The Mediapro Studio Doubles Down on Formats, From Extreme Survival ‘El Conquistador’ to the Sacrificial ‘Crush’ and Touching ’400’
CANNES — Powering up another growth axis, as anticipated by CEO Laura Fernández Espeso, international scripted powerhouse The Mediapro Studio is doubling down on formats in the non-fiction space,
Underscoring this growth TMS Head of International Development Ran Tellem (“Homeland,” “The Head”) and Head Of Format Strategy, Non-Scripted, Salva Romero (“Sing On,” “The Language of Love”) unleashed at Cannes’ final MipTV trade fair The Mediapro Studio’s first full slate of titles, framed at MipFormats in a spirited session, Meet the Creative Minds Behind The Mediapro Studio Formats.
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Tellem and Romero talked about TMS’ formats in the last two years, but also on the creative strategy, the thinking and sentiments behind them. Five takes and vignettes of the titles:
But Is It Exciting?
Do you have a recipe for success? Tellem and Romero were asked. “I don’t think we have a recipe for success, but we do have an appetite,” Tellem answered. One basic consideration in choosing a show is quite simple: “An idea that excites us. The idea is to have a core of something that excites you, that you really are curious to explore. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cooking show or an adventure show or a documentary or whatever, the spark needs to be there.”
Bringing Something New to the Table
“The first step is to know your competition,” Romero said. “But you have to have a unique idea behind your format.” The survival genre has become step by step like “Big Brother,” he observed. So “El Conquistador” went back to basics, and became far more about survival. “We like to say that “El Conquistador” is the most extreme survival reality competition in the world.” “When we take an idea or a genre I usually try to imagine it sitting on the table like a box and try to twist it in a way that nobody has twisted it before,” Tellem observed. “Sometimes when you just move an element, you change the concept of the game,” he added, instancing “Crush.” As in many gameshows, contestants battle for a pot of cash. Here, suspended above their heads in safes ready to plummet on a participant who gives a wrong answer, it’s the very cash which eliminates them, highly graphically.
Courting Gen Z
“Getting Gen Z to watch TV is a challenge. But to me, the bigger challenge is: How do you get them to watch TV without losing the audience that you already have?” said Romero. One solution: “Timeless.” “The show ends up having something for everyone, meaning youngsters watch the show because they identify with the contestants and people of a mature age watch the show because it’s the time when they were happy, young, when they fell in love. These are the songs of their memories.” Romero noted. “Timeless” has been “a huge success.” “Call Me When You Get There,” Tellem notes, rather than eliminating what they do – social media – takes what they’re doing and makes it part of the show’s appeal.
Moving Audiences With Reality Shows
Reality shows are meant to entertain. They’re all the better if they move viewers as well. The Mediapro Studio formats can be humor-laced. Some go further. “400” sees a comedian tutor attendees at centers for people with Alzheimer’s disease or for cancer patients in order to perform a standup routine. The show ends with their performances in front of an audience. “It’s not how to bring humor into problematic areas,” said Tellem. “It’s how to make funny things that are really emotional and important. If the comedy is based on something real, something painful and important to your life, then it’s much more than just comedy. “400” looks like a gem of a show.
A drill down on TMS formats:
“400” (À Punt)
A comedian spends a few days at a social works association focusing, for example, on minors in foster homes, poverty, addictions, cancer, Parkinson’s or immigration. Their mission is to find three individuals at each center capable of delivering a monologue about their daily lives. A second season is currently airing in Spain at broadcaster À Punt in Valencia.
“Call Me When You Get There,” (3CAT)
At last, a show that prizes trolling, and embraces the digital age, a six-episode action-packed stage race through Chile’s Atacama Desert. 3 teams of 2 Tik Tok content creators each must complete series takes viewers on a riveting action-packed stage race through Chile’s Atacama Desert. Three teams of two Tik Tok content creators each must complete complete meme challenges and playful pranking. Contestants are equipped with a no-service cellphone to document the competition in their social media.
“El Conquistador,” (RTVE)
Adapting an original reality adventure competition still running after 20 seasons on Basque pubcaster EITB, produced by TMS’ Hostoil and playing primetime on national state service RTVE. 33 contestants, divided in three teams, confront tests – walking through fire with hands and feet tied, crossing a 150-meter zipline – as they are challenged to survive in an inhospitable terrain, here the Dominican Republic nation park of Los Haitises.
“Crush”
A quiz show where two teams guess multiple choice answers, the choices distributed across a series of gigantic money safes suspended in the air, teammates standing below safes. Get a question right, and answer another question. Wrong and a team has to decide whom to sacrifice squashed it seems by what looks like a very heavy metal vault.
“Timeless,” (EITB 1)
Gen Z-ers are challenged to time-travel belting out the iconic anthems from other decades, dressed for the part, via group performances and show-stopping solos. Having just finished its run on Basque-language EiTB1, Season One powered up the channel slot by +75%, while proving an absolute hit on social media, with 2 million-plus unique users, outstripping a potential audience of around 1 million.
“Unanimous,”
Still to snag a broadcaster, but on The Mediapro Studio’s sales slate. 10 celebrities serve as jury members on a reenactment of a a real trial. Deliver the same verdict as the original trial and they add money to the jackpot, going through to the next episode. Otherwise, a jury member is eliminated.
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