IF HOLLYWOOD CAN'T, HOW CAN YOU?: The Proofs in the Numbers!

Take a second to at this website: Box Office Mojo

They have the list of the top 150 movies released in the US for 2004 listed there. Poke around. Take a look at a couple of the titles on there and look for the estimated marketing budget for a couple of films that YOU KNOW YOU HEARD ABOUT. A couple have surprised me. To be honest, "Around the World in 80 Days" never surprised me that it floped.The trailers were horrible. The poster was a joke and I guess everyone else thought the same.

Look at number 115, "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton". Cost 22 million, spent 25 million to market and it made 17 million. I SAW THOSE ADS EVERYWHERE and loved it. Thought they did a great job with the trailer, posters and promotional campaign. The critics LOVED IT! "Romantic comedy isn’t rocket science, but it’s nice to sit through one that makes you laugh, stirs the sentiment, and also leaves you feeling good about all the characters." I guess the press and I were the only ones because everyone stayed away.

My Surprise was number 39, "White Chicks". Cost 37 million, spent 30 million to market and it made 71 million.I SAW THOSE ADS EVERYWHERE and hated it. Looked like the dumbest movie ever made. The critics HATED IT! "Would it have been too much to ask for it to have been a mediocre, 75-minute piffle rather than 105 minutes of torture padded with overwrought messaging and yo-mama jokes? ". The surprise was people went and not just opening weekend!!!

It is fun to look at this list once and a while. It puts things into perspective. Sometimes you think you have a great product and it tanks. Other times, you may think your film is a stinker and people show up! Never give up hope on your product.