Branding: more important now than ever

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  • Branding: more important now than ever

    I was at a cousin's wedding last month. There was a major film producer there from the other side. I'm talking MAJOR producer. I was introduced to him and we talked. First of all, I didn't want to seem pushy at that setting and ask him to read a screenplay, but hopefully we'll now stay in touch and I will ask him in the future.

    One thing he did tell me that I thought was interesting was that "branding" is more important to producers and studios than ever -- because the financial risks are so great today. He defined a brand as a tie-in to anything with an already-established name: from a toy or old TV series, to an adaptation of novel or comic book, remake from a foreign film, sequel, etc. According to him, original specs are really, really hard to sell right now to a large producer/studio -- unless you're lucky to have talent attached. And we know how hard that it. A big part of the reason for this emphasis on branding is advertising/marketing. He said that advertising is so expensive that an already established brand may cost less to promote and give the studios bigger bang for their buck because they are at least starting out with a name/title some people recognize. But an original spec (film), no matter how good it is, starts out from scratch and must build interest based on the story, stars, elements, etc. He said studios are wrong a lot of the time in picking old movies or TV shows (or toys, comic books, etc.) to develop, but the perception is that they're still less risky than original specs.

    By the way, he said that branding is even more important in certain genres. He said big budget action films definitely rely on branding (pretty obvious). Also, most studio-produced family films today are based on branding. In other words, it's the bigger budget studio type projects that this affects the most -- not the indie type films.

    His recommendation to screenwriters trying to break in: write fantastic spec scripts and network as much as humanly possible. He said there's always the chance of an assignment -- although he did admit that they usually go to established writers. The other option is to set your sites on the indie world instead of studios and major producers. Right from a horse's mouth.

  • #2
    Re: Branding: more important now than ever

    Ugh. This is why we're getting Viewfinder: the Movie.

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    • #3
      Re: Branding: more important now than ever

      Originally posted by Pasquali56 View Post
      ..."branding" is more important to producers and studios than ever -- because the financial risks are so great today.
      That sounds like a nice way of saying there are so many terrible scripts out there.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Branding: more important now than ever

        Ha. Yeah. Whenever I'm at some function or event realted to screenwriting, script analysts and producers will tell us in newsflash fashion that its harder than ever before to break in. You wonder if they simply long for a thinner pile.

        I'm aware of branding, but I'm more concerned with marketing to teens and twenty somethings -- at least at the spec stage. I've gotten better responses merely by making my characters five to ten years younger and injecting pop culture references associated with that set. And I didn't have to change the core of the story much at all.
        "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
        -Maya Angelou

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        • #5
          Re: Branding: more important now than ever

          Originally posted by Pasquali56 View Post
          His recommendation to screenwriters trying to break in: write fantastic spec scripts and network as much as humanly possible. He said there's always the chance of an assignment -- although he did admit that they usually go to established writers. The other option is to set your sites on the indie world instead of studios and major producers. Right from a horse's mouth.
          I think door breakers should set out to make short versions of a proposed film. Get yourself a Canon HV40 with Sony Vegas editing software and make use of the internet. Everything is so visual now. People tend to remember stuff if it's done cleverly.
          "I ask every producer I meet if they need TV specs they say yeah. They all want a 40 inch display that's 1080p and 120Hz. So, I quit my job at the West Hollywood Best Buy."
          - Screenwriting Friend

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          • #6
            Re: Branding: more important now than ever

            Originally posted by Biohazard View Post
            That sounds like a nice way of saying there are so many terrible scripts out there.
            Followed by stating the obvious: "write fantastic spec scripts and network as much as humanly possible."
            "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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            • #7
              Re: Branding: more important now than ever

              Originally posted by Pasquali56 View Post
              The other option is to set your sites on the indie world instead of studios and major producers. Right from a horse's mouth.
              Even though all rules apply, Indie world makes better movies anyway.

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              • #8
                Re: Branding: more important now than ever

                branding is not gonna stop me!! i'm going to continue to bang on doors & pass out my material

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                • #9
                  Re: Branding: more important now than ever

                  After reading this, I had myself branded, and my butt still hurts... but having that logo burned into my flesh will help my career, I'm sure.

                  As stupid as it sounds, people have heard of G.I. Joe, and that becomes a factor in deciding which movie to see.

                  Of course, that's no excuse for G.I. Joe being a stupid piece of crap... that's a bunch of bad artistic choices on the part of the writers and director and producer. Um, what's with all of the pointless flashbacks? Why is every character related to every other character is a completely unbelievable coincidental way? Who thought people *wouldn't* roll their eyes when the bad girl changes sides to save the day (sorry, I guess that was a spoiler)? Just because a movie is based on a comic book or toy or theme park ride doesn't mean it has to be stupid... and just because a movie is aimed at the widest possible audience doesn't mean it has to exclude people with brains.

                  Wow, my butt still hurts from that branding iron.

                  - Bill
                  Free Script Tips:
                  http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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                  • #10
                    Re: Branding: more important now than ever

                    When I turned my sci-fi script into my agent last month she wanted to discuss branding. We're talking to comic publishers right now. It's all true, weird time for specs. I mean how strange is it that I'll be adapting a script into a GN, so it can be adapted back to a script again, contingent on successful branding?

                    This is not your dad's script market. It's time to get freaky out there.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Branding: more important now than ever

                      Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
                      Who thought people *wouldn't* roll their eyes when the bad girl changes sides to save the day (sorry, I guess that was a spoiler)?

                      - Bill
                      Bill, in this case the movie itself is the spoiler.
                      "Ecco il grande Zampano!"

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                      • #12
                        Re: Branding: more important now than ever

                        Originally posted by Gwai Lo View Post
                        Ugh. This is why we're getting Viewfinder: the Movie.
                        Funny. Didn't we see this during the rush to adapt old TV shows -- and then the trend petered out.

                        It will again.
                        Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Branding: more important now than ever

                          Originally posted by Pasquali56 View Post
                          I was at a cousin's wedding last month. There was a major film producer there from the other side. I'm talking MAJOR producer....

                          One thing he did tell me that I thought was interesting was that "branding" is more important to producers and studios than ever -- because the financial risks are so great today. ...

                          A big part of the reason for this emphasis on branding is advertising/marketing. He said that advertising is so expensive that an already established brand may cost less to promote and give the studios bigger bang for their buck because they are at least starting out with a name/title some people recognize. .
                          I don't know if I buy the "expensive advertising" angle. Considering the companies that own the studios also own the TV networks where trailers are advertised.

                          If a film is made by a studio owned by FOX, then advertises that film on a network owned by FOX, those air-time ad dollars go back into FOX'S pocket. The FOX company hasn't lost money on advertising.

                          And even if the FOX film is advertised on a network owned by GE and must spend money on air-time there, they make the money back when GE advertises their film trailers on FOX. Ditto on all the studios owned by telecom-congloms.

                          The "studios are losing money on expersive advertising" claim doesn't wash.
                          Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Branding: more important now than ever

                            Originally posted by sc111
                            Funny. Didn't we see this during the rush to adapt old TV shows -- and then the trend petered out.
                            Let's be glad that trend petered out. The Fugitive has already been done, and I ain't exactly waiting for a film version of Cagney & Lacey.
                            "I ask every producer I meet if they need TV specs they say yeah. They all want a 40 inch display that's 1080p and 120Hz. So, I quit my job at the West Hollywood Best Buy."
                            - Screenwriting Friend

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Branding: more important now than ever

                              That trend has petered out? Aren't we getting an A-Team with Common as B.A. Barakus and a TJ Hooker movie that will probably end up with that Chris Pine fellow in Shat's shoes again?

                              Ridley Scott is making a Monopoly movie. This is the cinematic landscape of the next decade. Hasbro will probably be the next Marvel Studios. They also have Battleship, Candy Land and Stretch Armstrong in the pipeline. Who knows what else. Easy Bake Oven: The Motion Picture will probably be summer 2015's big blockbuster.

                              http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=56857

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