By Rebecca Green
The British have Boxing Week, the Norwegians have Romjul and the Americans have what the TikTok girles have dubbed Rotting Week. I’m referring to the dead zone between Christmas and New Years. That time of year where you’re so full on wine and cheese and baked goods that you lose track of what day it is. My hope is that you chose to use the dead zone to rest, forget about work, get inspired and spend time away from your email, as I predict the chaos of 2023 will be following us well into 2024.
To help you prepare for what’s ahead, these curated articles will bring you up to speed on the industry happenings of the last few months of 2023 – quite a lot of reading for just 4 months! From more consolidation to the consequences of the strikes, crooked distributors and the end of DVD sales, Netflix finally releasing data after digging in their heels while we were all out of work for most of the year, and the disruption of documentary film and producers in crisis, we’re still on the rollercoaster that has become the film business. And if you were scrambling before the holiday getting ready to play Santa or host your in-laws, be sure to read Dear Producer’s last post of 2023, 16 Questions to Ask Before You Make Your Next Film which I co-wrote with Dear Producer Award recipient Megan Gilbride.
2024 is the year to be OUT with gatekeepers and following the status quo and in with radical ideas and changemakers.
Happy New Year!
Hollywood’s Elusive Goal This Year: Streaming Profits
“Aside from Netflix, only Warner Bros. Discovery, via aggressive cost-cutting, has shown the ability to hit a profit in its direct-to-consumer division.”
Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter 12/29/23
Inside DOC NYC: Power, Profit, and Community at America’s “Largest” Doc Fest
“Undoubtedly, DOC NYC is big in scale because of its program size and the amount of U.S. industry that attends, and many attendees herald the opportunity to connect and celebrate nonfiction together in New York City in the fall. But others are suspicious about how well it delivers on its promises and remain skeptical about its money-making initiatives and for-profit status—it is owned by New York’s IFC Center and its corporate parent company AMC Networks—with some calling the event “disingenuous” and “opportunistic.””
Anthony Kaufman, IDA 12/29/23
After The “Great Netflix Correction”, Streaming Looks To Find New Pragmatic Footing
“Here is an overview (in alphabetical order) of the eight leading subscription streaming outlets in the U.S., with a look back at their 2023 highs and lows and a preview of what lies ahead in the new year.”
Dade Hayes, Katie Campione, The Hollywood Reporter 12/22/23
Scoop: Warner Bros. Discovery in talks to merge with Paramount Global
“Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav met with Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish on Tuesday in New York City to discuss a possible merger, Axios has learned from multiple sources.”
Sara Fischer, Axios 12/20/23
XTR is Trying to Solve the Crisis in Documentary Film, but Some Filmmakers Feel Betrayed
“On November 15, at a DOC NYC panel called “Balancing Storytelling and Financial Stability,” South African filmmaker Milisuthando Bongela, director of the acclaimed 2023 Sundance film Milisuthando, recounted her unfortunate story of funding gone wrong—and how powerhouse nonfiction studio XTR offered her production hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money last November to help her deliver her documentary for its Sundance premiere, and then, five weeks later and after repeated attempts to follow up, the company responded that they were withdrawing the offer.”
Anthony Kaufman, Filmmaker Magazine 12/20/23
Filmmakers Take Legal Action Against Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment as It Faces ‘Cash Flow Issues’
A number of directors are pursuing litigation against the digital indie film distributor 1091 Pictures for failing to make promised revenue-sharing payments after selling their films to the platform, now owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. Helmers are scrambling to reclaim distribution rights to their work out of fear that 1091 Pictures’ parent company could declare bankruptcy.
Andie Moorfoot, Variety 12/20/23
This Was the Year That the Golden Age of Documentary Felt Like a Distant Memory
“Congratulations, streamers: You won. Distributors and exhibitors lack commitment; press and word-of-mouth aren’t providing the assurance that documentaries are worth seeking out. Instead, documentaries have become content sucked into the digital vortex. The most-watched nonfiction this year are docu-series like “Depp v. Heard,” “MH370: The Plane That Disappeared,” “Murdaugh Murders,” and “Beckham.””
Anthony Kaufman, IndieWire 12/19/23
Hits & Misses: How Six Sundance 2023 Titles Performed in Distribution
“After nearly flatlining during the pandemic years, American independent film saw some signs of life in 2023. While optimists might call it a year of transition as the industry looks for new audiences and a new equilibrium, cynics see an unsustainable and contracting arthouse marketplace, with most producers and distributors increasingly unable to recoup. But, if you look at the fates of last year’s Sundance titles, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”
Anthony Kaufman, Filmmaker Magazine 12/15/23
What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report
“Starting today we will publish What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report twice a year. This is a comprehensive report of what people watched on Netflix over a six month period1, including: Hours viewed for every title — original and licensed — watched for over 50,000 hours; The premiere date3 for any Netflix TV series or film; and Whether a title was available globally.”
Netflix, 12/12/23
Producers of ‘American Fiction,’ ‘Maestro,’ ‘Origin’ and More Oscar Contenders Talk the Toughest Tasks Behind the Scenes of Their Films
“From giving pep talks to directors, building wrestling arenas inside warehouses or staging book burnings in the middle of downtown Berlin, there was no shortage of challenges for this year’s top producers to tackle.”
Hilton Dresden, The Hollywood Reporter 12/10/23
It’s Quiet, Too Quiet, in Hollywood: Where Are the Deals?
“Once the writers strike ended in late September, president of FX Entertainment Nick Grad and his colleagues began to clear their schedules. After a 148-day stoppage, the second longest in Writers Guild of America history, surely there would be a deluge of writers with fresh ideas and new spec scripts coming through, and Grad and team were ready. But here we are, nearly two and a half months later, and that deluge never came.”
Lacey Rose, Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter 12/07/23
Split Together: Weathering the Storm at the Camden International Film Festival
“In structured programming and chance encounters, the Maine doc festival held together—if shakily—the film industry’s contradictions.”
A.E Hunt, Mubi 12/07/23
HBO & Max Sign Exclusive Multiyear Pay One Agreement With A24
“In the wake of A24‘s pay-one deal with Showtime expiring, the specialty film studio will now see its movies go through HBO and Max in a new exclusive multiyear pay-one output agreement. Both new A24 movies and the existing library will play on Max, HBO and Cinemax; in total over 100 movies over the term of the agreement.”
Anthony D’Alessandro, Deadline Hollywood 12/6/23
Plan B Launches New Micro Budget Film Finance Initiative Led By Caddy Vanasirikul; First Pic Is Fernando Eimbcke’s ‘Olmo’
“Plan B Entertainment has started a new micro budget film finance initiative to produce and finance lower cost films which will be led by newly hired Caddy Vanasirikul. The veteran film producer and acquisition and production executive will manage Plan B’s forthcoming slate in this sector.”
Anthony D’Alessandro, Deadline Hollywood 12/06/23
From Microsoft Acquiring Activision To Disney + Hulu, These Deals Shook Up The Media And Entertainment Space In 2023, Plus 2024 Trends To Watch
“Despite limited deal volume, 2023 has been nothing short of transformative for the media and entertainment industries, marked by large, groundbreaking transactions that have sent shockwaves across the landscape. From tech giants entering the gaming arena to significant shifts in ownership of entertainment powerhouses, the sectors continue to undergo a dynamic evolution. In addition to these headline-grabbing deals, several key trends are emerging, shaping the future trajectory of media and entertainment.”
Corey Martin, Forbes 12/05/23
Why This Year’s Other Critically Acclaimed Movie Starring Lily Gladstone Hasn’t Been Picked Up (Guest Column)
“”We were under absolutely no illusion that ‘Fancy Dance’ would receive the same kind of industry support as ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ but the disparity is so great that it renders our film virtually invisible and leaves only one available perspective: the non-Native one,” write the former movie’s Indigenous women filmmakers.”
Erica Tremblay, Miciana Alise, The Hollywood Reporter 11/30/23
Doc Producers Call for Generative AI Guardrails in Open Letter
“”Generated material presented as ‘real’ in one film will be passed along — on the internet, in other films — and is in danger of forever muddying the historical record,” reads the open letter from the newly established Archival Producers Alliance.”
Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter 11/27/23
Toronto’s indie cinema scene is booming: ‘It’s a different experience than, like, the Cineplex’
“Theatres like the Revue on Roncesvalles, the Paradise on Bloor and the Fox in the Beaches are attracting Gen Z by making going to the movies feel like an event.”
Corey Atad, Toronto Star 11/25/23
How ‘Nyad’ & ‘Dumb Money’ Producer Teddy Schwarzman Built Black Bear Into An Indie Studio To Be Reckoned With
“It’s no secret that the independent film game is not for the faint-hearted, with the last decade seeing a number of companies and financiers collapse under the weight of the industry’s constant state of flux. But amidst the turmoil and unprecedented change, Teddy Schwarzman has been quietly building his Black Bear label into a full-fledged independent film studio.”
Diana Lodderhose, Deadline Hollywood 11/16/23
How David Zaslav Blew Up Hollywood
“A merger put him in the driver’s seat at Warner Brothers, one of the industry’s biggest studios. It has been a wild ride.”
Jonathan Mahler, James B. Stewart and Benjamin Mullin, The New York Times 11/15/23
Kino Lorber Launches New Streaming Service, Kino Film Collection
“Kino Lorber, a leading name in independent film distribution for over 45 years, has launched Kino Film Collection, a new streaming service available in the U.S. on the Amazon Service via Prime Video Channels for $5.99 per month. As their press release states, “The Collection will feature new Kino releases fresh from theaters, along with hundreds of films from its expansive library of more than 4,000 titles, many now streaming for the first time.””
Filmmaker Magazine Staff 11/6/23
For Every Hit TV Show, There Are More Than 100 Misses
“Fewer than 5% of the original programs on Netflix last year would have triggered performance bonuses under the new contract between the Writers Guild of America and major studios, according to research from Digital-i, a London-based data provider. In the first half of this year, about 5% of the new original titles on Netflix were seen by at least 20% of the service’s US users — meeting the agreed-on popularity threshold.”
Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg 11/05/23
Are ‘Elf’ and ‘Love Actually’ the Last Holiday Classics We’ll Ever Get?
“The two comedies opened on the same date in 2003 and have stood the test of time. A changing Hollywood landscape might make another such day impossible.”
Esther Zuckerman, The New York Times 11/04/23
Best Buy to End DVD, Blu-ray Disc Sales
The consumer-electronics retailer will phase out sales of DVDs and Blu-ray discs both in-store and online in early 2024, according to industry sources familiar with the company’s plans. Best Buy made the initial decision to end DVD sales nine months ago, according to one source.
Todd Spangler, Variety 10/13/23
Outfest Postpones Legacy Awards & Pauses Other Programming, Initiates “Leaves” For Majority Of Staff, Citing Severe Impact Of “Financial Climate”
“Outfest has pushed its upcoming Legacy Awards ceremony to 2024, hit pause on all other programming for the near term, and is initiating “leaves” for the majority of its staff, citing the severe impact the recent “financial climate” has had on the organization.”
Matt Grobar, Deadline Hollywood 10/12/23
‘How Do We Never Do This Again?’: Hollywood Grapples With the Consequences of a 148-Day WGA Strike
“Why did it take five months? That’s the vexing question that entertainment industry insiders are wrestling with even as they cheer the end of the Writers Guild of America strike. Union leaders said it again and again all summer — that Hollywood’s system for collective bargaining was “broken.” Turns out they were right.”
Cynthia Littleton, Variety 10/11/23
2,000+ Top Producers Sign Petition To Drop Second “P” From AMPTP, Part Of Larger Push To Address Inequities; Cathy Schulman, Jason Blum, Dede Gardner, Todd Garner Among Signees
“More than 2,300 film and TV producers on Tuesday are delivering a message to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers: leave us out. The group delivered a petition to AMPTP President Carol Lombardini this morning demanding the dropping of the “P” from the acronym of the organization that just concluded a brutal negotiation with the WGA, and hopefully is in the final stages of a SAG-AFTRA deal after one of the longest strikes in Hollywood history.”
Matt Grobar, The Hollywood Reporter 10/10/23
Screen comment: UK indie producers are in crisis and need urgent support
“The levels of pay revealed in our stories for young independent producers should collectively embarrass the industry, alongside the fact that the deferment of those fees has become more than a habit. The sums don’t lie. Total film production in the UK in 2022 was a record £2bn ($2.4bn), but with a 31% decline in the spend on UK films; inward investment on films was £1.7bn ($2.1bn). UK independent producer fees can be as low as £3,000 ($3,650) over the development life of a project, to be shared if there is more than one producer credit. IP protections are not extended to streaming services.”
Fionnuala Halligans, Screendaily 10/03/23
BBC Film announces new support for UK producers
“The Associate Producer Programme will see BBC Film fund the placement of emerging producers on up to eight BBC Film productions per year, with particular emphasis on supporting those from under-represented groups. The programme, led by BBC Film Head of Production Emma Kayee, is open access and production companies must advertise the posts. BBC Film will also directly accept expressions of interest from those who wish to be considered for Associate Producer roles.”
BBC, 10/03/23
Christine Vachon, Hollywood’s Greatest Anomaly
“The legendary producer broke Hollywood barriers, changed American movies, and is behind two of 2023’s best films in Past Lives and May December. Her first Oscar nomination is finally in sight: “It would mean an extraordinary amount to me.””
David Canfield, Vanity Fair 09/28/23
Exclusive: Biggest streaming companies join first official trade group
“The world’s biggest streaming companies are coming together to launch the industry’s first unified coalition, the Streaming Innovation Alliance (SIA). The new group is led by two former policymakers acting as senior advisers: former Republican Rep. Fred Upton and former Democratic Federal Communications Commission (FCC) acting chair Mignon Clyburn.
Sara Fischer, Axios 09/26/23