DISBOOK - The Africa 2012 Edition - (Page 95)

Tr e n d s a n d b u si n e ss - Disbook AfricA 2012 the film or television series in return for a cash investment towards its budget. Q: Is there any recommendation you could give to producers trying to put together that kind of deal? A: Very often the key issue with such deals is whether the percentage being bought is a percentage of gross revenue or of net profit. Another key issue is the “position” of the investing party in relation to other investors and sources of financing. In this context, the word “position” refers to the order in which investors are allowed to reclaim their money. So, an investor granted “first position” will get all of their entitlement before one placed in “second position.” Producers should know that they can also offer to the talents involved in the production to defer all, or part, of their agreed fee, usually in return for some other form of financial recognition to be paid later when the content has been produced and is earning. The same cautionary caveat regarding the difference between gross income and net profit applies as above. Q: What about the broadcasters? Are they financially involved in a production? A: There are many ways in which broadcasters can become involved in the financing of content. In Africa, commissioning, (i.e., where a broadcaster puts up a significant percentage of the programme budget in return for an agreed set of rights) is almost unheard of outside of South Africa, but a broadcaster keen to secure a production can make a significant contribution by accommodating the needs of advertisers prepared to back the production of a show. In Europe, there are some broadcasters, such as RAI in Italy and the UK’s Channel 4, that have made a specialty of investing in feature films. But such broadcasters are the exception not the rule. Q: Let’s jump to formats. The format is now very much the currency of the international television market. It is a business that has, historically, been dominated by the US and the UK. However, this is now changing and smaller countries, such as Turkey and Israel, are making significant inroads. This is why DISCOP has inaugurated Formats Day. What are the chances that Africa can deliver the next MILLIONAIRE? Dearham began his career working in radio communications and political science before joining South Africa’s Pay giant, M-Net, rising to become head of sales and library acquisitions. Dearham is a film industry veteran, and has led a string of Pan-African Media Initiatives, receiving, in 2005, the Prince Claus Award for outstanding contributions to the growth and development of the African film industry. In his current position, he has overall responsibility for Cote Ouest’s business development in English speaking Africa, and the strategic growth and development of the group as a whole. He also has full responsibility for all Cote Ouest’s production and co-production activities. A: As a matter of fact, a number of countries, in particular the UK and to a lesser extent the US, have dominated this market exporting far more formats than they import. However this is a trend which is now very much changing. A few elements make up the “DNA” of a successful format. Firstly, it has to be universal in its appeal. This is key, and, frankly, most of the other points flow from that. This is really an obvious point, but, just to underline it, love, dating and human relationships are universal, and therefore all good bases for a format. Baseball is not. It is also important that a format should be renewable. Q: Like soaps? A: Exactly, like soaps. Formats help to build the brand of a broadcaster and for that reason it is important that they remain in the schedule for as long as possible. Ultimately, quality is, of course, the one element that makes a format inherently renewable. Q: What can make a format not successful? A: A format that relies on the surprise of the participants is likely to be short lived because, while the surprise might be genuine for the contestant, it ceases to be so very quickly for the audience. In the same vein, it is important that a format is capable of being repeated. To an extent, of course, all shows tire with repetition, but, as with renewability, which is very much the same thing, there are elements that make some formats intrinsically less repeatable— celebrities extolling the merits of their latest, book, film, album, etc. being one such. Very exciting at the time, but two years later when you’ve seen the move 30 times already it does tend to pall! Q: Is there a chance that an African format can sell outside the continent? A: In order to be successful internationally, it is important that a format can be made cheaply. Studio shows that are based on a good idea and a talented presenter can be made anywhere. Those that are entirely dependent on expensive locations and/or stunts will struggle to find a home in smaller markets that have smaller budgets matching their size. Q: Is it worth buying? A: Well, one of the key reasons for buying a format is that, with that purchase, you also get the expertise that made the show successful in the first place. Not just the “bible,” but also the production expertise that has encountered all of the problems that are likely to crop up and has solved them. If the idea behind a format is too simple, then you probably don’t need this expertise and will be better off making the show 95 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DISBOOK - The Africa 2012 Edition

Cover
Foreword - Welcome to Johannesburg!
Content
Conference Program
- English Version
- Version Française
Joburg Vibes
- Street Talks
- Drum Archive
- Made in Maboneng
- The Bioscope
- Faces
First Look
- Watercolors of love - Siri
- Mooz-Lum - Meet the Adebanjo’s
- Irrational Heart - Destiny River
- City of Men - Black hands
Trends & Business
- Made in Africa / Made for Africa
- The titans of laamb
- Inside «Inside Story»
- Ecology of african audiovisual content industry
- Gems from the namibian film collection
- The century of formats
- Great formats will come from Africa
- Partners wanted
- How many people (really) watch TV in Africa?
- Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ?
- Africa’s digital switchover is coming - The question is when ?
- Intelsat’s epic
- China in Africa
- Zee : from a to z
- The Brazilians are coming !
- Against all odds
- Discover Discovery in Africa at Discop Africa
- Television with a purpose - A detailed look at educational television
- Branded Entertainment
- Hot docs-Blue ice, a unique opportunity for African documentary makers
- A solution to Africa’s thorny problem of dubbing costs
- Mission statement
Country report
- ALGERIA
- ANGOLA
- BENIN
- BOSTWANA
- BURKINA FASO
- BURUNDI
- CABO VERDE
- CAMEROON
- CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
- CHAD
- COMOROS
- DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
- DJIBOUTI
- EGYPT
- EQUATORIAL GUINEA
- ERITREA
- ETHIOPIA
- GABON
- GAMBIA
- GHANA
- GUINEA BISSAU
- GUINEA CONAKRY
- IVORY COAST / CÔTE D'IVOIRE
- KENYA
- LESOTHO
- LIBERIA
- LYBIA
- MADAGASCAR
- MALAWI
- MALI
- MAURITANIA
- MAURITIUS
- MOROCCO
- MOZAMBIQUE
- NAMIBIA
- NIGER
- NIGERIA
- REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
- RWANDA
- SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
- SIERRA LEONE
- SENEGAL
- SEYCHELLES
- SOMALIA
- SOUTH AFRICA
- SOUTH SUDAN
- SUDAN
- SWAZILAND
- TANZANIA
- TOGO
- TUNISIA
- UGANDA
- ZAMBIA
- ZIMBABWE
Speakers
Participants
Index Advertisers

DISBOOK - The Africa 2012 Edition

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