Digital distribution is a key factor in the circulation and consumption of films now and in upcoming years.
It is for this reason that Unifrance joined forces with Ubifrance, with support from the Cultural Services Department of the French Embassy in the United States, to organize professional meetings with the major players in the digital distribution sector located in the San Francisco Valley. Held on November 2 and 3, 2009, the meetings were held in the presence of representatives from Gaumont, STUDIOCANAL, Roissy Films, EuropaCorp, Rezo Films, TV France International, and l'Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA). The objective was to raise awareness of the current state of supply in the industry and to evaluate the expectations of US companies.
The range of industry players discussed included YouTube, Netflix, Vudu, Jaman, Amazon, and Apple (Itunes Video), reflecting the current state of the market and the various scales of operations (ranging from an innovative new company to a well-established firm), at a time when technological and marketing choices are becoming crucial for success. Digital distribution systems are beginning to take hold in the USA, and the companies concerned in this new development hope to expand their activities abroad in upcoming years.
Spectators now have a number of possibilities for viewing digital films in the USA: online purchase, rentals ordered online, and rentals ordered from televisions or computers (pay per view). Companies earn profits from subscriber fees, direct consumption, and advertising. However, none of these operators offer significant financial benefits for rights holders. Providers generally rely on the major film catalogs for content, and in the United States this entails working primarily with the Hollywood studios. Nevertheless, all parties are aware of the limitations of this system and attention is turning to independant players, who attract a wide audience of consumers ready to pay for viewing films that are not easily accessible through the traditional theatrical or video distribution channels.
Due to the great interest that these meetings inspired and the strategic importance of these developments, it has been decided to renew them in 2010.
