Format Superpitch 2009 Winner: BITWORLD – NHK (Japan)
Koji Kiuchi, Senior Producer, Production Center (Youth & Education Programs), Program Production Department, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.)
At the Format Superpitch 2009, we proposed the special live episode from BITWORLD, which consists of four or five eight-minute drama episodes (these were incorporated into a weekly children’s show) followed by a special live episode that features an interactive game. The drama scenario, the game design, and the flexible program composition are carefully calculated to make children feel part of the program.
The aims of the project, as a public broadcaster’s TV program, were to nurture children’s creativity, to stimulate children intellectually, and give them a sense of togetherness by having them work toward a shared goal.
The challenge of working on this project lay in the difference between the mentality behind TV production and the mentality behind software production for the Internet. With TV, the product must be completely finished and polished for the first airing. With the Internet, by contrast, the tendency is to release a product and then improve it as necessary. But with our project, the game software had to work perfectly on the first outing; a server failure or a software bug that might, say, have caused a player’s computer to freeze were completely unacceptable. Creating a happy marriage between TV production and software production was a difficult balancing act.
In Japan, 100,000 children played the game during a single episode. We’re sure that the format would appeal to children all over the world. We wanted children all over Japan to be able to experience the fusion of TV and the Internet by enabling them to watch the program on TV and play the game on the program website at the same time. The “feel” for the children came largely from being able to turn their attention from one screen (the TV set) to the other (the computer) and vice versa while being made to feel part of the program through both media. We believe this kind of two-screen interaction will become more common thanks to BITWORLD.
The reason BITWORLD was so popular was its interactivity. Children sent in their ideas for costumes and character names and designs, and the production team used them in the weekly program. In creating the game in the special live episode, we drew on everything we had received and learned since launching the program. We were committed to accepting and using children’s fantastic ideas, and we tried not to modify them using adult values. As a result, children had a sense that they were engaged in the story and actually saving the world by playing the game.
THE PEACEMAKERS, Sauce Television (New Zealand)
David Harry Baldock, Head of Television
I have been very fortunate to have been working as a director and producer in New Zealand for nearly forty years now, having started in the industry straight from school. Incidentally I started in Dunedin as an assistant film editor to a film editor called Michael Stedman who has been the Head of NHNZ for many years now.
Over the years I have been fortunate to produce award winning factual and reality series which have also been major commercial successes for all three networks in New Zealand. Shows such as Mitre10 Dream Home, Location Location Location, Emergency Heroes, Our People Our Century and the incredibly successful Sensing Murder which won Best Reality two years running.
THE PEACEMAKERS was developed as an evolution of the successful shows we are already producing, Dream Home, Sensing Murder and Location Location Location. Like Sensing Murder, THE PEACEMAKERS builds on the increasing awareness amongst the views of a different approach to solving issues. The amazing insights achieved in Sensing Murder has shown that the more accepted understanding of the ‘spiritual’ world of the east has a growing acceptance in the West.
THE PEACEMAKERS combines the three disciplines of psychic, Feng Shui and the more traditional psychologist to look at what needs to be changed both physically and mentally in troubled homes. It’s a relationship series which combines Super Nanny with Extreme Makeover.
Being selected to partake in the Superpitch competition was a great honour. It was truly a daunting experience to be amongst great talent from throughout Asia. All the projects had real potential. Having to prepare for the pitch ensures you really do work through as much as your concept as possible beforehand. The insight and questions from the judges were challenging and given their calibre really insightful.
For any Producer the experience of fronting up to pitch your own concept, although daunting is an extremely valuable experience and I would encourage all to make it part of their development schedule.
What has been really encouraging has been the comments from the judges following the pitch and their on-going interest, this has been fantastic.
I would welcome any further interest from Broadcasters who can contact me at baldock@ sauce.co.nz
DATE MY SISTER??!!, Sitting in Pictures (Singapore)
Tan Chih Chong
Sitting in Pictures is a Singapore based production company formed since 2000. Our core competency has been in the production of factual programmes for both the local and international markets. Over the years, we have produced numerous genres including documentaries, lifestyle, food, as well as drama and children’s. In the last 4 years we broadened our international exposure with broadcasters such as Discovery Channel and AETN.
Our project Kylie Kwong: My China was a collaborative effort with 2 other partners: Media Development Authority of Singapore and FremantleMedia UK. The series has been distributed to more than 50 territories around the world.
Following this experience, we are now developing new and exciting content for international markets and the new media space, each created with unprecedented business models. We are currently working on a culinary reality series titled, KungFu Kitchen, produced for Channel News Asia International. This entertaining series which pits chefs in new territory puts a new spin in an all too familiar genre.
DATE MY SISTER?!!! is a search for the new age renaissance man – a metrosexual male with brains, brawns and sensitivities. Encapsulated in a game show format with a dating/male make-over/self-improvement theme, 12 contestants vie for the attention of a beautiful girl. Standing in their way are a couple of ultra-protective brutish brothers from hell. This is an entertaining, educational appointment TV with sponsorfriendly concept.
Pitching was both a nervewrecking and an enriching experence for us. It’s tough trying to cram all the salient information under 5 mins, and make yourself cohesive all at once. But it’s a great exercise and surely proves a useful experience in our future pitches. We don’t often receive instant feedback when we pitch to broadcasters. As such it is quite priceless to hear from a panel about the content and also the presentation. We certainly picked up great tips from the panel which will come in useful further down the line.
Interested broadcasters should kindly contact either Soh Kiak: sohkiak@sittinginpictures.com or Chih Chong: chihchong@ sittinginpictures.com. Alternatively, call us at the office: + 65 6220 8608
WAGGING TALES, Opportunity Consultants (China)
Sally M. Yeh: I am a TV and film producer, with a background in journalism, radio and television. I have hosted and produced variety and music programs in Taiwan and MTV Asia. My company, Opportunity Consultants, focus on exporting Chinese TV content to the western world as well as focus on development of television and film projects, including script doctoring, co-productions and sourcing funds.
Daniel Lim: I’m an advertising Creative Director. My focus is on branded entertainment for the new media. I created China’s first online reality show and a series of Just Do It short films for Nike.
Juliana Chung: I’m a TV producer with strengths in conceptualizing, collaborations & management, I have produced and directed reality, documentaries and dramas for both Singapore and international TV broadcasters. I have recently relocated to China, to focus on co-productions and sourcing of new contents.
WAGGING TALES is a reality program that we call, ‘Doggie Training Boot Camp for Kids.’ The program shows us how different kids who never owned a dog before can learn to be responsible through training a dog and might even become dog show champions.
This concept came to mind, because many dogs, especially in China, aren’t treated properly due to the lack of knowledge of dog ownership. We are also working on a reality show idea involving rehoming stray dogs. As we had a real dog at the pitch, so it was tough to control the whole pitch within 5 minutes! I absolutely agree with Michael McKay at activeTV, who was a judge at the pitch.
He told us that we should have less than 6 contestants and focus on children who may have a back story, ie, a spoiled child, a shy child, a bully, etc, so we would see the contestants’ attitudes and demeanours change as the show progresses.
We are interested in all forms of collaboration involving film and television, especially if it’s partially or wholly shot in China. We can be contacted via email at:sallymyeh@yahoo.com or by phone: + 86-13910979489.
MEMORY UNLIMIT, Broadcast Thai Television (Thailand)
Broadcast Thai Television is one of the big content providers in Thailand. We serve the programs of dramas, game shows, documentary and animation to Thai TV3, one of the most famous television channels in Thailand. With more than 15 years of experience, Aukavut Suvanprakorn and Arunosha Bhanupan brought along their experience in the entertainment business to strengthen the company and progress to many achievements. One of our highlighted prides is the co-production drama with TVB, Hong Kong in Split Second and right now we are teamed up with a Korean animation company to produce the first ever Thai-Korean animation series titled Psychic Hero.
Thanks to the Superpitch that MEMORY UNLIMIT was selected as one of the shortlisted formats in Superpitch 2009. The program is based from a very simple idea about human’ s memory that everyone of us experiences in our daily life. Sometimes we might ask ourselves that why we just forgot the many thing as they are just done or we cannot recognize the previous things we are doing when we turn to do something else. This is all about our brain’s capacity. The game is not only to prove but to exercise your brain to get fit and tuned, And we believe that everyone at all ages can enjoy the game along with the players in the show.
It was our pleasure to receive valuable comments from the judges. We are bringing all of the comments into practice. Right after travelling back to Thailand, the team called a meeting to discuss what we should consider from the judges’ comment to enrich the program. And definitely those comments are practicable to us.
We are pleased to welcome all of the broadcasters to talk with us whether to improve the format or whatever. Please feel free to email us to ‘treetape@ yahoo.com’ or ‘treetape@ broadcastthai.com’ . We would be very thankful to you.
As well as giving their valuable time and experience on the day, some of our expert judging panel took the time to share their feedback with Television Asia Plus
Michael McKay, President active TV
BITWORLD won mainly because of the concept, their use of interactivity. Speaking for myself, it was where they were going as a format that was more cutting edge that interested me, not so much the creative execution. The fact that it had been produced was not a factor in my judging – it was the exploration of interactivity and the Internet.
For Wagging Tales, there was too much emphasis on the training of the dogs which might not make great TV. It needs kids with good background stories, maybe troubled kids, for more of a human interest angle.
The Peacemakers, if not for the interactivity of BITWORLD, would have been my favourite, while Date my Sister??!! possibly borrowed too many aspects from other reality shows. Memory Unlimit pitched in four minutes rather than the allotted five – I think everyone learnt a lot from seeing that pitch. As fellow judge (FremantleMedia’s) Patrick Schult said at the time, it might have been fun for the Judges to have played the game and actually experienced it. It showed the tremendous pressure the pitchers are under, especially in front of an audience and such a highpowered panel. Competitions like Format Superpitch are very good for the industry, it’s good to encourage new companies – overall I was surprised at the experience of the contestants as I was expecting it to be entry level, I was very pleasantly surprised.
Avi Armoza, Founder Armoza Formats
I was impressed with the level of creativity and the effort put into the pitching process. As part of the event, I would recommend coordinating a preliminary seminar on ‘How to Pitch’. Wagging Tales, sorry I don’t like dogs; Memory Unlimit was a good premise and a good presentation – but the name needs work; BITWORLD – I like the cross-platform element; The Peacemakers – limited audience potential. Date my Sister??!! – cute idea, with a very clear name, and a good pitch.
We would definitely consider offering a sponsorship of an internship or a commitment to help develop a Superpitch winner. We would be happy to bring our international experience and marketing expertise to help develop and adapt Asian formats for the international market.
(On Format Superpitch as a whole) I think you need to be clear about your target audience. Is it networks? Or independent producers or creative teams? Reaching a decision will require a different approach to the event. If it’s broadcasters bringing formats, it should be more in the form of a competition and they should come to us after they have a season on the air.
If a broadcaster believes in a format he has the ability to produce it and put it on air – this is the stage when it’s ready for competition. The pitching event is more suitable for various producers and creators that need the exposure and the feedback. They are judged not by their caonnections, but solely on the level of the idea and the pitch. Here, the prize should be a development deal with a distributor or broadcaster and we would be happy to contribute to that prize.
