Hollywood, globalisation and Other cinemas

Dag Asbjørnsen

Chairman of the Board

Films from the South Festival

Some observations

Film charts 2007

Some basic facts

• Hollywood movies rule the home market in the US

• They rule norwegian cinemas• They rule the other european cinemas

– With the possible exception of France• They rule in cinemas in Asia, Africa, Latin

America and Oceania– With quite a few interesting exceptions

• Despite this: They rule the world– The only true ”global cinema” is made in Hollywood,

USA

It has not always been like this

• Historical background:– The Dominance of Europan Cinema– World War 1– Emigration– The Establishment of Classical Hollywood– The sound film (1927-30)– The System and its Crises (60s etc)

Now

• All other systems are Other systems

• Hollywood as standard system

• The Others: Deviations, alternatives, art cinema, National cinemas, Other commercial cinamas

Basic features

• The economical system

• The production-distribution system

• The star system

• The narrative system

The economical system

• Free market capitalism– Good for making commercial films…– Investments, not subsidies

• Global free markets– WTO, GATT, MPAA

• Intellectual property protection– MPAA, US Government

• Remember: the entertainment economy is big for US exports!

The production – distribution system

• Financing– Investments, presales, own capital

• Production– Production company

• (Sales)– Sales company, festivals, markets

• Distribution– Distribution and marketing– Home and abroad

• Exhibition– Multiple windows: cinema, DVD, TV, Internet– Home and abroad

Hollywood advantage

• Good access to investments

• Dominates large home market

• Global marketing plans

• Global distribution system (UIP etc.)

• Availability in all windows

The Star System

• Central to marketing

• Global brands

• Free press– Lindsay Lohan Scandals etc

• Why do you decide to watch a movie?

The narrative system

• Developed 1910-1920• Globally accepted• Content over form• Causality• Transparency• Analytical editing/ montage• Pesonification of conflicts• Double plot structure• Hollywood dramaturgy

Hollywood advantage

• The globally known star brand names

• The globally accepted narrative mode

The system and the Others

• Economical systems– Mixed economies, small home markets

• Production-distribution systems– Local, isolated entities

• Star systems– Locally known

• Narrative systems– Art film narration, Other modes

Other cinemas

• The French example– Heavy subsidies, good (40-50%) national market share, some

int. stars, art film narration standard

• The Norwegian example– Heavy subsidies, 15% national market share, no int. stars, no

narrational standard

• The Indian example– Commercial cinema, dominates home market, export, regionally

known stars, song-and dance narrational standard

• The Iranian example– Art cinema (++), import restrictions, export on festival market,

auteurs, art cinema narration standard

So

• ”Hollywood” is really The Global Cinema

• Other cinemas have restrictions

• Will it always be like this?

• Probably

• Not