Comedian Nick Swardson has a terrific routine in which he makes fun of “jaded movie friends” who don’t appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into making impossible things happen on screen. “If you showed [Transformers] to people fifty years ago,” he jokes, “their brains would explode. Everybody would lose their minds.” When you hear stories about […]

The film industry has waged an uphill war against piracy for many, many years. Even in parts of the world with sub-par Internet access, physical piracy and reproduction of DVDs continue to dog Hollywood’s bottom line. But the continued spread of piracy in developing countries has an unusual cultural effect as well: bootleggers are becoming […]

The film industry is very expensive. Big movie budgets often run above $200 million, and even smaller films like Nebraska can cost about $10 million. Where does that all go? Once you remove all the big expenses like actors, special effects, advertising, and various studio fees, much of that budget goes to the crew and […]

Many filmmakers have reacted negatively to the industry’s transition from physical film to digital recordings. For all its benefits – immediate playback, easier editing, color correction – some argue that digital filming loses some the warm qualities that make physical film prints enticing. They aren’t convinced of the benefits, so physical film still has a […]

A. O. Scott is one of the most notable film writers who actively engages questions about the future of the moving image medium. His articles, though controversial, always offer a unique and thoughtful perspective on the impending and foreboding issues facing the film industry. Scott is deeply familiar with the exodus of creative talent away […]