The end of Hollywood?

[Commander Max]

Amazon is looking to add some new shows to its streaming video library -- specifically, yours.

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This will be a pretty big blow.
If you have an idea, go for it.

No studio system to play with.

 

[PantheraGem]

Going to see "Avengers" tomorrow. It will be only the second time at the theater this year. I used to go a few times a month. Now my friends and I gather at my house to watch movies and we enjoy it a lot more. Sony projector with 110" screen and 7.1 surround, and recently, a popcorn popper! It's way sexier, and a whole lot cheaper to watch movies at home these days once the initial investment is over. I'd rather be disappointed by a recent Hollywood movie and spend $3.99 for an instant streaming movie via Amazon than by the $30 (gas is expensive) it winds up costing by the time I'm done being disappointed at the theater.

Also, I have to drive an hour to a theater that actually has audiences that aren't talking the whole time or annoying you with a cell phone. The days of going to a theater being a special experience are gone. To audiences, it's as ho-hum as the architecture of the "auditorium" they're sitting in.

All Hollywood has to do is look to the music industry to see the sort of changes that are coming. It's bad for everyone, good for everyone, and one thing's for sure, it's definitely different for everyone.

 

[benhs1898]

Going to see "Avengers" tomorrow. It will be only the second time at the theater this year. I used to go a few times a month. Now my friends and I gather at my house to watch movies and we enjoy it a lot more. Sony projector with 110" screen and 7.1 surround, and recently, a popcorn popper! It's way sexier, and a whole lot cheaper to watch movies at home these days once the initial investment is over. I'd rather be disappointed by a recent Hollywood movie and spend $3.99 for an instant streaming movie via Amazon than by the $30 (gas is expensive) it winds up costing by the time I'm done being disappointed at the theater.

Also, I have to drive an hour to a theater that actually has audiences that aren't talking the whole time or annoying you with a cell phone. The days of going to a theater being a special experience are gone. To audiences, it's as ho-hum as the architecture of the "auditorium" they're sitting in.

All Hollywood has to do is look to the music industry to see the sort of changes that are coming. It's bad for everyone, good for everyone, and one thing's for sure, it's definitely different for everyone.

Really good points. These younger crowds (even some of the older ones) really do not know anything about theater etiquette. We ALL paid the ridiculous price to get in, don't waste our money for your simple-minded enjoyment.

I really can't stand it. The thing that sucks is that I prefer seeing things first-run. Some film theorists argue that you can only fully comprehend the intentions of film art if viewed in the proper environment. This can't happen if some "comedian" is blabbing the whole time.

GAH, it really grinds my gears.

 

[JOATRASH FX]

These younger crowds (even some of the older ones) really do not know anything about theater etiquette.

Truly one of the few justified reasons for raining in ultra-violence on unsuspecting individuals. One of the few flaws (or rather, unfortunate truths) of Darwinism is that moronic idiots at the theater don't get what's coming to them often enough.

I really wish there were a special level of hell...

 

[Guri]

I thought this was going to be about the nuclear radioactivity coming from Japan...

Seriously, I think it's because there aren't enough risks being taken on new writers with new ideas.

 

[Flagg]

Truly one of the few justified reasons for raining in ultra-violence on unsuspecting individuals. One of the few flaws (or rather, unfortunate truths) of Darwinism is that moronic idiots at the theater don't get what's coming to them often enough.

One of the best things I have seen recently was during "The Lady in Black." Some younger guy in the front of the theater kept screwing with his smart phone. About 40 minutes in this HUGE boooming voice from a few rows behind me yells "Hey *******! Turn off that phone!" You know what? He did and never turned it on for the rest of the movie.

But I can also say that atleast around here, most of the people try to be polite. The Wife and I stopped by a small theater a while back and there was a large group of teens there joking around and having a good time and being rather loud. This was before the previews started. One of the girls in the group saw us looking at them making so much noise and she came over and very politely said that once the movie started they would settle down, and every one of them did. See, there is hope. :lol

 

[Commander Max]

I thought this was going to be about the nuclear radioactivity coming from Japan...

Seriously, I think it's because there aren't enough risks being taken on new writers with new ideas.

That might improve things in Hollywood, they already tried to bring Godzilla over. That didn't go over very well( I really liked how the original Godzilla people handled it).

Hollywood is suffering from extreme commercialism, they do not want to take a risk on anything. Films of today would have a hard time matching B grade movies of the past.

What's happening in streaming is the same thing that has happened with the net. It will be both good and bad, but the good will be the democratization of entertainment. That's showing it's face by the huge numbers of cable/satellite subscribers dropping their services. Why pay for 500 channels(of chrome plated ka-ka) when you only watch 3-4 channels, even then you do not watch all of the content of those channels.

Since Amazon is asking for content from anyone. This is going to get real interesting. Since the studios have all of the old stuff locked up. Amazon is going to actively look for a new sci-fi franchise. Which means they have to look for it, so we are going to see new stuff.

If the new stuff hits, then Hollywood will respond in kind(they will have no choice). Hollywood really hasn't faced a competitor before, sure they have been projects outside of Hollywood(most still have Hollywood connections). But nothing on the scale of what's coming. Theaters will relegated to a novelty, but not the primary means for an audience to see a movie.

 

[CB2001]

Seriously, I think it's because there aren't enough risks being taken on new writers with new ideas.

I also agree with this. As sad as it sounds, if Spielberg and Lucas (who are both big names nowadays because of they made movies during the Counter-Culture movement) were young and starting out today with the industry the way it is, Spielberg wouldn't even have been allowed to direct episodes of any TV show (let alone be allowed to direct Duel), and the executives at 20th Century Fox would laugh Lucas out of the office if he were pitching Star Wars to them for the first time. And the fact that they're only allowing crap in and outputting crap out (I refer back to my original post on the topic), then it's going to keep going down the drain.

That is why the Counter-Culture movement was important to Hollywood in the late 1960s, because the studios were in the same spot as they are now. Basically, big wigs thinking that they know what the audience wants, producing utter crap and losing money because of it. I swear, what it's going to take is for one of the major names like Paramount or Universal filing for bankruptcy for the entire system to realize they need a second Counter-Culture movement and new blood that they'd have to rely on as solid storytellers to help put butts to seats once again.

 

[PantheraGem]

One of the best things I have seen recently was during "The Lady in Black." Some younger guy in the front of the theater kept screwing with his smart phone. About 40 minutes in this HUGE boooming voice from a few rows behind me yells "Hey *******! Turn off that phone!" You know what? He did and never turned it on for the rest of the movie.

My late brother bought this shirt in 1991. I like to wear it to the theater. If you're a nuisance, and the long-haired bearded guy in the glow-in-the-dark Charles Manson t-shirt tells you to knock it off, you tend to listen.

 

[Wes R]

To me Hollywood really died back when the studio system stopped and they stopped doing everything in house at the studio lots.

 

[Rotwang]

Rising costs, Hollywood used to crank out films at a high pace at a reasonable price and while there were as many stinkers as today, most of the bad ones still made a little money and there were enough hits on average to make sure there was a steady stream. These days most major films need to make at least 200-300 million to just break even and the competition with games and other entertainment is murder. The people in Hollywood are keenly aware of this, and they are trying to get people into the cinema, trough 3D, big blockbusters, big names etc ... It's the safest way to make a film today, and even then you're not safe from going John Carter ... Hollywood is like the casino business in reverse, at least the casinos have a working formula to make money, but each new film is a high cost gamble and no amount of screening, SFX, big names and money thrown at it will guarantee a hit. The internet is a haven for indie filmmakers and a curse. The internet is so big you can literally miss out on the best things if you don't bump into them.

 

[CB2001]

Hollywood is like the casino business in reverse, at least the casinos have a working formula to make money, but each new film is a high cost gamble and no amount of screening, SFX, big names and money thrown at it will guarantee a hit.

QFT. I told my Dad this before because he's got it in his head that the film industry is like a bank and filmmakers are taking a loan from the bank, and since they are taking the loan from the studios, the studios have a right to change a production any way they want. And even though I've explained it to him like this, he still doesn't believe me. As you guys know, I went to film school and has a better understanding about filmmaking and film production than he does. It doesn't make me the end-all-be-all expert, I do admit that, but I would think that knowledge I acquired would at least be able to allow me to get the benefit of the doubt a bit.

 

[Commander Max]

One thing I find a bit disgusting, our(US) tax dollars are flowing into Hollywood. It gives a new meaning to government cheese.

I've heard Hollywood accounting is more creative than the movie-makers ever could be.

I often wondered just how many flops can Hollywood produce, before a studio goes into bankruptcy. Regardless of the hits, eventually the losers will take you down. It's only a matter of time.
I'm sure this will be much more evident, when net streaming really takes hold.

 

[CB2001]

One thing I find a bit disgusting, our(US) tax dollars are flowing into Hollywood. It gives a new meaning to government cheese.

I've heard Hollywood accounting is more creative than the movie-makers ever could be.

I often wondered just how many flops can Hollywood produce, before a studio goes into bankruptcy. Regardless of the hits, eventually the losers will take you down. It's only a matter of time.
I'm sure this will be much more evident, when net streaming really takes hold.

Well, I don't know about how many flops, but I think that it depends on how much money you lose on a film. If you lose enough over a certain period of time, I'm sure you'd end up folding. I mean, that's what happened to Hemdale Film Corporation. After a series of flops, they ended up closing down their production facilities in order to do film distribution in hopes of saving the company. Unfortunately, they went bankrupt and their film library passed to Orion and then to MGM.

 

[terryr]

With digital tech you may be able to make films anywhere. But the agents and producers and money men are still in hollywood. That's their castle and they won't leave. Together they have power. And power is money in their pockets.
And crew and casts are there to find work. Even extras have a union now, because it takes experience to look natural.

True, sometimes a great or interesting film is made low buck and hollywood buys it. Or remakes it. But low buck can also suck.

 

[Zombie_61]

I loathe the general moviegoing public because they act like they're at home watching TV.

This, more than anything else, will be the determining factor on the day I decide I will no longer go to a theater to see a movie. I wish I could say it was all teenagers, but I've seen (or heard, to be more accurate) people of all ages sitting in the theater talking throughout the entire movie, many of them passing this rude behavior down to the children accompanying them and thinking nothing of it.

One of the best things I have seen recently was during "The Lady in Black." Some younger guy in the front of the theater kept screwing with his smart phone. About 40 minutes in this HUGE boooming voice from a few rows behind me yells "Hey *******! Turn off that phone!" You know what? He did and never turned it on for the rest of the movie.

Here's the bad news. Just yesterday a good friend told me about an article he'd read recently that stated there are groups around the country (here in the U.S., that is) that are petitioning the major theater chains to allow texting during movie screenings. Apparently these inconsiderate imbeciles can't be without their precious cell phones for the duration of a single movie, and they're attempting to coerce theater owners into allowing this behavior. Particularly teens, who like to text their friends at home and in adjoining theaters so they can review whatever movie they're seeing "on the fly". So far none of the theater chains have given in, but if they see enough of a decline in ticket sales, particularly in the target audience groups...well, we've all heard the phrase "money talks". Truly pathetic.

 

[Commander Max]

With digital tech you may be able to make films anywhere. But the agents and producers and money men are still in hollywood. That's their castle and they won't leave. Together they have power. And power is money in their pockets.
And crew and casts are there to find work. Even extras have a union now, because it takes experience to look natural.

True, sometimes a great or interesting film is made low buck and hollywood buys it. Or remakes it. But low buck can also suck.

This is what I'm saying. The whole castle Hollywood has built over the years is in serious danger. With such power comes the old saying, "Pride goith before a fall". People can loose money and power, especially if you assume that your the only person that can do something. Creativity is a curious beast, no matter how creative you are. There is always somebody better, that can do more with less. Put a union in the way, and your troubles are only just beginning.

Here is the difference the product can totally suck. But there isn't anyone in the way to police what they think is good or not. The product goes directly to the audience they will choose what they want to see. Which was my original point, which is Hollywood loosing it's dominance(but in many ways lost it years ago).

 

[micdavis]

Well when is this revolution of quality in the hands of everyone going to start. I have yet to see an indepentantly produced movie or TV show beat out a Hollywood production.

Because digital media has come far enough that all the smarmy folks who glibly say "it had no story.", now is your chance to show us your stuff.

Well here is your digital revolution. Wow us.

Fact is it still takes Hollywood to make a really good movie with enough mass appeal to rise to the top.

Digital media production is a tool, that's all.

So far all we have gotten is a lot of quantity and little quality.

 

[tcsmit29]

There are good points in every post of this thread. In regards to the crap in crap out idea, I say that they are primarily motivated by money. When people quit watching the crap they will make something else. Bottom line is all that matters.

Same holds true for reality TV. It is a trend that everyone has jumped on. Why? Because we all watch it. I hear lots of complaints about what crap reality TV is. I've made the comments myself. However, I will admit that I do have a thing for "Cake Boss". Love that show. When the shows are no longer successful, they will be cancelled.

We all b!tch about hollywood movies and then go and watch them. I am going to see Avengers tonight. Yeah it is a mindless Hollywood explosion fest movie. But they play up to my weakness. I just have to see my favorite comic characters brought to life on the big screen. Tomorrow I will complain about spending 50 bucks. They don't care. My 50 bucks is on the way to their bank account. :facepalm:darnkids:cry

 

[Commander Max]

Here is an example of what we have been talking about.
http://www.therpf.com/f11/space-command-clipper-build-147242/

Space Command | Facebook

I'm sure there are other projects in the works. If these guys are public, I'm sure there is a dozen more we are not going to hear about for a while.

One thing about the streaming market, it's going to take a while to sort itself out. Projects are going to be at all levels, but it's going to take some time to ramp up.

Like I said before, the stuff that's coming is going to make the time after Star Wars look like nothing happened.