Overseas interest in "The Governor”

Press, 9 May 1978, Page 23

Overseas interest in "The Governor”

Television One is still hoping to sell its major drama series, “The Governor.” overseas, but so far it has only been sold to Finland. The series was TVl’s major attraction at the Cannes film festival in France, according to an NZPA report of an interview with the channel’s overseas marketing manager <Mr David Compton). Although no definite sales were made, "there was good interest from all markets in the world,” Mr Compton said. Mr Compton said he would be seeing 8.8. C. television executives to discuss the sale- of the series. Masterpiece Theatre, part of the American Public Broadcasting System, has shown interest in it, and a selling agent in the United States will negotiate for the New Zealand channel.

New Zealand’s offerings at the Cannes Film Festival in France fared well, according to Mr Compton. “People remembered our product from last year and came back to our stand this year to see what was on offer,” he said. “Most people go to the festival to see what new material is available rather than to actually buy anything. The buying and selling come later with the follow-up work,” he said. Mr Compton is in London meeting TVl’s selling agents in Britain and Europe; and he will be following up preliminary ap-

proache* to the independents and the 8.8. C. A children’s programme called “Mad Dog Gang” got a good reception and orders were beginning to come from the British independent companies. European companies and an American P.B.S. channel. Based on the interest at the festival “Sir Edmund Hillary, World of Adventure.” a documentary series, would do well in Europe and with the independents Mr Compton said. “We did take some single-episode documentaries, but it is difficult to sell them at the festival where people are mainly looking for glossy new series. But, by showing them, at least we have made a preliminary step toward selling them later.’’ Masterpiece Theatre in the United States has decided to buy “The God Boy’’ which had been offered at two previous festivals.

“A show like that has a sales life of about five years. Companies won’t buy it until they have an available slot even if they are impressed with a programme,” Mr Compton said. While there was little in the way of sales, the festival was worth while in terms of image building for New Zealand television films generally, he continued. ‘‘This was the third year New Zealand has had a stand and our reputation is growing each year.” Also at the New Zealand stand were representatives from South Pacific

Television and several independent film companies. The international selling agents for South Pacific, Thames International, said that the channel’s offerings were favourably received, but that no more concrete comment could be made until negotiations begun at the festival were concluded. The National Film Unit took three films to the festival including “Racing Rivers” and “Flare,” which “did quite well and will have sold extensively to the British independent companies and in Europe,” Mr Compton said. Nimrod Films from Auckland secured American co-production for it? series of documentaries about life in Asia and “Old Man Story” produced by Gibson Films drew a lot of interest.