Selection of programs for Mipcom 2011
Sparks is proud to introduce a number of new formats and series to the Mipcom 2011 market in Cannes. In total, we are bringing no less than 20 new fresh formats and series, that with no exception has successfully started to air or are in production for a launch this fall.

This newsletter is a pre-view selection. Please let us know if you are not yet set for a meeting and we'll arrange, please email alyx@sparksnetwork.com. We are as ususual on the third floor in the palais in G3.02.

Best wishes, The Sparks team

Lady Burlesque from Europroduzione
The art of burlesque is a phenomenon spreading all over the world. Lady Burlesque is the reality-based talent competition featuring women with normal lives that compete in the art of burlesque. They attend the burlesque school and absorb the culture, movements and fine details that go into performances, from seduction tips and tricks, hair, make-up and accessories. Ultimately, they compete in weekly studio based elimination game that will reveal the femininity and sensuality that will wow the viewers. And what is burlesque? Striptease without nudity… Check promo here.

Available as format

Phenomenon from Kuul TV
Phenomenon is a studio game show where the nation's brainiest young adults compete in solving challenging questions in logic, math patterns, vocabulary etc. 10 contestants can in each question choose to sign in or not. If they play, they may loose or win the points at stake. The winner of the season wins a prize that further develops the phenomenon inside. Check more here

Available as format

Speed dancing from Elephant
Dancing is a very powerful way to show your personality. So why not dance your way to find your soulmate? In Speed Dancing we follow the story of a single person looking for love, and the method of selection between the eager candidates is to dance … with each of them. But first, with the help of a trusted dance coach, the participants get intensive lessons and then are turned loose on the dance floor. By the end of the evening, they will reveal their feelings. Who will be the one out of three who gets asked out on a date? Read more here

Available as format

Murder Women from Posh Productions
In this docu-fiction series women who have committed the worst of all crimes – killing another person openly tell their story. Through re-enactments and interviews we follow their story from the background towards the horrible decision to kill. What made them do this? Can we as viewers understand them? Screen here

Available as ready mades and format

Wanted from Trio Orange
When looking for love, why not draw your perfect match with the help of a police sketch artist! Can the wanted poster bring in your dream partner? Dark or blonde? Serious or playful? Tall or short? Now the searcher for love has the chance to tailor the partner in her or his dreams. The Wanted poster together with a profile is put on display on the web and applicants can nominate themselves or friends. In the TV-show the candidates are treated as suspects with handcuffs and presented to the single person who will choose a potential partner to take on dates. Check promo here

Available as format

Celebrity Baby from South & browse
A famous woman and a famous man want … a famous baby! Celebrity Baby covers the emotional transformation of a celebrity couple to a celebrity family. The format shows nine wonderful months from the pregnancy test to the birth and the very first days with the newborn. The production starts even before the father knows that he is to become a father. Some 10 weeks before delivery, the series begins broadcast on a weekly basis, to end up in almost real time, when the baby is due. It's a show that creates a massively successful celebrity buzz all over town. Read more here.

Available as format

Hurricane from Amygdala
These are the true stories of innocent people who were wrongfully thrown in jail for crimes they did not commit. Through dramatic re-creations and interviews, we see their almost impossible fight for justice and their way back to freedom. What is it like to pay the horrendous price for a crime you didn't commit? Check promo here.

Available as format

Bedtime Stories from Trio Orange/TVA
A fantasy journey to imaginary galaxies, meeting a famous artist who sings a lullaby, all illustrated by state-of-the-art computer graphics – this is Bedtime Story that gives sweet dreams to all children… Bedtime Stories is an innovative series that takes children to a fantasy world, in various types of settings thanks to outstanding and amazing visual effects. Fred, the main character, along with two other young kids are transported to various stars where they will meet with a well-known artist who will sing and tell a story. Check more here

Available as ready mades and format

Jail Birds from Film.UA
Ten former felons live together and compete for real jobs and a chance at a new beginning, to start over and lead productive lives. But fitting back into society isn't always so easy. Jail Birds is filled with unexpected twists, including crimes and misdemeanors, but there is always a good guy in the bunch that manages to change his ways and lead a new life on the straight and narrow. Screen promo here

Available as format

Street Smart by Amygdala
In Street Smart contestants are picked up in the street to participate in this hip and fast paced quiz show. The host and the contestant make a tour in the city centre and the questions are related to city life - anything in popular culture from history, music to cuisine. The final game is a race against the clock, and if you get one question wrong, then you have to start over from the beginning and get everything correct in order to win the cash. Screen promo here

Available as format

Flat Living by South&browse
Residential high-risers dominate the skyline of every metropolis worldwide. Thousands of people living next door to each other. That means thousands of personal fates in thousands of apartments. Flat Living tells their stories – from a very unique camera angle. Love and passion, neighbor conflicts, unemployment, teenage love and money issues, all mixed in a docu-soap about life in the big city. Screen here

Available as format

Our Renovation from Trio Orange
Renovating a home can be downright frustrating, especially when you have little experience and do all the work yourself. Couples are given cameras to create their own unique TV series and also asked to host a blog, where viewers can follow each stage of the construction and also give their advice. This is a truly interactive multiplatform project showing hilarious situations when couples renovate their homes; the ultimate test of love and patience...Screen here.

Available as format

Second Spring
This is one of Turkey's most popular television series ever. Ali is a middle-aged widower with three children. He decides to start his own restaurant on the opposite side of the street from his old boss. He hires a new lady in the kitchen, Hanim, who also happens to be a widow with two children. Second Spring is the story of two very different personalities who meet when they are middle-aged and how they somehow manage the trials and tribulations of family and business life together. The series features some of the most popular actors in Turkey and scored a 50% viewer share every Friday night in prime-time.

Available as ready mades 60 min x 37 episodes

Three movies by Turkish director Cagan Irmak
Sparks is distributing a package of three top movies from the Turkish director Cagan Irmak. The movie Alone has been watched by 3,5 million cinema viewer in Turkey and is together with the Sleeping Princess from 2010 and In Darkness from 2009 a trio of very well produced movies. Screen

Alone here

Sleeping Princess here

In Darkness here

Three movies available

About Sparks Network
Sparks Network is one of the world’s leading distributors and development networks for television programs. Sparks builds a global coverage for development and distribution of TV programs, formats and co-productions based on a membership structure, with one leading television production company in each main territory of the world as a member. Sparks represents the format rights of the members and is also to an increasing extent distributing formats from third party producers and broadcasters. Read more about Sparks at www.sparksnetwork.com