SURVEY


PRODUCTION 100 DISTRIBUTOR POLL


DISTRIBUTOR


MOST USED DISTRIBUTORS


1 2 3


4= 4= 6 7 8


9= 9=


All3Media International BBC Studios Banijay Rights ITV Global Entertainment Fremantle Blue Ant Drive Cineflix Passion Distribution Beyond Rights


RATINGS


DISTRIBUTORS ARE HAVING TO TAKE GREATER RISKS THAN EVER TO SECURE CONTENT AMID THE STRAMING BOOM


O


HIGHEST RATED DISTRIBUTORS


1= 1= 3= 3= 5= 5= 7 8 9 10= 10=


All3Media International Drive BBC Stdudios Blue Ant Banijay Rights Cineflix ITV Global Entertainment Fremantle Bossanova Media Passion Distribution DCD Rights


f all the sectors to be affected by the streaming boom, distribution has arguably felt


the biggest impact. It used to be that programmes


were largely commissioned by broadcasters to serve audiences in distinct geographical areas, and a distributor would then take on the show to sell to a patchwork of broadcasters around the world. However, direct-to-consumer global streaming services have, in many cases, cut the need for such middlemen. For distributors, getting hold of


good content to sell has become a lot harder. Major US studio producers are holding back content for their own direct platforms, even from their own internal distribution entities. Independent producers, many of whom are thriving on the back of the content boom, are signing one-stop global deals with the streamers. Of course there are still plenty


of shows being made for traditional broadcasters that distributors are able to pick up. But competition to do so is intense. Many producers are now part of large production groups with inhouse distribution operations which


Autumn 2021 P51 televisual.com


have a first look at their projects. Adding to the challenges


facing distributors is the fact that traditional broadcaster budgets are under pressure as never before. Streamer competition plus economic disruption caused by Covid-19 has hit the ad revenues of commercial broadcasters, while funding for public broadcasters like the BBC is often shrinking in real terms. This has driven down programme


budgets at many broadcasters. It means producers are often left with deficits in their production budgets, which they often look to fill through upfront investment from distributors.


FINANCING MIX Indeed, distributors have become an increasingly important part of the programme financing mix for producers. This comes through clearly in


the Production 100. Asked which distributor they rate and why, many producers pick out those who will deficit fund their productions. One says Banijay Rights is “keen


to invest and proactive about gap funding.” Another high-end factual producer picks out All3Media International and Cineflix for giving “decent advances if required,” while a documentary producer says BBC Studios “can be very helpful with cashflow and deficit funding.” Drive is cited as “expert across several services including programme funding, sales and international


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