14 By Mike Reynolds While much has been written elsewhere about MIPTV and the market’s move from Cannes to London, with integration into the London Screenings, nothing has been said about how the “TV trade shows’ marriage” came about. VideoAge called on Lucy Smith, director of MIP London and MIPCOM Cannes, to explain the where, why, and how. As recognized by Smith, “Global market factors shape global markets and continued consolidation, and reduced budgets inevitably affected participation numbers at MIPTV in recent years. Despite those headwinds, MIPTV closed as still the biggest annual international multi-genre market outside of MIPCOM Cannes by some distance, with over 3,500 delegates, clearly demonstrating the demand for an international market in the first half of the year.” Smith had previously admitted that “there was a decline in the number of companies [attending], and we felt the time had come to make a radical change.” However, she also noted, “At the same time, the distribution calendar had moved earlier in the year and to London, and all our feedback was that that the industry event calendar had also become too congested. So MIP London was a response to both of these — meeting the demand for a market in the first half of the year and alleviating pressure on the calendar and [to] create a marketplace beyond just screenings, buyers, and sellers.” Smith wanted to clarify, despite how many people are thinking otherwise, “We didn’t move MIPTV to London. This is a new conference, networking, and screening event, with an international marketplace.” Smith also revealed that “our plans [for the current MIP incarnation] have always been based on being independent of but complementary to the existing successful screening events set-up that is established that week in London by BBC Studios and the London TV Screenings. The organizers of these were the first people that we spoke to, so that we could assure them of this. What is clear was that there’s still a need for a market at the beginning of the year. We don’t see MIP London as an ‘either-or.’ We are setting up to attract additional buyers and lean into areas that are currently underserved, such as unscripted or FAST. Again, it’s about having more people doing more business.” Thus, “the sole aim of MIP London is to be additive and to deliver more business and more international opportunities during that key content week for the international industry. We’ll do that by attracting more people, providing a central meeting hub to connect, and staging a future-facing conference program with workshops and matchmaking,” said Smith. What is known thus far is that MIP London will include such companies as AMC Networks International, Canal+, CBC, France Televisions, ITV, Netflix, National Geographic, Nine Network Australia, Sky, The Walt Disney Company, and ZDF. The MIP Doc Pitch and the MIP Doc coproduction summit are also holdovers, as is the long-running FAST & Global Summit, which will include the usual update talks and roundtables featuring key industry players. James Burstall, Global CEO of Argonon, the U.K.-based multi award-winning production entity (130 to date, including Emmys, BAFTAs, and RTS Awards), revealed: “International markets are becoming more important than ever. We live in a truly globalized market for content now and with budget pressures impacting everywhere, it behooves us [as] producers to create co-productions. This means partnering with buyers from all over the world around a project and aligning them creatively. “We do not all go to all of them — that would be too costly and time-consuming — but we go to great lengths to cover the gamut as a team. We must sustain deep and regular contact with our international partners, and we welcome the range of markets.” Some regular MIP attendees will not be in London, including Lise Romanoff , CEO of Los Angeles-based Vision Films, who felt that “the buyers at London Screenings are not focused on independents,” and that there’s an uncertainty about whether the regular buyers will be in attendance for MIP London, but all say they will be watching for the success of this inaugural event. However, they may well be missing out, as Lucy Smith reminded, “More people coming to London means more business done in what has become the must-attend content week in February. MIP London is about more content, more deals, more networking. Let’s face it, London in February has become the biggest week in content in the first quarter. We believe that beyond the existing screenings, there’s so much more potential business that can be done during that week to help get a head start on 2025.” Plus, said Smith, “with this new MIP market, our aim is to be complementary to existing events by providing additional opportunities to meet, showcase, or discover content across the week.” While so many are putting faith in a revitalized MIP market, Sarah Tong, director of Sales at the London-based Hat Trick International, revealed, “We’re not attending [MIP London], as we will be holding our own private event at the London Screenings. We’re spending our money on our own event. It’s an extremely busy week and I can’t imagine buyers have time to go to all the different showcase/screenings events, as well as to whatever MIP is doing.” As of December 9, 2024, the sign-up numbers were, according to Smith, “over 650 delegates from over 50 countries, including over 350 buyers… and that number is rising daily. This includes companies taking meeting spaces, showcasing content or partnering on the program, as well as individuals registered for the market.” Curiously, an informal VideoAge survey among some potential MIP London participants revealed concerns more with the finicky London winter weather — compared to the balmy Riviera climate — than the market outcome. But as it is said, a “spot of hot tea” will surely get rid of the chills. MIPTV Didn’t Move to London, London Moved to MIP Lucy Smith, MIP London director James Burstall, CEO of Argonon VIDEOAGE January 2025 Trade Show Revival
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