Frank - Festival de télévision de Monte-Carlo

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IntervIew 16 New Lucrezia. Following such beauties as Maria Grazia Buccella, Martine Carol, Edwige Feuillère, Ava Gardner, Lisa Gastoni, Paulette Goddard, Sirpa Lane, Belinda Lee, Simonetta Stefandlli, even Joan Sutherland... Germany’s Russianborn Isolda Dychauk is the screen’s 37th sister of Rodrigo’ in «Borgia» There could hardly be a better cholce in Europe for President of the TV Series jury than Takis Candilis. As ceo of Lagardère Entertainment in Paris, he is the #1 drama producer in France, if not all Europe. He’s had a meteoric rise from film editor, cinematographer, writer, producer, director, creator and television producer, booker, buyer, instigator and distributor to heading the varied production outlets under his umbrella at Lagardère - responsible for more than 950 hours of programming per year. He started out in cinema - with a prize-winning short “Le Retour Du Prive” in 1977 - but was soon thwarted and plain bored by how long it took to - “maybe!” - get a film off the page and into cinemas. TV offered greater rapidity. He formed and worked for various companies, including a memorable 90s spell in cultural programming - opera and ballet for ZDF, Arté, BBC, NHK. He returned to drama at Ellipse, then Hamster and TF1 - “Navarro,” “L’instit,” “Quai N°1.” For a full decade he was head of fiction and programmes at TFI before joining Lagardère Entertainment in 2008 - becoming le patron within two years. He talked to us in his ninth floor office, overlooking the River Seine in Paris, before coming to Monte Carlo to head the TV Series jury. Let’s begin with the obvious: Ever headed a jury before? No, this is the first time and I’m looking forward to it. I hope I’m a good choice... TV drama is your life. It used to be cinema. Why the switch? That was a long time ago - 1982. It simply took too long - years! - to make one movie. And I had no time. I always wanted to make many things at the same time. So, I became a producer and tried to make not one film but two or three films per year. Then, I became a bigger producer and managed 20 or 25 per year. Then, at a TV channel - it became more than 80. Now I’m head of the 17 companies forming Lagardère Entertainment, it’s around 135 hours - 14% of our our annual 950 hours of programming. If you can relax before a TV like the rest of us, what were your favourite series recently? “Rome” was a major shock - to all of us. Then, “The Tudors.” And I loved “Mad Men,” “CSI,” “Oz.” Shocked because you felt costume drama wouldn’t work today? But also this was, I think, the first time where, despite the historic setting, everyone was doing what you’d expect them to be doing today. They spoke like today. It was a contemporary show even though dressed as in ancient Rome. Totally amazing! Plus this was the first time we saw such a high level production quality in a series. Cinema quality. How close are the French to matching that quality? That’s a very difficult question. Because I am now producing “Borgia” and asked Tom Fontana to be the executive producer and showrunner, it’s very difficult for me to discuss French talents. One thing I know for sure: such a market didn’t use to exist in France, but it does now, and French writers who learn fast, will deliver the goods. During your cultural years, you were one of the first Euro producers to shoot in High Definition. How do you view the apparent rising demand for 3-D - the suject for our Xchanges today and tomorrow. When I started with HD, it was an extremely complicated technique. We needed more lights, the cameras were big bulky. But, yes, the results were worth it - fantastic! Today, the cameras are smaller, much easier to handle, and you can shoot at night with no light - incredible. Now it’s a huge business to shoot in 3D. But shooting TV in 3D is not the same shooting in 3D for the cinema - the screen is not the same scale. We need to study all the differences. You’re testing equipment, how best to utilise it? Oh, yes. We’re use 3D already - in sports, for example. Again that’s not the way it would be used in fiction. It’s very interesting to understand how to do it. We have to re-invent the way to make shots. I have in mind to make a show in 3D. I am sure than within a few years, 3D will be the TV norm. How much has TV drama production changed since your Ellipse and Hamster days in the early 90s? That was really a most fantastic time. The beginning in France of making shows the public loved: between 1995 and 2005, French shows were a huge success with viewers. When we started that at Ellipse we went through a major learning process. Just as we’re doing today with 3D. We had to understand how to write series - there are some rules about writing good shows for TV. How to produce and direct them... and how to launch them. We began how to understand how to pace a show and its characters... We were, learning, in fact, how best to speak to people through TV drama. Then at TF1, it was the first time we made longform shows, 90 minutes instead of the usual 52. Inspired by BBC or USA? Oh, the American way. For example, “Navarro” was inspired by “Kojak.” Also at TF1, when we were not moving ahead fast enough, I began buying formats. So we made a French version
New Transporter. The new Frank Martin is Chris Vance, a BBC series star lately busy in Hollywood: in short from “Doctors” to “Prison Break.” of “Law & Order.” I tried to buy the “CSI” format, too; instead we bought an Italian version and that became “RIS: Police scientifique.” And we made an agreement with Warner for “Without A Trace” - “Interpol.” Working on a format is the best school for young writers, they learn how to write their own series Even as the #1 TV drama production company in France, is the language quota still a problem for Lagardère? It’s no longer the problem it was. Two years ago there were new quotas drawn up. It used to be French language only on TF1, France Television, etc. Now there is a special window of 10% where you can shoot in English. So I immediately went to Canal Plus and said: “OK, now we can make a show ln English” - and we made “Borgia.” Next, and for the first time, the BBC came to France Television and asked: “Can we produce something together?” They came to us at Atlantique and we said: ‘Yes, it’s possible!’ And right now, we’re shooting eight episodes of “Death in Paradise,” a cop show for BBC and France 2, in Guadaloupe. That, of course, is the major change in TV drama - coproduction. And it works far better than all those Europudding movies we used to have. That started due to the economic crisis. Budgets were slashed by between 10% and 20% by various networks and channels. And yet, at the same time, they all sought a higher level of production quality. You say you’re in “an industry of prototypes.” Can we hear about two of your biggest current prototypes... We have two Borgia projects - yours and Neil Jordan’s, which is in competition here. Yes, there are two. But I think there is only one that is good! [Laugh]. I’m joking! No, you’re not. You mean it. I mean it! [Laugh]. I think we really have the better writer. Yes, you have some great people involved (Tom Fontana, etc), a serious investment (22m Euros) but, strangely... no stars! The title is the star. “Borgia”! The genesis of this show was when I talking with Rodolphe Belmer [Managing Director of Canal+,] about “The Tudors.” He said: “It’s impossible for us to do such a show.” “But we have to, ” I said. “Any ideas?” And I said one word. “Borgia” He said: “Wow!” And we’ve just finished shooting the first season in April - in Prague. Then, “The Transporter” (from the Luc Besson movie franchise) for M6. Why is the budget higher than for “Borgia” - 30m Euros. Due to the cars, the crashes...? Exactly! Because of the cars, the chases, the stunts, the crashes - and shooting in different European cities. Production starts next month. About 80% of each episode will be shot in Toronto, with different locations per episode - Paris, London, Moscow, etc. Also, the fans of the movies will expect a matching high quality of production. We can’t make this in a small way with two cars in a corner... After all, we found the money because of the success of the movies... so we are really obliged to match them. Or surpass them! Replacing Jason Statham’s hero is as difficult as changing James Bond... Very difficult! But we’ve found him - a great English guy called... Chris Vance. You certainly have a packed portfolio. Do you ever get home at night? Oh yes... I even have time to spend a few days in Monte Carlo. It will be great! Tony Crawley “Borgia.” The deadliest family of them all... “Talking about “The Tudors,” he said: “It’s impossible for us to do such a show.” “But we have to, ” I said. “Any ideas?” And I said one word. “Borgia” He said: “Wow!” And we’ve just finished shooting the first season.” © Patrick Curtet © Bernard Benant 17
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Frank - Festival de télévision de Monte-Carlo

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