With MIP-TV 2015 ending today (Thursday, April 16), VideoAge is here with your straight-from-Cannes report on the goings on.
Starting off with the traditional sequence of news, weather and sports, we start with the weather report: The usual April showers have held off, with pleasant temperatures throughout the week.
For the news part, the four-day market turned out to be a two-day market for some people, especially top-level executives. Smaller companies experienced a longer three-day market with appointments throughout the morning parts of Wednesday. However, due to the shorter market period, many distributors were busy with meetings as early as Sunday, the day before the starting day.
Among the countries that were well represented this year were China and the Nordic countries (thanks to the official Focus on the Nordics). But while Scandinavians were their usual reserved, understated selves, the surprisingly large Chinese presence colored the basement portion of the Palais with colorful exhibits (red is their favorite color).
Among the big news that broke at MIP-TV was that Televisa and reality TV producer Mark Burnett are teaming up to create Generation Gap, a new family game show. Burnett, who was at MIP, is also behind 500 Questions, which is being sold by Warner Bros. and A.D, sold by MGM.
VideoAge caught up with Burnett just before he and his wife Roma Downey were heading to Cinecittá in Rome to start production of the remake of Ben-Hur, a theatrical feature for MGM.
Naturally, as it usually happens, all eyes (and minds) were headed toward the upcoming L.A. Screenings, which for the indies will start May 12 and for the U.S. studios on May 14.
Among the celebrities on the Croisette were Mena Suvari, Ray Liotta, Bill Paxton and Idris Elba. Content had a cocktail party on Tuesday and Elba — who stars in Mandela, My Dad and Me — was there. And speaking of cocktail parties, AMC held one on Tuesday to celebrate The Walking Dead. AMC was at MIP-TV to expand its global reach — the worldwide brand has networks in 115 countries and territories. There were also cocktail parties courtesy of TF1, NBC Universal to announce a co-production partnership to produce original drama.
Other recreational events include parties by eOne, TVFI, Eutelsat, Penthouse (celebrating its 50th anniversary), Red Arrow and Mark Cutten’s Digital Pioneers.The opening night party was courtesy of Italy’s Rai Com.
