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| Film industry | |
|---|---|
| Name | Film industry |
| Type | Industry |
| Founded | Late 19th century |
| Headquarters | Worldwide |
| Products | Motion pictures |
Film industry The film industry encompasses the creation, financing, production, distribution, exhibition, and preservation of motion pictures, involving studios, independent producers, distributors, exhibitors, unions, and regulatory bodies. Major participants include legacy firms like Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and newer conglomerates such as Netflix and Amazon Studios, while national institutions like the British Film Institute and festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival shape cultural reception. The industry interacts with award bodies like the Academy Awards and markets such as the Box office and streaming platforms, reflecting technological change from cinematography milestones to digital workflows.
The origins trace to inventors and exhibitors such as Lumière brothers, Thomas Edison, Georges Méliès, and institutions like the Edison Manufacturing Company, with early screening venues evolving into chains like Mann Theatres and studio systems exemplified by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The classical studio era was dominated by conglomerates including RKO Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and distribution networks that expanded into international markets such as Bollywood and Nollywood. Transformative moments include the transition to sound marked by The Jazz Singer, the advent of color processes like Technicolor, postwar regulatory changes embodied by the Paramount Decree, and the rise of auteur movements associated with figures such as François Truffaut and Akira Kurosawa. Late-20th and early-21st centuries saw the proliferation of home video via VHS and DVD, the disruption from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and festival circuits like Toronto International Film Festival that reshaped financing and visibility.
Film production spans development, pre-production, principal photography, and post-production involving studios such as Sony Pictures, independent companies like A24, and national bodies including the National Film Board of Canada. Key creative contributors include directors—e.g., Steven Spielberg, Hayao Miyazaki, Pedro Almodóvar—producers such as Harvey Weinstein (noting controversies), cinematographers like Roger Deakins, and composers such as John Williams. Technical production uses equipment from manufacturers like ARRI and Panavision, and facilities such as Pinewood Studios and Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden. Financing frequently relies on co-productions involving entities like the European Film Academy, tax incentives from jurisdictions such as British Columbia and Georgia (U.S. state), and instruments like completion bonds provided by firms similar to Film Finances Inc..
Distributors including United Artists Releasing, Lionsgate, and STX Entertainment handle theatrical and ancillary release windows, negotiating with exhibitors like AMC Theatres, Cineworld, and independent cinemas represented by associations such as the National Association of Theatre Owners. Festivals—Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival—serve as marketplaces alongside markets such as the American Film Market and AFM. Exhibition technologies include digital projection standards set by Digital Cinema Initiatives and large-format venues like IMAX Corporation and Dolby Theatre; streaming platforms including Hulu and Disney+ alter release strategies with day-and-date releases and direct-to-streaming premieres.
Business models range from studio-backed blockbusters financed by conglomerates like Comcast and The Walt Disney Company to independent arthouse financed via grants from institutions such as National Endowment for the Arts and broadcaster co-productions with BBC Film. Revenue streams include theatrical Box office receipts, ancillary markets like home video and merchandising (e.g., Toy Story franchises), television licensing deals with networks such as HBO and Netflix, and digital distribution via platforms like iTunes and YouTube. Intellectual property strategies leverage franchises including Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars for transmedia exploitation, while financing mechanisms involve pre-sales, gap financing, and slate financing from firms like Silver Lake Partners.
Prominent national centers include Hollywood (United States), Bollywood (India), Nollywood (Nigeria), Hong Kong film industry, French cinema, Japanese cinema, and South Korean cinema, anchored by studios and distributors such as CJ Entertainment. Regional industries encompass Italian cinema, Spanish cinema, German cinema, Australian film industry, and Latin American hubs like Mexican cinema and Argentine cinema. Film commissions such as the New Zealand Film Commission and incentives in Canada and Ireland attract international productions, while co-production treaties—e.g., between France and Germany—facilitate cross-border projects.
Technological shifts include early innovations by Lumière brothers and Edison, the development of sound by Western Electric systems, color by Technicolor, and visual effects milestones by companies like Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Digital. Digital cinematography with manufacturers RED Digital Cinema and Sony and nonlinear editing via Avid Technology revolutionized workflows; motion capture advanced by Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Workshop enabled films like Avatar (2009 film). Distribution innovations include streaming pioneers Netflix and compression codecs standardized by MPEG. Emerging areas involve virtual production at facilities like The Volume used on productions such as The Mandalorian, and immersive formats promoted by organizations like SIGGRAPH.
Regulatory frameworks involve national film boards and rating authorities such as the Motion Picture Association of America and the British Board of Film Classification, while antitrust actions like the United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. reshaped ownership models. Labor relations center on unions and guilds including the Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild of America, and Writers Guild of America negotiating collective bargaining agreements and residuals; notable disputes include strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild‑American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Copyright law, governed by statutes such as the Copyright Act of 1976 in the United States and international treaties like the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, underpins licensing, fair use disputes, and enforcement actions against piracy organizations.
Category:Film