A film blog for students of my classes at Santa Clara University. Use this blog to discuss the films we are studying, classic films, current releases or production issues you encounter while making your own films.
Monday, June 02, 2014
Hollyworld?
Is globalization in the film world a good thing or a bad thing?
13 comments:
Anonymous
said...
The question of whether or not globalization in general is a topic that has been widely debated over the course of the past century. In the business world, many believe globalization to be a good thing in the sense that many more opportunities a created by open markets. In today's world, many local producers are able to sell their products to a wider, more distant market with the same ease and as they would in their own company. This idea translates well into the film world.
One of the main tenets of Hollywood is the concept of distribution. In order for a film to profit the most, it must be distributed to the right regions. In a globalized world, there is - undoubtably - a significantly greater market for distribution. Rather than simply having the film be shown in the U.S., Hollywood could distribute it across the world and make a greater profit. Last summer's robot-fighting blockbuster, Pacific Rim, for instance, is a perfect example of how foreign distribution helped the film profit. Spending $190 million, Pacific Rim only grossed $101.8 million in North America. However, the film had a favorable international release, grossing $309.2 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of over $411 million. Surprisingly, the film grossed more in China alone than domestic, making $114 million in Chinese theaters.
Ultimately, while there are many other reasons as to why globalization in the film world can be a good thing, one of the most significant reasons is the benefits of an open foreign market for distribution.
I believe globalization is mostly a positive development in the film industry. Globalization allows the U.S. as well as other countries to be exposed to a variety of film styles and cultures in an efficient and enjoyable way. The co-production between filmmakers of different backgrounds that develops as a result of globalization is also beneficial in bridging differences and creating beneficial relationships with other countries. Another reason globalization is good is that it provides more competition outside of the Hollywood system. This means that if people begin to grow tired of the repetitive Hollywood formula, films from other countries have the opportunity to rise in popularity. This situation would make Hollywood have to adapt to new circumstances, which often makes films more original, as has been demonstrated throughout the decades we have studied. The popularity of BBC in the U.S. is a good example of this situation. There are negative aspects that can develop as a result of globalization such as a wide promotion of westernization, but overall I believe globalization is positive and can help audiences learn and appreciate the artwork of other cultures.
I believe that globalization is mostly a good thing, however there are many reasons that it could be argued as negative. Globalization could be considered negative because of the westernization of other cultures through globalization. The more America impacts other cultures, the more it would seem that they are losing their own sense of identity. As other nations begin to lose their own cultural identities, lines begin to blur creating a commonality between cultures that were previously so different. Another reason it could be considered negative is that globalization could deplete non western markets and put mass amounts of power into a small number of hands. However, I think that the good outweighs the bad. Like we spoke about in class, globalization allows for audiences to be exposed to different cultures through film. While it is evident that more cultures are exposed to American cinema, the channel has stared to open up and foreign films are beginning to make their way to American audiences. This allows different cultures to have an interaction through film and begin to bridge a cultural gap and start to understand one another. Another benefit to globalization is within the market, a film is undoubtedly going to make more money in foreign markets than in domestic-- so films lie action, animation, good vs. evil ect. begin to bring in more money when they are seen globally.
There are several positive and negative aspects of globalization. In respect to Hollywood, I feel that globalization is mostly a good thing because, it generates more profit, and keeps content interesting. By being able to release films overseas, business here can more than triple their profit. As we saw in class, a majority of the profit from films indeed comes from overseas, if this market did not exist, the film industry here probably wouldn't be as successful. Beyond money reasons, I believe it is important for people to become exposed to cultures around the world. The idea of co-directing allows for original ideas from different auteurs to be seen in places that might not otherwise be exposed to them. Film is a medium that I feel is a very powerful way to express and document beliefs, and a lot of the time films made in other countries have drawn attention in the west to problems. A lot of times, this has sparked action among American audiences that are able to help oppressed people. Overall, I believe that globalization is a good thing for film.
I think globalization in the film world is both a positive and a negative. On one hand, I think it's just another way for Western ideals to spread to other countries-- especially seeing as though Hollywood is a part of the huge global market. As someone mentioned before, Pacific Rim made more in other countries than it did domestically and I think this is just an example of how Hollywood might dominate certain countries' film market. However, as discussed in class there are regulations in place in certain countries to encourage the production of local films etc. So that's a positive. Another positive is that we are now exposed to foreign cinema on a greater level. It's so easy now to see a French movie or Russian film streaming on Netflix or Hulu. In this way, globalization in film is also a positive thing. Regardless of its negative or positive effects, I feel that this globalization is inevitable and there will always be both positive and negative side effects.
Globalization has both pros and cons when it comes to its impact on film. Some may say that it is bad because it forces Westernization onto other cultures in terms of American ideologies however this isn't just purely negative. Films going global also opens doors to other countries to contribute their own versions due to the path technically being a two-way street. Overall I think globalization is a good thing for film because it expands its options in general. Not only does it provide for a higher chance of profit but the influence from other cultures is beneficial to have in American films. Also another good thing it offers is that it allows for American directors and foreign directors to partner up and make films together, giving the audience something new and interesting. In general I think globalization does more good than harm for film.
Overall, I think globalization is a good thing for film and the American industry. Hollywood has established itself of the film giant of the world, but slowly the rest of the world is catching up. Today, the majority of our revenue comes from international markets. Obviously, in this sense, globalization is a great thing for America. We are making money hand over fist from markets oversees. Globalization could be viewed negatively to someone living outside the U.S. We our pumping our skewed value system into different cultures and many fear that the world is being one, big melting pot without separate cultural identities. From this light, America and Hollywood is evil and globalization is bad. But at the same time, globalization has increased competition and made the overall quality of films better, in America and aboard. In conclusion, globalization is a good thing, and also a concept that has been around for years.
I believe globalization is a double edged sward. It often times is not well regarded internationally because many countries believe American cinema pushes wester values. However, global audiences, especially in places like India, China and Japan, bring in some of the largest profits for Hollywood today. For the sake of the industry, globalization is essential to growth, expansion and continued success/profit. However, when looking at the implications it has on film quality, many of the movies that are most successful in a global market are not successful in the US. This dichotomous relationship could be harmful to movie goers in the US wanting to spend money on a movie or narrative/storyline, they did not like in the first place, and is also shown almost 3 times per year with a different title. Though, I do think globalization can be beneficial for international relations and culture, especially if movies from foreign countries continue to become popular in the United States.
Throughout the world of film, globalization is for the most part a good thing. This idea of increasing connectivity allows us as a global community to share ideas and as a result we can learn, grow, and progress in film. If we weren't able to connect through film around the world, then there's no way we'd be where we are today. We see hollywood crankin out these huge blockbusters, but we've only gotten to that point from learning about film around the world. There's always room to progress and grow and I think that globalization is an excellent way to do that.
I believe that globalization has its benefits and drawbacks. In context of the success of the film industry in Hollywood, it is a very good thing. International audiences open up an entire new market for filmmakers. As we discussed in class, nearly all films do more successfully abroad than domestically. So from a financial standpoint globalization is a very good thing for the film industry. However, globalization is not a new concept, especially for the film industry. The early years of film have obvious influence from European cinema, and Hollywood films were being sold internationally. The concept is becoming a widely discussed topic because technology has made globalization easier in a way. I think that globalization is not necessarily a bad thing. I think the broadcasting of only Western influences and values is bad. It seems to be a very one way street where Western popular culture is being beat into other societies but the return is very limited. This is because of various reasons including limited supply. I believe if the influences became more of a two-way flow the 'bad' part of globalization would decrease dramatically.
I believe Globalization is a good thing for the film industry because quite simply, companies make most of their profits that way. Most of a film revenue comes from profit made overseas from box office sales, merchandise, and home video distribution, and other areas. Many films that don't do as well domestically, do much better overseas do to culture and what may be popular at the time in different countries. Although the idea the Western influences can be seen as invading another culture, I don't see that as being a strong issue because there are examples of more Americanized films they are not as popular overseas as they are in America. People are not forced to see films, they do so on their own agenda. Films and entrainment should be shared globally for all to enjoy and reflected upon. Overall the idea of globalization is the sharing of stories and creativity with technological advances in filmed entertainment is a good thing, for culture and for profit. It should be shared globally for all to enjoy and reflected upon with their own opinions, values and society.
From my point of view there is no definitive way to say whether globalizations is necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. It has a lot of positive aspects to it, yet there are still quite a few cons. On the positive side globalization allows the voices of filmmakers all over the world to be heard by the international community. There is also a better chance for a film to achieve success in box office when it is exposed to a more diverse group of audience (there is a higher chance that more people would like it). In addition, globalization in film allows us to become acquainted with other communities and cultures which we would not have known of otherwise. By watching films from different countries, filmmakers are enabled to share various techniques and approaches towards film, which. In the end of the day, this exchange would improve the overall quality of movies and allow faster progress. On the other hand, however, globalization does not always go the way we want it. What happens a lot of the time is one culture completely dominating the other. Instead of exchanging ideas, one of the cultures gets "wiped off" by the other. This idea is a concern of many people and sometimes called Cultural imperialism. Unfortunately we see this tendency in film as well. Most of the global film market is Western (mainly American) films, which due to their power in the industry has reserved itself a very influential seat on the international arena. It came to the point that some of the EU countries have to defend national film industry by introducing quotas on the amount of western films imported.
13 comments:
The question of whether or not globalization in general is a topic that has been widely debated over the course of the past century. In the business world, many believe globalization to be a good thing in the sense that many more opportunities a created by open markets. In today's world, many local producers are able to sell their products to a wider, more distant market with the same ease and as they would in their own company. This idea translates well into the film world.
One of the main tenets of Hollywood is the concept of distribution. In order for a film to profit the most, it must be distributed to the right regions. In a globalized world, there is - undoubtably - a significantly greater market for distribution. Rather than simply having the film be shown in the U.S., Hollywood could distribute it across the world and make a greater profit. Last summer's robot-fighting blockbuster, Pacific Rim, for instance, is a perfect example of how foreign distribution helped the film profit. Spending $190 million, Pacific Rim only grossed $101.8 million in North America. However, the film had a favorable international release, grossing $309.2 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of over $411 million. Surprisingly, the film grossed more in China alone than domestic, making $114 million in Chinese theaters.
Ultimately, while there are many other reasons as to why globalization in the film world can be a good thing, one of the most significant reasons is the benefits of an open foreign market for distribution.
I believe globalization is mostly a positive development in the film industry. Globalization allows the U.S. as well as other countries to be exposed to a variety of film styles and cultures in an efficient and enjoyable way. The co-production between filmmakers of different backgrounds that develops as a result of globalization is also beneficial in bridging differences and creating beneficial relationships with other countries. Another reason globalization is good is that it provides more competition outside of the Hollywood system. This means that if people begin to grow tired of the repetitive Hollywood formula, films from other countries have the opportunity to rise in popularity. This situation would make Hollywood have to adapt to new circumstances, which often makes films more original, as has been demonstrated throughout the decades we have studied. The popularity of BBC in the U.S. is a good example of this situation. There are negative aspects that can develop as a result of globalization such as a wide promotion of westernization, but overall I believe globalization is positive and can help audiences learn and appreciate the artwork of other cultures.
I believe that globalization is mostly a good thing, however there are many reasons that it could be argued as negative. Globalization could be considered negative because of the westernization of other cultures through globalization. The more America impacts other cultures, the more it would seem that they are losing their own sense of identity. As other nations begin to lose their own cultural identities, lines begin to blur creating a commonality between cultures that were previously so different. Another reason it could be considered negative is that globalization could deplete non western markets and put mass amounts of power into a small number of hands. However, I think that the good outweighs the bad.
Like we spoke about in class, globalization allows for audiences to be exposed to different cultures through film. While it is evident that more cultures are exposed to American cinema, the channel has stared to open up and foreign films are beginning to make their way to American audiences. This allows different cultures to have an interaction through film and begin to bridge a cultural gap and start to understand one another. Another benefit to globalization is within the market, a film is undoubtedly going to make more money in foreign markets than in domestic-- so films lie action, animation, good vs. evil ect. begin to bring in more money when they are seen globally.
There are several positive and negative aspects of globalization. In respect to Hollywood, I feel that globalization is mostly a good thing because, it generates more profit, and keeps content interesting. By being able to release films overseas, business here can more than triple their profit. As we saw in class, a majority of the profit from films indeed comes from overseas, if this market did not exist, the film industry here probably wouldn't be as successful.
Beyond money reasons, I believe it is important for people to become exposed to cultures around the world. The idea of co-directing allows for original ideas from different auteurs to be seen in places that might not otherwise be exposed to them. Film is a medium that I feel is a very powerful way to express and document beliefs, and a lot of the time films made in other countries have drawn attention in the west to problems. A lot of times, this has sparked action among American audiences that are able to help oppressed people. Overall, I believe that globalization is a good thing for film.
I think globalization in the film world is both a positive and a negative. On one hand, I think it's just another way for Western ideals to spread to other countries-- especially seeing as though Hollywood is a part of the huge global market. As someone mentioned before, Pacific Rim made more in other countries than it did domestically and I think this is just an example of how Hollywood might dominate certain countries' film market. However, as discussed in class there are regulations in place in certain countries to encourage the production of local films etc. So that's a positive.
Another positive is that we are now exposed to foreign cinema on a greater level. It's so easy now to see a French movie or Russian film streaming on Netflix or Hulu. In this way, globalization in film is also a positive thing. Regardless of its negative or positive effects, I feel that this globalization is inevitable and there will always be both positive and negative side effects.
Globalization has both pros and cons when it comes to its impact on film. Some may say that it is bad because it forces Westernization onto other cultures in terms of American ideologies however this isn't just purely negative. Films going global also opens doors to other countries to contribute their own versions due to the path technically being a two-way street. Overall I think globalization is a good thing for film because it expands its options in general. Not only does it provide for a higher chance of profit but the influence from other cultures is beneficial to have in American films. Also another good thing it offers is that it allows for American directors and foreign directors to partner up and make films together, giving the audience something new and interesting. In general I think globalization does more good than harm for film.
Overall, I think globalization is a good thing for film and the American industry. Hollywood has established itself of the film giant of the world, but slowly the rest of the world is catching up. Today, the majority of our revenue comes from international markets. Obviously, in this sense, globalization is a great thing for America. We are making money hand over fist from markets oversees. Globalization could be viewed negatively to someone living outside the U.S. We our pumping our skewed value system into different cultures and many fear that the world is being one, big melting pot without separate cultural identities. From this light, America and Hollywood is evil and globalization is bad. But at the same time, globalization has increased competition and made the overall quality of films better, in America and aboard. In conclusion, globalization is a good thing, and also a concept that has been around for years.
I believe globalization is a double edged sward. It often times is not well regarded internationally because many countries believe American cinema pushes wester values. However, global audiences, especially in places like India, China and Japan, bring in some of the largest profits for Hollywood today. For the sake of the industry, globalization is essential to growth, expansion and continued success/profit. However, when looking at the implications it has on film quality, many of the movies that are most successful in a global market are not successful in the US. This dichotomous relationship could be harmful to movie goers in the US wanting to spend money on a movie or narrative/storyline, they did not like in the first place, and is also shown almost 3 times per year with a different title. Though, I do think globalization can be beneficial for international relations and culture, especially if movies from foreign countries continue to become popular in the United States.
Throughout the world of film, globalization is for the most part a good thing. This idea of increasing connectivity allows us as a global community to share ideas and as a result we can learn, grow, and progress in film. If we weren't able to connect through film around the world, then there's no way we'd be where we are today. We see hollywood crankin out these huge blockbusters, but we've only gotten to that point from learning about film around the world. There's always room to progress and grow and I think that globalization is an excellent way to do that.
I believe that globalization has its benefits and drawbacks. In context of the success of the film industry in Hollywood, it is a very good thing. International audiences open up an entire new market for filmmakers. As we discussed in class, nearly all films do more successfully abroad than domestically. So from a financial standpoint globalization is a very good thing for the film industry.
However, globalization is not a new concept, especially for the film industry. The early years of film have obvious influence from European cinema, and Hollywood films were being sold internationally. The concept is becoming a widely discussed topic because technology has made globalization easier in a way.
I think that globalization is not necessarily a bad thing. I think the broadcasting of only Western influences and values is bad. It seems to be a very one way street where Western popular culture is being beat into other societies but the return is very limited. This is because of various reasons including limited supply. I believe if the influences became more of a two-way flow the 'bad' part of globalization would decrease dramatically.
I believe Globalization is a good thing for the film industry because quite simply, companies make most of their profits that way. Most of a film revenue comes from profit made overseas from box office sales, merchandise, and home video distribution, and other areas. Many films that don't do as well domestically, do much better overseas do to culture and what may be popular at the time in different countries. Although the idea the Western influences can be seen as invading another culture, I don't see that as being a strong issue because there are examples of more Americanized films they are not as popular overseas as they are in America. People are not forced to see films, they do so on their own agenda. Films and entrainment should be shared globally for all to enjoy and reflected upon. Overall the idea of globalization is the sharing of stories and creativity with technological advances in filmed entertainment is a good thing, for culture and for profit. It should be shared globally for all to enjoy and reflected upon with their own opinions, values and society.
From my point of view there is no definitive way to say whether globalizations is necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. It has a lot of positive aspects to it, yet there are still quite a few cons.
On the positive side globalization allows the voices of filmmakers all over the world to be heard by the international community. There is also a better chance for a film to achieve success in box office when it is exposed to a more diverse group of audience (there is a higher chance that more people would like it). In addition, globalization in film allows us to become acquainted with other communities and cultures which we would not have known of otherwise. By watching films from different countries, filmmakers are enabled to share various techniques and approaches towards film, which. In the end of the day, this exchange would improve the overall quality of movies and allow faster progress.
On the other hand, however, globalization does not always go the way we want it. What happens a lot of the time is one culture completely dominating the other. Instead of exchanging ideas, one of the cultures gets "wiped off" by the other. This idea is a concern of many people and sometimes called Cultural imperialism. Unfortunately we see this tendency in film as well. Most of the global film market is Western (mainly American) films, which due to their power in the industry has reserved itself a very influential seat on the international arena. It came to the point that some of the EU countries have to defend national film industry by introducing quotas on the amount of western films imported.
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