Columbia Pictures, one of the world's largest film studios, said it would invest $500,000 into a Russian television series about the trials and tribulations of a poor Russian serf girl to be aired in both Russia and the West.
Dubbed "Poor Nastya," it will be the first Russian series made with the participation of a world-class film company. Shooting is due to begin March 15.
Columbia TriStar signed a contract with A.Media to distribute the 104-episode series in addition to a 52-episode series called "Our Fathers' Sins," which is still in development.
A.Media general director Alexander Akopov said "Poor Nastya" will be the most expensive film in the country's history, with a budget of $7.5 million, outpacing the $3 million cost of the popular series "Brigada."
"Our Fathers' Sins" is to have a budget of more than $5 million.
Akopov said direct production costs would be relatively lower, at around $500,000, which will cover writers' fees, technical expenditures and consulting. In addition, A.Media's U.S. partners will give the company a free loan for production costs. The size of the loan is still under negotiation, but Akopov was optimistic that it would cover 10 percent of costs.
The remaining financing is to come from bank loans and revenues from the sale of broadcast rights to television stations.
Columbia will no doubt ensure that the final project will be of Hollywood quality. Production for the series will be set to Hollywood standards. The contract also guarantees that the series will be aired in the West.
Columbia TriStar will receive exclusive worldwide distribution rights, except in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Profits from selling the rights to the series will be split evenly between Columbia and A.Media.
Nikolai Bunkin, director of the RRM advertising agency specializing in television commercials, said the A.Media contract is a major event for the Russian market. There is no precedent for a Hollywood heavyweight to participate in producing a Russian series.
A.Media's Akopov said the interests of major U.S. firms in Russian television is growing along with the market. His firm forecasts that the television advertising market will hit $1 billion in 2003.
At the moment, 1,200 to 1,300 hours of made-for-TV films are produced in Russia each year, putting the country on par with Western Europe, A.Media said.
The average Russian series costs $70,000 to produce. The most expensive series in per-hour terms was "Azazal," a series that cost $200,000 to $250,000 to make. Not far behind was "Brigada" with a budget of $200,000, followed by "Kamenskaya," which had a budget between $120,000 and $150,000.
Russian shows have become more expensive than Mexican and Brazilian soap operas, and American shows are struggling oversees, Akopov said. "Only unique shows like 'Friends' or 'ER' make it across the border," he said.
Intermedia Agency specialist Konstantin Chashchin said 10 film and TV projects in Russia currently have Western financing, although none are as large as Columbia's commitment.
"There are 150 movies and series that will soon premiere in Russia and another 200 that are being produced, so the dozen films with foreign participation don't stand out that much," he said.
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