American Film in the Digital Age (New Directions in Media)

This eclectic, yet comprehensive analytical overview of the cataclysmic changes in the American film industry since 1990 shows how they have collectively resulted in a new era—The Digital Age.The American film industry has entered a new era. American Film in the Digital Age traces the industrial changes since 1990 that have brought us to this point, namely: the rise of media conglomerates, the proliferation of pornography through peripheral avenues of mainstream media, the role of star actors and directors in distributing and publicizing their own pet projects, the development of digital technology, and the death of truly independent films. Author Robert Sickels draws straight lines from the movies to music, DVDs, video games, fast food, digital-on-demand, and more, to demonstrate how all forms of media are merging into one. He explores the irony that the success of independent films essentially killed independent cinema, showing how it has become almost impossible to get a film released without the imprimatur of one of the big six media companies—Fox, Viacom, TimeWarner, Disney, General Electric, or CBS. In the end, using recent, popular films as examples, he explains not only how we got where we are, but where we're likely headed as well. Prior to being broken up by the Supreme Court in 1946, the movie industry was a vertical monopoly controlled primarily by eight studios. Ironically, today just six vertically and horizontally integrated companies have a worldwide monopoly on all forms of media. How did this vast power become so concentratedùand where do we go from here? The American film industry has entered a new era. American Film in the Digital Age traces the industrial changes since 1990 that have brought us to this point, namely: the rise of media conglomerates, the proliferation of pornography through peripheral avenues of mainstream media, the role of star actors and directors in distributing and publicizing their own pet projects, the development of digital technology, and the death of truly independent films. Author Robert Sickels draws straight lines from the movies to music, DVDs, video games, fast food, digital-on-demand, and more, to demonstrate how all forms of media are merging into one. He explores the irony that the success of independent films essentially killed independent cinema, showing how it has become almost impossible to get a film released without the imprimatur of one of the big six media companiesùFox, Viacom, TimeWarner, Disney, General Electric, or CBS. In the end, using recent, popular films as examples, he explains not only how we got where we are, but where we're likely headed as well This eclectic, yet comprehensive analytical overview of the cataclysmic changes in the American film industry since 1990 shows how they have collectively resulted in a new eraThe Digital Age. The American film industry has entered a new era. American Film in the Digital Age traces the industrial changes since 1990 that have brought us to this point, the rise of media conglomerates, the proliferation of pornography through peripheral avenues of mainstream media, the role of star actors and directors in distributing and publicizing their own pet projects, the development of digital technology, and the death of truly independent films. Author Robert Sickels draws straight lines from the movies to music, DVDs, video games, fast food, digital-on-demand, and more, to demonstrate how all forms of media are merging into one. He explores the irony that the success of independent films essentially killed independent cinema, showing how it has become almost impossible to get a film released without the imprimatur of one of the big six media companiesFox, Viacom, TimeWarner, Disney, General Electric, or CBS. In the end, using recent, popular films as examples, he explains not only how we got where we are, but where we're likely headed as well. Annotation The American film industry has entered a new era. "American Film in the Digital Age" traces the industrial changes since 1990 that have brought us to this point, namely: the rise of media conglomerates, the proliferation of pornography through peripheral avenues of mainstream media, the role of star actors and directors in distributing and publicizing their own pet projects, the development of digital technology, and the death of truly independent films. Author Robert Sickels draws straight lines from the movies to music, DVDs, video games, fast food, digital-on-demand, and more, to demonstrate how all forms of media are merging into one. He explores the irony that the success of independent films essentially killed independent cinema, showing how it has become almost impossible to get a film released without the imprimatur of one of the big six media companies Fox, Viacom, TimeWarner, Disney, General Electric, or CBS. In the end, using recent, popular films as examples, he explains not only how we got where we are, but where we're likely headed as well." CONTENTS......Page 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 10 1. INTRODUCTION: AMERICAN FILM IN THE DIGITAL AGE......Page 12 2. FROM THE BUSINESS OF FILM TO THE BUSINESS OF ENTERTAINMENT: HOLLYWOOD IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY......Page 22 3. THE GUILLOTINE HAS FALLEN AND THE BEACHES OF MALIBU ARE LITTERED WITH CARCASSES: THE DEATH OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENT MOVIES......Page 44 4. SEX AND CENSORSHIP SINCE MONICAGATE: WHITHER THE ARTISTIC "X"?......Page 66 5. GENRE GOES PASTICHE: GENRE IN CONTEMPORARY HOLLYWOOD......Page 86 6. NAVIGATING THE CONTEMPORARY HOLLYWOOD BUSINESS MODEL: DIRECTORS IN THE DIGITAL AGE......Page 110 7. THE RISE AND FALL OF THE $100 MILLION PAYCHECK: HOLLYWOOD STARDOM SINCE 1990......Page 134 8. TV: THE LAST BEST HOPE?......Page 154 9. "THE FUTURE, MR. GITTES. THE FUTURE": NEXT WAVE FILMMAKING AND BEYOND......Page 174 D......Page 192 N......Page 193 V......Page 194 W......Page 195 Introduction : American Film In The Digital Age -- From The Business Of Film To The Business Of Entertainment : Hollywood In The Age Of Digital Technology / By Yannis Tzioumakis -- The Guillotine Has Fallen And The Beaches Of Malibu Are Littered With Carcasses : The Death Of American Independent Movies -- Sex And Censorship Since Monicagate : Whither The Artistic X? -- Genre Goes Pastiche : Genre In Contemporary Hollywood -- Navigating The Contemporary Hollywood Business Model : Directors In The Digital Age -- The Rise And Fall Of The $100 Million Paycheck : Hollywood Stardom Since 1990 / By Anne Helen Petersen -- Tv : The Last Best Hope? -- The Future, Mr. Gittes. The Future : Next Wave Filmmaking And Beyond. Robert C. Sickels. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Author Robert Sickels draws straight lines from the movies to music, DVDs, video games, fast food, digital-on-demand, and more, to demonstrate how all forms of media are merging into one. He explores the irony that the success of independent films essentially killed independent cinema, showing how it has become almost impossible to get a film released without the imprimatur of one of the big six media companiesùFox, Viacom, TimeWarner, Disney, General Electric, or CBS. In the end, using recent, popular films as examples, he explains not only how we got where we are, but where we're likely headed as well. --Book Jacket Prior to being broken up by the Supreme Court in 1946, the movie industry was a vertical monopoly controlled primarily by eight studios. Ironically, today just six vertically and horizontally integrated companies have a world-wide monopoly on all forms of media. How did this vast power become so concentratedÑand where do we go from here?