MIPTV
There are different arms races happening here at MIPTV 2017. The first is the battle for content in the form of dramas and formats.
Television viewers are living in a Golden Age of Drama. Producers and Platforms are searching for the next big 52 min show, another Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, or Madmen. Television Productions have stepped up their game with higher quality production values wanting to appeal to international audiences. From Turkey there is The Last Emperor, Japan presented Crisis, Russia, The Day After.
Genre programing is coming to your small screen. The overall trend is Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mystery plots with twists. Disney continues to mine its Marvel Comics Treasure with a new show titled, Inhumans. airing this September. Another fantasy Genre reworking aimed at Generation Z is a show around killer mermaids. YES! First, Vampires then Werewolves, now Mermaids! Will Shonda Rimes have another hit on her hands with a new legal drama in the works? I would not bet against her.
On the technology front, the battle lines are being drawn. Virtual Reality versus 360 degree formats feel like the Beta-VHS War all over again. The eco systems are not compatible. Potential customers would be hard pressed adapting to multiple viewing technologies on their screens. Which will win consumers hearts? Both systems offer immersion qualities along with a degree of viewer interaction depending on the content. The downside is the hardware is expensive for the average YouTube Producer. Facebook, Google, and Apple have VR platforms.
Long format shows in VR are still questionable but producers are exploring filming short form and teasers using the technology.
The other technology on display is 4K HDR. The picture quality is superb with 400 pixels. I saw this format at IFA in September 2016. The consumer and broadcasting industry is adapting this standard.
Black and Paper report from MIPTV 2017 in Cannes.