Hollywood Dealmakers Learn to Be Flexible in Asia – ATF

variety.com:

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hollywood’s role in Asian TV has changed in the streaming era and age of hyper-local content.

A top-down sales and distribution position has eased into one of co-production, co-financing and acquisition. A high-powered array of western executives offered experienced views and discussed their current positions at a panel session Thursday within the Asia Television Forum & Market in Singapore. “We want to be an additive partner on shows that cannot be created locally, said Georgina Gonzalez, director of scripted series and global series at Universal Int’l Studios, NBCU. “We are typically looking at bigger budget or creative packages […] We mostly act like a traditional studio and can finance development or help with optioning material.

But we can also do deficit financing as something is going into production and recoup afterwards through sales.” Mandy Chang, head of global documentaries at multinational producer and distributor Fremantle, said, “We can studio finance, but mostly [that is restricted to the] biggest titles.

Typically, we look for shows to get [broadcaster or streamer] commissions. The market has slowed down, so everybody needs to be resourceful, find where the money is.” Ron Halpern, EVP of global production and talent management at Studiocanal, the French multinational with European pay-TV operations and some Asian production activities, said that the group has not typically co-produced in Asia, but that is changing. “We can studio finance or develop and different models are available.” The panelists tackled the inevitable question about whether it is better to produce a quintessentially local show or to locally produce one that also aims to be seen overseas. “Not all.