Content budgets are shifting – and so is creative power. Today’s breakout formats often originate not in writers’ rooms, but on social platforms, where creators build loyal followings and unique storytelling styles. From YouTubers turned entrepreneurs to TikTok stars launching TV shows, the power balance in entertainment is shifting. But this shift doesn’t leave traditional producers behind – it creates new opportunities for those willing to collaborate and rethink the IP game.
Producers as Partners, Not Gatekeepers
“Budgets are going to content creators,” says TV producer Oliver Fuchs, Co-Founder of Fabiola. “But that gives producers a chance to create IP with them.” In this emerging model, the producer’s role isn’t to own everything, it’s to bring what creators lack: long-form storytelling, format expertise, and high-end production value.
Case Study: From YouTube to ZDF
Oliver Fuchs and his partner Ina Eck have firsthand experience building bridges between the two worlds. They worked with early YouTube star Phil Laude and later developed a format for Prime Video with creator Julien Bam called The Way Out. Their most recent case: Einsame Herzen (Lonely Hearts) with FreshTorge, a comedy YouTuber whose sketches gained millions of organic views.
Fabiola helped shape Torge’s characters into 6×30′ formats for ZDFs streaming platform first. The first season was a dating comedy, the second a reality show parody. Seasons 3 and 4 are currently in development and will be even more over the top. Torge plays every role himself and promoted the show on his own channels. The result: a show anchored in his universe yet made scalable for linear (ZDF Neo) as well as streaming audiences (Mediathek).
The numbers speak for themselves: Einsame Herzen ranked among the top ten entertainment formats in the Mediathek in February, generated over 100,000 direct link clicks from social media, and reached more than 20 million organic views across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube (as of May 2025), with over 900,000 interactions across all platforms.
Global Examples: Beast Games and The Sidemen
This hybrid model – creator IP + producer storytelling + platform distribution – is gaining traction globally. In the UK, The Sidemen, a YouTube supergroup, have turned their brand into a globally licensed reality competition series, Inside, while retaining IP control.
In the US, MrBeast has launched Beast Games on Prime Video, a mega-format funded by brands, backed by his 250M+ subscribers, and built outside the traditional studio system. These are not just influencer spin-offs – they’re creator-led franchises.
The New IP Equation
The difference lies in ownership. Traditional broadcasters often controlled everything – from the rights to the formats. But in the creator economy, IP is currency. “We’re not producers in the classic sense anymore,” Fuchs explains. “We’re mentors, partners, problem-solvers. We help finance, craft formats, and build bridges to platforms, but the creative spark often starts with the talent.”
In this model, IP is often co-developed, with creators retaining a stake in their ideas and producers helping turn them into scalable formats. The result is a more collaborative approach to ownership – one that rewards both creative vision and production expertise.
What Producers Bring to the Table
To compete, producers must rethink what they offer. Production value alone isn’t enough. What they can bring is structure: the ability to craft long-form formats, handle licensing deals, and scale community-driven content into global franchises. That also means embracing new financing models that mix brands, social media, streamers, and even merchandising.
Many first-generation YouTubers are seeking collaboration, according to Oliver Fuchs, as a more sustainable way to work, with some peace, creative breathing room, and regular income. For them, partnering with experienced producers can be a welcome shift from the relentless pace of solo content creation.
A New Era of Co-Creation
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Sometimes the creator owns the character, the producer owns the format, and the streamer licenses the rights. Sometimes it’s reversed. What matters is clarity and collaboration.
The rise of creator-owned IP isn’t a threat. It’s a chance to reinvent production partnerships, centered on talent and community. For producers willing to play a new game, the opportunities have never been bigger.
