21st March 2025

Last week, Lee & Thompson was delighted to host a virtual training event to independent Irish and international TV producers on the business and legal aspects of TV drama financing and deal models. The all-day event, produced with MediaXchange, brought together industry experts, offered new and contextual insights into the rapidly changing television production and distribution landscape.

The first session, “Dissecting Streamer Deals – Nagivating SVoD Markets” saw L&T partner Lee Stone and Warp Films’ Commercial Director, Peter Balm, delve into the current state of SVoD (Subscription Video on Demand) markets and deals, from full commission to co-production and co-funding deals. They also explored the dangers of going over-budget in larger scale SVoD shows, and highlighted the increasing production fees and buy-outs falling to producers.

Jeremy Gawade‘s session, “Multi-Party Financing – The New norm?” focused on the challenges of navigating multi-party deals when financing TV dramas. However, his session shed light on new opportunities emerging as film financiers increasingly open to the TV drama space, broadening the avenues available for funding.

In the final session, “Why and How to Enter into a Co-Production Agreement), senior associate Alastair Mavor and film producer Gub Neal of Ringside Studios discussed the rising importance of co-productions and building partnerships from the early days of a project, as commissioners are increasingly looking to offset risks. They also highlighted the rising opportunities in the UK and Europe as US broadcasters are now looking at leveraging tax credits and the region’s facilities for funding.

Read more about our expertise in television here.