Friday, October 06, 2006

Goerge Lucas future with the Silver Screen

According to Variety, following the remaining of the cinema school at USC, Lucas shared some of his future plans.

Lucas says he has decided that studios are doing it all wrong these days.

Lucas doesn't see the future in huge mega-budget films for this current era.

"We don't want to make movies. We're about to get into television. As far as Lucasfilm is concerned, we've moved away from the feature film thing because it's too expensive and it's too risky. I think the secret to the future is quantity," Lucas said.

So instead, LucasFilm is going to focus on things like short products, like television. The philosophy as I understand it, is that the movie theater culture is putting way too much risk into expensive films, with sucsessful sequels, and that if that's the only thing coming out, then some are destined to be huge financial disappointments.

The article says Lucas "believes Americans are abandoning the moviegoing habit for good." Instead, they will chose to download what they watch, and having a lot of choices is going to capture more people's interest, not single big-budget products.

Yet, Lucas says he's still working with Steven Speilburg on Indiana Jones 4 and Red Tails (a film about the Tuskegee airmen of WWII)...both of which Lucas says he's been working on for the past 15 years. Also Lucas said that Lucas Animation is still planning on making some feature films in the future as well.

(via)
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7 comments:

Darrell said...

The article says Lucas "believes Americans are abandoning the moviegoing habit for good."

I think it's just that his most recent Star Wars films didn't become the biggest selling movies in the history of the universe, so he has decided that it must be that people don't want to go to the theaters... I mean, it couldn't possibly be because this last three movies kinda sorta really really sucked.

Lyndon said...

Why does George need to make feature films, when he can rerelease the same film over and over and over again?

Heaven forbid, he actually try to make a movie with out special effects, elaborate sets and overpriced actors.

Ando said...

I think the secret to the future is quantity," Lucas said.

As opposed to the "quality" stuff he's been putting out lately?

Terence Towles Canote said...

Well, I have to disagree with Lucas. I don't think Americans are abandoning movie going. Indeed, it has survived television, video cassettes, and DVDS. It will survive downloading, too. After all, movie going offers something unique to audiences--the chance to experience a movie with a room full of complete strangers. There's nothing else quite like it and I don't think many Americans will ever give it up.

matt of comooxdom said...

I can't wait for Indie 4! - I just can't imagine how Harrison ford is going to be in it.

Paula said...

Lucas has lost his mind. He can make TV if he wants, but people aren't watching that anymore, either. We like renting DVD's, we like having control over what we watch.

At least, I do. LOL!

jasdye said...

is this interview from the '80s? it's that whole apocalyptic good-ol
-days-are-gone come round again. feature movies aren't in any worse shape than they were 15 years ago. (although he might be right to eschew the studio system at large).

still, the guy produced some low-key movies, and i loved (as a young teen) the 'young indiana jones' tv series. and, you gotta admit, he loves seriels, which tv would allow him to do better than movies (the star wars prequels, for example. or as we shall see, the coffin in the indy series upcoming here.)

it's late. why am i still up? i know i'm not making sense...