April 19, 2019
I don't think people realize just how much money the federal government contributes to the financing of movies. It can be in the tens of millions of dollars in direct aid and then a priceless amount of indirect aid such as being allowed to film permit and cost free on government lands and in buildings owned by the government. Often times that access comes with a price. Such was the case a few years ago when it came to Oscar time. There was a movie which had been raking up awards at every award show. It was an unstoppable force. The thing is though, when it came to the Academy Awards, the fix was in. No, no one at the accounting firm did anything shady, although, now that I think about it, that would probably be the easiest way to make sure things went according to plan and would require much less work.
Instead, what happened was a group of politicians who chaired committees that are the biggest givers of money to movie and television productions sent out a missive to studio heads and several hundred top directors and producers. Pass the word. Make sure you and the people who work for you do not vote for this movie to win. Apparently, because the movie cast a certain governmental department in a bad light, the politicians were not happy. They also believed that insiders from the department that was portrayed so poorly were the ones who leaked all the details. The message was clear. If the movie wins any awards we will blame you for the win and the money tree will dry up. Now, obviously it would not be just one company or producer or director at fault, but the message was clear and the word spread. A movie which had been hauling in awards, won just one minor Oscar despite all their nominations. Business in Hollywood continued as usual.
Zero Dark Thirty
I don't think people realize just how much money the federal government contributes to the financing of movies. It can be in the tens of millions of dollars in direct aid and then a priceless amount of indirect aid such as being allowed to film permit and cost free on government lands and in buildings owned by the government. Often times that access comes with a price. Such was the case a few years ago when it came to Oscar time. There was a movie which had been raking up awards at every award show. It was an unstoppable force. The thing is though, when it came to the Academy Awards, the fix was in. No, no one at the accounting firm did anything shady, although, now that I think about it, that would probably be the easiest way to make sure things went according to plan and would require much less work.
Instead, what happened was a group of politicians who chaired committees that are the biggest givers of money to movie and television productions sent out a missive to studio heads and several hundred top directors and producers. Pass the word. Make sure you and the people who work for you do not vote for this movie to win. Apparently, because the movie cast a certain governmental department in a bad light, the politicians were not happy. They also believed that insiders from the department that was portrayed so poorly were the ones who leaked all the details. The message was clear. If the movie wins any awards we will blame you for the win and the money tree will dry up. Now, obviously it would not be just one company or producer or director at fault, but the message was clear and the word spread. A movie which had been hauling in awards, won just one minor Oscar despite all their nominations. Business in Hollywood continued as usual.
Zero Dark Thirty
I always figured it was a James Cameron revenge type deal...
ReplyDeleteThe entertainment industry gets breaks, including but not limited to tax breaks, from the government and so it has to be responsive to what the government wants. Crony capitalism.
ReplyDeleteand Kathryn Bigelow, who made fucking history...where is she now?? Nothing.
ReplyDeleteFuck the industry
Honestly, I remember being glad it didn't win big at the Oscars, and wishing it hadn't been so successful at other award shows, purely because of the way it seemed to glorify torture (I can't say for sure if te finished movie did, as I refuse to watch it, but it certainly seemed thay way).
ReplyDeleteI was always under the impression that if you needed the US Government permission to shoot at a military base or use any government equipment, they had complete script approval.
ReplyDeleteAND, they had approval over the film version being released!
So, some one approved it and then was called on the carpet.
Hmm?!
How is this remotely a blind? go read the Don Simpson biography and understand about how much the US navy helped/invested in 'Top gun'.
ReplyDeleteBigelow directed the really well regarded, "Detroit" about a year or two ago but not much else since "Zero". She's very talented, it's sad.
ReplyDeleteZero dark thirty is gloryfication of torture and CIA propaganda. Almost every arab or muslim in the film is a villain one-dimensional cartoon figure and part of a terrorist network.
ReplyDeleteThe CIA and the US government are the "Good Guys", the innocent targets of terrorist violence, the brave warriors seeking justice for the 9/11 victims.
Muslims and Arabs are the dastardly villains, attacking and killing without motive and without scruples.
This is the CIA's film, its perspective, its morality, its side of the story, The Agency as the supreme HEROES. This movie was made thank to the government, the white house and cia so i don't get this blind.
A bullshit propaganda movie to make americans feel "patriotic"