When thinking about producing content, there was a time when entertainment was dominated by film and filmmaking. Over time, the interest of consumers has changed and so has the distribution of content where streaming has continued to grow in use and influence. In a time where more families are spending time at home, content continues to be all the rage. That being said, consumers have also gotten used to seeing more content beyond the movie release. If the Capitol One charity golf match featuring Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning, and Phil Mickelson showed us anything is that content in entertainment, media, and sports is still king. People want it and want it now. Keeping that in mind, there are three things that make television production very influential right now.
- Cost
It costs less to produce a television series than it does a film. This is especially true considering a feature film will be good for one and half hours to two plus hours, one time. A television series will last a season (eight plus episodes) and can usually go multiple seasons. Like a film, it can also be replayed, re-watched, and re-licensed. Moreover, television is generally without all of the special effects and higher-priced A-list talent film talent. Television offers more eyeballs for more time meaning the potential for more advertising dollars and subscribers to streaming platforms. Production also can take less time to produce than a film.
- Time
Time and content are in important thing. When people have more time, they generally consume more content. When production is limited because of government policies, television can be more quickly resumed based on set-up and expectations. Remote production for certain television content is also possible.
- Length
Storytelling is an interesting thing and there seems to be more consistent hit storytelling occurring in television. Think about how many shows are considered favorites and must watch. Think about how many streamers and content applications are in play. The hunger for content will only continue to grow. Appetite is a funny thing that way.
What does this mean going forward? There is potential for seeing classic films or even content that was slated to become a feature film take the television series route. There may be more A-List actors taking to the television screen. There may be directors and film financing moving towards television as well.
In the sports context, the role is even larger because where television on streaming has fulfilled many entertainment appetites, lives sports has been absent. Imagine the growth for opportunities in live sports even as consumer appetites normalize. The television space is an exciting place.
