| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Production | The act of creating a film/TV show for the consumer market. Can be produced... live, on film, on videotape, and in digital. Note: TV & movies are slowly becoming the same thing. |
| Distribution | The act of moving the created entertainment from where it is produced (made) to where it is consumed (sold). Distribution networks control the industry, therefore, "if you control distribution, you can control production & exhibition as well". |
| Exhibition | The act of (as in where or how) you consume the entertainment. Entertainment can be exhibited at movie theaters, on TV, a computer, at a sports bar, etc. |
| Block Booking | A practice by major studios that made "independent" exhibitors buy their movies in groups (the majority of which were unacclaimed), instead of being able to only buy the hits they wanted. |
| Vertical Integration | The situation in a system where production, distribution, and exhibition are all combined and controlled by one company/corporation. Vertical integration is the #1 economic risk reduction strategy. Note: There is always a push for companies to vertically integrate. |
| Major Studios | Only produce about 10% and distribute about 35% of movies, but make around 90% of the profit. Note: major studios were all vertically integrated until a court order ended that forever in 1997. |
| Independents | Companies who produce (and rarely distribute or exhibit) entertainment aside from major studios. Independents commonly produce the more controversial and/or "high risk" films because of their intended artistic value. |
| Artists vs. Businessmen | Artists have a vision they wish to project, while Businessmen have "bank accounts they wish to make larger". This creates a conflict when making entertainment that can be political, economic, and/or philosophical |
| High Risk | Situation where the probability of success is unknown (or low) and the potential for economic loss is very high. Because of "high risk", studios put the most money into movies they see as the most safe. Example of high risk: "The Alamo (2004)" |
| "The Alamo" | Movie that was released in 2004, cost $125 million to produce, and made only $22 million worldwide. Is a prime example of "high risk" |
| Risk-Reduction Strategy | Strategies employed by studios to help minimize the chances of a flop. The 5 main strategies are The sequel, Recreation of a Best-Selling Novel, Star System (or assist), The Spin-off, and Genre |
| "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" | Movie that was released in 2006, cost about $225 million to produce, but brought in over $1 billion in worldwide box office. Prime example of the intended outcome of creating sequels. |
| "Private Practice" | Example of the "spin-off" risk reduction strategy. |
| High Concept | A one or two sentence pitch aimed at making a studio executive believe the film/show will make money. Is important because of the arrival of the new studio system in Hollywood, whereas the structure of Hollywood is fluid (meaning they make movies with different people every time) and because studios are no longer "vertically integrated". Example: "Will Ferrell + NASCAR" (Talledega Nights) |
| "Crossing Jordan" | TV show that ran from 2001-2007. An example of a high concept idea (and risk reducing strategy), from a show called "Quincy" that was about a male medical examiner who solved murders. |
| The Left Coast | A political term used by conservatives to describe Hollywood; because Hollywood is disproportionately liberal, despite vast wealth (not typical). |
| "The Great Train Robbery" | First movie ever made with a story (by: Edward S. Quarter), was 14 minutes long and in black & white. Had no stars but by 1908, 16% of population attended. Is largely responsible for the creation of Hollywood. |
| Mary Pickford | First superstar in film, known as the "girl with the golden hair". Spurned the use of the "star system" as a risk reduction strategy. |
| Star System | The advertising of stars in a film (by producers) in order to attract consumers. #1 behavioral risk reduction strategy. Example: Mary Pickford |
| (Old) Studio System | The system (from 1920-1948) in which block booking and the production of movies by vertically integrated companies was allowed. Came to an end due to the "Paramount Decree", and the court rulings which required studios to sell off their exhibition centers. Under the old studio system, many movies were produced in groups using the same directors, actors, and genres; therefore resulting in strings of movies that were vastly the same. |
| Blockbuster | A movie that grosses $100 million, however the term is somewhat blurry in terms of todays dollar. |
| "The Jazz Singer" | Movie released in 1927, was the first film to have sound for dialogue. Highlights the impact/importance that technology has on the entertainment industry. By 1929, there were no more silent films. Note: The entertainment industry goes through a technological revolution about every 20 years. |
| Paramount Decree | Supreme court ruling in 1948 that claimed vertical integration was unconstitutional and forced major studios to end their practice of "block booking". |
| Network | A company that distributes entertainment via radio and/or television. Examples: ABC, NBC, CBS. |
| Commercial TV | System which sells advertising time slots in order to cover costs and provide their product for free to the public. This is unique because it allows for funding of television without subsidies from the government (i.e. state run TV). |
| Lowest Common Denominator | A network strategy that believes putting on "stupid quirky shows" is the most effective way of maximizing your audience. Highlights that people who are educated can lower themselves to watching low-brow shows, but that the inverse is not always true. This is form of risk reduction strategy for networks. |
| Least Objectionable Program | A network strategy that believes putting on shows that "go down easily" is the most effective way to maximize your audience. Also, this strategy assumes that people only watch television to relax; and not to be challenged, disturbed, or left to deal with worldly problems. Example: Gilligan's Island & Beverly Hillbillies. |
| "Universal Soldiers" | Movie released in 1992, which was financed by foreign countries (Japan, France, & Italy) and featured foreign actors (Dolph Lundgren & Jean Claude Van Damme). Is an example of the growing globalization of the market, as it was one of the first movies to be funded by foreigners but produced in US. |
| "The Matrix (Reloaded)" | A movie released in 2003, which became the first film to be simultaneously released worldwide. Example of the globalization of the entertainment market . |
| Syndication | The buying and running of a TV show that has been previously canceled (for a number of different reasons). Example: Friends & Baywatch |
| "Family Guy" | TV show that was unknowingly very popular with college students until Nielson ratings were expanded to include/track TV viewership in dormitories. Prime example of quality demographics and how the networks charge for advertising increasingly with more viewers. |
| Quality Demographics | The use of strategic advertising in order to attract larger advertisers to a smaller viewership. Example: Golf Channel & Viagra |
| "Bay Watch" | TV show from the 1990's that was canceled after a few seasons, but became a huge hit in syndication overseas. Started producing new shows after its resurgence. |
| Strike | Organized work stoppage; if successful, it prevents management from replacing those involved. |
| Below-the-line (union) | Non-artist unions; can include stagehands, make-up artists, wardrobe people, etc. Typically strike when there is dispute between labor & management, however, they are generally more loosely organized, have less influence on change, and therefore are easily replaced. Also, there is often conflict between the multiple labor unions. Example: IATSE |
| Above-the-line (union) | Artist unions; includes actors, writers, and directors. Will typically strike when there is a dispute over money with the production company. They are generally very tightly organized and can effectively shut down Hollywood with a strike, however, hyphenates are increasingly problematic. Example: SAG & WGAW |
| Residuals | Payments or perks allotted to the artists for the reshowing of the film/show in which they took part. Every time there is a new distribution system, unions and producers fight over residuals. Note: Residuals go hand-in-hand with syndication, without one you can't have the other. |
| Hyphenates | An artist who has become a star, but has carried over into a producer. When there is a strike they can still attend union meetings, but they almost always portray their (powerful) voice in favor of management (a problem for unions). Additionally, guild dues are progressive based on salary, therefore hyphenates tend to pay the most in guild dues. Example: Steven Spielberg |
| AMPTP | Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers. In 2002, represented 268 companies; and from 1980-1988 there was a strike every single year. |
| WGAW | Writers Guild of America West. Most powerful of the two writers guilds, and is largely responsible for residual related strikes in Hollywood. |
| Stephen Bochco | Television producer (L.A. Law & NYPD Blue) and hyphenate who wrote a letter to "Variety" claiming "those who pay the most guild dues (me)... are victims of taxation without representation". He even went as far as filing a labor dispute with the government. Example of the problems unions can face when dealing with hyphenates. |
| Continuous Bargaining | The reoccurring attempts by unions (who historically disagree) to have meetings with the intent of assuaging problems before they come to the point of crisis/strike. This strategy worked throughout Hollywood for 19 years until the most recent writers strike. |
| Reality TV | A television genre that employs unprofessional participants with no specific scripts to follow. Producers of this genre therefore claims to use segment producers and story editors, instead of writers. This allows the genre to exist amongst (and create problems for) an above-the-line union strike, while other shows are put on hold. |
| Stealth Advertising | The integration of commercial products into the story line of a TV show. With the invention of the remote control, viewers were increasingly enabled to surf away from commercials; so advertisers came up with this as a way to put their product back into the eyes of the viewers. Writers and actors appose this form of advertising. |
| Lionsgate | An independent distributor; is an exception to the rule that independent distributors cannot survive in Hollywood. Lionsgate has been known to distribute riskier movies that the major studios would not touch. |
| Global Media Intelligence | The company that made a report stating, producers are being difficult (aka tight with money) because of high participation deals (a deal where an artist gets a % of the take at the box office) to actors. Also, it was reported that these deals are negatively impacting the overall revenue of films, and results in not a lot of gross revenue being left for everyone else to split. |
| Permanent Disequilibrium | Because the industry in Hollywood does not conform to rational economic models of how labor markets work, there are always more unemployed actors willing to work than there are jobs available. This leads to constant sense of desperation & paranoia, and thus a more liberal community despite vast wealth. Note: All religions in Hollywood are equally liberal, disproportionately to the rest of the country. |
| "Howard the Duck" | Exemplifies a big flop which lost lots of money, illustrates high-risk of the industry (film & tv) |
| Creative Accounting | A financial strategy used by major studios to extract payments from revenues that would otherwise be used to calculate the return to different participants, such as actors or an independent production company. |
| Anticipatory compromise | One consequence of the aftermath of 1988 strike (the other was continuous bargaining), that forced management to arrive at compromises and prepare new contracts with unions (artist and labor) before the current contract expires. The goal of this strategy is to reduce the probability of a strike. |
| "High Noon" | A 1952 Western Film where the Sheriff is forced to fight killers by himself. Overall it brought in ties into myths and symbols created by Hollywood to make just arguments for real policy decisions. |
| Icon | A venerated image that guides imagination of the masses. Hollywood replaces old icons with new ones, and can influence the way the masses think as a whole. |
| Myths | A story that fulfills an unconscious need for something in society. When Hollywood taps into myths the result is wealth. Example: Westerns |
| "Dallas" | A popular prime time soap opera premiering in 1978 (and ending around the early 90's) about two feuding oil families in Dallas. Those who saw this show in foreign countries thought it was real. This relates to the idea that the use of myths can give Hollywood the power to shape political views. |
| Identification | Process of adopting the POV of another and assimilating his/her emotions, attitudes, and opinions. This relates to the power Hollywood has among its audience. Example: Clark Gable influencing men not to wear an undershirt after he didn't in one of his movies. |
| "The Wire" | A 2005 HBO series about drug dealing in Baltimore, Maryland. Gangs who saw the show then copied the criminal techniques used in this show. An example of how people imitate what they see on television. |
| Propaganda | Type of media that aims to control myths, and has the ability to mold/influence political issues. Example: Bataan |
| "Bataan" | A movie created in 1943 by the U.S. government that depicts Japanese soldiers in a negative light. At this time the government ran Hollywood for fours years as a deliberate propaganda institute. |
| SAG | Screen Actors Guild. The largest artist union, having 120,000 members worldwide. Way for actors to unite and protect themselves from getting hurt by the industry, however they have strict rules and take loyalty to guild seriously; will even fine big stars for crossing lines. Note: If SAG decides to strike, they "DO" shut down Hollywood. |
| Progressive Unionists | Members in SAG with a type of philosophy where management is seen as the enemy. Believe they as workers should stick together for protection; therefore they are more willing to strike. Also, they like to cooperate with other unions, and will endorse political candidates. Note: Headed by Ed Asner in the 1980's. |
| Conservative Unionists | Members in SAG with the philosophy that management is not the enemy and are reluctant to strike. Simply believe there is no struggle with a hostile environment, since everyone is ultimately trying to make money. Are reluctant to cooperate with other unions or endorse political candidates. Note: Headed by Charlton Heston in 1980's. |
| Career Balance | Describes how the types of jobs an actor can have, is directly representative to one being a progressive or conservative. Progressives are more stage oriented, while conservative tend to work in movies. Note: TV actors are split among the two parties. |
| Rule One | Rule in SAG stating that any member of the guild can only do business with a producer who is a signatorial member of SAG. If they do otherwise, they are subject to stiff penalties. In 2002, SAG extended "Rule One" encompass all production in foreign markets, and is a way to curb the threats involved with globalization. |
| "Chappelle’s Show" | A popular TV show on Comedy Central. In 2004, Viacom (owner of comedy central) produced a 12 episode DVD of the show which sold 2.2 million units and netted a $37 million profit; while the actors split only $264,000 of the total. This brings attention to how poorly the residuals contracts for DVD's were negotiated; and is the reason why there might be a residual strike by actors over their work and it's disribution/exhibition on the internet. |
| Membership First Slate | Slate of candidates who ran, and took control of SAG in 2005. More militant group who want SAG to take a harder line on issues, and assert it's force. Note: Is currently headed by Allan Rosenberg, and could possibly start an actors strike on the heels of the writers strike. |
| "Hits Not Required" | Argument by Tom Shots about the differences between New Studio System and Old Studio System. (all I got at the review) |
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