed Stéphane Courbit’s company into the largest unscripted producer in the world and placed it among the top five in drama.

By Jonathan Webdale The latter transaction meant the Mouse House was happy to part ways with a property whose programming didn’t always fit its family values, and Banijay, along with All3, ITV Studios, Fremantle and Endeavor, began circling.

Having baulked at the initial price tag, however, interest among several suitors cooled. Not Courbit though, and together with former Endemol chief Marco Bassetti – recruited to his campaign as Banijay CEO in 2013 – the pursuit continued and was finally successful last October.

In February this year, just before Covid-19 began to take hold, Banijay raised €2.4bn to help fund the takeover, paying down debt on both companies and handing Courbit control with a 67.1% stake held via LOV subsidiary LDH (which counts De Agostini and Filmalac as partners), with the remaining 32.9% going to Vivendi.

European Commission anti-trust approval was received at the beginning of July and a couple of days later the newlook Banijay began to emerge, an entity now comprising more than 120 companies across 22 countries.

Endemol Shine gave Banijay something neither it nor Zodiak could previously lay claim to: a number of truly global formats and significant interests in the booming pre-pandemic TV drama sector. Courbit and Bassetti had added Survivor to the mix in 2017 with the purchase of its creator, Castaway Television, but Endemol Shine came with Big Brother and MasterChef, plus drama series like The Bridge, Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror, Humans, Broadchurch and others. u

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22

ANATOMY OF A DEAL: Banijay & Endemol Shine

From top: Peaky Blinders, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Versailles and MasterChef

Banijay is now the largest unscripted producer in the world and among the top five scripted producers globally, behind Disney, ViacomCBS and WarnerMedia but ahead of NBCUniversal and Sky parent Comcast, according to research firm Ampere Analysis.

“A key gain for Banijay will be Endemol’s scripted business in the UK. Combined, the new Banijay has accounted for 10% of new scripted commissions in the UK since the beginning of 2019, tying with the BBC as the largest producer of firstrun scripted commissions,” Ampere claimed. But the gains also come at a cost.

“Welcoming the Endemol Shine brands and talents to our existing business will signal enhanced opportunities in the marketplace, and we are all excited by what the future holds for the combined entity,” said Bassetti in the same announcement that confirmed Endemol Shine CEO Sophie Turner Laing would be stepping down from her role. Mergers on this scale inevitably bring duplication of roles and ensuing rationalisation.

Which means that heads roll.

Some leapt ahead of the takeover, notably Endemol Shine International CEO Cathy Payne, who subsequently rejoined to take control of Banijay Rights’ 88,000-hour distribution catalogue. Formats chief Lisa Perrin exited for ITV Studios and UK factual champion Kim Shillinglaw left but has yet to resurface.

Restructuring proper got underway first at home, with Endemol Shine France president Nicolas Coppermann moving on as Banijay France boss François de Brugada took charge of the enlarged entity there.

Italy, Spain and Portugal followed.

Massimo Righini, chief creative officer at Rome-based NonPanic Banijay, stepped down as Banijay Italia CEO Paolo Bassetti was confirmed in post, while Endemol Shine Iberia chief Pilar Blasco consolidated her position at the new parent company.

Endemol Shine Netherlands CEO Boudewijn Beusmans moved on as Peter Lubbers, founder of MGMbacked Dutch prodco Concept Street, was named CEO of Banijay Benelux. Magnus Kastner, CEO of Endemol Shine Germany, stepped down to make way for Banijay Germany chief Marcus Wolter, while Endemol Shine UK boss Richard Johnson departed as group chief creative officer Peter Salmon became the region’s executive chairman and local chief operating officer Lucinda Hicks was elevated to CEO. In the Nordics, Endemol Shine chief Karin Stjärne headed for the door as Banijay Nordic CEO Jacob Houlind

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

retained his position, having sold his Nordisk Film TV to the company in 2009.

Endemol Shine chief financial officer Ivan Nash Vila left, with Banijay incumbent Sophie Kurinckx gaining the enlarged remit, but the former’s international drama chief, Lars Blomgren, was rewarded with the post of head of scripted for EMEA. Endemol Shine Australia co-CEOs Mark and Carl Fennessy are leaving, with chief content officer Peter Newman set to take over their duties.

The picture, at the time of writing, was unclear in terms of the US, which along with the UK was one of the greatest prizes for Banijay, but is perhaps slightly more complicated in terms of leadership. Endemol USA founder David Goldberg launched Banijay Studios North America in 2014 and sits atop a business that, aside from Bunim/Murray, includes Stephen David Entertainment.

Meanwhile, Endemol Shine North America CEO Chris Abrego has been in post since replacing Goldberg the same year and is also chairman of Endemol Shine Americas, the company’s Latin America arm, which extends Banijay into new territories, including Brazil and Mexico. With the recent decision by the Kardashian family to end their show next year after 20 seasons on E!, Abrego may well be in the stronger position.

Either way, the final company structure that emerges represents a behemoth that has serviced 60 different major media clients in the top 25 markets since the beginning of 2019, according to Ampere. This at a time when the direction of travel among the US majors has been to ‘circle the wagons’ and draw on in-house resources to feed a growing focus on vertically integrated streaming services.

“As a company with little to no platform or channel ownership, this puts Banijay in a unique market position as a major producer with no strings attached,” says Ampere’s senior analyst, Fred Black. “This brings advantages of being able to play the field more than competitors, but also challenges, in not having a business base of ‘safe’ commissions from a corporate partner to rely on.”

In late September, Banijay Rights unveiled the structure of its distribution team, led by Payne and headquartered in London, with sales representatives in offices around the world, including Paris, Moscow, Sydney, LA, Miami, Mumbai and Singapore.

EMEA is under the guidance of executive VP Tim Mutimer, while Matt Creasey, who was confirmed earlier in the year as exec VP of sales, acquisitions and coproductions, restof-world, will oversee all non-EMEA sales execs.

There were murmurs before the deal closed that Banijay was trying to renegotiate terms in the wake of coronavirus.

The situation certainly changes the stakes.

On one hand, Banijay’s coveted scripted assets have been among the sectors hit hardest by the crisis, alongside hospitality, in which LOV also has substantial interests via the Airelles hotel chain. On the other, as the world leader in unscripted at a time the genre is proving swiftest to return to production under Covid-19 safety restrictions, the addition of Endemol Shine puts Banijay in a powerful position.

In 2011, Courbit received delivery of a luxury 60-metre superyacht called Yogi, which less than 12 months later claimed the unfortunate distinction of being the largest yacht to ever sink.

It would be fatuous to suggest analogies with Banijay, but as Cannes, a town reliant on events for 85% of its income, grapples with a €800m hit to its finances as a result of cancellations, that long-awaited champagne reception befitting the Sun King may have to wait a little longer.

Meet us at MIPCOM! zdf-enterprises.de

Current Highlights

Standing Tall

Grow Series / Crime + Suspense

8 x 42’

Series / Crime + Suspense

4 x 100’ / 8 x 45’

Meet stockbroker Adam as he dives ever deeper into Danish biker gangs.

Grow is a gripping thriller that tears us from monotonous everyday life and invites us into the exciting but vicious world of organized crime.

Follow Adam as he strives to become the new boss of the Danish underworld. Adam’s ruthless ambition to succeed is matched only by the efforts of his brother, a drug enforcement officer, to save him. But who will succeed?

Standing Tall tells the story of a father’s investigation into his son’s alleged suicide. Hunting for the truth about a death that isn’t at all what it might appear to be proves to be a veritable obstacle course for Valerio, who is dead set on obtaining justice, but it will also prove to be his last chance to come to terms with his troubled past, both as a man and a father. A painful redemption to reclaim a bond that not even death can break. A father and a son.

Produced by: SF Studios Productions and Rocket Road Pictures for TV2 Denmark Cast: Andreas Jessen, Sebastian Jessen, Sebastian Bull a. o.

Produced by: Publispei for RAI Italy Cast: Alessandro Gassman, Maya Sansa, Andrea Sartoretti, Luigi Fedele a. o.

Sløborn

Top Dog

Series / Crime + Suspense

4 x 90’/ 8 x 45’

Series / Crime + Suspense

8 x 45’

In Sløborn, a coming-of-age-drama and post-apocalyptic disaster thriller merge into a modern epic. Social workers Freja and Martin arrive on an island with a group of juvenile delinquents. When two bodies are discovered, growing signs indicate that they are carrying an epidemic.

At first, the islanders are too involved in their own personal problems to comprehend the grave danger. But the fatal virus invades the seemingly idyllic island deeper and deeper until law and order collapse.

From the acclaimed producers of Bron, Top Dog focuses primarily on the clash between Stockholm business attorney Emily Jansson and Södertälje ex-con Teddy Maksumic. In order to achieve her goal, Emily has to find Philip, who has been kidnapped. In order to leave his old life, Teddy has to find Philip’s kidnapper. Their paths cross on their respective missions, which is the beginning of an unorthodox collaboration and a highly unusual friendship. Together, they become an unstoppable duo.

Produced by: Syrreal Entertainment in co-production with ZDF, Tobis, Nordisk Film and ZDF Enterprises Cast: Alexander Scheer, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Laura Tonke, Lea van Acken, Emily Kusche,

Produced by: Gilmlance International in co-production with TV4 / C MORE Sweden, ZDF and ZDF Enterprises GmbH Cast: Josefin Asplund, Alexej Manvelov, Joel Spira, Christian Hillborg a. o.

Heirs of the Night Live Action L&M

Hoodie 26 x 26’

10 + / Family

Live Action

52 x 11’

Season 2 Available Now

10 + Available Now

Set in 1889, the Heirs of the Night — children of the five remaining European vampire clans — come together to join forces and learn from each other, as each child has powers unique to their clan. They’ll have to set aside their differences and unite to survive, as Dracula plans to destroy them all. Destiny has given Alisa — one of the Heirs — the gift of the spark: A curse so powerful it could also destroy all vampires and human life. Will she make the right decision?

Hoodie is a superhero story centered around a perfectly normal boy with an exceptional talent for parkour and a heart for justice. For two years now, Pieter has been trained in secret by Soufian — the best parkour athlete in Brussels — in secret, as his mother would never approve it. One evening, on his way back from training, he witnesses a theft and decides to use his skills to bring down the bad guy — right there the legend of “Hoodie” is created.

Produced by: Lemming Film, Hamster Film, Maze Film, Maipo Film and ZDF Enterprises

Produced by: VRT / Ketnet & Hotel Hungaria

Space Nova

Zoom — The White Dolphin

Animation

26 x 22’

6 – 10

Animation

Coming Soon

L&M

When the Nova family find humanity’s first evidence of intelligent extra-terrestrial life — an abandoned alien craft — they think they’ve hit the scientific jackpot. But when the ship takes off before they can retrieve it, it starts them on an epic quest that will bring them face-to-face with strange life-forms, physics-defying phenomena and out-of-this-world planets beyond their wildest dreams.

Produced by: SLR Productions

104 x 12’

6 — 10

Season 2 Coming Soon

Yann (15) and his little sister Marina (7) live on the island of Maotou, a tiny corner of paradise lost in the Pacific Ocean. Yann has formed a bond of friendship with Zoom, a white dolphin of exceptional intelligence… In the new season, our heroes and their Polynesian friends are confronted with fresh dangers. Through Ramana, the custodian of local legends, Yann and his friends are also set on the trail of the mysteries that shroud the history and origins of the island.

Produced by: Media Valley, Marzipan Films

Anthropocene — The Rise of Humans Science + Knowledge

Frontlines

3 x 50’

History + Biographies

8 x 50’

4K / UHD

The elements of fire, water and air had formed the earth over billions of years — until humans have started to severely transform the planet within only a short period of time. Scientists today talk about the Anthropocene, the human epoch. This three-parter tells this story, from the beginnings of human civilisation to the present day. For this in-house production, the ZDF team travelled the globe, to Ethiopia, Australia, Iceland, the USA and China, among other places.

Frontlines takes you deep into the heart of battle to reveal the critical turning points in some of World War II’s most decisive confrontations, from the killing fields of Normandy to the hazardous mountains of Italy, over the vast Pacific Ocean and into devastated Berlin. Compelling first-person testimony from all sides, cutting-edge analysis, location demonstrations and vivid storytelling dispel the myths to provide new insights into the thrilling events that shaped the outcome of the war.

Produced by: ZDF in association with ZDF Enterprises

Produced by: Impossible Factual Production in association with ZDF Enterprises

The Return of the Bears

Crime Watch XY 1 x 50’

Reality TV / Crime

4K / UHD

This documentary is at the very center of the most exciting and most controversial rewilding program in the history of Europe. The return of the bears. This can be the ultimate success story, showing that we are ready to share the land with a predator we previously hunted to extinction in large parts of Europe. Scientists hope that the reintroduction will have a positive impact on the entire ecosystem. But is Europe ready to accept the burden it takes to coexist with brown bears?

Produced by: PROSPECT TV for ZDF in cooperation with ZDF Enterprises and Arte

90’

560 shows aired since 1967

Crime Watch XY is a manhunt series that is now a German TV classic and a successful tool in the fight against criminality. The program’s goal is to solve open cases with the help of the viewers. In each episode, 5 or 6 unsolved crimes are presented in the form of film reconstructions (film cases). Other cases are also treated in which suspects are being sought on the basis of superimposed photos and identikit shots (studio cases). In Germany, an average of about 40 % of the cases aired has been solved.

Produced by: Securitel

ZDF Enterprises GmbH | Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1 | 55127 Mainz | Germany T: +49 (0) 6131- 991-0 | info@zdf-enterprises.de | www.zdf-enterprises.de

Current Highlights

2.2020

Wildlife + Nature

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

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Looking for a lift Uplifting stories, ambitious children’s series and plenty of dogs are among the big programming trends emerging at Mipcom Online+, writes Nico Franks.

Wizard of Paws (11x30’)

Producer: Nomadica Films Distributor: Cineflix Rights They say: “Answering calls from across the US and internationally, pet prosthetics pioneer Derrick Campana gives troubled animals a second chance, as he creates one-of-a-kind prosthetics and takes their owners on an emotional journey as their beloved bionic pets get a new lease on life.”

We say: If it’s heartwarming stories you’re looking for in our troubled times, then look no further than these adorable creatures overcoming the odds.

Lennon’s Last Weekend (1x60’) Producer: MGMM Studios Production Distributor: Abacus Media Rights They say: “When this world-exclusive interview took place nobody could have known this would be the very last opportunity for John to open up to the world.”

We say: This Sky UK doc, which comes ahead of the 40th anniversary of the music icon’s murder in December, illuminates what was to be the former Beatle’s last interview with archival footage, photographs and conversations with people who knew him.

Presto! School of Magic (52x11’) Producers: TeamTO, Panache Productions, La Compagnie Cinématographique Distributor: Federation Kids & Family They say: “An amazing series that has all the exceptional ingredients to inspire magic-loving kids the world over, and the timing for such an uplifting exceptionally crafted production is perfect.”

We say: French broadcasters M6 and Canal+ have been spellbound by this series based on StudioCanal’s feature film The House of Magic, which follows a band of talented and curious kids who dream of becoming magicians.

Small Axe (5x60’-120’) Producers: Turbine Studios, Lammas Park, EMU Films Distributor: BBC Studios They say: “Each film tells a different story involving London’s West Indian community, whose lives have been shaped by their own force of will despite rampant racism and discrimination.”

We say: The first television project from Academy Award-, Bafta- and Golden Globe-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen (Hunger, 12 Years A Slave) features an all-star British cast including John Boyega and Letitia Wright and is quite simply the unmissable TV event of the year.

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NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

Love Around the World (2x52’/1x75’) Producers: Autentic, Drugi Plan, Arte, BR Distributor: Autentic They say: “A young married couple decided to turn their honeymoon into a journey around the world, exploring the subject of love through the prism of different cultures, customs and beliefs.”

We say: With travelling abroad a distant prospect for millions around the world right now, why not get to know over 130 couples in 30 countries without even having to get off the couch?

Pip & Posy (52x7’)

London Zoo: An Extraordinary Year (2x60’)

Producer and distributor: Magic Light Pictures They say: “A story of friendship and understanding that captures the intense emotional highs and lows of preschooler life and shows that we all can be there to help each other.”

We say: Jointly commissioned by Channel 5’s Milkshake! and Sky Kids with the participation of ZDF in Germany, this series comes with animation from Blue Zoo and is based on the popular books of the same name by illustrator Axel Scheffler, best known for his work with Julia Donaldson on classics such as The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom.

Producers: Circle Circle Films, October Films Distributor: Entertainment One They say: “A self-shot view inside the zoo reveals how the animals and keepers have adapted to crisis now and throughout its rich 100-year history.”

We say: It’s way easier to film animals than it is humans these days, hence the numerous zoobased unscripted series being launched at Mipcom Online+. This ITV miniseries features uplifting stories from the world’s oldest scientific zoo.

Finding Love in Quarantine (8x15’) Producer and distributor: Pure Flix/Quality Flix They say: “During a time when people have had to maintain their distance, these films are about bringing people together through love, family and hope, all part of the new normal.”

We say: Tells the story of a single father who finds his world upended not only by the viral pandemic, but also by the loss of his job – something that will sadly resonate with countless viewers in 2020.

The Cleaner (1x60’)

Vigil (6x60’) Producer: World Productions Distributor: ITV Studios They say: “Unravels a highstakes conspiracy threatening the heart of Britain’s nuclear deterrent: a Trident nuclear submarine.”

We say: This BBC1 drama, based on an original idea by George Aza-Selinger, has been pre-bought by plenty of Euro pubcasters hoping the team behind international hits Bodyguard and Line of Duty can strike gold again with yet another adrenaline-fuelled thriller.

Producers: A La Compagnie Des Taxi Brousse, Native Voice Films Distributor: Fugitive They say: “Donovan Tavera – aka The Cleaner – is the man the authorities call, families call, anonymous people call, to clean up the post mess of the staggering murder spree that is the reality of Mexico today.”

We say: Produced in collaboration with France Télévisions, this unusual documentary is the story not only of a unique individual in Mexican society, but also the story of Mexico’s spiralling murder rate.

u

Cartoon Cartoon Business

Business 2 r 0 e 2 b 0 m e c e D 1 1 9

a (Spain) i r a n a C n a r G

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NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

Jade Armor (52x11’)

Pooch Perfect (8x60’/format)

Producer and distributor: TeamTO They say: “An excellent example of what a female heroine can bring to action adventure: a different way of looking at confrontation with antagonists and how to use the powers in her possession.”

We say: This action comedy has France Télévisions and Super RTL in Germany on board and an allwomen creative team, led by creator and director Chloé Miller, who tell the empowering story of a teenage girl hero with a high-tech armour suit.

Delivery is planned for fall 2021.

Producer: Beyond Productions Distributor: Beyond Rights They say: “Capitalises on growing doggy demand with a timely format packed with cute canines, super stylists, plus heart and joy, to deliver a fun, warm and thoroughly entertaining family viewing experience.”

We say: This competition format for dog groomers has already been produced locally in Australia for Seven Network, hosted

by Rebel Wilson, while Beyond is currently producing a UK version for BBC1 with Sheridan Smith.

Unseen (8x52’) Producers: Kwassa Films Distributor: About Premium Content They say: “Set in a small village in Belgium, Unseen is a drama which follows a community in the midst of a strange phenomenon and explores the moral complexities that arise in its wake.”

We say: Produced for RTBF and The Proximus Group, this mysterious Frenchlanguage drama is currently in postproduction and explores what it would be like if the power of invisibility became a reality.

Anna (6x60’) Producers: Wildside, Sky Italia, Arte France, Kwaï, The New Life Company Distributor: Fremantle They say: “Follows a stubborn, extremely brave child as she sets off in search of her kidnapped brother.”

We say: Based on creator and director Niccolò Ammaniti’s novel of the same name, this series marks Ammaniti’s second Sky original and is set in a world devastated by a virus where humans live only to the age of 14. One to make viewers think, “Well, at least things aren’t that bad.”

The Upside Down River (9x26’) Producer and distributor: Dandelooo They say: “An adventurous quest in a poetic fantasy world following Hannah’s search for water drops from the Qjar river in order to heal her sacred bird.”

We say: This ambitious show highlights the growing interest in serialised animated content amongst children’s buyers, who made this Canal+ Family project – based on the novel La rivière à l’envers by author Jean Claude Mourlevat – the most-viewed pitch at this year’s digital Cartoon Forum. Due for delivery in early 2022.

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Stay on top of EVERYTHING with a C21 Access All Areas subscription SAVE £869 on the combined subscriptions price Email sales@c21media.net for more information

34

NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

9/11 Kids (1x90’) Producer: Saloon Media Distributor: Blue Ant International They say: “Delves into the lives of the second graders who were reading with George W Bush when a plane hit the second tower of the World Trade Center.”

We say: Almost 20 years later, this film reveals what has become of the classroom of gifted, predominantly African American children who found the world’s eyes fixed on them on that fateful day in world history.

Jorel’s Brother (104x11’/18x2’) Producer: Copa Studios Distributor: Cake They say: “Follows the daily adventures of a shy and nameless nine-year-old boy, who is overshadowed by his more infamous sibling.”

We say: This Cartoon Network Brasil copro, created by and based on the childhood of wellknown Brazilian celebrity, actor, director, writer and MTV presenter Juliano Enrico, keeps getting better with every season.

Celebrity Snoop Pets (4x30’) Producer: Stellify Media Distributor: Sony Pictures Television They say: “Our favourite stars’ pets are fitted with cameras, ready to give viewers a pets’-eye-view of their famous owners’ stylish homes.”

We say: Channel 4 raised more than a few eyebrows when it unveiled this lockdown commission back in April, but there’s no denying its ingenious solution to not being allowed into celebrity homes.

Cured (1x60’/90’)

Bobble the Little Witch (26x11’) Producer and distributor: Gutsy Animations They say: “Bobble represents a new generation of kids – especially young girls – who are wiser and more conscious and aware than their parents have ever been.”

We say: Finland’s Gutsy is following up its acclaimed Moominvalley series with a story inspired by the likes of Greta Thunberg and Finnish goddess of the forest Mielikki, which it hopes will encourage kids to connect with the natural world.

Producers: Story Center Films, Singer & Deschamps Productions, Independent Television Service Distributor: Drive They say: “As the global LGBTQ community continues battling for civil rights and faces ongoing stigma, discrimination and violence, this fascinating documentary provides invaluable insight into what is arguably the most significant turning point in gay liberation history.”

We say: With funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in the US, this doc sheds light on the David vs Goliath story of the activists who challenged the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from its manual of mental disorders – and won.

The Six: Titanic’s Last Secret (1x60’/72’/90’) Producer: LP Films Distributor: TVF International They say: “Tells the extraordinary story of the six forgotten Chinese survivors of the Titanic.”

We say: Exec produced by James Cameron (Titanic), this doc sees an international team of researchers set out to track down their descendants, debunk myths and racist assumptions and learn what really happened to these remarkable men.

C21’s NEXT BIG THINGS - The people, programmes and businesses that are about to change the game. Keep reading online at c21media.net/department/next-big-things/

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36

PRESENT IMPERFECT FUTURE TENSE: Graham Sherrington

Value our freelancers

I

f you’re a freelancer working in television or film you’ll know that our industry, like many others, is weird at the moment. Executive producers are series producers, series producers are edit producers, crews who work on food shows are working on gameshows and everyone is competing for their next job, future certainty and the pay they deserve.

Broadcasters and indies are adapting to the ‘new normal,’ whatever that is, and whilst some are doing all they can to support our incredibly valuable freelance workforce, some most certainly are not. Freelancers are once again being asked to carry risk and uncertainty with very little reward.

As the freelance market has grown, so has a lack of care, loyalty, respect and support, particularly when it comes to young people entering our industry.

On the surface, why would they choose TV as their career? Especially in the middle of a pandemic, competing with others way more experienced who are being forced, through circumstances, to take more junior jobs. And what if they’re from an under-represented group or unable to rely on the bank of mum and dad?

Reasons why it’s good to be freelance include the choice about when to work and who to work with, the variety of projects and the travel opportunities.

But in TV at the moment there are many more bad sides. Uncertainty and financial insecurity, especially for crews and editors who find themselves placed on the ‘forever pencil,’ usually quite haphazardly alongside their friends. No sick pay, maternity pay, pension or – as we’ve seen – ‘pandemic pay,’ and the nightmare diary when it comes to having a life outside the production. Moreover, securing a higher rate is always a torturous dance. Weeks of haggling, second-guessing and gameplay in the absence of any sort of standardised tariffs across the board.

The downsides are overwhelming enough to make even the most experienced consider leaving TV. With the problems compounded

by Covid-19, over half of the industry’s freelancers affected are rumoured to be doing just that, according to a recent Talent Manager survey. If the other half followed, television would simply come to an end – overnight.

If the industry is ever to thrive again, it needs dedicated freelancers now more than ever –

UK director and executive producer Graham Sherrington, whose credits include Top Gear and Grand Designs, discusses the future of freelancers in a post Covid-19 world. not just in production but crews, editors and new starters too. The industry must use this ‘new way of working’ for a complete redesign to better respect the freelance world.

In the absence of a government who cares – let’s face it, they really don’t – it’s down to broadcasters and indies to come together and commit to that change. Yes, there is a lot going on, but they must prioritise a few things here and now.

Firstly, they must not take advantage of the situation by trying to pay freelancers less.

Even with shrinking budgets, there are routes to ensuring people are paid what they’re worth, like royalty schemes that can benefit a wider cross-section of talent. If you can’t afford to pay now then you pay later based on a project’s success.

Stop treating everyone like they should do it for the love of TV. They are professionals, they have invested heavily in their careers and most are good at what they do. Freelancers have been forever flexible under the toughest of circumstances; it’s time to better consider their lives outside of TV, their welfare throughout production and their mental wellbeing.

Change the culture. The only way I feel confident to write this (at the obvious risk of alienation) is because I have the confidence to speak out. No-one in any job should be afraid of losing it if they say or do the wrong thing.

Recognise the talent crisis coming down the track if we don’t get young people into the industry. Productions should have mandatory work experience schemes that aren’t just about logging 5,000 hours of rushes or lugging a truck-full of boxes. They need to be experiences from which people can learn.

And in doing so, learn that this can be one of the most creative, fulfilling and important businesses in the world. We all love watching TV, after all. Making it doesn’t have to be weird, it can sometimes be wonderful, too.

Channel 21 International | Mipcom Online+ 2020

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Channel 21 International is registered as a newspaper. No part of this publication may be copied, stored or copied on to any electronic system or broadcast via any other medium without prior consent of the publisher. All rights reserved. All trademarks acknowledged. © Channel 21 International 2020 ISSN number: 1460-0668

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