Financial crisis as a window of opportunity for Ukrainian producers to develop their own formats

During the panel discussion Challenges Create opportunities. Global Market Conforms to New Realities of the CIS Region, which was held yesterday, September 7, within FORMAT SHOW, representatives of international distribution companies presented their vision of the Ukrainian content market and told the audience how to make original content  more attractive for the foreign colleagues. The editorial director of C21Media Ed Waller, SVP International Format Sales of all3media International Sabrina Duguet, managing partner of Eccho Rights Nicola Söderlund and SVP Format Sales and Development of Small World IFT Luci Burnley were the participants of the discussion. 

According to Sabrina Duguet, in a shrinking market and in the circumstances of devaluation and loss of Russian partners as co-producers production of local adaptations of the existing scripted formats is one of the best options for the Ukrainian TV channels during the crisis. This implies less financial risk than the launch of new original projects.

However Nicola Söderlund confirmed his interest in Ukrainian original formats as an international distributor and noted that such projects as Crack Them Up by Studio Kvartal 95 and Bessmertnik (Everlasting) by channel Ukraine aroused great interest among the international audience. He also noted that the current financial situation is a window of opportunity for Ukrainian producers who now have the ability to focus on developing their own formats.