My take-away from Rich's AMA event yesterday was the advice to stay in touch with the trends of the movie industry. Reading the trades, talking to your contacts on the production end of the business is critical.
I was in line ordering lunch at the Alcove on Hillhurst. The young dude next in line said, "that sounds good", and he also ordered the tuna melt. We all ended up sitting at the same table outside, seating is hard to come by at lunch. He worked at some indie production house and was bemoaning all the vampire movies that were in production. I took note as I was just starting my vampire novella. Those productions he mentioned are just now hitting the screens and streaming services. That lunch was three years ago.
The point of this short tale is that what you see on screen today started years ago. I see far too many posts suggesting because a current movie has boffo box office this indicates a trend to follow. I say, too late to close the barn doors, the animals have fled.
Keeping abreast of trends means networking with those in the trenches. Even the trades are lagging indicators. Rich's words on networking, building relationships, were the most important comments in his Q&A. Hopefully, more folks will follow the advice and be in tune with what producers see in their market research. Look through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror.
Thanks Rich.
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Hi, Robert Franklin Godwin III. Glad I was able to attend RB's AMA! I go to the Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline websites, I get The Dailies emails, and I'm subscribed to the trades on social media. I read the trades so I know what's happening in the industry and get advice and insight on different areas of the industry. I don't read them to chase trends.
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Thank you for the thoughts. I'm hoping others post theirs as well (I put mine out there.) It was very informative especially for someone at my just-a-year-in level.
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Robert Franklin Godwin III What a fantastic takeaway and real-world example! You're right that what we see released today is the result of decisions made years ago, which makes staying connected and looking ahead so important. RB’s emphasis on networking and having real conversations with people actively working in production was such a valuable reminder. Trends aren’t born on release day, they’re seeded far earlier, and if we’re plugged into the right circles, we can anticipate rather than react. Thank you for sharing this story, it really drives the point home!
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So, Ashley, thanks so much for your very valuable suggestions! What's hot right now to be written to appeal to producers? I have had enough of robots blowing stuff up...I am sure they don't want that either.
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Robert Franklin Godwin III That’s such a powerful summary—thank you for sharing it! I truly appreciate your insights.
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Robert Franklin Godwin III Years ago I read Paul Hawken's book, "Growing A Business." (Which is a great book, btw.) In it he writes about starting a business and one quote really grabbed me: "If everyone thinks you have a good idea, you´re too late." In other words, if you look around see other businesses doing well you might think you could do the same. Sometimes that might work, but most often you're arriving late, especially given how much time and work it takes to get a business off the ground. Similar for films.