I saw the film "The Artist" this past week and it made me think of how similar the film business is to the character of George Valentin. As the silent films faded away before the advent of talking pictures, George fought against it. He gambled everything he had on trying to maintain the old ways, and he lost. Times changed and the audiences moved on leaving him penniless and unhappy.
As new technologies gain power in the entertainment industry, it seems the old guard are fighting against them as hard as they can. The internet, particularly, has promised to bring change to the entertainment landscape for some time now and that change is coming now. I marvel how history repeats itself time and again. Just as George Valentin fought against the talkies, so now the movie distribution companies are fighting against the internet.
I spoke recently with a man who has worked in film distribution for the last thirty years. While he agrees that change is difficult, painful and always uncertain, he also finds it exciting and exhilarating. He's working on finding a way to bridge the gap between the old and the new; using the knowledge and experience he has gained over the years working in the industry to benefit from the coming change. He reminded me of the character Peppy Miller from "The Artist". Peppy, while beginning her career in the silent films, embraced the talkies when they came and she soared to the top.
I do not believe "The Artist" came at this time as mere coincidence. I believe Michel Hazanavicius is trying to send a message to the industry through this film, reminding them of the past in the hopes that the future may continue to bright.
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