Legs shot out by Universal by Goattail

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Legs shot out by Universal

POSTED BY: GOATTAIL
UPDATED: Thursday, October 27, 2005 06:03
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VIEWED: 5447
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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 12:58 PM

I cannot believe how bad the marketing for this film is. Yesterday (25th October) I saw Serenity for the fourth time. It was a Tuesday night 18 days after its Irish release and not only is it still running in all the main Dublin cinemas but there over 100 people there. This movie obviously does have legs they are just being cut out from under it by Universal who cannot cancel its international releases quick enough. I saw an add for Serenity a couple of times on tv during the first week and there were posters up at bus and train stops around the city for about a week. Meanwhile other films such as Into the Blue which has goten terrable reviews is still getting a huge amount of marketing. People are still going to see Serenity because of word of mouth and a great review in a free morning paper that has recently appeared in Dublin. Not only did it get the movie of the week but it is still at the top of te other release column with a screenshot. If this film had been given half of the marketing that the studios heap on most of the utter crap they release it would be a blockbuster. From telling others about it most that have heard of the film have seen it but most people have never heard of it. We have seen it with Dark Angel and Firefly on TV and Serenity in the cinemas. Great series and films are ignored by marketing departments who spend a fortune trying to force god awful rubbish on to the public. It doesnt even make financial sense they have only missed out on a potential blockbuster film and hit series while the rampant marketing of films like into the blue and many other recent 'big name' films has failed dismally. And yes the film was a hit with everyone in the cinema last night.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 1:17 PM

CHINDI

"If this film had been given half of the marketing that the studios heap on most of the utter crap they release it would be a blockbuster."
******************************************

A-MEN!

where can I get a PR job like these bozos have??? I can be as clueless and ineffective as anyone!! and I bet they earn six figures...

Chindi

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 1:31 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Thanks for pointing out something I also noticed.

Universal did a terrible job of marketing overall, for whatever reasons they had, which I will not speculate upon, expecting fandom to carry so much of the load was foolish and counterproductive - too much fandom turns people off a movie, due to social stigmata, duh.

I kinda feel like they left us swingin in the breeze on that aspect, and despite a certain level of 'studioapologism' which has reared it's head around here - I calls em like I sees em.

And that was a screwup, and it was a screwup they cannot blame on us.

Period.

We held up our end of things, and they dropped the ball, it's every bit as simple as that.

-Frem

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 1:49 PM

TRAKEN

Quote:
Originally posted by Chindi:
"If this film had been given half of the marketing that the studios heap on most of the utter crap they release it would be a blockbuster."
******************************************

A-MEN!

where can I get a PR job like these bozos have??? I can be as clueless and ineffective as anyone!! and I bet they earn six figures...

Chindi

If you have not realized that the movie/tv industry only supports shallow plots with thier favorite numbskulls portraying the same character over and over with different names. All I have to say is Cuba Gooding Jr. He acts the same way, the only differnece in his characters are the clothes and the names.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 3:38 PM

ANGELCRUSHERD

Quote:
Originally posted by traken:
Quote:
Originally posted by Chindi:
"If this film had been given half of the marketing that the studios heap on most of the utter crap they release it would be a blockbuster."
******************************************

A-MEN!

where can I get a PR job like these bozos have??? I can be as clueless and ineffective as anyone!! and I bet they earn six figures...

Chindi

If you have not realized that the movie/tv industry only supports shallow plots with thier favorite numbskulls portraying the same character over and over with different names. All I have to say is Cuba Gooding Jr. He acts the same way, the only differnece in his characters are the clothes and the names.

, Tom Cruise, The Rock, Brad Pitt, nearly every celebrity ever.*

Hollywood sickens me.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 4:32 PM

THESENTINEL

Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are both very good actors. Not sure why you hate them so much...Jealous maybe? :)

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 4:35 PM

ANGELCRUSHERD

No offense but hahahahaha.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 4:42 PM

DONCOAT

And Tom Cruise is a brilliant student of psychology in his spare time...

Well you know what they say... if Universal shoots your legs out from under you, you crawl... and if you can't crawl,...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ain't about you, Jayne. It's about what they need.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 4:43 PM

ANGELCRUSHERD

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:
And Tom Cruise is a brilliant student of psychology in his spare time...

Well you know what they say... if Universal shoots your legs out from under you, you crawl... and if you can't crawl,...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ain't about you, Jayne. It's about what they need.

...you get cancelled. ='(

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 4:47 PM

STAKETHELURK

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:
Well you know what they say... if Universal shoots your legs out from under you, you crawl... and if you can't crawl,...

Originally posted by Angelcrusherd:

...you get cancelled. ='(

...and then you find DVDs to carry you. Keep spreading the word, folks, it ain't over yet!

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 4:59 PM

3HEADEDMONKEY

that's a bit harsh saying that Universal shot out its legs isnt it? It's like you're saying they deliberatley were trying to make Serenity not be a hit. they were the ones who supported us and let us have a movie when no one else did. im not mad at them, im grateful for everything they did for us.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 5:03 PM

FOLLOWMAL

It's own excellence and we will carry it!!!

FollowMal

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 5:08 PM

GROOSALUGG

I know some people have said they saw lots of Serenity commercials on TV in the two weeks leading up to it, but I guess I was watching the wrong channels or something, 'cause I only saw a handful. Meanwhile, I probably saw 3 times as many for Into the Blue...

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 5:31 PM

CHINDI

and on the other hand...

the less money spent on promo.. the less money there is to recoup.. so the sooner the movie goes into the black...

so... maybe there is a shiny side to this too!

Saffron: He's my husband.
Mal: Well who in the damn galaxy ain't?

Yee-frickin-haw!

Chindi

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 5:45 PM

THOLO

I think it humping sucks!!!! They should have pumped this movie down the public's throat.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 6:45 PM

KIMBERS

Right, because we know that Universal desperately wants to LOSE money on all the films they release. Why else would they have put out movies like Cinderella Man. That thing tanked at the Boxoffice.

Face it guys! Sometimes good movies don't make any money. It happens, learn to deal.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 7:05 PM

JUSTBROWSING

Has it occurred to anyone that Universal is not doing all it could to promote it's movies right now, because having a loss would give them a tax write-off? Think I am being cynical? It's a common business practice, and the Powers That Be who run the industry wouldn't know a good movie if it bit them on their proverbial rear end.

The bottom line with them is the money, and if they don't see a small movie being worthwhile as an investment, they could well see it as a Tax write-off.

This last year has not been good for many movies, they disappear from the cinemas quickly and the only ones which get support for advertising are those they know in advance are going to be huge blockbusters.

What they lose at the Box Office now they know they can pick up in other tax years in DVD sales, and TV rights.

Justbrowsing

Can't Stop The Signal.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 8:21 PM

KIMBERS

I think that we as fans are too close to the movie to be able to look at it objectively. It's easy to blame others because the film wasn't a huge smash hit.

But really, maybe it doesn't have the mass appeal that we think it should have. I'm not trying to be negative, I loved the movie and still hope we get sequels. But if you are like me, you've been following the Firefly verse and news tidbits since the show first aired on Fox. So just because "I" waited several years in super-anticipation for this movie, doesn't necessarily mean the rest of the world has too.

I'm sure it will find it's audience on DVD, I think Universal would have liked it to have broken out and been the next Star Wars. It didn't happen. However, the movie was not a major flop and I do think it will ultimately be profitable. "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" was a tax write-off. I don't think Serenity is.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005 10:32 PM

PURPLEYIN

every other fanbase has better executive production than us. thats what makes us special.

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Thursday, October 27, 2005 3:44 AM

MINEISANEVILLAUGH

Universal did do a crappy job marketing. If you read some of the box office analysts reviews of the movie, you will see that they were surprised that Universal didn't push for a wider release in the first place and that they spent about 1/4 of the marketing budget that they would normally devote to a movie that they expect to do well. Instead Universal decided to rely on "Virus" marketing (that's us spreading the word). Also, the commercials that they did run were somewhat slanted toward those of us that were already going to be seeing the movie. To give an idea of how ineffective the marketing campaign was, the last two times I went to see the movie - I asked the ticket seller about it. Both asked - what's that one about? They worked in the MOVIE THEATER where it was showing and didn't know. (Of course, I filled them in).

As far as not having universal appeal - I started to have the same concern after awhile. But then I finally convinced some non-Firefly, non-SciFi fans to come with me (depressing when it takes that much effort to pursuade some to come to a movie that you are willing to PAY for them to see) and they all loved it. Had no problem following the plot or the characters and thought it was a great time.

I don't think Universal deliberately tanked the movie (although it is hard not to feel paranoid when you see the effort that is put into the release and marketing of crap - as has already been pointed out). I think they just miscalculated.

I haven't given up though. The movie didn't bomb in the US and it is doing well overseas. I know the Serenity dvd will be my number 1 gift in the upcoming year. I have been asked "Don't you feel bad about giving a gift that someone didn't ask for?" Absolutely not, I think I am doing a favor by introducing people to a really great movie. And I won't have to try to wrangle them to the movie theater - they can just watch it at their convenience in the comfort of their own home.

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Thursday, October 27, 2005 4:10 AM

N0SKILLZ

Guys i'd hate to break it to you, the point of the marketing was underground, viral, gurrella (sp?) it was not suppose to be hyped, super huge like Doom or Starwars.

But i know it was efficetive. I pretty much keep my opinions to myself about the movie and firefly at work (very non scifi crowd, damn military) and I know at least one person who saw it , cuz "It was all over MTV News saying it was such a good movie and stuff". So basically i'm saying there marketing was fine. have a nice day

-edit-
just so were clear , my work is about 12 people strong. before you blow it outta proportion

-----------------
"It's not that there HAS to be a sequel. It's just that I've got so many IDEAS..."-Joss Whedon
*Andersen AFB, Guam*

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Thursday, October 27, 2005 4:18 AM

EMBERS

leading up to Sept 30th (for over a week)
I was seeing 'Serenity' ads almost one per hour,
so I think Universal DID spend some serious money on advertising...
The BDM got some great reviews and Universal put out some more ads the first week of October noting those reviews...

But it isn't Universal's fault that

#1 most people first ask 'who is in it' and if there is no big name then they aren't interested

#2 the title (Joss picked) is a little vague and doesn't really tell you what the movie is about

#3 the box office figures are down all over in the US...no one is doing great.
People say that 'Into the Blue' got great advertising,
and clearly that was an easy concept to sell (Jessica Alba in a bikini...nothing complicated there)
BUT it did much worse business than 'Serenity'

So personally I don't blame Universal for the public's lack of response,
I think they did as much as an opening film could hope for...

It isn't our fault either, we did more than anyone could have expected.

IMO DVD sales/rentals are taking over the business and 'Serenity' is just the latest to be effected by it,
but all is not lost...be patient

'Serenity' is still a great film with wonderful reviews and it should do good DVD business...

and we'll have even more new fans coming here and wanting the TV show back on the air! LOL

**********************************************
watch the R. Tam Session vids: http://www.hittarivertam.nu/
and buy the 'Serenity' comics published by Dark Horse,
and have you joined the Browncoats yet?
http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/?fuseaction=tools.invlink
&u=embers&linkID=36

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Thursday, October 27, 2005 4:26 AM

THELURKER

Quote:
All I have to say is Cuba Gooding Jr. He acts the same way, the only differnece in his characters are the clothes and the names.

Your point would have been better made with a number of different actors with a lack of range, but Cuba Gooding Jr. does act quite differently in a number of movies.

Perhaps you haven't seen Radio or Men of Honor or What Dreams May Come or As Good as it Gets. All very different characters than say...Jerry Maguire...or Rat Race...or Snow Dogs.

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Thursday, October 27, 2005 4:31 AM

CITIZEN

The Americans I speak too (I'm a Brit) say the marketing was very slanted toward the fans over there.
I definatly think Universal made a mistake with their marketing in the US.
Over here in the UK the marketing was much more aimed at everyone, and more prevalent (at least in London, pretty much every underground station and most train stations had a poster, for instance).
Result, Serenity reached #1 for two weeks.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you Beeeer Milkshakes!
Even though I might, even though I try,
I can't

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Thursday, October 27, 2005 6:03 AM

BLACKOUTNIGHTS

Sure, the movie is not the blockbuster people want so they blame the executives. I hope the suits realize not all of us feel this way.

I give Universal the big 'thumbs up' for taking a chance when no one else would, for seeing the potential, for letting us see our BDH's one more time in a story that changed EVERYTHING.

We all want another story in film. And, I believe we'll get it. When this thing hits the rental stores and people pick it up on a whim just think of how many more people are going to sign in to the Browncoat Blackbook.

From that, imagine how many people will buy the DVD's...both for Serenity and the TV Series. Then, if you will, will Mal & the Gang hit the theaters in another couple of years, think of the possibilities.

Ain't done by a long shot. The movie just showed us really how few Browncoats there are, and that we're a semi-rare breed at the moment. But it's growing. Oh yeah, you better believe it.

You all got on this boat for different reasons. And now we're being asked to hang with it. I, for one, am in!

You can't stop the signal, baby.

"You're either in or you're out, and I'm playing to the in."—Greg Dulli. Check out Greg's new solo album Amber Headlights. On sale now.

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