November '24 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 344).
In advance of the MIPCOM content market taking place October 21-24 in Cannes, France at the Palais des Festivals (mipcom.com), Animation Magazine caught up with a few of our friends in the biz to hear about their market plans, the state of the television animation industry in 2024 and what the future holds.
Rick Clodfelter
Executive director, content acquisitions & partnerships, Disney Branded Television
Market agenda: I’m here to source strategic content opportunities and participate in third-party partnership conversations.
On the state of the biz: I’m encouraged by seeing a need for kids/family content with acquired titles as part of the equation. The summer box office has been a good reminder of how successful animated franchises can be across the board.
Hot trends: Horror-light themes with mystery at higher stakes.
Biggest challenges: Sifting through the opportunities to align with content needs and budgets.
Favorite animated title of the year: Inside Out 2
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: That’s to be determined!
Best pitching advice: Prior to the pitch, get to know Disney’s current inventory to shape your pitch to be additive to the brand offering. Tell us why this pitch is important to hear now.
Katharina Pietzsch
VP sales, BBC Studios Kids & Family
Market agenda: It’s one of the most important kids’ markets for us, and we’re really looking forward to meeting our clients and partners again as well as some new ones. We are actively looking for co-pro and pre-buy partners. We’re bringing My Friend Maisy, a co-production between BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions and Trustbridge Entertainment, based on the popular book series written and illustrated by Lucy Cousins. We also have a new season of Supertato that we are very excited about. This season promises even more hilarious slapstick silliness as well as new fruit and veggie characters!
On the state of the biz: Everyone is very aware things are tough at the moment, not just in animation but all genres. The decline in commissions and budgets being frozen or cut continue to be a challenge. There is still caution around new intellectual property, with a reliance on known IP or big brands. But it is a brilliantly creative, collaborative industry, so we just need to think outside the box to secure funding and partners and be a little more patient in getting projects off the ground.
Hot trends: Adult animation continues to be a growth area and, of course, a focus on known IP, along with co-viewing.
Biggest challenges: The current market in general, but also the uncertainty in the U.S., will be a particular challenge. Funding models are much more complicated, but this also opens up opportunities as there is more of a willingness to compromise on rights in order to get projects up and running.
Favorite animated title of the year: Without a doubt, it has to be the Bluey extended episode, “The Sign.” Before I get accused of bias, all I will say is that I defy anyone to watch it and not be moved by it, no matter what age you are, and it broke viewing records! For balance, I’d also like to say that Inside Out 2 was also a favorite, probably for similar reasons. I enjoyed it on so many levels with its stunning animation, great storytelling and relatable characters, but what it also did so brilliantly was appeal to lots of different demographics.
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: It was a really bad pitch from someone who followed me into the restrooms! I always want to make myself accessible, but that was taking it to a whole new level, though I laugh about it now, of course. I love connecting with partners and clients and meeting prospective new ones while at MIPJunior and MIPCOM, but perhaps just not while taking a comfort break!
Best pitching advice: Don’t follow me into the restroom to do it! Be authentic. Show your love for your project and why you think it’s outstanding. Be open to suggestions and comments where you feel they are fitting and will help improve, but don’t lose sight of what the heart of your idea is just to make it right for everybody — that might potentially ruin it.
Carlos Biern
Exec producer, content development, animation/interactive, DeAPlaneta
Market agenda: We’re very happy to meet new broadcast/platform partners and fresh creators from outside of Europe.
On the state of the biz: TV is not about programming a grid and filling and renewing a schedule any longer. The key goal is to deliver unique IP in terms of design/writing, well marketed to work globally and making sense in all audiovisual and interactive formats the audience needs. Independent and experienced producers are often the ones delivering those big hits as they have faced and understood all these changes, working with the same (or less) budgets than they have had in the past.
Hot trends: Building up franchises (including reboots), creating fan communities locally to then resonate globally. Animated shows for teens and young adults and developing shows for binge-watching that audiences want to watch again and again!
Biggest challenges: Hoping aliens don’t come to visit us after facing so many social/environmental challenges during the past few years.
Favorite animated title of the year: Hero Inside
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: My last Croisette dinner (which was actually the fourth one in the same evening, at around 11 p.m., and with Spaniards) because I couldn’t even eat in one of the most amazing (and expensive) gourmet restaurants in town.
Best pitching advice: Showing an amazing front cover makes 50% of your work! Make your pitch short and funny, share a very short animated test, avoid referencing characters or situations from other shows so your show looks unique. Share imaginative ideas for expanding the IP on social media … and smile! For follow-up emails, be very brief and send easy-to-click material!
Bob Higgins
President, Trustbridge Entertainment
Market agenda: We are excited about being here this year to present our first series in production, My Friend Maisy, a co-production between BBC Studios and Trustbridge Entertainment. We are also sharing sneak peeks of a couple new series, specials and features that we will be presenting to broadcast and platform partners later this year.
On the state of the biz: We all know the traditional kids’ TV series business has suffered these last couple of years. Full stop. On the bright side, though, there has been an increase in prime-time animation — especially drama/genre prime-time television animation. And then there’s YouTube, Roblox, TikTok and other nontraditional screens and the new opportunities they represent for our industry. Giving yourself the flexibility to pivot to different platforms is key. It’s all about characters and stories. If you have characters that the audience will love and want to engage with, then they will — whether it’s via an 11-minute traditional cartoon, a one-minute interlude between game levels or a daily 20-second animated gag on an app.
Hot trends: Preexisting IP still seems to be a hot commodity. I don’t know if I’d call it “hot,” but it is a trend and one that we’re thankful for. I think now is an ideal time for the rise of the next hot trend. It’s been a half-dozen years since the last big global hit was created; it’s definitely time.
Biggest challenges: It’s the chaos and anxiety that has permeated the industry. It’s important to hold true to your conviction and passion for your characters and projects as you navigate a way around the paralysis. For certain projects, we’ve also begun to experiment with strategizing a direct-to-consumer approach. The audience will always be there; the challenge is to get to them.
Favorite animated title of the year: Inside Out 2. I thought I was going to escape the theater without crying, but then the last 15 minutes happened.
Safaa Benazzouz
EVP distribution, Xilam Animation
Market agenda: This year, we are gearing up for the launch of our charming new preschool series Piggy Builders (52 x 11’), which has been commissioned by BBC, France Télévisions and ZDF, and offers many endearing characters and humorous storylines about teamwork while highlighting the importance of family.
On the state of the biz: I feel the business is narrowing as the opportunity to greenlight new shows are getting limited with the streamers who are strictly slowing their orders, while the production costs are not decreasing either. However, I remain very optimistic as I feel there will always be kids to entertain with new adventures and animation fans to impress with new stories and techniques.
Hot trends: In the kids’ space, I would say character-driven comedies are very popular. On the teens/adult side, it would be movie or short series adaptations of books or video games.
Biggest challenges: To achieve the presales cycle for our new series, to maintain good digital performances and, of course, to continue securing fresh sales and renewals across our wide variety of beloved library titles.
Favorite animated title of the year: Inside Out 2
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: There are definitely a few meetings I won’t forget quickly, like the time when a client refused to consider any of our shows, or when someone refused to shake hands because I am a woman, or when we took a meeting with a translator present and I had the distinct feeling that the translation was not quite accurate!
Best pitching advice: Get a good prep session in with the creative team of the show!
Gia Delaney
SVP, global sales, kids & family, Boat Rocker Studios
Market agenda: We’re ready to sell! We have a brand-new, state-of-the-art booth, and we’re bringing a lot of exciting “to be announced soon” new titles to the market.
On the state of the biz: These are challenging times for everyone. The big studios have slowed down their spending, and we need to think outside of the box to find new ways to finance productions. Boat Rocker is fortunate to have a broad slate of projects in development and production, all with unique business partnerships and financial structures. Our animation studio, Jam Filled Entertainment, also continues to be very busy on service animation projects, working with leading broadcasters and streamers on a number of high-profile projects.
Hot trends: FAST channels!
Biggest challenges: We need to find a way to place content on YouTube and also sell to the broadcasters. It’s challenging because we want to maximize license fees, but YouTube placement is paramount to success.
Favorite animated title of the year: Despicable Me 4
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: It was many years ago when smoking was still allowed in the Palais. (Yes, I’ve been attending for decades!) A client was chain smoking, and it was very close quarters, so I felt like I was smoking, too!
Best pitching advice: Know your show inside and out. Know your clients’ lineup so you can suggest content based on shows that are already working for them. Also, suggest different types of content that are working on other channels, that they may not already have in their lineup.
Karen K. Miller
CEO, Hidden Pigeon Company
Market agenda: Hidden Pigeon Company is bringing Mo Willems’ beloved Pigeon book series to MIPCOM as an animated 2D series.
On the state of the biz: It’s challenging! Animated content is getting made but not at the pace we hoped for. We’re looking for 2025 to offer more opportunities.
Hot trends: Known IP. But that has always been a trend.
Biggest challenges: Hidden Pigeon Company is well positioned to continue to grow our business, and we’re looking to gain awareness throughout the world.
Favorite animated title of the year: Bluey continues to capture my heart.
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: As a buyer for Warner Bros., NBC and Disney, I’m afraid I have too many stories to share — and I will never tell!
Best pitching advice: Know your characters and bring the passion for your project!
David Michel
President & co-founder, Cottonwood Media
Market agenda: We’ll be meeting up with clients to further negotiations regarding prefinancing of our upcoming new live-action series and animation flagship series. One of our key focuses is our latest CGI-animated drama series 20 Dance Street (26 x half-hours), which has been greenlit for production by ZDF and France TV. The market has been very much in flux for a while, and spending quality time with our colleagues, as well as attending some of the conferences will (hopefully) help us keep our fingers on the pulse of the industry.
On the state of the biz: Obviously, some of the buyers have pulled back on their series pickups, sometimes substantially. In my opinion, this does not just reflect a contraction of the budget spend, it is also a signal to us — producers — that our audience’s tastes and preferences are changing. We do share responsibility in this down market, and our duty is to work hand in hand with our steamers/broadcast clients to make longform animated/live-action storytelling for children attractive again.
Biggest challenges: We are all still navigating this changing landscape, especially when it comes to financing and commissions. Although it’s challenging, I think we are all being cautiously optimistic, but this is also forcing us to become more creative when it comes to offerings (and strategies) that can tap into a global market.
Favorite animated title of the year: Hands down, it has to be Despicable Me 4. It’s hilarious, silly and always puts a big smile on my face (and laughter wrinkles — the best kind)!
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: The one where torrential rains flooded the Croisette and sent us packing from our drenched booth to a drier spot to hold our meetings. [Also], the famous Eyjafjallajökull (just checked the spelling!) volcano eruption in Iceland that cut short a meeting so our buyer could run and hop on one of the last planes heading back home.
