Set up in 2012, London-based Sky Vision - production and distribution arm of the British telco group - comes to MIPCOM with its heaviest Nordic drama slate ever, comprising the new series Bullets from Finland (Vertigo/Elisa Viihde/C More-MTV3) and The Flatey Enigma from Iceland (Sagafilm/RUV) as well as the upcoming Finnish crime show All the Sins, produced by MRP Matila Röhr Productions for Elisa Viihde-MTV3.

Among Sky Vision’s six high-end TV dramas premiering at MIPCOM, two are from the Nordics (Bullets and The Flatey Enigma) and one is a UK remake of a Norwegian hit series: Temple, based on the Norwegian show Valkyrien. Does this reflect a new step in your acquisition strategy to increase your volume of foreign-language shows in your slate?
Jason Simms: Yes, we’re very interested in original language scripted content. We have a few shows from Italy, Germany, Spain and of course, Finland and Iceland. The Nordics is a vibrant and active region, with a fantastic heritage of cutting-edge drama which has broken out into the international buyers’ consciousness.

Could you detail at what stage you boarded Bullets and The Flatey Enigma and why?
JS: The producers were looking for gap financing and world distribution, and we signed straight forward distribution arrangements on both series. I’ve been at Sky Vision 18 months, so it’s a colleague of mine Moreyba Bidessie who picked them up. The Flatey Enigma is based on a best-selling book which is a great hook. We liked the fact that it’s a Nordic noir, through a murder investigation at its core, but the story ties into a mystery going back to Norse kings. The fact that it’s set on a remote island off the coast of Iceland, and in the early 1970s are other unique selling points.

Regarding Bullets, it’s a very contemporary story, a political thriller about conspiracy, terrorism, starring two kick ass women. What I love is that although both women are at opposite ends [Madina Taburova played by Sibel Kekilli is a terrorist presumed dead while Mari Saari, played by Krista Kosonen is the Intelligence Agency officer chasing her], they are united by similar destinies. Helsinki is also represented on screen in a cool way.

What particular qualities do you look for when picking up a TV drama for world distribution?
JS: If you had asked me this two years ago, when I was at Fox Networks, I would have said I’m looking for returnable dramas. Indeed retainability is great, but there is space on the market for stand-alone limited series as well, so we’re open to both. Our key criteria is the story, what makes it stand out, how would it resonate internationally etc. Buyers are overwhelmed with choice, with more than 500 scripted series from the US alone this year. To stand out, you need distinctive stories, innovative models.

In your distribution strategy, what are the elements that you consider, to create long-tail value for a property?
JS: Sky Vision is actually quite young; we’ve been around for about six years. We’ve started by building a catalogue through acquisition and distribution of original finished shows. But more and more, we’re looking at formatibility, such as The Bridge which has a fantastic remake potential. 

Are you moving from pure distribution to co-production and co-development like many global distributors to secure top end shows at an early stage?
FS: Yes we’re beginning to focus on this. Co-production can take different forms, while co-development is a slightly different animal as you’re coming at idea stage and try to grow the project with the creators until you find co-financiers. Some things are on the way but I can’t give details. I believe in having a combination of finished shows and co-funded or co-produced shows.

You have equity investment in nine companies in the UK and in the US. Are you looking at potential production entities in Scandinavia?
JS: We have stakes mostly in factual and entertainment companies, not so much in drama. I guess it would make sense although it’s not my domain of expertise. 

What is the biggest demand today on the global market, in terms of genres, formats? Short form seems to be hot, with younger audiences in particular… JS: A show like Skam would be amazing to replicate. But we do not focus on short form right now. We’re looking for high end, distinctive and international sellable, relatable, returnable series that will generate return for us and our partners.

Do you have other Scandi shows in development?
JS: In our ‘coming soon’ line-up, we have the Finnish crime drama All the Sins, produced by MRP Matila Röhr, but it’s still early days. We will launch it in 2019. It’s another show commissioned by Elisa Viihde in Finland, with Bullets. We are very pleased to collaborate with them and trust their editorial judgement.