Movies are fast becoming the ugly stepchild for major media companies, while television continues to be the cash cow that drives profits.That’s the message that emerges from an analysis conducted by TheWrap of the annual reports of five major media companies in 2011. And it's a dramatic change from the way things used to be, when movies were the straw that stirred Hollywood's drink.
Source: Full Article @ TheWrap
Creatively its been beating the majority of mainstream Hollywood for a long time as well
ReplyDeletei always knew there was a reason i liked tv better than movies
ReplyDeleteTelevision is beating films for the simple reasons that the films they are putting out are piffle.
ReplyDeleteThey are full of video-game special effects to the detriment of any characterization or interesting story-line.
Every twenty big films they put out, one is maybe decent, and that percentage is not enough to make people go out and spend money to see them.
I don't have any data but I'm convinced that the films that attract a continuous public are the Disney type cartoon ones, where it's the kids that want to see them and drag their parents along.
I read another article a few days back that Television Industry is collapsing or about to collapse, thanks to internet. This one says opposite.
ReplyDeleteFuck the movies. Bring me series!
ReplyDeleteOne more thing I would like to say is, this revenue is only from airing in U.S.A. If they air the shows in other countries SIMULTANEOUSLY, I guess this revenue can be increased much more. I posted same on TVBTN, but the people there always say that, the sources of revenue other than advertisement revenue is minute and doesn't really profit the producer much. I don't really understand that, when networks like HBO etc, run without advertisements.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be the devil's advocate here : Hollywood is not just brainless franchises and uninspired remakes/reboots/sequels/prequels. There's a lot of that, but it would be wrong to say that it's all Hollywood produces and that all of TV is better. Today there are bad films, there are good films, the same way there are bad TV series and good ones. People generalize too much.
ReplyDeleteI've read stuff about how TV is where stories/characters matter and how movies are expensive pieces of trash. TV is filled with dumb sitcoms and cheap procedurals. There are great TV shows (oddly often on cable) the same way there are great movies (oddly often around Oscar time). Big Hollywood movies have huge budgets, yes, and say what you want but that does help a lot in the execution a compelling/original story, something Hollywood is still not completely devoid of.
Just in the past 6 months we've had Shame, Hugo, A Dangerous Method, Take Shelter, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Descendents, Young Adult, Chronicle, Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Cabin in the Woods, Moonrise Kingdom... that's not bad at all, it's actually very good.
Say the movies above are the equivalent of HBO, Showtime, FX or AMC series. Recently there have been great big blockbusters as well, such as Ghost Protocol, A Game of Shadows, The Grey, The Hunger Games, Dark Shadows or The Avengers and upcoming one, they're the equivalent of Fringe, Community, The Good Wife and other great shows on big networks, they're open to wider audiences but they're still good. I'm not including Prometheus, as much as it was visually superb the characters weren't great and I hated the last third of the film, way to ruin an incredible potential (thanks, Damon).
Wise words.
ReplyDeleteI have never really been a fan of films for the simple reason that when I saw one that I liked I felt sorry to know that that was it. A one -shot!
ReplyDeleteWith a tv series, if you become attached to the story line and the characters you know that at least for a certain numbers of months they will be keeping you company, and you don't have to leave your home to see them.
Then the quality of the films has just come down
For the millions Hollywood spends on making a film, each one should be a masterpiece instead they come up with rotters like "Green Lantern" and these types of films are the norm not the exceptions.
That is a great (and fair) price to pay for a movie ticket. I was paying 13Euro per person for 3D (Cinemaxx)in Germany (which is ca. U$ 18).
ReplyDeleteIt looks as though what matters is attachment to characters and plot whether in TV or movies. The movies that are attracting audiences are those with well-known characters (from comics, perhaps, or video games) and familiar stories. Batman and Spiderman are beloved, as are our favorite TV characters, and will draw people in more readily than a one-time story with unfamiliar characters. We like our comforts.
ReplyDeleteHBO does not having advertisements because people pay to subscribe to their channel. It's kind of like iTunes in that way.
ReplyDeleteYes. Some TV shows in the recent times have been exceptional... And some TV shows are being made on the grand scale that you usually see only movies made - like Game of Thrones.
ReplyDeleteIt´s the same price in Denmark. It is just way t expensive. We go to the States often, and I try to go to the movies there when possible. Much cheaper.
ReplyDeleteIf this were true, why cancel the best shows. The rating system needs to be changed big time, as its all based on whats watched when it first airs. It also says you have to not change channel during the ads You got internet, tivo, downloads, itunes, catch up services etc. A company worked out if you counted these in, stuff like Heroes, Prison break, Firefly, My name is Earl, were all in the top 25 shows, Fringe, Chuck, wouldnt have been will they,wont they get a new series.
ReplyDeleteThe good shows get cancelled far too much, fancy putting a show against american idol, thats live for a start, if anything,most people would put their show on record and watch it after.
Get with the times, people watch stuff when they want to now, not when you put it on.
Well, at least it's not only in Germany but I am sorry to heat that nevertheless.
ReplyDeleteYou know I would gladly subscribe to all my favorite channels if that meant no commercials, I just absolutely hate them, always have and always will, it seems so primitive in this day and age
ReplyDeleteI only watch things I find free on the net. Usually I try to find videos that show material you do not see neither on telveision nor movies.
ReplyDelete