There are more ways than ever to finance films but rising costs have made independent production significantly more challenging, according to panellists speaking at Locarno Pro’s StepIN think tank event this morning.
The panellists also agreed that a changing of the guard is needed among key decision makers at financiers, festivals, distributors right through to reviewers to ensure that new, diverse filmmaking voices are championed.
The theme of this year’s StepIN is “The Ground Is Shaking,” with debate centring on topics such as A.I., challenges in independent production and financing, the traditional theatrical model and gender equality and diversity representation.
HanWay Films head of production Katie Ellen said budgets have not risen at the same pace as inflation and that, as a result, the “luxury to make films that are mediocre” does not really exist any more. “The bullseye for success has become smaller.”
Ellen said one way through is with the help of experienced, creative producers who can find solutions to help finance projects. AI could also help to offset time-consuming administrative tasks, allowing producers to be more creative.
Producer Ada Solomon of Romania’s Microfilm said that working with debut filmmakers can be an advantage as budgets are smaller for first films. “If you break through, you can make money…if you fail, you lose less.” However, the panel also noted that financiers are very cautious about backing new filmmakers.
WME Independent co-head Alex Walton stressed the positive, saying that the indie film sector remains “a business of taking risks – it is all about original stories. There is a healthy appetite around the world for risk taking still. There are more platforms for distribution than there were before. That is a big positive. There is a place for your films and recoupment.”
Changing of the guard
The panel said that progress in terms of diversity behind the camera had led to different voices making independent films and this is starting to resonate with audiences. The UK, for example, has seen a new generation of women directors emerge in recent years, including Molly Manning Walker (How To Have Sex), Charlotte Wells (Aftersun), Charlotte Regan (Scrapper) and Raine Allen Miller (Rye Lane).
Solomon, whose credits include Radu Jude’s Berlinale Golden Bear winner Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn, said that there had been less progress in terms of diversity of decision makers at public and private financiers, distributors, festival and market selection committees, sales agents and exhibitors.
Ellen said that for new perspectives to come into the industry, old ones have to leave. “That’s the real challenge, because there’s fear in an industry where there’s not a lot of jobs or security.”
Ellen also highlighted the role of critics and festivals in supporting change.
“We can do all of the work within the industries in terms of finding, supporting and nurturing talent, financing the film and making the film. But when it comes to getting it out in the world, you need to know that there are going to be festival selectors who are going to be open to a project and connect with it if it’s good… Do we have a broad enough range of selectors in the festivals to make sure that they’re going to be connecting with some of this new material coming in.?
“And then after that, reviewers. This is one of the areas that I’m constantly looking at. It’s not monolithic, but it’s still quite pale and male,” said Ellen.
“If you’ve got films that are always going to have a female demographic, who is best to write on that? Who is best to be the lead critic and give it the review that’s going to then drive audiences or encourage buyers to pick it up? That final adjudicator of quality, I think, is really key, because these films have to go out into the industry, be critically well received, and then that gives buyers, distributors and financiers the confidence to do the next one.”
Meanwhile, Walton spoke of the lack of young people currently running film companies, and the impact this could have on attracting younger audiences. He cited a lack of 20-somethings in the distribution sector in important positions. “I remember when I first started 25 years ago, there were a load of trailblazers. You don’t see as much of that now. I think we have to encourage that. A changing in the guard is very important to the overall picture.”
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