MIPCOM 2021: better than expected!

At Mipcom, there are about 3000 people, from 2000 expected two months ago. The ‘3K’ range means 25% of 12500 Mipcom average attendees. The difference was added in the last weeks, with less restrictions in many markets. Even, some present distributors see ‘one third of attendance’.

What does it mean? There is enthusiasm to return to normality, the content market needs to be together to make business better. Jan Salling, head of BBC Studios Nordics, and co-chair of FRAPA: ‘We may be able to sell by Zoom but we need markets for everything else. They are the social glue where we build new networks, relationships, and co-productions’.

There are also 5000 people interacting through the online platform. Their behavior? Who is in Cannes just do physical. Who couldn’t travel, uses Digital Mipcom, but according to opinions PRENSARIO could take, mainly to see conferences, attending companies, etc. Online networking is often a pending tip. RX France and MIP Markets have launched OneMIP, a year-round platform than can run an interesting role between the markets.

Global Streamers Keynotes: Douglas Craig, SVP Programming and Acquisitions, ViacomCBS,
and Filippa Wallestam, EVPand Chief Content Officer, NENT Group

News and deals? CJ ENM (South Korea) has partnered Toei Animation (Japan) to collaborate across both libraries and to create new TV series, films, animation. TF1 (France) will co-develop animation series Louca with Media Valley (France) and Belvision (Belgium). ViacomCBS/VIS new division VIS Social Impact, has confirmed its first commission, social activist Misan Harriman’s Protestas y Progresos (3x'60) that will premiere on Paramount+ in 2022. Russian VOD KION, which has 1.4 million viewers, launched 14 original contents in Cannes. All3Media (UK) signed several format sales in Europe for Sort Your Life Out (SBS6 The Netherlands, TF1 France, TV2 Norway, MTV Finland) and two deals with DIRECTV Latin America (docs, thrillers and dramas).

Buyers' Awards for Japanese Drama: Setsuko Inaki, Minkan Housou (Japan), Tony Humphreys, creative director, PLT Entertainment (UK),
Valérie Madame, journalist, Madam Magazine (UAE), and Paul McKenzie, Series Producer/ Development Exec, Sharp House (UK)

New concepts, trends? On global streamer session, Douglas Craig, SVP content strategy at ViacomCBS: 'European expansion is our next big step. Paramount+ will not be in the same markets as Showtime (joint venture with Sky) and vice versa, they are mutually exclusive'. Filippa Wallestam, EVP & CCO at NENT: 'Our OTT Viaplay will be our most ambitious offering in many years, having original content from each territory, exclusive alliances and sports coverage from all over Europe'.

FRAPA Formats Workshop: Lissete Van Diepen, Content Consultant, Marphes Media (Netherlands), Mike Beale, MD, ITV Studios (UK),
Carlotta Rossi Spencer, head of format acquisitions, Banijay (UK), Tim Crescenti, CEO, Small World (USA),
Avi Armoza, CEO Armoza Formats (Israel), and Andre Renaud, SVP Global Format Sales, BBC Studios (UK)

At The Wit’s Fresh TV Fiction conference, Virginia Mouseler said: ‘The main topic this fall is "feminist fiction against men and system domination", both in Europe, Americas and Latin America, we see the trend’. K7 Media (UK) stressed ‘sports, modern history, and factual that reflects activism and social changes’, as main themes of the season (see the below articles for deeper information).

Nicolás Smirnoff, Fabricio Ferrara, Alberto Buitron, Marie Roche

Showcase & Snack Lunch ‘A scalable solution to monetize content and build audiences on all Social Platforms’: former VICE Media president,
Dominique Delport, now founder of Ardunina Partners, with Youri Hazanov, head of international,
and Hugo Amsellem, VP of creator accelerator, both from Jellysmack