PANTAFLIX - Aiming to become one of the world’s leading VOD platforms
PANTAFLIX was launched last year with the ambition to give producers around the world the opportunity to take their works to a global audience. The content can be easily uploaded on the online platform for free and start generating revenue from user rentals. The income is split on a 75:25 ratio between the rights holder and PANTAFLIX.
A year after its launch, PANTAFLIX has been quite successful. The company reported revenues of 13.3 million euros for the first half of this year and improved its operational result from minus 2.3 million to 8.5 million in one year. But profit is not the main goal. PANTAFLIX wants to become one of the world’s leading VOD platforms as CEO Dan Maag tells Iliyan Stoychev.
Dan Maag, CEO of PANTAFLIX
Dan, let’s start with the purpose for the creation of PANTAFLIX. What is the story?
There were two important reasons for founding PANTAFLIX last year. First of all, we knew that the traditional film business – the way it is internationally built – presents a major disadvantage for those who are significantly responsible for its success or failure: the film producers. The percentages that producers receive bear no proportion to the risks they must take. If things go well, they walk away with roughly 10 percent of the profits. We aim to change this system with our platform.
The second reason was that the vast majority of films in the business are subject to geographical boundaries when it comes to distribution. Many German films, for example, aren’t available in the USA, because no distributors can be found there to purchase the rights. Nearly 90 percent of films produced worldwide aren’t distributed on the market outside the place they originate from. For many people living abroad this is a problem. Quite often they have no other choice but to watch films from their home country on illegal streaming websites on the internet. This is another problem we wish to change with our platform.
How exactly does the PANTAFLIX model work?
Our streaming platform is based on the principle “one world, one screen”: we offer filmmakers and producers a platform that is available worldwide, where they can upload their films and offer them to consumers. There are no middlemen in our model – this means that the filmmakers receive a much larger percentage of the profits. Consumers, on the other hand, can rent the films for 48 hours – they only pay for those films they really want to see. Our portfolio includes many different kinds of films, ranging from blockbusters to independent productions.
PANTAFLIX is currently available in English, German, French, Turkish and Polish. Is the service available worldwide and how big is the catalog?
We’re currently still extending the platform and plan to offer our film selection to the world very soon. The platform is already available in the EU, the US, and many Asian countries. In May, we started working and cooperating with the Sun Seven Stars Media Group of Bruno Wu, which gave us a broader access to the Asian market. Our current film selection comprises several tens of thousands of films.
What kind of audience is PANTAFLIX targeting? Are these film fans who already use some other subscription service?
Our main target audience consists of people across the globe with no opportunity to see films from their home country. Thanks to our diverse portfolio, our platform also appeals to a wide variety of moviegoers and film fans who may already have had some experiences with other streaming platforms and who now come to us, because they look for certain content they can’t find anywhere else.
PANTAFLIX promises to make things more human. In an industry that is becoming ever more automated and reliant on programmatic, artificial intelligence and machine learning for a customized faster viewing experience, can the curation by film-loving experts bring competitive value?
Yes, definitely. The market is currently dominated by American IT companies which are unchallenged when it comes to knowledge of technology. PANTAFLIX on the other hand is a platform made by film fans for film fans - something that becomes clear when you look at our unusual executive team which consists of an actor, a digital media/VOD expert and me, a film producer. It’s not about creating some random platform and working on algorithms on a daily basis. We’re all in the film business, are passionate film experts and know our way around the scene. We are conscious of the problems in the industry and know the needs and requirements of consumers very well. Additionally, we have an editorial team that spends 24 hours a day thinking about how we can bring our immense catalogue closer to our customers. It’s about accompanying and helping them become treasure hunters on their journey through the world of film.
Is it correct to say that PANTAFLIX completely overjumps the traditional model of distributing and licensing content? And if so, how will PANTAFLIX be able to offer appealing content for a broad international audience?
Yes, with PANTAFLIX we wanted to strike a new path in the film industry. In the traditional film business, filmmakers usually sell the film rights to rights traders, who then sell them on to the various national distributors. This leads to a huge increase in costs and means that consumers mostly have access to films in their various national markets. Many Chinese immigrants in the US or Europe, for example, have no way of watching Chinese films legally on any platform. This problem could be solved with a global streaming platform. In order to make our selection as interesting as possible, we are extending our portfolio rapidly and are offering a wide variety of films from different genres.
Was there any reaction from the established distribution companies when you launched PANTAFLIX?
The reactions from the established distributors have been very positive, because the predominance of the larger players continues to cause concern in the industry. In today’s digital age, setting up a digital ecosystem is something that is very appealing to them. The established distributors enjoy working with us intensively - which is why we will soon be distributing their catalogs.
What does PANTAFLIX have that Netflix, Amazon and the other streaming platforms are missing?
The business models of Netflix and Amazon work very differently, which is why we don’t see them as competitors. For example, Netflix buys its content, whereas we act as a self-distribution platform for the rights holders. On Netflix and Amazon, users are subscribers to the platform and have access to regionally limited content in their various countries. What makes PANTAFLIX so revolutionary is the fact that filmmakers determine how their work is distributed themselves and that customers are provided with a globally accessible film offering, be it blockbusters, independent films, film noir, or even short films.
Tell us more about the upcoming Reviews & Comments function of the service. Will peer curation and social interaction become essential to the PANTAFLIX experience?
We find it very important to listen to our customers and always have an open ear for their desires and needs. Many of our customers are already using the social media channels we provide. We will continue to adjust our services to their needs and plan to extend this form of communication.
Currently, PANTAFLIX has a film offering. Will TV content be included?
Yes, currently our platform only contains films. However, we plan to offer series very soon and have already begun acquiring content.
Is PANTAFLIX a disruptor on the market? What is the future of online video, according to PANTAFLIX?
Digital technology has changed the way audiences watch television worldwide. Aside from linear TV, people have access to many VOD alternatives nowadays. I think the market is going to continue growing extensively in the next years. Just recently, Disney and HBO announced that they will be starting their own platforms. I don’t think that linear TV will be completely replaced. However, the traditional film business is subject to certain narrow and regional boundaries. We plan to break up these very analog structures. Our goal is to create a channel for the 90 percent of films that never make it across the borders to other markets. Digitalization offers many possibilities regarding this. We aim to become one of the leading VOD providers on the market worldwide.
There were two important reasons for founding PANTAFLIX last year. First of all, we knew that the traditional film business – the way it is internationally built – presents a major disadvantage for those who are significantly responsible for its success or failure: the film producers. The percentages that producers receive bear no proportion to the risks they must take. If things go well, they walk away with roughly 10 percent of the profits. We aim to change this system with our platform.
The second reason was that the vast majority of films in the business are subject to geographical boundaries when it comes to distribution. Many German films, for example, aren’t available in the USA, because no distributors can be found there to purchase the rights. Nearly 90 percent of films produced worldwide aren’t distributed on the market outside the place they originate from. For many people living abroad this is a problem. Quite often they have no other choice but to watch films from their home country on illegal streaming websites on the internet. This is another problem we wish to change with our platform.
How exactly does the PANTAFLIX model work?
Our streaming platform is based on the principle “one world, one screen”: we offer filmmakers and producers a platform that is available worldwide, where they can upload their films and offer them to consumers. There are no middlemen in our model – this means that the filmmakers receive a much larger percentage of the profits. Consumers, on the other hand, can rent the films for 48 hours – they only pay for those films they really want to see. Our portfolio includes many different kinds of films, ranging from blockbusters to independent productions.
PANTAFLIX is currently available in English, German, French, Turkish and Polish. Is the service available worldwide and how big is the catalog?
We’re currently still extending the platform and plan to offer our film selection to the world very soon. The platform is already available in the EU, the US, and many Asian countries. In May, we started working and cooperating with the Sun Seven Stars Media Group of Bruno Wu, which gave us a broader access to the Asian market. Our current film selection comprises several tens of thousands of films.
What kind of audience is PANTAFLIX targeting? Are these film fans who already use some other subscription service?
Our main target audience consists of people across the globe with no opportunity to see films from their home country. Thanks to our diverse portfolio, our platform also appeals to a wide variety of moviegoers and film fans who may already have had some experiences with other streaming platforms and who now come to us, because they look for certain content they can’t find anywhere else.
PANTAFLIX promises to make things more human. In an industry that is becoming ever more automated and reliant on programmatic, artificial intelligence and machine learning for a customized faster viewing experience, can the curation by film-loving experts bring competitive value?
Yes, definitely. The market is currently dominated by American IT companies which are unchallenged when it comes to knowledge of technology. PANTAFLIX on the other hand is a platform made by film fans for film fans - something that becomes clear when you look at our unusual executive team which consists of an actor, a digital media/VOD expert and me, a film producer. It’s not about creating some random platform and working on algorithms on a daily basis. We’re all in the film business, are passionate film experts and know our way around the scene. We are conscious of the problems in the industry and know the needs and requirements of consumers very well. Additionally, we have an editorial team that spends 24 hours a day thinking about how we can bring our immense catalogue closer to our customers. It’s about accompanying and helping them become treasure hunters on their journey through the world of film.
Is it correct to say that PANTAFLIX completely overjumps the traditional model of distributing and licensing content? And if so, how will PANTAFLIX be able to offer appealing content for a broad international audience?
Yes, with PANTAFLIX we wanted to strike a new path in the film industry. In the traditional film business, filmmakers usually sell the film rights to rights traders, who then sell them on to the various national distributors. This leads to a huge increase in costs and means that consumers mostly have access to films in their various national markets. Many Chinese immigrants in the US or Europe, for example, have no way of watching Chinese films legally on any platform. This problem could be solved with a global streaming platform. In order to make our selection as interesting as possible, we are extending our portfolio rapidly and are offering a wide variety of films from different genres.
Was there any reaction from the established distribution companies when you launched PANTAFLIX?
The reactions from the established distributors have been very positive, because the predominance of the larger players continues to cause concern in the industry. In today’s digital age, setting up a digital ecosystem is something that is very appealing to them. The established distributors enjoy working with us intensively - which is why we will soon be distributing their catalogs.
What does PANTAFLIX have that Netflix, Amazon and the other streaming platforms are missing?
The business models of Netflix and Amazon work very differently, which is why we don’t see them as competitors. For example, Netflix buys its content, whereas we act as a self-distribution platform for the rights holders. On Netflix and Amazon, users are subscribers to the platform and have access to regionally limited content in their various countries. What makes PANTAFLIX so revolutionary is the fact that filmmakers determine how their work is distributed themselves and that customers are provided with a globally accessible film offering, be it blockbusters, independent films, film noir, or even short films.
Tell us more about the upcoming Reviews & Comments function of the service. Will peer curation and social interaction become essential to the PANTAFLIX experience?
We find it very important to listen to our customers and always have an open ear for their desires and needs. Many of our customers are already using the social media channels we provide. We will continue to adjust our services to their needs and plan to extend this form of communication.
Currently, PANTAFLIX has a film offering. Will TV content be included?
Yes, currently our platform only contains films. However, we plan to offer series very soon and have already begun acquiring content.
Is PANTAFLIX a disruptor on the market? What is the future of online video, according to PANTAFLIX?
Digital technology has changed the way audiences watch television worldwide. Aside from linear TV, people have access to many VOD alternatives nowadays. I think the market is going to continue growing extensively in the next years. Just recently, Disney and HBO announced that they will be starting their own platforms. I don’t think that linear TV will be completely replaced. However, the traditional film business is subject to certain narrow and regional boundaries. We plan to break up these very analog structures. Our goal is to create a channel for the 90 percent of films that never make it across the borders to other markets. Digitalization offers many possibilities regarding this. We aim to become one of the leading VOD providers on the market worldwide.
