Spanish cinema is preparing for a new storm. The new Audiovisual Law that will have to take charge of the European directive of November 2018 has mobilized Spanish producers in the face of what seems like a threat or, better, the new threat. As usual in recent years, Netflix, that no other, is both the dream and the nightmare, the problem and the solution. Or at least that confusing is perceived by the sector. To date and according to current regulations, televisions are required to invest 5% of their gross operating income in audiovisuals. That in regard to the conventional chains say TVE, Tele 5 and Antena 3 at the head. And what happens to payment platforms routinely described as ' Over the top ' (OTT) as the one mentioned, HBO or Amazon? Nothing for the moment. They are exempt from any obligation and hence the new law.
And at this point, fears. The filmmakers suspect that the intentions of the new government is to give carte blanche to newcomers. That is, exempt them from the obligation to invest in cinema and allow them to keep the rights derived from intellectual property. "It is not that we put on the bandage before the wound. Enough information has been leaked from both the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Economy to be sure that it is more than a feeling," says a spokesman for the Association State Film (AEC) that brings together the bulk of the sector. And to make it clear, the ACS will shortly reach the vice president of economic affairs and digital transformation, Nadia Calviño, a letter in which they state their demands, some of them close to the requirement.
The idea is basically to value both Spanish audiovisual in general and independent production in particular. And do it from a double point of view. On the one hand, the executive is alerted to the danger of converting producers into simple service companies for global operators. In the opinion of the ACS, this happens if the rights of what is produced are transferred to the multinationals. If that happened, they reason, an easily removable business model would be generated as soon as another more competitive territory (read cheap) than Spanish appears. "After all, what these rights generate is what allows a company to subsist between one film and another," José Nevado reasons, as a spokesperson.
But with everything, the delicate point is, as always, money. Currently, the TVs (Movistar and Vodafone included) are required to invest the mentioned 5%. Of that percentage, 60% must be in cinema. Of the remainder, 60% also in official languages of Spain. And of the latter, 60% again in independent film production (that is, not through the TV producers). The result is a precious 0.9% that are now endangered. "It's not just that, as it seems, OTTs with Netflix in the lead don't invest. The problem is that since private TVs are in turn demanding unique legislation for everyone, there is a danger of losing what we already have," Snowy ditch.
From the ministries, be that of Economy as that of Culture, the only reaction at the moment is that "it is an issue that is being debated and the EU guidelines are being expected . " Netflix for its part is limited to staying out after, yes, remember that, right now, it facilitates about 25,000 jobs and that with productions such as ' Seventeen ' (which was in San Sebastian) or ' Klaus ' (nominated to the Oscars), for example, has amply demonstrated its commitment to Spanish talent. And he adds: "We follow everything closely. But at the moment, there is not even a draft law, so no assessment can be made . " And so.
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