ASIA TV FORUM
FremantleMedia lines up ‘Apprentice’ and more at Asia TV Forum
MUMBAI: Fremantle International Distribution (FID), is set to stun buyers with a powerful slate of entertainment programmes at the Asia Television Forum.It will be held in Singapore from 30 November 2 December.
FID will be presenting the original version of The Apprentice featuring US business tycoon, Donald Trump. The fourth season of this bold reality series tests competitors’ survival techniques in New York City’s corporate jungle as the candidates face weekly business challenges and strive to reach the top.
The winning candidate is awarded an apprenticeship with Trump. Brainchild of Emmy-Award winning producer, Mark Burnett, The Apprentice has proven a TV heavyweight with its first season, being the highest rated new series of the 2003-04 season, with an average audience of 20 million viewers in the US. The finale attracted an audience of 28 million viewers – 167 per cent above NBC’s primetime average.
FID will also be presenting buyers with the brand new programme, The Apprentice – Martha Stewart (13 x 60′ plus finale), featuring, Martha Stewart. This new competition will showcase Stewart’s work and her multibillion-dollar empire, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
Among its headline programmes, FID has more from Stewart as she presents her new daytime show Martha! (180 x 60′). In this newly-acquired series, Stewart interacts with members of the public in the live studio audience, on the street, and even in their homes. She also welcomes some of her favourite celebrity friends to chat. Combining Stewart’s signature sense of humour with her love of people and projects, the show presents inspiring ideas from cooking and entertaining, to decorating and home renovation.
Another proven performer and perennial favourite among FID’s impressive batch of programmes is American Idol. FID presents season five of the same, which became the season’s number one US show on Fox. America’s judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson lend their professional expertise and often unwanted criticism, as they search to discover the next American Idol.
FID goes for laughs in the Asian region with the debut of Fat Actress (7 x 30′). Combining humour and pathos with the seamlessness of a black and white cookie, Fat Actress explores the challenges and triumphs of overcoming whatever makes someone uncomfortable about themselves. Two-time Emmy Award-winning actress, Kirstie Alley, stars in this new unscripted comedy series following the daily struggle of an actress to find love and work in an unforgiving Hollywood.
Alley and Brenda Hampton (7th Heaven, Mad About You) are the creators and executive producers. Alley describes the show as, “essentially a story about women’s introversions: how women torture themselves, what they fret about, what they long for, their hopes, their dreams, their downfalls and their losses – all viewed through the prism of exaggeration, farce and fancy, sarcasm and irony while going for biting humour and belly laughs.”
FID will also present The International Indian Film Academy Awards (1 x 240′). This event, held in Amsterdam, on 23 May 2005, is a star-studded celebration of Indian cinema.
FID managing director David Ellender said, “We are very proud of the strength of our slate for the Asia Television Forum 2005. Our highlights originate from some of the top entertainment producers in the US and encompass a mix of proven winners and exciting new programmes. Featuring some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names, there’s sure to be something for everyone.”
MUMBAI: The Asia TV Forum (ATF) is drawing to a close amid much fanfare. The event saw several activities such as an exciting round of on-stage pitches wherein producers from all over Asia presented their ideas. The winners of the inaugural Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) Animation Pitch were also anounced and the unveiling of the second ATF Formats Pitch took place on 30 November 2017.
Reed Exhibitions and global partner Green Gold Animation announced studio2 Animation Lab as the winner of the first-ever ATF Animation Pitch. The animation concept, titled “The Western Journey of Pigsy”, wowed the on-stage jury for its creativity and strong appeal to children. The line-up of judges, which comprises some of the biggest names in kids’ animation and entertainment, also saw strong potential for the concept to be exported and extended to a series.
Targeted at creators and producers of innovative concepts for new and original kids’ animation, ATF Animation Pitch is aimed at facilitating the exchange of ideas and talent between leading international television, distribution and Asian-based producers. In total, 61 entries were received from all over Asia.
“I am thrilled and excited to be named the winner of the inaugural ATF Animation Pitch. We had a unique concept and we felt that it allows viewers to experience the journey in the west story in a contemporary way. Moving forward, we will work towards developing the script for the concept,” said studio2 Animation Lab director Chiu Li Wei.
Chiu Li Wei and Grace Chuang from studio2 Animation Lab received a $19,000 prize from GreenGold Animation. This includes a $2,500 cash award, and a consultancy package worth $16,500 that is tailor-made for them to further develop the winning animation, making it ready to pitch to broadcasters.
After a closely contested fight between five finalists, leading independent distributor all3media International and ATF announced that Gamaliel Paulus (Gammy) from Indonesia, came out on top, winning $3,500 in cash and a $16,500 (both Singapore dollars) consultancy package tailor-made to develop the format, making it pitch-ready for broadcasters.
ATF Formats Pitch is the premier Asian pitching competition designed to discover innovative concepts for new and original non-scripted entertainment formats from the pan-Asian region. This platform showcases the best of Asia, and exposes ideas for export and development within and even outside of the region.
In its second year, the competition received more than 50 entries from 13 countries and only five finalists were selected to pitch their concept during the live on-stage judging session which concluded earlier today. Formats were evaluated based on creativity, originality and capacity to return for multiple series. The winning concept must also have the capability to resonate with audiences globally.
Portraying all these qualities was the winning format, Ranking. It is a game show where participants have to guess the correct order of a ranking in return for prizes. Besides the excitement value that comes with game shows, it also serves to dish fun facts and information to viewers. The judges loved the simplicity of the idea and felt that it had great potential for further development.
“As many people are familiar with rankings, I believe my format will appeal to any country. Also, I have not seen it in the form of a game show concept. As a producer myself, I understood that for a format to do well, it has to be simple. I am very thankful for the win, I didn’t expect it at all,” said Gamaliel Paulus (Gammy).
To further develop the format and make it ready for pitching to broadcasters, Gamaliel Paulus (Gammy) will work closely with all3media International. This follows the success of “Hit It” from XTREME Media, which won at the inaugural ATF Formats Pitch last year, and has received its first local commission for a debut in February 2018.
Aside from the ATF Animation Pitch and ATF Formats Pitch, ATF and ScreenSingapore is also home to another pitching competition, the Southeast Asian Film Financing Project Market.
