Despite sitting at number one on box office listings, industry insiders are calling Snakes On a Plane anything but a success. As Entertainment Weekly pointed out, its $15 million opening did not even match that of Final Destination 3 - a film which couldn't claim the same amount of internet support. Yet, while this disappointment may create a general distrust of the power of the blogosphere, instead it seems to reflect the growing need for producers and directors to fully embrace what I like to call the "small box." Over just the past couple of months, I've gone from wanting to utilize the internet as a means to get my work on bigger screens to actually creating media with the sole intention of posting it on youtube and available as a video podcasts. YouTube is growing significantly everyday with major networks beginning to realize its marketing potential. Video podcasting is still growing, with most video iPod carriers using the technology to watch television programs.What I propose is using Snakes on a Plane as a model for creating media to be viewed and distributed via the internet as a heavily interactive experience. Who knows what Snakes on a Plane would have been without the internet but one thing is for sure - the whole experience would have been very different. Months before release, the trailer became an internet sensation leading to a series of spoof videos and a number of Snakes-obsessed bloggers. A fan crafted catchphrase also made its way into the finished film, while fans embracing it with a "so bad it's awesome" mentality completely shaped the marketing campaign as well as the theme song. Needless to say, how this internet support lead to segments on Best Week Ever and the like created the impression that there was more of an audience than actually went to see it over opening weekend. This does not mean however that producers should reject the blogosphere all together. They instead need to utilize it in a less traditional fashion.
Maybe Snakes should never have been intended for a theater at all. Imagine if Snakes on a Plane were simply a flashy, interactive, and frequently updated website. The film could have been produced at a fraction of the price. Certain scenes could be made in an embeddable format or in pieces that could be re-edited by fans. Fans could also create their own videos and post them on the site. The soundtrack could strictly be distributed digitally. The actual film/content itself could eventually be made available in streams or as downloadable episodes. Allowing advertising could easily eliminate or decrease a subscription fee. By this model, all the digital elements would be as important if not more important than the actual finished product. Generating buzz and generating revenue would go hand in hand and there would be no disappointing opening weekend. Ok, so I am just spitting ideas that I have yet to actual set down as a cohesive whole. But, seriously, to the Hollywood studios, I just did like six months worth of work here - you should really give me a job. I got a vision.
Prior to the film's release, Entertainment Weekly did a rather fantastic feature on the film and the internet as a marketing tool.
3 comments:
Excellent points. I think what you described is something that we will see sooner rather than later.
They are already making a sequel too right? Interesting to see how they market that.
You are too good for Hollywood. You could wipe your boots with them and invent your own entertainment industry. You got vision, man!
I think it's a fabulous idea. Snakes truly should have stayed on the Net (or Internets haw haw). Have you ever heard of Troma? That company would do well to take your advice. They are cheese/kitch personified! Wicked post :)
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