Simon Pulman on Jeffrey Katzenberg & Asking The Right Questions | Transmythology

Jeffrey Katzenberg & Asking The Right Questions

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Simon Pulman

Jeffrey Katzenberg was interviewed by Fortune yesterday about the developing shape of the movie industry and the media landscape more broadly. For the uninitiated, Katzenberg is a former Paramount and Disney executive who was largely responsible for rejuvenating Disney’s animation division (read this, and this); he is now CEO of Dreamworks Animation and a member of Zynga’s Board of Directors.

Fortunately, the entire transcript of the interview is posted on Fortune’s website. While it constitutes valuable reading overall, I want to concentrate on a few of his observations, because I believe that they reflect a vitally important issue that will continue to impact the entertainment industry over the next decade. First, Katzenberg on viewer habits:

And so we have what is for sure a systemic change in consumer habits with regard to how they consume movies.  And what we haven’t yet found is what is that new model [is].

In the interview, Katzenberg is largely contemplating – as is typical of Hollywood – new distribution forms for existing content. However, I wonder if he hasn’t subconsciously hit on something more significant than streaming and bundling that affects movies on a broader creative level and promises to impact Hollywood’s relationship with its audience profoundly.

The World is Changing

In January 1991, Katzenberg wrote a now famous memo to senior Disney executives discussing the state of the movie industry. If you haven’t read the memo (and you should, because most of it is still highly relevant) titled “The World is Changing: Some Thoughts on Our Business,” it’s here. Within, Katzenberg discusses economics of the film industry, the need to reasonably contain costs, the unique nature of the theatrical experience, and a need to focus on story.

It’s that last point – story – that I think needs to be examined.

via transmythology.com

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