New media films are making a splash!
Independent documentary films that inform usually sell, especially on TV. Documentary films that inform and entertain sell even better. Some have done very well in theatrical release.
Entertaining films (fiction) or narrative films are harder to sell. They usually require a name actor, a famous story or great special effects. A well known "name" actor makes it easier to advertise these films and draw a large audience, but it has been shown that even the best names alone do NOT guarantee box-office success.
"Art" films are always a difficult sell. Most artists make them for themselves. With millions of free films on youTube, anything that stands out and is different will usually attract attention, but selling it for money is another story.
Films with a "gimmick" might attract an audience, but they would not generally maintain interest for very long. It would depend on how well they were made, how visually interesting and how entertaining they were and whether they could sustain interest for a lenghty period of time. It's easy to get an audience for a few minutes but very hard to keep them for much longer than that.
Today's audience is accustomed to channel surfing. You can gain their attention for a moment, but sustaining it is another matter. One click and they're gone!
Copyright ©2009, Stanley N. Lozowski. All Rights Reserved.
Labels: art film, box office success, digital new media, documentary films, entertaining films, famous story, fiction films, gimmick, independent documentary, name actor, narrative films, special effects
