Ideological Formalism and the Sci-Fi Original

I've recently begun reading more on formalist theory and filmmaking. It's become obvious that ideological formalism, the idea that the classical Hollywood editing style is the way it is to appeal the most to to the audience and to earn the most profit, holds much truth. This is also evident in the Sci-Fi Original. For those unaware, the Sci-Fi Originals are a collection of quickly produced low budget monster or horror films produced or purchased excusively for the Sci-Fi network. These films typically have names like "Boa vs. Python" or "Frankenfish" and hearken back to the days of true B-movies.

Ideological Formalism is different from Auteur Theory of formalism in one key area: motivation. Ideological Formalism is the idea that it is not the director's own personal motivations and experiences that drive the film (such as in Auteur Theory) but the socio-economic and human pressures around him. In this sense, Sci-Fi originals embody Ideological Formalism in it's purest sense.

These films are mass produced, coming out at an astonishing rate of once each week, for a Saturday night premiere on the Sci-Fi network. They require small budgets of only one million to two million. The pressures put on them to keep the costs down greatly influence the filmmaking process. By releasing direct to DVD or a cable network, the filmmakers avoid the extensive costs of film processing. The films often have a basic set, such as a city, a jungle, or a desert. They often star almost all unknown actors, or at the most an actor with few major film credits such as Robert Beltran. Rarely, famous "B-movie" actors are cast in films. Stephen Baldwin, being an example, has starred in numerous straight to video or television films shown on the Sci-Fi channel.

The "monster" is the major draw for the film. The filmmakers need to come up with something original, yet amusing enough to retain the camp that is present in all of these films. Each film strives to be more over the top than the previous one, in order to grab the ratings on Saturday night. This is why sequels, spinoffs, or cliches will frequently occur. For example, "Boa vs. Python" was released in 2004. Since then, the snake meme has perpetuated in the Sci-Fi original film library. Following "Boa vs. Python" has been "Snakehead Terror" (2004), "The Snake King" (2005), "Fire Serpent" (2007), "Mega Snake" (2007), "Vipers" (2008), "and "Copperhead" (2008). This is one of many of the frequent memes present in Sci-Fi Original films. The filmmakers are heavily influenced by the success and ratings of the films. They will keep producing different snake films until it stops being profitable.

Ideological Formalism isn't a bad thing. To put it quite simply, it shows that we're influenced by external factors much of the time. It's clear that these filmmakers are producing these films for the ratings, and audiences respond well to that. Audiences aren't always looking for pure art in film, otherwise Michael Bay would be out of a job (...zing). Until the ratings shift in the other direction, Sci-Fi Original filmmakers will keep bringing us giant mythological creatures attacking a rag-tag band of adventures each week, and we'll keep enjoying watching them.