TV mart sees synergy
Monte Carlo opens quietly
The market has never been known for its frenetic action, but when so many sellers are to be seen peering out of their hotel room stands, clearly hoping for a little passing trade, well, it says something.
On the numbers front, mart head David Tomatis has done his stuff. Estimates are that some 400 acquisition execs are in town, 50 fewer than last year, "but that's because we have been more rigorous in our targeting,'' Tomatis said.
Sales companies number 135, of which 19 are first-timers at the event, which would seem to suggest that despite years of people trying to bury Monte Carlo, Tomatis and his team can still attract new clients.
But the days when cigar-smoking heads of international television sales for the U.S. majors would hold court in their hotel rooms, before swanning over for a chat and champagne at Prince Albert of Monaco's place, seem to be a fading memory.
MGM, NBC, Universal, Columbia TriStar and particularly Paramount are still well repped, but it looks as if the old argument that this is the television market where "quality time" can be spent with clients, doesn't wash anymore with the sales presidents, who have largely stayed away this year.
The upside is that Tomatis is doing a fairly decent job in repositioning the first television market of the European calendar.
There's a good deal more synergy between the four-day market and the Monte Carlo Television Festival (Feb. 17-23). Paramount is set to hold a special screening of ''On Higher Ground'' during the fest, and the festival/market is paying tribute to Roger Moore, David E. Kelley and Jane Seymour by awarding them Gold Nymphs for the body of their creative work.
On the business side, Marjorie Scardino, chief exec of Pearson, stole the show at Sunday's market dinner as she was awarded a Gold Nymph for being an outstanding media executive.
Monte Carlo has also established a Euro Producer Prize, rewarding a European production company for two years of quality fare. This year, the prize went to Denmark's Zentropa, co-owned by Lars Von Trier, with the selection committee paying particular attention to TV series "The Kingdom 2" and "Morten Korch.'"
There's also been a beefing up of industry forums, with a particular emphasis being placed on the booming format business.
Tomatis stresses that "we don't want to push Monte Carlo into being simply a format market, but there is an increasing link between traditional format specialists (of gameshows) and drama producers. Monte Carlo certainly offers an opportunity for these people to look to the future."
