Universal International Studios, Fremantle, Anonymous Content & Studiocanal Debate International Impact On Hollywood Dealmaking — ATF

Sara Merican
·3 min read

Hollywood dealmaking is becoming more reliant on the international market. That’s the word from production execs from Universal International Studios, Fremantle, Anonymous Content and Studiocanal talking on an Asia TV Forum & Market panel in Singapore today.

The execs discussed dealmaking and how the expansion of streamers into international markets have impacted local ecosystems in regions such as Asia-Pacific.

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“I’m really interested in companies that are coming up prominently in the region and sometimes partnering them up with our labels across the world,” said Mandy Chang, Head of Global Documentaries at Fremantle. “I’ve been involved in a lot of Asian co-productions but actually I’m looking to work with bigger companies rather than individual producers and directors.”

She added that the ability to port talent overseas to fulfil demand could help productions gain access to greater range of funding and fill content gaps in different markets.

“If I know there are certain networks or streamers looking for a doctor show and we’ve tapped out of doctor shows in the U.S. because there are so many, there could be a really interesting component in Germany for a show that a client of mine is doing, and we can find a way to turn it into a U.S. adaptation,” said Kimberly Carver, talent manager and producer at Anonymous Content.

She represents writers and producers in Belgium, several Scandinavian territories, Singapore and Germany, among others, while in Asia, Anonymous Content represents Blue Ant Media-owned Singaporean production company Beach House Pictures.

“We’re always thinking about our international clients and trying to figure out how to help them move some of their IP and ideas to the U.S. to potentially explore as another series, similar culturally to what they’ve done in their country, but also make it a global show for everyone,” added Carver.

Ron Halpern, Studiocanal’s Executive VP of Global Production and Talent Management, is currently working with a Singaporean production company for the first time. With the story set just after World War Two, the project has a strong global angle and potential to travel, he said.

“When we were talking about examples of what stories could work, Narcos came up. It is a very deeply Latin American story but they found a narrative way through the Boyd Holbrook character to explain things to a global audience. It ended up working for everyone. It’s an example of a very anchored story that could travel the world.”

With three projects in development in Asia, Universal International Studios is slowly growing its footprint in the region. “We definitely want to be making more and we want to be an additive partner,” said Georgina Gonzalez, Director of Scripted Series for the company.

“We want to come in on shows that could not be made locally on their own. Maybe it’s because it’s a story that requires a bigger budget and more scalability, or maybe we have talent deals that are complementary to the talent and relationships that that company brings to the table. That can make that story shine even more, bringing together creative forces from both sides of the world.”

For bigger-budget titles, UIS is open to sharing the risk with partners and paying option fees, added Gonzalez. “Traditionally, we go out and sell to the different broadcasters and streamers, but if there’s a piece of the pie that is missing and we need to get to production fast, we’re happy to deficit finance to get things going and recoup afterwards through sales.”

Elsewhere at ATF today, ITV Studios struck a three-year co-development deal with Jiangsu Broadcasting to develop and adapt entertainment formats suitable for the Chinese and international market. The likes of Beach House stablemate Blue Ant International, Abacus Media Rights, Woodcut International and Red Arrow Studios International have also struck deals at the event.

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