Videoage International October 2019

18 October 2019 V I D E O A G E L.A. Screenings Review market, affecting not only TV networks around the world, but trade shows such as NATPE, MIP-TV, and the L.A. Screenings, as well. While organizations that set up markets such as NATPE and MIP-TV are actively searching for solutions to minimize the fallout, the L.A. Screenings are more vulnerable since it is an organic market piloted by the U.S. studios with no core organization behind it. All these changes mean that next year, U.S. studios’ at the L.A. Screenings will most likely have much less product than this year, thus the hours spent screening new series at each studio will be drastically decreased. For this reason the number of buyers going to L.A. is expected to be reduced as well. But these changes could actually be a boon for L.A. Screenings’ indie exhibitors, especially considering the state of uncertainty engulfing MIP-TV, an international TV trade show that next year, and for the first time, will take place in March, at a sufficient “distance” between markets. After all, international TV buyers will still need extra content to fill some or most of their TV network schedules. As for this most recent edition of the L.A. Screenings, the number of exhibitors at the InterContinental Hotel remained exactly the same as last year — 84 — and some content sellers reported having back-to-back meetings scheduled — especially on Wednesday, May 15, the market’s second day. With an estimated total of 1,200 buyers, the number of international acquisition executives was definitely lower as compared to last year’s event, but, as one indie seller put it, “the meetings were of a higher quality.” As usual, the L.A. Screenings started with the indie portion of the market, followed by the studios’ bit. The indie session (which started on Monday, May 13 with the setting up of the hotel’s exhibition suites) began with seminars organized by NATPE, the Los Angeles-based TV trade organization, which were followed by NATPE’s opening party on Tuesday. Last year, NATPE teamed up with Isabella Marquez to coordinate the set-up of the exhibition suites,organizetheseminars,andprovidelogistics for the six events (i.e., seminars, screenings, and parties) staged at the InterContinental, the organic market’s headquarters. In terms of revenue, the L.A. Screenings is not yet a moneymaking event for NATPE. It could, however, show some profit if the organization were to “buy” a heavily discounted block of rooms at the InterContinental, rather than get a “room-night” commission on the suites rented to exhibitors. But considering the uncertainty surrounding the international TV business at this time, such a costly move would probably be too risky for NATPE. Then again, for the organization to have a major presence in Los Angeles at the L.A. Screenings represents an insurance policy against potential future disruption at its NATPE Miami trade show in January. In terms of U.S. studio output, these most recent screenings were undoubtedly skimpy, especially when compared to last year. Out of 65 pilots commissioned, only 35 were selected by the major U.S. broadcast TV networks, with Disney providing the largest output with five dramas and five comedies. Overall, dramas won out over comedies with 21 new series. In comparison, last year, 76 pilots were com- missioned by the networks, and out of those, 38 were selected for the 2018-2019 broadcast TV season, which ended in May. The official reason given by the networks for this year’s reduced numbers (which were equally divided between fall and midseason series) is to maintain consistency, stability, and reliability. It even seemed as though network executives were trying to outdo each other with just how little they’d each changed. NBC was proud of a schedule that had altered the least. FOX was happy to have filled a few slots. And CBS execs spoke of the network’s “stability.” To top it all off, the powers that be at ABC seemed to be of the opinion that debuting too many shows would be a disservice to new programs. The unofficial reason for this could be that the studios, which own the networks, did not want to incur large deficits, which will be recouped in the long run, but represent a drain in the short run, especially during a time when resources have to be re-directed toward direct-to-consumer original programming, and used to repay acquisition investments. Some of those investments will reportedly be financed by reduced personnel and slashed marketing expenditures. Indeed, some studios are not releasing newly produced movies in order not to incur P&A costs. At the Upfronts, Karey Burke, ABC Entertainment’s president, admitted that “networks don’t have the marketing budgets to launch [new] shows properly.” Nonetheless, in order to remain relevant, bro- adcast’s summer schedule is now full of new se- ries, and is no longer the domain of reruns. In- deed, the five main TV broadcast networks have premiered more than 10 new scripted series since May 9 and the start of the new season. Cost-cutting was also visible at the studios’ screenings. Gone were lunches prepared by the likes of celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck. These were replaced by non-branded catering services. On the other hand, Disney served wine for the first time during its luncheons, probably due to its recent acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Wine was always a staple at Fox luncheons in the past. The remaining studio not serving wine during its L.A. Screenings lunch is nowWarner Bros. Disney also did away with its L.A. Screenings opening party. But it’s unclear if this was in order to save money or due to the time-consuming complexity of the integration with Fox. In any case, that function was taken over by Lionsgate, which on Sunday hosted a well-attended opening party at the garden terrace of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Similarly, in the absence of Fox’s traditional closing party, Paramount stepped up with a shindig of its own on its studio lot on Wednesday. (The Fox partywould have been held onThursday in years past, but the L.A. Screenings ended a day earlier this year, hence the Wednesday date for Paramount’s closing party.) While the studio portion of the L.A. Screenings lost Fox this year, Paramount regained strength with four screenings, which began on Thursday, May 16 with LATAM. (Continued from Page 16) 2020 UPFRONTS MONDAY, MAY 11 :NBC (morning) FOX (afternoon) TUESDAY, MAY 12 :ABC WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 :CBS THURSDAY, MAY 14 :CW 2020 L.A. INDIE SCREENINGS MONDAY, MAY 11 :Set-up TUESDAY, MAY 12 :Screenings WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 :Screenings THURSDAY, MAY 14 :Half-dayScreenings FRIDAY, MAY 15 :Closing/Checkingout DISCOVERY ( LincolnCenter) con rmed Lionsgate’s Jim Packer and Kevin Beggs Argentina’s Telefilms at their traditional screening and cocktail The participants at the 15th annual L.A. Screenings Veterans Luncheon Viacom’s Pierluigi Gazzolo and his L.A. Screenings contingent