Digital MIPTV main week is over, though the platform will continue open two weeks more. Outcome? On one hand, Reed Midem could develop a very rich picture of conferences, events and interactions, and made the innovation of the one-to-one meetings for a global event, for the first time. On the other, many people are not happy with the experience. Both organizers and participants, must mature to drive better the digital world which, pandemic or not, for sure is coming.

Reed Midem has stressed in a press release that many deals and content partnerships were concreted around the market. It said that drama and documentary genres were particularly strong, as much as key kids, formats and multi-genre deals were struck. For instance, on April 16 Amazon agreed with tennis star Serena Williams, to generate content just for Amazon Video. All3Media (UK) closed with Irish Animo TV and broadcaster Virgin Media TV, to represent globally the factual format "Eating with your Enemy". ITV Studios’ famous "Hell’s Kitchen" confirmed a 2nd series on Portugal’s SIC, due to the great results. Netflix has ordered a 3rd and 4th seasons of period drama "Bridgerton", the first production from its multi-million dollars deal with Shondaland.

On April 15, Beta Film (Germany) sold the WWII drama series "Atlantic Crossing" to Austria’s ORF and Spain’s OTT Movistar+. "Doctor Foster" (BBC Studios) was confirmed by GMA, The Philippines. UK’s Passion Distribution acquired the rights of thriller "Bregus/Fragile" (Hinterland). Warner Bros. (WBITVP) will distribute globally Canadian "How To Buy A Baby" (LoCo/CBC Digital Original), and with Nippon TV (Japan) will develop the hit game format "Sokkuri Sweets". DCD Rights closed the first MIP day "Dry Water", drama, to streaming service IVI for 15 countries across Russia, CIS and the Baltics.

BritBox (the OTT of BBC + ITV) commissioned in USA the miniseries Agatha Christie’s "Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?" Endeavor brokered the commission and will handle sales outside the UK, Ireland and Americas. ZDF (Germany) sold the 2 x 90 mins drama "Ottilie von Faber-Castell" to Globi, the upcoming AVOD streamer in North America. SynProNize, from Dubai, licensed Turkish ATV’s drama "Hercai" to TVOne Pakistan.

In factual, UK’s Dogwoof sold two of its Sundance Premieres to RTL (Germany), VRT (Belgium), VGTV (Norway), SVT (Sweden), DR (Denmark), Mediawan (France), Channel 8 (Israel), Yesdocu (Israel), Sky (New Zealand) and Movistar (Spain). NHK Japan closed eight factual titles to RAI Italy. BBC Studios sold on day 3, the game show "The 1% Club" to Israeli pubcaster Kan 11. Switch (Australia) agreed to emit its catalogue of over 6,500 hours in Alchimie’s 70+ SVOD channels internationally.

As it can be seen, Digital MIPTV was useful for many companies. This doesn’t change that many firms are disappointed too, because most of their matchmaking meetings were cancelled, even with people waked up at 6m due to the time zones. Many of the cancelled buyers, later said they didn’t confirm the meetings. This is not only a fault of the organizer. To have a good digital event depends on everyone, to follow the rules and deep the platforms. The content market needs to evolve as a whole… the pandemic must be used as an accelerated training.

Nicolás Smirnoff/Director

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