21st Century Life

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how the entertainment industry is changing. The fact that it is thought of as an actual industry in addition to being called showbusiness is one insight into how much has changed. Not only can just about everybody watch movies in crystal clear picture and sound definition at home, we can watch on our cell phone. Ten years ago, most people didn’t even have cell phones! The fact that while we’re watching High School Musical 2 on our cell we can also hear a song from that movie as the ringtone for a phone call simultaneously, lets us know that the game has changed dramatically.

It used to be frowned upon to be caught selling or endorsing a product. It was okay to release a perfume or have a show in Vegas if your career had stalled, but now people have so many images being placed in minds that many artists are almost expected to sell something more than what gave them a career in the first place.

Because of the internet, people are more willing to expand what they will be entertained by. Actors can release a pop album, or an album of cover songs. Or shoot comedy shorts with their video cameras (the same ones we have, by the way) at home and put it on web for the world to see. Or they can design a clothing line. No matter where you turn, everyone is crossing over. Even Steven Soderbergh just cast an actual factual 20 year old porn star as a lead role in the film he’s currently shooting. Really. It gets even better than that! Upon being cast, Sasha Grey [the aforementioned porn star] released a statement that said:

To have the opportunity to work for an Academy Award-winning auteur is truly a great honor. I've been an admirer of Soderbergh's films for years, and I am elated that I have been given a leading role in a character-driven film.

What just happened? Sasha Grey just became my new best friend.

At the end of the day, I don’t have a high-definition answer for what’s going on, but I can feel that there’s major change underfoot in this fantastic industry. And I’m okay with that. In fact I’m pretty excited.



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