- March 26, 2025
At CPH:DOX, U.S. and European doc leaders met to strategize new funding distribution models for political documentaries as major American streamers shift toward less politically risky content.
- February 7, 2025
Writer Nicky Yeager interviews Mars Verrone, producer of 'Union,' a self-distributed documentary about the campaign to unionize an Amazon warehouse, discussing the documentary distribution landscape and the struggles the film team faced in getting the film to viewers.
- October 29, 2024
A growing movement of microdistribution is emerging in indie film, with film professionals creating bespoke theatrical release strategies for worthy films often overlooked by traditional distributors.
- October 7, 2024
Netflix’s growth was driven by strategic debt rather than venture capital. Earning the nickname “Debtflix” in the business press, the company operated by tech-sector rules, spending vast amounts of cash to acquire customers and expand its offerings, ultimately curating the expansive content library we enjoy today.
- September 18, 2024
Letterboxd, a growing community of 15 million cinephiles, serves as a valuable platform for independent films, offering distributors targeted access to engaged movie enthusiasts while maintaining authentic commentary through organic buzz.
- September 15, 2024
The role of Hollywood producers has been severely diminished by industry shifts, with previously well-funded production companies now struggling to survive as studios cut deals, delay payments, and split producer fees among multiple parties.
- August 20, 2024
Distribution Advocates, a collective that reclaims power for independent storytellers, has launched the FilmADE Fund. The Fund supports up to 30 independent film releases annually through marketing strategies and distribution experiments.
- July 1, 2024
Netflix and Amazon accounted for over half (53%) of all global SVOD commissions in the first quarter of 2024. Both platforms are increasing international productions to expand their global subscriber base, countering domestic subscriber stagnation and the growing cost of production in North America.
- June 7, 2024
Speed&Spark and Kinema have released The Distribution Playbook, a free, open-source guide aimed at helping indie filmmakers take control of their distribution strategies. The creator-driven resource aims to demystify film distribution for indie filmmakers by offering practical advice and resources to break down the traditionally opaque process.
- June 7, 2024
In the wake of Participant Media’s closure, Cinereach is reimagining its approach to independent film, pivoting from traditional film funding to a “media incubator,” focusing on audience research and innovative storytelling strategies to create social impact.
- 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.
