In Today's OTT Landscape, Make the Right Partnerships: Video
The streaming video marketplace is getting crowded, but there are plenty of additional services still to come. To find viewers, says Epix, choose a partner with scale.

By Troy Dreier
Posted on May 26, 2016

Troy Dreier: Hi, this is Troy Dreier coming to you from Streaming Media East 2016 in New York City. I'm pleased to be talking to some of the thought leaders in our industry during the event, and I'm joined right now by Amit Ziv, head of business development at Epix.

Amit Ziv: Thanks for having me, Troy.

Troy Dreier: You are speaking at a panel later today on the great bundling and mass re-bundling and changes taking place in the pay TV industry, how to succeed with new platforms, which is something Epix knows very well. Tell us what's going on with Epix.

Amit Ziv: Sure, we believe it's a great time to be in the subscription business. The DNA of Epix as a venture was all about multi-platform rights. That's why Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM launched Epix back in 2009, 2010. There is an explosion of new subscription services that are launching both within the MVPD ecosystem and outside, vis-à-vis the OTT ecosystem which includes virtual MVPDs or SVOD services, or some combination of the two. Epix is primed to capitalize on that growth, we have exclusive rights to all the first run movies from Paramount, Lionsgate. and MGM, plus we're launching our first two original scripted series this fall. All of these services, both the incumbents and the new entrants, are going to compete on content. They don't want to compete on price, nobody does. That results in margin compression.

In order to really drive subscriber acquisition and retention it is critical as part of their content strategy to have access to these first run movies, so we looking forward to the growth ahead.

Troy Dreier: How important is it to be on multiple platforms and to be on the latest ways the viewers are trying to connect?

Amit Ziv: I think it's about being on the right platforms. You want to partner with a distributor that has scale, you want to partner with a distributor that is a savvy marketer, and acquire subscribers. The last thing you want to do is do a deal with a national distributor that just shows no growth on the subscriber end and isn't a savvy marketer. We like to be strategic in the deals we do, we believe we have done that to date, we have a lot of great partners both in MVPDs and OTT landscape, and it is about being selective.

Troy Dreier: Where is your company going? What are the next deals you're looking at making, your next platforms you want to be on?

Amit Ziv: For us what's important is to partner with MVPDs and really help them super-serve new audiences. It's really about helping them grow beyond multi-channel video households. We are growing, we've grown by over 50% this year in MVPD households, but as new MVPDs and existing MVPDs launch new broadband only subscriptions or OTT services out of footprint, we really are focused on helping them drive that growth.

Troy Dreier: I want to hear a little bit more about the original content. This is the first time you guys have done this, right?

Amit Ziv: It is the first time we'll go to market, two amazing scripted series, one coming out of Paramount called Berlin Station, another one coming out of Lionsgate, who is a prolific producer as well in television, called Graves. Graves is a series starring Nick Nolte. It is about a Republican president 20 or 30 years after his presidency who now is having an epiphany and will right the wrongs of his presidency, so it's very timely. Berlin Station is a whodunit spy thriller that shoots in Berlin, really excited, incredible cast and incredible production crew actually, Anonymous Content the production house behind Mr. Robot and The Revenant, is an executive producer on this series.

We're really excited about it, and more importantly on the marketing front we'll be in market with the biggest brand investment we've ever had in the history of the network. Between July and October, Epix will be everywhere.

Troy Dreier: When do these shows debut?

Amit Ziv: In October.

Troy Dreier: Will they be available for bingeing at all once?

Amit Ziv: The programming strategy has not been disclosed yet.

Troy Dreier: Oh, I hope it's all at once.

Amit Ziv: Yes.

Troy Dreier: It sounds very bingeable.

Amit Ziv: Absolutely.

Troy Dreier: Well, thank you for joining me Amit, it's been a pleasure. This is Troy Dreier coming to you from Streaming Media East.

Amit Ziv: Thank you, Troy.

Epix Wants In on The Premium Action
Movie-based service that many thought would fizzle upon launch is ready to execute its long-delayed plan for scripted originals
6/27/2016 08:15:00 AM Eastern

By Michael Malone

WHY THIS MATTERS
While Epix remains a distant fourth in the premium network derby, one original hit could change the game.
Related: How Stable Is Pay Cable?
The mere existence of Epix is something of a media miracle.
The premium network launched in 2009, to the shock of industry observers, during the depths of the financial crisis after distribution talks between Showtime and Paramount Pictures hit the rocks. Epix immediately faced a wall of skepticism about carriage, about the viability of its suppliers (along with Paramount, they were the nearly bankrupt MGM and pre-Hunger Games Lionsgate), plus the notion of the world needing yet another channel.
Seven years later, the landscape is hardly less crowded, but Epix has surprised doubters by carving out a sustainable niche, racking up 15 million U.S. subscribers from a total reach of 50 million homes. It will be some time, if ever, before Epix nears the subscriber rolls and prestigious profiles of HBO, Showtime and Starz. But the network is emboldened to execute Step 2 in the plan, a familiar evolution in the premium sector: scripted originals.
The network wants in on the originals party, and entering the Peak TV fray will make it once again a decided underdog. But its two fall launches—the serendipitously prescient political comedy Graves and spy thriller Berlin Station—both carry pedigrees in terms of underlying material and production partners, and the push has already gotten the notice of the talent community. Mark Greenberg, Epix president and CEO, says this was always the strategy. Scripted series were “part of our original business plan,” he says. “We need to be owners of content, not renters. We want to be closer to the consumer.”
Post-theatricals still do a lot of heavy lifting at premium networks, comprising nearly 80% of the linear schedule and powering OTT offerings. But originals are what brings buzz, Emmys and talent relationships. That said, Epix’s hopefuls will enter a competition with more than 400 other scripted series. “There’s a lot of great content out there, and breaking through is going to be a challenge,” says Seth Geiger, founder and president of media consultancy SmithGeiger. “We talk a lot about the battle for screen time—it’s brutal right now.”
Born of Conflict
Epix launched in Verizon FiOS households in fall 2009 after the three studios broke off their relationships with Showtime. Carriage deals with Cox, Mediacom, Dish and Charter were signed within six months following the launch.
While the marketing slogan stated “We Get Big Movies,” Epix tried—true to Greenberg’s blueprint—to get an original series up and running. It greenlit Jenji Kohan’s country music drama Tough Trade, only to pull the plug on it in 2010. Laverne McKinnon was the net’s development chief at the time, but left the company in 2011 before any scripted originals hit the air—sending a mixed message to Hollywood about how interested Epix was in developing its own network-maker, its own Sopranos.
Epix took the safer route of special programming, primarily concert and comedy specials featuring the likes of Katy Perry, Pink, Marc Maron and Craig Ferguson. The network also made a play into original documentaries. Hockey docu The Road to the NHL Winter Classic, announced in 2014, was a “test run,” says Greenberg, for a channel still keen to own, not rent.
The net has taken a similarly circumspect approach toward OTT. While rivals have committed resources to bespoke stand-alone offerings, Epix has been more interested in, for example, striking a deal to provide movies to Dish’s Sling TV while keeping all distribution options open.
After gun debate documentary Under the Gun’s strong showing at Sundance earlier this year, Epix acquired the Katie Couric-produced film, which premiered on the channel in May, receiving some admiring reviews but also criticism over its editing. Last week, Epix debuted Serena, about the tennis icon Serena Williams.
In order to crack the code on original series, Epix needed a strong development chief. In early 2015, Greenberg lured Jocelyn Diaz from HBO, naming her executive VP of original programming. He spoke of Diaz enabling Epix “to take this to a new level with original scripted series that resonate with our viewers.”
Besides her time as head of drama development at HBO, Diaz was VP of production at Walt Disney Studios and worked at ABC. She said the prospect of being part of premium cable’s scripted revolution was exceedingly attractive. “They’re unencumbered stories—they don’t have a lot of restrictions,” Diaz told B&C. “The chance to be on the ground floor, to build something—it certainly was not an experience I had before, and it was too great to pass up.”
Box-Office Bust
Geiger says there was little future for Epix with movie titles—even with blockbuster franchises like Transformers or Twilight—up and down its grid. “It’s hard to be a linear movie channel in a world with immediate access to a huge encyclopedia of movie titles,” Geiger says of the array of films available on Netflix, iTunes and other digital platforms. “That’s really anachronistic these days.”
When Epix finally announced the two scripted series a year ago, it had missed its initial target date by at least a few years. Greenberg says a 2014 carriage deal with Time Warner Cable was the key to a firmer distribution foundation, which helped empower the move into originals.
“We want the brand to resonate for the long run,” Greenberg says. “We learned a lot about what goes on in the value-added space.”
The single-camera, half-hour Graves and hour-long Berlin Station debut in October. Graves, from Lionsgate, features Nick Nolte as a former U.S. president who is seeking to make amends for his feckless performance in the Oval Office. Sela Ward plays the former first lady, who is compelled to run for the Senate. “It’s Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton all rolled into one family,” quips Greenberg. “Maybe we got a little lucky with this show.”
While it’s technically a comedy, Diaz believes Graves will touch on timely sociopolitical issues. “It comes at an opportune time,” she says. “We have a chance to be part of the national conversation.”
Diaz describes Berlin Station, from Paramount and Anonymous Content, as “modernday spy genre” along the lines of John LeCarre’s novels. Bradford Winters (The Americans, Oz) is running the show. Centered on a leak within a CIA base of operations, Berlin Station is shot on location in Germany. “It’s a truly theatrical-quality production,” says Greenberg, who adds that Epix is experimenting with virtual reality components for the series.
Weekend Warriors
Sunday is obviously the prestige night for elite cable’s brand-defining series. Epix has not yet announced which night the shows will air, though Greenberg says it’s likely to be Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Moreover, there’s a “strong possibility” Graves and Berlin Station will occupy the same night.
Both will enjoy multimillion dollar marketing budgets, Greenberg adds. Down the road is Get Shorty. Based on the Elmore Leonard novel that spawned a 1995 feature film, Shorty will start shooting in the fall. Diaz likens the project to FX’s Fargo, where a fresh set of characters have but a tangential connection to the original intellectual property.
Epix’s development process is somewhat unique. Instead of shooting capital-draining pilots, the upstart channel goes straight to series, requesting five seasons’ worth of scripts from executive producers. Like any premium cable channel—or any broadcast, cable or digital network making originals, for that matter—Epix is looking for strong voices. “It should be as distinctive as possible,” Diaz says.
Ben Tappan, Epix VP of scripted programming, summed up the challenge of developing and launching shows in the peak TV era earlier this month during a panel on scripted content at the Banff World Media Festival. “You can’t just be good anymore,” he said. “You have to be extraordinary.”
The Epix shows have comparable budgets to most anything in premium cable, shy of Game of Thrones, asserts Diaz. With the series premieres just months away, she is equal parts excited and anxious. “It’s certainly daunting and a little scary,” Diaz says. “But you just have to close your eyes and jump in the pool.”
Cost of Entry
Epix aims to swim with the sharks. In 2016, Netflix will spend $5 billion on programming, with SVOD competitors Amazon at $1.7 billion and Hulu $1.5 billion, according to RBC Capital Markets. HBO will spend about $1.8 billion on programming this year, forecasted Morgan Stanley, while Showtime and Starz are upping their costs while battling HBO for Emmys and subscribers.
Along with the scripted stuff, Epix is staying true to its documentary roots. In September, it will debut four-part docuseries America Divided, executive produced by the somewhat unlikely holy trinity of Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes and Common. The series touches on equality in education, labor, criminal justice and other departments, with Lear on air for a segment on housing.
Epix looks to compete on all platforms, and has implemented a TV Everywhere strategy since well before it was commonplace. A day before the linear channel launched, Epix’s on-demand streaming service, which requires subscriber authentication at Epix.com, debuted. It was also a pioneer in getting its stream running through Roku, Xbox and PlayStation 3, the latter early in 2013. Last fall, Epix began allowing authenticated subs to download movies to their Kindle Fire, iOS and Android devices for viewing when they are offline. It also shifted 2,000 of its movie titles from Netflix to Hulu just before Hulu announced a skinny bundle plan.
“We’ve had a digital strategy from the get-go,” says Greenberg. “We’ve been very committed to that.”
It’s the scripted series that will either elevate or relegate the brand. The risks are huge, but so is the upside for a project done just right. “I feel like it’s a great path for them,” says Rajiv Menon, research executive at media branding outfit TruthCo. “We’ve seen it work for Cinemax and Starz, and I think it’s a huge opportunity for Epix.” And it only takes one hit to define a cable brand—one Mad Men, one Shield, one Sopranos.
Epix remains every bit the scrappy upstart. The company has fewer than 100 employees, according to Greenberg—a far cry from HBO’s 2,300 situated around the world. Epix looked at 250 original scripts before settling on the three series in the works, he says.
Getting overloaded viewers to find and embrace the shows will take more than just quality control. “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” Greenberg says. “We hope we’re lucky and good.”
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Bei hochwertigem Fernsehen steht Berlin auf Platz 1


Die Studie über die deutschen TV-Produktionsstandorte, bei der Berlin eher unter ferner liefen läuft, kann auch anders gelesen werden, meint Helge Jürgens, Geschäftsführer des Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. Ein Interview. Kurt Sagatz


Herr Jürgens, für den Standortentwickler des Medienboards Berlin-Brandenburg muss der Ländervergleich der TV-Produktionsstudie ein Schock gewesen sein. Wie werten Sie das Ergebnis?

Ein Schock war das nicht. Die Daten der Studie sind zwangsläufig zwei Jahre alt und beinhalten die Entwicklungen der neuen Plattformen noch nicht. Zudem wurde die Studie aus Sicht eines starken TV-Standortes in Auftrag gegeben, nämlich Nordrhein-Westfalen. Die Studie hat das klassische TV-Auftrags-Geschäft im Fokus, und das ist - anders als Kino und High End Drama - nicht das Geschäft von Berlin.
Berlin als TV-Produktionsstandort hinter Köln, München, Hamburg, der Anteil an der Produktion nach Unternehmenssitz in zwei Jahren nahezu halbiert.

Was ist passiert?

Es hat eine Konzentration der Produktionsfirmen gegeben. Shine und Endemol sowie Granada und ITV haben fusioniert, Warner Bros. hat Eyeworks aufgekauft, die MME gibt es gar nicht mehr..., mehr kostengünstige Entertainmentminuten in NRW, das sieht dann schnell nach Halbierung aus.

Warum funktioniert die Förderung im Bereich Film besser als beim TV?

Das kommt auf die Betrachtungsweise an. Nehmen Sie TV-Movies und das hochwertige Fernsehen mit mehr Einsatz von Personal, Equipment und Budget: Da liegt Berlin auf dem ersten Platz. Zudem muss man für eine aktuelle, realistische Betrachtung auch die letzten beiden Jahre berücksichtigen.

Was ist in 2015 und 2016 passiert?

Die neuen Player wie Amazon und Netflix haben den Markt betreten. Sie haben hier in Berlin für ganz neue Beschäftigungseffekte und Produktionen von High-End-Drama gesorgt. Wir hatten ein dreiviertel Jahr die Produktion von „Homeland“ hier, wir hatten Serien wie „Berlin Station“, „Sense8“ von den Wachowski-Geschwistern, wir haben momentan „Babylon Berlin“ von Tom Tykwer, Matthias Schweighöfer stellt bis zum Jahresende seine Serie „You are wanted“ für Amazon fertig. Hinzu kommen TV-Produktionen wie „Ku’damm 56“.

Sind Sie damit schon zufrieden?

Für die Beschäftigung in der Region und für die Produzenten hatte das einen sehr positiven Effekt. Jeder Fördereuro, der hier investiert wurde, ist sechsfach zurückgekommen.

Wie geht es weiter?

Durch die hochwertigen Produktionen am Standort Berlin und in Babelsberg haben wir international an Image für die Qualität der Infrastruktur und der Beschäftigten gewonnen. Dadurch stehen wir nun auch bei den großen internationalen Auftraggebern wie zum Beispiel HBO im Fokus.

Muss die TV-Förderung trotzdem intensiviert werden?

Klassisches TV wird ja eigentlich nicht gefördert, dafür sind die Gebührengelder da. Nur in außergewöhnlichen Fällen, bei großen aufwändigen Produktionen, wenn der Produktionsaufwand dem eines Kinofilms entspricht, kann gefördert werden. Gleichzeitig sind die Förderinstrumente im europäischen und internationalen Ausland in den letzten Jahren fortentwickelt worden. Nicht nur in Berlin und Brandenburg wird gerade diskutiert, ob es Steuer-Zugeständnisse oder eine neue Auslegung der bisherigen Förderinstrumente geben soll, um Anreize für ausländische Produktionen zu schaffen und um andererseits dafür zu sorgen, dass größere inländische Produktionen nicht ins Ausland gehen.

EXCLUSIVE: EPIX Channels Jason Bourne in Exciting New Trailer, First Scene From CIA Spy Drama 'Berlin Station'
by Philiana Ng 10:00 AM PDT, July 27, 2016

Playing EXCLUSIVE: EPIX Channels Jason Bourne in Exciting New Trailer, First Scene From CIA Spy Drama 'Berlin Station'
EPIX is channeling Jason Bourne with its first drama, CIA spy series Berlin Station, and ET has the exclusive (and thrilling) new trailer and first scene from the upcoming show.

British star Richard Armitage (Hannibal, Alice Through the Looking Glass) plays Daniel Miller, a newly-appointed CIA officer recruited to be an undercover spy in the Berlin bureau. He is tasked with finding the mole within the agency, known only by the alias, “Thomas Shaw,” who's been leaking classified intel.

The 30-second trailer, which will play in theaters ahead of Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne starting Thursday, depicts just how intense and dramatic things are about to get for Daniel as he begins his dangerous mission.

RELATED: Matt Damon Pulls 'Jason Bourne'-Style Prank on Unsuspecting Fans

“No one can know why you’re there,” Michelle Forbes’ character, the CIA’s Berlin station head Valerie Edwards, warns Daniel during their ominous phone call in the dead of night. “Not the chief. Not his deputies. Not a soul.”

“Who am I looking at?” Daniel asks, bracing for the worst.

“Everyone.” Shudder.

ET also exclusively premieres one of the first scenes from Berlin Station, which was filmed entirely on location. In the clip, we follow Daniel as he meets Valerie for the first time in his new CIA headquarters. His arrival comes in the nick of time, as this unidentified “Shaw” mole has leaked confidential information endangering U.S.-Germany relations.

RELATED: Matt Damon 'Remembers Everything' in New 'Jason Bourne' Trailer

“We’re on thin ice with the Germans,” Valerie says as she hands Daniel his new CIA ID. “Until everything settles, everyone will have to be their most charming.”

“I’ll do my best,” Daniel says in response, before we get a first look at the bustling Berlin offices -- Valerie lovingly calls it “an insane asylum” -- and meeting several of his new colleagues, played by Richard Dillane and Leland Orser, who bring him into the madness: “Welcome to Berlin.”

Rhys Ifans and Richard Jenkins also star in the drama, created and executive produced by New York Times bestselling author Olen Steinhauer. Bradford Winters (The Americans, Oz) serves as showrunner.

Berlin Station premieres in October on EPIX.

PICS: All the Movies and TV Shows We Can't Wait to See


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EPIX Launches First Ever Cross-Platform 360-Degree Interactive Video Experience

BerlinStation.com Extends Cross-platform Narrative for New EPIX Original Series BERLIN STATION

Innovative Technology Drives Interactive Video in Any Browser, First to Activate on Mobile Devices
July 28, 2016 10:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Premium entertainment network EPIX today announced that it has created the first cross-platform 360-degree interactive video experience for its new EPIX Original Series, BERLIN STATION. The experience features innovative technology that drives interactive video in any browser and, for the first time, on mobile devices such as the iPhone. The interactive 360-degree video experience launches as part of BerlinStation.com today, July 28th to introduce the series, which will premiere October 2016.

BERLIN STATION is a contemporary spy thriller produced by Anonymous Content and Paramount TV, written by Olen Steinhauer and starring Richard Armitage, Richard Jenkins, Rhys Ifans and Michelle Forbes. Extended storylines for BerlinStation.com’s interactive video were developed with show writers and new content was shot on set alongside the main production with access to crews, extras, props, wardrobe and other resources. Additional interactive content will be added to the site throughout the season to provide additional information about the characters and extend plot lines with an immersive experience that expands with each new episode of the series. The unique transmedia experience supplements and augments the series to build fan engagement and facilitate deeper exploration of the complex plot.

"EPIX was designed for cross platform viewing, the first premium network to launch on TV, on demand and with thousands of titles streaming online and on hundreds of devices,” said Mark Greenberg, President and CEO of EPIX. “Now, we're tapping the latest technology to create new approaches to storytelling and deeper engagement for fans."

EPIX partnered with three technology agencies in the development of BerlinStation.com: Ayzenberg, which designed the digital experience and led the project development; WIREWAX, which built the in-browser interactive video experience, employing unique video hotspotting technology; and Scopic, which captured the 360 video footage used in the experience.

“The best stories have many layers and seemingly endless possibilities. We aimed to deliver that with BerlinStation.com and I’m confident we delivered through authentic storytelling and innovative technology,” said Rebecca Markarian, SVP Digital and Social Media, Ayzenberg.

About EPIX

EPIX is a premium entertainment network delivering the latest movie releases and biggest classic film franchises, plus original programming including series, documentaries, comedy and music specials – all available on TV, on demand, online and across devices. Launched in October 2009, EPIX has pioneered the development and proliferation of “TV Everywhere.” It was the first premium network to provide multi-platform access to its content online at EPIX.com and to launch on Xbox, PlayStation®, Android phones and tablets, and Roku® players. EPIX is also available across Chromecast, Apple® iPhones® and iPads®, Android TV and more and is the only premium service providing all its programming on all platforms, delivering more movies than any other premium network, with thousands of titles available for streaming.

EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc., its Paramount Pictures unit, Lionsgate and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM). Through relationships with cable, satellite and telco partners, EPIX is available to over 50 million homes nationwide. For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHD ( http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX), Google+ (http://plus.google.com/+EPIX), Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/EPIX) and Vine (https://vine.co/EPIX).

Contacts

Media:
EPIX
Michelle Hinchey, 212-846-5147
mhinchey@epix.com
or
SLOANE PR
Hayley Milbourn, 212-446-1870

30 Juil 2016 à 11:00Critictoo News 0 CommentaireRichard Armitage doit trouver la taupe dans le teaser trailer de Berlin StationPar Carole
Berlin Station avec richard Armitage

Après quelques années à ne pas s’investir dans la production de séries originales, EPIX s’apprête à faire son retour dans le domaine à la rentrée prochaine avec deux séries – dont Berlin Station.



Commandée il y a maintenant plus d’un an, ce thriller d’espionnage nous venant de Olen Steinhauer se dévoile un peu plus à quelques mois de son lancement à l’aide d’un teaser trailer et d’un extrait qui nous permet donc de découvrir la mission de Daniel, incarné par Richard Armitage. L’ensemble s’annonce quelque peu classique dans son genre, mais cela ne signifie pas que cela ne sera pas efficace.

Berlin Station se centre sur Daniel, un analyste de Langley qui vient d’être affecté à la station de la CIA se trouvant à Berlin en Allemagne. Il se voit alors attribuer une mission dangereuse qui est de découvrir une taupe. Un membre de l’équipe a fourni des informations à un lanceur d’alerte connu sous le nom de Thomas Shaw. Guidé par le vétéran Hector DeJean (Rhys Ifans), Daniel plonge dans le monde des agents de terrain où les dangers sont aussi nombreux que les compromis moraux qu’il faut faire.

Également au casting de Berlin Station, Michelle Forbes (The Killing) prête ses traits à l’administratrice Valerie Edwards alors que Richard Jenkins (Olive Kitteridge) incarne Steven Frost, un vétéran de la guerre froide qui est maintenant chef de station à Berlin. Tamlyn Tomita (Teen Wolf), Leland Orser (ER), Richard Dillane (Wolf Hall), Bernhard Schütz et Rameez Siddiqui complètent la distribution.

Berlin Station arrive en octobre sur EPIX. En attendant, vous pouvez aller visiter le site officiel de la série pour en découvrir plus.

Epix CEO Mark Greenberg on Why His Channel is Getting into the Original Scripted Series Game
TCA: Despite the crowded marketplace, Epix hopes to make some noise with new series "Berlin Station" and "Graves," plus docuseries "America Divided."

Executive Editor
Michael Schneider
11 mins ago
@franklinavenue






Epix is getting into the scripted business right at the peak of “Peak TV.” But for channel president and CEO Mark Greenberg, the move into original series is the culmination of a plan first put into place nine years ago.

From the beginning, he told IndieWire, “Part of the game plan was original series.” But first, the premium service, a joint venture between Viacom, Lionsgate and MGM, had to reach critical mass. A deal with Time Warner Cable two years ago upped Epix’s availability to 50 million homes, giving the channel reason to expand its brand.

Under programming head Jocelyn Diaz (who joined in 2015), Epix is kicking off its scripted lineup this fall with the spy thriller “Berlin Station” and the political satire “Graves.” A TV adaptation of “Get Shorty” will follow in 2017. Epix also continues to air specials and documentaries, including the new series “America Divided,” a discussion about race from Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes and Common.

“We’re feeling this is the right time for our coming out party,” Greenberg told IndieWire, on the eve of Epix’s first presentation at the Television Critics Association press tour. “When we got our Time Warner deal then we knew we had turned the ability, we felt like we had enough households to create buzz… We’re now at that place where we’re available in half of the country, and that gave us permission to go into this in a real way.”


Epix launched in 2009, a year after Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM couldn’t come to terms with Showtime on a new film output deal. The network toyed with scripted series early on, developing the Jenji Kohan drama “Tough Trade,” which didn’t go to series. Since then, Epix has focused on concert and comedy specials, as well as sports (including an NHL documentary series).

“Movies will still be an important component because it’s a value equation,” Greenberg said. “That being said, originals help define you. It’s what the press wants to talk about, it’s what Wall Street wants to talk about.”

SNL Kagan research director Deana Myers agreed: “Adding originals is a long-term strategy which I believe will draw the audience,” she said. “Movies remain very important for premium networks as well, but originals enhance the brand and can draw viewers back each week. There is also the benefit of revenues from secondary revenue streams if the network takes ownership in the show.”

“Berlin Station” centers on a CIA operative in Germany who’s trying to find a mysterious Julian Assange-like character who is causing havoc by exposing American secrets. “Graves,” which stars Nick Nolte as a former president who has an epiphany and looks to right his wrongs, tackles issues like illegal immigration.

“[Diaz] read hundreds and scripts and took tons of meetings, and we were very measured about where we land,” Greenberg said. “We wanted to make sure that out of the gate we were making what we felt were meaningful shows.”

READ MORE: Elmore Leonard’s ‘Get Shorty’ Being Adapted for Television by Epix

Greenberg said the network appeared to luck out that both of its new scripted series (plus “America Divided”) feel timely given the current political landscape.

“I wish I could tell you we had a crystal ball,” he said. “You do try to find things that are hopefully going to be in the zeitgeist to what’s going on in the world and maybe provide some relevance to what’s going on.”

For Epix’s first three scripted series, the channel stayed in-house: “Berlin Station” comes from Paramount TV, while “Graves” is from Lionsgate and MGM is behind “Get Shorty.”

Greenberg said Epix won’t just air shows from its parent companies, but he decided “to leverage the three studio owners because I think they can help us get access to better scripts, better talent and better writers. That has proven to be the case. At the starting position, that was a great place for us to draw on the value and market position of our partners. Hopefully this will define us coming out of the gate of who we are.”

Epix will first see how these inaugural shows perform before deciding how and when to ramp up production. Eventually, Greenberg hopes to premiere “a couple of shows per quarter.”


Several channels have managed to successfully launch a scripted series component in recent years – but Epix faces an additional challenge: A small subscriber base (10.5 million), far below rivals HBO, Starz and Showtime.

To get the word out, Greenberg said the network also plans a “multi-million dollar” marketing campaign for the new shows, while also relying heavily on social media. Epix launched a 360-interactive website for “Berlin Station” and is also looking into virtual reality marketing tools.

According to Greenberg, Epix has been profitable since its first year in operation, and still sees an opportunity to expand its availability beyond the current 50 million homes.


Meanwhile, Greenberg confirmed that the Katie Couric documentary “Under the Gun,” which chronicles efforts to elevate the national discussion on gun safety, would return to Epix late next month. The doc came under fire over certain edits in an interview with a gun rights group. After its initial airing on Epix, “Under the Gun” moved to other pay windows.

“We’re the right platform for that, it’s the right doc, I’m still very proud of it,” Greenberg said. “It comes back on the air in a few weeks. We’ll promote the hell out of it again. I think it’s as relevant today. If we can help facilitate that conversation (on gun safety) and get it to a better place for all of us, I’ll be very happy we made a bigger contribution to life.”

As for Epix’s relationship with Lionsgate, which has sealed a $4.4 billion deal to acquire Starz, Greenberg said his channel still has another five years left on its output deal with the studio. “It’s a little premature for us to speculate on what’s going to happen,” he said. “I think in the near-term it’s business as usual.”

JULY 30, 2016
5:45pm PT by Bryn Elise Sandberg
'Berlin Station' Will Be More Accurate Than 'Homeland,' Creator Says
Executive producer Olen Steinhauer said at TCA that the only similarity between the Epix series and the Showtime drama is that they both deal in the world of intelligence.
'Berlin Station' Courtesy of Epix

Executive producer Olen Steinhauer said at TCA that the only similarity between the Epix series and the Showtime drama is that they both deal in the world of intelligence.
The creator of upcoming espionage drama Berlin Station is not a Homeland fan.

When Olen Steinhauer took the stage at the Television Critics Association press tour on Saturday to field questions about the Epix series, he was only inevitable that he'd asked about comparisons to the Claire Danes starrer.

"They are two very different things. The only similarity is that they both deal in the world of intelligence," he said, adding that he and the other producers were already working on the project when they found out that the fifth season of the Showtime drama would be taking place in Berlin. "I think there was a moment of hesitation. Like, 'Oh shit, everyone is going to compare us.'"

But Steinhauer suggested the similarities between the two end there. "The one crucial difference is that in Homeland, you're following Carrie [Danes.] She's the fulcrum of everything — it's her drive that gets things done. But that's not how intelligence works," he said.

"How did they find Bin Laden? It was not one person who was driven to extremes," he added. "This show is supposed to show how normal people with an abnormal job have to work tougher. They are not superheroes. This is an ensemble [show] because intelligence is an ensemble."

He went on to insist that Berlin Station will not only offer a more accurate portrayal of the intelligence community but also the city of Berlin itself. "The fact that they shot Homeland in Berlin and having watched what they ended up making, it's a hugely different thing," he said, noting specific scenes that wouldn't appear authentic to locals. "In Berlin Station, Berlin is a character in the story. We were insistent on keeping things real. We want Berliners to be able to watch this show and think, 'Oh, I know this place.'"

Berlin Station premieres Oct. 16 on Epix.

TCA16: Epix Sets Premiere Dates For ‘Berlin Station,’ ‘Graves’
Network taps Allen Culter to direct first episode of new series ‘Get Shorty’
7/30/2016 7:57 PM Eastern

By: R. Thomas Umstead


Read more TCA ’16 summer tour coverage

Epix has set an Oct. 16 premiere date for two new scripted series Berlin Station and Graves, network officials said during its Television Critics Association summer tour session.

Both the 10-episode spy thriller Berlin Station and 10-episode comedy series Graves will premier on Oct. 16, said network officials.

In addition, Epix’s limited documentary series America Divided -- executive produced by Norman Lear, Common and Shonda Rhimes – will debut Sept. 30.

The network also announced that it has tapped Emmy nominee Allen Coulter (The Sopranos) to direct the first episode of the network’s original comedy series Get Shorty, which will premiere in 2017, said network officials.

‘Berlin Station’ Creator On Being Compared To ‘Homeland’: Show Depicts “Normal People With An Abnormal Job”
by Amanda N'Duka
July 30, 2016 8:01pm
EPIX’s original espionage intelligence drama Berlin Station follows Daniel Miller,(Richard Armitage), who has just arrived at the CIA station in Berlin, Germany with a mission to determine the identity of a now-famous whistleblower masquerading as someone else. During the show’s presentation at the TCA conference – which also saw the unveiling of a new trailer which you can watch above – a question arose of whether there were any concerns to being compared to critically acclaimed drama Homeland, the fifth season of which also took places in Berlin.

Creator and EP Olen Steinhauer admitted to some initial concerns of comparisons, as both shows center around intelligence, but maintained that the two shows were different. “A crucial difference ,” he pointed out “is that in Homeland, you’re following Carrie. She is the focus. It is her drive that gets things done.” However, Steinhauer insisted, that was “not how intelligence works.” “Intelligence is networking,” he contended. “Intelligence is multiple people working together. [Berlin Station] was always suppose to show how normal people with an abnormal job” function and “they have to work together… There are no superheroes. Intelligence is an ensemble.”

Another difference Steinhauer mentioned was in the portrayal of Berlin. “In Berlin Station, Berlin is a character,” he said. “This story can only happen in Berlin. We were insistent on keeping things real. We want Berliners to be able to watch this show and say ‘oh I know this place.’ Homeland’s Berlin could happen in any city. Berlin Station can only happen in one place.”

When asked about the concern over espionage content, particularly if there would be any more good stories after the fall of the Berlin Wall, EP/Showrunner Brad Winters was adamant that there still are stories left to tell about the city. “Berlin, being a city with such a layer of history just in the 20th century alone, we found really lends itself to the espionage genre, which of course deals with such existential questions of human identity and the mask that we all wear, not just spies,” he said. “To do that in Berlin,” he added the creatives where able to find a vast number of “places to explore all those themes.” Winters cotinuted, “when we told people about the show for the first time, everybody assumed it will be a period piece.” People “were surprised it was about contemporary Berlin. Part of that renewal is right in line with this show’s return to very classic form of the spy drama.”

Joining Steinhauer and Winters on the panel were EP Keith Redmon, and castmembers Richard Armitage( Daniel Miller), Rhys Ifans (Hector DeJean), Richard Jenkins (Steven Frost), Michelle Forbes (Valerie Edwards), Leland Orser (Robert Kirsch), Tamlyn Tomita (Sandra Abe), Mina Tander (Esther Krug).

The 10, hour-long episodes are set to air October 16.