Latest news with #BanijayEntertainment
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Banijay Scripted Business Chief Says Lower Budgets Have Made Streamers 'More Stable'
Banijay Entertainment's co-head of scripted has given his assessment of the current scripted market, suggesting that the budgeting challenges of the post-peak TV could give rise to better television. In an on-stage interview with Deadline at Seriencamp, he added that the upside to streamers lowering their spend is that their budgets are now more 'stable' and simpler to plan around. More from Deadline 'Smallville' Co-Showrunner Kelly Souders Tells Producers: "Don't Give Notes When Everybody's Gone Home" - Seriencamp Folivari International Takes Global Rights To 'Pil's Adventures' Spin-Off Series Major TV Events Continue In Cologne Despite Huge Evacuation While German City Deals With WWII Bombs 'You can talk about the streamers decreasing investment, but there is now a plateau, and it is a little more stable way for them to work, which is great as we then know how they work and what their budget limits are,' he added. 'As long as we know the rules, it's easier to work in this environment. 'It wasn't purely a great time during peak TV, because everything could be done, and one or two things weren't that great. In the long-term we need to produce great things, because that's the only way audiences will come back to us. We're not just competing against each others, we're competing against games and social media, so we have to be on the top of our game.' Tax breaks versus levies Banijay claims it is now the largest independent producer of scripted in Europe, giving Jensen and Matthews a birds-eye view on dozens of production companies working in multiple territories. It is a market wrestling with how to finance programs and ensure the streamers who pushed prices up dramatically during the peak TV era continue to invest. Jensen said while tax breaks are vital to the new European TV world, he wasn't completely supportive of streaming levies. He noted that while France had landed 'a lot of productions' from its system, Denmark had seen streamers cut back on spend after introduction a mandatory spend system. 'It can go both ways,' he said. 'I'm not that much for putting a tariff on things, but I believe people locally want to watch local things, so if you enter a market, you probably want to do local shows. The streamers pulling out and not spending will probably see they lose some subscribers locally.' Tax incentives on the other hand, can change the shape of a market, but need to be introduced in a methodical way. 'Locally, we'll probably need to have rules between broadcasters and streamers,' said Jensen. 'Tax breaks need to be reliable and understandable. It's benefitting the local territory when you do that, and there are numerous examples of it.' Jensen also used his appearance in Cologne to spell out how Banijay treated investments in scripted, playing down the idea that super-indies push their subsidiaries in certain directions. 'Creativity is the most important part,' he said. 'Banijay is a group that has been acquiring companies and making a lot of talent deals over the years, but what we don't do is go in and put producers in a box. We want the entrepreneurial person running that scripted company to do their thing. We wouldn't go for the talent if we didn't want what they do.' Jensen took on his new role in January, when he and Steve Matthews – who is Head of Scripted, Creative – were upped from their roles as CEO of Banijay Nordics and Content Partnerships Executive, respectively. He described their roles as like a 'door opener to the international market to local producers.' Jensen and Matthews can work with indies to access Banijay's scripted fund to help finesse scripts, strike talent deals or land IP, while they try to add more formalized systems into place. Jensen paid tribute to former HBO Europe exec Matthews for his 'reputation as a great, great creative' who could provide an outsider's view on local productions. Jensen was talking a day after Banijay Entertainment CEO Marco Bassetti sowed some market confusion around Banijay's interest in ITV Studios. While it's been reported several times that Banijay – one of the most active consolidators in the market – has spoken with ITV, Bassetti told a SXSW London audience, 'We're not buying ITV Studios' before going on to talk about the need for scale in the globalized entertainment market. Jensen didn't address the M&A situation, but talked about how scale had been important for Banijay, which claims to be the largest independent scripted producer in Europe through companies such as Kudos, Banijay Studios in several territories, Grøenlandia, Jarowskij/Yellow Bird, Rabbit Track Pictures and The Forge. 'I hope that people think we are a place where they can collaborate,' he said. 'When you look at the current market situation, my feeling for some time now has been you have to be big, like us and some of our competitors, or small, where you're not dependent on constantly selling shows and you control everything yourself. They're two different paths to the same thing.' Jensen also addressed how producers can work with Banijay companies on co-productions – with the current state of the market, strategic partnerships and clever financing models have been the talk of the week here in Germany. He admitted Banijay would prefer to keep co-productions within its ranks if possible, but pointed to cop drama Weiss & Morales – which is made by Banijay Espana's Portocabo, Nadcon and ZDF Studios for RTVE in Spain and ZDF in Germany – as an example of a production with third parties. 'We are really open to it,' he said. 'We want to have the best IP and be a great place to go to. If your idea resonates in the Nordics or Spain, we can facilitate that and we'd love to have more collaborations.' Jensen noted Banijay has seen 'much less money' coming from the States into European productions in recent years and said this is playing into the way shows are being built. 'We don't known about the Trump tariffs – we will keep an eye on them – but we do know there was less money from the U.S. even before those talks, and that there is momentum for us here. We need to build Europe stronger in general, and in the media industry as well. That is about collaborating between borders, but also internally. You don't need to own everything forever, so you can find ways of financing and working together.' Further back in his career, Jensen was among the original producers of unscripted format Survivor in Sweden. Asked what scripted producers could take from unscripted, he said: 'When you are pitching a show, you person you're pitching to is not the one who makes the decisions. That is knowledge the unscripted guys have known for a long time. There is a business knowledge in unscripted that we could learn in scripted. He also suggested there could be more IP developed in 'parallel' with the unscripted world, pointing to how unscripted shows such as The Traitors had been influenced by murder mystery dramas and suggesting this could work in reverse. Best of Deadline 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 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Time of India
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Banijay in strategic partnership with Nodwin to co-develop IPs, formats
Banijay Asia , part of Banijay Entertainment, has entered a strategic partnership with Nodwin Gaming , a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies , to expand their footprint in India's growing gaming and youth entertainment landscape. As part of the collaboration, Banijay Asia will produce Playground, Nodwin Gaming's flagship gaming reality show that blends gaming, entertainment, and influencer culture. The two companies also plan to co-develop new content formats and intellectual properties (IPs), including scripted and reality programming aimed at younger audiences. Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO – Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, said, 'This collaboration with Nodwin Gaming is an exciting extension of our vision to create content that resonates with evolving youth audiences. Gaming is not just a sport; it's a culture, a lifestyle, and a massive content opportunity. With Playground and our upcoming IPs, we aim to redefine engagement and storytelling in this space.' He added, 'I look forward to the creative collaboration with Akshat Rathee, and Joost Roset who we previously worked with, in bringing iconic global IPs to India. This is an invaluable opportunity to create clutter-breaking formats in the youth and gaming space.' Nodwin Gaming brings to the table a portfolio of well-known properties including BGMI Masters Series, Comic Con India, and NH7 Weekender. The company has been active in creating gaming and esports formats across multiple platforms and regions. Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder & MD, Nodwin Gaming, said, "Youth entertainment is evolving rapidly, and our partnership with Banijay Asia positions us perfectly to lead that change. With Playground, we've just begun to explore what's possible. Backed by Banijay's global expertise, we're now set to scale the IP across multiple languages and markets, with the ambition of building an international format. At the heart of our approach is our philosophy of 'timeshare of mindshare'. We're not just creating content, we're creating cultural moments. The Rusk creative team will stay actively involved as we expand the universe of Playground, aiming to grow from one show to between five and ten each year. This is just the beginning of a bold new chapter in gaming and youth content."
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Banijay Entertainment's Steve Matthews Drills Down on Europe's Crime Boom, ‘Local for Local,' Genre as a ‘Scalpel to Cut Into Society'
Banijay Entertainment's three shows selected for Series Mania underscore just how far the film-TV's giant has come in scripted, and most especially its vast range, Apple TV+'s 'Carême,' from Banijay's Shine Fiction, opened the French TV festival, Europe's largest, delivering a portrait of the world's first celebrity chef, the Napoleonic-era Antonin Carême, as Variety reports, a 'sex-oozing rock star.' More from Variety Prime Video Teases Jesse Williams Italian Action Drama 'Costiera' and Adaptation of YA Romance Novel 'Love Me, Love Me' at Series Mania First African Adaptation of Global Hit 'Liar' Trailer Unveiled From Series Mania (EXCLUSIVE) Comedy Romance 'Tokyo Crush' Wins Series Mania Best Project Award Playing Series Mania in International Panorama, 'A Life's Worth,' from Banijay Nordics' Yellowbird, follows the challenges faced by the first Swedish U.N. battalion, made up of volunteers, sent to Bosnia in 1993. Subject of a Series Mania Forum, 'Weiss & Morales' allies two of Europe's most energetic public broadcasters, Germany's ZDF and Spain's RTVE, and a German and Spanish cop cracking a case in the sun-sluiced Canary Islands, against OMG landscapes, a hallmark of its Spanish producer, Banijay-owned Portocabo. Upped to Banijay's scripted, creative this January, Steve Matthews wouldn't claim to have overseen development on every single scripted series at Banijay. The biggest independent TV production company in the world, Banijay as too many labels – 130, 60 of them scripted – to make that feasible. What Matthews does do, however, as in his days at HBO Europe from 2014, before joining Banijay in 2023, is offering often young or emerging screenwriters help at a key sweet spot for some series: honing the international potential of stories grounded in local context. That means often adding a sense of genre, comprehensible for overseas viewers, or narrative propulsion. Few TV executives are better placed to comment on the latest evolution of global TV drama. Before Series Mana, Matthews sat down with Variety to pinpoint and lend nuance to key growth axes and market challenges. On a panel at the Berlinale Series Market, you quoted Ampere Analysis to the effect that crime thrillers accounted for 43% of the top six global streamer scripted series commissions over the second half of last year. Is this one of the major trends in market demand? And, if so, how is Banijay dealing with it? How is Banijay dealing with it? That's quite interesting because I don't deal with it at all in that companies are all very grown up in their own different markets. It's for them to find their buyers and to decide what to do. And they are all following where the market trend is going, which does seem to be crime, though I don't think crime ever hasn't been at the core of television. Why is that? Crime has certain built-in dramatic stakes and certain levels of mystery. It's also a very, very broad church, everything from from 'True Detective' through to 'The Undoing.' If such a catchall, are there any kinds of crime drama which you find particularly interesting? In my role, when I look at genre, partly from my experience having been at a streamer, I look for certain sub-genres that are underserved, I'm always encouraging writers to look for the psychological thriller. Did my husband commit the murder or not? Where the cop arrives in Episode 2, or the non-cop domestic psychological thriller. Very hard to find. And they've always kind of worked. And, if I had a dollar to bet, I would bet that something in between crime and supernatural might come around. Crime dramas can sometimes seem formulaic. But is there necessarily a reduction in quality, in artistic integrity in there being so much crime? When I'm asked that question, I always draw people's attention to HBO 1999-2002 which saw the great renaissance of television. Well, 'Sopranos' is a crime show. 'The Wire' is a cop show. Genre is an evolution. I try to encourage particularly young writers who feel that genre is some kind of constriction to look at how useful it is as a shorthand, how good it is as a scalpel to cut into society, how good it is as a lens. But as I say, particularly with the mature production companies that we have, I very rarely have to fight that fight. Can you point to a Banijay crime drama you're happy about? I'm very happy, for instance, with 'Weiss & Morales,' which will be showcased at Series Mania. I think it's a terrific show. A classical, sellable, understandable, co-production between two different buyers, writers from two different territories. Cops solving crimes in the sunshine. What's wrong with that? Do you sense any other market trends which might be seen one way or another at Series Media? I know less certainly about romance. But looking at Spain's Pokeepsie Films, headed by Alex de la Iglesia and Carolina Bang, and its huge hit with 'Mea Culpa,' romance seems to be quite a big area at the moment. But really, crime in all its different versions seems to me to be dominant. Over the last few years, top European production-distribution companies – Fremantle, Studiocanal, The Mediapro Studio, Federation Studios – have moved ever more into English-language shows. This seems to back the trend of the ever larger popularity of non-English language shows just a few years back with the streamer boom. It's a conundrum that we've all been thinking about for some time. The question's still there. Before the streamer boom, Nordic Noir already introduced the world to the possibility of subtitling TV. And at HBO Europe I found myself at the right place at the right time. We all sat in this place of like, from now on we won't have shows with people speaking English with funny accents. If a character is from a country, they'll speak their natural language. Then along comes 'Chernobyl' and we thought, well, maybe there is a way. Surely there is a market demand for English or paradoxically, a local language? Yes, there are the local buyers on any production company's market may want something one way or want something another way. I'm not going to pretend that that doesn't create a discussion with writers and the distribution side, because the distribution market is certainly leaning in in to a more English-language direction. It's not for me to push the companies to go one way or the other. There has to be room for both. Aren't there even contrary market demands at work at the moment? Yes. Where are we on local for local? Or local for international? I remember a quote from the writer of 'Chestnut Man' who said he'd been told by Netflix that essentially, if you want your Danish show to be successful on the international market, the way not to do it is to try and make it less Danish. Those of us in the local TV game were cheering reading that. And if you sense that a local series has overseas potential? What I try and do is let labels be as local as possible. But if I see a project that we believe has that real chance of being an international hit, then I kind of bring some weight behind it. That's where I try and put my time, where I can just move something, pick it up that little level to make it, to bring that little extra bit of glitter and magic dust to a project in development. Some projects are just local. They're just a little local sitcom, and that's perfectly fine as well. One of the great things [about the current TV scene] is that it's so big that there's a lot of room for a lot of different things. Best of Variety The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, 'Wicked: For Good' and More
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Maigret,' ‘7/7: The London Bombings' Headline Banijay Entertainment's Packed London TV Screenings Lineup (EXCLUSIVE)
Banijay Entertainment is set to impress at the upcoming London TV Screenings with one of the most extensive and diverse lineups in global TV in terms of both quality and quantity. This year's showcase, Banijay @ BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, open exclusively to buyers, will spotlight 13 scripted titles, 15 factual series, nine new unscripted formats, and six third-party shows featuring some of the most anticipated new programming on the market. The event will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 26, across three sessions and is expected to attract a record number of global buyers eager to explore Banijay's diverse offerings. More from Variety New Regency Drives Into Europe, Acquiring Smart Genre Crime Thriller 'Beyond' From CBS Studios, ARD, Syrreal (EXCLUSIVE) South Series Festival Awards: CBS Studios' 'Oderbruch,' Sophie Turner Starrer 'Joan' Win Major Prizes South International Series Festival: 10 Titles to Watch Leading the charge for Banijay is 'Maigret,' the first contemporary TV adaptation of the iconic detective novels by Georges Simenon, heading for PBS Masterpiece. Written by Patrick Harbinson ('Homeland,' '24,' 'The Tower), the market debut – produced by Playground, behind 'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light' – introduces a fresh take on the legendary Parisian Chief Inspector Jules Maigret. This reimagining features a young, unconventional Maigret, a rising star but still with something to prove, played by Benjamin Wainwright ('Belgravia: The Next Chapter'), glimpsed in a debonair first look photo released earlier this week. Another highlight of Banijay's factual offerings is '7/7: The London Bombings,' a landmark docu-series marking the 20th anniversary of the devastating London bombings. This potentially powerful documentary, produced by The Slate Works for BBC Two and iPlayer, promises an in-depth, emotional look at the tragic events of July 7, 2005, which changed the city forever. The documentary will bring new insights and personal stories to light, making it a must-see for anyone with an interest in contemporary history or true-crime documentaries, Banijay noted. In formats, one potential highlight may be BBC-bound reality dating challenge '30 Dates and 30 Nights,' from Spain's Cuarzo Producciones, part of Banijay Iberia, and free-to-air broadcaster Mediaset, made for its VOD service Mitele Plus. Rarely may true love have been so intense. Over the titular time, the show's star – influencer Lucía Sánchez in the Spanish original – goes through 30 unique dates, mentored by the presenter Catalina Porto. 'From high-end dramas to gripping factual series, this year's line-up highlights the exceptional depth and quality of our burgeoning catalog,' said Cathy Payne, CEO of Banijay Rights. 'We cannot wait to come together later this month with our partners at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly for what has become an unmissable event in the TV industry calendar.' James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Development and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations at Banijay Entertainment, added: 'The London TV Screenings is the perfect stage to showcase Banijay Entertainment's latest and most innovative IP, alongside reimagined hit formats. Creativity is brimming across our footprint, and with global partners seeking bold new formats, our portfolio of buzzworthy titles truly sets us apart.' Below, we take a detailed look at Banijay's plans for the 2025 London TV Screenings. Highlights from Banijay's U.K. scripted slate include the modern-day reimagining of the classic detective series 'Bergerac' by U&Original, produced by Blacklight TV. It's still set in Jersey, like the John Nettles classic, but one serialized case running across six addition, 'Half Man' weighs in as a deeply personal drama, from Emmy-winning 'Baby Reindeer' – creator Richard Gadd, co-produced by HBO. Other high-profile offerings include the psychological thriller 'Fear' for Amazon Prime Video, starring Martin Compston ('Line of Duty') and Anjli Mohindra ('Vigil'); the dark comedy 'Just Act Normal' for BBC iPlayer, and 'The Feud,' a domestic thriller for Channel 5. With a global eye, the catalog also features the eagerly awaited second seasons of 'Marie Antoinette' and 'Fallen' – international co-productions that highlight Banijay's commitment to diverse and compelling storytelling. Banijay is making waves with its range of hard-hitting and deeply engaging factual programming. The aforementioned '7/7: The London Bombings' is the headliner, but other standouts include 'The Drowning Pool,' a gripping true-crime series that promises to captivate audiences with its chilling narrative; 'Anatomy of a Murder' from Workerbee; ',' an investigative documentary about climate justice; and 'Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain,' a CNN Original series from Hyphenate Media Group. Unscripted formats are always a highlight at Banijay events, and the 2025 London TV Screenings are no exception. This year, Banijay offers a slew of exciting new formats, from 'Against All Odds,' a cross-country skiing competition from Meter/Jarowskij for SVT, to 'Mission Unknown: Atlantic,' a unique influencer-fueled adventure series from Banijay Productions Germany for Prime Video. Reality enthusiasts can look forward to highly anticipated reboots like 'Faking It' and 'Ladette to Lady.' Also set to feature in London are 'The Rest of Your Life,' a life-changing reality format for DR1, and the docu-format 'AI Love You' from Nordisk Film TV for TV 2. Banijay's innovation extends to the third-party portfolio as well, with the reality format 'My Name Is Gabriel' for JTBC and Disney+, 'Atypical Critics,' featuring autistic food critics, and 'Game of Wool,' a competitive knitting series for More 4. Recently announced series 'The Insider,' the first format to come out of a co-development deal between Endemol Shine Australia and Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), and a reinvention of 'Actor Vs Reactors,' both look set to spark excitement in several markets. Operating in a post-Peak TV ecosystem, Banijay, like so many other companies around the world, is adapting by embracing collaboration with international partners. As Banijay continues to expand its global footprint, the company remains committed to forging partnerships with key broadcasters, distributors and production companies in established and new/developing markets. This commitment is underscored by its impressive slate for international streaming platforms, with shows like 'Celebrity Bear Hunt,' co-produced by Banijay UK's Workerbee, The Natural Studios and Talkback for Netflix, 'Last One Laughing UK' from Zeppotron and Initial for Prime Video, created by Hitoshi Matsumoto and produced by Banijay Entertainment labels in 11 markets; and 'Carême,' a Shine Fiction (part of Banijay France) and VVZ Production for Apple TV+ that will be featured at this year's Series Mania. Banijay's London TV Screenings line-up is a testament to the company's ongoing commitment to delivering top-tier content that resonates with global audiences. From high-octane reality shows to thought-provoking documentaries and gripping dramas, Banijay is not only leading the charge in entertainment—it's setting the stage for what comes next in the ever-evolving TV landscape. As the company prepares to take the stage at the Screenings, its executives are champing at the bit to show off what they've got to offer. 'We are thrilled to showcase our incredible slate and to share these outstanding new projects with our partners,' Payne concluded. 'It's going to be an unforgettable event.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Banijay Unveils New Leadership Structure for Scripted, Promotes Steve Matthews and Johannes Jensen
European TV giant Banijay Entertainment — whose more-than 60 labels have produced recent shows such as 'Rogue Heroes,' 'Ripley' and 'The Rig' — has expanded the roles of two execs as it rejigs its global scripted division. As part of a new combined leadership structure, Steve Matthews has been named head of scripted, creative and Johannes Jensen head of scripted, business. The two will work in unison and report to chief business officer, Frédéric Balmary, who will continue to lead overall strategic direction. More from Variety U.K. 'MasterChef' Host Gregg Wallace to Step Down While Allegations of Historical Misconduct Investigated BBC, Banijay Execs Unpack International Series Adaptations in India at Film Bazaar: 'Transposing Is Where the Magic Happens' Adam McKay-Produced Documentary 'You Need This' From Banijay's Scenery Probes Hyper-Consumerism (EXCLUSIVE) HBO alumni Matthews joined Banijay as contents partnership executive in early 2023, reporting to Christian Wikander who served as global head of scripted until his departure in Feb. 2024. Since joining he has introduced various initiatives to encourage collaboration across the company's labels worldwide, alongside setting up the he Banijay Bootcamp to connecting in-house development executives with emerging writers. Jensen new role extends his current remit as head of scripted for Banijay Nordic, with him now taking the helm of the scripted division's financial and operational strategy. Jensen previous led banners Jarowskij and Yellow Bird, now merged as Jarowskij/ Yellow Bird. 'Our scripted offering continues to go from strength-to-strength with a combined slate of new hits and successful returners scooping high-profile awards and widespread critical acclaim,' said Balmary. 'We are incredibly proud of our producers' achievements in this space and as we continue to grow, the refreshed roles for Steve and Johannes will strengthen our creative and business acumen, ensuring we continue to innovate and lead on the global stage.' Also sitting within the newly arranged central scripted division is senior director Denis Leroy, who specialises in sourcing and developing international scripted formats and book IP. Leroy has led acclaimed adaptations like 'SKAM,' 'Fleabag' and 'La Caza. Monterpedido,' in France, and struck numerous deals for best-selling French IP like Franck Thilliez and Michael Bussi. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in January 2025
