|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Article found here
Tue Feb 8,10:15 PM ET
Movies - Reuters
By Bob Tourtellotte
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - National Lampoon Inc. is challenging long-held film release practices by releasing "National Lampoon's Blackball" in theaters on Friday and on DVD four days later.
For executives at the company that has made millions of dollars at box offices off raw humor and college pranks in movies from 1978's "Animal House" to 2002's "Van Wilder," this four-day theatrical release is no laughing matter.
Normally, a Hollywood studio will send a film to theaters and several months later -- after the movie has had its run in theaters and collected all the ticket sales it can -- the film will be put on video or DVD for rental and retail sales.
But with DVD sales of $15 billion in 2004 far surpassing U.S. box office receipts of $9.4 billion, more movie companies are rushing films through theaters and onto retail shelves to take advantage of the advertising and promotion that typically support a film's theatrical release.
Theatrical marketing, in turn, creates consumer awareness that stimulates video rentals and DVD sales, and it appears National Lampoon's four-day turnaround is the fastest, yet.
"Clearly, we are ahead of the curve in emerging distribution platforms," said Barry Layne, executive vice president of National Lampoon.
Layne and Bill Bromley, senior vice president of First Look Home Entertainment which partnered with National Lampoon in the movie release, hope to show that movies can simultaneously win audiences in theaters and also sell videos and DVDs.
While National Lampoon is pushing Hollywood movie release envelopes with "Blackball," starring Vince Vaughn in a comedy centered on lawn bowling, other companies are also shrinking times between film and video releases.
In October, 2004, DreamWorks sent out "Surviving Christmas" to major hype. When it flopped at box offices the major studio rushed the videos and DVDs into stores by December.
Atlanta's The Convex Group put a Christmas movie, "Noel" in theaters last November and on the same day issued a disposable DVD -- different from National Lampoon's long-lasting DVD -- to retailers such as Amazon.com.
Dawn Whaley, executive vice president of The Convex Group, said she believed the publicity around the theatrical release did help spur sales of the DVD.
"The economics of the industry are changing," said National Lampoon's Layne, without the slightest hint of humor.
Reuters/VNU
Posted by Christine at February 8, 2005 11:29 PMthat's stupid letting it out in theatres on friday and 4 days later it's on dvd or vhs.. that's stupid!!!
Posted at: February 9, 2005 5:07 PMI am a lucky girl of a gun to be in a selected city this is viewing in. We have had virtually ZERO trailers running for this. IT just shows up on a friday in the schedule I must say it was entertaining but no dodgeball, although there is the similar odd man out theme. But no funny stiller to go with it. Vince's roll as a sports agent is quite cute. And of coarse some of his one liners shine through. The DVD extra's might be something to look for. But all in all VV only shows up in about 15-20% of the film. Any VV is good VV. Cheerio and enjoy the DVD.
Posted at: February 12, 2005 6:31 PMrevenue is revenue. They get money for the theaters renting the film itself, the % of cash that goes through the theater and then they get the revenue from DVD sales a few days later. I would have done kart wheels for the dodgeball after i saw the movie just for the extras.
Posted at: February 12, 2005 6:33 PMshes right. plus its a re-release and they dont have any overhead to pay for this movie anymore.
its all PROFIT.