My Thoughts on Today’s Film Market (Published)
According to a commentary in VARIETY, the telecast of the Academy Awards garnered the lowest ratings in the history of televising the bestowing of the Oscars. What does that specify? Simple, it indicates that only a few people watched the program, and that isn’t good for the sponsors. At this rate, one has to wonder if the broadcasting of the Academy Awards via television may soon come to an end. The vast majority of people in the USA are not fascinated by the Oscars for a number of reasons:
First, they no longer go to the movies and couldn't care less about movies and actors they have never heard of winning a statue.
Second, who wants to listen to actors telling you they don’t want you as fans because you think differently than they think? Very mature thinking alienates oneself from half the country when you depend on their money for your popularity, which leads to the lack of old actors and actresses.
Third, it costs the average family $100 + for a night out at a movie, finding a babysitter, finding a parking space, standing in a ticket line, standing in a concession line, standing in a bathroom line, finding good seats, and hopefully where there isn’t a loudmouth who gives consultations to the actors on the screen, etc. So, why go to the movies when you can sit in your favorite chair or couch opposite your television at home for $7.99 a month? The complete family can select from over 1,200 series and 10,000 + streaming titles from Netflix morning, noon, or night. And new titles are being added all the time. Plus, other analogous networks like Amazon Prime, Vudu, Pure Flix, KlowdTV, Crunchyroll, CONtv, Kidoodle TV, and Hulu are now on board, offering lines of movies. Holy Cow, that’s a lot of choices.
Fourth, fewer people are watching HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz, The Movie Channel, etc., because they continually show the same movies over and over, and many of the programs are just bad to begin with. These channels may also become a “remember when?”
Fifth, moviemakers have forgotten that movies are supposed to be “entertaining.” People have enough problems of their own and want to escape for a while by watching a good movie and possibly living vicariously through the “Hero.”
Sixth, the average family does not want to sit and watch Hollywood “Stars” spreading their politics, regardless of whom they want in office. News Flash, no one cares what celebrates think. They are supposed to “entertain” the masses.
Seventh, most movies coming out today are story-less productions for 15-year-olds anyway, and nothing but special effects.
Eighth, when a viewer is working very hard to make ends meet, they don’t want to sit and watch an actor or actress, good or bad, whom they don’t recognize in the first place and who is making $20 million per film and may be gone tomorrow, perform in a story that doesn’t make sense to the viewer. But the Director “understands” the story. Uh, okay. And look how soon those actors and actresses are gone.
Ninth, have you noticed how many local movie theaters and even chain movie theaters have closed down? People aren’t going to the movies, so the smaller theaters cannot stay open, and they cannot license the Big Budgeted Films to draw some moviegoers. There is not enough product for the theaters.
Tenth, look at how many production companies have closed, are in bankruptcy, and are trying to sell the company; why? Because they cannot compete with the big production companies that are making these $100 million, $200 million, and $300 million movies, they really shouldn’t try to compete with them. However, how long can the big production companies make such costly films, since not all the films make enough money back to cover the costs in the first place?
Nonetheless, there is good news for writers and filmmakers, as this is the perfect opportunity for independent production companies and established larger companies to make movies. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Pure Flix, KlowdTV, Crunchyroll, CONtv, Kidoodle TV, and Hulu are going to need products. They can’t all show the same movies over and over, or they will lose their clientele. These companies are looking for all-genre films – something for everyone.
Thus, it means good scripts can possibly garner the attention of one or more of these analogous networks. However, it appears that a couple of these companies are making the same mistakes the film industry has made. They are looking to make higher budgeted programs, paying higher paydays to the cast, which will simply cause all costs to escalate. Déjà vu!