Film News

Monthly wrap up reports on the spec market.

Between July 1st and July 31st, we tracked 22 new feature specs hitting the market, with only 4 having some type of attachment. Surprisingly, this is only a 4.3% decrease in specs from June. June saw a monstrous uptick in specs from the rest of the year, so it looks like we’re holding steady for the summer. Still, July didn’t beat out the record high for the year but came quite close to it.

Between June 1st and June 30th, we tracked 23 new feature specs hitting the market, with 6 having some type of attachment. However, one spec made waves that hit the market some time ago, bringing our total success up to 7 (more on that spec later). That is a 43.75% increase in specs from last month. Not only that, but this is the highest number of specs in a single month all year.

Between May 2022 and May 2021, there has been a 15.8% decrease in the material hitting the market. This gap has only continued to grow in past years. Dating at its peak, 2019 saw 33 specs out in a single month. Comparing that to now, that is nearly a 51.5% drop-off. While materials have decreased, the success rates have seen a bit more of a u-shape in the last few years.

Between April 1st and April 30th, we tracked only 13 specs hitting the market. That is nearly a 31% decrease in specs out in comparison to March 2022. Though not the lowest volume out this year, it is certainly the lowest April in recent years (more on that soon). Of these 13 specs, 6 have some type of attachment, with one from January selling as well. That brings our total up to 7 successes of some type.

March is usually the month we see the market start to defrost and kick into high gear. Instead, the month stayed on course and went out with the exact same about as February. Between March 1st and March 31st 2022, we tracked a total of 19 feature specs hitting the market. Of these specs, 5 have some type of attachment. So, we’re seeing an even split between February and March, but with the market primed, it plays like a smaller month than anticipated.

Between February 1st and February 28th, we tracked a total of 19 feature specs hitting the market. That is quite the jump in numbers compared to last month. Of the 19 specs out, 5 have some type of attachment. So, while some really strong material hit the market, the heat is still working at finding a home.

Between January 1st and January 31st, 2022, we tracked a total of 11 new feature specs hitting the market. Compared to last month, we are seeing a 15% decrease in the material out. That is fairly standard for the time of the year, thanks to the holidays. In terms of successes, of the 11 specs out, 4 have some type of attachment.

Between December 1st and December 31st, we tracked a total of 13 new feature specs out on the market. While that doesn’t sound like much, it is quite the jump from last year. More on that later. In comparing it to last month, we saw a 43% decrease in material out, which surprises no one.

Between November 1st and November 30th, we tracked a total of 23 new feature specs out on the market. November tends to be a mixed bag year over year. This month traditionally marks the end of the literary calendar where most agents and managers are wrapping up going out with new material.

Between September 1st and September 30th, we tracked a total of 24 feature specs out on the market. After months of the monthly spec count going down, we have finally shot back up. This is the highest spec count since March 2021.

Between August 1st and August 31st, we tracked a total of 15 feature specs out. This marks the third month in a row where specs have decreased. However, we all predicted the low rate of material out between vacations and productions slowly rolling out.

Between July 1st and July 31st, we tracked a total of 19 feature specs out. This is a decline from the specs out the previous month, but it was to be expected with many taking long-awaited vacations, coupled with the bottlenecking we’re seeing in the development chain. However, it’s not the drop-off we anticipated and is still on par with the past month’s numbers.

Between June 1st and June 30th, we tracked a total of 22 feature specs out. We’ve been coming from a steadily declining slump of material out, but June turned it around from May’s slow market. While not the highest number of features out this year, things are starting to mend.

Between May 1st and May 31st, we tracked a total of 19 feature specs out. We’ve seen a progressively steady decline of specs hitting the market since re-openings have started to rise. May marks the second lost number out, next to January. The more shocking number is that of the 19 feature specs out, only 2 have some type of attachment, with one additional spec from a past month selling in May.

Between April 1st and April 30th, we tracked a total of 22 feature specs out. While it’s a positive from last April, it’s continuing our steady decline of specs from the past couple of months. We’ve seen a 12% decrease in specs from March’s count. We’ve continued to decrease in specs since February, wherein in a traditional market, we’d see increases in April, a hot month for the material.

Between March 1st and March 31st, we tracked a total of 25 specs out. This marks a minimal 2.8% decrease in specs from February’s count. So, while March did not outperform February, we saw little drop-off between the months. Of the 25 specs out, 9 have some type of attachment.

Love is in the air as we reach what some believe to be the most romantic month of the year – February. Sure we had yet another impeachment trial, but from awkward online Hinge dates to sweet cards from Grandma, February is showing some promise on all fronts.

Typically, January serves as that buffering month following the busy holiday season where everyone slowly emerges from the depths, picks up steam at work, and gets back into the rhythm of things.

Alas, we reach the end of August and with Labor Day just around the corner, we’re returning to cooler weather and pumpkin spice lattes invading our life yet again.