EMST 3150 Final Exam

Mandates of Media

-Governmental Mandate -Commercial Mandate -Noncommercial Mandate

Three types of music streaming services:

-Streaming Radio (ex: Pandora) -Locker Service (ex: iTunes Match and Amazon's Cloudplayer) -'On Demand' (ex: Spotify)

Alternative/Reality Programming

-docusoap, makeover, and gamed (all sub-genres of reality) -inexpensive to produce, but few have long-term success -not as valuable in syndication

What is the problem?

-don't always generate a huge profit -they need to rely on Hollywood - which has dramatically different labor practices

Non-Commercial Media

-public media -community media -DIY/amateur -Avant-garde/experimental/alternative

Film Quota

34 Foreign films

Acquisitions

buying a film (typically an independent film) to facilitate its distribution

Remake

original premise is mapped onto a new cultural/national/social context

Affective Turn

refers to the increasingly scholarly interest in emotions, senses, and bodily experiences since the 1990s -in terms of the workplace, the significance of affect has been theorized through concepts such as emotional labour or emotion work

Freelancers

self-employed individuals working for a client on a project for some kind of set fee (this is different from film and television workers) -"As self-employed workers, freelancers do not legally have access to unions that could collectively bargain on their behalf... or the protections under labor law, nor can they access social benefits such as healthcare, employment insurance, or parental leave.." -Cohen -the number of self-employed workers globally are growing -in the grey zone of employment: outside the protections of long-established labour regulations

Virtual Reality

still in its infancy -the biggest hurdle to overcome is the uncomfortable headgear -improving the actual viewing experience of virtual reality can only help exploit the possibilities in live events besides sports

Windowing

strategy of releasing a film over time across different media windows -the timing of these windows are important

Distribution

the business of getting movies (or television programs) to an audience

Exhibition

the business of screening a film -in relation to television we often call this phase "distribution"

Writer's Guild of American (WGA) 1974 Women's Committee Report

the first major statistical survey to track the representation of women as creatives within American television

Copyright

the legal establishment of rights to an original work -means of registering ownership of intellectual property -created as way to help authors profit from their creative endeavors -when you copyright a work you have: 1) reproduction rights 2) distribution rights 3) performance rights 4) digital performance rights 5) display rights 6) derivative rights

Consolidation

the reduction of competitors to a few media companies -this leads to an oligopoly

Package-unit System

when production is organized around the individual film instead of the studio/company -producer secures financing and labor fo an individual film -short-term contracts around a single film -sequels might be the goal, but workers aren't kept under contract -possibly benefits from big studio distribution and marketing, but does not necessarily take advantage of resources for cross-promotion/engagement

Conglomertization

when several smaller business entities are combined under a single corporate umbrella

What's going on with Hollywood assistants?

young Hollywood's student loan crisis: "There are people just struggling to survive" -former "Walking Dead" show runner calls for doing better by assistants as #PayUpHollywood trends

The Georgia Film Office

-"Deliverance" (1972) based on GA author James Dickey's novel, shoots in GA -In 1973, Gov. Jimmy Carter opened the Georgia Film Office to promote the state and entice film production [films generated revenue for local businesses and potentially tourism after the film's release] -marketing the state through locations -In the early 2000s, the film office worked hard to bring the biopic about Georgia-native Ray Charles but the film ended up shooting in Lousiana

Some Examples of Global Amenities

-4-D experiences -270 degree screens -all inclusive packages that include all-you-can eat concessions, open bar, massage, and personal waitstaff

Why do state governments try to court the film industry?

-And New Orleans needed to court the film industry as it did tourists, with place-based adaptations and spatial redistributions -the commission would broadly promote "key economic, social, and cultural benefits of basing film and television production in Louisiana."2 -

What is the significance of the "Revenge of the Zombies" for Vicki Mayer?

-At that juncture, Revenge of the Zombies appropriately brought together the mutable folk creature for tourists with an irrational love for the film industry -More than that, the typecast characters and stereotypical tropes in Revenge seemed not so remote from those purveyed in the iconography of the tourism industry. Both Hollywood and the city itself trafficked in racialized im- ages of "voodoo, jazz, Creole culture, decadence, sexual permissiveness, and exoti- cism" that mystified blackness for mass audiences while ignoring the contempo- rary realities of African-Americans. -They promoted a mental image of the place while concentrating profits among geographically distant elites. Revenge was one of some sixty films set in Louisiana during the height of the golden age of Hol- lywood.39 For most of the movies, Revenge included, the production crews never stepped foot in the state, until state officials and Hollywood joined forces.

Film Festivals: A Taxonomy (Classification)

-Business Agenda -Geopolitical Agenda -Audience Agenda -Aesthetic Agenda

Non-Theatrical Rights

-Educational A/V (Universities, schools, libraries, museums, etc.) -Institutional or Industrial (corporations, businesses, prisons, etc.) -In-Flight or other transportation (Planes, ships, etc.) -Military (screening on military bases)

Digital Producers

-Individuals: people who have created their own channels (possibly hoping to be discovered/make money from advertisers on YouTube) -Transmedia Producers: help create content across different mediums/ coordinated storytelling across different platforms (ex: 42 Entertainment) -Independent Web-based producers: own their own distribution platform (ex: Funny or Die, Netflix, Hulu) [all of this is more complex now that YouTube, Netflix, and others are operating more like conventional studios/networks]

"Monk" and USA

-Initially pitched to ABC, approved, but couldn't find the right actor to play Monk (didn't want an offensive portrayal of OCD) -Someone who had worked on the pilot ended up bringing it to USA (This made the show unique since it ended up airing on both ABC and USA) -Was very successful for USA -Helped them find their footing and start creating similar crime dramas -Helped USA develop brand as a network - "Characters Welcome" -Also launched a trend of original programming for the company

Cable

-Less dependent on audience due to payment for the service -You're already paying for their channel so they aren't AS worried -85% made from subscribers and 15% from ads

Measured Audience

-Nielson Rating (or the number of viewers) or box office totals -Confirms the value of the prediction (Did the show garner the prediction numbers?) -Used to shape future predictions

OTT

-Over-the-top services -Digital services that deliver media content through the internet -Dependency on audience varies (I want to say they're like premium cable networks in the sense that they just want your money and don't reaaaaalllllly care if you watch) -Bypass cable, broadcast and satellite -Ex: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu

Two Main Release Strategies

-Platform: Starting in a few cities and expanding; this relies on good word-of-mouth -Saturation: Wide and simultaneous release; huge national marketing campaigns and roll-out of merchandise to get people into the theater for opening weekend

Premium Cable

-Premium television channels don't care how many or which shows on their channel you watch -All that really matters is that you find enough of value to maintain that monthly subscription fee. -Ex: HBO, Starz, Showtime, Cinemax

Publicly v. Privately held

-Publicly Held= companies that anyone can buy stock in and consequently have responsibility to stockholder to protect their investment -Privately Held= companies that are typically managed by a family and are not subject to the same disclosure rules as publicly held companies

Retail v. Media Franchising

-Retail Franchising= parent company grants licenses for products, logos, etc for small business owners/ small owners must stay on message (on brand) -Media Franchising= a resource (property/concept) is reproduced or elaborated upon by different media crews in different industrial contexts and across different platforms (properties are connected, but might take on own life with different creative personnel) [Both are a way of exchanging resources over a network/ multiplied cultural production across niche networks]

Distribution Rights

-Theatrical Rights -Non-Theatrical Rights -Pay TV (Cable and premium networks) -Free TV (Broadcast networks) -DVD (Rental and sales) -Video-on-demand (VOD)

The Big 4/ Big 6 Talent Agencies

-WME (William Morris-Endeavor) -UTA (United Talent Agency) -CAA (Creative Artists Agency) - aka The Death Star" -ICM (International Creative Management) -WME (William Morris-Endeavor) -UTA (United Talent Agency) -CAA (Creative Artists Agency) -ICM (International Creative Management) -APA (Agency Performing Artists) -Paradigm Talent Agency -represent talent and their interests in different media -use their large client lists to create package deals that bring together interested financiers with talent and/or group talent

Governmental Mandate

-Who Pays: You -Who does it serve: Government -What determines "success": The effectiveness with which the government's views are transmitted to the people -Ex: Nazi-era Germany

Noncommercial Mandate

-Who Pays: You -Who does it serve: The People -What determines "success": The effectiveness with which the peoples' needs are served -Ex: BBC, LPFM, community newspapers

What are the consequences of sleep deprivation for people working on sets?

-drowsy driving (42,000 transit deaths were due to drivers falling asleep behind the wheel) -"Microsleep"= occur due to sleep debt accumulated by not getting enough sleep -the less sleep a person gets, the hungrier they get which coincides with the current obesity epidemic in the U.S. -long hours cause workers to loose concentration which can affect their creativity -loss of concentration on set is dangerous (especially with use of special effects)

Features of the Multiplex

-fewer seats per screen -in order to get more people into popular movies, theaters started showing movies on multiple screens -amenities: larger screens, better sound systems, better food, beer, wine, etc.

Disney Franchising

-franchises are essential to Disney's business model -first use of the term "franchise" in relation to media was connected to "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid" (1992) -Disney owns a number of lucrative franchises, but also develops talent into franchises -ex: Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, etc.

The Boundary-less Career

-individual careers move across firms rather than within them (don't move up within a company but rather jump from company to company) -validation comes from the market (not the employer) (get bad rep if on a movie that flops: "you're only as good as your last job") -organize your own career path instead of the company organizing your career path -the industry is stratified (arranged into layers, classes, or categories)(not every segment or company within the industry is created equal) -information is shared horizontally/across networks

Franchising as strategy

-industry structure and content are related -franchising was a means of adapting business strategies to horizontally integrated companies -franchising also started to drive consolidation strategies and define what was valuable ex: McDonald's, Law & Order, Marvel, Star Wars

Commercial Media

-media made with the explicit goal of making money -probably the vast majority of the media you consume -payment structures differ for film and television

Actual Audience ("Real" Audience)

-number of viewers -there are certain unobtainable truths about number of viewers and their attention

Television's "Dual Product"

-provide content yet appeal to advertisers by providing a large audience to viewers

To survive in the industry you must:

-stay positive -keep your mouth shut -have a "can do" attitude

Reasons to shoot on location

-to save money -authenticity

Predicted Audience

-what forecasters believe the anticipated audience will be -advertisers have to buy space before something airs

What can workers do to reduce hours on set and change these working conditions?

-workers attempted to alter the work schedule by creating a petition called Brent's Rule (the petition called for 14 hour work days and received a large number of signature) -unfortunately, the signatures were sent to the union and were never recovered -workers are largely ignored by people in power -nothing workers can do besides continue to raise attention about the matter and hope those in charge pick up on it

Syndication

1) A show made to be sold on other networks ("first-run syndication"=made to be sold) 2) A show that airs on a network and later licenses to another network ("off-network syndication"/ "reruns") [A way to share the wealth]

Career Stages and Primary Issues

1) Beginning: Getting access to the industry or profession 2) Crafting: Learning required skills and industry culture 3) Navigating: Building reputation and personal network 4) Maintaining: extending the profession and balancing the personal

Life Cycle of a Film

1) Development 2) Production 3) Film Festival Circuit 4) Distribution: (exhibition windows/revenue stream) -Theatrical (typically the first way a film is exhibited, but not always) -Non-theatrical -DVD -VOC -Premium cable/tv

Areas of Film Marketing

1) Print and Advertising (P&A) -posters, stand-ups ("standies"), bus adds, extension billboard [not every region gets all types of advertisements] 2) Market Research= assess the opportunities and potential success of the marketing strategy for a particular film (includes previewing, market analysis, and tracking surveys) 3) Publicity= refers to media coverage for which no payment was made -appears at press junkets and other free exposure 4) Merchandising

Three Principle Parts of the film industry

1) Production - Marketing 2) Distribution - Marketing 3) Exhibition - Marketing

Film Tax Incentives take one of two forms:

1) Rebate or Grant: direct payment from government to film production 2) Tax Credit: the amount of money that can be off-set against what is owed in taxes -film producers can sell these credits to big corporations (who can in turn use these credits to lower their own bills) [this is how the Georgia credit works

The Production Process

1) Writer Develops a Concept 2) Agent or Manager sets up meetings [or (more likely) your agent/manager "packages" your script along with other talent 3) Producer Options Property and Buys It 4) Property Moves into "Development"

Two Main Characteristics of Project Networks

1) the task is complex and non-routine, which requires many individuals to join in creating the product or service (this high level of mutual responsibility is called team interdependence) 2) usually operates in an uncertain and dynamic environment, primarily due to unpredictable and rapidly shifting consumer demands

Post-supervisor/ Producer v. Editor

A Producer helps oversee post-production. Process never goes quite as planned. -Editors put the product together, have to follow the guidelines of producers and showrunners. (Usually when working with a big name you're working on multiple projects at the same time) -Work a lot of non-union days

Turnaround

A point where a studio decides not to develop a project further and offers to sell it to other studios in order to recoup the production costs -A way to get a stagnant project out of development hell

Network Scheduling

Assembling a schedule that balances licensing fee, advertising dollars, and network brand -considering lead-ins -time blocks are 30 and 60 minutes (irregular lengths would throw off the entire schedule) -primetime slots are the most valuable

Scheduling

Assembling a schedule that balances licensing fees, advertising dollars, and network brands. -Considering lead-ins -Time blocks are 30 and 60 minutes (irregular lengths would throw off the entire schedule) -Primetime slots are the most valuable

ATA

Association of Talent Agency -A professional organization, not a union -Responsible for legislative advocacy and negotiating agency franchise agreements and regulations with the major entertainment guilds, including SAG-AFTRA, WGA, and DGA.

Why Creatives should understand Media Policy

Because we're interested in content creation but policy is going to influence our ability to create it -Political climate often influences content and industrial structures, so understand that policy proposed in the future can change -An example of this is Ronald Reagan- loosened a lot of media restrictions and had ideas about the structure of the industry because he was the President of SAG. 3 important questions: -Who regulates? -What is regulated? -How do regulations affect the products of the media industries?

Cable networks v. service

Cable can be a service (delivery), but also channels (Lifetime, MTV, etc) -Ex: AT&T Internet and Direct-TV are cable services. OWN is a network. -Networks provide the content, and the service allows that content to be shown. -The service often makes a lot more money than the channels do. -Cable networks produce shows that appeal to specific target audiences. Cable networks are in constant competition for attention in a crowded marketplace. -The addition of new networks means that cable networks constantly need to refine and redefine their brand identity

Cable Network Branding

Cable networks produce shows that appeal to specific target audiences. --Cable networks are in constant competition for attention in a crowded marketplace. -The addition of new networks means that cable networks constantly need to refine and redefine their brand identity -Think of our in-class niche audience activity w/ Lifetime, TruTV, and AMC

China

China is the most important market for film - not the U.S. Just consider the sheer population difference of China vs US Getting a China release date is a big deal b/c their quota is very selective (34 foreign films a year) 26 movie screens are built per day in China China produces 600 features per year Chinese films used to be primarily communism propaganda, but this loosened up in the 90s Chinese government is involved in production and post-production in China China primarily interested in bolstering its "soft power" - how it's perceived by outsiders and insiders and it's cultural influence Yes, the U.S gets to sell their films to the Chinese audience...but the Chinese government also get considerable influence of their portrayal and the messages within the film. Likes Co-Productions because by bringing in U.S media labor, they can teach their own laborers and thus enhance their own industry.

Examples of Attempts to Make Crossovers from China to the US

China looking to either use foreign consultants (this practice is increasing) or to co-produce with other countries Dangal - successful crossover with India The Great Wall (w/ Matt Damon) - not very successful in the U.S., but China is trying to make global blockbusters anyway Emmerich's 2012 - disaster film with a diverse cast and global locations, shows Chinese as efficient and pragmatic/they essentially save the day "Love letter to China"

Reproduction Rights

Control who can reproduce copies of the work

How Concentration limits Access

Critics argue that as concentration of media industries increases, access to media decreases. Diminished competition leads to increased costs for consumers (fewer competitive prices) Challenges finding an audience - you can produce your own media if you like (film, novel, webseries, etc), but it's going to be at your own cost. Barriers to entry for new creative or small upstarts (good luck competing with Disney, newbie)

Who is accountable for the safety of film workers?

Current: Trial begins in Gwinnett County on Dec. 9th, 2019 over the death of a stuntman on the set of "Walking Dead" -a judge has rejected AMC Networks' claim that is cannot be held responsible for the death of John Bernecker, a stuntman who fell to his death on the set of "The Walking Dead" in 2017

DOJ

Department of Justice -assesses mergers and acquisitions along with the FTC -influences film, broadcast, cable, internet, and other non-media businesses

DGA

Directors Guild of America -Includes PAs, first and second assistant directors, and line producers

Key Challenges Disney Faces when building a star

Disney is presented with developmental and promotional challenges as young stars present issues of contracted earnings, aging, and sense of agency -manage turnover in the kids' media business (where the performers get older, but the large audience stays the same age) with short-term, project-based contracts

Disney bought Maker Studios

During its first earnings call with Wall Street analysts since buying Maker Studios for at least $500 million in March, the Walt Disney Co. shed a little more light on what it plans to do with the multichannel YouTube network on Tuesday -"We can allow the Maker people to substantially improve the distribution and reach of shorter form video using these characters and stories and add their expertise on the production side," said Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger during the call -While the executives said Maker had built "a bit of a brand" for itself online over the past several years, "we see Maker first and foremost as a distribution platform and successful one. There's a huge marketing opportunity for this company." -Maker was acquired because Disney "did not have the ability in the near term to distribute and sell as effectively" as the MCN, Iger said. "They had expertise in creating short form video that wouldn't have been as deep as it could have been at Disney."

Louisiana

Early in the 21st century, Louisiana, one of the poorest states in the U.S., redirected millions in tax dollars from the public coffers in an effort to become the top location site globally for the production of Hollywood films and television series -this city has twice pursued the goal of becoming a movie production capital

Distribution rights

Entitle the owner to decide who can distribute copies to the public

FCC

Federal Communications Commission -enforces regulatory provisions that govern broadcast and cable television (and some aspects of the internet)

FTC

Federal Trade Commission -regulatory agency that assesses mergers and acquisitions that diminish market competitiveness -influence film, broadcast, cable, internet, and other non-media businesses

Authorship v. Stardom

From contract clauses to framing the franchise process as kid-friendly in the trade press, the tactics used by the Mouse House all helped it reconcile its corporate brand, its franchise brands and related tween star texts -this set of promotional strategies and production practices exemplify the struggle to align the process of authorship with the various competing economic interests in media production -the negotiation among Disney's various media departments, Duff's role in the Lizzie franchise, and her (along with her mother's) effort to establish an independent star brand highlight the continuous and multi-faceted role of industrial structures and processes in modern-day stardom

Film Marketing

Goal: Send a cohesive message about the project -of great importance to Hollywood and necessary to the process of building consumer awareness about studio products

Content Regulation

Gov't Regulation: -Copyright law and FCC regulations -With means of delivery, there's throttling or blocking of online content Self Regulation: -Ratings (MPAA); interpretations of FCC regulations; decisions based on markets Foreign Regulation: -important as content moves outside the US (think Netflix and other streaming services)

What prompted Haskell Wexler to make "Who Needs Sleep?"

Haskell Wexler was prompted to make "Who Needs Sleep" by the death of cameraman Brent Hirschmann -Brett had just worked a 19 hour day on the set of "Pleasantville" when he fell asleep at the wheel on his way home and died in a fatal car crash -the death of this 35 year old man not only prompted Wexler to make this film but also set in motion efforts to limit the hours worked on set

Broadcast networks

Highly dependent on advertisements and therefore highly dependent on viewership -Audience determines success in eyes of advertisers -Ads are 100% of revenue NBC, CBS, Fox, the CW, & ABC

Havens and Lots on Conglomeration Equal Homogenization Argument

Homogenization= making things uniform or similar -take same standpoint as Ben Bagdikian

Paid Prioritization

ISPs can't create faster tier of internet for companies

Blocking

ISPs can't discriminate against content -Basically, internet service providers aren't allowed to block your website from being accessed because they don't like it

Throttling

ISPs can't slow content transmission -An internet service provider can't slow content transmission (they can't make a competitor to YouTube really slow to dissuade people from using it)

Horizontal integration and Hilary Duff's career

Importance of cross-promotion within Disney properties and paints Duff as the quintessential example of synergistic success -multi-platfom, synergistic deals are financially beneficial to Disney -Disney not only utilizes stars and character franchises as tools to unit multi-platform content, but also as a tool to synergies the company's larger corporate brand

Performance Rights

In the case of a literary, musical, or dramatic work, or a motion picture or other audiovisual work, the owner is entitled to decide who can perform the work publicly

Digital Performance Rights

In the case of a sound recording, the owner is entitled to decide who can use it for public digital audio transmission

Catering to Foreign Audiences

In their attempts to cater to foreign audiences Hollywood often relied on stereotypes I.e Carmen Miranda Not always received favorably by international audiences. Importance of international funds has always been through international history, just has a new emphasis now Currently, Hollywood has a special emphasis on catering to Chinese audiences I.e Iron Man 3, shoe-horning in scenes that celebrates the medical technology of China, shoves in product placement for a mongolian milk Notice Iron Man 3 narrative portrays American Gov in a negative, corrupt light. I.e 2012 China shown to have built impressive arks that save the world The Chinese authorities in the movie accepting a fee, a distinctly capitalist practice, is forgiven by Chinese audience because the scenario in the movie was desperate. I.E Transformers 4. Brought in Chinese actors who won a Chinese reality show. Has entire third act in China Demonstrates government to be efficient in the face of a crisis Demonstrates Chinese products

Ratings

Industry subjects itself to ratings to signal what's safe, may determines audience limitations -MPAA

IATSE

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees -Represent the more technical, higher-skilled workers involved in productions. -"stagehands, front of house workers, wardrobe attendants, makeup artists and hair stylists, motion picture and television production technicians, broadcast technicians, scenic artists, designers, animators, audio visual technicians and more." -130,000 (600 local camera, 700 local editors)

Attempts to Cater to the Chinese Audience

Iron Man 3 - Marvel's attempt to cater to China via adding in 4 extra minutes Featured a major Chinese star Director didn't shoot the extra footage; didn't seem homogeneous to the film Yili milk product placement Audience members in China didn't think it was authentic, but it still made money Tacking on Chinese actors/facts successful

Network Timeline

Jan. 2019: Pilots ordered · Jan.-April: Pilot season (being made) · May: Upfronts (trying to sell a show to advertisers) · June-Aug: Listen to pitches for 2020 · Sept: 2019 fall network premiers of pilots · Sept.-Dec: Successful pitches are turned into pilots

The relationship between #MeToo and industry self-regulation

Kevin Spacey replaced in "All the Money in the World"; raises the question of marketing v. moral self-regulation -Political climate impacts and thus regulates film

Direct Importation

Licensing a show produced entirely or partially with foreign funds ex: "Sherlock" was originally a BBC show licensed by PBS and aired in the U.S. after it aired in England ex: "The Fall" was an RET (Irish network) and BBC show license by Netflix as a "Netflix Original" after it aired in Ireland and England in 2013 ex: "Top of the Lake" was co-produced by See Saw Films, the Sundance Channel, BBC Two, and UKTV (Australia and New Zealand) premiered at Cannes before being released on television

Upfronts

May -trying to sell to advertisements (wines and dines them) -a showcase of the new fall schedule -historically in May, to it is "season" that runs from March through May -try to get advertisers to buy ad space upfront

Benefits of Media Concentration

Minimizes financial risk (economies of scale, scope) -This in turn enables the creation of huge cross-media franchises like Marvel (The MCU movies, related TV shows, etc)

Music

Negative -stress from competition and low pay (pay for travel) -redefine what "making it" looks like Positive -collaborating with like-minded people

Television

Negatives -investing in contestants (responsible for getting material out of them) - casting and performance -stress of competition -last minute work Positive -relationship with production team

Heritage

Negatives -stress and fear of messing ups dn being responsible for loosing the history -limited resources Positives -pride in preserving the work (if we didn't do it, no one would/ feelings of importance)

Cost-plus Financing

Network covers cost of production plus additional fees -studio can retain a modest profit, but doesn't retain the syndication rights

Deficit Financing

Network pays a portion of the production cost (in exchange for a license to air the show) -allows networks to have creative input -license does not cover cost of the show (studios have to make-up the difference) -studios retain syndication rights and can sell them off in the future if the show is successful

Licensing

Networks or streaming services acquire the rights to air shows or films owned by different networks or content creators

Why did members of the WGA fire their agents?

Part of its campaign against talent agencies that refuse to sign its new Code of Conduct. "Effective April 13, 2019, if your agency has not signed a franchise agreement with the Writers Guild of America, whether in the form of a Code of Conduct or a negotiated agreement, under WGA rules I can no longer be represented by you for my covered writing services. Once your agency is again in good standing with the Writers

How can things in the industry change?

Perhaps the answer is looking at how people get opportunities in the industry -although individual experiences as an instructor are not statistically significant on their own, my experiences working at three top ten pre-industry institutions have provided some valuable insight -have heard a number of women say in their first semester of college that they feel they are technically behind their peers (believed their best bet was focusing on writing or producing in college) [all summer, men -mostly white me- were posting on the new student Facebook group page links to their films and videos/ showing off their skills and seeking collaborators before they even got to campus/ gave women the sense that media production at college was about individual pre-professional achievement rather than collaboration and education] -to assume that access to creative work simply depends first on "whom you know" and then on being "the best person for the job" ultimately obscures the pwoerstructures that systematically exclude men and women of color from availing themselves of similar opportunities for networking and jobs in the first place

Emotionally Invested labor

Positives -creative projects -satisfies need to create -comraderie Negatives -spending your own money -accept lower pay -willing to compromise beliefs/values -willing to work above and beyond

The Significance of the Global Market for Hollywood

Pre-WWII Hollywood been global for a long time, since pre-WWII Appealing to a global market means earning the potential for greater box office returns Pre-WWII, hollywood brought in proven talent from abroad to enhance films (easier to do at the time since the films were silent. All you had to do was swap out a dialogue card for a translated version. ) Hollywood also set films in foreign locales to appeal to a global audience. Pulled in foreign personal for behind the camera operations to give their foreign-aimed films an air of authenticity.

Three Principle Parts of the Film Industry

Production -> Distribution -> Exhibition

Commercial Mandate

Purpose: Serve the desires of consumers as in commercial media -Who Pays: You -Who does it serve: Consumers -What determines "success": Profits -Ex: Disney, The New York Times, NBC

Teamsters

Represent the general labor workers on the film set -ex: truck drivers for Hollywood production companies, animal handlers, the drivers, the caterers, the facility managers, etc. -Stuff not associated generally with film but used during the production process -Union: Teamsters Local 399

SAG-AFTRA

Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Actors -160,000 (union members)

Network Television Development

Shows need to align with schedule and be appealing to the demographics that advertisers want to capture. -Attempting to capture a mass audience (but this is increasingly an impossibility) -Every year executives are narrowing from hundreds of pitches at each network to 22 new shows across all networks -Networks: Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, CW

Difference between Silicon Valley and Hollywood

Silicon Valley: -Tech companies and internet services -Netflix, Facebook, Youtube, Google -Crazy hours, no talent unions Hollywood -Has the infrastructure to film -Hollywood has talent labor unions (this caused problems for video game voice actors who ended up striking because of their treatment by silicon valley) -Studios

Safe Harbor

Since broadcast networks are on public airwaves, they can't restrict all speech, thus the FCC's concern for children's safety and well-being led to the creation of safe harbor rules Broadcast networks can air anything they want (like more adult programming, can't go too crazy because of advertisers) between 10pm and 6am

Development Hell

Some projects never leave development, and stay in ___________________ ________ -85% of studio-purchased spec scripts end up here -even if a film is not produced, the studios are able to recoup development costs from other films' budgets as part of studio overhead charges

Types of Voluntary/Self-Regulation

Studios won't self-regulate industrial structure because it would limit their profit/success -> leave that to the gov -Not all leadership makes the same decisions about who is "cancelled" and who wiggles their way back in (ex - John Lassiter) could this be under standards and practices? -Historical: 1930s Hays Code which featured strict guidelines as to what could or could not be shown on TV. Fell completely out of practice in the 60s.

The Labor of Making Netflix Global

The Labor of Licensing Netflix has to make sure content is compliant for the local market. Content, art, etc,. must be translated/subtitled. Content must be approved by local censors/conform to local laws. Catalogues need to be maintained (licenses are temporary and programming differs by region)

Standards and Practices

The department responsible for ensuring that program content adheres to both network policies and legal regulations -This includes preventing content that could provoke legal action for reasons like defamation or indecency

Broadcast Networks

The need for a large audience -NBC, FOX, CBS, CW, ABC -A lot of competition to get viewers -Looking at past successes, what's working now and what fits into their current line up -Competition for network pilots

Neoliberal Policies

The rise of global media system has accompanied the rise of _____________________ ______________ (free market/. fewer restrictions on international trade) -favor fewer restrictions on trade/ every country should be able to compete in the free-market -rejects protectionist policies that countries might deploy in order to bolster their own struggling industries -also refers to a strand of conservative politics that believes on individual self-reliance/ability to pull oneself up without state assistance and/or regardless of where someone comes from

In 2014, Denise Mann warns:

We should question user-generated-content creators who have been trained by YouTube and its MCN partners to focus on achieving celebrity by any means necessary in order to increase their user count and, hence, their share of AdSense dollars

WAG

Writer's Guild of America -20,000 Members

What is at stake in the battle between the WGA and ATA?

Writers Guild of America Vs Association of Talent Agents The Artists' Managers Basic Agreement is at stake The AMBA is the agreement between the ATA and WGA It regulates the terms of how agents represent writers, stating that agents can charge upwards of 10 percent of a writers' earnings for their services. The state of "Packaging Fees" also at stake.

Synergy

a buzzword used to describe a belief that in conglomerating various media operations or companies, the combined value is greater than the sum of the individual parts due to the potential of cross-promotion -the value is enabled by owning multiple media outlets (aka horizontal integration) -in practice, it means selling the same story over and over again -taking advantage of economies of scope -not necessarily how these corporates have and will function (just a belief)

Media Industries

a collection of companies that produce intellectual property for the purpose of commercial distribution -the U.S. media industries are a COMMERCIAL industry

International Co-Production

a film or television show that is jointly financed by (at least two) national production entities aimed at taking advantage of locality-specific tax incentives, funding opportunities, locations, and talent -been a staple of the film industry since the 1940s but became essential in the 1950s -less common in television industries worldwide (which place a greater emphasis on developing domestic programming through national broadcast companies/ U.S and UK are exceptions to this tendency (produce drama in Masterpiece Theater and documentaries in the 1970s))

Development

a nebulous term that can refer to any phase of conceptualizing, acquiring rights, outlining, preparing, writing, polishing, revising, or packaging a project -generally refers to the initial stage in the preparation of a film, or in other words, those activities related to taking an idea or concept and turning it into a finished screenplay -this is where a lot of people work (good place to intern if you want to learn about what gets made) -some projects never leave

340 Day Strike by Voice Actors

about how they get paid and requesting more transparency (knew nothing about projects they were working on)

Stars as Models of Intertexuality

according to Hogan (via Richard Dyer) we understand stars in relation to: -Promotion -Publicity -Film/tv roles -Criticism Companies like Disney work hard across divisions to control and craft a cohesive public image that aligns with televise and film roles

Horizontal Merger

acquiring media companies of similar types -ex: Disney eating Fox (Disney acquired Fox's IP library in their purchases (all of Fox's content))

Vertical Merger

acquiring suppliers and/or distributors in order to integrate production and distribution

Online Visibility Projects

advocacy campaigns and collective efforts to improve freelancers' conditions

Packaging/ Packaging Fees

agents bundle scripts and talent to sell to producers/investors -agents get 10% for every client attached to the deal -agents get a "packaging fee" -writers are concerned with the conflict of interest (agents might be representing writers to directors they also represent) -writers often weren't aware that they were being sold in packages -writer salaries have stagnated

Multichannel Networks (MCNs)

aggregate YouTube partners -a social media intermediary

Limited-Sponsorship Model

airing only a small number of commercial spots at select times -ex: Disney Channel serves as an increasingly crucial source of income for Walt Disney Company -enables Disney to maintain greater control over what the star is associated with by limiting what appears during their show (also enables Disney to do plenty of self-promotion to bolster its new stars) -gives advertisers less control over what is associated with the shows, and allows conglomerates like Disney more chances to promote its own content -Disney doesn't need as much ad revenue as other companies because they can sell so much merchandise and related products

Fair Use

allows for the quoting of portions of a copyrighted work for news reporting, criticism, parody, and teaching -limitations on copyright -determine by the nature of the content, amount of content, and commercial impact of using the content

Work-for-Hire

an agreement that when someone comes onto a project they do not own the copyright

Social Media Intermediaries

an array of different people and organizations who help creators find an audience -includes talent representatives, data firms, MCNs, etc.

Format

an easily replicated and adaptable formula that is licensed through an international television market for local adaptation -local producers often get a "Bible" or package of documentation about the show's history, target audience, character notes, musical themes, graphic design elements, etc. ex: Law and Order= very lucrative to sell format and can be easily adjusted to fit the norms of other countries' legal systems ex: American Idol

Disney-20th Century Fox Merger

an example of a horizontal merger -Disney eating Fox (Disney acquired Fox's IP library in their purchases (all of Fox's content))

Data Firms

analytic firms that track views on social media platforms

U.S. v Paramount Pictures (1948)

anti-vertical integration -known as Paramount Decrees -ordered the separation of distribution and exhibition -didn't actually put an end to vertical integration

Manager

anyone can be a ______________, work with minimal clients, can develop projects with talent, focus on big picture career guidance questions -advise talent and perform other similar functions as agents

Film Festivals

are competitive -ex: In 2019, there were over 14,000 submissions to Sundance. There were only 112 films selected.

Film P&A

audio/visual material includes: -TV spots -teasers/trailures -featurettes for the web

2% of speaking characters identify as LGBT

below the estimated 3.5% of the population who actually identifies as LGBT

Internet Distribution

changed the landscape of television delivery in two ways throughout 2015: -Made available for viewers seeking to cobble together content from discrete services -An alternative to a conventional multichannel subscription

Entertainment Media does NOT represent Reality

characters in entertainment media are different from the real-world population -if we believe that character patterns in terms of gender, ethnicity, occupation, marital status, age, and socioeconomic status reflect reality, we are creating faulty information about ourselves as a country

Project Networks

complex, and non-routine tasks that require a lot of collaboration -the organizing mechanism used extensively in the film, music, and construction industries -teams are comprised of diversely skilled members who work for a limited period to create custom and complex products or services

Rolling Calls

connecting your boss to individuals they request to speak to (out of office) -think of the Skype session with Kimmy that works at UTA (United Talent Agency)

Scene from "Hollywood Shuffle" (1987)

depicts the stereotypical roles African Americans find themselves in -makes fun of black representation in film

Runaway Productions

derogatory term for location shooting that refers to any production shot outside of Los Angeles -typically refers to production outside of the US -emerged in the 1950s -hurt craftspeople and below-the-line talent

Vertical Integration

describes the attempt to control every stage of media's goods development from production through distribution and sales

Derivative Rights

entitles owners of work to decide who can create derivative works based upon the original

Inter-industrial Franchising

extension of properties across the social and industrial context of multiple media industries -ex: Harry Potter

Gender in Top-Grossing Films

females are noticeably absent in film -Ration of males to females= 2.3:1 -females rarely drive the action in film

Business Agenda

festivals attached to a film market; international distributors try to purchase distribution rights to films -ex: Cannes, Sundance, Berlinale, Venice, Toronto, Busan

Film Festival as Educator and Producer

festivals like Sundance, Busan, and the Berlinale all offer programs to develop independent projects

Festivals and Short Films

festivals offer the only viable way for people to watch short films -winning a prize at one of the qualifying festivals allows you to submit your film to the Academy Award short pool -There are only about 158 "qualifying film festivals" out of approximately 7,000 existing film festivals

Influencer Marketing Agencies

firms that blend advertising and talent agencies -a social media intermediary

Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act (1992)

first significant regulations on cable since 1984 -mandated cable providers carry the broadcast networks (free of charge) -regulated rates for basic cable and created technical standards for cable carriers -revision/ regulation on cable

Cable Communications Policy Act (1984)

first substantial move to deregulate the cable industry -loosened regulations on cable and provided room for greater growth -gave the federal government control over cable (previously individual states controlled cable policy) -prohibited telephone companies from providing cable service (essentially keeping telephone companies out of this business)

Aesthetic Agenda

focus on an era or genre; selections might be repertory cinema (as opposed to new films) -ex: Pordenone, QT Fest

Creative Commons

free, easy-to-use kind of copyright licenses that provide a simple, standardized way to give the public permission to share and use your creative work as long as they give credit for it -this and Copyleft movement believe copyright hinders creativity

Governmental Media

government-mandate media serves the needs of government -ex: wide-ranging include Nazi propaganda or even industrial films produced for training purposes (not public viewing)

"Festival Pitch"

has become such an established practice that even though many filmmakers have come to recognize the reality of spiraling costs and lessened effectiveness, the belief that it is essential to pitch still persists -a growing number of festival organization have been capitalizing on the fact that filmmakers, producers, and other professionals congregate for annual festival events and have sought to exploit the presence of those production-oriented stakeholders

Haskell Wexler

has been a cinematographer since the 1950s -over his extensive career, he was been nominated for 6 Oscars and has won 2 Oscars for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf" and "Bound for Glory"

Crowdfunding Sites

help creators access resources for production -ex: Kickstarter, GoFundMe, etc.

Geopolitical Agenda

highlights films made in particular regions; festival boosts tourism in host cities -ex: Havana

Creative labour

highly individualized, notoriously precarious, and characterized by flexibility, insecurity, and irregularity, along with long hours and low pay

Types of Government Regulation

includes Industry Structure (How we watch/ Who profits) and Content (What we see on screen)

Coverage

includes a short synopsis of the screenplay, a rating of the script, plus an overall assessment as to whether to consider, recommend, or pass on the project -usually written by readers (assistants/interns( for studio executives, producers, and agents who do not have time to read every script

Economies of Scale

increasing distribution avenues lessens initial investment -taking advantage of integrated or related marketing campaigns -decreased costs of production that come from producing a wide range of products -ex: use marketing data from one project for the next

Release Window

length of time the film is available in theaters -Goal: Minimize competition between theatrical and home media -contemporary films stay in theatres for less time -2005: the average theatrical window was approximately 18 weeks -2010: the average theatrical window was 16.5 weeks

Agent

licensed, have lots of clients, might be specialized, take 10% of profits -typically negotiate employment contracts, sell scripts, hep find financing, or act as intermediaries between two or more companies that need to work together on a project

Talent Representatives

management teams that help talent with production and career development -a social media intermediary

Public Domain

media message is not (or no longer) protected by copyright -members of the public do not need to ask or pay for permission to use the work

Community, Alternative, or DIY Media

media with these mandates are arguable quite similar to public media but they differ in scope: instead of aiming to serve the citizenry of a nation, they may aim to reach a neighborhood or a specific group -typically paid for through donations (might receive some governmental or commercial support)

Intra-industrial Franchising

multiplication across productions in a single medium or institutional context -ex: CSI TV show

Financial Interest and Syndication Rules (Fin-Syn)

networks could no longer have a financial interest in the production or syndication of their own shows -Explanation: In 1971, the FCC was concerned with the networks' control over TV production (as well as exhibition and distribution) and was worried it was becoming too much like studio-era Hollywood -FCC thought that regulating networks in this would would allow for a greater diversity of programming

Marketing Budgets

not publicly released, but you should assume a film marketing campaign is about a third to one half of the budget -if the film does well, studios might spend between $3-$10 million mounting an Oscar campaign (in excess of the original marketing budget) -sending out screeners might cost upwards of $300,000 for a single film/television show -Marketing costs, usually referred to by the industry as "print and advertising," now account for about 1/3rd of the total cost of a major studio-released feature film, equal to around half of the "negative cost"

Ben Bagdikian and The New Media Monopoly

novel by Ben Bagdikian that is an argument against consolidation -analysis emerged from an observation about the news business -believe that media companies behave like a cartel -Core Argument: Fewer owners equals fewer viewpoints in the media

Release Strategy

number of theaters a film is released in -Platform releasing: Film is released in select cities and builds (small budget/ independent films) -Saturation releasing: Film is released on as many screens as possible and availability diminishes over time (big budget/franchise films)

Race in U.S. Media

of those speaking or named characters with enough cues to ascertain race/ethnicity, 71.7% were White, 12.2% Black, 5.8% Hispanic/Latino, 5.1% Asian, 2.3% Middle Eastern and 3.1% other -thus 28.3% of all speaking characters were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, which is below (-9.6%0 the population in the U.S. (37.9% -clearly, most stories fail to reflect or match the demographic composition of the U.S.

The First "Multi-Plex"

opened in Kansas City, MO in 1963 (closed in 1978) -two screens/one concession stand -one (non-union) projectionist could run both automated projects -Stanley H. Durwood's company, American Multi-Cinema, would later become AMC

Audience Agenda

opportunity for audiences to see foreign/independent films that might not get wide distribution; might also have a certain aesthetic agenda -ex: Seattle International Film Festival

Net Neutrality

prevented three practices -Blocking= ISPs could not discriminate against content -Throttling= ISPs could not slow content transmission -Paid Prioritization= ISPs could not create a faster tier of internet for companies Current state of deregulation: -Companies can now own 2 of the largest stations in a single market -Relaxed caps on cost of broadband to business customers -Repeal of net neutrality

Option

producer pays a small fee that gives them the right to make a film from your copyrighted work (usually within 12-18 months while the producer packages the project and secures financing) -when something is optioned it doesn't mean that it will be made -if everything goes to plan, they buy your assignment or you grant a license (25-29)

Economies of Scope

producing something costs less the more it's produced achieved when the average cost of a commodity decreases with expansion of output -ex: make one expensive movie and release it in many theaters [Example of how media industries take advantage of economies of scope could include: decreased cost of production that stems from sharing research costs]

Pinewood Studios

pulling out of Atlanta -remaining company will focus more on content development -Disney signed 10 year contract with London studios (Pinewood in London)

Telecommunications Act of 1996

received overwhelming support from Senate (91-5) and the House (414-16); president Clinton signed into law -eliminated many of the major barriers to ownership -no cap on broadcast station ownership -one company can own broadcast stations that reach 35% of US homes -broadcast network/cable system cross ownership rules eliminated -repealed cable system and telephone cross-ownership ban

Individualism

rules the world of entertainment

Post-production (union v. non-union)

scoring, mixing, dialog, music, sound effects, and special effects -may take 4 to 8 months -can happen anywhere but usually centralized in Hollywood -It is difficult to move between different categories, such as reality or scripted due to union reasons (think they have different unions or is there no union at all for reality tv) -Getting jobs in post requires a tremendous amount of work even if you are in a union -And below the line labor in order to join a union you need to work a certain of amount of non-unionized days Categories (Union/non-union: this just means if you are a worker in a union) -Reality (unscripted, awards, documentary) -Scripted -VFX

Sarah Jones

second assistant camera operator who was killed by a train on set -her death brought attention to the Lack of Oversight in shooting (film industry) -spread throughout the industry

Are long hours and sleep deprivation still a problem in film and television production?

sleep deprivation and long hours still plague the film industry -drowsy driving and long hours are still as bad as before, if not worse -several industry workers believe that the hope for future change lies with the next generation who are currently being taught about the dangers in school and who may change the culture

Niche Audiences

small group linked by common factors -demographics, geographic, social, class segmentation, psychographic segmentation (considers demographics in combination with lifestyle, product usage, etc.) -each person is a member of multiple niche audiences -audience is smaller, but supposedly a more specialized viewer of higher quality for advertisers

Tax Incentives in States

states need to figure out how to raise money or cut spending to accommodate the credits

The Key Argument about Race and Gender in Hollywood

the stories that get told reflect the industry that produces them (rather than the reality of our world/US population) -if we diversify the industry this will result in a wider array of stories being told

Intertexuality

there is an intertextual relationship between stars and franchises -according to Hogan, we understand stars in relation to promotion, publicity, film/tv roles, and criticism -"powerful technique to create multiple layer of meaning" (Google definition)

If we diversity the industry

this will result in a wider array of stories being told

What does Silicon Valley want?

to create quality entertainment content that they can ideally leverage across platforms, use to generate data, etc.

Cooperation

ways that media companies retain their independence but work together -ex: First-look deals and co-productions

Cease and Desist

what you send to someone who is infringing on your copyright/ you send this before taking legal action -basically an ultimatum: "Do this or else."

Monopoly

when a single company completely controls the production and sale of a product and has no competition

The Disney Star-Making Machine

"From long-term contracts w/morality clauses, to "starlet schools" assigning screen names and replacing hairlines, to publicity department staging marriages, star personas were frequently constructed and tightly controlled as commodity assets of the major studios". -has a long history, particularly in relation to the classic film studio era -A variety of factors are simultaneously at play, running within, against, and alongside the corporate "star machine", including individual audience tastes, social hierarchies, and other historical contexts -Additional factors in the star-making process are the desires or personalities of the stars themselves, which do not always lineup w/the industrial interests in which they work -Disney's strategy is to emphasize tv roles for its newly signed talent to test the waters and build recognition. Disney as a brand gradually frames its performer's image through guest roles, crossover events, and the channel's ample self-promoting specials, bumpers, etc spurred by its LIMITED SPONSORSHIP MODEL