Abstract
Distribution is an important aspect of the film value chain. Despite the growth of the South African film industry, distribution remains one of its central challenges. This can in part be contributed to the country’s political history that still affects the economic and social sphere. Issues related to poverty, unemployment, infrastructure, transport, and mobility all affect cinema attendance. Access to the internet remains a challenge because of lack of electricity, poor telecommunication infrastructure and high data costs. Considering the above, this paper investigates the feasibility of online distribution for South African feature films. The paper considers the current dominant streaming services in South Africa (Showmax and Netflix) and off by discussing some of the advantages and disadvantages that online distribution holds for South African film producers and consumers. These factors will be important to consider when assessing the feasibility for online film distribution.
Author Information
Boitshoko Mfolo, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
Anna-Marie Jansen Van Vuuren, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
Paper Information
Conference: MediAsia2022
Stream: Films and Digital Distribution (use of the internet and video sharing)
This paper is part of the MediAsia2022 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Mfolo B., & Vuuren A. (2022) The Viability of Online Distribution for South African Feature Films ISSN: 2186-5906 – The Asian Conference on Media, Communication & Film 2022: Official Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5906.2022.6
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5906.2022.6
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