Motion Picture,TV & Video Production
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 21,300 motion picture, TV, and video producers in the US produce a variety of video content, including movies, videos, TV programming, and commercials. Major revenue categories include domestic licensing rights; sales of copies of audio/visual works, international licensing rights; contract production services; and merchandise licensing. Movie and video production companies may specialize in a particular category, such as animation, commercials, films, music videos, or TV programming.
Delayed, Uneven Cash Flow
Productions incur the majority of expenses months to even years before realizing a single dollar of revenue.
Piracy
Video piracy is a growing problem, particularly internationally, where copyright protection is lax and illegal activity is more likely to go unnoticed.
Industry size & Structure
The average motion picture and video production company operates out of a single location, employs 13-14 workers, and generates $6.3 million annually.
- The motion picture and video production industry consists of about 21,300 firms that employ about 285,500 workers and generate about $135 billion annually.
- The industry is highly concentrated; the top 50 firms account for 75% of industry sales.
- Large firms with production operations include the Walt Disney Company and Twenty-First Century Fox, Lions Gate Entertainment, and Comcast (Universal Pictures). The major studios produce and distribute the majority of movies released in the US.
- Large firms may be vertically-integrated. For example, some companies are involved in production, distribution, and broadcasting of content.
Industry Forecast
Motion Picture,TV & Video Production Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Nov 16, 2023 - Revenue Increases
- Motion picture, TV, and sound recording industry revenue increased 1.4% year over year and 11.1% quarter over quarter during Q2 2023 to $36,213 million. Motion picture, TV and video production industry sales are forecast to grow at a 3.24% compounded annual rate from 2022 to 2027, slower than the growth of the overall economy. Industry employment has recovered from a steep pandemic-related drop in 2020 and was near pre-pandemic levels in late 2023.
- Recent Industry job losses were centered around the motion picture and sound recording industries, according to the US Department of Labor. Productions were mostly halted with the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) on strike. The Writers Guild of America strike ended when union board members approved a contract agreement with studios in late September, bringing the industry at least partly back from a historic halt in production. SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reached a tentative three-year contract agreement in early November.
- The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said that the tentative three-year contract agreement is valued at over $1 billion and includes pay increases higher than what other unions received this year, a “streaming participation bonus” and regulations on artificial intelligence (AI). The tentative deal also includes higher caps on health and pension funds, compensation bumps for background performers and “critical contract provisions protecting diverse communities.” The contract could soon go into effect if the deal is ratified, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Guild members would send their negotiators back to the bargaining table with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers if it is not.
- About 160,000 television and movie actors went on strike on July 13, initiating Hollywood’s first industrywide shutdown in 63 years. Artificial intelligence (AI) and success-based compensation for cast members of streaming shows remain the biggest hurdles in the way of a tentative agreement in early November, according to deadline.com. SAG-AFTRA reportedly wants to restrict AI usage and consent to individual projects and a veto vote over the implementation of the technology – a demand studios have held tough to resist.
Get A Demo
Vertical IQ’s Industry Intelligence Platform
See for yourself why over 60,000 users trust Vertical IQ for their industry research and call preparation needs. Our easy-to-digest industry insights save call preparation time and help differentiate you from the competition.
Build valuable, lasting relationships by having smarter conversations -
check out Vertical IQ today.