Playing your Ace at MIPCOM
The founder of Melbourne-based production company Galaxy Pop, Gian Christian, shared his experiences with his animated series Get Ace at this year’s MIPCOM with Encore.
Well… It’s a long way to go. But I don’t have to tell any Australian who has done the trip that. Your commitment level is tested as soon as you walk onto that plane. It would be nice to one day turn left when boarding, or even go up the stairs, but until then, I keep telling myself that when I get off this plane at the other end, I’m $4000 richer for not going Business. Of course that’s hard to remember when you’re cramped up in economy for over 28 hours sitting next to a man whose feet smell worse than a freshly manured lawn.
From the moment Dina McPherson, Galaxy Pop’s Co-Founder and Head of Creative and I arrived in Cannes this year, it was non-stop. The days went by in a blinding speed with 48 meetings schedule over the three days. Not to mention the many parties, cocktails, lunches and dinners. What can you say about MIP… the glamour, the stars, the red carpet… the Bunker – the somewhat affectionate name Aussies give the area within the Palais inhabited by the Screen Australia Stand. Being stuck down in the Bunker all day can sometimes lead you to forget you’re in the beautiful South of France, but oddly enough, it starts to feel like home.
That’s because MIP has become an important annual trip for us. This year, Galaxy Pop went to the international market with a diverse slate of programming from completed series to a recently commissioned animation series, to a couple of shows we have in development – even our first prime time series. We met with a range of broadcasters, distributors and potential production partners all in an effort to move each project to the next important step or even close a few deals.
