Dealmakers


PATRICK ROBERTS Senior vice-president, international sales, DRG


P CAREER


2007 Joins DRG as senior VP, international sales 2002 VP international sales and distribution, Channel 4 1994-1998 Acquisitions manager, SBS Television, Australia


atrick Roberts joined independ- ent distribution group DRG in July 2007 and, at a time when


many of his counterparts are stocking up on US shows, he has played a sig- nifi cant role in exporting UK content. As senior VP of international


sales, he has fl own the fl ag for shows like Shameless, Peep Show and Doc Martin, turning them into some of the UK’s most successful exports, watched in 120 territories including the US and Australia. In the case of Doc Martin, he played a key role in breaking the format in markets including France and Spain. Roberts’ run of form has continued


in 2011, with the global rollout of Channel 4’s Heston’s Mission Impo- ssible and BBC3’s Don’t Tell The Bride (pictured, below) which has now broken into 120 territories. Tactically astute, he timed the


rollout of Channel 4’s The Real King’s Speech with the release of the fi lm, resulting in sales across 60 territories in just two months, including Discov- ery, USA; Nat Geo, Latin America; and ABC, Australia. He has also been the architect of the


sales strategy that has helped E4’s The Inbetweeners break into more than 100 territories. DRG fi rst started working with the


Bwark-produced property in 2008 after a fairly low-key launch. “Our strategy was to wait until season two had debuted, although we had begun marketing, but not selling, in 2008. This meant that, when we did come to sell, there was a real buzz and we had 12 episodes – which meant we could sell to larger broadcasters.” In the US, the British series was bought by BBC America after a


bidding war. But that is by no means the end of the US success story, as MTV USA has shot its own version, which, at the time of writing, is in post-production.


“DRG has been approached by a large number of other broadcasters who are also keen to make their own versions,” says Roberts. “However, it is very much our policy to take our time, talk to lots of production compa- nies, and do very thorough research in each territory to ensure we pick the right production


partner. After all, you only get one shot at something like this.”


www.broadcastnow.co.uk


The Inbetweeners


‘We do thorough research to ensure we pick the right


production partner’ Patrick Roberts


While Roberts and his team are


busy talking to myriad production companies in numerous territories about local versions, they have not been slow in selling the E4 series into many territories. For Roberts, one sale in particular stands out. He is espe- cially proud that it has just become the fi rst non-US series to be picked up by GO!, the recently launched Australian digital channel. “It has become an


instant hit, delivering high numbers and a perfect demo for this youth- skewing new channel,” he says. The success of the series spawned


a movie, which, in its fi rst 10 days on release in the UK, generated box offi ce receipts of £27.7m. Almost half that came in its opening weekend, making it the biggest ever for a British comedy. At the time of writing, the movie


version has not been released outside the UK but, Roberts says: “The series and the movie will support each other, with those who see the fi lm being drawn to the series, and fans of the series being attracted to see the movie.” Of course, change is afoot now


that Inbetweeners producer Bwark has been acquired by Zodiak Media Group. So how does that affect DRG, which prides itself on its independ- ence as a distributor. “Bwark’s new relationship with ZMG does not change our representation deal for the show” says Roberts. “DRG’s business model, as a truly


independent distributor, means we’re able to represent a wide mix of pro- ducers that are related to parent distri- bution companies, such as Company Pictures’ Shameless and Kudos drama Lip Service.”


30 September 2011 | Broadcast | 53


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