Indian animation studios have understood over the past decade or so: if you want to build your business you have to be at Mipcom, MipTV and MipJunior. Come 11 October 2014, it will be that time of the year, when the world’s leading kid’s content commissioning editors, broadcasters, buyers, licensing and merchandising companies, producers and studios head to Mip Junior – followed by MipCom – in picturesque Cannes in the French Riviera. As will many Indian participants.
For those familiar with MipMarkets, the difference this year is that MipJunior is being held at the extreme end of the famed Cannes croisette – The Palm Beach area, and not at one of the hotels like the Martinez or the Carlton as was the case in the past. But Reed Midem, which organises some of the finest markets in the world, has made transport arrangements for participants of MipJunior.
Like in the past MipJunior will run for two days and consists of screenings, conferences, networking events. It is the biggest international digital library for kids, where all the influential digital players, publishers and licensing executives present, discover and screen the very latest content and close all the deals at MIPCOM.
With nearly 1,300 kid’s contents executives expected to attend, the Reed Midem management believes that deal making should be hotter than ever for those who attend. Among the big names which are slated to attend include: BBC Children, Walt Disney, Mind Candy, DreamWorks Classics, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros. Animation, Discovery Kids and National Geographic Kids.
“Thunderbirds Are Go,” produced by ITV Studios and New Zealand-based Pukeko Pictures, in collaboration with world-famous Weta Workshop (“Avatar,” “The Lord of the Rings”) will be premiered for the first time at MIPJunior.
MIPJunior is expecting to screen1, 060 programmes over the two days. In a joint venture with Kazachok and Total Licensing this year, it will include two enhanced and expanded matchmaking sessions that will feature ten experts from both licensing and the kid’s entertainment industry. Pascal Bonnet, Senior Director of Films/TV Sales & Licensing, VIZ Media Europe, Ken Faier, President, Nerd Corps Entertainment, Canada, Nitin Kalra, Director, AI Licensing India, are few names that will be serving as hosts.
And of course, there is the exclusive Buyers’ & Commissioners Matchmaking event which allows animation and kid’s content producers to pitch in their projects to top international buyers.
A workshop has been planned for book adaptations in partnership with the London Book Fair too. Titled Creative Collaboration from book to screen, it will be helmed by Asif Bashir, Director of Unique Inspiration, UK and Jack Thomas, director of the London Book Fair.
Freshers with great ideas, concepts, and characters wanting to make a breakthrough can pitch their ideas through the Mipjunior International Pitch competition. If you have the potential for TV and multi-platform brand extension and a prospective to target International audience than this is the right place for you. The competition will be held on Sunday morning, 12 October.
Today, new talents and new ideas can come from anywhere and they can lead to innovative coproduction models. MIPJunior has also organised a talk where you can discuss your ideas with Russell Hicks, President, Content Development and Production, Nickelodeon Group, US. Now Share your thought and dive into the business with this puppet-master.
Says Reed Midem India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangla desh representative Anil Wanvari: “MipJunior is the perfect platform for India’s creative animation industry. Indian studios which have used the platform in conjunction with MipCom have seen their fortunes rise. For the second consecutive year, we have a pavilion from Andhra Pradesh’s AVCGI at MipCom. Indian companies such as Ultra Distributors have entered the Mip Junior pitchsssss in the past and won and generated business for themselves. Indian industry has been giving a healthy response this year to participation in these two events. We expect this to gather momentum in the next few weeks so that we have the best participation from India in MipCom’s and Mip Junior’s history.”