Before getting into the meat of the topic, our throughts go out to all those in Southern California who are affected by the wildfires. This is not an easy ime and he devastation is massive.
For Hollywood, the industry, this is the proverbial cherry on top. Unfortunately, this is not a positive in this instance.
We covered the demise of Hollywood (the industry) over the last couple years. The industry was in bad shape before the events of the last couple days. The way I see it, this is fatal.
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The End of Hollywood
While the industry saw massive decline, it is still responsibilite for a significant amount of the production, especially in the United States.
The end is nearing. Let us start with the near term stuff.
Hollywood is shut down. The news is reporting how many actors and actresses lost their home. They include names such as Paris Hilton, James Woods, Billy Crystal, and John Goodman. While it is tragic for them, I am not really worried. Paris Hilton does not have to worry about being out on the streets.
Also affected are plenty of agents, writers, and directors. This is the first line of what makes things go.
At this time, it is unclear how far down the income scale this goes. However, it is continued downward, we could see make up artists, haridressers, and set designers also having their lives turned upside down via a complete loss.
Being one who lost everything, I can appreciate this. What was a home full of items one day is gone the next. In my case, it was a tornado that swept through, cutting a path through the neighborhood. The difference is only those in the the path were affected. One house was onliterated yet the one next to it was standing.
WIth wildfires, it torches eveyrthing it touches. Entire neighborhoods are being wiped out. This means the impact is much larger, especially as time goes by. The ones who lost their homes are not going to return to normal after a few weeks.
This means production will be delayed. For an industry that was already slow, another shutdown is the last thing that is needed. Of course, this filters down to those who are not celelbrities, since they are put on hold.
These are the same people who were popping up in the LA times, discussing how finding work was very difficult. After this, it will be impossible.
Unfortunately, there is a race taking place. Not only are there other areas seeking to attract the movei studios, we have eyeballs being taken by the likes of YouTube and other social media platforms. Finally, AI is progressing, ready to crush whatever stands in its path.
Decentralization
The Hollywood area is done for one simple reason: decentralization. While there was a time when having everything in one geographic area made sense, this is no longerr the case.
Movie studios are going to spread things out. They would be crazy not to. With Georgia, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada throwing big money at them, they are going to take hit. If it was not something they were considering before, they are now.
As stated, the industry is racing for its survival. With technology advnacing, jobs were going to be lost. Each year that passes, the gap is closing. Unfortunately, technology, once it draws even, accelerates the pace.
The numbers are showing how YouTube is outpacing the streaming platforms. Disney, Netflix, Paramount and the rest are losing ground. content creators all over the world are sharpening their skills.
Over the next few years, how movies are made is going to change dramatically. A reduction in the number of people is a foregone conclusion. The industry will get less physical and more digital. Once that happens, location is less important. With today's telecommunications' systems, people can engage almost like they are in the same room.
A lot of the rebuild in the Los Angeles area is going to take years. The industry, in that area, doesn't have that much time. People were already suffering financially. This is going to be too much for many. They simply cannot wait.
My guess is these fires only accelerated the decline of Hollywood. Some of the bigger names are going to leave, not dealing with the headaches of remaining. Those who are not so well off, but still with some means, also might vacant to greener pastures.
It is a situation that was going to happen anyway. However, instead of that taking place over 3 years, it will happen in less than one.