Malathor posted an interesting analysis on the economist about why crap rises to the top. Rather than have it buried in the twilight thread, I thought the article was insightful enough to warrant its own thread.
Now I’m wondering if there’s anyway to circumvent this phenomenon or the future will be awash in Twilight and Transformer clones.
You mean like Archeological adventure movie clones, Science Fantasy movie clones, Parody movie clones, ancient historical war movie clones, Vietnam movie clones, superhero movie clones, Cop buddy movie clones, and Awkward Comedy movie clones? There is no escaping that future. Emo Vampire movie clones will assault our senses for the next few years.
Welcome to the desert of the real. The good news is our bouncing ball moves so fast now, you won’t have to divorce popular culture. The next fad will be along shortly.
Is it too early to call this The Jose Liz Effect?
What do you mean?
Jose consumes a lot. He played five different versions of DJ Hero, just so he could write the same review five times.
That was a great explanation of the way hits gather more momentum, obscuria thrive and the middle ground loses its way. Reading an analysis like that is liable to instantly make one have 27% more media savvy. Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in the relative success of creative works and the causes thereof.
It won’t be awash in them. Sure, it might seem that way when the popular dross gets more and more publicity as success breeds success but actually there are more and more titles to choose from. Also the article says this. For those in the know the pickings are getting richer and not meagrer.
There is even less need to subsist merely on deficient media as the long tail whips ever more interesting curios into the collective vision of discriminating enthusiasts like us. Let the feeble frenzy feed on the cardboard cutouts, we still get to enjoy the real freshly baked all-natural whole grain bread produced by people who actually think.
I think you should win some kind of metaphor mixing prize.
Feeble Frenzy would make a pretty good title for a zombie flick.
Interesting article, was considering posting yesterday.
The simple answer, of course, is that for most people, adequate is good enough. Marketing raises awareness, they go see it, if its adequate (or in the case of Transformers 2, mindblowing), then that’s splendid. They got their money’s worth.
We all go see the popular shit.
I’m actually kind of surprised people are surprised. It’s so much harder to drive huge hits into the mainstream now that it only makes sense they’re going to get more penetration. There still has to be something to talk about at the watercooler.
That said, I think there are going to be far more tiers of success than their ever have been before.
Maybe I read it wrong but I’m pretty sure the article is stating the exact opposite where the entire middle range isn’t viable and we’ll be left with nothing but expensive niche media and super mega (stupid) blockbuster.
That doesn’t follow, though. Hits come from somewhere. You can make some by formula, but you don’t get Titanic or Halo or American Idol without trying new things. Once you’ve started a franchise, that franchise will slowly bleed viewers until it dies - see the Star Trek phenomenon in the nineties. There will always be big rewards available for people willing to take risks on new creative material. Media that’s tailored to its niche will never leave that niche - that’s the problem comics continue to struggle with.
that’s the problem superhero comics struggle with
the explosion of the acceptance of comics ( through the high falutin’ Graphic Novel moniker or through “manga”) was one of the unexpected pleasant surprises of the 00s.
the inability for “bang pow comics aren’t just for kids” to die is one of the unexpected awful surprises of the 00s.
This is a far better title. Less numbers in the OP, too. Numbers are scary.