Maria Ibarra Blue Ant
Blue Ant Media is releasing more than 270 hours of new factual, specialized factual, high-impact documentaries, kids and family content.
Some of the key titles are: Deep Water Salvage (18×60′; HD; Renowned Films & Saloon Media), which follows the world’s best maritime rescue teams as they race against the clock to aid shipwrecks in the US, Central America and the UK. United; Ice Vikings (8×60′; 4K; Farpoint Films), a look at the wild and dangerous world of commercial ice fishing; Co-extinction (1×94′; 4K; Coexistence Films), the story of an orca mother who carried her dead calf for 17 days; Mysteries from Above (10×60′; HD; Saloon Media), a documentary series that using drones, satellites and aerial photography investigates important world sites; Roswell Rediscovered: 75th Anniversary (1×120’|2×60′ 4K HDR; Coleman Television Limited), which digs deeper than ever to discover the truth of the most famous UFO incident in the US, the alleged crash of an alien spacecraft in Roswell, New Mexico; and The Roanoke Mystery: Final Evidence (2×60′ HD | 1×120′ HD; Saloon Media & BriteSpark), which looks into the 400-year-old mystery of the disappearance of more than a hundred English colonists who settled on Roanoke Island off North Carolina in 1587.
María Ibarra, VP of International Sales at Blue Ant International, mentioned that among the recent sales made in the region are seasons 1 to 4 of Paranormal Survivor (40×60′; HD; Our House Media) and BTK: A Killer Among Us (2×60′; HD; Cream Productions) on Discovery Latin America.
“Recently, we also closed a deal for the first time in Peru with Panamericana TV for a large volume of hours of Love Nature titles, including Big Cat Country (6×60′; HDR and 4K; Plimsoll Productions) and Africa’s Claws and Jaws (4×60′, 4K; Off The Fence)”, she indicated.
The Blue Ant Media’s team expectations during MIP TV come down to reconnecting in person with clients from all over the world. “We can’t wait to share our new content and are coming to the market with series and documentaries that we think will create a lot of excitement and eagerness,” said Ibarra.
In terms of demand from different buyers and platforms, the company works with all the platforms in the region, from linear TV to AVOD. “We’re seeing that everyone is in need of fresh, new programming and is especially interested in premium content,” she said.
True crime content continues to be a big trend, driving ratings and attracting subscribers. “We are seeing a huge demand for this genre. One example we offer is the new crime documentary, Evil by Design: Surviving Nygard, a three-part documentary series that searches for the truth behind allegations of Peter Nygård’s 40-year reign of terror, with exclusive interviews, photos and footage never seen before. We also have an extensive library of long-running crime series, such as Killer in my Family and See no Evil, which shows how real murder cases are solved with the help of CCTV surveillance cameras. Buyers also continue to be drawn to successful multi-season series like See no Evil, with seven seasons commissioned by Discovery ID in the US, is a franchise that attracts audiences,” she highlighted.
Another trend she sees is stories about diversity issues like the documentary Spirit to Soar. In this content, the journalist and storyteller Tanya Talaga, talks about the death of indigenous children in northern Canada, which has universal appeal as part of the global cultural discussion regarding racial equality.
“It is no secret that scripted content is in high demand in the Latin American market and we have a unique offering in this genre. Gary and his Demons, an adult animated comedy series featuring the cynical story of a grumpy demon slayer desperate to retire and find a successor, but he’s still so good at his job that he’s virtually irreplaceable. The series has a lot of humor and will appeal to a younger audience, which is attractive for our buyers in this market,” Ibarra said.
