C21Podcast

Netflix's Michael Azzolino and Łukasz Kłuskiewicz discuss their commissioning and acquisitions strategies across Central and Eastern Europe; and Warner Bros Discovery's Katarzyna Drogowska talks about this week's launch of Max in Poland.

ATM Grupa's Andrzej Muszyński, Endemol Shine Poland's Małgorzata Perkowska-Czaja and Banijay's Steve Matthews, and Firefly Productions' Ivana Miković discuss how the Central and Eastern European market is defying the commissioning downturn seen elsewhere – from C21's inaugural Content Warsaw.

Bad Wolf's Jane Tranter and Kate Crowther on new BBC drama Dope Girls and rethinking transatlantic copros [00:41]; 3Vision's Jack Davison on the US studios' changing licensing approach [15:41]; Exile Content Studio's Nando Vila on following streamers into procedurals [33:40]; and Curio Pictures' Jo Porter and Rachel Gardner on adapting The Narrow Road to the Deep North for Prime Video [50:20].

LA SCREENINGS: Parrot Analytics' Brandon Katz on the US studios' return to licensing and why consolidation won't solve Hollywood's problems [01:27]; Paramount Global's Lisa Kramer on business as usual [22:30]; plus showrunner Barbie Kligman on new Fox medical drama Doc [41:02], and Adam and Craig Malamut, creators of the network's new adult animation, Universal Basic Guys [54:10].

LA SCREENINGS: Former Bell Media content chief Mike Cosentino on the intrigue that happens behind the scenes at the LA Screenings [00:39]; media cartographer Evan Shapiro on the parallels between the ailing Hollywood studio system and his own experience of cancer [26:24]; and ACF Investment Bank's Thomas Dey on why Paramount is just the start of a new phase of mega-mergers [53:36].

LA SCREENINGS: The C21 team looks ahead to this year's LA Screenings, with uncertainty surrounding Paramount and Hollywood in a spin following last year's strikes, as streaming struggles, budgets and jobs are cut, and the impact of AI looms large; plus Universal International Studios president Beatrice Springborn, filmmaker and actor Mark Duplass, and Shondaland creative partner Betsy Beers discus...

Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker and co-writer Bisha K Ali on their win last Sunday at the 2024 Bafta Television Craft Awards, the art of keeping the show fresh, and the future of AI in television; and, as part of C21’s Big Picture initiative, Emmy-award winning filmmaker and writer Richie Mehta, on Amazon Prime Video India true crime drama Poacher, his inspiration, and advice for those with p...

As part of C21’s Big Picture initiative, Balloon Entertainment's Bryan Elsley talks about his journey into the TV industry and his concerns about how it's these days stifling creativity; Jessica Hobbs on directing HBO Kate Winslet political satire The Regime together with Stephen Frears; and showrunner Graham Wagner on adapting one of the biggest video game franchises of all time for Amazon.

NBCUniversal's Ana Langenberg, ZDF's Kristina Hollstein and Banijay's Carlotta Rossi Spencer at the 61st and final edition of MipTV in Cannes; and Sky UK's Poppy Dixon on her programming priorities for the coming months and advice for producers struggling in the current economic climate.

Apple Film Production's Dariusz Jabłoński on the strength of the Polish TV market and international copro opportunities arising from economic crises elsewhere; Charlotte Brändström on directing The Lord of the Rings - The Rings of Power and the state of the TV business; and Telekom Srbija's Aleksandra Martinović on major new Adria-Spain copro Scar.

Argonon's Joe Weinstock on the challenges facing the US unscripted business right now; Cineflix Productions' JC Mills on the value of evergreen formats in the current climate; and Boiling Point's Philip Barantini and Samantha Beddoe on setting up It's All Made Up Productions.

Element Pictures' Emma Norton on the return of the Poor Things maker's RTÉ/ITVX comedy-drama The Dry and the challenges of industry contraction; Story Films' Peter Beard on new Channel 4 drama-documentary The Woman Who Fell To Earth; and Listen Entertainment's Josh Adley on the rise of visual podcast companion shows.

The Art of Coproduction's Marc Lorber, Banijay's Frédéric Balmary, Big Blue's Fleur Winters, and Ntintili Factory's Busisiwe Ntintili give their takes on this year's Series Mania in Lille and the present state of the international TV business.

Screenwriters Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks on adapting Shōgun for a new generation; Game of Thrones' Natalie Dormer on new South African drama White Lies; and Apple Tree Productions' Piv Bernth and Lars Hermann on the challenges facing the Nordic region following Viaplay's exit from originals.

To mark International Women's Day, Mothership's Kelly Webb-Lamb, Rogan Productions' Soleta Rogan, Blackbox Multimedia's Chiara Cardoso and Wildstar Films' Chloe Sarosh discuss continued inequality within the TV industry and what can be done to change this.

Playground Entertainment's Colin Callender on returning to Wolf Hall – 10 years after his first award-winning adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novels; BBC Studios' Matt Forde on growing The 1% Club, and the continued resilience of unscripted; plus Big Talk's Kenton Allen and Blue Ant's Lilla Hurst on this week's London TV Screenings and the challenges of the current marketplace.

Abacus Media Rights' Jonathan Ford, BossaNova Media's Paul Heaney and Hat Trick International's Sarah Tong discuss this year's London TV Screenings, speculation about the future of MipTV, and the sale of All3Media; and Ukrainian producer Kateryna Laskari on how the local film and TV business has adapted to life, two years on from the Russian invasion.

Dynamic Television's Daniel March on how the Drops of God maker is divining continued industry turbulence; Wild Sheep Content's Erik Barmack on the changing streamer landscape; showrunner Melanie Halsall on My Life With the Walter Boys journey from Wattpad to Netflix; and 72 Films' John Douglas on bringing James Bond to TV with 007: Road to a Million.

The Gersh Agency's Roy Ashton on continued uncertainty in the US marketplace after last year's Hollywood strikes and the impact of further consolidation; Lion Forge Entertainment's Stephanie Sperber on how the diversity-focused studio is navigating the tumult; and BlackBox Multimedia's Giuliano Papadia on adapting to streamer cutbacks.

Cineflix Productions' JC Mills, Station 6's Tony Tackaberry, and Intuitive Content's Patrick Weiland on the state of the North American non-scripted market; and writer Lauren Sequeira and Dancing Ledge's Laurence Bowen on new BBC supernatural drama Domino Day.

From C21's Content Americas in Miami, Rubicon Global Media's Chris Albrecht and Jorge Granier, Banijay Americas' Ben Samek, Warner Bros Discovery's Patricia Jasin, and BBC Studios' André Renaud discuss the opportunities and challenges across the Latin American and US Hispanic markets.

Lenny Henry on his new scripted outfit, Esmerelda Productions, and Banijay's Patrick Holland on backing it; BBC Studios' Ralph Lee and ITV Studios' Julian Bellamy on the turbulence of the last 12 months and what's to come in 2024; and SkyShowtime's Monty Sarhan on why, while the industry may be past 'peak TV', the future belongs to streaming.

Peaky Blinders' Steven Knight on his new BBC drama This Town and why AI is a tiger that needs to be tamed; Harlan Coben on his latest Netflix thriller Fool Me Once and why he still suffers imposter syndrome; and Chris Brancato traces the lines between Narcos, Godfather of Harlem and Hotel Cocaine for MGM+.

Left Bank Pictures' Andy Harries reflects on the final season of The Crown and how the series helped his company ride the streaming boom; Bad Wolf's Jane Tranter on her cautious outlook for 2024 and expansion of the 'Whoniverse'; and industry luminaries including Vertigo Films' Allan Niblo debate the impact of AI.

In our final episode of 2023, we hear from MGM's Michael Wright and Chris Brearton about their programming strategy as part of Amazon, and plans for international roll-out in 2024; scribes Jeff Melvoin, Anna Winger and Suzie Miller on where the US writers' room model goes following this year's strike; and Qvisten Animation's Fredrik Kiøsterud on the Nordic Christmas Hour.