Hollywood

Comments

Artistic License – Hollywood Humdrum

12 October 2003

Hollywood: (definition):A perfect example of art gone downhill due to business.

Having worked in the field of theatre for more than a decade, radio theatre for almost 4 years now – and recently voyaging into the realm of film performing – I have learned to appreciate the technology and people who put their energy into producing and creating film and video.  With my own Production Company (Centuries Old Productions) I am learning how radio scripts and film scripts are produced – and how long the creative process takes to develop a final product.  I am also learning the business side of things – which decisions need to be made, what can be sacrifed for a production..etc.

With my growing experience and being a fan of movies – like everyone – since I was a child – I have come to appreciate a good film.  I didn’t expect Hollywood not to supply any of them, to my taste.  I have been watching foreign film and independent films for a decade now (including films from East Coast USA, Canada, France, England… and the list goes on)  The films I have eyed from Hollywood have been an extreme disappointment.  Hollywood relies too heavily on ‘flash and bang’, special effects and name power – when all three don’t add up to a $15 fee.  Or worth the purchase price of the DVD. I am more than willing to purchase a few DVD releases of foreign films because they are worth my spending power – and I admire what the production team did.

For a while I was wondering why the glitter went out of the Big H.  In truth, it went out long ago – I personally believe it went out in the early 70’s and with the glitter gone, business took over and allowed the machine to keep pumping – even though it has been pumping ‘less than average’ productions out to a gullible public. Looking at films over the past twenty years the big three formula of hollywood doesn’t work – unless we want it to.

Flash and bang – lack of plot, substituted with car chases, fight scenes, pure animal adrenaline.

SFX – well, I’m sure most of my readers have seen the Matrix or Star Wars Episode 1

Name Power – Do you all recognized Tom Cruise, Samuel L. Jackson, Harrison Ford?

I’m not saying that special effects or name power or car chases are bad… Certain actors are indeed better than others – due to training and talent/experience.  Special effects take a whole lot of technicians or computer programmers and cameramen.  Flash and Bang can assist in carrying a plot along – if the plot exists…

I guess that is my concern with the Big H.  Their stories have no plot.  No story exists to carry me from point a to point b.  Even if you put the best actors into a room ( and to me the best actors I’ve worked with have been Canadian/English –or New Yorker) mix them with guns, cars and SFX – you still don’t get anything worthwhile – and Hollywood is relying on the false glitter to catch you up and spend your money…

I need story and plot – if something gives me the “Huh?” response – it wasn’t worth my time… unless the story was designed to make me think.  And Some films over the past decade have done that.  “Man on the Train (French)” Q&A (New York) to name a couple. 

The Big H seems to have misplaced all their writers – an speaking to a few script writers – I understand why.  Sadly, writers will sell a script to a studio – but with that they release all rights to the studio to produce the film the way they see fit – or, the script is passed along to a dozen or more writers who all put their own talent, viewpoints, and work into it.  I’m not saying this is bad – heck the writers put in their time and talent – but it dilutes and may destroy the story.  Writers need to come back to their ownership and directors need to start approaching the original writer to make sure the integrity of the script isn’t lost.  In the radio company I work with, we are currently developing scripts for the season of radio theatre.  Sure, we have writer’s meeting with ten writers around a table, reading and discussing the current scripts – however, the original writer is kept onboard – and his is the hand that guides the script.  All other writers can suggest – but if they’re wrong or off base, the writer can say no. Certainly, the Producer of the company has final, but we’re lucky enough to have a producer that listens and is willing to admit he can be outvoted on opinions.

To make a long essay short – I’m bitching about the poor quality the Big H has fallen to.  Maybe the producers, directors, writers and actors need to take a break and let the creative juices build again. Or maybe lower their fees to a more reasonable level and start treating Art as Art – not business.

I’ve babbled pointlessly for two pages.  Its your turn.  Go and watch a film – then ask yourself – and your friends – what was the story?  Was it believable?  Was it too much?  You can still enjoy it.  Try it. Take a strong look at the story… or are you going to as What Story? That question is your’s to ask, after all, it’s your own…

Artistic License.