ZDF-Enterprises

The Fictional Coproduction Department acquires and manages international projects for sales and distribution by ZDF Enterprises, often for and in conjunction with ZDF editorial departments. We are looking for high-quality projects that can appeal to both a German and international audience through their production quality and subject matter. Our particular focus is on series and event programs as
TV movies or cycles.

We acquire projects for global sales as distribution mandates, prebuys or coproductions for individual territories. With our sales and marketing team, and in close cooperation with the producers, we conceive individual and sophisticated marketing campaigns for every project. We present our sales catalogue to international broadcasters and at TV trade fairs such as MIPCOM, MIPTV, DISCOP etc.

We are currently distributing the major part of ZDF’s drama output around the world. Among these productions are the series “Crime:Stories” produced by MOOVIE - the Art of Entertainment, which is based on the worldwide bestsellers by Ferdinand von Schirach. ZDF Enterprises is also successfully distributing crime series such as “A Case for Two,” the SOKO franchise, and love & romance collections such as “Rosamunde Pilcher,” “Inga Lindström,” “Katie Fforde” and “Emilie Richards.”

The Scandinavian countries are managed by the Cologne office lead by Peter Nadermann and manages an established net of relations with broadcasters and production firms in Scandinavia. In the recent past, ZDF Enterprises has coproduced with ZDF the Millennium trilogy, the Inspector Beck series, the DR TV productions “The Killing,” “Protectors” and “The Eagle” as well as the crime series “Verdict Revised” with Mikael Persbrandt. A crime series is currently being developed with international partners.

The event production “Titanic” (4 x 45’; 2 x 90’), a coproduction with ITV Studios, will be aired by ZDF for the centennial in early 2012 and distributed by ZDF Enterprises in the German speaking territories and eastern Europe. Based on the novels by Ken Bruen, the Irish crime series “Jack Taylor” (5 x 90’; 10 x 45’) with Iain Glen was introduced at MIPCOM 2011. An Australian crime series starring Guy Pearce, “Jack Irish,” is based on the crime novels of Peter Temple. Shooting wrapped in Melbourne in late 2011. The series will be presented at MIP TV 2012.

Various English-language, Scandinavian and Italian projects are currently in development.