“Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it, you can’t improve it,” declared H. James Harrington, a performance improvement guru.
In 2014, new media is a viable revenue generator. Whether you’ve got a new media hit or are hoping to have one, the question is where’s the up side? Was your film a hit on VOD, on YouTube? How would you know? How much should you be paid? The answers to these and other questions aren’t always easy to come by. At last month’s Digital Hollywood conference in Los Angles, CCC’s Chris Kenneally moderated a panel to address these mysteries and help filmmakers and their creative partners learn what they need to do to maximize revenue share.
“The challenge of any data analysis effort is to distinguish what is measurable from what is meaningful, to understand the difference between statistical significance and practical significance,” Kenneally noted. “There are always questions to ask about the data –How well was it gathered? How well structured is it? How much data is too much data?”
The Digital Hollywood Panel included:
Chris Horton, who joined Sundance Institute in 2011 to launch #ArtistServices, an initiative that further extends the organization’s mission of connecting artists with audiences. Through a series of innovative deals and partnerships, #ArtistServices provides Institute alumni with tools that enhance creative funding and self-distribution opportunities. Deals include an exclusive partnership with Kickstarter, and arrangements that allow filmmakers access to best-in-class terms and digital distribution on outlets such as iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and Google Play. Horton was previously the head of acquisitions for FilmBuff, a pioneering New York digital distribution company.
Vince Muscarella, who is Vice President, Studio Digital Services, for Rentrak (NASDAQ: RENT), the entertainment and marketing industries’ premier provider of worldwide consumer viewership information, precisely measuring actual viewing behavior of movies and TV everywhere. From 2007 to 2012, he was Director, New Media, at Millennium Entertainment, a leading independent supplier that acquires and distributes feature films.
Meyer Shwarzstein, who has been directly involved in the development, financing and production of dozens of films. In addition to theatrical films, he has produced movies or series for Chiller, DIRECTV, EPIX, Lifetime, Hallmark, Oxygen, PBS, Sony, Showtime, Syfy Channel, and TV One. At Brainstorm, Shwarzstein has handled TV, SVOD, VOD, EST and other rights for many companies including Lionsgate, Magnolia Pictures, Samuel Goldwyn Company, Roadside Attractions, Music Box Films, and Shout! Factory. Today, Brainstorm is relied on for strategic consultation, title placement and marketing.
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