The most attended convention in the film industry is Show West.  An international gathering of promoters and film celebrities, stars, filmmakers – Show West is focused solely on the business of the MOVIES – what moves the public to see a film.

 

 

From March 10 through the 13, Show West was presented at Bally’s and the Paris Hotels. It drew nearly five thousand attendees from the film industry.  At the convention, there  were representatives from over 50 countries from around the globe.

 

Digital imaging is already here and on our home receivers and has even brought a third dimensional feel to our home screens, as well as, the theater screens.  IMAX has been with us for over ten years now.  Now, the focus is on to 3-D and formidable studios, such as Disney, are ripe and ready to enter this new realm.

 

Three-Dimensional – that was the key word and focus from Dave Monk, the CEO of European Digital Cinema Forum.  Mr. Monk said, “3-D! 3-D! 3-D!’ This was explained as the future of the industry and was continuously emphasized throughout his presentation.  The motion picture industry cannot totally prevent piracy of film.  Watchdogs keep on fighting, but with 3-D there is a greater security in the film itself.  Always a major concern, piracy has become rampant throughout the world.  By turning to three-dimensional cinema, the devices that are used to make dubs (duplicates) of films would then be unable to copy the film itself. 

 

What then would happen to the millions of theaters that are not outfitted for 3-D films?

 

Would the ticket prices have to rise again to accommodate the cost of screening these films because of the purchasing of the new technology?  Yes, 3-D sounds very good, but at a time when we are entering a recession, and recession and depression times have always meant good box office returns, this would inflate the price per ticket and stop many a movie-goer whose personal budget could no longer afford to take one’s self or their families to a film. Presently, a family of four will spend about $50 to see a two-hour or less film.  Yes – it takes you away – helps people escape, but at what price????  Does this mean a greater use of home systems and more rentals of DVD’s?  We believe that it does!   Whenever new technology comes into being, the initial cost of purchasing the machinery to play the new formats is very high. It will certainly take several years to become reasonable enough to include it in our homes.

 

Remember Betamax?  Some spent a good deal of money only to have it become obsolete and then have to buy a VHS formatted player. A few years later,  DVD’s became the only way to go – including at the video rental outlets –and  if you still need to rent or buy a VHS – you can, but it is hard to find.  Think further back, what happened in the record industry, when vinyl was dead and all those albums became obsolete?  Finally, in recent years, because of their increasing value of being collector’s items – new machines were made – the same type from years back – to play those 78’s, 45’s and 33 and 1/3’s.  Eight track tapes – tapes – it all keeps going – the ones who make out are the manufacturers – not the consumer!

 

So – it boils down to simply this – 3-D will be here, but will it have enough pull to make people spend the money they do not have to keep up with technology?  Entertainment is to soothe us and make us escape – not place us in debt.

 

ShoWest had also its bright gala events.  This year the awards were as follows:

 

Female Star of the Year                                   Anne Hathaway

Male Star of the Year                                      Robert Downey, Jr.

Comedy Star of the Year                                  Seth Rogen

Female Star of Tomorrow                                 Abigail Breslin

Male Star of Tomorrow                                    Emile Hirsch

Producer of the Year                                       Charles Roven

Director of the Year                                        Christopher Nolan

Distinguished Decade of Achievement in Film        Brendan Fraser

Vanguard Award                                             Sarah Jessica Parker

Ensemble Award                                             Cast of “21”

 

 

Robert Redford was the recipient of the ShoWest Visionary Award       

Upon the presentation of his award, Mr. Redford told an anecdote from a past experience.  Once, when he was in a restaurant in Napa Valley, near his home, a man kept starring at him, making Redford quite uncomfortable.  Finally, the man arose, came over to Redford’s table and apologized for interrupting Redford’s dinner.  He told him that he really admired his acting and totally enjoyed his salad dressing, too!   Well – that’s Hollywood folks!!!  Well, tttttthat’s all folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!