Critique my perspective of, "the Hollywood Business Model"

M

moens

I am looking for critique on a blog post I made on the topic of the, "Hollywood Business Model." I am specifically looking for the business aspects / perspectives of people in the movie industry (not just Hollywood). I am not an insider, my only connection is that my wife is a writer and screenwriter and business in general interests me.

I have thick skin... feel free to be direct ;) Respond here or on the blog... but here might be easier.

As an aside, my objective is to write a larger "subway map" style infographic on how Tech Startups can learn from film productions.

The link again: http://www.geekphd.com/hollywood-vs-silicon-valley-part-i-hollywood-business-model/

Thanks!
 
Kind of a simplistic view of how things are done in Hollywood. It does however feel like you put effort into the beginning of the post and ran impatient towards the end.

There is also often a different path of how things are made depending on the financing sources. A studio(distributor) funded film usually attaches a lot of extra responsibilities which aren't covered here.

The Hollywood business model is based on distribution. I suggest that you really put more detail into that part. Eg. Advances, advertising, distributor cuts, Hollywood accounting, product placement deals, merchandising and ancillary revenues, nett and gross deals etc. etc.
 
Ah, very good. I knew there would be holes... I just didn't know where, heh. I will try to look at the whole thing from a distribution standpoint. Thanks again, this is very helpful.
 
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Commonly producers cannot tell the difference between a great, well constructed idea and doggy poop. All too often the great writer gets tossed, and movie rights for doggy poop are obtained with all urgency.
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But it's not the producer's job to find the greatest, most well-constructed idea out there. :huh:

If doggy poop will get the public's butts into theater seats, then load up a buffet platter of Dalmation droppings and start diggin' in! I hope you have a hearty appetite. :cool:
 
Dear God, that's a spot of shoddy off-the-top-of-my-drunken-head writing I don't believe would warrant a C from a high school english teacher.
Certainly lacks any journalism skills. ANY.

Not a single citation of any examples, quotes, or sources.

It's soaked in poisoned perspective with no credible point of view.

WHO is the target audience for this?
Anyone interested in the subject matter couldn't possibly be educated by this vitriol.
Anyone semi-educated in the subject see's that it's buzzed cocktail drivel, so what's the point?
 
@Zensteve yes, I actually agree. I should not make that a fault... or rather, not put the burden of the fault on the Producer... rather the audience I guess :). Thanks!

@rayw well, I didn't say it was my attempt at great journalism, I did in fact say that, "this is my perspective", that "I am not an insider" and that it is the basis for a later infographic.

I also said I have thick skin, so, I don't mind the rant... but if you could be more specific about maybe a couple major points that are completely wrong, I'd love to hear. Whether I will ever produce great writing is seriously in doubt, but I hope this will at least be(come) reasonably accurate.
 
I appreciate that this is your perspective and opinion. So it’s difficult
to offer any critique - your opinion is your opinion.

Your bias shows. If that was your goal - to tell others how you feel
about producers - then you did a fine job. You have no facts, you
cite no examples and you did no research on the “Hollywood”
business model.

Points that are completely wrong:
Commonly producers cannot tell the difference between a great, well constructed idea and doggy poop.
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They can and they do. All the time. Great films are made. That means
that producers commonly can tell the difference. And even if YOU don’t
like a specific film that doesn’t mean the producer couldn’t tell the
difference between a great idea and doggy poop.

Some producers realize their general lack of intuitive taste, and rely on the recommendation of an Actor or Director type.
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Most producers understand that directors and actors are part of the
team that makes a movie. Bringing them into the creative process
isn’t do to a general lack of intuitive taste - it’s excellent business.
You do use "some", so they lets you off the hook a bit.

Often a studio will have per-arranged distribution deals predicated on production budget, but every project will (should) involve a negotiation.
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That prearranged distribution deal is ALWAYS negotiated.

Most everything else is over simplistic and comes from a bias of
extreme dislike of producers. This reads like a writer who doesn’t
have an agent and is pissed that producers have not optioned
their amazing script.

I, too, would like to know who you feel your target reader is. The
reality is you know so little about the Hollywood business model
or the production process it’s difficult to know who you feel will
get something out of this.

Again, your opinion is your opinion and I have no argument with
that. You feel agents are over paid proxies - that’s fine. You feel
producers nag and yell - that’s fine. I don’t see how your opinion
helps anyone understand The “Hollywood Business Model”

I’m looking forward to part two; the Silicone Valley Business Model.
 
@rayw thanks, you actually mentioned citations and basic journalism the first time... I'll work on that

@directorik

I, too, would like to know who you feel your target reader is. The
reality is you know so little about the Hollywood business model
or the production process it’s difficult to know who you feel will
get something out of this.
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Yeah... well, I should have mentioned this in the OP, but this is a first version. Even though it is public, the blog is new and no one reads it. I wanted to test it where it would be most appreciated (heh, or where it would be most offensive, forgive me). Then... to go on and fix it as needed.

My first target reader is myself.

This reads like a writer who doesn’t
have an agent and is pissed that producers have not optioned
their amazing script.
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This is funny because of how close the mark it is... but its not that the scripts (my wife's) didn't get optioned... its that they got used, did well, and because of my own stupidity (lack of agent, yes) she came away with nothing. Do I have issues that I need to get past? Heh, yes. I'll rewrite. It will be better thanks to this thread.

But I am (trying) to fix past problems in my perspective / expectations... and apply it to business in general for myself and for other programmers and creatives in SV who also often come away with nothing for their work because... well, because, like myself, they didn't understand how to work with the system.

They can and they do. All the time. Great films are made. That means
that producers commonly can tell the difference. And even if YOU don’t
like a specific film that doesn’t mean the producer couldn’t tell the
difference between a great idea and doggy poop.
Click to expand...

Heh, yeah... um. I'll fix that.

A penny for your thoughts:

So, for those of you that weighed in (above), I don't think there is a "buy me a beer" thing on this forum, but if there is a way that people on this forum like to give thanks, I would like to offer my earnest thanks by "buying a round." I really do appreciate this criticism... and I do deserve some of the growl I hear here. I am working on the re-write!

pm your paypal addy's or something?
 
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I just finished some work on the blog post, and it was indeed amazingly vitriolic and biased. I did not intend it that way, but, just a little to much personal emotion and the actual ideas I wanted to pursue went out of the window.

I apologize for dumping like that on those of you that are producers... that sucked.

That said, I am hacking through it faithfully and creating a flow chart to accompany it.

Again, to those of you that posted above, pm your paypal addy... I really did learn a lot from this discussion. Didn't intend it to be so antagonistic.
 
moens said:
This is funny because of how close the mark it is... but its not that the scripts (my wife's) didn't get optioned... its that they got used, did well, and because of my own stupidity (lack of agent, yes) she came away with nothing. Do I have issues that I need to get past? Heh, yes.
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I’m pretty perceptive and I’ve been in the business for a while.
I can usually tell when a writer feels the entire system is working
against them.


You asked for a critique; I gave you one. I’m not looking to be paid
although I do appreciate the “buying a round” sentiment. I’m sorry
if you heard some “growl” from me. I assure you that wasn’t my
intent. I know that sometimes an honest critique that isn’t flattering
can be difficult to read, but my intent was only to express my personal
opinion and not to growl at you.

I can imagine it's very difficult to write about a business you know so
little about. I couldn't write anything about SV. That's why I look
forward to your "vs. Silicon Valley" part. That's something you know
about.
 
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