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Q1. In the reading, Crisp emphasizes that distribution equals power, with distributors deciding what consumers can access. With the rise of piracy and streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+, has the balance of power shifted towards consumers in selecting the films they watch, or does it still predominantly rest in the hands of a select few distributors?

Q2. To what extent do you think the new intermediaries like SVoD services will dominate the industry and in what ways? Eg: Will theatres cease to exist in the future?

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Q1. I feel that the balance of power has shifted more towards consumers. With the rise in the variety of films and TV shows available in all sorts of cultures, consumers have a wider range and choice of what to watch than ever before. However, this does not mean that consumers have power over distributors, as production and marketing choices largely still fall on them.

Q2. New intermediaries like Netflix and Disney+ have revolutionised the way films are distributed. There are many films are released directly and exclusively in Netflix without a release in theatres. However, I feel that theatres are unlikely to cease to exist as the theatre exist not just for the sole purpose of watching a film, but also for the unique and different atmosphere as compared to watching at home. Also, many distributors still choose to release their films in theatres, as compared to direct release on SVoD services.

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Q1. On one hand, I agree that the power still mostly lies on the hands of distributors. Despite the rise of streaming platforms or piracy, audience's desire to watch content is still mostly driven by marketing and platform recommendations. However, compared to traditional classical theory that expects passive audience, the digital era has encouraged audience to be more active in choosing and recommending others on what content to consume. The rise of disruptive innovations have allowed audience to break out of temporal and spatial limitations of traditional content consumption.

Q2. SVoD has definitely influenced films and TV production distributions. These streaming platforms also often has power to generate their own content now (Netflix produces their own film, and so does Disney+ exclusive content). However, I do not think theatres will disappear, at least not in the near future). Going to the cinema in the opening week or looking out for different theatre features such as Dolby Surround still feels to prominent in our culture today. So traditional film consumption carries on for now.

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1) I would like to take the middle ground on this. Definitely compared to the past like in the early 1900s, consumers have more power in choosing what they consume due to availability to access more films, TV shows, and media of more different cultures and genres. However, what is deemed as available to consumers or what films/shows gain more visibility due to being promoted/marketed to consumers still lies in the hands of selected distributors like Netflix/Disney+/Amazon etc.

2) I don’t think theatres/cinemas will cease to exist in the future because even now, with streaming services, people still go to theatres for the experience of enjoying a movie on the big screen or because of the novelty of watching a newly released film right when it is hot in cinemas. I think streaming services will continue to remain until it can start to provide an experience similar to the level of watching a film in a cinema, then perhaps it will start to replace it.

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Q1. There is an increase in the diversity of films and TV shows on the various platforms. Consumers are able to pick new films or rewatch favourites whenever they choose to. Distributors affect what films are circulating among the platforms. With the rise of social media, people are getting recommendations from their friends and choosing what to watch based on that. In these instances, marketing choices by distributors has lesser sway over consumer's choices. Ultimately, there is a balance between the two.

Q2. I feel that streaming platforms will not takeover entirely and theatres will continue to exist in the future, albeit in a smaller amount. Streaming platforms like Disney+ and Netflix, have gained popularity especially since the lockdown period during Covid-19. There are exclusive films and TV shows that are released to entice viewers to keep using these platforms. However, opening weekend is still a very big thing. The novelty of watching in theatres will continue to entice people to come. The excitement and experience of watching in theatre will still be different from watching at home. Things like 3D or IMAX are unique experiences that one cannot get at home.

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1. I feel that the power has shifted more towards the audience as their viewership is one of the main factors about what kind of films are produced. Instead of being passive viewers, audiences now have more power by choosing what they would like to consume,

2. Cinemas will not be obsolete as the experience of being in a cinema vs watching it on a personal device is vastly different and is the main selling point of a cinema e.g watching oppenheimer in theatres to understand the full impact of the sound design and cinematography as the audience intended

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Q1: Perhaps the power still relies on the dominant distributors because they are the ones releasing the films. But, as a consumer, I am able to dig into piracy platforms to watch films that may not have been shown in local cinemas. For example, I was able to watch queer films during my formative years, such as But I'm a Cheerleader and DEBS which were not shown here in Singapore. I still retain the ability to pick what I want to view, but I do acknowledge that the reason why I have such a vast range of media to pick from is due to the dominant distributors.

Q2: I believe that SVoD services won't cause the demise of the movie industry. The atmosphere of a cinema is not able to be replicated by streaming services. It may help diversify the content that people can consume, but I foresee it being a "shared relationship" more than domination.

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1. Especially with a rise in platforms wanting to profit of custom-curated content for consumers based on the data collected of their watch history and preferences, I think the balance of power have shifted towards the consumers in terms of selecting the films they watch. 2. I don't think theatres will cease to exist in the future. I feel the theatre, the place in itself will still serve as a form an attraction to encourage people to watch movies as compared to the saturation of watching films in a portable manner as a mode.

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1. I think a consumer's desire to watch a selection of films still ultimately depends on which films distributors push into into the market. Social buzz also flows downwards from big theatrical releases.

2. I don't think theatres will cease to exist in the future, I feel that consumers have a different perspective to viewing svod content and viewing films in theatre.

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1. Yes I think the power has been shifted to consumers because of the increase in platforms for viewers to watch these films globally, the agency has return to viewers to choose what they would like to watch based on their own impression of the film. Distribution does still have the power to decide what shows they would like to invest in at the beginning to see what shows make the cut to be produced. In which case most often the consumers get to decide if these shows are made because of the support and demand they create for the films which can help to persuade distributors to invest in a certain film.

2. I think SOVD's iso changing the game and a lot of filmmakers are aware that more consumers are shifting to viewing these films via these streaming services because of the convenience that it brings. However, film blockbusters and films that have been given much promotional hype still draw crowds because of the anticipation it creates and the atmosphere that theatres are still able to bring unlike viewing it via SVODs.

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1. I do think some of the power has been shifted to consumers, forcibly in piracy; symbiotically with streaming platforms since consumers can rate what they like so streaming platforms programme what they like, while on the other hand the platform would have no reason to not do that, since more view counts mean more profit.

2. I do think SVoDs will dominate the industry today, until we come by mainstream legal technology that may replace them in the future. I don't think more traditional art forms as unique as theatre would cease to exist, because I do distinct as its own art form that people pay money to watch it for different reasons. For example personally, when going to watch a play, I want to see action, voice technique, real-life expressions and the results of the actors' long hours of practice. On the other hand, I would pay streaming services in order to watch stories in film in the comfort of my home or convenience of my time. In terms of TV-series on streaming platforms replacing traditional TV itself, would be a whole other story. That would definitely be be a more 'replaceable' scenario.

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Q1: I think power still tends to lie in the hands of the few distributors. Illusion of choice is real, and consumers might think that they get to choose what to watch on Netflix. But what if Netflix decides not to put out a film through various reasons? Also there has been a phenomenon of Disney+ doing a poor job in releasing shows, where they buy up worldwide distribution rights for Asian shows, then stream them only in Asia and Oceania. (link)

Q2: I think theatres will not disappear (at least I hope they don’t) because of the experience they provide, from buying the tickets and popcorn, to sitting on the plush seats. New intermediaries like Netflix just don’t hit the same

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1. I feel that distribution companies have a large impact in influencing consumers to watch their films, as they get to control many aspects of a film's release like the date, number of screenings and promotional material. If a film's distirbution is poorly planned (like how Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 was released a week before Barbieheimer), audiences are less likely to go due to external circumstances.

2. I think with the rise of SVOD, theatres will still have an important impact on the industry as the experience of going to the movie theatre is very unique and special experience for many, and it cannot be replicated by watching streaming services at home.

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1. I think although it’s really still up for distributors to choose what to invest in and produce (especially for first seasons) but the next seasons especially for continuation of filming is up to consumers and up to us (due to viewership & streaming) eg. riverdale & first kill vs paper girls & a league of our own

2. I guess this is up to the sociological change. Because as of now maybe it’s getting popular for the adoption of the activity of cinema going. So it’s up to how we choose. But I don’t think theatres will ever cease to exist, because it’s an amazing experience still.

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1. Yes, I think the balance of power shifted towards consumers in selecting films. There is definitely increased access - with piracy and streaming. A simple google search will take us to what we want to watch. Watching films becomes an on-demand experience. However, there are other effective forces gently nudging us and influencing us on what we watch and where we watch it. Power in access is improved, but distributors still have the control.

2. I hope so!! While SVoD is starting to dominate the industry, the cinema experience is also experiencing a revival. Like how e-commerce eg. is taking over physical shopping, physical spaces are learning how to differentiate themselves beyond providing a basic product. Same for theatres, the activity of viewing a film in a theatre will become more interesting. Eg. TS Eras Tour film and fans singing together, People dressing up for barbenheimer.

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1. I think the balance has shifted towards consumers, since consumers now have greater power to choose the media they wish to consume. Distributors market films, which affects popular perception of them, but I don't think the existence of piracy or streaming has changed this anyway.

2. I think they will dominate the industry in shifting the value proposition of the theatre experience—it makes more sense to only go to the cinema for "spectacular" films and blockbusters. Films that are not "spectacular", that do not rely on visuals and audio, like small-scale dramas, suffer more from the shift to streaming—because less is lost when one watches these films at home as compared to theatres. I don't think theatres will die, but I think they will lose their draw over time since streaming is so convenient.

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1. Piracy definitely gave consumers more power in choosing the films they want to watch. I think access to pirated content is also dependent on the extent of state censorship. Someone in China would have a much harder time gaining access to banned films with the great firewall (i.e having more technological obstacles to overcome).

2. I think cinemas wouldn't cease to exist as it is an experience (an attraction) that is deeply culturally ingrained from the very beginning of film history

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1. Consumers arguably have more power in choosing the films they want to watch given the widespread availability of films in general with the proliferation of streaming platforms but also films catered to individual tastes with algorithms that do individual curation. However, I do believe that distributors still hold a great deal of power despite this prominence of consumer power today, as distributors are instrumental to the presence of these films on these platforms in the first place! Especially oweing to factors such as marketing and the generation of buzz

2. I do still believe in the ~promise of spectacularity~ that a cinema/theatre can offer in creating a definitive viewing experience for a spectator! with its sound systems, IMAX etc. I think we kind of can all agree that viewing a film in the theatre HITS HARDER than viewing it on a tiny device/tv at home. So I don't think theatres will cease to exist

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1. I would like to think consumers have more power in choosing what they want to watch especially with how the continuation of a series on streaming platforms depends on how much viewership it receives.

2. While SVoD services have impacted the industry in terms of giving audience more variety in what they can watch and the convenience of watching it anywhere anytime, I think there will still be people who will be drawn to watch certain films (eg. Oppenheimer) in theatres because of the experience of watching it on the big screen as compared to at home.

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1. I think it really depends on the resources and access that the authorities/country has restricted/given. Certain countries (e.g. Japan) have very strict copyright regulations and often, viewers have difficulty accessing Japanese media through piracy sites, most of them do it through 'legal' means. People in countries with limited cellular data speed would also have challenges trying to stream from an unauthorised sites. SG has such good 4G infrastructure but even we have difficulties watching a film on stream smoothly.

2. SVoD would probably appeal more to consumers with moolah for now, people will still look for more underground methods to watch films as long as there are such platforms available. I don't think theatres will cease to exist because film theatres offers an experience you can't get elsewhere.

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1. In my view, the rise of streaming services and the issue of piracy have certainly changed how we choose and access films. I feel that I, along with other consumers, now have a wider array of choices at our fingertips, thanks to platforms like Netflix and Disney+. This shift has allowed me to explore films and TV shows that I wouldn't have known about otherwise, especially those that aren't shown in local cinemas or are part of niche genres.

However, I also recognize that the power of distributors in this landscape is still quite prominent. They decide what gets released and what doesn't, which inevitably shapes my viewing options. While I can turn to piracy or lesser-known platforms to find specific titles, the fact remains that a vast range of media available to me is there because of these dominant distributors.

While I feel more empowered as a consumer in selecting films, I am aware that this freedom is still framed within the boundaries set by major distributors. The balance of power, in my opinion, is a complex interplay between consumer choice and distributor influence.

2. The rise of SVoD will dominate home and mobile viewership, but as long as movies are made for the cinema, I believe cinema's will never die out as the intended experience can only be had in a cinema, and anyone who has ever watched a movie in a cinema will also know that.

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1. Compared to the past, of course consumers today get a lot more freedom of choice with more knowledge and exposure of the content they can access. However, as someone who worked in Warner Bros. I still think that distributors hold a lot of the power in what consumers see, because of marketing, and even platforms like Disney+, HBOMax, Netflix, they are literally owned by the distributors or are working closely with the distributors to gain streaming rights. Even piracy sites follow what is currently showing in cinemas or what is popular.

2. I do not think so, although yes movie watchers have drastically decreased due to COVID, but with people spoiling movies on social media platforms, I think this pushes people to go to theatres so that they can still be amongst the first to catch them. Theatre experience is also completely different, with IMAX and Dolby, 4DX in other countries etc, even with the exhibitioners own personal touch like couple seats, GV Gold, Cathay Platinum, where they include wine and dine as a whole event, I do think that people still want to enjoy these (or at least I do)

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1. Hmm I think the power definitely still relies on the distributors, but the audience’s power is definiely on the rise due to the increase in the number of digital SvoDs and piracy websites = We can choose what we want to watch. E.g I really wanted to watch the cult horror famous Cannibal Holocaust but it was banned world wide especially not in theatres - but I managed to find it on Shudder; a horror SVOD website.

2. I believe watching movies in Cinema will still have its cult following due to the experience element of what the Theatre offers, but I think we cannot deny that SvODs are taking the world over by storm…some are no longer just streaming websites but also produce their own special films e.g Netflix! I think it’ll be a good mix.