Hollywood robbed me!

NickClapper

NickClapper

NOT TRUE THREAD TITLE ALERT!!!

So, here's the situation: I went last night to see Seven Psychopaths, a film with an all star cast that I have been avoiding for one simple reason- it has a very similar plot to The Flight of the Flamingo.

When we started work on FOTF the plot of Seven Psychopaths hadn't been released and no one, except cast and crew, knew what it was about. A few weeks before we started shooting, the plot details emerged: dog kidnapping, angry gangsters trying to get the dog back, hopeless trio running away with dog...etc.

I would like to state, on record, that I didn't copy Seven Psychopaths and, having seen both films, they're very different. But films about dog kidnappings are, apparently, like buses, and come along two at a time.

So my question is basically how should I play this, from a marketing standpoint? Obviously there are studios like Asylum who make their living intentionally ripping off Blockbusters, but FOTF isn't really in that mould- it's a (relatively) serious dark comedy that just happens to share some plot elements with a major current release. Should I acknowledge the similarities and try and cash in on that? Should I try and target audiences who have enjoy Seven Psychopaths and could use an extra dose of dog kidnapping? Or should I totally ignore it and leave it up to others to make the connection? That might seem like the obvious answer, but if it could help the film to put it out there as a sort of low budget indie version of a Hollywood film then I'd be game for that.

Anyhow, advice, suggestions and observations are, as always, very welcome :yes:
 
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Heh, I saw the adverts for that a few days ago and actually thought of your film.

I'd say make the most of it, for sure. At the end of the day, if you can make money on a movie you're better off than just having made a movie. It also sounds good for the next pitch for money you make.

Make hay while the sun shines.
 
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Hey Nick,

Like you said, they are different films but just have some tenious links.
If you had similar cast and promotional items then I would say forget it but from what I've seen your films looks asthetically different from the major release.

If its the main story you are worried about, if it was me I would just get it out there and let people make their own links if they even do.

I'm pretty sure you could link many films together, I always remember as a kid "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact" literally coming out within weeks of each other, people moaned but probably in the end saw both films anyway and made up their minds which they preferred.

If you're proud of it as your own piece, get it out there and let people decide :)
 
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For me if someone says if you liked this then you'll love this, I'd feel like it was someone's attempt at copying the film but they're trying to do it better.. Would that make me want to look at your film? Yes ..

But it would merely be based on the fact that your film would be like that one.

That's just how I would interpret it from my point of view.
 
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8salacious9 said:
For me if someone says if you liked this then you'll love this, I'd feel like it was someone's attempt at copying the film but they're trying to do it better.. Would that make me want to look at your film? Yes ..

But it would merely be based on the fact that your film would be like that one.

That's just how I would interpret it from my point of view.
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Just expanding on this....And if that's how I've walked into the cinema (or clicked on the video) feeling then I maybe disappointed if it isn't really as similar or if it really actually does require a different audience. I guess if you have the chance it might be worth doing some tests in audiences who have seen both the films and get their opinions as well
 
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Yeah, I've been seeing trailers for that and keep thinking 'aw, poor Nick.'

But yeah, it's kind of a coin-toss. As Steve said, money is money and it's hard to justify not taking what you can realistically get after making a feature. Most people make zero dollars.

But the artist in me agrees more with some of the others, don't change a thing and let people make the connection themselves. If you do that, though, be prepared with a humorous reply for the inevitable question on the subject during your festival Q&As :)
 
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Maybe we should take the Asylum approach, and officially re-title it, "Seven Psychos". ;)

I don't think you need to sweat it too much. Nobody really saw Seven Psychopaths, and you'll be looking to attract a very different audience, anyway. Plenty of room for more than one dognapping movie.
 
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Whenever I hear "If you like xxxxxx, you'll love yyyyyy", I think of that cheap imitation perfume that they sell at "One Day Only" "Total Liquidation" crap sales. It does not make me want to partake in whatever the "you'll love" thing is. I say go firth as if Seven Psychopaths was never made. If the subject comes up, say "what movie is that now?"
 
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Well, I guess it's just me :)
From a movie watching perspective, it guides me as to genre, more than actually subject matter.
Because if it mentions liking another movie that I know of and ddidn't like it also tells me to avoid this one!
 
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Flicker Pictures said:
One of the reasons I'm keen on seeing the film is to learn how a 'flight of a flamingo' connects to dognapping. Maybe the dog's name is Flamingo? They all end up in Africa? I'm curious as hell.
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Hahah, prepare to be disappointed ;)

It's one of the most persistent questions I've received and one that most of the actors (and probably Phil!) couldn't answer. But it does make sense, and will make sense in the final version. I think Cracker Funk knows what I'm talking about ;)

Maybe I'll make an equally mysterious sequel called 'The Secret of the Flamingo'...
 
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We'll probably do a 'Private Screening' (rather than Premiere, for cynical festival reasons) in London in a couple of months time. After that, I'd like it to play in a few festivals and then probably release it for free on the internet in a year or so's time.

That's the plan at the moment but probably susceptible to large amounts of change.
 
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NickClapper said:
Hahah, prepare to be disappointed ;)

It's one of the most persistent questions I've received and one that most of the actors (and probably Phil!) couldn't answer. But it does make sense, and will make sense in the final version. I think Cracker Funk knows what I'm talking about ;)

Maybe I'll make an equally mysterious sequel called 'The Secret of the Flamingo'...
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I think, at some point, there needs to be a secret screening of my ridiculous attempt at poetically reading the narration that explains the meaning of the title. :lol:
 
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NickClapper said:
We'll probably do a 'Private Screening' (rather than Premiere, for cynical festival reasons) in London in a couple of months time. After that, I'd like it to play in a few festivals and then probably release it for free on the internet in a year or so's time.

That's the plan at the moment but probably susceptible to large amounts of change.
Click to expand...

Festivals work in geological time. Unless you've targeted just a small handful that have similar dates, expect the entire process to take longer than a year.
 
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