As is evident from the monthly trends monitored by Vitrina globally for Film + TV productions that were commissioned, greenlit, or financed — the last three years have been turbulent and eventful, to say the least. Here’s a summarized view:

2022: A year of extremes — an early-year “revenge production financing” surge fueled by post-COVID recoveries, followed by a sharp market correction from Wall Street’s reset of entertainment company valuations, leading to widespread budget tightening.

2023: Dominated by Hollywood strikes, which froze scripted productions in the US and UK, forcing many studios to pivot toward unscripted content and international markets to keep production pipelines active.

2024: A year of stabilization without major peaks, but regional surprises — Japan, ANZ, Germany, and Brazil saw notable spikes in activity, while broadcasters globally pulled back commissioning amid evolving business models.

Jan -Apr 2025: In Q1 2025, the global film and television industry entered a recalibration phase, with production volumes down 11% year-on-year. EMEA was the most impacted, declining 23%, followed by a 12% drop in APAC, while the Americas remained flat.

Insights on Production Transaction Volumes
April 25 vs. March 25

Methodology: Vitrina monitors projects worldwide across all stages of the content lifecycle—development, production, post-production, and release—on a daily basis. We track various transactions and deal activities related to content financing, commissioning, co-productions, green-lighting, as well as early stage (content development) and late stage (licensing). These transactions between production houses, distributors, streamers, and broadcasters enable us to gain valuable insights into industry trends, key players, buyer behavior, and the specializations of production companies. Our monthly Film+TV productions chart serves as a bellwether of production financing and industry health.

Below are the key highlights for April Film+TV Production Volumes:

• Global Production Trends: April 2025 saw a measured slowdown in global film and TV production following a strong Q1. While activity aligned with seasonal norms and volumes dipped slightly, development pipelines remained active, signaling preparation for a busier second half. The Americas held steady with an 8% shift, while APAC and EMEA experienced slowdowns due to commissioning and planning cycles.
• Genre and Language Trends: English-language productions surpassed 50% of global output, showing a slight increase over March. Drama remained the top genre, while Comedy gained modestly and Documentaries declined. Reality and Animation genres maintained their March levels. Meanwhile, German, Spanish, and Korean-language productions dipped slightly.
• Top Players Overall: Netflix led global commissioning with a diverse slate including historical adaptations like The Girls of Summer, Les Misérables, and The Mosquito Bowl. Fox Network and BBC followed, each reinforcing their strengths in Animation, Comedy, and Unscripted respectively.
• Within EMEA: BBC, Channel 5, and Netflix led commissioning activity in April 2025, reflecting strong investment in unscripted and serialized content.

  • BBC focused heavily on unscripted formats, with 40% of its slate in documentaries and 25% in reality shows.

  • Channel 5 leaned further into documentaries, with over 85% of its commissioned projects in the unscripted category.

  • Netflix maintained steady commissioning volumes, remaining consistent with its March output.

  • ITV, a top commissioner in March, dropped out of the leaderboard for April.

• Within APAC: English became the leading production language, accounting for over 25% of the region’s output—driven by platforms in Australia and New Zealand. Thai and Hindi content also rose, reflecting local momentum, while Japanese and Korean productions declined. 
• Within AMERICAS: Netflix and Prime Video remained consistent top commissioners. Fox Network climbed into the top 3, driven by a focused slate in Animation and Comedy. A+E Global Media, a March leader, dropped off the leaderboard.