Sharper Picture - February 5, 2003

You read it here first. Purposing. It's about to become the latest buzzword in the world of international television, according to Steve Davis, president and CEO of Carlton America.

It's Davis' way of explaining how his company is now making TV movies for the global markets that are "purposed" (as in purpose-built) to play with equal appeal to a German or French or Australian TV audience and an American network viewership.

Carlton America's production structure gives the company's international partners extensive input in terms of creative development and casting. The result is an American movie with an American star working with local celebrity actors.

"It gives the movie more of an indigenous feel and allows the local broadcaster to promote it as a local production," Davis says. "We recently co-produced 'Rush of Fear' with Rosanna Arquette with ZDF. There was a percentage of the budget that ZDF contributed in return for having significant creative and casting interest in the film." German TV star Diego Walraff plays the protagonist in the movie, which practically guarantees and audience for ZDF, Davis says.

Similar co-production deals were struck with Tele-Munchen for the movie "Danger Beneath the Sea" and with Australia's Nine Network for the TV movie "Seconds to Spare."

"International partners have long been a key element in our business, but many people still look at co-production as co-financing and have no interest in giving over creative," Davis says. "We are out seeking partners and have a genuine desire to have extensive creative collaboration with all our partners."

He says the process can be extremely challenging on the creative side. "The aim is to produce a movie that to a German viewer or an Australian looks as though it were made just for them," he says. "But the American network viewer also has to see that this is a big U.S. event."

Coincidentally, another American division of a big British media company, Granada Entertainment USA, has partnered with ABC to produce a spy drama series that will play simultaneously to American and British audiences. The series will be creatively developed so that it has appeal to TV audiences in both countries (HR 1/30).

Both of these "purposing" international production models are a response to increasing pressure on production costs. "There is downward pressure on license fees," Davis says, "yet the expectations of broadcasters are always for bigger and better, so we all have to look at our cost structure and to new business models."

Carlton will be seeking more creative/financial production partners at next month's MIP-TV in Cannes with a number of new projects slated, including an action drama set on a cruise ship titled "Maiden Voyage," Davis says.