Media Trends & Independent Media pt. 2

1. Media Trends &
Independent
Media
pt. 2
Year 12 Media Production & Analysis ATAR
“Analyse the impact of
media trends on the
production and
consumption of
independent media
work.”
Media industry issues such
as how independent media
producers work within the
dominance of mainstream
media institutions.
Publicity and avenues for
exhibition

2. With each project, I’m going for something
that makes viewers thing, ‘Wow, I’ve never
seen a film like this before’ and later think,
‘Wow, I’ve only seen a film like this once
before. I was it in theatres and am watching
it now on Netflix or a similar streaming
services.”
- Kathryn Bigelow

3. Streaming
Services &
BingeWatching
Binge-watching of aTV series is a result of audience demand, and
ultimately, piracy. Modern audiences want to watchTV shows in
their own time, when it meets their own schedule. It’s no secret that
our lives are busier than ever and for many, programmed television
is not compatible with our modern lifestyle.
If an entire season, or eight or nine hours of content can be gathered
at once, the viewer does not have to wait a week to see their ‘cliff-
hanger’ ending of an episode resolved; they can simply watch the
next episode immediately. Audiences were often left frustrated
frustrated by the long wait between episodes and the emergence of
the next episode online on an illegal download site was too much for
many to resist.
In response to this, ‘on-demand’ technology emerged too attempt
to secure audiences attention, revenue and the future of television
and film production.
What annoys you about
streaming services?

4. Film moving to
different
distribution.
Warner
Brother’s HBO
Max deal.
At home and abroad, the implications of the HBO Max
deal could be seismic, changing not just how films are
seen, but what the future of films looks like.
“Blockbusters with big budgets came about under the
old model of studios feeling they need to entice people
out of their homes and into cinemas with unmissable
spectacles,” says Lievens. “Under the sort of model [the
HBO Max deal] might lead us towards, a film like
[romcom] Happiest Season, that wouldn’t have been a
big cinema draw, all of a sudden has as much worth as an
expensive superhero movie to a studio.”
In other words, if other studios followWarner’s suit, we
may see fewer blockbusters and more mid-level movies.
But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. In the meantime,
there are still plenty of punches to be landed in the fight
over HBO Max. And overall, the thing we’re all fighting
for: a bright future for film.

5. Film moving to
different
distribution.
There are implication for all kinds of films and
entertainment, if this model and plan from production
companies becomes the new norm. It has changed the
nature of the kinds of films that production companies
may wish to create and release. At least for now, the
draw of a major blockbuster, created to give audiences
an offer they couldn’t refuse, drawing them into cinemas
and local theatres, could now be obsolete. So what will
take it’s place? A film like The Batman on a (relatively)
level playing field as the sea of drama films set to be
released by Netflix.
As the article read, this could be a decision that is
difficult for audiences and production companies to row
back from.
Why pay $20 to see one film
at a cinema, or pay that once
a month to receive a
multitude of films and tv
shows at your fingertips?The
answer is obvious for a lot of
audiences.

6. Benefits of
Streaming
Services for
Independent
films
Independent films have seen a small resurgence through the
emerging streaming service media trend. Netflix has openly come
out and stated that they have made a focus on supporting
independent film (most likely due to the fact that major production
companies are creating their own streaming services and at one
point or another will want their own content back).
Independent films from the 80s and 90s have found their way onto
streaming services, and Netflix has a search option to view and
follow Indie films within it’s service.
The way audiences engage with streaming services and ‘at-home’
viewing allows for directors and film producers to stretch their
creativity with the manipulation of narrative and conventional
feature film structure (Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Moonlight)

7. “The idea that the
streaming
services can be
our new arthouse
circuit is just
nothing short of
lifesaving for
these artistic
storytellers.”
-Tom Nunan
LectureratUCLA'sschoolof
theatre,film,andtelevision.
Independent filmmakers have always struggled to find funding
and an audience. But in the past 10 years, the number of indie
filmmakers has grown substantially as the cost of making films
has dwindled, making competition for distribution even more
cutthroat.
In recent years, however, Netflix andAmazon have come onto
the scene with platforms that command tens of millions of
viewers—and perhaps just as importantly, seemingly unlimited
bandwidth.After all, streaming video isn't limited by the number
of available movie screens orTV time slots.As both tech
companies amassed their inventories of self-produced content,
they also started acquiring independent films, ranging from the
big Sundance acquisitions to smaller buys that end up on their
services through distributors.
While most moviegoers may not want to risk an entire evening
stuck in a theatre watching, an independent documentary about
concrete changing colour, tuning in at home on Netflix or
Amazon demands virtually no investment.The film is already
paid for, and can be turned off at any time.

8. Different
Stories &
Leeway to
experiment
Subscription-based models means that not every film has to
be a blockbuster. A single movie or show on Netflix and
Amazon needn't appeal to everyone; the key for both
platforms is making sure they offer enough of everything to
attract anyone.
Renowned filmmaker Spike Lee, for example, was able to get
his film Chi-Raq made by Amazon after being turned down by
the major studios. “It’s a great option for filmmakers because
now you have another place to go to. I knew going in that it
would be a very long shot for a major studio to do Chi-Raq.
Thank godAmazon did, the more options there are, the more
options there are for anybody, including young filmmakers.”
 For the films that don’t make it to theatres, ending up on
Netflix in particular can also mean a filmmaker is left in
the dark.The company is famously reluctant to reveal
viewing figures for any specific piece of content, even to
filmmakers themselves. Filmmakers can reap a lot of
information from the box office numbers that come with
a theatrical release.Those numbers help inform future
filmmaking choices. Even more importantly, they can
influence how much a filmmaker is able to sell her work
for in the future.