The Non-Technological Forces
Driving Growth in International
Film, Television & Multimedia:
CREATIVITY
ADAPTATION
NON-CONFORMITY
Forces that Dampen
Creativity, Adaptation
& Non-Conformity:
PROTECTINISM
QUOTAS
CENSORSHIP
GOVERNMENT FILM SUBSIDIES
Culture vs. culture
FILM SUBSIDIES
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Who decides what to Green-Light?
Producers never have pay the $ back
Cronyism
Film Festival Metric vs. B.O. Metric
Conformity to stereotypes
In-Fighting among producers
Auteur-ism
QUOTAS / PROTECTIONISM
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Penalize American producers unfairly
Studios set up local subsidiaries
Content certificates easily obtained
Shell companies
Co-Productions = Euro-Pudding
Qualifying Films vs. Good Films
Faulty administration of B.O. taxes
CENSORSHIP
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ASIA – Sexual Situations
INDIA – T & A
EUROPE – Excessive Violence
MUSLIM WORLD – That, plus just
about everything else.
SUBSIDY SYSTEM vs.
HOLLYWOOD SYSTEM
The Latin American “Political Film”
The Official Story - Argentina
Machuca – Chile
Innocent Voices – Mexico / S. Salvador
Versus
The Asian Horror Film
The Eye
The Grudge
The Ring
REMAKES – Fad or Long-Term Trend?
Commercial Films = Dirty Word
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COMODINES – Argentina
SEX, SHAME & TEARS – Mexico
PANTALEON – Peru
LITTLE ASSHOLE – Germany
Some S. African Film I can’t remember
ARGENTINO en NY – Argentina
TORRENTE - Spain
NON-CONFORMITY
CASE STUDY: Spain / Colombia
(Pragmatism)
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Direct Subsidy with contingencies
Matching Funds Only
Tax Incentives
Lure Private Equity
Amortization / Deductions
Professional Green-light committee
Independent Consultants
Involvement of State TV Networks
CASE STUDY: Europe
(Financial Schemes)
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German Stock Market - Insolvency
U.K. Lottery Fund – Bevin / Fellner
Insurance Backing – Bankruptcy
Sale-Lease-Back – Legal Fees
Luxembourg Tax Scheme
Romania / Czech Republic = VAT
CASE STUDY: Asia
(Free Market)
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Shaw / Media Asia
Explosive Multi-Plexing
BOLLYWOOD
Conformity of languages / Context
Business-friendly atmosphere
Solid Post-Production Infrastructure
Investment in Special Effects
Training
Sure, but what does any of this
have to do with CREATIVITY,
ADAPTATION & NONCONFORMITY...?
NOTHING.
Film, TV and Multimedia is driven
by young, educated producers
willing to take creative risks instead
of blaming Hollywood ...
HOLLYWOOD IS YOUR
FRIEND
HOLLYWOOD BUSINESS MODEL + LOCAL
CREATIVITY = INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
It’s Nicer to Share, not Steal...
Or Sell the FORMAT...
TELEVISION
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BETTY LA FEA - RCN
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ENDEMOL
EXTREME MAKEOVER
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TELENOVELAS
Asian Game Shows
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Endurance vs. Johnny Knoxville
Nasubi vs. Guantanamo
A game show in which a grandmother has to
answer questions about pop culture in order to
prevent her grandson from being catapulted into
the air by a bungee.
A wrestling match pitting hulking pros against
90-lb. weaklings, tossed out of the ring onto an
electrically charged platform or giant glue trap.
A man with a chunk of meat strapped to his
forehead sticks his head into a corridor,
whereupon a hungry komodo dragon is
unleashed toward him.
CONCLUSIONS
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Globalization will create exciting new film,
TV, and multimedia experiences
Whole greater than sum of its parts
Adaptation & Co-Operation as the keys to
progress
No protectionism (you don’t need it)
Creativity perpetuates itself
Culture vs. culture
People vote with their pocket-books
FORECASTS
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Increased Chinese film production
Proliferation of Profitable Niche
Audiences (Korean, Indian, etc)
Spanish-language / Spanglish
market
Proliferation of Remake sector
Mining of Classic film and TV libraries