CEETV continues its series of interviews dedicated to the NATPE Budapest 2023 market (June 19-22) featuring companies and executives that will be a part of the highly anticipated event.

Today, we talk to Giannis Karagiannis, General Manager at Kapa Studios / J.K. Productions, the largest independent production company in Greece.



Giannis, Kapa Studios will be attending NATPE Budapest this June. What are your plans for the market?

My team and I are very excited to be joining this edition of NATPE Budapest. Our plans for the market are to showcase our latest and upcoming productions, to network with potential buyers and partners from the region and beyond, and to explore new opportunities for co-productions and format acquisitions. We are also looking for projects that will use our state-of-the-art studio facilities to shoot TV series and benefit from the very successful 40% cash rebate program in Greece. Kapa Studios is the only large-scale studio facility in Greece with soundstages and backlots that can accommodate all genres including scripted, non-scripted, entertainment, reality, information, and news. We produce more than 1000 hours of content yearly, and our shows have been sold internationally.


As one of the biggest producers in Greece, will you be looking to start new partnerships with companies from the region?

We are always open to new partnerships with companies from the region, as we believe that there is a lot of creative potential and cultural affinity between us. We are interested in co-producing original content that can appeal to both local and international audiences, as well as adapting successful formats that can fit the Greek market. We are also interested in hosting foreign productions in our studio facilities which offer high-quality services and equipment, as well as a professional and experienced crew. Disney’s Rise, David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future, Nia Vardalos’ My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, Daniel Syrkin’s Tehran for Apple TV, Thea Hvistendahl’s Handling the Undead and Amazon’s new feature film Killer Hit are some of the projects filmed at Kapa Studios, benefiting from our state-of-the-art facilities and experienced professionals.


What have been some of the recent big hits for your company which could grab the attention of the NATPE Budapest delegates?

Some of our recent big hits include Agries Melisses (Wild Bees, aired on ANT1), a family drama set in the rural Greece in the 1950s that has been a rating phenomenon in Greek tv for 3 consecutive seasons and sold internationally; Sasmos (Reconciliation, aired on Alpha TV), a love drama between two families in vendetta in a remote village of Crete, which is a major hit with average daily viewership of 1.5 million (over 26%) running for 2 seasons already, sold internationally and renewed for a third season; Paradeisos twn Kyriwn (Ladies' Paradise, aired on Alpha TV) an adaptation of the famous Il Paradiso delle Signore from Rai TV, that follows the lives and loves of a group of women working in a department store in the 1960s and Mavro Rodo (Black Rose, aired on Mega), a drama about “the impossible love” that happens between an architect and a young nun. All these shows were produced or adapted by our company JK Productions which produces 5 to 7 projects on a yearly basis and has a great sense for making successful projects that resonate with the audience.


What new projects are you currently working on? How many hours do you expect to produce by the end of the year as own and hosted productions?

Some of our new projects that we are working on or planning to work on are Magissa (Witch, for ANT1/ANT1+), a historic action- drama about a young woman in Greece in the 19th century who discovers her magical powers (clairvoyance) and her destiny to save people during the Greek Revolution; Pantheoi (Pantheoi), a historical drama and actually the remake of the hit TV series in Greece in the 1970s; Navagio (Shipwreck, for Mega), a mystery drama, based on a true story about the tragic death of the people on board of “Falconera” ; and Electra (Electra, for ERT1), a love thriller set in Athens in 1972. We expect to produce around 1000 hours of content by the end of the season as own and hosted productions. Most of these projects will be shot at our studio facilities, which offer an ideal environment for creative work.


There has been an unforeseen boom in TV series production in Greece with over 40 titles produced in one TV year. What are your expectations for the new season? Will the growth continue with more commissions from the channels and streamers?

We are very optimistic about the new season, as we see that there is a high demand and appreciation for quality TV series in Greece, both from the viewers and the broadcasters. We think that the growth will continue with more commissions from the channels and streamers, as they recognize the value and potential of Greek content. We expect a rise in quality and not necessarily quantity, as TV channels and streamers place a lot of emphasis on great storytelling. We also hope that this boom will attract more investments and collaborations from abroad, as well as more support from the government and institutions. The success of the government’s Cash Rebate program, which is administered by EKOME in Greece, provided a lot of support, and highlighted the work of professionals who place emphasis on quality, content and production value.


With so much high-quality drama being produced, Greece can easily be compared to Turkey, but there is one major difference – Greek series do not enjoy such popularity internationally. How can this be changed in the future? Is the Greek industry working in this direction?

We believe that Greek series have a lot to offer to international audiences, as they combine original stories, rich characters, beautiful locations and universal themes. However, we also acknowledge that there are some challenges and barriers that prevent them from reaching wider markets, such as language, distribution and promotion. We think that this can be changed in the future by working more closely with international partners, platforms and festivals, by creating more formats that can be adapted or co-produced abroad, by investing more in marketing and branding, and by showcasing more diversity and innovation in our content. The Greek industry is working in this direction, and we are proud to be part of this effort.


You are well-known for your hit remakes of international scripted and non-scripted formats in Greece. What type of shows are in your acquisition focus now?

We are well-known for our hit remakes of Il Paradiso delle Signore, No Matter What, Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Your Face Sounds Familiar and The Weakest Link. We are always looking for new formats that can suit our audience's tastes and preferences, as well as our production standards and capabilities. We are interested in shows that have proven success in other markets, that have strong concepts and characters, that can generate buzz and engagement, and that can fit different genres and slots.


As you noted, you also adapted the Croatian dramedy format No Matter What for ERT which is currently in its third season in Greece. Will you be looking for new fresh ideas from the CEE region at NATPE Budapest?

This is actually the second Croatian dramedy that we have adapted with great success. We have also adapted Dar Mar (The Cops, also from Nova TV Croatia) and we will be looking for new fresh ideas from the CEE region at NATPE Budapest, as we think that there is a lot of talent and creativity in the region. We adapted the Croatian dramedy format No Matter What for ERT, and we are very happy with the results. The show has been very well received by both critics and viewers, as it combines humor and romance in a relatable way. We think that there are more gems like this in the CEE region that can work well in Greece.