Hollywood is falling
Yes, the data is in. Box office sales continue to slump - not because of the economy, but because Americans are growing tired of a movie industry that's "out of touch" with audiences. This means nothing short of grand opportunity for wise Christian filmmakers. When competition is failing to meet the needs of consumers, it's an ideal time for Christians to step in and offer what the competitors can't. Christians can offer America what Hollywood can't - wholesome, edifying, God-honoring movies that will resonate with American audiences.
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'Out-of-touch' movie industry continues slide
-One News Now, Jan. 13, 2009
For the second straight year, domestic attendance at movie theaters across the U.S. took a steep plunge...
Inevitably, Hollywood will try to back-track and blame the economy. But that would contradict predictions made by National Association of Theater Owners president John Fithian earlier in 2008 when he said that movies would not be affected by by a looming recession, telling The Associated Press, "We certainly have done very well during recessions."
The newly released figures also are shattering the old Tinseltown adage "Hollywood thrives when the economy dives." ...Most movies are just not worth the moviegoer's time and money in addition to being largely out of touch with the American and worldwide audience. Furthermore, in January 2008, the Digital Entertainment Group reported that sales and rentals of DVDs fell for the first time in the ten-year history of the format.
As movie attendance began sliding in the first decade of the 21st century, the Movie Advisory Board conducted a survey in March 2006 asking, "Why Not Go to a Theater?" The number-one reason given by respondents: "Movies are not very good and do not meet expectations."
Incredibly, there are still a few straightforward executives in Hollywood who don't blame "new technology" for the ongoing slide in theatrical attendance. In the words of Clark Woods, president of distribution for MGM: "Let's be honest. We didn't exactly come out with the best products in the past few years." More to the point, Woods summarized the problem that has plagued Hollywood for the past 40 years of lackluster results. "I think we may have forgotten a little about Middle America...your success is going to be listening to what all the country wants to see."
The biggest loser for 2008 was Frost/Nixon, which had only returned box-office receipts of $4 million in the last three weeks of December since its opening on the fifth of the month. That's a 12-to-1 loss on investment with a budget of $25 million...
On the other hand, Fireproof became a hit largely due to word of mouth promotion and a minimal advertising budget provided by Sony Provident and Samuel Goldwyn Films. Fireproof proved what MGM's Clark Woods echoed by "listening to what all the country wants to see."
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posted by Scott Eash at 3:21 PM
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