MARIKE MUSELAERS

Co-CEO
Lumiere Group - Benelux
Ghent & Amsterdam
(and a one person Stockholm of ce)

me also me lockdown me

marike@lumiere.be
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 FILM TV

- Early stage funding is easier (development script & projects + - Normally producer’s investment rst (some development funds)
initial funding national lm fund could get to 50%, with pre-sales
and tax advantages often ) - Importance of nding a commissioning broadcaster/platform

- More opportunities for upfront funding in general - Importance of the relationship with this broadcaster/platform
- Business model is generally speaking recoupment afterwards - Pro t margins are generally speaking more interesting

- Importance of sales agents (MG + overages) —> extra funding - Generally speaking no more risks once you’re nanced

- Importance of local (theatrical) distributor (MG + P&A + - Less opportunities in TV for development funding and nancing
overages) —> extra funding in general, especially in some European countries

- European industry is festival-driven
- European industry is author-driven
- Film author is in charge of the whole universe
- “Much more work” to create materials for funding (treatments
etc, 5 LOCs for Media production support)
- TV writing/directing is considered more teamwork instead of
author-driven

- TV is more technical/commercial - literally - commercial breaks,

importance of rst 12 minutes, cliffhangers, episodic structure

- TV industry is….. different?

- But: more and more festival-driven and more lm authors going
TV
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SALES AGENTS / INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS

- Ampere: windowing is a key trend - # of scripted titles on more then one platform
in one year doubled over past years

- Think content is king (and distribution is King Kong) and good producers and talent
are the scarce resources: “help creators create”

- Will commit earlier and earlier to a production (development funding, incubation)

- Bring a network, legal advise, facilities
- Can help with LOCs and prebuys
- Can offer a Minimum Guarantee (normally recoupable but not refundable - anything
but most likely 30-35% commission + overhead and/or equity/copro)
MARKET RESEARCH
STREAMING WARS?
US streamers vs
local streamers

ampereanalysis.com
subscribe to The Amp
FINANCING PLAN SLIDES
THE FINANCING COMPONENTS OF A TYPICAL EUROPEAN TV SERIES

Commissioning local broadcaster The one that makes the show together with you

Commissioning local platform The one that makes the show together with you

Sales agent / distribution company Co-production participation / MG for distribution

Local production companies, broadcasters,
European co-producing partners
platforms
Tax advantages Local and/or via European co-pro partners

Local, regional and European funds Development and/or production support

Investment producer Development, equity, gap nancing… etc

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RIGHTS / ABBREVIATIONS

Free TV + Broadcaster Video On

FREE TV +BVOD/catch up broadcaster
Demand
Pay TV + Broadcaster Video On
PAY TV + BVOD/catch up paid channels
Demand
e.g. Net ix/ Amazon Prime / Apple
SVOD Subscription Video On Demand
TV+ / Disney+ /
Transactional Video On Demand
TVOD, PVOD pay to rent per series
Premium Video On Demand
Electronic Sell Through
EST (Streaming / DTO) pay to buy per series
Download To Own

AVOD Advertising VOD e.g.Youtube

FVOD Free VOD Everything that is for free

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TRADITIONAL, COPRO OR ORIGINAL?

Keep ownership/all rights or work for a producer’s fee?

How does it interfere with local/ European partnerships?

What about funds?

What about payment terms / cash ow?

What about long tail / revenues?

What about data?

What about marketing?

What about follow up seasons?

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 TRADITIONAL
- Commissioning broadcaster
- 1-3 other European broadcasters /
more local platforms
- Producer keeps creative control
- Sales Agent MG
- Long tail revenue (overages etc)
- Eligible for grants/funds
- Keep IP and all rights
- Entitled access to data
- More control over commissioning
following seasons
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COPRO
- Platform lls budget gap (example: 25%)
- Producer keeps creative control (to a certain extend)
- Broadcasters can keep rst window
- Second window in commissioning and coproducing
countries
- Risk of no Sales Agent MG / not much long tail
revenue (overages etc)
- Not eligible for certain grants/funds
- Check your payment terms/cash ow
- Keep IP and some rights - negotiable
- Less control over commissioning following seasons
- Access to data can be an issue
ORIGINAL
- Platform pays all, takes all
- Branding / exposure
- Huge potential global audience
- Creative control might be
constrained
- No Sales Agent MG / no long tail
revenue (overages etc)
- Give away IP and all rights
- No control over commissioning
following seasons
- Access to data can be an issue
 OUT OF THE BOX FINANCING: WORKING TOGETHER

COLD COURAGE THE PLEASURE

- Developed by Finnish, PRINCIPLE
Icelandic, Irish and - Coproduced and
Belgian coproducers commissioned by
- Commissioned by Viaplay Canal+ Poland, Czech 
and VTM TV and the
- Sales: Lionsgate Ukraine's Star Media
- Sold to Britbox, AMC - Sales: Beta
and many more - Sold to: Arte, Walter
Presents and many more
(e.g. Lumiere :))

ANNE+
- Crowdfunding +
LGBTQI+ fund
- Afterwards: production
THE SWARM company + NPO web
- Developed by local coopetition sales series
agents alliance Beta & ZDFE - Second season linear
- Originally commissioned by ZDF NPO
- Now coproduced by NENT, RAI and - Now producing Anne+
France TV lm for Net ix (plus
series on service)
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STAY POSITIVE!

Chaos = opportunities & innovation

Massive craze for content - good stories will get out there and nd their audience

There has never been so much $$$ out there for TV series, and non-English TV in particular

Broadcasters and local, regional and global platforms need original and local/international stories. Even if
that means one platform takes all - they are still out there looking for stories.

Financing has never been so creative and collaborative: many opportunities for Europeans and small(er)
territories. Even with (some of) the global platforms in the mix.

Writers are the scarce resources - TV might not work the same way as lm but in Europe we still stay
close to the stories

European Alliances and European platforms need content from…. European Alliances! Network, team up,
make connections!

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PITCHING
 WHY?
PITCHING

Why now?
Why this team? WHY?
Why this project? (story/characters/universe?)

Elevator pitch
WHY?
1) trigger / get someone’s attention (did you know?)
2) genre - key con icts of characters - universe
3) references are ok to trigger someone as long as you stay true to your DNA
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PITCHING
Story, plot & characters

⁃ What is the theme

⁃ What is your angle
⁃ How will the main character pull us through
⁃ Which journey is the audience going on?
⁃ What are the main con icts
⁃ What is going on and why these characters?
⁃ Short character description
⁃ Short character background
⁃ Catalyst: what triggers the characters to change

General

⁃ Season summary (characters journey/con icts)

⁃ Episode per episode summary
⁃ What makes it different and unique?
⁃ Which languages and why?
⁃ Tonality / atmosphere
⁃ Where does a show sit between different genres?
⁃ What are your references?
⁃ Are you showing something through fresh eyes/different angle


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PITCHING beyond the obvious (characters/storyline)

Team
⁃ Again: why this team? What drives them?
⁃ Do you have the right writers with the right experience in the writer’s room? Any story that is not your own perspective - you need
someone with that perspective in your writers room.
Format
⁃ 1 season is good to start with. Ideas for other seasons are great (but not necessary)
⁃ 4x 45 is the new 6x 45 is the new 8x 45 is the new 10x45
⁃ Even is better than odd
⁃ Procedural vs serialised
⁃ Flexible formats
Set up
⁃ If setting up a universe don’t get lost in the universe
⁃ Human experience is more interesting than painting a canvas
⁃ Is the world authentic? Will people immerse in it?
PITCH DOCUMENT

- Less is more
- Try to trigger, make curious
- The why is more important than the what
- Main characters
- Season description (journey / main con icts)
- Don’t forget to mention the team

PITCH VIDEO OR LIVE PITCH

- MAKE IT FUN TO MAKE AND FUN TO WATCH
- You’re creators… CREATE!
- You’re storytellers…. TELL A STORY!
- Moodreels can add something but should not just show that you can edit
- Don’t forget the team and the why
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MEETINGS

- The road to one of the bigger broadcasters/platforms is often not a direct one, if people like you and the project they can help you on
your way.

- Know who you’re meeting and know you’re not always meeting the right person straight away.
- Don’t forget the markets/festivals when booking meetings

- Don’t assume your meeting will know anything at all about your project. Also don’t assume they have seen the online pitch.
- You’re selling your project, so mentioning a few commercial references is always good to get the attention of your meeting, as long as you
stay true to the DNA of the story of course.

- For me, in a meeting, getting to know the team behind a project and their passion and drive for this story and these characters is just as
important as the story itself.

- Seems obvious but listen to your meeting, give your meeting enough time to ask questions. Elevator pitch and a few key Unique Selling
Points are enough to get your meeting started.

- HAVE FUN
Questions for sales agents:
-if you’re interested in a project, how early in the process do you commit
-do you invest in development, how does this work?
-Where would you see this project land in terms of possible platforms and
broadcasters?

Questions for possible co-producers:

depending on your project of course, but more towards possible tax
rebates, local funding, local pre-sales

Questions for markets: deadlines, application & selection guidelines

Questions the producers will get: what is the budget, planning, how much of
the budget is in place already, how will you structure the nancing
! it’s de nitely ok to say you have several possible nancing routes, your
meeting might even give you interesting feedback.  
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 INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS / SALES AGENTS

Germany Beta Israel Keshet

Red Arrow
ZDF Enterprises UK Fremantle
Global Screen ITV
All3 Media
Finland The Yellow A air Banijay

France Federa on USA Dynamic

Mediawan
Newen Canada A rac on
About Premium Content
Wild Bunch

Netherlands Dutch Features

Spain Onza
Mediapro

Sweden Eccho Rights

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 NEWSLETTERS / MARKET INFO
Screen / Variety / The Hollywood Reporter

Ampere The Amp

TBI Vision

C21

Drama Quarterly

Digital TV daily

Nordic Film & TV news (obviously more Scandi related)

Deadline

Nostradamus (not so much a newsletter but an annual report on the lm & tv industry, highly recommended )

The Streamable

All newsletters from TV markets:

Goteborg TV Drama Vision, Berlinale Drama Series, SeriesMania, SerieSeries, Seriencamp, MIPCOM/MIPTV/
Canneseries, Content London (= C21 above), TV Beats Tallinn.








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PITCHING AT MARKETS/EVENTS

Month Event Where?

January TV Drama Vision Goteborg, Sweden
February Berlinale Berlin, Germany
March SeriesMania Lille, France
April MIPTV Cannes, France
May
June NEM Dubrovnik Dubrovnik, Croa a
July Serieseries Fontainebleau, France
August Cinelink, Sarajevo Sarajevo
September
October MIPCOM Cannes, France
Mia Market Rome, Italy
Seriencamp Munich, Germany
November TV Beats Tallinn, Estonia
Content London London, UK
December NEM Zagreb Zagreb, Croa a
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