The business of the Danish filmbusiness, part I

This Monday the 1st of September 2014, the Danish Film Institute, DFI, summoned the Danish film-business to a debate about the future of Danish film, in relation to the new political agreement that is being negotiated at this moment, to be implemented late fall.

I am not a journalist. I am a film artist working as a director, producer, editor and facilitator of independent filmmaking in Denmark and worldwide. This is not going to be a dictate or report of the meeting that will care about exactly WHO said what. It´s not going to be concerned about exact numbers, or dates, and I´m not going to put any names in it. We all play different parts at different times and it makes no sense to make personal finger pointing.

Take it as a statement about how I perceived the essential things at stake in the matter and how I see that in relation to what took place at this debate, and especially what DID NOT take place.

I´m writing it in English, because I believe it is important to be able to share thoughts about these processes with some of the international network. One might think that this concerns only the Danish film business… but I ask myself (having been a part of the Danish film business for 18 years): Who IS the Danish film business? Why is it such a secret what goes on? And then again, maybe its not? Anyhow, excuse my possible poor english skills in the written form, this is to be able to share with a broader circle than ”The Usual Suspects”.

The day started with the Danish minister of culture giving a dry, warm and humorous speach, saying that no extra state funding is coming to Danish film, quoting Grundtvig, pleading to the different participators in the debate to remember to make mistakes, and finally to find a solution for the financial problems on their own.

Then we took of. The first panel was to discuss the conundrum of financing, the cinema versus the Internet streaming. Firstly it was stated, in terms and tones that QUALITY COSTS.. so, theres that. Quality costs A LOT of money… hm? And this is (for some reason) not really questioned? I’m pausing already here… Is this like a fact? An absolute truth that is finite and inarguable?. In this debate at this point, it sure seems like it. Later in the day, in a different debate, a producer making childrens films, states the same ”fact”: Children of today are VERY demanding customers. They want products of ”higher standard”, and that costs money… Really? What is this ”higher standard” that is without a doubt so costly? (I know what is referred to, of course, but I´m just not sure its true)

Eventhough I don´t agree, I don´t say it loud – I´m busy taking notes and trying to follow why these people, in this first debatepanel, are so angry.

Because, it turns out, they are ANGRY. DISAPPOINTED. FRUSTRATED.

I have already read about the various battles in the media, addressing the negotiations between the telecompanies, filmproducers and directors, DFI, filmpolitical forum and the danish cinemas. But… as always, it´s hard to tell what is the deeper root behind such statements, so I try to look and listen now. Knowing, that in this forum, it can also be very hard to actually face the true causes of anything, so much at stake, so many agendas and feelings bubbling. But – at least here, people are present. And I can tell that somebody in this panel is really angry.

The telecom company tryes to explain their view on the discussions that has lead up to this point. They are very interested in developing ways to integrate the new reality of streaming with Danish film, as a model that can bring new financing and create new platforms. I think he makes a lot of sense, but right behind me a very angry person is commenting on almost everything that is being said, with words like: ”He speaks so much shit. He is such a huge asshole. Why don´t he just shut up. Jerk. Idiot”…!!

That is of course annoying, as when somebody is commenting on the film in the cinema, but also because this person is so aggressive, that it feels like having a fireball of resentment sitting on my shoulder. I realise, that he is a quite wellknown producer, and I wonder why he is so angry and hostile towards the telecom company guy, who is really making so much sense, talking about the present and the future, trying to get points across, I myself have been addressing for a number of years in the Danish filmbusiness (not that DFI or any danish producer I spoke to og production company I pitched my ideas to was interested in that. At all.)

Why is this producer not interested in what the telecom guy is saying? Why is he not listening? Instead he is cooking up a storm of anger and resentment, in himself, and it seems like, in the people around him.

I direct my focus to the panel again. A statement from the telecom company sticks with me: ”You know what? We really went into this with curiosity, a will to be innovative and co creating new platforms with you. We feel that all we have met was some quite horrible rhetoric (I bet), and a demand: Give us some money! This is NOT a very productive way of establishing any cooperation or dialogue. So right now, I really don´t feel attracted to participate in further discussions. If anybody would actually like to be in a corporation about the present and the future of Danish film streaming before Netflix takes over everything, we are open. We are already working on a new platform, aiming at exactly this.”

He agrees that the Danish Filmdirectors association, and DFI in some respect, have been open. Somebody in the audience points out that it would be interesting to address new platforms with collaboration between cinema, home cinema and streaming. The telecom company guy agrees. The Danish Film Directors association points the obvious out: ”The Internet is not a parallel society anymore, it IS the society”. DFI also realises that this is about a complete change of behaviour in the audience, and actually not really (only) about the quality or content of the films individually.

Another producer in the audience then threatens the telecom company, that if they don´t just pay some money, he will make contact to the politicians, and then they, the telecompany, will be forced to pay, because they have a cultural obligation. It turns out that the telecom company are not actually making ANY money on Danish film, since it only represents less than 1 % of what is being streamed at this moment.

A comment from the audience states how frustrating it is to witness who in fact are controlling the agenda, while there actually are people in the business who are SO interested in addressing the possibilities of streaming and cinematic correlations. “WHO ARE THEY?”, another angry person roars through the cinema, interrupting the first man. I can´t tell from where. So, if you are actually such a person, by now you don´t exactly feel like it is a forum to share your thoughts….

This is of course not at all everything what was said in the room during the heated debate. I only point out how certain parts of the business are getting themselves heard in the Danish film business: by shouting, name calling, belittling, ridiculing, and interrupting with their own single minded agenda; MORE MONEY!!

The present and the future talent is faced with all the fantastic and interesting perspectives of internet streaming and the revival of the role of the cinema, and how those two can play together. It´s beeing talked about, produced towards, played around with, dreamed about and explored all around the world. But not in this room.

In this room there is shouting and namecalling. In this room people are excluding eachother. In this room it seems the only agenda beeing put forward is MORE MONEY (where have I heard that before)?

Not really more diversity, new solutions, new ways of expression with the cinematic artform and storytelling made possible by the new variety of platforms, reaching new audiences. I feel quite sure that there are quite a few persons present in the room, who came to have exactly that talk. They came to hear and discuss the new perspectives, and the financial consequences. I know I did. But that’s not what´s being forwarded in this meeting, and sadly, I´m not surprised. This is after all the Danish Film Business.

It´s so small. We don´t like to talk about what´s on our mind in public, at least not in the area of “fiction feature films”. Because it could affect our social standing and our economical opportunities for getting state funding. Play along with ”the right people”, and keep playing till you have learned the tune so well, you believe it to be your own! 

Before I leave for coffee break, I´m scanning the audience, and it is strikingly few directors that are present.. The future and the finances of danish film, is a producer matter in Denmark, mostly. In Denmark, the director and the producer is very rarely the same person… I know why it´s like that, but I´m not sure this is such a good thing for the entire balance of who influences what. In other countrys, even the actors are often co-producers.. This will change to, in Denmark, it already is. And it´s about time, in my opnion.

To be continued…

PS: In the break I spot the telecompany guy, and I absolutely understand that he feels overwhelmed by bad rhetorics and rigid mindsets. I whisper to him; ”that was really well put what you said, and you are very welcome!” He smiles.