The Power of Film

Colin McGinn

The Power of FilmThe “POWER” is connected to our “HUMANITY” in specific ways:

• AS HUMANS, we are hard-wired for storytelling as a social/cultural bond.

• We are biologically Eye/ear-CENTRIC.

• The more realistic (verisimilitude) a story is the more

impactful.

o This power is unique to film (TV and video as well)

o “Film connects to the human psyche in a deep

way.” Stanley Cavell

o The mind seems to step into another sphere of engagement as the images on the screen flood into our receptive consciousness.

o Altered state of consciousness is enthralling and irresistible.

• The mind-movie problem = how a 2 dimensional moving image hooks our consciousness.

• Our minds and movies are suited to one another.

• Sacred form of Art?

Individual Power of Film• Demographic Power: Movies

have a larger mass appeal than most other artistic media. Cross-Cultural

• Offers us “fiction” (a better more entertaining world)

• Movies support/reinforce the prevailing ideologicalviewpoints in society.

• We are never fooled?

• Amplification/Accentuation of reality through heightenedstories via powerful images, special FX, audio, dialogue, music.

• Movies are NOT mirrors of reality

• Movies appeal to us at an unconscious psychologicallevel (Freud?)

• We have a certain natural “literacy” for understanding movies (Noel Carroll)

The Film Industry as Media/Cultural Epicenter of

American Society

1.Economic Center of Entertainment Industry $9-12 Billion/year in USA alone

2.Cultural Epi-Center (Names, People, places, and events)

3.Narrative/Philosophical Center—(IMPORTANT Shared Stories, Common Mythologies)

4.Educational Center

5.Political Power (Nationally and Globally)

Highest Paid Actors 2016Link to Forbes:

Worldwide All-Time Box Office

Domestic Box OfficeAdjusted for Inflation

All Time Records

OVERALL RECORDS BY RATING

Chart (click to view) Record Holder Record

RATED R Passion of the Christ $370,782,930

RATED PG-13 Avatar $757,586,139

RATED PG Star Wars $460,998,007

RATED G Toy Story 3 $408,055,000

RATED NC-17 Showgirls $20,350,754

MOVIES THAT NEVER HIT #1My Big Fat Greek

Wedding$241,438,208

IMAX Everest (IMAX) $87,178,599

2015/16 Top Rated TV ShowsIndie Wire Link

2015/16 Top TV Shows

Total viewers

Film/TV Salaries• FILM DIRECTOR $250K-$20M A PICTURE

• TV DIRECTOR $25K-$42K AN EPISODE

• ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER $2M-$6M

• ART DIRECTOR $134K

• ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR $101K

• BEST BOY $92K

• BODY DOUBLE $33K

• BOOM MIC OPERATOR $87K

• CAMERA OPERATOR $96K

• CARPENTER $61K

• COSTUME DEPT. SUPERVISOR $91K

• CRAFT SERVICES FOREPERSON $74K

• DOG HANDLER $54K

• DIALECT COACH $125K

• EDITOR $95K

• FIRE SAFETY ADVISER $73K

• FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR $192K

• FOLEY ARTIST $88K

• GAFFER $59K

• GRIP $102K

• HAIRSTYLIST $77K

• LIGHTING TECHNICIAN (ENTRY-LEVEL) $53K

• LOCATION MANAGER $112K

• MAKEUP ARTIST $100K

• MODEL BUILDER $68K

• MUSIC MIXER $111K

• NOVELIZATION WRITER $12,500 per book

• PAYROLL ACCOUNTANT $66K

• PERSONAL ASSISTANT FOR A CELEBRITY $80K

• PROJECTIONIST (STUDIO) $72K

• PROP MASTER $59K

• PUBLICIST (STUDIO) $93K

• SCENIC ARTIST $81K

• SCRIPT SUPERVISOR $62K

• SET DECORATOR $104K

• EXTRA $148 A DAY

Funding for Films: Ancillary Rights

• Most of the revenue for film production comes from ancillary rights (revenues from non-box office sources).

• Today, these profits come from 10 major areas

1. Network TV rights

2. Foreign distribution

3. Sales to independent TV stations

4. Pay and pay-per-view TV rights

5. Airline rights for in-flight movies

6. College rights for campus screenings

7. Music sales for film soundtracks

8. Film-related merchandise (toys, etc.)

9. Book publishing rights (when a book follows the movie)

10. Product placement (money received for clearly showing certain products in scenes.)

Demographic Power

• All Time Domestic Box Office:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/domesti

c.htm

• All Time Records:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/

Box Office for Sept 3-5, 2010

1 N The American Focus $12,968,000 - 2,823 - $4,594 $16,114,000 - 1

2 1 Takers SGem $11,450,000 -44.2% 2,206 - $5,190 $37,900,000 $32 2

3 N Machete Fox $11,300,000 - 2,670 - $4,232 $11,300,000 - 1

4 2 The Last Exorcism LGF $7,645,000 -62.5% 2,874 - $2,660 $32,477,000 $1.8 2

5 N Going the Distance WB (NL) $6,885,000 - 3,030 - $2,272 $6,885,000 - 1

6 3 The Expendables LGF $6,592,000 -30.8% 3,398 - $1,940 $92,159,000 $80 4

7 5 The Other Guys Sony $5,400,000 -14.1% 2,607 -574 $2,071 $106,866,000 $100 5

8 4 Eat Pray Love Sony $4,850,000 -28.8% 2,663 -445 $1,821 $68,954,000 $60 4

9 7 Inception WB $4,530,000 -7.1% 1,704 -366 $2,658 $277,103,000 $160 8

10 8 Nanny McPhee Returns Uni. $3,575,000 -24.2% 2,708 -90 $1,320 $22,441,000 $35 3