Audiovisual Industry: Key Components and Concepts

• Key components of the audiovisual industry include creation, production, distribution, exhibition, and consumption.

• UNESCO says cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature.

• Theodor W. Adorno and Max Horkheimer define "cultural industries" as the standardization of cultural content due to industrialization.

• "FAANG" refers to major US-based tech companies shaping the media landscape.

• Fast food franchises are not considered a model of media and cultural industries.

• The Frankfurt School critiques mass culture for leading to the standardization and commercialization of culture.

• The Creative Europe program supporting cultural and linguistic diversity exemplifies Europe's protectionism in the audiovisual sector.

• The three key dimensions of diversity in the audiovisual industry are source diversity, content diversity, and exposure diversity.

• "Glocalization" in the audiovisual industry refers to a mixture of global and local media influences.

• Netflix invests in diverse content from different regions, cultures, and languages.

Introduction to Video-On-Demand

• Key rising players in the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) industry include Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.
• SVOD platforms primarily use a subscription-based business model.
• SVOD platforms have driven the convergence of television and film.

Theoretical Frameworks

• "Glocalization" in the context of SVOD platforms is the hybridization of global and local cultural elements.
• The theory of Glocalization (Robertson, 1994) challenges the idea that globalization leads to cultural homogenization.

Content Diversity in SVOD Catalogues

• Economic diversity is NOT a type of diversity identified in SVOD catalogues.
• "Diversity of place" in SVOD catalogues refers to productions that represent cultural diversity based on geography, local languages, and traditions.
• Netflix has the highest number of diverse titles in terms of place, gender, and ethnicity.

The Role of "Original" Content

• Streaming platforms emphasize "original" content to distinguish themselves from competitors and create brand identity.

Gender and Ethnic Diversity in SVOD Platforms

• Lilyhammer (2012-2014) was the first Netflix Original series.
• Orange Is the New Black is a Netflix series known for its representation of gender diversity and female empowerment.
• Watchmen (2019) is an HBO series recognized for addressing issues of race and identity.
• Dear White People (2017-2021) is a Netflix series focused on ethnic/racial diversity that centers on the experiences of Black college students.
• HBO has the lowest representation of ethnic/racial diversity, according to the mapping study.

Industry Trends and Challenges

• Determining intertextual relationships between different works is a challenge of mapping content diversity in SVOD platforms.

• SVOD platforms integrate localized content with global trends, to approach cultural diversity.

• The European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) reports provides data on European high-end fiction series and SVOD catalogues.

• A key criticism of diversity efforts on SVOD platforms is superficial diversity without structural change in the industry.

• Netflix has the highest number of diverse titles compared to other platforms.

• SVOD services have resulted in a decline in linear television viewership.

Hollywood Film Production Stages

• Typical stages in Hollywood film production include writing, pre-production, shooting, post-production, and release.

• The term "tent-pole film" refers to a film that supports a studio financially and reduces investment risk.

• The 1948 Supreme Court Paramount Decree forced studios to sell their theater chains and limited vertical integration.

• "Conglomerate Hollywood" describes a shift towards integrating production, distribution, and exhibition across various media.

• Lionsgate is NOT one of the Big Five major film studios.

• Major studios use franchises, sequels, and spin-offs to reduce financial risks in film production.

• Globalization has encouraged mergers and acquisitions with global media companies for Hollywood studios.

• "Mini-majors" act as mid-sized studios between independents and the major studios in the Hollywood industry.

• A24 is an example of an independent film distributor.

• Streaming has shortened theatrical windows and increased direct-to-streaming releases in Hollywood's film distribution.

Role of Hollywood Studios

• Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, CA, was where Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd album cover was shot
• Universal Studios, Warner Bros. Studios and Paramount Pictures, offer official studio tours.
• Studio tours contribute to Hollywood's brand identity by providing fans with an immersive experience, reinforcing Hollywood's role, and generating revenue.

Hollywood's Golden Age and Reimagination

• The Netflix miniseries Hollywood (2020) is set in the post-WWII period, 1947.
• Paramount Studios is fictionalized as "Ace Studios" in Hollywood (2020).
• A major critique of the Netflix miniseries Hollywood (2020) is that it selectively reimagines Hollywood's past with a romantic lens.

Hollywood and Racial Representation

• Hattie McDaniel (Gone with the Wind, 1939) was the first African-American actor to win an Academy Award.
• Halle Berry (Monster's Ball, 2001) was the first African-American actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress.
• Camille Washington is a fictional character created in the Netflix series Hollywood (2020).
• Gone with the Wind (1939) was temporarily removed from HBO Max in 2020 due to criticism for romanticizing slavery and racial stereotypes.

The Film Industry Today

• The Hays Code imposed strict moral guidelines on Hollywood films from 1934 to 1968.
• Protests by Black audiences against racist portrayals was one of the major protests related to Gone with the Wind (1939) upon its release.
• Nostalgia-based reimaginings of Hollywood's history selectively rewrite historical events, sometimes ignoring social realities.
• Modern Hollywood increasingly promotes diversity, but issues of tokenism and historical erasure remain.
• Hollywood's portrayal of history in films and TV shows can reshape how people understand historical events and figures.

European Film Movements

• Expressionism is the European film movement associated with German cinema.

• Hollywood's dominance in the European film market is the primary challenge for European cinema in competing with Hollywood.

• The primary goal of the Creative Europe MEDIA programme is to support European film and audiovisual industries in development, distribution, and promotion.

• Eurimages is a well-known European film funding initiative.

• The 2017 film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets has a box-office flop due to high production and advertising costs, impacting EuropaCorp.

• Europa Cinemas are significant as it is a network of cinemas that promote European films.

• Pathé is known for distributing The Queen (2006) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008) among European film studios.

• Implementing production subsidies, tax breaks, and co-production incentives is a strategy European countries have used to protect their film industries from Hollywood dominance.

• The trend in European cinema regarding remakes is that many European films have been remade by Hollywood studios.

• A reason that European films often struggle to gain international success is that many are produced for local markets and do not travel well internationally.

Film Noir

• The classic era of film noir is considered to be the 1940s-1950s.

• Film noir is characterized by dark urban atmospheres, ambiguous characters, and femme fatales.

• German Expressionism, French Poetic Realism, and American Hard-Boiled Literature influenced the development of film noir.

• Germany played a major role in shaping the visual and thematic style of early film noir.

• The Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel, 1930) is considered a prototype for film noir due to its dark themes and visual style.

• Billy Wilder, born in Austria-Hungary, later became a key figure in classic Hollywood film noir.

European Contributions to Film Noir

• The term "film noir" was first coined by critics from France.
• Jean-Pierre Melville is known for Le Samouraï (1967).
• European directors brought techniques from Expressionism and Poetic Realism, fled Europe during WWII to Hollywood, and helped establish noir's themes.

Neo-Noir and Hybridization

• Neo-noir is a revival of film noir elements in modern films with updated themes and styles.
• Romantic comedy-noir is NOT a subcategory of neo-noir.
• Hybridization in the context of film noir means the fusion of different artistic and cultural influences.

Film Noir in Spain and Modern European Cinema

• A Glass of Whisky (Julio Coll, 1958) is a Spanish film from the 1950s considered part of the film noir tradition.
• Jazz music influenced Spanish film noir as it was commonly used and reinforced mood, connecting it with the broader tradition in Hollywood.

Paul Verhoeven's Elle (2016) Film

• Paul Verhoeven directed Elle (2016), a controversial neo-noir film starring Isabelle Huppert.
• Elle connects to the noir tradition in how it has, violence, power, moral ambiguity and has a complex female protagonist.

European Film Noir and the Future

• Crime, moral ambiguity, and power struggles mean film noir remains relevant in modern cinema.
• Cineuropa provides an extensive database of European cinema, including noir films.

Spanish Directors and Films

• Helena Cortesina, directed Flor de España (1922), the first film by a woman director in Spain.
• Pedro Almodóvar is best known for films such as "All About My Mother" (1999) and "Parallel Mothers" (2021).
• Comedy is the most popular genre among Spanish audiences.

Context of Spanish Cinema

• The Second Republic and Civil War had a significant impact on Spanish cinema.
• During the Francoist dictatorship (1939-1975), filmmakers evaded and were indirect with their criticism.

The Spanish Film Industry

• The Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA) is primarily needed to support and promote Spanish film production.
• Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno) was a Spanish and Mexican collaboration directed by Guillermo del Toro.
• Over 70% is the percentage of the Spanish film market that is typically dominated by Hollywood productions.

Film Festivals and Modern Trends

• Sitges is a Spanish film festival known for fantasy and horror films.
• Netflix opened its first European production hub in Madrid in 2019.

Film Clubs in Spain

• Film clubs during the 1920s helped create a bond between Spanish avant-garde and European experimental cinema.
• During the Francoist dictatorship (1939-1975), film clubs exposed largely student audiences to a wider range of international cinema.
• A key feature of film clubs in Spain was their pedagogical aim to create an intellectual elite with artistic and political interests.
• Luis Buñuel started organizing cinema sessions at Madrid's Residencia de Estudiantes in 1927.
• La Gaceta Literaria was a magazine linked to the Cineclub Español.
• Luis Buñuel was associated with the early Spanish film clubs.

Early Film Club Programming

• Nothing but Time (Alberto Cavalcanti, 1926) was part of the first Spanish film club session.
• An Andalusian Dog (Luis Buñuel, 1929) was an example of surrealist cinema shown in film clubs.
• Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925) represents Soviet revolutionary cinema, and was often screened in film clubs.

Film Clubs and Political Influence

• In the Spanish Republic (1931-1939) film clubs offered private screenings with precautionary measures.

• L'Âge d'or (The Golden Age, Buñuel, 1931) was screened privately in Spain due to its controversial content.

• The Falange (Spanish fascist movement) viewed film as an important tool for propaganda.

Modern Film Archives

• Spain's National Film Archive (Filmoteca Española) was established in 1953.
• Filmoteca Vasca (Basque Film Archive, 1978) was the first regional Spanish film archive established.
• Cine Doré has been used for regular screenings by Filmoteca Española since 1989.

Film Noir Youth Culture

• Juventud a la intemperie (The Unsatisfied, 1961) by Ignacio F. Iquino depicted youth rebellion and urban crime.
• Juventud a la intemperie received a rating of "For adults, with objections" from Spanish censors.
• Jazz and blues influenced the soundtrack of Juventud a la intemperie.
• Gloria Stewart performed in Juventud a la intemperie..

Film Discussion

• Cineclub Villena (Alicante, 1981) is still operating in Spain today.
• Film is more accessible online, but socialization around film persists, this has also changed about film clubs in the digital age.

Latin American Cinema

• Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina have traditionally been the dominant film industries in Latin America.
• "Golden Age of Mexican Cinema" (1936-1956) was associated with industrial development and cultural identity formation.
• Third Cinema (Tercer Cine) was known for its activist approach to cinema and rejection of Hollywood and European art cinema.

Key Latin American Directors and Films

• Ibermedia Program aims to support co-productions between Latin American and European countries.
• Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes) became Argentina's most-watched film and was nominated for an Academy Award.
• Alejandro González Iñárritu is known for "Amores Perros" (2002) and "Babel" (2006).
• Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund are famous for "City of God" (2002).
• Roma (2018) was directed by Alfonso Cuarón.
• Canana Films, supports independent cinema in Mexico.

African Cinema

• Nigeria has the largest and most commercially successful film industry.
• Nollywood is the common name for the Nigerian film industry.
• Lack of infrastructure and formal theaters is a major challenge faced by the African film industry.
• Egypt & Tunisia has one of the oldest film industries in Africa.
• Nollywood is the world's second-largest film producer based on how many movies are made per year.

Films and Filmmakers

• Black Girl (La Noire de... 1966) is considered one of the first major African films, directed by Ousmane Sembène.
• Pablo Larraín is known for the critically acclaimed films "No" (2012) and "Neruda" (2016).
• European grants and co-productions is the primary source of funding for many African art/auteur films.
• Senegal's film industry is known for producing socially and politically conscious films under the influence of the Third Cinema movement.

Impact

• Netflix now features a "Nollywood" category for African cinema fans.
• Africa's film and audiovisual industry has the potential to generate $20 billion annually, according to UNESCO (2021).

Marketplace

• The media marketplace shapes identity, it defines how marginalized groups are represented and perceived.
• Cultural identity as an asset means marginalized media representation.

Identity

• The ability of language to be converted into social, cultural, and economic power is "linguistic capital”.
• The political and cultural ideologies enacted through language is "language ideology”.
• Spanish is considered a unifying factor because of sense of shared identity and culture for the Latinx audience.

Latinx Audience

• Hollywood traditionally views the Latinx audience as a market to be exploited for profit.
• Stereotype and homogenized identities are main issues representation of latin audience.
• Pantelion and Grupo Televisa partnership is aimed at reaching Latinx audiences.

Strategy

• Movies are made quickly and cheaply, often using lesser-known talent to adapt Pantelion's content strategy.
• Balancing Spanish-dominant and bilingual audiences challenge that Pantelion encountered in marketing.
• Geographic, economic, linguistic, and cultural barriers caused why many US Latinxs historically experience a segregated film culture.

Important facts

• Mexico has been historically central to Latinx audiences in the U.S.
• Spanish language created new spaces for self-presentation, gender roles, and cultural identity.
• Cesar Chavez, the labor and civil rights activist was the figure featured in Cesar Chavez.
• A story about a great American leader with a universal message, way that Pantelion market Cesar Chavez (2014).
• Why was Cesar Chavez considered a transnational film, it was financed partly by Mexican investors and shot in Mexico.
• Hollywood effectively found a way to appeal Latin identities audiences in Hollywood.
  • Hollywood discovered that Latinx audiences impacted to box office results..
• Cracking the code is meant to find a profitable strategy to engage the Latinx audience.

Asian Film

• India has the largest number of movies produced annually, even with revenue low.
• The COVID-19 pandemic majorly decreased global box office due to closures.

India - Indian cinema

• Indian Bollywood movies contain Hindi & languages.

Most of India

• Dangal had largest gross profit, of India
• Satyajit key filmmaker for India, for the trilogy.
• Support to promote freedom.

Trend for US Audiences Trend for US

• India wants target US to make films

Key Features of Cinema - Japanese Cinema

• Toho , Japanese studio
• Kurosawa , film director

Japan - film today

• Horror & Historical
• Akira , historical impact on film

New Film (New) - Hollywood and Japan

• Ringo , key film of Japan that Hollywood took
• South Korea = K-Pop & TV Series

How policies impacted - increased viewing

• All key

Show to watch to win award

• Parasite.

• Struggled for funding K-pop and TV drams (Squid Game)

• Capital is impacted, had economic issues.

US Film and TV

• Film TV, is most important to Asia.
• Provide the aid needed for the industry to succeed.