The "Rome formula" | Indigo Report



[ad_1]

Going to the movies is an experience that starts when you leave the house, get to the place, take the seat and you've already gone to the candy store to buy popcorn. Also, be in a space with strangers, anticipating when the lights will go out and the audio-visual journey will begin.

"I like the cinema, I like to live in a room filled with strangers and share two hours, without mobile phone, without distractions, without children.So yes, I will always defend the conventional distribution of cinema , and I hope that it will never go away, but in reality, things change tremendously every day, "says filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios.

The way of seeing the cinema has not been the same since the streaming platforms arrived, especially since now the experience moves from the chair to the show, all in order to gain exclusivity and wear the seventh art to more public

With the upcoming arrival in Rome, the latest production of Alfonso Cuarón, at Netflix, begins to consider these services as competitors in content distribution. Although this formula, which now seems to take advantage of the Mexican market, already has time to work in other parts of the world.

Another recent example is the science-fiction film Aniquilación starring Natalie Portman, who debuted on Feb. 23 on a selection of markets in China, the United States, and Canada this year and less than one. months after his exposure was directly presented to Netflix. that did not please his director.

"It's a real disappointment.We did the film for the cinema, but from my point of view and the collective of people who did it, it was made to be seen on the big screen," he said. the director of the movie Alex Garland for Collider last December.

When a movie is screened in theaters, it's always like a coin to know if it can recover the cost of production

What matters most to filmmakers is that their content is seen. If it's via streaming, there is no alternative but to adapt to the new rules of the market, that's what Mexican investors know.

"We all make movies so we can be seen on the big screen.What we like most is that the audience goes to the movies, but they do not leave and the offer is there and people see it (…) things change and we have to try to deal with them, "says film producer Roberto Fiesco, in an interview with Reporte Índigo.

Alfonso Cuarón has argued that Rome goes almost directly to streaming because he knows that millions of viewers will see him in the future, which will give him a better position.

"Windows are irrelevant (…) In my life, I've seen more movies in digital format than in movie theaters and I've often gone to the movies," said the Mexican director at the time. his visit to the San Sebastian International Film Festival in September. .

It will soon be a matter of time to see that other filmmakers join to sell their productions to streaming services, but doubts remain about the profitability of this production for producers.

Recover some of the investment

When a movie is screened in theaters, it's always like a coin that lets you know if it's possible to recover the production costs. In the case of Rome which, according to the IndieWire website, had a cost of $ 15 million, it was acquired for $ 20 million, according to the site specializing in the film.

"It's a cheap film for the standard gringo, it's a very expensive film (for Mexico), it's the most expensive film ever shot in Mexico," Fiesco said.

Although the producer acknowledges that digital companies do not always pay the price of the film, it all depends on the negotiation. For example, says the Mexican producer, if a film costs 10 pesos, streaming platforms end up paying less.

"They pay you eight pesos, it does not necessarily cover the cost of production, but this bet is much better, because at least you will see real money, so who will say no?"

– Roberto Fiesco

Producer

Fiesco points out that independent cinema is punished in the country because sometimes it happens that it is not possible to recover the investment in the wickets and that everything turns into red numbers. That's what happened with the movie he produced, I'm the happiness of this world (2014), who went to Netflix after his commercial run and the payment that paid for the production.

"If it's more than what we've won in cinemas, the cost of the film has been covered thanks to the platform," says Roberto Fiesco.

Mexican pioneers of the new market

Among the national productions that go directly to streaming or with a limited first in theaters, there are the following independent films.

The elected (2016)

The film about the murder of Leon Trotsky was one of the first to enter Netflix, he took a small step in independent rooms. Filmmakers knew that they could reach more audiences and recover some of the money from production.

Ayotzinapa: The passage of the turtle (2017)

The documentary financed by Guillermo del Toro was part of the Ambulante tour, but was immediately broadcast on television at UNAM, the maximum research house also making an economic contribution and intended to make social denunciation more widely known. of Mexicans, through television

Museum (2018)

The film, whose production cost is around 60 million pesos, starts today in Mexican theaters and will be distributed in Latin American theaters the rest of the year. YouTube Originals will have it exclusively once its box office tour.

Rome (2018)

The contract for the sale of Alfonso Cuarón's feature film was signed with Netflix last April. The film had a short commercial film Tonalá to slip into the selection of the best foreign film proposed by the Mexican Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences for the Oscars.

New consumption possibilities

The fact that a movie goes directly into streaming or goes into a few movie theaters is a way to offer the public the opportunity to approach the seventh art. Before this opening, Jesus Chavarria supports the idea that there are more options.

"Many filmmakers can no longer present their films when they want or find much less space on the global display board for their movies if they have nothing to do with super "Heroes, special effects or an important saga, which is why many filmmakers have begun migrating not only to platforms like Netflix, but also to television," said the film critic.

In this new way of consuming the cinema, Fiesco assures that the big operators do not agree with them or with the governmental institutions that inject money into the cinematographic productions.

"Without a doubt, Cinepolis and Cinemex do not like anything at all, and those who remit public funds do not agree: because in the end, they say," They make movies for enter directly into a platform, better than the platforms. Pay them to make movies, "says the producer.

Cinema is first and foremost

Going to cinemas, recovering the costs of the film, generating profits and getting the audience to reach the content are some of the goals to be achieved by the filmmakers. All this was covered for the producers of the Museum when they made an agreement with YouTube Originals.

"For us, let's say that it was essential to be able to sell this film, to place it in different media and to show it in movie theaters." It was something we had never wanted to sacrifice, whatever the check, "adds Gerardo Gatica. , which was part of the feature film producers starring Gael García Bernal.

What is the future of cinema with streaming companies? Apparently, Amazon and Netflix also want to consolidate recognition and sneak into international awards by having their own movie theaters, as some contests require commercial tours, which would be a global activity in the film industry.

"If Netflix wants to participate in this competition because it does not do it because it" likes cinema ", it does it because it's its prestige, that a film produced by Netflix suddenly has a price in Cannes, that's why they do it, they are more commercial, but they enter the rules "

– Jesus Chavarría

Expert in cinema

Rome, in Cineteca?

Netflix and the producers in Rome have not given a precise date for the arrival of the Cuarón band on the digital platform, we only know that it will be in December. Among the rumors dealt with, it is said that the film could reach the national Cineteca, although there is no precise data on when this would happen.

And Del Toro too

Guillermo del Toro recently announced that he was preparing to produce, write and make a new adaptation of Pinocchio exclusively for Netflix. The project will be animated, image by image, in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company, who created The Muppets.

"No art form has influenced my life and work as much as animation, and no character in the story has had a personal connection as deep as Pinocchio." said the Mexican filmmaker in a statement.

[ad_2]
Source link