In late 2009 I flagged up a report on the Russian film industry authored by Nevafilm Research and Rfilms on behalf of the European Audiovisual Observatory.
Nevafilm has recently launched a new, and more detailed, study of the Russian distribution market, available to purchase from their web site (in the interest of full disclousure: I'm not working on commission).
Here Xenia Leontyeva, Senior Analyst at Nevafilm Research, explains what the report covers and how it can benefit industry professionals with an eye on the Russian market:
In a recent blog post, Jim Barratt asked what market players need to know about the film distribution market in the UK. Specialists at Nevafilm Research asked themselves the same question about the film distribution market in Russia last year.
We wondered: do many producers (in Russia and abroad) know what it takes to effectively sell their film on the Russian market? What fundamental knowledge will help them navigate Russia’s vast expanse? Let’s not forget that Russia, with a population of 141 million, boasts a truly massive market, spanning nine time zones and one-third of Eurasia.
Data collected by Nevafilm Research shows that the country has:
- More than 860 modern cinemas (about 2,430 screens, 930 of which are digital) in 330 cities, serving 76 million people. The film distribution market consists of 30 distribution companies and about 500 exhibitors;
[click to enlarge]
- Eighty two million Russians own DVD players. Six hundred thousand own Blu-ray players. One out of two residents of the country buys at least one licensed disc a year, though sales of pirated content remain four times higher. Still, Russia has 60 video distribution companies and more than 40 major video retail chains;
- 140.5 million residents whose homes are equipped for free terrestrial television. Terrestrial TV offers around 30,000 hours of programming a year—that’s 80 hours a day! Films are regularly shown on 20 national terrestrial TV channels, and popular film segments draw between 500,000 to 5 million viewers;
- 72 million non-terrestrial television subscribers. At least 30 cable and satellite television channels specialize in cinema, and are watched at least once per month by between 100,000 and 7 million viewers;
- 35 million people with broadband Internet access and 11 million cable, telecom, and satellite services subscribers with more than 30 paid or free VoD services to choose from.
Our new study, The Film Distribution Market in Russia, goes beyond simply collecting these numbers, and represents an effort to make sense of this diverse market and to help navigate its legislative and socio-economic peculiarities.
This report is no run-of-the-mill year-in-review: it’s a comprehensive collection of information you will need to know to make an educated decision about your film’s future in Russia. What type of film rights should you choose? To whom should you transfer these rights? And how much should you charge? The Film Distribution Market in Russia has the answers to all these questions.
The report will tell you, for example, the USD-RUB exchange rates for 1993, 1998, and 2008. By comparing national currency exchange rate fluctuations with the rate of inflation for the same period, you can see just how hard Russians were hit by the recent world financial crisis.
[click to enlarge]
The report will also give you an accurate picture of population dispersal across Russia’s seemingly endless territories. You can see just how economically stratified Russia’s society really is and learn the actual effects of the demographic collapse of the 1990s.
We’ve also included detailed information about school breaks and holidays, and a list of more than 30 dates with special significance in Russians’ social life. You’ll learn the crucial differences between the New Year and “Old New Year”, Russia’s extensive winter and spring breaks, National Unity Day and the Day of Accord and Reconciliation.
We provide our own analysis of more than 20 laws regulating the audiovisual sector. We go beyond defining these laws, to describe limitations and preferential conditions placed on the sector’s players, as well as their responsibilities and privileges. We also analyze recent legislative changes and offer a sampling of professional opinions about these changes, selected from the current Russian press.
Finally, we are the only ones offering a definitive list of all major Russian film distribution market players, along with a description of each player. This list includes cinema chains; film, video, television, and Internet distribution companies; content aggregators; terrestrial and non-terrestrial television channels; video manufacturing facilities; retail chains; cable and IP television operators; websites offering VoD services, and more.
The report is written by Russian film industry specialists, based on first-hand data, so you can always be confident that the information is accurate and up-to-date. Since the report was translated into English by native English speakers, you won’t have to claw your way through every sentence.
Unfortunately, Jim was only too right to note in his blog that this kind of market information can’t be had for free. You can find out how to purchase this report at our website. However, we are always happy to talk to you about your personal needs and resources, and we can help significantly reduce your expenses by offering you specific chapters (in digital or print format). Please don’t hesitate to contact us at research@nevafilm.ru.
Xenia Leontyeva
Senior Analyst, Nevafilm Research
www.digitalcinema.ru
Comments