Studios cut film marketing as landscape changes

Analysts say DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc's strategy for 'Dragon' failed, underscoring how Hollywood, which spends over $4 billion a year promoting movies, is under pressure to cut costs and experiment -- and stumbling occasionally.

From Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros to Walt Disney Co, Hollywood's stalwarts are employing Youtube and Twitter, consolidating advertising staff, using fans to spread the message through viral marketing -- any way to get the word out in an era of stretched budgets.

"Marketing costs are the most dramatically impactful on a studio's quarterly earnings. If you don't open strongly, it really hurts, so there's a high level of attention to efficiency. Everybody's trying to do more with less," said veteran Hollywood marketer Gordon Paddison, who spearheaded the online media campaign for "The Lord of The Rings" films.

Pummeled by the downturn, Hollywood cut ad spending by 8 percent to $4.39 billion in 2009 after trimming it by 3 percent in 2008, said Michael Nathanson of Bernstein Research. More cuts will come through the first half of 2010, he added.

The point is underscored by Dreamworks' latest animated tent-pole film. It spent $160 million to $175 million to market "Dragon," then had to revamp its promotional materials and TV commercials right before it opened. Analysts say its campaign fell flat with audiences.

The movie pulled in $43.7 million in its domestic debut weekend, compared with a projected $65 million to $70 million.

"It wasn't resonating with its target audience, leading DreamWorks to refocus its marketing efforts, but perhaps not in time," said Piper Jaffray analyst James Marsh, noting longer-form trailers were scrapped for shorter, funnier ones.

MARKETING CHANGES APLENTY

The film has held up well in the wake of a revised campaign the studio said included critical praise and has earned $104.7 million in ticket sales so far.

Faced with weak DVD sales and an evolving marketplace, studios such as Disney and Viacom Inc's Paramount have cut costs by combining marketing for DVDs and theatrical releases, whereas they used to have separate teams.

And Disney will also soon announce a new studio marketing chief to replace Jim Gallagher, who left as part of a studio revamp. Disney is expected to hire from outside Hollywood, shaking up the establishment. Disney declined to comment.

Since "The Blair Witch Project" in 1999 and more recently "Paranormal Activity" -- both of which amassed massive Web followings that translated into box office gold -- many in Hollywood appreciate ad forms outside of traditional media.

The latter $15,000 film grossed over $100 million after it redefined marketing with a first of its kind "Demand It" campaign that asked fans to go online and demand screenings.

Many are using Facebook, viral marketing and the Web to supplement campaigns and reach viewers at less cost. Sony Corp's Sony Pictures ran a "Death at a Funeral" ad on Youtube on Thursday, imitating many others who have run film ads on YouTube's home page at an estimated $250,000 a clip.

"About 40 million people visit the YouTube home page each day. If you're releasing a movie, its a coveted space," said Tommy McGloin, entertainment team manager for Google Inc's YouTube. "We're reaching upfront deals with major studios who are signing annual agreements."

TWITTERING TO BOX OFFICE GOLD

Twitter has also been used to boost box-office performance. Sony was one of the first studios to create branded Twitter pages for films such as "District 9," "Julie & Julia" and "The Ugly Truth" that kept fans continually engaged.

"Using fans as evangelists is the most effective ways to lower marketing costs," said Paddison.

But many in Hollywood are resistant to change, partly because of patchy results -- "Bruno" for instance fizzled despite a raging Web presence -- and partly because they believe TV still has more impact if the timing is right.

Studios typically spend $300,000 to $400,000 for a 30-second spot during a prime-time show. But in the fourth quarter, TV ad spending by major studios fell 7 percent to $916 million from a year ago, according to Bernstein's Nathanson.

Paddison said studios are using a mixed media approach, using a TV ad during sweeps week, along with an online campaign. And while more are realizing a TV ad may not always be the most efficient promotion, studios still like TV because they think it gives viewers the closest experience to watching the movie in a theater.

"Studios are challenging marketing budgets and doing more experimentation, but TV continues to take the major share on views it reaches the biggest audience," said Howard Bass of Ernst & Young Global Media & Entertainment.

(Reporting by Sue Zeidler; editing by Andre Grenon)

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It's time to change the way you market films!

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David Mills Dead: 'The Wire' Writer Dies Days Before Premiere Of New Show 'Treme'

NEW ORLEANS — David Mills, a veteran television writer who worked on the award-winning series "ER" and "The Wire," died after collapsing on the set of his latest production. He was 48.

Mills died Tuesday night in New Orleans, said HBO spokesman Diego Aldana. Doctors at Tulane Medical Center said he suffered a brain aneurism, according to a statement Wednesday from Mills' latest production, "Treme."

Mills was on the set of the new HBO series as it filmed a scene at Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter when he was stricken and rushed to the hospital where he died without regaining consciousness, the statement said.

"He was an enormous talent," said David Simon, a co-executive producer with Mills who first met the award-winning writer in the newsroom of their college newspaper. "He loved words and he loved an argument but not in any angry or mean-spirited way. He loved to argue ideas. He delighted in it, and he was confident that something smarter and deeper always came from a good argument."

Mills was living in New Orleans while working as a writer and executive producer of the drama set during post-Katrina and slated to premiere on April 11.

Wendell Pierce, who played Detective William "Bunk" Moreland on "The Wire," and plays a musician in "Treme," said Mills collapsed on the set Tuesday.

"He was carrying on a conversation and just fell over," Pierce said. "They called the medics, but there was nothing to be done."

"Treme" is named after the Creole neighborhood known for its rich musical history.

"I'm so sorry he won't be able to see the launch of the show he cared so much about," Pierce said.

Story continues below

HBO said in a statement that the network is "deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend and colleague."

"He was a gracious and humble man, and will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him, as well as those who were aware of his immense talent. David has left us too soon but his brilliant work will live on."

"Treme" cast and crew members held a memorial for Mills on the set Wednesday morning, Pierce said.

"He was very quiet and introverted, but spoke volumes when he wrote," Pierce said of Mills. "He challenged us as actors and he challenged Americans when it came to matters of race. He was one of the more talented people working in TV. He made it much more than just empty entertainment."

Mills began his career as a reporter for The Washington Post, before turning to screenwriting. Besides "ER" and "The Wire," he worked on the HBO drama "The Corner," "Homicide: Life on the Street," "NYPD Blue" and was executive producer and writer of the short-lived NBC miniseries "Kingpin," about a Mexican drug cartel.

Mills started his television writing career with Simon, a longtime friend and "Wire" creator, in 1994. The pair wrote an episode of "Homicide" that year, for which they won a Writers Guild of America award. Mills won Emmys for co-writing and executive producing the miniseries "The Corner" and an Edgar in 2007 for "The Wire."

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3 Reasons No One Will Ever Watch Your Web Video | Video Army

One of the most common questions we get at Video Army is “How can we get more views on our videos?”. We have a number of video marketing services to increase the amount of exposure on our client’s videos. However, there are some very basic principles that everyone can apply to their videos to get more views whether you are a Fortune 500 company or an unfortunate 5 person company.

Here are the top three reasons why no one is watching your videos:

1. Your Video is Not Interesting

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And I Am Not Lying » Blog Archive » Types of Bitches

Types of Bitches

March 4th, 2010 by Jeff Simmermon

My friend’s cousin …

Wait a second. You know this is going to be good, when it starts with “My friend’s cousin.”

My friend’s cousin is a teacher at a charter school in Washington, D.C. She found this on the floor of a 3rd grade classroom and recognized it for the gold mine that it is — scanned it into a fax-to-PDF scanner immediately.

See most of the whole, exhaustive list after the jump.

You’ll notice that according to this taxonomy, there are 90 types of bitches. However, there’s a page missing, so we are left to guess what bitch types 44-58 are. If you have any ideas, please do leave them in the comments.

I think it’s possible to be multiple types of bitch at once. I’ve met a number of people who are a combination of 5, 12, and 85-90. One could also evolve into and out of various categories as well. As one friend of mine said “I used to be #33, but now that I’ve grown up a little and my priorities have changed, I am solidly #37.”

Feel free to let me know which type you are in the comments as well — or even chart your trajectory through the list.

This list is fairly neatly written. Spelling and troubled penmanship aside, there are no cross-outs, crumples, stains, etc. This looks like something that was written, maybe as a part of a group, and then placed onto the official record that we see here. I like thinking about an excited group of kids sitting around and charting out all the different types of bitches they can think of and then carefully writing them down onto a master list.

And it was found in a 3rd grade classroom! Either the child who left this behind borrowed this from a much more sophisticated older sibling/cousin, or kids in inner-city D.C. grow up even faster than I thought.

Or both. Anyway, here’s the list.

You can see the whole set on Flickr here.

**And now that this thing has officially gotten out of control, there’s a followup: Bitches Lost their Minds**

I’ve transcribed the list below for Google and folks who are visually impaired but nevertheless want to know about all the types of bitches.

Types of Bitches

1) Dirty dumb ass bitches
2) Aint got no ass bitches
3) Dusty trick bitches
4) Fishy bitches
5) Don’t know how to fight bitches
6) Got all that mouth but can’t step bitches
7) Ugly looking bitch that think they all that
Can’t keep a man bitch
9) Track wearing bitches
10) Bitches that be trying to steal your man
11) Hoochie looking bitches
12) Ain’t got no damn sense bitches
13) Stupid bitches that act dumb
14) Bitches who can only get a dirty boy
15) Want to be jocking bitches
16) Bitches who think their man love them but get pregnant and be left alone
17) Bitches who think they better than me
18) Instigating bitches
19) Talking behind your back bitches
20) Loud mouth bitches
21) Pissy bitches
22) Stingy bitches
23) Funky looking bitches
24) Short hair bitches
25) Spanish bitches who think they all that cause of their hair
26) Bitches that be ignoring you when they know they can hear you
27) Staring in your face bitches
28) Big eyed looking bitches
29) Crazy bitches
30) Nappy tender headed bitches
31) Booty shorts wearing bitches
32) Coast-signing bitches
33) Dick riding bitches
34) Whipped bitches
35) Buck tooth bitches
36) Cheesy teeth bitches
37) Same wearing clothes each day bitches
38) Ghetto bitches
39) Hair dyeing bitches
40) Wearing shoes that be talking bitches
41) Bitches who think they hard
42) Bitches that think they get money
43) Bitches that go to a dirty school
44) (page missing)
45) (page missing)
46) (page missing)
47) (page missing)
48) (page missing)
49) (page missing)
50) (page missing)
51) (page missing)
52) (page missing)
53) (page missing)
54) (page missing)
55) (page missing)
56) (page missing)
57) (page missing)
58) (page missing)
59) Gay bitches
60) Stanky fishy coochie smelling bitches
61) Tomboy bitches
62) Stain on your pants bitches
63) Dry scalp dandruff bitches
64) Dirty hair bitches
65) Stealing bitches
66) Stinky feet bitches
67) Big gap bitches
68) Protecting their store bitches
69) Pajamas outside bitches
70) Ragly braid bitches
71) Stanky butt bitches
72) Greedy bitches
73) Slimy grimy bitches
74) Psycho bitches
75) Drug dealing bitches
76) Geekin’ bitches
77) Suntanning bitches
78) Goofy looking bitches
79) Triflin’ bitches
80) Skanky bitches
81) Mugging bitches
82) Sloppy bitches
83) Dirty fingernails bitches
84) Dirty sock wearing bitches
85) Uncreative bitches
86) White bitches that think black people poor
87) Conceited bitches
88) Tall bitches
89) Short bitches
90) Jealous bitches

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