8.1 International co-productions

Definition of international co-productions

International co-productions in television are collaborative efforts where production companies from two or more countries jointly create content. By combining financing, talent, and market access across borders, these partnerships play a central role in how TV content travels globally and how cultural exchange happens through media.

Key characteristics

• Joint financing from multiple countries, which pools budgets and enables higher production values
• Shared creative control, bringing diverse storytelling perspectives into a single project
• Multi-national cast and crew, contributing varied expertise and cultural knowledge
• Content deliberately designed to appeal to audiences in more than one territory
• Compliance with co-production treaties or private agreements between the participating countries

Historical context

Co-productions first emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as a practical way to pool resources for expensive productions. European countries pioneered many early agreements, and the model initially centered on feature films before expanding into television series and documentaries.

The approach gained real momentum in the 1990s as cable and satellite television created demand for more content across more channels. In the 21st century, globalization and the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon have accelerated co-productions dramatically, making them a standard part of how high-end TV gets made.

Benefits of co-productions

Financial advantages

• Combined budgets allow for higher production values than any single partner could afford alone
• Financial risk is spread across multiple partners, so no one company bears the full cost if a show underperforms
• Productions can access tax incentives and government subsidies from each participating country
• Presales and distribution deals across territories become more likely when partners already have local networks
• Overall, it's a cost-effective path to creating content with genuine international reach

Creative opportunities

• Collaboration between talents from different traditions fosters fresh storytelling approaches
• Access to varied locations and production facilities expands what's visually possible
• Cross-cultural narratives tend to produce more nuanced, globally resonant content
• Local crews gain exposure to different production techniques and methodologies, and vice versa

Market expansion

• Simultaneous release in multiple territories dramatically increases potential audience size
• Each partner's existing distribution network provides built-in access to their home market
• International elements and a diverse cast enhance marketability across regions
• Local partners help navigate unfamiliar markets, making entry far smoother than going it alone

Challenges in co-productions

Cultural differences

Different countries bring different storytelling traditions, narrative preferences, and production practices. What reads as compelling drama in one culture might feel slow or unfamiliar in another. Teams also have to navigate varying censorship standards and content regulations, and the constant balancing act between local authenticity and international appeal can create creative tension.

Misunderstandings rooted in cultural nuance are common, especially around humor, social norms, and what counts as sensitive subject matter.

Regulatory hurdles

• Co-productions face complex legal frameworks that differ from country to country
• Qualification criteria for official co-production status vary, and failing to meet them can mean losing access to subsidies
• Teams must navigate multiple tax systems, labor laws, and union agreements simultaneously
• Securing permits and visas for cross-border production adds logistical complexity

Language barriers

Working with a multilingual cast and crew creates real communication challenges on set. Script development becomes more complicated when dialogue needs to work across languages, and nuance or humor can get lost in translation. Dubbing and subtitling add both cost and time, and coordinating these processes for multiple language versions requires careful planning.

Types of co-productions

Treaty vs. non-treaty co-productions

Treaty co-productions operate under formal agreements between governments. These treaties provide a legal framework, financial incentives (like tax credits), and often allow the finished product to qualify as "domestic content" in each participating country. The trade-off is stricter rules about how much must be spent in each territory and how creative control is divided.

Non-treaty co-productions lack formal government backing and rely instead on private agreements between production companies. They're more flexible and can involve partners from countries without existing treaties, but they typically can't access the same subsidies or domestic-content status.

Bilateral vs. multilateral agreements

Bilateral agreements involve two countries. They're simpler to negotiate and manage, and they often reflect specific cultural or economic ties between the two nations (think UK-Canada or France-Germany partnerships).

Multilateral agreements bring three or more countries together. They open up a broader range of resources and markets but are significantly more complex to coordinate. A show like Babylon Berlin, with multiple international partners, illustrates both the creative richness and the logistical difficulty of multilateral deals.

Notable international co-productions

Case studies

• The Bridge (Sweden/Denmark) became a defining example of Nordic noir co-production, with its premise literally built around the border between two countries
• Versailles (France/Canada) demonstrated that high-budget historical drama could work as a cross-Atlantic collaboration
• The Night Manager (UK/USA) adapted John le Carré's novel into a prestige miniseries with global distribution
• Babylon Berlin (Germany/multiple partners) illustrated the complexity and creative potential of multilateral co-production
• Money Heist (Spain, distributed globally by Netflix) achieved massive worldwide popularity, showing how a streaming platform can turn a national production into a global phenomenon

Additional success stories

• Sherlock (UK/USA) earned critical acclaim and built an international fan base through BBC and PBS collaboration
• The Tunnel (UK/France) successfully adapted the Nordic noir concept of The Bridge for the Channel Tunnel setting
• Chernobyl (USA/UK, HBO/Sky) won numerous awards for its historical portrayal, produced jointly across borders
• Downton Abbey (UK/USA, ITV/PBS) became a cultural phenomenon that even boosted tourism to its filming locations

Impact on television industry

Globalization of content

Streaming platforms have made diverse international content available to audiences everywhere, and co-productions are a big part of that shift. The boundaries between "domestic" and "foreign" television have blurred considerably. This has led to the rise of "glocalization" strategies, where global concepts get adapted for local markets while retaining international appeal.

Transnational fan communities have emerged around shows that would never have found a global audience a decade ago, and production hubs in countries like South Korea, Spain, and Turkey have gained worldwide recognition.

Influence on local production

Co-productions raise production standards in smaller markets by bringing in international expertise and resources. Local crews gain skills and knowledge through working alongside international teams. However, this dynamic cuts both ways: local producers face pressure to compete with high-budget co-productions, and there's a risk of "brain drain" as skilled workers gravitate toward better-funded international projects.

Legal and financial aspects

Copyright and ownership

Intellectual property negotiations in co-productions are inherently complex. Ownership structures typically reflect each partner's financial and creative contributions, and separate agreements cover licensing for derivative works, merchandising, and music rights across multiple markets. Protecting IP in countries with varying copyright enforcement standards requires careful legal strategy.

Revenue sharing models

• Territorial splits divide distribution rights based on each partner's investment and market size
• Waterfall structures establish the order in which partners recoup their investments before profits are shared
• Royalty arrangements govern ongoing revenue streams from reruns, syndication, and other uses
• Performance-based bonuses may be tied to viewership milestones or awards
• Secondary and tertiary revenues (streaming rights, physical media sales) require their own negotiation

Production process

Pre-production considerations

1. Scheduling: Harmonize production timelines across different time zones and work cultures
2. Locations: Secure filming sites that can convincingly represent multiple countries or settings
3. Casting: Balance local star power in each territory with broader international appeal
4. Script development: Address multiple cultural perspectives and sensitivities from the earliest drafts
5. Communication protocols: Establish clear systems for how multinational teams will coordinate day-to-day

On-set challenges

Managing a multilingual production environment is one of the biggest practical hurdles. Teams may need to coordinate simultaneous shoots in different countries, adapt to varying technical standards and equipment, and navigate different union rules and work-hour regulations. Maintaining consistent production quality across diverse filming locations requires strong leadership and clear standards.

Distribution and marketing

Multi-territory releases

Coordinating releases across markets involves decisions about simultaneous vs. staggered launches, tailored marketing campaigns for each territory, and navigating different censorship requirements and content ratings. Global streaming platforms have simplified some of this by enabling worldwide launches, but traditional broadcast windows still matter in many markets.

Localization strategies

• Creating multiple language versions through professional dubbing and subtitling
• Adapting promotional materials for cultural relevance in each market
• Partnering with local influencers and media outlets for targeted promotion
• Customizing content edits where regional regulations or preferences require it
• Running geo-targeted social media and digital marketing campaigns

Future of international co-productions

Emerging markets

Co-production activity is expanding beyond traditional Western partnerships. BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) are increasingly involved, and there's growing interest in collaborations with African nations that bring distinctive storytelling traditions. Regional co-production hubs are developing in Southeast Asia and Latin America, and new treaties are being negotiated to include more developing countries.

Technological advancements

• Virtual production (LED volumes, real-time rendering) makes remote collaboration between countries more practical
• Cloud-based workflows enable seamless international post-production without shipping physical media
• AI-powered translation tools are streamlining multilingual script development and subtitling
• Blockchain is being explored for transparent rights management and profit-sharing tracking
• VR and AR technologies open new possibilities for immersive co-produced content

Criticism and controversies

Cultural imperialism concerns

A persistent critique of international co-productions is that they tend to center Western narratives and production norms. Critics argue this can lead to a homogenization of cultural content, where local storytelling traditions get flattened to fit global market expectations. There are also concerns about "exotic" representation, where non-Western locations and peoples are portrayed through a Western lens for international audiences.

Authenticity debates

Casting choices frequently spark controversy, particularly when actors portray characters from cultures other than their own or perform in non-native languages. There's ongoing debate about how to balance historical accuracy with dramatic license, and whether complex cultural issues get oversimplified for global appeal. The role of cultural consultants has become increasingly important, though opinions differ on how much influence they should have over creative decisions.

Co-productions vs. other models

Co-productions vs. format adaptations

Co-productions create original content collaboratively, while format adaptations take an existing show concept and remake it for a local market (think the many international versions of The Office or Big Brother). Format adaptations tend to maintain closer ties to local culture and are often more cost-effective for entering new markets. Co-productions, by contrast, typically involve higher budgets and international creative input, with the advantage of producing a single product that can be distributed globally.

Co-productions vs. international licensing

With international licensing, a finished show is sold to broadcasters in other countries, but the original creator retains full creative control. Co-productions involve shared creative control from the start. Licensing is less risky financially for the original content owner and allows for more localized scheduling and promotion. Co-productions, however, create new IP with built-in multi-territory appeal and generally achieve higher production values through combined resources.