Week 9 [Seminar Notes] - Global Hollywood

Global Hollywood

- Hollywood as a global business.

- The global organisation of production, distribution, marketing and exhibition.

- The relationship between overseas audiences and Hollywood films.

- What are the arguments for and against viewing Hollywood as an agent of 'cultural imperialism'?

- In what ways are films: products engineered for success across global market and customised for and by local audiences?

Key Points from Miller Reading:

-  Miller et al. - Political economy perspective as a critique of Hollywood as part of transnational capitalism/US economic and cultural imperialism. Globalised production as part of international division of labour.

- To describe Hollywood's place in the global economy, they adapt the term 'New International Division of Labour' - Hollywood as part of a 'New International Division of Labour'

They emphasise:

- Globalisation as a labour process

- Hollywood's coordination of and authority over cultural labour markets overseas

- The role of the governments play in conjunction with multinational corporations 

- Hollywood operates like other industries, which have sought to lower costs by offshoring productions to areas with cheaper workforces, less regulation and weaker unions.

- "Hollywood's hegemony is built upon and sustained by the internal suppression of worker's rights, the explorations of a global division of labour, and the impact of colonialism on language."

Runaway Production

- First became a major trend in the 40s-50s. Hollywood productions made in the UK and European studios and on location in a range of global destinations. 

Benefits:

- Lower costs

- Government incentives

- Authenticity

- Touristic aspect to the viewing experience

- May help sell the product to local audiences

- License plating - e.g. Toronto or Vancouver as New York and other American cities

- Opposed by US craft unions in Southern California. Frequent topic of debate in the trade press.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

- Financed by New Lines Cinemas and Warner Bros.

- US financed, NZ production, international cast

- $25M at least in tax credits from NZ government

- Labour dispute --> NZ rewrites legislation to remove rights of workers on film productions.

- 266 days of shooting

- 99 sets built

- 6,750 domestic flights taken

- 1,800 rental cards hired

- $380,000 spent on coffee

- $1.5M spent on local food suppliers

For tax purposes, Hollywood films try to make their film qualify in other countries which contributed to the film's modes of production.