In this episode of the Media Clips Podcast, GHJ Entertainment Practice Leader Ilan Haimoff checks in with Dr. Jeffrey Cole, Director of USC Annenberg's Center for the Digital Future.

Jeffrey shared his insights from CinemaCon, an annual event where cinema owners and industry professionals gather to explore shifting paradigms in film distribution and audience engagement. He notes that the box office recovered after the pandemic but has not yet reached 2019 levels, and he does not expect that level to return considering the slowdown in production during the 2023 strikes.

Jeffrey also pointed to a few examples from 2023 that may shape the future of film distribution:

• A major topic of discussion was theatrical windows, which have shortened significantly as more films are sent to streaming sooner.
• Sound of Freedom was a surprise hit that was partially propelled to success by a pay-it-forward model.
• AMC CEO Adam Aron took an innovative (and potentially controversial) approach to distribution when he bypassed the studios to directly bring Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé to theaters. Adam cited these films as solely driving the company’s growth in Q4 2023.

Ilan and Jeffrey also talk about sports broadcasting, which has the potential to shape the television landscape as streamers like Amazon invest in live sports, and lessons learned from the 2023 strikes as a new round of labor negotiations take place.

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