Documentary Business

Juan Carlos I: Downfall of a King. Interview with Producer Christian Beetz

2023 May 24 / Case Study, Commissioning Process, Conferences & Markets, Streaming Video, Sunny Side of the Doc, True Crime, Webinars

Christian Beetz reveals in this interview and in our detailed case study how Berlin-based Gebrueder Beetz developed, funded and delivered his €2.5 Mn, 4-part docu-series that sheds new light on the former King’s notorious personal life and dramatic abdication. Watch here (20 min) Read our Case Study Juan Carlos I: Money, Sex, Power and …

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Case Study, Commissioning Process, Conferences & Markets, Streaming Video, Sunny Side of the Doc, True Crime, Webinars

Juan Carlos I: Money, Sex, Power and the Downfall of a King. Case Study of a €2.5 Mn Docu-series

2023 May 23 / Case Study, Conferences & Markets, MIPCOM Case Study, Streaming Video, True Crime

King Juan Carlos I was a Spanish hero. He was celebrated around the world for helping Spain transition from Franco-era fascism to a modern democracy. And then, a series of financial scandals and salacious allegations forced Juan Carlos to abdicate in 2014. Christian Beetz reveals how his 4-part documentary series sheds new light on the …

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Case Study, Conferences & Markets, MIPCOM Case Study, Streaming Video, True Crime

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Scandi Prison Reform Comes to Chester, Pennsylvania. A $600k Nordic Coproduction Case Study

2023 May 16 / Case Study, Documentary Production, Documentary TV, Public Television

More than 100 million Americans, myself included, share the harrowing experience of being involved with a family member caught up in the nation’s notorious prison system. American jails rely heavily on punishment versus rehabilitation. But there are stories of hope. Swedish filmmakers Tomas Lindh and John Stark just premiered on SVT their absorbing series that …

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Case Study, Documentary Production, Documentary TV, Public Television

AI for Documentary Filmmakers: Enhancing Storytelling & Workflow. A Pact Webinar with Philip Shane

2023 May 8 / Artificial Inteligence, Documentary Production, PACT, Webinars

AI – Artificial Intelligence – was a hot topic for producers attending the recent MIPDOC / MIPTV market in Cannes. I’m technophobic, and I sense among my colleagues this fear that AI programs like ChatGPT are going to eliminate jobs in content production just like the Internet and desktop publishing decimated print journalism. Here to …

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Artificial Inteligence, Documentary Production, PACT, Webinars

Charles in His Own Words: Inside Nat Geo’s Fast Track Coronation Special. MIPDOC Case Study

2023 May 4 / Case Study, Commissioning Process, Conferences & Markets, Disney +, Hulu, MIPCOM Case Study, National Geographic, UK

Our MIPDOC 2023 Case Study analyzed CHARLES IN HIS OWN WORDS by 1895 Films for Nat Geo, Disney+ and Hulu. It’s about a character who is a mega-celebrity… one who most viewers think they already know, and who many actively dislike. Its promotion was tied to the Coronation, an event followed by billions. The challenge: How …

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Case Study, Commissioning Process, Conferences & Markets, Disney +, Hulu, MIPCOM Case Study, National Geographic, UK

Sixty Years of MIP’s. Only Reiner Moritz attended every one

2023 April 25 / Conferences & Markets, Distribution, Music

Reiner Moritz is the only delegate who has attended very MIPTV and MIPCOM market since its launch in Lyon in 1963. He has been such a generous cheerleader for my various consulting and publishing activities — as he has for generations of buyers and sellers, particularly for specialists in the Arts and Music genres. Here …

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Conferences & Markets, Distribution, Music

Rupert Murdoch’s Dark Power: How His Kingmaker Father Inspired the ‘Aussie Prince’

2023 April 23 / Australia

Fox Corp.’s eye-popping $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over defamation charges aired on Rupert Murdoch‘s Fox News prompts the question: How did Rupert become Rupert? My short answer: Look to the father! Keith Murdoch was the Australian kingmaker who taught the young Rupert how to forge political influence from media ownership. For Australia’s solemnly observed …

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Australia

President Awards Nation’s Highest Honor to Indie Director, DP and PBS NOVA

2023 April 12 / Africa, Case Study, Commissioning Process, Terra Mater Studios

President Macky Sall awarded the National Order of the Lion, Senegal’s highest honor to director Ruth Berry, NOVA’s Chis Schmidt and DP Bernhard Popovic in Dakar. The occasion? The packed theatrical premiere screening of Star Chasers of Senegal, a Terra Mater Studios / NOVA co-production. Star Chasers features the story of astronomer Maram Kaire and his …

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Africa, Case Study, Commissioning Process, Terra Mater Studios