Scandinavian Think Tank - on films, markets, audiences and film policy

Download the full report in PDF.

Consumer behaviour in Scandinavia - 2010

What films do we see, how, where and when?
In preparation for the Scandinavian ThinkTank Symposium a comprehensive survey of consumer behaviour and preferences was carried out in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

The questionnaire was designed by the ThinkTank in consultation with the Scandinavian Film Institutes and Nordic Film & Television Fund. The survey was carried out by a Danish research company, USERNEEDS, on a scientific demographic basis with 2000 respondents in each country.

Key topics covered:

  • Preferences for where to see a film
  • Actual behaviour
  • What makes people choose the cinema experience?
  • What makes people choose to watch films on television?
  • How would  simultaneous VOD release impact upon cinema going?
  • What would people be willing to pay for VOD premium product? 
  • Preferences for national films and English language films

Key observations included:
A vast majority prefers to watch movies in a cinema, but the reality is that many more films are being watched as DVD or television broadcast.

The cinema experience – big screen and great sound together with the social aspect and new films make up peoples’ preference for the cinema.

Reasons for watching films on tv are the comfort associated with staying at home, television is considered as free or cheap compared with the cinema and people can be with their families. At the same time a majority requests ’better films’ and newer films.

A crucial point was how consumers would react if films were available as VOD simultaneous with theatrical release. A big majority indicates that they would go as much to the cinemas as before.

Replies also indicate that people would watch more films as VOD, which suggests a potential market growth. While most replies are close to identical in the three countries, the interest for VOD is much larger in Sweden than in Denmark with Norway in between.

Payment for watching VOD is a much disputed subject. The survey clearly shows that 80% are willing to pay the equivalent of 2 cinema tickets or approx €25 to watch a new film simultaneous with its theatrical release.

Preferences for national films, english language (US) and RoW films vary according to age group. Overall figures show 17-23% preference for national films, 64-79% for US films and 4-8% for films from the rest of the world. This includes films from other Scandinavian countries.

Scandinavian ThinkTank – Production infrastructure in Scandinavia

A study of production frequency for directors, writers, producers and production companies.

The data for the study comprises 620 feature films (all) made between 2002-2010. The purpose was to investigate individual career patterns and production infrastructure. The analysis also looks at theatrical performance for both individuals and companies.

The following slides illustrate a fragmented production culture dominated by scores of small companies and hundreds of directors, writers and producers only having produced one film in the course of nine years.

Production companies
In Europe and not least in Scandinavia it is possible to produce films without an “industrial backbone”. This may be seen as an unintended effect of the public subvention systems.
The problem is that companies only producing a film every now and then or maybe once in their existence do not possess the necessary competences to take a film through its potential value chain. They do not generate new projects and any experience gathered is tied to individuals and do not contribute to establish a critical mass of experience and know how that are needed to build strong entities.

The analysis bears strong witness to the problem. 295 production companies have been in producing 620 films. 197 (67%) only produced one film each.

146 companies had an average performance under 50,000 admissions, actual average 17,000. Of these 122 companies made only one film.

Directors, writers and producers
295 directors, 219 writers and 237 producers have only been involved in one film each.

Some may of course have had other sources of income from television, advertising or documentary filmmaking – but the likelihood of being able to build professional careers is remote for the majority.

Among the many one-time visitors in the world of filmmaking there are of course also talented people. But too few strong and competent companies to pick them out and promote their development and careers.

Public support policy
One proposition is that the public funding strategy predominantly is focused on screenplay ideas and less on developing crucial elements of the value chain – the necessary talent and stronger companies leaning less on public funding.

The European ThinkTank aims at widening the study to other European countries and on initiating a broader discussion on how public support policy could move from supporting to strengthening European Film.

Henning Camre
 

Scandinavian Think Tank Symposium - excerpts

Day 1

Day 2

d-Cinema Background

Background paper prepared for the Conference on d-Cinema in Barcelona during the 5th and 6th March 2010.

The Official Site can be accessed here and has all the Powerpoint Presentations and assorted background documents.

Istanbul Report

The Istanbul Core ThinkTank (April 17-18, 2008) was structured across three main sessions designed to provide an overview of current market conditions, an appraisal of how the film market may develop (with special emphasis on Video on Demand), and finally to address potential policy suggestions.

The Reports are a collection of comments taken from the 2 day conversation. At no point during the meeting was consensus a priority and this is reflected in these reports where seemingly contradictory statements can be found side by side.

The 2 versions available for download here are the Executive Summary (4 pages) and the full report (19 pages).

Participants: Bob Berney (former CEO at Picturehouse, Newmarket Films and IFC Films), Jeanne Berney (former Director of Public Relations, Film Society of Lincoln Center), Sue Bruce-Smith (Head of Commercial Development, Film 4), Henning Camre (Executive Director, ThinkTank), Martin Dale (Variety, Portugal), Fernando Evole (CEO, Yelmo Cines, Spain), Gustavo Ferrada (Head of Film, TVE), Paul Grindey (Head of Business Affairs, Scripted Content, Film 4), Philippe Kern (MD, KEA European Affairs, Belgium), Philipp Kreuzer (Philipp Kreuzer, Deputy MD, Bavaria Pictures), Alain Modot (VP, Media Consulting Group), Michael Peters (Founder and CEO, Content Republic), Olivier Zegna Rata (Director of External Affairs, Canal+ Group), Michel Reilhac (Executive Director, ARTE France Cinema), Chris Sanger (ThinkTank), Michael Weber (Managing Director/Co-Owner, The Match Factory)

Edited by Martin Dale


Sevilla Report

The Seville ThinkTank (November 7-8, 2008) was structured across four group work sessions. The theme under discussion was film distribution strategies in the context of the new digital value chain.

Key topics covered

• How has the digital environment changed the audience and the industry/audience relationship?

• What are the key drivers in the new market?

• What strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats do European producers and 

distributors face in this new context?

• How can European producers capitalize on their Intellectual Property rights?

• How can film public policy maximize opportunities in the digital age?

• How can a stronger distribution framework be built for the European film industry?

Edited by Martin Dale


Vienna Report

This report describes the organisation and proceedings of the Vienna ThinkTank, 16-18 April 2008. This event was instigated and funded by the Austrian Film Institute (OFI). It was designed by the European ThinkTank on Film and Film Policy, and took place in the New Film Studio of the Film Academy on the campus of the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. Some 40 Austrian film professionals took part, along with representatives of the film funding bodies, Austrian television (ORF), government, Film Academy faculty and students, as well as invitees from Belgium, Denmark and the United States. The event was prepared by Henning Camre, assisted by advisors.

Edited by Jonathan Davis


Kraków Report

150 industry leaders from 35 countries, representing the entire film value chain – writers, directors, producers, distributors, exhibitors, broadcasters, decision- and policy-makers – had gathered in Kraków to examine the big issues in European film policy under a shared feeling of urgency.

While the diversity of European film production was saluted, it was established that the diversity had little to show in terms of market penetration across European countries. 

It was established that the conditions under which European cinema was being financed, produced and consumed were facing massive changes. A review of national and European film policies taking into account market and technology changes would be needed to inform policy decisions that in turn would determine whether the changes would be beneficial or at the expense of the specificity and quality of European film.

Edited by Jonathan Davis