Video Age International April 2016

18 April 2016 V I D E O A G E ex-Yugoslavian territories, which she represents; but she regretted that recently the quality of these series has somewhat diminished, mostly due to shrinking production budgets. Asked to evaluate the busy schedule of markets since the beginning of the year, Sertic found it hard to keep up. She was just back from EFM in Berlin and will head to both NEM and NATPE Budapest, preferring to skip MIP-TV in order to concentrate on MIPCOM and AFM; as for the L.A. Screenings — although she found the event to be extraordinary — Sertic prefers working with the studios’ regional offices, which, she said, “are easy to reach and a more affordable solution.” On the conference side, on the morning of the market’s first day, there was a “Format Day,” co- organized with FRAPA, and with conference sessions analyzing the different challenges of the format business in the CEE and MENA territories. In the afternoon a “Format Showcase,” introduced pitches by various format creators looking for distributors. On the market’s second day, sessions focusedondigitalization viasatelliteandprogrammingTV movies in Turkey, with a special emphasis on the latest TRT productions. Day three sessions were on product placement and branded entertainment topics. Dates for next year are already planned for February 28-March 2, 2017 in the same venue, but there could still be developments like one of the major Turkish distributors, Global Agency, creating its own screenings in June or even, as reported by VideoAge Daily at NATPE 2016, DISCOP itself moving to the month of June. However, the Turkish distributors’ relationship withDiscop Istanbul’s organizers must have improved, since it has been announced that Turkey will be the Country of Honor at Discop Abidjan (May 31-June 2, 2016). MG DISCOP Review Telemundo Internacional’s Karina Etchison and Beelink’s Donna Jishy (l.) (Continued from Page 16) VIDEOAGE Hollywood Studios and InterContinental Hotel May 16 th LATAM Issue May 21 th Studio Issue