Independent European producers traditionally produce films through (international) co-productions, often spending 3-5 years waiting for unpredictable financing from multiple sources. The upside of this business model is that producers stay independent by retaining the IP-rights to produced content, while ensuring high creative freedom.

The arrival of US streaming services to Europe triggered a brand-new business model for European producers. Collaborations with Netflix and the likes ensure one-stop financing, faster production, and global distribution. Yet, the streaming services take and retain in perpetuity all primary, secondary and tertiary IP-rights from producers, while the level of their creative influence is unclear.

We ask what will happen with the classic European notion of independence if the new model of financing and production continues. Will this traditional notion survive, or will it die as European producers choose to be dependent? And how might the impact of streaming services vary across different parts of Europe?