MONTREAL – Canadians are opting for TV series over feature films, and most film-viewing is done at home through television, according to a new study on the way Canadians choose their audiovisual content.
Commissioned by Telefilm Canada, the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) and the Canada Media Fund (CMF), and based on results of focus groups convened across the country, the study also found that consumers are increasingly seeking on-demand access to audiovisual products across a wide variety of platforms.
The study aimed to provide a better understanding, from a qualitative perspective, of consumers' new expectations, of how they make their viewing decisions, of the sources they consult when making these decisions, of the impact of digital platforms on their decisions, and of their perceptions of the industry. Given the qualitative nature of the study, no statistical findings could be extrapolated, however, given that participants expressed similar opinions on several different topics, the study makes it possible to identify a number of significant trends.
Highlights include:
– On-demand access now seems to be the standard and video content is more accessible than ever before. While the TV screen is still the main screen, there has been a shift to ad-free viewing on-demand, according to study participants, driven, among other things, by PVRs (personal video recorders), streaming, free downloading and video on demand (VOD). The subscription viewing model seems to be the favoured approach by far, as opposed to the one-at-a-time or ad-supported model;
– The distinction between the worlds of film and TV series seems to be increasingly blurred, to the benefit of series viewing. Indeed, consumers appear to be shifting some of their movie-viewing time to TV shows. Abundant in number, of high quality, TV series keep viewers "hooked" over extended periods of time, are available on-demand on several platforms and can be consumed through binge viewing—a now widespread practice;
– While most movies are watched at home, the choice of film seems to be determined by a consumer's mood, which can change from day to day. Movie-going, by contrast, a more expensive undertaking often reserved for major productions, is considered a social event, with participants often knowing in advance which movie they want to see in a theatre;
– While consumers appear to obtain information about movies mainly by watching trailers, word-of-mouth, including social media, seems to be the main way they learn about TV series. For a movie to be chosen by consumers, it must generate buzz everywhere, ideally on all platforms;
– Not surprisingly, the Quebec industry seems to fare well, owing to its distinct star system as well as the pride and sense of belonging it elicits. Focus group discussions confirmed that Quebec films captivate viewers with their humour, local aspect and close proximity to their audience's reality;
– The English-language industry seems to be poorly known and subject to certain negative perceptions. However, several participants mentioned that their perception of the industry generally improved when they were provided with specific examples of Canadian films, which shows just how important promotion is;
– Participants deemed that the development of Canada's industry is desirable, since everyone is looking for good content; that content, however, will be judged in the same way as the best of the existing offer is judged.
