The film industry is going through a difficult period because of declining DVD sales and rampant digital piracy, but should producers prioritise blockbusters and sequels?
Every year we see more and more re-boots, movie sequels and high budget blockbusters, but if you look at the decline taking place in 3D audiences, could that not eventually happen with mainstream audiences? It is easy to look at why these films are being made. They fit a demographic, and people want to be entertained with special effects, explosions and animated characters. But should we not presume that audiences will eventually grow tired of sequels just like they are with 'bad' 3D releases?
While I believe there are some excellent studio productions in 3D, and some diverse titles, I feel that the overall quality of movies has declined rapidly in the last 10 years. The blockbuster formula or the high octane action packed, adventure movie seems to be dominating the box office, but what about the millions of people who love the classics?
Where is the modern day 'Gone With The Wind'? What happened to story over profit? Does profit not come from a good film? If a group of people go see a film they think is excellent, they will likely recommend it to others. Word of mouth is free publicity and thanks to the viral nature of the web, that message can be repeated to huge audiences.
While the film industry has perfected to the best degree the 'art of marketing', they seem to be leaving out the art of movies. Surely movies should also inspire, not just encourage people to go and watch them?
I feel in the long run, if studios and producers can focus more on quality, then they will earn the respect of their audiences and gain bigger profits and loyalty. Just this past week DreamWorks Animations CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg made a point about how 3D audiences paid too much for too little quality at the theatre, and hence one of the reasons for why there is a decline at the 3D box office . Quality is an issue, and if it continues to be average, then the formula for big budget movies, animations, and others could also face falling profits.
What do you think of the quality of films you see today?
