11 OCT 2021

Janel Downing: “We are living in a pivotal time for television”

The SVP Latin America at All3Media International describes the company’s main focus regarding scripted content, analyzes market trends, and anticipates the goals for the rest of 2021.

11 OCT 2021
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Janel Downing

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Whether it is a light-hearted romance or a dark thriller, All3Media International always has something to offer when it comes to scripted programming. Speaking to Señal News, Janel Downing, SVP Latin America at All3Media International, described the company’s main focus regarding scripted content, analyzed market trends, and anticipated the goals for the rest of 2021.

▸  What is your main focus right now regarding scripted content?

“We continue to invest in a range of projects so we can offer a broad slate. We are proud of maintaining consistency of quality in the productions we offer; whether it is a light-hearted romance or a dark thriller, the quality threshold is guaranteed from All3Media International. It is great that so many of our production partners have resumed or started productions as soon as various lockdown situations allowed. The Q4 2021 slate looks genuinely amazing, and next year will be equally fabulous”.

▸  Do you feel that there is a genre or topic that resonates the most nowadays?

“There is a high demand in the market for compelling, intelligent thrillers, and we are pleased to be able to offer these. Our scripted catalog includes the latest’ Manhunt’ series, ‘Manhunt: The Night Stalker,’ which sees the return of BAFTA-winning Martin Clunes as real-life police detective Colin Sutton. We are also extremely excited about the taut female-led thriller ‘Hollington Drive’ from award-winning screenwriter Sophie Petzal and starring BAFTA winner Anna Maxwell Martin.  We have seen strong interest in premium documentaries that offer insider access, through never-before-seen footage and exclusive interviews. Our brilliant factual slate features the enthralling series from David Beckham’s production company Studio 99 and BAFTA and Emmy award-winning Story Films, ‘Fever Pitch: Rise of the Premier League’. We will also feature the true-crime documentary ‘The Wimbledon Kidnapping,’ which explores the untold story of the UK’s first kidnap and ransom case, with the Murdoch empire key to the case’s outcome”.

▸  Do you think that scripted content stopped having language or country barriers?

“Yes, absolutely. We are living in a pivotal time for television. With the emergence of streaming platforms offering more international content, audiences are finding that they can connect with stories from all over the world. The high-quality storytelling and fantastic talent of our scripted slate have led to a recent raft of international sales. We reached global sales for titles including acclaimed new detective drama ‘Annika,’ compelling series ‘Eden,’ and Hitchcockian thriller ‘Angela Black,’ which reunites Two Brothers Pictures and Joanne Froggatt, following their success on ‘Liar’”.

▸  What differences do you observe between TV and streaming platforms when it comes to doing business?

“We have seen streaming platforms are aiming to offer audiences more non-traditional types of programming, and so are open to acquiring shorter run dramas premium dramas. That has led to sales for a number of our thrillers, including ‘The Drowning,’ which was licensed to Acorn, ‘The Deceived,’ and Two Brothers Pictures’ new series ‘Angela Black,’ both of which we licensed to Directv”.

▸  What are the company’s scripted plans for the rest of 2021?

“We are excited to bring the brilliant new incarnation of H.E. Bates’ beloved ‘The Darling Buds of May - The Larkins’ to the global market. Pure escapism for a family audience, the show is set in the late 1950s. The six-part drama follows the story of a family led by the golden-hearted, entrepreneurial man Pop Larkin, and his wife, Ma. Together with their six children, the family is fiercely loyal and hardworking, with a distinct disinterest in authority. Surrounded by the idyllic Kent countryside, this heart-warming and humorous series celebrates family and community”.

By Federico Marzulllo