ST
BROADCAST is reporting today that the programme-making arm 'ITV Productions' is to be rebranded as 'ITV Studios'.
I don't know about anyone else, but my perception of companies like 'Universal Studios' immediately make me think of blockbuster cinema movies, not made-for-TV programmes.
BRAODCAST posted:
ITV Productions is to be renamed ITV Studios as part of a radical restructure designed to emulate the scale and innovation of US studios such as Fox and Universal.
ITV managing director of global content Lee Bartlett will restructure ITVP's divisions by next April, creating sub-brands designed to give external customers a clearer indication of their remits.
Each new division will come up with a Dave-style name preceded by ITV - for example, ITV Laugh to cover entertainment and comedy. The plan is to break up what Bartlett described as "the ITVP monolith".
"We need to change how we think and operate and to position ourselves to create programmes not just for ITV1, but for the world," he said. "We want to attract the top talent, the top budgets and the top ideas, but to do that we have to be clear about who and what we are."
As part of the changes, the aim is for ITV Studios to make every programme suitable for reformatting for international audiences. The in-house producer will also focus on creating 13-part drama series that will be easier to sell to the US, where longer runs are the norm.
Bartlett said he wanted to usher in a "new era of creativity" for ITV's in-house productions, and said he would allow staff the time and space to be innovative.
Former head of indie Amaze Remy Blumenfeld will head Bartlett's global formats team to help develop the exportable formats for all ITV's brands.
ITV's Imagine division with 11 employees will be closed and head Pele Cortizo-Burgess will become ITV global content's director of creative strategy.
Bartlett would not be drawn on whether outgoing ITV director of entertainment and comedy Paul Jackson would join his new team. John Whiston will stay in his current role of director of ITV Productions/Studios.
The first programme to carry the name ITV Studios is likely to be the upcoming ITV show I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.
ITV managing director of global content Lee Bartlett will restructure ITVP's divisions by next April, creating sub-brands designed to give external customers a clearer indication of their remits.
Each new division will come up with a Dave-style name preceded by ITV - for example, ITV Laugh to cover entertainment and comedy. The plan is to break up what Bartlett described as "the ITVP monolith".
"We need to change how we think and operate and to position ourselves to create programmes not just for ITV1, but for the world," he said. "We want to attract the top talent, the top budgets and the top ideas, but to do that we have to be clear about who and what we are."
As part of the changes, the aim is for ITV Studios to make every programme suitable for reformatting for international audiences. The in-house producer will also focus on creating 13-part drama series that will be easier to sell to the US, where longer runs are the norm.
Bartlett said he wanted to usher in a "new era of creativity" for ITV's in-house productions, and said he would allow staff the time and space to be innovative.
Former head of indie Amaze Remy Blumenfeld will head Bartlett's global formats team to help develop the exportable formats for all ITV's brands.
ITV's Imagine division with 11 employees will be closed and head Pele Cortizo-Burgess will become ITV global content's director of creative strategy.
Bartlett would not be drawn on whether outgoing ITV director of entertainment and comedy Paul Jackson would join his new team. John Whiston will stay in his current role of director of ITV Productions/Studios.
The first programme to carry the name ITV Studios is likely to be the upcoming ITV show I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.
I don't know about anyone else, but my perception of companies like 'Universal Studios' immediately make me think of blockbuster cinema movies, not made-for-TV programmes.
I do think they should actually get behind making the shows putting money into them etc instead of worrying about the next rebrand.
