The Political Economy of Independent Film: a Case Study of Kevin Smith Films
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Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2009 The Political Economy of Independent Films: A Case Study of Kevin Smith Films Grace Kathleen Keenan Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF INDEPENDENT FILMS: A CASE STUDY OF KEVIN SMITH FILMS By GRACE KATHLEEN KEENAN A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Media Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2009 The members of the Committee approve the Thesis of Grace Kathleen Keenan defended on April 9, 2009. ____________________________________ Jennifer M. Proffitt Professor Directing Thesis ____________________________________ Stephen D. McDowell Committee Member ____________________________________ Andrew Opel Committee Member __________________________________________________ Stephen D. McDowell, Chair, Department of Communication __________________________________________________ Gary R. Heald, Interim Dean, College of Communication The Graduate School has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii For my parents, who have always seen me as their shining star iii ACKNOWLEGEMENTS Dr. Proffitt: Without your dedication to learning and students, this thesis would have been impossible. You truly have the patience of an angel. Much love. Dad: How do you put up with me? Thank you for all your emotional and financial support. Mom: You are always striving to understand. I think I get that from you. Newton Hazelbaker: Again, how do you put up with me? Thank you for your absolute and unconditional love. Laura Clements: Perhaps the most fun person I’ve ever met. You are one of my best friends and partner in crime. Thanks for rockin’ it out with me in the TA office when I needed a break from thesis writing. Danielle Holbrook: My college roommate and friend. Thanks for giving me a couch to sleep on and for being the nerd I can bounce my ideas off of. Dr. Andy Opel: Thank you for pushing me to think more radically and see the bigger picture. Dr. Steve McDowell: Thanks for your support throughout my many semesters in grad school. Kevin Smith: Thank you for providing me with great movies and an inordinate amount of writings, documentaries, and interviews to analyze. In short, thanks for being a press whore (your words, not mine). iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract..................................................................................................................................... vi INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 THE FREE MARKET FAILURE .............................................................................................. 5 Focus on the Blockbuster...................................................................................................... 23 The Definitions of Independent Film .................................................................................... 25 Points of Analysis................................................................................................................. 32 THE POLITICAL ECONOMIC APPROACH ..........................................................................34 Current Definitions............................................................................................................... 34 Political Economy of Communication .................................................................................. 35 Independent Film as a Spectrum........................................................................................... 36 THREE KEVIN SMITH FILMS...............................................................................................44 Clerks................................................................................................................................... 44 Dogma ................................................................................................................................. 51 Zack and Miri Make a Porno ................................................................................................ 57 CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................63 REFERENCES .........................................................................................................................70 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.....................................................................................................78 v ABSTRACT This thesis examines the U.S. film industry from a political economic perspective to determine the state of independent film in relation to ownership, financing, and content. Since its conception, the film industry has been controlled by a small number of companies—that is, as an oligopoly. As such, films produced outside the sphere of the majority have been labeled ‘independent.’ However, these ‘independent’ film companies either have been co-opted into the conglomerate system or have adopted their business strategies to remain competitive in the industry. However, what classifies an independent film is subjective. Throughout literary research in this area, three characteristics were considered: financial sources, budget, and content. Therefore, to redefine ‘independent’ film, this thesis used a spectrum (Table 1.1) encompassing each of these elements to analyze and reclassify three Kevin Smith films, Clerks (1994), Dogma (1999), and Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008) into one of five categories: independent, somewhat independent, dependent, minor studio, and major studio. These films were also analyzed in a political economic context examining barriers to entry and effects in content. vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Kevin Smith films have graced both domestic and global screens since his debut black and white film Clerks in 1993. He has written and directed seven other feature films: Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Jersey Girl (2004), Clerks II (2006), and Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008). Although most of Smith’s films have been financed and distributed by Miramax, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, he has been hailed as an “independent filmmaker” by many (Biskind, 2004; King, 2005; Merritt, 2000; Pierson, 1997; Tzioumakis, 2006). In a PBS “Frontline” interview with John Pierson (2001), Kevin Smith responded to his ‘independent’ label with: “For years, people have been asking, are you an independent filmmaker? Or labeling me an independent filmmaker. It depends what your interpretation of indie filmmaker is, or indie film is” (¶ 18). The definition of independent film has changed over the years and continues to become increasingly problematized with complications of ownership, financing, and content-based distinctions to consider. Six major media conglomerates dominate the film industry, producing and distributing both Hollywood blockbusters and ‘indie’ films. Robert McChesney (1999a) emphasizes the overall effect of the structure of the film industry: “By any known standard of liberal democracy, such a concentration of media power in a few self-interested firms run by some of the wealthiest people in the world poses an immediate and growing threat to our republic” (¶ 4). The conglomerates that turn the majority of profits from media commodities—in this case, films— are generally referred to as the ‘majors.’ The ‘major’ parent conglomerates and distribution companies in the film industry are: Time Warner (Warner Brothers), News Corporation (Twentieth Century Fox), General Electric (Universal), Walt Disney (Buena Vista), Viacom (Paramount Pictures), and Sony (Columbia). According to Box Office Mojo, an online movie industry publication, in 2008, distributors’ domestic market share breakdown is as follows: Warner Bros. accounted for 18.4%, Paramount 16.4%, Sony/Columbia Pictures 13.2%, Universal 11%, Twentieth Century Fox 10.5%, and Buena Vista 10.5%, which equals a combined domestic market share of 80% (“2008 Studio Market Share Breakdown,” 2009). These major conglomerates are not just dominating with their existing big budget studios, but also 1 buying out and creating ‘independent’ companies that have stakes in the market, which benefit parent companies as well. For example in 2008, in addition to the market shares above, News Corporation’s Fox Searchlight accounted for 2.4% of the market, Sony’s MGM had 1.7%, and finally Universal’s Focus Features controlled 1.4% (“2008 Studio Market Share Breakdown,” 2009). In sum, these six media conglomerates’ major film studios and their ‘independent’ subsidiaries account for an overwhelming total of 85.5% of the domestic film market share. Disney is the third largest media conglomerate with revenues for 2007 equaling $35.5 billion (S&P 500, 2008). In 1993, Disney entered the newly lucrative independent film industry after acquiring Miramax, a successful, independent film distribution company owned by Harvey and Bob Weinstein. “Disney, seeking entry into the world of independent cinema that Miramax was coming to dominate, bought out its partners for $60 million” (Mason, 2004, ¶ 6). Like The Walt Disney Company, other media conglomerates such as Sony, News Corporation, Viacom, and Time Warner have tapped into niche markets by owning ‘independent’ film companies. For example,