San Sebastian’s European Film Forum, entitled Audiences in Motion, had a practical bent, examining best-case practices and strategies for reaching youth and international audiences, and how to measure success. That is a matter of urgent concern. The theatrical film market share for non-national European films in the European Union is around 10%, compared to up to 70% for American films, said Martin Dawson, deputy head of unit at the European Commission’s Media Program.
Also “People under 30 have a tendency to avoid traditional media like cinemas and TV,” reflected keynote speaker Stefan Schmitz at Avalon, a Madrid-based production-distribution
house.
The most obvious way to target younger users is via the web. At a first round table, Marianne Furevold-Boland, a producer at Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, presented “Shame,” a NRK web series featuring five teen girls. It hit 1.26 million users by the end of its second
season. One key was “real time” release: If a party happened on Friday night, the episode featuring it bowed on a Friday night.
RTVE, Spain’s nationwide public broadcaster, has created a VR version of its cult time-travel drama, “El Ministerio del Tiempo,” and a Spanish “Life in a Day,” with all of its contents webcast, he added.
France’s Camille Lopato explained how she has opened a 17-seat VR cinema. Its clients are increasingly young people seeking the experience of watching VR. The main challenge: the lack of VR content.
Digital has redefined the attainment and valuation of distribution success, said Felipe Ponton,
director of development at Telefonica’s Movistar Plus, at a second panel on data analytics.
“Notoriousness” and a qualitative customer assessment” are two new criteria, he argued.
For VOD platforms, editorialising and branding are key to gaining and retaining audiences, observed Tania Sutherland, at Mubi.
If there is a European audience for European series and films, this could be a matter of language, added Arturo Guillen, at audience measurement company Comscore.
JOHN HOPEWELL