“Having just unveiled three new titles last month at MIPCOM which were greatly accepted, I am extremely proud of Nippon TV’s ability to unveil two more new formats this month for ATF, showing that we are truly committed to international expansion at Nippon TV. These new titles were strategically developed as formats after analyzing the needs and success of the industry right now”, commented Nishiyama. “Additionally, it is an honor for us to be hosting an Old Enough! panel at ATF and we look forward to sharing some of our ‘secret sauce’ from this beloved format on ATF’s main stage on December 8th (Thurs) at 3:40pm.”
Vocals Like Locals is a coveted reality singing competition format that brings together amateur singers from all over the world. In this format, contestants will have the opportunity to sing a local hit from their favorite foreign country. Trying to sound like a native of their selected country, while not necessarily even speaking the local language, their love for the local music and culture will help them express their affection for a country through a song. Featuring a lineup of renowned celebrity judges, these contestants will compete to advance to a final round for the championship. With only one lucky spot, one singer will be crowned as a champion and have the chance to meet the singer of their favorite local hit.
In a very innovative approach, First Kiss Boys is a drama series followed by First Kiss Ladies, a dating show mockumentary that intersects with the drama series through a crossover story. First Kiss Boys follows the chronicles of a schoolboy who lives in a rural town feeling empty but tries to use his skills of creating lyrics to express himself. One day he receives his first kiss from a beautiful young girl; however, she suddenly moves to another school. It’s a 30-day grand summer adventure for this high school senior, especially when the young man finds that the girl, he shared his first kiss with stars in a dating reality show for women who want to do-over their first kiss with another person. In the crossover story, First Kiss Ladies, a dating reality show about six women that live under the same roof trying to capture the heart of one man. The one who manages to do so gets to replace her first kiss. As cast members improvise their conversations, real confrontations start to arise.
In addition to the new formats, Nippon TV will be hosting a special Old Enough! panel entitled “Secret Sauce of Format Success” which is set for Thursday, December 8 from 3:40pm-4:15pm on ATF’s Main Stage. The panel will present a case study on the phenomenal success of Old Enough! with a look at how a 30-year-old format became a global success on Netflix with adaptations now in numerous countries. The panelists will discuss how a very Japonesque-format can be localized to transcend borders and achieve tremendous success with global audiences.
Panelists will include:
Ms. Naoko Yano, Producer, Old Enough!, Nippon TV
Ms. Yuki Akehi, Director and Head of Marketing, International Business Development, Nippon TV
Mr. Daniel Heng, Executive Producer of the Singapore version of Old Enough!, Mediacorp
Mr. Nicolas Boucher, GM, DBcom Media (moderator)
