After reading the following articles, my light bulb went off in the old cabeza as I questioned...
"Just what are the studios planning"? with regards to Independent films. Are they slowly attempting to phase them out and only focus on their bigger films (i.e the Batman franchise)?
Is Warner Bros. the first with other studios to follow the suit?
And what exactly is the "changing marketplace"?
WIP & Picturehouse Are Gone
Warner Bros. Pictures has unexpectedly shut down both of its dedicated specialty units - Warner Independent Pictures and Picturehouse.
Most of Picturehouse's and WIP's 70-strong personnel are being made redundant and the studio will now release the remaining projects of both studios under the Warners banner. These include "Mongol," "Kit Kittredge," "The Women," "Towelhead," and "Slumdog Millionaire".
Around 30 projects at WIP and 10 projects at Picturehouse were in development. Some are expected to be absorbed by Warners, others will be passed out to other distributors.
Whilst both companies released about fifty titles, only two really crossed over to strong success - "March of the Penguins" and "Pan's Labyrinth".
The move now leaves Warners as the sole studio of the major six without a dedicated speciality division.
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PICTUREHOUSE & WARNER INDEPENDENT PICTURES TO CEASE OPERATIONS
(May 8, 2008 - Burbank, CA) Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures will cease operations, it was announced today by Alan Horn, President & COO, Warner Bros.
"With New Line now a key part of Warner Bros., we're able to handle films across the entire spectrum of genres and budgets without overlapping production, marketing and distribution infrastructures," said Horn. "After much painstaking analysis, this was a difficult decision to make, but it reflects the reality of a changing marketplace and our need to prudently run our businesses with increased efficiencies. We're confident that the spirit of independent filmmaking and the opportunity to find and give a voice to new talent will continue to have a presence at Warner Bros."
Bob Berney has served as President, Picturehouse and Polly Cohen as President, Warner Independent Pictures. The management teams from both companies will be meeting in the weeks ahead with executives from the Warner Bros. Pictures Group to determine the status of projects in various stages of development and acquisition, as well as distribution of already-dated films.
"Working with Polly and her team at Warner Independent has been great for me personally and a valuable experience for the company," said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. "I'd like to thank everyone at Warner Independent for their passion and dedication to independent films and filmmakers. They were involved with some very important films and helped further the talents and careers of a number of writers and directors, and between Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line, we'll continue to nurture those relationships and produce those types of films."
"Bob is an incredibly talented film executive and made Picturehouse an important player in the world of independent film in a relatively short time," said Horn. "I'm extremely grateful to Bob and the entire team at Picturehouse. Their accomplishments and the films they created speak volumes about their dedication to and understanding of the art of film."
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