This week, a random look at twelve posts that continue to be read and re-read by visitors to our fast-growing service
And BTW, many thanks for all your encouragement since our launch in February 2010:
1. OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network.
- Read our updates on OWN’s doc acquisitions
- Coming soon: Could Discovery possibly close shop and rebrand all over again?
2. U.S. Networks: Who’s Hot? Who’s Not?
- Our regular report card on audiences for U.S. Factual channels from our friends at Byron Media
- Is the audience for Unscripted still growing versus Scripted and other categories?
3. What do the networks pay?
- What is the network ‘sweet spot’?
- What are production and acquisition budget benchmarks?
- Don’t miss our White Paper on 25 U.S. channels
- You can’t make decisions or put together pitches without knowing the cost of the comps!
4. A top producer’s journey: Starting out. Getting there. Surviving. Thriving!
5. The 3D Budget Premium
- Also from our friends at Hoff: a 3D Production Budget Case Study
- We’ll update the 3D budget benchmarks later this month
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They are focused on delivering the best shots to meet all creative, editorial and technical requirements, deadlines and budget.
NHNZ Moving Images is a division of NHNZ Limited.
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6. Sundance Channel under Rainbow
- What’s happening as Robert Redford acts less like the decider?
- Does Sundance still acquire ‘Sundance’ docs?
7. PBS’s great doc strands: How many? How much? Rights? Who earns the commissions?
- POV
- Independent Lens
- And coming soon: Nature, Nova, American Experience, Frontline, and much more
8. Pawn Stars: The Rise and Rise of Leftfield Pictures
- Is it true that Pawn Stars was conceived in the back of a Las Vegas cab?
- Our readers read and re-read our 4-part interview with Brent Montgomery on the History channel hit
9. HBO Documentary Films at Sheffield 2010
- “We look for observational films that are action-packed”
- How many? What do they pay?
- Watch out for our update on HBO Docs
10. Where are the U.S. Unscripted producers located?
- Its a shocker to many!
- How many are in DC? New York? LA? Other?
- What’s the trend? Why?
11. How to pitch your project to a U.S. network: Our 3-part, how to: Case Study: A&E
12. Twinning: How U.S. producers can take advantage of Canadian tax benefits
Coming Soon
- OWN: What next? Several scenarios
- PBS Strands: How many? How much?
- Natural History: Where is it going?
- The 3D Budget Benchmark: An Update on costs from Hoff Productions
- Kickstarter Case Study: Do’s and Don’ts for Online Funding
- One Born Every Minute: A Fixed Rig Case Study
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SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
LA ROCHELLE
Sunnyside of the Doc
La Rochelle, France
June 21-24
3D Where is the Money?
For a year now, 3D has been on the rise. Initiatives are announced each week.
Is this new format the next El Dorado, despite the heavy technical constraints?
Between public subsidies, industrial partnerships, TV copros and theatrical releases:
What is the path to successfully finance a 3D project?
What is the cost premium for 3D vs HD?
Ghislaine Le Rhun-Gautier, head of 3D project, Orange (France)
John Cassy, Director, Sky 3D (UK)
Baptiste Heynemans CNC (NTP) (France)
Laurent Dondey, DP La Géode (France)
Modérateur: Peter Hamilton, DocumentaryTélévision.com
Also: Trends in U.S. Television
What do U.S. broadcasters want? Who is getting the work? And how much do they pay?
Channels want series led by ‘big characters’. Reality keeps on rising.
There is less demand for individual documentaries and limited series.
Meanwhile, HBO, PBS, OWN and a handful of U.S. channels commission documentaries.
What are their filters? And is the U.S. market open to international coproductions?
Steve Burns
Peter Hamilton, DocumentaryTélévision.com
Stephen Harris, A&E