The SF and Fantasy Boom
in the Visual Media
by Ian Donnell Arbuckle
Discussion: part 2
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Contributions: Kevin Ahearn’s appears in part 1. Don Webb’s appears in part 3. |
Kevin said: “book publishers, film makers and TV producers flee from “science fiction” — newly defined as a “guarantee to lose money.”
This is demonstrably false for a given value of “science fiction.” I’m probably broadening Kevin’s definition, but I’m going to use “science fiction” the way the moneymakers use it — the ones at whom this discussion seems to be indirectly aimed — which is more like what we Defenders of Truth would term “speculative fiction.”
As such, the speculative fiction entertainment business has really taken off in the last few years, as comic books assume more of a mainstream presence (without, I might add, DC performing their drastic and aimless character buggery). Television, especially this past year, has latched onto science fiction with a vengeance, partly due to the success of ABS’s “Lost.” The networks brought in veritable flood of alien- and supernatural-themed shows for this season, including “Invasion”, Frank Spotniz’s new “Night Stalker”, and the aptly-named “Supernatural.” I’m not saying that any of these shows are good (with the exception of “Lost” they’re not) but they are all at least modest successes for their home networks.
I haven’t addressed book publishers, yet, because I don’t spend time with those publication numbers, but in the realms of TV and movies the business of science fiction, or, more broadly, geek entertainment, is profitable enough to support the creation this year alone of a space western, a couple of costumed vigilantes, a snarky magician, a children’s movie about androids, a steampunk cartoon, a Diana Wynne Jones adaptation, a Douglas Adams adaptation, and a big budget clone flick, and that’s only up through July.
High-concept appeals to producers and to audiences, and it’s hard to get higher concept than science fiction. If I’ve missed the aim of Kevin’s original letter, then allow me to backpedal a bit. There are tremendous stories coming out these days, in film, television, and literature. Science fiction has a lot of solid competition for a limited amount of consumer resources. It’s holding its own decently, right now — but it would take another space race, another sweep of consuming imagination to cross the nation, to capture the minds of average James. Right now the geeks are present — publishers and Hollywood cater directly to us — but we are outnumbered.
Copyright © 2005 by Ian Donnell Arbuckle
