Munich – New partners in the kids’ business: Beta Film and the highly acclaimed producers of NRK Super will join forces in the family entertainment sector. At this year’s MipTV in Cannes, starting next week, Beta Film will present for the first time a slate of award-winning NRK Super original productions, including ready-made productions as well as formats. In addition, both partners will work on developing co-productions with national and international broadcasters. NRK Super is the most award-winning kids’ channel compared to its production volume and was recently honored with prestigious awards such as the Prix Jeunesse and the Emmy Kids Award. Beta Film is one of the largest distributors for TV and new media outside the U.S.
Hildri Gulliksen, Head of NRK Super said, “We were in dialogue with several different distributors, and chose Beta because they have a good track record of distributing content for children. They are professional, have interesting plans in how to reach out to the clients – and they can handle both ready-mades and formats, scripted and non-scripted. In addition, they are nice people and fun to work with”.
Eric Welbers, managing director Beta Film said, “With NRK Super we share the same values – to create and distribute family entertainment programs on a very high-quality level. I am thrilled that Beta gets the chance to help this outstanding kids’ programming travel around the world”.
The partnership of NRK Super and Beta includes a first-look deal for all NRK original productions. The channel, the biggest broadcaster in Norway aimed at children, is producing app. 25 shows a year including sequels. This spring’s MipTV slate is headed by the series Sofia Flux (7×20 min), depicting the story of eight-year-old Iben, who can hear what people are thinking, which causes a lot of trouble. The half-hour series Young Girls is a daily online format accompanied by a weekly edition on screen about four girls, their friends, family and love lives. The feel-good reality show Allround Champion (40 min series) features 14-year-old athletes who are among the country’s best in their individual sports. The More We Are Together (18xhalf hour) shows the lives – and resulting chaos – of two families who move together into a house they have inherited.
Among the upcoming projects is the extraordinary format Mission Arctic, in which 13-year-old Norwegians cover the last degree to the North Pole on skis to examine the climate change and present their findings at the United Nations Climate Conference in Paris. Training for the hazardous expedition just started in the northernmost inhabited place on earth, the islands of Spitsbergen/Norway.
