Distribution

Surging Growth in Third-Party Licensing as Studios Drop Exclusive Deals

December 7, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

The shift away from originals at Netflix is welcome news for distributors that have grown wary of content exclusivity and are again licensing films and shows to their streaming competitors, especially Netflix, which pays top dollar.

Studios Revamp Licensing Strategy: Exclusive Distribution Era Ends

November 28, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Warner Bros. Discovery has lost 2.5 million subscribers in its direct-to-consumer (DTC) division, encompassing HBO cable subscriptions and the Max and Discovery+ streaming services. The company also experienced a massive loss in advertising revenue for linear television, which still keeps the lights on at many studios.

Film Markets in Flux: Navigating Strikes, Weak Sales, and New Distribution Models

November 7, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Hopes were high at the beginning of last week that a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) representing the streamers and the studios and SAG-AFTRA would be reached during AFM, but as the weekend approached, hopes faded.

45 Top Titles on Offer at AFM

November 1, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

A roundup of 45 independent films receiving the most significant attention at AFM. As evidenced by the list below, AFM remains a robust market for genre films, and many producers and distributors are reporting strong demand for horror, action, and science fiction titles heading into the market.

Ripples in the Reel: How Strikes are Shaping the Future of Film

October 30, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

AFM approaches amidst unprecedented industry turbulence. While there was hope for a post-Covid recovery, this year’s AFM finds itself under the cloud of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, a dispute reshaping not just this year’s film market but the very fabric of the film and television world.

Declining Distributor Minimum Guarantees Threaten Viability of Independent Films

October 3, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

In recent years, the state of independent films has been marked by a troubling trend: the decline of minimum guarantees paid by all-rights distributors.

Unraveling the Netflix Effect: A Deep Dive into the Latest Film Festival Deals

September 25, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

The TIFF marketplace, and indeed the entirety of 2023, has seen a surplus of promising films and a scarcity of willing buyers. This trend indicates a broader shift in the indie film market, characterized by a more cautious approach from buyers.

Starz Lost Access to Pay-One Rights for Major Studio Films

September 5, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Starz’s access to third-party content was severely diminished when it lost Pay-One rights to films released by Sony Pictures after Netflix swopped in last year. Starz only has Pay-One rights to films released by its sibling company, Lionsgate, which HBO and FX previously held.

Universal’s Unique Deal Bifurcates Pay-One Rights Between Multiple Streamers

July 31, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Universal Pictures bifurcates the 18-month Pay-One Film Licensing Window for its streaming service Peacock and Amazon. After four initial months on Peacock, Universal’s live-action films will stream exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video for ten months before returning to Peacock for the final four months.

Lionsgate Faces Substantial Financial Risks and Capital Requirements

July 26, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Lionsgate has failed to deliver on long-touted plans for cash injection by spinning off Starz. Despite ongoing delays and several missed deadlines, Lionsgate is reportedly one of three final suitors vying for Canada’s eOne.

The Never-Ending Story: Lionsgate’s Financial Maneuvers and the Fate of Starz

June 28, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

The much-delayed spinoff of Starz was initially sold to investors as a way to unlock value by selling all or most of Starz but has now morphed into a way to separate and sell Lionsgate. The details remain murky after nearly two years of delays.

The Great Reset: Ever-Increasing Content Spending Leads to Financing Exodus

June 8, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

After years of runaway content spending by leading streaming services, the industry is experiencing significant disruptions as it braces for more downsizing.

How Streamers and Lockdowns Distorted Distribution Prices

February 15, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Even before unprecedented disruptions to the theatrical market, established film buyers and sellers were under tremendous financial pressure after spendthrift streamers elbowed in to populate their sparse film catalogs and vie for Oscar gold.

Sundance Fails to Ignite an Apathetic Independent Film Market

February 8, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

By every measure, the theatrical market for independent films remains on life support after the first in-person Sundance Film Festival since the ‘before times’ in January 2020.

Broken Windows: Inside Hollywood’s Lucrative Film Licensing Deals

January 15, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

The battle over film licensing exclusivity transpired as expected once Netflix transitioned from a content aggregator to a content creator. One-by-one the major studios built direct-to-consumer streaming services to compete with Netflix.

AT&T Loses Over $50 Billion on Half-Baked Content Distribution Ambitions

September 27, 2021 FilmTake Comments Off

After losing over $50 billion on a series of failed forays into content production and distribution, AT&T was forced to start selling stakes in its recently acquired media assets or risk weakening its monopolistic grip on telecom and internet delivery.