Not all box-office hits are "green-lit" (accepted) by the studios at first glance. There is a process called turnaround." Turnaround is the process when a movie studio or the person financing the movie doesn’t want to spend any more money on the script, so it goes into abandonment. If the screenplay has a turnaround clause, the producer or movie studio can sell the screenplay to other companies and simply need to pay back the original cost to the studio with interest to the studio that put it through abandonment. A few turnaround movies are ET, Forrest Gump, and Shakespeare in Love. If a project goes into turnaround and no one picks it up then its dead and the producer or movie studio should move on. Also, during this whole process the script, producer, talent, or director can all change.
So, next time you see a movie you really enjoyed, know that it takes more than just money to make it.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Novel Cafe.
I have lived in Los Angeles all my life and I still have so much to see. I am trying this new thing where I am trying to go eat at restaurants and cafe's which I have never been too. Today was the start to my adventure and I went to Novel Cafe. They have a few locations in Los Angeles, but I went to the one on Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica. The thing that caught my eye about this place was the wide selection of food. It served breakfast all day and had lunch AND dinner food. I knew that this place was calling my name and I needed to go. So I embarked on my journey. I went to dinner with a friend and our expectations were far less than what was percieved. We had a great experience and the service was FaNtAsTiC! They even had Ballroom dancing music playing in the background. We went a little late so there wasn't a lot of people there, but it was still a good place. Oh and the best part is that there was free WiFi, so if you want to ever study at a cafe, this is the spot
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Movie Necessities.
The five major elements that a studio considers in selecting a project to put through the production process are the script/screenplay, director, producer, an acceptable budget, and “star power.” “Star power” refers to the actors and actresses that come with a specific project. The screenplay is ultimately “gold” because it is the building block for all the other four elements that essentially get a project made.
Also, three things that can happen to a screenplay developed at a major studio can . . .
1. It can be put into production and get ultimately made.
2. It can be abandoned and go into turnaround.
3. The movie studio can shop it and another financier (100%, 50%, etc) can pick up the project
It is very important that a studio tries to fill all these elements in a movie, because that is what can determine ultimate success.
Also, three things that can happen to a screenplay developed at a major studio can . . .
1. It can be put into production and get ultimately made.
2. It can be abandoned and go into turnaround.
3. The movie studio can shop it and another financier (100%, 50%, etc) can pick up the project
It is very important that a studio tries to fill all these elements in a movie, because that is what can determine ultimate success.
Friday, April 23, 2010
the cheating game.
Whoever said cheating the system will get you in big trouble is certainly proven wrong over the Goldman Sach's Situation. They made $5.4 Billion over just three months of work all while being sued by the Securities & Exchange Commissions for Fraud facing an EU investigation. They are still going strong and are still the largest investment bank who will get out of this mess pretty quickly. Goldman Sach's made a crazy amount of money betting on mortgages, while the economy was going downhill. They thought they were doing something ethical, when in fact it was deemed as unethical. They took clients money when they knew that a deal would go bad. However, Goldman Sach's has been in trouble with the law quite often that they know how to play the cheating game and get away with it.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Persian Heritage
Escaping the Iranian Revolution in 1978, United States was the place my parents were forced to call home. They had to leave all their belongings and prized possessions in Iran and leave with only the clothes on their backs. They came to America and started from the bottom up, regardless if they were wealthy or not. A lot of Iranian degrees were not valid in the United States. So, whether you were a teacher, a doctor or a well known business man, you were simply labeled as an immigrant who did not know the English language. In order to assimilate, the Persian people had to learn a new language, a new culture and a whole new way to try to connect their heritage in their new home. Unlike American culture, the Persian culture is very strong in the sense that even thought the persian had to assimilate, they still kept their language and heritage alive (to some degree).
However, do the children who were born in America in these Persian cultured homes still consider themselves more Persian than American. Well, the answer is that it all depends on how much your parents have instilled the culture in their children. Personally, I am a Persian first generation American Citizen, but consider my self more Persian than American. I was brought up with the values of the Persian culture and were taught many of the traditions that my parents followed in Iran. Yet, as you go down the line to the younger generation, they would consider themselves more American than Persian. This is so, because the younger generation have parents who are first generation Americans and grew up in America. In a few decades I wonder if the children of the next generations will even know Farsi or any of the culture. Now it is up to organizations to perhaps teach the American-Persians about their culture and how easy they have it compared to Iran.
However, do the children who were born in America in these Persian cultured homes still consider themselves more Persian than American. Well, the answer is that it all depends on how much your parents have instilled the culture in their children. Personally, I am a Persian first generation American Citizen, but consider my self more Persian than American. I was brought up with the values of the Persian culture and were taught many of the traditions that my parents followed in Iran. Yet, as you go down the line to the younger generation, they would consider themselves more American than Persian. This is so, because the younger generation have parents who are first generation Americans and grew up in America. In a few decades I wonder if the children of the next generations will even know Farsi or any of the culture. Now it is up to organizations to perhaps teach the American-Persians about their culture and how easy they have it compared to Iran.
Blogging in itself.
I am taking blogging to a whole new level.
The reason I originally started blogging is because it was sort of forced by an English course which I am taking. Before creating "The Scoop," I have never written a blog or was a part of a web-conversation. Honestly, I am neutral when it comes the stating my opinion and didn't even really care about blogs. When I was first assigned to create this blog, I was so lost and did not even know where to begin. I did not know how to set it up, was frankly too lazy to be typing all day and I did not even know what to write about! Many students found blogging to be better than writing papers for a class, yet, frankly speaking, I viewed blogging as mostly a burden. Why would people care about what I - out of all people - have to say. I simply hated the assignment. We had to continuously be blogging about whatever comes to mind and we did not need to have a certain pattern in our blog posts.
Because of my lack of enthusiasm, I - of course - lagged on writing on my blog and wouldn't really write that much (when I did end up blogging). I would blog here and there because I had to, NOT because I wanted to. But, I soon realized that not constantly updating my blog would bite me in the behind when it came towards the end of the semester.
As the semester came close to the end, I realized that my blog lacks some umph and did not have many posts. So, I started to fill the empty space with things that would actually relate to my life to make the assignment a little more interesting. As I started to get in the real mode of blogging, I soon learned that this assignment is not really that bad. I started to view blogging as more as an activity to get your thoughts out, rather than an assignment. I am a little bothered by the fact that I did not realize the true essence of blogging earlier in the term, but I learned a lot more from this experience.
One learns that in life comes challenges that they must face with open arms, because if you don't, the challenge will get a lot harder. As the great saying goes, you live and you learn. I did not enjoy blogging at all at the beginning of my forced assignment, but I realized it is a fun way to express my viewpoints and no one can say whether you are right or wrong. Next time I am faced with a challenge that I do not necessarily favor, I am going to try my very best to fight it back with all my might.
The reason I originally started blogging is because it was sort of forced by an English course which I am taking. Before creating "The Scoop," I have never written a blog or was a part of a web-conversation. Honestly, I am neutral when it comes the stating my opinion and didn't even really care about blogs. When I was first assigned to create this blog, I was so lost and did not even know where to begin. I did not know how to set it up, was frankly too lazy to be typing all day and I did not even know what to write about! Many students found blogging to be better than writing papers for a class, yet, frankly speaking, I viewed blogging as mostly a burden. Why would people care about what I - out of all people - have to say. I simply hated the assignment. We had to continuously be blogging about whatever comes to mind and we did not need to have a certain pattern in our blog posts.
Because of my lack of enthusiasm, I - of course - lagged on writing on my blog and wouldn't really write that much (when I did end up blogging). I would blog here and there because I had to, NOT because I wanted to. But, I soon realized that not constantly updating my blog would bite me in the behind when it came towards the end of the semester.
As the semester came close to the end, I realized that my blog lacks some umph and did not have many posts. So, I started to fill the empty space with things that would actually relate to my life to make the assignment a little more interesting. As I started to get in the real mode of blogging, I soon learned that this assignment is not really that bad. I started to view blogging as more as an activity to get your thoughts out, rather than an assignment. I am a little bothered by the fact that I did not realize the true essence of blogging earlier in the term, but I learned a lot more from this experience.
One learns that in life comes challenges that they must face with open arms, because if you don't, the challenge will get a lot harder. As the great saying goes, you live and you learn. I did not enjoy blogging at all at the beginning of my forced assignment, but I realized it is a fun way to express my viewpoints and no one can say whether you are right or wrong. Next time I am faced with a challenge that I do not necessarily favor, I am going to try my very best to fight it back with all my might.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Recession.
We all know that the recovery from the most recent recession seems never ending. Ever since economists have stated that we are in a recession, many people have lost their jobs, lost their homes and have cut back on many spending habits. I have even been shopping in high-end stores and I have over-heard people saying, "Don't designers know that we are in a recession. Look at these prices!" The standard of living for many have gradually dropped and people are learning to live on a budget. I sympathize with the innocent people who have lost their jobs or have merely cut back on their spending habits. Ever since the recession happened, I constantly think of how I can save money and being more conscious about my spending habits. In a recent article by Social & Demographics Trends, the researchers have mentioned that the birthrates have even declined in the recession. Many feel that they do not have the investment needed to raise a child in this economy.
But, analysts have stated that the end seems closer than expected. MarketWatch agrees that the economy is growing, but it simply takes some time. The economy will not go back to it's old growth patterns, however, there should be high growth rates in the near future. Hopefully, people learn from history and we will be able to avoid future economic recessions.
But, analysts have stated that the end seems closer than expected. MarketWatch agrees that the economy is growing, but it simply takes some time. The economy will not go back to it's old growth patterns, however, there should be high growth rates in the near future. Hopefully, people learn from history and we will be able to avoid future economic recessions.
Media Today
As newspapers continue to roll in debt because of the printing costs, the internet is soaring. This fact alone is scaring a lot of American's who enjoy reading the physical paper everyday. The question is raised: What is going to happen to the future print media outlets? The people who are creating new technology, such as the I-Pad and Kindle, think that their prime audience, young adults aging from 18 to 35, demand these new technological advances. But, I was having a class discussion with my peers the other day and this is surely not the case! I am not denying that people want to stay ancient with their flip phones and large textbooks, but people in the age range of 18 to 35 don't mind doing things the old fashioned way, like flipping through a newspaper rather than reading an article online. I have to admit, I am one of those people who enjoy reading from a textbook and highlighting/writing notes and some of my colleagues are too. Having the tangible paper in my hand and reading it is all about the experience, but when you read the same article online, one does not have the same feeling.
A point that one of my classmates brought up is that people in this day and age are very possessive about their belongings, so not having a tangible book as opposed to having it on a kindle is not good enough for some people. Kimi Raikkonen, a fellow blogger, also has an interesting viewpoint on how people are possessive even with their belongings and human beings at a very young age. People want to be able to show off their possessions, but if everything is electronic or not as big anymore, will people still buy new advances in technology? This is simply my personal opinion because I was brought up in an era where students had to lug around textbooks and other forms of literature for a particular course or simply leisure. But, if this was my little sister's opinion, everything would be electronic. She is still in elementary school, but all her books and assignments are required to be online. Marketers think that my generation is the target audience for their electronic devices, however the younger generation seems to be more tech-savvy than me and my peers.
As time passes, researchers will see the new impact of the information age and how it affects future generations of print media and online media outlets.
A point that one of my classmates brought up is that people in this day and age are very possessive about their belongings, so not having a tangible book as opposed to having it on a kindle is not good enough for some people. Kimi Raikkonen, a fellow blogger, also has an interesting viewpoint on how people are possessive even with their belongings and human beings at a very young age. People want to be able to show off their possessions, but if everything is electronic or not as big anymore, will people still buy new advances in technology? This is simply my personal opinion because I was brought up in an era where students had to lug around textbooks and other forms of literature for a particular course or simply leisure. But, if this was my little sister's opinion, everything would be electronic. She is still in elementary school, but all her books and assignments are required to be online. Marketers think that my generation is the target audience for their electronic devices, however the younger generation seems to be more tech-savvy than me and my peers.
As time passes, researchers will see the new impact of the information age and how it affects future generations of print media and online media outlets.
Coachella
I was fortunate enough to go to Indio Valley this weekend for the Annual Coachella Festival and it was AMAZING!! For people who are not familiar with Coachella, it is a music festival with over 60 artists who perform all genres and have their own performances at the three day festival. This year it was held from April 16 to April 18. It was the first year that the business minds behind Coachella only sold three day pass wristbands for a whopping $300. And guess What!?!?!?!?! Coachella even SOLD OUT! That's ridiculous! People have estimated that 75,000 people showed up for Coachella, however, being an attendee of the music festival, I thought there were a lot more people there (considering the fact that many of them snuck in). I witnessed so many people sneaking in and running away from security and I even saw some young women who was unsuccessful at sneaking in that was forced to the ground by security. My favorite performance was by Jay-Z because he is a natural performer and engages his fans. He brought Beyonce as a surprise, who was PHENOMENAL, and I think I would have paid $300 just to see that. Other performers such as Pheoneix, Infected Mushrooms, Benny Bennassi, David Guetta, Caskade and many more were also great. I hope to go next year and see who the surprise guests are going to be.
Friday, April 16, 2010
"Amelia"
Here are some of my thoughts of "Amelia" the movie, which was recently released on DVD.
As you all know, Amelia Earhart is a world rewound icon who flew the first plane unaccompanied across the Pacific. Therefore, her experience is an influential and educational learning opportunity for all. This movie had stars including Richard Gere and Hilary Swank, but did not seem to do well at the box office opening weekend at all. This was an extraordinary movie that should have done well, so what went wrong? Fox Searchlight advertised in the normal media outlets they usually advertise in for their specific niche market movies and that was exactly the problem. All of Fox Searchlight's movies are catered to specific audiences and the audiences that we wanted did not attend their movie. If the marketing department had followed normal marketing guidelines for this specific movie and had followed through with the promotions that I had put in line for them, this movie would have been a hit!
First off, the target audience would be the older generation that was alive during this time, so they would automatically go and watch this movie. As for the younger generation, Fox Searchlight should have made a partnership with the local elementary schools in the area to come watch our movie at a discounted rate because of the learning aspect of the movie. This is movie has a PG rating so parents would approve for their children to watch this spectacular film. Museums could have clips of this movie in their aviation exhibits that would also inform and attract people to watch this movie. This would get more audiences through theater doors. Also, this movie should have been made in 3-D. Going digital is key today and this film has all the aspects to show in IMAX and 3-D. Children would have loved this and it would have been an interesting twist to avid moviegoers. The planes could have jumped at you and flown around the room and it would have made a great experience for everyone. Making Amelia in IMAX 3-D could have made Fox Searchlight's sales rise, but they did not.
As you all know, Amelia Earhart is a world rewound icon who flew the first plane unaccompanied across the Pacific. Therefore, her experience is an influential and educational learning opportunity for all. This movie had stars including Richard Gere and Hilary Swank, but did not seem to do well at the box office opening weekend at all. This was an extraordinary movie that should have done well, so what went wrong? Fox Searchlight advertised in the normal media outlets they usually advertise in for their specific niche market movies and that was exactly the problem. All of Fox Searchlight's movies are catered to specific audiences and the audiences that we wanted did not attend their movie. If the marketing department had followed normal marketing guidelines for this specific movie and had followed through with the promotions that I had put in line for them, this movie would have been a hit!
First off, the target audience would be the older generation that was alive during this time, so they would automatically go and watch this movie. As for the younger generation, Fox Searchlight should have made a partnership with the local elementary schools in the area to come watch our movie at a discounted rate because of the learning aspect of the movie. This is movie has a PG rating so parents would approve for their children to watch this spectacular film. Museums could have clips of this movie in their aviation exhibits that would also inform and attract people to watch this movie. This would get more audiences through theater doors. Also, this movie should have been made in 3-D. Going digital is key today and this film has all the aspects to show in IMAX and 3-D. Children would have loved this and it would have been an interesting twist to avid moviegoers. The planes could have jumped at you and flown around the room and it would have made a great experience for everyone. Making Amelia in IMAX 3-D could have made Fox Searchlight's sales rise, but they did not.
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