DISTRIBUTOR POLL PRODUCTION 100
SURVEY
representation, and ITV Studios is praised for its “ability to make significant investment.”
HEAVY ON RISK One of the other distributors picked out is BossaNova, which was recently launched by distribution veterans Paul Heaney and Dina Subhani. Heaney acknowledges that the distribution business has changed. “It’s heavy on risk, I’m afraid, there’s no other way of looking at it.” He says is particularly tricky for
small to medium-sized distributors “because they are faced with big numbers that they have to come up with as an advance.” There’s a temptation for such
distributors to encourage producers “to shop the show” around before they have to commit. “I’m really not keen on that idea, because I think it cheapens the show for the producer that they’ve lovingly crafted. And I think it could damage it, if the distributor doesn’t end up being the distributor of the show. I’m keen to try to stamp that out.” But there are opportunities
for distributors. Heaney says that while the streamers are taking global rights to projects, “they are certainly co-producing here and there. Your relationships have to be so strong with the key platforms, you just have to really, really work on those relationships.”
IS BIG BETTER? While it’s tough for the small to medium sized distributors, larger players arguably have more opportunities thanks to their deeper pockets and their ability to invest at an early stage in a project’s life. Very occasionally, this extends
to fully funding productions themselves. Fremantle, for example, has recently fully funded a number of programmes before taking them to market, including Jamie Oliver series Jamie’s Quick and Easy Food, and high-end factual docs Arctic Drift and Beate and Serge Klarsfeld: The Nazi Hunters.
For those that can acquire
rights to programmes, there are arguably more chances to sell than ever before. With the explosion in platforms, the number of deal opportunities has increased many-fold for sellers to achieve global reach for their shows. Opportunities have arguably grown not just for front catalogue, but also mid and back catalogue content. As with so many industries
that have been upended by the streaming business, distributors are having to adapt.
TOP DISTRIBUTORS Still, familiar names dominate the annual distributor section of the Production 100. As part of the survey, Televisual asked producers to name the producers they work with, and the ones they rate. Once again, All3Media
International tops our list of most used distributors. “They know their market, are organised with their campaigns, we don’t have to chase for reports, and they give decent advances if required,” says one major factual indie. A drama indie reports: “Excellent all round service and understanding of the international markets – very experienced sales teams. Experienced drama distributors with a willingness to invest in quality content.” Notably, both of the indies making these comments come from outside the All3Media production stable. All3Media also comes first
equal in Televisual’s list of most rated distributors, which is jointly won by Drive this year. Drive is “great at bringing finance to shows,” says one factual indie. Another comments that Drive is “proactive with acquisitions and sales - and small enough to care.” Others have been “impressed by Drive finding presales,” while one comments: “Great deals and nose to tail support for a programme.” BBC Studios takes second
place once again in the most used table. It “knows the business, and is
Autumn 2021 P52
well resourced,” and “can be very helpful with cash flow and deficit funding.” Banijay Rights is third. The
superindie’s sales division. It is “keen to invest and proactive about gap funding,” says one. Another comments: “It really pushes sales on all the titles it represents and is good on windowing and renewals; ensuring long tail of sales… rather than just doing the first easy deals and then letting a title languish.” ITV Studios Global Distribution
and Fremantle take joint fourth. ITV is “very commercial and has the ability to make significant investment.” It is also cited for having “lovely people, great communicators” and “thinking outside the box.” Fremantle, meanwhile, is recognised for being “second to none in the formats distribution business.” Blue Ant takes sixth place.
The distributor “offers producers a full service approach including pre-sales and global production,” and is recognised as “ambitious, confident” and “very opportunistic in a good way!” Drive is seventh in the most used list, while Cineflix takes eighth place. Cineflix is picked out for its “commercial knowledge and reach” and because it “works creatively to get extra deals.” Passion Distribution and Beyond
Rights share ninth place. Passion is “brilliant at giving each title loads of love, fabulous communication and strong sales” and has “great customer service.”
BROAD RANGE A raft of other distributors are also cited which didn’t quite make the list of most used companies, including DCD Rights, Abacus Media Rights, TVF International, Red Arrow Studios, NBCUniversal Distribution, Bossanova Media, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Orange Smarty, Keshet International, Siverlining TV, Scorpion TV, Flame Distribution, Entertainment One and Magnify Media.
televisual.com
DISTRIBUTORS HAVE P I BECOME ANMPORTANT
FART OF THE MINANCING
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