Zero budget film released on iTunes and turns a significant profit.

[Patryk_Rebisz]

It seems like a lot of people actually like this film which i see both in positive light (it's good when people reach out outside of their comfort zone and search for story-less films) but also as something negative (numbers mean a lot only to Hollywood). The problem with this film that i have personally is that it doesn't add anything new to the medium. When you see a woman journalist in Paris doing an interview of someone famous you think of Godard's "Breathless" but with Breathless Godard did like 10 or 20 spectacular things that opened up filmmakers to new possibilities. When you hear about love that cannot last combined with shaky camera work you think of Lelouch's "A Man and a Woman" - except in that film he did such crazy things with camerawork! In comparison this film looks like a children drawing that a parents hang on their refrigerator. It adds really nothing new to already over-saturated market of films about nothing in particular.

 

[Gary Huff]

It seems like a lot of people actually like this film which i see both in positive light (it's good when people reach out outside of their comfort zone and search for story-less films) but also as something negative (numbers mean a lot only to Hollywood).

Are you hearing this from people around you or just looking at the iTunes rating? I find it interesting that it is rated 4 out of 5 stars on iTunes and 2 out of 5 stars on Netflix, the difference being that you have to be a paid customer to rate on Netflix.

I'm not familiar with the films you mentioned, but I don't think it has to bring anything new to the structure that has been set before, I just needed a reason to be interested in these two people and I never got it. That, and the wildly varied technical work of the cinematography.

Two people romping through France because we are told they were so in love almost an entire decade ago is not interesting. Those two people then deciding they can't be in love anymore because we are basically told they cannot be is not interesting either. And that's the whole movie right there (sans montages).

 

[Raindog84]

This is just an assumption, granted. However, the way I see it, this is a low-budget version of these superhero action movies that are coming out every other week. Obviously not content-wise, but with the same intent. Those movies (Battleship, Transformers, Avengers, etc) are really pushed by account executives, not really filmmakers. They're pushed because they'll make money. With a movie like this, I could totally see it being popular with every 15 year old girl with a broken heart on iTunes.

These movies can make money for the same reason sub-par eBooks can make decent money. Look at all the people who make a killing selling murder/mystery eBooks on Amazon for $1.99 when beach season hits. It's a lot easier for someone to talk themselves into clicking a $5 "rent" button on iTunes or a $1.99 buy button on Amazon than to walk into a store or pay $15 for a movie they've never seen.

I haven't seen the movie, so maybe I'm just full of crap. However, I did look at the trailer (which is supposed to sell the movie to me). I spent the whole time wondering why on Earth I would pay any money to see this. Then I thought "Hey... my niece would probably love this..."

 

[Gary Huff]

I think the appeal was solely for the actress from Castle. I would be willIng to bet it would have done a fraction of the business if it was an unknown in the lead.

 

[GaryinCalifornia]

That is probably true... but that is one of the things you have to think about... I guess they had a connection and it worked out for them... so in the end that's what counts...

 

[Gary Huff]

And in the end, can't be easily duplicated, so what does this success teach us? Almost nothing.

 

[Barry_Green]

And in the end, can't be easily duplicated, so what does this success teach us? Almost nothing.

Only if that's what you choose to take away from it.

I would instead think that what it teaches us is that if you want some success, you'd better get a lead actor/actress that people can recognize.

 

[Kholi]

Only if that's what you choose to take away from it.

I would instead think that what it teaches us is that if you want some success, you'd better get a lead actor/actress that people can recognize.

And have some sort of track record as producers/directors, which these two guys clearly have/had.

 

[Barry_Green]

And have some sort of track record as producers/directors, which these two guys clearly have/had.

Well, they have a great record as smaller-film producers, they've made a lot of films, and that probably brought a big following with them too. But I thought someone had pointed out their twitter followers (a rank of popularity, I guess) and that Stana Katic's twitter following was like 10x as big as the Polish Brothers, so .... if that's really true, then the commercial acceptance of the film is perhaps more likely due to having the actress moreso than them having their own track record?

 

[Kholi]

Well, they have a great record as smaller-film producers, they've made a lot of films, and that probably brought a big following with them too. But I thought someone had pointed out their twitter followers (a rank of popularity, I guess) and that Stana Katic's twitter following was like 10x as big as the Polish Brothers, so .... if that's really true, then the commercial acceptance of the film is perhaps more likely due to having the actress moreso than them having their own track record?

That's true. The success is more so of the actress' following, but the press for release in a lot of places (slash film for example) was because of the directors, I personally believe. But still, the commercial success was definitely due to her.

 

[David G. Smith]

That's true. The success is more so of the actress' following, but the press for release in a lot of places (slash film for example) was because of the directors, I personally believe. But still, the commercial success was definitely due to her.

Yes, but their ability to work with that actress, on such a small budget film, is due to their track records as filmmakers. The articles say that Mark Polish and the actress have the same agent.

 

[Gary Huff]

the commercial acceptance of the film is perhaps more likely due to having the actress moreso than them having their own track record?

I mean, if you successfully lobby Brad Pitt to be in your film, do you think anyone's going to give **** all about your prior credits?

 

[Kholi]

Yes, but their ability to work with that actress, on such a small budget film, is due to their track records as filmmakers. The articles say that Mark Polish and the actress have the same agent.

Not saying anything about their abilities as directors, we were talking about the financial success, or the topic name "turns a significant profit."

I'm sure they work just fine as directors.

 

[David G. Smith]

Not saying anything about their abilities as directors, we were talking about the financial success, or the topic name "turns a significant profit."

I'm sure they work just fine as directors.

Yes, but trying to nail down what caused this little films ability to turn "...a significant profit." to one element, the actress, without looking at the whole picture as to her involvement is not realistic.

 

[Kholi]

Yes, but trying to nail down what caused this little films ability to turn "...a significant profit." to one element, the actress, without looking at the whole picture as to her involvement is not realistic.

It's pretty realistic to me, to pin it on advertisement, which is how you get people to spend money on a movie. Earlier in the thread, and in a lot of the articles, it was said that Stana tweeted about the movie going on sale in iTunes to her hundreds of thousands of followers.

Why is it unreasonable to think that, without an actress with such a huge following, it wouldn't have been as successful?

You don't get there without some form of successful advertising.

 

[GaryinCalifornia]

its based upon the actress being in a hit show... the brother's having a track record.... but getting a trip to Europe isn't so bad for the actress also..

 

[David G. Smith]

Why is it unreasonable to think that, without an actress with such a huge following, it wouldn't have been as successful?

I whole heartily agree that the actress' involvement in the film, and her use of social media to promote the film, are vital to the success of it. I am just saying that the Polish brothers' ability to put that actress in that film is because of their track record. It is not either or. It is "All of the above".

 

[Kholi]

I guess this is off topic: but, no, it's not always all of the above

It only costs money to get a lot of well known or even semi-well known actresses in front of a camera. Talent doesn't equal money.

That's a bit more rose-colored than I'd like to submit too, personally. But, too each their own.

 

[Patryk_Rebisz]

This is just an assumption, granted. However, the way I see it, this is a low-budget version of these superhero action movies that are coming out every other week. Obviously not content-wise, but with the same intent. Those movies (Battleship, Transformers, Avengers, etc) are really pushed by account executives, not really filmmakers. They're pushed because they'll make money. With a movie like this, I could totally see it being popular with every 15 year old girl with a broken heart on iTunes.

These movies can make money for the same reason sub-par eBooks can make decent money. Look at all the people who make a killing selling murder/mystery eBooks on Amazon for $1.99 when beach season hits. It's a lot easier for someone to talk themselves into clicking a $5 "rent" button on iTunes or a $1.99 buy button on Amazon than to walk into a store or pay $15 for a movie they've never seen.

I haven't seen the movie, so maybe I'm just full of crap. However, I did look at the trailer (which is supposed to sell the movie to me). I spent the whole time wondering why on Earth I would pay any money to see this. Then I thought "Hey... my niece would probably love this..."

Smart observation.

 

[Grug]

Just watched the trailer, and I had to laugh

Am I the only one that got the feeling that this "film" seems like it was merely a way to get a hot actress to go on vacation, make out, and hump the lead actor on a motorcycle, in bath rooms, on the beach etc etc, for the two week "shoot"?

Films have been made for worse reasons.