18-11-2016

FNE at Zagreb Film Festival 2016: HBO Adria Last Call for Scripts

By

    ZAGREB: HBO Europe executive producer Steve Matthew made a stop at the 14th Zagreb Film Festival industry programme to give a final push for the first ever call for scripts by HBO Adria, which has a 1 December 2016 deadline.

    Matthew told FNE he’s looking for series pilots, and the winning script will go into development for local production. The call went out for scripts from Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

    Matthew told an overflow audience that HBO is seeking contemporary scripts, with the goal of having five or six projects being written, one and a half series produced per year. HBO already has four projects in the early stages of development.

    HBO’s Central European model began with adaptations of other successful Western formats and series, but Matthews is looking to change that. “We want to go straight to original series here and skip the adaptation part,” he said. He added that since TV writing isn’t as developed in the region, HBO is more often developing and encouraging younger talent.

    Scripts are to be written and submitted in the original language of the country.