Here’s one from the June 1972 issue of American Cinematographer regarding a conference held at USC to discuss the perilous state of the motion picture business. Paneled by a selection of heavyweights and attended by crowds of young aspirants, some of its gloomy predictions and tales of woe seem to have set the template for every similar meeting since.
I can’t tell you how many of these things I’ve sat through, always hoping that someone would have something convincingly positive to say; they never did. Looking back, it should’ve been no surprise. The movie industry has always functioned out of fear. It’s rife with negativity at every level, and there’s always someone around who’s predicting disaster. Of course, the past few years have given us serious reasons to consider the dark side. But that’s no excuse for wallowing in misery, especially when most of it is an illusion.
I’m not being flippant when I say that. If there has been one constant throughout Hollywood’s history, it’s that nothing stays the same for very long. Good times, bad times, indifferent times…they’re all temporary states that we often don’t recognize until they’ve passed. And yet, life and this business have carried on. I laughed at several points while reading the article. Just change some of the terminology and the words ring true in many ways for what we’re experiencing today. Soon, that’ll morph into something else, too.
Have a read and judge for yourself.
I particularly subscribe to the ideas of John Alonzo & Fouad Said. Visionaries!
For sure Sydney Pollack, was also a true artist.
I had the honor of working with him as an actor on Will & Grace; and had the pleasure of speaking with him about “Jeremiah Johnson” which he directed and is one my favorite films.