European Film Studios Adapting to the Streaming Era: Corporate Agency and Contemporary European Cinema

Fundamental changes in the European media landscape over the decade have sought a new wave of multinational film 'studios' acting as bulwarks for the European screen industries amid the arrival of global streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Understanding the agency of these European conglomerates is vital for appreciating how the industry is responding to, and even seeking to profit from, the streaming revolution. This article provides an overview of what is meant by the descriptor 'European film studio', some examples of these companies as well as of the impact the American-owned, globally-operational streaming platforms, are having on the European film industry. Two case studies of European conglomerates that have developed markedly different strategies to cope with the arrival of American streaming platforms are finally offered: the German-based Constantin Film and the French-based Pathé which illuminate the roles some European studios play in the continent’s contemporary film industries.