Cyril Travassac
Belgium's RTBF Creative has been working hard on political formats this year. They have rebooted "The Powerwall" (120') for their most recent elections. Produced by RTBF & Nathalie Wogue, the program is a new form of political debate, structured around game show rules, to help everyone find answers to important questions in a society that has experienced major changes over the past few years. Six major party representatives face the questions of 100 young voters, gathered in the Powerwall. Over the course of three rounds, the political guests have to push a button in order to answer questions on education, environment, health, or housing, and their speeches are timed. The results are immediately displayed, and the politicians get two more rounds to improve their results: a duel and a battle. Viewers can also participate. "By combining information, interactivity, and a touch of entertainment, the aim of this unique program is to bring back a sense of trust to this Powerwall and, beyond, the viewers at home," said Cyril Travassac, Head of Global Format at RTBF Creative, to Señal News. First broadcast in 2019, a new one-off episode aired very successfully on May 15, in prime time on RTBF, achieving a 21.4% share. "It's a very original way to talk to the young audience about politics, and it worked for the audience who were in the room. Their trust in politicians shifted from 20% at the start of the show to more than 50%," he commented.
Another highlighted political show is "Politics in a Cube" (26'), an intense and innovative political debate show that revolutionizes the way societies perceive political exchanges. In a glass cube set up in a public square, two political figures face off in an unprecedented duel. In this confined, empty, and audience-free space, the political figures confront their viewpoints on crucial topics such as employment, energy, and purchasing power. This innovative 26-minute format features face-to-face encounters between political heavyweights and offers viewers a unique opportunity to better understand the proposals of different political factions. "Whenever there is an election, the face-off is always very important, but it's the same stuff every time. So we wanted to create totally different experiences for the audience," underlined Travassac.
Another great title RTBF Creative is promoting in the politics genre is "Ticket to Europe" (8x26'), a show inspired by the codes of digital media and adventure games, where eight young people, aged 16 to 30, are catapulted into a unique European adventure. Armed with a simple ticket and guided by a mysterious dynamic QR code, they set off to discover eight destinations across Europe. Each episode follows their trip, immersed in the political and social realities of a country. Along their journey, they meet passionate activists, experts, and engaged citizens. Together, they discuss relevant societal issues such as LGBT rights, women's rights, education, new technologies, and the environment. "We organized a huge casting, telling young first voters if they wanted to spend four days in a European country. More than 600 applicants wanted to participate in the experience, and we gave eight of them a ticket," recalled Travassac.
WHAT'S NEXT?
RTBF Creative has also been working on the adventure game "The Comedy Expedition Challenge" (70’), produced by RTBF & Why Why Productions. The program promises to revolutionize entertainment by merging the adventure game genre with stand-up comedy. "We are actually in post-production," he said. In the program, an adventurer takes two comedians on an expedition that pushes them out of their comfort zones and is undoubtedly a source of inspiration. Her goal is to teach them self-overcoming in the wilderness. She helps them reach five Stand-Up Beacons scattered along their path. At each beacon, there is a challenge to overcome: the winner of the trial has the opportunity to unlock the beacon, allowing them to accumulate badges. The comedians' goal? To be bolder than their opponent to accumulate as many badges as possible, and above all not to lose them by proving to everyone that they have the most unshakable sense of humor even in adversity. At the end of the expedition, which concludes on the stage of a Comedy Club, only the audience's vote allow one of them to unlock the ultimate beacon, which could change the course of their expedition. The comedian who holds the most badges wins the coveted trophy for unbreakable humor.