Gen Z - They are Different

Gen Zs (often referred to as Zoomers) are perplexing and, in many cases, behave very contrary to established business and marketing norms. To help understand this generation, I've compiled some insights regarding this truly first digital demographic.

Gen Z Snapshot

Born: 1995-2010 / Age: 14 to 29 / Size: 68.8 million, about 20% of the U.S. population

Median Income: $38,300 for those 20-29 years old

Cities with most Gen Zs: Minneapolis, Atlanta, Boston, Columbus, Raleigh, Tucson, Austin

By 2030, they will comprise about 30% of the workforce; therefore, understanding the motives that shape their behaviors is important. They are the most diverse of the generations - 48% are non-white compared to 18% of boomers who share that designation. They wield about $360 billion in buying/spending power so they cannot be ignored. 

Pew Research confirmed that Zs preferred social platforms are TikTok and Snapchat spending about 24 to 48 hours per month on TikTok alone. Pew's research also showed Zs interact with brands via their phones and visually oriented websites. Most important, a whopping, 80% believe that brands are disingenuous and say and advertise things they don't sincerely stand behind - placing enormous value on authenticity. 

About one-third of Zs are actively involved is some form of activism compared to 24% of Millennials. However, only 27% donate money to any cause. Their areas of concern: inflation/cost of living, health-care access/cost, housing affordability, climate-change, and income inequality - in that order.

So, there you have it. Zoomers are the first digital generation and the first really diverse group ethnically. They exhibit self-awareness, uniqueness and have a strong sense of fairness.

By: Jim Lavorato 

An Oscar for Best Stunts is Long Overdo

 

There has been pressure placed on the Academy for years regarding the inclusion of an Oscar category for stunt work. Stunt work has essentially gone unrecognized by all of the major award shows. However, the Academy, which is undergoing a reshaping in an effort to rejuvenate its brand is seriously, and most likely will, establish a Best Stunts Oscar category.

The Academy has already added a new Award that will be launched in two years for Best Casting Directors. So, there is strong momentum in establishing a Stunt Award.

There's doubt that stunts are an integral part of most movies and TV content, and it is long overdo that this art form be recognized for its huge impact on virtually all forms of entertainment. CMG is strongly in favor of establishing a Best Stunts Oscar category.

By: Jim Lavorato

AI's Impact on Filmmaking

 

There is no doubt that AI will be transformative throughout all facets of what we do in the future, and that includes the cinema. Many in the film industry are adamantly against its use, while others say they must embrace it. One thing is clear, AI is a technological advance and its use is inevitable.

Streaming is still impacting the filmmaking business model, and, like AI, it is a blessing and a curse. I favor the big screen over the TV screen every time I want an immerse entertainment experience. Having said that, there is no denying the positive impact streaming has had on expanding the amount of viewing content across all genres. Every filmmaker wants to make big screen releases but that just cannot happen given the time and budget a full-length feature requires.

The question often raised by pundits in the movie industry, "Is the cinema losing its identity and will people abandon the cinema altogether? I say no, not any time soon, if ever. From its inception, the cinema has been evolving, collapsing, building, and redefining itself. The future of the cinema has always been the creative types developing fresh, unique stories about characters and worlds we cannot imagine.

So, it's not time to close the curtain on the cinema, and in fact, I believe AI maybe the catalyst that pushes the cinema into new and unchartered entertainment experiences. 

By: Jim Lavorato

New Study Indicates Teens Adverse to Sex in Movies

 A study from the University of California at Los Angeles entitled, "Teens and Screens" has reported that the 10–24-year-old age group would like to see less sexual content in films and TV shows.

The study, which polled 1,500 respondents, found that 62% favored less gratuitous sex in viewed content. According to the report, adolescents, teens, and young adults were, "tired of seeing the same dated and unrelatable romance scenes."

Their favorite form of entertainment was found to be playing video games, watching TV and movies, and scrolling social media platforms - in that order.

Why are the results of this study not surprising? Adolescents and young adults can view all the sex they want online. Further, it's not surprising that fantasy films are at the top of their watch list. 

UCLA could have just contacted CMG for the answers and saved a lot of time and money compiling this report.

By: Jim Lavorato

'View-Master' Movie

 

Mattel, the maker of Barbie and Fisher-Price toys is producing a film about the stereoscopic image device, 'View-Master'. 

The film will be a live action production with Sony Pictures and Escape Artists helming the project along with Mattel's in-house TV and film staff. 

First developed in 1939, Mattel describes the View-Master as a generational toy that took users all over the world with its 3D images.

What the movie is about and how it will entice audiences is yet to be determined. Mattel will only say, in promotional material, that it will be "a four-quadrant family adventure." I'm not sure what that means.

As of now, the movie will be called 'View-Master' but has no formal production schedule. Mattel does have a long list of films and TV shows based on its vast toy portfolio - its most famous being 'Barbie" which grossed $1.4 billion globally. 

I had a View-Master as a child. I'd slide in the picture wheel with images of far-off places and clicked on the switch to advance the wheel. I believe there were 20 images per wheel. It was great fun.

By: Jim Lavorato

Keanu As Clean-shaven 'Wick'

 Believe it or not, one of the biggest battles in obtaining financing for the 'John Wick' franchise was Keanu Reeves's beard. The investors wanted a clean-shaven Wick. The producers and director were told, "we don't want to cover-up the leading man's face. He needs to be shaven for the international audience."

Obviously, the Director, Chad Stahelski won out. He says, "we wanted people to view the character not as Keanu." As the story goes, after the first day of shooting and watching the dailies, everyone loved the 'look'.

Keanu Reeves as 'John Wick'

Union Deals Have Forced Production Out of H'wood

 Sony Pictures CEO, Tony Vinciguerra, says that the union deals agreed to during last year's strikes are forcing movie production out of the U.S. 

"The cost differential between the U.S. and countries like the U.K., Australia, and particularly those in Eastern Europe are forcing a migration abroad. The contract terms are forcing production out of the U.S. as we speak. We told the unions this would happen and it's happening." 

Tony Vinciguerra, Sony Pictures CEO

The one sure thing is that the demand for entertainment is not going away. It is going to grow, but most of that content won't be produced in the U.S. 

Musk and 'Blade Runner 2049' Still at It

 

Musk

As a follow up to our post of 10/21/24 where we discussed the lawsuit being brought against Elon Musk for the illegal use of the 'Blade Runner 2049' image, it appears that Elon had a three-word response - "that movie sucked", which he posted on the X social-media platform.

Musk, Tesla, and Warner Bros. Discovery are accused of "misappropriating the intellectual property" of Alcon Entertainment's 'Blade Runner 2049' during the promotional launch of Tesla's Robotaxi self-driving 'cypercab'.

Released in 2017, 'Blade Runner 2049' grossed $267 million globally and won two Oscars, for Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects.

CMG still can't figure out what the suit is all about. The so-called infringed image does not convey 'Blade Runner' upon view.

The lower image was the one used in the Tesla promotion

By: Jim Lavorato

Musk Gets Sued for Robotaxi Promo

 

Does this image scream "Blade Runner 2049"?

Elon Musk, Tesla, and Warner Bros. Discovery are being sued by Alcon Entertainment over alleged use of images from the film "Blade Runner 2049" to promote the Tesla RoboTaxi.or, oft called Cybercab.

The Cybercab is a Tesla auto that the company says it wants to produce by 2027 for under $30,000.

Alcon's suit claims the defendants used an AI generated "fake image" to produce an 11 second promotional film for the Cybercab. Alcon also stated that beyond the legal issues, the company does not want Musk to be affiliated with its project, due to his "arbitrary behavior and use of hate speech."

Wow. This reeks of cancel culture on Alcon's part. Musk is backing Trump's reelection, and it appears Alcom can't help itself, going beyond the legal aspects of the suit and into personal derogatoriness of Musk. A big mistake 

Looking at the image (above) I didn't automatically think 'Blade Runner'. The image is simply a man in a trench coat viewing a dystopian city landscape.

Alcon is seeking damages due to what it alleges are copyright infringement and false endorsement - I don't see it.

By: Jim Lavorato

Vegas Sphere Will Be Replicated

 

Las Vegas Sphere Venue

The Las Vegas Sphere will get a twin, and others are expected to be constructed. The second Sphere will be built in Abu Dhabi.

James Dolan, CEO of Sphere Entertainment stated that "the Sphere is a unique venue offering cutting-edge entertainment by setting new standards in immersive experiences and cultural offerings."

The Vegas Sphere opened in September 2023 and is reported to have cost over $2 billion. It reported revenue of $273 million for its latest fiscal quarter, so payback will take time but is eminent.

Sphere can change colors

Sphere's opening show was 'U2" followed by "Dead & Company'. It is currently headlining 'The Eagles'

Dolby Sells Iconic Theater

 

Dolby Theater holds Oscars

Dolby has sold its Hollywood Theater, home of the Academy Awards. The 3,400 seat Theater was sold to

Jebs Hollywood Enterprises. Jebs is a holding company made up of a group of investors, including Two Girls Holdings, and Sheikh Abdulla Bin Al Qasimi through the investment firm Master International Group. 

Neither Dolby nor the new owners have made the particulars of the deal public but rumors as the sale was "around the $50 million mark."

The Oscars have been held at the Dolby since 2002. The Theater also holds live events including "The Nutcracker" and other concerts. The new owners would like to continue its association with the Academy but so far there has been no comments from them.

James Bond Day

October 5th is Bond Day. It was October 5th, 1962, when Dr. No, the first Bond film debuted. In reality the true beginning of Bond was April 13, 1953, when the first Bond novel was released, "Casino Royale" by Ian Fleming.

Kim Sherwood has penned two Bond novels

What is interesting is that the Bond saga didn't end with Fleming's death. The literary world of James Bond is much more complex - and 007 books proliferate. 

For example, "Carte Blanche" a Bond novel by Jeffery Deaver (2011) shows a hard-edged Bond, where Bond tries to determine who killed his parents.

Jeffery Deaver, Bond author

"A Spy Like Me" by Kim Sherwood (2024) is her latest Bond novel (follows "Double or Nothing" (2023) where she has created three 00 agents. In her latest, Sherwood has three agents, 003 - Johanna Hardwood, 004 - Joseph Dayden, and 000 - Conrad Vane. All are introduced in a present-day setting.

"Forever and A Day" by Anthony Horowitz explores what a young Bond would have been like. While "Solo" by William Boyd (2013) is a work that attempts to fill in the Bond literary chronology. 

"Colonel Sun", a novel by Kingsley Amis (1968), who was a close friend of Fleming, penned a comic work where Bond rescues his boss - 'M'. 

All of these works are a great fun read. They prove, once again, that Bond is not a commonplace character but a very complex and deep construct with many favorable attributes but that is also flawed.

Pick up one of these novels which extend the Bond mystique and enjoy the ride.

By: Jim Lavorato