NEW FORMATS FOR A NEW TELEVISION
By now, we are all aware that artificial intelligence will have — and is already having — a profound impact on the media industry, a topic that has been widely discussed. This is happening at various levels. Firstly, there are the ‘specific tools’ used ‘behind the scenes’ at every stage of the audiovisual production process (pre-production, production, editing, distribution, marketing, and so on), which support professionals by enabling them to work much faster and more effectively.
Then, of course, there are generative AI tools, particularly text-to-video tools, which can create videos based on simple linguistic prompts. Software such as Sora, Veo, Runway and many others are raising many questions, fears and concerns, as well as expectations, among professionals. Put simply, the crux of the matter is this: when is it right or advisable to use these tools to create programmes ‘from scratch’ without the participation of any actor or human being in the videos?
While we await a definitive answer (which will probably never come), the market has already provided an initial partial response: in historical reconstruction programmes.
This content is perfect for introducing text-to-video tools to the audiovisual industry: it is, in any case, a ‘reconstruction’, so why not do it directly with AI software, saving a lot of time and money, and being able to take care of every single historical detail in a philological way? This marks the beginning of a new trend: ‘historical GENAI’, bringing to life periods both distant and not so distant from our own.
In Unearthed: The Mystery of the Shaman Woman (ZDF), for example, the life of a shaman who lived over 9,000 years ago is reconstructed, starting from the discovery of her tomb, where she was buried with a baby and funeral furnishings.
Knut, the Viking Emperor (ZED for Histoire TV, Sky History, SVT, ZDF Studios & TCD) uses visually stunning, AI-generated reconstructions designed in collaboration with historical consultants to take us back to the Viking era.
Gennie, based in LA, is partnering with UK indie Woodcut Media on a true crime series. The two companies have entered into a co-production agreement for Deep Blue CSI, which uses advanced AI technology to recreate cold cases involving some of the most mysterious ship and submarine wrecks in history.
Particle6 recently announced Streets of the Past, which will star real-life Dutch historical investigator Corjan Mol. With the help of AI, he will be transported back in time to the streets, squares and canals of the Netherlands.
In October last year, Collective Media Network’s Historyverse released the first trailer for its artificial intelligence-powered version of the Mahabharata, giving viewers an initial glimpse of this technologically driven retelling of the ancient Indian epic. The series, titled Mahabharat: Ek Dharmayudh, highlights the production’s approach to merging classical narrative with contemporary tools, and can be viewed on YouTube.
Turning to China, the giant production company Huace Media Group announced some impressive and ambitious projects at the last MipCom: Sword Into Plowshares, (pics) a 40-episode historical epic set around 960 AD, during the period known as the ‘Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms’ (with outstanding visual quality).
In short, while we await the more widespread use of these tools, the ‘futuristic’ text-to-video software has already established a niche for itself: the past.
Alongside AI, one of the hottest topics in this period is vertical content. As the name suggests, this type of content is designed to be consumed vertically (with a 9:16 aspect ratio optimised for smartphones) ‘on the go’. Each episode lasts between one and three minutes to ensure usability, with a total of between 20 and over 100 episodes per series. If the content is ad-supported on platforms such as YouTube or TikTok, viewers typically pay nothing; otherwise, it may be purchased directly or be part of a subscription on other services.
This phenomenon first emerged in the Far East, especially in China (and to a lesser extent in South Korea), where such programmes are especially popular among young people and are known as ‘Duanju’. Currently, Duanju has a market share of almost half of that of the rest of the world in the People’s Republic of China, and is growing at an astonishing rate of perhaps 250% per year. According to the country’s state media, the sector recorded a gross turnover of $5.2 billion in 2023, accounting for around 70% of the national film market.
Recently, however, this phenomenon has been spreading rapidly and diversifying across the globe. Initially limited to fiction (’vertical drama’ or ‘microdrama’), this format is now extending to non-fiction content as well. One of the latest examples of this is the Ukrainian unscripted series Love or Dare, produced and distributed by Holywater, a firm that has previously produced a number of microdrama series. The first part of Love or Dare premieres on the My Drama platform on 21 November, followed by part two on 12 December.
This ‘vertical unscripted format’ sees couples who are either struggling or simply want to test their limits being presented with physical and emotional challenges. Among the contestants on the 80-episode season is Australian unscripted star Harry Johnson, who was previously featured on Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle. The unscripted vertical series is being produced separately from the deal with Fox, in which the US entertainment group took an equity stake in Holywater. This deal will see as many as 200 vertical scripted and unscripted series emerge from Fox Entertainment Studios over the next two years.
Finally, even when it comes to more traditional content, we must consider the changes to the media landscape. A good example of this is Audit My Relationship, a new docu/talk/reality series designed for social and linear platforms, produced by Pig & Horse Productions, a company based in Monaco and Finland, and which was launched in June by Finnish filmmaker and actor Salla Kozma.
The idea is that relationships are also undergoing a transformation: the traditional model is being challenged and more people are seeking their own way of being together. Conversations about identity and roles are now part of everyday life, with feminism, masculinity, fidelity, sexuality, power and freedom all coming together at the dinner table.
In each episode, three couples who have never met before take turns to host an intimate dinner at home. During the dinner, they discuss the key aspects of their relationships, such as housework, sex and their future plans. The show’s diverse cast features a range of modern love stories, including traditional marriages, open relationships, and LGBTQ+ couples. Some of the dinner pairings include a ‘tradwife’ and her husband sharing a meal with a feminist power couple, and a conservative heterosexual couple hosting a polyamorous duo.
Over the course of the meal, they open up about the key areas of their relationship: communication, jealousy, housework, sex, and the future. The guest couples listen, ask probing questions — and secretly score the host couple in five categories. Viewers crave reflection, relatability and voyeurism — and this show delivers on all three fronts.
The project itself is interesting and, as mentioned, it is suitable for both linear and online channels. However, there is another interesting aspect that the producers skilfully highlight: “The show’s structure naturally generates short, addictive clips for social media”. This may seem like a minor detail, but it is these kinds of considerations that will determine the future of television formats.
