Join us in this week’s edition of Entertainment Supply Chain Digest as we explore thrilling advancements and investments in Entertainment. From the groundbreaking investments by Canal+ to the highly anticipated Indiana Jones release, and the transformative tech integrations by Apple and Dolby, we’ll cover it all.
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IP Deals
Hottest IP Stories, Formats, Books, Games, Podcasts to be turned into the next big blockbuster- Factorรญa Henneo acquired adaptation rights to “Puerto escondido”, the bestseller by Marรญa Oruรฑa, from Ediciones Destino. The rights were negotiated with Book & Film Rights of Grupo Planeta. Factorรญa Henneo will attend Conecta Fiction & Entertainment to develop the fiction series ๐ช๐ธ
- Gaumont USA is set to adapt a Spanish-language version of the Canadian comedy series “Writer’s Block”. The show revolves around two TV showrunners who face creative burnout ๐บ๐ธ ๐จ๐ฆ
- ITV has commissioned a UK version of the US guessing gameshow “Password”. The adaptation, produced by Fremantle’s Talkback label, will be hosted by Stephen Mangan, with Alan Carr and Daisy May Cooper as team captains ๐ฌ๐ง
- “Lego Masters” has reached its 20th country with RTL Hungary ordering a local version of the competition reality show. Production by UFA Magyarorszรกg is underway in Budapest ๐ญ๐บ
- Max has greenlit “When Nobody Sees Us,” a thriller series based on Sergio Sarria’s novel, following two police women solving crimes in Morรณn de la Frontera linked to a U.S. military base ๐บ๐ธ ๐ช๐ธ
Production Deals
Sneak peak into recently announced production projects worldwide- Prime Video is expanding its unscripted originals in the Nordics with a lineup of 12 new shows. Among them is “Girls of Oslo”, a docu-reality series focusing on Norwegian influencers Sophie Elise, Isabel Raad, Nora Haukland, and Anniken Englund Jรธrgensen ๐ณ๐ด
- Israeli broadcaster,Reshet 13, has commissioned the political action series “”Amia””, currently being filmed in Montevideo, Uruguay. Produced by Dori Media, Yair Dori Holdings, and Cimmaron Cine, the series centers around a Mossad agent, whose sister is killed in a terrorist attack ๐ฎ๐ฑ
- Oscar-winning producer Simon Chinn is set to create the documentary “Operaciรณn Esperanza” about the remarkable survival of four indigenous children in the Colombian jungle for 40 days after a plane crash ๐จ๐ดย
- Moody Street Kids and Princess Pictures have started filming “F.A.N.G (From a Nearby Galaxy)”, a new tween sci-fi comedy series for ABC Australia. The show revolves around Lulin, a 12-year-old girl living in a fictional Melbourne suburb ๐ฆ๐บ
- Movistar Plus+ and Shine Iberia are teaming up for “Bosรฉ Renacido”, a docu-series about Spanish singer Miguel Bosรฉ. The series explores key moments from his life, including his childhood and his journey to becoming a father ๐ช๐ธ
Season Renewals
More episodes on the way! Season Renewal Announcements- Binge has commissioned Season 2 of courtroom drama “The Twelve”. Filming will take place in Western Australia and utilize the state’s production incentive. The series is produced by Warner Bros International Production Australia and Easy Tiger. ๐ฆ๐บ
- ZDF and TV2 Denmark have commissioned the fifth season of Danish crime series “The Sommerdahl Murders”. Based on Anne Grue’s book franchise, the show is a co-production with Dynamic Television, ndF, and Sequoia Global Alliance ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ช
- Star TV and OGM UNIVERSE have announced the renewal of the Turkish drama series “Stickman” for a second season, following its successful debut and widespread popularity in Turkey ๐น๐ทย
- “Paper Empire,” the action drama series by Robert Gillings Productions and Tadross Media Group, will film its third season in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Starring Robert Davi and Denise Richards, the production is supported by Film AlUla, with pre production underway and filming scheduled for later this year ๐บ๐ธ
- Paramount+ has renewed the YA drama series “School Spirits” for a second season, shortly after the conclusion of its first season. The show, featuring Peyton List, was the top YA series on the streaming platform during its run ๐บ๐ธ
Distribution Deals
Distributors securing worldwide content across different genres, languages and format types- CJ ENM’s sci-fi survival series “The Moon” has been pre-sold to 155 countries, with distributors including Well Go USA, Capelight, Program Store, Blue Swan, ATV, and others acquiring rights for various territories worldwide ๐
- Norwegian distributor 4Seasons Creations acquired rights to distribute Tamil film “LEO” starting South Indian super star Thalapathy Vijay in Europe ๐ณ๐ด ๐ฎ๐ณ
- The animated preschool series “Talking Tom & Friends” has been acquired by Moggozi from Outfit7, a Seoul-based distributor ๐ฐ๐ท
- BFI Distribution secures UK-Ireland rights to “SCALA!!!,” a documentary on London’s iconic cinema. Produced by Fifty Foot Woman, the film delves into its vibrant history and impact on a diverse community. It will premiere in the ‘Documents and Documentaries’ category ๐ฌ๐ง
- The documentary film “Cinema Laika,” exploring Aki Kaurismรคki’s creation of a personal movie theater in Karkkila, Finland, has been acquired by The Match Factory for international distribution ๐
Acquisition Deals
Streamers & channels acquiring latest content across the world- Dubai TV has acquired the dramedy series “Audrey’s Back” from Montreal-based production company Pixcom. The series revolves around a woman who awakens from a coma after 16 years, caused by a hit-and-run accident when she was 17 ๐ฆ๐ช ๐จ๐ฆ
- Konami Cross Media NY has partnered with Panda KIDS in Portugal to broadcast “Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS,” the latest installment in the franchise. The show follows Yuga Ohdo, a 5th grader who introduces faster and simpler Rush Duels ๐บ๐ธ ๐ต๐น
- Boat Rocker has sold multiple titles from its unscripted franchise, “Secrets in…” and Seasons 1&2 of “Secrets in the Ice”. These were acquired by AETN, Seven.One, Foxtel, A&E Ole, Bell Media, Dox TV, FTV Prima, Multicanal, RTI, and Parva ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ท๐ธ ๐ฎ๐น ๐จ๐ฟ ๐ช๐ธ ๐ฒ๐ฐ ๐บ๐ธ ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ฉ๐ช ๐ฌ๐งย
- Canal+ secures content from Keshet International, which includes the German comedy “You Don’t Die Amongst Friends,” the adaptation of “Stockholm,” “Cuba Libre,” and licensed the crime drama series, “Line in the Sand” season one in Poland ๐ฉ๐ช ๐ต๐ฑ ๐ซ๐ท ๐ฎ๐ฑ
- Asian Food Network Singapore has obtained the cooking and adventure series “Food Tales” from distributor O4 Media. Produced by IFA Media in Singapore, the show explores Singapore’s hawker markets ๐ธ๐ฌ
Partnerships/M&A
Cross-Border Collaborations, Joint Ventures, M&A and Partnerships!- TelevisaUnivision has acquired a majority stake in Argos Media Group, the Mexican production company founded by Epigmenio Ibarra. This strategic move strengthens TelevisaUnivision’s position in the Hispanic American market and aligns with their streaming platform ViX ๐บ๐ธ ๐ฒ๐ฝ
- KC Global Media has sold its 17-year-old linear kids channel, Animax Korea, to Aniplus, a Singapore and South Korea-based TV channel and anime distributor ๐ฐ๐ท ๐ธ๐ฌ
- Independent producer Jules Boyer’s company Giant Steps acquires Paris-based Flach Film Production, expanding its presence in the French market. Flach Film has produced dramas and documentaries for France Tรฉlรฉvisions ๐ซ๐ท
- Los Angeles-based Viva Kids has acquired a stake in 3Doubles Producciones, an animation studio in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. This acquisition allows Viva Kids to produce animated films in-house while expanding the customer base for 3Doubles ๐บ๐ธ ๐ช๐ธ
- Montreal’s Tonic DNA has acquired Ngenious Studio and its IP assets. This move enhances Tonic’s position in the mixed 2D/3D animation market and enables the development of innovative techniques for film, series, and advertising ๐จ๐ฆ
Companies Making Headlines
Launch and Expansions of facilities, studios, services & technologies- Asian pay TV operator AsiaSat acquires Lightning International, a distributor based in the UK and Hong Kong. This strategic move enables AsiaSat to expand services and provide clients with access to global audiences via OTT and free ad-supported streaming TV platforms ๐ฌ๐ง ๐ญ๐ฐ
- Banijay, has launched Screen Line Productions, a new scripted label under Banijay France. Screen Line will focus on character-driven content, including original ideas and book adaptations with a particular emphasis on youth-oriented themes ๐ซ๐ท
- Canal+ is investing $300 million in Viu, a Hong Kong-based OTT streaming service, acquiring a 26.1% stake. This strategic partnership with Viu’s parent company, PCCW, aims to boost Viu’s presence as a leading OTT video service across Asia, the Middle East, and South Africa ๐ซ๐ท ๐ญ๐ฐย
- Montreal-based Rodeo FX has opened its fifth studio in Paris, expanding its global reach. The new studio creates opportunities for French artists to work on major productions while allowing Rodeo to establish a presence in the European market ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ซ๐ท
- Anna Valley, an AV and entertainment technology company, is set to launch a new, versatile studio complex adjacent to its West London headquarters. The facility, formerly utilized for a broadcast shopping channel, comprises five customizable studio spaces suitable for various media, entertainment, commercial, and event productions ๐ฌ๐ง
SPOTLIGHT: Featured Companies on Vitrina
Featured New Specializations
Global innovations & breakthroughs in the Entertainment supply-chain- Sky Italia, in collaboration with AWS, brings its voting platform in-house for live TV productions, improving performance, reducing costs, and ensuring scalability for shows like “X-Factor” while enabling expansion to other use cases. The platform delivers robust performance, fault tolerance, and low latency, accommodating near-real-time audience rankingsย ๐ฎ๐น
- Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos plug-ins now available on Unreal Engine Marketplace, enabling developers to create games with enhanced audio and visual experiences easily ๐
- TerraMaster offers Thunderbolt 3 RAID Storage and 10GbE NAS series, providing high-speed storage solutions for 4K video editing, catering to professionals with demanding requirements. The Thunderbolt 3 products enable faster post-production workflows, while the 10GbE NAS solution supports team collaboration and sharing ๐
- Sphere Studios has unveiled The Big Sky, a groundbreaking cinema camera with a 316-megapixel HDR image sensor, offering a remarkable 40x resolution increase over existing 4K cameras ๐
- “Sony has introduced the HXC-FZ90, a 4K camera designed for live production in broadcasting. Its advanced features and 2/3″” 4K CMOS sensor deliver exceptional image quality, while flexible licensing options cater to broadcasters’ needs ๐
Localization & Post-Production
Latest updates in the world of content Localization & Post-Production- Audiomovers and Avid collaborate to offer Pro Tools users remote audio collaboration through the ListenTo plugin, enabling sharing of uncompressed audio and easy access for clients and collaborators ๐
- “AJA ColorBox introduces the v2.0 update, expanding its Colorfront Engine with new TV and Live Modes. It adds support for v1.6 BBC HLG LUTs and updates ORION-CONVERT for enhanced compatibility and customer-driven features ๐
- Apple has released a version of Final Cut Pro for iPad, offering video-editing capabilities with tablet-friendly features but limited compared to the Mac version ๐
- Unity has introduced Sentis, an AI platform that enables creators to deploy AI models in Unity projects across platforms. Sentis runs AI models on-device, enhancing interactivity and realism while saving costs and avoiding latency issues ๐
- YouTube has announced a collaboration with AI-powered dubbing service Aloud to test a new tool that automatically dubs videos into different languages for creators ๐
Animation, VFX & Virtual Production
Latest global updates in Animation, Visual Effects VFX & Virtual Production- Sony launches “mocopi,” a mobile motion capture system, enabling full-body motion tracking with lightweight sensors and a smartphone app, enhancing virtual reality interactions ๐
- ESPN has launched Catalyst Stage, a cutting-edge immersive studio in Bristol, CT, bringing virtual-production technology to sports broadcasting for live multi-camera productions and cinematic-quality projects, revolutionizing studio production possibilities ๐บ๐ธ
- Beyond Capture Studios has opened a massive 40,000-square-foot motion capture facility in Montreal, equipped with performance stages, a Mocap stage, a virtual production stage, audio booths, and a photogrammetry rig. It will be a premier hub for the city’s creative industry ๐จ๐ฆ
Fast Channels
World of FAST channels & related market moves- NBCUniversal is adding 30 new channels to Amazon Freevee and Xumo Play, featuring curated content from popular shows like “”Saturday Night Live””, “”The Real Housewives””, and “”Top Chef””. Telemundo will contribute Spanish-language programs as well ๐บ๐ธ
- Deutsche Telekom partners with Paramount to integrate Pluto TV into MagentaTV, offering subscribers access to 150 diverse FAST channels with series, movies, comedy, sports, and documentaries ๐ฉ๐ช ๐บ๐ธ
- German company Autentic, has launched four FAST channels in European territories. One of these channels, Adventure Earth, will focus on wildlife and nature, offering high-quality documentaries that explore the wonders of the planet ๐ฉ๐ช
- CNN has introduced CNN Fast, a new FAST channel that presents a dynamic and internationally focused selection of CNN content ๐
- Rakuten TV launches Top Movie Polska, its first owned and operated channel in Poland. Available on the Rakuten TV app, it offers a variety of movie content from Hollywood and European distributors ๐ต๐ฑ
New Global Arrivals
Recent biggest releases across the globe!- “The River of Desire,” a film based on Milton Hatoum’s short story “O Adeus do Comandante,” starring Sophie Charlotte, has debuted on Globoplay.The movie explores hidden passions in the captivating backdrop of the Amazon ๐ง๐ท
- The highly anticipated “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” released in theaters worldwide ๐
- The nail-biting horror franchise, Insidious, has unleashed its latest installment, “Insidious: The Red Door,” in theaters ๐
- Shemaroo TV brings back Ramanand Sagar’s “Ramayan” by popular demand, offering viewers a spiritual journey celebrating goodness and triumph over evil ๐ฎ๐ณ