“We’re Completely Screwed”: Apple Tree Productions Exec Laments How “Greed” Led To Danish Streamer Stand-Off — MIA Market

deadline.com:

“It is a crazy situation. So there we are, completely screwed.” Those were the words of Apple Tree Productions’ Lars Hermann today in Rome at the MIA Market explaining the wild ongoing situation between Denmark’s creative community and the local and global streamers.

An impasse over digital rights between Create Denmark, a union-led organization that represents directors, writers and actors, and the likes of Netflix, Viaplay, TV2 and Amazon has meant no new TV series or films in the country from streaming services since January 1 due to their high costs.

Hermann, who co-founded the ITV Studios-backed Apple Tree with former DR drama chief Piv Bernth, told delegates this morning that “greed” from Denmark’s creative community had played a large role in unprecedented situation, while the lack of transparency from streamers over content performance exacerbated the situation. “Everybody thought the streamers would grow,” he said. “A few years ago, some believed Netflix would have 500 million subscribers. ‘The sky’s the limit,’ but it’s not.” A petition released this week signed by 1,912 Danish TV and film figures, including 170 production companies (more than the number actually making content in country), is demanding the situation ends and a deal struck.

However, Hermann cut a downbeat figure this morning during the Something’s Rotten in Denmark session, opening by saying: “It’s a pretty fucked up situation overall.” He admitted both the Create Denmark and the Danish Producers Association had initially “overestimated” the value of Danish content to the streamers, which had contributed to the commissioning blackout.