Chickenboy
Posts: 24520
Joined: 6/29/2002 From: San Antonio, TX Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Neilster quote:
But, there's not much of a potential world market for a British centric film with no Americans either Well, most of the Commonwealth would be interested. Culturally, countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada still have a close affinity with Britain and this is most obvious with respect to military history. Battle of Britain day is quite a big deal here in Australia, not the least because Australian pilots were involved and it's seen to encompass the entire air war in Europe, which also involved many Aussies. The same goes for New Zealand and I'm sure Canada etc. Also, the international film market is now more important than the U.S. market. Hence the dearth of movies that have Chinese baddies. That appalling Red Dawn remake had to be completely rewritten and all the CGI changed to (ludicrously) insert North Korea as the conquerors of North America, for fear of alienating potential Chinese cinema goers. They and the billion or so Indians (also part of the Empire then) aren't going to care if it involves Americans or not. They just want to see a good movie with plenty of action. Cheers, Neilster The Indians have had a very active film industry for many many years. They produce several times more films every year than Hollywood does. They are quite capable of determining domestic demand for most of their films and do so quite well. They may or may not value or attend a foreign-made film that depicts their historical involvement. The Chinese market is-as you say-more receptive of international films-provided they show China and Chinese in a favorable light at all times. Showing the Japanese as ultimate baddies is a bonus. It somewhat limits the application of history to their film market. After all, the Chinese people are like any other people with their frailties and foibles. And don't even get me started on the Chinese Communist Party... Such limitations require that film marketers either 'whitewash' films to market in China or focus on films that do not attempt to realistically purport to depict history involving Chinese. Unfortunately, Hollywood-in search of the almighty buck-has chosen the former approach. Which brings me back to the "Why don't we have Hollywood blockbusters with X nationality (non-American) focus?" To which I respond as Warspite1 did: Go then. Do it. Get it done. You've got the means. Have at it. My guess is the very small market of Australia, New Zealand and Canada limits their options for independent self-focused "Hollywood-style" films. What's that? 70-75 million people total. There's insufficient market power there. And then you lot would have to answer the same questions that Hollywood has for years: "What's the export market like?" Sure, you duped us with Yahoo Serious and Crocodile Dundee a few years back (don't think I've forgotten either mate), but do Australian films (particularly Australian-focused war films) have any exportability? If not, you're unlikely to recoup the massive budget required to export it.
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