I think the film industry is is falling into the same trap that devistated the music industry and it's this... Do what is safe. Don't take a chance.
I hear people ask 'Are there no new ideas out there?'
I think there are. Hell, I write stories all of the time but Hollyweird has found itself painted into a corner. They won't put out a film unless it has 'Big Star A' in it and 'Big Star A' doesn't work for less than 20million a picture. Since they have to make back the money they've invested they go for the safest possible thing they can find. Something that already makes/made money.
Just like during the 80s, if your band sucked but had a blonde singer from L.A you could get on MTV, the current version is '...If you take a TV show from the 70s that was a drama and turn it into a comedy we'll make a movie out of it'
The short version of what I'm saying is that there are plenty of great original ideas out there but nobody is willing to take a chance on them.
This is just my opinion but I think that the film industry is making some critical mistakes at the moment. They believe their revenue is being hurt because somebody's little Johnny downloaded the new Trek movie. I don't think that's really the problem. The problem is that 'Home Theater Systems' are now so badass they rival many movie theaters. The difference being you pay almost nothing to get the film via NetFlix and you watch it on your 60" plasma TV with the 5.1 THX surround sound - AND - you can pause the film when you need to grab a beer or take a pee or whatever...Plus that idiot with the afro or big hat isn't sitting in front of you, the kid kicking the chair isn't behind you, the lady loudly crunching nachos in your ear and the guy who tells everybody what happens next are all nowhere to be seen. The negative aspects to going to a theater are gone and the positive one are still there.
Because of this, I think the film industry needs to take their product to a whole new level - something that you 'cant' get at home yet. What exactly that is, I can't say for sure - excellent 3D might be a start - holographic films, perhaps - but it has to be something.
Evolve or Die.
The film industry is resisting this simple lesson and that's why we get 'Land of the Lost: The Comedy' - Instead of the next truly amazing new story.
There, I'll get off the soap box now.
