Beyond the Screen - HNC Media (Clydebank) students

Discussion Page 12
wrong place at the wrong
time. It was released less
than a year after Warner
Bros last animated movie
failed financially and
critically. Warner Bros had
lost all interest in animated
movies, and was basically
forced to release ‘The
Iron Giant’ after some of
their most successful test
screenings. The production
company also cancelled a
potential deal with Burger
King. A big part of the
target audience for any
animated film is children
and this deal could have
been a way to appeal to its
target audience so this was
a blow.
Despite very positive
reviews, ‘The Iron Giant’
only made $23 million
domestically and $8
million internationally,
resulting in an overall
gross of $31 million on a
$70 million budget. It was
only later through DVD
sales that the studio made
most of its money back.
Given these two examples,
it’s easy say that it’s all
down to marketing, but
how can we be sure? How
much more money would
Iron Giant have made if it
Iron Giant: Promotional Poster
had been marketed more
effectively? Just because
people know about film
doesn’t mean they will
want to see it.
There are examples of
good movies that were
marketed well but weren’t
successful. At the end of
the day a good marketing
campaign can make a
world of difference,
but it can’t guarantee a
blockbuster.