Mediawan Rights Ramps Up Unscripted Division With New Senior Rent, Slate of Worldwide Codecs

Mediawan Rights has expanded its unscripted division with the appointment of former Shine France prime government Jeremy Klif, and is opening as much as codecs from third-party producers.

Klif has been tapped deputy director of worldwide gross sales for the unscripted unit which was launched by Mediawan Rights’ managing director Valérie Vleeschhouwer, in April. Klif started his profession within the U.S. at Mark Burnett Productions, and later labored as head of gross sales and acquisitions for Shine France (“The Voice,” “MasterChef”) upon his return to Paris. He went on to launch Borderline Media, a manufacturing and distribution banner specialised in codecs, in 2017. At Mediawan Rights, Klif will work alongside Estelle Bodén, the co-founder of Sweden’s Elk Leisure, who serves as head of distribution for the division. Like Klif, Bodén has a observe document as an entrepreneur and likewise labored for indies and massive teams comparable to Strix Tv.

With Bodén and Klif on board, Mediawan Rights is now set to distribute “bold and revolutionary codecs from third-party producers, together with codecs produced by in-house labels, ” says Vleeschhouwer.

Within the run-up to Mipcom, the unit has kicked off its first factual acquisition from a third-party producer, “Slice of Life” (SLOL AB), a Swedish present (pictured) created by Björn Ulvaeus, one of many members of the long-lasting pop band ABBA. The primary two seasons of “Slice of Life” scored excessive scores in Sweden on TV4 and a 3rd order is in manufacturing. Klif described “Slice of Life” as a “time-traveling journey by way of meals.” Every episode sees a well-known particular person tasting dishes with their eyes coated, bringing again reminiscences illustrated by archives, photographs and songs.

“It reveals how your greatest reminiscences in life are sometimes tied to particular dishes,” says Klif, who factors out that plenty of codecs now have celebrities hooked up which supplies them a advertising and marketing hook. 

Mediawan Rights additionally boasts a lineup of 10 codecs produced in-house, together with “Time Resort.” Produced by Ardimages and 3e Œil Productions, the format sees famed French TV journalist Thierry Ardisson interviewing late iconic figures, together with Princess Diana and French actor Jean Gabin, because of a man-made intelligence-generated instrument known as FaceRetriever. Every interview is predicated on archives and investigative work. 

Format rights for “Time Resort” have been bought to BlueEngine for the Center East. Offers for the U.S. and Canada are additionally in superior negotiations. “Time Resort” has additionally been optioned by Mediawan-owned banners in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland and Germany.

Moreover “Time Resort” and “Slice of Life,” the opposite highlights on Mediawan Group’s unscripted roster for Mipcom embody “Youngsters Purchase a Home,” from Skyhigh TV; and “Final Household Standing” which is in its second season, from Skyhigh TV. “It’s telling that it’s been renewed for a second season, as a result of fairly often codecs don’t transcend one order,” says Bodén. “Final Household Standing” is a actuality competitors collection during which 4 households are individually taking over a survival problem within the wild.

“Youngsters Purchase a Home” is a factual leisure present during which youngsters got down to discover a dream residence for his or her complete household. The manager stated remake choices for “Youngsters Purchase a Home” have already been bought to Germany and Belgium. 

Different hit reveals on Mediawan Rights’ slate embody “Euforia,” a Spanish singing competitors format which was created to seek out the very best voices in Catalonia – solo voice and backup vocals.

“Euforia” broke a 20-year scores document on the Spanish broadcaster TV3 and nabbed a 25.8-percent market share. A spin-off of “Euforia” is presently in manufacturing at Veranda. Mediawan Rights’ Mipcom slate additionally consists of “Stars at Residence,” produced by Réservoir Prod.

“We’re seeing increasingly curiosity on codecs; there’s a giant demand, not simply from broadcasters but additionally from streamers now,” Vleeschhouwer continues. She says she’s famous a “new breed of non-fiction codecs which are hybrid, comparable to ‘Time Resort,’ which reinvents the interview format and is scripted.”  Vleeschhouwer additionally says that codecs that work finest on this market are enjoyable, uplifting.”