Los Angeles/Munich – Further details of the International Co-Production Summit, co-hosted by NATPE||Content First and Tandem Communications (a Studio Canal company), were announced on May 21. The Summit entitled Now, the Story Starts in Europe will be held on June 24 from 8.30 am to 10 am, at the Hilton Prague Hotel during the forthcoming NATPE||Europe, June 23-26.
Confirmed panellists for the Breakfast Summit represent a pre-eminent group of executives in international production including Rola Bauer, President/Partner, Tandem Communications; Caroline Benjo, Co-Managing Director, Haut et Court; Andrew Critchley, Managing Director, Red Production Company; Thomas von Hennet, Vice President International Co-Production & Documentaries, ProSiebenSat.1; writer/producer Frank Spotnitz, CEO, Big Light Productions, Matthew Stillman, Managing Director, Stillking Films and Tomas Krejci, Executive Producer, Milk & Honey Pictures.
The International Co-Production Summit will cover all aspects of developing a global narrative and moving the international production industry to re-think how the business is run. The Summit panellists are industry leaders, including network and production executives actively involved in international co-productions, show-runners who are breaking the mold and whose narratives are going global, and European production companies who are developing creative strategies. In addition to Tandem Communications, sponsors of the Co-Production Summit include Barrandov Studios, Stillking Films and Universal Production Partners, Inc. (UPP).
In response to demand from the region’s production community, NATPE||Content First organisers have also unveiled a special Producer’s Day Pass, which is now available for producers, development executives and service providers wishing to attend the Co-Production Summit.
Rod Perth, President and CEO of NATPE||Content First, commented, “Commercially viable co-productions are no longer an afterthought in content development – with new global opportunities these production models must be the original thought. As a result, we are extremely pleased to facilitate the coming together of many of the foremost and groundbreaking co-production players in Europe today. Their combined experience and knowledge will be a vital tool for those looking to move into this flourishing yet challenging part of the international content business. We are keen to have as many producers from across the region and beyond join us and anticipate that they will take advantage of the generous Producer’s Day Pass which is now available.”
Rola Bauer added, “Our aim is to stimulate a compelling, informative discussion that will be useful to those interested in the development of co-productions made in Europe, with a global narrative, and to assess the state of the industry and the opportunities ahead.”
A Welcome to Prague cocktail reception will top off the day on June 24. Sponsored by all the major Czech TV channels including Czech TV, Nova, Prime and TV Barrandov, the reception will be held at the Cloud 9 Sky Bar & Lounge from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Taking place from June 23-26, NATPE||Europe is set to launch for the first time in Prague where the facilities of the Hilton Prague Hotel will enable the market, screenings, special events, networking and social events to take place under one roof. NATPE||Europe replaces NATPE Budapest the long running event which was previously known as Discop, and offers buyers and sellers throughout Central and Eastern Europe an opportunity to meet in a relaxed atmosphere.
PANELLIST BIOGRAPHIES
Rola Bauer – President / Partner, Tandem Communications
Golden Globe and two-time Emmy nominated producer Rola Bauer, was recognised this year by the Hollywood Reporter as one of ‘The 25 Most Powerful Women in Global TV.’ She has pioneered international co-productions since 1985. Bauer is Executive Producer of the one-hour crime series Crossing Lines, which recently wrapped production on Season Two, starring William Fichtner, Marc Lavoine and Donald Sutherland. Sex, Lies and Handwriting, a new Tandem co-production with Lionsgate, is the second one-hour drama series they are producing since joining the Studio Canal family in 2012. Most recently at MIPTV, Tandem announced that Canal+ has green-lit their new one-hour drama series, Spotless.
Caroline Benjo – Co-Managing Director, Haut et Court
Caroline Benjo is co-managing director of Haut et Court based in Paris. Benjo has recently overseen the production of both seasons of International Emmy Award-winning TV series Les Revenants (The Returned) airing on Canal+ and sold to The Sundance Channel in the U.S. It is also working with U.S. cable network A&E to remake The Returned for the U.S. This English-language version is set to be a co-production with Fremantle Media North America.
Andrew Critchley – Managing Director, Red Production Company
Andrew Critchley
Andrew has overseen all of the company’s output since the first production – Queer As Folk – in 1998. Red has returning series on BBC1 (Last Tango in Halifax) and ITV1 (Scott & Bailey) and is in production on a major new series written by Russell T Davies for Channel 4. At the end of 2013 Studio Canal acquired a majority share in the company. In 2014 Red will produce and deliver 50 hours of primetime drama to UK broadcasters and is currently working on the development of a number of international co-productions.
Thomas von Hennet – Vice President International Co-Production & Documentaries, ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland
Having studied History and Political Science, Thomas began his media career as a freelance producer and AD for television productions. In 1994 Thomas joined ProSieben Television as commissioning executive for documentaries and later headed the documentaries department, with a growing focus on factual co-productions, and, since 2007, also including drama co-productions.
In his current position Thomas von Hennet oversees international drama and factual co-productions across the channels SAT.1, ProSieben and kabel eins as well as factual licence acquisitions for all Free TV channels of the ProSiebenSat.1 Media group. Recent drama co-productions include The Pillars of the Earth (miniseries, 2010), Treasure Guards (TV movie, 2011), World Without End (miniseries, 2012), Labyrinth (miniseries, 2013), Primeval (series, 4 seasons 2007-2010) and, most recently, Crossing Lines (series, 2013-).
Frank Spotnitz – CEO, Big Light Productions
Frank Spotnitz
An award-winning writer, producer and showrunner, Spotnitz is best known for his work onThe X-Files. His latest series, Hunted, aired on BBC1 and HBO Cinemax in autumn 2012. His other credits include Strike Back: Project Dawn, Night Stalker, Michael Mann’s Robbery Homicide Division, The Lone Gunmen, Harsh Realm and Millennium. He is currently writing and executive producing a series based on the popular Transporter feature films for M6, HBO Canada and TNT. Spotnitz serves as chief executive of Big Light Productions Ltd, a London-based production company specializing in trans-Atlantic drama series. Hunted, produced by Big Light in association with Kudos Film, was an international spy thriller starring Melissa George. He created, wrote and executive produced the eight-part series. HBO Cinemax has commissioned a spinoff. Spotnitz served as executive producer, directed two episodes and wrote or co-wrote more than 40 episodes of The X-Files. He shared three Golden Globes for Best Dramatic Series and a Peabody Award for his work on The X-Files. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for writing and three times for Outstanding Drama Series.
Spotnitz began his professional life as a journalist, writing for United Press International, Associated Press and Entertainment Weekly, among others, as well as reporting for the seminal French pop-culture TV series, Rapido. Born in Japan, he received a B.A. in English Literature from UCLA and an M.F.A. in screenwriting from the American Film Institute.
Matthew Stillman – Managing Director, Stillking Films
Matthew Stillman is founder and ceo of Stillking Film Holdings. The SFH group currently holds 12 operating companies internationally and is one of the largest private companies involved in the production of TV and digital advertising, feature films and music videos.
Group companies have won many of the top advertising awards for their creative advertising campaigns and been involved in the production of over 40 feature films. Matthew has also served in a producing capacity on productions including Casino Royale, Mission Impossible 4,Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Bourne Identity, XXX, Van Helsing, The Illusionist, Shanghai Knights and others.
Music videos include Beyonce, Kanye West, Duran Duran, David Bowie, Linkin Park and Madonna.
Tomas Krejci – Executive Producer, Milk & Honey Pictures
Dynamic, creative film producer and founder of Milk & Honey Pictures and Prague Studios in Prague, Czech Republic. Has participated as Executive Producer as well as producer on several feature films as well as television series which have aired all over the world.
