Film, Television and Digital Media

Introduction

More than perhaps in any other industry, the film, TV and digital media industries are dependent on a balance and interplay between the creative and artistic aspects on the one hand and the economic and administrative aspects on the other. These industries are primarily project-based, and each project may demand significant resources, which again places a high demand on economic and administrative competences. Yet, such competences are of little value unless they also preserve the artistic and creative processes that are the basis for the industries' value creation.

The course takes a primarily strategic and economic perspective on the industry and contains three main sections: First, the industry value configuration system and its institutional environment are analyzed to provide a sectored overview over the players and their interactions. Attention is then turned to the markets, including the audience market, the markets between producers, distributors and retailers/outlets, as well as the industry labor markets. Finally, cash flow and financial project analysis is applied to create break-even estimates for specific films and to better understand the impact of and dependence on public subsidy and the risk-exposure of distributors, producers and investors.

While focus is primarily on the Norwegian industry, it is emphasized how what is seen in Norway is a case of how the industry works internationally, only in thsi case shaped by the particular institutional environment and market conditions under which the Norwegian industry operates.

Course content

• Political perspective: The Norwegian and International Industries
• Business Structure and Organization
• Production
• Marketing
• Distribution
• Exhibition
• Key Economic Characteristics
• Transactions and Rights Management
• Product and Cash Flows
• Project Financing
• Financial Project Analysis
• Relationships to other Creative Industries