The distribution ecosystem has evolved drastically since the impact of COVID-19, with many buyers and channels having had to adjust their strategy.
On this episode of Inside Content, I am joined by Jennifer Ebell, EVP of EMEA Sales and Acquisitions at FIFTH SEASON.
FIFTH SEASON, formally known as Endeavor Content, is a global entertainment leader in the creation, production and distribution of movies and premium TV series. Here, Jennifer is responsible for overseeing both the acquisitions team and EMEA sales teams, garnering commissions, pre-sales and managing co-productions across the region with a focus on selling directly to the UK. Prior to joining FIFTH SEASON, she held a position as SVP of EMEA sales at ITV Studios Global Entertainment. There, she was responsible for a team that worked across all genres of finished programmes and formats, spearheading the rollout of key franchises such as I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Hell’s Kitchen and Come Dine with Me.
The organisation prides itself on delivering the “best-in-class” expertise that you’d expect from a large studio paired with the entrepreneurial spirit of a small start-up - something that their acquisition by CJ ENM has enabled them to do, with their shared vision of becoming a leading independent global studio.
This ethos plays into their bespoke approach to content sales and acquisitions. Jennifer’s team is hyper-focused on securing and producing top-tier content across all genres, working on curating a refined but premium slate. When acquiring TV shows and movies, they look for content that adds value - whether that’s IP content with a naturally built-in audience or classics that are told from a fresh point of view.
“My team reads every script, meets the producers and gets into the DNA of every show. We sell one show at a time. It's not about packaging, and that's the beauty of having a very small catalogue” - Jennifer Ebell
Ultimately, they focus on high-end premium content that explores unique storylines with universal themes that resonate with global audiences. When it comes to localised content, Jennifer explains that they are always keen to work with local producers to create authentic programming. For instance, their current project with TV4 and ZDF for a series called Cry Wolf, focused on the Nordics.
The distribution ecosystem has shifted, and so have distributors. Like their content acquisition and production, FIFTH SEASON takes an independent approach to who they sell to, evaluating on a case-by-case basis. For many distributors, a sale to a global streamer was the dream scenario, but now more are engaging in a more flexible approach, as more and more streamers launch DTC platforms and pivot their own strategies towards what content trends in each local market.
“There are more opportunities to carve out windows and really look at footprints versus the entire world. I say that now, but who knows what it will? What will happen in the next 18 months? It's exciting, it's changing” - Jennifer Ebell
Jennifer also outlines how opportunity has increased for distributors to extract more revenue across a multitude of windows, pairing deals, SVOD, Linear and Pay TV, mixing up their distribution to expand long-tail revenue. And like many, FIFTH SEASON is also expanding its involvement into AVOD and FAST. They have recently acquired the BBC classic Cash in the Attic as well as the new Channel Five version in their catalogue, and Jennifer outlines how they are working with more AVOD buyers with their legacy library content such as Air Crash Confidential, Ancient Black Ops, Battle at Versailles. So while they have a small catalogue, they are maximising their opportunities to be relevant in the evolving distribution business.
“For FIFTH SEASON we're pretty lucky in the fact that we're incredibly agile and already have a non-traditional approach to business. It's rooted in our DNA. We constantly evolve in the way that series and movies are evolving. Its changing every day, and we are too.” - Jennifer Ebell
Topic Breakdown:
- An overview of FIFTH SEASON, their recent business acquisition by CJ ENM and Jennifer’s role in the business
- Their best-in-category approach to content acquisitions
- How they curate their slate of programming, including local content and scripted vs unscripted
- Their bespoke & agile approach to content distribution in a changing market
- How they are expanding long-tail revenue and harnessing emerging opportunities (such as the evolution of TV series and Movie windowing, and the rise of AVOD & FAST)
- Their future pipeline of their TV shows
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