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Billy Wilder was a prolific personality whose versatile content has captivated Hollywood’s hearts. Before making his entry into the industry, he worked as a screenwriter in Europe. His filmmaking and writing skills beautifully captured his sophisticated narrative that is prominently seen in projects likeDouble IndemnityandCasino Royale.
Wilder believed in the rapid advancement of technology as he predicted Hollywood’s downfall, which appears to be turning true.
Billy Wilder’s 1986 AFI Speech Seemingly Foretold Hollywood’s Decline
With a career spanning over five decades,Billy Wilderimpressed Hollywood with his versatile filmmaking skills. He hugely contributed to Classic Hollywood cinema with his writing and directing skills, whose illustrious career included projects likeSome Like It Hot, Sunset Boulevard,andThe Apartment.
Back in 1986, the late director was bestowed with theAmerican Film Institute(AFI) Life Achievement Award. During the acceptance speech, he expressed his thoughts on the rapid advancement of technology.
The late filmmaker believed that the growth in technology would revolutionize the consumption of content among audiences, leading to a drastic change in the scope of Hollywood. That prediction eventually turned out to be true, as the industry faces similar challenges.
He shared,
I have been here for over 50 years—that’s more than half a century—and all those years I’ve watched Tinseltown vacillate between despair and fear. First, it was going to be the sound that would kill us, then it was going to be television, then cable, then p-rnography, then cassettes, and now that terrifying new word: microchip.
He highlighted that future technologies could change the content consumption in audiences, changing the traditional filmmaking style.
We will have—or they will have invented—tiny little screens which you can attach to your steering wheel, or big 20-foot screens on the ceiling of your bedroom…Fantastic, isn’t it? Just unbelievable. All the hardware is there, beautifully programmed. Bravo!
Wilder’s prediction about the decline of theaters has become prominently relevant in recent years. It was further accelerated in the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a drastic shift from traditional cinema into home entertainment.
Since social distancing measures were mandated, movie studios were forced to release the content directly to streaming platforms. That shift led to the rise of the streaming era, changing the audiences’ content consumption patterns.
Casino RoyaleWriter,Billy WilderGot Candid About a Positive Fact for Hollywood
Wilder’s 38-year-old speech evidently explained the home entertainment concept, which also affected the content. While traditional cinema had its limitations, streaming platforms allowed users to access a vast library of high-quality content at any time.
As a result, traditional theaters have struggled to compete, which continues to be a prominent issue even today. However, theCasino Royalewriter also reflected on a positive aspect that will always be relevant in the industry – generating content.
What about the software? What are we going to do on all those screens? Who is going to write it? Who is going to direct it? Who is going to act in it?
Although he acknowledged the technical advancements that would shift the traditional filmmaking,the directoradded that the creativity, emotions, and unique human contributions to storytelling and film production could not be replicated through microchips.
As the technology would grow, so would be the space for filmmakers to showcase their creativity, curating content that would resonate with audiences.
Priya Sharma
Articles Published :1321
Priya Sharma, Senior Content Writer and Social Media Manager at FandomWire and Animated Times. Having graduated in Journalism and Mass Communication, she possesses extensive expertise in crafting engaging and informative content. She has written over 2000 articles across Animated Times and FandomWire on pop culture, showing her dedication to delivering diverse and trending content to readers across the world. Apart from pop culture, she is quite enthusiastic about the Hallyu culture and is exploring the world of anime, expanding the horizons of her knowledge.
