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- May 22, 2024
Data scientist and journalist Daniel Parris describes the economics of streaming, proposing that as streaming libraries grow, the content value diminishes, and therefore streamers are left with the options of producing less or cheaper content or going under.
- May 24, 2024
Writer Anthony Kaufman discusses how issues coming to the surface amid the current independent distribution landscape are reminiscent of topics he wrote about in the early-to-mid 2000s—and recalls the case of filmmaker Lance Hammer, who turned down a distribution deal in 2008 for his film "Ballast," in order to self-release and retain the rights of the film.
- May 23, 2024
Strategic brand consultant and independent film producer Brian Newman conveys his current rules for distribution, including details about the decreasing role of streamers in acquiring documentaries and in output deals with distributors, declining transactional revenue and theatrical engagement with documentaries (aside from event screenings), and more ideas for reaching a targeted audience.
- May 14, 2024
Writer Jeremy Fuster describes how some filmmakers are opting for self-distribution strategies that allow them to build their own theatrical footprint and marketing efforts—in the cases of three films: "The Occult," "Hundreds of Beavers," and "Anchorage."
- April 24, 2024
Variety Co-Editor-in-Chief Cynthia Littleton reports on the changing climate in Washington, DC, surrounding mergers and acquisitions and the enforcement of—and calls for revisions to—antitrust laws.
- April 22, 2024
Following the news of Participant Media shutting down, filmmaker and producer Davis Guggenheim discusses the company's focus on social impact—starting with a look at the origin of the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth."
- April 18, 2024
Strategic brand consultant and independent film producer Brian Newman provides his thoughts on the atmosphere surrounding the International Documentary Association's 2024 Getting Real conference in Los Angeles, and proposes the need for large-scale systemic change in the independent film industry as whole, not only for documentaries.
- April 15, 2024
Jacobin contributing editor Daniel Bessner reports on the current risk-averse state of the screenwriting business in Hollywood—discussing compensation trends and tracing the history of its value in the film and television industries through company consolidations, labor movements, streamers' strategies, executives' predisposition toward intellectual property-driven content, and more.
- April 5, 2024
Writer Addie Morfoot summarizes points made from a panel discussion called "Documentary Dealmaking" at the 2024 Full Frame Film Festival, highlighting the financial challenges faced by documentary filmmakers and the need for fair compensation, stronger alliances with industry organizations, and collective action to address systemic issues in the industry.
- March 18, 2024
Writer Anthony Kaufman reflects on the state of independent film distribution following several events fostering exploration on the subject at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, reporting on the challenges independent film exhibitors face in reaching audiences and potential solutions like varying programming, theatrical distributor P&A subsidies, and blockchain-backed distribution models.
- March 2024
The DISCO network (Ambulante, AFLAMUNA, DocsMX, Doc Society, DocSP, Docubox, and In-Docs) launched the Independence Project to articulate the unique importance of independent documentaries to culture, society, and democracy.
- March 7, 2024
Color Congress released a report in March 2024, detailing their findings from the first two years of collaborating with member organizations, shedding light on their network of documentary film organizations led by people of color and their ideas for helping to diversify the types of stories reaching audiences.
