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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.

MIPTV April 2017

Dramas and Virtual Reality are dominating the television landscape at the world’s biggest television fair in Cannes. Is there another Downton Abbey or Game of Thrones on the horizon? A program from Germany has caught the eye of fair, Berlin Babylon, a period crime, mystery period piece set in the Wilmar Republic years of the city. An ambitious 16 episode series production with a large budget, the show centers on the corruption, decadence, and moral decay of 1929 proceeding Hitler’s raise to absolute power told from the point of view of drug addicted Police Inspector Roth played German actor by Volker Bruch.

Babylon Berlin won the Screenings Grand Jury Prize.

Is Virtual Reality the future of entertainment? Tech companies seem to think so. After attending a press event co-chaired by Google I learned Google has a platform for VR content titled Google Daydream. A place where produces can upload new material but mostly geared towards professional makers.

There are two types of immersive VR content; interactive and passive form of entertainment where the viewer is experiences the technology as a virtual voyeur.

I repeat, is VR Technology the future? Although the potential is there, the compelling reason and consumer desire is not. After all, these companies told us wearables are the future. Is anyone out there bragging about their iWatch? Remember Google Glasses? These items have passed into the realm of tech ill relevance.

The equipment is still bulky and expensive. The resolution is not so sharp. Early adapters and tech geeks may love it but the general public may look at this like a hula hoop. VR has been the great could be for decades but never caught the wave. It feels like a product still waiting for the surf that will never come.

Black and Paper at MIP TV Cannes, stay tuned for more reports.