The Sky . . . Isn’t Falling?

Well this is interesting, even if some may not want to hear it.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association released a study today entitled “The Sky is Rising,” in which it states that, economically speaking, the entertainment industry grew by 50 percent over the past decade and that consumer spending on entertainment also increased.

I for one am going to more movies again, but I merely attributed this to the fact that my kids are now old enough to watch themselves while Andrea and I catch a flick. In any event, as to doing my part in connection with the economic up tick in the industry, you’re welcome.

A link to the actual report is here: http://www.ccianet.org/CCIA/files/ccLibraryFiles/Filename/000000000586/TheSkyIsRising7-130.pdf .

A brief summary of some of the report’s findings are here:

• Consumer spending on entertainment as a percentage of household income rose 15% between the years of 2000 and 2008;

• Employment in the entertainment industry grew 20% during over the last decade, which apparently includes a large group of individuals – nearly half of the total increase -- who identify themselves as “independent artists”;

• Box office revenue jumped 25% from 2006 to 2010 (talking round numbers, that’s up $6 billion -- from $25.5 billion to $31.8 billion);

• The number movies produced is increasing at a terrific rate: leaping from 5,635 in 2005 to 7,193 in 2009

• The value of the entertainment industry worldwide grew nearly $300 billion between 1998 and 2010, from $449 billion to $745 billion (so nearly $25 B per year); and

• Concert sales in the U.S. went from $1.5 billion to $4.6 billion over the decade from 1999 to 2009. Now that reason to party likes it’s 1999.

As to movies produced, and box office bang, one can only assume that indy films deserve a good deal of credit for this. After all, with the increasing ease with which these films can be made, financed and distributed, many traditional barriers, long faced by film-makers, no longer exist. It’s easier than ever to create a film on a shoestring and actually get it into theaters, or directly into the homes of audience members. This is good news! It means that we’re guaranteed a treasure trove of cinematic gems that never would have seen a screening room 2 decades ago. I can’t see this as anything other than a big win for us all.

But what about the oft-heard dire statements about the death of the entertainment industry at the hands of the Internet? That’s part of what was driving SOPA. Does this mean that Sillywood will not kill Hollywood? Does it mean that Sillywood and Hollywood are on the verge of a new Golden Age, and will wander off, hand-in-hand into the sunset?

Who knows. I for one am encouraged by these figures, but stay tuned. . . .

And in the meantime, stop reading this post and go make a movie, write a film or record a song.


Jonathan Pink is an intellectual property attorney resident in the Los Angeles and Orange County offices of Bryan Cave, LLP. He can be reached at jonathan.pink@bryancave.com.