There are few better places than Series Mania’s industry Forum to gauge the mood of the scripted TV industry. For three concentrated days this week, execs from the international TV business gathered in Lille to talk business, scout for shows and to swap ideas.
Screen distills the key conversation points from the 2024 edition.
Survive till 2025
The weather was bright this year in Lille, but the conversations were often darker. For many, 2023 was tough because of US strikes, economic uncertainty and a commissioning slowdown. If anything, 2024 is tougher still. The mood among the UK contingent was particularly bleak. “I don...
Screen distills the key conversation points from the 2024 edition.
Survive till 2025
The weather was bright this year in Lille, but the conversations were often darker. For many, 2023 was tough because of US strikes, economic uncertainty and a commissioning slowdown. If anything, 2024 is tougher still. The mood among the UK contingent was particularly bleak. “I don...
- 3/22/2024
- ScreenDaily
Ancient Greek Aristotle got it right. The production whole is greater than the sum of its co-production parts. This was the sentiment at a Series Mania session titled ‘Fifty Shades of Co Pro’ on Tuesday.
Simone Emmelius, Zdf’s Senior VP international fiction – co-production and acquisition, laid it out: “You can only spend the Euro once, so you have the opportunity to maybe spend €200,000 [$218,000] on an episode, or you spend €200,000 on an episode that may cost €1.5 million. At the end of it, you get a production value of €1.5 million.” she explained. This encapsulates the essence of co-production, leveraging partnerships to attain a project that far exceeds what individual partners could do alone.
Three of Series Mania’s eight main international competition titles – “Apples Never Fall,” “Rematch,” “So Long, Marianne” — are co-productions. Some panel points of consensus:
Aligned Interests and Transparency
However, the foundation of a successful co-production lies in alignment,...
Simone Emmelius, Zdf’s Senior VP international fiction – co-production and acquisition, laid it out: “You can only spend the Euro once, so you have the opportunity to maybe spend €200,000 [$218,000] on an episode, or you spend €200,000 on an episode that may cost €1.5 million. At the end of it, you get a production value of €1.5 million.” she explained. This encapsulates the essence of co-production, leveraging partnerships to attain a project that far exceeds what individual partners could do alone.
Three of Series Mania’s eight main international competition titles – “Apples Never Fall,” “Rematch,” “So Long, Marianne” — are co-productions. Some panel points of consensus:
Aligned Interests and Transparency
However, the foundation of a successful co-production lies in alignment,...
- 3/20/2024
- by Callum McLennan
- Variety Film + TV
In the opening scene of In Her Car, a young Ukrainian woman stands before the bombed-out wreckage of her family home, screaming her sister’s name. There’s been a Russian missile attack, and the house, like the woman’s life, lies in ruins.
Two years into the Ukraine war — the second anniversary of the Russian invasion is this Saturday — the world has become accustomed to, some would say numbed to, an endless stream of similar scenes of destruction coming out of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. The devastation wrought by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war has become horrifyingly commonplace.
But this is not the nightly news. In Her Car is a drama series, conceived, produced, and shot in Ukraine in the wake of the Feb. 24 invasion that explores the psychological impact of the war on ordinary Ukrainians.
As the U.S. Congress continues to debate funding for Ukraine, with...
Two years into the Ukraine war — the second anniversary of the Russian invasion is this Saturday — the world has become accustomed to, some would say numbed to, an endless stream of similar scenes of destruction coming out of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. The devastation wrought by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war has become horrifyingly commonplace.
But this is not the nightly news. In Her Car is a drama series, conceived, produced, and shot in Ukraine in the wake of the Feb. 24 invasion that explores the psychological impact of the war on ordinary Ukrainians.
As the U.S. Congress continues to debate funding for Ukraine, with...
- 2/23/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Five Takeaways From The Mia Market: “New World Order,” Europe Steps Up & Public Broadcasters Go Hard
The Mia Market, Rome’s splashy precursor to Mipcom Cannes, is almost over and there has been plenty to digest. Attendants from all over the world including a healthy dose of U.S. C-suite star power have been listening intently in the cinema screening rooms on the Piazza Barberini all week, and there has been plenty to discuss, as execs from around the world ponder a path to normality following a year of chaos and disruption. Meanwhile, the Israeli-Hamas conflict rages and the world mourns, with ripples felt here in Rome. See below for Deadline’s key takeaways from the annual TV and film confab.
“New world order”
In the face of a year in which streaming models have at times felt on the verge of collapse and there have been dual U.S. labor strikes for the first time in six decades, a feeling of optimism and the charting...
“New world order”
In the face of a year in which streaming models have at times felt on the verge of collapse and there have been dual U.S. labor strikes for the first time in six decades, a feeling of optimism and the charting...
- 10/13/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The eight partners will co-produce eight TV series annually from 2023, and distribute each other’s projects.
Eight European public service broadcasters have united on New8, a collaboration through which they will co-produce eight drama series annually.
Starting this year and on an initial three-year agreement, the broadcasters will work with each other on the series; with broad distribution of the created projects a key tenet of the deal. The first series will be greenlit in 2023 for broadcast in all participating territories in 2024.
The participating broadcasters are Zdf (Germany), Npo (Netherlands), Vrt (Belgium), Svt (Sweden), Dr (Denmark), Yle (Finland), Ruv (Iceland...
Eight European public service broadcasters have united on New8, a collaboration through which they will co-produce eight drama series annually.
Starting this year and on an initial three-year agreement, the broadcasters will work with each other on the series; with broad distribution of the created projects a key tenet of the deal. The first series will be greenlit in 2023 for broadcast in all participating territories in 2024.
The participating broadcasters are Zdf (Germany), Npo (Netherlands), Vrt (Belgium), Svt (Sweden), Dr (Denmark), Yle (Finland), Ruv (Iceland...
- 10/10/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
More than 70 speakers from 17 countries, including “Skam” showrunner Julie Andem, “It Takes Two” game creator/filmmaker Josef Fares, and top commissioners from Viaplay, Netflix, Amazon Studios, Dr, Svt, Nrk and Yle will take center stage at Göteborg Film Festival’s TV Drama Vision.
The festival’s flagship drama confab will run Feb. 1-2 both on-site in Sweden’s second largest city, and online, with all streamed sessions open to accredited professionals.
A record 542 delegates – including 39 online visitors – have signed up for the sold-out event, set under the overarching theme “Navigating Disruption and Cultivating Talent.”
”It’s been a challenge to set the core of this year’s program, considering the drastic changes in the drama industry, fuelled by the macroeconomic uncertainties, streaming wars and changing strategies,” acknowledges TV Drama Vision honcho Cia Edström. “But our top industry guests will offer inspiring best-practices on how to navigate these changing times, cultivate talent and innovate in storytelling.
The festival’s flagship drama confab will run Feb. 1-2 both on-site in Sweden’s second largest city, and online, with all streamed sessions open to accredited professionals.
A record 542 delegates – including 39 online visitors – have signed up for the sold-out event, set under the overarching theme “Navigating Disruption and Cultivating Talent.”
”It’s been a challenge to set the core of this year’s program, considering the drastic changes in the drama industry, fuelled by the macroeconomic uncertainties, streaming wars and changing strategies,” acknowledges TV Drama Vision honcho Cia Edström. “But our top industry guests will offer inspiring best-practices on how to navigate these changing times, cultivate talent and innovate in storytelling.
- 1/23/2023
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Broadcaster commissioning initiative The European Alliance has put The Kollective, a journalism-based mystery drama from Leonardo Fasoli and Maddalena Ravagli and producer Femke Wolting, into development.
The announcement came during a session at Mia Market in Rome today, where its execs called for producers to pitch ideas for high-end limited series by January 2023. It represents the ninth series to come from the Alliance, which comprises Germany’s Zdf, France Télévisions and Italy’s Rai.
The Kollective runs to six parts and is born out of a meeting between Wolting and The Alliance’s Manuel Alduy, who is also Director of Cinema and International Development France Télévisions, at last year’s Mia Market event.
It will tackle subjects such as fake news, attacks on EU democracy, bottom-up investigations and the freedom of press, “wrapped up in a highly-charged global thriller and a heart-breaking love story.” Its title...
The announcement came during a session at Mia Market in Rome today, where its execs called for producers to pitch ideas for high-end limited series by January 2023. It represents the ninth series to come from the Alliance, which comprises Germany’s Zdf, France Télévisions and Italy’s Rai.
The Kollective runs to six parts and is born out of a meeting between Wolting and The Alliance’s Manuel Alduy, who is also Director of Cinema and International Development France Télévisions, at last year’s Mia Market event.
It will tackle subjects such as fake news, attacks on EU democracy, bottom-up investigations and the freedom of press, “wrapped up in a highly-charged global thriller and a heart-breaking love story.” Its title...
- 10/12/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
The Alliance, which brings together European broadcasters France Télévisions, Italy’s Rai and Germany’s Zdf in a commissioning partnership, announced the development of a new series “The Kollective” at Rome’s Mia Market on Wednesday.
France Télévisions, Rai and Zdf decided to join forces back in 2018 to develop and co-produce high-end TV dramas aimed at a broad audience. To date, they have produced nine series, ranging from thrillers to science-fiction, including historical drama “Leonardo,” pictured above.
“The idea was to bring together three public broadcasters who are really on a mission to show our audience programs that resonate. Programs that otherwise none of us could afford,” explained Simone Emmelius, senior VP international fiction-coproduction and acquisition at Zdf. Also mentioning that these days, the Alliance is focusing more and more on younger viewers.
“We have a common heritage and common understanding of stories that should be told, even though we...
France Télévisions, Rai and Zdf decided to join forces back in 2018 to develop and co-produce high-end TV dramas aimed at a broad audience. To date, they have produced nine series, ranging from thrillers to science-fiction, including historical drama “Leonardo,” pictured above.
“The idea was to bring together three public broadcasters who are really on a mission to show our audience programs that resonate. Programs that otherwise none of us could afford,” explained Simone Emmelius, senior VP international fiction-coproduction and acquisition at Zdf. Also mentioning that these days, the Alliance is focusing more and more on younger viewers.
“We have a common heritage and common understanding of stories that should be told, even though we...
- 10/12/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Execs from Germany’s Zdf, Denmark’s TV2 also on board.
National film institutes from Denmark, Ireland, Estonia and the Nordics are teaming up to launch the European Writers Club (Ewc), an EU-backed initiative to increase collaboration on high-end series projects across the continent.
The project launches with a panel at 17.00 Cet today at Series Series, the event for European series and creators held in Fontainebleu, France.
The Ewc is created and headed by CEO Thomas Gammeltoft, partner and executive producer at Nordic and Italian production and distribution firm True Content Entertainment. Copenhagen-based Gammeltoft was previously CEO of the Copenhagen Film Fund...
National film institutes from Denmark, Ireland, Estonia and the Nordics are teaming up to launch the European Writers Club (Ewc), an EU-backed initiative to increase collaboration on high-end series projects across the continent.
The project launches with a panel at 17.00 Cet today at Series Series, the event for European series and creators held in Fontainebleu, France.
The Ewc is created and headed by CEO Thomas Gammeltoft, partner and executive producer at Nordic and Italian production and distribution firm True Content Entertainment. Copenhagen-based Gammeltoft was previously CEO of the Copenhagen Film Fund...
- 6/30/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
As the U.S. streaming giants commission more and more shows from Europe, the continent’s traditional broadcasters now see co-productions as the best weapon in their armory. The LA Screenings continues this week, but across the pond the number of expensive dramas with multiple partners is expanding as channels seek to make budgets stretch further.
“International co-productions are an important part of our vast portfolio,” says Christoph Pellander, Senior Vice President of Drama at Ard Degeto, the content arm of German public broadcaster Ard. “In the last couple of years they are becoming more and more important for us in terms of volume but also in terms of recognition.”
And local broadcasters need to make noise.
While debates rage in several countries over future funding models and governments wrestle with content quotas, Netflix, Amazon and co. keep pouring resource into European originals. Just this month, Netflix opened an office...
“International co-productions are an important part of our vast portfolio,” says Christoph Pellander, Senior Vice President of Drama at Ard Degeto, the content arm of German public broadcaster Ard. “In the last couple of years they are becoming more and more important for us in terms of volume but also in terms of recognition.”
And local broadcasters need to make noise.
While debates rage in several countries over future funding models and governments wrestle with content quotas, Netflix, Amazon and co. keep pouring resource into European originals. Just this month, Netflix opened an office...
- 5/26/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Lionsgate has boarded Paradise Highway, a Silver Reel and Zdf thriller starring Oscar winners Juliette Binoche and Morgan Freeman, and Captain America actor Frank Grillo.
Lionsgate has taken North America distribution rights and will handle international sales. Zdf boards as co-producer and German distributor. Both deals were secured by Silver Reel’s Claudia Bluemhuber.
In Paradise Highway, written and directed by Anna Gutto, Sally (Binoche), a truck driver, has been forced to smuggle illicit cargo to save her brother Dennis (Grillo) from a deadly prison gang. With FBI operative Gerick (Freeman) hot on her trail, Sally’s motivations and conscience are challenged when the final package turns out to be a teenage girl (Hala Finley).
Cameron Monaghan, Veronica Ferres, Christiane Seidel and Walker Babington also star in the feature.
Gutto (Netflix’s Home for Christmas) wrote her screenplay off of years of research and immersion in the trucking community.
Lionsgate has taken North America distribution rights and will handle international sales. Zdf boards as co-producer and German distributor. Both deals were secured by Silver Reel’s Claudia Bluemhuber.
In Paradise Highway, written and directed by Anna Gutto, Sally (Binoche), a truck driver, has been forced to smuggle illicit cargo to save her brother Dennis (Grillo) from a deadly prison gang. With FBI operative Gerick (Freeman) hot on her trail, Sally’s motivations and conscience are challenged when the final package turns out to be a teenage girl (Hala Finley).
Cameron Monaghan, Veronica Ferres, Christiane Seidel and Walker Babington also star in the feature.
Gutto (Netflix’s Home for Christmas) wrote her screenplay off of years of research and immersion in the trucking community.
- 10/19/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
A host of heavyweight European execs have debated the difficulty of competing with US streamers on big budgets, while criticising these players for failing to nurture local talent and buying up studio space.
Many of the panellists involved in today’s Getting Your Projects Financed session at the Mia Rome Market are involved with the European Alliance, which aims to co-produce programming such as the upcoming Around The World In 80 Days adaptation between European networks France Televisions, Italy’s Rai and Germany’s Zdf.
Manuel Alduy, France Televisions Head of Cinema and International Development, cited the complexities of co-producing with streamers who “want to discuss almost everything, from your position in the room to editorial to rights to IP.”
“Finding blockbusters like Around The World In 80 Days is therefore so important,” he added.
And deep-pocketed streamers like Amazon and Netflix are keener to take local rights than ever, according...
Many of the panellists involved in today’s Getting Your Projects Financed session at the Mia Rome Market are involved with the European Alliance, which aims to co-produce programming such as the upcoming Around The World In 80 Days adaptation between European networks France Televisions, Italy’s Rai and Germany’s Zdf.
Manuel Alduy, France Televisions Head of Cinema and International Development, cited the complexities of co-producing with streamers who “want to discuss almost everything, from your position in the room to editorial to rights to IP.”
“Finding blockbusters like Around The World In 80 Days is therefore so important,” he added.
And deep-pocketed streamers like Amazon and Netflix are keener to take local rights than ever, according...
- 10/15/2021
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Conecta Fiction and Virtual Screenings 2021 brought together European public broadcasters for an online presentation on Tuesday that attempted to capture the alliances and challenges of the European public broadcasters, among Europe’s biggest and most active TV companies.
“We are aware that the past and the future is based on partnership,” said Maria Pia Ammirati, head of Rai Fiction in Italy. “We know that to make the best use of our resources and work within a European vision we must share the aspirations and also the problems of the European community.”
With the likes of Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney Plus spending big money on high-end drama series, European pubcasters have turned to a co-publishing model to compete. Launched in 2018 by France Televisions, Germany Zdf and Italy’s Rai, The Alliance allows the production investment burden to be spread across broadcasters who then control windows for the content in their home territory.
“We are aware that the past and the future is based on partnership,” said Maria Pia Ammirati, head of Rai Fiction in Italy. “We know that to make the best use of our resources and work within a European vision we must share the aspirations and also the problems of the European community.”
With the likes of Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney Plus spending big money on high-end drama series, European pubcasters have turned to a co-publishing model to compete. Launched in 2018 by France Televisions, Germany Zdf and Italy’s Rai, The Alliance allows the production investment burden to be spread across broadcasters who then control windows for the content in their home territory.
- 9/15/2021
- by JD Linville
- Variety Film + TV
As Italy’s film and TV industries start to bounce back from the pandemic with a verve reminiscent of the country’s postwar economic boom, the fourth edition of the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival is pulling out all the stops to support this effort.
The event is being held mostly in person July 21-25 on the emerald island that is becoming a prime destination for international shoots, such as the George Clooney-directed TV series “Catch-22,” and more recently Disney’s live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” It aims to serve as a catalyst for the local industry’s restart, while also fostering the formation of new talents and professionals. The fest will also serve as a campus of sorts for 2,000 ltalian film students.
As for well-established talents Tiziana Rocca, the former Taormina Film Festival chief who three years ago launched this international shindig combining film and TV with a...
The event is being held mostly in person July 21-25 on the emerald island that is becoming a prime destination for international shoots, such as the George Clooney-directed TV series “Catch-22,” and more recently Disney’s live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” It aims to serve as a catalyst for the local industry’s restart, while also fostering the formation of new talents and professionals. The fest will also serve as a campus of sorts for 2,000 ltalian film students.
As for well-established talents Tiziana Rocca, the former Taormina Film Festival chief who three years ago launched this international shindig combining film and TV with a...
- 7/20/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Production is set to start next week on pan-European TV series “Survivors,” the latest project commissioned by the partnership known as The Alliance between leading European public broadcasters to counter the growing power of Netflix and other streamers.
The plan is for cameras to start rolling in Genoa on Oct. 21 on the series revolving around a sailboat that gets destroyed in a fierce storm and disappears. After a year the wreck is recovered with seven survivors aboard, some of whom seem to be hiding a terrible secret. Each episode follows the complex events related to their return.
The start of principal photography on “Survivors” was announced on Friday during Rome’s Mia market.
Italy’s Rai Fiction, France Télévisions, and Germany’s Zdf are on board the show, which is produced by Fabienne Servan-Schreiber and Thomas Saignes at Paris-based Cinetevé and by Marco Poccioni and Marco Valsania at Italian shingle Rodeo Drive.
The plan is for cameras to start rolling in Genoa on Oct. 21 on the series revolving around a sailboat that gets destroyed in a fierce storm and disappears. After a year the wreck is recovered with seven survivors aboard, some of whom seem to be hiding a terrible secret. Each episode follows the complex events related to their return.
The start of principal photography on “Survivors” was announced on Friday during Rome’s Mia market.
Italy’s Rai Fiction, France Télévisions, and Germany’s Zdf are on board the show, which is produced by Fabienne Servan-Schreiber and Thomas Saignes at Paris-based Cinetevé and by Marco Poccioni and Marco Valsania at Italian shingle Rodeo Drive.
- 10/16/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
For the first time ever, a record number of 13 talent scouts -including U.S. reps from Wiip, CAA, Gersh- will set foot at Göteborg’s sold-out Nordic TV Drama Vision (Jan.29-30), where around 50 series in progress and in development will play to 420 industry delegates.
“This is the first time ever we have such a large presence of talent agents in Göteborg, but mirrors the worldwide trend of people trying to uncover and snap up the next big talent and stories, of which the Nordics abound,” said head of industry Cia Edström.
Heading the works in progress is HBO’s Swedish original “Beartown,” to be discussed by HBO Nordic’s commissioning editor & VP Original Programming, Hanne Palmquist, director Peter Grönlund, and Filmlance International’s producers Bonnie Skoog Feeney and Mattias Arehn. The adaptation of Fredrik Backman’s best-selling novel will bow on HBO later this year.
The dramedy “Dreaming of England,...
“This is the first time ever we have such a large presence of talent agents in Göteborg, but mirrors the worldwide trend of people trying to uncover and snap up the next big talent and stories, of which the Nordics abound,” said head of industry Cia Edström.
Heading the works in progress is HBO’s Swedish original “Beartown,” to be discussed by HBO Nordic’s commissioning editor & VP Original Programming, Hanne Palmquist, director Peter Grönlund, and Filmlance International’s producers Bonnie Skoog Feeney and Mattias Arehn. The adaptation of Fredrik Backman’s best-selling novel will bow on HBO later this year.
The dramedy “Dreaming of England,...
- 1/20/2020
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Mark Burnett is the latest A-list Hollywood exec to sign up to speak at Keshet’s Intv conference.
The Apprentice creator and Chairman of MGM Worldwide Television Group will give a keynote speech at the event, which is hosted and curated by Keshet Media Group and co-produced by Deadline, takes place March 11-12 in Jerusalem.
He will speak alongside the likes of Cindy Holland, Netflix’s Head of Original Programming, Greg Berlanti and former Channel 4 CEO and founder of Wonderhood Studios, David Abraham, who were both announced earlier this month.
Elsewhere, CNN’s Amy Entelis, former StudioCanal UK chief Danny Perkins and Zdf’s Simone Emmelius will speak at the event, which takes place at the Ymca Jerusalem.
Entelis, who is Executive Vice President for talent and content development at CNN Worldwide and also oversees CNN Films and Original Series, was responsible for recent feature doc hits Three Identical...
The Apprentice creator and Chairman of MGM Worldwide Television Group will give a keynote speech at the event, which is hosted and curated by Keshet Media Group and co-produced by Deadline, takes place March 11-12 in Jerusalem.
He will speak alongside the likes of Cindy Holland, Netflix’s Head of Original Programming, Greg Berlanti and former Channel 4 CEO and founder of Wonderhood Studios, David Abraham, who were both announced earlier this month.
Elsewhere, CNN’s Amy Entelis, former StudioCanal UK chief Danny Perkins and Zdf’s Simone Emmelius will speak at the event, which takes place at the Ymca Jerusalem.
Entelis, who is Executive Vice President for talent and content development at CNN Worldwide and also oversees CNN Films and Original Series, was responsible for recent feature doc hits Three Identical...
- 12/19/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Bestselling South African author Deon Meyer’s “Trackers” is being adapted for TV after African pay-tv heavyweight Multichoice teamed with German pubcaster Zdf to bring the thriller to the small screen.
“Trackers” interweaves three story strands into a thriller spanning the length and breadth of South Africa and involving organized crime, smuggled diamonds, state security, black rhinos, the CIA, and an international terrorist plot. The TV adaptation will run to six parts and will shoot in and around Cape Town next year.
Meyer will serve as supervising screenwriter on the series. Robert Thorogood (“Death in Paradise”) will be the showrunner. Britain’s Three River Studios and German-based Helle Media put the co-production deal together.
Jyri Kahonon (“Bordertown”) is attached to direct, and Ivan Strasburg (“Treme”) is on board as director of photography. Three River CEO Jonthan Drake said that “the co-production represents the first in a new wave of stories...
“Trackers” interweaves three story strands into a thriller spanning the length and breadth of South Africa and involving organized crime, smuggled diamonds, state security, black rhinos, the CIA, and an international terrorist plot. The TV adaptation will run to six parts and will shoot in and around Cape Town next year.
Meyer will serve as supervising screenwriter on the series. Robert Thorogood (“Death in Paradise”) will be the showrunner. Britain’s Three River Studios and German-based Helle Media put the co-production deal together.
Jyri Kahonon (“Bordertown”) is attached to direct, and Ivan Strasburg (“Treme”) is on board as director of photography. Three River CEO Jonthan Drake said that “the co-production represents the first in a new wave of stories...
- 12/4/2018
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
Europe’s pubcasters have joined forces to combat such streaming giants as Netflix and Amazon in the international TV market — and the first projects from this collaboration are under way.
Continental Europe’s leading public broadcasters — Italy’s Rai, France Televisions and Germany’s Zdf — in March forged a scripted content co-production pact called the Alliance with the stated goal of co-financing innovative, higher-profile, and generally bigger TV series for viewers in Europe and the rest of the world.
Meant to give participants greater firepower against the Netflixes of this world, the Alliance has spawned several projects, including a high-end “Leonardo” skein, with Frank Spotnitz on board and Rai in the leading role. It is the first of the projects expected to hit screens, in 2019.
“There are so many available platforms these days that local audiences are getting used to seeing the best of what’s out there day-and-date with the rest of the world,...
Continental Europe’s leading public broadcasters — Italy’s Rai, France Televisions and Germany’s Zdf — in March forged a scripted content co-production pact called the Alliance with the stated goal of co-financing innovative, higher-profile, and generally bigger TV series for viewers in Europe and the rest of the world.
Meant to give participants greater firepower against the Netflixes of this world, the Alliance has spawned several projects, including a high-end “Leonardo” skein, with Frank Spotnitz on board and Rai in the leading role. It is the first of the projects expected to hit screens, in 2019.
“There are so many available platforms these days that local audiences are getting used to seeing the best of what’s out there day-and-date with the rest of the world,...
- 10/16/2018
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
U.S. showrunner Frank Spotnitz (“The Man in the High Castle”) and British writer Steve Thompson (“Sherlock”) have been recruited by Italy’s Rai and Lux Vide to develop “Leonardo,” an English-language TV series that will portray the Renaissance genius as a gay outsider.
“He was a real outsider for those times. He was an illegitimate child, gay, vegetarian and left-handed,” said Rai Head of Drama Eleonora Andreatta, echoing a description found in “Leonardo da Vinci,” a new biography of the Italian polymath by U.S. author Walter Isaacson.
The new eight-part show, which Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions is co-producing with Lux Vide, is expected to be the first project to hit the airwaves from The Alliance, the co-production group formed by continental Europe’s top pubcasters: Rai, France Televisions, and Germany’s Zdf. The broadcasters announced in May that they were joining forces to counter the growing force of...
“He was a real outsider for those times. He was an illegitimate child, gay, vegetarian and left-handed,” said Rai Head of Drama Eleonora Andreatta, echoing a description found in “Leonardo da Vinci,” a new biography of the Italian polymath by U.S. author Walter Isaacson.
The new eight-part show, which Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions is co-producing with Lux Vide, is expected to be the first project to hit the airwaves from The Alliance, the co-production group formed by continental Europe’s top pubcasters: Rai, France Televisions, and Germany’s Zdf. The broadcasters announced in May that they were joining forces to counter the growing force of...
- 10/3/2018
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Tully producer Bron Studios has teamed up with Studiocanal’s Tandem Productions on a global television thriller created by The Bridge co-creator Måns Mårlind.
The two companies are co-producing gritty, eight-part series Shadow Play for a slew of European broadcasters including France’s Canal+, Scandinavian digital platform Viaplay, Canal+ in Poland and Dutch public broadcaster Npo.
The character-driven period thriller is set in Berlin and centres on the story of Max McLaughlin, an American cop who arrives in the city in the summer of 1946 to help create a police force in the chaotic aftermath of the war. Max’s goal is to take down “Englemacher” Gladow, the Al Capone of post-war Berlin. At the same time, Max undertakes a secret crusade to find his missing brother, who is killing ex-Nazis in hiding. However, Max is completely unaware that he is being used as a pawn in what is...
The two companies are co-producing gritty, eight-part series Shadow Play for a slew of European broadcasters including France’s Canal+, Scandinavian digital platform Viaplay, Canal+ in Poland and Dutch public broadcaster Npo.
The character-driven period thriller is set in Berlin and centres on the story of Max McLaughlin, an American cop who arrives in the city in the summer of 1946 to help create a police force in the chaotic aftermath of the war. Max’s goal is to take down “Englemacher” Gladow, the Al Capone of post-war Berlin. At the same time, Max undertakes a secret crusade to find his missing brother, who is killing ex-Nazis in hiding. However, Max is completely unaware that he is being used as a pawn in what is...
- 8/13/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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