Cass Creatives

On Film: the Sequel

Wednesday, 28 December, 2005

A likely end to staggered release windows, the boom in home cinema, video on demand over broadband, plus dealing with the likes of BitTorrent and other sources of illegal file sharing – Cass Creatives looked at strategies the film industry should be taking if it is to survive the next ten years.

The lively debate was chaired by Michael Gubbins, Editor of Screen International, and the panellists were Michael Kuhn, Chairman of Qwerty Films; Anthony Lilley, Managing Director of Magic Lantern and Arvind Ethan David, Managing Director of Slingshot.

The UK is in a unique position to steal a march on the US film industry and establish itself as a major global player, but tax incentives must be structured to enable us to be at the forefront.  With all the speakers aware of the iconoclastic powers of new digital platforms, the panellists saw a future filled with opportunity, as well as creative, financial and marketing challenges.  Arvind Ethan David commented:

“By this time next year, there will be 240 digital cinemas in the UK.  Theoretically that would suggest a lowering of the barriers to entry but marketing is still an issue.  That’s where the big studios will have a stranglehold.  I’ve not seen a change in attitude about how marketing works, and that’s the key.”

As a re-invention of film marketing over the internet is imminent, the producers who grasp this will be the most successful and although new business models will develop, Homechoice, Lovefilm, HDNet and Sky are currently dominating the market with their innovations as they have embraced technological change.  Although high-capacity broadband in living rooms is available, revolutionary content ideas are still to come, Anthony Lilley predicted: “A seismic shift will happen in video the way it did with music when Apple launched i-tunes.”

For more information on the Film Business Academy at Cass Business School go to www.filmbusinessacademy.com

Download the full event report

www.slingshot-studios.com
www.britfilms.com
www.magiclantern.co.uk
www.screendaily.com

Arvand Ethan David, Managing Director, Slingshot

Michael Gubbins, Editor, Screen International, and Michael Kuhn, Chairman of Qwerty Films

Anthony Lilley, Managing Director, Magic Lantern