Dominic and Peter attended the BVA AGM at the Mayfair Hotel last week, where they were able to catch up with many of their long term clients from the world of film and home entertainment to discover what we can expect from the industry in the coming months. Here is a sneak peak of the hot topics affecting professionals within the field:
(L) Dominic Warman, Handle Recruitment, (R) Charlie McAuley, BVA Chairman
Physical is not dead - according to the association’s Chairman, Charlie McAuley, 80 per cent of consumers still buy physical products. Blu-ray discs continue to offer consumers a superior user experience by producing premium sound quality and eliminating buffering. Although there has been an overwhelming focus on downloading and streaming media in recent years, we need to manage the on-going transition to digital carefully. In the near future 17% of home entertainment consumption will be through digital distribution and we expect this to continue to rise steadily. But DVD and Blu-ray platforms will continue to be significant mediums for many years to come.
The rise of ultraviolet - Ultraviolet is the latest attempt to tie together films and TV content purchased online and in-store to one place, utilising the cloud. This content can then be accessed from any compatible device, and shared with family members and friends under one account. All major studios and retailers have signed up to this hybrid approach to tackling the future of the home entertainment market - and we need to work together as an industry to ensure the launch is successful.
The challenge of managing illegal downloads – Guest speaker John Whittingdale OBE MP - Chairman of the Government’s Culture, Media and Sports Committee - explained that the idea of controlling the use of unlicensed content is nothing new. He compared today’s measures to safeguard IP rights to the 1990s blank tape levy, which was designed to control unauthorised recordings of radio and TV programmes. He concluded that this is an on-going challenge that will be a topic of discussion for the foreseeable future.
The Government should support Britain in the creation of content – John Whittingdale also outlined ways in which the Government could help to develop the UK’s home entertainment industry. As a nation we need to focus on education within the arts to nurture home grown skills and develop talent pipelines. We should also concentrate on creating and protecting roles within the industry by investing in hubs like Chiswick Park to encourage sector growth and sustainability.
If you are interested in furthering your career in the home entertainment industry, why not get in touch?