MIPCOM 2021: Maximising the show experience with user-generated video

So, it’s almost here - MIPCOM 2021, the world's largest exhibition of studios and distributors. It promises to be quite a spectacle again, and for producers it’s the place to be to meet the industry’s top TV buyers, commissioners, and financiers as they converge to search for new content.

A recent MIP Markets report on what TV commissioners and buyers want revealed some interesting pre-event insights. TV buyers and commissioners are actively seeking something very real, very visceral, and very inspiring – shows that deliver a richer and more holistic understanding of the world, productions that give a voice to those who rarely get heard in mainstream media, and urgent and relevant stories (those of ordinary people and those that resonate with the human heart). They want the shows they invest in to be thought provoking, original, highly topical, and above all they desire strong visual storytelling.

I am therefore convinced that one of the big topics under discussion at MIPCOM this year will be the growing trend of user generated video (UGV), and its role in the future of TV production.

What is this fabulous UGV thing I hear you ask?...

UGV is video shot by ‘ordinary people’. It’s possible to find user-generated videos of just about anything – viral clips of course, but also animals and nature, sport, science, weather, travel, news and events. UGV provides access to amazing stories that might otherwise never be told.

 So why is it relevant to production professionals?...

Get inspired by the latest TV trends

We have witnessed huge growth in the amount of UGV content used in news programming, reality TV, documentaries, factual entertainment and so on. Sure, this can partly be associated with impact of Covid19. But in the largest part it’s simply a result of the fact that audiences are consuming UGV at a greater rate than ever, as they determinedly seek out the most visceral experiences they can get on screen.

Viewers increasingly want to feel connected to the viewing experience. Whether the action is filmed on watches, phones, GoPros, drones or any other life-documenting device, audiences are enriching each other’s experience of the world every second of every day. As the terabytes of user generated video content increases, producers will be faced with how to harness the content their audiences overwhelmingly desire.

A fresh approach to storytelling

When it comes to storytelling in 2021, diversification of both talent and production count.   The user generated video world is the place to be for producers looking to make fresh, original shows.

In the UGV world, everyday a new star is born and a new story is waiting to be told. UGV is an invaluable storytelling tool because it is unparalleled in terms of its authenticity, connection, and relevance to the audience, whilst also being unparalleled in its ability to be truly immersive. It captures otherwise unseen and untold moments in raw and exciting ways that simply cannot be created, and as such helps to deliver truly compelling storytelling narratives and the deeper connection to the action audiences crave.

In terms of production itself, UGV is a low cost but high profit alternative to traditional TV making. It’s the chance to dynamically respond to the new TV buyer and commissioner agenda with compelling new stories and fresh viewing experiences.

Ensure your pitch is successful at MIPCOM by maximising the show experience with UGV

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 TV buyers and commissioners.

Book a meeting with me today to find out who we can help you nail that MIPCOM pitch.