Hey Filmmakers! Welcome to Going Bionic #229. Since the 66th annual Emmy Awards just concluded, today is the perfect time to discuss a few key trends that emerged from last night’s results. So, without further ado, let’s discuss how the results from the 66th Annual Emmy Awards shaped the future of televised content.
Hail to the King, aka HBO
With 99 nominations and 19 wins, including Best Film for A Normal Heart and Best Directing for True Detective, HBO once again thrived at the Emmys. America’s premiere pay cable channel has been so successful at the Emmys in recent years, that last night’s dominance was more of an expectation than it was a surprise. Of course, thanks to their massive base of paying subscribers, HBO plays with substantially larger budgets than of many of their competitors. Furthermore, HBO is considered one of the hippest places on a planet to house a project, whether it be a showcase feature film, television series, mini-series, documentary, or one-off special. Thus, they are attracting the crème de la crème of content creators.
Recognize the Prince Soon-To-Be-King, aka Netflix
While Netflix was shutout at the Emmys, I submit that such a snub was a sign of fear, because the Television and cable industry knows Netflix is rewriting the rules of how filmed and televised content is distributed. Simply put, the entertainment industry resists change, until they are forced to go through it. For example, cable programming didn’t even qualify for the Emmys until 1988, 16 years after HBO started programming in 1972 – and now look how high HBO has ascended to. So, just like The Colbert Report knocked The Daily Show off its 10-year run of Best Variety Series in 2013 (The Colbert Report won again this year), we can expect Netflix to become the next HBO.
With Content Lines Blurring, Expect the Rules to Change
While I think it’s awesome Fargo (FX) won for Best Mini-Series, Fargo isn’t a mini-series, because it’s coming back for another season. Mini-series, are one-time events, not season-based episodes. Fargo slid just under the “bar of rules compliance,” because they’re changing their cast for season two. However, the series will most likely be branded and structured in the same way it was in season one. So, as Yoda would say, “a mini-series Fargo is not.” In any case,I think it’s pretty safe to assume that several content qualification rules will be heavy scrutinized and probably changed before the airing of the 67th Annual Emmy Awards in 2015.
All right filmmakers, this concludes this 229th episode of Going Bionic. As always, I thank you for lending me your eyes, and I look forward to borrowing them again next Tuesday. Until then, I hope you have a happy, healthy and relaxing Labor Day! I can be followed on Twitter @Lonelyseal.
