The Economics of Making a Movie

Ever wonder why movie theater popcorn costs so much? Or why A-list actors earn millions for each film they star in? This engaging volume looks at the business side of show business. It begins with a brief history of film, which includes colorful missteps like 1960’s Smell-O-Vision (“Odors were piped into theaters so audiences could smell the movies! It cost a lot to equip theaters for scented films, however, and the stinky idea soon blew over.”). From there, chapters move on to explain how today’s movies are made, marketed, and distributed, as well as the economic concepts that come into play along the way. Every titled spread examines a different moment in the journey from conception to home video; in “Beyond the Box Office,” for example, readers learn that “ticket sales usually make up less than half of a film’s overall revenue.” Studios increasingly rely on “ancillary revenue” such as video rentals and sales to turn profits. The book’s presentation is dynamic, brimming with large color photographs, text boxes, and captioned charts. Back matter consists of a glossary, book and Web-site suggestions for further reading, an index, and a bibliography.