Production

Production is Fleeing Los Angeles: How Poor Policies Push Producers Away

Long hailed as the beating heart of the entertainment industry, Los Angeles is losing its grip on film and TV production. Once the undisputed leader of Hollywood magic, Southern California faces a dismal reality: plummeting production levels, industry layoffs, creative drain, and a mass exodus of viable projects to rival jurisdictions.

Production

Streamers Shift Focus Overseas Spelling Trouble for U.S. Production Output

Netflix and Amazon Studios are the powerhouses of the streaming industry, commanding the majority of content production and licensing activity. However, the bulk of their productions are increasingly taking place outside the United States. This international trend raises concerns about the future of Hollywood’s dominant production status.

Distribution

Content Spending Slumps in the Post-Peak Television Era

After reaching unprecedented heights, the film and television market is now charting a more cautious path in the post-peak television era. Several recent forecasts shed light on the slowdown in television content spending, emphasizing the shift in priorities and austerity for major media companies.

Distribution

UPDATED: Sundance Heats Up

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.

Distribution

Sundance Slumps

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.

Streaming

Sony Shutters Streaming Service

Sony Pictures is shutting down its PlayStation Vue streaming television service in the first quarter of 2020. Rising content costs and a plethora of choices have made the service untenable.

Distribution

How Amazon Releases Films

Amazon Studios has relied on traditional distribution practices to foster greater collaboration with gatekeepers in Hollywood. However, after playing second fiddle to Netflix for the better part of a decade, Amazon is changing its theatrical strategy stateside.

Exhibition

Netflix at the Movies

After a decade of primarily focusing on episodic content, Netflix wants to break the theatrical glass ceiling, especially since they are funding more original films.