DISCUSSION - How is piracy effecting the independent film industry

This conversation was prompted by the infographic released by Sundance Film Festival.

Chris: Do you know what is quite annoying these days, I think it is going to become a really big issue? Piracy.

You can say what you want about superhero films taking over cinema, forcing out new ideas and the like. But piracy must be making it so nonviable for the independent production and distribution companies.

Sundance released an infographic (available below) today showing the estimated loss in revenue because of piracy and these small companies and films can’t continue to lose that money.

I know people don’t take it seriously because of how easy it is to do, but it is slowly eating away at the film industry. I know someone at is watching The Revenant that way. The Revenant begs to be watched at the cinema, it is a cinematic experience, the director himself put it a good way, it is like not going to the Grand Canyon but instead looking at a post card of a picture of it.

Doesn’t make sense to me



Mark: It’s an ongoing problem isn’t it. I remember when they said that when DVD’s became pirated it would kill the market too. I guess this is slightly different as it is more accessible than ever. Anyone who watches films pirated is kind of shooting themselves in the foot in my view. As you say, it’s not how it was intended to be seen so it kind of ruins it.

On the flip side though there are loads of elements going in favour of independent films. Firstly you have a broadening and proliferation of the tools to make films – it’s easier than ever to create something, upload it, and share it. You see that all the time online, but also in the growing number of competitions etc for short films. Also you get films like that Tangerine, or Monsters, that could never have been made years ago – filmed on the cheap but still really good.

Then you’ve also got the move away from cinema – towards on demand. There are only ever going to be more and more films coming out through the smaller TV studios now – like Netflix with Beasts of No Nation for example. I think that’s going to change the shape of film too – as it’s a much more cost effective model than distributing the film for theatrical release. It might be that “smaller” or more risky films are released in that way, with the cinema being reserved for blockbusters and alike.



Chris: Demand services are changing things completely. Beasts of no nation is a perfect example of this, they gave it a limited theatrical release to qualify it for awards. Perhaps it will change to only the blockbusters hitting cinemas and the smaller films, like Danish Girl for example, become closer to a TV special.

The market does run the risk of becoming over saturated, it is double edge sword, the genuinely talented writers and directors who wouldn’t usually get a shot might now get spotted and supported, but I think they might get drowned out in a wave of mediocre films put out for films sake.

They need to make sure they maintain quality, they have to.



Mark: Ultimately it will be the audience who decides. If something is viable financially it will continue to be made.

I’m not too worried about it basically. The film industry has changed so many times and faced so many pressures – from the first DVD’s and VHS recordings to CGI to the internet to download piracy. I still see great films being made, and a whole load of terrible films being made. Just like it has always been.



Chris: I'm not sure I agree I think the on demand services will cause quite a change soon.

I don’t know exactly what will happen, my best guess is that cinema prices may go up further and they will try to make it more of an event going to the cinema (seen already in some cinemas with sofas, bars and good food).