We’ve Been Duped!
By: Annabel M Graham
Tags: Hollywood, Film, New Zealand, Johnny Depp, Cinema

Hollywood isn’t the grail I thought it was.

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Johnny Depp:

“I’m never not shocked at the..ah..at the support and the warmth, and the love and reception…and people thanking me for something that I should be thanking them for. This is a way to be able to say thank you to the people who pay all of our salaries.” — 47th Deauville American Film Festival

From an France 24 interview with Johnny :

F24: “And despite public opinion in other places, France has always loved you back, as well. Why do you think France is different to maybe Hollywood, for example?

JD: “Than Hollywood? (laughs) um, um, there’s no, there’s just no comparison. The appreciation for, and I use the term cinema, there’s a great difference now…to what’s considered films-cinema, and movies. Um, Hollywood …seems to make movies that are continually, constantly, endlessly, boringly fractured and formulaic stories. Here? Anything’s possible?

We’ve been duped!

I have been blaming Covid for the spanner in the works of the film industry. In New Zealand, borders closed and people came home through a one way valve. A country of travellers got very, very full. I feel the cabin-fever. We have few big names in film here but really, we’re governed by this idea that the bigger studios in Hollywood are the mecca we should all turn to for an injection of $$ to keep the wheels turning. And Amazon has just bugged out, moving their LOTR TV show to the UK. In New Zealand things are done a bit differently with our Govt providing some funds towards the making of films, though the parameters can be restrictive so crowdfunding has become something to explore, and yet for the most part, we’ve all still missed the point. Crowdfunding.

That’s what those big studios are — Hollywood Corporations built on crowdfunding from all those films made and sold to the awed masses who handed over their hard earned cash and accepted that Hollywood knew what was best for them. The people trusted the studio to do right by them. And did Hollywood take advantage of this? Yes. The money poured in. How much has been hustled to create a film that, in all fairness, is one of the biggest risks you can take…but with so many compliant consumers, the risk becomes worth it. The mega budget films are made with money and debt, borrowing against the projected return of the volume of sales… until the balance of power tips.

It becomes a scapegoat-fest for the bigwigs in their towers, looking down at the kingdom they’ve built on the backs of hardworking small. The sort of Wigs who climb up the ranks forgetting about the rungs of the ladder not within their immediate vicinity. While in their positions of power, they lorded it. And like a casino, the house always wins. Who tipped the scales?

Crowdfunding built Hollywood; people making films for people.

Did Hollywood ever actually forget this or is this the dirty secret they’ve known all along and have been hiding it, burying it where they keep the other things they don’t want people to see. Did they delude themselves into believing that the people were a product too? The truth is, it’s not only YOU PEOPLE in control, but WE PEOPLE together in this. A worldwide crowdfunding cooperative and this power can quite literally implode Hollywood in on themselves, giving them the heavy-duty kick in the arse.

Pre-production, then actors bring the talent to the screen while they work the 10–12hrs plus per day with Crew on a Set to shoot the film. Then post-production, editing the footage for your eyes on screen. Skilled, hard working people in a well-oiled machine. People collaborating towards that goal to complete their best work for their production house, who get their money from…the people…. who will pay to see this film. There is so much passion down here on the floor, the workers would pay to see the film too.

You, the honeypot money-pool Hollywood has been banking on, has realised that you have the power to change things. Bend the spoon you might say. But was the spoon ever really there? … It’s a rather humbling feeling, this shift in perspective and I begin to understand Johnny’s profound gratitude for an industry funded by YOU. I am humbled…and Zen-ing out here, while I’ve been wading through jelly towards this film production grail that doesn’t actually exist, I’ve also been duped. To aim for Hollywood isn’t actually aiming high at all, rather it’s like a consolation prize with a dull tasting conformity and complicity.

As small as my voice is, I know that I have said way more than some would dare. Even down here, in my pocket of the world. It’s not a good feeling to pander to the powers that be, to stay quiet so as to be able to step forward and not lose my place on the ladder so many here are scrambling for. I wish borders would open soon and the world could get back to some normality. Because in spite of all of this, I want to help tell beautiful cinematic stories, where CGI doesn’t dominate the entire film and something is left for the imagination - where anything is possible!