World Screen December 2020

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DECEMBER 2020

WWW.WORLDSCREEN.COM

THE MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

World Screen Trendsetter Award Recipient Tyler Perry / Tubi Goes Global TV Kids Trendsetter Award Winner Matthew A. Cherry / In-Demand: Québec Creates WorldScreenings: Calinos Entertainment, Gusto TV

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CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2020 WORLD VIEW By Mansha Daswani.

TYLER PERRY The World Screen Trendsetter Award recipient talked about the importance of ownership and representation in his MIPCOM Online+ keynote conversation with Anna Carugati.

Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise

TUBI GOES GLOBAL A MIPCOM Online+ panel with Tubi’s Adam Lewinson, Banijay’s Matt Creasey and Foxtel’s Mark Frain explored the AVOD platform’s gains.

Editor Mansha Daswani

MATTHEW A. CHERRY Honoree of the TV Kids Trendsetter Award at MIPCOM Online+, the Hair Love creator talked about the film’s upcoming HBO Max spin-off in conversation with Anna Carugati.

Associate Editor Chelsea Regan

TURKISH DELIGHTS Jose Luis Gascue reveals how Calinos Entertainment is serving its clients’ needs with high-quality Turkish dramas.

IN-DEMAND: QUÉBEC CREATES This SODEC-backed report spotlights five compelling series from Québec-based companies.

FLAVORS OF THE WORLD Gusto TV’s Chris Knight discusses the diversity of the company’s culinary content.

TRENDING ON WORLDSCREENINGS.COM The most-viewed clips on our video portal for the last 30 days.

Group Editorial Director Anna Carugati

Executive Editor Kristin Brzoznowski

Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari Contributing Editor Elizabeth Guider Production & Design Director David Diehl Online Director Simon Weaver Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Dana Mattison Sales & Marketing Coordinator Genovick Acevedo

ASIA FOR THE WIN Distributors are finding a wealth of opportunities across scripted, kids and formats in AsiaPac. WARNERMEDIA’S JESSICA KAM As head of original production, entertainment, for Southeast Asia, Kam is driving the creation of an eclectic slate for HBO Asia.

Business Affairs Manager Andrea Moreno Contributing Writers Steve Clarke Andy Fry Joanna Stephens Jay Stuart David Wood

APPLAUSE ENTERTAINMENT’S SAMEER NAIR The CEO of the studio on innovation in Indian storytelling.

Ricardo Seguin Guise President

PROGRAM LISTINGS Highlights from several distributors.

WORLD SCREEN is a registered trademark of WSN INC., 1123 Broadway, Suite 1207, New York, NY 10010, U.S.A. Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.worldscreen.com ©2020 WSN INC. No part of this publication can be used, reprinted, copied or stored in any medium without the publisher’s authorization. For a free subscription to our newsletters, please visit www.subscriptions.ws.

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Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development

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WORLD VIEW

BY MANSHA DASWANI

Creature Comforts As I wrap our last edition of 2020, I’ve been thinking a lot about how this year has felt like one world-altering, nothing-willever-be-the-same moment after the next.

Remember when those events used to come every few years rather than every few months? (Except, of course, 2016, which hit us with Brexit and Donald Trump, while also taking away Prince and Davie Bowie—I think I’m still recovering.) This year started with COVID-19 canceling most of life as we know it, then the Black Lives Matter protests reverberated across the globe, and we close 2020 with a U.S. presidential election victory that has sparked joyous celebrations—as well as calls of voter fraud from the man who didn’t win and his followers. The ups and downs of the last 12 months have, not surprisingly, left me feeling like the very ground beneath me is shifting. Lately, I have found solace in the strangest of places: American network TV. It’s not something I watch often, but I was eager to see what the face of broadcast would look like after a transformative few months since Hollywood shut down. Shows as diverse as S.W.A.T., Law & Order: SVU and Grey’s Anatomy have tried to speak to where we are now. And I found those attempts oddly comforting.

Mainstream television that needs to appeal to the widest common denominator is trying to reflect on a year that was, to put it mildly, just bonkers. Be it attempts to address racism in law enforcement or grappling with an ongoing health crisis, people who make TV are trying to use the medium to help us cope with reality. So I hope you have all found your own comfort food on TV; as we emerge from the madness of 2020, we’re going to need it.

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Tyler Perry

By Mansha Daswani

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laywright, writer, actor, producer, director and philanthropist Tyler Perry, the honoree of this year’s World Screen Trendsetter Award, weighed in on the importance of content ownership, the power of television to change attitudes and his model for COVID-19-safe production in his MIPCOM Online+ keynote conversation with Anna Carugati.

The desire to set up his own studio emerged from Perry’s firm belief in the power of ownership. “My father built houses when I was a kid. The guy he worked for would give him $800 for his work, and then I watched that guy sell the house for $80,000. I always wondered why [my father] wouldn’t build the house for himself; he had all the skills. I always 8 WORLD SCREEN 12/20

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wanted to be the guy who owned the house. During the first years of production, I realized how much money I was wasting on renting [the equipment]. So I started buying everything, and pretty soon I had a huge amount of everything you needed to make television and film, except the building. So I bought my first studio. I thought I had everything I needed! And the first time the cast and crew showed up, I realized I didn’t have enough space. I bought another studio and then ended up in the one I’m in now,

“You can take an image and show it to the world, and it can effect change.” which was once a Confederate army base. This very land was where Confederate soldiers plotted and planned for how to keep Black people enslaved. Now I own it. There are still streets here [in Atlanta] named after Confederate generals that are being taken down as I’ve erected monuments to Black people like Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey and Cicely Tyson and Whoopi Goldberg. It speaks to a lot of the hope of what this country has become and can continue to be if people would just open the doors.”

Asked about the power of television, Perry noted, “What made the civil rights movement so powerful were the images from television. That is television at its best. You can take an image and show it to the world, and it can effect change. When it is used the right way, for the right thing, it can change the world.”

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Tubi Goes Global

By Mansha Daswani

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MIPCOM Online+ panel moderated by World Screen’s Anna Carugati took a deep dive into what’s driving the success at Tubi, with Adam Lewinson outlining the AVOD platform’s content strategy, while Banijay Rights’ Matt Creasey weighed in on how the distributor is working with the service and Foxtel Media’s Mark Frain discussed the benefits of their partnership in the Australian market.

Tubi serves 33 million monthly active users streaming more than 200 million hours of programming every month.

Lewinson, Tubi’s chief content officer, said that Tubi is the fifth-ranked streamer in the U.S. Creasey, executive VP of sales, co-productions and acquisitions, rest of the world outside of EMEA, at Banijay Rights, 10 WORLD SCREEN 12/20

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began licensing content to Tubi in his Endemol Shine days prior to the merger. “The SVOD world for us is very strong for premium drama and non-scripted, but what the AVOD world opened up to us was a fairly risk-free test center to start trying out different content that we had the rights to that previously would never have got on in America.”

Frain, CEO of Foxtel Media, discussed the partnership with Tubi, which sees the company serving as the sole ad sales

“Every single viewer has their own individualized journey.”

—Adam Lewinson representative in Australia for the platform through 2022.

“There’s a streaming battle out there, and likewise for us, there’s a video advertising war. We were identifying partners that could help take us on that journey and grow significantly.

So Tubi became an ideal partner based on premium content, great technology and also great data capabilities.”

Part of Tubi’s success, Lewinson said, lies in its content personalization engine—“every single viewer has their own individualized journey,” he said—and its deep catalog that runs across a variety of genres. “Most people genre-hop, based on their mood, based on co-viewing. That diversity is important. That’s one of the main reasons we have this massive library.”

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Matthew A. Cherry

By Mansha Daswani

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scar-winning filmmaker Matthew A. Cherry, recipient of this year’s TV Kids Trendsetter Award, discussed his journey from sports to entertainment, making Hair Love and its upcoming HBO Max spin-off series and the importance of diversity behind and in front of the camera in his MIPCOM Online+ keynote conversation with World Screen’s Anna Carugati.

Hair Love picked up a win in the best animated short category at the Oscars this year. It’s a project that Cherry had been thinking about for years. “At the time, there was a big void and a lack of inclusion and diversity in animation. I have a lot of young people in my family. A lot of times, they don’t see characters that look like them or have the same type of hair as 12 WORLD SCREEN 12/20

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them. And also, there was a big lag in terms of representation of Black fathers. Oftentimes, it’s some of the worst depictions in film and media—depicted as not being around, being deadbeats, abusive. The young fathers I know, this is clearly not the case. I wanted to do something that could represent them as well.”

On the importance of on-screen representation for young viewers, Cherry said, “Media is super powerful. When you see people that look like you, are proud of their hair and their features, that

“There’s something about animation that is universal and can reach wider audiences.” helps kids feel the same way about themselves. It’s really important, not only in my community but in communities all over the world. Kids are so impressionable when they are young. Media and film and publishing are really important in that regard, in helping kids with their self-esteem and seeing images that represent them.”

Cherry is currently working on Young Love, a series based on Hair Love for HBO Max. “We were always thinking about how best to continue telling the story of this family. The ideas in the short film are so grounded, it made the most sense to try to do it as a television series. We pitched it to a lot of different places before the Oscars; it took a minute to figure out where we wanted to land. HBO Max ended up being the best place for us.”

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Calinos’ Woman.

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Turkish

Delights

Jose Luis Gascue, the executive VP and head of worldwide sales at Calinos Entertainment, talks about serving clients’ needs with its robust library of programming. By Kristin Brzoznowski

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he last few months have seen TV viewing and online streaming surge, yet advertising budgets tighten, and Calinos Entertainment has been adjusting accordingly to the changing demands of the marketplace. “Some of our clients opted for reruns of already purchased shows; others were more keen on licensing library titles,” says Jose Luis Gascue, the company’s executive VP, head of worldwide sales. “At Calinos, we have one of the largest content libraries; thus, we were able to serve broadcasters as best as we can, offering them the content that is most appropriate to fill in the gaps in their schedules.”

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stress for a few hours. Most of our Turkish series are in that drama-dramedy genre, so we have been lucky,” and overall, there has been a strong appetite for Turkish shows and films from broadcasters all around the world during the past few months, he adds.

“Woman is our best-performing title of 2020; it has been a huge success in almost every country where it has sold,” Gascue says, highlighting its performance in Spain and Chile in particular. “We also recently sold the scripted format of That Is My Life to

“We have one of the largest content libraries.” —Jose Luis Gascue Romania’s Antena 1, which has started shooting the new program with the title Adela.”

Also a success, Forbidden Fruit is currently in its fourth season in Turkey, “which is a rare phenomenon, as most series go up to two, maximum three seasons,” notes Gascue.

Having a robust library of programming to offer to its partners has proven to be a “very important advantage for our customers in this period, as productions are disrupted in many countries due to the pandemic. Production in Turkey was disrupted for a few months, but we have recently resumed. In the case that productions get suspended again, many of our clients will start looking for long-running library titles, which would be an advantage for us, seeing as we have one of the biggest libraries of content.”

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In-Demand: Québec Creates From thrilling dramas to insightful factual series and high-quality children’s programming, there’s a slew of compelling content coming out of Québec. This market report, backed by Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), puts the spotlight on five diverse titles being offered up to the global content community.

SODEC is a government corporation that promotes and supports the development of Québec’s cultural industry, at home and abroad.

Overseen by Québec’s Minister of Culture and Communication, SODEC has been helping to facilitate the production and distribution of local content. For example, to boost the production value of shows, it provides up to C$750,000 per title for projects inspired by a Québécois literary adaptation or highlighting existing Québec musical works. SODEC also coordinates umbrella operations and co-production initiatives at major international markets through the “Québec Creates” banner.

SODEC was also instrumental in helping production to resume amid COVID-19; since July, 70 Québécois shoots of television series have restarted. With development proceeding briskly this fall, a raft of new shows is set to come out of Québec in 2021.

Want more information on content from Québec?

Visit the screening rooms for Encore International, HG Distribution, KO Distribution, Pixcom and Sphere Media, as well as SODEC’s Fall/Winter 2020 Showcase, on WorldScreenings.com.

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s Dark Soul (Bête Noire) Production Company: Encore Télévision Commissioning Broadcaster: Séries Plus (Corus) Distribution Company: Encore International Description: (Event drama, 6x45 minutes) Jeremy Tremblay walked into his high school with a semi-automatic rifle and shot multiple students before killing himself. To shed light, Coroner Eliane Dubois is called in to do a psychological autopsy of the event.

Pitch Perfect: With the help of Sergeant Boulay, who will confront her more than help her, Eliane will try to figure out Jeremy’s motive. As this will be the coroner’s most high-profile case of her career, the pressure will be incredible! Her investigation will help us better understand how Jeremy got to the point of committing this unspeakable crime.

Slot Winner: Even before the filming of the original series began, the scripts were licensed and they are currently being adapted for the French market.

Sales Contacts: Chrystine Girard, Dominique Simard.

With nearly 500 hours produced over the last 18 years, Encore Télévision has multiplied the production of award-winning TV series praised both on the local and global markets. Encore International manages all exploitation rights to Encore's full content library for international content licensing and format adaptations, and for the company’s third-party documentary and factual series.

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422 Production Company: Blachfilms Commissioning Broadcaster: Télé-Québec Distribution Company: HG Distribution Description: (4K fantasy thriller, 13x30 minutes) In an abandoned house in a small village, five youngsters discover a secret passage to a mysterious world hiding a priceless treasure.

Pitch Perfect: Filled with thrilling adventures, the richness of this new family series will surely seduce your audience—it is a unique, unifying and bonding program with all its special effects. Despite the fantastic universe, the narrative of the series relies heavily on suspense. There are elements from mythology that mingle with science fiction, but it is above all human issues that are told!

Slot Winner: Number one ratings on launch week. Award for “Best Youth Series” at Prix Gémeaux 2020. Season two in production for 2021.

Sales Contacts: Lydia Horman, Henry Gagnon, Andrea Staerke.

Since 2006, HG Distribution has gained its notoriety representing independent producers internationally and providing quality content to broadcasters across the globe. To this day, over 100 producers have trusted it to represent them internationally. Always on the lookout for new releases, the company attends all major TV markets and international film festivals to sell and be aware of new trends. With its core values of honesty and integrity, HG Distribution is recognized for its personal and friendly approach, as well as providing premium quality service and after-sales support.

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Plan B Season 2 Production Company: KOTV Commissioning Broadcaster: ICI Radio-Canada and tou.tv Distribution Company: KO Distribution Description: (Drama, 6x60 minutes) “If I had the chance to go back in time, what would I change?” Who wouldn’t want to go back to change the course of events? Season one is also available. Season three is set for production in 2021 and season four is being written.

Pitch Perfect: Plan B is a stunning and suspenseful psychological drama. Adaptation in production for France (TF1), Flemish Belgium (Streamz) and English Canada (season one). Optioned in Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.

Slot Winner: Best Scripted Format Award at International Format Awards 2020. Best Dramatic Series, Best Writing in a Drama Program and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program (Sophie Lorain) at Industry Gala 2019. Many prizes for season one.

Sales Contact: Barbara Vallant.

Founded in February 2011, KOTV is one of the leading television production companies in its territory and collaborates with a dozen regional broadcasters. Together with passionate and inspired home-grown talent, it develops and produces innovative programming, including fiction, drama, comedy, variety, game shows, magazines and documentaries. KOTV’s mission is to create high-quality series, reach a maximum number of people to conquer the world and entertain it. With this aim in view, some of its fiction and variety programming has already conquered several territories.

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Amber Alert Production Company: Productions Pixcom Commissioning Broadcaster: TVA Distribution Company: Global Screen represents all rights worldwide (excluding Canada).

Description: (Drama, 10x60 minutes) The kidnapping of autistic Éliot Charbonneau turns his family’s lives upside down, revealing that this family was never quite what it seemed.

Pitch Perfect: Amber Alert has proven to be a huge success domestically by attracting not only the classic TV target group, but also younger viewers to the TV screens—a task that only very few productions for linear TV can accomplish today.

Slot Winner: Number one weekly series in French Canada in the fall of 2019. In the top ten series in Canada in 2019. Average market share of 36 percent. More than 1.5 million viewers for every episode. At MIPCOM 2019, the series was selected and presented in the “Fresh Fiction Around The World” category by The Wit. Sales Contacts: Ginette Viens, Nicola Merola, Alexandra Heidrich.

Founded in 1987, Pixcom has a reputation for creating first-class television in scripted, factual, variety, kids and magazines, which have garnered ratings, praise and a host of awards. Pixcom’s series are enjoyed by audiences in Canada and around the world, and are known for their high production and entertainment values, integrity and thorough research.

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Outbreak (Épidémie) Production Company: Sphere Media Commissioning Broadcaster: TVA Distribution Company: Sphere Media Distribution Description: (Drama, 10x60 minutes) A dangerous virus begins to spread within a group of vulnerable homeless people in Montreal.

How long will it take before Anne-Marie Leclerc, director of the Emergency Public Health Laboratory, discovers the existence of this highly contagious disease? Will it be too late to prevent the outbreak of a deadly epidemic in the general population?

Pitch Perfect: Outbreak is a groundbreaking series whose world premiere aired in January 2020. With its gripping plot and decidedly topical subject matter, Outbreak has attracted a wide viewership and has been sold in numerous countries.

Slot Winner: Premiered on TVA in January 2020 with an average market share of 36 percent. Sales already concluded in Russia, Turkey, Japan and South Korea, among others. At MIPTV 2019, the series was selected and presented in the “Fresh Fiction Around The World” category by The Wit. Sales Contact: Josée Vallée.

A leader in the field of creation, adaptation, production and distribution of television and cinematographic content, Sphere Media has a quality content offer for the local and international market with projects from all genres.

With 30 prime-time series broadcast on all of Canada's major channels, the comedy and drama team has created remarkable quality productions.

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Gusto’s Flour Power: Big Wow Desserts.

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Flavors of

the World

Chris Knight, the president and CEO of Gusto Worldwide Media, on the diversity of content that Gusto TV brings to viewers. By Chelsea Regan

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edicated to providing international audiences with entertaining, exciting and fun food programming, Gusto TV puts a premium on the diversity of its content, showcasing cultures across the globe and bringing them to viewers’ screens. The Canada-based food channel is “a place where all cultures can come together to celebrate culinary traditions and differences,” says Chris Knight, the president and CEO of Gusto Worldwide Media. “Food is the one true universal language, and Gusto speaks all dialects. From Sri Lankan to Greek, Vietnamese to Kenyan, our catalog features over 40 different cultures and cuisines.”

As Gusto’s programming takes viewers along on crosscontinent culinary journeys, it focuses on matching the power of its unique ideas with the strength of its production values as it reimagines what the culinary genre can and should be. “By producing all the content from end-to-end, we create a superior 12/20 WORLD SCREEN 25

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product,” says Knight. “Since our inception, our goal was not only to build a global brand with exceptional production values but build a community around the love and joy of cooking. All our content revolves and evolves around that idea.”

The demand for cookery titles is scaling up, one fact that Knight sees as an inevitability due to what the genre’s content provides: comfort, escape and the tools to up one’s game in the kitchen. “The two things people are doing now more than ever before is watching content and cooking,” says Knight. “Food content is that sweet

“Food is the one true universal language, and Gusto speaks all dialects.” —Chris Knight

spot where entertainment meets necessity, providing an escape from our busy lives and sparking joy.”

Since its launch in North America, Gusto TV has managed to establish a presence in the global marketplace, rolling out in Asia and Europe. And the company has no plans of stopping there, according to Knight. “We are looking to continue dipping our toes in new markets,” he says, adding, “We are also excited to eventually launch an e-commerce business, which COVID-19 has currently put on hold. As AVOD and SVOD become increasingly popular, we are also looking to tap into that huge potential and grow our content delivery. Gusto has big plans for the future!”

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TVASIA

WWW.TVASIA.WS

DECEMBER 2020

ATF ONLINE+ EDITION

Distribution Trends / WarnerMedia’s Jessica Kam Applause Entertainment’s Sameer Nair

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10 TV ASIA

CONTENTS

A New Battleground

FEATURE

ASIA FOR THE WIN An intensifying streaming landscape has translated into Asia remaining a robust acquisition market, despite the turbulence of 2020.

India and China tend to garner the most ink when it comes to the streaming wars in Asia, but all eyes will be on Southeast Asia in the coming months following the arrival of Disney+.

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Chelsea Regan Associate Editor David Diehl Production & Design Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Genovick Acevedo Sales & Marketing Coordinator Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Asia ©2020 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvasia.ws

In September, the streamer, hot off huge gains in the U.S. and Europe, went live in Indonesia as Disney+ Hotstar, teaming with telco giant Telkomsel and delivering a mix of global originals, Indonesian films and content from India. (Meanwhile, Hotstar rolled out in Singapore on November 1, available as a standalone and via cable operator StarHub.) Recent research from Media Partners Asia (MPA) saw online content consumption surging in the region: total video streaming minutes on mobile reached 657 billion in the first half of 2020 in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Excluding YouTube, total streaming minutes in the second quarter grew by 57 percent to reach 107 billion. Of that, Netflix had a 39 percent share thanks to its gains in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Viu had a 17 percent share. Other key players in the region include Vidio in Indonesia, iQIYI, Thailand’s WeTV and Line TV and Tencent-owned iflix.

The region added 3 million SVOD subs in the period to reach about 10 million in Q2. “The growth of premium video services has been significant, with a greater scale of consumers paying for online video in large emerging markets such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand,” said Vivek Couto, MPA’s executive director.

“Global, local and regional platforms are rolling out more affordable OTT plans, catering to a large mobile broadband universe, while also investing in premium entertainment. It’s only the beginning with plenty of more work, investment and execution to be done to create sustained, recurring demand for paid, legal SVOD services.”

The increasingly competitive SVOD landscape will be on the agenda at ATF Online+ as it creates a wave of opportunities for local, regional and global content owners alike. Our report in this edition about distribution trends points to digital as being an increasingly important driver of deals in AsiaPac. We also hear from WarnerMedia’s Jessica Kam about her approach to curating a slate of original series for HBO Asia and its increasingly popular OTT service, HBO GO. And Sameer Nair of Applause Entertainment talks about catering to India’s streaming platforms. —Mansha Daswani

GET DAILY NEWS ON THE ASIAN REGION

INTERVIEWS Applause Entertainment’s Sameer Nair

WarnerMedia’s Jessica Kam

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12 TV ASIA

Dr. Panda

9 Story Media Group Donkey Hodie / Bad Nature / Dr. Panda Donkey Hodie, a preschool puppet series from Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures, is among 9 Story Media Group’s highlights for ATF Online+. With a social-emotional curriculum, it follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie and her pals as they empower young viewers. “The series is inspired by the quirky sense of humor of children’s TV pioneer Fred Rogers and his mission to help young viewers navigate the everyday challenges of childhood,” says Federico Vargas, VP of distribution at 9 Story Media Group. A hybrid series with live-action animals that have CGI-animated mouths, Bad Nature sees kids join talking animals as they dive into the disgusting but amazing things that animals do. Meanwhile, the animated title Dr. Panda is returning with new episodes set in the world of Panda City for its second season.

all3media international

“Though the medium is different, my plans at the market remain the same: to sell our amazing content to broadcasters all over the region.”

—Federico Vargas

All Creatures Great and Small

All Creatures Great and Small / Knock Knock / A World of Calm Set in the Yorkshire Dales and following the adventures of a young small-town vet, All Creatures Great and Small leads all3media international’s slate for ATF. “As the world struggles to adapt to the ‘new normal’ of COVID-19, this heartwarming seven-part series is the perfect escapist viewing,” says Kit Yow, sales manager for the Asia-Pacific region at the company. The family game show Knock Knock, based on the classic “Memory Pairs” game, sees teams compete to win a jackpot in a test of general knowledge and memory. In A World of Calm, stars such as Nicole Kidman, Keanu Reeves and Kate Winslet narrate beautiful footage. “In such a stressful year, this half-hour show is a perfect way to relax the body and soothe the mind,” says Yow.

CAKE

“all3media international’s diverse and eclectic catalog allows us to provide titles that fit and fulfill our buyers’ needs.”

—Kit Yow

Mush-Mush & the Mushables

Tish Tash / Jorel’s Brother / Mush-Mush & the Mushables The preschool show Tish Tash, on offer from CAKE, follows the adventures of a young bear called Tish, her bear family and her larger-than-life imaginary friend Tash. The series is a collaboration between South Korean animation shop Studio Gale, Singapore-based August Media Holdings, Philippines media group Synergy88 Entertainment Media and BAFTA- and Emmy Award-winning U.K.-based Karrot Entertainment. “This has given Tish Tash a truly global approach,” says Julien Farçat, sales manager at CAKE. Jorel’s Brother centers on the everyday adventures of an awkward and nameless 9-year-old boy, who is overshadowed by his more infamous sibling. Mush-Mush & the Mushables charts the outdoor adventures of the Mushable community, pocket-sized guardians of the forest, as they embark on a journey of self-discovery.

“Our plan for Asia at this virtual ATF will be to reconnect with our partners after a challenging year.”

—Julien Farçat

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Calinos Entertainment Better Together / Our Story / Woman Centering on a young widow named Bahar, Calinos Entertainment’s Woman shows a mother who has to endure life’s hardships with only her two children by her side. “There are so many single mothers and widows all around the world; Bahar is a very good example of a strong woman who is standing on her own feet and taking care of her children,” says Asli Serim Guliyev, head of international sales at Calinos. “Even though many problems surround her, she always chooses to be happy and shows the good out of even bad things and explains the meaning and importance of love and family.” Better Together follows four people who turn 35 on the same day, the most important day of their lives. Our Story, a drama starring Hazal Kaya, is another highlight in Calinos’ catalog.

Our Story

“Our connection will continue online to meet our clients’ program needs and find the most suitable content from our catalog.”

—Asli Serim Guliyev

Ana’s Revenge

Caracol Televisión Ana’s Revenge / Living to Love / The Road to Love With a strong message of female empowerment, the series Ana’s Revenge on Caracol Televisión’s slate boasts thrilling plot twists for viewers to enjoy. The series follows Analía, who becomes a political candidate’s advisor and right hand, putting him at the top of the polls only to later tear him down and bring his corrupt past to light. “It has been trending for several months in the Latin American market, and we are looking forward to its premiere in the Asian market during ATF,” says Estefania Arteaga, international sales director at Caracol. Among the company’s romance and family-style drama titles are Living to Love and The Road to Love, featuring lighthearted stories with strong and independent characters. “Both have a fresh and innovative take on family life and matters of the heart,” says Arteaga.

“In 2020, Caracol Televisión has focused on creating innovative ideas and storylines suitable for format and remake opportunities.” tktktktk —Estefania Arteaga

Cyber Group Studios Droners / Gigantosaurus / Taffy Targeting the 6-to-10 set, Cyber Group Studios’ highlight Droners tells the story of Team Tikis, which is determined to win the drone race competition the Whale Cup. Co-produced with La Chouette Compagnie and Supamonks Studio, the series received the Audience Choice Award at the Festival Ecran Jeunesse. “In this action-adventure comedy series, the girl lead is modern and unusual,” says Raphaelle Mathieu, senior VP of sales, acquisitions and new media at Cyber Group Studios. “The stakes underlying the fun and excitement are connected to ecology issues that we need our kids to be familiar with.” Gigantosaurus features four adventurous young dinosaurs growing up in the Cretaceous period. In the slapstick series Taffy, hijinks ensue when a raccoon pretending to be a cat moves in with a loyal hound dog and its owner.

Droners

“Asia is one of our focuses this year; I have hired Jessica Laloum to work directly with our buyers in these territories.”

—Raphaelle Mathieu

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Dori Media Group Dumb (Rampensau) / In Treatment (Brazil) / Power Couple Dori Media Group is spotlighting two dramas and the reality format Power Couple, which sees couples face challenges to uncover how well they really know each other. In the crime drama Dumb (Rampensau), an actress goes undercover as a high school student in an effort to save her boyfriend after he’s arrested on drug charges. The Brazilian adaptation of In Treatment follows five ongoing psychotherapy treatments from within a therapist’s clinic.

“With more streaming services emerging in the market from new players, as well as traditional broadcasters getting into the OTT game, buyers in Asia are constantly looking for content that could differentiate their offering,” says Haikal Jamari, sales manager for Asia and the Middle East at Dori Media.

France 24

In Treatment (Brazil)

“Dori Media remains committed to the Asian market with our diverse catalog of awardwinning, popular and buzzworthy content.”

—Haikal Jamari

France 24 journalist in studio

News Available in English and French in Asia, France 24 reaches 86.7 million TV households as a 24-hour channel and 12.5 million with part-time distribution, mostly in Southeast and South Asia. “This strong distribution is mirrored by strong audiences,” says Eric Cremer, VP of distribution at France Médias Monde. “Some 20 percent of our overall weekly audiences around the world are from Asia, even though only a few countries are actually measured.” The channel’s main markets in Asia are India and Thailand, with 46.1 million and 22.2 million TV households, respectively. Vietnam follows, “with TV operators showing an appetite not only for France 24 English but also for our French channel,” says Cremer.

Strengthening its presence in Thailand, India and the Philippines is a priority looking ahead.

GMA Network

“The Asia-Pacific region is one of the most dynamic TV markets in the world, and for France 24, it accounts for almost a quarter of its worldwide distribution.”

—Eric Cremer

Prima Donnas

Descendants of the Sun / Prima Donnas / I Can See You The love story between the captain of the special forces of the Philippine military and a surgeon plays out in the GMA Network highlight Descendants of the Sun. It is the first GMA production to be picked up by Netflix in the Philippines. Prima Donnas centers on triplets, separated from their father, as they find their way back home to get their share of the family wealth. An anthology series, I Can See You uses a camera as the silent witness to tales of love and mystery. “We believe these dramas will appeal to many viewers looking for themes that revolve around modernday issues that affect society, giving hope and touching the hearts of viewers, especially in the time of the COVID-19 crisis,” says Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP of the worldwide division at GMA Network.

“Through GMA Network’s worldwide division, we aim to establish business relationships and partnerships with content distributors and aggregators in the new normal.”

—Roxanne J. Barcelona

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Infocomm Media Development Authority Singapore Media Festival / Singaporean content & collaboration Ochre Pictures’ Last Madame The seventh edition of the Singapore Media Festival takes place from November 26 to December 6, with a mix of physical and digital offerings that uncover the latest trends and innovative media content in Asia. “Through our annual flagship event, we look to facilitate the creation of quality content and commercial opportunities within Southeast Asia’s vibrant media ecosystem,” says Howie Lau, assistant chief executive for media and innovation at Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). There will be more than 500 hours of content across 74 titles at ATF’s Singapore Pavilion. “As we reimagine Asian storytelling and spur on ‘Made-with-Singapore’ content, IMDA continues to open new doors and provide pathways for international partners to tap into our vibrant media ecosystem and expand into the region,” Lau adds.

“Singapore and IMDA are uniquely positioned in Asia to bring the industry together.”

—Howie Lau

Inter Medya Ramo / Respect / Mehmed the Conqueror Inspired by a true story, the Inter Medya highlight Ramo shows a man going against his superiors in a tale that encompasses conflicts of family, justice, revenge, friendship and love. The protagonist of Respect, Ercüment Çözer, is a sociopath obsessed with the idea of respect, as are young lovers Helen and Savas, who find themselves mistreated and subsequently responsible for a chain of murders. “The concept of disrespect instantly turns into a social and mediatic struggle between the two generations,” says Can Okan, CEO and founder of Inter Medya.

The period drama Mehmed the Conqueror traces Mehmed’s journey to conquer Constantinople, finding success against the odds and laying the foundation for an empire. “We consider ATF a great opportunity to develop professional relationships with new countries and clients throughout Asia,” says Okan.

Kanal D International

“Although still a new region for us, we believe that Asia has great potential when it comes to Turkish content distribution.”

—Can Okan Ramo

Hekimoğlu

A Mother’s Guilt / Hekimoğlu / Meryem Starring Özge Özberk, Musa Uzunlar, Emre Kınay, Mert Yazıcıoğlu, Simay Barlas and Pamir Pekin, the Kanal D International highlight A Mother’s Guilt is an adaptation of the Philippines’ Hanggang Saan that follows a mother who commits a crime for the sake of her child. A remake of House, Hekimoğlu, with Timuçin Esen playing the titular diagnostician, is another featured title in Kanal D International’s catalog. “Even the original House fans in Turkey are watching the title,” says Kerim Emrah Turna, executive director at the company. Meryem centers on the love triangle between a woman who undertakes a crime for the man she loves, a prosecutor and a man who seeks revenge. Furkan Andıç, Ayça Ayşin Turan and Cemal Toktaş star.

“In 2021, we will be focusing on creating new business in Asia; we will keep on growing in alternative mediums.”

—Kerim Emrah Turna

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Kidoodle.TV Safe Streaming The global Safe Streaming AVOD platform Kidoodle.TV is geared to families and kids aged 12 and under. “We serve low-, middle- and high-income homes and do not have a barrier to entry, be it that you’re watching on the TV in the living room or on a tablet or phone, we are there for free,” says Brenda Bisner, chief content officer at Kidoodle.TV. “Our Safe Streaming standards of adhering to the highest letter of the law give relief to families looking for a better alternative.” Kidoodle.TV, which recently launched its first original, is seeking completed kids’ content to add to its curated offering. At ATF, Kidoodle.TV’s aim is to “meet with as many of our current and prospective brand owners as possible to strike deals for the content that our audience is seeking,” says Bisner.

“We are always open to content that travels well and partners who are considerate of the dedication we have to keep kids Safe Streaming.”

—Brenda Bisner

Nippon TV 9 Windows / Mute it! / TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit FantasyThe format 9 Windows is a comedic and fast-paced game show-meets-talent contest celebrating ordinary people with outlandish skills. Set in an interactive studio, each episode features nine contestants all beamed in from their homes through giant studio screens. “Our latest format that we coproduced with The Story Lab, 9 Windows was planned and developed before the COVID-19 outbreak, and we were able to produce and air the show in September 2020 under strict production regulations,” says Sayako Aoki, manager of sales and licensing for the international business development unit at Nippon TV. Also from Nippon TV, the game show Mute it! features one simple rule: don’t make a sound. The anime TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit Fantasy- rounds out the company’s ATF slate.

9 Windows

“Studio-based formats that maintain a fun atmosphere and a creative structure but with cost-effective measures and manageable production styles will continue to be a trend.”

—Sayako Aoki

Russia Television and Radio/Sovtelexport Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes / The Blood Widow / On the Edge Sovtelexport is presenting three series from Russia Television and Radio that are rooted in real events.

Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes is based on a novel by Guzel Yakhina inspired by her grandmother’s dramatic life. “It is a touching story about a woman who finally finds her own voice and starts building a life for herself,” says Julia Matyash, director of Sovtelexport. The Blood Widow tells the story of a Russian serial killer who tortured and murdered over a hundred innocent serfs. On the Edge is an action series about three young women who fight for their lives and freedom. Sovtelexport is looking to maintain its ties with partners in markets such as China and South Korea while securing new ones in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia.

The Blood Widow

“The Blood Widow is a spine-chilling thriller based on a real-life story of the most notorious female serial killer in Russia.”

—Julia Matyash

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SeaBelievers

Studio 100 Media SeaBelievers / FriendZSpace / 100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone Each animated episode of Studio 100 Media’s SeaBelievers leads kids on an eco-adventure. “SeaBelievers is an outstanding TV series, the first ever to represent the whole new genre of ecotainment,” says Dorian Bühr, head of global distribution at Studio 100 Media. The animated FriendZSpace is about three best friends who may seem like regular human kids, but behind their normal façade, they are risk-taking deep-space friend-makers. 100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone follows Freddy Lupin, heir to a proud family line of werewolves who accidentally transforms himself into a pink poodle, as he navigates life at Howlington Academy.

“Our mission in the kids’ entertainment world is to bring brands to life that are content-driven and entertain kids and families on every platform and wherever they are,” says Bühr.

“The demand for good entertainment and making people laugh is needed now more than ever.”

—Dorian Bühr

T&B Media Global Start It Up / Tasty Tales of the Food Truckers / FriendZSpace Start It Up is the latest rom-com feature film from T&B Media Global and SMG Pictures and WingsMedia. Tasty Tales of the Food Truckers is an animated series about three friends who travel the world in their souped-up, sentient food truck seeking out rare ingredients to turn into exotic dishes. The show is distributed by Boat Rocker Studios.

FriendZSpace is an animated comedy series about three human kids dedicated to making friends with alien children all across the universe. It is a co-production between T&B Media Global and Flying Bark Productions and sold by Studio 100 Media. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the best partners,” says Dr. Jwanwat Ahriyavraromp, CEO and founder of T&B Media Global. “None of these projects could have come this far without their professional experience and expertise.”

“Our goal is to vibrate happiness to diverse audiences with quality content.”

—Dr. Jwanwat Ahriyavraromp

FriendZSpace

Universal Cinergía Dubbing Localization Services / Dubbing Universal Cinergía Dubbing offers content-localization services in Spanish, Portuguese, English, French and Castilian.

“Despite the challenges affecting the global economy, our studios have been able to continue working, and we have been consistently assisting our clients worldwide with new dubbing projects,” says Liliam Hernandez, president and CEO. Remote recording has been fully incorporated across the board in all the studios owned by the company. For in-studio recordings, new guidelines have been implemented and are being strictly followed. With its recent expansion, the company now has 49 recording suites worldwide. It is looking to extend its reach in Asia in the year ahead. “We have the ability to provide dubbing samples free of charge so that companies can evaluate our quality and outstanding customer service,” says Hernandez.

Universal Cinergía facilities

“Our goal is to expand our client base in Asia, as we know how important it is for Asian companies to distribute their content internationally.”

—Liliam Hernandez

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The Undoing on HBO GO

WarnerMedia HBO GO HBO GO is WarnerMedia’s regional streaming service in Southeast Asia. It is currently available to audiences in eight territories—Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Indonesia—either via distribution partners or direct to consumers via app stores.

“2020 really marked the beginning of HBO GO’s growth story in the region, with the sales and marketing teams extremely busy closing deals and boosting subscriber numbers,” says David Simonsen, WarnerMedia’s senior VP of business development and digital distribution for Southeast Asia. HBO GO is the streaming home of the entire HBO original programming library and HBO Max originals. There are also HBO Asia originals, titles from Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation, firstwindow Hollywood blockbusters and more.

“We are building a truly compelling environment for viewers of all ages.”

—David Simonsen

Winsing Animation Team S.T.E.A.M.! / GOGOBUS / GG Bond: Dino Diary Winsing Animation’s Team S.T.E.A.M.! features kids who overcome problems using the STEM curriculum, incorporating science, technology, engineering and math, with athletics and the arts thrown in for good measure. “Team S.T.E.A.M.! is specifically designed to appeal to a worldwide audience,” says Ben Gu, CEO of Winsing. GOGOBUS, a series for preschoolers, centers on a school bus that transforms into different vehicles.

GG Bond: Dino Diary follows as GG Bond and his fellows travel back to the Mesozoic Era to collect information about different dinosaurs. New IP is in development, according to Gu. “We are working closely with a global script-writing team and recruiting production talent from around the world, aiming to develop more new shows that will appeal to major broadcasters and audiences worldwide.”

GG Bond: Dino Diary

“We’ve been in deep dialog with major broadcasters in Asia.”

—Ben Gu

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Nippon TV’s 9 Windows.

Asia for the Win

An intensifying streaming landscape has translated into Asia remaining a robust acquisition market, despite the turbulence of 2020. By Mansha Daswani

A

s one market after the next moved online this year, there remained hope that Asia TV Forum (ATF), the last industry sales event of 2020, taking place in a region that has fared better against the coronavirus than most other places, might still be able to proceed in person in Singapore. But travel restrictions and ongoing uncertainty over COVID-19 sadly made a physical gathering this year impossible.

“The ATF team has had many candid conversations with our partners over the past few months about proceeding with the market and conference in December 2020,” the organizers said. “To date, there is still much uncertainty on travel restrictions globally, thus impacting our partners who come from all over the world to attend ATF. After much

consideration, and in the best interests of the industry, we have decided to take ATF online in order to facilitate business and networking.”

VIRTUAL MEETUPS ATF Online+ is set to be held from December 1 to 4, allowing content sellers from around the world to showcase their titles to buyers from across the region. The event is a vital part of the Singapore Media Festival, hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which is putting the spotlight on Asian storytelling for its seventh edition.

“This year has been undeniably challenging, but the resilience and creativity of our media community as it navigates uncharted waters, adapts, collaborates and continues telling our stories has been inspiring,” said Howie Lau,

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ABS-CBN is finding new markets for its Filipino drama slate, which includes La Vida Lena.

assistant chief executive for media and innovation at IMDA. “This has brought on a fresh wave of new experiences and uncovered growth opportunities for the region. As the market reopens and global players look to tap into the diverse stories in this region, we stand ready to celebrate novel ideas, talents and innovation, and to reimagine Asian storytelling for the global stage.”

ASIA IN FOCUS

But it has been a challenging year, concedes Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP of the worldwide division at GMA Network, with virtual markets proving to be less effective substitutes for physical gatherings when it comes to meeting clients. Meanwhile, “Almost all clients were hit badly by the pandemic, so business has slowed for clients acquiring TV rights,” she says. “This, plus the fact that our production of content was at a standstill for at least six months since March, resulting in less new content to offer clients. However, we have started production again, and we will have fresh content to offer in Q1 and Q2, 2021.”

As for the needs of clients, Nippon TV’s Aoki references “content for family viewing, lighthearted entertainment, nothing too dark or serious, and a proven success with a good track record in other territories. Of course, these are not new trends that suddenly popped up due to COVID-19, but rather are criteria that Asian buyers have always valued, and we also feel that the tendency or the preference toward ‘safe’ content is getting stronger.”

Barcelona says that transactions with streamers are on the rise, a view backed by Nippon TV’s Aoki. “Looking at the revenues raised from digital exploitation of our programs outside Japan, Nippon TV saw an increase of about 160 percent during the second quarter of 2020, compared to the same time last year. What is interesting to see is that the digital space is now working as an initial window to evaluate the performance of content. For example, our scripted drama formats such as Abandoned or Mother were first adapted for streaming on online platforms, but the series went on to also be acquired by traditional free-to-air channels, thanks to the positive feedback from viewers on digital platforms. In Southeast Asia, the mergers and expansions of various digital players have been accelerating, and the competition among the platforms is getting fierce. Local players are gaining power, international giants are trying to penetrate the market, and big players from China and Hong Kong are climbing up the ranking in each country. We are expecting that this competition will bring us better deals and more opportunities in offering Nippon TV content to viewers across Asia.”

There will indeed be a host of Asian distributors participating at ATF Online+, with digital and linear players alike demonstrating a sustained need for content originated from the region.

“Although many projects were put on hold, especially during the first half of 2020 due to COVID-19, and the licensing of our formats aiming for original production in local Asian countries slowed down, our finished tape sales remained quite strong, especially in the Chinese market, with anime and drama series leading the sales,” reports Sayako Aoki, manager for sales and licensing in the international business development unit at Nippon TV. Wincess Gonzalez, the sales head for Asia and Latin America at ABS-CBN Corporation, reports Japan and China have opened up to the company’s content in the last year, with new opportunities in Vietnam and Cambodia as well.

“Even in China, where we did not expect to get censorship approval for one of our films within one year, the process was surprisingly quicker, and we hope to follow it up with more content soon, including our new slate of shorter dramas.”

GMA will be offering series such as I Can See You at ATF Online+.

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Cyber Group is continuing to build its AsiaPac presence with key properties like Taffy.

Asian animation is also on the upswing, with demand for both properties developed or co-produced in the region. China’s Winsing Animation has seen substantial gains for its GG Bond property, with offline activities and consumer projects in Thailand, while GOGOBUS is faring well in South Korea and Indonesia, according to Amanda Hwang, overseas media specialist at the company, speaking on behalf of its sales team. “While the series is broadcasting on the TV stations, the toys of GOGOBUS catch people’s eyes and jumped to ‘best sales’ SKUs at Toys “R” Us in South Korea during this hard time.”

The ratings for Winsing’s shows have increased, Hwang adds, and the company stepped in to serve the needs of buyers with public-health content promoting the importance of good hygiene amid the pandemic.

Studio 100 expects SeaBelievers, an eco-focused edutainment series, to resonate with buyers.

CAKE arrives at ATF Online+ with a slate that includes Tish Tash, a collaboration between South Korean animation studio Studio Gale, Singapore-based August Media Holdings, Philippines’ media group Synergy88 Entertainment Media and U.K.-based Karrot Entertainment. “This has given Tish Tash a truly global approach,” says Julien Farçat, a sales manager at CAKE. Of the company’s Asian ambitions, Farçat reports: “More and more platforms are launching, and we continue to grow our presence on SVOD and AVOD platforms in the region.”

PLAYTIME Digital is indeed contributing to a robust kids’ content landscape, which has been less affected by COVID-19 delays as animation production has been able to continue remotely. “Our Bali studio has been working safely from home and we are lucky that our animation work can still be completed,” says Federico Vargas, VP of distribution at 9 Story Media Group. “We are actively developing new content even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as we were able to secure our entire staff with the technology they needed to support our pipelines within three weeks of our office closures in March.”

Vargas says there has been a “significant spike in demand for animation” from Asia over the last 12 months, “especially during lockdown, with consumption habits dramatically increasing. We’ve been busy over the past several months, responding to the demand across the Asia Pacific with new and existing partners.”

At Cyber Group Studios, Raphaelle Mathieu, senior VP of sales, acquisitions and new media, says that China has been a particularly fruitful market for the company over the last year.

“During the past 12 months, we have strongly developed our relationships with China thanks to the strategic agreement we have put together with PMG, a key player in this territory,” Mathieu says. “We are extremely proud to say that Gigantosaurus, our big hit, has aired not once, not twice, but three times on CCTV this year, which is very rare for nonChinese content. In addition, the series was part of the New Year parade/event on CCTV. It was the only non-Chinese show present on this occasion.”

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A special episode of 9 Story’s Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood helps young ones cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Studio 100 Media has had a good year in Asia, according to Dorian Bühr, head of global distribution, especially in China, Korea, India, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand. “We have noticed an increase in demand coming especially from India. However, it’s our policy to target all territories across the region. We put a lot of effort into dealing with broadcasters from smaller Asian countries as well, and we have noticed an increasing demand from Southeast Asia, with Malaysia now coming into more focus.”

With kids spending more time at home amid COVID-19, “Parents are turning to readymade content in the form of educational shows, YouTube tutorials and online workbooks and activities,” says Vargas at 9 Story. “Consequently, the demand for content has never been greater.”

DIGITAL SHIFT This has been especially true among digital services.

“We’re pleased with the sustained demand for our content from the AVOD and SVOD platforms, with various volume and strategy discussions since the lockdown started,” Vargas notes.

“The nonlinear business is growing dramatically at the territory level, with new platforms increasing at quite an impressive pace,” adds Bühr. “Nevertheless, television remains our focus for the first window. It continues to be the most important medium for creating a high level of awareness of a property and thus remains crucial, especially for our merchandising and licensing partners. Additionally, we are exploring different ways of placing our content on nonlinear platforms, always considering the specific needs of the market. Of course, we are more cautious when selling a new show, especially regarding ‘free’ VOD content.

However, depending on the region, AVOD can also coexist with television at the beginning of its life cycle without jeopardizing each other.”

The expanding nonlinear environment has boosted the prospects for drama distributors, who are finding new opportunities on channels and streaming platforms alike.

A WORLD OF DRAMA “We were fortunate to have finished principal photography for most dramas, including Roadkill, All Creatures Great and Small and It’s A Sin, so we have been able to move forward on deals with these titles,” notes Sabrina Duguet, executive VP for the Asia Pacific at all3media international. “Thanks to the rise of digital viewers, platforms have had to acquire more, and rapidly diversify their content offerings. Due also to U.S. dramas being delayed, we have been able to fill some of these demands with the dramas that we had already delivered.”

Asli Serim Guliyev, head of international sales at Calinos Entertainment, references sales to Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam and Pakistan amid the pandemic. “The habits and needs of the audience are shifting from traditional TV to more online. So, this makes buyers look for more younger-targeted series with shorter episodes. Also, due to bad clouds around, audiences would like to watch happier and lighter series and movies to get away from the current situation.”

Russia Television and Radio’s sales arm, Sovtelexport, has also had a good year in Asia. “Surprisingly, even in lockdown, we have managed to sign agreements with a few Chinese airlines!” says Julia Matyash, director of Sovtelexport. “It should be noted that the international industry is getting more and more into Russian content—the number of Asian channels and platforms interested in acquiring Russian

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viewing—and, Matyash notes, the growing need for younger-skewing content—continues apace.

“Since the pandemic is not slowing down and it seems like it will continue at least for one more year, content that is more suitable for digital rights would be the trend,” agrees Calinos’ Guliyev.

FUTURE FORECAST

Sovtelexport has licensed the Russian title Anna Karenina into South Korea, among other markets.

titles is increasing, among which are companies from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia. These are new and complicated territories for us. We are just starting to establish relationships here. The mentioned-above territories demonstrated interest in our traditional classics—TV series Anna Karenina, And Quiet Flows the Don—and feature films.”

Of note, in Korea, Sovtelexport sold Ekaterina to Sangsaeng Broadcasting Corp. and Demon of the Revolution to CJ ENM. In addition, the TV channel WeLike will air Anna Karenina and the drama series Fyodor Dostoevsky. On the non-scripted front, Discovery Channel in Japan opted for Firing Range.

Matyash is eyeing new opportunities with streaming platforms in China after developing relationships with iQIYI and Bilibili, among others.

The lingering impact of COVID-19 remains unclear as the world waits for a vaccine. But the shift to more digital

Streamers will continue to provide a range of opportunities for content owners, GMA’s Barcelona says. “OTT players are interested in local content from each region in order to attract local viewers. This made up for the slowdown in the syndication of free-TV rights due to the pandemic.” Plus, Barcelona adds, “Since OTT is a new avenue and not subject to censorship, content producers can experiment with storylines, plots and length. This will result in more diverse stories and content not traditionally produced for free to air.”

Across digital and free to air, there will remain a need for COVID-19-proof shows, Nippon TV’s Aoki observes. “Our latest format that we co-produced with The Story Lab called 9 Windows was planned and developed before the COVID-19 outbreak, and we were able to produce and air the show in September 2020 under strict production regulations. Just like this format, in the non-scripted world, it is likely that studiobased formats that maintain a fun atmosphere and a creative structure but with cost-effective measures and manageable production styles will continue to be a trend.”

Duguet at all3media sees growing interest in scripted formats. “Clients want safe, reliable content with track records, which will also help getting sponsors. Formats also allow a fast track to production. We have had great success with Miss S, the new Chinese scripted format adaptation of the globally popular Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, seen on Tencent and HBO Asia. Marzi, the Hindi adaptation of award-winning producer Two Brother Pictures’ thriller Liar, was also a success, and we are continuing to work with local producers to explore local production with international topics and exploit local content.”

ABS-CBN’s Gonzalez, who reports that schedule gaps led to clients acquiring more or relicensing titles, feels that there will be increased demand for foreign-language finished content, “especially those that have ticked the boxes for buyers in terms of ratings and budget.”

Vargas at 9 Story predicts the need for a “steady stream of new, diverse and informative kids’ content in Asia and worldwide as kids start to carve out their lives in this ‘new normal.’

There will be an increased focus on creating content to help kids and families navigate through these times, like our new special from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood entitled ‘Won’t You Sing Along With Me?’ The timely, music-filled 22-minute special helps address some of the challenges and disappointments ‘little tigers’ and their families may be experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think we can expect to see a lot more of this in the next 12 months.”

And Cyber Group’s Mathieu is finding that “more than ever, in Asia comedy is definitely a universal flavor.”

Southeast Asia and its fast-moving digital landscape will also continue to provide new opportunities, Vargas adds. “Mobile video streaming has seen significant jumps in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand in the past year, surely continuing to fuel the need for more content.”

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TV ASIA: When you launched Applause Entertainment, what gaps were you looking to fill in the market?

NAIR: My sense for the streaming space has always been optimistic, despite the success of linear television in India. With Jio coming into play, we have the cheapest data in the world. Also, the fact that we have 500 million smartphones only adds fuel to the streaming business. I’ve always been super bullish about streaming video. The other thing is, in India, TV content has remained frozen in time. We are still doing the daily soap operas on television. We never had an HBO/Showtime moment; we never did The Sopranos. We do great reality, but fiction has been confined to daily soap operas. That Netflix and Amazon would soon come to India was a no-brainer, even as the others continue to grow—Hotstar, SonyLIV, MX Player, Eros Now, Zee 5, ALTBalaji, Voot. They need premium drama series, what we also call cinematic television. That’s what we set out to do with Applause Entertainment as a content studio.

A venture of the Aditya Birla Group, we have set up a unique hub-and-spoke model. We are a core team of about 40 people—a creative team, a marketing team and a revenue team. We work with a variety of talented creators, directors, writers and production houses. We invest time and money in writing and development, we oversee the creative process and we finance the entire production. We make finished tape and then we show it to platforms. That was a punt—we’re going to have it ready and then show it to people.

We said we’d do three things initially to achieve speed-tomarket. The first would be international adaptations—or as we call it, smart originals. We did Criminal Justice, The Office, Hostages and Your Honor, among others. Then we said we’ll take books as source material. One of our productions, Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, is based on a book by Sucheta Dalal and Debashish Basu. We have also produced Avrodh: The Siege Within, based on India’s Most Fearless by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh. Finally, there is original writing. This was a

Sameer Nair Applause Entertainment

By Mansha Daswani

B

etween buzz-generating versions of international hits (among them Hostages and The Office), best-selling book adaptations and original ideas, Applause Entertainment has established itself as a leading provider of content for India’s voracious OTT landscape. CEO Sameer Nair, who founded the company three years ago in partnership with Aditya Birla Group, tells TV Asia about the exciting opportunities emerging in Indian storytelling as global and local streamers alike battle for subs, and how he and his team are now looking to expand their unique model to the international marketplace.

three-pronged attack to create a myriad of content. In the last three years, we’ve produced 18 series that have streamed on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, MX Player and soon on Eros Now. We work with a variety of excellent creative partners. Sudhir Mishra did Hostages for us, as showrunner and director, and Banijay Asia produced it. We then showed it to Hotstar and they picked it up. The market is colossal and the demand for content is massive. You have 500 million Indians who have walked into this candy store only wanting more. It takes

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TV ASIA

18 months to get one season ready from idea to screen, while the audience finishes a show in a weekend and starts asking for the second season right after!

TV ASIA: I’ve heard that the speed with which OTT is growing in India is outpacing the capacity of the content production community. Do you think that is the case?

NAIR: I agree with this completely. In the ’90s, when satellite television started in India, content and distribution grew together. Initially, there was Doordarshan and then satellite television came into being, which then prodded us to make content. When we did KBC (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) in 2000, there were 25 million cable and satellite homes; by 2010, there were 90 million, and now in 2020, there are 197 million.

As distribution laid the cables, content grew. In the case of streaming, because of the telecom revolution, you already have a billion phones. Those phones one day converted into 4G and 500 million people got access to 4G, but the content has not been geared up for that. The content is still TV. Even if someone says, I have a lot of cash, I’m going to throw money at this problem, you still have to make the content. There’s no HBO/NBC/ABC library to buy from. The broadcasters themselves have set up their own platforms, and all the big libraries are mainly daily soap operas.

TV ASIA: And the difference between those and the premium storytelling you are doing is staggering.

NAIR: There is an opportunity to tell so many different stories.

There are brave new voices and ideas, allowing you to explore different genres and milieus. We’re doing a version of the French workplace comedy Call My Agent!, set in a talent agency in Bollywood, with cameos by real actors. It’s such a delightful experience. How could you do that on a daily soap on TV? There’s no chance.

We’re trying to tell really strong and intensely local stories that will have global relevance. We’re not trying to tell the great crossover story. You have to tell a story to your core market. If your core market loves it, the rest of the world might like it too.

Stories with authenticity at their core often resonate with audiences globally.

TV ASIA: Tell me about your international plans.

NAIR: We’re doing a series with Gurinder Chadha and Sunder Aaron called Seeker, which is being written out of Mumbai, London, New York and L.A. We also have adaptations of the popular global series Fauda and Luther in the planning stages.

We’re trying to do some co-productions with U.S. studios for a couple of films.

We have made many originals that I believe are unique and can be remade anywhere in the world. We did a show called Hasmukh about an aspiring small-town comedian who discovers he only performs well after killing someone; he has to literally kill offstage to kill on it! Stand-up comedy is today a universal phenomenon and this “small-town-big-dreams” dark drama in a comedic universe can resonate with audiences everywhere. There are many other original series that we have created that can be adapted in other markets and milieus. We’ve been speaking to producers in Canada, the U.S., Israel, South Africa, Indonesia. We’re happy to partner, co-produce and work together. I believe these Indian stories have global resonance. Not all of them, but some do.

37

TV ASIA: You’ve made so many scripted-format adaptations.

What’s the key to getting those right?

NAIR: When we’re picking these formats, we firstly think about if we can imagine this in India. If you take all the international shows that get made, 90 percent don’t make the cut. They’re either too specific, too unique or too different. On the other hand, let’s look at The Office—I think it should be remade in every country. It is that show: a sleepy little town, a sleepy little office, a boss from hell who is self-absorbed and a bunch of people goofing off who think they are doing great. It has those universal insights. On the other hand, Hostages at its core is a thriller that can find expression everywhere. We’re also producing Fauda; the conflict over Kashmir lends itself to that Israeli-Palestinian storyline. It’s a matter of land and people separated by religion and, therefore, politics. We did Your Honor and set it in Punjab. It’s not urban. And everything doesn’t have to be in Hindi. Scam 1992, our most recent show, has so much Gujarati in it. The new streaming audience is up for a lot of color and variety.

TV ASIA: What are some of your plans for 2021 and beyond?

NAIR: We want to build on our hub-and-spoke model and expand it. We’re growing into movies, documentaries, animation and gaming—and we want to use the same strategy. Our business is finding like-minded talent, enabling them and investing in them to create premium content. That could be fiction series, a reality show, a movie, a documentary, an animated series—any story really, and technically, anywhere in the world.

Applause produced Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story for SonyLIV.

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Jessica Kam WarnerMedia n 2013, HBO Asia made its first steps into the original-programming game, commissioning the English-language period piece Serangoon Road. Since then, the premium platform has ramped up its efforts, setting locallanguage original series in markets across the region. Jessica Kam, as head of original production, entertainment, for WarnerMedia in Southeast Asia, is leading this initiative. She tells TV Asia about the current slate and her approach to partnering with top-notch creatives.

By Mansha Daswani

I

TV ASIA: Tell us about the slate of originals you’re working on.

KAM: We have a romantic comedy called Adventure of the Ring, which is shot in Taiwan. The dark fantasy Halfworlds is in season three. We had season one in Indonesia and season two in Thailand. For the third season, we brought it to the Philippines. We have a couple of documentaries, one from China, one from Thailand, in postproduction. Those will air next year. More were greenlit, including a YA series in Thailand and another horror anthology from different countries.

TV ASIA: What have been some of the critical lessons learned as the slate has grown since the days of Serangoon Road and then since you joined the company?

KAM: I’ve been with HBO for about three and a half years. The original productions have gone through different phases of progression and learning. We are by and large an Englishlanguage channel—people expect it to be a Hollywood movie channel. So when we started [doing originals], the shows were by and large in English, like Serangoon Road and Grace, and we were taking it slow because we were testing the market.

We started doing our first local-language show, The Teenage Psychic, right around the time I joined. We didn’t know how a foreign-language show on an English channel would fare. It turned out to be a phenomenal success, and not just in Taiwan, where it came from, but everywhere else. In Taiwan, we won a Golden Bell Award. For a little show like that, it was quite phenomenal. That gave us some confidence that local language is not a problem. Our audience doesn’t mind. As long as your genre is clear, your story is well told, the actors act well, you do all the right things for the show, then the language doesn’t seem to be a huge barrier. From then on, we started doing many more local productions—more than 90 percent are local. I think I’ve produced shows in more than ten different languages or dialects. We’ve tried different genres too. We went from horror and drama to having pretty much everything—horror, action, period, romantic comedy,

sci-fi, documentaries. We are trying different genres and seeing what works. So far, most are doing quite well.

TV ASIA: There are so many storytelling opportunities available across multiple markets in the region. How are you determining where you want to align with producers?

KAM: There is some low-hanging fruit. We start with places we are in first, the priority markets for HBO’s footprint: Taiwan, Thailand, the Southeast Asian countries where we are based.

Quite a lot of our productions started in Southeast Asia, like Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia. We had something in China.

And then we started branching out into places we’re not in, like Japan, Korea, Vietnam, India. They may not be in the HBO footprint, but they are good to source content from. Who doesn’t like Korean dramas? Japanese production has always been well recognized as high quality. We have a series called Miss Sherlock that we did with Hulu Japan. So even when we’re not in a market, we will partner with local players. It makes sense for us, as we can leverage the local expertise. The Talwar documentary [Behind Closed Doors] was done with Hotstar in India. So we have a bunch of productions done in places where we don’t have a strong footprint, but we have good partners. We don’t just go anywhere. We try to pick those places where products tend to travel, or they have good production values for the region.

One of the key lessons learned is that Asia is full of talent, but it is not always in one place. As we do more and more local productions—we have done shows in more than ten countries now—we can identify more and more talented crews or creative teams in different places. We are doing more crosspollination to bring talent across borders to work together or fix problems in another place, so our production quality can improve. We have used consultants from Hollywood and New Zealand to help with local script development. On a show in Taiwan, we brought over an editor from Singapore to help finesse it. We used a Thai stunt team for the Indonesian show

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40 TV ASIA

the audience is not that big. But now our originals are on HBO Max.

HBO Asia’s growing slate of local-language originals includes Adventure of the Ring, which was made in Taiwan.

Grisse. We found a director from Taiwan for the Malaysian film The Garden of Evening Mists. Often, we will shoot a show in one country and then finish the postproduction in another. Being a regional broadcaster, we have the advantage of leveraging resources or talent pools in different markets. That allows us to achieve a higher production quality.

TV ASIA: Are the creatives you are partnering with mostly from the film space or the free-TV arena? How are you assisting creatives in making the transition to premium storytelling?

KAM: We use a lot of film directors on our shows. Their standards for quality are different. They tend to produce things with a lot more craftsmanship. That [better] fits our palette.

And anthologies like Food Lore or Folklore are technically a bunch of films. We managed to get six excellent directors for Folklore and eight different directors for Food Lore. When they have worked with us on one project, they will pitch us something else. We have built up that trust level, so you can expand the relationship. We have quite a few success stories like that. We get a lot of pitches from around the region. That’s one of the advantages of working with a strong brand. We have no shortage of pitches. As we work with directors, writers and producers, we bring them over to Singapore to do some workshops. We have done workshops in directing, producing, showrunning, casting and writing. We bring them over for a couple of days; it’s immensely popular. The younger professionals from film and TV appreciate that opportunity. I brought a Game of Thrones director from the U.S.—he was well-loved here!

TV ASIA: I’m sure the creatives you’re working with are also excited to see their shows now airing in the U.S. KAM: Definitely. It’s one of the advantages of working with our platform. Our anthologies are like television movies. If a director made a film like that in Vietnam or Indonesia, it might not travel that far. It would take a lot to get to the audience in the U.S. or Europe. The festival circuit is the only way. Even if you make it to the festivals, it’s usually considered an art film and

TV ASIA: What are the keys to delivering shows that can go on for multiple seasons?

KAM: The first thing is you have to lock in the key cast, so it’s partly people-oriented.

If the first season is popular, you have to be prepared to meet [the viewers’] expectations. You want to preserve some of the best elements of the first season—if they loved your two lead characters, then you keep them, or if they liked the humor in it or like certain nuances, then you preserve those. At the same time, you have to bring some freshness to your audience. So with Halfworlds, we moved it from Indonesia to Thailand and then to the Philippines. A multi-season franchise is best planned early on, ideally before you shoot the first season, so you leave certain hooks for the next season. Teenage Psychic was our first returning series. It was an experimental adaptation of a student short film.

No one expected it to be such a wild success. It was a sixepisode series and we finished the story. It was a romantic story and in the end the lead male died. So, when you do season two, now what? This was a romantic story and people loved that part of it; they loved the male lead, and we had killed him. And that actor himself was not even available [for a second season]. Luckily, this is a genre show—the girl can see ghosts, so that makes it easier. She could have seen the boy even though he was dead. But since the actor himself wasn’t available, what do we do? In the end, we used a creative solution—the character reincarnated and possessed another body to come back to her. We preserved the romance, but we will have to use another actor in that role. If we had planned a second season from the start, we probably would have done it slightly differently. We may not have killed him! We are doing more returning series, so we have to think in advance about season two and season three, so we have a blueprint.

TV ASIA: How much did COVID-19 impact your production this year?

KAM: Some places were affected more than others. Luckily in Asia, we have quite a few places that returned to work faster than others. Especially places in North Asia. China is back to normal. Taiwan is not much of a problem. Hong Kong too.

Korea and Japan, even during their brief lockdowns, television [production] didn’t stop. Of course, there are places more heavily affected, like India and Indonesia. The show we have in the Philippines was delayed. Dream Raider was in post in China and all of a sudden, the studio was in lockdown and nobody could go back there. We ended up exporting the visual-effects files, the postproduction files, to Hong Kong and Taiwan and we finished it. So it can still air this year. Fortunately, most of our shows for 2020 and early 2021 were already in postproduction, so our department’s output hasn’t been seriously affected. We have plenty more titles in development ready to shoot as production restrictions ease up gradually in the region, which we hope will be the case soon.

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9 STORY DISTRIBUTION INTERNATIONAL

O (1-416) 530-9900 m rachel.sherman@9story.com w www.9story.com

Contact: Federico Vargas, VP, dist.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Donkey Hodie (Kids 3-5, puppet comedy, 80x11 min.) In the land of Someplace Else, Donkey Hodie and her pals empower preschoolers to dream big and overcome obstacles, be resourceful and discover they can solve programs on their own—and laugh themselves silly along the way.

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

Guitar & Drum (Kids 3-5 CG, 52x5 min.) Follows the adventures of two musical instruments who are also best friends. The series addresses cultural topics, personal abilities and different tastes and shows how our differences can empower us to build a better world.

Bad Nature (Kids 6-11 live-action comedy, 25x5 min.) Marv the Mandrill, Gloria the Puma and their roving animal reporters answer weird questions about the amazingly revolting and delightfully disgusting world of animals you never knew existed.

Andy and the Band (Kids 4-8 live action, 15x14 min.) A music-driven comedy series with a madcap mix of songs, slapstick and silliness. This aspirational and eclectic band are known as The Odd Socks, and in each episode, they celebrate their individuality and show kids that it’s cool to be unique.

Dr. Panda (Kids 3-6 3D, 39x7 min.) Welcome to the wonderful world of Panda City, where every day Dr. Panda tries out a new job working together with his friends. Season two available.

Book Hungry Bears (Kids 3-5 3D, 52x11 min.)

Join Crystal, Boomer, Melody and Scout as they play and explore together, learning lessons from the books that flit and flutter like birds amid the paper trees.

Moon and Me (Kids 2-5 stop-motion, 50x22 min.) Inspired by well-loved tales of toys that come to life, the story of a special friendship between two characters from completely different worlds.

Clifford the Big Red Dog (Kids 2-5 2D, 78x11 min.) Join Emily Elizabeth and her big red dog, Clifford, as they explore their island home and go on big new adventures.

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (Kids 4-7 2D adventure comedy, 74x11 min. & 1x55 min.)

Based on Ordinary People Change the World, follows the adventures of Xavier, Yadina and Brad as they travel back in time to meet famous heroes of the past and learn how to be their own heroes of the present.

The Magic School Bus: Rides Again (Kids 4-8 2D adventure, 26x22 min. & 4x44 min.) Follow eccentric teacher Ms. Frizzle and her eager students on a new set of science-based adventures aboard the magical school bus.

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TV LISTINGS

ALL3MEDIA INTERNATIONAL

O (65) 9006-5865 m sabrina.duguet@all3media.com w www.all3mediainternational.com

Contact: Sabrina Duguet, EVP, AsiaPac. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS The Cube (Ent./game-show format, 8x60 min.) Made all the more timely as it can be filmed with social distancing in place, The Cube’s inherent dynamic and entertainment value remain intact as contestants complete physical challenges for cash prizes.

The Cube

imagery with narration by A-list stars, including Mahershala Ali, Nicole Kidman and Zoë Kravitz.

I Quit (Fact-ent., 8x60 min.) Follows a group of entrepreneurs who quit their steady jobs to follow their passions in a life-changing journey.

Dog Almighty (Ent., U.K. version: 18x30 min.)

Canine superstars must master a variety of challenges testing their agility, obedience and that indefinable X factor to win a life-changing prize.

10 Years Younger in 10 Days (Fact-ent., 6x60 min.)

Contributors undergo ten days’ worth of non-invasive cosmetic procedures, hair, makeup and a fashion overhaul, resulting in a transformation of their appearance.

All Creatures Great and Small (Drama, 7x60 min.) Based on the beloved novels, the series follows James Herriot’s experiences as a vet on the magnificent Yorkshire Dales.

Eden (Crime drama/thriller, 8x60 min. & scripted format) In the idyllic coastal town of Eden, Australia, a young woman’s disappearance triggers a chain of events, opening the dark, hidden heart of the community.

It’s a Sin (Drama, 5x60 min.) As three young gay men and their best friend Jill grow up in the shadow of the AIDS virus, they become determined to live and love more fiercely than ever before.

Knock Knock (Game-show format, 60 min. eps.)

A family friendly, prime-time game show where teams compete to win a big money jackpot in the ultimate test of general knowledge and memory.

Catch Me Out (Fact-ent./game-show format, 60 min. eps.) Everyday people take on the challenge CAKE of a lifetime to convince audiences they are profesO (44-207) 307-3230 sional entertainers. The contestant who dupes the m info@cakeentertainment.com most audience members goes home with a fanw www.cakeentertainment.com tastic prize.

A World of Calm (Nature/health doc., 10x30 Contact: Tom van Waveren, CEO & creative dir.; min.) An innovative TV experience created in collab- Ed Galton, chief commercial officer & mng. dir.; oration with the Calm app, combines mesmeric Bianca Rodriguez, head, sales; Julien Farcat,

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sales mgr.; Gudrun Jonasdottir, sales mgr.; Rob Doherty, VP, prod.; Zoe Durand, sales asst.; Tanya Peck, mktg. mgr.; Odilia Sickinghe, dvpmt. coord. & mktg. exec.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Tish Tash (Preschool animation, 52x5 min.)

Young bear Tish, her bear family and her largerthan-life imaginary friend Tash embark on fun adventures while inspiring imaginative play and problem-solving in young children.

Jorel’s Brother

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Angry Birds Bubble Trouble (Kids 8-12 & family animation, 20x1 min.) Following a younger version of the iconic Angry Birds in a garden surrounded by colorful bubbles, where everything imaginable comes true.

Pablo (Preschool animation, 104x11 min., S2 available) Pablo, a 5-and-a-half-year-old boy who is on the autism spectrum, turns his life challenges into imaginative drawings to help him face the real world with confidence.

Kiri and Lou (Preschool animation, 52x5 min.) Kiri, a feisty little dinosaur, and Lou, a gentle and thoughtful creature, navigate a forest of feelings with laughter, song and adventure.

Mighty Mike (Kids 6-12 animation, 78x7 min.)

Non-dialogue slapstick comedy featuring a refined pug who longs for a quiet life but is instead forced to defend his house from a bunch of furry intruders.

Space Chickens in Space (Kids 6-12 animation, 52x11 min.) Surreal sci-fi comedy in which a trio of chicken siblings are mistakenly taken from their homes and enrolled in an elite intergalactic academy.

Total Dramarama (Kids 6-12 animation, 156x11 min., S3 available) The prequel to the multi-awardwinning franchise reintroduces favorite cast members and ages them down from teenagers to toddlers with hilarious results.

Jorel’s Brother (Kids 8-11 animation, 104x11 min. & 18x2 min.) Multi-award-winning Brazilian animated comedy follows the daily adventures of a shy and nameless 9-year-old boy, who is overshadowed by his more infamous sibling.

Mush-Mush & the Mushables (Animation, 48x11 min./2x22 min.) Follows the exciting outdoor adventures of the Mushable community, pocket-sized Guardians of the Forest, as they CALINOS ENTERTAINMENT embark on a fun journey of self-discovery.

O (90-216) 999-4999 Legend Quest (Kids 8-12 animation, 26x25 min.) m info@calinosentertainment.com Twelve-year-old Leo and an intrepid crew of ghosts w www.calinosentertainment.com defend the world against evil forces in this Mexican folklore-inspired fantasy adventure series available Contact: Jose Luis Gascue, EVP, head, worldwide in 18 languages. sales; Ismail Dursunov, deputy GM; Asli Serim Guliyev,

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TV LISTINGS

head, intl. sales; Duda Rodrigues, intl. sales exec., LatAm; Goryana Vasileva, OTT & format sales mgr.; Ebru Mercan, intl. sales rep., Africa & Baltics.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Better Together (Drama) Four people turn 35 on the same day. All four of them are about to go through the most important day of their lives.

Iriepar, sales exec., Europe & Middle East; Estefania Arteaga, intl. sales dir.; Karen Juliao, intl. mktg. dir.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Anna’s Revenge (Series, 56x60 min.) Analía is a beautiful young woman who decides to take revenge against her mother’s murderer, the candidate for the Presidency of the Republic.

Bolivar (Series, 70x60 min.) The story of the hero before he became a legend.

The Queen and the Conqueror (Series, 60x60 min.)

The story of Catalina, the indigenous woman who gave away her soul, her heart and her life to a conqueror.

Better Together

Forbidden Fruit (Drama/romance, on-air, 223+ hrs.) Yıldız and Zeynep are two sisters whose lives will take an unexpected turn when Istanbul socialite Ender asks Yıldız to seduce her husband.

Our Story (Drama/romance, 200 hrs.) Filiz (Hazal Kaya) has been struggling to survive in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Istanbul with her five younger siblings and her useless alcoholic father.

Woman (Drama, 242 hrs.) The survival story of Bahar, a young widow with two children.

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Bolivar

Living to Love (Series, 60x60 min.) Irene, the lead singer of the marketplace band Los Milagrosos, meets Joaquin the mechanic.

CYBER GROUP STUDIOS

O (33-1) 5556-3232/

(1-424) 341-4911 m sales@cybergroupstudios.com w www.cybergroupstudios.com

Contact: Lisette Osorio, VP, intl. sales; Paloma Contact: Pierre Sissmann, pres. & CEO; Raphaelle García, intl. sales dir., Europe & Africa; Jesus Mathieu, SVP, sales, acq. & new media; Richard

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TV LISTINGS

Goldsmith, pres. & CEO, Cyber Group Studios USA; Michele Massonnat, snr. sales mgr.; Jessica Laloum, intl. sales exec.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Droners (Kids 6-10 2D-CGI adventure/comedy, 26x22 min.) Welcome to the Whale Cup, the drones race competition of Terraqua that will elect the successor of the eco-tech genius Wyatt Whale.

Team Tiki is determined to win.

Droners

Gigantosaurus (Kids 4-6 2D-CGI adventure/ comedy, 156x11 min.) Stars four young dinosaur friends who are about to leave the family and explore a world full of mysteries and danger.

Taffy (Kids 6-10 2D comedy, 156x7 min.) Follows the non-stop, slapstick extravaganza faced by loyal hound dog Bentley when his billionaire old lady owner Mrs. Muchmore takes in an imposter posing as a wide-eyed, fluffy angora cat.

Tom Sawyer (Kids 6-12 2D-CGI adventure/comedy, 26x22 min.) Tom Sawyer, a boy called to adventure from the moment he wakes up, and his friends are always on the go.

Sadie Sparks (Kids 6-12 2D-CGI comedy, 52x11 min.) A teenage girl discovers she has extraordinary powers—which can only be harnessed in partner-

ship with an ancient and extremely grumpy magical rabbit who just wants to retire.

Orange Moo Cow (Kids 3-6 2D comedy, 52x7 min.) Follows the daily life of Zoh, an energetic 6year-old cow, and her little brother, Boh, a sensitive and curious 4-year-old bull.

Bananimals (Kids 5-8 2D comedy, 78x7 min.) Follows the daily lives of the animal inhabitants of a farm village whose primary activity is to go and ask Gordon the Bull, their mentor, for help and advice.

Ernest and Rebecca (Kids 5-8 2D comedy, 52x13 min.) Tells the story of Rebecca and her adventures with her “microbe” Ernest, which she caught on a rainy day.

Purple Turtle (Kids 3-6 CGI comedy/edutainment, 52x7 min.) Purple Turtle and his friends Roxy the Chameleon, Zing the Rabbit, Melody the Bird and Tadley the Bear celebrate the joy of childhood, curiosity and discovery.

Mirette Investigates (Kids 6-10 2D comedy/adventure, 52x11 min.) The first traveling detective comedy with Mirette, a girl with a passion for investigation, and her “catssistant” Jean-Pat, a lazy but extremely efficient ginger tomcat.

DORI MEDIA GROUP

O (972-3) 647-8185 m sales@dorimedia.com w www.dorimediadistribution.com Contact: Nadav Palti, pres. & CEO; Carolina Sabbag, VP, sales, Western Europe, U.S. & Canada; Maria Perez Campi, dir., sales, LatAm & U.S. Hispanic; Camila Premet, sales mgr., CEE, CIS & Africa;

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TV LISTINGS

Haikal Jamari, sales mgr., Asia & Middle East; Einat Borovich-Naim, mktg. dir..

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Power Couple (Reality format) Puts love to the test like you’ve never seen before as eight couples face extreme challenges that will test how well they really know each other.

AHA! Experience (Studio game show) An entertainment quiz show that wants to find out not what you know but what you see.

and fascinating world of psychotherapy, following five ongoing treatments of five different patients.

Esau (Drama, 4x60 min.) Follows a 40-year-old writer who returns to his family home after half a lifetime to face the brother who stole both his love and livelihood.

The Road to Calvary (Drama, 13x45 min.) The story of two sisters shows the most tragic times of 1914 to 1919.

Las Estrellas (5 Stars) (Rom-com, 120x60 min.)

The death of Mario Star leaves his five daughters facing a challenge to successfully manage a boutique hotel in order to claim the inheritance.

El Buscador (The Browser) (Interviews) A TV format centered on face-to-face interviews triggered by web content that anyone can easily access online.

GMA NETWORK

Ciega a Citas (Date Blind), China

Normal (Drama, 8x35 min.) When 24-year-old Noam Ashkenazy hits rock bottom, he finds his own route to normality in the unlikeliest of places: the psych ward.

Dumb (Crime drama, S1-3: 75x35 min.) In season three, following the achievement of the ultimate romantic fantasy, in which Shiri and Assaf escaped abroad with millions of stolen euros, they are finally free to fulfill their love, but instead reality rears its ugly head.

Ciega a Citas (Date Blind), China (Rom-com, 52x60 min.) Chinese remake of Dori Media’s hit telenovela tells the story of a woman unconsciously trapped in a love triangle.

In Treatment (Brazil) (Daily drama, 35x30 min.)

Takes viewers on a journey through the intriguing

O (632) 8333-7633 m gwi@gmanetwork.com w www.gmanetwork.com Contact: Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP, worldwide division; Daphney P. Ticbaen, sales specialist.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Descendants of the Sun (Drama, 35x45 min.)

The romantic relationship between a special forces captain and a doctor is tested when duty calls on the battlefield.

Prima Donnas (Family drama, 100x45 min.) Fraternal triplets separated from their father must find their way back home and earn their rights as heiresses to the family wealth.

I Can See You (Anthology drama, 20x30 min.) Four thrilling stories that use a common visual storytelling

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device—a camera (drone, cellphone, CCTV, etc.) as the The Gift (Drama, 53x45 min.) Joseph may be silent witnesses to tales of love and mystery. blind, but he sees what ordinary eyes cannot see— A Place in Your Heart (Drama, 45x45 min.) A glimpses of past and future events. good stepmother battles against the evil ex-wife of the man she loves and the mother of the children INTER MEDYA she has learned to love.

O (90-212) 231-0102 m info@intermedya.tv w www.intermedya.tv

Descendants of the Sun

Broken Faith (Drama, 80x45 min.) In her desperation to seek revenge against her husband’s other woman, a wife becomes the person she hates the most—a mistress.

Love You Two (Romantic comedy, 45x45 min.) Sisters Raffy and Sam had a perfect relationship until they unintentionally fell in love with the same guy.

Obsession (Thriller, 35x45 min.) Yvie faces off with a strange rival—the vengeful spirit of her husband’s dead ex-girlfriend, who will stop at nothing to wreak havoc in her life.

For Love or Money (Drama, 45x45 min.) Will a devoted wife let her fidelity be shaken and give in to an indecent proposal if it is the only way to save her husband’s life?

One Heartbeat Away (Web drama, 4x10 min.) The anthology features emotionallycharged and relatable stories.

GET GLOBAL MEDIA NEWS IN SPANISH

Contact: Can Okan, fndr. & CEO; Ahmet Ziyalar, pres. & COO; Pelin Koray, sales exec.; Sinem Aliskan, sales exec.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Respect (Drama miniseries) The protagonist of the story, Ercüment Çözer, rebels against disrespect and rudeness that we tend to avoid, ignore and forget.

Mehmed: The Conqueror (Period drama miniseries, 18x45 min.) In 1451, after receiving the news of his father’s death, Mehmed departs from Manisa to Edirne and to Payitaht with one dream in his mind: conquering Constantinople.

Naked (Soft erotica miniseries, 8x20 min.) Eylül lives with her grandmother and earns a living by escorting. She is invited to a bachelor party and falls in love with the groom-to-be, Cem. Interrupted (Miniseries, 8x60 min.) Ozan, a young and idealistic journalist, dies in an unfortunate traffic accident but is given a second chance and comes back to life in the body of Kadir.

Ramo (Drama) Tells the extraordinary story of a man who goes against a ruthless crime boss and falls in love with the daughter of his arch nemesis.

Miracle in Cell No. 7 (Drama, 1x132 min.) Set in the early 1980s during Turkey’s coup d’état period,

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tells the story of Memo, who lives with his little daughter and grandmother in an Aegean town.

The Ambassador’s Daughter (Drama) Nare, an ambassador’s daughter, disappeared the night she was due to marry Sancar, the son of a poor woodchopper. On another wedding night, she reappears.

Ramo

Bitter Lands (Drama) The story of a legendary love that begins in Istanbul during the 1970s and continues in the fertile lands of Çukurova in southern Turkey through the trials of evil, ambition and tyranny.

The Light of Hope (Drama) A mother, father and child must overcome obstacles to find each other and become a family again.

The Way We Are (Drama, 1x119 min.) Tells the story of a group of childhood friends who reunite years later.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS A Mother’s Guilt (Drama, in prod.) Adapted from the Filipino series of the same name, the story of a mother who commits a crime for her child and the love between two young people that will be tested by this guilt.

Hekimoğlu (Medical drama, S1: 44 commercial hrs., S2: ongoing) The local version of the U.S. series House starring Timuçin Esen as Ateş Hekimoğlu, an acclaimed infectious diseases and nephrology physician.

New Life (Drama, 9 eps.) A business opportunity sparks a chain of events that leads to two very different families crossing paths.

Meryem (Drama, 94 commercial hrs.) The story of a love triangle between a woman who undertakes a crime for the man she loves, a prosecutor who will do everything for his career and a man who is searching for revenge.

Flames of Desire (Drama, 186 commercial hrs.)

Adapted from a Korean drama, explores the old Turkish tradition of “betrothed in the cradle” and its consequences in modern life.

For My Son (Family drama, 241 commercial hrs.)

Suspended from the police force for a crime he didn’t commit, Poyraz Karayel loses everything he cared for.

KANAL D INTERNATIONAL

O (90-212) 413-5666 m sales@kanald.international w www.kanald.international

Contact: Kerim Emrah Turna, exec. dir.; Gamze Utma, sales exec.

A Mother’s Guilt

Video interviews with leading players in the media business, industry analysis and a recap of the week’s events—delivered to your inbox every Thursday.

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TV LISTINGS

Fatmagül (Drama, 169 commercial hrs.) A strong, globally binding story, telling the roughest pain of a raped woman and her fight against injustice and traditions.

Forbidden Love (Drama, 158 commercial hrs.)

Adaptation to the present time of the work of the foremost Turkish author Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil.

War of the Roses (Drama, 168 commercial hrs.)

The story of a love triangle between a wealthy woman, a handsome man and a beautiful young girl.

Romance Next Door (Romantic comedy, 16 eps.) A love story and also the story of friendship between four young people from different social classes and cultures, whose characters are opposite to each other.

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who is summoned to the other world to become a “hero.”

Mute it! (Game-show format, 30-120 min. eps.) A game with a simple rule: don’t make a sound. The game becomes even harder when the contestants need to keep moving, facing obstacles and hazards in a deadly silent environment as they try to clear the missions.

Piggyback Challenge (Game-show format, 3060 min. eps.) Couples compete against other pairs while piggybacking their partner as they clear tasks such as shopping, jogging or dining within a time limit, in pursuit of their dream prize.

NIPPON TV

O (81-3) 6215-3036 m intlprog@ntv.co.jp w www.ntv.co.jp/english Contact: Sayako Aoki, sales & lic., intl. business dvpmt.; Moe Kanzaki, sales & lic., intl. business dvpmt.; Aya Kohara, sales & lic., intl. business dvpmt.; Xinrui Yang, sales & lic., intl. business dvpmt.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS 9 Windows (Comedy game-show format, 60 min. eps.) A co-production from Nippon TV and The Story Lab, this is a unique game-show-meets-talent contest that celebrates ordinary people with outlandish skills.

TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit Fantasy- (Fantasy/Isekai animation, 30 min. eps.) Based on the award-winning novel written by Kei Azumi, follows Makoto Misumi, an ordinary high school student living a regular life,

Mute it!

Double Booking (Comedy/thriller scripted format, 60 min. eps.) One man makes a mistake of double booking a date with two different women while on his computer screen. A twist in the final three minutes sets the stage for some unexpected suspense.

Your Home is My Business! (Drama scripted format, 60 min. eps.) She is a real-estate saleswoman who is known for closing the deal no matter who the client is.

I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper (Drama scripted format, 60 min. eps.) A super housekeeper perfectly completes everything she is asked to do. However, she

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TV LISTINGS

never smiles or tries to gain someone’s favor. She is always emotionless, and her mind is unreadable.

Mr. Hiiragi’s Homeroom (Drama scripted format, 60 min. eps.) Holding 29 students captive, a teacher will do anything to find out the truth behind the suicide of a classmate a few months ago.

Red Carpet Survival (Game-show format, 60 min. eps.) Contestants act as bodyguards who must safely escort a VIP. The boss gives the bodyguards a mission; to make the VIP stay on the red carpet that stretches out to their destination, no matter what.

Abandoned (Drama scripted format, 60 min. eps.)

A touching drama as seen through the eyes of children facing the harsh reality of life in an orphanage.

RUSSIA TELEVISION AND RADIO/SOVTELEXPORT

O (7-495) 955-8920 m ref.ste@vgtrk.com w sales.vgtrk.com

hopeless prisoners of the Caliphate. They realize that there is only one chance of survival—to escape.

The Blood Widow (Historical drama/thriller, 16x51-53 min.) Series about the most notorious female serial killer in Russian history. Widowed at a young age and rejected by her lover, she tortured and murdered over a hundred innocent peasants.

Ekaterina. Pretenders (Historical drama, 16x5253 min.) 1774. The rule of Ekaterina is threatened.

Numerous pretenders appear with claims to the throne. Her personal life also is troubled.

Anna Karenina (Drama, 8x42-47 min.) The late 19th century. Russian high society. St. Petersburg aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a reckless love affair with the dashing count Alexey Vronsky.

Kresty (Current affairs/psychology, 1x52 min.)

Throughout its 130-year existence, thousands of people have passed through the walls of Kresty, one of the oldest and largest prisons in Russia: revolutionaries, engineers, generals, writers, poets, scientists, thieves and serial killers.

Contact: Julia Matyash, dir., Sovtelexport; Maria Dorokhina, head, intl. sales (worldwide, ex. CIS & Baltic states); Elizaveta Shcherbakova, mgr., intl. sales (worldwide, ex. CIS & Baltic states).

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes (Historical drama, 8x53-55 min.) Zuleikha, a quiet and obedient Muslim wife, is living in a remote Tatar village in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. When her husband is murdered by communist soldiers for hiding grain, she is arrested and sent to Siberia.

On the Edge (Adventure drama, 8x49-52 min.)

Three completely different young women ended up Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes

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TV LISTINGS 13

Russia.Kremlin.Putin (Current affairs, 1x51 min.)

Putin’s most recent and exclusive interview given after the pandemic decline. He talks about Russia’s past, present and future and his own role in the country’s fate.

The Great Unknown War (History, 1x110 min.)

Declassified documents and new irrefutable facts reveal how the most destructive war of the 20th century became possible.

Who Are We? (Travel/psychology, 1x54 min.) A young Parisian of Russian origin goes to the distant Solovetsky Islands to trace his ancestors.

Kursk (Investigation, 1x52 min.) In August 2000, the world was shocked to learn that the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk had sunk, killing its 118 crew members. The documentary reveals unique shots aboard the blown-up Kursk, memories of the specialists, rescue team and families of the perished submariners.

with a bounty hunter veteran to negotiate and gently nudge the city’s constant disputes back under the rug. (Omen Studios) Future Bros (Animation, 52x11 min.) A fun comedy that follows the life of 8-year-old boy genius Andy, who finds himself face-to-face with his 15-year-old self and is sorely disappointed. (One Animation) How to Train Your Hooman (Animation, 4x10 min.) An animated series in the style of a witty instructional series that’s from the point of view of a rescue dog who educates other dogs and humans on “how to train your hooman.” (Stardust Story)

SINGAPORE VIRTUAL PAVILION

BY INFOCOMM MEDIA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

m grace_ng@imda.gov.sg w www.imda.gov.sg

Contact: Dinesh Pasrasurum, asst. dir.; Grace Ng, snr. mgr.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Dino Girl Gauko (Animation, 39x8 min.) Naoko, a seemingly typical tween, possesses a strange gift and curse—when her anger exceeds a maximum level, she turns into fire-breathing dinosaur girl Gauko. (August Media) Dragon Lizzardo (Animation, 26x11 min.) Warmonger extraordinaire, Dragon Lizzardo teams up

Dino Girl Gauko

LIFE by Laila (Doc., 13x24 min.) Singaporean fitness and wellness guru Laila White travels across Indonesia to discover forgotten traditions and ancient rituals that have kept Indonesians physically, spiritually and mentally healthy and happy for hundreds of years. (Aqieve) Mak Ninja (Animation, 26x11 min.) Skilled in the indigenous martial arts, a housewife transforms into Mak Ninja and fights off street thugs, scammers and super villains who threaten the peace.

(Chips and Toon)

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TV LISTINGS

Salam Ramadan—Finland (Doc., 5x30 min.)

Celebrating ethnic cultures, this episode looks at how local Muslims in Finland integrate their Islamic culture into the rich tapestry of Finnish people in the world’s happiest country. (Monstrou Studios) Walking the Yangtze with Ash Dykes (Doc., 2x60 min.) Ash Dykes journeys from the heart of China to Shanghai, drawing upon his survival skills and curiosity for new cultures for an unforgettable adventure. (Bomanbridge Media) Wonder (Factual, 8x30 min./40x5 min.) From colors and nature to illusion, covers a range of stories that are presented to enlighten and challenge our senses. (Silver Wolf International)

SODEC

w sodec.gouv.qc.ca A government corporation overseen by Québec’s Minister of Culture and Communication mandated to promote and support the development Québec’s cultural industry at home and abroad.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Dark Soul (Bête Noire) (Drama, 6x45 min.) Jeremy walked into his high school with a semi-automatic rifle and shot multiple students before killing himself. How can this unspeakable crime be explained? (Encore International) 422 (4K fantasy thriller, 13x30 min.) In an abandoned house in a small village, five youngsters discover a secret passage to a mysterious world hiding a priceless treasure. (HG Distribution) Plan B (Drama, S1: 6x60 min., S2: 6x60 min., S3: in prod., S4: coming soon, & format) Who has not

at one time wanted to go back and change the course of events? And what if you were given a second chance, a plan B? (KO Distribution)

Amber Alert

Amber Alert (Drama, 10x60 min.) The kidnapping of autistic Éliot Charbonneau turns his family’s lives upside down, revealing that this family was never quite what it seemed. (Pixcom) Outbreak (Épidémie) (Drama, 10x60 min.) A dangerous virus begins to spread within a group of vulnerable homeless people in Montreal.

(Sphere Media)

STUDIO 100 MEDIA

O (49-89) 960855-0 m distribution@studio100media.com w www.studio100group.com Contact: Hans Bourlon, CEO, Studio 100 Group; Martin Krieger, CEO, Studio 100 Media/Intl.; Anja van Mensel, CEO, Studio 100 Benelux; Benny Salaets, dir., content dist., Studio 100 Benelux; Dorian Bühr, head, global dist.; Tanja Aichberger-Schätzle, snr. sales exec.; Vanessa Windhager, sales exec.; Petra Keil, dir., channel & program mngmt.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS SeaBelievers (CGI eco-tainment, 52x11 min.) Each episode leads kids on an eco-adventure, as the

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TV LISTINGS 15

positive SeaBelievers characters problem-solve and take action around key environmental issues.

FriendZSpace (Comedy/adventure, 52x11 min.)

Alice, Leo and Kim may seem like regular human kids, but behind their normal facade their mission is simple and wonderfully weird: locate planets, find alien kids, introduce themselves and make friends.

SeaBelievers

100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone (CGI comedy adventure, 26x22 min.) Freddy Lupin, heir to a line of werewolves, was in shock when on his 13th birthday his first “warfing” went awry, turning him into a poodle. Enrolled in the Howlington Academy, Freddy is going to try to prove that despite his appearance, he still has the heart of a werewolf.

Heidi (CGI adventure, S1-2: 65x22 min.) Heidi lives with her grandfather in the scenic idyll of the Swiss Alps. She makes friends quickly, and people know that they can call on her for help.

Tip the Mouse (CGI preschool comedy, S1-3: 104x7 min.) The stories about the little mouse Tip appeal to the youngest kids, since Tip must go through all the adventures that each child faces while walking the extraordinary path to growing up.

GET DAILY NEWS ON KIDS’ PROGRAMMING

Wissper (CGI preschool adventure/comedy, S12: 104x7 min.) Wissper is a little girl who was born with the ability to talk to animals. She can transport herself to anywhere an animal is in trouble and in need of help.

Arthur and the Minimoys—The Series (CGI adventure/fantasy, 26x24 min.) Arthur found the world of the Minimoys and visits his friends Selenia and Betameche. This time the King of the Minimoys is organizing the resistance against tyrant Malthazar.

Maya the Bee (CGI preschool adventure, S1-2: 130x13 min.) New adventures with Maya and her very best friends, including the ants patrol peacekeepers with their star duo, silly Billy Joe and dumb Jimmy Joe. A new guest, Theo, a young bee with a prosthetic wing, is also joining Maya’s adventures.

Mia and me (Fantasy/adventure, S1-3: 78x23 min.) The fantastic adventures of Mia and her friends in the magic land of Centopia, where they must protect unicorns from villains of all kinds.

Ghost Rockers (Live-action mystery, 209x12 min. & 1x92 min.) Five teens with big dreams and raw musical talent discover that the school’s basement is haunted by spirits of an old rock band.

T&B MEDIA GLOBAL

O (66-2) 288-0481 m info@tandbmediaglobal.com w tandbmediaglobal.com Contact: Dr. Jwanwat Ahriyavraromp, CEO; Bhakbhume Tanta-Nanta, deputy CEO; Hans Audric Estialbo, CMSO; Krisakorn Tekittipong, acq., dist. & partnerships.

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Darwin & Newts (Kids 4-7 edutainment adventure, 40x11 min.) An adventure buddy comedy for preschoolers that is imbued with the fun of learning, discovering and experimenting with early science and engineering principles.

Charlie and the Interviewer of Things (Kids 4-7 comedy edutainment, 52x11 min.) A fun-filled, informative and gripping chat show for preschoolTasty Tales of the Food Truckers ers that fosters a critical and curious mindset by PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS creating excitement to learn about new things.

Shelldon (Animation) Let Shelldon and friends Best Furry Friends (Kids 5-11 comedy adventure, take you on an adventure into their underwater 52x11 min.) A uniquely girl-centric “fun-venture� world where fun awaits. series about super cute, magical friendships and Tasty Tales of the Food Truckers (Animation) lots and lots of cuddly pets.

Follow three crazy friends around the world in their souped-up, sentient food truck to turn rare ingredients into epic dishes.

TOONZ MEDIA GROUP

O (91-471) 434-2500/270-0929 m info@toonzmediagroup.com w toonz.co

Briko

Contact: P. Jayakumar, CEO; Sumedha Saraogi, CMO; Gulshan David, dir., sales, Imira Entertainment; Viju Thomas, dir., content dist. & synd., Imira Entertainment; Begona Esteban, sales mgr., Imira Entertainment.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Mondo Yan (Kids 6-9 comedy adventure, 52x12 min.) An action-packed comedy rollercoaster about three young apprentice misfits chosen by three eccentric elders to protect their peaceful and idyllic world from evil powers.

Badanamu Zoo (Kids 2-5 edutainment adventure, 52x15 min.) A pathbreaking interactive series developed in partnership with the Zoological Society of East Anglia (ZSEA) in the U.K. in which little learners explore the wonders of the animal world.

Briko (Kids 4-7 non-dialogue adventure, 52x10 min.) A CGI and live-action hybrid activity-oriented preschool series focusing on the values of conservation and recycling, along with oodles of DIY fun.

Sunny-Side Billy (Kids 6-9 comedy, 52x11 min.)

An upbeat comedy centered around a witty, happy-

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TV LISTINGS

go-lucky fried egg and his bunch of friends, who only know to love, care and spread sunshine.

Paddypaws & Pals (Preschool comedy adventure, 52x11 min.) Created by Keith and Emily Chapman, a series about a bunch of adventurous kitties led by the mischievous Paddypaws, and their loving, responsible young owner Daisy.

Aliens in My Backpack (Kids 4-7 action comedy, 52x11 min.) Rob Lee and Jim Driscoll come together for this brand-new alien CGI series that packs the punch of an exciting, otherworldly adventure.

Zombie Town (Tweens & family horror comedy movie) A spooky adventure comedy from the stable of celebrated horror fiction author R.L. Stine.

WINSING ANIMATION

O (86-20) 3763-5953 m sophie@winsing.net w en.winsing.net

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team members to explore a world underwater.

They will meet the trapped Tina and the brave Princess Coral.

GG Bond: Dino Diary (Kids 3-6 3D comedy/adventure/action, 104x13 min.) GG Bond and his fellows travel back to the Mesozoic Era to collect information on different dinosaurs.

GOGOBUS

Diary of Dinosaurs (Comedy/adventure/action, 1x90 min.) Yaya overcomes her inborn fear and makes a decision to firmly stand her ground, just like Contact: Ben Gu, CEO; Echo Gu, VP; Jinming Lu, dir.; her father, when the carnivores invade next time.

Sophie Lau, head, intl. mktg.; Tracy Lee, intl. lic. exec. GG Bond: Racing (Kids 4-8 action/adventure, PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS 104x15 min.) GG Bond enters into an unknown Team S.T.E.A.M.! (Kids 4-8 3D edutainment, space accidentally and has to participate in speed 104x15 min.) An upbeat series filled with high adven- races to find his fellows and find a way back home. ture, humor and heart. The kids overcome problems using STEM curriculum for good measure.

ZDF ENTERPRISES GOGOBUS (Kids 2-5 3D edutainment, 156x13 O (49) 6131-9910 min.) A series based on social and emotional learnm info@zdf-enterprises.de ing, revolving around an artificial school bus with w www.zdf-enterprises.de the capability of transforming into the shape of difContact: Fred Burcksen, pres. & CEO; Robert ferent vehicles.

GG Bond: Undersea Wonders (Kids 4-8 action Franke, VP, ZDFE.drama; Peter Lang, VP, adventure, 104x15 min.) GG Bond will lead his ZDFE.junior; Ralf RĂźckauer, VP, ZDFE.unscripted.

GET DAILY NEWS ON THE FORMATS BUSINESS

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TV LISTINGS

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Frontlines (Science/knowledge, 8x50 min.) 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.

Great Inventions (Science/knowledge, 35x50 min.) A celebration of humankind’s great inventions that have completely transformed our world, from rather mundane household breakthroughs to spectacular innovations in technology and science.

The Return of the Bears (Science/knowledge, 1x50 min.) The return of the brown bears is the most exciting and most controversial rewilding program in the history of Europe. But is Europe ready to coexist with brown bears?

Sløborn (Crime/suspense, 4x90 min./8x45 min.)

From the showrunner of Netflix’s Dogs of Berlin, a coming-of-age drama meets pandemic thriller tells the story of a group of islanders confronted with a fatal virus.

Grow (Crime/suspense, 8x42 min.) A story that constantly changes between a breathless thriller, deep development of character and an at times dissident reflection on what happiness is in an apathetic society.

Standing Tall (Crime/suspense, 4x100 min./8x50 min.) Valerio is an ex-cop who, after losing his job and the affection of his only son Ettore, had isolated himself from everything and everybody. Right in the middle of this self-imposed shunning of the world, he receives the most awful news imaginable: Ettore is dead.

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Top Dog (Crime/suspense, 8x45 min.) Ambitious Swedish lawyer Emily wants to solve a kidnapping.

Ex-con Teddy just wants out of the Mafia. Together they are unstoppable.

Space Nova (Kids animation, 26x22 min.) It’s 2162 and the Aussie space-exploring Nova family has discovered the first-ever proof that humanity is not alone in the universe. During a routine research mission, the Novas stumble across an abandoned alien space craft trapped in a celestial butterfly.

The Worst Witch (Kids live action, 52x28 min.) Faithfully based on Jill Murphy’s well-loved books, this is an exciting series of adventures for one of the most iconic and best-loved characters in children’s literature.

Heirs of the Night (Kids live action, S1-2: 26x26 min.)

In 1889, the 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. Now in its second season.

Space Nova

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Grow (Crime/suspense, 8x42 min.) A story that constantly changes between a breathless thriller, deep development of character and an at times dissident reflection on what happiness in an apathetic society.

Dark Soul (Bête Noire) (Drama, 6x45 min.) Jeremy walked into his high school with a semiautomatic rifle and shot multiple students before killing himself. How can this unspeakable crime be explained?

Forbidden Fruit (Drama, 223+ hrs.) Yıldız and Zeynep are two sisters whose lives will take an unexpected turn when Istanbul socialite Ender asks Yıldız to seduce her husband.

Relative Race (Factual/reality, 60x60 min.) In this race unlike any other, four teams take a ten-day journey across the country to discover new relatives and compete for a $50,000 grand prize. Five seasons available and one in production.

Very Scary People (Crime, 24x60 min.) Chronicles the lives of some of the most diabolical characters in recent history. Each individual is chronicled in two-hour-long episodes tracing their criminal acts and the eventual road to justice.

88 WORLD SCREEN 12/20

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