Ukraine’s SPACE Production Makes a Splash at NATPE Budapest
Ukraine’s leading independent producer SPACE Production is betting big on this year’s edition of NATPE Budapest with a catalog led by the fresh hit crime series C.O.D.E. which will be also offered to partners as a scripted format. The company is looking to forge new partnerships and co-production deals during the market, as SPACE’s co-founders Daria Leygonie-Fialko and Kateryna Laskari tell TVBIZZ Magazine in this exclusive interview.
SPACE Production is among the leaders in the number of hours of series content produced for Ukrainian television. Some of your hits include The Trace, Water Police, The Blind, C.O.D.E., Blackout, Art in War (co-pro for ARTE) and many others. How many hours of content do you produce each year?
Daria: SPACE Production really focuses on long running series. This is in line with the market demand, as Ukrainian television is mainly programmed horizontally.
We were holding the record in the number of hours of TV content produced in Ukraine prior to the full-scale invasion. I believe that we still rank first, it is just that nobody is keeping the score right now. It is very important for us that we provide Ukrainian channels with comprehensive all-in-one programming solutions for grid formation. And that is a special technology that we have built as a unique factory with high-quality shows.
Kateryna: What I can confirm is that in 2023 we produced more than 250 episodes, totaling 200 hours of content, which is a remarkable feat considering that all were created and produced in Ukraine, where outages are just one of the difficulties we must somehow get around. What is even more important for us is that our series are top performers. It means we are doing something right, that people love our shows. That and the fact that we can keep Ukrainian creative community working gives us the largest satisfaction.
You also distribute Ukrainian content. Could you mention some of the countries and platforms that have bought content from you?
Daria: Since we started the distribution two years ago, our finished programs have been sold to leading commercial channels in the Baltics and Poland and as far afield as Latin America. Formats have been licensed in Poland, as well as Israel. We are now discussing licensing the formats in Japan, so we are really universal, with a big U.
What are the main stories and themes that you will focus on in your upcoming projects?
Daria: We are focused on continuing the successful C.O.D.E. show and developing it as a film franchise. We have big plans to sell the series as a format as well. We are developing the original series Sofia with unique Ukrainian roots for the local market and worldwide distribution. And there is one more family procedural Bloodline that was greenlit (yes, we love detectives).
The mission of our company is MAKE UKRAINIAN IDENTITY BLOOM, so naturally, we want to focus on stories that originate in Ukraine and forge deep connections with international viewers. Through well-crafted characters and captivating plots, we want our stories to evoke feelings of empathy, support, and understanding. Theme of personal identity is common in our work.
Kateryna: For the international co-productions SPACE has several projects in the pipeline, from a period biopic, a super 80s infused horror thriller inspired by horror stories from our folklore, a based on true events co-development project and a sports drama and coming of age feature film, to name a few, that we are developing with partners from France, Netherlands, Italy and UK.
How is your company adapting to the new conditions on the Ukrainian market?
Daria: In the first six months of the full-scale invasion, there was a complete shutdown. And when production slowly began to revive, there were no longer talks of bold and ambitious streaming projects. There was no money, no buyers for such content in Ukraine either. Standard television production in special conditions resumed.
We learnt how to hold readings in bomb shelters, bought generators and Starlinks. We were ready for air raids and missile attacks in the middle of a filming day at every moment, and we stopped filming on high floors. We learnt to appreciate every day of filming as if it were the last.
In Ukraine, we are trying to keep the volume high, because these are jobs, which is very important for the economy of a country at war.
What is your relationship with the Ukrainian streaming companies which proved very resilient to the war?
Kateryna: Before the war, we produced series for Megogo, and we were on the track of developing other premium shows, however, the war has put a pause on that. Ukrainian streamers can’t sustain full-fledged original production right now and work a lot with libraries. Viewers can’t afford to spend the money on subscriptions, and advertisers are also very prudent with their budgets.
Megogo is even entering foreign markets to find new viewers around the world, as well as new monetization models. As soon as all of us can figure out how to make the budgets work and the entire structure, we are ready to pick the collaboration up.
SPACE Production is attending CEE’s most-established TV market NATPE Budapest. What are your expectations for the event? What opportunities will you be looking for during the market?
Daria: We have high expectations of NATPE - it is a super important market for us. After all, we will present our unique C.O.D.E. series at our SPACE viewing station. The series will be available both as a format and as a ready-made.
We are proud to be a silver sponsor this summer at NATPE Budapest 2024. SPACE Production is committed to expanding the boundaries of its distribution and co-production activities, and we can’t wait to forge new collaborations with our peers from around the world. We are looking forward to welcoming them at our viewing station and showcasing our work.
Your major highlight at NATPE Budapest will be the crime series C.O.D.E. which proved the biggest hit of the year on Ukrainian TV. You will be offering the series also as a format. Could you tell us more about the project, how long did it take to develop it and what were the viewership results?
Daria: The development of C.O.D.E. and preparation for filming took about a year. Shooting was postponed several times due to shelling, but we are now delighted that our first season is out, and that the audience reacted so well to it. It is our first Ukrainian new program since the beginning of the war. It premiered in April and became the most successful TV premiere of the season on STB, Ukraine’s leading channel. C.O.D.E. was ranked first in the slot among all TV channels for all audiences. The series reached the average share of 10.22%, while the average share of the channel was 8.20% during the same period.
Are you working on the second season?
Kateryna: Yes, we are shooting the second season. Together with our long-time partner STB, we have already commenced preparations for the next installment. The anticipation is palpable as we delve into the creative process, ensuring that the upcoming season surpasses expectations and continues to captivate our audience.
Why do you think the show would be attractive to international buyers to adapt in their respective markets? What support would you provide them with in case they commit to a remake?
Daria: The C.O.D.E. format is a mix of the classical procedural structure with modern twist: an artificial intelligence system that selects detectives, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. This dynamic formula makes this content relevant for many territories, especially for the female audience.
We would guide potential commissioners through the process and reveal key elements to its success.
What is your strategy in terms of co-productions? Will you be looking for partners for your major new projects at NATPE Budapest?
Daria: We firmly believe that co-production is the ideal pathway for the evolution of the industry in today’s world. We are ready to invest not only our production capabilities but also our creativity and innovative ideas into these collaborative ventures. Ukrainian content creators possess incredible talent to produce successful and compelling programs even amidst continuous challenges and stress. This resilience and ingenuity make us uniquely qualified to thrive in co-production endeavors.
Daria: SPACE Production really focuses on long running series. This is in line with the market demand, as Ukrainian television is mainly programmed horizontally.
We were holding the record in the number of hours of TV content produced in Ukraine prior to the full-scale invasion. I believe that we still rank first, it is just that nobody is keeping the score right now. It is very important for us that we provide Ukrainian channels with comprehensive all-in-one programming solutions for grid formation. And that is a special technology that we have built as a unique factory with high-quality shows.
Kateryna: What I can confirm is that in 2023 we produced more than 250 episodes, totaling 200 hours of content, which is a remarkable feat considering that all were created and produced in Ukraine, where outages are just one of the difficulties we must somehow get around. What is even more important for us is that our series are top performers. It means we are doing something right, that people love our shows. That and the fact that we can keep Ukrainian creative community working gives us the largest satisfaction.
You also distribute Ukrainian content. Could you mention some of the countries and platforms that have bought content from you?
Daria: Since we started the distribution two years ago, our finished programs have been sold to leading commercial channels in the Baltics and Poland and as far afield as Latin America. Formats have been licensed in Poland, as well as Israel. We are now discussing licensing the formats in Japan, so we are really universal, with a big U.
What are the main stories and themes that you will focus on in your upcoming projects?
Daria: We are focused on continuing the successful C.O.D.E. show and developing it as a film franchise. We have big plans to sell the series as a format as well. We are developing the original series Sofia with unique Ukrainian roots for the local market and worldwide distribution. And there is one more family procedural Bloodline that was greenlit (yes, we love detectives).
The mission of our company is MAKE UKRAINIAN IDENTITY BLOOM, so naturally, we want to focus on stories that originate in Ukraine and forge deep connections with international viewers. Through well-crafted characters and captivating plots, we want our stories to evoke feelings of empathy, support, and understanding. Theme of personal identity is common in our work.
Kateryna: For the international co-productions SPACE has several projects in the pipeline, from a period biopic, a super 80s infused horror thriller inspired by horror stories from our folklore, a based on true events co-development project and a sports drama and coming of age feature film, to name a few, that we are developing with partners from France, Netherlands, Italy and UK.
How is your company adapting to the new conditions on the Ukrainian market?
Daria: In the first six months of the full-scale invasion, there was a complete shutdown. And when production slowly began to revive, there were no longer talks of bold and ambitious streaming projects. There was no money, no buyers for such content in Ukraine either. Standard television production in special conditions resumed.
We learnt how to hold readings in bomb shelters, bought generators and Starlinks. We were ready for air raids and missile attacks in the middle of a filming day at every moment, and we stopped filming on high floors. We learnt to appreciate every day of filming as if it were the last.
In Ukraine, we are trying to keep the volume high, because these are jobs, which is very important for the economy of a country at war.
What is your relationship with the Ukrainian streaming companies which proved very resilient to the war?
Kateryna: Before the war, we produced series for Megogo, and we were on the track of developing other premium shows, however, the war has put a pause on that. Ukrainian streamers can’t sustain full-fledged original production right now and work a lot with libraries. Viewers can’t afford to spend the money on subscriptions, and advertisers are also very prudent with their budgets.
Megogo is even entering foreign markets to find new viewers around the world, as well as new monetization models. As soon as all of us can figure out how to make the budgets work and the entire structure, we are ready to pick the collaboration up.
SPACE Production is attending CEE’s most-established TV market NATPE Budapest. What are your expectations for the event? What opportunities will you be looking for during the market?
Daria: We have high expectations of NATPE - it is a super important market for us. After all, we will present our unique C.O.D.E. series at our SPACE viewing station. The series will be available both as a format and as a ready-made.
We are proud to be a silver sponsor this summer at NATPE Budapest 2024. SPACE Production is committed to expanding the boundaries of its distribution and co-production activities, and we can’t wait to forge new collaborations with our peers from around the world. We are looking forward to welcoming them at our viewing station and showcasing our work.
Your major highlight at NATPE Budapest will be the crime series C.O.D.E. which proved the biggest hit of the year on Ukrainian TV. You will be offering the series also as a format. Could you tell us more about the project, how long did it take to develop it and what were the viewership results?
Daria: The development of C.O.D.E. and preparation for filming took about a year. Shooting was postponed several times due to shelling, but we are now delighted that our first season is out, and that the audience reacted so well to it. It is our first Ukrainian new program since the beginning of the war. It premiered in April and became the most successful TV premiere of the season on STB, Ukraine’s leading channel. C.O.D.E. was ranked first in the slot among all TV channels for all audiences. The series reached the average share of 10.22%, while the average share of the channel was 8.20% during the same period.
Are you working on the second season?
Kateryna: Yes, we are shooting the second season. Together with our long-time partner STB, we have already commenced preparations for the next installment. The anticipation is palpable as we delve into the creative process, ensuring that the upcoming season surpasses expectations and continues to captivate our audience.
Why do you think the show would be attractive to international buyers to adapt in their respective markets? What support would you provide them with in case they commit to a remake?
Daria: The C.O.D.E. format is a mix of the classical procedural structure with modern twist: an artificial intelligence system that selects detectives, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. This dynamic formula makes this content relevant for many territories, especially for the female audience.
We would guide potential commissioners through the process and reveal key elements to its success.
What is your strategy in terms of co-productions? Will you be looking for partners for your major new projects at NATPE Budapest?
Daria: We firmly believe that co-production is the ideal pathway for the evolution of the industry in today’s world. We are ready to invest not only our production capabilities but also our creativity and innovative ideas into these collaborative ventures. Ukrainian content creators possess incredible talent to produce successful and compelling programs even amidst continuous challenges and stress. This resilience and ingenuity make us uniquely qualified to thrive in co-production endeavors.
