BCM 2017: the Golden Age of Drama

Prensario spoke with a dozen of buyers from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and China, who have found in BCM a ‘comfortable market’ to look for the contents they need. Apart from traditional broadcasters and Pay TV networks, it was noticed a good number of OTTs and digital players, including two high executives from Netflix, who are seeking for animation series and co-production projects in APAC.

The “Golden Age of Drama” is very well noticed here, not only because the main providers from Korea are launching several new titles, but also because more and more Asian and international companies are promoting in Busan their dramas: Kanal D (Turkey) attends for the first time with two executives; and from Latin America, Caracol (Colombia) and Telefe-Viacom (Argentina) are here for the second year in a row, after the good results of last year.

Nicola Söderlund, managing partner, Eccho Rights (Sweden) offered a lecture about the global drama distribution business, and he exemplified: ‘400 new dramas were launched in 2016 in the US, while Netflix is investing USD 1.75 billion in original productions in Europe. Turkey is the second largest drama producer after the US. We are witnessing a much more complex market with more platforms and business options’.

He remarked that the ready-made contents are ‘more profitable’, representing 80% of the incomes of the company. ‘We represent the right holders, so our objective is that their productions are well treated. We aim to build an alternative distribution strategy, bringing the producers the value they deserve’. Eccho Rights works with Turkish, Ukrainian and Korean dramas for the global market.

Later, Fabricio Ferrara, International Business Director, Prensario International offered a panel about the Korean and Asian series development in Latin America and the US Hispanic. ‘There are big opportunities for foreign series in the region. Broadcasters and audiences are more opened to dramas from ‘non-traditional’ origins. There are many Asian countries well positioned to enter the market: Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. It is all about finding the right partner’.

Regional and local distributors’ role is more and more important, as they are able to understand both needs, from the broadcasters/audiences and global producers. It was noticed a strong need from Asian producers to do business with Latin America, following the success of Turkish, Korean, Filipino and Indian drama in the region.

Korean dramas are very well positioned all across Asia Pacific, but they have been banned in China’s online platforms, due to the political situation in the region. Indian content was also banned in Pakistan, as well. But in this case, it has favored the deployment of local drama series, which are being exported by the main companies.

Today it is hold the first MIP Academy session at BCM, which is being organized with Reed Midem and included several key panels and presentations. Close to 10 key executives are offering special presentations to over 200 participants. Drama, formats, virtual reality are among the main topics to be highlighted.

Fabricio Ferrara, from Busan