films per year. With the fewer films being created, there was less opportunity to gain revenue. In that sense, studio executives began to think more along the lines of what could maximize their returns on the films they would produce. Films that have been released in the past 3 years from the studios usually have fallen into 4 categories:
1) Bigger films with a larger opportunity for worldwide success (Avatar)
2) Films with a loyal fan base (Star Trek, Transformers)
3) Sequels (Harry Potter and the Half Blood Price, New Moon)
4) Critically acclaimed films with established directors and actors (There Will Be Blood, The Reader.)
Films that would require medium sized budgets and would have unpredictable returns have been shelved.
However, the true shining moment of film making during this recession has been one called Paranormal Activity.