Days Off !!!!

The building is closed for Labor Day Sept 2nd 2013
Classes are cancelled on Thursday Sept 5th 2013 - Building and Cage are open!

Who Decides A Film's Success?

We have all come to the understanding that if a  $20 million budgeted film, like The Conjuring, earns $110 million in the box office it was a success. We also understand that if a $250 million budgeted film, *cough* Lone Ranger *cough cough,* earns $87 million in the box office, something went wrong.

  These numbers make me wonder if big studios will ever realize how powerful word-of-mouth can be. Films like Jack the Giant Slayer, White House Down, and After Earth overwhelmed us with marketing. Channing Tatum and the Smith duo could be seen all over the city (billboards, subway walls, bus, etc.) for about a months time, so, we all knew these films were going to release yet many of us decided to skip them. Why is that? Quite frankly, I have not heard a good thing about any of these films, so why spend the $13.

  Opening weekend box office results are the defining factor for whether a film gathers a profit. The marketing department of a film is responsible for getting viewers, but the film itself needs to be interesting enough to spread good word-of-mouth. The Heat started with a $39 million opening weekend, but, thanks to the constant praise from fans, it has been consistently in the top 10 for the last six weeks and has earned $150 million (more than a $100 million profit.)

  People don't search for the films that cost the most money to make, we want to see something that makes us laugh, makes us cry, or makes us want to spread the word. Good story needs to stand as a higher priority for these studios than explosions, sex appeal, and remakes if they plan on reaping any sort of profit. In the end, we're a complicated audience that doesn't want to see the same thing twice.We decide the success of a film and our word is final.

Spike Lee's Exploitation?

The Kickstarter Exploitation continues with a new pitch. Our good old friend Spike Lee has taken to the crowdfunding site in hopes to pay for his newest project, whatever it might be. Something that has to do with vampires, I guess. I'm not going to discuss whether his pitch is worthy of $1.25 million or not, that's for you to decide ( the video is below.) I'm more concerned about the welfare of this once brilliant storyteller. What happened, Spike?

   His pitch basically states, "Hey, I'm Spike Lee, you know, the guy who made all those movies you've loved (way back when.) Give me some money and I can make another one." This might have caught my eye after The 25th Hour, but his track record is not what it was back in 2002. Maybe this isn't really about "The Newest Hottest Spike Lee Joint"; maybe this is about a man confused about his current status in the movie industry. Does he want to know just how many people still support him? We're currently at 2,733 people.



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