Lessons Learned

From Content London 2024

Dec 06, 2024

I go to conferences with a mix of dread and excitement, even after 20 years in the biz. It's not easy to put yourself out there, especially as a solo act. Every time, I'm rewarded 10 times though:

- The speakers I listen to or interact with
- The networking opportunities
- The insights gained
- The peer support

Two words best describe my experience of Content London 2024: creativity and resilience.

Here are my key takeaways from the event:

Creativity

This edition was a first for me. I had put the event in the same bucket as MIPCOM when it actually is closer to Series Mania or the London Screenings. It’s all about content but the early stages of content development.

You get to hear commissioning executives on their content strategies:

→ BBC Drama Lindsay Salt isn’t looking to play it safe, wants characters which last the test of time and they’re on the hunt for more VoD-friendly formats. With belts tightening, they are open to new models and new partners (always with a tie with the British creative community), it’s time to be scrappy.

→ WBD Kathleen Finch spoke to how their cable networks is the 1st stop and they need a lot of content to feed them. Content must have long legs to then go on the company’s streaming services. They were used to do buy outs but today are open to more flexible deals. They can’t get enough of true crime, adult animation. Formats are good, original ideas are better.

→ Sky is on the hunt for more returnable tentpole dramas and access-led factual.

→ DR seeks standout docs for its streaming-led content strategy.

→ “Don’t be too locally authentic if you want a show to travel”, warns Fremantle’s Jens Richter.

→ Tubi David Salmon spoke about its UK coproductions (shows like Borders, Big Mood which are Tubi originals in the US and Canada).

→ Commissioners want workplace stories says Fifth Season Jennifer Ebell, essentially “Cops, lawyers and doctors are still hot” according to Frank Spotnitz, the showrunner of The X Files (we were on a panel together 😱).

As a business, I focus on the last stage of the content cycle: distribution. This was a refreshing take on the challenges and opportunities of our industry.

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Creator Economy Represents 👊

I was also thrilled to see more creators from the Content Economy represented.

→ BBC Studios brought two of its “Creators in Residence”.

→ Jordan Schwarzenberger, the advisor of The Sidemen, was here. The British YouTube Creators stroke a deal with Netflix to bring the next season of “Inside” to Netflix subs globally with Netflix due to produce a US version.

"We're at a ceiling with YouTube - we bring in 20 million UK viewers each month and now we're thinking about how to connect with different people."

To those I hear say YT content isn’t premium content, these guys have a production team of a 100 people…

→ C21 announced a new event “Create London Festival” to connect the creator economy with brands, AI technology and TV partners. About time.

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AI Needs Your IP

It sure does. Let’s do it responsibly though.

Fascinating (and smart) to see a former studio exec, Dave Davis (hi Dave long time no speak 👋), behind a company like Calliope Networks (they aggregate audiovisual content for licensing by generative-AI companies for model training). It’s smart because he understands the value the industry sees in content, he knows the reluctance from rights owners when it comes to AI and he can build a bridge between the two worlds.

“You’re seeing two players trying to sign a deal with two different languages, technology companies see content as data, that’s it” - Rupee Davé, Partner Harbottle & Lewis.

Instead of waiting to see companies scrapping the internet for their content, companies like All3 Media are proactive in a move to get fair value for their producers and talents. If you want AI to be ethical, said Gary Woolf, you need to license your content while making sure you’re aligned on what’s the output of AI in that deal.

What’s the price tag for a licensing deal?

Calliope Networks announced a 6.25$ / minute for a HD program a few months back which they implied has gone down due to heightened competition. This sounds like the Netflix model, a flat fee and off you go. Will right owners be interested in the outcomes of these deals through royalties? Time will tell.

TV by 2030

The never ending question: Can TV survive five more years of disruption?

By now, you know my answer to this especially when it comes to European broadcasters.

I’ll leave you with Sir John Hegarty’s lessons from Taylor Swift:

Entertain, don’t market.
Audience, not consumer.
Be prepared to adapt.

Perfect lessons to survive and thrive no matter the disruption coming your way.

That’s it for today but before you go:

Enjoy your weekend and see you next week for another edition of Streaming Made Easy!

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