Who Is The Most Independent Movie maker Friendly Distributer In 2008? The Reply Power Surprise You
August 15th, 2008Overall, film gross revenue were down at Sundance 2008. And documentary rubric calculated for about half of the statistical distribution deals got this twelvemonth. Yet, the existent narrative for deal-making at Sundance may good be that Sony Ikon Classic, the bright-eyed indie offstage of the 400 pound Gorilla gorilla that is Sony Ikon, individual handedly unbroken the festival a workable marketplace for scrappy indie films in competition.
Sony Image Classic makes not have the success narrations of, state, Fox Searchlight Icon box business office windfall Small Young woman Sun. Buyed at Sundance 2006 for a breaking USD 10.5 Million, Small Young woman Sunlight locomoted on to porcine close to USD 100 Million and gained 2 Academy Award. Chic steal. Chic selling. In contrast, SPC bought JUNEBUG at Sundance 2005, that earned next to nothing but made turn up to be Amy Adam’s gaolbreak film and take in her an Oscar nominating address. SPC’s kept finding to get at Sundance is all the more singular for its past nonstarters to becharm the crossover success that Sundance fable lives one.
But look at the dislocation of Sundance 2008 deals. Of the 9 feature films, 6 deals were got for statistical distribution in the US. (1 of the trades was by Joined Creative persons who bought the remaking rights for the Spanish film TIMECRIMES, but have no plans to deal out.) 2 of those 6 films (Crossroads 2 and William Henry POOLE IS HERE) represented in the Premiere pick. So, of the 121 features in competition, 4 established a home, and for 3 of them that home is with the SPC (Rooted RIVER, BAGHEAD, as good as THE WACKNESS).In plenty of respect, SPC is holding film acquisition live at Sundance, picking out to patronize the less cognize films and buying in amount (all were held for about 6 or 7 figures), instead than seeming for the newspaper headline catching big money deal. Indeed, I encounter it olde worlde and near stirring the manner SPC deals Sundance. Its selections look poising and hazardous, even if they may be due to its purchasing scheme of heading off command wars and appearing for request prices to sink as the fest wears on. Bottm eaters SPC may be, but that makes not change the fact that it is leaving to romance the Erysimum cheiris of the festival that nobody else wants to use up for a twist, letting in this year’s Grand Panel Price victor Still RIVER.
On paper this film has nothing travelling for it. Star powerfulness that waterfall good at a lower place your average TV Motion picture Of The Hebdomad (and that’s Web TV); a depressant subject that lacks aphrodisiacal topicality — illegal US border fords from, wait for it, Canada. It’s a nutlike relocation, as are their two early fest purchases. THE WACKNESS acquired some festival buzz, but nobody was leaving to go for the matting for it, mayhap because it understandably makes not have a chance of comme il faut the next Small Fille Sun (although we should never underestimate the nation’s love of the Olsen twin). SPC is getting littler trades for littler pics to do, in all probability, little business organization. I sort of passion it; I like the “believe little” mental attitude towards independent film. After all, is not that the item, instead than go after the one Indie film that has a chance of crossover success, Sony is occupying up a few untamed card game and one four hour period, they will get it to a theater near year-if only for a week. I believe if the Independent Smell Awards had got an award for Film Learning this twelvemonth, it should go to SPC. The company’s gamble on corner markets, on the flake, on the ragtag and bobtail underdog has just the untamed Indie tone that the most successful Sundance films routinely champion–and that the large Sundance deals routinely lack.