73
The cash influx is pretty obvious, as these services have a subscription fee.
Both services are releasing original movies and shows which are exclusively available in their platform. But what's the purpose?
If Netflix has no original content, they have to pay for licensing for everything they have on display. But if they own the product (= Netflix ...
71
There's a very simple structure that works very well.
It's called a career.
If you want a career in the film/TV business, it is not in your best interests to leak information.
Sure, the further down the pecking order you are, the less likely you are to be trusted. A supporting artist (extra) won't even know the script for the scene they're actually filming ...
60
Yes, Disney moved away from hand-drawn animation
In a 2013 interview with the Guardian, chief executive Bob Iger said that none of its animation companies are working in the traditional 2D format, and there are no current plans to do so again.
Speaking at an annual shareholder's meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday, chief executive Bob Iger revealed ...
54
I'm going to start an answer but this is by no means complete.
Whether you're talking about film as a recording medium or as a presentation format, there are people who prefer both. You can do a lot of research on why one is better than the other but a lot of it comes down to personal preference in the end.
As a Recording Medium
There are pros and cons for ...
53
It's part timing, part cajoling and part luck.
I don't know the specific laws for other countries, but in the UK, children under 5 can only be "at work" for a maximum of 5 hours a day, between 9.30 and 4.30. This is from the moment they arrive into costume or hair/makeup at base, not when they get to set.
One child takes at minimum two, if not ...
52
Former projectionist here, let me weigh in on what's happened in the last 7 to 8 years.
A bit of background: I started working projectors for my local theater in February 2007, and my last night was in March 2011. I no longer work this position because they transitioned to being completely digital, and I was among the first cut as I was only in one or two ...
49
Usually, if we talk about credits without any movie scene in the background, it was done by using a long sheet of paper or plastic or other material they want with credits written on it. Artists used different type of fonts and texts as required. Then this sheet is rolled in front of a camera where it is recorded and added into the movie.
They also used ...
44
As it happens, Priceonomics has already investigated this:
Built in the early 1900s, the United States’ first permanent movie
theaters featured only one screen. Things worked a bit differently
back then: you’d pay your nickel, take a seat, and watch a continuous
loop of a feature (mixed with cartoon interludes) for as long as your
heart desired.
In 1912, ...
44
No one says the phrase "Lights, Camera, Action" any more. But, to answer your question, the First Assistant Director (1st AD) is in charge of the set when the Director is otherwise occupied and, in fact, is usually the one who calls the shot to order (other than calling "action").
One of the 1st AD's most important responsibilities is to "call the roll" — ...
38
Whilst there are some cinemas that still retain use of 35mm projectors, it's fair to say that these are only used for special events. Modern cinema, by which I mean the industry that distributes and exhibits mainstream content (so any new releases), are exclusively distributed in digital format.
In early 2002, Hollywood sought to standardize this technology ...
answered Jun 30 '14 at 14:22
John Smith Optional
37.9k10 gold badges140 silver badges216 bronze badges
38
1) Hollywood: 1, 2
The name Hollywood was coined by H. J. Whitley, the “Father of
Hollywood.” Whitely bought 500 acres from E. C. Hurd; Hurd’s wife’s
friend (stay with me here), Daeida Wilcox, co-opted the name
“Hollywood” from her neighbor, Ivar Weid, who lived in what was then
called Holly Canyon.
According to the diary of H. J. Whitley, ...
36
For example an actor does not like to go nude or shoot a sensual scene.But if it is a part of a script, can they choose to not do it? or do they HAVE to shoot because of the contract despite not having personal approval?
The choice is always the actor's.
The actor's contract will spell out what they are willing or unwilling to do. Some refuse different ...
34
The difference is that 70mm film is, from a simple mathematical perspective, twice as big as 35mm film.
70mm film is shot horizontally in the frame where as 35mm is shot vertically. This gives directors a much larger canvas to shoot on, with increased resolution (up to 18k in some cases, compare that to 4k televisions that are just hitting the market), as ...
27
The reason why musicals are less popular now, or more prolific back in the first half of the century is pretty long, but hopefully engaging and interesting. It certainly was to me when I studied it. There are tons of academic books written about the downfall of musicals, but here's the short(er) version:
Musicals (along with Westerns) were very much a ...
answered Dec 12 '13 at 11:58
John Smith Optional
37.9k10 gold badges140 silver badges216 bronze badges
27
I'm not really sure I should be answering this one as well ;)
I can, of course, in any answer of this type, only mention things which are "already known"
Late addition
I just spotted the opening paragraph of the Avengers leak linked in the question. It starts… "Thanks to an extra on set"
This is why 'extras' [supporting artists] have ...
25
The 'Fidelity Issue' has been a long term fixture on many (if not most) film/production and screenwriting qualifications.
During my Degree we had an entire module named 'Adaptation', and for three weeks we discussed/researched this very question without verifiable success.
It's unlikely you'll find a satisfactory answer to something so broad on here, but ...
answered Nov 22 '13 at 0:22
John Smith Optional
37.9k10 gold badges140 silver badges216 bronze badges
25
As WC Fields would say, “Never work with children or animals”. They are unpredictable and the steal the scene.
A photographer friend of mine once said that timing is everything. You can direct adults in order to get a great shot. With children and animals, they direct you. You just have to be ready to get the shot when the moment strikes.
I have heard ...
24
In the early days of Hollywood, at the Academy awards, the Academy members could choose whether they thought an actor’s performance was leading or supporting.
This led to an interesting scenario in 1945, where an actor was nominated for the leading and supporting Oscars for the exact same role (Going My Way).
After this the Academy changed the rulings and ...
24
There are several orthogonal issues here:
The physical size of the film the movie was shot on (the negative).
The physical size of the film the movie is projected from (the print).
How the frame is composed on that film, which is related to the aspect ratio.
Some of the comments and other answers are conflating various aspects, which can cause more ...
24
How do streaming services earn money?
The one you mentioned Netflix and Amazon Prime don't have ad revenue. So they are dependent on subscription fees.
Is it based exclusively on user memberships or are there other factors?
There are other factors too. Take the case of Indian Amazon Prime exclusive show Baahubali: The Lost Legends which is now run on Colors ...
23
The SAG-AFTRA union provides specific protections for actors for nudity and sex scenes. What You Should Know About Nudity Riders:
If your performance in a film will include nudity, partial nudity or simulated sex acts, be sure that you or your representatives have negotiated a nudity rider with production. The nudity rider should include a detailed ...
22
What you need to remember is that in financial negotiation, the accounting department will never overtly declare that they are pursuing 'Hollywood Accounting', it is often something instigated through people being misled.
The wording/circumstances are often rephrased to evade detection: I believe 'Net Point Profit' was the circulating terminology for a long ...
answered Jan 31 '14 at 12:44
John Smith Optional
37.9k10 gold badges140 silver badges216 bronze badges
22
I'm going to drop this into the answer space as a temporary space-filler rather than as a final product. I don't have the time to fully flesh it at the moment, so it's open season for anyone who wants to fill this answer, or just go for it and write your own.
I can't answer for this franchise specifically, but many many TV shows use a similar 'look book', a ...
21
Just a theory, but being able to buy a domain this way is a pretty clear indication that a legitimate company cannot come after the film company to sue for being libelled or defamed for a less than perfect company portrayal. If currently unused, it is an indication there is not a naming conflict to a company that is not well known.
The fact that you noticed ...
21
My memory is that a number of play scenes in Kindergarten Cop (1990) with Arnold Schwarzenegger were filmed unstructured, simply with the kids left to be kids and the actors given 5 guidelines:
(director) Ivan Reitman invented the five "Reitman Rules of Filmmaking" for the kids: Listen, act natural, know your character, don't look in the camera, ...
20
Possibly it's coincidence... but good actors are good actors. :)
Gale Ann Hurd was asked about the prevalance of English/British actors in the Walking Dead and other shows:
We asked Hurd why she thinks this keeps happening in American television and films – so many Brits/non-Americans playing these roles of Southerners – and she attributed it to open ...
18
No, Disney does not produce nor is making any traditional hand drawn animation.
There is probably a good reason for this in Disney's eyes.
Traditional hand animation is a lot of work. It's very time consuming and can't be changed easily late in production like CGI can and is expensive because of that.
To give a demonstration, there is a nice video about Who ...
17
Sadly, as an American, I've heard little to nothing about these epics (Mahabharata and Ramayana), not that I wouldn't like to see the movies.
There are still no big-budget epics based on works like Odyssey, Iliad, and The Aeneid; not even the Epic of Gilgamesh (which is possibly the oldest story known).
I wouldn't take it as an intentional slight against ...
17
The Movie's producers are charged simply with making the product: the movie itself. At some point during the movie's production (or often, nowadays, before work has even commenced), the producers will negotiate with distributers.
For a more detailed answer to how producers earn their fee, check this out.
Often, a film can have a domestic and international ...
answered Dec 7 '15 at 19:38
John Smith Optional
37.9k10 gold badges140 silver badges216 bronze badges
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible