How do we want our films to be - cliched or original?
Tokyo, 2006

Films could be vibrant and original OR dull and cliched depending on the degree of conventionality of film-makers and audience. The more conventional they are, the more cliched their films; the less conventional, the more varied and original. Every major film industry would have had or has formulae for their films. When asked about the repeating storylines, plots, treatment, etc. film-makers often remark that they make what the audience want. This may not always be true. One could only take a guess at "what the audience want", influenced by one's own sensibilities. Assuming one can tap into the audience's thoughts, it would be quite obvious that these thoughts could neither be universal nor be cast in stone. So, reality may be that film-makers are limited by their own conventionality. When film-makers do try something original, they are not always rewarded by profitable box office returns. While film-makers may not have got it right in making and/or marketing the film, it could also be a result of the audience's conventionality of rejecting non-formulaic films.

I read an interesting thought: "Sometimes you have to fight against conventional wisdom because conventional wisdom is always going to go with the path of least resistance. With the known. If you go with the logic that everyone knows, you will produce the same thing as everyone else. And someone who takes a little bit of maverick approach and does it right will make a difference" - Sheryl O'Loughlin, Chief of Brand, Clif Bar Inc. from the book "Raising the Bar" by Gary Erickson with Lois Lorentzen

So, how do we want our films to be - cliched or original? If we want a greater variety of films, how we can break out of the negative vicious cycle producing more and more cliched films into a positive feedback cycle resulting in original and stimulating films?