iWorld
Series Mania and Beta join forces to launch Seriesmakers
Mumbai: The international TV series industry event Series Mania Forum and European content powerhouse Beta Group have joined forces on Seriesmakers – a new creative initiative that will focus on feature film directors who venture into the world of series.
Eligible for this initiative are teams of director-producer and/or director-writer, who have a first or second feature film screened in an official selection of A-list film festivals and want to create a new series project.
Seriesmakers will allow ten selected teams with an idea for a TV series to participate in a tailor-made training programme focused on the development of a full pitch deck. Led by A-list directors, showrunners, writers, and producers, they will guide new series creators as they develop a series bible. “The objective is to support talents working on a new scripted series and will offer two of ten selected projects a €50,000 grant each,” said the statement.
“Television series has become a desirable destination for feature filmmakers thanks to the dramatic evolvement of the industry which has witnessed an increase in the creative and production quality of programmes in recent years,” commented Series Mania general director Laurence Herszberg. “We want to help filmmakers as they embark on this journey into a new realm of creative opportunities, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Beta who have always supported high-quality storytelling.”
At Series Mania Forum 2023, a special Jury will award two projects with a Beta Development grant of €50,000 each to further develop a pilot script and a full package. These two projects will also enjoy further support, such as script consulting and packaging offered by Beta’s content division, led by chief content officer Koby Gal Raday. The two winning teams will furthermore be invited to Series Mania’s prestigious Forum to present their projects to the industry’s most influential decision-makers, broadcasters, platforms, co-producers, and financiers.
“Beta was and is the independent European home for independent filmmakers who wish to realise their ambitious artistic visions,” stated Koby Gal Raday. “This initiative, focusing for the first time on feature film directors, will enable unique filmmakers to focus on the development of their new series in a supportive and encouraging environment.”
iWorld
Instagram to curb reach of repost-heavy accounts in new update
Original content to get priority as reposts lose visibility on Explore and feeds.
MUMBAI: Copy, paste, repeat? Instagram is ready to hit unfollow on that strategy. The platform is tightening its grip on repost-heavy accounts, signalling a clear shift towards rewarding originality over aggregation. As part of the update, Instagram will stop recommending content from accounts that primarily repost others’ work across key discovery surfaces, including feeds and the Explore tab. The change expands existing restrictions that were earlier limited to Reels, now covering photos and carousel posts as well. While reposted content will still be visible to an account’s existing followers, its chances of reaching new audiences through recommendations are set to shrink significantly.
At the heart of the move is a push to clean up clutter. Instagram is targeting aggregator accounts that recycle content without adding meaningful value, aiming to reduce duplication and elevate the visibility of original creators.
The platform has also clarified what qualifies as “original”. Content created directly by users whether photos, videos or substantially edited material will continue to be prioritised. Even when using existing formats or templates, posts that bring in fresh humour, commentary or creative edits will still make the cut.
What will not pass muster are low-effort tweaks. Adding watermarks, making minor speed changes or reposting screenshots even with credit will not be considered original and will not be eligible for broader distribution.
Importantly, the update will not affect what users see from accounts they already follow. But for creators relying heavily on reposts, visibility beyond their existing audience could take a noticeable hit.
In a platform driven by discovery, that shift matters. Instagram’s message is simple, if you want to be seen, start creating not just curating.
