Wednesday Web Link – What Influences the Films We See

The Wednesday Web Link is our weekly feature on an article from the whole internets that is not only movie related, but a movie related article that makes you think deeper about the movies and TV you are watching.  If you have an awesome article to share that plumbs the depths of movies, TV shows, and the stories we watch, let us know on Twitter at @reelworldtheo or like the Reel World Theology Facebook page or email Josh at J.A.Crabb22@gmail.com and the article could end up here!

WEDNESDAY WEB LINK – WHAT INFLUENCES THE FILMS WE SEE via Think with Google

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been to the movie theaters in the past year.  In fact, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably been there more than once.  Obviously, I love going to movies, I love talking about movies, I love watching movies at home, on my phone, on our Kindle, etc.  I’m looking at movie stuff every single day and practically writing every day.

However, I can’t see everything (boo) and I, just like you, make informed and emotional decisions when it comes to the movies I watch.  I make conscious choices to see a movie like Captain America over Maleficent, sometimes for reasons I might not be able to articulate without deeper thought.  Needless to say, I was intrigued by some recent research by Think with Google and Millward Brown Digital on how moviegoers research and choose the films they are going to see.  Why do some movies do well at the box office while others flop, despite the former being inferior to the latter?  This really cool infographic resulting from the research gives us some clues as to the choices people make when purchasing that movie ticket.

You can click on the link to see the report or you can download the PDF below:

BEHIND THE BOX OFFICE at Think with Google (website)

Behind the Box Office (PDF)

Pretty cool, huh?  My immediate takeaway from reading the research is that trailers are a BIG DEAL.  If you haven’t seen a trailer for a movie, chances are you are not going to see it.  A small exception can be made for those afraid of trailers spoiling their movie-going experience, but I feel like that is a rather small number of people.  Also, it’s interesting that Dramas tend to remain in the public discourse long after the movie has come out and that Horror movies tend to endure the longest.  I would conjecture this is due to a rabid and dedicated fan base for the Horror genre.

I’m interested to hear from you.  What do you think of the research and what interesting trends do you see in the data?  Keep the conversation going on Facebook, Twitter, and in the comments below.  Happy Wednesday everyone!

Josh Crabb is an editor at Reel World Theology, as well as sometimes contributor to the Reel World Theology podcast.  You can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or on Letterboxd.