 CANADA | INTERVIEW |
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| Portfolio Entertainment: Content Boutique |
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Canadian producer and distributer Portfolio Entertainment is self-defined as a "boutique" company that focuses on specific, high-quality content.
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Canada's audiovisual industry is thriving mainly due to the success of its kids' content across the globe, which is demanded internationally in different territories, including the Latin American market.
Still, Canadian content is not limited to kids' films and series, as it also produces high-quality productions in several genres through dozens of leading companies present in the country.
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Portfolio Entertainment is one of these companies known for its high-quality kids' content, yet also focuses on another important genre: lifestyle and factual. Luis Fournier, VP Sales and Acquisitions, spoke to ttv about this twofold strategy.
"Our focus is twofold: kids, primarily, which has always been our core business; we've produced a number of series and have some in distribution. And we also do lifestyle and factual programming," he said.
"We have a lot of cooking shows, traveling shows, and so on. We are really making an effort to have a stronger presence in factual and lifestyle by developing and producing our own shows. The area of growth for us is really on the factual and lifestyle side, while still keeping the kids very prominent since we're established in that area," he said.
According to Fournier, Portfolio Entertainment is a "boutique company" which focuses on specific, high-quality projects.
"We produce between 26 and 52 hours of programming a year. We're a boutique-type company that likes to focus on very specific shows; high-quality shows. And we like to be known for this, so that the buyer come to us and know what to look for," he said.
Portfolio currently has a permanent staff at the company, and also works with outside crews to produce certain shows; something the executive explained is actually an advantage, since it provides more flexibility and variety. "When you're in distribution you don't want every show to be in the same mold," he said.
The company also looks for content overseas, in territories such as Brazil, while also keeping an eye out for international co-productions. For instance, the company co-produced The Cat in the Hat with UK company Collingwood O'Hare Productions; and recently announced a deal with Discovery Kids Latin America.
"In terms of acquisitions, we are open to new products from countries that can take advantage of our know-how in distribution," he concluded.
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