Transitions in the Film Trade among Oecd Countries: A Network Approach

Abstract

This article explores the structural transitions of the international film trade among 32 OECD countries over eleven years since 1996. A network analysis of the trade data shows that there have been changes in the pattern of the film trade over the past decade, and this transition is markedly apparent around 2002, when the WTO Doha Round was launched. A discrepancy between film import and export partnership patterns has enlarged since 2002. While the export pattern among OECD countries is stable over time, the film-import pattern shows a temporal transition before and after 2002. The results also demonstrate that the US film industry has utilised partial localisation strategies, such as co-production and runaway production, in an effort to maintain dominance in the international film market.