January 19, 2024

India incentivizes 40% reimbursement, AI Dubbing Revolution, Woodcut’s Global Triumphs, Animation Leaps, and Year-End Highlights Unveiled

In this week’s edition of the Entertainment Supply Chain Digest, dive into the dynamic realm of entertainment where India spearheads international projects with a 40% reimbursement incentive. Explore the AI Dubbing Revolution, Animation Leaps, Woodcut’s Global Triumphs, and the 2023 Year-End Highlights, all showcasing the industry’s pulsating heartbeat.

Join us this week in our LIVE session to explore the dynamic landscape of Production Financing and Content Licensing in EMEA. Discover the latest trends, strategies of global players, and insights into the thriving entertainment markets of EMEA.

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Recap 2023

Hottest IP Stories, Formats, Books, Games, Podcasts to be turned into the next big blockbuster

Netflix’s 2023 Expansion: Mega Facility, $2.5B in South Korea In 2023, Netflix unveiled plans to establish one of the largest fully integrated production facilities, a remarkable $848 million project in New Jersey. Netflix also made headlines with an announcement of $2.5 billion investment in South Korea over the next four years, doubling its commitment since 2016 to boost Korean content.
Disney’s Streaming Moves: Hulu Stake Acquisition, Netflix Deal, and Globo Collaboration Disney strengthened its position in the streaming realm by acquiring Comcast’s one-third stake in Hulu for $8.6 billion. Disney also signed a short-term content deal with Netflix, offering 14 popular shows globally, and collaborated with Globo to co-produce four Brazilian films.
BBC Studios Achieves £2 Billion Revenues, Expands Global Presence and Commits to Regional Storytelling. BBC Studios achieved a historic milestone by surpassing £2 billion in revenues. The UK giant expanded its influence by acquiring a stake in Turbine Studios. Demonstrating a commitment to regional storytelling, BBC Studios also collaborated on Welsh projects and established Brown Bob Cymru in Cardiff.
AI Advancements in Filmmaking: Electric Sheep, Adobe, AI-Media, and Runway’s Gen-1 in 2023 Electric Sheep, a London-based AI VFX startup, launched Spotlight, a cloud-based platform streamlining film and TV post-production through simplified rotoscoping. Pre-seed funding led by Dasein Capital, Electric Sheep aims to automate rotoscoping. Adobe enhanced Creative Cloud video tools with AI features, including Premiere Pro for dialog cleanup and After Effects for rotoscoping. AI-Media introduced LEXI for real-time automatic captioning, and Runway’s Gen-1 model transformed existing videos using text prompts or reference images.
Filmustage, Nvidia, NeuralGarage: 2023 Filmmaking Tech Filmustage secures $550K in funding for its groundbreaking AI platform, streamlining film pre-production by breaking down scripts and categorizing elements. Nvidia introduces cloud services, including NeMo for language models and Picasso for generating content, while Wurl launches ContentDiscovery, an AI-driven ad platform for targeted content promotion. NeuralGarage’s ‘VisualDub’ achieves a historic milestone with the first implementation of multilingual lip sync in advertising, showcasing the diverse advancements and specializations in technology in 2023

Recap 2023

Hottest IP Stories, Formats, Books, Games, Podcasts to be turned into the next big blockbuster

Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2023 Global Expansion Through Key Partnerships In 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery strengthened its global presence through strategic partnerships. Collaborating with Taiwan Mobile and TAICCA enabled the global production and distribution of Taiwanese original content, while an expanded partnership with J:COM, Japan’s largest cable TV operator, increased linear TV channels from two to seven, reinforcing commitment to diverse international content development.
Paramount Global’s 2023 Expansion Boosts Performance in Streaming In 2023, Paramount Global extended its Nickelodeon deal with MBC Group in MENA for three more years, entered the Japanese market with Paramount+, and introduced the Top Gear FAST channel in five European markets through an expanded collaboration with BBC Studios. This strategic maneuver contributed to robust performance amid increased streaming expenses.
Banijay’s 2023 Triumphs Global Expansions and Creative Initiatives Banijay achieved notable milestones, having acquired The Forge in the UK to strengthen its scripted portfolio and formed the Hyphenate Media Group with Eva Longoria and Cris Abrego. The company expanded its global presence through collaborations with Greenboo Production in Italy and A Fabrica in Brazil. Initiatives like SV Docs and Screen Line Productions underscored Banijay’s commitment to supporting investigative documentaries and youth-oriented scripted content
Virtual Production Advancements and Investments in 2023 Amazon Studios had introduced the AWS-Powered Virtual Production Mega Stage and formed the Amazon Studios Virtual Production (ASVP) department. Anna Valley and Garden Studios had collaborated to create a high-tech virtual production studio in central London. Accenture had invested in Vū Technologies, enhancing virtual environments with its generative AI tool, Vū.ai. Meanwhile, Assimilate’s Live FX 9.6 software had become a key player in LED wall-based virtual production, offering real-time VFX capabilities and cost-effective media server reduction
Hollywood’s 2023 Impact: Strikes, Economic Setback, and Global Film Surge The 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, following the Writers Guild strike, significantly impacted Hollywood, resulting in an estimated $6.5 billion economic setback. This transformative period navigated industry shifts, including the rise of streaming platforms and concerns about AI. Amid the disruptions in Hollywood, there was an increase in global unscripted productions, and markets such as India, the UK, France, Brazil, and Germany (European & Asian Markets) beamed last year.

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IP Deals

Hottest IP Stories, Formats, Books, Games, Podcasts to be turned into the next big blockbuster

Tina Fey, known for 30 Rock, to star in and co-create “The Four Seasons”, an eight-episode comedy series for Netflix. Based on the 1981 film, it marks her first TV starring role since 30 Rock, with production beginning later this year under Universal Television. (🇺🇸)
Free@Last TV secures the rights to adapt David Nolan’s “Manc Noir” trilogy, starting with “Black Moss,” depicting a television presenter’s journey to unravel a longstanding crime in Manchester. (🇬🇧)
Skydance partners with Ted Melfi to adapt and potentially franchise John Flanagan’s bestselling YA fantasy series, “Ranger’s Apprentice”, into a live-action film, sealing a significant deal with Melfi as the writer, and producer, alongside producer Kim Quinn.(🇺🇸)
Universal seals 2024’s first big deal with “Long Lost,” a thriller short story package. The project will be produced by Spielberg’s Amblin Partners, Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon for Genre Pictures and Scott Glassgold and his Ground Control Entertainment. (🇺🇸)
Canal 13 partners with Talpa for the first Latin American version of Dutch quiz show “The Floor”, adapted by Kuarzo Entertainment, while Hungary marks its tenth adaptation which is to air on RTL Hungary, produced by Scripted Productions. (🇭🇺 🇦🇷)

Production Deals

Sneak peak into recently announced production projects worldwide

The BET+ thriller “One Night Stay,” starring Stephen Bishop, LeToya Luckett, and Iyana Halley, is to be produced by Worldwide Entertainment and Media in collaboration with Choice Films. The gripping tale unfolds as an obsessive one-night stand disrupts the lives of Marcus (Bishop) and Milan (Luckett) (🇺🇸)
Indie horror producers are set to capitalize on the public domain release of the 1928 version of Mickey Mouse with an “untitled horror-comedy” directed by Steven LaMorte, where a sadistic mouse torments ferry passengers, promising a twisted take on the beloved character, production to begin this spring. (🇺🇸)
Tubi announces “Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story,” a sports docu produced by Malka Media Group in partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and PUMA, delving into the lives and achievements of four WNBA players. (🌐)
Fox has committed to an animated drama series adaptation of “Elfquest”, the iconic fantasy comic series from 1978, exploring the challenges of a diverse community of elves and fictional species striving for survival on a primitive Earth-like planet with two moons. (🇺🇸)
MAX and Hyperobject Industries collaborate on “Stormbound,” a documentary on storm chaser Jeff Gammons, produced by Adam McKay, and directed by Miko Lim. (🌐)

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Season Renewals

More episodes on the way! Season Renewal Announcements

“Running Man Philippines” is set for a second season after its 2022 debut, marking the local adaptation of the enduring South Korean reality game show, “Running Man,” in collaboration between GMA Network and SBS Korea. (🇰🇷)
Apple TV+ has renewed “Slow Horses” for Season 5, marking the first major renewal of 2024, with Gary Oldman leading the adaptation of Mick Herron’s novels, this time focusing on the mysterious events surrounding tech nerd Roddy Ho’s new girlfriend in “Spook Street.” (🌐)
ViX’s popular original series “EL GALLO DE ORO” is set for a second season renewal, continuing the gripping tale of “La Caponera” and Dionisio as they face challenges in their new romance, navigating success and danger fueled by greed, while “Pinzona” becomes the object of obsession for their enemy. (🇺🇸)
Disney is preparing to globally launch the new sixth and seventh seasons, along with specials, of the animated series “Miraculous — Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.” The show follows the adventures of teens Marinette and Adrien, known as Ladybug and Cat Noir, as they battle villains in Paris. It will debut on Disney Channel worldwide in the fall and later stream on Disney+.(🌐)
Warner Bros Discovery and ITVX have greenlit Season 4 of the long-running “Mr Bean: The Animated Series,” with Rowan Atkinson set to executive produce and voice, bringing the total episodes to 182. Created in collaboration with Tiger Aspect Kids & Family and distributed by Banijay Rights. (🌐)

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Distribution Deals

Distributors securing worldwide content across different genres, languages and format types

Pluto Film, the Berlin-based sales agent, has acquired international sales rights for “Malu,” the only non-European production in the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Competition. It is inspired by director Pedro Freire’s complex relationship with his mother, Brazilian stage star Malu Rocha. (🇩🇪)
Grasshopper Film has secured North American distribution rights for the Oscar-contending documentary “Apolonia, Apolonia,” directed by Lea Glob, which explores French painter Apolonia Sokol’s 13-year journey to uphold artistic integrity amid a culture and art world biased toward the male gaze. (North America)
Signature Entertainment secures UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand rights to “Race For Glory: Audi vs. Lancia,” starring Daniel Brühl and Riccardo Scamarcio, a film chronicling the intense 1983 Rally World Championships rivalry between Audi and Lancia’s racing teams. (🇬🇧 🇮🇪 🇦🇺 🇳🇿 )
Gkids has secured North American distribution rights for the French psychedelic fantasy “Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds.” Directed by Benoît Chieux, it follows sisters Juliette and Carmen transformed into humanoid cats inside their favorite book. (North America)
The Film Sales Company acquires worldwide rights to the Colombian documentary “Igualada” by Juan Mejía Botero, exploring a 15-year journey of societal change and challenging prescribed roles, ahead of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. (🇺🇸 🇲🇽)

Acquisition Deals

Streamers & channels acquiring latest content across the world

Woodcut International secures major sales with global broadcasters, including BBC Select, MagellanTV, Blue Ant Media, SVT, Viasat World, La7, Dox TV, Al Jazeera, and Marquee TV, featuring a diverse array of unscripted titles spanning factual, history, and true crime content. Notable titles such as “World War II: Women on the Frontline” and “Touching the Void” highlight Woodcut’s significant impact in the global unscripted content market. (🌐)
Prime Video secures global rights for the Nigerian drama “Water and Garri,” featuring international singer Tiwa Savage. It follows the journey of ambitious fashion designer Aisha returning to her native home after a decade in the U.S. due to a family tragedy.(🇳🇬)
Hulu acquires Laura Chinn’s coming-of-age drama “Suncoast,” starring Nico Parker, Laura Linney, and Woody Harrelson, ahead of its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The film depicts a teen’s journey living with her mother and brother in the early 2000s amidst protests tied to a groundbreaking medical case. (🇺🇸)
Broadcasters in Asia, including Warner Bros Discovery and True Visions, have secured a variety of factual programming from TVF International, encompassing wildlife, sports, and current affairs, with titles such as “Japanese Islands from Above” and “Bear: Koala Hero,” spanning regions like Southeast Asia, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam, in deals brokered by TVFI’s head of sales, Serafina Pang. (Asia)
Off the Fence’s documentary “Silverback” has secured presales with U.S. streamer Xumo, BBC, France Télévisions, Austria’s ORF, Sweden’s UR, and Finland’s Yle, featuring wildlife cameraman Vianet Djenguet’s efforts to protect Congo’s endangered eastern lowland gorillas, particularly focusing on the habituation of alpha-male gorilla Mpungwe. (🌐)

Global Entertainment Leaders Speak

PFX, PostProduction, VFX, Animation, Advertising

Jiri Mika – Managing Director at PFX

PFX’s Cutting-Edge Post-Production and VFX Expertise

Tim Moore Vu Studio Global Entertainment Leader

Tim Moore – CEO at Vu Studios

Crafting Narratives: The Impact of Vu Studios in Virtual Storytelling

Jayakumar P – CEO at Toonz Media Group

Animation Innovation: A Conversation with Toonz Media Group

Companies Making Headlines

Launch and Expansions of facilities, studios, services & technologies

The Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, introduces incentive schemes for international film projects. Up to 40% reimbursement on production expenses (including live shoots, animation projects, post production and visual effects services), with an enhanced cap of $4 million (INR 30 Crore). (🇮🇳)
34 film projects from 27 countries selected for 21st Berlinale Co-Production Market, seeking partners for international co-productions, including 17 directed by women. (🇩🇪)
Canal+ gains approval from the French Competition Authority to acquire OCS and Orange Studio, becoming sole shareholder after joint control with Orange. (🇫🇷)
Canal+ Group and Warner Bros Discovery have extended their exclusive premium pay TV agreement, ensuring Canal+ subscribers in France continue to access Warner Bros. films, including hits like “Barbie” and “Wonka,” just six months after their theatrical release, alongside titles such as “The Flash” and “Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom.” (🇫🇷)
Ultra Media and Entertainment partners with Einstin Media, entering South India’s film industry with the acquisition of ‘Antony’ digital rights. (🇮🇳)

Localization & Post-Production

Latest updates in the world of content Localization & Post-Production

Storyblocks, a subscription-based stock media platform, introduces DaVinci Resolve templates in its library, enabling users to enhance videos with motion graphics and visual effects seamlessly. ( 🇺🇸)
Fineshare introduces FineVoice 1.5, an AI-powered tool offering voice changing, dubbing, voice cloning, and more. It simplifies audio creation, making it accessible for creators anywhere, anytime. (🇭🇰)
CC is set to launch Naturaleza Salvaje, a Spanish-language FAST channel, utilizing the new Magellan Voice Works AI-driven translation and dubbing technology. (🇺🇸)
W4tchTV collaborates with Dubformer to revolutionize video distribution via AI-driven dubbing for factual shows, facilitating global content accessibility. (🇫🇷)
DNEG, a leading visual entertainment services company, hires Emmy-nominated producers Ron Ames and Jesse Kobayashi to leverage their expertise for in-house filmmaking roles, enhancing service offerings. (🌐)

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Animation, VFX & Virtual Production

Latest global updates in Animation, Visual Effects VFX & Virtual Production

Kerala Government pioneers a comprehensive AVGC-XR policy (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics), in its aim to become a hub and create 50,000 jobs by 2029. (🇮🇳)
Sony Pictures Entertainment inaugurates Torchlight, an advanced visualization facility at Culver City, featuring cutting-edge technology from Sony and Epic Games’ Unreal Engine.(🌐)
WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc. (WIMI) unveils a groundbreaking quantum dot micro-scale component for AR/VR displays, boasting ultra-fast response time, high resolution, brightness, and superior outdoor use. (🇨🇳)
The U.K. Government raises Animation & Kids’ TV Tax Credit to 39%, providing additional relief for children’s TV, animated TV, and films, effective from January 1, 2024. (🇬🇧)
VFX house Scenesis Pictures establishes a Paris office ahead of its London launch, offering remote VFX services for UK clients from the central Paris location. (🇫🇷 🇬🇧)

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