London TV Screenings Insights: Paul Heaney, CEO, BossaNova

Museum Mysteries (Source: BossaNova)

As buyers flock to the UK for London TV Screenings and BBC Studios Showcase this week, TBI talks to the bosses of more than 25 distribution companies to test the temperature of the global content industry and to find out how the next 12 months are shaping up.

Here, Paul Heaney, CEO of UK distributor BossaNova, talks quality over quantity, the push towards more co-productions, and risk-taking.

What three words would you use to describe the state of the TV/streaming industry as a whole right now?

Needing a hug.

Paul Heaney

What three words would you use to describe the state of the distribution sector right now?

Less is more.

With fewer shows being commissioned, how are you securing your pipeline?

Taking risks, building brands and creating others. The 80/20 rule has never been more pertinent. Ignore filler and fodder and shows with limited sales appeal. No really, please ignore them, they’ll slow you down.

What is the single biggest difference in the discussions you’re having with buyers today compared with 12 months ago?

Buyers are being more forensic in their choices, so should distributors.

How do you expect global streamer demands for rights to change in 2024 compared with 2023?

More co-productions – or in plain English, they won’t be buying global rights as much, preferring a local/regional approach – without doubt, everyone wants their money to go further.

Where does opportunity lie for you in 2024?

Making more projects get over the line using our model, using Development Days and the buyer community/hub we have built to give the buyers what they need. We won’t always get it right, but that demonstrates we are flexing the model to get the best series off the ground… doesn’t it??

Tell us in no more than two sentences about the biggest problem facing the distribution industry and what needs to change so it can be overcome.

Very hard to encompass the whole industry as smaller and larger businesses have totally different set ups. Smaller- biggest problem is content pipeline but solution is to focus rather than pivot and avoid fragmenting the message. Larger – maintaining growth in a contracted market

Tell us about your top show at London Screenings & why we should buy it.

Museum Mysteries is a brand new potentially returning series. There is a need for ‘secrets being revealed’ shows so we feel this hits that mark. Iconic stories with decoded messages, hidden sub texts and mind-blowing revelations.