Penser l'économie du cinéma

Abstract

Quantitative data allow the economist to approach a study seriously because it relies on facts and not on feelings or impressions which are not compatible with scientific analysis. The subjective, partisan or debatable aspect of research often hides true analysis particularly in a broader sense in the cultural arena, and more specifically in the cinema, whereas the quantitative aspect allows the researcher to stay grounded in reality. Thus, when you hear the assertion that the “big box office American films are invading the market” by asking simple questions like “how many is big?” or “how many films are distributed, and which countries do they come from?” this allows you to place the problem on another level which certainly leads to better understanding, and which could then even bring about practical changes. While some might find this more comforting, they cannot forget that if the tools thus created improve understanding, the mechanisms involved, particularly those linked to production and exchange on the market, fail to grasp the causes and meaning of certain evolutions. Thus, turning to other non quantitative approaches is crucial to shed light on the approach they want to pursuit.

Keywords

• filmmaking economy
• quantitative approach
• American films