Press

Fox hunts for international remakes

MEDIAXCHANGE DRAMA SUMMIT INTERVIEW: Fox TV Studios VP of programming and coproduction Daniel Hetzer tells David Jenkinson about how he plans to find projects overseas and remake them for the US.

"We're looking for a new production model that allows us to finance high quality primetime drama in a new way," says Fox Studios VP of programming and coproduction Daniel Hetzer.

The initiative follows earlier news that Fox TV Studios has three projects in development outside the US that will be sold back into the country after they have been made. All are penned, staffed and cast with US talent.

"The writers strike accelerated the process of looking for new production models," adds Hetzer. "US studios and networks are owned by huge conglomerates that report to shareholders, and shareholders are looking for profits. So what do you do? You have to find a way to keep the level of quality, but with a lower input of money. One of our strategies is to go outside the US to achieve these goals. We still want to produce in the US, there are still also projects and creative ideas and projects that need to be shot here, but we are putting together a mix of different ways of financing projects."

A native German, Hetzer's mission is to 'educate' the studio about the sensitivities of international markets. "There is a reason why they imported a German guy to the US," he says. "They need to understand the international business and then bring our know-how to that business to create new content.

"There are a lot of emerging markets that now have an experienced workforce and it is a lot cheaper to produce in those places because of lower below the line costs," he continues.

Right now Fox TV Studios is making its own shows in these locations, but Hetzer says the mission is to find projects from international markets that can be remade for a US audience and then exported to the world. "We are looking for stories that work in the French market to see if we have a chance to elevate them to have a global perspective. I am opening the doors to the European market and on a mission to find projects that will work."

Hetzer says he is evaluating several projects at the moment, including properties form Italy and Germany. "We have one particular concept in development I think will be big which is a National Treasure/Indiana Jones type of idea.

"Fox TV Studios is focused on making series for the cable market, which has a very strong focus on characters and stories. So that's the type of thing we are looking for.

"But if you want to sell into the US the themes have to be American. That may change in the future, but for now that's the way it is. As far as the financial model goes, if you can make a series that fits the bill and be profitable without a US sales, then you are in a stronger position to come back into the North American market."

Daniel Hetzer will be speaking at C21's Hitmakers USA one-day networking event on October 10 at BAFTA in London. For more information and to book online click here.

David Jenkinson
15 Aug 2008
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