FilmTake

Streaming in the UK

August 30, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Since the COVID lockdown began, nearly five million UK households have signed up for a streaming service. Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+ have been the primary beneficiaries of this boom.

Breaking Theatrical Windows

August 18, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Universal Pictures and AMC, the world’s largest exhibitor, struck a deal to shrink the theatrical window from 90 days to just 17 days.

Lockdowns Reshape Content Distribution

August 10, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

COVID-19 has decimated global content pipelines by halting film production, canceling greenlit projects, and closing cinemas. However, the present disruptions have only accelerated transformations that were well underway.

Production in the Time of COVID

August 3, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Securing financing for film and television productions just got infinitely more complicated as producers scramble for insurance options.

Starz Sues: MGM Breaches Exclusivity By Sub-licensing Over 300 Films to Amazon

May 5, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

The lawsuit accuses MGM of licensing far-and-wide more than 300 films and shows to which Starz thought it held exclusive rights.

Netflix Subscribers Surge

April 22, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

With most of the world in mandatory lockdown, Netflix doubled its quarterly subscriber estimates from January through March by adding 16 million new subscribers.

Shutdown Accelerates Streaming Takeover

April 13, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

As the coronavirus and subsequent global shutdown forces film and television production into an unprecedented standstill, streaming services are accelerating their takeover.

The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall

April 3, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

AMC, the world’s largest theater chain, has hired attorneys to help restructure its mountain of debt as the company’s credit rating plummets.

Cineworld Nears Bankruptcy

March 15, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

As the coronavirus threatens to close movie theaters in the US and beyond, Cineworld has warned that there is “significant doubt about the group’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

The Paradox of Choice

March 8, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

The major studios sabotaged the dream of a la carte programming and are now attempting to transform streaming into cable television via an ethernet connection instead of coaxial.

Yet Another AT&T Video Service

March 4, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

AT&T released its answer to subscriber losses with an all-new set-top service called AT&T TV, not to be confused with a plethora of other options. The basic package includes 100 channels.

AVOD Market Heats Up

February 25, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Several media companies are holding discussions to acquire advertising-supported video streaming services. Fox Corp is in talks with Tubi, and NBCUniversal is considering Vudu.

PayTV Subscriber Freefall

February 23, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Traditional pay television subscribers are in freefall—the rate of subscribers canceling their service accelerated by more than 70% last year.

AVOD Streaming Gains Ground

February 16, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

AVOD is gaining ground on SVOD in the United States. The proportion of television viewership that is through streaming services has almost doubled since 2018.

Netflix Wins Over France

February 12, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Streaming giant Netflix officially opened its latest non-US office in Paris last month, signaling a deeper commitment to Europe. Netflix now has four offices in Europe.

Cord-Cutting Gains Momentum

February 11, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

In the fourth quarter, two million US subscribers cut the cord on traditional television packages from AT&T, Comcast, Charter, and Verizon, up from 1.7 million in the third quarter.

Disney Aims At Netflix

February 6, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Disney+ nearly triples its subscriber base since launching in November. Through January, the streaming service has 28.6 million subscribers, up from 10 million weeks after it debuted.

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.