Showbiz Sandbox 353: Streaming Giants Raise Ante at Sundance Film Festival
January 30, 2017
As if it wasn’t difficult enough for distributors to find a commercial title amidst the hundreds of films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival each January, video streaming companies such as Netflix and Amazon have entered the bidding causing acquisitions prices to rise for the entire market. Anne Thompson, Indiewire’s editor-at-large, has just returned from Sundance where she reports most of the films were good, though maybe not good enough to win any Oscars in 2018.
As for this year’s Oscars, the frontrunners became a little more clear with the Producers Guild and Screen Actors Guild handing out their awards over the weekend. “Hidden Figures” surprised many by taking home the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture during a politically charged ceremony.
Speaking of industry unions, the Directors Guild of America has signed a new contract with producers that gives its members significant raises in subscription video-on-demand residuals. This is welcome news for directors who missed out on sharing in DVD and Blu-ray revenue over the past decade.
Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including the launch of a brand new vinyl record factory, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s new venture and streaming music company Tidal finds a new investor.
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Buyer or Seller, Selling a Movie At Sundance 2017 Is More Complicated Than Ever
http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/sundance-2017-deals-the-big-sick-fox-searchlight-1201771192/
2017’s Sundance Sales Are In Overdrive: Here’s Why, Plus See Our Full Deal Scorecard
http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/sundance-2017-independents-acquisitions-sales-1201774067/
The Big Gamble on ‘The Big Sick’: Why Amazon Spent $12 Millon Dollars on Kumail Nanjiani’s Passion Project
http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/amazon-the-big-slick-sundance-film-festival-2017-1201772467/
comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of January 29, 2017
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-january-29-2017-300398475.html
‘Journey to the West’ Sequel Dominates Foreign Box Office With $85 Million
https://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/journey-to-the-west-sequel-box-office-1201972640/
Directors Guild of America Members Ratify New Contract
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/directors-guild-members-ratify-contract-1201970106/
Sony Warns of $962 Million Goodwill Loss, Says Studio Is Not for Sale
https://variety.com/2017/biz/asia/sony-warns-of-huge-goodwill-loss-1201973089/
PGA Awards: The Complete Winners List
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/producers-guild-awards-2017-winners-list-full-966469
SAG Awards Winners: Complete List
https://variety.com/2017/film/news/sag-awards-winners-list-screen-actors-guild-2017-1201972668/
Iranian Director Asghar Farhadi Won’t Attend Oscar Ceremony
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/movies/trump-immigration-oscars-iranian-director-asghar-farhadi.html
BookFilter Newsletter
http://bookfilter.com/newsletter/
The Evenings by Gerard Reve, Sam Garrett
http://bookfilter.com/2016/04/18/the-evenings/
Crossroads of Canopy by Thoraiya Dyer
http://bookfilter.com/2016/04/19/crossroads-of-canopy/
Scores by Michael D. Blutrich
http://bookfilter.com/2016/04/20/scores/
Jack White Starting His Own Vinyl Pressing Plant
http://music3point0.com/2017/01/23/jack-white-pressing-plant/
Sprint Purchases 33 Percent Stake in Tidal
http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7662653/sprint-jay-z-tidal-33-percent-stake-purchase
Craig Ferguson to Launch Live Daily ‘Format-Free’ Show for SiriusXM
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/craic-ferguson-siriusxm-live-daily-show-1201970196/
BBC Four Acquires First Spanish Drama
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017012745938/bbc-four-acquires-first-spanish-drama.html
‘New York Times’ Cuts a Range of Bestseller Lists
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/72605-new-york-times-cuts-a-range-of-bestseller-lists.html
Publishers Respond to Losing Some ‘New York Times’ Bestseller Lists
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/72617-publishers-respond-to-losing-some-new-york-times-bestseller-lists.html
Jeffrey Katzenberg Raises $600 Million for New Venture, WndrCo
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jeffrey-katzenberg-raises-600-million-new-venture-wndrco-968958
NBC Could Shake Up ‘Today’ to Launch Megyn Kelly in Fall
https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/megyn-kelly-nbc-news-today-1201971532/
NBC Cancels the Third Hour of ‘Today’ to Make Way for Megyn Kelly
http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-et-fi-kelly-today-nbc-20170127-story.html
Amazon Video Direct: Here’s What the Deal Really Means for Sundance Filmmakers
http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/sundance-2017-amazon-video-direct-film-festival-stars-program-1201770031/
Peter Capaldi Departing ‘Doctor Who’
https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/peter-capaldi-doctor-who-1201973500/
Emmanuelle Riva, Oscar-Nominated Star of ‘Amour,’ Dies at 89
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/emmanuelle-riva-dead-oscar-nominated-french-actress-was-89-969566
John Hurt, Oscar-Nominated Star of ‘The Elephant Man,’ Dies at 77
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-hurt-dead-elephant-man-809521
Mary Tyler Moore, Who Incarnated the Modern Woman on TV, Dies at 80
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/25/arts/television/mary-tyler-moore-dead.html
Whether it’s music or tv or movies, all the focus is on streaming. In music, it’s subscription services that give you access to a huge library. In TV, it’s the online competitors going toe to toe w HBO and the networks. With movies, even at Sundance the big players are streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. They’re spending the big bucks. Clearly Netflix is a great platform for documentaries. But if you want people to know your movie exists, Amazon will get you into theaters. Will that change with “Mudbound,” the biggest purchase at Sundance? It will have to if Netflix wants a chance at the best movies….