China Says No to Film Ratings

China's top movie-industry regulator, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, has put a lid on the notion of a film classification system. A spokesman said that the government believes such a system is "inappropriate."

At present, censorship is the pathe used to decide about the release of films. "[F]lmmakers in China believe that if the censor's scissors were replaced with a reliable ratings system, helmers and producers could take more risks with content and story. The censorship process also takes a long time, meaning there can often be a hiatus between a pic's international bow and its Chinese preem, giving pirates ample time to flood the market with good DVD copies of the movie for impatient filmgoers."

From Clifford Coonan, "China Says No to Film Ratings," Variety, August 23, 2010.

Greenlighting Movies Based on Lesser-Known Actors

There is a new model for packaging films appealing to a youth audience. Young males and females are driving the box office.

-Kirk D'Amico, an executive at Myriad Pictures, an independent production firm

In Anne Thompson, "New Role Call for International Pics," Variety, July 25, 2008

Only small number of extremely popular actors can lead executives at the Hollywood majors to make sure a film is made. Companies focusing on the non-US market used to have the same requirement of going with a "bankable" star. But with money being tight and companies not being able to pay top-dollar for actors who can guarantee large crowds, the small production companies that focus on the non-US market have drawn up different lists. They are of actors who are not well known but charge relatively little and seem to foreign distributors to be recognizable enough to audiences in different territories to help sell a picture. Moreover, the type of picture that international distributors have in mind is Juno, last year's independent film that did well with teens and young adults. Among those on the current list are Ben Barnes, Jessica Biel, and Megan Fox. "While their backgrounds and resumes vary, all have perceived appeal to the target demo, the magic Juno sweet spot: 17 to 35."

These actors are being offered lots of movies by second- and third-level film companies, and for the sake of their futures they have to choose judiciously. The indie film companies may in the end not be able to distribute the film in the US or major world territories. "Starring in a fest-circuit movie that doesn't get distribution is a black mark that is hard to erase."

Movie Advertisers Target Segments Via the Web, As Newspapers Lose Out

We will select a mix of media that hits all the individual segments with a creative message that breaks through and compels the audience not just to go, but go opening weekend.

-Suzanne Cole, executive vice president of of media for print, TV, online and outdoor at Universal Pictures

In Laurie Sullivan, "Universal's Suzanne Cole On Grabbing Attention," Marketing Daily, July 29, 2008

Promoting movies has become extremely difficult because of the need to have the greatest attendance during the film's first weekend of release. That is because, as Cole notes, "It sets the bar for everything that happens in the life cycle of the film." Even DVD sales are linked to how well the movie did on its opening weekend.

Cole, with many years of experience in the business, notes, "We're trying to figure out how to reach someone who has 10 things going on simultaneously." Studio planners have determined that the best way to solve the problem is to vary the ads and promotions by gender different age categories. Then the challenge turns on speaking directly to the segment in a way that makes them want to see the film on that on weekend. With TV, the question becomes "How do you make the 30 or 60 seconds of time that you have with consumers impactful?"

For Universal, as well as other distributors, broadcast television and cable remain at the center of advertising and promotional campaigns. What is changing is the advertising-and promotion budget allocated to newspapers. Cole says that newspapers don't do well for "the average moviegoers," because they typically find their movie information online. As a result, newspapers are losing movie-advertising money. Will broadcast and cable TV also lose it in coming years, as the new generation finds mobile phones, games and the web more likely places to learn about out of home entertainment?

Sex and the City of Jerusalem

We told them, the way you don't remove the word "Coca" from "Coca-Cola" and just leave "Cola," we can't do it in this case.

- Arye Barak, spokesperson for Forum Films, distributor of the movie Sex and the City in Israel

In Associated Press, "Sex and the City ads Banned in Two Israeli Cities," MSNBC.COM, May 20, 2008

Traditional sensibilities collided with modernity with the release of the movie Sex and the City in two Israeli cities. Municipal officials in the Israeli cities of Jerusalem and Petah Tikva asked the outdoor advertising company working for Forum Films not to use the word "sex" for ads about the movie. Those cities have large "religious" populations, the officials said, and they would be offended by use of the word. (Cities in the rest of Israel had no problem with the ad campaign.) Executives did not go forward with outdoor ads in Jerusalem and Petah Tikvah because they felt it would be "ludicrous" to show the name of the movie without its key word. An alternative, somewhat subversive way to have proceeded would have been to play with the first word: Six and the City or --- and the City. That might have alerted people in those cities who would know the show that the movie would be playing there. It might have led to widespread word-of-mouth advertising among the target audience. And presumably religious segments of the population would have less reason to complain. Non-religious people who use popular media in those two cities are likely to still see ads, though: The movie is heavily advertised on TV, the Internet and in newspapers.

Is Production-Distribution Synergy Passe?

Distribution used to be a monopoly, and now it's much more competitive, which makes it less financially attractive, while making content (that benefits from the competition) more attractive.

-Dennis Leibowitz, managing general partner at media-focused hedge fund Act II Partnershedge fund Act II Partners

In George Szalai, "Media business synergy update: Distribution assets are sooo last year," The Hollywood Reporter, May 13, 2008

Most media executives seem to have cooled on the notion that a media conglomerate needs to connect a powerful content-production engine with a strong distribution abilities. "Nobody has brought up a Disney-Comcast merger for a while, and Murdoch said in February 2007 that News Corp. has no more need for a distribution play in the U.S. ... Similarly, Time Warner recently said it will spin off Time Warner Cable into a separate company." Executives are realizing that distribution is a capital-intensive business that has little common with content production. Moreover, whereas in the past they needed distribution channels to make sure their content could reach audiences, the rise of the internet and other digital platforms has made it easier than ever for producers to get on distribution platforms.

So, does that mean that content-distribution synergy as a strategy is a thing of the past? Certainly, it is still important in some traditional media, such as print magazines, theatrical movies, and broadcasting. And I would argue that distribution is still crucial in the digital world because high-profile distributors are still worth a lot. Author Szalai seems sometimes to be confusing distribution with exhibition. An ISP and a cable company are exhibitors. Internet sites and cable networks are distribution outlets. Owning them, or parts of them, may well still be crucial. MySpace, for example, has been an important distribution vehicle for News Corporation, and CBS has recognized the importance of grabbing part-ownership of some of the key sites it has decided to use to distribute programming; Joost is an example. Wayne Friedman points to the importance of the content-distribution nexis when discussing CBS' purchase of CNET Networks, (Media Daily News, May 15, 2008): "CNET Networks will help build CBS' distribution network of the CBS Audience Network, which is made up of more than 300 partner Web sites, reaching 82% of all online users in the United States."

Outdoor Movie Marketing With a Guerilla Flair

Reactions by women named Sarah Marshall to an outdoor ad campaign for the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall that insults Sarah Marshall:

When you're walking down the street, it gets a little wearing even though you know it's not you and has nothing to do with you. You see . . . words like 'hate' and 'suck' with your name over and over again. It just doesn't feel pleasant inside.

- Sarah Marshall, 34, who lives in Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan.

I'm an old person. It's today's lingo and today's jargon but it's a little rough for my taste.

- Sarah Marshall, 71, of the Upper East Side, Manhattan.

Those billboards, they don't hurt my feelings, they don't make me uncomfortable. My kids all want my autograph.

- Sarah Marshall, 27, a teacher in Queens.

This sort of provocative outdoor marketing aimed at creating buzz is not new for movies, but it is becoming increasingly popular as marketers consider television, newspapers and radio increasingly difficult to break through to target audiences.

In Jessica Durando, "Movie ads 'target' real Sarah Marshalls," New York Daily News, March 29, 2008.

Using 7-Eleven to Get Around Moms

With so many [7-Eleven] retailers, there's a 'gatekeeper mom' keeping studios from connecting with the consumer; not here.

-Bobbi Merkel, director of convergence at FreshWorks/TPN, a consortium of Omnicom Group agencies working for 7-Eleven on Ironman marketing to teens.

This sort of targeted in-store marketing has become a standard part of today's movie-marketing toolkit.

In Claude Brodesser-akner, "Movie Tie-Ins Coming Soon to Everywhere Near You," Advertising Age, April 17, 2008.