Paris – Reed MIDEM, organiser of MIPTV and MIPFormats, and Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP), have announced the renewal of their partnership. For the third year, the U.S. major will be the exclusive sponsor of the MIPFormats International Pitch 2014 competition. Preceding the annual MIPTV content market (7-10 April 2014), the 5th edition of MIPFormats will take place in Cannes, 5-6 April.
The call for entries is now open to companies with new and unique concepts, who will vie for the chance to win up to €25,000 in development funding from WBITVP. Applicants can submit their project and complete the entry form now until February 3, 2014.
The finalists will be announced early March and the winner will be unveiled at the end of the MIPFormats pitching event in Cannes’ Palais des Festivals, on Sunday 6 April 2014.
The MIPFormats International Pitch is open to all creators and producers around the world who want to present original, non-scripted entertainment formats. Selection will be based on creativity, originality, innovation, and the potential for a concept to return with multiple series. Selectors will also be looking for well-structured non-scripted formats in the entertainment, factual entertainment and game show genres, with potential to export to countries small and large.
Andrew Zein, SVP, Creative, Format Development and Sales at WBITVP said: “MIPFormats has established itself as the world’s leading competition for new formats, and the last two competitions in particular have delivered outstanding ideas from across the world. We are delighted once again to be the sponsor.”
Last year’s winner was Hatch Entertainment of Australia, with the musical format Big Again, in which stars of yesteryear choose up-and-coming artists to reinterpret their songs. “For a new company, the MIPFormats International Pitch Competition was the best thing we could have done,” says Greg Logan, Owner/
Executive Producer of Hatch. “It gave Hatch a global deal with Warner Bros. International Television Production, introduced us to some of the best people in the industry and has given us global exposure and recognition. We have secured wonderful production partners in key markets like the UK, US and Italy, who have added to and improved the formats, and by next MIP we will hopefully have a commissioned show.”
“Building on the success of the last two years of partnership between MIPFormats and Warner Bros. International Television Production, we are once again looking forward to discovering another crop of exciting and innovative projects with strong development potential,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. “We encourage cutting-edge producers worldwide to answer the call and use this dynamic platform to take their ideas to the next level.”
