NEM Zagreb: CEE set to gain as streamer budget squeeze leads to co-pro growth

Source: NEM

Tightening budgets are set to create surging demand for co-productions across Europe, with windowing and opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) opening up, according to executives gathered in Croatia for the NEM Zagreb conference.

As streamers and broadcasters look for finance models that push their spending further, execs here at NEM Zagreb pointed to an evolving coproduction business that will allow for broader cooperation between parties.

Morad Koufane, deputy director of international series at France Télévisions, pointed to his broadcaster’s embrace of new windowing arrangements with streamers such as Netflix as one example of how the business has shifted.

France Télévisions and Prime Video were both behind local drama Dark Hearts, which had a window on the streamer before moving to the broadcaster, with Newen Connect selling globally.

Other companies such as rival TF1 has partnered with Netflix on its series, Women At War, and Koufane said that the Dark Hearts model worked for both parties for differing reasons, but ultimately enabled shows to be produced more cost-effectively for both.

“More and more [the streamers] are letting us be in charge of the editorial side of projects, because they might not be staffed enough, so they rely on us for artistic development.

“And we work with almost all of them. We do very few projects but the ones we do we try to do authentically with big budgets and so we find these partners can work together. We can go second or first, and it could be three months or six months, or even a year, later.”

Koufane added that the strategy was not appearing to cannibalise audiences, adding: “We have that flexibilty, and a few years ago there is no way we would have been on those terms.”

CEE growth

The CEE region is also well-placed to attract more co-productions, with lower costs and a soft money available, added Krisztina Gallo, head of co-productions at Paprika Studios, which is in the process of being sold by owner Viaplay.

“It’s a nice moment for Western Europe to turn towards us, now the streaming bubble has burst,” she said, adding that “closing the distance” between creators’ ideas and “what commissioners want” was vital.

Lionsgate alum and coproduction expert Marc Lorber, who was moderating, also pointed to the importance of organisations such as Council of Europe as a way to secure funding.

Alex Traila, programme manager at Council of Europe’s Eurimages, highlighted that his fund has around €3m to invest, with between €250,000 ($270,000) and €500,000 available per coproduction.