Tag AFM

Net Neutrality a must to counter media consolidation

BY AUSTIN BURBRIDGE. 2008 AMERICAN FILM MARKET, SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (CINEMA MINIMA) — In an exclusive interview with Cinema Minima, Lloyd Kaufman — Chairman of the Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA) — explained why net neutrality remains a very significant concern for independent filmmakers and distributors.

“My own firm, Troma Entertainment, depends on its Web site to reach its audience. [The U.S. TV network] NBC has launched Hulu.com to show its own product. Without a policy of net neutrality, NBC Universal Cable can stop its internet customers from visiting troma.com — and the Web sites of every other, competing company.”

In a video presentation at the 2008 ITFA Production Conference, Kaufman emphasized the importance of getting United States government regulations which would guarantee unrestricted access for American Internet users. Unrestricted access to all Web sites and online services is something which Big Media — including the Motion Picture Association of America — want to do away with.

Net neutrality is not the standard for American cable-TV companies, which also supply Internet access to their subscribers. At the moment, cable companies can legally prevent their customers from accessing any Web sites — such as those of competitors. The most notorious instance is that of Cox Communications’ blocking access to Craigslist in markets where Cox newspapers compete with it for classified ads. (Cox also blocks its subscribers from access to Cinema Minima in some markets.)

The IFTA is lobbying the United States to institute net neutrality as a policy. What are the chances? “I’m optimistic,” opined Kaufman. “The thinking is, that the new [Obama] administration would be sympathetic to net neutrality, because Barack Obama’s campaign benefited from unrestricted access to the Internet to raise funds in the recent election.”

BY AUSTIN BURBRIDGE. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (CINEMA MINIMA) — Despite a remarkably difficult moment for sales, independently-financed movies are finding distribution at the 2008 American Film Market. Devin Carter of Koan reports sales in several territories for its fantasy-adventure DRAGON HUNTER. On the strength of this good news, “We are already preparing a sequel,” Mr Carter remarked with a grin, adding that his firm would be putting its resources into satisfying demand for fantasy — family drama and comedy may get short shrift in the coming production cycle.

Ian Brady and Stephen Salter — principals of UK independent production and financing company Foundation Films — report that its finished film THE CREW by Adrian Vitoria will be distributed in the United Kingdom by Momentum Pictures; and that it has begun to close international deals; the first of which will be signed today 2008 November 9 Sunday, for Australia.

Daniel Lesœur reports intense interest in Eurociné’s latest film — now in production — Jiří Barta’s animated feature IN THE ATTIC. He also brings to the market Eurociné’s incredibly deep — and remarkably wide — catalogue of classics and cult films spanning action, horror, family, and erotic genres.

BY AUSTIN BURBRIDGE. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (CINEMA MINIMA) — The 2008 American Film Market offers plenty of movies for sale, but very few buyers. Independent movie producers have enjoyed easy credit and cash, while big business’ stranglehold on media has nearly eliminated the possibility of independent distribution.

This marks the climax of a trend: Banks and capitalists — in the recent free-market orgasm of cheap credit and surplus cash — had pumped money into independent film production. Independent producers — always grateful for funds regardless of source — took the money and made movies. Many, many movies.

Unfortunately, movie makers had failed to consult distributors beforehand, about the prospects for putting their entertainments before audiences.

Distributors have been suffering another — less favorable — trend, also driven by the triumph of the free market over government regulation. Big media corporations — with the connivance of American politicians — have executed a kind of pincer movement to throttle independent distribution of motion-picture entertainment.

In America in the 1990s, rules to promote competition were eliminated. Big business was permitted to consolidate, to eliminate competition, thereby to control every aspect of cinema from production, to distribution, to exhibition. Today, only a handful of companies control most ways to see a movie, whether in theaters, by broadcast, cable, or DVD — in effect, a cartel.

Now — with enthusiastic participation by the Motion Picture Association of America — American big business is on the verge of eliminating open and competitive access to the Internet by independent companies. The practical effect would be that media companies — which own local cable/Internet monopolies throughout America — would decide what Web sites and which Internet services its subscribers would be permitted to use; and according to the amount they would be willing to pay. The Independent Film & Television Alliance — which organizes the American Film Market — opposes this, in favor of Net Neutrality.

Worldwide, the demand has slackened for independently-financed movies. Multinational media corporations lobby governments internationally, that the same deregulation by which they have come to control media in USA should be enacted everywhere in the name of free trade — taking advantage of popular superstition that globalization is inevitable.

Without a level playing field for competition, independently-financed motion pictures will find few ways to reach audiences.

Register by 2008 October 17, get 2 seminar tix

BY ANDRE SOARES, LOS ANGELES. (CINEMA MINIMA) — At the 29th American Film Market — 2008 November 5 - 12 in Santa Monica, California — movie makers can:

• Meet more than 400 production companies.
• See more than 500 films.
• Preview more than 100 world premieres.
• Network with 8,000 industry professionals.
• Attend seminars from more than 100 industry leaders.
• Learn about the future of the industry.

Registration fees go up after 2008 October 24: Register now at www.AmericanFilmMarket.com. Even better: Register by 17 October and receive two free seminar tickets.

More than 500 films will screen at the 2008 AFM, including 102 world premieres and 376 market premieres. The Film Catalogue shows the complete schedule, including cast, synopses and more, with updates. [The American Film Market is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance]

BY AUSTIN BURBRIDGE. SANTA MONICA (CINEMA MINIMA) — The 28th American Film Market (2007) took place at a watershed moment in the business cycle of independent film. “Now, too many movies chasing too few outlets,” was the blunt summary by one participant. “It has been relatively easy to find money to make a movie; but the money for distribution has been limited. Big media around the world have been consolidating, and they are not looking for as much independently made stuff.”

Supply

On the one hand, a market table groaning under a splendid mass of more than 500 features — more than a hundred world premieres, more than 350 market previews — on offer to distributors. An excellent synchronization of the market with the American Film Institute’s AFI FEST 2007 added a gloss of nighttime publicity and prestige to the daily business of deals and distribution. The market and the festival together make the largest such event in North America, and constitute the largest gathering of film industry professionals. This 2007 AFM offered abundance and variety in the merchandise brought to market by producers and filmmakers from around the world. The supply side of the market is the sunny side of the street.

Demand

However, the demand side of the street was under the shadow of severe constraints. As multinational corporations consolidate their ownership into vertically integrated monopolies (or near-monopolies) — which is to say, they can manufacture the content that they show on the media and in the venues they already own — they have less need to pick up content produced independently. International markets for home video are limited as never before.

New Media

New media has been seen on the horizon as a distant, approaching rescuer of independently produced motion pictures. Now, as it gets closer, it offers some small prospects of new channels for distribution, but with considerable constraints. A tremendous amount of time has been spent (and will be spent) negotiating new media rights. In this respect the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) — which organizes the AFM — makes significant contributions by offering the benefits of its research — and the experiences of its members — in the form of model contracts. Notwithstanding the resources available to grasp and to trade rights, revenue and revenue turnover — “How much? and When?” — are still complex issues which have yet to be resolved for efficient deal-making in the still-emerging new media environment. [Cinema Minima archive story 2007 November 6]