THAILAND

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT IS SETTING A NEW BAR FOR INNOVATION IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOME MOVIES BY DEMONSTRATING THE POTENTIAL OF WEB3.

DISNEY RULES NORTH AMERICA SCRIPTED COMMISSIONING Disney has taken a firm lead for scripted content in North America, having ordered more new scripted content by the end of September than it took in the whole of 2021. Ampere’s figures reveal Netflix has focused more on international with its scripted output falling by 15% in North America across the first three quarters, vs Disney’s growth of 61%.

Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount have also reduced US commissioning. Mid-size players have shown the greatest development in North America in 2022. Apple, which is steadily evolving into a serious scripted player is the fourth largest commissioner of scripted content in North America with 32 new series ordered, making it one of the global top 10 commissioners of scripted for the first time.

In Western Europe, traditionally led by PSBs, France TV is currently the largest commissioner of new scripted content with 40 titles, per Ampere stats. Netflix has matched this also with 40, four more titles than this time last year. The biggest reduction in scripted commissioning has come from the BBC, which has fallen to third having been the biggest commissioner in 2021, with a 37% reduction in scripted output.

Fred Black, Research Manager at Ampere said: “With public service broadcasters increasingly pulling back due to budget constraints, SVOD platforms and studios are ramping up scripted output. If Disney can successfully position its global portfolio of streaming services and cable channels in a way that suits consumers, it can claim Original content supremacy over incumbent market leader Netflix.” NOVA SCOTIA ADDS TAX BREAK The Nova Scotia government has a new tax break to attract and retain film and video workers aged under 30.It's an expansion of the More Opportunity for Skilled Trades (MOST) programme. Those eligible for this programme will get a tax rebate on their first USD50,000 of income earned. It will allow a maximum USD2,700-tax refund for those eligible.

Laura MacKenzie, executive director of Screen Nova Scotia, said there are only about 650 people in the province working in the industry and the incentive could help address that labour shortage.

"The film industry lost many film and television graduates to greener pastures over the past years," MacKenzie said. “We're rebuilding the reputation and vitality of the cultural economy as one that has incredible untapped potential to grow this province's tax base."

The film industry pumped USD180 million into Nova Scotia's economy over the past fiscal year – more than double its value from two years ago.

Andor © The Walt Disney Studios. C4’S WARP DRIVE Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund has invested in Warp Films, the Sheffield-based indie producer behind film and television shows such as This Is England, Four Lions, The Virtues and Little Birds.

Warp is known for working with an array of talent including Shane Meadows, Chris Morris, Idris Elba and Stephen Graham.

The minority shareholding takes the current portfolio of companies in the Channel 4 Indie Growth Fund to 19 with 11 companies having joined since 2020.

FINANCIAL TOOLS FOR FREELANCERS The Film and TV Charity with MoneyHelper launched a range of digital financial tools to increase practical support for freelancers facing uncertainty due to the ongoing cost-ofliving crisis.

CEO Alex Pumfrey, said: “With inflation and rising energy bills causing grave concern, we want to ensure that everyone in the TV and film industry has access to the best advice and guidance possible. Our new financial tools aren’t a magic bullet to the cost-of-living crisis, but they do offer a greater ability to plan and manage finances and ultimately strengthen resilience.”

The Lord of the Rings released as a multimedia NFT

Peter Jackson’s 2001 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the first major studio film to be released as a Digital Movie NFT. It also the first in an anticipated series of Web3 movie offerings from Warner Bros, and it marks the launch of the WB Movieverse.

This is being billed as an “exciting new way for fans to engage with the film” through two new “experience options” called The Mystery Edition and The Epic Edition. Both allow owners to watch the extended version of the film in 4K UHD, access more than eight hours of special features, view image galleries, discover hidden AR collectibles, and explore themed navigation menus based on iconic locations, as well as own and trade the experience in a community marketplace.

“Fans of The Lord of the Rings can now acquire, participate, and trade in an epic living media experience that will undoubtedly surprise and delight them,” said Michelle Munson, CEO of blockchain specialists Eluvio which partnered Warner Bros on the project. “It’s truly designed for a mass consumer audience, not just Web3 enthusiasts, which is why it should, and does, feel so remarkable and engaging.”

She added, “Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is setting a new bar for innovation in the distribution of home movies by demonstrating the potential of Web3 for consumer engagement, digital supply chain transformation, and new business opportunities.”

To participate fans must create a secure media wallet that acts as a digital vault to enable them to stream and purchase the content via credit cards or crypto wallets.

“IT’S TRULY DESIGNED FOR A MASS CONSUMER AUDIENCE, NOT JUST WEB3 ENTHUSIASTS, WHICH IS WHY IT SHOULD, AND DOES, FEEL SO REMARKABLE AND ENGAGING.”

© Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.