Banijay Says Writers, Not Platforms, Drive Its Global Scripted Strategy

Banijay Entertainment, the production group with 170 labels across 25 territories, says its global scripted strategy starts with writers. Not scale. Not platforms. Not market trends.

That was the message from Steve Matthews, head of scripted, creative at Banijay Entertainment, speaking at Iberseries & Platino Industria. The session was titled “Inside Banijay's Scripted Strategy: The Engine Behind Global IP”, billed by organisers as an exclusive look at how the company develops and accelerates stories for the international market, according to Iberseries & Platino Industria.

IP here means intellectual property, the underlying stories and formats that can travel to other countries and be remade. Labels means the individual production companies Banijay owns around the world. Matthews told the panel the job is to back writing talent first and let the business follow, Variety reported.

One practical tool is a twice-yearly boot camp. It runs for four days and brings writers and producers from different labels together to develop ideas or scripts. The aim is cross-border collaboration before a broadcaster or streamer is attached.

The panel put three labels in the spotlight. Maria Grazia Vairo, director of content at Italy’s Groenlandia, discussed the company’s series about Italian pop band 883. It was first conceived as a one-season project. It then returned, becoming a repeat hit for the label.

In Brazil, A Fábrica is building several projects with writer Raphael Montes, covering both adaptations and original series. Simone Oliviera appeared for A Fábrica on the panel alongside Groenlandia and Pokeepsie Films. The slate shows how the group pairs an established local author with development support aimed at wider sales.

Spain’s Pokeepsie Films, led by CEO Carolina Bang, works largely in horror and comedy. Bang joined Vairo and Oliviera to explain how genre labels keep a clear identity while plugging into the larger group. Local taste comes first. International travel comes second.

What makes this stand out for viewers is simple. A writers-first system means more shows are built to last beyond one season. For the crews of up to 200 people who make a returning drama, that is the difference between a single job and a continuing one.