The Movie Industry Analysis Essay Research free essay sample

The Movie Industry Analysis Essay, Research Paper Introduction The Movie Industry is one of the most exciting and enlightening concern in the universe, a concern where the gross of a individual characteristic movie can near or transcend $ 1 billion. In 1994, U.S. consumers spent over $ 6 billion on film tickets and another $ 34 billion on overseas telegram Television and picture purchases and leases. In 1996, worldwide gross grosss generated by gesture images in all districts and media ( including music and ancillaries ) amounted to over $ 40 billion. These figures were merely a fraction of entire amusement spendings worldwide, spent largely on American-made films. Over 70 % of the population rents or goes to films on a regular basis, this histories for over 1.5 billion film attending # 8217 ; s each twelvemonth in the United States. Strategic Issues: 1 ) # 8220 ; Blockbuster-ability # 8221 ; , or the ability to systematically bring forth a broad assortment of popular movies at a net income ; 2 ) Expanding distribution channels into the accessory markets where net income borders are higher ; and 3 ) The value and deepness of movie libraries, which extend a movie # 8217 ; s life rhythm and gererate grosss far into the hereafter. Key Problems Cost- Film net incomes are rare and hard to mensurate. There are high promotional and selling costs which include fees paid to exhibitioners, distributions fees, operating expenses, interset and disbursals ( paid normally to studios distributers ) . These combined costs greatly cut down the gross sream fluxing to the manufacturer and net net income participants. In add-on, certain direction determinations made in the beginning, whether or non to engage # 8220 ; star # 8221 ; endowment as opposed to an unknown can be rather dearly-won, although this kind of determination may guarentee box office success of the film. Diversification A ; Integration- The ability to work a film in many markets diminishes investing hazard and increases gaining possible. Diversification and integrating into accessory markets can turn a film that has lost money stagily into a picture market victor. Unfortunately, if the studio is a little independent it may be prohibitory to diversify. If the studio is a # 8220 ; major # 8221 ; that is non already diversified, the competition and cost to make so would be important factor. Barriers to entry for independents- The most obvious barrier to entry is the high cost of acquisition. Larger studios owe their endurance to ample resources, which afford them the ability to endure box office catastrophes. Small studios would non needfully be able to last box office failures. Major studios besides have an advantage in their ability to keep distribution webs across the state and in foreign markets. This ensures that their movies get to theatres and telecasting screens. Competition- Thousands of screenplays are in developement at any given clip but merely 450 to 500 really become gesture images. Of those, about 173 are really released to the theatres. Even so, the success at the box office is non guaranteed because that success is ever capable to public penchant. Historical tendencies in the industry- Feature gesture images have historically had one major beginning of gross in the United States and abroad, # 8221 ; The film theater. # 8221 ; Industry statistics reveal that in the past 10 old ages at that place has been an overall addition of at least 30 % in many accessory markets and over 200 % in the instance of place picture. Nowadays much of the universe is undergoing a mass communications revolution ; hence, new film markets such as place picture, overseas telegram and pay-per-view have been turning so quickly that they are no longer merely accessory markets to the basic theatrical market but have become basic markets in themselves. The latest technological frontier for gesture image companies was in direct-access Television through telephone lines. With the coming of the new computer-based engineerings, # 8220 ; overseas telegram # 8221 ; markets and direct digital-delivery of gesture images via orbiter and the Internet are expected to increase dramatically over the following five old ages, making an accelerated demand for original and re-run gesture images. DATA ANALYSIS What is the competitory environment? There are 1000s of screenplays in development at any given clip, nevertheless each twelvemonth merely 450 to 500 of these are produced into gesture images. Although the bulk undergo chief picture taking in the United States, about 60 to 80 are shot offshore ( including Mexico and Canada ) . Of these about one-third semen from the big leagues ( Disney, Sony, ( Columbia-Tristar ) , Warner Brothers, Universal, Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox ) and about two-thirds from the # 8220 ; mugwumps # 8221 ; . # 8220 ; Independents # 8221 ; are those companies engaged in the production and/or distribution worldwide in all media of all gesture image and telecasting plans that are non generated by the recognized major studios. It includes those independent productions, even those distributed by a major studio, in which the manufacturer retains a important ownership involvement and is at hazard for a important part of the production cost. Of the 450 to 500 characteristic movies produced each twelvemonth, merely 155 were given a theatrical release in 1994, 169 in 1995 and 195 in 1996. Thus a important figure of characteristics do non acquire a theatrical release but are released straight to place picture and other media. Producing and/or financing these films are about 6 major studios, 50 to 80 major independent production companies and over 1,200 smaller independent production companies. The domestic market portion is equally distributed. Any major alterations in the market? *** ( The Movie Industry by James Jaeger ) . Increased foreign demand for U.S films is reflected in the fact that recent export gross revenues to foreign markets hit an all clip high in 1997. The European foreign market histories for 56 % of planetary grosss generated by English linguistic communication. One of the most attractive markets is centered around the Far East, Japan being the largest. Focus on Asiatic subjects has produced many films that clearly reflect this tendency. By and large talking, if an English-language movie made for U.S. release does good domestically, it becomes popular in foreign markets, peculiarly in Europe. All of this popularity and success internationally has non come without a monetary value. Some states began to kick about the spread of American civilization due to the film industry. In order to comfort these ailments, Disney and Miramax announced in October 1994 the creative activity of a company to advance the distribution of Gallic movies in the United States and increased support to Gallic film makers. Relaxed enforcement of the 1948 antimonopoly edict under Reagan disposal which allowed Universal, Paramount, and Columbia to get involvements in assorted theatre ironss. Quickly altering demographics. Shriveling population of 13 to 25 twelvemonth olds who would traditionally see every bit many as 12 movies per twelvemonth. Real growing audiences were going both younger and older. The older group ( 40-49 ) appreciated mature subjects ; those with kids were besides attracted to household oriented films. Distribution media is dynamic. Get downing in the late 1980 # 8217 ; s, accessory markets ( pictures, Television, overseas telegram, or pay per position ) began to emerge as the high-growth section in the industry. This growing had a negative impact on box office gross revenues as ticket growing was limited by the comparatively cheap handiness of films outside the traditional theatre. Key Industry Financial Statistics: * Admission Revenues * Average Cost per Film * Profitability ( by Operating Margin Percentage ) Consequences of past selling schemes and current selling strategies- Control and enlargement of distribution channels has ever been a primary aim of major studios. In 1950, many theatres were owned by major film studios. This represented a tendency toward perpendicular integrating into theatres. This risk-reduciton scheme combines the production, distribution, and exhibition maps under the studio # 8217 ; s control. The distribution form seen in theatres was reproduced in accessory markets. As with theatre exhibition, movies in the gesture image industry began to vertically incorporate into these media, having overseas telegram Stationss, Television webs, and picture ironss. Even more late, engineering has improved to include such province of the art sing options as Pay-Per-View, Digital Video Disc ( DVD # 8217 ; s ) , satellite telecasting, and Home Theater ( environ sound ) . Synergistic Video and computing machine games are another immense new market that is quickly spread outing. Accessory markets have proven to be priceless beginnings of gross as in the instance of Star Wars and Jurassic Park. There were such by-products as playthings, games, Jerseies and freshness points. These spin-off gross revenues may finally be every bit important as grosss the image has already earned in assorted other markets. Significant socio/economic tendencies *** ( Entertainment Industry and the Environment # 8211 ; Internet ) Many studios and production installations have developed comprehensive environmental policies. Many studios have organized undertaking forces made up of assorted section caputs to supervise the execution of these policies. They began recycling plans and so closed the cringle by buying recycled merchandises, including office paper, tissue merchandises, towels and toner cartridges. The film industry has proven they are in melody with consumer penchants when between 1991 and 1993, film companies cleaned up their movies by increasing the figure of G rated films. Analysis OF STRATEGIC ISSUES SWOT Analysis Disney Strengths # 8211 ; Reputation, high criterions set by Disney. Diversity A ; experience in animatio N Weaknesses # 8211 ; Dependence on life. Disney # 8217 ; s need to continually attract artistic endowment for its life portfolio. Reliance on visibleness and name acknowledgment for selling advantages. Opportunities # 8211 ; Old films ; new release straight to video. Development of the international sell-through market could let Disney to duplicate or treble its foreign picture grosss by the twelvemonth 2000. Threats # 8211 ; Damaged repute due to enlargement into mix of film subjects in the industry. R-rated thrillers ( Pulp Fiction ) ( The Crying Game ) . Warner Brothers Strengths # 8211 ; consistent path record and ability to avoid dearly-won bombs. Noteworthy success worldwide. Fulfilled motion-picture fans # 8217 ; desire for Westerns when other studios did non. Ability to set together production trades with independent production companies. Their movie library day of the months back to 1949 and consists of over 1800 movies. Weaknesses # 8211 ; Inability to maintain up with competition ( Disney ) . Opportunities # 8211 ; Warehousing and administering advantages with its music division. Video release of certain blockbuster hits on a direct sell-through footing. Warner Brothers Network ( The WB ) and the Full Services Network ( FSN ) . Warner Brothers would be a direct rival with Paramount to obtain broadcast Stationss as web affiliates and the FSN would offer pay per position, place shopping and picture games. Threats # 8211 ; Disney and Universal are major rivals at the box office. Paramount Pictures Strengths # 8211 ; Vertically integrated, owns a assortment of accessory markets. Relatively little house library as compared to others in the industry, but the value per each rubric is important. Repute of being # 8220 ; blockbuster male monarchs # 8221 ; . Weaknesses # 8211 ; Loss of individuality due to the amalgamation with Viacom. Paramount is so diversified and each of its subordinates has maintained its ain name doing a lessened acknowledgment of the Paramount name. Opportunities # 8211 ; Viacom-Paramount so big and successful, it should be able to profit from the development of multimedia services worldwide. Threats # 8211 ; So diversified this company could be in danger of losing the Paramount name. Dreamworks and other up and coming mugwumps # 8217 ; may present a menace. Twentieth Century # 8211 ; Fox Strengths # 8211 ; Consolidation of Twentieth Century Film Corporation, Fox Television Stationss and Fox Broadcasting has benefited the company with the release of gesture images to telecasting via the pictures, wage per positions and the sole licensing understanding with HBO. Weaknesses # 8211 ; Reliance on a little figure of # 8220 ; blockbusters # 8221 ; and a limited figure of movies being produced. Diversification appears to be limited to overseas telegram and web Television. Opportunities # 8211 ; Creative confederations that aid the company in cut downing fiscal hazards through the development of diversified production and distribution cost mixes. Twentieth Century Fox will go on to profit from their international market. For illustration, Fox has licensed gesture images to British Sky Broadcasting and to Star Television ( Asian Television ) . They have besides launched a overseas telegram programming service in Latin America. Threats # 8211 ; Fox has limited their growing of many accessory markets and hence has failed to maintain gait with the competition. Universal Pictures Strengths # 8211 ; Universal Pictures has subordinates that green goods and administer non-theatrical movies, gesture images and telecasting. Universal Pictures and their subordinates have amassed a movie library of over 6000 rubrics that include such movies as Jurassic Park whose entire grosss exceeded 8 billion. Weaknesses # 8211 ; Now Japanese owned, Universal is limited in their ability to diversify due to direction determinations caused by the Nipponese recession. Opportunities # 8211 ; Ability to spread out into different markets such as the plaything, games, etc. ( Will they take advantage of this ) ? Threats # 8211 ; Much of Universal # 8217 ; s success can be attributed to the long clip relationship between the company # 8217 ; s CEO A ; their prima manager Steven Spielberg. Mr. Spielberg has started his ain movie studio, Dreamworks which is expected to be yet another major studio. The creative activity of Dreamworks caused internal strife between the Nipponese parent company and U.S. subordinates. Sony Pictures Entertainment ( Columbia-Tristar ) Strengths # 8211 ; Sony purchased Columbia # 8211 ; Tristar in 1989 and has doubled its monetary value to gross revenues ratio value as of 1994. Concentration scheme ( they make films ) . Weaknesses # 8211 ; Depressed net incomes, high production costs and inordinate disbursement. Lack of diverseness. Opportunities # 8211 ; Availability of engineering from other countries of the house ( Sony ) . This affords them the advantage of staying on the film editing border for new technological developments in the film industry ( DVD # 8217 ; s, computing machine enhanced movies ) . Threats # 8211 ; Lack of accessory markets due to old debt place which made the company potentially attractive for coup detat. Recommendations: Where is this industry presently headed? The film and amusement industries are taking the usage of information engineering to an extreme. They have embraced the engineering and are utilizing it for everything from on-line publications to games to particular effects for our favourite films. Video releases continue to supply a great trade of net incomes for many of these studios. The amusement industry has ever been a leader in the usage of new industry engineerings. Since the reaching of the digital age, houses that one time focused on a movie production are now bring forthing synergistic Cadmium ROMS, Digital VideoDiscs and production studios are even offering WEB services. The channels of bringing have broadened significantly. Where should each of these major studios be headed? Disney has benefited from great leaders, visionaries over the old ages. The focal point has ever been quality and invention. The Disney Brand is good known all over the universe and as the organisation continues to spread out both with merchandises and geographically, attention must be taken to guarantee the Disney name and repute. Warner Brothers is making a all right occupation of revving up of their accessory markets. They are presently good diversified. I recommend that Warner should go on on the same way nevertheless, this rapid growing could intend problem. They should put in eventuality programs throughout their organisation to extenuate the hazard of rapid enlargement into different accessory markets. Paramount Pictures, touted as the # 8220 ; blockbuster male monarch # 8221 ; , should retrieve that picking hits is still mostly guessing. In order to better their place and guard against a clip when they may non be the # 8220 ; blockbuster male monarch # 8221 ; ; Paramount must develop a program to sharply increase its movie library. ***** Twentieth Century Fox relies to a great extent on blockbuster movies and produces merely a little figure of movies each twelvemonth. They have limited themselves to overseas telegram and web telecasting in the accessory markets. Fox is to a great extent involved in many other countries, News Corp. , Fox News Channel, Fox TV A ; Fox Family Channel. I believe they are # 8220 ; losing the boat # 8221 ; with respect to the picture market. The picture market is one that continues to bring forth net incomes long after the films are really made. Cosmopolitan Pictures can impute much of its success to Steven Spielberg. When he left to organize Dreamworks, Universal began to see some in-fighting. Although Spielberg ab initio used Universal for foreign distribution, I do non anticipate this to go on as Dreamworks # 8217 ; continues to hold such successes as this summer # 8217 ; s # 8220 ; Salvaging Private Ryan # 8221 ; . Since there was so much trust on Spielbergs # 8217 ; name and movies, I feel that Universal will non be able to keep their ability to vie with the other big leagues. The antecedently mentioned in-fighting merely magnifies this job. My first recommendation is that Matsushita expression for a purchaser for MCA and Universal. Preferable a company with experience in this industry, one that would take advantage of the chances with the accessory markets every bit good as new chances with the amusement park operations. If this is non possible, my 2nd recommendation is that Universal should sharply work towards a formal reappraisal of their current concern schemes and do the first order of concern to decide the in-fighting. All of direction both the parent company and the U.S. executives should be # 8220 ; on the same page # 8221 ; . If this is accomplished, a program should be developed to aline themselves with some other successful managers and/or recognizable and respected industry leaders. If none of this is possible, I do non believe this company will last. Sony ( Columbia-Tristar ) If Sony ( Columbia-Tristar ) is traveling to go on with this # 8220 ; concentration scheme # 8221 ; of theatre exhibition merely, they must do a concentrated attempt to better their grosss, cut down disbursement, and cut costs. This could be accomplished through # 8220 ; endowment purchasing # 8221 ; . The company could use professionals to assist in geting either histrions or managers with # 8220 ; star power # 8221 ; that would better the odds of film # 8217 ; s success. I besides feel that Sony should put more accent in their engineering division and should concentrate in that sphere. They remain on the technological border and could perchance derive the prima place within that market. With accent in the Research and development division the possibility of new market portion is endless. Plants Cited: 1. Gunther, Marc. # 8220 ; The Rules Harmonizing to Rupert. # 8221 ; Fortune October 26, 1998 issue 2. Family Motion Pictures # 8211 ; Industry Statistics hypertext transfer protocol: //www.familymotionpictures.com/merch/ 3. Jaeger, James. # 8220 ; The Movie Industry. # 8221 ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.mecfilms.com/movie.htm