The program development process is changing in ways that are very consequential for the profitability of independent producers. That’s the message from Michael Hoff, founder and CEO of Hoff Productions, based in the Bay Area since 1993. Michael has been a great friend and valued supporter of this newsletter. We have been sharing notes about the …
A fast-changing economic model creates anxious conversations and lots of sharing of useful information. That was the vibe along the Croisette at MIPDoc and MIPTV. Here are my Takeaways #6-12. Read “Digital Cents for Analog Dollars” and Cannes Takeaways #1-5 here. 6. Budget Cuts Hit a Mature Industry The Cab / Sat channels business has peaked and …
At the invitation-only MIPDoc Co-production Summit, Woodcut Media‘s Kate Beal explored the three big ideas that are guiding her company’s successful strategy. Kate kindly shared her presentation with my readers. by Kate Beal. We started out as a small UK-based Indie, and thankfully have been growing steadily over the past three and a half years. I’ve been asked …
Une co-production à 1,5 million d’Euros entre la NHK, le diffuseur publique japonais et le français Gédéon Programmes a été un grand succès au MIPDoc 2018. La série : LE JAPON VU DU CIEL. Les producteurs exécutifs Shin Yasuda et Nicolas Deschamps ont partagé leur processus de co-production lors de mon panel juste après l’avant-première mondiale. …
A 1.5 million Euros co-production between Japan’s public broadcaster NHK and France’s Gedeon Programmes was a highlight of MIPDoc 2018. The series: JAPAN FROM ABOVE. Executive Producers Shin Yasuda and Nicolas Deschamps shared their co-production process in my panel after the World-premiere screening. We expanded the key points into an informative Case Study covering a …
To mark today’s 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination, I have republished our coverage of the Peabody Award-winning documentary “MLK: The Assassination Tapes.” Originally published July 1, 2013. David Royle, EVP Programming & Production, Smithsonian Networks, and Tom Jennings, Executive Producer & Founder, 1895 Films explored the development and commissioning of their multiple-award-winning documentary at MIPDoc 2013. …
‘The Vietnam War’ from Ken Burns & Lynn Novick earned a hit-level PBS audience. This post on the 18-hour, $30 million ‘Vietnam’ series wraps up my coverage of PBS’s impressive factual ratings. I added a comment on ‘Vietnam’ that is based on my eyewitness experience in wartime Laos as a 22 year old researcher / reporter. The …
The most coveted road to a Netflix deal lies through acceptance at Sundance. But what are the odds that U.S. and international documentaries will earn a slot on the program? Submissions: 1,635 Documentary Features were submitted to the 2018 Sundance Film Festival: 740 were from the U.S. 895 were international. Selections: Sundance selected 47 for screening. …