Virgin Megastores Closing – What Does This Mean for Film?
According to a recent news report, Virgin Megastores will close all of its retail locations by this summer. The chain that began as a music seller has positioned itself as an overall entertainment lifestyle retailer. Apparently the slumping CD retail business was not supported enough by other entertainment products to keep the stores open. In what seems to be an inversely logical move, they are shutting down their highest-profile stores first: a store in New York City’s Times Square and one in San Francisco.
Like most music retailers, they are reacting to the reality of a retail market that has moved online, with Billboard’s Top Ten being influenced as much by YouTube as radio stations. Why buy a complete CD when you can pick out the songs you like, purchase them, and skip the ones you don’t like?
What does this spell for the future of DVD sales? Is the film industry headed the way of the music industry? And if so, are we prepared for it?
There are some distinct differences between film and music. The film product is generally longer, so it’s not as easy to download. CDs contain multiple songs, where a DVD generally contains just one film. Well, except those that are episodic television series. But with the advent of Netflix’s streaming video that is instantly watchable, as well as Apple TV and on-demand video from cable companies, is it feasible to think that DVDs could join the CD as an obsolete entertainment product in 10 years?
The interesting piece of history in the music business is that much of the technology usage was pioneered by indie bands who had neither a studio or label backing, but relied upon building a fan base by word of mouth on Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube. With those social networking sites, it might be possible to become a #1 band without ever leaving your home state for a tour.
Will indie filmmakers follow that example and be the industry leaders when it comes to digital content delivery? Unlike studios, who have masses of content to protect and residual agreements to worry about, indie filmmakers have a competitive edge in the digital revolution. But do they have the technical savvy and the courage to attempt it?
So many filmmakers I meet and talk with are seeking the studio deal, trying to connect with Sony or Fox or Lionsgate or the Weinstein Company, who have faith verticals. Is that really the best path to take? What about taking a chance on technology? Is it possible to leverage social network the way musicians have? Is there a digital audience and revenue stream for film?
We hear so much about Christian film following the path of Christian music (which is behind general market music) – wouldn’t it be awesome to be the pathfinders instead of the path followers for once?
I think it would be wise to follow both models — the traditional path (because the big studios are still major gatekeepers) and the path of the pioneer and read up on what are the current methods via internet models that are working.
This Scripture in Ecclesiastes speaks much wisdom to me about conducting business in these unknown days of technology and bad economies: (New International Version) Ecclesiastes 11
” 1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.
2 Give portions to seven, yes to eight,
for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
3 If clouds are full of water,they pour rain upon the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,in the place where it falls, there will it lie.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed [a] in a mother’s womb,so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”
March 4th, 2009 at 9:08 am
This is a good article: I started a thread on this subject here:
http://www.christianfilmmakers.org/forums/viewthread/3540/
March 4th, 2009 at 9:15 am
[...] Continued here: Virgin Megastores Closing – What Does This Mean for Film … [...]
March 5th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
The closing of a chain of stores, no matter what kind of store, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If a business can’t compete in our ever changing technological world it will close. It will be replaced by other businesses that can and do provide the services and products people will buy – at prices they will pay.
As for what this means for the film industry, it doesn’t mean anything at all. People will buy movies that are worth buying no matter what format or medium they are made available on.
A more relevent question on this forum is: Will the Christian film industry make films people will continue to buy?
Are we watching these movies simply because the word Christian is in the description? I don’t think that is enough to keep the buyer interested.
The Christian movie industry needs better stories. Acting and overall production quality is second to a good story. And good stories don’t require big budgets.
So, to all the Christian film makers and the companies that sell them, focus on the story and you won’t have to worry about anything else.
March 5th, 2009 at 6:59 pm