Boxoffice-July.1995

More documents

Recommendations

Info

the screen total in Europe Withbeing carried skyward by the stampede to multiplexing, it follows that tlie next idea on the minds of international players is distribution. Simply put: Who will feed the beast? Europe's current distribution alignment has different companies handling single or, at most, three or four territories. Buying European distribution rights piecemeal, however, is considered by many to be untenable in the long run. "One of the major problems with European distribution," Kagan's Borde says, "is that they're so segmented. There's no real European production entity, although there're a lot of small would-be entities. [Gemian conglomerate] BMG owns one distributor in Spain and one in Italy, but again there's no real united European distribution front like the Americans have. There's no way that [small European distributors] can compete against a well-oiled American distribution machine." Decatron is just beginning to step into distribution, and Bert likes to take the pan- European distribution view as well. "In Europe, when people go to the American Film IVIarket or Cannes, they still buy rights for France or for Germany [singly]. There will be a trend where people will start buying distribution lights for the whole of Europe. The small distribution companies will come under pressure, and we will see more and more distribution on a European scale." Bert believes the trend is already manifesting itself in the fonn of multi-country deals. "We see that [Belgium] is too small to make a profit, and it would be better to buy in bigger quantities. Even now, for example, we will try to buy rights for the Benelux countries [Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg] as a whole." But Borde is skeptical that this shift will happen anytime in the near term. "There's definitely a big push by the European Community to try to create a pan- European distribution arena. But that takes time, and it takes a state of mind." As Bert stresses, "If rights have to be bought on a European scale, the amount of money that will be involved will be far higher than at the moment. Again, the smaller distribution companies will have more and more difficulties buying the rights to different markets." Over at Miramax, Sands says his company has evolved a successful strategy for dealing with the currendy fragmented state of Europe's entertainment tectonics. The Miramax approach might best be described as the distribution equivalent of local co-production. "We have picked two to tliree distributors in each marketplace, and we try to sell them the bulk of our product because they understand how we work," Sands says. "That's been our strategy: to align ourselves witl: a few distributors in each marketplace." More than that, though, when sending films abroad Miramax helps helm the marketing rudder "Once we license rights to distributors," Sands says, "we give them marketing, publicity and promotional support. We supply them with the print and electronic campaigns." The combination of U.S. promotional muscle and local market savvy appears to have been a resounding success, as "Pulp Fiction," for one, has at this writing brought in more than $100 million in boxoffice overseas against $110 million domestically. For Robert Altman's "Pret-a- Porter" ("Ready to Wear" stateside) Miramax tailored marketing campaigns for different territories in league with local distributors and expects the fashion picmre's overseas take will quadruple its $9 million from America. "The French campaign was considered very controversial," Sands says, "and it worked beautifully. The German campaign was tailored from the French campaign and the picmre did huge business." that American firms are be- more comfortable with Nowcoming their European counterparts and have a visible presence in most markets, it looks like another thing on the radar is a surge in co-productions betsveen American companies and local producers. "I tiiink the world is clearly getting smaller," says National Amusements' Redstone. "When you 'The combination of digital sound and THX delivers the best film experience possible." — George Lucas THX Sound System THX Theatre Alignment Program Visit Us At Cinema Expo Booth #210 Lucasfilui i td.. rilX Division • P.O. Box 10(M • Sun R.ifacl. CA ''-/v;j . -I I yM^2.l'>00 • l-.ix: 4 I yM^2.2l S(y With Intcriidtiiiihil Rcjiresentatiun in Austriilui. hrance, Germany, Italy, Norway, Singapore, Spain. Sirfdrn unj Sifitzcrland. (i^ /'^'U / iicasfdni 1.1,1, All lights reserved, THX ts u registered trademark of l.ucasfihii Ltd. 34 Boxoi'UCE Response No. 62
With Weaver Popcorn, everybody hits "the jackpot." You get incredible profit potential you won't see from virtually anything else you can sell. You get the popcorn that pops bigger and better and crunchier than any other brand. Your customers get a mouth-watering snack that's healthy-high in fiber, carbohydrates, low in calories -and sugar-free. And you get customers who look forward to more of your greattasting popcorn. The profits. The popping expansion. The customers' favorite Winners across the board. Call- 1-800-428-020 today. Weaver Popcorn. Not just popcorn. A sure thing. [WEAVERJ 50 LBS. P2-? XGS-) Response No, 54
Page 1 and 2: 35T»: JULY 1995, $4.95 ^FECIAL REP
Page 3 and 4: The business magazine of the motion
Page 5 and 6: This Season's Hottest Sequel. Cinem
Page 7 and 8: II[I1 Sony Dynamic Digital Sound, I
Page 9 and 10: Impiilse Snacks! Nabisco's powerful
Page 11 and 12: The Baby-Sitters Club Based on the
Page 13 and 14: Introducing— jaF %• Chocolate C
Page 15 and 16: f*ETWT3.5 0Z t99g) NEIWI 3 5o;l999l
Page 17 and 18: UIPMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE THEATERS
Page 19 and 20: Theatergoers have come to expect th
Page 21 and 22: I tliat will devour tliem. We're li
Page 23 and 24: Our zj Zi ^ h Which Stereo Processo
Page 25 and 26: o ^ ORC ORG Lighting Products A div
Page 27 and 28: HPs-i,aaa The remarkable breakthrou
Page 29 and 30: Wanna talk film handling? Cill m! W
Page 31 and 32: \ Communication Is "Kvcrything, . I
Page 33: wif-" ere ,1
Page 37 and 38: PR[^ COMING SOON BRAVE HEART BRTMnN
Page 39 and 40: ^] Penvale '• .RKABLE RELI iA, m:
Page 41 and 42: ithout Faying a Distributor a Singl
Page 43 and 44: ^^ I .oXd •> 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 \ \ \
Page 45 and 46: WORLDWIDE EXHIBITION LOGISTICS Exce
Page 47 and 48: ti\'e are equipped with DTS digital
Page 49 and 50: ( .Although only 25 percent longer,
Page 51 and 52: CINEMA EXP0 1995 TRADE SHOW BOOTH L
Page 53 and 54: •••• ANNOUNCING . From Cy Y
Page 55 and 56: ecause they've had contact with thi
Page 57 and 58: I I may think live I had You Said I
Page 59 and 60: GOLDBERG BROTHERS, INC. Peavey Elec
Page 61 and 62: Metrasystems has just announced MAG
Page 63 and 64: For more information, contact John
Page 65 and 66: it's Given the extensive media cove
Page 67 and 68: DIGITAL WORLD ESTABUSHING SHOE Only
Page 69 and 70: w FEATURE CHART— JULY August Sept
Page 71 and 72: BOXOFFICE Independent Feature Chart
Page 74 and 75: EXHIBITION BRIEFINGS THERE'S THE (A
Page 76 and 77: ••••• CANNES REVIEWS
Page 78 and 79: INDEPENDENT THEATRE SUPPLY, INC. De
Page 80 and 81: •*••• REVIEWS
Page 82 and 83: JOHNNY MNEMONIC •• Stamng Kcami
Page 84 and 85:
REVIEWS tegrit}' and dubious hj'gie
Page 86 and 87:
SPECIAL FORMATS WINGS OF COURAGE
Page 88 and 89:
READY THEATRE SYSTEMS Complete tick
Page 90 and 91:
The lOia IPicture A' s a left-leani
Page 92:
"i c?e ;x^ V "THE ULTIMATE POPPER"
show all

Boxoffice-July.1995

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?