'In conjunction with the discussion of various topics throughout this survey
(as well as the book and its companion volumes), specific research questions have been
integrated with the text and appear at the end of the Survey in Depth.
The answers to these questions will be quite helpful to our overall understanding
of what is really going on in Hollywood. In an effort to stimulate valuable
research, the suggested research topics have been collected and reproduced
and are accessible by clicking here.
'All of the suggestions in this list of research questions are based on a
perception of the motion picture industry, a perception that is formed on
available information. Those perceptions can only be as good as the
information that is available. That information is principally represented
by the extensive bibliography appended to this book (from which this is an excerpt). However, there is a
considerable amount of evidence to suggest that the available information
is inadequate, either because much of it is biased or because so many
questions have gone unexplored and unanswered. This section of the book
thus provides an extensive list of research projects to be undertaken by
the academic community, investigative journalists or authors, professional
associations, individual attorneys, government agencies, law students, law
professors and others concerned with the problems discussed in these books.
'Another of the major criticisms contained in the book and its companion
volumes is the assertion that many institutions or
individuals (as listed in the book), have allowed the major studio/distributors to intimidate them
and prevent the development of better information regarding the way the
film industry actually conducts its business and with what results.
Hopefully this list of research projects and the book series will help
reverse that trend and tendency.
'As George Custen points out, "[i]n general, there are few grounded
analyses in film studies that use large systematically selected samples of
films." Custen's excellent work,
'For example, leaders of all groups who are consistently portrayed in
Hollywood motion pictures in a negative or stereotypical manner should
regularly conduct studies of such portrayals and report to the public about
the results, so that some umbrella organization can then assemble these
annual reports over a period of time and publish them in the form of a book
that will be available to all. As another example, religious leaders
throughout the U.S. and the world should systematically analyze the entire
body of work provided thus far by the American film industry or the
so-called major studio/distributors to determine whether (and on which
topics) there is a consistent pattern of bias against such religions in
Hollywood films. Once confirmed, these religious leaders should not bother
to try to change the behavior of the film moguls, but instead, petition
Congress, and pursue the other remedies set forth in this book seeking to
assure that all interest groups, including religions have the same
opportunity to produce and release films containing a more balanced presentation of
issues of concern to them, including religious issues.
'The suggested research questions are organized into various categories including
a Miscellaneous grouping. The other categories are
Patterns of Bias, Discrimination, Financing, the Numbers Game,
Distribution, Antitrust, RICO, Political Activism, Litigation, Historical
and Academy Awards. Some of the research questions represent the matters
discussed in the book and its companion volumes. In other instances, the
questions represent issues that were not fully developed in this series.
The list is not intended to be exhaustive of the kinds of research that can
be done with respect to film industry issues. A need for a great deal of
valuable research remains.'
(Original text modifyed slightly)