1) IMPRESSIONS FROM MIPCOM
There were life signals in the market, good vibs and more people than expected, even if we are still in a transition period.
From a more general point of view, there are 2 opposing forces. On one hand it is easier and nicer to have physical contact and deal business on-site (after all, humans are social animals). On the other hand, for the big companies (which were the big absent) it’s cheaper and maybe also more effective to hold their own market online, as is the case of ITV Studios Fall Festival, Red Arrow Studios Format Fest, London Tv Screenings, BBC Studios Showcase and others. Sociality or money, that is the question.
About contents, according to The Wit, the five most adapted formats of the last six months were: I Can See Your Voice (South Korea 2015), The King of Masked Singer (South Korea 2015), Love Island (UK 2005), Family Feud (US 1976), LOL: Last One Laughing (Japan 2016). A good mix between geographic origin and old & (relatively) new.
2) AVASTARS: ENTERTAINMENT & TECHNOLOGY
Middle East operator MBC Group has picked up remake rights to talent show Avastars, created by Talpa. The format, which has been launched in the Netherlands in April, follows two top talents – a dancer and a singer – who will be combined into one “virtual super talent” named an Avastar: the singer is responsible for the singing, talking and facial expressions, and the dancer is responsible for the movements of the head and the body.
The format is important also because it uses motion capture and AR technology to create the virtual avatars. Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence are becoming more and more widespread in formats. For example in the Chinese Dimension Nova, the contestants are not real but “virtual idols”, animated in motion capture. The impact of these technologies on entertainment could be huge and not only in television: “hybrid”pop bands (which mix real members and digital idols) are already active and successful.
3) DATING WITH HANDS
Banijay Factory is developing a new dating , Sexy Hands, for SVT1. The format is the first dating show to focus on deaf people and use sign language to determine whether or not there’s a connection.
Sexy Hands features three potential suitors using sign language to compete for the affection of a deaf individual. With the exception of their hands, they can’t see each other and must rely on sign to chat and flirt in a series of rounds designed to get the potential couples acquainted. The twist is strong and clever, but it is the umpteenth dating show announced in these last days (see the last Friday’s Espresso): aren’t they a bit too many?