SVoD originals stir German cocktails

From left: Oliver-Berben-of Constantin Film, Petra Müller of Film und Medienstiftung and Helge Jürgens Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg

MIPTV: Netflix and Amazon’s recent activities in the local market dominated the conversations of nearly 400 delegates attending the biannual German cocktail event in Cannes last night.

The two US-based streaming rivals ordered their first original German-language series in February, with Amazon commissioning Wanted (working title) and Netflix ordering Dark.

The local production community is now keen to follow in the footsteps of Pantaleon Entertainment and Endemol Shine Germany-backed prodco Wiedemann & Berg, which are producing Wanted and Dark respectively.

However, there were also reminders that the German industry shouldn’t get too carried away as a result of the two scripted commissions.

“Every producer here has a dream to produce something for Netflix and Amazon,” said Helge Jürgens, the recently appointed MD of funding body Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.

Nadine Grünfeld of Mediengruppe RTL and Oliver Wirtz and Judith Rakers of Sundance Communications

Jürgens joined the firm in January 2016 and is keen to see more web series receive funding via Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.

He added that questions remain over the long-term benefit producers could get in terms of finished programme sales when working with the US companies compared with a local broadcaster.

“The business models between the SVoD services and our local channels are totally different. So we need a little bit more time to understand Netflix and Amazon’s businesses. For example, the producers are not able to earn money from the shows, because these are total buy-out deals,” Jürgens said.

Petra Müller, CEO of funding body Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, also spoke to C21 at the event about how Netflix and Amazon had shaken up the local market.

“The impact is very positive, as it will drive quality forward and opens up new possibilities for producers. Concerning the production volume involved, we shouldn’t overestimate the current development as the number of shows commissioned is still relatively limited. But the inspiring effect it is having on the German industry is more important,” Müller said.

Producer Sabine De Mardt and Philipp Steffens of RTL

She pointed to the popularity abroad of Deutschland 83 and Sky Europe’s forthcoming major crime drama Babylon Berlin as evidence that confidence in German drama continues to grow.

The latter series is a 16-episode coproduction from Sky, ARD Degeto, Das Erste and Beta Film in Germany, supported by Filmstiftung NRW, Medeinboard and Creative Media Europe.

Meanwhile, new talent in Germany is being attracted to serialised television. “Ambition wise, drama series seem to be the new arthouse and many producers and creatives working in the feature film field are now going into the area of series,” said Müller.

The reception, held for the 11th time, was attended by companies such as Constantin Film, Bavaria, Studio Hamburg, Beta Film, Ziegler Film and RTL, and was sponsored by Audio Network and Bavaria Studios. C21 was the media partner.

Joining forces to host the cocktails at Club21 were Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and Film- und Medienstiftung NRW in partnership with Nordmedia, Entertainment Master Class, ZukunftsAgentur Brandenburg and German Films.

Other companies in attendance included Warner Bros International TV Production, Talpa Germany, Zeitsprung Pictures, Endemol Shine Germany and Disney Channels.

Spartacus Olsson of Mediakraft Networks, Petra Müller of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and Marc Gabizon of Wild Bunch

Pictures: Medienboard/Eric Bonté