Happy Holidays Hollywood!

Hello Hollywood! It's recession time, and even you're not immune. But you've known that for awhile. Even before the writer's could come to the bargaining table last year, whispers of a SAG strike were on the horizon. Last year's strike is still taking its toll on you, and actors today, with few jobs on the horizon, are split on whether to strike or not. On top of that is the ever-growing problem of distribution. Top indie powerhouses shut their doors for good this year: Paramount Vantage, Warner Independent, Picturehouse, and Newline, leaving even fewer options for film outlets in an already small market. And now the unthinkable, the giants like Sumner Redstone and Steven Spielberg are facing cash flow problems.

Just how much is the credit crunch going to affect your golden gates oh Hollywood? We went to the source, the Gotham Independent Film Awards, and spoke to film elite like Sir Ben Kingsley, Penelope Cruz, Patricia Clarkson, Gus Van Sant, Dennis Hopper, Darren Aronofsky, IFP Director Michelle Byrd, and more, on what they saw as the most pressing issue in the industry now. And more importantly, how to solve it? Harvey Weinstein is putting his faith in Obama to save Hollywood. But what does the film industry really need to save itself this holiday season? Read on to find the results.

What do you think is the biggest problem facing the film industry today?

Sir Ben Kingsley: Distribution. Distribution is in the hands of too few people. And that even though the public might want to see a film - they say to me, "You mean it's been and gone? I can't believe that." So many times people have said that to me this year about really important beautiful films. So we need to really address the distribution seriously.

Patricia Clarkson: Money. There's so much talent, so many people available, but it's money.

Penelope Cruz: I don't think it's different than last year. I think it's always hard to make a movie. When you are working with a big studio and a big production maybe you encounter different problems so it's never easy one way or the other. There is a kind of freedom that you have when you are working with a smaller production. It's really every day more about survival. But there is a kind of freedom that I really appreciate, because my career has been mainly based on those projects.

Dennis Hopper: Being distributed.

Darren Aronofsky: Probably the strike. I mean, hopefully that won't happen, so we'll see. But I think also there's probably too much stuff made, and so there probably needs to be a little bit more control.

Evan Rachel Wood: Especially with the economy right now, it's so hard to get [indie] films made. So when they do, it's just a miracle. They need all the help they can get.

Jennifer Esposito: Finances, like everything else. When the economy goes low, people don't want to spend money on making movies that the masses already won't see. Great clips go by that maybe don't appeal to the masses, but they're important films. So that's unfortunate that that happens, and that they make these big action flicks or something. So much less films are being made.

Gus Van Sant: There's a lot of focus on tenfold movies and not so many smaller subjects. That's a big one. It sort of limits the number of films that can be made.

Harvey Weinstein: I think it's the credit crunch, which has affected everybody involved to get the new movies financed. But I'm very pleased, because I think Barack Obama is making all the right choices. And six more weeks to go and we'll be out of this mess.

Aasif Mandvi: In the independent film world you're always fighting time and resources versus creativity. It would be great to have more resources available in the independent world, when you're trying to make a small film. I think there are really interesting stories being told and there's not a lack of creativity so if there is problem I don't think it's that.

Michelle Byrd: Reaching audiences. The cost, the way to find audiences, whether it's on the internet, through special subject area about what your film is about, or just getting into theaters. Distribution without question is a huge challenge.

If you could give the film industry one present this holiday season, what would it be?

Sir Ben Kingsley : Courage. Not to go by the consensus, not to be wooed into thinking they know what the public wants but to surprise the public because nobody knows what the public wants. Nobody knows what the public wants. It's a monster, ever-changing all the time. There's no rhyme or reason, and why should there be?

Patricia Clarkson: Money. (laughs) Or scripts that star women 45 and older, lots and lots of scripts! I'd give it money and scripts starring older ladies.

Amy Adams: I think that if I were to give the film industry any gift it would be the gift of humility. I think for whatever struggles there are in the film industry we're very fortunate and especially in this time, this hard economic time, those of us that are working are very fortunate. It's a great job to have and I think it's important for us all to remember that whatever the downfalls are, and that includes the media that we're all very fortunate to be working in fields that we love.

Dennis Hopper: A strike that's over very quickly.

Darren Aronofsky: A good mediator to get [the strike] done.

Evan Rachel Wood: Oh I have no idea! The Wrestler! That is our gift to you, the film industry. Here is this amazing movie. Take it. Enjoy.

Jennifer Esposito: I think they're blessed enough. They don't need any presents. Well, a big hug. I'd give them a big hug.

Gus Van Sant: I don't know, it'd have to be financial, like some sort of financial directive of where to spend the money, and not put it all in one basket. Share the wealth.

Harvey Weinstein: Lower admission prices and lower production costs.

Aasif Mandvi: I would give them the movie I just made: 7 to the Palace.

Michelle Byrd: I'd give every great film that doesn't have distribution, distribution. I'd give them some marketing dollars. I'd give them not even a lot of money, but I'd give them a little money to get through all the noise, to get out and work, and to get them to be seen.

Sir Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz in Elegy

Comments

[Kevin Rennie]

The Wrestler is bound to get some oscar nominations. My review 'Mickey Rourke wrestles his past' tells why.

http://laborview.blogspot.com/2008/12/mickey-rourke-wrestles-his-past.html

[billblass]

Sorry but MySpace and Facebook are not going to save the film industry.
There is no replacement for theatrical distribution. No press, no awards, no audience.
While iTunes and Netflix can pick up some slack on the smaller films, there are still those of us that want to see good quality films on the big screen.
And these smaller studios that closed didn't just distribute. The produced. That means far less QUALITY films and perhaps far more bogus films in the marketplace.

These guys have valid concerns that no one is seeing their films, or not enough people. They're not looking for an Internet audience, and I think that's a valid point.

[SDRR]

This is comical. Is this a re-print from 1998 or something? Distribution is "a problem"? "Too few people control the distribution"?
Are none of these people in possession of a computer? An internet connection? EVERYONE can distribute.
Hell, all the theaters are shifting to digital distribution while the Media Conglomerates have lost almost complete control of distribution with the Internet. Making deals with theaters will be as simple as just giving the theater owners the link to your film that's on some big server.
I really am surprised to hear Entertainment professionals so out of step with the changes that have already happened in their own business.

I truly hope that all these talented people start to become aware that the old TV and Film model has died and something entirely new has arrived. Everything has changed; the way projects are financed, the way they're distributed, the way they're promoted, and the way the content creators are compensated.

The days of one or two actors taking home 80% of the casts' budget are over.
Also over: you can't just do one thing. You've got to be able to do at least two of the following:
Act
Direct
Write
Build a web site
Have a huge FaceBook, MySpace, or personal blog following
Know Ad Agencies
Know Sponsors
Be good at creating New Media deals
Know Venture Capitalists

Those who cannot adapt will not be working in the Entertainment Business in 5 years.

[AContrario]

I 100% adhere to your vision but I will aslo add that not only the distribution pattern is shifting but
one thing so evident and yet completely overlooked by the film industry is that the film audience has
matured and split up in different audiences with different and cyclical tastes.

Although,film technologies have been on the rise these last decades, smoothing film workflows
and bringing in cheaper special FX, they can't hide the lack of relevance and talent onf many
productions.I don't mind downlading and watching average films(average is the trademark of
hollywood productions thses days...) at home on LCD projector, I am willing to pay top bucks
to go to "real" cinemas and watch films above average with spectacular scenes that can only
render well on the biggest screen.Think "The Dark Knight" or "LOTR", actually I am pretty sure
that re-releases at local cinemas of such films would attract a lot of people.

I am big fan of indies and other so-called highbrow cinema( Krzysztof Kieślowski is a personal
god) but I rather watch them on a LCD projector in the intimacy of my flat with friends rather than
going to cinema and I think it is a trend on the rise...

[woman ray]

It's true. Hollywood is a real slum. The days of working your way up for a dream are long over.
But who knows why all of the indie studios went under. I don't think it's only because of high executive salaries. Maybe it is. Anyone know?

If Hollywood is going to survive they need to really reexamine the distribution models. And I don't think moving everything online is the solution.

[Dannydel]

What these folks are stating is the oft repeated obvious. Some realities to consider are that Producers are the greedy Wall Streeters of films, that there are about 100,000 people with 'SAG' cards who refer to themselves as actors but who have a snowballs chance in hell of ever getting a part with a line, that because the supply of actors exceeds the demand by about 25000%, that the result of them going on strike is that nobody will notice and nobody will care and they'd better have bus fare back to Podunk Nebraska from whence they came, and really, have you ever been to 'Hollywood'? It's a slum, in a state that is broke. It's a concept and a dream that has died, only nobody has noticed. All 50 states are now vying for film productions, using tax incentives as a lure. I've evn read that Massachusetts is in the process of building a huge studio complex. Good luck to them. In the end, I think that the film business, like professional sports, is going to price itself out of existence. 20 Million a pic for the 'mega-stars' is as absurd and obscene as the 200 million dollar contract being talked about for a baseball player. The country in its present state, simply cannot afford such greed and stupidity. Look for Hollywood to become what those who have experienced it have long thought it to be:
A broken down relic.

[LMPE]

A really neat gift would be to have every movie star spend an entire day performing manual labor. If nothing else, it would give them the chance to show themselves to be more than a bunch of celebrities.