Joshua Chaffin, reports on the current trends in the Film Industry. Although Superman and Pirates of the Caribbean are enjoying records setting box office numbers, major studios are downsizing. Some industry experts suggest that this Summer’s numbers mark a revival in profit, especially due to last years disappointing numbers. Nevertheless, studios are reducing staffs, cutting the number of film released, spending more efficiently or as some claim cutting out generosity, all in an attempt to maximize profits. Even Tom Cruise took a pay cut in the third installment of the Mission Impossible series. Disney is the only major studio that has not reduced employee numbers, but Chaffin suggests that it is just a matter of time. According to Chaffin, even the success of this summer’s blockbusters reflect overall numbers hovering around the profits of four years ago. Chaffin claims that this is because DVD sales are no longer experiencing the growth they once were.

I was quite impressed by the box office numbers and at first did not agree with the author. Yet after examining the waning profits of DVD’s, I was convinced that downsizing is a matter of fact in the film industry. This industry information is pertinent to CLIC’s or film archives because essentially jobs in such libraries are being cut.

I would like to see some literature on film libraries outside of the studio system. I am wondering if film libraries outside of Hollywood are being affected by this downsizing.