As a devoted fan of groundbreaking unscripted content and the dynamic world of international television production, I can’t help but feel an immense sense of excitement upon reading about Universal Studio Group‘s aggressive expansion into the European market!
Universal Studio Group is heavily investing in the European market for non-scripted content, with two of their senior TV executives telling industry experts in Rome that this is an excellent opportunity for European producers to collaborate with the global powerhouse, or any other U.S. studios eager to secure Europe’s top creative talent and unscripted intellectual properties.
Right now, it’s incredibly tough to stand out in Europe in the unscripted field,” noted Ed Havard, senior vice president of Universal International Studios. “Everyone is hunting for the next major success from European markets. Believe it or not, many American executives are closely monitoring European regions.
Harvard Rodman and Monica Rodman, executive vice presidents of Universal Television Alternative Studios, gave a keynote talk this week at Rome’s MIA Market. During their speech, they highlighted the company’s collaborations throughout Europe – such as the groundbreaking unscripted agreement signed by NBCUniversal (the parent company) and BBC in 2021 – and emphasized that there’s more exciting news on the horizon.
It’s worth mentioning that a significant number (85%) of the largest reality TV shows in the U.S. are currently being produced in Europe, with popular series like “The Traitors” and “Destination X” from Universal leading the way. Harvard stated that the studio is actively seeking out such projects and aiming to be at the forefront in their discovery.
He stated that our team is constantly striving to connect, collaborate, and partner with the top-tier producers from a multitude of European regions that we have opportunities with.
The Universal Studio Group serves as a powerful, all-encompassing entity that houses four different television production studios: Universal Television, Universal Television Alternative Studios, UCP, and Universal International Studios.
Harvard and Rodman detailed their strategy for broadening partnerships among their European sister studios, using instances like “Destination X” – a travel reality competition series modeled after a format conceived by Belgium’s Geronimo, as well as a first-look agreement with U.K.’s “Depp v. Heard” producer Empress Films, to demonstrate that the company doesn’t rely on a standardized approach for its collaborative efforts, as indicated by Harvard.
As a film enthusiast, I’m constantly on the lookout for innovative strategies that can help studios like Universal cut costs while still delivering high-quality content. In these economically challenging times, we’re always seeking “new models” that not only make it easier to produce shows but also enable us to bring to life projects that might otherwise seem impossible due to their complexity or financial constraints.
He stated, “I believe the era of me solely serving as commissioner and producer is behind us.” He continued, “In the future, it will require a collaborative effort, making it a team endeavor.
2021 marked a groundbreaking collaboration between NBCUniversal and the BBC. They decided to team up on creating and funding a diverse array of unscripted series, with each company shoulder-ing production costs – a strategy that has resulted in successful productions like “The Traitors” for the BBC and “Peacock’s Reality Event of the Year,” which received acclaim from EbMaster’s Alison Herman.
In a presentation to a crowd of European filmmakers in Rome, Rodman emphasized a significant collaboration between Universal and “Depp v. Heard” director Emma Cooper, who founded Empress Films in 2020, as an illustration of a beneficial arrangement for both the studio and creative minds.
She contributes exceptional insights and innovative thoughts, but we can provide development resources, intellectual property access, and our talented team to truly enhance those concepts,” Rodman stated. She continued: “We welcome a wide range of creative ideas from various fields, so we’re ready to collaborate on the finest ideas you have.
The veteran producer at Universal Television, who has been with them for a long time and now holds the position of Executive Vice President in their alternative division (since 2021), admitted that the entertainment industry is still facing significant ambiguity due to the upheavals it has experienced in recent times.
The difficulties can’t be overlooked. What we understand clearly today is that for a project to get the go-ahead from investors and decision-makers, it needs to be absolutely compelling,” she noted. “Yet, I believe these challenges also present us with distinctive chances.
Universal is expanding beyond its traditional focus areas by delving deeper into true crime and high-end documentaries, which are particularly popular in today’s market, according to her. These genres now represent a significant portion of our growing business portfolio.
The goal, in the end, is to turn a local hit into the next breakout global sensation.
I’m eagerly exploring what our potential next ‘Destination X’ or ‘Traitors’ could be. On an international level, our goal is to identify and nurture promising ideas from various markets, then collaborate with American studios to amplify them significantly. This strategy offers a chance for a producer, like myself from Belgium, to collaborate with Hollywood studios and create a globally recognized project.
Rome’s MIA Market takes place Oct. 14 – 18.
Read More
- W PREDICTION. W cryptocurrency
- AEVO PREDICTION. AEVO cryptocurrency
- PRCL PREDICTION. PRCL cryptocurrency
- AAVE PREDICTION. AAVE cryptocurrency
- PENDLE PREDICTION. PENDLE cryptocurrency
- WIF PREDICTION. WIF cryptocurrency
- NUUM PREDICTION. NUUM cryptocurrency
- Top Gift Ideas for Your League of Legends-Obsessed BF on a Budget
- VRA PREDICTION. VRA cryptocurrency
- AURY PREDICTION. AURY cryptocurrency
2024-10-18 13:47