Travis Webb
On May 2023, global film and TV studio Fifth Season tapped former Netflix executive Travis Webb as SVP Sales, Americas. Since then, he has been spearheading sales activity for the company’s premium slate of scripted and unscripted content in the United States, Canada, and Latin America markets. In conversation with Señal News, the executive detailed the offer and explained the company's strategy.
● Which challenges does your role as SVP of Sales in the Americas present?
“Fifth Season is a significant producer and distributor of global premium content for leading streaming and television platforms. We were formerly known as Endeavor Content and are now under our new branding of Fifth Season, with shareholders including Korea’s CJ ENM, Japan’s Toho International, and Endeavor. In 2023, we successfully expanded our slate of premium returning series, which included ‘Wolf Like Me’ S2 (Peacock US and Amazon Latin America), ‘Run the Burbs’ S3 (CBC Canada and Hulu US), and a new installment of Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder is Easy’ (BritBox US). In 2024, we will be delivering new seasons of Tokyo Vice’ S2 (HBO Max), ‘Life and Beth’ (Hulu) and ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ (Hulu US and Amazon Latin America). In 2023, we also faced the same challenges as the rest of the industry with the strikes impacting us all. We are delighted that agreements have been reached and our production has restarted on many projects.”
“The Americas is also a hotbed region for streaming platforms, with many players producing a significant range of features and series. To set ourselves apart, we prioritize creating and distributing the most premium, diverse, and proven stories from global players. Latin America plays a crucial role in our distribution, as it has the second-largest base of digital video viewers worldwide, along with significant linear viewing audiences. Fifth Season offers exceptional global content that complements local content produced by platforms in the region.”
● How would you describe Fifth Season’s current sales strategy?
“We have a multi-pronged approach to our content offering and sales strategy. While we offer premium content in all genre categories, we have had a recent focus on strong female-led dramas, true crime stories, and best-in-class international content with great female leads. We have always sought content that champions female creatives and diversity through its storytelling and production – it is a fundamental part of how Fifth Season advocates for diversity and equality within our industry.”
“In 2024, we will be launching ‘Wild Cards’, a crime-solving procedural with a comedic twist featuring a captivating con-woman, Vanessa Morgan (known for her role in ‘Riverdale’), and ‘Sight Unseen’, a crime drama with a sight-impaired female hero, authentically cast and created by two female producers. In addition, we have ‘Second Chances’, led by Carolina Gaitan, a leading Colombian actress, about three women and their struggle to overcome their mistakes of the past and create a better future. This year will also see the launch of ‘Strife,’ a comedic drama series from the producers of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers.’ This show follows the journey of a modern, imperfect woman and publisher from a lounge room blogger to a force in women's media.”
“We also love projects inspired by true stories, such as ‘Kiss the Future,’ co-produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and fronted by Bono and The Edge. This film tells the story of the siege of Sarajevo, the improbable concert U2 played there at great personal risk, and how music can have a powerful impact during times of war. We are also home to best-in-class international dramas such as ‘Kin’, lauded as one of the best Irish dramas in recent years and featuring a star-studded cast. Fifth Season's content offering caters to various needs while focusing on growth areas that reflect audiences’ trends and viewing.”
● Do you observe any trend in the Americas regarding content genres?
“The true crime genre remains highly popular in the Americas, especially in Latin America, where engaging premium documentaries that spotlight victim-led investigations continue to captivate audiences. Our 2024 premium docuseries ‘Bad Host: Hunting the Couchsurfing Predator’ has really captured this trend. The series features a group of young female survivors from different parts of the world coming together online to bring their abuser to justice.”
“In addition, we are also witnessing a surge in true crime stories that explore and unmask public figures as well as re-examine pop culture – with our 2024 docuseries ‘Marilyn Manson: Behind the Mask’ being a perfect example of this trend. The show examines the recent accusations against shock-rocker Marilyn Manson, and includes never-before-seen footage and exclusive interviews from his inner circle, making it a must-watch for audiences. That is really what it boils down to in the current marketplace, having content that is undeniable and must-watch for each platform and their audience.”
● What are clients demanding right now?
“In addition to true stories, buyers and audiences increasingly seek content with strong, diverse female characters. We are focusing on bringing premium content in this genre, such as ‘Best Interests,’ a Jack Thorne BBC One limited series, which received critical acclaim and resonated with audiences worldwide thanks to its gripping storyline and Sharon Horgan's masterful performance.”
"Similarly, we introduced ‘One Night,’ a fast-paced mystery with three powerful female leads starring Jodie Whittaker, who is best known for playing the lead role in ‘Doctor Who’ for five years, and Yael Stone, best known for her portrayal of Lorna Morello in Netflix's ‘Orange Is the New Black.’ This year, we are also introducing ‘Friends Like Her’, a psychological drama set in New Zealand that explores the friendship and fallout between two women in a nightmare surrogacy scenario. The series features incredible lead performances by Morgana O'Reilly and Tess Haubrich.”
● What is Fifth Season planning to present at Content Americas/NATPE?
“Along with the other series mentioned earlier, we are also thrilled to present a new docuseries called ‘Tim Burton’ (WT). This series is particularly timely as Tim Burton is releasing the long-awaited ‘Beetlejuice 2’ this year. He is also involved in the most popular Netflix series of the past year, ‘Wednesday,’ which he executive produces and directed four episodes. The docuseries will provide a comprehensive account of Tim Burton’s life and career, featuring interviews with those who are closest to him, including Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenna Ortega, Christopher Walken, Danny Devito, Catherine O’Hara, Christina Ricci, and more.”
“We are also excited to present ‘Superpower,’ a feature documentary film that offers a close-up view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The documentary was filmed in Kyiv, and it started as a light-hearted look at a comedic actor turned President of Ukraine. However, the directors, Sean Penn and Aaron Kaufman, became unlikely witnesses to history on February 24, 2022, and had unprecedented access to Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the early days of the invasion. The documentary has been a privilege to finance and produce, and we are proud to present it at Content Americas and NATPE, along with the rest of our premium slate.”
By Federico Marzullo
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