Industry Leaders Discuss Future of Content Production at the Inaugural Unscripted Executive Summit, hosted by Talent Systems & NPACT
Posted on: Nov 19, 2024
Photo Credit: Jersey FeimsterTalent Systems & NPACT held the first annual Unscripted Executive Summit on October 29th at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles. The event saw an impressive turnout of industry leaders and professionals alike for panels, discussions, and networking opportunities.
NPACT General Manager Michelle Van Kempen said, “With the entertainment industry – and unscripted in particular – in such a tumultuous state of change and evolution, we felt it was more important than ever to bring top execs and creatives together to hear from the experts, share information, and take a strategic look at the future. There’s no question that we all need to adapt to the changing marketplace, so the Summit’s focus on adaptation strategies – new approaches to deal structures, revenue sources, and partnerships – was designed to meet producers’ needs head-on for continued growth and success.”
Rights Retention: International Formats & Co-Productions
The day opened with top executives, and producers discussing strategies in retaining intellectual property (IP) rights through funding methods, international formats, and co-productions, including leveraging production incentives, and how to maximize IP rights across territories.
Moderator Holly Hines, Co-CEO and Founder of Happy Accidents, led the discussion with speakers Jenny Daly, President of Critical Content Studios; Kate Harrison Karman, President and Co-Owner of Cream Productions; Jon Kramer, CEO of AfterShock Media; and Kathleen Thompson, VP of Production Incentives at XR Extreme Reach. They offered insights on the structure of co-productions, selling formats internationally, and accessing alternative financing streams to empower producers to maintain ownership of their creative assets.
“Coproduction has been the Canadian model for as long as I’ve [been in the industry]. I think what’s happening is, they’re so used to doing that the American networks are starting to realize they can use this model to make direct partnerships with the Canadian broadcasters, which is a new thing in the last couple of years. As a Canadian, it’s how we’ve always done business. Owning IP is how you get the highest tax credit.” – Kate Harrison Karman
“Film incentives can be a significant addition to your budget.” – Kathleen Thompson
Morning Buyer Conversation
The morning’s agenda continued with a Buyer Conversation led by Rob Mills, EVP of Unscripted & Alternative at ABC Entertainment & Hulu Originals, alongside Deena Katz, CEO of Talent Central. This discussion delved into current trends in unscripted and alternative content, with a particular focus on buyers’ perspectives on format-based content and the future of international distribution.
Panel on Brand Partnerships for Content Production
The next session on Brand Partnerships for Content Production highlighted strategies for producers to collaborate with brands, helping them fund and expand the reach of their projects. Moderated by Drew Buckley, Group President & COO at Propagate Content, the panel featured Romilda de Luca, Producer & Content Strategist at RDL Worldwide; and David Hillman, Head of Alternative & Unscripted at Sugar23. Panelists shared practical approaches to establishing and nurturing brand relationships to secure additional resources for content production.
“We’re not doing product placement at Sugar23. We’re bringing brands into the conversation very early, and in a meaningful way. We give them a piece of the backend and form a true partnership.” – David Hillman
“Branding is shifting their investment [strategy] from what was standard in advertising to investing in something that is more meaningful to the narrative, to storytelling. They completely changed the approach.” – Romilda de Luca
Afternoon Sessions and Investment Perspectives
After a networking lunch, a Buyer Conversation led by Heather Olander, Head of Unscripted Programming at The CW Network, and SallyAnn Salsano, Founder & CEO of 495 Productions, provided insights into the evolving priorities of buyers in the unscripted realm.
In the following session, Investment Perspective on the Future of Unscripted, Ed Wilson, Founder of Fifth Partners Growth Fund and Executive Chairman of NPACT, moderated a panel with Sarah Bernard, CEO, Bernard Growth Strategies; Reinout Oerlemans, Chairman of 3BMG; and Jason Rapp, Partner at Whisper Advisors. This high-profile group shared their insights on current investment trends, as well as predictions for the future of the unscripted genre in an ever-competitive market.
Studio and Podcast Industry Conversations
As the day continued, Allison Wallach, Head of Unscripted Entertainment at Fox Entertainment Studios, and Sharon Levy, CEO of Endemol Shine North America, joined for a Studio Conversation exploring studio-based strategies for navigating IP ownership and format sales.
A panel on The Business of Podcasts wrapped up the content-focused sessions, with Ri-Karlo Handy, SVP Creative of Unscripted at Blink49 Studios, leading a discussion with Chris Case, Co-Founder & EP at Club Random Studios; Joanne Griffith, Chief Content Officer at APM Studios (American Public Media); Stephanie Lydecker, CEO of KT Studios; and Shane Smith, Founder & Executive Chairman of VICE Media. The speakers addressed new monetization strategies for podcast IP, with a focus on leveraging content across multiple platforms and securing sustainable revenue streams.
Final Buyer Conversation
A final Buyer Conversation wrapped up the day’s content featuring Brandon Riegg, VP of Nonfiction Series & Sports at Netflix, and Adam Sher, President of ITV America. This session provided insights into Netflix and ITV’s approaches to unscripted content, international expansion, and the future of format-based productions.
Networking Cocktail Mixer
The day closed out with a discussion about IP ownership in today’s media ecosystem followed by a networking cocktail mixer. The mixer allowed both speakers and participants from the day to connect, ask questions, and network for future opportunities.
Michelle Van Kempen stated:
“We learned there’s an appetite for this type of high-level, strategy-focused event. The buzz has been fantastic, and we’ve gathered lots of specific feedback from attendees, so we can really fine-tune the next Unscripted Summit with an eye to making this the must-attend event for top unscripted execs for years to come. We’re already at work planning the Unscripted Executive Summit 2025 for mid-year next year. More details will be announced soon!”
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