Finding future hits

LA SCREENINGS: As international buyers navigate a week of studio visits during the Screenings, they tell Michael Pickard what shows have caught their eyes so far.

After the fanfare of the US broadcast network Upfronts in New York, attention this week has turned to the West Coast, where international buyers are gathering for the annual LA Screenings.

Distributors including CBS Studios International (CBSSI), NBCUniversal International Television Distribution, 20th Century Fox Television Distribution, Sony Pictures TV, Disney Media Distribution (DMD) and Warner Bros International Television Distribution have opened their doors to acquisitions executives who are all hoping to find the next big US hit for their channels.

A whole slate of new dramas is on show, including CBBSI’s Sherlock Holmes update Elementary, NBCUniversal’s firefighter procedural Chicago Fire and Warner Bros serial killer thriller The Following.

However, an increasing trend towards new comedies doesn’t bode well for international buyers, many of whom say these often don’t translate for viewers back home. 20th Century Fox’s new slate of network shows consists entirely of comedies, including the White House-set 1600 Penn. Gags about politics are even less likely to work overseas.

Furthermore, while these distributors – each attached to at least one of the Big Five networks – have the majority of fall season pilots on their sales sheets, they are also facing increasing competition from independent and cable network distributors that are looking to tempt buyers over to their own screenings. The Newsroom, HBO’s new drama from Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing), has been a big hit in early screenings.

And broadcasters in Canada have been quick off the mark to ensure Sony Pictures Television’s entire new slate is taken across the border. Bell Media has picked up The Mob Doctor, about a young surgeon who is forced to moonlight for the Mafia when her brother becomes indebted to the Chicago mob.

That left Shaw Media to take rights to action thriller Last Resort, legal drama Made in Jersey and comedy Save Me, as well as a new reality series, The Job. Shaw, which operates Global TV, also picked up Chicago Fire and Vegas from CBSSI.

At DMD, the distributor has three new comedies and three new dramas to showcase to buyers, including conspiracy series Zero Hour. Catherine Powell, senior VP and general manager of EMEA media distribution, says broadcast networks are fighting back against the challenge from cable with increasingly “high-concept” series that move away from traditional procedural stories.

“Cable has definitely put the networks on guard and kept them on their toes when you see the success of their high-concept dramas,” she says. “High-concept is risky, though. You need the commitment of the viewers. The thing about procedurals is they’re easy television, they don’t require the commitment high-concept drama does.

“But the opportunities now for consumers to catch up on something through all the on-demand opportunities broadcasters now offer means it’s much easier to remain committed to a high-concept drama. There will always be appointment-to-view but for those people who can’t make it on a Thursday night, they now have opportunities to catch up. The chances of success are higher as the broadcast experience makes it easier to stay committed.”

On the topic of US comedies translating overseas, Powell adds: “You will hear from buyers a degree of cynicism about the international appeal of comedies as a lot of them are quite American and they’re not sure how they will travel, but everybody wants a good comedy.”

So what do buyers on the ground make of this year’s selection?

Kaare Schmidt, series acquisitions exec for Danish pubcaster DR, says Homeland, which first aired on premium cable network Showtime, has been the only successful US drama for his network in the past decade, while ABC’s Revenge and ABC Family’s Jane By Design and The Nine Lives of Chloe King are yet to air.

“This year there are fewer one-hours, which we look for because comedies don’t work,” he says. “But we’ve seen some good dramas, including Nashville and Vegas, among others. Overall, the quality is at the same level as last year, which was good.”

Another Danish network, TV2, has also found that many US series do not have a broad appeal for its main channel, though Desperate Housewives, which is now coming to an end, has proved to be a popular acquisition. Anette Romer, head of acquisitions and formats, says: “While we have fingers crossed for a new strong US drama title to replace Desperate Housewives in that all-important weekday slot, the most realistic scenario is that this slot will be filled with local production.”

Touch and Terra Nova will launch later this year, while Romer adds that the network is striving to meet viewers’ changing habits. “We are very aware that audience behaviour is shifting and this is particularly noticeable when it comes to viewing series,” she says. “We have experimented with the demand for binge viewing and have very good results with back-to-back scheduling of episodes. However, there are obviously also budgetary issues, as new US titles do not come cheap.”

BSkyB in the UK has pushed further into US acquisitions through its Sky Atlantic channel, which airs Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire, through an exclusive output deal with HBO. Sky Living also airs Bones and Criminal Minds.

“All of the shows we acquired after the LA Screenings last year – Touch, Terra Nova, The Secret Circle, Ringer and Smash – have done barnstorming business on our channels,” says Sarah Wright, controller of acquisitions at Sky. “Sadly, some of them haven’t survived the cut this year as far as their own networks are concerned. One of the perils involved in acquiring US shows is that, ultimately, we don’t control their fate.

“It’s a strong year this year for drama so far, with a fair number of different flavours, from magic and spooky soap to all-out action and mystery. The more intricately plotted drama seems to be back, which is great news for our customers, as they love them.”

Finnish public broadcaster YLE has found more success with US dramas, particularly its HBO content, which head of acquisitions Tarmo Kivikallio says has helped the channel reach younger audiences. “Last year, we picked up Pan Am, Necessary Roughness, Unforgettable and Charlie’s Angels from Sony,” he says. “We are airing Pan Am at the moment and it is working OK.

“This year’s Screenings haven’t been as good as previous, at least so far, as there are not that many pilots from Fox and CBS, but there are many studios still to come. The best so far has been HBO’s The Newsroom; it’s absolutely great. I also liked CBS’s Elementary.”

Emma Tennant, controller of UKTV, has noted the US broadcast networks’ focus on comedy, while also recognising a continuing trend for British actors appearing stateside. “Single parents, if not as the main theme, are certainly appearing in many shows,” she says, pointing to shows such as DMD’s Red Widow. “Serial killers also seem to be popular. On a personal level, I enjoyed Nashville – a guilty pleasure for the future – but there’s still a lot more to see.”

Meanwhile, John Ranelagh, head of acquisitions at TV2 in Norway, says drama is now mirroring the fragmentation of the TV audience. “It’s harder and harder to find mainstream family shows as the commissioning networks try to find particular audiences,” he said. “But the quality of production has never been higher.”

While not everything is a guaranteed success, either in the US or abroad, this year’s LA Screenings line-up has the potential to provide plenty of international hits. Now, let the battle for rights begin.