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It used to be the case that only big ticket box office hits attracted investments from businesses.
More and more frequently we see small screen productions getting a major boost from private investors and businesses. Here are some of the facts on big investments in small screen production.
A number of shows on today’s screen have been backed by businesses. Popular TV Shows like Breaking Bad, House of Cards, and Game of Thrones are increasingly being backed by large business investments. The larger upfront investments allow producers to be more creative with their ideas and more extravagant with their filming techniques. More and more often, productions like these are becoming larger than life, with shooting taking place in exotic locations with massive and expensive props.
The movie industry has long been profitable, with most major movies turning in millions of dollars in revenue. Businesses have always been keen to cash in on some of these investments, which are often more reliable than other forms of investment. However, it wasn’t until recently that small screen productions began catching the eye of investors. With these shows becoming more popular worldwide, especially in developing countries such as the UK and the US, investors are realising the enormous opportunity that shows like this present.
The TV shows themselves also benefit from this form of investment. With the larger production value and increased marketing that the investments make available to them, producers of these shows can count on an increased viewer base. This, in turn, produces greater revenue and profits for everyone.
Business investors may face some barriers to getting involved in movie and TV investing. Especially with small screen productions, where the pathway to investment is not as well established, it does take some work for investors to get involved. It is a matter of seeking out the right contacts who can put them in contact with the financial dealers for the production. Networking is as key in this industry as it is in any other, and maybe even more so with the heightened security and scepticism around some of the biggest TV production sets.
It is unclear just how far this trend of TV investments will go, and whether it will remain a huge trend in the marketplace. Some of the effects have already been clear. With more investors shifting from box office hits to major TV productions, movie producers have had to be even more competitive when vying for investments. This means that movie producers may show more scrutiny in the scripts that they accept to work on, or it may result in a quality drop for some movies. However, the most promising films will always continue to be well backed by investors.
On the other hand, this trend has done a number of positive things for the television industry. With larger investments in these shows, producers can hire more big name stars for long-running stints on the show. While it’s often costly for TV producers to hire the most famous stars, since the commitment to the show may prevent them from making many movies in the long term, more big stars are beginning to appear on TV. A second trend is the increase in marketing of new TV shows and the quality of the production in these shows.
It’s hard to say what the future will hold for TV and movie investments. Many people are divided on whether the increasing investments in small screen productions is good for the industry. However, as long as people remain entertained, it’s likely that the trends will continue to regulate themselves based on consumer interest.