Virtual Screenings 2020: The End? A beginning…

Undoubtedly, the content community need major online events that make easy and fast to join providers and buyers from all regions, adding digital tools that enhance business.

How strong has been the success of Virtual Screenings? According to participants, buyers and countries figures, after its first edition is already at the Top Five of all the events of content business, both online and physical. Till yesterday, 6pm Los Angeles time, there were 4075 participants, 1310 buyers, 7564 sessions (stays at the site) 56365 visits to exhibitor booths and 6981screenings. There are 101 countries involved, 628 cities. Unique-unique numbers.

The graphics developed at this daily resume the activity of all days of the event. Main trends to stress? More than 75% of the buyers visited 50% or more of the sites, and more than 40% of them attended 50% of the days. About regions, most of the participants came from the Americas, but Europe and Asia got a good share since the 2nd day, and kept it for the rest of the market, though the growth of attendees.

About top visited sites, VIS/ViacomCBS won the category, with almost 1400 visits to its booth. As a tip, Disney won the first week, but VIS was more constant. Considering the top 20 sites, the origins have been very mixed: 6-7 Latins, 5-6 US and UK providers, 5-6 Turkish distributors. 

About top sites per screenings, again ViacomCBS won the match, followed by eOne and Globo that were very stable all the days. GoQuest (India) and RTVE (Spain) got involved into the usual leaders. About top screened product, here Disney made a big difference with ‘Criminal Minds’. Three Latin contents --'Internationals’ and ‘R’ from VIS/ViacomCBS, ‘Orphans of a Nation’ from Globo-- and one Asian, Nippon TV’s ‘Mother’, completed the top five.

The most requested types of content, according to a survey we made with VS buyers, were one-hour series, from 13 to 26 episodes, then movies, miniseries, easy entertainment formats --as game and quiz shows-- telenovelas and docs & factual. The top fiction genres have been dramas, comedies, dramedies, thrillers and action.

Ninety percent of the surveyed buyers, wanted to see all kinds of contents, while 10%, just ‘major’ ones. The buyers started with the big brands, then with the distributors they’d like to visit but didn’t have time in the physical markets, and then fresh origins. Asian contents surprised by their performance. More than 60% of buyers stressed that they found what they were looking for at the event.

Virtual Screenings has been this… time, business, global options for everybody. The digital era has very strong advantages.

Nicolás Smirnoff, Fabricio Ferrara