Allan Sperling on Navigating the South African Content Landscape
A seasoned executive navigating the dynamic landscape of linear and OTT media, Allan Sperling is a driving force behind international co-productions, development, and financing of both local and foreign films.
Having honed his skills at Viacom (now Paramount) in London and Amsterdam, and previously within the vibrant Danish film industry, Sperling brings a wealth of global experience to the table. His recent role as Executive Head of Content for Comcast and Multichoice-owned streamer Showmax positioned him at the forefront of the streaming revolution.
We sat down with this industry luminary to gain invaluable insights into the evolving world of television and film.
How would you say the landscape of film and television has evolved over the past 20 years in terms of consumer preferences, distribution channels and content creation?
That’s a large broad question, but I will attempt to answer it with a couple of pivotal points for the industry.
The internet was already there 20 years ago, but more importantly the speed of the internet meant that distribution of media went from networks or channels curating the content offering via cable or satellite to an ‘On Demand’ style internet consumption.
The trend of delayed viewing rather than appointment viewing already started with the VCR and people could record their favourite show instead of waiting for a rerun. The next step was giving people the choice of not just when, but also what they wanted to watch, aside from the endless zapping through channels.
Finally the advent of streaming platforms meant that whole seasons would be available. No more waiting a week for the next episode, and terms like binge-watching and completion rate arose. This development also meant that content series started being written differently. The cliffhangers that should ensure people come back week after week, or even the small cliffhangers that were meant for people to come back after an ad break have all but disappeared.
I don’t think we have seen the final form yet. I think it’s a hybrid between binge-watching and weekly releases that will work. Imagine a competition show like The Voice being released in one go – how many minutes will that experience remain unspoiled on social media?
What inspired you to get into the arena of content – did it happen organically or was it more intentional?
I was kind of addicted to television as a kid, and my mother had to put restrictions on how much television I could watch versus how many books I would read. More books read equaled more TV time. So I naturally read a lot of books and the power of storytelling was not lost on me.
I co-wrote my first play, a musical comedy while in high school and while studying I started working with local television. It was curiosity that drove me, until I one day realized that not only was it fun, it was something I was good at and it was something I could earn a living doing. Ikigai as the Japanese call it.
Could you share your career journey in coming to South Africa, and how you transitioned into the role of Head of Content at Showmax?
We were living in London (Camden) at the time, working for Viacom International Media Networks (Now Paramount) when a headhunter found me on Linkedin. At first I thought they were asking if I knew of anyone interested in a job in South Africa, and I gladly shared a few contacts, but luckily they corrected me and asked if I would be interested.
The mission was to raise the quality of productions to a point they could be sold abroad, and to start doing co-productions with networks abroad. The first was Trackers with HBO, then came Reyka with Fremantle that received two iEmmy nominations (a first for Africa in the drama category) and after a few more the last ones were Shaka Ilembe, Catch Me A Killer, White Lies and Spinners, which competed in Cannes – also a first for Africa. By all accounts a success and a testament that quality is considerably higher today in South Africa than it was five years ago.
As the investment in Showmax was tripled and a clear content strategy needed to be formed, I was asked to helm the content for Showmax and what an amazing opportunity it was.
Which of your film or television projects are you most proud of and which would you say were underrated in their time?
I’m proud of almost all the films and shows that I have been a part of. There are a couple of films from the last couple of years that I find underrated like Down So Low. It is a low budget film shot in a township, with most of the actors having no formal training. It gives a raw and incredibly funny experience. Another underrated film is Glasshouse. The concept is so novel and brilliantly executed.
Of television shows I am of course proud of the co-productions mentioned earlier – they don’t happen without a lot of hard work. I am equally proud of the opportunities we were able to give to young people. Getting the first film or show of your career is the hardest, and I’d like to say we lowered the entrance hurdle through initiatives like exclusive offerings to first time directors.
What’s Showmax’s overall content strategy, and how does it align with the changing dynamics of the industry?
South Africans watch an astonishing amount of television, so while I was at Showmax my strategy was to keep people entertained by dropping a lot of new episodes every week. I always try to surprise and delight subscribers with both new shows and renewing favorites.
The nature of streaming means that you can serve audiences that were previously underserved. The Indian community has not had much else from their culture than the Kandasamys to watch, so I was happy we could delight them with a season of The Mummy Club, Sugar & Spice.
How did you balance the development of Showmax Original content with the acquisition of licensed titles?
The television industry in South Africa is very much commission-based. There are very few producers that can and will fund a whole season of a show and then only license it afterwards (unlike Nigeria). This means you have to build your own pipeline of local content.
The international acquisitions are also important, but in terms of ratings local originals win 9/10 times.
Which analytics metrics do you find most valuable in determining the success of a series or film?
The total amount of views speaks to the success of marketing, curation and PR – people will need to know that a show is there to watch. It also speaks to the subject matter, the star quality and talkability
The completion rate, and total time spent speaks to the quality of the show. People have choices and if they don’t finish your show, it means they didn’t like it enough to spend their time on it.
Finally the new subscriber metric. If people sign up or re-sign up to watch a show, it means you have hit a market and scratched an itch that wasn’t there before.
Do content executives still make decisions based on gut or instinct or are most calls based on data?
It’s a combination. Data can only tell you where you have already been. I compare it to driving a car while only looking in the rearview mirror. It is a great tool to indicate if something will be successful with a specific target audience, but it cannot predict the future with certainty.
Our gut or instinct is the sum of all our experiences. You have to take chances, and the only thing you can rely on in some cases is your gut. The shows that give you a bit of butterflies in your gut are often the runaway success nobody expects.
Who knew that a reality about sex workers or a Nigerian/South African dating show in the midst of xenophobia riots would become runaway success stories? There was no data to help make that decision, it took guts.
How does Showmax create content that resonates with regional preferences without losing universal appeal?
Hyper local content means that it is relevant and authentic to the people in the region. If that region loves it, then the mission is accomplished. If other regions also enjoy it then that’s an added bonus.
What trends or technologies do you see as having an impact on film and television in the future?
The biggest trend is of course AI and the impact it will have on all steps of production. It is not capable of replacing people and steps yet, but it is assisting people in doing more, faster for less. Once a technology is introduced, while feeble at first, it will revolutionize the industry and probably in ways we didn’t imagine at first.
The second technology is using The Volume (large high definition LED background screens capable of showing a 3D environment) for production. Homebrew Films is pioneering it in South Africa, and I see this tool as being a must have for series and films in the years to come.
How did Showmax differentiate itself from other streaming platforms and traditional media companies?
Hyper local storytelling, much higher volume than competitors and the ability to serve minority audiences, like the drag shows we recently premiered.
How do you view the role of streaming platforms like Showmax in shaping popular culture and public opinion?
I always wanted Showmax to be a mirror to society. Showing the good and the bad there is. From serial killers and cults to wholesome healing and love stories.
What have been some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned along the way… and if you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
The biggest lesson I learned was that there’s a large part of South Africans who refuse to watch anything with snakes. It can make or break a show if you have snakes in the beginning as it creates a massive tune out, so naturally there’s at least one show I would do differently.
My first years in South Africa were focused on making the best of the industry better, and I think if I could do it over, I would love to give more young people the chance earlier so I could watch them grow and nurture them along the way.
