Discernment
Teenage Flicks are the Target;
Christian Movies Hit the Mark
Though the major movie studios are answering the call for faith-based films, many in Hollywood are still
targeting the youth in an effort to make large amounts of cash on raunchy material.
by Diane Hollenbeck, courtesy of MoralMetric.com
Every movie executive in Hollywood is completely obsessed with him. Screenplays are manipulated and ratings altered just to get his attention. Money can surely be made off of his good opinion. Who is this "he"? Why the main target of any movie studio: a fourteen year old boy, who influences his female friends and his family. And while this adolescent target may give movie studios quick fixes of revenue, fortunately it is the older, wiser Christian sector that is making sure the cream in filmmaking rises to the top of the money making charts.
In his 2007 Report to the Entertainment Industry, Dr. Ted Baehr of MovieGuide® notes that while a few studios are still trying to serve up an offering of slasher, horror flicks to appease the 14-year-old movie god, some of the major movie studios are recognizing that the real money is found in wholesome, Christian faith-based films. Dr. Baehr presents the following startling statistics:
- In 2006, movies with strong Christian themes made $39 million per movie while films depicting anti-Christian themes made a mere $17.4 million.
- Eighty percent of the top movies in the video rental market contained strong and/or very strong Christian or moral elements.
- Eighty-six percent of the top earning movies overseas had very strong Christian and/or moral content.
These stats have proven amazing enough to cause a stir in Hollywood. Dr. Baehr states, "...the number of movies with at least some positive Christian, biblical or moral content has increased overall from 18.3 percent in 1991 to 61.9 percent in 2006. This is more than a 238 percent increase." Of the top 25 grossing movies of 2006, 72 percent included strong or very strong moral content. To break into this exclusive list, filmmakers are finding that they must incorporate faith-based material into their screenplays.
So why do some movie studios continue to cater to that teenage target? Well, according to Baehr's report, while the teenagers make up only 7.5 percent of the total population, they buy nearly 14 percent of all the movie tickets. Last year, teenagers spent $122 billion on means of constant stimulation. Young people today have determined movie-watching as their number one pastime; going to a film is thought of as the "in" thing by 92 percent of teenagers. This is why the statistics above should not lull parents into complacency.
Vigilant previewing of new releases on the part of parents is crucial. Movie studios count on teenagers seeing films early, thus generating the initial "feel" or "take" on a movie and sharing it with their friends, who in turn see the movie the following week. Parents must get a jump on the grapevine and know something about the movie their teens are asking to see. Tightly gripping the wallet and refusing to pay for a substandard product will keep movie-makers and those who rate movies mindful of the fact that while they may try to target teenage boys, their films will only hit the mark with parents if the movies contain moral content.
Mass media is making a change for the better. Dr. Baehr recognizes this as he remarks, "The good news is that there are some significant signs of Christian revival in the United States and in Hollywood. Many media executives and talent are re-establishing contact with Christians, with families and with the broad moral audience, and those men and women can look forward to improved box office performances in their movies." Hopefully, this message will sound a continual clarion for better, faith-based, moral media.