Publications

In March 2017, Jason Blum, the founder and chief executive officer of film and television production company Blumhouse Productions, has another blockbuster on his hands with the movie Get Out, produced for just $4.5 million. Remarkable returns for its micro-budget... View Details

April 2016 (Revised June 2019)
Case

The Walt Disney Studios

In December 2015, Alan Horn, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, celebrates the world premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens—only the latest in a string of big bets that he has overseen. Disney pursues a “tentpole strategy” that revolves around at least eight... View Details

September 2015 (Revised December 2016)
Case

Wanda Studios Qingdao

By: Henry McGee and Willy Shih

Wang Jianlin, founder and Chairman of the Dalian Wanda Group (Wanda), kept close tabs on one of his flagship projects going up on the shores of the Yellow Sea. There construction was underway on Wanda Studios Qingdao, the largest film and production facility in the... View Details

Keywords: Dalian Wanda Group; AMC Entertainment; Wang Jianlin; Movie Industry; Vertical Specialization; Film; Film Entertainment; Theater Entertainment; Entertainment; Vertical Integration; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; China; United States

October 2017
Case

LeBron James: Building a Hollywood Empire

It is June 2016. Superstar basketball player LeBron James and his childhood friend and business partner Maverick Carter are celebrating James’ third NBA championship. The duo will soon have to decide on a strategy for their media businesses—their film and television... View Details

November 2016 (Revised May 2017)
Case

The Black List

By: Henry McGee and Sarah McAra

Franklin Leonard founded The Black List in 2005 as an innovative approach to identifying potential hit movie scripts via crowdsourcing. As the annual Black List proved to hold the scripts of some of Hollywood’s most successful films, from “Slumdog Millionaire” to... View Details

Keywords: Screenwriting; Independent Production; Hollywood; Film Development; Film Distribution; Film Financing; Manging Uncertainty; Barriers To Entry; Globalization; Digitalization; Film Entertainment; Entrepreneurship; Marketing; Media; Strategy; Motion Pictures and Video Industry; United States

Web

Polaroid Films - Edwin H. Land & Polaroid | Harvard Business School

Instant Photography Research and Development, Project Code SX-70 Introducing One-Step Photography TAKING THE PRODUCT TO MARKET Impact of the New Medium Medium of Artistic Expression A NOBLE PROTOTYPE OF INDUSTRY Harvard Business School... View Details

27 Feb 2019
Working Paper Summaries

Judgment Aggregation in Creative Production: Evidence from the Movie Industry

Keywords: by Hong Luo, Jeffrey T. Macher, and Michael Wahlen; Motion Pictures & Video

17 Sep 2007
Research & Ideas

Broadband: Remaking the Advertising Industry

business, and the difficulties writing about such a moving target. Julia Hanna: What is the subject of your book in progress? Stephen P. Bradley: We are looking at industries that are being transformed by broadband such as the news and... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Advertising; Media & Broadcasting; Publishing

Web

Films & TV | Baker Library | Bloomberg Center | Harvard Business School

the Corporate Image Gary Works Photograph Album Resources Research Links Films & TV Bibliography From the Director Site Credits Special Collections Search Exhibition Introduction The Founding of U.S. Steel and the Power of Public Opinion... View Details

October 2016 (Revised February 2020)
Case

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

In June 2016, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is planning for the upcoming launch of an endeavor that is a first for a Hollywood actor with superstar status—a digital channel. The channel (named “Seven Bucks Digital Studios”) will be a new part of film and television... View Details

Web

Industry Information - Alumni

Careers Industry Information Careers Industry Information Want to know the latest in your respective industry? Are you researching before a big interview? We've compiled resources to help you stay current. +... View Details

August 2005
Supplement

The Passion of the Christ: An Interview with Bob Berney, President of Newmarket Films

By: Anita Elberse and John A. Quelch

Keywords: Motion Pictures and Video Industry

September 2012 (Revised August 2013)
Background Note

A Brief History of the U.S. Tobacco Industry Controversy

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Henry McGee

This history of the U.S. tobacco controversy is a reading for a class on "The Insider," a film about whistleblowing in the U.S. tobacco industry, taught in the course, The Moral Leader. View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Ethics; United States

2019
Working Paper

Judgment Aggregation in Creative Production: Evidence from the Movie Industry

By: Hong Luo, Jeffrey T. Macher and Michael Wahlen

This paper studies a novel, light-touch approach to aggregate judgment from a large number of industry experts on ideas that they encounter in their normal course of business. Our context is the movie industry, in which customer appeal is difficult to predict and... View Details

Keywords: Judgment Aggregation; Creativity; Film Entertainment; Judgments; Motion Pictures and Video Industry

SSRN

25 Aug 2022
News

Turning Point: Dream Weaver

career. That became clearer when I got to HBS. I learned that, in addition to being inspired by media, I liked to work on projects that had a beginning, middle, and end, which fit perfectly with the world of film and television. All signs... View Details

Keywords: career; life experience; Hollywood; movies; film

28 Feb 2022
Blog Post

Making an Impact on the Media Industry with my MBA

year) and EC (second year) who share a passion for film or may be pursuing careers in the industry. Our annual conference will bring the greater Harvard community—students, faculty, and alumni—together with View Details

09 Jan 2012
Working Paper Summaries

When to Sell Your Idea: Theory and Evidence from the Movie Industry

Keywords: by Hong Luo; Entertainment & Recreation

20 Apr 2017
Blog Post

Why I Love My Job: Ching Ching Chen On Her Passion For the Music Industry

incredible learning experience. From projects in the technology / venture capital space, to looking into growth opportunities in emerging markets and film & TV, to working on UMG’s 5-year strategy plan, I got to touch so many parts of... View Details

Keywords: Entertainment / Media / Sports

2013
Book

Blockbusters: Hit-making, Risk-taking, and the Big Business of Entertainment

What's behind the phenomenal success of entertainment businesses such as Warner Bros., Marvel Enterprises, and the NFL—along with such stars as Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, and LeBron James? Which strategies give leaders in film, television, music, publishing, and sports an edge... View Details

Find at Harvard