New CresCine survey says most European film professionals feel keen to train themselves to stay competitive, but knowledge about the possibilities and the funds to participate are lacking.
This is one of the most striking findings from a general survey among all members of the European Film Academy, which was conducted in May 2023 with the aim to get more insights about membership background, expectations, and circumstances. With a membership of 4.600 in May, 905 Academy members filled out the survey (19,6%). It was the first time the European Film Academy conducted a survey, within the framework of CresCine – a Horizon Europe funded initiative to become the authoritative source for insights into the European film industry. The European Film Academy is one of the main partners in the CresCine consortium.
The main results of the Academy Member Survey are published today on the website of the European Film Academy.
Matthijs Wouter Knol, CEO and Director of the European Film Academy: “We’ve measured the temperature in Europe. The learnings of this first survey among all European Film Academy members in 52 countries give valuable insights and are relevant for all in the European film industry. We see our members are keen to participate and feel the urge to stay part of the game, but the reality is that many feel insecure financially and do not know where to look for suitable training. At the same time, Academy members are open to change, and growing aware of the new chances a more sustainable, diverse and inclusive industry offer. As European Film Academy, the survey offers us concrete tools to further improve our infrastructure, key events and membership engagement in the upcoming years.”
Sten-Kristian Saluveer, CresCine’s industry liaison and CEO of Estonia-based Storytek Innovation & Venture Studio adds: “The European film industry needs data-driven decision-making to stay relevant in a global landscape which is becoming hyper competitive for talent, content and audiences. The data from the survey undertaken by the European Film Academy as part of the CresCine project outlines clearly the state of the industry calling for more upskilling, but also provides the decision-makers hard evidence to prioritize education as a key element for success.”
Ten learnings from European Film Academy members out of the survey:
1.) 85% of respondents are keen on developing themselves further but are not well-informed about the possibilities in Europe to broaden their horizons. Most respondents keep themselves updated at festivals, conferences, or workshops (but visit these rarely). EAVE is the best known training programme, followed by ACE Producers, which shows that most of respondents are producers trained at EAVE and ACE and the awareness of respondents of other established training and upskilling programs is limited.
2.) Only 20% of all respondents feel secure about their position in the industry, when it comes to future perspectives or about their financial capacity to stay up-to-date and competitive. 80 % of all respondents do not feel secure within the industry and cannot attend training programmes, even if they want to. Only 30% of all respondents indicate they have the financial support to participate in training programmes.
3.) More than 80% of all respondents think that the increase of diversity & inclusion within the European film industry is important. Almost 50% of the participating Academy members value the European Film Academy's efforts towards promoting diversity and inclusion in its work. However, as 25% thinks the European Film Academy is doing a very good job in this respect, the other 75% indicate they don’t know or that work can be improved. Racism and sexism (57%), the need for non-stereotyped storytelling (40%) and easy accessibility to the industry through fair distribution in funding (25%) are seen as the biggest issues in European cinema.
4.) More than 50% of all correspondents consider a transition to a sustainable European film industry important. When it comes to sustainability, the reduction of carbon emissions, fair labour practices/social equity as well as the sustainable sourcing of materials and products are most often mentioned as the most crucial topics.
5.) Almost 60% of all respondents is not in favour of gender-neutral acting awards.
6.) More than 60% of all respondents wish documentary films to have the possibility to be also considered in the category “European Film of the Year” (instead of only being able to compete in the category “European Documentary”).
7.) More than 50% of all respondents would like to engage more with the work of the European Film Academy and participate actively in one of the Academy programmes and projects.
8.) 70% of all respondents wish for member chapters to be introduced (e.g., an editor chapter, production designer chapter, screenwriter chapter, etc.). Now, 48% of all members are open to consider the future chapters to decide on the nominations in specific award categories.
9.) More than 50% of all respondents are happy with the Academy VOD Platform but would like to have more time to watch films to feel more entitled and encouraged to participate in voting. The Academy VOD Platform is mostly watched on a laptop or computer by all respondents.
10.) More than 50% of all respondents consider themselves a cinephile and watch more than 70 films per year. More than 50% of all respondents watch most of these films on various streaming platforms (mentioned are Netflix, Amazon Prime, MUBI, Disney+, Paramount+, or others). More than 80% of all respondents agree that the European film industry should turn the existence of streaming platforms into its benefit.
About CresCine:
CresCine strives to elevate the competitiveness and cultural diversity of the European film sector. It integrates cutting-edge research, innovative technology, and influential industry figures to foster a vibrant, diverse film ecosystem. The project aims to delve into, engage, and uplift European small markets over three years.
www.crescine.eu
About the European Film Academy
The European Film Academy seeks to support and connect its 4,600 members and celebrates and promotes their work. Its aims are to share knowledge and to educate audiences of all ages about European cinema. Positioning itself as a leading organization and facilitating crucial debates within the industry, the Academy strives to unite everyone who loves European cinema, culminating annually in the Month of European Film and the European Film Awards, by including European film heritage in its portfolio and by expanding its focus on young audiences through the European Film Club.
www.europeanfilmacademy.org
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