But the unique accounting standards that the industry has long relied on to make those calculations is anything but straightforward. “Hollywood accounting,” as a concept, is so specific to the entertainment business it has its own Wikipedia page. And while experts say this kind of creative accounting is perfectly legal, the tactics involve some of the most fantastical fictions ever devised in Tinseltown. To actually make the movie, the subsidiary inevitably takes on expenses — crew wages, craft services, set design, props etc. That means all of these “creative” expense allocations shouldn’t affect what net profits the studio’s shareholders see.

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Persons: CNN Business ’, “ Forrest Gump ”, ”, Harry Potter, United States ’, Stephen Glaeser, Glaeser, ” Glaeser, it’s, Bridget Stomberg, “, Mark Young, ” Young, Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Ed Solomon, Solomon, Sony didn’t, you’ll Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, United, University of North, University of Indiana’s Kelley Business School, University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, Sony Pictures, Sony, CNN Locations: New York, United States, Tinseltown, University of North Carolina