Movie Biz In Crisis?

[seanbrock 1,684]

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/spielberg-lucas-predict-implosion-rock-movie-industry-article-1.1371874

 

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg sense a great disturbance in the Force.

The Hollywood heavyweights predicted an upcoming “implosion” that will alter the landscape of the film industry, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Escalating film budgets for tent-poles and rising ticket prices will lead to a doomsday scenario that will virtually eliminate the opportunity to make certain films, Spielberg prognosticated.

"That's the big danger, and there's eventually going to be an implosion — or a big meltdown,” Spielberg told an audience Wednesday night at the official opening of a new building at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

“There's going to be an implosion where three or four or maybe even a half-dozen megabudget movies are going to go crashing into the ground, and that's going to change the paradigm."

 

“You're gonna have to pay $25 for the next Iron Man, you're probably only going to have to pay $7 to see Lincoln,"

There are signs that the gloomy forecast isn’t all that fantastical: Disney announced last year that it lost $200 million when “John Carter” flopped.

Lucas, who was also on hand for the ceremony, lamented that the spiralling cost of releasing movies -- even for the guy who created “Star Wars,” arguably the movie that spawned the culture of blockbusters.

"I think eventually the Lincolns will go away and they're going to be on television," Lucas said, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Spielberg interjected that “Lincoln” almost did become an HBO movie because of tepid studio interest to bring a dialogue-driven period drama to the big screen.

"We're talking ‘Lincoln’ and ‘Red Tails’ -- we barely got them into theaters,” said Lucas, referring to the movie he produced early last year about the Tuskegee Airmen. “You're talking about Steven Spielberg and George Lucas can't get their movie into a theater.”

If these people honestly think they'll make more money this way they're nuts. It's already retardedly expensive to go to the movies if you want to buy any food or drink there. I know I damn sure will never be paying 25 dollars to see Iron Man or any other movie unless I'm getting a blow job or something. This is pretty unbelievable. If this happens I hope nobody goes to see any of these movies and the production companies lose billions and go belly up.

[Vin+ 3,121]

At some point the marketing budgets need to be looked at, and the same goes for the video game industry. If you're dumping $100+ mil into marketing, something's gotta give eventually.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Yeah well that and the fact that there are executives 10's and sometimes 100's of millions of dollars. There are a lot of things that need to be looked at budget wise. Why do stars get paid as much as they do while the rest of us continually get the shaft. Really hope people don't just give in and pay them what they want.

[Bucman 891]

Companies need to change marketing ways. Social media is a free and easy way to get the message out to a wide variety of people and once they people get wind, word of mouth can do a lot.

 

I will never spend 25 dollars to see a movie, your talking over 100 dollars for a movie of 4 to see a movie. They need to give people a variety of ways to see the movies too.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Honestly, prices aside, I can't stand going to the movies nowadays because people are always using their fucking phones in the middle of the movie. Netflix is the way to go.

[SteelersNation36 128]

Honestly, prices aside, I can't stand going to the movies nowadays because people are always using their fucking phones in the middle of the movie. Netflix is the way to go.

 

Or "whispering"(you know the one constantly asking questions to the person they're with), or throwing candy/popcorn...or the ones who bring their infant into a theater.

Edited June 16, 2013 by SteelersNation36

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Using John Carter as an example is really fail. For one, the budget was MASSIVE.... Which is fine if you have a good movie. If you spend a lot of money making a bad movie, you don't deserve to profit from it. Put out a good product, and you will make money... Easy as that.

[blotsfan 2,112]

I think the point is that with budgets rising so much, one flop can seriously damage a company. Disney may be big enough to handle it, but I bet there are studios that are one flop away from closing.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I think the point is that with budgets rising so much, one flop can seriously damage a company. Disney may be big enough to handle it, but I bet there are studios that are one flop away from closing.

 

Hopefully that makes them work harder to ensure their title doesn't flop. We've seen wayyyy too many movies recently be pushed too hard and too fast. Studios will sacrifice quality if it means getting the film out on a certain day.

 

In the end, it seems like this will lead to a better quality of film. And the awful ones and the studios responsible for them being weeded out all together.

 

Bring it on.

[blotsfan 2,112]

Or it leads to companies playing it safe with what they know will be successful rather than taking a chance on something new.

 

You know, more than now.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Or it leads to companies playing it safe with what they know will be successful rather than taking a chance on something new.

 

You know, more than now.

 

Well, the business, in the end is about making money. If they have the formula to make money and successful films, I don't know why they would deviate from that to begin with.