Re: How do you contribute?

Description: The world continues to love our movies, even if they hate our foreign policy.

Question:   What impact does your work have on the world?

Transcript:  Well it has a lot of impact on the world.  And the first place . . .  America is known throughout the world largely by its film and television stars, and sports heroes.  I mean you’d like to think that the politicians have that kind of impact, but the truth of the matter is that this is an industry that America has become identified with over a period of many, many, years.  One of the reasons why, to be honest with you, is there aren’t very many other places that produce very many movies or television shows.  I mean they produce some in other countries, but our industry is still the dominant force in terms of amount of product that’s out there.  So people see often what we’re like by reason of the movies.  And I recall that whenever Arnold Schwarzenegger used to travel around the world – this was before he became governor of California – he would be swarmed by people throughout the world wherever he’d go largely because of this factor.  And so good and bad, America is known often by its entertainment product.  And I think it’s more good than bad to be honest with you.  And one evidence of that is in the last few years when we’ve been fighting this war in Iraq, and when there’s a lot of negative feelings about American foreign policy in the world, sales of American movies overseas have not been appreciably hurt by any of that.  That is this overseas sales of American film track, the domestic sales of American films notwithstanding that a lot of people may not like our foreign policy.  So that’s a very good sign that not only do people like our movies, but they still like us, America as a country.

Question:   Should the entertainment industry be held responsible for the content it produces?

Transcript:  The entertainment community I think does have some obligation because our work product goes out around the world and does reflect on American values.  I think that’s one of the reasons why there’s such an enormous diversity of content.  You know you’ll see big blockbusters.  You know, like Transformers, or Harry Potter. or Pirates of the Caribbean that are really liked almost everywhere.  You will see edgier movies that might stretch the limit on sex or violence.  You will see a far amount of ultra violent movies, and I think there are some parental concerns about some of these shows.  You’ll see very serious low budget movies as well.  So I do think that when you look at the whole category of movies that are out there, I think the product is diversified and frankly highly competent professionally.

Question: What is your proudest achievement?

Transcript:  Surviving probably, but beyond that . . .  No.  I think that it is doing my best to promote the economic position of the American film industry both at home and around the world, because everything that you do – whether it’s tax laws, or piracy, or the other legislative items, or even using modern technology – is all based upon a strong industry.  And so my role is as much as to be an ambassador for that as anything else.

Recorded on: 7/6/07