We knew that between Donald Trump and Hollywood, it was not a love story. For the American president, Hollywood, it is a landmark of anti-trumpist democratic wokists. It is not completely false. Ask the cinema intelligentsia to change their habits does not pose too many problems. But then again, The president is in fact a whole section of his economy.
Netflix, Warner Bros, Amazon lost almost 2% on the stock market yesterday. Apple and Disney were also down. As always, he takes everyone by surprise, including his administration. The sheriff has just hanged Mickey on the village square. Donald Trump believes that non-American productions have anti-USA propaganda and that it is necessary to regain control.
But we do not know if the tax will also concern TV series, if it will affect American films shot abroad, if the post-production and assembly made abroad will be impacted. Lots of gray areas for dark rooms. Made in USA production has already dropped a lot in recent years. There was the covid, there was the interminable strike of the writers who feared being replaced by artificial intelligence. There are increasingly expensive productions.
A decision aimed at Canada and China
There was obviously the fire which ravaged Los Angeles and which will complicate the filming in California for a few months. If we take stock, in the first quarter of this year, the production in the United States of films and series has dropped by 22%. And if we look at 10 years, we are at least 40%. So there is an exodus of filming.
Again, we find the obsessions of “the American Sniper” Donald Trump because nothing is really done at random in his ads. He aims for Canada and China. The successful series The Last of Us is shot in Ontario in Canada as many American films. Minecraft which is currently a hit was produced by Legendary Pictures. He is an increasing Chinese producer present in Hollywood.
A cheaper workforce in Europe
Moreover, in the showdown China-USA, Beijing had already planned to reduce the broadcasting of American films on its territory and it was before this announcement. This decision by Donald Trump can touch us because Many superproductions are made in Europe like the new Mission Impossible or the future Christopher Nolan.
The workforce is cheaper with us. Some countries even offer tax advantages if you make films on their territory. So even if Hollywood is less rich than before, the industry plans to invest $ 248 billion this year. It’s been a lot and there are a lot of countries that want to enjoy it. Donald Trump chose Sylvester Stallone, you know, as an ambassador to make Hollywood move. Hopefully the Rocky Balboa of the White House will not put its KO industry.
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