TBI Weekly: OOO in the sunshine of Cannes (eat that London)

MIPTV2023 Opening Party

As the final MIPTV prepares to be rolled out in Cannes, TBI’s resident format expert Siobhan Crawford explores what’s in store next week and how she’s approaching the rest of year.

My MIPTV tickets are booked. The countdown is on and I know you lot are guaranteed to have FOMO if you are not coming. Guaranteed.

Sunshine and actual warmth?! OK, it is weird this year and people seem to be coming Saturday to Tuesday.

Siobhan Crawford

But, that means MIPFormats is the draw and if RX can just fatten out the agenda with some genuine take-home knowledge and mid-exec level speakers who have more than inspirational quotes, I think they would realise the value. We as a market are still trying to learn and be informed!

MIPFormats pitch has more entries than MIPCOM last year and that means hope is alive and kicking. So what am I going into MIPTV thinking about?

How can we lift the mood, because a 36-year-old (who started a company 15 months ago) cannot believe the industry she loves is in a terminal state.

We just need to go through some communal industry CBT to change our thought patterns because 2024 is going to be a long year, so let’s get our heads screwed on straight.

Indie king in spring

LineUp, Can’t Stop, Primitives, AllRight, Be-Entertainment, GLOW. This is your European core of format firms and it is certain they have been saving their line-ups for MIPTV because London Screenings does not accommodate the smaller indies.

They will all attend and you should expect a minimum of 15 newish titles to pop up that you need to look at.

Smarter not harder

A friend of mine is an eternal optimist, he takes everyone’s interest as something to pursue. Stop this! If you want to work smarter in Formatland you need to be thinking about quality, not quantity.

Who can get your content from A to B given the economical circumstances and broadcaster preferences? Shorten your list, work with the regulars and think strategy.

And please, be informed so the energy you expend is worth it.

Change in 24

Another wonderful chat with H and another thought is that if we just ‘Survive to 25’ then next year it will be same crap, different year.

We have time to impact how 2025 will look if we start changing things now. Mind-mapping and strategising, cooperating and
collaborating. Find your niche. Or pivot and flex. But do something, I am.

And no, FAST channels are not our saviour.

Quiet please

The revenues and commissions of others in the trade press is loud. The magic and ease that some people seem to trade with, the FOMO that they create… it can really have you wasting mental power comparing and worrying.

A news story without a broadcaster mentioned is not a sale, it’s someone just trying to get attention. Stop listening to the noise, don’t feel the panic – you do you boo.

Cheer cheer cheer

There has to be some joy in the industry to buoy us. It is about celebrating wins. But who do we cheer for? I want to celebrate the wins that change our ecosystem, that see growth or progress… not status quo.

A format getting a revival, a brand being extended – yeah, I have some cheer. A paper format being picked up that is not from a group, a friend getting a UK commission with a small French format, a recommission for a small indie prodco – you cheer loud.

MIPTV 2023

Cheer for each other and progress, don’t compete.

And one final thing: anthem time. I get it, it’s rough out there but you are doing whatever you can, so instead of U2 or Tom Walker to sob along to, we need: Cat Burns’ Live More & Love More.

Can you think of better advice in a junky time in the TV world? When we have to ask what actually matters and how we spend our precious mental power?

Fake it till you make it. I am still trying to live the lyrics too, but if we are trying this hard it must be worth fighting for.

Happy MIPTV, may it bring surprises.

Siobhan Crawford is co-founder of Glow Media and has worked in the format business for almost two decades at firms including DRG, Zodiak, Banijay and Primitives