TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Tuesday 24 September 2024
Sherwood returns with new themes; streaming faces profitability; Spain's film success; MrBeast leak; Johnny Depp's Modi; Netflix gains exec; subscription trends shift; Channel 4 grows.
Today’s Highlights:
Sherwood Season 2 Highlights Community Divisions: Clio Barnard and executive producers discuss the themes, divided community, and new characters in Sherwood's second season.
Streaming Video Profitability Insights: MoffettNathanson analysts explore the profitability challenges of Hollywood's streaming giants, highlighting Disney's recent cash flow improvements.
Subscription Economy Trends: Bango's report on U.S. and European consumers reveals subscription fatigue and the growing popularity of Super Bundling.
Channel 4's Streaming Growth: The Merseyside Detectives documentary boosts Channel 4's streaming viewership by 25%, outpacing other PSBs.
Johnny Depp's Biopic' Modi': Depp reflects on his long connection to artist Modigliani as the biopic project nears release after decades in development.
Ramell Ross Tackles 'The Nickel Boys': Director Ramell Ross adapts Colson Whitehead's novel with a focus on unique storytelling without exploitative depictions.
Spain's $1.8bn Film Incentive Success: A report highlights the value Spain's film and TV productions have generated from tax incentives, including jobs and economic growth.
MrBeast Business Ethos Leaked: A leaked HR document reveals insights into Jimmy Donaldson's business practices and showcases the formula behind his success.
Amazon MGM's Alysia Russo Joins Netflix: Alysia Russo leaves her role at Amazon MGM to lead Netflix's feature documentary department.
WGA Strike Outcome: Writers reflect on the financial and emotional costs of the 146-day WGA strike and assess whether the gains were worth it.
Plus: Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals and Jobs with Screen Australia, Netflix, Screen NSW, NBCUniversal, WBD, ABC, RTL & Mattel.
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INSIGHTS
Not Out of the Woods Yet
Director Clio Barnard and executive producers Juliette Howell and Harriet Spencer reflect on creating Sherwood's second season, building on themes from the first. Set 10 years later, the show revisits a divided community, adding new characters and issues like a potential mine reopening. Returning cast members, including David Morrissey and Lesley Manville, are joined by newcomers, with compelling storylines continuing to explore local rivalries, revenge, and political intrigue inspired by real events. Read more
Is Streaming Video Finally Good Business for Someone Besides Netflix?
MoffettNathanson analysts question if streaming can finally become a sustainable, profitable business for Hollywood giants, replacing the large profits once made by legacy film and TV. While most major media companies have faced substantial losses—around $15 billion—some are starting to see improvements. Disney's streaming services turned cash-flow positive, while Max and others show signs of recovery. The key factor is scale, as larger companies are better positioned to cover content production, streaming, and marketing costs. Read more
What Is the Future of the Subscription Economy?
Bango's "Subscription Wars Super Bundling" report highlights the rapid evolution of the subscription economy, with U.S. consumers averaging 4.5 subscriptions and Europeans 3.2. However, subscription fatigue is rising, with 68% of U.S. users feeling overwhelmed by choices. Spending has surged, leading many to cancel services due to costs. Super Bundling, centralizing subscription management, is gaining traction as consumers demand simpler ways to handle services. Telecom companies are increasingly playing a role in bundling, while tiered models and flexibility are key trends shaping the future of subscriptions. Read more
Merseyside Detectives Propels Channel 4 to Strongest Streaming Growth
Channel 4's streaming minutes grew 25% to 42 billion from January to August, with a notable 11% year-on-year rise in August, driven by the documentary Merseyside Detectives: The Murders of Ashley and Olivia. Overall audience viewing increased 4% across streaming and linear, outperforming a 10% drop among other commercial PSBs. The most-viewed show in August, Merseyside Detectives, garnered 191 million streaming minutes, while the Paris Paralympics Opening Ceremony averaged 1.4 million views. Read more
Johnny Depp’s Modi: Producers Discuss the High-Stakes Biopic
Al Pacino had long wanted to make a film about artist Amedeo Modigliani, eventually bringing the play’s script to collaborator Barry Navidi, who enlisted writers Jerzy and Mary Kromolowski to adapt it into a screenplay. After decades in the making, Modi is ready to debut. Johnny Depp, who first discussed the project with Navidi in 1997, expressed a deep connection with Modigliani's rebellious spirit and visionary approach to art, which resonates with him today. Read more
Ramell Ross Tackles Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys
When Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner of Plan B gave RaMell Ross The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, he knew they wanted his unique vision, not a portrayal of Black "trauma porn." The resulting film, Nickel Boys, stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Harriet, alongside Ethan Herisse as her grandson Curtis Elwood and Brandon Wilson as his friend, Turner. The project began over five years ago in discussions with Ross and his frequent collaborator, Joslyn Barnes. Read more
Know the Score
Despite the buzz around streaming, 85.3% of TV advertising in 2Q 2024 was still viewed on Pay TV and Broadcast, while streaming captured just 14.7%. While streaming audiences are growing, the ad-supported tiers of SVODs remain limited and face high churn. Traditional TV holds the majority of ad-supported viewing due to legacy habits and more mature ad inventory, continuing to dominate TV's advertising dollars despite the shift to streaming. Read more
7 Key Takeaways from MrBeast's Leaked HR Document
Despite recent controversies, Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson remains a dominant figure on YouTube, building a $700 million business. A leaked 36-page document, shared on X by Starter Story founder Pat Walls, reveals insights into Donaldson's business ethos and may explain his continued success. While the timing and source of the leak are unclear, the document offers a rare glimpse into how the 26-year-old YouTuber has turned video production into a massive enterprise. Read more
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Spain’s Film and TV Incentive Generated $1.8bn in Value
A report by Olsberg SPI, presented at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, reveals that international film and TV productions brought €1.3bn to Spain between 2019-2022, generating €1.8bn in gross value added and a €9 return for every €1 invested through Spain's tax incentives. Productions like Asteroid City, The Crown, and House of the Dragon contributed to this growth. The study highlights the government's commitment, with international shoots supporting 7,080 jobs annually and production expenditures surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 2022. Read more
Seven.One Studios International’s Tim Gerhartz on Formats
The BBC is set to produce its version of Stranded on Honeymoon Island, an adventure dating format from Seven.One Studios International, with CPL Productions handling the U.K. version for BBC One. Shortly after, Warner Bros. Discovery commissioned the format for Denmark and Sweden—Tim Gerhartz, managing director of Seven.One Studios International discussed the evolving landscape of unscripted formats, emphasizing the importance of maintaining long-running franchises and addressing producer concerns through effective show packaging. Stranded on Honeymoon Island follows the success of Married at First Sight. Read more
Da'Vine Joy Randolph Hopes Angelina Jolie’s ‘Maria’ Helps Get Her Leontyne Price Biopic Greenlit
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, known for her vocal talents in films like Rustin and High Fidelity, expressed interest in bringing opera legend Leontyne Price’s story to the screen. Inspired by Angelina Jolie’s upcoming Maria biopic about Maria Callas, Randolph, a classically trained opera singer, hopes to showcase her opera background through a Price biopic. Randolph also stars in the upcoming Pharrell Williams biopic, her first role since winning an Oscar for The Holdovers, though she notes it’s not a traditional musical. Read more
Amuz Distribution Makes a Fast Play
Since rebranding a year and a half ago, Amuz Distribution has expanded its content slate, acquiring nearly 1,000 hours of comedy, including 25 seasons of Gags from Just For Laughs. The company also diversified its portfolio, adding dramedies like About Antoine and Like Father, Like Daughter, and sketch shows like Abroad. Amuz hired Carlos Pacheco, formerly of JFL, as director of monetization and OTT to enhance FAST and OTT strategies. The company continues growing its global reach through new partnerships with platforms like Fire TV and Local Now. Read more
Elizabeth Olsen Reflects on His Three Daughters Role
Death has been on Elizabeth Olsen's mind recently, intensified by a helicopter ride during a press tour for her new movie His Three Daughters. She recounts imagining her demise during the 45-minute flight and admits she often thinks about her death, influenced by growing up in L.A. during a time when kidnappings were frequently in the news. Olsen's latest film, His Three Daughters, a darkly funny story about sisters during their father's final days, marks a new phase in her career. Read more
Was the Strike Worth It? What Writers Really Won
After 146 days, the Writers Guild of America strike ended in September 2023, sparking relief and celebration among writers, though the industry remains in recovery. While publicly, most writers affirm the strike was worth it to protect the profession from streaming’s disruptive impact. Privately, reactions are mixed. Despite gains in the new three-year contract, the financial toll from the past year still lingers, leaving many to reflect on whether the fight’s cost was too high. Read more
Blue Ant Media’s Jon Penn and Carlyn Staudt Discuss Asia Strategy
Carlyn Staudt, who previously led the expansion of Blue Ant Media’s Love Nature channel, is attending the APOS conference for the first time in her new role as EVP of global channels and streaming. Alongside Jon Penn, Blue Ant’s MD for Asia Pacific, Staudt reflects on recent corporate restructurings, including the sale of Beach House Pictures and creating a sales hub in Asia. Read more
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Amazon MGM Studios Docuseries Chief Alysia Russo Jumps to Netflix
Alysia Russo, head of documentary series at Amazon MGM Studios, is leaving her role
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