It’s no accident that Jeremy Renner is wearing a pricey IWC wristwatch in “The Bourne Legacy.” The Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen issued a press release saying the watch worn by the movie’s star is product placement in a “partnership” agreement with Universal Pictures, which distributed the PG-13 spy thriller movie. “IWC has a longstanding passion for filmmaking,” says … [Read more...] about IWC Wristwatch Stars in ‘Bourne’
Fanboys Hurl ‘Dark Knight’ Threats
Passions by some fans of the “The Dark Knight Rises” are getting a little too overheated. A blogger critic Marshall Fine received online death threats on film website Rotten Tomatoes for panning the PG-13-rated release that Warner Bros. will premiere July 20. Writing for “Time” magazine, Eliana Dockterman said that Fine generated the first negative review from professionals … [Read more...] about Fanboys Hurl ‘Dark Knight’ Threats
TV Shows, Females Jumping at Comic-Con
TV programs -- not theatrical films -- took the spotlight at the Comic-Con enthusiast convention July 12-15. “Other than a blow-out panel for the upcoming fifth and final movie in the ‘Twilight’ series, there didn’t seem to be a single movie event here that made a significant impact with the crowd of approximately 125,000 genre fans,” wrote Ed Martin in Media Post. The … [Read more...] about TV Shows, Females Jumping at Comic-Con
‘Spidey’ Promos Target Females
Sony Pictures aims its $200 million in third-party marketing support for “The Amazing Spider-Man” at women, figuring that is the elusive demographic for the PG-13 film that will open July 3. “To do that,” says a Variety story by Marc Graser, “Kellogg’s and beauty brand OPI are now in the mix with companies like Carl’s Jr., Twizzler, Schick, Walmart and Target in the U.S. to … [Read more...] about ‘Spidey’ Promos Target Females
Book review: ‘Creating Blockbusters!’
A new book provides insightful analysis of the building blocks for successful Hollywood films, from script to promotion to licensed merchandise—all from point of view of marketing to the audience. “Creating Blockbusters!” by consumer researcher Gene Del Vecchio covers movies, TV programs, video games and books. Most film books lean toward arty but “Creating Blockbusters!” is … [Read more...] about Book review: ‘Creating Blockbusters!’
Pixar Covers Postage Stamps
The United States Postal Service adds Disney’s Pixar animation characters to the pantheon of Hollywood luminaries that have graced postage stamps. Some 125 million stamps in total will be issued with five different mixes of Pixar characters including Nemo and Squirt from “Finding Nemo," and Woody, Bullseye and Jessie from “Toy Story 2.” “These delightful stamps lift spirits … [Read more...] about Pixar Covers Postage Stamps
R-rated ‘Prometheus’ Nabs Promos
20th Century Fox’s sci-fi yarn “Prometheus” lined up major tie-in partnerships with Coors, Verizon, and Amazon, according to Variety. The Coors alliance is the brewer’s first movie deal in six years. The R-rated sci-fi film from Ridley Scott (“Alien”, “Blade Runner” and “Gladiator”) will premiere June 8. The Variety article by Marc Graser observes that R-rated films … [Read more...] about R-rated ‘Prometheus’ Nabs Promos
‘Marketing’ Book Gets Japanese Version
Public Interest Incorporated Association (Unijapan) in Tokyo -- which is a government-sponsored film organization -- licensed Japanese-language rights to “Marketing to Moviegoers-Second Edition” to train the next generation of film producers in the Asian nation. The book will be translated and parts relevant to instruction will be distributed to attendees at seminars and … [Read more...] about ‘Marketing’ Book Gets Japanese Version
Theaters Host Mini-Fests at Reduced Prices
Movie theaters are rolling out a range of special promotions to try to ingrain the cinema-going habit with showings of older films at discount prices. * Carmike and Regal starts a “Marvel Superhero Movie Marathon” screening movies with Marvel characters simultaneously on May 3 coming just before the premiere of "The Avengers" from Walt Disney Studios the following day. * … [Read more...] about Theaters Host Mini-Fests at Reduced Prices
Ad Giant Enters Film Research
The small world of Hollywood movie research just got a little more crowded with an affiliate of advertising giant WPP agreeing to acquire film research boutique Movies First International. The Penn Schoen Berland consultancy—which is the WPP affiliate—issued a press release announcing its buy of First Movies, which has offices in Los Angeles and London. The WPP behemoth has … [Read more...] about Ad Giant Enters Film Research