AN INFORMAL SURVEY OF commercial production company executives elicited a mix of angst and excitement over the changing business landscape. Of immediate concern are the ubiquitous tighter margins, increased competition, the higher cost of procuring and developing directorial talent, and uncertainty over next year’s negotiations for a new actors’ spot contract.
Many production companies are increasingly defining themselves in a talent/career management light, keeping a watchful eye on how new media opportunities (i.e. the Internet, interactive television, enhanced TV) will shake out. Off the record, many aren’t sure what the hell is going on relative to these emerging media and the new ad forms they will help spawn. We uncovered considerable interest in the implications of Razorfish’s recent acquisition of Fuel. (See "Fueling Convergence," p. 64). We also found heightened attention being paid to strategic alliances that some production houses have struck up with ITV, convergent media and other technology companies, resulting in such projects as the ad lab under development at Random/Order (see "Come Together," p. 46).
Indeed a significant portion of the aforementioned angst relates to how a production company should intelligently prepare for and diversify into new ad forms. "It’s hard to tell who’s blowing smoke among the so-called expert new media companies," said one veteran spot production exec. "I’ve met several people [from convergent media companies] and my instinct tells me that they are looking to make a killing by going public—but beyond that, I question the seriousness of their long-term commitment."
Besides the puzzle of figuring out whom to align with in the dizzying strategic partner matchmaking game, there’s also the wide array of prognostications in terms of the increased or diminished value of traditional broadcast advertising versus the Internet or enhanced TV, et cetera. (Look for a rundown of predictions and informed research in SHOOT’s 1/7/00 issue.)
But while crystal balling is a daunting task, there are certain key facts production companies can cling to for more than consolation. Despite the angst and the squeeze being felt by many shops, they still have a coveted commodity: prowess in providing content. And the chance for retaining some equity in that content is real in the new millennium.
Secondly, savvy ad agencies and clients are starting to look at production companies/content providers in a different, more important light, coming to view them more as new media partners as they seek help in developing relevant ad forms. Research indicates that a growing number of advertisers are bypassing agencies to pursue new advertising platforms. This can mean either more potential client-direct opportunities for content providers, or an environment in which agencies are partnering more meaningfully with those providers.
Meanwhile, there’s much to be harvested in the peaceful co-existence of traditional and new disciplines, the prime example being dot-com advertising. According to the just-released communications industry forecast by investment banking firm Veronis, Suhler & Associates, the Internet has become a significant ad medium in its own right, accounting for $1.9 billion in ’98, and forecasted to reach $8.2 billion by 2003. Moreover, Internet companies are themselves becoming important advertisers in traditional media. At last count, more than 20 percent of the ad time for the upcoming Super Bowl telecast had been bought by dot-com companies (SHOOT, 10/1/99, p. 1). And earlier this week, Arnold Communications debuted its VW Cabrio ad on the Internet, hoping that would create a bigger splash for the spot when it breaks on television next Monday (11/22). Veronis Suhler concluded that over the next four years, new media will help invigorate old media.
In canvassing a cross-section of production company execs, the clear consensus was that they felt the compelling need to assemble and nurture the best possible collection of directing and creative talent. That’s the prerequisite to prepare for opportunities across all platforms, from traditional spotmaking to longform to developing new ad/entertainment vehicles.
Review: Writer-Director Adam Elliot’s “Memoir of a Snail”
It's not your typical stop-motion film when characters name pets after Sylvia Plath and read "The Diary of Anne Frank" — or when the story's inspired by a quote from existentialist thinker Søren Kierkegaard. And it's certainly not your typical stop-motion film when you find yourself crying as much as the characters do — in their case, with huge droplets leaking from bulging, egg-shaped eyes so authentic-looking, you expect the screen to get wet. But those are just a few of the unique things about Adam Elliot's "Memoir of a Snail," a film that's as heart-tugging as it is technically impressive, a work of both emotional resonance and great physical detail using only clay, wire, paper and paint. One thing Elliot's film is not, though, is for kids. So please take note before heading to the multiplex with family in tow: this film earns its R rating, as you'll discover as soon as young Grace, voiced by Sarah Snook, tells us she thought masturbation was about chewing your food properly. Sex, nudity, drunk driving, a fat fetish — like we said, it's R-rated for a reason. But let's start at the beginning. In this, his seventh "clayography" (for "clay" and "biography"), the Australian writer-director explores the process of collecting unnecessary objects. Otherwise known as hoarding, it's something that weighs us down in ways we can't see, for all the clutter. Elliot also argues that it helps us build constrictive shells around ourselves — like snail shells, perhaps. Our protagonist is Grace Pudel, voiced with a quirky warmth and plenty of empathy by the wonderfully agile Snook. We first encounter Grace as a grown woman, telling her long, lonely life story to her pet garden snail, Sylvia (named after Plath), at a moment of deep sadness. Then we flash... Read More