China Archives - Documentary Business

GZ DOC Panel: Global Factual Content Summit: 2021 VOD Platforms & Festivals

2021 November 22 / China, Conferences & Markets, Inclusivity, Netflix, Sunny Side of the Doc, Theatrical Documentary, VOD

What are the key demand trends in the documentary sector across platforms, and how are the festivals responding? That was the ambitious topic for this morning’s recording of an engaging panel for the upcoming Guangzho International Documentary Film Festival 2021. China had almost fallen off my radar after many years of deep involvement in the …

GZ DOC Panel: Global Factual Content Summit: 2021 VOD Platforms & Festivals Read More »

Documentary Decision-makers Guide. New and Updated from Sunny Side. 260 Buyers. 42 Countries! Save $69.95!!!

2021 August 9 / Africa, Australia, Canada, China, Commissioning Process, Conferences & Markets, Distribution, Foundation Funding, Funding a Documentary, Netflix, Network Profile, Pitching, Sunny Side of the Doc

Who are key documentary buyers worldwide? What programs and series do they want? How can you reach them? 260 decision-makers / 137 companies / 42 countries The expanded and updated Sunny Side of the Doc Guide to Documentary Decision Makers is now available for $99.95. That’s a 33% instant savings of $50 off the regular …

Documentary Decision-makers Guide. New and Updated from Sunny Side. 260 Buyers. 42 Countries! Save $69.95!!! Read More »

Subscribe Now, It's Free!

INSIDE WUHAN: A short-turnaround, undercover investigative documentary from Canada: Case Study

2020 April 15 / Canada, Case Study, China, Commissioning Process, Coronavirus, Distribution, Documentary Budget, Funding a Documentary, Pitching, Ratings

INSIDE WUHAN is a Case Study in how hard times bring out innovation and flexibility from filmmakers. The producer/ director Craig Thompson discusses his 22-minute, short turnaround special, commissioned by CTV-Canada’s W5 and produced by Ballinran Entertainment and White Pine Pictures. Tagline INSIDE WUHAN is an undercover documentary that foreshadows a world under quarantine and …

INSIDE WUHAN: A short-turnaround, undercover investigative documentary from Canada: Case Study Read More »

Sundance: Buyers Bid $20 Million as the Feature Documentary Category Booms

2019 February 16 / Amazon, China, Commissioning Process, Conferences & Markets, Documentary Budget, Documentary Production, Funding a Documentary, Internet Economy, Netflix, Producers' Tool Kit, Theatrical Documentary, Uncategorized, VOD

The feature documentary is booming. That’s the message from Sundance 2019. Reported bids for rights approach $20 million. Topping the list is Knock Down the House, the Sundance Audience Award winner that captures the run for Congress in 2018 of the “AOC” superstar Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The SVOD giant reportedly bid $10 million for worldwide rights. That’s …

Sundance: Buyers Bid $20 Million as the Feature Documentary Category Booms Read More »

China Trends: 850 Million New Middle Class Video Consumers. Broadcasters Edge Back to Copro’s. SVOD Boom

2017 September 6 / China, Conferences & Markets, VOD

China is always on my radar. For the Factual sector, it’s been boom and bust, glimpses of editorial freedom followed by heavy state control, old business models and new ones. Despite many false dawns, I have kept my eyes open for hopeful trends for documentarians who are determined to do business in China. This post …

China Trends: 850 Million New Middle Class Video Consumers. Broadcasters Edge Back to Copro’s. SVOD Boom Read More »

An Expert Challenges The “China’s Booming Middle Class” Theory

2017 September 6 / China, VOD

A colleague writes from China in response to my post that opportunities will be created from China’s addition of 870 million middle class consumers: You miss the point about the growing Chinese middle class and, come to think of it, about SVOD here in China. Where to start? First, let’s talk about the middle class television …

An Expert Challenges The “China’s Booming Middle Class” Theory Read More »

M研究院|Facebook原创内容将至，美国内容行业的反应是……

2017 May 16 / China, Documentary Production, Facebook, VOD

My “Facebook Originals Are Coming!” post was translated by our friends at Content China. China’s documentary sector has been a regular subject of analysis in this newsletter. The promise of the early years of this century were frustrated by an array of regulatory and commercial factors. However, I can see that the pendulum is shifting. China’s VOD services …

M研究院|Facebook原创内容将至，美国内容行业的反应是…… Read More »

MIP CHINA: Chinese Majors Are Seeking Coproduction Partners. Hangzhou, May 23-25

2017 April 7 / China, Commissioning Process, Funding a Documentary

A big Takeaway at MIPDoc and MIPTV is that “CHINA IS COMING BACK!” China’s appetite for international coproductions is surging after state regulators restricted broadcasters from acquiring international content. MIP CHINA is the first ever one-to-one partnership forum that that brings together international producers with Chinese companies who are actively seeking copro partners. The format …

MIP CHINA: Chinese Majors Are Seeking Coproduction Partners. Hangzhou, May 23-25 Read More »