Docsville

Documentary Business

Peter Hamilton Consultants, Inc

Case Study

Building Impossible: Nat Geo Refreshes a Traditional Factual Genre with Hoff Productions. How They Did It!

Building Impossible with Daniel Ashville stands out as our Summer Case Study selection: The series may signal a renewed appetite for a Factual genre – Engineering – that has been a pillar of documentary channel schedules. Hoff Productions refreshed the genre with a new talent who successfully crosses over to TV from the social media economy. …

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Juan Carlos I: “Bad King” Docu-Series Wins at Berlin. Case Study Update

The four-part Sky Original docuseries Juan Carlos: Downfall Of The King was named Best Docu-series 2023 at the Berlin TV Series Festival. We covered in detail how Beetz Bros created their €2.5 Mn production: Here is my revealing Case Study. And my interview (20′) with producer Christian Beetz. Producer and co-writer Christian Beetz, co-director Anne von Petersdorff The jury …

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

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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Netflix 2023 What You Need To Know Now


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

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

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

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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Netflix 2023 What You Need To Know Now


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

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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NAKED – Generation Gender: How a topical Canadian-German Coproduction Happened! Watch my MIPCOM Case Study Panel

Three of the decision-makers who created the topical docuseries NAKED – Generation Gender shared their inside stories at MIPCOM 2022 in Cannes. This German-Canadian copro takes a daring look at the biological factors and cultural forces that impact our expression of gender at every stage of our lives. On my Unscripted International Coproduction Case Study …

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