Sky Studios CEO on AI “as a Actual Alternative,” Twin Strikes Affect and a “Significantly Tough” 12 months

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios, the scripted manufacturing arm of Comcast’s European large Sky, has been busy.

The French business chief has continued to develop her purview since taking up administration of Sky Studios (Gangs of London, The Lazarus Venture) in September 2021. In February, former CBS Information president David Rhodes was named government chairman of Sky Information Group, reporting to the previous Fremantle CEO and former head of YouTube in Europe, the Center East and Africa. This fall, Sky Studios opened its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility Sky Studios Elstree close to London. And it has additional expanded its unique content material slate and funding, with dramas scheduled for 2024 together with The Tattooist of Auschwitz starring Harvey Keitel, Mary & George with Julianne Moore, and a sequence model of The Day of the Jackal led by Eddie Redmayne.

For THR‘s characteristic on the 35 Most Highly effective Girls in Worldwide Tv, Frot-Coutaz answered questions on this yr’s key challenges, such sizzling business matters as AI, Sky Studios’ future slate, recommendation to younger girls within the business and the way she does to unwinds.

What was the largest skilled problem you confronted this previous yr?

A mix of structural and macroeconomic components have made this yr significantly tough for our business. One of many challenges we face is how we proceed to assist freelancers, writers and actors by way of the strikes and thru the general slowdown in commissioning globally. Luckily, at Sky Studios we’ve all the time been centered and disciplined with our content material funding and the important thing factor we will do to assist the business is to maintain commissioning on the identical ranges as we’ve executed earlier than. I used to be additionally happy to be requested to supervise Sky Information Group which is now beneath the management of the good David Rhodes and his group. There is a superb group in place at Sky Information and TG24 (in Italy) with thrilling alternatives forward!

What do you see as your largest achievement of the previous yr?

Having been within the position for 2 years now, I’m pleased with our extremely sturdy improvement pipeline and the tasks we’ve arising. With Meghan Lyvers now taking up all unique sequence within the U.Ok. with a refocused technique, plus Nils Hartmann persevering with to steer our groups in Italy, we’ve a powerful pipeline throughout Europe. It’s typically straightforward to overlook the time it takes to develop, fee, and produce unmissable TV however I can’t await viewers to see the tasks coming to their screens in 2024, 2025 and past.

And naturally, an enormous achievement for Sky Studios this yr was opening Sky Studios Elstree and welcoming our first productions onto the lot. It’s been 4 years within the making nevertheless it’s an distinctive facility, actually world-class.

Out of your worldwide perspective, what impression have the twin Hollywood strikes already had on the enterprise?

Given we work carefully with European expertise alongside U.S. expertise and produce reveals beneath native union guidelines within the U.Ok. and Italy, the twin strikes haven’t had as vital an impression for Sky Studios. The strikes have in all probability added to the recalibration impact we’ve seen globally by way of total spend on content material, and the WGA settlement has allowed for higher transparency on streaming success which is able to seemingly have a ripple impact on different industries and internationally.

How do you view A.I.? As a chance or a risk?

Proper now, I view it as an actual alternative. Generative AI is a device to assist the artistic course of, however won’t ever exchange the human creativity, judgment and expertise that good creatives and executives can convey to a challenge.

What recommendation would you give younger girls simply coming into the business?

I’d in all probability say to be curious and stay curious. You might be coming into the business in a finance position, or in a manufacturing administration position, or possibly in an editorial position — however be curious and take the time to study all the opposite completely different areas and disciplines on this good business. In TV, you rapidly study that making successful present takes a village, and so the extra you possibly can immerse your self and perceive different individuals’s roles, the extra success and worth you possibly can convey to your position. It additionally gives you with choices, having squiggly careers lately is quite common and will be rewarding.

What present, presently on air, would you like to have made?

There are such a lot of that I really like proper now. I believed The Bear season 2 was distinctive, I additionally liked Hijack on Apple TV+, an excellent present to observe with my grown-up household on the sting of the couch!

What do you do to unwind?

I’m a baker, so I like to bake for my household. An apple tarte tatin is a agency fixture in my repertoire!