In the context of the Lord’s Report, the UKFC “consultation” and 10 Year Anniversary and just the start of a new year, I’ve written a vaguely provocative thought piece on an alternative direction for UK Film Public Policy in this week’s Screen International.

Titled ‘What We Could Learn from Iron Man’s Masters’, (print edition has the catchier title ‘Holding out for a Hero’) and being an economic analysis of the power of the franchise, the full text can be found here, or by clicking on Iron Man’s big Iron Head. Feedback welcomed.

There’s rather nice coverage in yesterday’s Guardian; and we are in very good company – including companies I love like Spotify, my friend Brent Hoberman’s MyDeco, MoonPig and Mind Candy.  I blogged a while ago that Richard Wray, the Guardian’s communications editor had interviewed me about innovation. Turns out this is why. Here’s the soundbite:

“In the film industry, Arvind Ethan David, chief executive of Slingshot Studios, can see the same changes coming: “There exists a large and widening disjunction between how audiences want to consume films – when, where and how they want – and how the film industry insists on providing them, according to rigid windowing patterns, fixed price points and non-coordinated marketing between the platforms. Companies that actually work with consumers can reap benefits.”

The full piece is here; and here’s a funny image that the photo editor has chosen to represent what early adopters look like!

A piece I wrote last month in this week’s Comment Page in Screen International.  The topic is the worrying state of Digital Literacy in the UK Film Industry – even in its twenty-something, purportedly “digital native” recruits.

Full article (subscription required) here:

I’ve been fretting recently as to whether we have the right incentive structure at Slingshot. In this talk, Dan Pink suggests not. I’m rethinking the situation, as my friend Fagin would say.