Comments on: The Movie Business Challenge http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/ the mark cuban weblog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:31:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: ATH http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23763 ATH Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:23:39 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23763 Mark, did you ever get a solution for this challenge? I\'m curious to know what it was.<br><br>Did someone get the job?<br><br>Thanks! Mark, did you ever get a solution for this challenge? I\’m curious to know what it was.

Did someone get the job?

Thanks!

]]> By: Jon Goldstein http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23762 Jon Goldstein Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:46:35 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23762 Mark,<br><br>As a fellow movie theater operator I believe you need to put the task in the hands of each of your individual theaters. Over 3 years I have gathered a database of over 6,000 e-mails in a market that has 60,000. I write a weekly newsletter ( See The Projectionist) and am trying to make our website more social with polls, etc. I believe that my point is the studios and film companies are trying to find that silver bullet from a 10,000 foot level. It is the local markets that need to be in control.<br><br>For example, I lived in Chicago 3 blocks from your theater on Clark street. It would have been cool to have a weekly e-mail about the films that was more than just an announcement. There was so much more that theater could have been but it just did what we all do...waited for a hit.<br><br><br> Mark,

As a fellow movie theater operator I believe you need to put the task in the hands of each of your individual theaters. Over 3 years I have gathered a database of over 6,000 e-mails in a market that has 60,000. I write a weekly newsletter ( See The Projectionist) and am trying to make our website more social with polls, etc. I believe that my point is the studios and film companies are trying to find that silver bullet from a 10,000 foot level. It is the local markets that need to be in control.

For example, I lived in Chicago 3 blocks from your theater on Clark street. It would have been cool to have a weekly e-mail about the films that was more than just an announcement. There was so much more that theater could have been but it just did what we all do…waited for a hit.

]]> By: Rajeev http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23761 Rajeev Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:15:21 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23761 Mark, theatres should not keep looking at higher average ticket prices, but try to increase volumes. Get more people into the theatres, to watch more movies without thinking if it\'s worth the $10-12 or not. Chances are that the minute you start thinking about the worth of the movie, you are going to decide against going to the theatre. The theatre going habit is going out, but movie watching is not waning, it\'s just moving to other cheaper, more convenient options.<br><br>Theatre chains should start monthly subscription options, $12-15/month or whatever is the optimal price point on a 12month contract, where the viewer can watch unlimited movies in the chains theatres. The average viewer will go for more movies to theatres, and will take company along as well. For him/her the cost of the subscription will be written off with 1 movie every month. Mark, theatres should not keep looking at higher average ticket prices, but try to increase volumes. Get more people into the theatres, to watch more movies without thinking if it\’s worth the $10-12 or not. Chances are that the minute you start thinking about the worth of the movie, you are going to decide against going to the theatre. The theatre going habit is going out, but movie watching is not waning, it\’s just moving to other cheaper, more convenient options.

Theatre chains should start monthly subscription options, $12-15/month or whatever is the optimal price point on a 12month contract, where the viewer can watch unlimited movies in the chains theatres. The average viewer will go for more movies to theatres, and will take company along as well. For him/her the cost of the subscription will be written off with 1 movie every month.

]]> By: Benjamin Harris http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23759 Benjamin Harris Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:51:18 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23759 I have an idea for a business that I am in the preliminary stages of putting together that I believe will change the way the movie industry operates. This idea, if it comes to fruition, will revolutionize how the entire industry does business. Interested? I have an idea for a business that I am in the preliminary stages of putting together that I believe will change the way the movie industry operates. This idea, if it comes to fruition, will revolutionize how the entire industry does business. Interested?

]]> By: Pat Elliott http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23757 Pat Elliott Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:06:19 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23757 Mark, It infuriates me to find out what you spend to get me to the movies. You are wasting your money. Which you seem to have plenty of even though it\'s not because I am paying altogether too much to get in the theater (which I am). Stop the marketing, drop the price of admission to one-half the usual price for the opening (fri-sat-sun) and let the theater tell us about your generosity. We\'ll be standing in line to get in the door. pat Mark, It infuriates me to find out what you spend to get me to the movies. You are wasting your money. Which you seem to have plenty of even though it\’s not because I am paying altogether too much to get in the theater (which I am). Stop the marketing, drop the price of admission to one-half the usual price for the opening (fri-sat-sun) and let the theater tell us about your generosity. We\’ll be standing in line to get in the door. pat

]]> By: Noella Fay http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23754 Noella Fay Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:53:17 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23754 You\'ve got to sell the theatre experience. \"we\'ve been shocked at people\'s reactions to this movie\" \"we are just not getting the responses we expected\" \"watching people interact with this movie enhances the experience\" \"This cannot be duplicated in a home theatre situation\" Remember when people were throwing up watching the Blair Witch Project and passing out. People will pay for that. It needs to be enticing. It needs to be an event. People are making sacrifices to spend time in the theatre. It needs to be worth it. Something they can talk about. My parents don\'t go to the theatre because they smoke. They don\'t like being told what to do. It needs to be something they want really bad. Something special and different. There needs to be buzz. Maybe like the secret life of this rock star with unknown facts and brilliant writing. If you want to get those older people with out computers who smoke in the theatre make it special. Giving them a momento is an excellent idea. There are a lot of packrats and collectors out there. You\’ve got to sell the theatre experience. \”we\’ve been shocked at people\’s reactions to this movie\” \”we are just not getting the responses we expected\” \”watching people interact with this movie enhances the experience\” \”This cannot be duplicated in a home theatre situation\” Remember when people were throwing up watching the Blair Witch Project and passing out. People will pay for that. It needs to be enticing. It needs to be an event. People are making sacrifices to spend time in the theatre. It needs to be worth it. Something they can talk about. My parents don\’t go to the theatre because they smoke. They don\’t like being told what to do. It needs to be something they want really bad. Something special and different. There needs to be buzz. Maybe like the secret life of this rock star with unknown facts and brilliant writing. If you want to get those older people with out computers who smoke in the theatre make it special. Giving them a momento is an excellent idea. There are a lot of packrats and collectors out there.

]]> By: Napoleon http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23753 Napoleon Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:44:31 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23753 What is happening is that everyone is chasing the same demographic or the same dollars. Think about it, if a movie does $60million on opening weekend (that\'s a huge weekend by any measure), that means that only 5-6million people went to see the movie. There are 300MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY ARE NOT MAKING MOVIES FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. Tailor movies to appeal to this other audience. There are 77 million baby boomers retiring in the next few years (they are going to need things to do, go out in the day and watch a half price movie), these people were moviegoers at one time who stop going to the movies, because the product they prefer is not being made anymore. Target audiences in the 30\'s, 40\'s, 50\'s and 60\'s. Target the places they go which may not be movie related, such as restaurants, retailers, etc... offer them discounts with the receipt from one of these places, give the restaurant, retailer, etc... $1 dollar for every receipt... and/or do co-op advertising, ie., \"come to Denny\'s and get a free movie ticket to see \"the movie.\" (if they spend $40 or more, they get a ticket)You sell Denny\'s 1,000,000 tickets for $6 and they pay for the advertising. Whichever tickets they don\'t sell, you take back... but you got free advertising and potentially close to $5million and 1 million word-of-mouth promoters. Remember is not about targeting everybody, but only the audiences who stopped going to the movies because the product that they want to watch is not being made anymore. Offer them great product and the word-of-mouth will out do any advertising that you buy.<br>It\'s not necessary to spend $100million on a movie. Make character driven movies ala \"3 days of the condor,\" \"Out of Africa,\" and promote it. Studios have stopped promoting those movies that fall in those categories, incidentally nobody knows about it. What is happening is that everyone is chasing the same demographic or the same dollars. Think about it, if a movie does $60million on opening weekend (that\’s a huge weekend by any measure), that means that only 5-6million people went to see the movie. There are 300MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY ARE NOT MAKING MOVIES FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. Tailor movies to appeal to this other audience. There are 77 million baby boomers retiring in the next few years (they are going to need things to do, go out in the day and watch a half price movie), these people were moviegoers at one time who stop going to the movies, because the product they prefer is not being made anymore. Target audiences in the 30\’s, 40\’s, 50\’s and 60\’s. Target the places they go which may not be movie related, such as restaurants, retailers, etc… offer them discounts with the receipt from one of these places, give the restaurant, retailer, etc… $1 dollar for every receipt… and/or do co-op advertising, ie., \”come to Denny\’s and get a free movie ticket to see \”the movie.\” (if they spend $40 or more, they get a ticket)You sell Denny\’s 1,000,000 tickets for $6 and they pay for the advertising. Whichever tickets they don\’t sell, you take back… but you got free advertising and potentially close to $5million and 1 million word-of-mouth promoters. Remember is not about targeting everybody, but only the audiences who stopped going to the movies because the product that they want to watch is not being made anymore. Offer them great product and the word-of-mouth will out do any advertising that you buy.
It\’s not necessary to spend $100million on a movie. Make character driven movies ala \”3 days of the condor,\” \”Out of Africa,\” and promote it. Studios have stopped promoting those movies that fall in those categories, incidentally nobody knows about it.

]]> By: Scott Mckenzie http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23752 Scott Mckenzie Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:59:05 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23752 Hvon Productions<br>www.hvon.com<br><br>Came across this posting hope this helps someone, wish i lived in Canada. Worked with another writer in Bollywood with the producer at Hvon productions : Colin von Dohren - great guy.<br><br>Hvon Productions is looking for a In House Script Writer, in its Vancouver satellite office. The successful candidate will work on our major motion movie pictures, have good written English and communication skills, and a work well with strict time lines.<br>For examples of major videos please visit www.hvon.com<br>Starting salary will be between 70-80,000 including LOA, and a bonus plan at end of project depending upon experience. Please send CVs , in confidence to wendyhill@hvon.com We thank all applicants, but will only contact short list candidates for interviews. Hvon Productions is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Hvon Productions
http://www.hvon.com

Came across this posting hope this helps someone, wish i lived in Canada. Worked with another writer in Bollywood with the producer at Hvon productions : Colin von Dohren – great guy.

Hvon Productions is looking for a In House Script Writer, in its Vancouver satellite office. The successful candidate will work on our major motion movie pictures, have good written English and communication skills, and a work well with strict time lines.
For examples of major videos please visit http://www.hvon.com
Starting salary will be between 70-80,000 including LOA, and a bonus plan at end of project depending upon experience. Please send CVs , in confidence to wendyhill@hvon.com We thank all applicants, but will only contact short list candidates for interviews. Hvon Productions is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

]]> By: mike ableman http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23751 mike ableman Thu, 05 Jul 2007 11:08:55 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23751 Mark --<br><br>There has been a huge paradigm shift in how people choose movies. Twenty years ago about 70% of the decision process was done at home. Today, about 65% of people don\'t choose the movie until they get to the theatre. This is even higher among the strongest demo -- 16 to 25-year-olds.<br><br>The simple fact is that people are so damn busy they either don\'t have time to choose in advance, or they get to the theatre at the wrong time. Since most theatres now have anywhere from 8 to 24 screens, the new movie consumer has adapted his thought process and is very willing to switch choices or simply \"go to the movies\" with 3 or 4 options in mind.<br><br>The key is to win the business at the theatre. this can be done in a variety of ways.<br><br>I don\'t need a job -- but I\'d love to work with your marketing team. <br><br>Our company just helped FOX bring in $7MM over expectations the first week of Silver Surfer and we believe we have some tools in our toolbox that can do even better. <br><br> Mark –

There has been a huge paradigm shift in how people choose movies. Twenty years ago about 70% of the decision process was done at home. Today, about 65% of people don\’t choose the movie until they get to the theatre. This is even higher among the strongest demo — 16 to 25-year-olds.

The simple fact is that people are so damn busy they either don\’t have time to choose in advance, or they get to the theatre at the wrong time. Since most theatres now have anywhere from 8 to 24 screens, the new movie consumer has adapted his thought process and is very willing to switch choices or simply \”go to the movies\” with 3 or 4 options in mind.

The key is to win the business at the theatre. this can be done in a variety of ways.

I don\’t need a job — but I\’d love to work with your marketing team.

Our company just helped FOX bring in $7MM over expectations the first week of Silver Surfer and we believe we have some tools in our toolbox that can do even better.

]]> By: Patrick http://blogmaverick.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23750 Patrick Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:49:02 +0000 http://blogmaverick.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/the-movie-business-challenge/#comment-23750 Create a controversy around the movie. Pick a movie that will be scandalous, or push buttons, etc. The press will be all over it and give you free advertising. Include in the whole process somewhat of a mystery as to what the movie\'s true take on the issue is so that people will have to see it to figure get the conclusion. You could even fabricate the whole thing...have certain cast members be a part of the scam and have the plot of the actual movie be about the whole thing so that when people see it, the ending will be completely shocking and give away the fact that the whole thing was set up. I know this would only work once, but what the hell. Create a controversy around the movie. Pick a movie that will be scandalous, or push buttons, etc. The press will be all over it and give you free advertising. Include in the whole process somewhat of a mystery as to what the movie\’s true take on the issue is so that people will have to see it to figure get the conclusion. You could even fabricate the whole thing…have certain cast members be a part of the scam and have the plot of the actual movie be about the whole thing so that when people see it, the ending will be completely shocking and give away the fact that the whole thing was set up. I know this would only work once, but what the hell.

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