Mumbai: MIPCOM 2012 at Cannes saw the crossover of a couple of big names from films to television. Iconic independent film producer/distributor Harvey Weinstein and Oscar-winning writer/director Jane Campion made their debt appearance at the annual event announcing their foray into television.

Attending his first MIPCOM, Weinstein unveiled The Weinstein Company‘s plans to expand in television production and distribution with the likes of epic drama series ‘Marco Polo,‘ reality series ‘Supermarket Superstars‘ and documentary series ‘Seal Team Six.‘ And he chose MIPCOM to unveil a new initiative - the World Dance Awards - a live TV show conceived by dancing wizard Michael Flatley.

Like Weinstein, Campion is more used to attending the Cannes Film Festival. So 2012 was her debut appearance at MIPCOM to discuss her first foray into television via drama series ‘Top of the Lake‘, starring Elisabeth Moss, Peter Mullan and Holly Hunter.

Explaining his strategy, Harvey Weinstein told his audience, "TV is such an exciting area at the moment and movies are shrinking to some extent. So it‘s the right time for us to get into TV in a big way."

Attending MIPCOM to present ‘House of Cards‘ to potential buyers, American actor, director, screenwriter and producer Kevin Spacey noted, "When you look where the most interesting plot lines, storylines and characters are, it‘s in television."

House of Cards is the re-make of the classic 1990 British mini-series. The US version will be set in the backdrop of electoral politics. The British version had explored the merciless underside of British politics at the end of the Thatcher era.

The four-day MIPCOM is the annual global market for entertainment content across all platforms. Every year, the industry‘s international heavy hitters - from TV and film - converge in Cannes to create a new world of entertainment.

Major companies and household names from the film and internet world lined up alongside their television counterparts for one of the biggest MIPCOMs ever. MIPCOM 2012 cemented a coming together of all sectors of the entertainment business.

As many as 12,900 delegates from 104 countries, including 4,400 buyers, negotiated and networked their way throughout MIPCOM 2012. Of those buyers, over 500 were making dedicated VOD (video on demand) acquisitions, according to a statement by MIPCOM.

MUMBAI: Under pressure to seek funding in a difficult global economic environment, producers are looking at the television trade event MipTV to be a meeting ground.

The event, which takes place next month in Cannes, France, has already seen a 25 per cent increase in registrations from production companies this year compared to 2011. More importantly, the 1,220 international television production companies registered to date include 326 first time attendees.

Reed Midem director of the television division Laurine Garaude said, "Producers increasingly need international financial partners and funding. They will find both again this year at the world?s largest TV market event, as production remains at the heart of MipTV 2012".

MipTV 2012 has a host of dedicated events and conferences created to benefit producers. The Drama CoProXchange and Producer?s Hub programmes are designed to facilitate co-production deals and support the producers? search of financial partners while in Cannes.

Kicking off the Drama CoProXchange programme on 1 April, MipTV?s first invitation-only Drama CoProXchange Summit will bring together 50 international commissioners, producers and deal-brokers involved in co-production at its highest levels for two hours of semi-structured networking behind closed doors, at the Majestic Hotel.

The list of personalities attending the Drama CoProXchange Summit include United Talent Agency co-founder and board director Peter Benedek, Entertainment One Television CEO John Morayniss, BSkyB head of drama Anne Mensah and France Televisions head of international drama and series co-productions Sophie Gigon.

Lookout Point MD Simon Vaughan said, "MipTV and Mipcom have been hugely important to the financing of Titanic. Julian Fellowes and I were here 18 months ago, with ITV Studios Global Entertainment, talking to potential partners and co-producers. And now it feels most fitting to celebrate Titanic?s launch with a Gala Screening here in Cannes."

Unfolding on 2 April, MipTV?s Drama CoProXchange programme includes a Creative Speaking session with British TV writer and producer Paul Abbott. Abbott will talk about his work to date, his creative process and his highly-anticipated new project, Hit and Miss, with Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee Chloe Sevigny, brought to Cannes by FremantleMedia.

Amongst several Case Studies sessions, Oscar-winning producer Iain Canning, co-founder of See Saw Films ?The King?s Speech? will unveil his upcoming drama, ?Top Of The Lake?, co-produced by BBC Two, UKTV and Sundance Channel and internationally distributed by BBC Worldwide. The highly-anticipated new series is directed by Jane Campion ?The Piano? and the cast includes Elisabeth Moss, Holly Hunter and Peter Mullan.

The Drama CoProXchange programme also features a Commissioning Strategies session where leading broadcasters will reveal their commissioning plans for the upcoming year.

The all-new Producers? Hub is designed to facilitate producers? meetings in a casual atmosphere and a dedicated space. A series of ?How to? workshops will take place during the four days of MipTV, covering negotiating deals, pitching, commissioning, drama co-production funding, kids programming, digital business and distribution, factual and documentary production and regional funding opportunities.