The Festival will be taking a look at the TV industry stateside with sessions that take in the programming strategy of major channels and SVODs, how they are working with UK producers, and some of their shows that have become major hits, and the stories behind them.
US-based director of unscripted originals for Netflix, Nathaniel Grouille, and director of unscripted originals and acquisitions Sean Hancock will be joined by Talkback’s Laura Gibson and Viki Kolar, the creator and exec producer of Too Hot to Handle respectively, to talk about taking a UK-originated reality show global. Gibson and Kolar will reveal what it’s like working with one of the largest SVODs and Grouille and Hancock will lift the lid on their plans to generate more global hits from the UK and international markets.
In sessions that will analyse their channels, programming and industry trends, Rob Sharenow, president of programming for A+E Networks, and Howard Lee, president and general manager of TLC, will both discuss what flies on their network and why, how they are working with their colleagues outside the US, and how they are connecting with the international production community.
Sharenow, having taken up the role of president of programming in 2017, is responsible for overseeing all content for A&E, Lifetime, History and the entire A+E Networks channel portfolio. He will discuss working with the A&E team in the UK as well as what shows he’s looking for to take his networks forward into the next decade.
Lee has been an integral part of TLC, now ranked no.1 in primetime for women across all ad-supported cable. Having presided over hits such as 90 Day Fiancé and Say Yes to the Dress, Lee will talk about what’s catching his eye for his slate going forward, working with his Discovery colleagues across multiple territories, and the importance of their pro-social initiatives focused on diversity, acceptance and inclusion.
Jeniffer Kim, Senior Vice President, International Originals for HBO Max, will talk about where UK and international programming fits into the picture for the newly-minted streamer. Responsible for leading International content development for the SVOD service and finding co-production opportunities in the non-U.S. markets, Kim will lift the lid on how HBO Max is working with international partners. With a slate that already includes international co-pros Boys and Starstruck, and UK-produced shows such as Pure, Trigonometry and White House Farm, Kim will talk about the international programming is launching on the platform, what it’s looking for at the moment, and what its like for producers to work with HBO Max.