Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine, 2015. February 2008. Will Local Productions Work for Indies?: Keeping an Open Mind in Terms of Co-Productions by Stacey Parks. Pages 52.
A popular subject recently has had to do with local productions around the world beginning to cannibalize US-made movies and television programs. Foreign sales companies and mini-majors were seen lamenting over the fact that sales are down due to foreign countries just producing their own versions of popular American-type films.
For example, while Desperate Housewives may have once been a strong US export, it’s now becoming a strong format export, and countries like France now produce their own localized versions of the popular show.
When countries start producing their own localized fare, they need ours less and less, and therefore, foreign sales of our shows tend to decrease.
On the feature film front, studios are beginning to reverse these trends by actually partnering with local production companies in places like India and China, and investing in their local productions so they can at least have a stake in movie-going revenue of these countries.
I guess they figure, if they can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!
For instance, India, once a big customer for US-made films, has begun to just produce more of their own Bollywood films since that’s what their audiences want. Locally made Bollywood films, beat out US films at the box office year after year – and US films only represent a small percentage of total box office revenues. Same goes for China, and strong US customers like Germany and Japan.
So in order for studios to up the ante in places like India and these other countries, they are going to start investing in these locally made films, so they can, in turn, make more money in these countries. They have sought out the best production companies in these markets and are partnering with them on slates of films, and taking a financial stake.
How does all this affect indies?
Well in my opinion, as independent producers living in all different parts of the world, you could take advantage of this trend by seeking US co-production partners, too. Maybe not the studios themselves, but the hundreds of other smaller US-based production companies who are always looking to increase their foreign sales and distribution.
And for our US-based producers, why not consider partnering with a production company in another country and seeing if you can guarantee distribution in those countries by working with local talent. In order to keep your eye on US distribution, too, you may also want to cast US actors. So, you have a hybrid film where to hedge your bets in a few different countries, you work with local talent and/or other producers.
But you don’t even necessarily have to do that because the studios’ attitudes are that they are producing films in India for India, and if they happen to sell elsewhere, then so be it. They are creating a model whereby they can recoup their costs from just India alone, and if the films get distribution anywhere else, then it’s icing on the cake.
So the moral of the story is: Think International. Keep an open mind in terms of co-productions so you can enter foreign markets more easily. As things get more and more competitive out there, in terms of what level of film is needed to even get foreign distribution, this new way of thinking will go a long way.
Stacey Parks is the author of the “Inside Guide to Independent Film Distribution” (Focal Press). Stacey has worked in independent film for over ten years, working previously as a foreign sales agent for several years, and currently as an independent sales rep. Her website is www.FilmSpecific.com.
