Star Wars is a movie but in essence it’s basically a 2 hour commercial to sell toys and other merch or at least I’m sure that’s how Disney shareholders see it, but the bobs and kkk see it as a way to push their agenda. Too bad Disney shareholders, the ceo you chose has decided to go woke and therefore make Disney go broke, remember how that worked our for Gillette? Are those sequel trilogy toys flying off the shelves, NO? Well, kiss the billions in merch sales goodby as well as your profits from owning Disney stock. Maybe when Disney stock tumbles you can sell your worthless stock and buy a rose tico from the bargain bin. At least you can feel good about your decision to back, Disney. How stunning and brave ... and broke you will be ...
Meme the Job channel helps me deal with corporate madness, but this guy is a true prophet. And, you are right. These fools could not imbibe truth no matter how many umbrellas you put in their drink
But a corporation can't truly fail. It just gets sold off, cannabalized and its debts transferred somewhere over the rainbow until eventually you have one mega corp that gobbles all the others like Pac-Man (or the The Langoliers) until there is nothing left.
I've been saying something along these lines for a while but of course not with any scripted elegance as shown in this video. Just bits n pieces from this particular schlub's perspective on why people more rich and powerful than I'll ever be, continue to be rich and powerful despite all of their flounderings and flailings, their open hostility and contempt for fans and audiences, and decidedly dickheaded approach to engagement that isn't focus-grouped to R'lyeh and back, and just as twistedly sinister. Corporate music, jargon, and attitude has effectively trickled down to the tepid pool of mundane, generic, nothingburger everyday, and it's, no exaggeration, dangerous and disturbing. Corporatocracy affects different mediums and even countries differently, but the toxic relationship between: money and the things people do to get it, and the people who it ultimately comes from, needs to be reconsidered. The moneyed elite forgot those Twitter likes don't magickally become dollars, and being "woke" is not, and never will be enough. They'll run campaigns to magnify first world oppression, while pressing the boot harder on the poor from whom they reap all benefit. But at least, I don't have an iPhone, thank fuck. 🙆🏿♀️
These corporations are doing what the average guy does - give all it's resources to pander to women. Do you guys see franchises like Twilight remade to insult the female fans? No. It's only the male fans that get their stuff turned to garbage
Star Wars is a movie but in essence it’s basically a 2 hour commercial to sell toys and other merch or at least I’m sure that’s how Disney shareholders see it, but the bobs and kkk see it as a way to push their agenda. Too bad Disney shareholders, the ceo you chose has decided to go woke and therefore make Disney go broke, remember how that worked our for Gillette? Are those sequel trilogy toys flying off the shelves, NO? Well, kiss the billions in merch sales goodby as well as your profits from owning Disney stock. Maybe when Disney stock tumbles you can sell your worthless stock and buy a rose tico from the bargain bin. At least you can feel good about your decision to back, Disney. How stunning and brave and broke you will be ...
@@sciencescripture It makes me envy Bandai. Yes, the only reason they make shows about giant robots is because they're selling toys, but at least they know who they're selling to and not insulting them.
Hate to burst your bubble, this has happened everywhere. Put self promoting narcissistic sociopaths in charge and this is what you stuck with. Good honest people are usually to polite to call them out. Thank you for being the hammer of truth.
Yes - I instantly recognised all the patterns and attitudes described and I don't work in the entertainment industry. Unfortunately, It's everywhere. Soon there will be no corner of human activity that hasn't been turned into a sociopathic, presentation-focused, creativity-free black-hole. These 'non-people' have always been with us, but the social environment of recent years, for some reason, seems to have given them an enormous boost in power and influence. This is very bad news for all the humans trapped in their 'advancement and presentation' machinery. The word 'sociopath' in this context , is absolutely correct. The pattern of behaviours and attitudes - responsibility avoidance, presentation over reality, a disdain for creativity or truth - is sociopathic. These people are societal parasites.
@@magrathean0 The name of that virus is called Financialization. I suggest you read either Bob Lutz's _Bean Counters vs. Car Guys_ or _Makers & Takers_ by Rana Foroohar.
How are you bursting **my** bubble? I'm the one saying in this video that it's not limited to Hollywood. I literally cite multiple examples from other businesses that I witnessed firsthand. You need to burst someone else's bubble, because if you're paying attention, mine was burst LONG AGO.
Even if you were to pull it off and run this on loop 24/7 , it would not matter. For a simple reason: In order for them to understand it and take it to heart they would need to be able to reflect upon things - which in itself is a creative task to some extent. But as this video already pointed out, creativity is exactly what they are lacking. Therefore no ability for self-reflection, and therefore no way that this video would change their minds. And their bloated egos don't help things either.
Quite honestly, although that whiteboard was horrible, when I thought about Jedi with lightsabers drawn, flying on dragons or something (like Obi-Wan on the lizard, but in the sky) I got excited about the idea of something NEW. Then I remembered the Disney SW movies they've made so far, and realised they just want to reference ideas we already saw.
This is, weirdly, why I've come to appreciate Michael Eisner more now than I did 10 years ago. Yes he was corporate, and yes he made mistakes, but he saved a moribund Disney by encouraging creativity and expansion of the company. Without him we wouldn't have had the Disney Renaissance, Disney Afternoon, Disney Channel, Disney Cruise Lines, Disney Store, expansion of Walt Disney World, or Disneyland Paris. Even his fetish for Michael Graves architecture (the Swan and Dolphin Resorts at WDW, the Team Disney and Animation buildings at the Burbank studios) shows some kind of creative aesthetic taste. The soullessness were all attributing to him has reached it apotheosis in Bob Iger... An acquisition-hungry corporate monolith that doesn't even know how to manage its own properties successfully. A perfect example of your whole thesis here are the new hotels they're building at WDW: these bland, themeless, corporate-looking edifices that could be off any interstate in any city.
Eisner, although he ballooned Disney into the mega-corporation it is today, knew how to respect creativity and take risks. And, especially by comparison to Iger, was SO much better. Heck, even his "quantity over quality" approach to pushing out thousands of direct-to-video/dvd sequels still spurred creativity by being an outlet for more creatives to prove their worth. Plus, it was a cool treat for the fans. And some of those films are IMO great! However, Eisner did have 2 massive missteps; shuttering Disney's 2d Animation in favor of Pixar/CGI, (I'll never forgive him pitting two of his OWN FILMS, Atlantis and Monsters Inc. against each other in a box office battle to the death. So unfair to Atlantis) and the negotiation catastrophy that peeved off Steve Jobs and Pixar and almost coroded their relationship. To be fair, though, outright buying Pixar so you could slave them to work for you forever wasn't the correct solution to that situation. - But that's exactly what Bob Iger did - literally one of his very first decisions/actions once assuming the CEO's chair!
I've been thinking the same thing as of late. Especially after that Imagineering docu-series. I think the years of certain risks not paying off turned him into the kind of CEO he became toward the end. What's funny is how on the subject of that series, while it was honest and poignant about the past, I told my wife, "just watch, when we get to the end of this thing it's going to be a video brochure"...and that's exactly what happened.
Watch the Defunctland episode about the failed Disney America park that Eisner tried to get built outside of D.C. He was the consummate risk taker and was the best thing to happen to Disney and they have been coasting on the fumes of his leadership for the last two decades.
E.g. I have lost count of the number of times a supposed "fan" will RAVE over whatever the latest MCU movie is "Oh my god! That movie was AMAZING. I give it a 9 or a 10! Easily!", then when the movie comes out for purchase six months later (or sometimes sooner!), that SAME person with that SAME movie becomes "Yeah, that movie was pretty good, I guess. I might watch it again someday. Maybe. But I'll have to think about whether I actually wanna buy it or not....." (Then repeat that cycle for the next comic book movie). Like Michael basically said: Why do these companies foolishly court the LEAST loyal audiences, when vintage Star Wars, Star Trek, Dr. Who, and real comics fans will LOYALLY repeatedly read and watch the genuine mythology over, and over, and over, and over..... (Case in point: Ever since it first premiered in 1993, I have watched the entire series Star Trek:Deep Space Nine at least 25 times, minimal! And I STILL rewatch it at times like it's brand new!)
@@blackRXrider There's a big difference between making something with casual fans in mind versus making something for people who are not fans at all. But generally speaking, with a long-running, popular franchise like Star Wars, if you please the dedicated fans, the casual are going to be happy too.
The entertainment industry MUST die. There is no other way, the purge must happen and actual entertainment from ACTUAL talented artists will rise from the ashes like the phoenix. Their ignorance and egos have reached a dead end and they dropped the bar so much even a 5 year old can compete with them creatively. And not only that. The massive political ideologies and propaganda they have worked into beloved franchises has completely corrupted everything we used to like. These people are nothing short but cultural vandals and Mao's chinese revoliton-style culture destroyers. Their goal is to destroy mankind's mind, dreams and hopes. Because such people are easy to control & dominate.
It's time to start a revolution not just the industry but the corporations and media start the trend let's protest let are Voice be heard the Great Awakening is here and the Revolution has began
As a young 21 year old on the cusp of graduating with a PR degree...you couldn't be more right. I've loved film and entertainment since I was a child. Star Wars blew my 8 year old mind, even in 2007. I love creativity and the passions that inspired franchises like Star Wars, Doctor Who, Transformers (even though that was a corporate creation, but a great one). I persued PR because I'm a good speaker and I loved the idea of one day reperesenting a media company I genuinely find compelling. Three years in and PR was the worst decision of my life. My lecturers, all experienced industry professionals held in high regard, are some of the most self absorbed, uncaring, selfish and rude people I have ever had to meet. They give us projects they half explain and tear us to shreds when they arent absolute perfection. They suck every ounch of creativity out or redirect it was much as possible through the corporate model. Our guest speakers, usually people in high regard and status within PR and/or media, are with few exceptions people obsessed only with money. In my second year, one of Europes most successful PR practitioners and someone I held as a hero told us if we wanted to succeed, it wouldn't matter if our parents were dying - if PR calls, you go. She openly talked about how you shouldnt have a family if you want to make it big. It was the hour of my life where I realised that, with some exceptions, most of the people in the media industry are like this. I say that as someone who has enjoyed some of the more controversial reworks of the last few years (Rian Johnson nd Taika Wattitis stuff particularly). I love this stuff. I loved the idea of working in this industry. But the sad reality is most of the people in it are self obsessed social climbers looking at a bottom line and seeing people (and in my case, nieve students who believe they can make a difference) as tools. Its crushing. I have no intention on ever using my PR degree unless its with a charity or something I believe in. I want to stay as far away from the media industry as possible. Micheal, I dont always agree with the specifics you mention, but I absolutely agree with your sentiment. Teriffic video. And as someone who I know isnt a prequel fan and is skeptical about new entertainment...I'm glad you highlighted Faverau and Filoni as exceptions. Filoni took the prequel era and setting and through the clone wars series made an era not only worthy of the originals, but new and innovative without leaving the core behind. He and Faverau did something similar through the mandalorian (which Id love to see you review btw)
I used to feel bad for failing in Hollywood. Now I understand why it happened and I'm glad it did. Trying to create in that environment sounds like absolute hell.
I know how you feel. It's like such people aren't even human. This guy is a true prophet! Also, check the Meme the Job channel...same perspective, but it's horrid memes.
@@DestroyedArkana Be of good cheer, citizen! They WILL change, or be changed. And in ways and by means they will not anticipate. As it ever has been...
Ultimately, you see an industry where increasing amounts of money are spent on tent-poles with the hope of getting big paybacks, and audiences which at some point will become bored from seeing the same re-skinned movies, TV shows, etc., that they will select fewer ones to watch.
Michael, how do consistently outdo yourself when it comes to your commentaries on pop culture and take them to a whole new level??? On a scale from one to ten.....this was a FOURTEEN! I spent virtually the entire half hour like this: ✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊!!!! 'When acquistion and risk aversion, take precedence over invention and creativity, you are all but destined to fail in the long-term!'🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 This is THE best commentary/post on the current dysfunction of pop/geek culture......I have ever seen. Michael, your insights and analyses, are nothing short of EPICALLY BRILLIANT and appreciated more than you could ever imagine! ✊
It was Michael's "Canon is Overrated" video that instantly made me subscribe to Retroblasting. I then learned he also did awesome toy reviews and restoration and I got sad that I couldn't sub again.
I cannot believe how many times I was agreeing aloud with this video. It describes most workplaces I've been in, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Part of the problem is geek chic culture. It used to be these Sci fi franchises appealed to a relatively small but loyal group of people. When Sci Fi became mainstream the corporate overlords wanted to maximize profit margins by trying to appeal to a broader audience at the expense of alienating the fans that made it successful in the first place
Michael French "The voice of the people". Irony side note. Disney produced the 1934 "The Ant and the Grasshopper" cartoon. James T. Kirk; "They used to say if man could fly, he'd have wings … but he did fly. He discovered he had to. Do you wish that the first Apollo mission hadn't reached the moon, or that we hadn't gone on to Mars or the nearest star? That's like saying you wish that you still operated with scalpels and sewed your patients up with catgut like your great-great-great-great-grandfather used to. I'm in command. I could order this. But I'm not … because … Dr. McCoy is right in pointing out the enormous danger potential in any contact with life and intelligence as fantastically advanced as this. But I must point out that the possibilities, the potential for knowledge and advancement is equally great. Risk … risk is our business! That's what this starship is all about … that's why we're aboard her!"
@MS Yes but the "The Ant and the Grasshopper" was produced mid stage of the Great Depression. So basically Disney was saying "ha ha you should have saved for the bad times" to the majority of the population. Gits.
Y'know, you're explaining here every reason why I stopped going to see films years ago. I've worked mostly in the comics and gaming industries and I've left both just because of the reasons you're listing here. This corporate "cut of personality" is the coronavirus of human existence right now, creeping into art, science, business, politics, social issues... I really hope people are taking notice.
Michael, I don't know if you've seen Ford v Ferrari, the film really tackles this kind of mentality and how it hinders creativity and getting results (even if it's ostensibly about the 1966 Le Mans race).
They subverted my expectations. I thought movies were an entertainment product that would tell a story, and show us engaging characters and would have a plotline derived from the quirks and qualities of the characters.
Interesting. I think at the time the Creators perceived no risk, especially after TFA had most everyone on board. And I am certain they assured themselves that fans would come to anything with the SW brand on it. Also, they clearly did not supervise Rian J at all. So they did take a risk, but it wasn't a conscious creative decision to do so - the risk was in mismanagement of the process.
BB Wolf I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but aside from what RJ did with the lore, from a writing/directing stand point he had no interest or just had no clue about the language of a Star Wars film. JJ Abrams threw out names like Ford and Kurosawa, not that they were an actual influence on the film, but he at least knew the right answers, not that it warrants credit. But I don't think the name Joseph Campbell was uttered once by any of them, he wrote the bible on Star Wars essentially. But of course the Jedi Text's scene tells you everything about his feelings on such things. That might've been the most philosophically problematic thing with that film, venturing beyond post-modernism in to post-truth territory.
It's clear you put a lot of thought into this one. I've spent 35 years at large corporations, staying on the technical side and avoiding management, and I can visualize faces that embody every point you made. Nice Job!
I support everything you said. Kathleen Kennedy is a perfect example of corporate arrogance and irresponsibility. She wanted to replace a loyal fanbase with social activists who don't care about the characters or stories. The people that she wanted as a fanbase will not buy merchandise or toys. She will go down as one of the worse executives in the history. I am ashamed to share a birthday with her.
Using outsiders you can blame is called risk transference. Risk transference has a place in business as a mitigating strategy, but not as the primary strategy. I still shake my head when I see executives use it just to cover themselves while damaging the company. I have hope these types will eventually move on for more innovative thinkers to emerge into leadership positions.
Its very sad to see sci-fi go this way. I have been a collector of comics & toys of 46 years now & the way its gone in the last couple of years has made me hate a lot of new things coming out. I find myself going back to collecting older toy lines & comics now. if you can believe it the comic scene is worse then the movies coming out. If Disney didnt have the money behind them Marvel comics would have closed down. Sci-fi used to be geeky, then it became trendy, then they saw there was a lot more money to be made in it, then the mainstream crowd got involved which is killing it.
It is one of those truisms. "If you want to succeed, you should never put an accountant, a lawyer or a manager in charge." One thing about most managers is they do not like anyone in the company smarter than they are, which is most of the people that actually do the real work of the company. Once they have fired all of those people, the company is doomed.
Watching Goodbadflicks, and listening again and again how studio interference ruined a movie, i was surprised anything creative came out of Hollywood in the first place.
Watching Cecil, the most unfortunate cases I noticed were _Empire Records,_ _Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2,_ and _The Crow: City of Angels._ They all could have been great (or greater), were it not for the executives.
Whilst increasing corporate ineptitude/arrogance has undoubtedly engendered creative ossification across most entertainment mediums we must also not forget the _other_ destructive component in this race to the commercial gutter: _ideological_ sanitisation. Specifically and simply put: uber corporatisation augmented by noxious _far left dogma_ is the reason why we can't have nice things anymore....
Michael, I've watched twice and will probably watch another 2 times. I feel like you dropped so many gems here, I may have missed a couple. While not a Doctor Who fan, I'm definitely intrigued to find out what's going on behind the scenes.
This reminds me of the one creative writing class I took in college. I wrote a Japanese urban fantasy story. Most of the people in the class admitted not to finishing it because there was too much military lingo, too many words not in English(which I explained if they actually read it in context), and too much eastern philosophy. I was told it would never sell unless I made it more western and simplified the way the characters talked. Other than one person who liked it and said it made sense after she fired up her computer and googled what “Shinto” was, they all basically told to make something like the twenty something other boring stories that the rest of the class wrote. It definitely felt like a corporate meeting as described here.
Expand or die - A Rule of Acquisition so fundamental that it is listed TWICE. Both as number 45 and number 95...this may just be an error on the writers part but I prefer to consider it canon and completely intentional by the Ferengi Alliance. And finally on the topic of treatment of employees, I call upon Rule of Acquisition number 211 - Employees are the rungs on the ladder of success. Don't hesitate to step on them.
Assuming their customers are stupid is the biggest problem facing their bottom line and they’re unwilling to admit it. We’ve supported a brand for years therefore we must continue to do so any if anything they do with that brand fails it’s our fault for not supporting it, not their fault for taking our brand and making something terrible with it.
Customers are not stupid. Customers seek good value for the money and time and efforts they must exert to get the products. Some customers like very cheap beer or expensive figures of characters. Realizing that the seeking good value for the money and energy and time spent getting it is not a perfectly rational choice but also an emotional choice.
Your diagnosis is pretty spot on; there are a lot of parallels between the increasingly monopolized ownership of IPs by corporate America and what George Ritzer has written about in "The McDonaldization of Society." I only disagree with you about the proposed remedy: I question the wisdom of an exclusively fan-directed future of entertainment for many of the same reasons I think it's a bad idea for users & addicts to have control over a nation's drug & alcohol policies. I think consumers should sometimes be challenged by the content they consume, not anesthetized into complacency by having all their compulsive desires always met. A good, intelligent, concerned video though. Thank you, Retroblasting.
There do need to be more creatives involved, but if it’s a long-beloved story or franchise, the creative either needs to seek those who are or look at it from a fresh and respectful perspective.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for being perceptive enough to see it, intelligent enough to decipher it, and motivated enough to communicate it. This is everything wrong with our world today.
As more a gamer than a movie fan - I see this very clear for many years now. That's why some people say "indie is the future" and I agree with this. Indie creators are passionate about what they're doing and don't afraid to risk. They want to create a game (movie) and then make money from it, corporations do it the opposite way. Same goes for movies and music (those sound engineers that make all bands sound the same). I really hope the crisis, the virus, anything - will completely destroy all these corporations. They're not needed in the entertainment, we need more independent creators and small studios. Also this "safety first" thing is very gig in modern culture in general. Everything must be safe, children shouldn't climb trees, cars must be made of rubber, movie stunts should be CGI because why risk your health? (looking at you, Terminator...5?..6?) Also I can say why I like Star Wars: Characters Hero journey Adventure Cool costumes (Vader !!) Giant space ships Light sabers The Force Walker tanks Dogfights in space Aliens - funny, scary, cool, goofy - all the types Music .....I can talk much longer:)
This is the normal process of things. You have innovators who create something, whether it's an IP, or a new technology, or whatever... they work on it until the dust settles, move on to something new, and then the managers come in. Customers/fans want it to be that same, vital, experimental thing they fell in love with, but managers don't do that. All managers *can* do is try to squeeze a few more dollars out of the current model. Look at Apple-- totally bereft of creativity, outside of coming up with new ways to rip off the customer.
This is the most cogent discussion on this topic I've ever seen. The political and ideological explanations for everything seemed to lack a lot. This video fills the gaps. Brilliant.
How does this video only have 48k views? This is the best video I have ever watched in my life on you tube, and that is saying something. I am sharing this video.
Also, one reason why "corporate culture" wants to avoid risks is because they are answerable to investors. Innovators, on the other hand, take risks because they aren't. What's needed, then, is for either side to understand each other. That means being innovative but also understanding the costs of doing so, believing that not everything is about metrics but that at some point there's nothing to go by in assessing what's happening except through metrics (think of SJW producers being creative by coming up with movies that are far different from those part of the franchise but not understanding the point that audiences used to the older films won't like the new ones).
Investors need to be prepared to lose money. Companies are not banks with CDs and government guarantees. Unfortunately in the face of Feds printing money, people have come to expect that of them.
Oh my God, this is absolutley the best video i have ever seen on this subject. You sir, nailed it. You said in this video the EXACT same things i have been saying for the last 20 years. And only now are people starting to see it. I work in a semi-corporate like field, and I can attest to EVERYTHING you said in this video. Spot on. I subscribed to your channel and will support you any way I can. Thank you for this amazing explanation of the current climate and culture in Hollywood and the media industry as a whole.
Many thanks. The best analysis of what I was trying to get my head round for a long time. For many years I have wondered why big business became more and more like extremist countries - especially socialist ones - while seemingly championing the 'freedoms' of democracy. How naive I was!
As a former unskilled corporate VP, I find your premise and conclusions accurate in my case as well as in the general. Once I stopped trying to be creative, which was impossible, and just manage the asset, my career took off. Now I try to limit the damage I do by being a small business person. Very relaxing. Please keep up the great work, this is a great channel.
"I think I figured out why Humans don't like Ferengi ... The way I see it, Humans used to be a lot like Ferengi: greedy, acquisitive, interested only in profit. We're a constant reminder of a part of your past you'd like to forget ... Youu're overlooking something. Humans used to be a lot worse than the Ferengi: slavery, concentration camps, interstellar wars. We have nothing in our past that approaches that kind of barbarism. You see? We're nothing like you... we're better!" - Quark
I was listening to this radio show and they brought up how the talent Booker guy is always falling asleep during meetings with management, and when someone calls him out, he immediately crosses himself and says" I was just praying for your family".
Terrifying, maddeningly frustrating., and in the end, not terribly surprising. Thank you for the video and your insight. I think I have to watch it again because a lot of the corporate lingo went over my head and I was trying to process it all at the same time. I really enjoyed it though.
One of the best explanation from an insider I have ever heard. I'm french, I can speak english very well, but I can tell you, you have made a very, very, very good job with this video. One word...B R A V O !!!!
I thought this just a rant until I thought about all the "new" bosses I had that all come out spoutin major corporate bullshit and ideology. It's so transparent. Good video dude. Also I can't wait to stop working at Home Depot and start my new X-ray job. Go science
This was the most accurate analysis of corporate problems I think I have ever heard put so plainly and eloquently! You nailed the situation perfectly! Excellent video - Now Subscribed!
Just caught up on this video and as someone who has worked in the Corporate hellscape, this was spot on. Nothing is more soul-draining than sitting in a meeting and listening to boring uncreative suits ramble on about this quarter without any real thought. It's a sickness that needs to be purged but your conclusion is more accurate to what is going to happen. Worst of all the things we loved for decades will be locked away in IP limbo. Forgotten when those quarterly earnings don't line up. Corporations are a plague on our society and culture.
Onimusha, Silent Hil, Metal Gear, Ratchet & Clank (but this oen has hope maybe next gen?) and Zone of the Enders for me. They will never see the light of day again. I also miss the old Burnout and NFS games before online became big, Underground, Underground 2 and Most wanted (the PS2 bugged version where police spawns were bugged and made it harder due to them spawning too often) for NFS were the best.
This is one of the best videos about corporate culture I've seen. All of these thoughts expressed in this video have been in my mind over my entire retail corporate career. Whether these thoughts come to mind during a daily conference call that pulls all of a management team from a sales floor during the middle of a busy day just to hear the same weasely corporate self felatio garbage about the numbers and what we can do to make them grow or being told that I'm just not being "team-friendly" when I refuse to take part in these circle jerks because I wanted to help the people working on the floor. I don't know how we did it in this country but we've created millions of these talentless kiss-asses and we've tricked everyone into thinking these people deserve respect. These people, along with the companies that employ them, deserve nothing but scorn and should be divested from immediately. Thanks for the video, Michael.
Michael, that was a very coherent and well-made video. You really helped me understand the whole concept of corporate group-think, and how it pertains to our most beloved series and films, and the outright alienation of fans who simply want to see good content, and their favourite franchises done with love and care and respect. I've said it before, I'm sure I'd enjoy shooting the breeze with you about all the same geeky passions that we share. Love the channel. Keep it up!
The Peter Principle clearly at work. Amazing how Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who are now disposable as yesterday's trash. What's sad is that it didn't have to be this way.
That quote from Steve Jobs wasn't saying the customer is stupid, he was actually advocating for creativity and risk taking. What he meant by that statement was that the customer doesn't know they want something that hasn't been created yet, that sometimes you have to show them something before they even realised they wanted that. That not about customers being dumb, that's just an integral part of innovation. No one knew they wanted electricity until it was invented and shown to them what it can do, that's what he meant.
Except that customers already wanted what electricity could do. They just didn't know electricity could do it, which is not the same thing as not knowing they wanted it. They wanted safer, cheaper means to heat and light their homes. They wanted faster means of travel. They wanted faster, more convenient means of communication. It isn't that you need to show them something before they realize that they wanted it. Its that you need to show them what it can do before they can determine if they have a use for it - like the Newton. Steve Jobs, meanwhile, had energetically advocated for extremely idiotic ideas - like computers with no media drives, tiny hard drives that only held the bare minimum necessary to operate the computer while all other data was streamed as needed - on the apparent assumption that everyone on Earth had full access to dedicated T1 lines like he did and consequently requiring online access to do literally anything, making everything proprietary in order to exploit the sunk cost fallacy on anyone who buys into an Apple product (which may be good business practice but sucks for consumers) and the like.
This video absolutely nails it. With nearly every phrase and observation, I was relieving the haunting memories of my corporate career (may it R.I.P.). Well done sir!
Inspiring video sir! When I start my business empire, I swear SJW, corporate wokeness will be abolished. Customers and fans of my products will be treated with utmost respect and admiration for buying my products. Creativity and innovation will be at the fore front. Easier said than done, I know, but I do see the change that needs to happen.
Dude thank you time and again for your sound intellect and reasoning. You're very well spoken and always make me chuckle and think. I like knowing you're out there in the fandoms. Thanks Michael!
There are two sets of problems, and they involve not corporate culture but pressure from investors and competitors, and uninformed innovators. In the first, when one has run out of ideas, audiences want more of the same, and there's little time to develop projects due to competition and pressure from investors (not to mention large amounts of money at stake), then one releases more of the same as fast as possible. That's why many sequels and even prequels borrow from earlier films in the same franchise, reboots and remakes are prevalent, and they all follow the same formulae involving re-using plots, lots of computerized special effects, etc. In the second, when people who think they are creative and know what is best come in and attempt to make changes that suit their political and artistic views (and what they argue audiences should support), then they end up doing things like forcing an SJW agenda. In both cases, audiences move away and the corporation starts losing money.
I work in a big American company, and I see a huge parallel with my actual situation. As you I see the industry trying to see potential new customers that doesn’t exist, and rejecting the old customers because they don’t feet into their narrative. Pseudo genius saying Make It Happen , without having shake a end of any customer in their entire life. Thank you Mickael. Love from France ;-)
One of the most baffling things to me is back in 2012 when Disney bought Star Wars they immediately went out and said they wanted JJ Abrams to helm then new film, Seriously you have just bought the franchise of franchises and the best name you can come up with is JJ Abrams???
I thought Lost was good enough, but that was JJ;s peak. I remember seeing his Mission: Impossible & being very underwhelmed which was confirmed by Cloverfield. I could never understand what the 'hype over the hack' was about.
@@matane2465 Red Letter Media probably didn't expect identity politics influencing Jar Jar, and they were apeaking in terms of style. J.J. was no fit for Star Trek, he's too bombastic, but on paper he did fit Star Wars. Turns out he didn't. But there is no evidence disney execs are watching RLM and deciding JJ is the one. It was probably always going to happen, he was angling for it.
Michael, I've watched your videos for a long time now, and this one was perhaps the most profound. What you describe is what I have been seeing slowly grow for years. I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what the cause(s) is, but I think you did an excellent job. One can only hope that some new creative minds can arise from the oh-so lame and stale wasteland that is current pop-culture. Please more videos like this. Thank you.
While I agree with most of your points regarding corporate culture and how it is antithetical to creativity, I think that's only one half of the explanation for the current state of entertainment. The way I see it, the studios have mostly been led by safe, soulless corporate bean-counters who depended on hired talent and outside agencies to do the actual creative work; this isn't a new phenomenon. What does seem to be a new phenomenon is the dramatic increase in ideologically-driven creators who don't seem concerned with the company bottom line at all, and instead steer the company straight toward financial ruin while loudly proclaiming that they're broadening the fan-base and entering new markets. It's a giant failing on the part of entertainment companies that they're still touting this misguided diversity rhetoric after years of it not working, but I don't think it originated at the highest levels of executive power. No, I think the old corporate model simply lacked any sort of failsafe against infiltration by people who weren't primarily motivated by a paycheck.
Beautiful video, man. You should watch the HBO series, 'Boardwalk Empire', if only for the ending: Essentially at the end of the prohibition era, it saw open organised criminal gang warfare turn from bloody, horrific depravity into a legimate network of legal entities that thrived via incorporation. Truely a sign that sociopaths thrive at the top (as evidenced in the (Also HBO) award winning series, 'The Wire' too - a show applauded for its realism). Clearly explaining why the most destructive & creatively bankrupt individuals (Rain Johnson, JJ Abrhams, etc..) fall upwards in companies & are hired solely for their brand recognition rather than merit or ability
I once heard an executive speak for an hour without even coming close to actually saying something.
That's mostly what they are paid the big bucks for
We're maximising our revenue streams by diversifying our mega brand portfolio with long term dividends and short term brainfarts this season
Jonny Sorensen That actually makes too much sense 😂
I just wish I could do a crap job of something for 3 years & then get paid $30million to QUIT.
Star Wars is a movie but in essence it’s basically a 2 hour commercial to sell toys and other merch or at least I’m sure that’s how Disney shareholders see it, but the bobs and kkk see it as a way to push their agenda. Too bad Disney shareholders, the ceo you chose has decided to go woke and therefore make Disney go broke, remember how that worked our for Gillette? Are those sequel trilogy toys flying off the shelves, NO? Well, kiss the billions in merch sales goodby as well as your profits from owning Disney stock. Maybe when Disney stock tumbles you can sell your worthless stock and buy a rose tico from the bargain bin. At least you can feel good about your decision to back, Disney. How stunning and brave ... and broke you will be ...
That is what I call a stiff drink... too bad the people that need to ingest it aren't even in our bar.
Meme the Job channel helps me deal with corporate madness, but this guy is a true prophet. And, you are right. These fools could not imbibe truth no matter how many umbrellas you put in their drink
@Funk Enstein it is also funny considering disney(corp & person) has a long known history of anti-semetism
SyD6_7 even familyguy pointed it out.
@@BlancoDevil meme the job? I can't find this channel on RUclips, was it cancelled?
took me 5 seconds
Last Starfighter
This is the best explanation I've ever heard for why so many corporations in so many industries are failing miserably.
But a corporation can't truly fail. It just gets sold off, cannabalized and its debts transferred somewhere over the rainbow until eventually you have one mega corp that gobbles all the others like Pac-Man (or the The Langoliers) until there is nothing left.
I've been saying something along these lines for a while but of course not with any scripted elegance as shown in this video. Just bits n pieces from this particular schlub's perspective on why people more rich and powerful than I'll ever be, continue to be rich and powerful despite all of their flounderings and flailings, their open hostility and contempt for fans and audiences, and decidedly dickheaded approach to engagement that isn't focus-grouped to R'lyeh and back, and just as twistedly sinister. Corporate music, jargon, and attitude has effectively trickled down to the tepid pool of mundane, generic, nothingburger everyday, and it's, no exaggeration, dangerous and disturbing.
Corporatocracy affects different mediums and even countries differently, but the toxic relationship between: money and the things people do to get it, and the people who it ultimately comes from, needs to be reconsidered. The moneyed elite forgot those Twitter likes don't magickally become dollars, and being "woke" is not, and never will be enough. They'll run campaigns to magnify first world oppression, while pressing the boot harder on the poor from whom they reap all benefit.
But at least, I don't have an iPhone, thank fuck. 🙆🏿♀️
This guy is a true prophet! Also, check the Meme the Job channel...same perspective, but it's horrid memes.
@@JONNYSORENSEN_AU
Corporate personhood was the worst invention ever.
These corporations are doing what the average guy does - give all it's resources to pander to women. Do you guys see franchises like Twilight remade to insult the female fans? No. It's only the male fans that get their stuff turned to garbage
Best TED Talk on business I've heard. EVER!
Star Wars is a movie but in essence it’s basically a 2 hour commercial to sell toys and other merch or at least I’m sure that’s how Disney shareholders see it, but the bobs and kkk see it as a way to push their agenda. Too bad Disney shareholders, the ceo you chose has decided to go woke and therefore make Disney go broke, remember how that worked our for Gillette? Are those sequel trilogy toys flying off the shelves, NO? Well, kiss the billions in merch sales goodby as well as your profits from owning Disney stock. Maybe when Disney stock tumbles you can sell your worthless stock and buy a rose tico from the bargain bin. At least you can feel good about your decision to back, Disney. How stunning and brave and broke you will be ...
@@sciencescripture It makes me envy Bandai. Yes, the only reason they make shows about giant robots is because they're selling toys, but at least they know who they're selling to and not insulting them.
Perfectly said.
Too many MBAs
It should be required watching for companies.
"Don't ask questions. Just consume product, and then get excited for more product"
- internet's greatest hackfrauds
The MCU.
I approve of this non-controversial comment, which should appeal to all consumers between the ages of 19 and 35.
@@scottknudsen6611 Speaking as a 34 year old this hasn't appealed to me for well over a decade.
almost sounds like They Live
@@blackRXrider Except the MCU is pretty good overall
Hate to burst your bubble, this has happened everywhere. Put self promoting narcissistic sociopaths in charge and this is what you stuck with. Good honest people are usually to polite to call them out. Thank you for being the hammer of truth.
Yes - I instantly recognised all the patterns and attitudes described and I don't work in the entertainment industry. Unfortunately, It's everywhere. Soon there will be no corner of human activity that hasn't been turned into a sociopathic, presentation-focused, creativity-free black-hole. These 'non-people' have always been with us, but the social environment of recent years, for some reason, seems to have given them an enormous boost in power and influence. This is very bad news for all the humans trapped in their 'advancement and presentation' machinery. The word 'sociopath' in this context , is absolutely correct. The pattern of behaviours and attitudes - responsibility avoidance, presentation over reality, a disdain for creativity or truth - is sociopathic. These people are societal parasites.
@@magrathean0 The name of that virus is called Financialization.
I suggest you read either Bob Lutz's _Bean Counters vs. Car Guys_ or _Makers & Takers_ by Rana Foroohar.
How are you bursting **my** bubble? I'm the one saying in this video that it's not limited to Hollywood. I literally cite multiple examples from other businesses that I witnessed firsthand. You need to burst someone else's bubble, because if you're paying attention, mine was burst LONG AGO.
"Every Corporation on Earth thinks their customers are stupid."
Sounds like projection on part of the stupid, vapid, boring CEOs onto everyone else.
Because the only way to get that high is to be a master how to deflect blame and take credit.
This is so true. This video should be broadcast in every corporate boardroom to show how far we’ve fallen
It would get banned or ignored and they might even fire you for sharing it with someone at work. I wish this was a joke.
No, they would share it and pat themselves on the back and all repeat “let us not be like our competitors, let’s be better. Make it happen”
@@davidbutler5114 That's true lol. Good point
Even if you were to pull it off and run this on loop 24/7 , it would not matter. For a simple reason: In order for them to understand it and take it to heart they would need to be able to reflect upon things - which in itself is a creative task to some extent. But as this video already pointed out, creativity is exactly what they are lacking. Therefore no ability for self-reflection, and therefore no way that this video would change their minds. And their bloated egos don't help things either.
They wouldn't understand
Star Wars white board wishes category: "Dinosaurs?????"
Jurassic Sith!!!
"They move in herds.
They do move in herds."
We did have dinosaurs in Star Wars. Remember that fatass space dino that blocked an entire screen in the Star Wars Special Edition.
Tranniesaurus Rex: A Star Wars Story
Quite honestly, although that whiteboard was horrible, when I thought about Jedi with lightsabers drawn, flying on dragons or something (like Obi-Wan on the lizard, but in the sky) I got excited about the idea of something NEW. Then I remembered the Disney SW movies they've made so far, and realised they just want to reference ideas we already saw.
@@Ruylopez778 but that image just makes me think Disney is gonna buy LOTR next...
Please tell me they haven't yet?😳
I can't wait for Sony's remake of 'Smokey and the Bandit' starring Melissa McCarthy and Lindsey Lohan!
Oh Lord no!
Big LOL to that Tony😂😂
No!! Their is no bandit without the late great Burt Reynolds
Have they named alex trebeck replacement for jeopardy host?
Nooooooo, why god why!!!!!!!!!!
This is, weirdly, why I've come to appreciate Michael Eisner more now than I did 10 years ago. Yes he was corporate, and yes he made mistakes, but he saved a moribund Disney by encouraging creativity and expansion of the company. Without him we wouldn't have had the Disney Renaissance, Disney Afternoon, Disney Channel, Disney Cruise Lines, Disney Store, expansion of Walt Disney World, or Disneyland Paris. Even his fetish for Michael Graves architecture (the Swan and Dolphin Resorts at WDW, the Team Disney and Animation buildings at the Burbank studios) shows some kind of creative aesthetic taste. The soullessness were all attributing to him has reached it apotheosis in Bob Iger... An acquisition-hungry corporate monolith that doesn't even know how to manage its own properties successfully. A perfect example of your whole thesis here are the new hotels they're building at WDW: these bland, themeless, corporate-looking edifices that could be off any interstate in any city.
Eisner, although he ballooned Disney into the mega-corporation it is today, knew how to respect creativity and take risks. And, especially by comparison to Iger, was SO much better. Heck, even his "quantity over quality" approach to pushing out thousands of direct-to-video/dvd sequels still spurred creativity by being an outlet for more creatives to prove their worth. Plus, it was a cool treat for the fans. And some of those films are IMO great!
However, Eisner did have 2 massive missteps; shuttering Disney's 2d Animation in favor of Pixar/CGI, (I'll never forgive him pitting two of his OWN FILMS, Atlantis and Monsters Inc. against each other in a box office battle to the death. So unfair to Atlantis) and the negotiation catastrophy that peeved off Steve Jobs and Pixar and almost coroded their relationship.
To be fair, though, outright buying Pixar so you could slave them to work for you forever wasn't the correct solution to that situation. - But that's exactly what Bob Iger did - literally one of his very first decisions/actions once assuming the CEO's chair!
I've been thinking the same thing as of late. Especially after that Imagineering docu-series. I think the years of certain risks not paying off turned him into the kind of CEO he became toward the end. What's funny is how on the subject of that series, while it was honest and poignant about the past, I told my wife, "just watch, when we get to the end of this thing it's going to be a video brochure"...and that's exactly what happened.
Watch the Defunctland episode about the failed Disney America park that Eisner tried to get built outside of D.C. He was the consummate risk taker and was the best thing to happen to Disney and they have been coasting on the fumes of his leadership for the last two decades.
Eisner got greedy and selfish too. He wasn't a saint.
It wasn’t just Eisner but the combination of Eisner and Frank Wells that brought Disney back to its creative roots
It’s time to stop pandering to those that don’t even enjoy the show/movie/book etc. when will people wake up
They won't. Normies who don't care will consume anything.
E.g. I have lost count of the number of times a supposed "fan" will RAVE over whatever the latest MCU movie is "Oh my god! That movie was AMAZING. I give it a 9 or a 10! Easily!", then when the movie comes out for purchase six months later (or sometimes sooner!), that SAME person with that SAME movie becomes "Yeah, that movie was pretty good, I guess. I might watch it again someday. Maybe. But I'll have to think about whether I actually wanna buy it or not....." (Then repeat that cycle for the next comic book movie). Like Michael basically said: Why do these companies foolishly court the LEAST loyal audiences, when vintage Star Wars, Star Trek, Dr. Who, and real comics fans will LOYALLY repeatedly read and watch the genuine mythology over, and over, and over, and over..... (Case in point: Ever since it first premiered in 1993, I have watched the entire series Star Trek:Deep Space Nine at least 25 times, minimal! And I STILL rewatch it at times like it's brand new!)
The problem is in their thinking, there are more normies than fans, therefore, more money theoretically. It’s not true as normies are apathetic.
@@blackRXrider There's a big difference between making something with casual fans in mind versus making something for people who are not fans at all. But generally speaking, with a long-running, popular franchise like Star Wars, if you please the dedicated fans, the casual are going to be happy too.
..when the $$ FINALLY end!! Investors are not idiots themselves or they could not afford to be "investors"..... and they ARE walking away!!
Kudos for
1. An honest and realistic assessment
2. An IT Crowd reference.
Bravo as usual.
The entertainment industry MUST die. There is no other way, the purge must happen and actual entertainment from ACTUAL talented artists will rise from the ashes like the phoenix. Their ignorance and egos have reached a dead end and they dropped the bar so much even a 5 year old can compete with them creatively. And not only that. The massive political ideologies and propaganda they have worked into beloved franchises has completely corrupted everything we used to like. These people are nothing short but cultural vandals and Mao's chinese revoliton-style culture destroyers. Their goal is to destroy mankind's mind, dreams and hopes. Because such people are easy to control & dominate.
Well said. The whole industry needs to be purged with the fire of the sun so that new growth can occur out of its ashes. We may yet see it happen.
It's time to start a revolution not just the industry but the corporations and media start the trend let's protest let are Voice be heard the Great Awakening is here and the Revolution has began
lolz
As a young 21 year old on the cusp of graduating with a PR degree...you couldn't be more right.
I've loved film and entertainment since I was a child. Star Wars blew my 8 year old mind, even in 2007. I love creativity and the passions that inspired franchises like Star Wars, Doctor Who, Transformers (even though that was a corporate creation, but a great one). I persued PR because I'm a good speaker and I loved the idea of one day reperesenting a media company I genuinely find compelling.
Three years in and PR was the worst decision of my life. My lecturers, all experienced industry professionals held in high regard, are some of the most self absorbed, uncaring, selfish and rude people I have ever had to meet. They give us projects they half explain and tear us to shreds when they arent absolute perfection. They suck every ounch of creativity out or redirect it was much as possible through the corporate model. Our guest speakers, usually people in high regard and status within PR and/or media, are with few exceptions people obsessed only with money. In my second year, one of Europes most successful PR practitioners and someone I held as a hero told us if we wanted to succeed, it wouldn't matter if our parents were dying - if PR calls, you go. She openly talked about how you shouldnt have a family if you want to make it big. It was the hour of my life where I realised that, with some exceptions, most of the people in the media industry are like this.
I say that as someone who has enjoyed some of the more controversial reworks of the last few years (Rian Johnson nd Taika Wattitis stuff particularly). I love this stuff. I loved the idea of working in this industry. But the sad reality is most of the people in it are self obsessed social climbers looking at a bottom line and seeing people (and in my case, nieve students who believe they can make a difference) as tools.
Its crushing. I have no intention on ever using my PR degree unless its with a charity or something I believe in. I want to stay as far away from the media industry as possible. Micheal, I dont always agree with the specifics you mention, but I absolutely agree with your sentiment. Teriffic video.
And as someone who I know isnt a prequel fan and is skeptical about new entertainment...I'm glad you highlighted Faverau and Filoni as exceptions. Filoni took the prequel era and setting and through the clone wars series made an era not only worthy of the originals, but new and innovative without leaving the core behind. He and Faverau did something similar through the mandalorian (which Id love to see you review btw)
It's not just about our favorite entertainment franchises, though. It's a truth about the entire modern world.
This should have a million more views.
Start the trend the Revolution is here
Yep. It's called Financialization.
I used to feel bad for failing in Hollywood. Now I understand why it happened and I'm glad it did. Trying to create in that environment sounds like absolute hell.
I know how you feel. It's like such people aren't even human. This guy is a true prophet! Also, check the Meme the Job channel...same perspective, but it's horrid memes.
The corporate media is only one tentacle of the political class. Fans shouldn’t expect much (if any) worthy material any time soon.
Yes, the other key areas are the news media and education. They are both completely infested and will not change in the near future.
@@DestroyedArkana Be of good cheer, citizen! They WILL change, or be changed. And in ways and by means they will not anticipate. As it ever has been...
Ultimately, you see an industry where increasing amounts of money are spent on tent-poles with the hope of getting big paybacks, and audiences which at some point will become bored from seeing the same re-skinned movies, TV shows, etc., that they will select fewer ones to watch.
Michael, how do consistently outdo yourself when it comes to your commentaries on pop culture and take them to a whole new level??? On a scale from one to ten.....this was a FOURTEEN! I spent virtually the entire half hour like this: ✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊!!!! 'When acquistion and risk aversion, take precedence over invention and creativity, you are all but destined to fail in the long-term!'🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 This is THE best commentary/post on the current dysfunction of pop/geek culture......I have ever seen. Michael, your insights and analyses, are nothing short of EPICALLY BRILLIANT and appreciated more than you could ever imagine! ✊
Well he faxed his TPS report to the right places which allowed him to Synergize his Company Suggestions into a Melange of Profitability
It was Michael's "Canon is Overrated" video that instantly made me subscribe to Retroblasting. I then learned he also did awesome toy reviews and restoration and I got sad that I couldn't sub again.
I cannot believe how many times I was agreeing aloud with this video. It describes most workplaces I've been in, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
This guy is a true prophet! Also, check the Meme the Job channel...same perspective, but it's horrid memes.
@@jdraven0890 One-thousand percent!! This SHOULD be a half-hour documentary on television!✊
Part of the problem is geek chic culture. It used to be these Sci fi franchises appealed to a relatively small but loyal group of people. When Sci Fi became mainstream the corporate overlords wanted to maximize profit margins by trying to appeal to a broader audience at the expense of alienating the fans that made it successful in the first place
Exactly . I can't stand geek culture now. It's so lifeless and played out.
Michael French "The voice of the people".
Irony side note. Disney produced the 1934 "The Ant and the Grasshopper" cartoon.
James T. Kirk; "They used to say if man could fly, he'd have wings … but he did fly. He discovered he had to. Do you wish that the first Apollo mission hadn't reached the moon, or that we hadn't gone on to Mars or the nearest star? That's like saying you wish that you still operated with scalpels and sewed your patients up with catgut like your great-great-great-great-grandfather used to. I'm in command. I could order this. But I'm not … because … Dr. McCoy is right in pointing out the enormous danger potential in any contact with life and intelligence as fantastically advanced as this. But I must point out that the possibilities, the potential for knowledge and advancement is equally great. Risk … risk is our business! That's what this starship is all about … that's why we're aboard her!"
This guy is a true prophet! Also, check the Meme the Job channel...same perspective, but it's horrid memes.
Long live sci fi!
@MS Yes but the "The Ant and the Grasshopper" was produced mid stage of the Great Depression. So basically Disney was saying "ha ha you should have saved for the bad times" to the majority of the population. Gits.
@@maxrobe Doesn't matter when it was made. It's a good lesson to learn. Lefty asshole.
Y'know, you're explaining here every reason why I stopped going to see films years ago. I've worked mostly in the comics and gaming industries and I've left both just because of the reasons you're listing here. This corporate "cut of personality" is the coronavirus of human existence right now, creeping into art, science, business, politics, social issues... I really hope people are taking notice.
You can't spell "franchise" without the letters F-A-N-S.
Ayyymen🖖🏿💯
This guy is a true prophet! Also, check the Meme the Job channel...same perspective, but it's horrid memes.
And also R-A-N-C-H and F-A-R-C-E, so what's your point?
The Irishman was just Goodfellas 2.0.
Michael, I don't know if you've seen Ford v Ferrari, the film really tackles this kind of mentality and how it hinders creativity and getting results (even if it's ostensibly about the 1966 Le Mans race).
This video is required viewing for everyo e who don't understand WHY entertainment is so screwed up. GREAT series Michael.
The Peter Principle: the principle that members of a hierarchy are promoted until they reach the level at which they are no longer competent.
Waiting for the inevitable "HOW WAS TLJ NOT A RISK?!?!?!"
Simple: Subversion is not the same as risk.
Kennedy has been quoted saying Johnson made her feel “comfortable”.
They subverted my expectations. I thought movies were an entertainment product that would tell a story, and show us engaging characters and would have a plotline derived from the quirks and qualities of the characters.
Interesting. I think at the time the Creators perceived no risk, especially after TFA had most everyone on board. And I am certain they assured themselves that fans would come to anything with the SW brand on it. Also, they clearly did not supervise Rian J at all. So they did take a risk, but it wasn't a conscious creative decision to do so - the risk was in mismanagement of the process.
BB Wolf I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but aside from what RJ did with the lore, from a writing/directing stand point he had no interest or just had no clue about the language of a Star Wars film. JJ Abrams threw out names like Ford and Kurosawa, not that they were an actual influence on the film, but he at least knew the right answers, not that it warrants credit. But I don't think the name Joseph Campbell was uttered once by any of them, he wrote the bible on Star Wars essentially. But of course the Jedi Text's scene tells you everything about his feelings on such things. That might've been the most philosophically problematic thing with that film, venturing beyond post-modernism in to post-truth territory.
Energised Voyages, and continues to be-that idiot and his army of zombie converts have never shut up about it!
“Outstanding, Sir!” Well said.
25 minutes of absolute truth.
This wins the internet! Well done Michael
It's clear you put a lot of thought into this one. I've spent 35 years at large corporations, staying on the technical side and avoiding management, and I can visualize faces that embody every point you made. Nice Job!
I support everything you said. Kathleen Kennedy is a perfect example of corporate arrogance and irresponsibility. She wanted to replace a loyal fanbase with social activists who don't care about the characters or stories. The people that she wanted as a fanbase will not buy merchandise or toys. She will go down as one of the worse executives in the history. I am ashamed to share a birthday with her.
It's time to walk away and find franchises that deserve our money
@Trantor The Troll Not if we're smart. We know how they act...
@Trantor The Troll dont hire the basterds then
@@Ozymondias99 there you go, we know what these "activists/ urinalist look like, they don't hide their faces, so we avoid them like a craze ex"s.
Using outsiders you can blame is called risk transference. Risk transference has a place in business as a mitigating strategy, but not as the primary strategy. I still shake my head when I see executives use it just to cover themselves while damaging the company. I have hope these types will eventually move on for more innovative thinkers to emerge into leadership positions.
Its very sad to see sci-fi go this way. I have been a collector of comics & toys of 46 years now & the way its gone in the last couple of years has made me hate a lot of new things coming out. I find myself going back to collecting older toy lines & comics now. if you can believe it the comic scene is worse then the movies coming out. If Disney didnt have the money behind them Marvel comics would have closed down. Sci-fi used to be geeky, then it became trendy, then they saw there was a lot more money to be made in it, then the mainstream crowd got involved which is killing it.
The Mainstream crowd used to be fine with Comics, but now they are unpopular.
It's not the Mainstream, it's the fringes of the elitist liberal elite.
@@unitkilla5967 It's time to stamd up and fight rise up
This is a great video Michael. I've been following your channel for a long time, but I am blown away by your eloquence here, nicely done.
True
"And don't blame your failure on haters. If everyone thinks you suck, they're not haters. They're right." - Daniel Tosh.
It is one of those truisms. "If you want to succeed, you should never put an accountant, a lawyer or a manager in charge." One thing about most managers is they do not like anyone in the company smarter than they are, which is most of the people that actually do the real work of the company. Once they have fired all of those people, the company is doomed.
Watching Goodbadflicks, and listening again and again how studio interference ruined a movie, i was surprised anything creative came out of Hollywood in the first place.
Watching Cecil, the most unfortunate cases I noticed were _Empire Records,_ _Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2,_ and _The Crow: City of Angels._ They all could have been great (or greater), were it not for the executives.
Whilst increasing corporate ineptitude/arrogance has undoubtedly engendered creative ossification across most entertainment mediums we must also not forget the _other_ destructive component in this race to the commercial gutter: _ideological_ sanitisation.
Specifically and simply put: uber corporatisation augmented by noxious _far left dogma_ is the reason why we can't have nice things anymore....
Michael, I've watched twice and will probably watch another 2 times. I feel like you dropped so many gems here, I may have missed a couple. While not a Doctor Who fan, I'm definitely intrigued to find out what's going on behind the scenes.
This reminds me of the one creative writing class I took in college. I wrote a Japanese urban fantasy story. Most of the people in the class admitted not to finishing it because there was too much military lingo, too many words not in English(which I explained if they actually read it in context), and too much eastern philosophy. I was told it would never sell unless I made it more western and simplified the way the characters talked. Other than one person who liked it and said it made sense after she fired up her computer and googled what “Shinto” was, they all basically told to make something like the twenty something other boring stories that the rest of the class wrote.
It definitely felt like a corporate meeting as described here.
Got any links to those stories?
This video deserves more views, a lot more. Very well said Michael
Expand or die - A Rule of Acquisition so fundamental that it is listed TWICE. Both as number 45 and number 95...this may just be an error on the writers part but I prefer to consider it canon and completely intentional by the Ferengi Alliance.
And finally on the topic of treatment of employees, I call upon Rule of Acquisition number 211 - Employees are the rungs on the ladder of success. Don't hesitate to step on them.
This is the best corporate culture commentary I have ever seen. You’ve got yourself a subscriber.
Bravo, Michael! Couldn't agree more.
Assuming their customers are stupid is the biggest problem facing their bottom line and they’re unwilling to admit it. We’ve supported a brand for years therefore we must continue to do so any if anything they do with that brand fails it’s our fault for not supporting it, not their fault for taking our brand and making something terrible with it.
Customers are not stupid. Customers seek good value for the money and time and efforts they must exert to get the products. Some customers like very cheap beer or expensive figures of characters. Realizing that the seeking good value for the money and energy and time spent getting it is not a perfectly rational choice but also an emotional choice.
Your diagnosis is pretty spot on; there are a lot of parallels between the increasingly monopolized ownership of IPs by corporate America and what George Ritzer has written about in "The McDonaldization of Society."
I only disagree with you about the proposed remedy: I question the wisdom of an exclusively fan-directed future of entertainment for many of the same reasons I think it's a bad idea for users & addicts to have control over a nation's drug & alcohol policies. I think consumers should sometimes be challenged by the content they consume, not anesthetized into complacency by having all their compulsive desires always met.
A good, intelligent, concerned video though. Thank you, Retroblasting.
then there's the problem of corporations not doing anything with some IPs that are popular. Megaman and Gargoyles come to mind
Sonic is a good example of the balance. He was redesigned because of backlash but he still has his own look.
There do need to be more creatives involved, but if it’s a long-beloved story or franchise, the creative either needs to seek those who are or look at it from a fresh and respectful perspective.
An Outstanding video. This is why I keep coming back to this channel. Thank you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for being perceptive enough to see it, intelligent enough to decipher it, and motivated enough to communicate it. This is everything wrong with our world today.
Not only do you need to know your audience,you need to know your product!
TRUTH, well said and broken down!
As more a gamer than a movie fan - I see this very clear for many years now. That's why some people say "indie is the future" and I agree with this. Indie creators are passionate about what they're doing and don't afraid to risk. They want to create a game (movie) and then make money from it, corporations do it the opposite way. Same goes for movies and music (those sound engineers that make all bands sound the same).
I really hope the crisis, the virus, anything - will completely destroy all these corporations. They're not needed in the entertainment, we need more independent creators and small studios.
Also this "safety first" thing is very gig in modern culture in general. Everything must be safe, children shouldn't climb trees, cars must be made of rubber, movie stunts should be CGI because why risk your health? (looking at you, Terminator...5?..6?)
Also I can say why I like Star Wars:
Characters
Hero journey
Adventure
Cool costumes (Vader !!)
Giant space ships
Light sabers
The Force
Walker tanks
Dogfights in space
Aliens - funny, scary, cool, goofy - all the types
Music
.....I can talk much longer:)
This is the normal process of things. You have innovators who create something, whether it's an IP, or a new technology, or whatever... they work on it until the dust settles, move on to something new, and then the managers come in. Customers/fans want it to be that same, vital, experimental thing they fell in love with, but managers don't do that. All managers *can* do is try to squeeze a few more dollars out of the current model. Look at Apple-- totally bereft of creativity, outside of coming up with new ways to rip off the customer.
This is the most cogent discussion on this topic I've ever seen. The political and ideological explanations for everything seemed to lack a lot. This video fills the gaps. Brilliant.
If the corporate types don't understand a franchise, they should leave all development to those who do and simply sign the checks.
How does this video only have 48k views? This is the best video I have ever watched in my life on you tube, and that is saying something. I am sharing this video.
Also, one reason why "corporate culture" wants to avoid risks is because they are answerable to investors. Innovators, on the other hand, take risks because they aren't. What's needed, then, is for either side to understand each other. That means being innovative but also understanding the costs of doing so, believing that not everything is about metrics but that at some point there's nothing to go by in assessing what's happening except through metrics (think of SJW producers being creative by coming up with movies that are far different from those part of the franchise but not understanding the point that audiences used to the older films won't like the new ones).
Investors need to be prepared to lose money. Companies are not banks with CDs and government guarantees. Unfortunately in the face of Feds printing money, people have come to expect that of them.
The innovators should have never sold their creations to the soulless big corporations in the first place.
Oh my God, this is absolutley the best video i have ever seen on this subject. You sir, nailed it. You said in this video the EXACT same things i have been saying for the last 20 years. And only now are people starting to see it. I work in a semi-corporate like field, and I can attest to EVERYTHING you said in this video. Spot on. I subscribed to your channel and will support you any way I can. Thank you for this amazing explanation of the current climate and culture in Hollywood and the media industry as a whole.
Many thanks. The best analysis of what I was trying to get my head round for a long time. For many years I have wondered why big business became more and more like extremist countries - especially socialist ones - while seemingly championing the 'freedoms' of democracy. How naive I was!
Thank you for such great content as always, Michael!
This is one of the best damn channels on RUclips!
Clicked on this by mistake and so very glad I did. Awesome observations!!!
As a former unskilled corporate VP, I find your premise and conclusions accurate in my case as well as in the general. Once I stopped trying to be creative, which was impossible, and just manage the asset, my career took off. Now I try to limit the damage I do by being a small business person. Very relaxing. Please keep up the great work, this is a great channel.
When you have to take moral advice from the Ferengi, you're in trouble.
"I think I figured out why Humans don't like Ferengi ... The way I see it, Humans used to be a lot like Ferengi: greedy, acquisitive, interested only in profit. We're a constant reminder of a part of your past you'd like to forget ... Youu're overlooking something. Humans used to be a lot worse than the Ferengi: slavery, concentration camps, interstellar wars. We have nothing in our past that approaches that kind of barbarism. You see? We're nothing like you... we're better!"
- Quark
I was listening to this radio show and they brought up how the talent Booker guy is always falling asleep during meetings with management, and when someone calls him out, he immediately crosses himself and says" I was just praying for your family".
This may be my favorite angry old man rant from you yet, Michael-- mostly because it's just so Chick full o' FACT. Exquisite work!
Awesome job Michael! You are SO right on every point you made! Keep up the great work!
Had to pause on the Star Wars paper block because I saw "DINOSAURS!" on it???
0:30 Ironic when you realize that's the entire plot of -Disney- Pixar's A Bug's Life
Terrifying, maddeningly frustrating., and in the end, not terribly surprising. Thank you for the video and your insight. I think I have to watch it again because a lot of the corporate lingo went over my head and I was trying to process it all at the same time. I really enjoyed it though.
One of the best explanation from an insider I have ever heard.
I'm french, I can speak english very well, but I can tell you, you have made a very, very, very good job with this video. One word...B R A V O !!!!
I thought this just a rant until I thought about all the "new" bosses I had that all come out spoutin major corporate bullshit and ideology. It's so transparent. Good video dude. Also I can't wait to stop working at Home Depot and start my new X-ray job. Go science
This was the most accurate analysis of corporate problems I think I have ever heard put so plainly and eloquently! You nailed the situation perfectly! Excellent video - Now Subscribed!
Just caught up on this video and as someone who has worked in the Corporate hellscape, this was spot on. Nothing is more soul-draining than sitting in a meeting and listening to boring uncreative suits ramble on about this quarter without any real thought. It's a sickness that needs to be purged but your conclusion is more accurate to what is going to happen. Worst of all the things we loved for decades will be locked away in IP limbo. Forgotten when those quarterly earnings don't line up. Corporations are a plague on our society and culture.
Onimusha, Silent Hil, Metal Gear, Ratchet & Clank (but this oen has hope maybe next gen?) and Zone of the Enders for me. They will never see the light of day again. I also miss the old Burnout and NFS games before online became big, Underground, Underground 2 and Most wanted (the PS2 bugged version where police spawns were bugged and made it harder due to them spawning too often) for NFS were the best.
One of the best videos you have ever made. You put alot into perspective with corporate culture.
Whelp it's happening!
This is one of the best videos about corporate culture I've seen. All of these thoughts expressed in this video have been in my mind over my entire retail corporate career. Whether these thoughts come to mind during a daily conference call that pulls all of a management team from a sales floor during the middle of a busy day just to hear the same weasely corporate self felatio garbage about the numbers and what we can do to make them grow or being told that I'm just not being "team-friendly" when I refuse to take part in these circle jerks because I wanted to help the people working on the floor. I don't know how we did it in this country but we've created millions of these talentless kiss-asses and we've tricked everyone into thinking these people deserve respect. These people, along with the companies that employ them, deserve nothing but scorn and should be divested from immediately.
Thanks for the video, Michael.
“And the meek shall inherit the boardroom.”
Michael, that was a very coherent and well-made video. You really helped me understand the whole concept of corporate group-think, and how it pertains to our most beloved series and films, and the outright alienation of fans who simply want to see good content, and their favourite franchises done with love and care and respect. I've said it before, I'm sure I'd enjoy shooting the breeze with you about all the same geeky passions that we share. Love the channel. Keep it up!
The Peter Principle clearly at work. Amazing how Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who are now disposable as yesterday's trash. What's sad is that it didn't have to be this way.
OMG, there are so many truths in this video, my head almost exploded! 15 years in Hollywood here. My oh, my, how my life was/is exactly like this!
That quote from Steve Jobs wasn't saying the customer is stupid, he was actually advocating for creativity and risk taking. What he meant by that statement was that the customer doesn't know they want something that hasn't been created yet, that sometimes you have to show them something before they even realised they wanted that. That not about customers being dumb, that's just an integral part of innovation. No one knew they wanted electricity until it was invented and shown to them what it can do, that's what he meant.
Except that customers already wanted what electricity could do. They just didn't know electricity could do it, which is not the same thing as not knowing they wanted it. They wanted safer, cheaper means to heat and light their homes. They wanted faster means of travel. They wanted faster, more convenient means of communication. It isn't that you need to show them something before they realize that they wanted it. Its that you need to show them what it can do before they can determine if they have a use for it - like the Newton.
Steve Jobs, meanwhile, had energetically advocated for extremely idiotic ideas - like computers with no media drives, tiny hard drives that only held the bare minimum necessary to operate the computer while all other data was streamed as needed - on the apparent assumption that everyone on Earth had full access to dedicated T1 lines like he did and consequently requiring online access to do literally anything, making everything proprietary in order to exploit the sunk cost fallacy on anyone who buys into an Apple product (which may be good business practice but sucks for consumers) and the like.
This video absolutely nails it. With nearly every phrase and observation, I was relieving the haunting memories of my corporate career (may it R.I.P.). Well done sir!
Inspiring video sir! When I start my business empire, I swear SJW, corporate wokeness will be abolished. Customers and fans of my products will be treated with utmost respect and admiration for buying my products. Creativity and innovation will be at the fore front. Easier said than done, I know, but I do see the change that needs to happen.
Deus vult
Dude thank you time and again for your sound intellect and reasoning. You're very well spoken and always make me chuckle and think. I like knowing you're out there in the fandoms. Thanks Michael!
There are two sets of problems, and they involve not corporate culture but pressure from investors and competitors, and uninformed innovators. In the first, when one has run out of ideas, audiences want more of the same, and there's little time to develop projects due to competition and pressure from investors (not to mention large amounts of money at stake), then one releases more of the same as fast as possible. That's why many sequels and even prequels borrow from earlier films in the same franchise, reboots and remakes are prevalent, and they all follow the same formulae involving re-using plots, lots of computerized special effects, etc. In the second, when people who think they are creative and know what is best come in and attempt to make changes that suit their political and artistic views (and what they argue audiences should support), then they end up doing things like forcing an SJW agenda. In both cases, audiences move away and the corporation starts losing money.
One of the most insightful takes on the dearth of creativity within corporate culture I've seen. Good job.
When films cost as much as the GDP of a small island nation it is very hard for rising stars and independent film makers to break out.
I know your channel wasn't originally known for these types of videos, but this is outstanding content and I really enjoy it.
This video needs to be the "power point" that all corporations play everyday before they have their dry ass meetings.
Excellent video. More and more people are getting it.
"Something's wrong with you and I aint got time to fix it." I love Steve Harvey.
I work in a big American company, and I see a huge parallel with my actual situation. As you I see the industry trying to see potential new customers that doesn’t exist, and rejecting the old customers because they don’t feet into their narrative. Pseudo genius saying Make It Happen , without having shake a end of any customer in their entire life. Thank you Mickael. Love from France ;-)
One of the most baffling things to me is back in 2012 when Disney bought Star Wars they immediately went out and said they wanted JJ Abrams to helm then new film, Seriously you have just bought the franchise of franchises and the best name you can come up with is JJ Abrams???
Abrams was supposed to be the Spielberg of his generation, at least according to all the bean counters at Disney.
I thought Lost was good enough, but that was JJ;s peak. I remember seeing his Mission: Impossible & being very underwhelmed which was confirmed by Cloverfield. I could never understand what the 'hype over the hack' was about.
They got the idea from Mr. Plinkett
@@matane2465 Red Letter Media probably didn't expect identity politics influencing Jar Jar, and they were apeaking in terms of style. J.J. was no fit for Star Trek, he's too bombastic, but on paper he did fit Star Wars. Turns out he didn't. But there is no evidence disney execs are watching RLM and deciding JJ is the one. It was probably always going to happen, he was angling for it.
Michael,
I've watched your videos for a long time now, and this one was perhaps the most profound. What you describe is what I have been seeing slowly grow for years. I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what the cause(s) is, but I think you did an excellent job. One can only hope that some new creative minds can arise from the oh-so lame and stale wasteland that is current pop-culture. Please more videos like this. Thank you.
While I agree with most of your points regarding corporate culture and how it is antithetical to creativity, I think that's only one half of the explanation for the current state of entertainment. The way I see it, the studios have mostly been led by safe, soulless corporate bean-counters who depended on hired talent and outside agencies to do the actual creative work; this isn't a new phenomenon. What does seem to be a new phenomenon is the dramatic increase in ideologically-driven creators who don't seem concerned with the company bottom line at all, and instead steer the company straight toward financial ruin while loudly proclaiming that they're broadening the fan-base and entering new markets.
It's a giant failing on the part of entertainment companies that they're still touting this misguided diversity rhetoric after years of it not working, but I don't think it originated at the highest levels of executive power. No, I think the old corporate model simply lacked any sort of failsafe against infiltration by people who weren't primarily motivated by a paycheck.
This video should have over million views. Brilliant.
Beautiful video, man.
You should watch the HBO series, 'Boardwalk Empire', if only for the ending:
Essentially at the end of the prohibition era, it saw open organised criminal gang warfare turn from bloody, horrific depravity into a legimate network of legal entities that thrived via incorporation.
Truely a sign that sociopaths thrive at the top (as evidenced in the (Also HBO) award winning series, 'The Wire' too - a show applauded for its realism).
Clearly explaining why the most destructive & creatively bankrupt individuals (Rain Johnson, JJ Abrhams, etc..) fall upwards in companies & are hired solely for their brand recognition rather than merit or ability
True, but a lot of times, these people do have their one "ability": The ability to bullshit.
Can somebody replace business schools with this video? This is one of the clearest-eyed explanations of The Cancer That Is Killing Us.