TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Monday 18 November 2024
Alexander Payne on Sideways, Sheridan's Landman, L.A. exodus, Squid Game stress, Spotify’s video push, Prime ads, BBC boosts NI, Camerimage drama, IDFA’s AI, Netflix’s Later Daters.
Today’s Highlights:
Alexander Payne Reflects on Sideways' Legacy and Its Unexpected Impact The indie film grossed over $100M, won an Oscar, and reshaped wine trends globally, particularly in Santa Barbara County.
Billy Bob Thornton Stars in Taylor Sheridan's New Series Landman Thornton leads as a crisis executive in an oil drama written specifically for him, delving into human stories in West Texas.
Hollywood Professionals Leaving Los Angeles Amid Remote Work Shift Executives and creatives are relocating to cities like Atlanta and New Mexico due to tax incentives, rising costs, and decentralised production.
BBC TV Series Boost Northern Ireland Economy with £43.5M Impact Blue Lights and other shows generated significant economic benefits, with most cast and crew sourced locally.
Hwang Dong-hyuk Reflects on Squid Game's Stressful Creation and Season 2 Themes The creator lost nine teeth during filming and draws inspiration for the second season from global societal issues.
Spotify Expands Video Podcast Efforts, Targets YouTubers The platform introduces ad-free video options, intensifying competition with networks like iHeartMedia in the podcast market.
Amazon will increase advertisements on Prime Video in 2025. Prime Video's ad load will expand, following minimal subscriber loss after the initial rollout in 2024.
Camerimage Festival Opens Amid Controversy Over Founder's Remarks Marek Żydowicz's comments sparked protests, yet the event remains a key platform for cinematographers and craft artists.
IDFA 2024 opens with a Werner Herzog-inspired AI Film and "Brilliant" Documentaries About a Hero, which blend fact and fiction. The festival features 254 documentaries in its final year under Artistic Director Orwa Nyrabia.
Netflix Introduces The Later Daters, a Dating Show for Baby Boomers. The series, premiering November 29, follows baby boomers navigating love with guidance from Logan Ury and their adult children.
Plus: Insights, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Events and Jobs with STV, Disney, Paramount, Sony, WBD & NBCUniversal.
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NEWS
Alexander Payne Reflects on Sideways' Legacy and Its Unexpected Impact
Alexander Payne's Sideways, a modestly budgeted indie, grossed over $100 million worldwide and won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2004, alongside multiple nominations. Payne, who initially viewed it as "a nice little comedy," was surprised by its lasting influence, including the iconic line about Merlot, which reportedly caused a drop in its sales and boosted Pinot Noir’s popularity. The film’s impact reshaped wine trends globally, especially in Santa Barbara County, where it was shot. Read More
Billy Bob Thornton Stars in Taylor Sheridan’s New Series Landman
Taylor Sheridan’s latest Paramount+ series, Landman, stars Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, a crisis executive in the oil business. The idea originated after Sheridan saw Thornton in a minor role in 1883. Sheridan wrote the script specifically for Thornton, capturing his voice and persona. The show explores human stories within the oil rig world of West Texas. Read More
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Hollywood Professionals Leaving Los Angeles Amid Remote Work Shift
Hollywood executives, producers, and actors are relocating from Los Angeles due to remote work trends, rising costs, and decentralisation of production. The shift, driven by tax incentives in other states and industry disruptions, reflects a changing workforce model. Cities like Atlanta and New Mexico are emerging as alternatives, offering affordability and production infrastructure, reshaping the industry’s traditional base. Read More
BBC TV Series Boost Northern Ireland Economy with £43.5M Impact
According to a BBC report, BBC series Blue Lights, Hope Street, Mastermind, and Celebrity Mastermind have contributed over £43M to Northern Ireland's economy. Police drama Blue Lights alone generated £20M, with 83% of its cast and 87% of its crew hailing from Northern Ireland. Hope Street added £17.5M, while Mastermind accounted for £6M. Additionally, the BBC supported 20 independent production companies in Northern Ireland through development initiatives. Read More
‘I Lost Nine Teeth Filming Squid Game’: Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Reflects
Hwang Dong-hyuk, creator of Netflix’s Squid Game, revealed the intense stress of filming the first season, causing him to lose nine teeth. Despite its global success, Hwang admits that financial reasons motivated him to create the second series, which introduced a new cast and games. As he grapples with heightened audience expectations, Hwang draws inspiration from global issues like wealth inequality, climate change, and societal divisions, amplifying the series' dark commentary on humanity. Read More
Spotify Expands Video Podcast Efforts, Targets YouTubers
Spotify is intensifying its push into video podcasts to attract YouTubers while introducing an ad-free video option. Co-President Gustav Söderström highlights this strategy as part of Spotify’s effort to diversify its offerings and compete in the growing video podcast market. This move puts networks like iHeartMedia and Sirius XM on the defensive as Spotify seeks to dominate audio and video content spaces. Read More
Amazon to increase the number of advertisements on Prime Video
Amazon plans to increase the number of advertisements on its Prime Video streaming service starting in 2025. This decision follows the introduction of ads in 2024, which did not lead to a significant loss in subscribers. Kelly Day, Vice President of Prime Video International, stated that the ad load would "ramp up a little bit more into 2025," allowing more brands to advertise on the platform. Read More
Development Masterclass with Dorsa Nam and Dan Omne
Development executives Dorsa Nam and Dan Omnes, recognised as former Broadcast Hot Shots, recently shared their expertise at the RTS Student Masterclasses. Specialising in unscripted content and documentaries, respectively, they discussed their approaches to television development, using their acclaimed series The Man with 1000 Kids and Big Zuu's Big Eats as case studies.
How VFX Transformed 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes'-Insights from IndieWire’s Filmmaking Summit
At IndieWire’s Future of Filmmaking Summit, director Wes Ball, VFX Supervisor Erik Winquist, and actor Kevin Durand shared insights into the cutting-edge VFX and storytelling of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The panel highlighted Wētā FX’s innovations, inspired by Avatar, which enhanced facial capture fidelity. The team balanced technological advancements with emotional depth, creating new characters like Proximus and Noa while honouring Caesar’s legacy.
Sir David Attenborough says AI clone of his voice is 'disturbing'
"I am profoundly disturbed to find these days my identity is being stolen by others and greatly object to them using it to say whatever they wish." That's how broadcaster and biologist Sir David Attenborough reacted after the BBC played clips of his voice being mimicked by Artificial Intelligence. Dr Jennifer Williams, a researcher of AI audio, explains the issues of the voices of prominent figures such as Sir David being cloned.
Making Music Videos in 2025 | BFI Film Academy Labs November 2024
In a Lab hosted by Reem Muhammed and delivered by Chapter in Wales, panellists Ewan Jones Morris, Joe Andrews, and Greg Bevan discussed the realities of modern music video production. The session covered challenges, resource limitations, audience demand, and potential paths forward for creatives in the format, offering insights for those navigating the evolving music video landscape.
FESTIVALS & MARKETS
Camerimage Festival Opens Amid Controversy Over Founder's Remarks
Poland’s 32nd Camerimage Festival opened in Toruń despite backlash over founder Marek Żydowicz’s comments suggesting that increased representation of women cinematographers could lower artistic quality. The remarks led to protests, including the withdrawal of Oscar winner Steve McQueen and The Substance director Coralie Fargeat. While Żydowicz refrained from addressing the controversy directly, he reiterated the festival’s mission to honour overlooked film artists. The event remains a celebrated hub for cinematographers and craft artists. Read More
IDFA 2024 Opens with Werner Herzog-Inspired AI Film and Promises "Brilliant" Documentaries
The 37th International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) opened with About a Hero, a Werner Herzog-inspired AI film blending fact and fiction. Artistic Director Orwa Nyrabia, in his final year, highlighted a strong program featuring 254 documentaries, including Eyes of Gaza, which profiles Palestinian journalists in conflict zones. Nyrabia expressed confidence in IDFA’s legacy as he prepares to step down in 2025, marking seven transformative years of leadership. Read More
Adelaide Film Festival and Jogja-Netpac Select Two Projects for Inaugural Exchange
The Adelaide Film Festival and Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival chose Sampai Mati and Raesita Grey for the Jogja Future Project market in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from December 3-5, 2024. Sampai Mati explores the 2002 Bali bombings’ aftermath, while Raesita Grey delves into a feminist horror featuring Indonesia’s Kuntilanak ghost. Both projects will receive structured support through the AFF and JAFF Exchange, funded by the Australian Government. Read More
The Shepherd and the Bear Premieres at IDFA
Max Keegan’s documentary The Shepherd and the Bear explores the clash between conservation efforts and rural livelihoods through the story of Yves Raspaud, a shepherd in the French Pyrénées grappling with rewilded bears preying on his sheep. The film, co-produced by Eleonore Voisard, had its world premiere at the Camden International Film Festival and its international premiere at IDFA, shedding light on the tensions between locals and government-driven rewilding projects. Read More
IN DEVELOPMENT
Netflix Introduces The Later Daters, a Dating Show for Baby Boomers
Netflix’s The Later Daters explores love later in life, following six baby boomers aged 56 to 71 as they navigate dating with help from behavioural scientist Logan Ury and their adult children. Premiering November 29, the documentary-style series is produced by Higher Ground Productions (Barack and Michelle Obama) and Boardwalk Pictures (Cheer, Welcome to Wrexham). Read More
EVENTS
Screen Ireland Hosts Spotlight on TV Commissioning & Funding Webinar Series
Screen Ireland will host the Spotlight on TV Commissioning & Funding webinar series from November 25 to 29. This free online event features daily 45-minute sessions covering unscripted TV genres, with insights from industry leaders like Sean Doyle (Disney) and Shaminder Nahal (Channel 4). Topics include TV development, pitching, and funding. Pre-registration is required, and sessions are not recorded. Read More
