How Globalization

is Affecting the Film Industry

By: Ellie Curtis

Article Overview ❖ The article I read from lawstreetmedia.com discussed the globalization of film

and how the concept of globalization has affected film industries across the globe.

❖ The United States is the leading nation in the world for film and cinema, they have been for many years now. Throughout the years the US has had to adapt to the remain at the top of that totem pole with growing film industries in other parts of the world.

❖ After the article then went on to inform that because of the United States efforts to gain power of film in other regions the globalization of film only grew, giving the US a great deal of competition in the industry.

Article Overview Cont. ❖ In the remaining portion of the article they break down exactly what

globalization of film truly means considering the topics of money and culture worldwide. How many cultures have reacted negatively to the globalization of film because it expresses customs of other cultures (mostly America) that some of the stricter nations do not wish to educate their people on.

Graph shows leading countries in box office revenue, as you can see US is #1.

What is Globalization? ❖ Globalization is the expanding and growing of businesses and/or industries

worldwide. To create a greater consumer base and to grow an industry on a national level.

The United States Film Industry and Globalization ❖ Whilst the US was making efforts to have their films viewed world wide, other

countries caught onto the idea and began forming their own industries of film and producing movies on their own which in turn they wanted viewed worldwide.

❖ The United States remain the leaders in film, the article states that “ In 2014, for example, the top ten most profitable movies were all made in the United States” (lawstreetmedia.com).

❖ The United States, in an attempt to remain at the top, has began adapting their movies to make them easy to understand universally. Using story lines that anyone in the world can relate too, and have the same movie differ in some ways depending on where you live.

Continued ❖ Since all of this has happened the United

States has became dependent on the foreign countries for the success of their movies. In short the US needs the profits that other countries supply them from viewing these movies to keep their film industry alive. For example ‘“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the latest hit in the Avengers franchise, debuted in theaters recently and made more than $200 million in a single weekend. The surprising part however, is that it earned that $200 million outside the U.S., before the movie even opened stateside” (lawstreetmedia.com).

This graph shows that the United States needs globalization if they

wish to continue their upward drive in the industry.

China’s Film Industry and Globalization

❖ The Chinese industry has gained so much control over the United States that the US will practically do anything to keep there business. In an article from bbc.com the author states “ When word filtered through that the Hollywood invasion thriller Red Dawn – released last year – was going to feature Chinese villains there was strong criticism in the Chinese media. In an unprecedented move the villains were then digitally removed in post-production and replaced by North Koreans.” As you can see China is taking the film industry by storm.

Continued

❖ One of those foreign markets we discussed in the last slide that the United States relies on is China’s. With China’s fantastic work in film it is said that by 2020 the United States will no longer be leading the world in film, China will be the leader of this industry.

As you can see by the chart, in 2013 over half of the top ten big box office movies in China were movies made by the Chinese film industry (the US still held the top 10 in the world).

Europe’s Film Industry and Globalization❖ Although China is the second leader in the world for film France, Germany, the

United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain aren't doing too bad for themselves either. ❖ Europe has gone to great efforts to expand their cinematic art globally such as

having one of the most famous film festivals called the Cannes Film Festival. This festival shines light on filmmakers in this area of the world and brings a great deal of people in.

As you can see actors/actresses from all over the world join together at the festival to celebrate the world in film.

Continued

❖ Another way Europe’s film industry tries to share their films around the world is offering versions of their films in 24 different languages, making it easy to globalize their cinematic works.

❖ Although Europe has gone to great lengths to gain power in the industry, “ As of 2013, 70 percent of the European film market was dominated by American films.” (lawstreetmedia.com). Europe’s industry still relies greatly on the United States for film.

Australia and New Zealand’s Film Industry and Globalization

❖ These two nations do not by any means hold a huge chuck of power in the film industry. What they do to stay alive is offer their beautiful scenery and location to many of the United States blockbuster hits for filming.

❖ Movies such as The Lord of the Rings - The Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Great Gatsby, and Where the Wild Things Are were all filmed along with many other in either Australia or New Zealand.

India’s Film Industry and Globalization ❖ India’s approach to making it in the industry and surviving on a global level is

producing a very large amount of movies.❖ India has also created their own version of Hollywood called Bollywood which

is very popular to tourists. “From 2004-2013, gross receipts tripled and revenue is estimated to reach $4.5 billion next year. With those kinds of numbers, India’s film industry promises to continue its upward trajectory in money and influence.” (lawstreetmedia.com).

Continued❖ The film Slumdog Millionaire

played a huge role in spreading

awareness of Bollywood in other

parts of the world. The United

States and India’s film industry

collaborated on this film creating

a beautiful piece of cinematic

history that went on to win eight

Academy Awards and four Golden

Globes in 2008.

Nigeria’s Film Industry and Globalization

❖ Like India Nigeria formed their equivalent to Hollywood called Nollywood in hopes it will become that of what Hollywood is to the world.

❖ Nigeria’s tactic is to create low budget films but create a large sum of them. This tactic has apparently worked according too lawstreetmedia.com “the Nigerian film industry is influential enough regionally that neighboring countries fear a Nigerianization effect on their own cultures.” This means that Nigerian movies are at risk of becoming more popular in areas around them then those areas own movies. Which is putting those regions at risk of losing money but putting Nigeria in a place to gain money.

Pros of Globalization for the Film Industry ❖ Globalization builds relationships

between the countries because they all rely on each other's film industry to stay alive for example “when Hollywood struggled for funds following the 2008 recession it received loans and financing from Indian sources.” (lawstreetmedia.com). India did this because prior to this happening the American film industry had bankrolled some films from Bollywood.

Continued ❖ To branch off of those relationships from above many film stars are getting a

chance to work in film industry that are not the traditional one in which they began.

❖ It brings more diversity into the industry.

These are just a few Hollywood actors/actresses that have gotten the opportunity the work in other countries film industries. (Whoopi Goldberg, Denise Richards, Ben Kingsley).

Cons of Globalization on the Film Industry ❖ While combining with other con tires on these projects it is easy to sometimes

lose the cultures identity behind the other cultures. ❖ The main issue is that some countries don’t like the way other countries (mostly

America) is. They don't like our norms and values and they don't want their countries to see that we have those norms and values so they'll refuse to show movies that depict those values and ways of life, causing some friction between the countries.

❖ Although there is a great deal of money to be made, the smaller countries/nations miss out on it because booming countries in the film industry want to work with other booming countries, so smaller nations miss out on the financial benefit.

Questions ❖ I understand that there is a desire to not work with countries that don’t have a

booming film industry, but if the more thriving countries were to help the smaller nations to build their industry then everyone would win because the smaller industries would have money and the bigger industries would have more people to work with. So my question is why hasn't this been done yet?

❖ Does having different techniques or ways of filming present challenges when collaborating with other countries? If not, do all countries use the same techniques?

❖ In the article it states that the same movie may differ in each country as to what scenes are or are not shown. How do you keep the story the same for all countries while having different scenes or even completely different characters sometimes?

Questions Continued

❖ If globalization of the film industry had not happened would the United States still be at risk for not leading the industry anymore or would they be at an even greater risk?

❖ One of the cons of globalization is that it is easy to lose cultural identity while working with other nations, I want to know what the nations do to try and prevent that from happening?

Works Cited "12 Hollywood Movies That Were Filmed in Australia." - OneShift Jobs Blog Australia. 17 Sept. 2014. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.

Bennett, Cheska. "Top Ten Films Filmed Here in New Zealand." Nomads World. Nomads World Hotels Pty Ltd, 2014. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.

Brook, Tom. "How the Global Box Office Is Changing

Hollywood." BBC. BBC, 21 Oct. 2014. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.

Sliwinski, Michael. "The Globalization of Cinema: What’s Next?" Law Street (TM). Law Street Media LLC., 20 May 2015. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.