Distribution : Fox (Disney) Buys ROKU by Shadow Dragu-Mihai

That's a massive consolidation, and it means one company will control a major streaming device platform and a direct pipeline to over a hundred million households, which could eventually bury independent films in favor of Fox's own library. What do you think this means for indie filmmakers who have been relying on those platforms?

Samantha Rivera I don't think it means much different, as its just the latest in the trend. In fact, ALL first and second tier streaming platforms have been bought up by MPA principals or subs in the last 5 years, which is another lockout of independent distribution and profits. MUBI seems last indie platform standing, if I am not mistaken, and they're not necessarily a great option for everyone. But honestly, as head of the Independent Producers Guild for the last 4 years, I can say without qualification that most (ie. 90%+) aspiring independent filmmakers just don't understand that they filmmaking is a business and they must be entrepreneurs if they want to make money at it, and that they really have no intention of becoming that. One way forward, IMO is niche franchise platforms, like those being led by various and diverse people like Mr. Beast, Viva La Dirt League, The Why Files, Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, Deerstalker Pictures et al, and the growing cadre of creators who are moving from YouTube and TikTok to their own dedicated platforms. They are adapting to the radical shifts in viewer preferences, promotional strategies etc. and they are masters of their own house. And, again IMO, there is a marked return to the power of personality - in other words, celebrity and name recognition matters to audiences, especially when the audience discovers that name instead of being told about it.

Thanks Shadow Dragu-Mihai , that's interesting.

The part about creators building their own platforms got me thinking. I've been spending a lot of time looking for filmmakers, but maybe I should also be paying attention to filmmakers and creators who already have an audience behind them.

And yeah, I think I'm finally starting to understand why you keep bringing up marketing all the time .

Appreciate the insight.

Muhammad Muhammad That is what you should be doing, IMO.

Shadow Dragu-Mihai This raises an important question for independent filmmakers. As larger companies continue to consolidate distribution platforms, do you think it becomes harder for independent films to be discovered, or can these platforms still create opportunities for quality storytelling to find an audience? I'd be interested to hear different perspectives.

Abhijeet Aade One dynamic is that a platform uses the titles it gets as traffic generators. It does not promote your title, ever. Nor do distributors these days. And whichever platform you are on controls its own search and recommendation algorithm, which is designed to maximize profits for the platform and often to bait and switch to it's own preferred titles. If your title is on no platform at all... you're clearly not getting discovered. But being on a platform doesn't guarantee anything and not only does it not relieve the filmmaker from the burden of marketing, but it demands that you do it and direct traffic to your spot on that platform.

Adding to what Shadow wrote, if you have a film that's on Amazon Prime or Netflix (and others), sure you're excited it's there. The problem is, is no one is looking for your film. 20% of all the movies/TV shows on the platforms are getting 80% of viewing. So what are you doing as a creator to get people to see your movie / TV show on streaming platforms?

Lindbergh Hollingsworth I think that's one of the biggest challenges for independent filmmakers today. Getting onto a streaming platform is a milestone, but it doesn't automatically create an audience. If viewers don't know your film exists, it can easily get buried among thousands of titles. Building anticipation before release and giving people a reason to watch at a specific time can make a big difference.

Shadow Dragu-Mihai Thank you for sharing that perspective, Shadow. I completely agree that getting a film onto a platform is only one milestone, not the finish line. Discoverability has become just as important as distribution itself. Today's filmmakers have to think like entrepreneurs building an audience, creating awareness, and driving viewers to their film instead of relying solely on platform algorithms. Marketing and storytelling have become inseparable parts of independent filmmaking. Thanks for highlighting such an important reality.