It has been quite a turbulent year with the DVD and streaming giant. Last week saw the release of their Q3 reports, which followed a rocky couple of months of price hikes, confusion, psuedo-startups and backtracks.

So just what is going on with Netflix? How did CEO and Founder Reed Hastings go from Fortune magazine’s ‘business- person of the year’ just 12 months ago to this? To be honest, the first six months of 2011 started promisingly, with stocks up 40% and the ever-growing subscriber base topping 25 million.

However, the future of the on-demand/rental of movies lies in streaming, and it will be the quality of instant content that will affect consumers’ habits and future contributions. 2011 has seen an aggressive expansion, in part as response to user feedback, and some of the ever-changing deals announced include… Addition of CBS Content (February), Extended Deal with 20th Century Fox, First Exclusive TV Series Commissioned (March), New Partnership with Viz Media, Marvel Content Added (April), Miramax Content Deal Announced, More Viacom Content Added (May), New Agreement with Discovery Communications (September), Extending and Expanding Disney-ABC Agreement, New NBC Universal Content (October).

The downside is that studios keep demanding higher fees for their content, and can do so now that other video-streaming websites are offering competition (including Hulu and Amazon). Then come the costs of moving into new territories. In July, Netflix announced they would be expanding into 43 countries. The new markets include Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, and will give those members access to Netflix content in Spanish, Portuguese or English. Add in the launching on iPad and Android platforms and you have a sharp incline in costs, prompting Netflix to alter their prices in the second half of the year.

It was the steepness of the increase that first riled customers and shook shareholders. In July Netflix announced that the streaming + 1 DVD option that had cost $9.99 would increase to $15.98 per month. Loyal customers were furious at the 60% hike. Last week, the confirmation came out that subscribers had left in droves; the Netflix user base decline by 800,000 people in just 3 months. This caused further instability in stocks, resulting the new current price of just $92 per share, down from a high of $299 in July.

As if all this wasn’t enough, there is the Qwikster debacle. Splitting the DVD rentals from streaming and replacing a strong brand with something that sounds like a Chocolate shake product didn’t go down too well with customers either. Whilst there would be room for that to expand into video game rental, and a large market is still mostly up for grabs there, the annoyance of having two websites and two simultaneous accounts was well vented (also very well ridiculed by this Oatmeal comic strip). Ultimately, the Qwikster brand was scrapped less than one month after it was announced, prompting the rather awkward question, ‘Is Netflix the next AOL?‘

I think that is a little premature; we can now write Qwikster off as a very bad decision, whilst the price increases were a necessary step, albeit to steep and handled badly. In the long run, Netflix’s profits will level off, with the lost revenue from those migrating subscribers being balanced out by those who still see the value (and there is great value) in a near infinite amount of TV and movie options available for one quarter the price of a cable provider.

Do you currently use Netflix? Are you one of the ex-subscribers now seeking other alternatives? Please share in the comments…

by Lee Jarvis.

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This week in Media Match‘s world…

Poll
Jobs and Film Tax Credits : (Media Match Blog)

Piracy
Should The Feds Block Online Pirates? Lobbyists Intensify Debate Over New Bill : (Deadline)

Fight!
Johnny Depp Confronts Ricky Gervais About Golden Globes Joke in ‘Life’s Too Short’ : (Hollywood Reporter)

Contest
Comedy Central Short Pilot Competition : (NYTVF)

Colorful
Color correcting zombies in Final Cut Pro : (FCP.co)

Quick Tip of the Week

How to search for people you may know, past colleagues, or possible future collaborators using the Media Match Friend Finding tool…..
http://www.media-match.com/usa/forum/quick-tips-how-to-find-friends-and-influential-people–586442

Video of the Week

Robin Bacior – Ohio
Directed by Alex Fischer and Ellis Bahl / Produced by Earth vs Space / Choreography by Kristina Donello / Dancer: Meredith Blouin. “Ohio” is the lead single off of Robin Bacior’s upcoming debut full-length, Rest Our Wings, out 11/1/11.



Don’t forget to check back for the latest jobs in TV and film industries.

Enjoy your weekend!

The Media Match Team

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This week in Media Match‘s world…

Remix
‘Everything is a Remix’ Video Series: (Media Match Blog)

Lecture
Join a 90-minute session with Chris Nelson, A.C.E. Editor (LOST, Mad Men) and John Refoua, Editor (Avatar): (AVID)

Banned
Media Match Top 10: Famous Banned Movies : (Media Match Blog)

IMDB
Actress Sues Amazon For Showing Her Age On Industry Database IMDb: (Deadline)

Processing
MTI Film Employs JPEG2000 over IP for TNT’s Dallas: (BBC)

Quick Tip of the Week

How to search for people you may know, past colleagues, or possible future collaborators using the Media Match Friend Finding tool…..
http://www.media-match.com/usa/forum/quick-tips-how-to-find-friends-and-influential-people–586442

Video of the Week

CSI: Legoland
We’ll never grow tired of CSI parodies. This one… block-tacular…



Don’t forget to check back for the latest jobs in TV and film industries.

Enjoy your weekend!

The Media Match Team

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Taking the theory that everything has it’s source of inspiration, stimuli or origin, New York-based filmmaker Kirby Ferguson has produced a four-part video series named Everything is a Remix.

I’ve often been aware and immersed in remixing, growing up with a lot of hip hop and electronic music, but Ferguson’s series applies his theory to film, TV, books, quotes, and even inventions. The first three episodes have been published over the last year; the second of which really blew my mind and changed my opinion about the word ‘original’. That part delves into movies, from the box office hits to foreign independent films, to sequels and remakes. From shots being used as templates, to irrefutable sub-genre formats, it gives an amazing overview of the creation process. Ferguson comments that “creation requires influence. Everything we make is a remix of existing creations, our lives, and the lives of others.” He goes on to say “without the films that preceded it, there could be no Star Wars.”

As much as the movie part was my favorite, I highly recommend watching from the beginning, with part one touching on the history of remixing in music, the first ever book ‘mash-up’, high profile ‘rip-offs’ from Led Zeppelin, and the blurry lines between covers and legal remixing and attribution. Part three explains that ideas in the field of inventing are often not moments of inspiration, but evolution and improvements, or even the combining of two or more existing ideas.

As if the editing and production wasn’t enough work, Ferguson has created an incredible website to provide tools and resources for his own film-making. For example, he lists all the samples of his pieces, including speeches, film scenes, soundtrack info, and origins of any still photo shots, all with links to the ‘original’. The sample sources for part two number 123 in eight and a half minutes, and include scenes from Kill Bill, Yojimbo, Flash Gordon, True Grit, Transformers, Alice in Wonderland, The Matrix and more. It gives you some idea of the amount of research and production work that has gone into each part of the series.

Part Four has been planned and scripted, and is slated for release in early November. You can contribute to this project by donating here.

Enjoy the first three parts below…

by Lee Jarvis.

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The classification and censorship of movies is a much-debated issue. Many of the reasons for restrictions are also seen as boundary-breaking, and important in the evolution of art for society’s education. Some reasons are controversial, and often overlooked in similar big brand projects, as explored in the documentary, This Film Is Not Yet Rated (well worth a watch, by the way). Here at Media Match, we put together a list of some of our favorites – feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments…

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Director: D.W. Griffith
Starring: Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Walthall
A silent piece depicting the relationship of families after the US Civil War, The Birth of a Nation was banned by dozens of cities and districts, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver, Pittsburgh, and the entire states of Ohio and West Virginia for it’s racial tones.

Scarface (1932)

Directors: Howard Hawks, Richard Rosson
Starring: Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley
Based on the life of Al Capone, Scarface is often considered the original gangster classic. It’s plot and scenes of turf war between gangs and the police department’s pursuit of the criminals led to it being banned in five states due to ‘glorification of crime’.

Victim (1961)

Director: Basil Dearden
Starring: Dirk Bogarde, Sylvia Syms, Dennis Price
This British drama was banned in cities across the US for ‘language’, although the language in question is on the topic of homosexuality. The film is credited as helping to liberalize attitudes as well as instigating reform for out of date laws in Britain.

The Trip (1967)

Director: Roger Corman
Starring: Peter Fonda, Susan Strasberg, Bruce Dern
A television commercial director is in the middle of a life-crisis and decides to try LSD for the first time. Heavy drug references and various roles advocating it’s use caused the film to be banned in the UK for over 20 years.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Director: Stanley Kubrik
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates
Technically, Clockwork wasn’t banned by any ratings board or governing body, but rather, was pulled from British distribution two months after release by Kubrick himself. Amid much speculation about inciting violence and youth gangs, Kubrik and his wife received threats and had protesters outside their home. For 27 years it remained difficult to see a copy within Britain, until it reappeared in cinemas following Kubrick’s death in 1999.

The Last House on The Left (1972)

Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Sandra Peabody, Lucy Grantham, David Hess
This hard-hitting was instantly banned in several countries because of the scenes of sadism and violence. In 2000 it was presented to the BBFC for a second time, and was again denied a rating. A cut version was avaiable in 2002, and the full uncut was finally released in 2008.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Director: Tobe Hooper
Starring: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Allen Danziger
This horror flick was outright banned in a number of countries upon release, taking 25 years to break un-cut onto screens in the UK.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)

Director: Terry Jones
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin
Another film that technically was ok’d by the ratings boards, but came across various local authority restrictions for it’s dealing with religious satire. The Python’s were labeled ‘blasphemous’ by protestors, and ‘Brian’ was made an outlaw in 39 local town councils (including some with no cinemas within their boundaries). Further resistance in other European countries resulted in a spin-off marketing campaign, “So funny it was banned in Norway!”

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey
Greeted across America by protests and demonstrations, Scorsese also provoked county commissioners of Escambia County in Florida to pass an ordinance imposing a $500 fine and/or a 60-day jail term for showing Last Temptation (a US district judge reversed the ruling.) It was also banned in Israel, Turkey, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, the Philippines, and Singapore — and it remains banned in the last two countries to this day.

The Profit (2001)

Director: Peter N. Alexander
Starring: Eric Rath, Cliff Roca, Tom Luce
Billed as ‘The movie Scientology doesn’t want you to see’, The Profit is often seen as a parody of Scientology, borrowing events from the life of its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. After it’s premiere in Cannes, it’s distribution was blocked in the US until 2007 (although, since then it has also had separate distribution woes).

You can also watch a playlist of these trailers via our Media Match Youtube channel >http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE61A20CB3FD1204D

by Lee Jarvis.

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Often the simultaneous and alternate scourges and saviors of the TV and film industry, Netflix and Hulu are becoming more and more aligned, and yet they carry two distinct different audiences. The two media giants are both relatively new, and have amassed large audience bases among the TV and movie consuming public. They both essentially offer the same things, albeit with different pricing models and subscription options, but according to new data, their customers see them as having two different uses or functions. After a brief look at the Nielsen charts published last week, you could sum up people’s thoughts on the brands as follows: ‘Watch Movies on the TV with Netflix’ vs ‘Watch TV on the laptop with Hulu’.

This leaves an interesting question: are the companies direct rivals or do they aim to mainly cater to a specific segment of consumers and the rest is ‘peripheral’ viewing? In one respect, they certainly overlap a lot – both offer a lot of the same of content, although recent changes from Hulu have meant that some of that is only available to their ‘Hulu Plus’ premium subscribers. On the other hand, Hulu offers a free account, where you can still catch up on various TV shows, which is not even possible with Netflix – you now pay then anywhere between $8 and $35 for your regular fix.

Much argument has been made about Netflix’s new pricing structure – perhaps this will emphasize the divide between the two? Maybe people are more than happy to have the two together and use them for separate purposes. This new data certainly seems to support that theory.

Does this ring true with you? How do you consume TV and film? Do you have a favorite of Netflix and Hulu? Are you a regular movie downloader and ignore the both? Do you binge on a whole series over the course of a weekend? Share your thoughts and habits in the comments.


by Lee Jarvis.

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MoviePass hopes to build upon the success of ‘all-you-can-eat’ style subscriptions such as Netflix and R.dio, and is aimed squarely at cinema-going fanatics. On the surface, this sounds like a great idea, but there seem to be a few faults or miscalculations once you look further.

Firstly, the MoviePass that has launched in 21 theaters in the the San Francisco area will cost $50 per month, which is a fair expense for today’s free- and discount-driven digital society. Assuming they are not aiming to draw people off their sofas and are just looking to capitalize on those who already venture out regularly, the price point is still a little high. The average movie ticket in the San Fran area is somewhere around the $11 region, which means that if you hit the local theater every Saturday for a year. you currently spend $605. With MoviePass, it will cost you $600, an annual saving of five dollars.

So, you have to go more than once per week in order to really get any value from this. And that’s where you hit another catch… you can only view one movie per day. No double features on that rainy lazy afternoon in April. There are more rules, which are understandable to a degree, although none of which are hinted at in this rather confusing promotional video…

In brief, the rules are:

• Users are limited to seeing one movie per day. We understand this limitation, but it’s a bummer for those of us who like to see multiple movies on a rainy Saturday.
• Users can only see a movie one time. If you want to re-watch Transformers 3 or another summer blockbuster, you’ll need to pay for your ticket.
• Tickets are non-transferrable.
• Tickets must be purchased the day of the show.
• 3D and IMAX tickets will cost an additional $3. The user will just pay the difference in ticket price between 2D and 3D but can still purchase and pick up tickets the same way as with a regular 2D film.

More info is at http://www.moviepass.com/.

So, kind of a good idea, that may need some ironing out after the beta testing stage. What do you think of the model? What is your current rate of movie-going? What are cinema ticket prices in your neighborhood? Share your thoughts below…


by Lee Jarvis.

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Highs, Lows, backtracks, retracts, sidesteps, referrals… no, not a day in the life of a C-list movie star, but State Film Tax Credits. There has been a lot of news of late about these incentives, with each US state varying wildly with new schemes, tweaks to initial offerings, extensions and deadlines. Do movie jobs depend on them? Do they cost the taxpayer in the long run?

It was recently announced by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. that the tax credits in California were responsible for pumping $3.8 billion into the local economy since it’s launch in 2009 to slow runaway production. It also helped create over 20,000 film industry jobs. Perfect timing, as the California State Assembly has just approved a bill to extend these tax incentives for an additional five years, and if passed, another $100 million in credits will be handed out after July 1. The report by the LAEDC concluded that “for each tax dollar allocated the local and state governments get back at least $1.13 in tax revenue, while the total GDP in the state will increase by $8.48“.

The problem for Hollywood specifically is that California jobs aren’t guaranteed – CA is not the only state offering these incentives, and others offer a larger budget, and less restrictions for projects to qualify.

Kansas Film Production

The Kansas Film Production Tax Credit is back after a two year hiatus, and offers a credit on “30% of the direct production expenditures made in Kansas that are directly attributable to the production of a film in Kansas“.

New York Film Production

New York State Film Production Tax Credit Program has been extended and expanded, offering a whopping $420 million per year to production companies. Again, this incentive will be running until 2014, and offers 30% tax credit on qualified costs incurred in New York State.

Utah Film Production

“Gov. Gary Herbert signed into law HB99, bumping Utah’s motion-picture incentive from a 20 percent tax rebate to 25 percent“, reports The Salt Lake Tribune.

Wyoming Film Production

After lowing their minimum spend two years ago, Wyoming now has a five-year extension of the Film Industry Financial Incentive program, which, as Wyoming Film Office blog states, “will continue the cash rebate incentives for production companies of up to 15 percent on dollars spent in Wyoming during a film shoot“.

Virginia Film Production

“Gov. Bob McDonnell signed legislation that establishes a film tax credit program in Virginia” tells Hampton Roads.com. With a minimum spend of $250,000, production companies can now seek tax credits from the state.

Leaving Los Angeles?

On the downside…

Got through the good news? The LAEDC report followed hot on the heels of a more damning review. The Tax Foundation claimed a couple of weeks back that “film tax credits fail to live up to their promises to encourage economic growth“. As a result, some states suspended or rejected any extensions of their incentive schemes, whilst many more reeled back the amount of credit offered or are questioning any continuation of their current system.

Connecticut Film Production

The new Connecticut budget places “restrictions on the film and television tax credit program” which “may make the state less appealing to Hollywood” claims the CT Post. Specifically, worries are regarding the reducing of ability to transfer these credits to other Connecticut based companies, and limiting the way that insurance companies can use the credits when bought.

Michigan Film Production

Michigan, which has offered the most bountiful credits to film companies at up to 42% of production related expenses, is in the middle of plans to slash those levels drastically. The overall budget for film credits will likely be reduced from $100 million to $25 million, although, as WSJ points out, Gov. Rick Snyder would have liked to put an end to the idea completely.

Washington Film Production

After two years of operation, the Washington Film Works will be closed as state legislators decide to not offer any kind of initiative moving forward. The News Tribune reported that local representatives had been “questioning the worth of film incentives in particular”.

New Jersey Film Production

Earlier this year, New Jersey announced that they were suspending their Film Tax Credit program, with much deliberating from CSINJ along the way.

Arkansas, Idaho and Maine all appropriated no funds for their programs this year, and Wisconsin allocated just $500,000 after deciding that any movie productions would equal a net loss for the state.

The pros and cons are often being heavily debated. Check out this transcript from Boston’s WBUR, between Peter Enrich, “a law professor at Northeastern University who opposes the state’s film tax credit program”, and Vinca Jarrett, “founder of the Boston firm FilmPro Finance, which helps movie-makers get financial backing”.

Ultimately, the bottom line for studios is what it comes down to when dictating job locations… if they can make the same movie for less money in a different US state, then why wouldn’t they? Without various credits, will we see these projects move to Vancouver or Rio de Janerio?

Hopefully this post shares some new information with you, and here at Media Match we’d love to hear if you have any views on or experience with the film tax credits system in your state.


by Lee Jarvis.

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This weekend, Chicago welcomes the third incarnation of CIMMfest. The Chicago International Movies and Music Festival is a weekend full of entertainment highlighting the crossover between film and song, punctuated with short documentaries, live concerts, panels, art exhibits, music videos and more. Musicians, indie filmmakers, producers, directors, students and enthusiasts from all backgrounds get the chance to mingle and enjoy works from a whole depth of like-minded folk.

“We’re really excited to bring together movies and music from all over the world to Chicago. CIMMfest is unique in its scope, from ethnographic films about Balkan folk songs to Mike Watt in concert, to video mashup DJs, to live musical accompaniments, and music from all over the map: Brit pop, hip hop, gospel, experimental, Americana, funk, industrial, and more.” says Josh Chicoine, CIMMfest Director. ” We aim to show our interconnectedness through the lens of film and music.”

The Festival sees 70 films being screened from over 20 countries, and includes 17 world, North American and US premieres. There are also free screenings at the Chicago Cultural Centre, a variety of afterparties at venues including Subterranean and Berlin, a Record Store Day celebration event at Big Star, and an event called Chicago Punk Night at Double Door.

Tickets for various screenings and events are available individually, via this CIMMfest page at Brown Paper Tickets, or you can purchase a Movie Pass, which lets you see all 30 of the films for one price of $45. Included with your ticket is a one-year subscription to Time Out Chicago magazine ($9.99 Value).

So, get out and about over the next three days and see and share as much of the festival as you can!

Fancy a quick preview? How about ‘Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then’….

2nd Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then trailer from Brent Green on Vimeo.

The story of a man who builds his cancer-stricken wife a magical house in a desperate act of love, accompanied by an all-star musical line-up. Self-taught animator Brent Green uses stop-motion photography to illuminate Leonard Wood’s doomed gesture. See it at WPAC, 2215 W. North Ave., Saturday, April 16 at 10:30pm.)


by Lee Jarvis.

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Yes, another 2010 compilation blog post! I thought we’d run down some of the favourite movies from 2010 as suggested by the Media Match team. We’d love to hear your thoughts, and links to any of the films you worked on in 2010. Please share in the comments below.

Inception
Sterling performances, Grammy-nominated soundtrack, and a genuinely thrilling movie.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page

Black Swan
Beautifully twisted. Huge at the film festivals last year.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writers: Mark Heyman (screenplay), Andres Heinz (screenplay), and 2 more credits »
Stars: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel

True Grit
Jeff Bridges rounds off a pretty amazing… well, decade, with another great portrayal of a unique character. Just hitting Europe and causing quite a stir.
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Writers: Joel Coen (screenplay), Ethan Coen (screenplay), and Charles Portis (novel)
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfeld

The Social Network
Another great soundtrack and a great movie interpretation of a novel interpretation of a story most people thought they already knew. Or kinda did. Or may do one day. Maybe the truth is out there…
Director: David Fincher
Writers: Aaron Sorkin (screenplay), Ben Mezrich (book)
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake

TRON: Legacy
Forgetting the fact that this is a remake of the 1982 story, the visual aspects and incredible, and are supported by a strong soundtrack courtesy of Daft Punk. A movie in this aspect is a whole different artform.
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writers: Edward Kitsis (screenplay), Adam Horowitz (screenplay), and Edward Kitsis (story), Adam Horowitz (story), Brian Klugman (story) & Lee Sternthal (story) and Steven Lisberger (characters) & Bonnie MacBird (characters)
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde

127 Hours
A trapped mountain climber makes for a deep and soul-searching movie. Danny Boyle described the picture as “an action movie in which the hero doesn’t move”, but manages to keep the viewer interested and enough suspense and ‘action’ within the confines of an individual’s own mind.
Director: Danny Boyle
Writers: Danny Boyle (screenplay), Simon Beaufoy (screenplay) and Aron Ralston (book “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”)
Stars: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara

The Fighter
My personal loathing of Walberg is neutralised by my respect for Bale, and so I’m able to look at the film relatively objectively. A strong all-round casting job and an amazing transformation by Bale.
Director: David O. Russell
Writers: Scott Silver (screenplay), Paul Tamasy (screenplay) & Eric Johnson (screenplay) and Paul Tamasy (story), Eric Johnson (story) & Keith Dorrington (story)
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams

Despicable Me
A dark yet slapstick animated comedy. And yes, it works! Universal Pictures chalks up a hit against arch-rival Pixar and without the obvious overhang of a series of sequels.
Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud
Writers: Ken Daurio (screenplay), Sergio Pablos (story), and Cinco Paul (screenplay)
Stars: Steve Carell, Jason Segel and Russell Brand

It’s Kind of A Funny Story
Clearly, clinically depressed teenagers are now funny. A great indie film showing imagination and a strong cast all round.
Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Writers: Anna Boden (screenplay), Ryan Fleck (screenplay), and Ned Vizzini (novel)
Stars: Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis and Emma Roberts

by Lee Jarvis.

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