the film 'industry'

[Holden Caulfield]

“the ultimate product of the motion picture business is profit, the motion picture is but a means to an end”

thoughts?

[rednordman]

I dont know whether i'v understood that quote properly, but if it sounds like the most one dimensional drab and heartless quote i'v heard relating to the film industry. However, this is sadly a reality. So they may sound harsh, but they are quoting the truth. Of coarse, films should be made to be works of art, but its obvious by the sort of stuff that is churned out thesedays, that profit comes first. hense films are judged soley on their performance at the box office (which can be influnced by a number of things not relating to the actual physical production of the film), rather than whether or not it is a good movie. where is the quote from by the way?

[Prairie Fire]

Bullshit. That's how a producer thinks, never how a writer/director thinks.

I've made several films, some fairly expensive for one persyn to produce, and I have yet to ever see a nickle for them.

[rednordman]

Bullshit. That's how a producer thinks, never how a writer/director thinks.

I've made several films, some fairly expensive for one persyn to produce, and I have yet to ever see a nickle for them.
Er..unsure whether this is aimed at me or the topic starting quote. Yes i totally emphasis with you, but i was refering to the mainstream ,almost, mass produced movies that we see in cinemas nowadays. If it was down to me, im pretty sure that i would put some of your movies in their place. what movies have you produced anyhow?

[Prairie Fire]

No,that comment wasn't aimed at you, rednorman.

I've never produced anything you've heard of, just indie films in canada.

[cop an Attitude]

Conglomerates own the media today. wether it be film, to tv, to books, they got their hands on it. Its hard for indie teams to compete due to the fact that these conglomerates use an absurd amount of synergy in their promotional tactics. free advertising is the easyest. Any children's movie has to have some sort of marketablility (ie. action figures, coloring books, off shoot tv shows you name it) and mostly every movie needs some sort of replay value. Now in the early days of hollywood to about the 80s the producer judged the movie on its merit but when the onserge of "profitability" sweept through during the 80s, less and less classic movies were made. Today it is realy just a matter of how cheap a movie can be made (including how little they have to pay writers). Blockbusters are the backbone of a production team which leads to fewer and fewer good movies. Look ant Transformers, the new Indiana Jones, I Robot, they cannnot compare the the movies of the 70s. The Dark Knight is really the only exception for a nonsucky blockbuster this year. Its just going down hill and the producer is being replaced by a boardroom. Another good example of captialisms long streaching arms. :(

[cop an Attitude]

This is a good movie that i actully saw in class (i'm a comm major focusing on media so i took a Modern Media class). Its called behind the screens, its moves faster on youtube but if you want to see all 5 parts without searching then here they are. I would have just just gave a link but its a hassle to find. It really sums up well whats happening in hollywood. Take it or leave it but its pretty informative.
by the way, sorry for hogging space in the forum.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxiWsJFrVUw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv79rMpSlF4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqGe7ILjS34

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dYp9yXuWd4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjQ052lBXow

[Red_Snapper]

Bullshit. That's how a producer thinks, never how a writer/director thinks.
I'm a working cinematographer in Hollywood and I would say that is exactly right. Unfortunately the producer has mostly full say on what gets made and what doesn't, effectively aligning the aims of directors with their own monetary goals(that is to say, either their film is bastardized to become more commercially viable or it simply doesn't get made). Writers typically have no say over the material once their script is sold.

Fortunately there are still a few true artists left.