Art and commerce are strange bedfellows. The most romantic vision of art exists outside of the idea of commerce or censorship. However, great art is rarely ever created outside of either constraint. The latter restriction can fluctuate depending on the era and country where art is begotten. In contrast, the former is perpetually tied to creation, as art is challenging to produce without money. The film medium is the one people most associate with being the intersection between art and commerce. Although some pictures are made solely for art's sake, most movies are designed to keep studios afloat through ticket sales.
In the video above, the Royal Ocean Film Society's YouTube channel talks about American International Pictures. AIP is a fascinating studio that relied on a clever and novel marketing strategy at the time. Movies produced by American International Pictures were designed around a sensational poster first and a script last.
Thumbnail image: Detail from the poster for AIP Pictures' 1957 classic Invasion of the Saucer Men
