After the studio system fell out of favor, the big film companies didn’t keep the talent under contracts in the same way, and the relationship with the physical production studios and theaters changed. Interestingly, the Big Five major studios – Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures and Columbia Pictures – are now primarily the backers and distributors of movies, while it’s independent companies that handle the development and production. These independent companies, in turn, work with various production studios in order to shoot a film.
In this case, the terms production studio and film studio are both used to describe a controlled environment for the making of a film. These spaces generally include a sound stage, and can also have exterior shooting options (often called a backlot). Even though a lot happens out of the limelight and control of the Big Five, these movie studios still have a critical role. Without support from one of these multi-media conglomerates, it’s hard for a movie to make it big, or hope for international distribution and exposure.
