Format

At Conecta Magaluf (Mallorca 25-28 May), the panel titled “Independent Producers: Who Is Still Standing?”, brought together three executives with very different but complementary experiences: Avi Armoza, CEO of Armoza Formats; Simone de Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne, Managing Director of Primitives; and Miroslav Radojevic, Sales Director at Global Agency. Ed Waller editorial director of C21 raised the debate as a reflection on the independent companies that continue to compete in an environment shaped by mergers, acquisitions and the growing strength of major international groups.

Avi Armoza has lived through the full cycle of building, selling and then recovering an independent company. Armoza Formats was acquired by ITV Studios in 2019, and in 2024 Armoza bought the company back, returning it to independent status, while ITV Studios retained the catalogue it had acquired, including titles such as Still Standing, Marry Me Now and The Four. Primitives, led by Simone de Pruyssenaere, represents the boutique distributor model: a smaller, highly focused company with a curated catalogue and a close relationship with producers and rights owners. Global Agency, founded by Izzet Pinto 20 years ago, stands as another example of an independent international business that has built its reputation through entrepreneurial vision, international sales and a strong catalogue strategy.

For Simone de Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne, Managing Director of Primitives, the strength of a boutique distributor lies in selectivity and dedication. She explained that Primitives currently represents “around 50 plus shows,” but its advantage is that the team knows each title in depth and carefully chooses the projects it believes can travel. Rather than launching large slates and quickly moving on, Primitives continues to push its formats over time, often generating deals — whether options or licences — on around half of its catalogue. For producers and rights owners, this means attention, speed and a direct relationship with the people actually selling their shows. Among the most hit shows she mentioned: 99 to Beat, Hotel Romantik, in wich a group of elderly people try to get a second chance in love, and recently Don't Panic a new factual brand new format.

Avi Armoza, CEO of Armoza Formats, brought the perspective of someone who has experienced different phases of the independent business, reflecting on the evolution of the format sector, he noted that several once-successful independent distributors disappeared because they depended too heavily on third-party IP. For him, the lesson is that distribution alone is not enough. A sustainable independent company must develop, own and control part of its own output, creating a balance between distribution, production and global IP exploitation. Local production can provide stability, but the real value comes when a show can be monetised internationally.

Miroslav Radojevic, Sales Director at Global Agency, added a further dimension to the discussion. Founded by Izzet Pinto, Global Agency has built an international business with a catalogue in which scripted content represents around 60–70% of sales, while unscripted accounts for the remaining share. This mix shows how an independent company can grow by combining strong drama distribution with entertainment and formats, using entrepreneurial vision, market knowledge and long-term relationships to compete with larger groups. Its catalogue includes titles such as Shopping Monsters, Keep Your Light Shining, Perfect Bride and The Remix, confirming how an independent distributor can combine powerful dramas with entertainment formats and maintain a strong global profile.