I've heard reports in a couple places (Wall Street Journal This Morning podcast, I think) that a couple of the major movie studios are delaying releases right now, to avoid releasing a big movie right into the teeth of this recession (or whatever it is that we're in). What are the differences between movies and music, do you think? Are there some, or is this two pretty similar industries taking different strategies into a rough economy? - Mackert
Oh man, there are HUGE differences between movies and music - especially in the physical aspect. Let's take a looksie...
One: Movies are so static, meaning you just sit in a comfy chair and gorge yourself on popcorn. There's no involvement outside the brain, no body movement. Don't get me wrong - movies are great! Just not as active. Concerts, live, fresh, breathing concerts, are more of an active process. You jump around (except for the orchestra shows I've been to), you get close to the band, you have a total body experience. It's fantastic.
Two: Movies are just showcases of an actor's ability in a box. That actor can't improv in the movie you're watching - what's filmed is filmed. However, at a concert everything is on the fly. If a band plays a wrong note, it's there. I was at a Counting Crows show in 2004 and the lead singer was belting out their most amazing ballad while a huge june bug went diving down his throat. It was great and it's a memory for everyone there.
Three: Actors are on the screen, out of touch with humans. Maybe this is why so many Americans are fascinated with the out-of-reach-and-unattainable movie stars? Musicians at concerts are live in the flesh. You can run onstage and hug one. You can get a high five. Or a drumstick. Or sweat flung on you. Yes.
Now, to address your question on these industries and their actions with the recession. Since these industries have very different looks and feels, we'll treat them that way - as separate entities. I think it's interesting that the movie execs are delaying the release of certain blockbusters. Along with the music industry, who is focusing more on touring that the hard sales of records, the movie industry has a real opportunity to give U.S. folks the opportunity to "get away" during the recession or economic downturn. While researching this I found an interesting quote to share...
"The bottom hasn't fallen out of it," said Steve Feldstein, a vice president at Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. "Historically, home entertainment has withstood economic downturns. Most folks would rather watch a movie than watch the stock market."
Can anyone say "Staycation"??? (Sorry, had to use it again to drive you crazy.) So, it's going to be interesting seeing how the nation is going to "deal" with the woes of their finances in terms of the entertainment they find. In my future I hope to see folks going back to riding bicycles and playing outside with their children instead of plopping them down in front of a $200 gaming system where games cost too damn much. Or going to cheap outdoor concerts - Orchestra in the Park - and dancing around like fools. Maybe we'll all sit down at the dinner table together instead of pillaging on fattening fast food. Maybe the family game nights and the ever-elusive Movie Nights will be back! Break out the popcorn, folks! It's time for a recession, but more importantly, it's time to cut back on our extravagance. Maybe this is a good thing?
1 comment:
To discuss your last comment first, I think it's definitely a real possibility that (as a country) we're about to re-adjust how we think about consumption. While it doesn't seem like this will end up being as bad as the Great Depression, I have this hunch that it's going to be long enough and painful enough that it'll lead to more saving and less living on credit. Would this cultural/social shift have a big impact on the music industry? Or would it hold up pretty well in the face of people consuming less, do you think?
You provide an interesting breakdown of the differences between movies and concerts, and I guess I was thinking about it a little differently... At the simplest level, a movie or a concert makes for 2-3 hours of transient entertainment. You can have great memories of a concert or seeing a movie in a theater, but in both cases it's something that you can't actually hold onto... If people are looking to spend some money to "get away" and take their mind off their troubles, do you think the music industry in general might want or need to focus on CDs and DVDs a bit more right now? Will people be more inclined to spend their spare cash on actual *stuff* that they can physically touch?
And the staycation thing is killing me, you need to stop that.
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