Where Will You Go In 2026?

2026 Is Here - What IPG Is Doing

I will be brief, and cover just 3 three things here: (1) This years IPG will GROW worldwide. If you are reading this newsletter and you are not at least a general member of the IPG - get in now and be one of our Old Guard. Your support is needed. More importantly, by being in now, you will have opportunities to mentor and be mentored, to network amongst other serious, effective filmmakers, and to grow both your industry profile and career path. (2) PUNC expands! 2025 saw the Producing Unique New Creators program train several early career professional producers. 2026, we will expand this program with up to 24 participants. This may sound a small number, but PUNC is for elite, effective, talented producers who will change the world. these people will affect hundreds of thousands and millions in their careers. Your participation in the PUNC program as a new producer, or as a supporter or instructor will effect positive change in the independent film community. (3) IPG will establish the first version of a P&H and Retirement plan for members. This will be the first of its kind in the film industry. The PGA has one which is available only to a very minor percentage of its membership. The IPG intends to make it available to all full members, and in some degree to all general members who work in the film industry.

REMEMBER - IPG MEMBERS can offer services through the IPG site, and get discounts on the services offered there. Take advantage today and throughout 2026!

What Do You Have Planned For 2026?

Tell me direct at [email protected] - Let’s chat about your projects and see where they might go. The IPG, as it grows, may be able to support your efforts. We could host a seminar for you. Productions can benefit from PUNC participation, and SSI can act as a fiscal sponsor to help you raise funding. Those are just two things that you could avail yourself of. There are more, and there will be even more as we move forward.

For myself and my partner Diamond Monique Washington, Diamond Shadow Productions Inc. is moving full speed ahead with Slayer and Dark Veil this year… And we will have a very big announcement later the week of January 12 - you will want to know about it.

For Stage And Screen innovations - expanding the PUNC program as mentioned above. We are embarking on post production on the PUNC produced series Uncharted Freedom - your involvement is welcomed. We are in need of finishing funds at this time. Though SSI is a registered NPO, it can still make profitable business arrangements for those producers who would step in with completion funds. Interested in any aspect of Uncharted Freedom? Contact me direct, or pass on the info to anyone. More at stagescreen.org.

2026 INDUSTRY TALKING POINTS - Commentary

An interesting article at https://www.screendaily.com/features/eight-talking-points-for-the-us-film-industry-in-2026/5212421.article

Here's my thoughts on these 8 points:

1. How will WB-Discovery Sale Impact the Indie sector? - This is difficult to assess because it begs the question "what is an indie film" - if it includes studio subsidized or distributed films, then no impact at all. If it includes truly independent films - then who knows - the distribution pipelines and environment are experiencing complete and global restructuring. Indie film that can tap into the global market doesn't need to play the studios game. So only time (and likely forensic analysis) will tell.

2. What will Industry Make Of The TIFF Market? - Again, the industry is in flux. One of the reasons the AFM is no longer relevant is because no one needs to travel to your town to review screeners and do deals face to face. Most deals are already done through online discussions. That being said, the TIFF is a very important festival and perhaps there will be some interest, if it does rebrand as an industry conference (a-la tech conferences perhaps?).

3. "AI On The March" - IMO most all filmmakers are woefully behind the curve in knowing what generative AI can and cannot do, and what is going on behind the scenes and in the development space. IMO, and as a consultant on a tech/film startup, generative AI will lower costs for professional production, but it does not lower barrier to entry any more than the cell phone camera has done. Perhaps for some junior VFX crew who learn to prompt at the direction of a qualified director and tech team. But consider: how valuable is your skill when theoretically everyone on the planet can do it? Not valuable.

4. Union Talks in 2026 - AI "guardrails" etc on the table.... Having said what I did under #3 above, if the unions and MPA draw out talks very long, it opens the market up for smaller truly independent studios to claim market share - through integration of current AI and 3D tech, as well as the changes in global distribution. Will they see short term or long term?

5. Los Angeles Production Blues - The "rank and file" are still going to bear the brunt of whatever happens with "runaway production." People don't recognize, filmmaking is a portable business. It takes 2 or 3 key people to do it and you can hire crew anywhere. So if costs are too high, you move it. It's a poor choice not to. The article mentions New Mexico tax incentives - one of the issues is the reliability of incentive programs elsewhere. New Mexico is not historically reliable - political maneuvering has disrupted the program more than once. Georgia remains the "best" choice, but Texas and Louisiana are coming on strong.

6. The Trump Factor And Foreign Film Tariffs - it's hard to keep a straight face on this one. IMO a non-starter. Unconstitutional, unenforceable and calculated to frighten socialist countries like Canada (where freedom of speech and economic health are secondary concerns and the weird concept of tariffs on ideas is actually a legal thing). Those countries don't know it cannot be done here, so are likely to make concessions that lower their cultural barriers to US film, or to invest in US co-productions. Like him or hate him, Trump's not stupid.

7. New US Theatrical Buyers - I don't know what to make of this, and ownership of these "new buyers" should be analyzed to see what the real behind the scenes might be. The Paramount decrees being set aside in 2020, block booking, clean screens and other cartel practices by the major studios are now legal and a distribution fact. This means less screens for indie films, and less for films owned by indie releasing companies, unless of course they are owned or controlled by an MPA affiliate or sub. However, theatrical distribution outside North America is not so controlled. So these "US" buyers may be counting on non-US markets.

8. Box Office Rebound - IMO don't count on it. Notice industry pronouncements and articles always focus on DOLLARS and not TICKETS SOLD or actual audience. The latter is what counts. The IPG did a study of theatrical tickets sold from 1950 through September 2025 - I recall 2025 is set to be about 20% of what it was at its height in terms of actual tickets sold, and even in light of the greater number of screens available. However, IMO people should understand that theater owners ARE NOT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY. They are real estate investors who rent bare-bones facilities out at very high rates for very short periods (sometimes just days or hours, but usually weeks). Analysis shows they remain in fact, very lucrative and very profitable despite the trajectory in ticket sales, and contrary to the screaming of the chain owners. In other words, theatrical is not going away.

FINAL NOTE - PLEASE HELP IPG GROW AND PLEASE SUPPORT STAGE AND SCREEN INNOVATIONS.

IPG general membership is just $90 a year. Your membership dues help us keep the lights on and run valuable programs like SSI’s PUNC program, do important industry studies like those papers already on the IPG site.

Donate to SSI at stagescreen.org - it’s tax deductible!

This is YOUR INDUSTRY. Take control.