MUMBAI: Multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC, has unveiled highlights of its scripted television programming slate. These include the priority titles from an ever-growing slate that will be brought to market at MipTV in Cannes, France, which begins on 1 April.

Electus? block of original scripted programming include: Marco Polo, the new martial arts epic about the thirteenth century explorer, chronicling the famous adventurer?s early years in the court of Kublai Khan; Casca: Based on the cult favorite book series by Barry Sadler, this action-adventure series follows Casca, a soldier who was cursed into a life of immortality by Jesus Christ on the day of the crucifixion.

Written, directed and executive produced by Wayne Kramer, The Lam is a dark drama set in modern day Chicago centered around The Lambert Arms, a full service hotel for criminals.

Written by Rod Lurie and Marc Frydman, The Crux is a drama whose revolutionary concept explores the mystery surrounding George Gabbler, a polished and enigmatic cult leader.

William the Conqueror is a historical epic series following the iconic French monarch through his rise to power and invasion of England in 1066.

Electus has also acquired the rights to distribute various successful international formats for global and domestic distribution, including:

Blue Natalie is a dynamic drama series centered around a family who runs a busy sex trafficking business out of their yacht (Blue Natalie) that is supposedly used to accommodate honeymooning couples, bar mitzvah parties and birthday celebrations.

Based of off of a successful Israeli format (DBS) created by Yuval Fridman, Yuval Semo and Ben Bachar, Zanzuri centers on Pini Zanzuri, an average family man who suffers a heart attack at a surprise party on his 40th birthday and discovers that every man in his family has died of a heart failure at that same age.

This new block of television programming includes original series concepts developed by Electus and its creative partners, as well as successful third party international formats that the studio has acquired for both international distribution and US production.

"From comedies and dramas to epic action/adventure series, our diverse set of scripted programming demonstrates our Company?s ongoing commitment to creating premium, creative content that resonates with TV audiences around the world," said Electus CEO Chris Grant. "We look forward to working with our domestic and international partners to bring these stories to life on a global scale."

MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting?s branded syndication arm, Turner Content Solutions, is bringing a raft of new programming and a wide variety of entertainment genres to this year?s MipTV and MipDoc.

Turner?s diverse slate includes drama, comedy, kids, reality, lifestyle, movies and documentaries, featuring quality homegrown shows from around the globe.

Kids? TV highlights for MipTV include the current Ben 10 series and the latest cycle new for 2012: Ben 10: Omniverse. Also available for intergalactic syndication is Ben 10?s first made-for-television CGI-animated movie-length feature, Ben 10TM ? Destroy All Aliens.

Other highlights on offer are the multi award-winning The Amazing World of Gumball, which is into a second season, following the global success of the first. The much-anticipated new series of LazyTown is also under way, with the show?s creator, Magnus Scheving, spearheading the project and a new series of Adventure Time, currently in production. All the other Cartoon Network Original favourites are also on offer at MipTV 2012.

Turner International Asia Pacific Executive Director, Syndication ? Asia Pacific Grace Chan said, "The market has been crying out for more good quality productions that tell great stories ? whether that be an edge-of-your-seat made-for-TV movie adapted from a New York Times bestseller ? or an award-winning documentary that gives us deep insight. And we now have an even bigger library of these stories to share."

On Turner?s general entertainment slate at MipTV is Mystery Night Movies? a collection of movie mystery thrillers from TNT, featuring A-list stars such as Anne Heche, Bill Pullman and John Corbett and based on best-selling crime novels.

Drama from Turkey features highly on the MipTV slate ? Memoli is based on the hero from the most popular Turkish police serial Yikan Hikayesi, while Valley of the Wolves is set in the dark world of gambling, drugs and weapon smuggling and the turbulent romantic drama series I Met a Woman features a woman forced to run from her past.

MIPDoc entries from Turner include programming from Asia Pacific ? Tokyo Luxury Guide which explores how Tokyo?s traditional culture fits in with the luxurious modern city; AFI Masterclass: the Art of Collaboration which looks at the exciting partnership between Spielberg and composer John Williams. A Night at the Movies also features at MipDoc ? Turner Classic Movies? fascinating look behind the scenes of Hollywood?s top cinematic genres.

From Latin America there are two new documentaries also available to screen at MipDoc ? Confessions of a Hit Man, a one-hour EMMY-nominated film detailing the shocking realities of the narcotraffic world in Mexico, and Traces, a series in which Diego Luna explores the ?underworld? of Latin America.

NonStop Sales, part of Turner Content Solutions, profiles Jussi Bj?rling at MipDoc, a film based on much-loved world-famous tenor, as well as new titles for MipTV ? Magic Silver 2: the Quest for the Mystic Horn, a feature-length sequel, Nymphs, a fantasy drama series based on the spirits featured in Greek mythology set in a futuristic world, and Simon and the Oaks based on the novel by one of Sweden?s most renowned authors, Marianne Fredriksson.

MUMBAI: Content Television, a division of Content Media Corporation, has teamed with Irish production company, Screenworks, acquiring international distribution rights to its innovative new crime thriller ?Amber?.

Making its debut at next week?s television trade event MipTV, the drama centres on the disappearance of 14-year-old Amber Bailey and the ensuing two year search for her. Directed by Thaddeus O?Sullivan and co-written by Gary Duggan and Rob Cawley, Amber is also produced by Cawley and his Screenworks colleague Paul Duane (The Royal, Casualty) for RT?. Set in Dublin, the series stars Eva Birthistle (Waking the Dead) and David Murray (Zonad) as Amber?s parents.

Tackling the devastating and emotional story of the missing teenager from different viewpoints, each episode focuses on the perspective of one individual connected to the case; as first her family, then friends, then complete strangers become drawn into the quest to find out what happened. Over four episodes, Amber?s non-linear time structure plays with the chronology of events. Clues are revealed gradually, creating a suspenseful drama full of psychological insight and unexpected twists as the girl?s disappearance has an impact far greater than anyone could imagine.

Content Television senior VP, European sales and acquisitions Kathryn Rice commented, "Amber is an incredibly ambitious and gripping drama, exploring the wide-ranging effect of the teenager?s disappearance and presenting the mystery in a way that will keep audiences guessing throughout. Content Television has established itself as a go-to distributor for internationally successful primetime drama and we are very pleased to showcase this brand new series to our international clients at Mip-TV."

Screenworks? Rob Cawley said, "At the heart of this series is the loss and pain that families and communities experience when a child goes missing. By revealing the story piece by piece from the perspective of the various different protagonists, what happens to Amber is something to be unravelled by the audience, drawing them into the drama. The content team were quick to see the potential of this innovative story structure and we look forward to following the international success of Amber in their highly capable hands."

Amber was previously due to be launched at Mip-TV by Target Entertainment.

MUMBAI: Under pressure to seek funding in a difficult global economic environment, producers are looking at the television trade event MipTV to be a meeting ground.

The event, which takes place next month in Cannes, France, has already seen a 25 per cent increase in registrations from production companies this year compared to 2011. More importantly, the 1,220 international television production companies registered to date include 326 first time attendees.

Reed Midem director of the television division Laurine Garaude said, "Producers increasingly need international financial partners and funding. They will find both again this year at the world?s largest TV market event, as production remains at the heart of MipTV 2012".

MipTV 2012 has a host of dedicated events and conferences created to benefit producers. The Drama CoProXchange and Producer?s Hub programmes are designed to facilitate co-production deals and support the producers? search of financial partners while in Cannes.

Kicking off the Drama CoProXchange programme on 1 April, MipTV?s first invitation-only Drama CoProXchange Summit will bring together 50 international commissioners, producers and deal-brokers involved in co-production at its highest levels for two hours of semi-structured networking behind closed doors, at the Majestic Hotel.

The list of personalities attending the Drama CoProXchange Summit include United Talent Agency co-founder and board director Peter Benedek, Entertainment One Television CEO John Morayniss, BSkyB head of drama Anne Mensah and France Televisions head of international drama and series co-productions Sophie Gigon.

Lookout Point MD Simon Vaughan said, "MipTV and Mipcom have been hugely important to the financing of Titanic. Julian Fellowes and I were here 18 months ago, with ITV Studios Global Entertainment, talking to potential partners and co-producers. And now it feels most fitting to celebrate Titanic?s launch with a Gala Screening here in Cannes."

Unfolding on 2 April, MipTV?s Drama CoProXchange programme includes a Creative Speaking session with British TV writer and producer Paul Abbott. Abbott will talk about his work to date, his creative process and his highly-anticipated new project, Hit and Miss, with Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee Chloe Sevigny, brought to Cannes by FremantleMedia.

Amongst several Case Studies sessions, Oscar-winning producer Iain Canning, co-founder of See Saw Films ?The King?s Speech? will unveil his upcoming drama, ?Top Of The Lake?, co-produced by BBC Two, UKTV and Sundance Channel and internationally distributed by BBC Worldwide. The highly-anticipated new series is directed by Jane Campion ?The Piano? and the cast includes Elisabeth Moss, Holly Hunter and Peter Mullan.

The Drama CoProXchange programme also features a Commissioning Strategies session where leading broadcasters will reveal their commissioning plans for the upcoming year.

The all-new Producers? Hub is designed to facilitate producers? meetings in a casual atmosphere and a dedicated space. A series of ?How to? workshops will take place during the four days of MipTV, covering negotiating deals, pitching, commissioning, drama co-production funding, kids programming, digital business and distribution, factual and documentary production and regional funding opportunities.

MUMBAI: Australia?s Beyond Distribution, one of the world?s leading independent television broadcast and digital media sales and marketing companies, has unveiled their line-up for MipTV, bringing a strong collection of new series and documentaries, ranging through factual, crime, lifestyle, children?s and history.

Beyond Distribution is representing the latest titles from continuing producer relationships, as well as welcoming four new production companies.

The slate includes ?Chuck?s Week Off: Mexico?, ?World?s Weirdest Restaurants?, ?The Twitch?, ?Vintage Hunter?, ?Obsessions? and ?Highway Cops?.

Buyers focused on Mipdoc will see a range of documentaries from Beyond, including ?Hero Dogs of 9/11?, ?Gallipoli From Above?, ?Programmed To Be Fat?, ?Generation Boomerang?, ?Chuckmas? and ?Charlotte: A Life Without Limbs?.

Eighty hours of returning series will also debut at next month?s television trade event in Cannes, France, including ?Hot Property?, ?Behind Mansion Walls? and ?The Holiday Show?.

Beyond Distribution head of acquisitions Yvonne Body commented, ?We are really happy to have so many new and returning programmes from producers we already work with, as well as welcoming some new companies to the Beyond fold. Once again Beyond has all bases covered in the range of programmes we are releasing.

"We?re particularly excited to be able to introduce Chuck Hughes in person at Mip to the buyers who have been airing Chuck?s Day Off, and will hopefully be adding Chuck?s Week Off: Mexico and Chuckmas to their schedules. I?ve eaten at his restaurant in Montreal, so know that they?re in for a treat at his cooking demonstration in Cannes.?