(Big Screen, Small Screen – they all scream “TV”)
Advice for movie distributors and
Indie movie production companies
on why, when, and how to
segue into television production
Indie movie production companies
on why, when, and how to
segue into television production
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written by Stephen J. Kerr & Sarah Nean Bruce
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Written by Stephen J. Kerr & Sarah Nean Bruce
*********************************************
PREAMBLE: At the most recent American Film Market, we met with more than 25 film distribution companies. About one-third of those companies said that they have no plans what-so-ever to enter the television series space, another third are just now starting to consider developing TV series, and the other third of the companies are actively developing series for the television market.
We wrote this article because 99% of the films that independent distributors sell to the world will never see the inside of a multi-plex. In fact, few will ever be released in theaters in any form. So why are some indie movie producers and distributors still telling themselves (and telling us) that they’re only in the movie business? Studios have long known they are in both the film and television businesses, and in this article, we explain why Indies should acknowledge that they are too.
We wrote this article because 99% of the films that independent distributors sell to the world will never see the inside of a multi-plex. In fact, few will ever be released in theaters in any form. So why are some indie movie producers and distributors still telling themselves (and telling us) that they’re only in the movie business? Studios have long known they are in both the film and television businesses, and in this article, we explain why Indies should acknowledge that they are too.
Sarah Nean Bruce (SNB): Is it time for a “Reality Check” as to who is in the television content business?
Stephen J. Kerr (SJK): Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO, Cinemax, Epix, Vimeo, Sling, Google Play, Crackle, YouTube, TruTV, Hallmark Channels, Oxygen, BBC, TF1, TFD, IFC, AMC, Pivot, Starz, Showtime, SyFy, A&E, MTV, Univision, NatGeo, USA Networks, Bravo, Smithsonian, BET, Discovery, FXX, CMT, OWN, Spike, TLC, VUDU, Comedy Central, soon Apple and Facebook, and of course ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX – in actuality – are all the places people watch movies… and are all essentially television. By television, of course we mean the screens of actual televisions, plus laptops, smart tablets, smartphones, gaming platforms, and airplane screens.
Even those 1% of films that get a limited or wide theatrical release are in movie theaters for – at most – three to four weeks of their entire lifespan. So, it’s time to ask yourselves, what business are you in? The movie business or the television business?
The answer is, of course, both.
Even those 1% of films that get a limited or wide theatrical release are in movie theaters for – at most – three to four weeks of their entire lifespan. So, it’s time to ask yourselves, what business are you in? The movie business or the television business?
The answer is, of course, both.
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