MIPTV was another buzzing market for Nordic scripted content – both for ready-made and format-with a flurry of deals signed and in discussion.
The second MIPTV Drama Screenings attended by over 450 buyers on the eve of MIPTV (Sunday April 2) set the tone for global interest in premium drama. Two new shows produced or pre-bought by Nordic broadcasters picked up awards: Beta Film’s lavish €40m period drama Babylon Berlin (pre-bought by DR, SVT, NRK, YLE, RUV) won the Grand Jury Prize in the Full episode category while Adam Price’s Ride Upon the Storm won the TV Critics Award and MIPTV Drama Coup de Coeur in the works in progress section.
The Nordics had more to celebrate with DR’s first ever International Emmy Kids Award handed out on Tuesday to Ultras sorte kageshow (Baking in the Dark) in the Entertainment for Kids category.
On Tuesday’s Co-production Summit, MIPTV Drama Grand Jury members comprising Frank Spotnitz, Exec Producer/writer (The Man in the High Castle);Lars Blomgren (Endemol Shine Group/ Filmlance International, Virginie Brac, screenwriter (Spiral);Ran Tellem, Mediapro and former Head of Content at Keshet, and Jalil Lespert, director/actor (Versailles) praised the diversity of storylines, much wider than five years ago.
Walter Iuzzolino, Chief Creative Officer of UK streaming service Walter Presents (who used Valkyrien as flagship show to launch in the US a month ago) gave a more nuanced viewpoint. He used his centre stage at the panel 'Drama Buyers and Commissioners-What do they Want?' to warn producers/creators.
'Beware of repetitive formulas, try to be bolder and more imaginative, but also beware of the pacing of the stories' were his words. “I could easily cut two episodes in 95% of the shows I watch,” he said. The third tip he gave was to make sure ‘episode 1 punches as hard as possible, otherwise you risk losing audiences.
On the financing side, co-production alliances were as diverse as ever with new opportunities bringing together traditional broadcasters, OTT, telco players, world distributors and producers, around creators and storytellers.
French/Swedish ties
Two new French-Swedish co-productions were announced:
Here under is a list of selective deals closed during MIPTV