As we head into a new year and more uncharted territory in the media landscape, Playback is asking leaders from sectors across the industry to weigh in on what they think 2015 may hold for their companies and the world of Canadian film and television. We kick off our series with an interview with Mongrel Media president and founder Hussain Amarshi. 

What do you anticipate will be the biggest changes to your business in 2015?

There are so many changes afloat that it is hard to say which one will be the biggest, but here are some that will have a significant impact on the industry this year: the expansion in the SVOD sector with the launch of shomi and CraveTV and its impact on pay and conventional television; continued consolidation in the broadcast sector; emergence of new windowing for theatrical films, particularly with the experience of The Interview and Corner Gas; and the decision by the CRTC regarding the future of broadcasting and SVOD in Canada. In an election year, any change of government may also become a significant factor.

Can you explain in a little more detail about how you see The Interview release impacting distribution strategies? Do you think the use of day-and-date strategies will increase in the future?

It’s the day and date scenario. It’s a different level in a particularly unusual situation, but the fact is that it will be something that will be factored in in the future. Similarity, (it’s) the strategy that was used for Corner Gas  – that will be factored in as well. I don’t necessarily think it will increase, but it will be part of the calculation. I’m not necessarily saying this is the beginning of a completely new trend, but those are some of the changes that will have some impact.

What business, economic or regulatory trends will drive these changes?

The CRTC decision on the future of Canadian content on both regulated and un-regulated broadcast and OTT sectors will determine the future of Canadian film and television for the foreseeable future. Continued expansion of Amazon and Google in the content business will also be a significant factor.

What do you anticipate to be your biggest challenges?

Our challenge continues to be the same – how to make our films stand out in the midst of all the noise and clutter; to find the right films that will appeal to Canadian audiences; to create innovative campaigns and to position our films as best as possible to get the widest audience. This challenge is not confined to the theatrical market but is across all platforms.

What do you see as the most significant opportunities?

Never ever have we had a situation like what we have now – people have access to a vast amount of films and other programs right in their palms – and never before has the audiences consumed as much content as they are doing now. The market is constantly expanding – the pie just gets bigger – and this creates opportunities for niche players like us who specialize in high-quality, curated content.

Do you see Mongrel’s now very much established brand as protection against content created by new media entities? The Mongrel logo does mean something to consumers.

There is absolute benefit to having a brand like ours that has been around for 20 years. There is a distinctiveness to the kinds of films that we handle – high-quality art house films. I would like to believe that this does position us as a trusted source for good-quality films. It’s not protecting us against anything. The idea is that when consumers are choosing and trying to figure out what to do with their time and they have unlimited choice, they are looking for a few anchors. Sometimes its the actors, the directors, the producers – all the key talent is a factor in decision-making, and we would hope that the distributor behind certain films would also be one of the factors. It’s not going to be the main factor – no one is going to see a film because it is distributed by eOne or Elevation or Mongrel…that is not a deciding factor, but it gives a certain level of assurance that they can expect a good quality film from us.

What changes to your business or strategy do you anticipate making in 2015? 

Mongrel will be moving to new offices on Dundas West this summer – a much bigger space than what we currently have on Queen Street. We will continue to expand our International Sales division under Charlotte Mickie; and we have some very exciting Canadian films that we will be releasing later this year including Deepa Mehta’s Beeba Boys, Wim Wenders’ Everything Will Be Fine and John Crowley’s Brooklyn.