‘Lord of the Rings’ at 20: Why Peter Jackson’s Trilogy Was One of Hollywood’s Riskiest Projects Ever
After success with several small-scale films, Peter Jackson in 1992 told Variety he was looking for a project “that will really push me.”
He found something that surpassed everyone’s expectations. This month marks the 20th anniversary of Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings,” which kicked off the 2001-2003 film trilogy based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien.
In 2000, Jackson told Variety “Lotr” was “the Holy Grail of filmmaking, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
In retrospect, handing this massive project to Jackson seems like a no-brainer: great material for a great filmmaker. But in fact, there were so many unknown factors that it was immediately recognized as one of film history’s greatest gambles.
“I read ‘Lord of the Rings’ first as a 17 year-old,” Jackson told Variety. “I wasn’t one of those avid fans who read it every year. Fran and I were childhood fan of the ‘Sinbad’ movies,...
He found something that surpassed everyone’s expectations. This month marks the 20th anniversary of Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings,” which kicked off the 2001-2003 film trilogy based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien.
In 2000, Jackson told Variety “Lotr” was “the Holy Grail of filmmaking, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
In retrospect, handing this massive project to Jackson seems like a no-brainer: great material for a great filmmaker. But in fact, there were so many unknown factors that it was immediately recognized as one of film history’s greatest gambles.
“I read ‘Lord of the Rings’ first as a 17 year-old,” Jackson told Variety. “I wasn’t one of those avid fans who read it every year. Fran and I were childhood fan of the ‘Sinbad’ movies,...
- 12/14/2021
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
At last week’s CinemaCon, bigger isn’t better; it’s almost all that matters. Cocks of the walk at the annual Las Vegas exhibitor convention were the three largest American theater chains: AMC, Regal and Cinemark. And it’s the major studios that command their pick of screens and trailer placement.
So where does that leave the indies? It’s not pretty. Here’s how it really breaks down, according to a panel of top indie distribution execs moderated by marketing maven Gordon Paddison April 26.
1. Fight for trailers
“We don’t have the budgets to spend to pay for trailers to be up,” said Focus Features distribution president Lisa Bunnell. “A lot of the time we are at their mercy. We need to play trailers in theaters to support art movies, have them put up one sheets.” Indie chains Alamo and Landmark are more likely to work closely with...
So where does that leave the indies? It’s not pretty. Here’s how it really breaks down, according to a panel of top indie distribution execs moderated by marketing maven Gordon Paddison April 26.
1. Fight for trailers
“We don’t have the budgets to spend to pay for trailers to be up,” said Focus Features distribution president Lisa Bunnell. “A lot of the time we are at their mercy. We need to play trailers in theaters to support art movies, have them put up one sheets.” Indie chains Alamo and Landmark are more likely to work closely with...
- 4/29/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
In an effort to understand the ever complex confluence of content and commerce that is the movie business I attended my second Massive Advertising Summit presented by Variety; always a good event featuring the captains of industry in media marketing. I'd heard that Google was releasing a white paper about the correlation between search traffic, trailers, and box office results so I wanted to get the information straight from the source. Jennifer Prince , Google's Head of Industry, Media & Entertainment was a headliner at the event and gave a nice presentation of her findings along with a Q&A led by Gordon Paddison of Stradella Road.
The entire whitepaper is available here, but I will summarize some of my favorite bits and hopefully it will underline the importance not only of savvy paid search leading up to a film's launch but also remind that Seo techniques (search engine optimization) are even more crucial than ever for the independent filmmaker/distributor. It's important to state that this paper, while using real research to explore its premise, wouldn't be much of a whitepaper if it wasn't also a great marketing tool for Google's search products.
Titled "Quantifying Movie Magic with Google Search June 2013", the report was drafted primarily by Reggie Panaligan, Sr. Analytical Lead, Google, Media & Entertainment. Panaligan states, "In this paper, we will discuss how search query patterns and paid clicks can help us in the quest to quantify ‘movie magic,’ and ultimately predict box office performance." Here's some of the points I found most interesting, with my comments in italics:
· On average, moviegoers consult 13 sources before they make a decision about what movie to see.
For indies it's important to hit as many blogs and social networks as possible. You need to "touch" your potential viewer 13 times!
· Trailer-related search trends four weeks out from a movie release provide strong predictive power for opening weekend box office revenue.
· Trailers remain one of the most influential sources throughout the decision process to see a movie. In fact, we found that trailers are the most searched for category of information upon discovery of a new film.
· Trailer searches, whether on Google or YouTube, signify strong intent -- searchers are actively seeking a sample of the film. Thus, it’s no surprise that trailer-related search query volume holds strong predictive power. But when is this ‘power’ at its strongest? In a recent survey, we found that most moviegoers learn about a film four weeks in advance, often in conjunction with a major trailer drop or beginning of a major video ad campaign.
· So what does this mean for movie marketers? The availability of content, specifically trailers, is important for moviegoers at all stages of the decision process. Earlier searches four weeks from release week for a film have the strongest link to intent despite a lower overall search volume, presumably because the most ardent fans are among the first to search for specific film’s content.
I was happy to see this much attention being paid to trailers because it's one of the areas that indies can really make an impact with minimal dollars. A compelling trailer done with smart Seo can go right up against the big boys by getting found in all the right places as well as being picked up by more mainstream blogs and YouTube networks specializing in trailers. Make a strong trailer and "officially" release it one month out. An effective teaser trailer can start building early awareness for your film, but have something awesome and New to show one month before you release the film.
· Since 48% of moviegoers decide what film to watch the day they purchase their ticket, it’s important to have a continued search presence through opening weekend and beyond.
Save your pennies and nickels to ramp up long-tail search keyword advertising on weekends to snatch up anyone who might be considering a film rental or download.
· Additionally, during traditionally slow periods in the box office, generic non-title keywords over-index, signaling moviegoers’ (a) general curiosity and lesser awareness of films being released during this period, and (b) broadening of their consideration set to include multiple titles.
· For film marketers, understanding these patterns can present a substantial opportunity. By adjusting search marketing strategies to these trends, marketers can either capture the attention of the “curious” moviegoer.
This might be the most telling detail of all for indies. It's important to look at the studios' release patterns and launch your film during a quiet time in the schedule. Trying to go up against Game of Thrones on Sunday night isn't so easy (unless you counter-program), but when it's done for the summer you might be able to sneak in there.
Written by Zack Coffman, Head of Content, Distribution, & Strategy at One World Studios Ltd. He is an award-winning producer specializing in online strategy and monetization, live streaming, and YouTube channel development. Connect with Zack on LinkedIn, Google+, and @choppertown.
The entire whitepaper is available here, but I will summarize some of my favorite bits and hopefully it will underline the importance not only of savvy paid search leading up to a film's launch but also remind that Seo techniques (search engine optimization) are even more crucial than ever for the independent filmmaker/distributor. It's important to state that this paper, while using real research to explore its premise, wouldn't be much of a whitepaper if it wasn't also a great marketing tool for Google's search products.
Titled "Quantifying Movie Magic with Google Search June 2013", the report was drafted primarily by Reggie Panaligan, Sr. Analytical Lead, Google, Media & Entertainment. Panaligan states, "In this paper, we will discuss how search query patterns and paid clicks can help us in the quest to quantify ‘movie magic,’ and ultimately predict box office performance." Here's some of the points I found most interesting, with my comments in italics:
· On average, moviegoers consult 13 sources before they make a decision about what movie to see.
For indies it's important to hit as many blogs and social networks as possible. You need to "touch" your potential viewer 13 times!
· Trailer-related search trends four weeks out from a movie release provide strong predictive power for opening weekend box office revenue.
· Trailers remain one of the most influential sources throughout the decision process to see a movie. In fact, we found that trailers are the most searched for category of information upon discovery of a new film.
· Trailer searches, whether on Google or YouTube, signify strong intent -- searchers are actively seeking a sample of the film. Thus, it’s no surprise that trailer-related search query volume holds strong predictive power. But when is this ‘power’ at its strongest? In a recent survey, we found that most moviegoers learn about a film four weeks in advance, often in conjunction with a major trailer drop or beginning of a major video ad campaign.
· So what does this mean for movie marketers? The availability of content, specifically trailers, is important for moviegoers at all stages of the decision process. Earlier searches four weeks from release week for a film have the strongest link to intent despite a lower overall search volume, presumably because the most ardent fans are among the first to search for specific film’s content.
I was happy to see this much attention being paid to trailers because it's one of the areas that indies can really make an impact with minimal dollars. A compelling trailer done with smart Seo can go right up against the big boys by getting found in all the right places as well as being picked up by more mainstream blogs and YouTube networks specializing in trailers. Make a strong trailer and "officially" release it one month out. An effective teaser trailer can start building early awareness for your film, but have something awesome and New to show one month before you release the film.
· Since 48% of moviegoers decide what film to watch the day they purchase their ticket, it’s important to have a continued search presence through opening weekend and beyond.
Save your pennies and nickels to ramp up long-tail search keyword advertising on weekends to snatch up anyone who might be considering a film rental or download.
· Additionally, during traditionally slow periods in the box office, generic non-title keywords over-index, signaling moviegoers’ (a) general curiosity and lesser awareness of films being released during this period, and (b) broadening of their consideration set to include multiple titles.
· For film marketers, understanding these patterns can present a substantial opportunity. By adjusting search marketing strategies to these trends, marketers can either capture the attention of the “curious” moviegoer.
This might be the most telling detail of all for indies. It's important to look at the studios' release patterns and launch your film during a quiet time in the schedule. Trying to go up against Game of Thrones on Sunday night isn't so easy (unless you counter-program), but when it's done for the summer you might be able to sneak in there.
Written by Zack Coffman, Head of Content, Distribution, & Strategy at One World Studios Ltd. He is an award-winning producer specializing in online strategy and monetization, live streaming, and YouTube channel development. Connect with Zack on LinkedIn, Google+, and @choppertown.
- 6/24/2013
- by Zack Coffman
- Sydney's Buzz
That movie studios will spend the lion's share of their marketing budgets on TV is one of those industry truisms roughly as dependable as Tom Hanks' drawing power. And though this year is bound to be no different, it's worth noting that Hollywood's marketers have fallen in love again with a proven outlet for their hit movies: cross-promotion.
Case in point: the spate of promos surrounding "Sex and the City 2." A lucky winner will get a shopping spree with Patricia Field, the costume designer responsible for keeping Carrie Bradshaw and her pals wrapped in designer brands. Fans also can order "couture cocktails" named after their favorite characters or simply buy bottles of limited-edition movie-themed alcohol and mix them at home. It's all courtesy of a deal between Warner Bros. and Skyy Vodka that pulls ordinary moviegoers into the cosmo-sipping culture of a franchise that's aiming to continue its...
Case in point: the spate of promos surrounding "Sex and the City 2." A lucky winner will get a shopping spree with Patricia Field, the costume designer responsible for keeping Carrie Bradshaw and her pals wrapped in designer brands. Fans also can order "couture cocktails" named after their favorite characters or simply buy bottles of limited-edition movie-themed alcohol and mix them at home. It's all courtesy of a deal between Warner Bros. and Skyy Vodka that pulls ordinary moviegoers into the cosmo-sipping culture of a franchise that's aiming to continue its...
- 5/5/2010
- by By T.L. Stanley, Brandweek
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In recognition of the growing importance of viral and interactive entertainment campaigns, New Line Cinema has named Gordon Paddison to the newly created post of executive vp new-media marketing. Paddison's team will be formally integrated into the overall marketing decision-making process in each area of New Line's distribution operation. New Line has been a clear industry leader in Internet and digital marketing, an arena that has strongly influenced aspects of such traditional marketing mediums as television and print. Paddison's promotion and expanded oversight not only signals New Line's acknowledgment of the evolving media landscape but also the studio's commitment to leading the charge.
- 6/25/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Word-of-mouth has almost mystical power over how well a new movie opens. New Line Cinema has done its best to capture that magic by partnering with MySpace.com, Xanga.com, TeenPeople.com and dozens of other social-networking sites to help promote Just Friends, the romantic comedy that opens Wednesday. The unusual approach is especially effective because it is appropriate for the young adult target demographic and the movie's main theme of redefining relationships, New Line Cinema executive vp integrated marketing Gordon Paddison said. "We found there was a real deep connection with the idea of getting a relationship out of the 'friend zone, ' " he said, adding that this was one finding from an extensive analysis of social networking that included focus groups.
- 11/23/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
LAS VEGAS -- When it comes to the movies, the Internet has turned mass marketing into a one-on-one relationship. That was among the points of consensus to come out of the ShoWest Marketing Summit panel "Beyond the 30 Second Spot", moderated by The Hollywood Reporter deputy film editor Anne Thompson. According to Gordon Paddison, executive vp integrated marketing at New Line Cinema, "The studio business is business-to-business with exhibitors, but through the Internet we've been able to form a one-on-one business with the consumer." Paddison, who spent the better part of three years forming a massive database around his marketing efforts for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, has turned that database into a resource for future relationships with consumers. "We have been able to segment the inbound consumer; we want to retain them," he said. "Then we can bucket them into genres and re-market to them based on respect and permission. We form a lifetime relationship with the consumer."...
- 3/17/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With many of the world's largest corporations spending tens of millions of dollars to secure screen time for their brands, a regional, family-owned fast-food chain called White Castle has effortlessly won a starring role that most brand marketers can only envy. In fact, the role is so integral to the movie's story line that the burger chain's name is featured in the title, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, which New Line Cinema is releasing July 30. While the R-rated comedy could present certain problems for White Castle because of content described even by the studio as racy, the quick-service restaurant famous for its small, square hamburgers should enjoy a windfall of positive publicity that could easily translate into more customers. "One of the cool things about Harold and Kumar -- considering that everything these days seems to be driven out of a Madison and Vine entertainment perspective -- is here's an example of a truly organic placement that is what everyone strives to achieve but that was done out of genuine creativity," said Gordon Paddison, New Line's executive vp integrated marketing.
- 7/22/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In a move designed to help the studio attract a broad range of promotional partners, New Line Cinema has formed an integrated marketing division to be headed by 10-year company veteran Gordon Paddison. Paddison, who has been named executive vp of the new unit, will work closely with senior vp national promotions Lance Still to create incentives and improve the efficiency of the studio's dealings with promotional partners. "The new group is designed to enhance and expand promotional partnerships by offering one-stop management of programs across all of New Line's distribution windows," said Russell Schwartz, New Line president of domestic marketing. "No longer will companies have to negotiate with these different divisions, which is the studio norm. The integrated marketing unit will streamline the internal process by offering a single entry point to explore and manage all promotional opportunities, including product placement."...
- 9/24/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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