V I D E O A G E March/April 2022 24 (Continued on Page 26) MIPTV 2022 Views Global Agency’s Senay Filiztekin underscored that their usual customers are national channels, which do not yet favor this new genre with more marginal content and shorter episodes: “The buyers of these jobs are still digital platforms in the international market, but their budgets are very low. So we can say that this market has not yet fully opened. We hope that over time the prices will reach the price of the dizis, the traditional Turkish drama series.” Müge Akar also confirmed that customers are looking for longer series: “New generation series do not meet the traditional perception of the Turkish dizi. But it is important that we exist in this genre.” From Maria Chiara Duranti of Format Biz, reporting from Italy: Mediaset Distribution is back at MIPTV after two years of lockdown and is launching the period drama series The Modern Family. Sales manager Claudia Marra is returning to Cannes without a stand and said: “We have been reorganizing our job in a different way, the digital one, with virtual meetings and working remotely. We know that we can work remotely, but at the same time, I am very happy to be back. The digital business can’t be a model, it is equally important to meet people in person and reconnect. This is my first market after the pandemic and I am full of expectations, but at the same time, I am very worried and concerned about the unstable political situation we are living in these days. It will certainly have are excited about this market,” she revealed. Mehandjiyska admited, “By nature I’m a very optimistic person. I’ve been thinking there will be a live market since the last Cannes film festival. I’m really hoping, now that we’re through the worst of it, that by the summer we’ll be back to normal and we’ll all be in a better position.” The fact that MIP has returned but to a threeday, as opposed to the usual four-day, event is not a concern to her. “I don’t think it will affect a lot of the business going on during the market,” she said. However, prior to MIP, Mehandjiyska was busy, having invited a few buyers to visit the set of Electric’s newest production, The Ark, whose first episode is being directed by Devlin in Serbia (where the company previously produced The Outpost). Electric will be presenting it at this market, along with the newest seasons of Almost Paradise and Leverage: Redemption. “That’s the most we’ve done yet in one year,” admited Mehandjiyska, adding, “therefore, this market is very important to us. Leverage and Almost Paradise have already proven to be primetime shows in many territories, but now the second season makes it far more relevant. By the time we’re at MIPTV we will be shooting two series, I think that’s pretty remarkable.” Over at Vision Films, Lise Romanoff, managing director/ CEO, and Robby Amar, VP of International Sales, will both be attending MIPTV. “Our stand will be in the Riviera,” said negative effects on the much hoped-for and awaited recovery.” Distribution company Casta Diva is heading to Cannes from Italy with a new original project, Back to Love (formerly titled Un Amore da favola), broadcast on Discovery+. The show is a dating format in which a group of singles experience daily life at the time of Bridgerton — without technology, that is — and aim to find real love. In the last year, this new Italian production and distribution company managed to also produce cooking show Tarabaralla (recently renewed for a second season), C’è Ciccia and The Detailing Master. Despite the dramatic situation of the Ukraine conflict, said Fabio Nesi, CEO of Casta Diva Pictures, “we keep working, but at the same time we have already started helping and supporting the Ukrainian population.” Alessandro Venturi, Sales manager of Mondo TV, said: “At the end of 2021 we were able to join MIPCOMand it was good as we felt that was a new start. We were able to experience a moment that made us forget the two-year pandemic. But at the beginning of the new year with the international difficulties that are affecting the business at the moment, we were forced to revise this year’s plans. Our latest brand, MeteoHeroes is the youngest target demo-group for environmental issues. Furthermore, thanks to the strategic cooperation with Toon2Tango, Mondo TV will bring two new series to MIPTV, Monster Loving Maniacs and Agent 203.” Francesca Tomasin, head of Sales at Fremantle Italy, is also headed back to Cannes to scout new formats to adapt in Italy: “As Fremantle Italy we’ll be back to MIPTV after two years, hungry for new formats and projects for the Italian market, especially in entertainment.” From producer and media author Mike Reynolds in Los Angeles: The return to an in-person MIP, the 59th edition, has received a very positive reaction among those contacted in the U.S. That said, many are still wary of actually attending physically, citing the specter of COVID, despite figures indicating substantial declines in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere around the globe. After a slow but gradual start to sign-ups, attendee numbers experienced a ten-fold increase in March over the February figures, which augurs well for this first in-person event in three years. Commented Melissa Wohl, senior vice president, head of Sales, FilmRise, “FilmRise is really looking forward to returning to MIPTV after two long years away from our friends and partners from around the world. We’re anticipating an energetic show powered by the rapid expansion of FAST channels globally, a format FilmRise has been a champion of since early on, and by the market excitement surrounding our continued emergence as a creative go-to co-production partner and content creator.” Sonia Mehandjiyska, head of International Distribution at Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment, believes that the return of an in-person event “will revive MIPTV. People are so excited to go to an in-person market. Everyone I’ve spoken to (including) people usually 50-50 about MIP, (Continued from Page 22) Electric Entertainment’s Leverage: Redemption GRB Studios’ Hud Woodle FilmRise’s The Dick Van Dyke Show, the classic TV series that is part of the company’s MIPTV slate FilmRise is really looking forward to returning to MIPTV after two long years away from our friends and partners. — Melissa Wohl
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