Some Practical Tips for International Co-Production/ Distribution The following list of tips is based on conversations with producers and broadcasters who have ventured into international sales of finished product and also weathered the co-production storm. Although far from complete, the list provides a number of elements for producers/distributors to take into consideration before they try to sell their wares to the international market or enter into conversations with potential co-venture partners. Make sure the production has separate music and effects (M&E) tracks so that a foreign language track can be laid in over the English-language narration. The music and effects can be mixed around the new voice track. If there is no separate M&E track, then the level of the mixed track - voice, music and effects - must be reduced, which makes for a muddier sounding program. Create a written script/transcript to facilitate translation and/or subtitling. A transcript of the program is essential for international sales of finished product. Clear international rights for everything - music, footage, talent, home video, education and the rest. Even if you can't afford to pay the world-wide rights up front, at least try to negotiate a total fee at the beginning of the project, with an option window to exercise those rights. Anticipate the technical costs of creating international formats (PAL or SECAM) for preview and broadcast. Never assume that an American narration/sound track will travel successfully outside this country. Language issues aside, an American writer often assumes a knowledge of colloquialisms, place or history that may not be shared by an international audience. Remember that subtitles (other than for identification) don't travel well. This is common wisdom in the United States and holds true elsewhere. Avoid on-camera presenters and talking heads. International audiences generally do not want to listen to an American narrator or host. If the material is appropriate and interesting they would much rather wrap their own host or personality around the segments. Be aware that international audiences do not like short (two- to three-minute) segments. There are significant differences in pacing between most American productions and those of other cultures. In documentary or news-magazine programs, the shorter segments favored by U.S. producers often appear choppy and shallow to foreign viewers. Don't expect to sell current affairs or public affairs documentaries on subjects that could be produced locally. Steer clear of 90-minute documentaries; they're hard to place in international schedules. Provide sales sheets with information about running time, number of episodes and brief descriptions of the series or program. The first point of contact with a prospective buyer is often through print. At most markets, large or small, buyers go from stand to stand picking up and looking at sales materials or "one-sheets." This visual presentation of the program, is an important tool. Provide some definitions of terms. There is a difference between "pre-sales" and "co-productions or co-ventures". In a pre-sale, editorial control and production aren't shared; a broadcaster agrees to license a program or series for its broadcast territory. A co-production is a financial and editorial relationship between production entities from different countries that is based on a treaty between those two countries. The United States has no treaties with any countries. So the international marketplace tends to use the word "co-venture" instead. In a co-venture, two parties come together to jointly raise funding and produce a product that will be appropriate for their individual markets.