Off Week Blog #1 The Loss of Hollywood

Recently, I watched a making-of video on YouTube of the movie Casablanca¹. This movie came out in 1942 when Hollywood was called a factory (or Dream Factory) because it put out one film after another. Hollywood indeed had some bad practices during that period and in subsequent times. Humans are humans, and when money and power are involved, the advantage is taken, at least by some participants. What may seem odd is that there were and still are great films being made even with all that. However, it’s worth noting that the number of original and groundbreaking films is dwindling, with many studios opting for sequels, reboots, and adaptations.

Image 2 Hollywood bombing at the box office

Recently, Hollywood has taken a strange road. Movies are no longer being received well by the public, and funnily enough, the production companies don’t understand why. It is odd that while they moan and groan about not making their money, there isn’t an effort to rectify the situation. Instead, there is a lot of pointing fingers. When the fingers point to the audience and fan base, it is truly strange. I understand the challenges and concerns you may have about the current state of Hollywood.

It used to be that studios catered to ‘what would sell.’ This is where the money came in, and criticism (with some merit) was passed out. With the money came the power. It is odd how many thought they could put out content that people didn’t like but thought they could force them to accept, a CHANGE THE WORLD type of thinking.

Hollywood’s entire framework was in jeopardy as we ushered in 2024. Production was on the decline, and with that, financial stability. Then, the fires broke out. Numerous structures were reduced to ashes, events and productions were left homeless, and the flames continued to rage. The global ripple effect of this catastrophe is causing widespread concern in the communities of Los Angeles, the nation, and beyond. Many will share the responsibility for this crisis.

Watching that documentary about making Casablanca, I thought about everything happening today and was sad. What really happens in the making of movies is that there were and will always be parts of good and evil with so much money involved. However, I am sad that the films I cherish are slipping away. What is put out is not in my interest, as it seems the same with many of the public.

It is not all gloom and doom, though. Like reading and even endangered species, some are not gone forever but have moved to a different place. The Northern Spotted Owls were thought endangered or lost due to habitat destruction of their trees. Turns out they were roosting outside of city buildings and doing fine. They adapted. Newspapers lost their subscribers, and physical bookstores closed. Many readers searched the internet for new news sources and digital books. I use my phone, which I thought I would hate, but I found it easy to carry many books. This was important for my back. The smartphone became a convenient tool for reading those books, even adjusting the print size if needed. I have even tried an audiobook. It’s called Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and is the ideal book for audio. The sounds amplify the plot, which makes it more fun to listen to. I am going to try Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian next, and I’m amazed at how adaptable we readers can be in this changing landscape of literature.

Image 5 My new fave-audio books *Project Hail May*

So, where have movies gone if reading went online and in digital books? Yes, of course! They’ve gone to streaming and other online content. Many streaming services have joined Netflix, and the bubble is starting to burst. The product model didn’t account for running out of subscribers to support the platform. But it’s not just the oversaturation of the market with streaming services that’s the issue. The problem Hollywood is having is contributing to the lack of content that pleases enough people. After all, Hollywood contributes to streaming, too. Some say it’s keeping Hollywood afloat or, conversely, sinking them.

In the end, economics can sort most of these troubles out. The many people who enjoy using streaming will continue to do so, and the industry can straighten out, if there are willing participants. The entertainment industry has to adapt to please the customer. Isn’t it odd that this was forgotten? I also hope that the advent of the internet, which exposed many immoral and illegal practices such as piracy and exploitation, helps these practices get cleaned up. The threat of prosecution has done the trick before, and we have been woefully lacking that deterrent. I don’t advocate government spying in this area, though; too much temptation to do even more crap. We must have freedom within sensible and essential boundaries and let the courts sort out the rest.

With the help of good old-fashioned economics, we can find our way out of this predicament. The public’s preferences, as long as they don’t violate any laws, can keep the production running. This model has worked, and I hope to see it work again. There is always potential for positive change, and we can guide Hollywood back on the right path while welcoming new filmmakers to enhance the industry.

I eagerly anticipate the arrival of a new, thrilling blockbuster that will captivate audiences and mark a positive turn in Hollywood’s journey.