Latest news with #MipLondon
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
ITV Sells ‘Ludwig,' Brings Back ‘Malpractice' and Finds a New Unscripted Partner in China – London TV Screenings/MIP London Briefs
ITV Studios has announced a series of international sales for the hit detective comedy 'Ludwig,' which will air in 85 markets worldwide. Produced by Big Talk Studios and co-produced with That Mitchell and Webb Company, the series was the BBC's biggest new scripted show of 2024, attracting over 9.5 million viewers. The show has been acquired by major broadcasters, including ZDF in Germany, SVT in Sweden, and BBC First in Africa. In the Asia Pacific region, 'Ludwig' will premiere in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, among other territories. Season one will debut in the U.S. and Canada on BritBox on March 20. ITV Studios and Zhejiang Media Group have partnered to co-develop unscripted content for local and global markets. With Zhejiang's expertise in high-end non-scripted shows and ITV's global reach through hits like 'The Voice' and 'Hell's Kitchen,' the collaboration aims to create fresh formats. The first project, 'Go! Fishing!,' will be revealed in the coming months. Both companies aim to tap into global demand for new formats that reflect diverse cultures. The deal was facilitated by ITV's Augustus Dulgaro and Zoe Tsui, with a 2025 launch expected for the co-developed concepts. More from Variety Keshet International Scores 'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World' Pre-Sales Ahead of London TV Screenings Showcase (EXCLUSIVE) Japan's New Era of Global Content Collaboration Takes Center Stage at Mip London AI Set to Transform Production Industry, Mip London Panel Says: 'This Is the Most Exciting Time in TV History' ITV's hit drama 'Malpractice' returns for its highly anticipated second series in Spring 2025. The thriller, created by former NHS doctor Grace Ofori-Attah, sees the return of Helen Behan and Jordan Kouamé as Dr. Norma Callahan and Dr. George Adjei, who investigate a doctor accused of malpractice. Joining the cast are Tom Hughes, Selin Hizli and Zoë Telford. The show follows Dr. James Ford (Hughes), whose tragic mistake sparks an investigation by the Medical Investigation Unit. Produced by World Productions, 'Malpractice' has sold to over 70 countries. ITV1's 'TikTok: Murder Gone Viral' returns for a second season in 2025, following a successful 2024. The documentary explores tragic teenage murders that gained global attention, including the deaths of British footballer Charlie Cosser and American cheerleader Tristyn Bailey. The series delves into the emotional responses from victims' families and social media users, highlighting the role TikTok played in these cases. Victim families are also featured, turning their grief into activism to prevent future tragedies. All3Media International has announced that 'The Traitors' has been commissioned in 30 territories, with new deals in Ukraine and Mongolia. The psychological reality competition, originally developed by IDTV, has garnered over 35 local adaptations globally, including successful launches in Europe, North America, and Asia. In Ukraine, Sweet TV will produce the Ukrainian version, while Mongolia's Hulegu Distribution will air the format on EduTV, Univision, and LookTv. Since debuting in 2021, 'The Traitors' has been broadcast in over 50 territories which aired episodes through tape sales. These include versions in the U.K., U.S., Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, 'The Traitors' has gained multiple awards, including Emmy and BAFTA recognitions, and continues to expand its licensing program with games, books and live experiences. BBC Studios has partnered with China's Orient International Holding Shanghai Foreign Trade Co., Ltd to co-produce and co-distribute 'Asia: Wildlife at the Extremes' (working title), a 3D giant screen adaptation of the acclaimed 'Asia' natural history series. The original 'Asia' series combined breathtaking footage of wildlife in the continent's harshest environments, from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. The new adaptation will offer a 3D experience, showcasing Asia's stunning landscapes and unique species, such as red pandas and sea bunnies. The film will be available in a 40-minute giant screen, IMAX and CINITY versions, as well as a 20-minute Dome version. BBC Studios will distribute the film globally through SK Films. 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
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beta Film, Greece's Foss Productions Team Up on Six-Part Period Drama ‘The Great Chimera' (EXCLUSIVE)
Beta Film and Athens-based Foss Productions are teaming up for a six-hour drama series, 'The Great Chimera,' that will bring to the screen for the first time one of the most important Greek novels of the 20th century. Following on the heels of their collaboration on the hit TV series 'The Beach' and Yorgos Zois' feature film 'Arcadia,' which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in 2024, 'The Great Chimera' is produced by Foss Productions in co-production with Beta Film, which is handling international sales. Shooting is underway on the Greek island of Syros, before moving to Athens and Trieste, Italy. More from Variety Keshet International Scores 'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World' Pre-Sales Ahead of London TV Screenings Showcase (EXCLUSIVE) Japan's New Era of Global Content Collaboration Takes Center Stage at Mip London AI Set to Transform Production Industry, Mip London Panel Says: 'This Is the Most Exciting Time in TV History' The series is adapted from M. Karagatsis' boundary-pushing, 1930s-set modern classic, which explores the complex psychological life of a young Greek woman who wants more than the traditional role expected of her. The cast is led by Italy's Fotinì Peluso ('Everything Calls for Salvation,' 'Greek Salad'), who stars as Marina, a restless, young Italian beauty fascinated by classical Greek culture. When she falls in love with Greek shipowner Yannis, played by Andreas Konstantinou ('Milky Way,' 'Cloudy Sunday'), she quickly decides to join him to start a new life on the idyllic island of Syros. Although Marina has left her past behind, she can't escape an inner strife that only grows stronger with time. Caught between cultures and social expectations, she struggles to balance her passions and desires. Soon she gives in to her love for her husband's brother, Minas, played by Dimitris Kitsos ('The Beach,' 'Maestro in Blue'), and finds herself trapped in her very own Greek tragedy. 'The Great Chimera' is directed by Vardis Marinakis ('Silent Road,' 'Zizotek,' 'Black Field') and written by Panagiotis Iosifelis ('The Beach'), with Giorgos Valsamis ('American Girl,' 'Milky Way') serving as DOP. Production services are provided by Beta's subsidiary, Mompracem. ERT is co-producing and releasing the series in Greece. The series is supported by EKKOMED Creative Greece and co-produced by Boo Productions. 'The Great Chimera' joins Foss Productions' growing slate of prestige Greek series, including three seasons of Netflix original 'Maestro in Blue' and 2023 Series Mania competition selection 'Milky Way.' The company's Crete-set murder mystery 'The Beach,' a primetime sensation for public broadcaster ERT that's being sold internationally by Beta Film, is now in its second season. 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
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AI Set to Transform Production Industry, Mip London Panel Says: ‘This Is the Most Exciting Time in TV History'
In a spirited panel discussion at Mip London, leading production executives shared insights on how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming content creation while highlighting opportunities for independent producers to gain competitive advantages over traditional studios. Jason Mitchell, founder of The Connected Set, demonstrated a $50-per-month animation tool that converts scripts into storyboards through generative AI. 'What it's going to do here is basically turn your script into a storyboard that you could then give to your human animator, although their product roadmap is to eventually do the animation in the product itself,' Mitchell explained. More from Variety Chinese TV Formats Eye Global Expansion, Industry Leaders Reveal at Mip London Philippine Game Show 'Save Your Cash' Tops MipFormats Pitch 2025 - London TV Screenings/MIP London Briefs David Beckham Says 'It Wasn't Easy' to Convince Victoria Beckham to Do Her Own Netflix Docuseries, but It's 'Really Special': 'It's So Emotional and the Drama's Real' Eline Van Der Velden, CEO of Particle6, revealed her company is taking AI implementation even further. 'We're starting to generate short films completely using AI… everything from synthetic humans. We're talking drama series completely in AI,' she said, adding that production costs are being reduced by up to 90% compared to traditional methods. Avi Armoza, CEO of Armoza Formats, pointed to economic pressures driving adoption. 'There is less and less money for production and everybody is looking to do shows in a more cost-effective way,' he said, mentioning how his company's game show 'Family Piggy Bank' utilizes CGI for its set. 'We have the show 'Family Piggy Bank' with all the sets based on CGI. Then it's easy to also generate post production with AI.' The panelists expressed optimism about AI enabling small production companies to challenge industry giants. 'This is the most exciting time in TV history that I've been alive for, because the traditional ones, like BBC Studios, Universal, Disney – because they are ring fenced and they have to have all these enterprise agreements – they cannot do what we're doing as small indies,' Van Der Velden said. 'It is the time for small companies to take over and become the next big studio.' Mitchell highlighted ongoing resistance from broadcasters regarding AI in live productions. 'We're definitely not using them in live productions, because, frankly, broadcasters just freak out if you want to include it in a production at the moment,' he said, suggesting AI is currently more accepted in development and post-production phases. On potential job displacement, opinions differed. Armoza predicted fewer staff would be needed in certain roles, providing the example of writing room personnel potentially reducing from 10 to 2-3. Meanwhile, Mitchell maintained that AI would ultimately create more opportunities: 'There's almost like an infinite amount of content we can put out there… so I still think there was a lot of opportunity for people working in the content industry. I don't think we're going to cut roles overall.' Regarding intellectual property concerns, Mitchell dismissed fears about AI-generated content ownership: 'The amount of prompts that go into making a new piece of content, there's so much work and creativity in it. I just don't think you could say it's the computer that did the work.' The panel concluded with all speakers emphasizing that production companies should embrace AI now to gain competitive advantages. 'For us, more veterans [in the] industry, we were lucky to live in a time where creation and creativity and format was on the rise. Now it's kind of going down,' said Armoza. 'I think the AI is our opportunity to shift the curve again and be on the upside.' 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
