Montreux Comedy Festival adds business networking element

Launching in early December 2011, The Montreux Comedy Market will be specifically focused on the television adaptation of international comedy formats, original video content and stand-up routines celebrating modern comedy.

Managed by international entertainment business facilitator Basic Lead on behalf of the organisers of the Montreux Comedy Festival, The Montreux Comedy Market will take place alongside the festival from 1-5 December 2011 in Montreux, Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Various challenges to be examined

The market's program will include sessions examining the challenges of adapting international comedy concepts; pre-organised, one-on-one meetings between television programmers, talent scouts, right owners and comedy content producers; networking functions and an award ceremony.

Each year, the Montreux Comedy Market will also put a spotlight on one specific country with a strong comedy culture, starting with Nigeria, a country with a population of 140 million, an exploding number of television channels, and an influence that is spreading across the entire African continent, and beyond.

Gregoire Furrer, president of The Montreux Comedy Festival comments, "We are justifiably very proud of our event which is one of the "must go" destinations for comedy. However, mindful of the recent proliferation of new television and web channels, we want to add a relevant marketplace in today's fast evolving comedy professional space that engages comedy industry insiders and opens doors to even greater co-operation between talent and talent-brokers from all over the world."

Thousands expected to attend

Ten thousand aficionados attend the festival, and close to 500 agents, independent producers, development, creative, programming and production executives are expected to take part in the inaugural Montreux Comedy Market.

Patrick Jucaud, general manager of Basic Lead adds, "The Montreux Comedy Festival is one of the most important venues for new and established talent. By extending the reach of the festival to include a marketplace with business participants from around the globe, we will benefit performers, writers and producers by giving them the opportunity to meet the right kind of people to take their careers to the next level. The commercial aspect of the market, which has been missing from the festival until now, will enable programming and production executives to engage with the very best talent in one location in the heart of Europe."