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According to Deadline, there is a widespread sense of optimism amongst TV buyers that the next twelve months will be buoyant for the unscripted and factual business – the “roaring ‘20s of non-scripted” as one buyer called it.
Likewise, according to MIPTrends, buyers are reporting an upswing in acquisitions of factual and factual entertainment series as audiences are increasingly seeking engaging, non-scripted content which intrigues and piques their interest across a multitude of subjects”. Feature documentaries are also enjoying a renaissance since they combine the convenient formats and gripping storytelling that audiences crave.
No wonder factual trends and what’s next for unscripted TV is a key topic at MIPCOM. But if you want to be ahead of trend and want to surprise TV buyers and commissioners at MIPCOM then you need to embrace user-generated video (UGV) opportunity.
The new era of factual and unscripted
Unscripted content now represents a huge 40% of the television available today.
The meteoric rise of video-first social media platforms is driving up viewership of unscripted content because people are craving connection and understanding, and more than ever choosing to devour authentic real person and real issue stories. Similarly, publishers are getting in on the action and becoming more adept at producing their own unscripted content, like documentary films and factual series.
Even the streamers are shifting. According to recent research the cumulative number of reality TV shows offered on streaming services nearly doubled in the first quarter of 2021 when compared with the same period last year. ViacomCBI Inc’s CEO recently dubbed unscripted programming “the fastest growing genre in streaming”.
New streaming platforms are even emerging solely designed to feed audiences the content they desire most. Streamfire, a new video streaming service with TV channels full of user-generated video (UGV), launched in the US in June, and Creator+ is becoming established as a go-to for feature length films starring creators. Similarly, Nebula, the creator-owned streaming service, and self-proclaimed thoughtful expansion pack for YouTube, has seeded its first investment and a valuation more than $50m.
The rise of creators
Creators (or filmers as we call them) are no longer on the fringes of mainstream entertainment; they are at the very heart of it. We love to laugh at their videos, immerse ourselves in their lives, admire their antics and daredevil stunts, share their passion for environmental and societal issues, and indulge their moments of raw emotion. Despite this, traditional programming consistently fails to include creators.
Are you ready to embrace a new era of factual and unscripted?
Producers take note – TV buyers and commissioners attending MIPCOM are looking for more diverse programming - they’re searching for new formats; they want to be at the vanguard of programming innovation and capitalise on the next big thing. They want producers to bring them new ideas and explore different ways of thinking and production formats that can lead to exciting new factual and unscripted projects.
UGV offers a continuous supply of fresh content, new ideas and jaw-dropping entertainment, and the opportunity to get more of the shows cable networks, broadcasters, and streamers (not to mention audiences, of course) want into production quickly.
And here’s the real kicker – unscripted and factual shows using UGV can cost a fraction of what it takes to produce scripted content. So, as well as delivering that all important diversity of content, it can also generate higher profits.
Be in the know at MIPCOM
Life, with all its colour and craziness, sights and sounds, triumphs, and tragedies, is the greatest show on earth. A spectacle that demands to be shared with audiences everywhere, through engaging, captivating, and enthralling user-generated video.
Newsflare’s constantly growing global membership of filmers are out there capturing life as it happens, uploading new clips all day, every day, to our huge, ever-expanding vault. It’s alive with diverse, emotionally powerful content and fresh ideas that will resonate deeply with audiences
Be in the know… let Newsflare help you uncover the new, timely, unexpected, disruptive, and unique content that will help you nail that pitch at MIPCOM and get your next factual or unscripted show into production.
