Sometimes it is the behind-the-scenes efforts that matter most in a motion picture’s life cycle. Namely, the distribution it chooses and the traction that distribution can earn it. With this year’s Oscar nominations finally announced, there are some interesting patterns to note. Our Blake & Wang P.A. entertainment attorney, Brandon Blake, lifts the curtain on some of the behind-the-scenes choices that launched this year’s successful Oscar campaigns.
The Power of Good Distribution
A brilliant release strategy can be the make-or-break point for award-season hopefuls. One need only glance at the cataclysmic successes of both Barbie and Oppenheimer last year to see that. There may be no Best Distributor category for the Oscars, but if there were, this year would see two strong contenders. Netflix, and the Disney juggernaut. Disney has a hand in the distribution of 20 nominations, 12 for Searchlight, 2 for 20th Century Studios, and a further 6 across their other, smaller distribution arms.
Then there is Netflix. Even without an impressive stable of brands like Disney, it is responsible for distribution across 18 nominations, including Maestro’s high-profile nomination for Best Picture. Although the theatrical releases for most of these nominations were small on the scale of things, it’s hard not to feel they had an impact. Unsurprisingly, Maestro had the strongest distribution of the bunch.
Streaming: No Longer an Oscar Issue
Whereas a streaming release was once the death of any Oscar hopeful, this year it is clear that stigma is a thing of the past. Netflix now has a 6-year track record in the Best Picture category. While it is sad that they have yet to engage meaningfully with a combined theatrical/streaming release model- Netflix theatrical releases are mediocre at best- clearly they have got critics and nominations committees to pay attention.
There is one key question remaining, however. Are ‘Oscar-bait’ pictures still worth investing in? They are typically poor performers by more statistical measurements, making them less attractive to many streaming platforms than easy, high-performing fare. All the same, it is good to see this forward-looking evolution in the industry, and that the days of streaming stigma in the award’s race are long in the past.
Film and Television 