Creators, Services Need to Be Multi-lingual
Andy Marken February 28, 2024
0 Comments
Hero image source The Gambler, Paramount
It's either victory, or don't bother. The only thing worth doing is the impossible. Everything else is gray. - Jim Bennett, The Gambler, Paramount, 2014
During our 20 years of sailing, we often headed out under the Golden Gate and pointed the bow up or down the coast just to sail. Every trip was different.
You constantly plan for things you can't control wind, waves, whales.
It's a close parallel with the video content development, creation, production, distribution industry.
Everyone in the food chain does his/her best, but you can never control the acceptance/rejection of the viewer.
For years, Hollywood and creators made films for theaters and then moved them to their secondary markets - TV networks, airlines/hospitality, DVDs.
Lean Times - Theaters are having a lean time when it comes to the number of folks putting seats in seats but it's okay because the concessions will carry them until the next big project comes along.
Except for a few blockbusters a year, theater attendance has shrunk and it's never going back to its 2002 peak.
That was okay for studios because people were turning to broadcast and pay TV for their entertainment.
So, studios shifted their production focus to made-for-TV movies and series for their own and other networks.
Most households paid hundreds of dollars a year for their cable bundle. Studio networks made good money and got a big chunk of the ad sales.
Then Netflix started its streaming service in 2007 and Hollywood had another profit opportunity renting consumers movies and shows at a relatively low price.
Netflix convinced millions of folks who never had or wanted cable TV to save money to shave/cut their cord.
It turned out people simply wanted relatively cheap entertainment anytime, anyplace, any screen oh yeah, and they didn't need their DVDs.
By 2017, 110M households in 190 countries subscribed to Netflix and US cable subscriptions had declined from 100 plus million down to today's 60.5 million.
In addition, the cable subscribers who stuck around were old.
Online Choice - People who were born online had no problem converting to the anytime/anyplace/any screen model of entertainment. In addition, in emerging countries, wired internet is still much less common (expensive) than wireless connectivity.
To make matters worse Netflix needed less of Hollywood's end products because foreign distribution required that they produce/offer 20-30 percent of their content locally.
It turns out that wasn't a penalty or hurdle. Producing content there was more economical and they quickly found content can travel.
Global Stories - Pick your favorite genre and you can find hundreds of visual stories you can enjoy, experience created/produced by great professionals around the globe. The stories are different, the people are different, the surroundings are different but they're all the same interesting/exciting.
Thanks to the assistance of a strong set of industry standards and new technologies, it's cheaper and easier to shoot, edit, and produce a film/show.
The global reach of the internet made it easier to share ideas, knowledge, advice and even tap into the best production/distribution expertise on the planet, day or night.
The old business model was being dismantled right before Hollywood's eyes.
Studios accelerated their production output of what they did best original titles.
Originality - We often find it interesting and a little ironic when we stumble on a film/show we haven't seen that captures our senses because right then, right there, it's original, regardless of when it was released.
With Wall Street's urging/blessing, they put the stuff where it would do the most good into their streaming libraries.
The Street said the new content would translate into a growing subscriber base and ultimately - somewhere down the road - this would produce solid profits.
The trouble is that didn't happen.
Studios were building their road to the future using the material from their old road - theaters and pay TV.
They were focused on getting their share of the expanding entertainment business at any cost, paying little to no attention to the fact that they were undermining their old/proven model.
Seasoned investor Warren Buffet bluntly said the approach was a particularly difficult environment in which to make money or more bluntly the low-price model doesn't work.
It became even tougher and more obvious when the studios' pipelines dried up during the dual WGA/SAG-AFTA shutdown.
Signs Down - There was a strong sigh of relief when writers and actors were able to put down their strike signs and return to doing what they enjoy doing being a contributing part of the content creation industry.
With the agreements signed, studio bosses said they will have to make adjustments in their productions going forward.
Smaller budgets, tighter budget control.
In other words, a reduction in production volume, trimming the use of A-list talent, smaller creative/production teams, less location filming, increased use of virtual production (VP) facilities and reduced spending on special effects and postproduction.
New Interests - Thanks to global streaming, English speaking areas were suddenly exposed to interesting stories from around the globe and their interest, viewing soared.
The lack of new US/Canadian content didn't impact the new kids in the content production/distribution industry - Netflix, Prime and Apple TV much.
With the US market reaching its peak - 83 percent of consumers use D2C services this year according to Statista - they were already heavily focused on global growth and had strong relat
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
06/05/2026
A Sennheiser Spectera module is now available in Bitfocus Companion and Buttons, enabling direct integration of Spectera with the two software platforms. The mo...
06/05/2026
Ted Turner, the visionary media entrepreneur whose appetite for disruption helpe...
06/05/2026
Peacock is going all-in on the beautiful game - streaming all 104 FIFA World Cup...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
Creators, Services Need to Be Multi-lingual 
