Focus Features Archives

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.

Will Sundance Boom or Bust?

January 20, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

After a lackluster Sundance in 2018, last year was full of mega-deals, especially by Netflix and Amazon. Buyers spent over $120 million acquiring rights to some 40 films.

Distribution

TIFF Film Rights and More

September 30, 2018 FilmTake Comments Off

FilmTake surveys the latest distribution and financing deals that concluded before, during, and just after the Toronto Film Festival.

Licensing Analytics

NEW: SVOD Episodic Licensing Report Series

The SVOD Episodic Licensing Series is your inside source to uncover what streaming services around the world pay distributors to license episodic content.

Streamers Swiftly Shift Strategies from Content Exclusivity Back to Partnerships

Streaming

March 9, 2023 Comments Off

Less than a year ago, the largest content rights holders, including Warner Bros, were hoarding vast libraries of content from third-party licensees for use on their respective direct-to-consumer streaming services, reversing standard practices since time immemorial.

Netflix’s New Advertising Tier is Off to a Shaky Start

Streaming

January 25, 2023 Comments Off

Netflix’s ad-based tier aims to reduce the high churn the company faced in 2022, attract new subscribers, and lure back those who canceled. However, by all measures, the rushed experiment is failing. Netflix’s AVOD tier accounts for just 12% of its subscriber base.

Streaming Services Revert to Advertising to Drive Subscriber Growth

Streaming

January 12, 2023 Comments Off

Last year was the first year in the previous four years that didn’t welcome a new subscription streaming service from Hollywood’s major players. The lack of a new streaming service did not stop the existing services from offering new ways to watch content through paid and free ad-supported options.

Premium Streamers Scramble for Fresh Strategies to Retain Fickle Subscribers

Streaming

December 19, 2022 Comments Off

Streaming services are scrambling for new strategies to keep their existing subscribers in a highly crowded domestic market. The level of churn among premium streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+ has accelerated.

Disney Surpasses Netflix to Become the World’s Leading Streaming Service

Streaming

November 18, 2022 Comments Off

Disney Streaming overtook Netflix as the world’s streaming leader in July 2022. Across all Disney streaming platforms (Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar, ESPN+, and Hulu), the company boosts 222.2 million subscribers compared to Netflix’s 220.7 million.