On Planet Hollywood with the distributors

We are showing the film to a select few distributors and sales agents at Planet Hollywood, in the private screening room. Throughout October invites have been sent out, favours called in, blags committed to get the great British Film industry to come along to see the film. It's very, very hard to encourage people. We have no track record, no stars and we're from Bristol. We're not part of the Soho clique and we don't know many of the right people. It's also MIFED week, although not many seem to be heading to Milan. In our favour is people's fear of missing the next big thing. Let's hope it's us.

Aaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhh making movies in this country can be sooooo frustrating. The team has been showing the film in the Planet Hollywood (huge thank you Planet) screening room over the past two months to a variety of the good the bad and the downright ugly that are the British distribution companies.

Almost everyone who's a no one who has come to see the film loves it. The trouble is right now the film needs to be loved by a distributor more than anyone.

The producer manages to encourage an impressive array of top companies to come. These include Miramax, Buena Vista, Momentum and Film Four. The screenings are always a nightmare of fear and anticipation. John is beginning to see Planet Hollywood as some sort of psychological torture chamber.

Four screenings are held on the day to ensure no one has an excuse not to attend. The day starts badly when only one man and his dog and some Scandinavian bloke who has wondered in off the street turn up. The Scando loves it. The dog was quite impressed too.

Fortunately by the final screening there's almost 50 people and the atmosphere is wonderful. The producer celebrates the reaction by taking the four lads out for a Chinese, the generous chap.

However the torture continues as the comments from those in attendance come it. Miramax liked it but felt it was too small for them. Emil Elmer wrote:
"I enjoyed the film and think it has some great moments. Unfortunately, I do not
feel that this is a film that Miramax should distribute in the US. As the
competition is so hard on that market, as it is elsewhere, it is difficult to
promote films with no well known cast attached."

Film Four's Bobby Allen wrote:
"I really enjoyed what I saw and congratulate you on just
getting out there and making it happen. While I feel the film is an
excellent calling card I don't think FilmFour would be the appropriate
distribution company for the film. I think the film will be popular with a
college audience, but will have trouble crossing over into the mainstream.
Therefore, I would recommend a specialised campaign through a small
independent, or that you take matters into your own hands and distribute the
film yourselves. This would give the film the attention it will need to
reach it's specific niche audience. Congratulations and good luck with the
distribution of the film."

Of course we think they're all wrong. The film isn't just for current students (who remain the UK's biggest consumers of cinema), but for anyone who's ever been away to college.

Then a call comes in from Sally Caplan at Momentum Pictures and John's and the Producer's pulse quickened. She wants to see them both for a meeting. Sally has a reputation for being one of the industry's good guys and Momentum has a huge, well-promoted hit with Amelie. She is lovely and very enthusiastic about the film, but ultimately feels it's not for Momentum, echoing the other guys. The film is too British and without a big name it won't break the US. As approximately 60-70 per cent of most film's revenue is from the States, this is a major problem for the bigger players.

But she is keen to stay in touch with us on our next projects. She gives up the names of some smaller distributors who she believes may be interested. Guy and John at least feel like the real thing as they sit in Sally's office chatting film stuff.

They are quickly down to earth when the smaller distributors agree to see the film and then ignore all calls and/or don't bother to watch the film. Or if they do and don't like (or even do like it), they don't bother to ring and tell anyone. Grrrrrrrrr.

John and Guy try to stay upbeat. The more people see the film, the more Guy and John are convinced that they have a major cult hit possibility on their hands. With a brilliant soundtrack to aid the marketing effort and the tight concentration of students at sites outside London, plans become more than just possibilities.

A programme of rolling out the film beginning in London and Bristol takes shape. On-site direct marketing involving flyering students and combining this with a PR campaign emphasising the film's pure 'British' credentials is chucked around and chewed over.

If students go for it, it might lead to a brilliant word of mouth campaign. Combine this with a 'there's no USA involvement in this AT ALL' and a gentle dig at the American Pie genre - along the lines of 'why bother with American Pie when you can have British peaches?' and a pattern emerges.

In the meantime, the producer buggers off on a (what he claims is) a well-deserved holiday, leaving John in the capable hands of Sickie (James Martin) who has come on board to help out in the office. James is tasked with media and college research in the key university towns and cities.