The state of things was made clear today with the announcement that Miramax President Daniel Battsek would be stepping down. His decision came after news in recent weeks that Miramax headquarters would be moved from NYC to LA and that the company would scale back its annual release slate to three pictures, which is to say the functional equivalent of no pictures.

The shake-up ends the recent decades of dabbling all over the map for Disney and now leaves the independent film world decimated down to its core, with Fox Searchlight, Focus and Sony Classics the only major specialty units still moving at full steam following the departures or diminishments of New Line and , Paramount Vantage.

NOTE: A previous version of this mistakenly item listed Focus Features in the diminished list. We are delighted to learn that Focus is alive and well.

It wasn't much of a surprise when it was announced that Disney would be "restructuring" Miramax down to three films a year and cutting their staff by 70%.

When Disney studio chief Dick Cook was ousted last week, it was pretty common knowledge that an absent Cook, who was long a proponent of keeping the Miramax brand alive, certainly wasn't going to help things. Miramax hasn't been sufficiently profitable for a while, at least by Disney's standards. Sure, they've turned out some quality films over the last few years (No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood) but most people attribute those victories to New York's Worst Boss '07, producer Scott Rudin, and not Miramax head Daniel Battsek, the Brit who couldn't zero in on American tastes without the help of producers like Rudin: ears for quality and easy ins to studios. Miramax has also had far more than their fair share of failures lately, which the LAT report nicely reduces to their most recent three (Extract, Cheri, and The Boys Are Back). Are we forgetting Adventureland, Eagle vs. Shark, Blindness, etc? Because, well, we shouldn't.

These are mostly expensive films with fairly "bankable" stars being trotted out as "independent" fare, or as the LA Times enjoys calling it: "smaller, offbeat movies," which is a nice euphemism for anything that doesn't have a nailed-down demographic of conspicuous consumers (or, for that matter, teenagers). But big studio dramas used to do really well! Remember the 90s? Braveheart, Schindler's List, American Beauty, Gladiator: these films used to win box offices and Oscars. Not anymore. In their place are smaller affairs: The Reader, Crash, Revolutionary Road. Restrained pieces of moviemaking that aren't as epic as their history would suggest. Times change.

Picturehouse, Warner Independent, and now, Miramax: all of these were so-called "specialty division" studio-within-studios that failed. They were built up to lure stars with the promise of getting their art-house rocks off in exchange for a multi-picture deal involving a blockbuster. Why? Because, for studios, they weren't worth the cost of the money they were losing devoting resources to making or acquiring and marketing these mostly unprofitable movies. So: studio indies are coming to an end. Thank god.

Miramax got their name by making movies like Swingers and Pulp Fiction. They stumbled upon raw talent who could make an incredible movie on the cheap, and the profits were extraordinary. When you have the backing of a studio like Disney, or Warner Bros, that's never going to happen. As much as they probably enjoy the schadenfreude of Disney fucking up their baby, even The Weinstein Brothers, still hopped up on the memories of their last moneyed days with Disney, are now caught between pissing cash into the wind on highbrow stuff, or focusing on making more stuff like Halloween 2. Layoffs are impending for Miramax employees who once thought they had the safety of a studio that cared about "good" movies. Disney's commitment to "quality" extends as far as their bottom line, like so many other multinationals trying to turn a buck.

Independent film used to be a game of digging through the dark to find something incredible, and that might be what it's returning to. Hollywood's new producers are savvy to New Media marketing games; they know how to make good films while keeping the kitchen sink. We can try to avoid the symbolism of Miramax's doom as much as we want to, but in the end, it's simple: conglomerates are out of the art-house game, which means its full-on open season for underdog movies again. Let the new Weinsteins emerge.

Most important to his boss, Battsek plays well with others. The Weinsteins, whose feistiness was sometimes accompanied by hot tempers, never saw themselves as Disney "cast members" and largely shunned working with other Disney divisions.

As any former Miramaxer whose bowels instantly loosen upon the mention of the name Harvey will gladly tell you, the Weinsteins are "feisty" like a pair of pitbulls let loose in a phone booth full of poodles in sweaters made of bacon. But choosing a team player like Battsek makes sense for Disney; any executive charged with maintaining the continuity of fear established by the legendarily "enthusiastic" brothers would probably have to overcompensate by roaming the office and randomly stabbing employees in the neck with a letter opener, and they can't risk further morale problems at a division already decimated by layoffs.

• New President Must Fill Large Shoes at Miramax [LAT]
• Previously: Tom Ford Transforms The Weinsteins [Defamer]

There's all kinds of goodies in the Defamer tip box: Ben & Jerry's coupons, Peruvian currency, little notes that say 'Next time, don't screw up my order.' But once in a while, there's something truly special, like this report of a MiramaxClassic staff reunion. Attended by Harvey Weinstein himself:

[Thursday] night I was at a Miramax reunion party at Barney's Beanery of all places. Everyone from exiled executives now running rival studios to bitter ex-assistants to the mailroom guy to even the security guard were there. Even Harvey himself showed up.

• Previously: Meet The New Harvey Weinstein [Defamer]

A Defamer operative was kind enough to forward us this extremely heartfelt e-mail from Disney chairman Dick Cook welcoming Battsek into the family:

—————
From: Cook, Dick W
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 9:35 AM
To: [REDACTED]
Subject: Miramax President Announcement

Please join me in welcoming Daniel Battsek as the new president of Miramax Films. For information on his appointment, please read the press release below.

The efficiency of this twenty-five word greeting shows a mastery of the epistolary form, but shouldn't overshadow the emotion behind his warm words. Can't you feel the tears of joy permeating this mass e-mail to all of Disney's employees? Cook could've ordered all of his underlings to welcome Battsek, upon pain of immediate dismissal, but instead chose the polite entreaty of "please." Looks like the culture's already changing around the New Miramax.

The press release follows after the jump, but be forewarned: You will be moved. Ready the Kleenex and the eyedrops.

DANIEL BATTSEK NAMED PRESIDENT OF MIRAMAX FILMS

Daniel Battsek, one of the most highly respected film executives in the Buena Vista International Organization and widely admired throughout the UK film community, has been named president, Miramax Films, it was announced today, July 25, 2005, by Dick Cook, chairman The Walt Disney Studios. In his new role, Battsek, who most recently has been Executive Vice President/Managing Director of Distribution and Production for BVI UK, will report directly to Cook.

Effective immediately, Battsek will focus his efforts on building a new executive team, as well as putting together a new slate of Miramax films. He will work with Bob and Harvey Weinstein who will remain co-chairmen of Miramax on a non-exclusive basis through September 30, 2005. During this period, the Weinsteins will focus their efforts on completing projects currently in production and will oversee the marketing and distribution of Miramax and Dimension films scheduled for release. As of October 1, 2005, Battsek will take over all operations for Miramax Films which include creative, acquisitions, production, distribution, as well as marketing and publicity.

In making the announcement Cook said, “Daniel is a remarkable leader as proven by his dynamic and award-winning executive team. Their unprecedented success throughout the UK can be attributed to Daniel’s savvy business sense, combined with his inspired enthusiasm, team spirit and great taste in material. His long rich history with The Walt Disney Studios where he has been involved in distribution, marketing, acquisition and production gives him a keen understanding of our goals as we further build upon the prestigious heritage of the Miramax name.” Cook added, “We are thrilled to welcome Daniel into his new role as president of Miramax Films.”

In commenting on his new position in leading Miramax Films, Battsek stated, “I am very much looking forward to the creative challenges this new role will bring, and am extremely gratified by the confidence Dick and others at the Studio, particularly Mark Zoradi, BVI President, have in me to give me this amazing opportunity. I have enormous respect for everything that Miramax stands for and I hope my life-long passion for the film business will be a great asset to this prestigious label.”

Battsek will relocate from the UK to New York where the Miramax headquarters will continue to operate independently.

Among the many projects already in the pipeline are “Kinky Boots” from director Julian Jarrold; “Gone Baby Gone” helmed by first time director Ben Affleck; “Lucky 13” directed by Scott Marshall; and “Hoax” starring Richard Gere and to be directed by Lasse Hallstrom. Battsek will also collaborate with The Weinstein Company on such co-productions as “Breaking and Entering,” “Derailed,” “Matador” and “Mrs. Henderson.”

Under Battsek’s stewardship, BVI UK has experienced over a decade of exceptional results with the year 2003 being a stand-out when the company topped the Distributor Market Share chart for the first time in its history. In addition to his responsibilities relating to BVI, Daniel has also built the UK Comedy Label into one of the leading British Production companies. Across these two disciplines, strong working relationships have been built both with such high profile British filmmakers such as, Stephen Frears, Nigel Cole, John Madden, Christopher Nolan, Anthony Minghella, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, as well as many influential filmmakers in the International film community.

Battsek was first introduced to Disney in 1991, when he was asked to start up a UK Company as part of the world-wide distribution network for BVI. In 1992, he officially joined The Walt Disney Studios. Battsek was quickly promoted to vice president/managing director where he handled all aspects of theatrical film distribution in the UK. He built a strong team of key executives in finance, sales, marketing, technical and publicity, which have been recognized throughout the industry. He was later promoted to vice president, managing director and European acquisitions director of BVI (UK) Limited. His responsibilities also included involvement in the acquisition of distribution rights across numerous territories for such films as “Muriel’s Wedding,” “Shine,” “Central Station,” “Kolya,” and “Ice Storm.”

In 1998, he was promoted to senior vice president, BVI (UK) Limited where he oversaw approximately 35 films per year from the Disney, Touchstone and Miramax labels. With his expanding role, Battsek began acquiring and developing British film projects for worldwide distribution. He created the BVI UK Comedy Label which produced four films — “High Heels and Low Lifes,” “Hope Springs,” “Calendar Girls,” which went on to gross over $95 million worldwide, and the soon to be released “Kinky Boots.”

Prior to joining Disney, Battsek was managing director of Palace Pictures where he was involved in all aspects of marketing, distribution and acquisitions in the UK and Ireland. Between 1985 and 1991 the company enjoyed enormous success with a wide variety of product including such films as “Mona Lisa”, “Cinema Paradiso”, “When Harry Met Sally” and The Crying Game”. Battsek began his industry career at The Hoyts Film Corporation in Sydney, Australia where he quickly rose through the ranks to general manager in Victoria State overseeing distribution.

Battsek is a graduate of Oxford Polytechnic where he majored in Social and Political Studies.