In anticipation of the TV Beats Forum 2024, the strand of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event focusing on the drama series market’s needs and trends, Petri Kemppinen and Roosa Toivonen, the newly appointed Co-Heads of the event, share their insights on the evolving landscape of the market.
With over 50 years of combined experience in the audiovisual industry, including roles at Aurora Studios and the Finnish Impact Film Fund, they discuss emerging trends, the significance of authentic storytelling, and innovative strategies to engage both creators and audiences. Their unique backgrounds – Kemppinen’s extensive financing expertise, and Toivonen’s filmmaking roots – underscore their commitment to fostering collaboration and celebrating impactful narratives in the industry.
How do you see global trends in TV series production evolving in terms of themes, formats, and audience preferences, and how are these trends shaping local storytelling and the production landscape?
Petri Kemppinen and Roosa Toivonen: The demand for crime series has not diminished, but there is clearly more variation in settings and themes. For example, cosy crime has been evolving, and the grittier realities we are living in seem to be leading to the birth of more hopeful stories. Shorter format comedies also appear to be traveling better than before, and historical topics remain popular. Local, nuanced stories with universal resonance still appeal globally, even if the competition is tougher. New technologies and formats, along with shorter running times and episode counts, are likely to be part of tomorrow’s tastes.
How does TV Beats engage with current industry trends, and what initiatives or programs have you implemented to adapt to these changes?
The Co-Financing Market selection reflects what is offered, and the trends mentioned above can be seen there. This year, we have put a lot of focus on screenwriting and financing, but we also showcase several regional projects that have been completed. As AI is certainly a field that we all are – and should be – following, we are also showcasing some tools that can be used immediately.
As global streaming platforms continue to demand more content, how has TV Beats adjusted its strategies to meet this need, and what challenges have you faced in the process?
As streamers are no longer looking for fully financed shows, presenting a co-financing selection in development should serve their needs. The challenge is getting them to consider new talent, as they already have many established production companies on their radar. Many Baltic and Central Eastern European (CEE) countries are relatively small language groups, so there is a specific sweet spot for local-language content, and budgets that can sometimes be developed to appeal to a larger audience rather than only attracting the home market. Through our 'brutally honest case studies’, we also encourage producers to think outside the box regarding their collaboration with other countries and financing more ambitious budget ranges.
What are the key highlights of the upcoming TV Beats Co-Financing Market, and how do you envision its impact on collaboration and funding within the international drama series industry?
The opportunity to present the Council of Europe Co-Development Award is significant and has certainly brought more attention to TV Beats. Our event aims to focus on our core regions: Nordics, Baltics, and CEE, while enhancing cross-border cooperation and financing possibilities.
What innovative strategies or new formats is TV Beats exploring to stay competitive in the drama series market, and how have creators and audiences responded to these efforts?
This year, two new screenwriting programs are being presented at TV Beats. The European Writers Club combines established and new writing talent with broadcaster representatives in their Bridging Generations programme. Words Across Europe, on the other hand, presents a new model of writing in virtual writers’ rooms.
What can attendees expect from the first-ever TV Beats Screening Day, and why do you see it as important for sales agents, distributors, and local industry professionals?
Markets often focus on pitching and showcasing series in development but don’t necessarily acknowledge the end result: the completed series, which is a significant achievement. As we lament the slow market and lack of financing, it is refreshing to be reminded that ambitious series are still produced and completed; they might just sink into a large catalogue of some distributors or streamers and not get visibility in our 'bubble.' We wanted to celebrate the accomplishment and give decision-makers like broadcasters and other buyers the chance to experience the pilot of a newly completed series on the cinema screen.
How significant is the authenticity of local stories in today's global TV market, and how does TV Beats support the international exchange of these stories? Can you share any success stories that highlight this?
Local, authentic stories have been on the rise, and they continue to gain attention. We are proud to present five completed shows from our core region in our Screening Day selection. Some of these are world premieres. For example, Van Fock is a co-production between Estonia, Latvia, and Italy for natural and story-related reasons.
What are the main objectives of the TV Beats Forum, and how does it aim to meet the needs of industry professionals?
We compare the current audiovisual market to a live-action role-playing game with constantly shifting rules, and even the board morphs into a new incarnation from time to time. The only constant is the demand for good content that resonates with the audience; everything else is moving, evolving, and taking new forms. Old models from before COVID, the guilds' strikes, and the breaking of the peak TV/streaming bubble need adjustment. We provide information, guidance, and discussion about the complex currents our industry navigates, while remembering that it is not just the destination that counts – it is also the quality of life and relationships while getting 'there'.
What future trends or changes do you anticipate in the drama series industry, and how is TV Beats preparing to stay relevant as the landscape evolves?
For producers and production companies to succeed in this line of work, they need to be very aware of the timeline from idea to premiere. If we pitch something today, it might reach the audience in a couple of years. Naturally, we do not have a crystal ball to predict which 'zeitgeist' sentiment the content will drop into in the future, but we can observe megatrends and weak signals – and try to deduce from history and data what kind of content may be interesting to develop. Many trends are also 'pendulum movements', so AI will be used extensively for some years, in various forms, until some of the audience and filmmakers grow tired of it and return to more traditional 'handcrafted' techniques.
How have your personal experiences shaped your leadership at TV Beats, and what advice would you offer to industry professionals and newcomers navigating the series market?
Growing from the early years of TV drama production, to film funding and experiencing the golden era of TV series, to the somewhat more stagnant market today; it is interesting to see how stakeholders’ roles are changing. We try to give space to all aspects of the value chain during TV Beats, inviting people who are willing to share. As mentioned before, we are optimists, leaning slightly into realism – so we believe that good content, good motivations, and good people will always prevail.
On the 20th of November, TV Beats Forum, focusing on scripted series as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, will launch the first-ever TV Beats Screening Day that showcases five outstanding drama series to sales agents, distributors and local TV and film industry professionals.
Screening schedule @ Cinema Artis, Hall 2
The article was written by Vassilis Economou and published in Estonian Film magazine 3/2024