Searchlight Exec Katie Goodson-Thomas On Being Priced Out Of Working With Filmmakers Like Emerald Fennell: “We Can’t Be Competitive With Netflix Or Amazon” — London Film Festival

deadline.com:

Searchlight Pictures celebrates three decades this year in the biz this year, but UK-based exec Katie Goodson-Thomas told a crowd this morning during a London Film Festival industry talk that the mini-studio is finding it increasingly difficult to compete on the market for projects thanks to the big streamers.

Goodson-Thomas — who has worked in various positions at the Poor Things studio for 11 years — was asked by an audience member whether the company is ever priced out of projects they would have traditionally backed because of the growing influence of companies like Netflix and Amazon.

The longtime exec promptly replied: “That happens on a daily basis.”  “Really, it does. We can’t be competitive with Netflix or Amazon or Apple.

Its just not gonna happen,” she said adding that she would personally like to work with new filmmakers like Emerald Fennell but Searchlight has been entirely priced out of a conversation with her.  “She’s working on Wuthering Heights but we’re not going to be able to join that conversation,” Goodson-Thomas said of Fennel. “But I think she’s an extraordinary filmmaker and I want her films to be made so I’m proud they’re being made with people who can pay the money she would like.”  Goodson-Thomas later added that she believes Searchlight has been able to remain steady despite the growing influence of streamers because of it’s “humanity and face-to-face” relationships with filmmakers at all levels of the production process.  “I don’t think there’s a better distribution marketing team around.