The contemporary creative industries are organized under a very particular ecology that is characterized by two groups of key players (Davies & Sigthorsson, 2013). The first group known as the “plankton” consist of a high number of freelancers and microbusinesses that specialize in content creation for the creative industries. The second group known as the “whales”, constitutes of a small number of extremely large, often multinational corporations, who are the big names that control the commissioning, publishing, and distribution of the plankton’s content (Davies & Sigthorsson, 2013). The many flaws of the whale-plankton business ecology of the contemporary creative industries limits and diminishes the creative expression of independent producers
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The whale-plankton ecology has otherwise been described as the “Hourglass Structure”, noting the missing middle which refers to the significant absence of small-and-medium-sized enterprises, that consequently leads to challenges in connection and coordination between the two halves of the hourglass. It is due to this lack of middle ground, otherwise described as the “myth of the mediated centre” (Couldry, 2014) that independent film and television producers face great challenges when attempting to reach mass audiences and to exert influence. The complex, cultural goods with valuable IP that is produced within the film and television industries are further diminished and …show more content…
The vulnerability of such careers is rooted in the abundance of freelancers within the industry, giving the multinational firms the ability to hire and fire creative professionals as they wish. While the content-producers are able to provide creative input, it is ultimately the studio or broadcaster that has the final say, and it is entirely their prerogative to fire the freelance producers at any time if they are unsatisfied (Davies & Sigthorsson, 2013). Given the short-term nature of most contracts, independent producers are constantly seeking work, even during times of employment (Hesmondhalgh & Baker, 2010). The mental and physical stress of this career burns out many independent producers, often taking a toll on their quality of content (Hesmondhalgh & Baker,
The whale-plankton ecology has otherwise been described as the “Hourglass Structure”, noting the missing middle which refers to the significant absence of small-and-medium-sized enterprises, that consequently leads to challenges in connection and coordination between the two halves of the hourglass. It is due to this lack of middle ground, otherwise described as the “myth of the mediated centre” (Couldry, 2014) that independent film and television producers face great challenges when attempting to reach mass audiences and to exert influence. The complex, cultural goods with valuable IP that is produced within the film and television industries are further diminished and …show more content…
The vulnerability of such careers is rooted in the abundance of freelancers within the industry, giving the multinational firms the ability to hire and fire creative professionals as they wish. While the content-producers are able to provide creative input, it is ultimately the studio or broadcaster that has the final say, and it is entirely their prerogative to fire the freelance producers at any time if they are unsatisfied (Davies & Sigthorsson, 2013). Given the short-term nature of most contracts, independent producers are constantly seeking work, even during times of employment (Hesmondhalgh & Baker, 2010). The mental and physical stress of this career burns out many independent producers, often taking a toll on their quality of content (Hesmondhalgh & Baker,