More Bang for the Buck at the L.A. Screenings.

First the most important news: the key parties at the Los Angeles Screenings are scheduled May 24 (for Paramount) and May 27 (at Warner Bros.). Universal Studios is considering a retirement fete to wish farewell to one of its executives. Earlier in the week on May 21, Chile's RTL is sponsoring a luncheon in association with Pearson Television Productions featuring an appearance of the Baywatch stars. Plus, the L.A.-based American Film Market Association (AFMA) is inaugurating its involvement with the Screenings with a cocktail reception during the weekend of May 28.

The other news this year is that for the first time, the U.S. TV networks have commissioned more pilots but have kept costs down by asking for shorter screening versions rather than full episodes. This way, international buyers are saying, the U.S. networks can choose from a wider selection. To some, however, such as ITV Network's Jeremy Boulton, this new development may mean a return to the fall screenings, at least for ITV and the BBC, such as what happened in the late '80s. "The development of presentations, rather than frill pilots, is very interesting but it remains to be seen [if it works]," he said. The move toward presentations has been gradually creeping into the minds of U.S. network executives in the past few years, so it is not something completely new. Naturally, for U.S. network executives accustomed to "pitches," viewing a shorter-than-pilot presentation is "their game." Nevertheless, as pointed out by Boulton, if a clip is "strong enough, one has to trust the producer to deliver."

Returning to an old tradition of being the first to descend upon Los Angeles, the Canadians will start screening on May 18 and finish May 26. Some Canadian TV executives also will be attending the upfront presentations in New York. These elaborate and circus-like rituals that American networks schedule for advertisers are intended to give a sneak-peek of the debuting fall TV season (2000-2001) to both clients and ad agencies.

As reported in Video Age's Monte Carlo daily, the networks' upfront schedule is: NBC on May 15, ABC on May 16 (p.m.), PAX on May 17 (a.m.) and CBS later that same day. Fox and UPN are slated for May 18 and the WB on May 23.

For those who get paid extra to actually watch all the shows, this year's crop is expected to be, in the view of one acquisitions executive from Germany's ZDE insert-single-fathers-then-add-couples situations, but overall pulling away from niche-demographic shows and more toward general-audience type programs. California-based RWI's Russ Watkins, who represents Nine Network Australia, reported a large number of "father-based sitcoms and ethnic shows." However, Warner Bros. is said to have two one-hour drama pilots expected to "shock" buyers.

This year, the Latin Americans will head north around May 21 to catch the next day's screenings at the Century Plaza, where RTL will present TV product from MGM, RAI Trade, Betafilms and Pearson TV. NBC Enterprises' afternoon screenings follow at the nearby Park Hyatt. Indeed, NBC will be setting up shop at the Park Hyatt as early as May 18.

Subsequently, Warner Bros. will house the Latins on May 22, Fox will host them on May 23, Universal on the morning of May 24 and Disney that afternoon, Columbia on May 25 and Paramount on May 26. For its part, CBS International will entertain the Latins on two separate days: May 23 and 25. For now, ITV's Jeremy Boulton will start screening May 23 but will seal his full screening schedule during this month's MIP-TV.

This year, the Australians will also arrive rather early -- as soon as May 22 -- with hopes to finish by the 26th. Completing screenings that quickly is a bit optimistic, therefore May 31 looks more likely for the Aussies. Some of the Germans will globetrot to L.A. on May 28, just before the Memorial Day weekend (a major holiday in the U.S. marking the beginning of the summer season). Meanwhile, the screening schedule of France's Canal Plus will be set up at MIP-TV and the Italians (Mediaset) will travel to the studios on May 22. The Dutch are scheduled to arrive on May 20.

As far as the independents are concerned, expect a 10 percent growth from last year, with most of the newcomers representing the U.K. Established U.S. producers such as Carsey-Werner will have a Screenings suite set up for the Latins at the Century Plaza.

Pedro Leda's Argentinean Ledafilms will be screening DreamWorks SKG's new product during the week of May 21. One of the latest developments is the greater involvement of AFMA with the L.A. Screenings. After the positive response from members surveyed earlier this year, AFMA has blocked the 10th floor at the Century Plaza for an AFMA Pavilion of 30 rooms from May 25 to the 30th.

As for hotel accommodations, as usual, the Latins will shift between the Century Plaza and the Park Hyatt, while the Europeans will take comfort in the newly restructured and renamed W hotel (formerly Westwood Marquis) and the Sunset Marquis. Canadians tend to prefer the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Australians will camp out at the Four Seasons while the Japanese feel at home in the Nikko (even though the hotel has shed its Japanese ownership -- now it is part of Le Meridien).