Vitrina Film/TV Production Insider [January, 2025]

Share
Share
January 2025 Film and TV Production Trends

Recording Available: 2025 Production Financing Outlook – Watch Now!

January 2025 Film and TV Production Trends

Production Pulse: Analyzing Worldwide Film & TV Production Trends in January 2025

Historically, January sees a slight rebound from December’s lower production activity, as fewer projects get commissioned or financed in the final month of the year. However, January 2025 marked a shift, with global film and television production declining compared to both December 2024 and the same period last year.

  • Asia-Pacific (APAC): 35% drop in production volume from December 2024.
  • Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA): 32% decline month-over-month.
  • The Americas: Showed relative resilience, with:
    • 8% increase compared to January 2024.
    • 9% rise compared to December 2024.

Overall decline was driven by seasonal slowdowns, holiday-related delays, and cautious content spending by major studios.

Welcome to the latest edition of Vitrina’s global tracking of Film and TV production trends, providing insights across Movies and Feature Films, TV series, Animations, Documentaries, Scripted, and Unscripted projects.

Before we dive into January 2025 metrics, let’s recap the key Film and TV production trends driving the industry over the last 3 years.

Tune into Vitrina with Spotify 7 1

The Global Monthly Film + TV Production Report is curated by Vitrina experts with insights from our network. The audio podcast was generated with Deep Dive and reviewed by our team.

Global Film & TV Production Snapshot: Last 37 Months

jan prod

Source: Vitrina Daily Production Tracker. Production Volume are the total number of projects greenlit or financed or commissioned in that month.*October counts adjusted for late reports of greenlit, financed, or commissioned productions, resulting in minor upward changes.

As is evident from the monthly trends monitored by Vitrina globally for Film+TV Productions that were commissioned, greenlit or financed – the last 3 years have been turbulent and eventful – to say the least! A quick summarized view would be:

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

2023: Marked by Hollywood strikes, which froze scripted productions in the US & UK, forcing many studios to pivot toward unscripted content and international markets to keep productions moving.

2024: A year of stabilization with no major peaks, but regional surprises—Japan, ANZ, Germany, and Brazil saw production spikes, while broadcasters continued scaling back commissioning amid shifting business models.

Insights on Production Transaction Volumes
January 25 vs. December 24

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 January  Film+TV Production Volumes:

  • Global Production Trends: While global production volumes decreased by 10% in January 2025 compared to December 2024, the regional impact varied. APAC and EMEA saw significant declines of 35% and 11%, respectively, while the Americas increased by 9%.
  • Genre and Language Trends: Drama remained the top genre, followed by Comedy & Documentary. From a language perspective, English productions represented 49% of the January projects followed by French & German Productions.
  • Top Players Overall: Netflix, Prime Video & BBC stood out this month as the Top Commissioners
  • Within EMEA:  Netflix maintained stable production volumes, while the BBC emerged as a leading player in January following a period of reduced activity.
  • Within APAC: Netflix, Maddock Films (India) and Disney+ Hotstar (India) were the most active of the commissioners. 
  • Within AMERICAS: Netflix and Prime Video were the top commissioners in the Americas, followed by Disney+.

Stay ahead of the competition by tracking the latest production trends and market moves.


January 2025 Renewals: Shifting Dynamics Across Regions

Season renewals have long been a cornerstone for streamers and broadcasters, ensuring consistent viewer engagement and operational stability across production and post-production. They provide a strategic advantage by maintaining steady workflows and reducing the uncertainty associated with new content.

jan 2

Regional Insights – January 2025:

  • APAC: Season renewals declined significantly compared to December, with a broader mix of commissioners, including Troyca (Japan), Studio N (South Korea), MAPPA (Japan), Nine Network (Australia), and Netflix.
  • EMEA: Renewals dropped 19%, led by Netflix, BBC, ITV, and Canal+.
  • Americas: Unlike other regions, the Americas saw a 5% increase in renewals, driven by Netflix, Blue Ant Media, HGTV, and Paramount+.

Genre Trends: Drama emerged as the most renewed genre followed by Reality and Comedy.


Monitor season renewals and adjust your strategy with live insights.


Most Active Film Commissions in the Past 3 Months

Film commissions have taken on a more strategic role in the entertainment industry, actively enhancing their efforts to attract productions, nurture local talent, and secure investments across filming, production, and post-production. Their proactive initiatives have driven regional growth, strengthened creative ecosystems, and fostered dynamic industry collaborations. As competition among tax incentive programs intensifies, production financing leaders are re-evaluating traditional filming and post-production locations. Let’s explore the key film commissions that are making a significant impact on the industry today.

Sr. No Association/Industry Commission Location
1 Filmförderungsanstalt Berlin, Germany
2 CNC Paris, France
3 NZ On Air Wellington, New Zealand
4 Screen Australia Sydney, Australia
5 Screen NSW Sydney, Australia
6 Film- und Medienstiftung NRW GmbH Dusseldorf, Germany

Based on Project Volume Transactions from November 2024- January 2025.

Curious how Vitrina can help you? Try it out today!

Production

🏆 Hero Spotlight:

Dealmakers of this Month: Selected from BBC Group

This month we are starting a new section to put the spotlight on the Execs that we, at Vitrina, consider the top heroes of the media supply-chain – the production dealmakers. These rockstars finance, greenlight, commission or initiate productions and in that they jumpstart new projects and light up the entertainment supply-chain generating jobs and project-work for a host of service-providers.

Vitrina tracks business leaders in IP & Development, Production, Acquisition and Distribution – commissioners, acquisition heads, production leads on a daily basis and monitors the kind of transactions, content and market they specialize in.

🏆 Deal-Makers of the Month: BBC

jan 3

Rob Unsworth

Head of Daytime and Early Peak Commissioning, BBC

🔹 Specializations: Rob is a prolific dealmaker. From renewing TV series for new seasons to commissioning of brand new content to being in the middle of production greenlighting. 

🔹 Recent Project : BBC has renewed a second season of the fast-paced quiz show The Answer Run, hosted by comedian Jason Manford, for BBC One and iPlayer. Produced by BBC Studios Entertainment Productions, filming for the 25-episode season begins in Glasgow this March. 

About Rob Unsworth:

Rob Unsworth boasts a 25-year career at the BBC, during which he has worked on programs such as Watchdog, Blue Peter, and Rogue Traders. He also served as a Senior Advisor in the BBC’s Editorial Policy Team. In March 2020, he became the Editor of The One Show, and during the same period, he launched Morning Live, which is now based in central Manchester. In August 2022, he was appointed as the Head of Daytime and Early Peak Commissioning. 

Recently, he has been involved in multiple BBC commissions, including the new quiz show The Inner Circle (Tern TV), the factual series Big Idea Works (Twenty Six 03), and two new crime shows — Back Seat Cops (Full Fat TV) and Doorbell Detectives (Purple Productions).

jan 4

Neil McCallum

Commissioning Editor, BBC

🔹 Specialization: Neil McCallum is a key figure in entertainment content at BBC. From renewing TV series for new seasons to overseeing new productions, he plays a pivotal role in shaping engaging programming.

🔹 Recent Project : BBC signed a production deal with Tern TV for The Inner Circle, a new quiz show produced by Tern TV. The deal marks a significant milestone for Tern TV as it expands into the quiz show genre.

About Neil McCallum:

Neil McCallum joined the BBC as Commissioning Editor for Entertainment in March 2020 and is based in Glasgow. Until June 2024, he split his commissioning duties equally between entertainment and daytime programming. His commissioning credits include popular shows such as The Weakest Link, Alan Carr’s Picture Slam, The Hit List, Pointless & Pointless Celebrities, Bridge of Lies & Celebrity Bridge of Lies, David & Jay’s Touring Toolshed, The Graham Norton Show, Ballers, The Traitors, and The Traitors: Uncloaked.

Before joining the BBC, Neil led Hungry Bear Media’s Scotland office for three years, where he executive produced shows including All Round to Mrs. Brown’s Boys for the BBC. He has also worked as an Executive Producer at companies such as Talkback, TBI Media, Pulse, and The 10 Group. Earlier in his career, Neil spent 14 years at Channel 4, where he led a commissioning team responsible for youth and music output as ‘Head of T4 & Music’.

jan 5

Clare Sillery

Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, BBC

🔹 Specialization: Clare Sillery is deeply involved in content strategy and development. From commissioning compelling documentaries to driving co-productions, and greenlighting projects, she ensures impactful storytelling across BBC platforms.

🔹 Recent Project: Clare Sillery, along with BBC Three, BBC Documentaries, and BBC Scotland, has signed a production deal with STV Studios for The Catfish Next Door (working title). This documentary will explore the impact of online deception, further strengthening the BBC’s lineup of compelling factual content.

About Clare Sillery:

Clare Sillery oversees documentary commissioning for BBC One, Two, Three, and iPlayer. Recent notable series under her leadership include Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland, The Detectives, Parole, Louis Theroux Interviews, and Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams. She has also been instrumental in commissioning impactful single films such as The Real Mo Farah, Our Falklands War, and Miners’ Strike: A Frontline Story.

🎬 Vitrina’s 2024 Roundup & 2025 Predictions Report is Here! 🚀

Stay ahead of the entertainment industry with Vitrina’s ultimate guide to Film & TV production financing trends, strategies, and 2025 forecasts! This in-depth report is packed with insights to help you navigate the evolving landscape.

January 2025 Film and TV Production Trends

🔹 State of the Industry – Explore global production trends (2022–2024), from the impact of the Hollywood strikes to the rise of streaming dominance.
🔹 2025 Major Media Group Predictions – Get exclusive forecasts on Netflix, Disney, Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures, and more.
🔹 Key Market Analysis – Dive into production trends in Japan, Germany, LATAM, and other high-growth regions.
🔹 Exclusive Case Study – A deep dive into Sony’s IP licensing strategy, covering acquisitions across their 72 production houses.
🔹 Major Deals & Future Projects – Track A-list partnership talent arrangements  with top studios like Sony, WBD, Disney, and Amazon.

📄 Report Details: 100+ pages | Format: PDF

📥 Get Your Copy Today! 

📧 Contact Jacqueline Hart (jacqueline.hart@vitrina.ai) for details.
Premium Vitrina members receive it as part of their membership!

📢 Don’t miss this must-have industry resource!


Get In Touch with Vitrina Today:

Frequently Ask Questions

Exclusive Report

January 2025 Film and TV Production Trends

Watch Recording

January 2025 Film and TV Production Trends

Related Articles

Menu