Comment on the 2024 Summer File： The film is actively innovative, but the box office is not refreshed？

Special feature of 1905 film network The summer file in 2024 ended with a total box office of 11.633 billion.

Although the innovations in technology and form of some films have aroused extensive discussion in the industry, the box office has failed to set a new record. This phenomenon can’t help but make people think deeply: Why didn’t film innovation bring the expected box office success?

The direction of film innovation: the balance between technology and content

Film critic Ai Hui pointed out that technological innovation is important in film creation, but the innovation of story content and characterization can not be ignored.

In recent years, with the increasing expectations of the audience for visual effects, many films began to seek breakthroughs in special effects, 3D, IMAX and other technical aspects. However, as film critic Ai Hui pointed out, if technological innovation can’t serve the story itself, it will often bring the audience a feeling that "form is greater than content".

Take the summer movie in 2024 as an example. Although the film is original in IMAX technology and visual effects, the story content is not organically combined with technological innovation, which leads to a huge psychological gap in the audience’s viewing process.

Before entering the cinema, the audience expected to see an exciting spy film based on the trailer and publicity, but when they actually watched it, they found that the film was more like an imitation and tribute to Hollywood classic movies. This psychological gap directly affects the audience’s overall evaluation of the film, which leads to the box office failing to meet expectations.

Market segmentation: diversified audience demand

In the current film market, the audience’s demand is becoming more and more subdivided. In the past, the phenomenon that "one film hits all over the world" no longer exists. Nowadays, audiences of different ages, different cultural backgrounds and even different social circles have different needs for movies. In this regard, the director not only needs to consider the balance between technology and story, but also needs to accurately locate different audiences.

As the box office champion of the summer file, it is precisely by accurately positioning the family audience market that it has achieved success. This film does not pursue technological innovation excessively, but focuses on the story content suitable for the whole family to watch.

Through the interaction and emotional connection between family members, the film successfully attracted a large number of parent-child viewing groups, and finally stood out in the highly competitive summer file.

Including the sum of the second and third box office rankings, there are clear market segments in terms of topic and type, so it is relatively easy to spread.

In contrast, some films with unclear positioning or excessive pursuit of formal innovation have failed to find emotional resonance with the target audience, resulting in poor box office performance. For example, although he made bold innovations in image style, his story content was too obscure to attract mainstream audiences, and finally the box office failed to achieve a breakthrough.

Innovation and Risk: Director’s Self-expression and Market Demand

For many directors, innovation is not only an inevitable choice to pursue artistic breakthrough, but also an adventure. In the film market of China, directors are often faced with the dilemma of "both wanting and wanting": they should not only express themselves in the film, but also gain market recognition, and hope that the film can be successful in word-of-mouth and box office. However, the reality often does not allow directors to easily find a balance between the three.

Ai Hui pointed out: "When the director excessively pursues self-expression and ignores the market demand, it is often difficult for the film to make a breakthrough at the box office." This situation is not uncommon in China film market in recent years. Many directors tend to add a lot of personal elements and unique expressions when creating, but these contents are often difficult to resonate widely with the audience.

For example, this film tries the technology of "live animation", trying to bring a refreshing experience to the audience in visual effect. However, a large number of self-expression elements in the film make the audience feel confused and uncomfortable.

When the audience walked out of the cinema, they were more surprised by the form of the film than by the content of the story. This phenomenon shows that directors must be more cautious and restrained when pursuing innovation, and avoid excessive deviation between self-expression and market demand.

Industry trends: opportunities for medium-sized movies

In the film industry, the definition of success is often not limited to the level of box office, but also lies in whether the film can leave a deep impression on the audience. At this point, medium-sized films are emerging and showing unique market potential.

For example, as a medium-sized comedy released at the beginning of the year, it won a wide audience base by accurately capturing the current workplace culture. The film tells a story closely related to the life of ordinary audience through a relaxed and humorous narrative way, which makes the audience have a strong sense of resonance during watching.

This "grounded" creative way not only made the film a success at the box office, but also made it a social currency among the audience, further expanding the influence of the film.

In contrast, those large-scale movies that rely too much on technology and form innovation attract a lot of attention in the short term, but it is difficult to leave a long-term impression on the audience. This shows that film creators should pay more attention to how to establish a deeper connection with the audience through stories while pursuing innovation.

Future Prospect: Diversified Path of Film Creation

In future film creation, how to find the best balance between innovation and market demand will determine whether the film can succeed in the market. First of all, film creators need to understand the needs of the audience more deeply, especially the needs of different market segments. As a popular entertainment product, movies must reflect the social reality and the emotional demands of the audience to a certain extent.

Secondly, the director should pay more attention to the strength of the story itself, not just the technical breakthrough. As Ai Hui said: "What is really aura should be placed on stories and characters." Film creators need to impress the audience by telling interesting and infectious stories. Technological innovation should serve the story, not override it.

Finally, the film industry should encourage the creation of more medium-sized films. This kind of film may not be as complicated as making a big movie, but it is easier to establish emotional connection with the audience and thus succeed in the market. By focusing on the daily life and emotional experience of ordinary audiences, these films can find their own position in the market segments and gain a broader audience base through word-of-mouth communication.

The art of balance between innovation and box office

The summer file in 2024 provides us with a valuable opportunity to think — — Where should the direction of film innovation point? No matter how it develops in the future, film creators should always keep in mind that film, as an art form, is still the mind of the audience. In today’s highly competitive film market, directors need to find a suitable balance point, which can not only maintain their artistic pursuit in innovation, but also meet the needs of the audience. Only by constantly adjusting the direction of innovation can we truly achieve a win-win situation for box office and word of mouth.