From producing local versions of its U.K.-originated dramas and comedies to fostering new talent and supporting authentic, locally resonant IPs, BBC Studios is scaling its scripted output across EMEA.
The message from Matt Forde at Series Mania Forum last month was clear: in the year since he had last been on stage in Lille, the restructuring that brought production and sales together under a global content studio has dramatically changed the U.K. powerhouse’s positioning in Europe and beyond.
“We are a full-service studio, based out of London,” Forde, president of BBC Studios Global Productions, said in a Series Mania Forum panel I had the great pleasure of moderating. “We have ten production bases around the world, so we are effectively production companies in every market—mini-studios,” Forde said.
The non-scripted local production story is well-known for a company home to mega-formats like Dancing with the Stars, but “scripted is increasingly the story,” he said. That business includes local versions of well-known BBC Studios IP, and, increasingly, aligning with local talent and developing homegrown stories that will resonate with domestic and international audiences. Beyond serving as a licensing machine—and a powerful one at that—it wants to be a creative partner, in places where it has a base and where it doesn’t.
In Lille last year, Forde highlighted the acquisition of Brutal Media in Spain, giving it a foothold in a thriving production hub that is capitalizing on its resources and a healthy tax-incentives structure. A year later, he was joined on stage by Alonso Laporta, head of scripted at Brutal Media, along with executives from Germany and France, to discuss the gains made in the ensuing months.
“Spain has become an incredible destination for international productions,” said Laporta. “Many famous shows have been shot in Spain over the last few years, like Game of Thrones and The Crown. Spain is like a small continent in terms of the landscape. While the locations are great, the tax incentives are even better. At Brutal, we provide the expertise for navigating those incentives and making the most of them.”
Spanish content is traveling better than it ever has, Laporta said, and having the backing of BBC Studios “has opened up a lot for us. We have access to an extraordinary portfolio of successful titles. That combination of original and catalog-driven development is something very few production companies in Spain can offer. There is also the opportunity for collaboration, which is great. The other thing I would stress is the BBC brand itself. It is such a strong brand historically. It is known the world over for quality and storytelling. This has opened doors for us, especially with talent. It gives us a stronger profile and more opportunities.”
BBC Studios has had a long presence in Germany, but scripted is a fairly new part of the story, said Eva Holtmann, head of scripted at BBC Studios Germany.
It has adapted Ghosts, recently greenlit for a second season, as well as Chabos, which Holtmann said was more “inspired by” the U.K. comedy Ladhood than a 100% adaptation. Further illustrating that point, a second season, from a female perspective, is in the works, called Babes. “Adaptations exist with local flavors,” Holtmann said. “This doesn’t mean we only do adaptations. We are also developing originals.”
It’s a similar approach at BBC Studios France. “Our strategy is talent-based,” said Lea Gimonneau-Sorrel, scripted series producer. “We try to meet with emerging and established talent. And try to build strong, lasting relationships with them collaboratively.” That ethos extends to its alignment with streaming and broadcast partners, and, naturally, to its sister labels.
Read the full piece on Substack.
