Warner has shuttered its "specialty" divisions: analysis from L.A. Times

Michael Reuben · 05-14-2008, 12:31 PM

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere on HTF, but last week Warner continued the consolidation of its film business by shutting down Warner Independent Pictures (which released Good Night and Good Luck and Michael Clayton, among many other films) and Picturehouse (which released Pan's Labyrinth and La Vie en Rose). This follows Warner's absorption of New Line and is part of the drive to cut costs and increase profitability.

It's also a disaster for films that aren't mainstream and star-driven.

For an excellent analysis of Warner's motives and its blindspots, see Patrick Goldstein's analysis in the L.A. Times. Excerpt:

Quote:

The real reason Warner is anesthetizing its specialty divisions is because it has never understood the specialty business. The studio was the last major to start a specialty company, forming WIP in 2003, two years before New Line launched Picturehouse. Even worse, Warner never gave WIP the one thing every specialty division needs to survive: autonomy.

M.

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Eric Peterson · 05-14-2008, 01:35 PM

So producing four heavily lauded and reasonably popular movies is a bad thing to WB?

All this means is that they will get less of my money. I rarely go to large mainstream films.

MatthewA · 05-14-2008, 03:31 PM

It's not like their large, mainstream films are making money either. Exhibit A: Speed Racer.

Michael Reuben · 05-15-2008, 09:29 AM

Comment from Bob Berney, fired head of Picturehouse and one of the most highly regarded figures in the world of independent film:

Quote:

"Their decision was not to be in this business," he said. "It's not a reflection on me or Picturehouse. It's not their world." Berney has no specific plans for a new job. "A lot of people want to do something — companies, investors. I am confident at the end of the day I will find something, but it needs to be a place that fits," he said. Berney added that he and several others from Picturehouse will be in Cannes as scheduled. WIP is sending a smaller contingent than originally planned.

The Day After: Guilt, Blame and Other Wreckage From the Picturehouse/WIP Crash

M.

John Kilduff · 05-15-2008, 10:53 AM

So where will this leave Christopher Guest and his crew? His most recent movie ("For Your Consideration") was done at WIP, and his movies don't necessarily fit the Warner Brothers Pictures profile, if they ever did.

Might the group move past Castle Rock (owned by Time Warner) to another studio, or will they stay at Warner?

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

If you haven't seen "For Your Consideration" yet, I recommend that you do, and who knows, maybe the shuttering of WIP and Picturehouse might lead to another comedy for Guest and his gang.



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