Regarding Filmstruck, et al (RIP). For the last several years I have heard smart producers, distributors in Hollywood be excited about “how many buyers are in the marketplace.” They never stopped to look at ownership structures. (THREAD)
In fact, most of the buyers had the same ultimate owners. And when the massive consolidation started to happen (AT&T merger, Disney etc) there would be, actually, only a few buyers in the market. What does this mean for creators and consumers? Nothing good.
For creators (and innovators and distributors): you have power consolidating to a few for whom only MASSIVE hits matter. Why shut down Super Deluxe and Filmstruck? Because even though they’re amazing, they don’t make a financial BLIP on a multi billion dollar company’s radar.
Like, the size revenue you have to make to matter to AT&T means only unicorns survive. (Translation, only billion dollar ideas matter.) Creators: you better be bringing franchises. And you will NEVER get the data transparency from your deals to know if you’re being treated fairly
For audiences: the only thing that consolidation means is that prices will go up. Welcome to the NEW CABLE! You though you cut the cable cord? Now they own your internet cord! MUAHAHAHA. Sorry, it’s October. So:
All these big companies know how to do (and this is Netflix’s plan BTW) is to take over entire markets and drive prices up. Low and middle income humans: streaming is about to be an even more expensive proposition and choices will have to be made!
More consolidation means higher shareholder revenue but fewer competitors so higher prices. Thanks, capitalism!
Anyway, we’re just over here in the corner at @seedandspark building the only Pay What You Can streaming service with gender parity among directors that transparently shares data with creators. Don’t worry. We’ll wait.
