Streamlined Guides: Updates On Upcoming Editions

February has been a month of intense research and reflection for the Streamlined Guides, the results of which I want to share with Streamlined’s paying subscribers here. After publishing nine editions of the Guides, I’ve learned a lot, received a lot of feedback, and finally decided to change the format.

My initial plan was to publish an in-depth territory report every month, but quickly realised that no single market can comfortably fit within the format of a single newsletter. Vietnam and the Philippines were both split across two editions, Indonesia sprawled across three, and could easily have filled even more newsletters.

I also completely underestimated the volume of work each territory report entails. It’s easily a full-time job, but as it’s currently not a full-time salary (not even close), I need to also work for other people. I’m also repeatedly hearing from readers that they don’t have time to read long newsletters.

So with all this in mind, I’m no longer attempting to cover all aspects of a single territory (producers, buyers, streamers, subsidies, festivals etc) in a single report, but will focus on one or two aspects that readers tell me are most interesting. The Streamlined Guides will also contain more analysis and fewer company profiles. However, readers can contact me at any time if they need more information on individual companies. The next two Guides will follow this new format – in March, I’ll send you a report on Hong Kong producers and buyers, ahead of Filmart (March 17-20), and in April you’ll receive a report on mainland Chinese buyers, ahead of Cannes film festival (May 13-24).

Some of the Guides will contain in-depth analysis, rather than territory reports, which I’ve previously been sending out for free, but will now only send to Streamlined Guides’ paying subscribers. In May, you’ll receive a report on East Asia’s government film funding schemes, and in July I’ll be doing the same for public funding in the Middle East. (I’m planning to take June off as I’ve been tottering on the brink of burnout for a while now.)

Later in the year, I’ll be looking at producers and investors in South Korea, India, Thailand and Japan – and hopefully also launching the first Streamlined Guides on territories in the Middle East and Africa.

As always, none of these reports are funded by government agencies or festivals, so you can be assured that you’re receiving the real story based on hard work and honest research. It’s a different form of journalism to the US and UK trades, which get paid by festivals and agencies to write specific articles, so they’re basically producing advertising copy. (Deadline, the paper I write for, has the highest levels of editorial integrity in that regard, but they’re all under pressure). My research involves speaking to dozens of people, but I often don’t quote anyone, as this is the only way people feel free to tell me the truth.

Of course, none of this could happen without Streamlined’s subscribers – I’m deeply grateful for your support and hope you can share Streamlined with other people in the industry. I also want to emphasise that I’m here to research what you want me to research – if there’s any topic you want to know more about, please contact me to discuss. The East Asia funding guide is the result of a conversation with Michael J. Werner at Busan film festival last year. I’m always open to suggestions...