Dr. Roderik Smits

I work at the Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF (Potsdam) on my project “Online Platforms and Film Circulation” focusing on the role of Netflix, Amazon, MUBI and other video-on-demand services in the film industry. It draws on platform research and expert interviews to examine how films are introduced and promoted to audiences in the fast-paced streaming market. Given the rapid development of the online market, there is a need for greater insight into distribution and exhibition processes that influence audience outcomes.

Little is known about streaming platforms in relation to the circulation of films. To develop discussions on distribution imbalances, cultural diversification, and the cultural role of streaming services, we need to understand:

1. How films become available, and to what extent they are accessible, across various types of streaming services.
2. How streaming catalogues are organised and the level of visibility they can provide for films.
3. What sorts of industry arrangements and practices have developed as part of the online circulation process, including distribution partnerships, rights management deals, digital formatting, marketing campaigns, and sharing of data intelligence.
4. How streaming platforms are impacting the processes of circulation in the film industry, particularly affecting the theatrical cinema market.
5. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the streaming market.