Why Making Drama Films Went From “Being Difficult to Very Difficult”: Venice Finance Forum

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As a seasoned movie enthusiast with a penchant for drama films, I find the ongoing challenges in their packaging and financing particularly intriguing. Having spent countless hours immersed in narratives that tug at my heartstrings, I can’t help but empathize with the filmmakers who face these obstacles.

Discussing the financing and distribution of dramatic films has grown progressively complex, as pointed out by a group of industry professionals at Winston Baker’s debut Film & Television Finance Forum Venice. “Dramas have transitioned from hard to extremely hard,” Benjamin Kramer, co-head of the media finance department at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), commented during the panel titled “State of the Industry: State of Finance.” Nonetheless, Kramer, who has worked on films like Sing Sing, Nyad, and The Revenant, emphasized that there are still numerous dramas at various budget levels that get produced, including those with a $30 million budget. The amount of funding available will always be contingent on factors such as the filmmaker, the cast, and whether it’s based on something significant, he concluded.

Kramer’s remarks were made as a reaction to a query posed by fellow panelist and Italian producer, Lorenzo Gangarossa, who is known for his work on the series “Conclave”.

The producer mentioned that there’s a sense in Europe that around 10 to 20 drama films are no longer being produced. He explained that financing seems scarce or less accessible in the U.S., leading him to receive calls about movies he wouldn’t have had access to previously. He’s exploring if there’s a European model that could be developed instead.

Some of these ventures may potentially access European funding, provided they meet the criteria to be classified as a European film. It’s worth noting that most European cinema is financed through pre-sales to television, and major broadcasters are obligated to invest 80% of their yearly content budget on local productions. If your project qualifies as a local film and can establish co-productions with three or four European territories, it will be considered a national film in those regions. Although this approach isn’t straightforward, Gangarossa considers it an effective business model for films featuring the right cast or a significant European element.

Kramer replied: “We do look across the Atlantic a bit for dramas.”

The CAA expert explained the difficulties faced by dramatic films: “This stems from their poor performance in the pay-one window,” he reasoned. “As a result, independent distributors who lack resources aren’t acquiring them as often. Furthermore, they are encountering more hurdles in theatrical releases.”

Christian Vesper, CEO of Fremantle’s global drama division, mentioned during a Winston Baker event about a discussion he had earlier in the day. “This morning we met with a major international distributor who expressed interest in one of our films,” said Vesper. “The initial scene is set in China, and they suggested adding some local language beforehand to indicate that the movie on their service is in the viewer’s native tongue.” In simpler terms, when collaborating with filmmakers, such a request isn’t just advice; it’s a necessity.

According to CAA’s Kramer, his team has encountered similar feedback from various sources, such as streaming platforms and theatrical distributors who have been influenced by these platforms. This feedback is given not only for typical genres but also for more unexpected ones like horror films, action movies, or comedies. He further explained that the recurring advice they receive is to ensure the movie’s genre is immediately clear to viewers within the first three minutes. If it’s a horror movie, there should be something genuinely scary in the opening scene – not an exaggeration, as viewers on these platforms can easily switch to another title if they’re not immediately engaged. Similarly, for comedies, the humor or a funny scene should be introduced within the initial few minutes.

Kramer summarized: “Be sure to make things crystal clear with no gradual unfolding. It can be tricky when telling a filmmaker, ‘Your script is excellent, but move the scene from page 20 to page 2 instead.’ But we provide such suggestions, and it sometimes feels like you’re merely producing gadgets.”

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2024-08-30 21:26