FLM110 Blog #1: Film and Audiences
with film being the world's largest entertainers, it of course has to survive off audiences. this would make it a very difficult market, as it has to appeal to multiple demographics… even if it has to risk creative integrity. film is a business as much as it is an art form, so it is no surprise that film has now been designed to get buts in seats and appeal to fan bases.
whereas film has had luck in being fully recognised as an artform as of late, filmmakers don't come under the hammer for “explicit content”. such confronting scenes don't have to be left out for the government to approve, and the core message that many were attempting.
but with the restrictions out of the way, we are seeing a new surge creative restriction. now it is seen via fan bases. with the majority of movies taking up the landscape being already written properties with source material and aimed to be large universes with many characters and arcs, movies now come pre-packaged with a target audience. so now movies being an adaptation, now has an expectation of what it should be, otherwise studios will experience much backfire from audiences if not doing the source material justice. and it is likely that a movie pitch wouldn't go through now days if it doesn't have the promise for a universe, so it's almost like there's no way out.
but following advice and wishes from fans can lead to a scenario almost like the movie “misery”, as now there is a fine line between satisfying fans, and making an overall great movie. which is why we see a major surge of just “good” movies recently, as there are no risks taken. like the majority of marvel films, and in my opinion, star wars episode 7 (it wasn't a great movie ok?? sue me)
what i see that producers don't understand these days is that not all audiences and consumers are writers, sure they may be unhappy in how their characters are depicted, but making this also attracts films buffs, art house lovers and could win awards. people also need to know that not everything can translate to a film, it is very important that you choose what source material is going to be included in the film, as it could either end up a cluttered mess, or filled with unnecessary filler. take “the dark tower” for example, as the films aim was to link multiple stephen king books and novels into one ninety minute film.
one big ask i just need to see fulfilled in the hollywood landscape is: please just focus on making a great film first. starting a hundred story arcs in movies does not make a film, it makes influent mess. such movies like: suicide squad, the mummy and alien covenant are prime examples of this, elements, structures and information that are essential to make a film are left out in these movies. like what the fuck alien covenant?? you can't release ten minutes of character development on youtube that doesn't make it into the movie and expect that makes a film. where was it in the movie? why?