Day Zero -- It's Official!

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

Day Zero will officially open at the Angelika Film Center in NYC on Friday, January 18.

It will be crucial to sell out the opening weekend and as much of the subsequent week as possible in order for the release to grow to more cities/screens.

So....the better the attendance at the Angelika, the wider the release will be. If you or anyone you know in the NYC metropolitan area can attend, please urge them to do so. It will be very important in determining what happens next for this film. High attendance in NYC = DZ shown in your town.

A week or so ago, someone mentioned seeing a February 26 release date for the DVD of Day Zero and wondered if it was correct. It is.

Comments

[mole-caz.livejournal.com]

Well hope it is a sellout. Can't help boost numbers myself but if it does well in NY then maybe, just maybe it will help to boost it's release worldwide.

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

Yes, if it does well the week of January 18, that means it will get wider distribution.

[frolijah-fan-54.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why they have a DVD release set for just a month after opening in theaters - that's going to discourage people from going to the theater. No way I can help by going to NYC for this - we just have to hope that enough non-ELijah fans will be interested and go to see it. But I think announcing the DVD release for Feb. is a BIG mistake. Guess I just don't understand how the Hollywood mind works.

Thanks for the info.

[sssneaking.livejournal.com]

I think that the DVD release date was based on the original Nov 2nd opening date. It could well get changed since the theatre release date has changed.

[frolijah-fan-54.livejournal.com]

I hope you are right - otherwise it paints a very negative impression for the film - like they've already assumed it won't do well and are giving up on it. I guess time will tell - but it sure is keeping me from being excited about the 1/18 news.

[sssneaking.livejournal.com]

It's been bought to sell on DVD and also TV rights. There is no two ways about it regardless of the DVD release date. The theatre release is just a promo (and also to ensure that technically, it's not a straight-to-DVD production). The chance of it breaking out and being sucessful enough to spread much further is not that high because I'm sure they won't be spending loads on it.

That is a bit depressing. But it's maybe less depressing if you think that a lot of films of this kind of budget (and the budget was very small, don't get any kind of theatre release and may limp out to DVD much later (or often never). E.g. I'm not sure anything that Indalo have ever done has made it as far as DVD before! This is not as bad as a studio film or major indie getting dumped, just what happens to little indie films that are not big breakouts. I think it's still towards the better end of results for sub 1 million budget films.

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

It's been bought to sell on DVD and also TV rights.

I wasn't told the TV rights had been sold, too. I'll ask.

[sssneaking.livejournal.com]

Don't bother. I was just making an assumption (since I thought the rights usually went together).

[frolijah-fan-54.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your insight into this - guess I should be more grateful it's getting seen in theaters at all. You make some excellent points!!

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

I suspect you're right.

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

I think sssneaking is right that the DVD release date was probably set when the theater release was going to be in November.

Guess I just don't understand how the Hollywood mind works.

Does anyone???

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Damn, it's not going to have much of a chance, is it?

[westmoon.livejournal.com]

No chance at all. Like frolijah_fan_54, I'm not seeing the logic in putting it out on DVD a month after opening. No matter how well it does at the Angelika Film Center. So I assume that Jan 18 date is only for NYC and nowhere else?

*sigh*

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Rats, I hate that. Most of us will never have a chance of seeing it on the big screen.

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

Damn, it's not going to have much of a chance, is it?

*see icon*

[bellewood.livejournal.com]

That's an official opening date? Like a Premier? Wonder if Elijah will be there for support and we'll get pics. That's one way to draw the crowd :) January seems ages away though. I really do hope it does well.. What we need is LOTS of advertising to get b*ms on seats..wish mine could be one of them :(

Thanks yeux

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

I don't think it will be like a premiere with the cast and all there. It's the regular theatrical release....as opposed to a festival showing.

wish mine could be one of them :(

At least yours will be one of them in London....twice!

[bellewood.livejournal.com]

So a Premier is it's very first showing, are they always at film festivals? And the theatrical release is a different thing altogether..This film/movie business takes some following!

In about 3 and a half days i'll be in the cinema enjoying the first screening!!! YAY!!

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

I don't know about other countries, but many movies here simply open in theaters without a premiere event. But the "big" movies usually have a premiere. I think it basically depends how how big a splash the movie company wants to make.

No, premieres aren't always at film festivals. A festival may be the first place a film is seen (especially independents,) but it isn't always treated like the premiere of a film with a big name studio behind it. In fact most aren't. The festivals nearly always show independent films that are hoping to be seen and picked up by a distributor.

It's not easy to explain....or understand.

In about 3 and a half days i'll be in the cinema enjoying the first screening!!! YAY!!

And you're going to love every minute of it!

[bellewood.livejournal.com]

"It's not easy to explain....or understand."

You can say that again, but thanks for trying. I'm new at this movie game, have never taken a lot of notice of how the film industry works..until i discovered those bright blue eyes..lol!

"And you're going to love every minute of it!"

Apart from the Trilogy it'll be the first film i get to see where he has more then a small part. I was so thrilled when i went to see Happy Feet last year, it was my very first experience of an 'Elijah' movie at a cinema, and that was just his voice! I'm glad we're getting to see it twice, once won't be nearly enough. I can't wait! *squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

[primula-baggins.livejournal.com]

I wish it well. It can't all hang on Elijah fans, there's no way we can do it all. I hope there is interest in it in other circles in NYC.

I hadn't heard that someone had bought TV rights, as ssneaking stated above. I hope they show it on TV--on a station that we can all see it on.

[sssneaking.livejournal.com]

I don't know that anybody has. I was just assuming that that had been sold with the DVD rights (I thought they usually were but what do I know).

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

I hope there is interest in it in other circles in NYC.

I think there will be. It's a very interesting subject and a great plot. I'm sure it will be well received generally.

I hadn't heard that someone had bought TV rights, as sssneaking stated above.

I hadn't either. I'll ask about that. Although she did post a comment later saying she assumed that had happened at the same time as the DVD rights. I'll see what I can find out.

[nasturtium-leas.livejournal.com]

Well..now that's mixed good news. o_o

We will get to see it ...at least on DVD...but the premiere is one month before the dvd release. Sooooooooooooo....this makes it eligible for Oscar noms..since it will be officially released to a theater. Soooooooooo...that's good. Most of us won't get to see it in a theater though. Not so good.

I might get up to NYC for the premiere barring blizzards or other RL problems. Sort of good. Will Elijah be there? Anyone know? I have yet to meet the lad. He must be heartbroken about that. ;)

But then I WILL get the dvd in February ...good. But not the same as a theater. Which brings me back around to where I started.

I'm getting dizzy with all these unviewable indie films Elwood keeps making.

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

LOL Your comment made me laugh. :>D

I'm getting dizzy with all these unviewable indie films Elwood keeps making.

Very reminiscent of the Green Street Hooligans situation, isn't it?

I hope you can go to NYC to see it. The big screen is always best. But thank goodness we know a DVD is assured. I've pre-ordered Paris, Je T'aime (for November 20 arrival) and it seems like years ago that the film was released.

[nasturtium-leas.livejournal.com]

He really needs to make a few studio films once in awhile.

[wakerobin.livejournal.com]

I think it would have to open in at least one theatre in 2007 to be eligible for Anything. And, unless it's phenomenally successful, any film released in January will be dead and gone by the time consideration for Oscars come around next year. Everyone keeps saying Elijah probably doesn't care and I just hope he's happy in his life, but hey, he's been doing this for almost 20 years, he has a healthy ego and a certain amount of ambition (else he wouldn't have gone to all that trouble to get LOTR). Screwed up scheduling like this has to affect him. Add to that "The Passenger" (if it ever actually gets made) is due for release Summer of 2008. The Academy doesn't really care for 'Summer' movies. All very off-putting and depressing.

[frodos-smile.livejournal.com]

Well, at least I know when to plan my trip now. Thanks for the update, yeux.

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

Ohh, are you going to see it again? Wonderful! Will Overlithe be going with you this time?

[frodos-smile.livejournal.com]

That would be the plan, as long as all the details work out. :-)

[bunniewabbit.livejournal.com]

Damn. I'm afraid this is nothing but discouraging. I foresee buying tickets for a New York showing that I can't possibly attend, just to boost the numbers, and just the way I did for Hooligans. And all for a film that may not even make it to my town before the bloody DVD is released, if it comes here at all.

All I can say is that they'd better promote the hell out of it to get the audiences it needs for that first weekend, because we as fans can't accomplish what needs to be done.

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

I foresee buying tickets for a New York showing that I can't possibly attend, just to boost the numbers, and just the way I did for Hooligans.

Yikes! I don't think you are expected to do that.

And all for a film that may not even make it to my town before the bloody DVD is released, if it comes here at all.

That's a possibility, although you're near enough to a large city that you might get a theater showing. There is a movement among some Hollywood folks to have theater release and DVD release dates be the same. Their theory is that people who want to see a film on the big screen will still do so, but people who can't easily get to a theater that's showing the film will buy the DVD. Apparently, they feel some people have lost interest by the time the DVD is available and don't buy it. DVD sales are now a huge portion of the total earned by films. But I'm sure you know this.

[bunniewabbit.livejournal.com]

Yikes! I don't think you are expected to do that.

No, I know. I wasn't expected to do it for Hooligans, either, but I was desperate to see it and scared to death that it would never make it to my town. As it was, I lucked out and managed to see it twice on the big screen, and once was free. So, even though I didn't exactly break even, I felt that I'd done the right thing in buying those number-boosting tickets. I'm loathe to do so again, but I just might, if it means helping to get in into theatres near me.

Someone did the simultaneous release thing awhile back, but I no longer recall what the film was. I wonder how it worked out for them?

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

Someone did the simultaneous release thing awhile back, but I no longer recall what the film was. I wonder how it worked out for them?

Yes, I wonder, too. I first heard about the simultaneous release idea when reading an article about Mark Cuban (billionaire entrepreneur, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and Chairman of HDNet.) He was really pushing for it.

Day and date

[(Anonymous)]

The expressions is "day and date" - meaning simultaneous release of a film in multiple media and or markets at the same time.

The reason for this is to capitalize on the marketing dollars spent. As has been pointed out, DVD sales are a huge piece of the pie now, actually more than box office in many cases (or at least more than the distributors' share of BO). So it makes sense to spend heavily to promote the DVD as well as the theatrical release.

But if a distributor spends $1 promoting the theatrical release, and another $1 promoting the DVD release, that's $2. If they do it day and date (or close to it), they may choose to spend, say, $1.50, for the same overall result. That's the theory anyway.

The most recent example was "Bubble" which was not at all successful. However, even casual research into the film will tell you why - other than the fact that it was an experimental Steven Soderberg film, there was absolutely nothing to recommend it. In other words, it probably wouldn't have been successful even if did not have a day and date release.

All this means the jury is still out on the notion. One thing is certain though - "windows" - the periods in which films are released on different media - are shortening/collapsing, as it's the most effective way to stretch marketing dollars.

Re: Day and date

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much for your excellent explanation. I've noticed recently how much shorter the time is between same film theater and DVD release.

Glad you left the comment. *wink*

[ladysnaps.livejournal.com]

too bad i don't live in NYC, otherwise i'd be there. probably for all showings too. ;-)

you know what would be great advertising? if there were taped reactions and commentaries from movie goers just after seeing the film. i think that would make a powerful impact seeing that people are talking about it and it brings a personal view to it. but then again, i'm not in advertising. i wanted to be, but... well... :-/

[yeuxdebleu.livejournal.com]

Great idea! I've seen that done in ads, but not recently. It would certainly work for films that had been shown at festivals before an official release.

[bellewood.livejournal.com]

Great idea.. now who can we pitch it to...