Years of budget cuts, mergers, course corrections and executive cuts have dampened the optimism of many TV industry experts as commission numbers continue to decline, but Steve Matthews, head of scripts at Banijay Entertainment, insists it’s time to think big.
“I think there is optimism at the moment in that there is a bit of creative risk. Things are not as tough as they were a few years ago,” Matthews said Tuesday, speaking at Rome’s MIA market.
Banijay executives say that after a tough few years when the streaming platform was hampered by “very conservative” decisions, those very same streamers are pushing back and insisting it “just isn’t what it is anymore.”
“I think it’s getting better. I think there’s kind of a doom loop that keeps going around where we as producers think we’re avoiding risk,” Matthews said. “But I think it’s time to push it a little bit more…I think buyers are a little more open about other things.”
Tesha Crawford, deputy head of international television at New Regency, said recent blockbuster shows such as Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer” offer a blueprint for global success, pointing to how the hit series used “very local, very specific” stories to reach audiences around the world.
“I think I really had something to say about abuse and trauma,” she said. “I think if you’re really clear about what you’re trying to say, it’ll really resonate as well.”
“What we’re looking for is who is the real creator, and putting a lot of stock in that person and that (writer’s) room,” said Larry Grimaldi, senior vice president of creative affairs and original films at Fox Entertainment Studios. “When you read it on the page and when you talk to the writer, you really look for that singular perspective that makes you want to believe that this is the only person who could write this story.”
But when it comes to selling that story to viewers, Fox executives acknowledged that the industry has begun to rely too heavily on “faces in boxes,” a streaming abbreviation for casting big-name actors whose thumbnails drive viewer engagement.
“Television used to be the place to discover new actors and new writers, and in some ways it’s a shame that we have to put so much stock into people who are easy bets,” he said. “I think there’s a place for both.”
Leo Becker, head of international original productions and co-productions at France’s Federation Studios, noted that producers often have to go to such lengths “in a very competitive market for everyone’s attention and attention.”
“Whether it’s a face in the box, a big name creator, a big IP, or something that’s never been seen before, that’s the kind of show that can be customized specifically for the international market,” he said.
Becker, who is executive producing the adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities for the BBC and MGM+, had put off the series several times before being approached two years ago for a package headlined by Game of Thrones star Kit Harington, which a federation executive said had “been wanting to make for years”.
“You can have the same IP, the same story, but if you don’t develop it right and package it right from the beginning, it won’t work in the international market,” Becker said.
Brendan Fitzgerald, CEO of Spain’s Sequoya Studios, agreed that top talent can help push the package over the finish line, and explained the company’s strategy to secure in-demand actors as executive producers with “two-stage deals” that ensure they join the cast if the project is greenlit.
“It gives the pitch momentum right from the start, gives the pitch credibility and adds excitement and buzz,” he said. “It also gives actors the ability to truly be involved and drive the project from the beginning.”
New Regency’s Crawford said there is no one-size-fits-all solution. “You have to creatively do what’s best for the project,” she said. “Sometimes there are actors who don’t have a huge following on social media, but people know them and love them. And I think the important thing is to find roles that are really interesting for them.”
Christian Rank, managing director of Sweden’s Mytho Film, added: “It’s not about calling your agent and putting the most famous actor on TV.” “It’s important to package it organically, and the story always comes first… How do we make it resonate? How do we get the right people on the show at the right time and give the commissioners peace of mind?”
By 2025, complacent commission agents may join the realm of TV production companies. But Banijay’s Matthews reinforced his belief that series creators can “take some things a little bit forward” in the current climate and encouraged them to make a big pivot.
“Whatever you’re trying to do, give it your best effort,” he said. “Please don’t spray water on it.”
MIA Market in Rome will be held from October 6th to 10th.
