With U.S. co-production money leaving the room, European public broadcasters are banding together to get high-end drama over the line. The drama collectives out there include The Alliance, the Nordic Twelve, and the New8. The latter set out their stall at Seriencamp this week and showed footage of shows in production.
Much of the narrative around premium drama has been dominated by the streamers in recent times in Europe, but as some, such Paramount+, pull back, and others redraw their local programming plans, the spotlight is on the continent’s public broadcasters. They continue to commission, but faced with tighter programming budgets and the rising cost of drama, have joined forces to spread the load.
“It’s not about making profit, we are public broadcasters… it’s also part of our mission to support local ecosystems and I think that’s the biggest difference with us and the streamers,” said Marianne Furevold-Boland, Head of Drama at NRK.
She added: “Now we face this collapse of the market, and [some] streamers pulling out, I’m happy that we’re still there, and we will stay there. That is what we always do, and we will always do in the future; be there for our producers and for our local markets to support and to serve our audience.”
The New8 greenlights eight dramas a year and has eight members: ZDF (Germany), NPO (Netherlands), VRT (Belgium), SVT (Sweden), DR (Denmark), YLE (Finland), RÚV (Iceland), and NRK (Norway).
With a settled roster of members, the door is, however, open to other pubcasters getting involved, said Elly Vervloet from Belgium’s VRT, and who has just become chair of the New8.
“We would never keep the door closed for any other public broadcaster who wants to join,” she said. “You also need to build this trust and to make it work and that takes time and it’s a learning process. If the BBC, say, would like join, I would be open to it.”
Jarmo Lampela, Head of Drama at YLE, added that the collective approach to getting drama off the ground could be applied elsewhere. “I think the model of the New8 or Nordic 12 can be present in different areas in Europe and also South America. You can adapt it to your own region,” he said.
The New8 slate thus far includes Kabul – which is actually a project between the New8 and The Alliance, the latter comprising France Télévisions, Italy’s Rai and Germany’s ZDF. At Seriencamp, ZDF Commissioning Editor Katharina Kremling showed footage of the show. There was also a look at surrealist whodunit This Is Not A Murder Mystery, directed by Hans Herbots (The Serpent).
A fresh New8 slate was introduced at Series Mania in Lille earlier this year (see below).
“We saw a need to give our audience an alternative to some of the more traditional shows that we saw on our streamers or our competitors,” Furevold-Boland said about New8’s mission. “Also as public broadcasters, we have a special mission.Our mandate is to strengthen and develop democracy, and we know that through good storytelling content, we can do that.”
Pieces Of Eight
Check out the New8’s most recent slate
Breendonk (VRT, Belgium)
Produced by De Mensen with Anagram and New8
Plot: Set against the harrowing backdrop of a World War II prison camp, the historical drama tells the story of two young lovers with opposing views on the war.
Phoenix (ZDF, Germany)
Produced by Les Films du Cygne, Storia Télévisions and Maze Pictures
Plot: The story of young people who have kidnapped the children of the CEOs of companies that pollute the world, in the run-up to an economic summit in the French Alps.
The Machine (NPO/BNNVARA, The Netherlands)
Produced by Hollands Licht Productions
Plot: A long-time employee becomes CEO of a global business empire, but can she revive the company’s values, or will she be consumed by its relentless drive for profit?
Henki (NRK, Norway)
Produced by Klynge and Scanbox
Plot: The year is 1985 and Henki Hauge Karlsen is a 28-year-old gay bartender who is fired after disclosing that he is infected with HIV and decides to take his case to court.
Cold Song (SVT, Sweden)
Produced by Miso Film
Plot: When someone disappears during a family party, they are forced to confront hidden secrets and guilt.
Generations (DR, Denmark)
Created by Anna Emma Haudal
Plot: The discovery of a mummified infant’s body triggers a journey into family secrets long buried.
Death of a Horse (RÚV, Iceland)
Produced by Act 4 and Windlight Pictures
Plot: A suspenseful crime drama where the victim is a racehorse. The owner runs her own investigation and soon human lives are also at stake.
The Dark Ones (ZDF Germany)
Produced by Network Movie, Studio Zentral
Plot: Dangerous beings invade people’s lives on an island in the North Sea, but they are neither monsters nor demons, but shady human doppelgangers.
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