February 8, 2023FilmTakeComments Off on Sundance Fails to Ignite an Apathetic Independent Film Market
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.
December 19, 2022FilmTakeComments Off on Premium Streamers Scramble for Fresh Strategies to Retain Fickle Subscribers
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.
September 21, 2021FilmTakeComments Off on Netflix’s First Half Subscriber Growth Falls Significantly From Last Year
Netflix’s subscribers have slowed sharply in the first half of this year compared to 2020 because of the popularity of Disney+ among families, the loss of popular licensed content, and other streaming competition from the major studios.
After a slow start compared to North America, Europe embraces its streaming future. Revenues in the 28-country bloc reached €12 billion in 2020, with SVOD alone accounting for €10 billion.
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.
As the coronavirus and subsequent global shutdown forces film and television production into an unprecedented standstill, streaming services are accelerating their takeover.
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.
After the abysmal start to Apple’s new streaming service, Apple TV+, the tech company is searching for relevance with a new leader and a possible strategic acquisition.
Heavyweights Disney and Apple are offering free introductory offers to gain a head start over rivals. Select Verizon subscribers in the United States will get free access to Disney+ for a year.
Netflix missed its quarterly subscriber forecast for the second consecutive quarter in a row. The company’s slowdown ahead of the introduction of several new subscription services is a troubling sign.