Black Presence in Films
Throughout the history of film, the lack of black presence
has always been discussed. African Americans have had a long and complex
history in the film industry (Thompson). In early film Blacks were subdued to
play mammies, butlers, and servants; which reinforced that the proper position
for Black people were that of servants (Thompson). The first African American
movie star Stepin Fetchit, in his roles he played a dimwit and lazy character
(oxfordaasc.com). Even though his roles were stereotypical roles he still
opened up doors for other African Americans to become actors.
Can Black Films Sell Globally
African Americans have been overlooked in films because
producers feel that the film would not do well overseas. In a lot of cases black
films have to get distribution from other black distributors, independent
funding, and even crowdfunding (Kang, Thompson, etc.., 2014). Most Hollywood
executives, producers and analysts interviewed for this article delicately
maintained that the resistance to black performers abroad had had less to do
with bigotry than with the international audience’s lack of experience with the
humor or urban situations that figure in many of their films. Many African
American movies have become successful and have proven that people are
interested in seeing the different dimensions of black life. “Despite America’s
changing demographics, Hollywood’s most powerful industry leaders have been
slow to respond to a demand for movies that reflect cultural and racial shifts
that have long been underway (Kang, Thompson, etc.., 2014).
The Decline of the Music Industry
Album sales over the past decade have been declining. It is
mostly due to the rise of pirating music on websites online. Surprisingly vinyl
or LP records were once near extinct, but in 2014 the revenue for vinyl records
were $300 million and rose 50% over 2013 (Rosenblatt, 2015). On the other hand,
sales of downloads (albums and singles) have shifted into sharp decline
(Rosenblatt, 2015). Most of the album downloads are from Apple’s Itunes and
Amazon MP3 and they are also down in sales.
Digital Music in the Digital World
As the technology increased over the years the sales and use
of CDs have decreased. When the 160 gb ipod came out in 2007 it took over the
traditional way we listen to music. These devices were slick in style, small
for transporting, and could hold an enormous amount of music (Ben Lovejoy,
2015). These devices added another level of fun listening to music while on the
go.
Blacks in Film and
Television. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2015, from http://www.oxfordaasc.com/public/features/archive/1208/photo_essay.jsp?page=1
(n.d.). Retrieved
December 2, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbyowsinski/2014/01/07/the-numbers-are-in-should-the-music-industry-be-worried/
(n.d.). Retrieved
December 2, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbyowsinski/2014/01/07/the-numbers-are-in-should-the-music-industry-be-worried/
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