NATPE, CEETV AND TVBIZZ ANNOUNCE INAUGURAL “PITCH & PLAY LIVE” FINALISTS

LOS ANGELES/BUDAPEST, June 22, 2016 – NATPE announced today the three (3) finalists for the inaugural “Pitch & Play LIVE” competition, a new initiative presented by NATPE in partnership with CEETV and TVBIZZ, which will showcase original non-scripted format ideas possessing international potential from across the CEE region. The winner will be revealed at the forthcoming “Pitch & Play LIVE” event 29 June from noon–1:30 pm. The session is part of NATPE Budapest 2016 Market & Content Summit in Budapest, 27-30 June.

The finalists will present their formats to the following international panel of judges: Amos Neumann, Chief Operating Officer of Armoza Formats; Can Okan, CEO/President of ITV Inter Medya; and Girts Licis, Head of CEE, Formats & Content Development, Modern Times Group.

The three finalists are:

  • “Best Offer” (Osakond, Estonia) – a show where celebrities offer unique personal items in a real-time online auction with the proceeds going to charity.
  • “Crack Them Up. Kids” (Kvartal-95, Ukraine) – an entertaining comedy gameshow where young participants win a prize if they can successfully get two acclaimed and popular comedians to laugh at their skit.
  • “Pick the Right Box” (Kvartal-95, Gaudi Studio, Ukraine) – a show where ordinary, yet unique, people compete with celebrities in four categories: science, sports, singing and dancing.

Each format was evaluated by members of an esteemed blue-ribbon jury, which includes: Pascal Dalton, Regional Sales Director, Formats: CEE at Endemol Shine Group; Nick Smith, SVP International Format Production at All3Media International; Noelia Nicolas, Director European Formats at CBS Studios International; Jordan Ryder, VP of Domestic & International Programming, NATPE; and George R. Chakarov, CEO at CEETV, TVBIZZ Group.

In addition to media coverage by CEETV, TVBIZZ and NATPE, the winning format will be awarded a development meeting.
For full details of the NATPE Budapest schedule, please visit: www.natpe.com/budapest/schedule

# # #

About NATPE:

Celebrating 54 years of service to the ever-evolving global television industry, NATPE inspires the growth and success of content development, creation, production, financing and distribution across all platforms through marketplaces where industry decision makers gather to offer insight and make deals. 

For more information, please visit www.natpe.com.

Press Contacts:

Kevin Broderick/Megan Levy
The Lippin Group/LA
kevin@lippingroup.com , megan@lippingroup.com

323.965.1990