Movie Trailers

Quote: Ayecarumba

Being a full on Disney branded film, I fully expect a catchy tune in the soundtrack, even if it plays over the credits at the end.

You are probably correct. After Frozen, I don't think they could release a movie without a soundtrack and a title song to sell. But there is no indication that it will be a musical.

And nobody's toes are going to get cut off or eyes picked out by birds. Disney has no interest in being historically authentic. It is a recreation of the animated version with a few plot twists (like an expanded role for her mother and the fairy godmother).

Quote: DRich

Wow, I had no idea anyone would care enough about a trailer to pay for it.

The last time I read about something like this was when the first Star Wars Prequel Trailer came out.

"Do not underestimate the power of the Fan Side" :)

As to another question, I've no idea what prevents fans from watching the trailer and getting a refund. If they buy a large popcorn and a coke, the theater won't mind. Disney would, though, or whoever is showing the main feature.

Quote: Nareed

As to another question, I've no idea what prevents fans from watching the trailer and getting a refund. If they buy a large popcorn and a coke, the theater won't mind. Disney would, though, or whoever is showing the main feature.

Frankly, not enough people would take the time to pull this trick that it would bother any corporation.

Quote: Pacomartin

Frankly, not enough people would take the time to pull this trick that it would bother any corporation.

The idea seems to be to get a bump at the box office through the presence of the trailer. Obtaining a refund negates that. But then, too, a corporation the size of Disney shouldn't have to resort to cheap gimmicks to make a buck.

BTW, I hear the SW trailer will premiere online in iTunes Friday, too. I've no idea whether it's free or you have to pay for it. Odds are it will be freely available within days anyway.

I'm reminded of the time I bought a cell phone for the first time. I got a cheap Nokia, prepaid plan, for under $100. At the time this was a great deal. That day at the store a customer was signing up to a one-year premium plan, and paying about $1,500 for a Motorola StarTac phone (remember them?)

I remember thinking "This time next year those phones will be given away in Cracker Jack boxes." Well, they weren't, naturally. But by the same time next year, you could get a StarTac for under $100 on a prepaid plan. In fact that's what I got that year.

Quote: Nareed

BTW, I hear the SW trailer will premiere online in iTunes Friday, too. I've no idea whether it's free or you have to pay for it. Odds are it will be freely available within days anyway.

A fan made trailer looks pretty good until you realize there is no new video in it.



A new episode of The Big Bang Theory costs $2.99 which is 21:13 long. Although this show is freely available on broadcast and on the website for at least 5 weeks, somebody is willing to pay.

One producer wants to make a show with 7 minute episodes and sell them for $1 apiece online.

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There was a movie called "The Golden Compass" about 7 years ago. It had a $180m production budget, but it was based on a trilogy of books that was popular in Britain , but almost unknown in the USA. Foreign/Northern American box office revenue ended up being 4:1 with sales in Britain almost being as high as Northern America.

The first 5 minutes of the film were released to try and build enthusiasm in USA for the film. It didn't work as only 10 million tickets were sold in Northern America.

I could imagine a future where people would pay $1 to see a 5 minute opening to a film. If 10 million people paid $7 apiece to see the film, then it might have sold 30 million previews for $1.

A trailer is a commercial for a movie.

I'd never pay to see a commercial.

I suppose by now everyone's seen the Star Wars trailer. It was a teaser, with no plot or story elements revealed at all. Definitely not worth paying for.

But, boy, did it spawn virtual tons of analysis and parody! There's already a Lego version and a "George Lucas" Special Edition version.

Quote: Nareed

A trailer is a commercial for a movie. I'd never pay to see a commercial.

Marvel's Agent Carter
I don't know if you can watch these in Mexico, but they are 15 minute films. They are essentially trial runs for a concept. In this case they decided to develop it into a TV series which will premier in January on ABC. Agent Carter was the love interest in the Captain America films.

Right now they are free, and they are shown without commercial interruption. They are meant to see what kind of interest there would be on a TV series. But they are selling 21 minute sitcoms for $3, so there is a possibility they could make these short films for sale in the future.

Has anyone seen the new Terminator trailer?

IMO, the best movie was the second one. I didn't much care for the third or the fourth. So I'll follow procedure and wait for it to show up on TV or Netflix.

Also IMO, the Terminator movies are not science fiction, but action flicks with SF elements. Although the TV series based on them, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, was good, near future SF. Why the difference? For one thing there wasn't as much action. For another, the Summer Glau terminator began to develop a personality of her own.

I'm sorry it got cancelled. But a small part of me is glad it did. There were too many twists in the time travel parts of the plot. Kyle's brother was remembering the future differently, the Connors kept messing up the Skynet timeline, and in the cliffhanger John goes forward in time and meets his father. Something was either going to get overlooked, reset, or resolved by the use of handwavium.

I don't mind using handwavium for small plot details that don't much matter. But it should and must be off-limits for major plot developments. Part of why I didn't like the third movie is that, the way the second movie ended, there shouldn't have been one. The reason why there is one was pure handwavium: ie you didn't stop Judgment Day. you only delayed it (HOW??????)

Quote: Nareed

Has anyone seen the new Terminator trailer?

IMO, the best movie was the second one. I didn't much care for the third or the fourth. So I'll follow procedure and wait for it to show up on TV or Netflix.

The market agrees with you.
Terminator sold over 11 million tickets in Northern America. A big hit for a fairly low budget film.
Terminator II sold almost 50 million tickets.
Terminator III sold about 25 million tickets.
Terminator Salvation sold almost 17 million tickets.

They are making plans to shoot a two part follow up to next summer's Terminator to be aired in 2017 and 2018.

If I am not mistaken the decision to shoot two sequences at once started with Back to the Future. Certainly the Lord of the rings decision to shoot all three movies at once was hugely profitable.