Netflix’s first feature film “Beasts of No Nation,” debuts at the 72nd Venice Film Festival, to be followed by showings at the Telluride and Toronto festivals. The movie, about a young boy recruited to fight a civil war in an African nation, was directed by Cary Fukunaga (“True Detective”) and acquired by Netflix for $12 million. The movie will open on October 16 on Netflix and 29 independent screens via distributor Bleecker Street. Netflix also plans a comprehensive ad campaign and awards season push. Continue reading Game Changer: Netflix Film to Debut on Big and Small Screens

HBO has acquired the popular online series, “High Maintenance,” which first launched on Vimeo in 2013 free of charge. Last year, creators Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld partnered with the streaming service to offer the second season exclusively via Vimeo On Demand, and it quickly became a top seller on the VOD service. For now, viewers can still watch the dramedy without paying for HBO, since the first 13 episodes are streaming free of charge and the most recent six episodes are available on demand for $2 each. Continue reading Vimeo Hit Series ‘High Maintenance’ Leaving the Web for HBO

A project called “Maui” being developed internally at HBO to launch the company’s standalone streaming video service next year has been terminated. Instead, HBO has opted to outsource the development of its service to MLB Advanced Media, a company with experience in streaming media technology. As a result of Maui’s cancellation, HBO has also parted ways with its chief technology officer, Otto Berkes, who had been with the company since 2012 and oversaw the project.  Continue reading HBO Outsources its Streaming Tech Development to MLBAM

Notable film directors are increasingly making the transition to television as networks are providing more creative control and encouraging the use of distinctive styles. Cary Fukunaga directed every episode of HBO’s “True Detective,” illustrating that the auteur model could be an effective approach to a TV series. With Steven Soderbergh directing every episode of “The Knick” on Cinemax and David Fincher doing the same for the upcoming “Utopia” on HBO, the shift seems to be more than a mere trend. Continue reading Auteur Structure: Are Film Directors Reimagining Television?