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From the "Biz" Archives:
by Eugene Hernandez and Matthew Ross/indieWIRE
>> Shooting Gallery's Meistrich Resurfaces, Founds a New Movement
(indieWIRE: 08.27.02) -- When independent film outfit the Shooting Gallery
had its well-publicized and unexpected meltdown in June 2001, company founder
Larry Meistrich immediately retreated below the industry radar. Now, more than
a year later, Meistrich has resurfaced atop a new venture with an equally
snappy title: the Film Movement. Meistrich discussed the new venture with
indieWIRE yesterday.
The privately financed company, which is best described as the combination of
a traditional specialty distribution company and a subscription-based video
service, quietly opened its doors in April 2002. Now, with the opening of
the Toronto International Film Festival just over a week away, Meistrich has
launched his first publicity push and has already begun to make some bold
predictions. In addition to releasing 12 first-run films per year through Film
Movement, Meistrich hopes to sign up more than 100,000 subscribers to the
service, targeting film lovers in areas with a lack of specialty theaters. For
$189 per year or $19.95 per month, subscribers will get one DVD (or VHS tape)
each month, and subscribers will also get free tickets to all Film Movement
theatrical releases.
Meistrich said that he's already signed up more than 1,000 subscribers
through market research and through friends and family.
Despite the home video service, Meistrich made it clear that his new
company will compete with theatrical distributors for film acquisitions.
"We will market these as theatrical films," Meistrich told indieWIRE.
"We will be very competitive. This is about access. We're creating
several mechanisms to create access to these films for our consumers."
Meistrich said he plans to expand his subscriber base through
traditional marketing and publicity efforts, as well as partnering with film
festivals and affiliate film societies. Film programming and selections
are supported by an advisory board that includes Rich Raddon,
IFP/West Los Angeles Film Festival, Richard Pena, Film Society of Lincoln
Center, Christian Gaines, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival,
and Bob Hawk, ICI (Independent Consultation for Independents). The
company has already acquired Achero Manas' "El Bola," æwhich won four
Goya awards in Spain. The film will be available to members beginning in
December.
"I think the audience is out there, and there's more people than what most
people think," Meistrich told indieWIRE. "Those who want those films but
don't want to travel to the theaters will become subscribers. We're going
to take our background as businessmen and build this up. I'd be
disappointed with anything less than [100,000 subscribers]." Meistrich is
the CEO of the Film Movement, and the management team also includes
president Curtis Hougland and COO Brandon Rosser.
"I'm proud of what we did at the Shooting Gallery," Meistrich said when
asked to comment on whether the fall of the Shooting Gallery has had any
negative effect on the Film Movement's activities thus far. "The Shooting
Gallery story is simple. We sold our company to an Internet company (Itemus) and
went out of business. I haven't seen any of my relationships suffer
since the Shooting Gallery went out of business." [Matthew Ross]
[For more information, visit the Film Movement website.]
>> Searchlight's Specialty Selections Strong as Summer Comes to an End
(indieWIRE: 08.27.02) -- August is turning out to be a good month for Fox
Searchlight's specialty pictures. "The Good Girl" continued strong in its
third week, while opener "One Hour Photo" opened to major limited-release
numbers.
In its opening weekend, "One Hour Photo," starring Robin Williams, earned
$321,515 on seven screens, for an average of $45,931 and a new total of
$360,606. Meanwhile, in its third weekend, "The Good Girl" (on 189 screens)
earned $1,462,962 for an average of $7,741 and a new total of $3,082,581.
As reported in indieWIRE last week, Fox Searchlight distribution president
Steve Gilula intends to widen the film to more than 600 screens for this
coming Labor Day weekend.
Neil La Bute's "Possession," from Focus Features, earned $1,148,836.00
over the weekend, its 343 screen release yielded a $3,349 average. It
too is expected to top 600 screens in a wide release over Labor Day
weekend.
Paramount Classics' "Mostly Martha" earned $216,317 on 27 screens during
its second weekend. It earned a $8,012 average and has a new cume of
$281,610.
United Artists' "24 Hour Party People" earned $112,007 on 23 screens
this weekend, for an average of $4,869 and a new total of $387,905.
The film will be eyeing college students, UA marketing VP Dennis O'Connor
told indieWIRE last week, as the summer comes to its traditional close
this weekend.
IDP/Samuel Goldwyn's "Little Secrets" opened quietly. The kids pic earned
$191,747 on 366 screens for an average of only $524.
Magic Lamp opened "Amy's Orgasm" at the Angelika Film Center in New York
City, earning $10,005 in its opening weekend. The company release of "Sex
and Lucia" with Palm earned $101,084 on 33 screens for an average of $3,063
and a new total of $836,151.
Empire Pictures and First Run Features release of "Merci Pour Le Chocolat"
earned a total of $39,115 this weekend, for a new cume of $131,287.
Miramax Films' release of "Tadpole" passed the $2 million mark on 180
screens, for an average of $1,627. The film has been in release for
six weekends.
Over at Magnolia Pictures, the release of French film "Read My Lips" is poised to
break $1 million, while the Israeli film, "Late Marriage" is nearing $1.5
million. "Read My Lips" earned $66,266 on 35 screens (a $1,893 average)
for a new total of $925,252, while "Late Marriage" earned $32,640 on 25
screens (a $1,305.60 average) for a new total of $1,429.23.
Down south, indie Rainforest Films has been releasing the thriller "Pandora's
Box." The film earned $32,929 on 14 screens and has now earned $212,935
in three weeks of release. The Atlanta-based producer Will Packer and
director Rob Hardy will take the film on a film tour that launch Sept. 27.
In an announcement, the filmmakers described the movie as the story of
"a female psychologist who gets sucked into the mythic underworld of
a secret nightclub called Pandora's Box." The picture follows the
company's release of "Trois" in 2001. "Genre pictures can be successful,
and we aim to solidify this once again," Packer said in a prepared
statement. "We are looking to build a brand with consumers on this film."
Continuing to shine was the IFC Films release of Gold Circle and
Playtone's "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Now up to more than 1,300
screens after 19 weekends, the film earned $7,261,842 (for a steady
average of $5,464) and a new total of nearly $4 million. The film, which
is expected to expand by at least 250 more screens this coming weekend,
is well-positioned to surpass the rare $100 million mark.
[Eugene Hernandez]
>> MONDAY IN indieWIRE DAILY NEWS: BUZZ; Indican Acquires Three Titles
(indieWIRE: 08.26.02) -- indieWIRE offers this week's BUZZ, also today,
Indican acquires a trio of film and read last week's story about a
restructuring at Madstone.
READ THE FULL STORIES @ indieWIRE.com. | |
