1 The Impact of Digital Technology on Documentary Distribution by Nicole Marie Nime A thesis submitted to the University of London for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Media Arts Royal Holloway, University of London 2012 2 Declaration of Authorship I, Nicole Marie Nime, hereby declare that this thesis and the work presented in it is entirely my own. Where I have consulted the work of others, this is always clearly stated. Signed: Nicole Marie Nime Date: 30 May 2012 3 Abstract The Internet and digital technologies have created an opportunity for documentaries to find new audiences; however, documentary’s capacity to overcome the challenges that the online market presents and achieve sustainability is not yet understood. This study brings together research in the areas of new media and documentary in order to comprehend and assess the significance of the growing overlap between the two. Focusing on documentary distribution post-2000, in the United States and the United Kingdom, the thesis examines how the online market has influenced both the culture of documentary and the economic structure of the methods used to distribute documentary films. This involves an exploration of the rise of digital media in relation to its impact upon the film industry and a historical review of the changes that have occurred within the documentary marketplace. The core analysis takes the form of a case study approach that sets out to identify trends in documentary distribution and generate insights into the new models that both documentary platforms and filmmakers have employed. What this research suggests is that documentary distribution via the Web requires a new framework for thinking about how films reach audiences and generate revenues. In particular, it indicates how audience engagement from the onset of production can help documentaries overcome challenges in the online market. In line with participatory media trends, the research confirms that distribution has become more than just a mechanism for content dissemination and that, in the digital age, distribution has developed as a social phenomenon, which expands through ongoing public involvement and innovation. However, the research also indicates that alternative distribution strategies that rely upon leveraging communities must be uniquely adapted to each project and its particular core audiences. This means that there is no singular, overarching theory or replicable model that characterises the online distribution process for documentary films. Thus, the thesis adds to our knowledge of the diverse ways in which documentary has inhabited the social space offered by new media while anchoring existing theories of ‘social media’ within specific contexts. 4 Acknowledgements Preparing this thesis has been a monumental task and I owe my gratitude to many people who have helped me through this process. The following individuals and institutions deserve a special mention and my deepest appreciation for their help and guidance. My supervisors, John Hill and Victoria Mapplebeck, have been my pillars of support. John’s wisdom has guided me through the pitfalls of this research while Victoria’s enthusiasm has instilled in me the confidence to persevere through the challenges. My meetings with them were always enjoyable — thanks to their shared good humour and kind approach to delivering criticism. Working under their expert supervision has been an unforgettable learning experience and a privilege. Thank you to everyone at the Department of Media Arts at Royal Holloway for contributing to my learning, with special thanks to John Ellis who offered me the rewarding opportunity to guest lecture on one of his undergraduate courses. I am extremely grateful for the financial support of the Thomas Holloway Scholarship as it was, without a doubt, what made it possible for me to come study in the UK. The additional funding the Research Committee offered to help with my travel expenses invaluably contributed to my field research. I also would like to thank the University of London’s Central Research Fund for providing me with a generous travel allowance to attend Sheffield Doc/Fest and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) in 2008. My experiences at these events have been critical to my studies and have led me to meet so many inspiring filmmakers and industry professionals that it is impossible, in this short space, to list them all. In particular, my thanks are due to the DocAgora team: Amit Breuer, Cameron Hickey, Neil Seiling, and Peter Wintonick. My conversation with Neil at Hot Docs proved to be a pivotal moment. I felt instantly welcomed into the club and have benefitted greatly from collaborating with this remarkable group of ’docmedia’ specialists. 5 Additionally, I am indebted to Liz Rosenthal for the opportunity she has given me to work with her and the amazing team at Power to the Pixel. The people I have met through this organisation have inspired my research in immeasurable ways and my experiences at the London Forum over the past five years have been deeply rewarding. I must acknowledge that I might not have developed an interest in this topic if it had not been for Peter Broderick. I am grateful to Peter for offering me my first permanent job when I moved to Hollywood. Working alongside him gave me unique insight into the distribution process and opened many doors of opportunity, including the chance to work at Breakthrough Distribution with Jeff Rosen, to whom I am also indebted. I cannot forget to thank my family, including my brother, my sister, and a couple of great-uncles who were particularly supportive. My deepest appreciation is due to my wonderful parents, Wanda and Ed Nime. They have been a constant source of love and encouragement from day one. Their supreme belief in me has inspired me to pursue my dreams and earn my PhD. Finally, to my husband, Johann Bazzali — I dedicate this thesis to you. 6 Table of Contents Abstract 3 Acknowledgements 4 Table of Contents 6 List of Tables 9 List of Figures 10 Chapter 1: Introduction 11 1.1 Researching Documentary Distribution 11 1.1.1 The Distribution Dilemma 11 1.1.2 Defining Documentary 13 1.1.3 Industry Insights 16 1.2 Theoretical Perspectives 22 1.2.1 New Media and Network Ideology 22 1.2.2 Economic Paradigms 26 1.2.3 Digital Culture Debates 32 1.3 Research Investigation 37 1.3.1 Research Aims 37 1.3.2 Boundaries and Scope 39 1.3.3 Overview of Chapters 42 Chapter 2: Methodology 48 2.1 Introduction 48 2.2 Research Strategies and Design 50 2.2.1 Inherent Challenges 50 2.2.2 Quantitative Research 54 2.2.3 Qualitative Research 56 2.2.4 Desk Research 58 2.2.5 Field Research 61 2.2.6 Action Research 65 2.2.7 Case Studies 67 2.3 Conclusion 72 Chapter 3: The Digital Revolution 74 3.1 The Age of Independence 74 3.1.1 The New Digital Order 74 3.1.2 The Advent of Affordable Filmmaking 75 3.1.3 The Rise of Social Networks 81 3.2 The Move Towards On-Demand 85 3.2.1 The History of Home Video 85 3.2.2 Shifting Release Windows 91 3.2.3 Digital Projection 97 3.2.4 Everything Online and On-Demand 100 3.3 Conclusion 104 7 Chapter 4: The Documentary Market 109 4.1 Documentary’s Situation in the Marketplace 109 4.1.1 Niche Appeal 109 4.1.2 The Origins of the Industry 111 4.1.3 Market Expansion 118 4.2 Documentary in Public Spaces 127 4.2.1 A Golden Age on the Silver Screen 127 4.2.2 The Appeal of Non-Theatrical for Nonfiction Films 135 4.2.3 Festivals as Platforms for Distribution 140 4.3 Developing Industry Trends 146 4.3.1 Exploiting the Educational Market 146 4.3.2 Hope for Home Video Online 150 4.3.3 Broadcast in a Cross-Platform Context 155 4.3.4 Cross-Platform Challenges 158 4.4 Emerging Distribution Models 164 4.4.1 Direct and Hybrid Approaches 164 4.4.2 Reaching and Engaging Communities 170 4.5 Conclusion 181 Chapter 5: Distribution Platforms 186 5.1 Introduction 186 5.2 FourDocs: Channel 4’s Forgotten Failure 188 5.2.1 Channel 4’s Documentary Tradition 188 5.2.2 Commercial Changes and Challenges 191 5.2.3 The Critical Masses 196 5.3 Current TV: Democratised and Commercialised 201 5.3.1 A Current Approach to Documentary and TV 201 5.3.2 Current Content Challenges 204 5.3.3 The Current Reality 209 5.4 SnagFilms: User-Distributed Documentary 213 5.4.1 Designed to Embed and Spread 213 5.4.2 The Value of Filmanthropy 219 5.4.3 The Limits of Snag 225 5.5 VODO: Making Piracy Pay 228 5.5.1 The Potential of Piracy 228 5.5.2 A Free-For-All Film 231 5.5.3 From Pirate to Patron? 233 5.6 Conclusion 238 Chapter 6: Films and Filmmakers 240 6.1 Introduction 240 6.2 Robert Greenwald: Distribution Without Distributors 242 6.2.1 Greenwald’s Brave New Idea 242 6.2.2 Guerrilla Freedoms and Grassroots Distribution 246 6.2.3 Challenges for Greenwald’s Model 249 8 6.3 The Age of Stupid : Campaigning Through Crowdfunding 255 6.3.1 Independent Origins 255 6.3.2 A Collaborative Effort 258 6.3.3 Carrying on the Campaign 266 6.4 Life in a Day : YouTube’s Audience Activity 270 6.4.1 Big Players, Big Platform 270 6.4.2 Inspiring the Masses 273 6.4.3 A Global Distribution Solution 276 6.5 Conclusion 280 Chapter 7: Documentary Distribution in the Digital Age 283 7.1 Distribution as a Social Phenomenon 283 7.2 The Changing Role of Distributors 287 7.3 The Challenge to the Filmmaker 290 7.4 The Influence of Active Audiences 294 7.5 The Economics of Documentary 296 7.6 Conclusion 299 Chapter 8: Conclusion 302 8.1 Research Review 302 8.2 The Value of Distribution Knowledge 307 8.3 Documentary Changes and Challenges 310 8.4 Directions for Further