As everyone speculated after the announcement that MIP London would run concurrently to the London TV Screenings, pulling off a market during that behemoth of a week was always going to be quite a task, however, the last few days showed that there was an appetite for a complementary approach to the hectic hustle and bustle of the screenings.
First, the venue. I personally liked the IET building. It was the right size to accommodate spontaneous meetings and didn't feel impersonal like those venues sometimes can. Of course, the scale of the market cannot be compared to MIPCOM, or MIPTV in its heyday. This was catering to a much smaller crowd of people looking to connect in a quiet space away from the screenings crowd. There were stands and a networking lounge also next door at the Savoy Hotel, but that was no distance at all (not compared to the trek from various Content London venues for example).
However, it turned out that the panels, keynotes and various presentations drew larger numbers than could be accommodated in the theatres available. That prompted some disgruntled comments, however, it speaks to the popularity of the sessions - which takes me to the market highlights.
Clearly aiming to cater primarily to the unscripted community, MIP London tried to put together a programme that would address the preoccupations of producers and buyers in the format and factual space. Where is the money? How do I fund my project in new ways when all budgets are being squeezed? How to best approach brands and how to make the best of the significance of YouTube and AVOD in general?
That last point was handled across multiple sessions and panels, often fronted by Evan Shapiro, who brought his customary enthusiasm and sharp insights to the subject. Key takeaways from those sessions were: looking at minutes viewed, YouTube is now the largest platform in many territories, including the UK (where it dwarfs PSBs among the younger demos), but it remains 'just' a platform and it is up to content creators big and small to leverage its viewing power - and that's in everyone's interest. In the words of Pedro Pina, Head of YouTube EMEA, 'if you're successful, you win, and I win; if you're not, you fail and I fail'
... to be continued.
To read the who article, go to https://cmmespresso.substack.com/p/the-london-week-i-miplondon
SUBSCRIBE TO the world’s most followed independent FREE NEWSLETTER to receive weekly updates on FORMATS, MARKETS & TRENDS around the world by clicking here: https://cmmespresso.substack.com/
First, the venue. I personally liked the IET building. It was the right size to accommodate spontaneous meetings and didn't feel impersonal like those venues sometimes can. Of course, the scale of the market cannot be compared to MIPCOM, or MIPTV in its heyday. This was catering to a much smaller crowd of people looking to connect in a quiet space away from the screenings crowd. There were stands and a networking lounge also next door at the Savoy Hotel, but that was no distance at all (not compared to the trek from various Content London venues for example).
However, it turned out that the panels, keynotes and various presentations drew larger numbers than could be accommodated in the theatres available. That prompted some disgruntled comments, however, it speaks to the popularity of the sessions - which takes me to the market highlights.
Clearly aiming to cater primarily to the unscripted community, MIP London tried to put together a programme that would address the preoccupations of producers and buyers in the format and factual space. Where is the money? How do I fund my project in new ways when all budgets are being squeezed? How to best approach brands and how to make the best of the significance of YouTube and AVOD in general?
That last point was handled across multiple sessions and panels, often fronted by Evan Shapiro, who brought his customary enthusiasm and sharp insights to the subject. Key takeaways from those sessions were: looking at minutes viewed, YouTube is now the largest platform in many territories, including the UK (where it dwarfs PSBs among the younger demos), but it remains 'just' a platform and it is up to content creators big and small to leverage its viewing power - and that's in everyone's interest. In the words of Pedro Pina, Head of YouTube EMEA, 'if you're successful, you win, and I win; if you're not, you fail and I fail'
... to be continued.
To read the who article, go to https://cmmespresso.substack.com/p/the-london-week-i-miplondon
SUBSCRIBE TO the world’s most followed independent FREE NEWSLETTER to receive weekly updates on FORMATS, MARKETS & TRENDS around the world by clicking here: https://cmmespresso.substack.com/
