The market is hungry for new content. Networks and broadcasters are eager to show something new to their audiences and were buying up lots of stuff this time around. This made my heart jump for joy.
MIPCOM, which I told you about, is really the play ground for those with movies and television series ready to sell.
Over the years I have built great relations with distributors and sales agents. This year each of them said that it was their best year in a long time. I don’t think they were saying that to buoy themselves up. It was the mantra with all the distributors I talked with.
The market is hungry for new content. Networks and broadcasters are eager to show something new to their audiences and were buying up lots of stuff this time around. This made my heart jump for joy. If they are looking for new content now then they will be starving for it next year. This gives me time to get my clients’ content pitched and my production service clients in line for these new productions.
But what is the new flavor of kids’ content. A long, long time ago it was girls’ action/adventure, when the industry thought young girls needed empowerment. But the industry again discovered that there are a lot more boy toys, boys buy toys and toy companies advertise. And girls will watch boy shows, but boys would not be caught dead watching a girl show (with the exception of POWERPUFF GIRLS). So now everyone is looking for boy shows. I knew this going to MIPCOM. I felt on top of the world because I was pitching two boy shows, one an action adventure that skews younger and another action/adventure that approached an older boy demo. What do I hear – the networks and broadcasters are looking for Boys Comedy. Thanks PHINEAS AND FERB. What is a girl to do?
I pitched my shows with pride and power. I would not be daunted by comedy. I have action/adventure. I got a lot of interest from animation producers looking to for their next big hit.
This was my strategy. I am looking for financial and production partners for these two properties. I would never go directly to the nets and terrestrials with them. If they turned their noses up at these shows, they would be dead. But if I can find the right partners willing to put in creative energy, production services, money and/or, hopefully, distribution, we can craft the right show for the market. This is the model.
Now that I am back in the comfort of my office, and have finally cleared the desk, I can see what I really accomplished at MIPCOM.
In my notes, I found those interested in reviewing my two boy properties. And I am pleased to say, my production clients did not go unnoticed. When I was making my appointments, I had specific requests from studios that wanted to talk about my production service clients to see how partnerships could be developed.
I can now change my lackluster tone of “Ok, I guess.” to “It was a great MIPCOM for me.” Time will tell, but making the connections, keeping in contact with those I met and following through with my promises will prove productive in the future.
