12 (Continued From Page 10) event, with all the rest of the days devoted exclusively to the market. Moving on, the dates for Realscreen Summit and NATPE Global conflicted with the Grammy Awards (February 3), the Digital Entertainment Group’s EnTech Fest (February 5), and the Critics Choice Awards (February 8), all three in Los Angeles. Also, both events confronted a very busy February month with Berlin’s European Film Market or EFM (February 15-19); London Screenings (February 24-28); the BBC Showcase in London (February 24 and 25); MIP London (February 24-27); the CDSA Summit from the Content Delivery & Security Association, also in London (February 27), and the Video Service Forum (February 25-27) in Marina del Ray, California. Adding even more activity, participants in the Miami Marathon ran around the InterContinental Hotel the day before the Summit’s opening day, but caused little disruption. The Realscreen Summit was described as an unscripted and nonfiction conference. Chairs were hot commodities here —there were very few stands — as the event was built around meetings among producers, coproducers, developers, and financiers. The Summit also saw a number of parties, which were great for meeting people outside of preset appointments, as well as many organized breakfasts and luncheons, including a preawards show cocktail prior to the induction of Cris Abrego, co-founder and CEO of Hyphenate Media Group, chairman of the Television Academy, and former CEO of Endemol Shine North America, into the Realscreen Hall of Fame, recognized for his career, which has spanned more than two decades. Still, executives who came early for NATPE found the Summit “different from what we’re used to.” One participant described the event as a “place to hear pitches for productions and a way to meet the people on the dais that are difficult to reach.” Others, like reps from film commissions from Florida (and even as far as Romania) were at the Summit to pitch their facilities, rebates, and incentives to producers. On Tuesday, February 4, while the Summit continued, the venue was slowly transformed into the more familiar layout with tables and stands — and hotel suites were readied — for the start of NATPE at 9 a.m. the next day. NATPE Global, which held its second annual event since its reincarnation, moved to the month of February to distance itself from January’s LatAm-focused Content Americas in Miami, and in the process making February a very busy month, indeed, for the international entertainment industry. Claire Macdonald, NATPE Global’s Executive Director — from the Toronto, Canada-based Brunico publishing group that organizes various international TV conventions, including NATPE Budapest — made sure that, this year, the exhibitors’ list was released well in advance (so that buyers could schedule their meetings in a convenient way). “We shared the first floorplan and exhibitor list by December 20th.” In terms of attendance, NATPE recorded a total of 120 exhibitors and 2,350 participants, of which 700 were registered as content buyers. A total of 550 participants from the Summit remained for NATPE. As for recreational activities, there was a cocktail party on Wednesday night, February 5, straddling the Summit and NATPE. That same evening featured the NATPE Honors Award Gala, a new program designed to celebrate the visionary leaders in the industry, which, this year included Paul Buccieri, president and chairman, A+E Networks Group, and Luis Fernández, chairman, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. At one of NATPE’s conferences on Wednesday, Dan Cohen, Paramount Global’s Chief Content Licensing Officer, launched a FAST channel from author Tony Robbins. And finally, the WAWA Woman of the Year Awards presentation and networking cocktail took place on Thursday. On the busy market side, NATPE offered its usual tables, stands, cabanas, and hotel suites to exhibitors. The 21 suites rented to 17 companies (including all the Hollywood studios) were located on the 31st, 32nd, and 33rd floors of the InterContinental Hotel. Among the exhibitors with stands were ACI, Multicom, and Vision Films. And companies such as Condista from Miami and Shout! Studios from Los Angeles held court at the five poolside cabanas. Multicom Entertainment’s Ryne Dillon, Niloo Badie, Darrin Holender at their NATPE stand. ACI’s Chevonne O’Shaughnessy and Billy Dundee showcased a NATPE slate topped by new film Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries. NATPE Global moved to the month of February to distance itself from January’s LatAm-focused Content Americas in Miami, and in the process made February a very busy month. VIDEOAGE February 2025 Miami TV Markets
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