Why Streamers Are Removing Shows
In this issue: Why is HBO Max removing shows?; A fiery WGA Awards speech; The Best Books About Filmmaking; Are you hurting your video production team?; New merch!
Movies & TV
Why Platforms Like HBO Max are Removing Shows
From the Planet Money podcast
Over the past year, dozens of shows have been disappearing from streaming platforms like HBO Max and Showtime. Shows like Minx, Made for Love, FBoy Island, and even big budget hits like Westworld have been removed entirely.
So why did these platforms, after investing millions of dollars in creating original content, decide not just to cancel those shows, but to make them unavailable altogether?
We dive into the economics of the television industry looking for answers to a streaming mystery that has affected both fans and creatives. And we find out what happens when the stream runs dry.
Filmmaking
Charlie Kaufman’s Fiery WGA Awards Speech
By Cynthia Littleton, Variety
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Being John Malkovich” screenwriter Charlie Kaufman took dead aim at Hollywood’s power structure in his remarks at Sunday’s Writers Guild Awards, where he was feted with the top honorary film award.
“We are trained to believe that what we do is secondary to what they do,” Kaufman said, with quiet intensity, referencing executives who make decisions out of fear in order to preserve their jobs.
“Our work is to reflect the world, say what is true in the face of so much lying. The rest is window dressing at best, ‘Triumph of the Will’ at worst,” he said.
The Best Books About Filmmaking
By Matt Singer, Screen Crush
There is something to be said for not knowing how films are made. It’s called movie magic for a reason; when the movies work, a trip to the theater can become an almost supernatural experience that defies rational explanation.
But odds are, if you truly love movies you’re also afflicted by an insatiable curiosity about them. Not just watching them, but understanding how they are made and why some productions turn into classics while others result in legendary disasters. To find out, there are only a few places to turn, and the oldest and most reliable remains a good book — like the ten featured below, which should be considered essential reading for any true cinephile.
Video Production & Post
Is the Organization of Your Video Team Hurting or Helping?
By Clint Till
How can you continue to encourage creativity and innovation among members of your video production team? Variety.
To help keep processes streamlined and overall workflow organized, large corporations and non-profits might herd their people into verticals, assigning each working team to one particular category of accounts. Some employees might thrive in an environment like this because it allows them to grow intimately familiar with a smaller group of clients. Specialization can be useful in some instances.
Are there risks involved with this type of team structure? Yes.
News
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