Industry

At NEM Zagreb 2024, industry leaders gathered to explore the vital role of casting in television formats during an engaging panel discussion titled The Power of Casting in TV Formats. Moderated by Maria Chiara Duranti, Founder and Chief Editor of Formatbiz, the session took place on the first day of the event and featured insights from esteemed panelists Denis Karam, CEO of ProudCloud Productions; Krisztina Gallo, Producer at 318 Productions; and Lee Hobbs, SVP of Discovery Networks and Creative Agency, EMEA, Warner Bros. Discovery.

Duranti set the tone for the discussion by emphasizing casting's transformative power in shaping the success of TV formats across genres and markets. The panelists brought a wealth of experience to the table, providing a masterclass in understanding how to find and feature the right personalities to resonate with audiences globally.

Lee Hobbs shared his expertise from overseeing unscripted and factual programming, highlighting the universal appeal of authentic and passionate characters. “I think for unscripted, whether it's formats or factual programming, having relatable, passionate, authentic characters is the most critical thing,” Hobbs explained. “They will travel, they will allow you to have the same piece of content work in multiple countries, and that's really hard to pull off. But once you've found that right person—whether it's Mike Brewer, Ed Stafford—they are authentic and brilliant at what they do, but they also relate to audiences all over the world.”

Hobbs emphasized that the right casting doesn’t just resonate locally but can also transcend cultural barriers, enabling content to succeed in diverse territories. His words underscored the importance of investing in finding individuals who bring unique expertise and relatability to a format.
Denis Karam took a bold stance on the role of risk in casting. “People do love to love and love to hate in terms of the casting,” Karam stated. “Everybody loves to have the characters who are going to be rememberable, not necessarily for the good things but for the naughty things, for quirky things, for new people, new blood. Taking risks is the best way to hopefully gamble it and gobble it with success in terms of the new casting.”

Karam’s perspective shed light on the balance between calculated risk and creativity in discovering personalities that may polarize but ultimately capture audience attention. Whether through charisma, controversy, or charm, casting unconventional talent can breathe new life into established formats and forge unforgettable viewer connections.