Sundance Archives » FilmTake

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.

UPDATED: Sundance Heats Up

January 28, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

After a slow start to the 35th annual Sundance Film Festival, the weekend produced a handful of sizable deals, including from Amazon Studios, Searchlight Pictures, and Lionsgate.

Sundance Slumps

January 26, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Deal activity is muted so far at this year’s festival despite claims that producers and sales agents were withholding their best films at TIFF in September to introduce at Sundance.

What US Independent Distributors Want

January 21, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Discover in their own words what elements 26 US distributors are searching for when they acquire distribution rights at Sundance.

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.

Netflix and Amazon Retreat

September 18, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Netflix and Amazon, who were once touted as the saviors of the indie film market, are retreating from acquisitions to focus on producing more original films.

Buyer Beware

September 10, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Buyers at TIFF are skittish after a 6% drop in North American box office receipts in 2019. Worse still, is the dire year indie films are having, where receipts have declined 45%.

The Sudden Decline of Sundance

January 22, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

The deep pockets of digital distributors have inflated the average price of film rights at Sundance and other major film festivals.

Amazon Moves Away from Independent Films

January 23, 2018 FilmTake Comments Off

It’s hard to imagine Amazon leaving Sundance this year with a big-dollar prestige film like years past.

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.