Mike Speaks

Why Distribute Online?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 23:58:00 +0000

First there was the hype of VHS tapes, wiping out the Betamax, and the wide distribution they provided for film and videos only to later, slowly but surely, be completely replaced by DVDs. Then blu-ray discs were introduced and ran with the idea that they are of higher quality and a lot better than their predecessor, the DVD. Most people, including myself, thought that it would be the next thing and people would eventually have to replace their DVD players with blu-ray compatible ones. That was until the breakout of on demand video came to the forefront. Netflix is the most widely known name for on demand video being able to reach consumers very easily first on the Internet, but now on mobile devices, tablets, game systems and TV’s. Blockbuster wasn’t a direct competitor and of theirs and neither is Redbox. Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, had big plans for the company since the beginning and challenged their services to beat others to the homes of consumers. Of course with the rise of great idea that catches on come a lot of companies that try to feed off of the sales. Soon after emerged Hulu, Joost, Snagfilms and updates on already know online media distributors like iTunes, Amazon, and Google. The competition between online video distributions is happening along side the dying battle of blu-ray discs and DVDs. Only key difference is the industry trends of Netflix and their competitors overshadows that of the physical aspect of videos and films. What has become apparent is that is the near future movie distribution will rely heavily on the internet seeing as how easy access these medium for video are and how they acquire new licensing rights to a lot of the popular titles on TV and on the big screen. It will soon become clear for anything film or production company that distributing online will the sufficient and smart way to get their works seen.

References

Bacharach, S. (2009). Leading Industry Treads: The Future of Media Distribution

Retrieved September 23^rd, 2012, from http://sambacharach.com/bacharachblog/leader/leading-industry-trends-the-future-of-media-distribution/

Ritchie, L. (2012). Distribute Online [image]. Retrieved September 23rd, 2012, from http://www.lukeritchie.co.za/portfolio/distribute-online/

Why Shoot In Philadelphia?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 01:19:00 +0000

While I am actively considering opening a film production business in Philadelphia, PA, I’m gathering all the necessary information about the area, trends in the industry, market statistics and so on. I’ve found some quite beneficial results as well as a lot of what the city offers to filmmakers and being a native Philadelphian I thought it’d only be right spread the word of the thriving film industry that the city of brotherly love possesses.

Most filmmakers seek out good incentives for in a city or state when deciding to shoot a production and the Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit program offers a 25% tax credit to films, commercials, television series that spend 60% of their budget in common wealth. Not only that but the city of Philadelphia offers what they call “fee-free locations” where depending on when a production is set to shoot, certain locations around the city can be used free of charge. Moreover, two police officers are provided for traffic control and additional security for public shoots. They even offer free security assessments for the locations to be shot on to ensure optimum safety precautions and provide tips on how to safeguard production equipment from potential power issues, and to make sure the crew works in a that safest environment as possible. The Philadelphia film office even started a going green campaign in 2008 to help productions reduce waste and diminish their impact on the environment. They provide sets and resources from recycle materials to be utilized for the productions.

These are just several of the best services offered when shooting and Philadelphia which also makes it a better location to shoot for up and coming production companies or indie filmmakers since what they provide saves money in the overall production and allows more of the budget to be put towards other factors for the film. I highly recommend shooting in Philadelphia and checking out their film office for various other resources they provide.

References

Collier, J. (2012). About the PA Film Production Tax Credit Program

Retrieved September 9^th, 2012, from http://www.film.org/Philadelphia/public/gpfo/taxcredits/18

Sirlin, N. (2011). Love Statue [image]. Retrieved September 9^th, 2012, from http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/pennsylvania/philadelphia/

Social Media Monetization

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:16:00 +0000

Social Media in the world today has become a big part of everything from the precious moments of your personal life to the to finding work, and marketing for business. Some people look to these sites as a way of expression of themselves and to stay connected to their family and peers. While others look to these platforms as a way to get the word out about their business or use them for monetization opportunities. In order to do this successfully you need to know which sites are capable of what and how they work so I thought it would be good to do so in this entry.

Social Networking

This is the type of social media that stands out above rest with sites like Facebook and the late great MySpace. These networking sites are used for a more direct connection to others and is an easier way to get what you post in front of others. MySpace emerged in it’s as a strongly personal networking site and later began to promote indie music artists. Although they can be personal these networking sites are great for business in that aspect, networking. Facebook has grown to be used for business as well as personal networking, while LinkedIn is more aimed at the professional standpoint.

Photo & Video Sharing

The social media that has changed the world as we knew it before it came about is YouTube, one of the various video sharing platforms but undoubtedly the most popular. YouTube and others like Vimeo, DailyMotion are used to upload recorded content to be viewed by others such as podcast, video logs, short films, tutorial, music, among countless others.

Then there are photo-sharing sites like Flickr that are solely image based and other users to comment and converse about all things in photography and still art. Some others include Photobucket, Picasa, and SmugMug.

Blogging

Blogging is a great aspect of social media because it was always there prior to the YouTube and Facebook sites of today, and has just grown over time. Blogs are majorly used to record opinions and information on a daily or consistent basis. These can encompass the traits of other sites all in one page; photos, videos, text, audio, etc. Bloggerand Wordpress are great for the professional route, but another great blog site has to be Tumblr. It of course accomplishes the same feats of other blog sites but has increased the activity that is now called “photo blogging.” Additionally, Twitter is a micro blogging site where you post updates in 140 characters or less.

Social News

A great way to stay informed while stay connected are social news sites where your peers share news articles, among other content, and everyone else then has the option to decide whether or not it’s important, which in the end reviews the most popular content uploaded. Digg, Designbump and Reddit are among the top best social news sites as of today.

Social Coupons

These are used to save money by offering discounts on local business and certain chain stores all by gps location. If you’re signed up you receive these coupons and codes periodically and are redeemable before their expiration. The most widely know coupon site is GroupOn. You can’t advertise here like on other sites but you can get your local company put on the site to send discounts and possibly increase sells.

All of these sites can be utilized to increase awareness and sells for your company/product. If you happen to be shooting a film you should check my previous entry Independence Movies & Building an Audience for Them. You can use the marketing ideas there and the social media mentioned here, hand in hand to better market for your film.

Independent Movies & Building An Audience For Them

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:00:00 +0000

A lot of up and coming filmmakers make their own movies with their own funding, so I wanted to look into how to cost effectively build a film audience for those projects in every step of the way.

Development Phase:

During this step you want to start getting the word out on it. Even if it’s an idea in your head, if you know you’re going to proceed with it and produce it, the time is now to start rallying people who might have interest in watching your film. The greatest way to start doing that is to create some free accounts on several social networking websites for the first level of exposure. A Facebook page with the working title of your project is a great way to get the work out to the people you know, and to those who know them. Start a Twitter account that updates the process of the film as you create it. Free blogs are also an option to post up updates of the writing and production as well as photos of the process. Taking the medium of the Internet a step further, if you have the funds, you should purchase the domain name for your film. Even if you don’t plan on having a website you can direct people to your Facebook page from there. A website that offers free videos to talk more in depth about independent movies and social media promotion is called the Indie Film Social Explosion is another source to use to help get the word out about your film.

Pre-production Phase:

In this step you’ll be getting together a lot of what will make up the film so it would be a great time to share that with some of the followers you have gained and to gain new ones. After casting you can post who will play your main character or your villain on any of your platforms. You could also post locations that you’ve locked down for the shoot. Looking for crew through your Facebook or Twitter are great ways to not only get crew but also spread the one among other filmmakers and increasing your reach potential audience members.

If your project allows it, you could let people vote on certain aspects, like art, of your film to let them feel involved.

Production Phase:

After everything a good way to keep people tuned and looking forward to your film is to release behind the scenes photos and videos periodically. You could also display interviews with the cast and crew or of yourself.

Post Production:

At this point you’re on the home stretch of your independent movie. You should release several different trailers spaced apart leading up to your films release with the first being a teaser and showing new content with each proceeding one. Post and display any and all publicity your film may receive at film festivals or otherwise. Let your actors and crew promote the film as well through their networks. Post a song or the musician(s) who will be scoring your film.

These are some of the most inexpensive ways to advertise an independent movie and build a film audience without taking too much, if any, from the budget. Every step of the way you should be thinking about exposure for your film.

Happy Filmmaking!

Sources

Building An Audience For Your Film

Indie Film Social Explosion

Audience Image

FD: International Film Distribution Agency

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:00:00 +0000

With taking a course in Media Publishing and Distribution, I thoroughly chronicled how and with whom I’ll be distributing future films with.

Although I’ve looked into and came across film agencies and distributors in the US, I thought about what if I decided to distribute something internationally and I came across an agency I wanted to spotlight:

Simply named Films Distribution, or FD, it is an international sale agency based out of Paris, France set up in 1997 and founded by Nicolas Brigaud-Robert and Francois Yon who are still partners of the company currently. Working solely with film features and documentaries they built a reputation for selling to international distributors and broadcasters in various countries such as Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto and the US to name a few. In 2008 they opened up a second office in

Their library of distributed works is at a little over 800 currently, with close to half of them being worldwide. Their most recent project out of the US is a Maria Zenovich documentary named, “Roman Polanski:Odd Man Out,” set to release later this year so they are very much involved in the distribution of American features.

Their credentials and past works are displayed in full on their website as well as their agents and partners. They display all their publicity and festivals they attend. Films Distribution seems to be a trustworthy and well experienced agency and is just one of the many international distributors but will be one I consider in the future.

References

http://www.filmsdistribution.com/fd_film.php?id_film=409

http://www.filmsdistribution.com/accueil.php

Entertainment Law Podcast Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 May 2012 22:31:00 +0000

Entertainment Law Update Podcast Ep. 10

In 2006, LucasFilms won a $20 million dollar judgment in US court against a British prop designer who sculpted the original Storm Troopers helmet for the original film and began to sell replicas. The case was later moved to UK court of appeals, as a liability case, to try and enforce the compensatory damages made in US courts and in 2010 all of their appeals were dismissed. It had been so because under British copyright law the helmets did not qualify as sculptures.

My take on this is that it goes to show, and is a good example of what was said in my Entertainment Law class, that you should do your homework and know the jurisdiction and extent of the laws of where you plan to file suit. I’ve already been researching that since I’m planning to do business across a few different states, and that’s just domestically. If I were to ever be involved in litigation in a different country I would consult my lawyer or take it upon myself to be prepared for what could happen in court. LucasFilms, had they not moved the case to the UK court of appeals, could have had a very different outcome had they kept it in the states, and they should not have tried to enforce a US ruling in a UK court initially.

Entertainment Law Update Podcast Ep. 15

In 1990, the US Supreme Court ruled, in lawsuit over the rights of the Alfred Hitchcock film, Rear Window, that MCA has the rights to further exploit the film. It storyline circles around a teenage boy looking out of the rear window of his home and thinks he sees a murder and has a hard time getting people to believe him. The Hitchcock film is based on a short story owned by The Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust, a literary agent, who filed the suit in 1990.

Later, in 2007, Universal, formally MCA, releases the film, Disturbia, which has very distinct similarities and was ruled as a remake by the public. Being so that Universal did not shutdown these claims Abend filed suit again, 2010, but were later dismissed by the court saying the film was not similar enough to the short story.

My take on Abend’s claim is that, yes, Disturbia could very much be an adaptation of the short story but it was distinct enough to be different, as the ruling said, to not infringe on the on the story. After the settlement in 1990, Abend should have just stopped their efforts against MCA, Universal, and the film Disturbia was in no way advertising or stated to be a remake or related in anyway to Rear Window, by the producers or anyone involved in the production. Nowadays it’s very hard to write an original screenplay that won’t be compared to anything else it may have similarities to. Avatar was a huge film that was compared to more than several films yet it was in the works for almost a decade. Abend should have given it a rest longer than a decades but I guess they were trying to get compensation before the copyright becomes public domain in the next 10 or so years.

References

Episode 10

http://www.entertainmentlawupdate.com/2010/04/entertainment-law-update-podcast-episode-10-use-the-force-big-boy-and-watch-out-for-beyonces-undies/

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Stormtrooper

Episode 15

http://www.entertainmentlawupdate.com/2010/11/entertainment-law-update-podcast-episode-15-tiny-astronauts-and-child-actresses/

http://www.scribd.com/doc/37944033/Decision-Rear-Window-Disturbia

http://blog.eduify.com/index.php/2009/10/26/write-like-you-mean-it-alfred-hitchcocks-rear-window/

Recent Lawsuits In Film & Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:56:00 +0000

Box-o-mania & Maxim Tselevich

Marvel Entertainment LLC; Marvel Characters Corp.; Marvel International Character Holdings LLC; Marvel Characters B. V. Inc

Overview:

In 2009, California based toy store, Box-O-Mania, and it’s owner, Maxim Tselevich, created a playhouse and approached Marvel about a licensing deal to use their characters to brand the product. Later, in 2010, Marvel and Box-O-Mania set forth a deal to create a product name Iron Man’s Lair, a playhouse that would feature the character Tony Stark and be released later that year coinciding with the Iron Man 2 movie’s release on DVD. Marvel later then did not want to give the intellectual property needed for the product and Box-O-Mania found out a few months down the road that Marvel didn’t have the rights to the IP they agreed to give in the first place causing the toy company to lose $33,000 already spent on the product.

Opinion:

This lawsuit was filed on May 3, 2012 and I think that was a smart move on Tselevich’s part. It was filed the day before the release of the highly anticipated Avengers movie, which is of course a Marvel Entertainment film. After breaking numerous records in theaters, I’m sure this case will get more press than it would’ve if filed back when they first realized the amount of damages caused by Marvel. Marvel being the corporation and superhero empire it is, and not to mention being owned by Disney, I think it was a rookie mistake to make an offer they couldn’t uphold and I believe Box-O-Mania should receive all the damages they lost back in full along with further compensation for any other expenses.

How could I use this case towards my future endeavors for my business?

Do my homework on the people I’m going to make an agreement with before the fact, no matter how well known of a company it may be, to avoid anything coming up later. As well as sue at a convenient time at the benefit of my business.

George Litto

Columbia Broadcasting System

Overview:

George Litto, talent agent of the creator of the original Hawaii Five-O series from 1968-1980 filed a lawsuit looking to receive profits from the new CBS remake and $10 million in punitive damages. When the creator pasted away in 1974, Litto negotiated an amendment to the contract on behalf of widow Rose Freeman and was set to get a 10% commission. CBS later fought over the rights it and it landed in federal court in 1997. CBS claimed the creator’s heirs to the separation of rights and control of reserved rights. CBS went into discussions with the trusts’ representatives for a series reboot but not Litto. They made an agreement and that allowed for the new series currently on CBS. Rose Freedman pasted away in March, giving Litto sole management control over the company set up to receive revenue and is now why Litto wants punitive demands as well as a transfer of all fess, commissions, profits and other revenue form the new series.

Opinion:

I believe Litto should have been a part of the discussions for the reboot of the series since his agency also negotiated for Leonard Freeman, the creator, up until he pasted away. With Hawaii Five-O being a top rated show, Litto also believed if the 1974 deal hadn’t been amended it could have gotten the company he and Rose set up, so I don’t think his amount for punitive damages it too much. The original show was very successful and so is the remake thus far so Rose should have included Litto in her negotiations because she may under bargained with CBS.

How could I use this case towards my future endeavors for my business?

I will be sure to extensively write out how anything my business or I create will be willed and what I would wish to happen with it upon my death.

Renaissance Pictures

Award Pictures

Overview:

Last year, in 2011, Sam Raimi announced he would be making a fourth installment of the Evil Dead franchise and went to the U.S. trademark office to register the mark but Award Pictures came forward and claimed Raimi had abandoned the franchise previously and that they were working on a sequel. Award pictures used a statement by Raimi in the 2000 book, Evil Dead Companion, stating he would never make a sequel. Furthermore they identified over 20 movies that used Evil dead in it’s name and stated Renaissance exhibited “uncontrolled, unregulated and undefended use of Evil Dead.” Renaissance’s argument is that they have used their mark in licensing merchandise for the franchise. Also, that character names would infringe on Renaissance’s copyright of Evil Dead so they are requesting an injunction on further infringement and further monetary damage.

Opinion:

Award Pictures did put up a good defense I must say with the public declaration that Raimi abandoned the franchise along with the other claims they made but Sam Raimi should come out of this on top. Whether they abandoned it or not Award Pictures should have contacted them upon the inception of their idea to make a sequal.

How could I use this case towards my future endeavors for my business?

I’d watch what I say about the project I produce and what I plan to do with them in the future. In other words, never say never about future productions.

References

Case 1

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/marvel-sued-iron-man-merchandising-avengers-320080

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/custom/Documents/IronMan.pdf

http://bobbiechase.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/marvel_logo.jpg

Case 2

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/hawaii-five-o-lawsuit-george-litto-larry-freeman-cbs-320364

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCaAiqQKWsW0IJs6FMbMKq-9BLyawRiD0wyn3gmS1eiL2Aw19pHrryBROFfe1TYPlSjBhYTjHleJqrpWDW0SrLSh3ocB_-HBEE-tzvo2e8jm7cYnQMNkixCD9TSX9c9CEmVrczbocPpE/s1600/hawaii-five-o.jpg

Case 3

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/sam-raimi-sues-rights-evil-dead-sequel-320375

http://www.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/4/A70-2169

Avengers Fragrance Line

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:54:00 +0000

With my product pitch final project approaching and since I haven’t really set my mind on one idea yet I wanted to research and talk about the product development for an upcoming feature film.

As a lot of us are aware the highly anticipated blockbuster, The Avengers, is almost here. With the release just 16 days away most of the marketing and management of the project has already well been put into motion. A product created to help promote the film and something I thought was very different for the type of movie The Avengers is, caught my attention.

Earlier this year, on February 10^th, through a press release it was announced that official Marvel colognes and perfume line would be launched by the release of the film. Created and produced by JADS International, a well established fragrance company, there is a specific cologne or perfume designed for each avengers team member, excluding Hawkeye, as well as one for the SHIELD organization and the film’s villain, Loki.

Overview

Patriot Cologne, inspired by Captain America, has hints of green lime, white pepper, dry oak wood, sandalwood, and tequila collectively meant to pay homage to the everyday man.

Mark VII Cologne, inspired by Iron Man, is comprised of mandarin and jasmine meant to embody the billionaire persona Robert Downey Jr. gives as his portrayal of Iron Man.

Worthy Cologne, inspired by Thor, is a combination of bergamot, frozen ginger, and wheatgrass with hints grapefruit meant to create a masculine God like musk.

SMASH!, inspired by none other than the Hulk, is mostly dry musk and warm cedar. Meant to compliment a range of emotions with emphasis on Hulk’s favorite, anger.

The Black Widow Perfume is comprised of citrus, caramel and honey with a blend of bitter chocolate. Kind of sounds edible so I know it’ll leave woman smelling good.

Infinity Formula Cologne inspired by Nick Fury/S.H.I.E.L.D., is labeled to be for men and woman even though cologne is in its title. The fragrance is created with a blend of citron, tonka bean and quaiac wood.

Lastly, Mischief Cologne, inspired by Loki, is an additional unisex cologne of the line that combines green tea, amber and cardamom.

I don’t know the half about fragrance development or how exactly these colognes would smell mixed but I wanted to blog about this, beyond that I have to do a product pitch, because this is a great idea and product to represent the very different characters. As most of us know, The Avengers is a team made of various big name Marvel characters and this product just helps show their own individuality in the film.

The line is set to release nationwide on the movie’s premiere date, May 4^th; the colognes have already become available for online shoppers. If you’re a fan go check out The Avengers fragrance, I know I will.

See you at the premiere!

http://www.bizjournals.com/prnewswire/press_releases/2012/02/10/PH51814

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MarvelFreshman/news/?a=54479

Project Management in the Film Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 19:45:00 +0000

For this blog I wanted to look into the process and use of product management in the film industry.

Step 1: Initiating

After the inception for an idea for a screenplay, the product development, the idea built upon to create an overall vision for what the end result is hoped to be. There is no set time for this step and could potentially be the longest one of the film making process. An approximate budget is made in this stage involving what the budget would allow and potentials for actors in selected roles for the film.

Step 2:Planning

In the preproduction phase, the line producer makes a more concise and accurate budget. All the crew members are hired for production and schedules are made to get an idea of how long the production will be and set forth a timeline for it’s creation. Each aspect of the film is planned out in depth including locations, music, costumes, talent, and release date among other things and promotions and product marketing for the film can begin.

Step 3:Executing

In this phase, the production and postproduction phase where everything that was planned is carried out and is done as closely to the schedule that was laid out as possible.

Step 4:Monitoring and Controlling

This phase is done simultaneously with phase three and is solely to make sure the production abides by what was planned is every department of the film. Any problems that may occur are sought after and fixed to the best of the production teams ability.

Step 5:Closing

The last process of the project and once there is a product, the film, screenings are held by the stakeholders in the film to ensure that is the vision they want and is the product they want to move forward with. After the producers approve the film, it can then be marketed and promoted for the distribution method that is chosen for it.

McDonald, D., (2006). What Kind of a Project Manager is King Kong. Retrieved March 31, 2012, from: http://www.ddmcd.com/managing-technology/what-kind-of-a-project-manager-is-king-kong.html

Host Broadcaster (2012). Free Tips Tools and Templates. Retrieved March 31, 2012 from: http://www.hostbroadcaster.com/resources/

Dekker LTD (2007). Project Management in the Film Industry [PDF], Retrieved March 31, 2012, from: http://www.dekkerltd.com/library/DPPMF2007_Vince_Marcello_Project_Management_in_the_Film_Industry.pdf

PMP Certificate Cost (2007). Project Management Professional [Image], Retrieved March 31, 2012, from: http://www.pmpcertificationcost.info/project-management-professional.html

An Interview With Kevin Green

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 19:25:00 +0000

For this blog I interviewed a friend and business partner of mine, Kevin Green. He currently resides in New York City and is a production manager for a few shows for the Food Network.

The production manager supervises the personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling of a film production. Negotiation comes into play in Kevin’s duties when it comes to his responsibility to make sure filming stays on schedule and within budget. Kevin has to help manage the day-to-day budget while taking in to account all of the operating costs, which include salaries, production cost and everyday rental costs.

Do you manage the budget with Mutual Benefit in mind?

“Of course, if I want to be a good production manager I have to manage the budget that will allow everyone to get paid what they deserve while making sure that each department has enough to accomplish what they need to for the production.”

Do you ever have to cut spending on something for something else? If so, how did you compensate for what you took away from?

“Yes from time to time I do have to take away from certain departments and, along with the help of the line producer, choose when and where to do so. The compensation part doesn’t necessarily fall on us though. If I were to take money from the art department, they may have to create or acquire props in different ways than they planned too. Same for the camera department, they may have to work to change shots, let’s say, if a jib was out of budget for us to get it.”

Ever had to deal with negative emotions about the way you may have budgeted a production? If so, how did you deal with them?

“There are rarely negative emotions, if any, about budgeting but dealing with a series it has happened more along the lines of the cast rather than the crew. Some people may get upset or angry but anything I budget out has to get authorized by the line producer and then further up the chain of command. Some crewmembers may express that they really need a certain something for what we need to accomplish but if it’s too much for the budget they can’t really get mad, they just have to figure out a way to work without it.”

Concerning your duties, how does appreciation and status play a role? Do you feel appreciated? Is your status respected?

“I feel very much appreciated by the cast and crew because they know I’m here for them and to work towards what they all need to the best of the productions ability and that goes for my status as well. I respect my colleagues’ status and they in turn respect mine.”

Lastly, do you have any advice for people negotiating about funding?

“Make good decisions because once the money is gone, it's gone. That would have to be the best advice I can give.”

2012 Needs Originality

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:10:00 +0000

There is a great demand for new and original movies in the film industry today. It’s very evident that, give or take some motion pictures, there have been many remakes and sequels recently and will be in the near future. Nowadays sequels seem to be a necessity, when they really aren’t and some have even begun to reach 4 and 5 sequels with intentions of more, Fast and the Furious for example. For some reason its felt that good movies from the past need long overdue sequels when most of them should be left alone. The Scream series made a comeback in theaters last year and Men in Black 3 is already promoting for its up coming release.

Besides the fad of sequels rising in the industry there is the other annoying fad; remakes. It’s very understandable that some people want good movies of past generations to be felt and experienced by this one, but if you’re going to remake a movie, especially a classic, I would hope you do the original some justice. The, arguably, easiest genre to excel at, and one I’ve been a fan of since I was little, horror, has seen some of the worst remakes in recent years. Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday The 13^th, Halloween, My Bloody Valentine, Prom Night, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the most recent, The Thing. Most of which had certain good aspects to them but any fans of the original, myself included, were let down by them and it was greatly reflected in the box office. Since I’m talking about horror remakes I’d like to mention a few that, I believe, did their predecessors justice: The Last House on The Left, The Hills Have Eyes, and Dawn of the Dead.

Now I’m not saying that no remakes or sequels are good because there are plenty that are but they are few and far between all the other attempts at recycling old ideas and the industry needs a golden era for originality. To take a second to speak outside of sequels and remakes, the other movies we see are the blends of other ideas into one creation and there also have been releases or movies with the same premise released far too close to each other for one. Love and Other Drugs, No Strings Attached, and Friends with Benefits were the most recent example I’ve seen of this. They are too much like the other and were all released last year.

After riding the boost Avatar gave for its extended run in theatres in 2009, the box office total gross has declined 4.1%, ticket sells have declined 9.9% which may not seem like much but when you add the 86 additional movies that were released compared to that of those in 2009, it makes a difference. It would take just one blockbuster to fill that gap and out of 86, not to mention the hundreds of other movies also made, none of them could do it. That goes to show that there is indeed a decline and that the audience seems to be ready for something new. One thing a lot of movies are focusing on recently is how visually good they look, which is great, but the story comes first and is where the most effort and focus needs to be. Any hope for a box office recovery depends on good quality movies and remakes aren’t cutting it. Give the people what the want!

HorrorLair (2004). Dawn of The Dead [Poster], Retrieved January 5, 2012, from: http://www.horrorlair.com/movies/dawn_of_the_dead_2004.html

High Snobiety. (2011). Men In Black 3 [Poster]. Retrieved January 5, 2012 from:

http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/category/movies/page/2/

Box Office Mojo (2011). Yearly Box Office. Retrieved January 5, 2012 from: http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/?sort=year&order=DESC&p=.htm

MPAA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:59:00 +0000

Arguably the most influential professional association in the film industry today is the Motion Picture Association of America along with their global counterpart the Motion Picture Association. The MPAA was founded in 1922 by leaders of some of the major motion picture studios of that time including Metro-Goldwyn and First National and was made to advance the business interest of its members as well as safeguard film’s role in mainstream America. A voluntary custom used to rate movies and the most recognizable guide in America and its territories is the MPAA film rating system. Initially implemented by the General William Hays in 1934 and later altered by Jack Valenti once he became the president of MPAA in 1966, the known movies ratings today are G, PG-13, R, and NC – 17. With the big transformation to film industry has undergone in the past decade and the rising problem of peer to peer sharing and copyright infringement, MPAA has also done it’s part and did an anti-piracy campaign. They boosted awareness about piracy and publicized advertisements that appeared before content on many DVD’s. They also took legal action against file sharing sites like major servers Razorback2 and Pirate Bay. Their actions eventually and successfully shutdown some peer sites, including but when one site gets shutdown at least five more show up. Although their efforts against piracy have been limited, MPAA’s war against piracy has yet to cease. In 2006 alone they shut down 75 networks of pirated material. MPAA has grown to have many members and six of their members are big and very recognizable studios in film and television today that are Walt Disney Motion Pictures, Sony Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, 20^th Century Fox, Universal Studios, and Warner Bros. The impact and influence the MPAA has had on the film industry has greatly effected its entirety with film ratings, their stand against piracy and most importantly, I think, the content and movies they create and distribute. With the power and members that they have, there’s no doubt they’ll be around as long as film is a constant in entertainment and media.

Motion Picture Association of America (2011). MPAA History. Retrieved from http://www.mpaa.org/about/history

Gomery, D., (2000). Motion Picture Association of America. Retrieved from http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=motionpictur

Sandoval, G., (2009, October 16). MPAA: Antipiracy is now 'content protection'. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-10376839-261.html

Film Ratings (2011). Voluntary Movie Rating System. Retrieved from http://www.filmratings.com/filmRatings_Cara/#/about/

Avenger Trailer Breaks Download Record

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:23:00 +0000

This past week on Tuesday, October 11^th, iTunes debuted the first trailer to the upcoming Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures movie The Avengers. Written and directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers is an upcoming hero movie about various marvel comic book characters that team up to stop a powerful villain for the sake of mankind. The heroic ensemble includes The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Black Widow, who all have debuted in the theaters with their own previous movies in the past few years. The movie has had a lot of hype going for it for quite sometime from original comic book fans and fans of the movies alike but I didn’t anticipate the record the very first trailer released would break. Within 24 hours of the trailers release on Tuesday, The Avengers’ trailer was downloaded over 10 million times. It surpassed the previous titleholder for most downloads in 24 hours, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, who only had 6.4 million downloads (Macale, 2011). Being one of the many who downloaded and shared the trailer the first day it was released, I can very well see why so many people downloaded it. Beyond the fact that it’s based off of heroes who are very well known, the way the actors bring the characters to life is worth seeing in it’s own right. The puns made by Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man are always charismatic as ever. The sexy Scarlett Johansson as the fierce fighter Black Widow, along with the acting style of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Not to mention the writing of the great Joss Whedon. It’s no wonder that The Avengers destroyed the most viewed trailer record on iTunes. It’s a blockbuster that I will definitely be waiting to hit the theaters on May 4^th, 2012.

IMDB (2011). The Avengers. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/

TV.com (2011). Joss Whedon. Retrieved from http://www.tv.com/people/joss-whedon/

Macale, S., (2011, October 15). Marvel’s The Avengers trailer breaks iTunes record at 10M downloads in 24hrs. Retrieved from http://thenextweb.com/apple/2011/10/15/marvels-the-avengers-trailer-breaks-itunes-record-at-10m-downloads-in-24hrs/

Avengers Movie Poster [Fan made Poster]. (2011). Retrieved October 16, 2011, from:
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/the-avengers/images/24746041/title/avengers-poster-photo

Expensive 3D Movie Tickets May Get A Price Hike

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:11:00 +0000

The innovation of three-dimensional movies hasn’t seen as much hype or has been used in movies so frequently up until the commercial success of James Cameron’s Avatar. The film industry doesn’t hesitate to spend extra money on the effect for the extra pay off. Some filmmakers even decide to convert their films into 3D after they already have been shot on regular 2D cameras. The 3D concept works most of the time but not with every type of movie. I think the effect works greatly with illustrated films but with real 3D, there’s no limit to what can be made 3D. 3D Movies have begun to be released left and right and moviegoers don’t mind spending several dollars extra if it’s something they want to see, but despite the new 3D craze Sony Pictures Entertainment recently notified movie theater owners that they would not cover the cost of the 3D glasses provided for each movie ticket bought after May 1st of 2012. The cost are around $5 million to $10 million for any one blockbuster film released, which is about 50 cents a ticket. With Sony having two blockbusters in 3D slated to be released in the summer of next year, this expense will have to be picked up by the theaters, which could in turn cause an increase on the ticket prices. When we see movies in 3D we’re used to getting the glasses and either recycling them after the film or some people choose to keep them or toss them in the trash, but a method that could save the theaters from hashing out more money and keep a couple extra dollars in our pockets is if they implement a policy that make costumers return the glasses after each movie. This is already being done in Australia, Spain and Italy, among other places and is a something I would hope the theaters would consider because once Sony stops covering the glasses, I’m sure other movie companies will do the same thing.

McClintock, P., (2011, September 27). Sony to Stop Paying For 3D Glasses in May 2012. Retrieved from http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-refusing-pay-3d-glasses-240837

Vanderpool, S., (2011, September 29). Why 3D Movies Will Cost More In 2012. Retrieved from http://technorati.com/entertainment/film/article/why-3d-movies-will-cost-more/

Box Office Mojo (2011, September 30). Avatar. Retrieved from http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=avatar.htm

RealD Glasses. (2011). Retrieved September 30th, 2011, from: http://www.3dtv.com/news-reviews/reald-samsung-team-up-for-cheaper-3d-glasses.php

Movie Industry Ticket Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 03:36:00 +0000

In response to Movie industry hits ticket sales decline on the nose

Compared to 2010, a fifth of ticket sales to movie theaters in the US are down and don't seem like they are going to go up anytime soon. Nowadays, movie torrent downloads are at a great high is very detrimental to the film industry and movie theater chains. The set backs torrents cause have been around for quite some time, though, and the decline of customers increased for other reasons that film industry buffs think could be the come up of Netflix and 'on demand' movie purchases. Gerry Lopez, a chief executive of AMC said, "I believe we have long term systemic challenges that we must over come..."So to compensate, a lot of theaters remodel and spend more money for theaters that can play 3D movies. The 3D effect is great, and most people are aware of or seen Avatar but the cost for 3D isn’t so great. More and more movies are being produced in 3D or are given the effect when they hit the theaters. The idea is great to get people out of their homes and into the movies, but the cost to the industry is not helping anything. If a movie flops, it flops, but if a 3D movie flops, it does along with the extra money put in to glorify it. Adam Fogelson, Chairman of Universal Pictures, said, “I see no path to a healthy future for our business that doesn’t include vibrant, growing theatrical movie going attendance.” I agree with him and, on my way to make my own ground in the film industry, believe that until we can meet the home experience with the movie theater experience halfway, only then can we see any recovery in the statistics that have gotten lower in recent years. That or crackdown on the distribution of torrents, which is easier said than done. A Netflix-isque idea wouldn’t hurt if it were innovated in the appropriate way to see profit in the long run. If the audience won’t come to the product, the film industry just may have to take the product to them.