Why no detailed information about te movie?

[Thunder Child]

Hey guys!

A lot of the discussion on this forum concerns the question; why is Pendragon Pictures so vague with information? They cut their own fingers because people won't get to know anything about this project!

I think that is wrong! Just look at all the discussions on the forum about the Pendragon version. If Pendragon would let out the following press release:

The fighting Machines look like this: photo. They move like this:clip. The Martian is in here: close-up of the hood.
These are some of the best special effects in the movie: clip with scenes from the Heat Ray, the Martians, the battles, The Thunder Child, the exodus.

What would happen? This would create a thread on this (and other) forum(s) with comments like: "That machine is cool. The exodus is too small, the Heat Ray looks fantastic, i'm going to see this movie for shure, this looks like crap, I'm ging to the Spielberg version." That's it.

By letting out very little information, and vague trailers, the people will begin massive debates on this project. An awfull lot of threads about the PP version will emerge and have emerged. Everyone is talking about it. People who are searching for information about the Pendragon Pictures version via Google come across this forum. AND START TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION. You don't need high quality trailers or press releases to catch the public attention! And by releasing little information, the fans who believe in the project say: "I will go to this movie because it rocks!" and the sceptics will say: "Well, I will check it out but I'm sure it will suck and then I can laugh at all of you PP followers at the forum!". I have no proove that says that PP is walking this road deliberatly, but it would be a smart move. All the money that otherwise has to be used in promotions can now be used in the movie itself.

Just make yourself known, let out very little information and the discussion will follow very shortly. Fans will go to the cinema because they're shure the film will be good, the sceptics will go to proof the followers wong. And the rest of the public will think, there's so many discussion about this movie, let's see it myself and make my own decision. And then (on a personal note) they will see the movie in all it's glory, seeing for the first time H.G.Wells' novel The War of the Worlds come to life!

Johan

[Cylinder]

Then again I'm sure Pendragon wouldn't want to be responsible for starting a lot of threads saying "gee Pendragon must be a load of incompetent fools with no idea how to go about the business of film making and publicity" which is what has happened.

[Gerkinman]

maybe Pendragon dont have much to tell us, you know what i mean lol.

[Topaz]

Okay, let's stop and think about something for a minute.

When have you EVER seen views of core imagery (vehicles, battles, etc.) from a movie before release? Hmmm? Did we see anything on the level of what the tripods are to TWOTW before the release of any of the Star Wars movies?

No, they don't do that.

When Star Wars Episode I was in the making, the company I worked for at the time did some of the prepress work on posters and suchlike, which were to be released after the movie came out. They had lots of iconic images from that film that hadn't been released to the general public yet. Every single employee who even had a chance of viewing the material had to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to beginning work the day the project started. Every single piece of film, every proof, and every disk had to be sent to the client, whether it was good or not. Normally, we'd just thow bad proofs or film scraps into the trash. We had to sign a 'finishing' agreement that all associated materials were deleted from our servers at the end of the project. This was in direct conflict with our usual policy of archiving everything we worked upon, but we did it because the client didn't want any chance of the material leaking out prior to release of the movie.

Movie studios release information about a project in an inverse ratio to how much the project is known and awaited by the public. If word is already out, they keep it a closely held secret to maintain the suspense - and the buzz of people talking about the film. Which, from the look of the 'movie' forums here lately, seems to be working very, very, well. Releasing the picture of the Handling Machine was a teaser - and look at the buzz and discussion it created here!

Their thinking is also that if some of you decide you don't like the (tripods, pod race, whatever), you won't go see the movie. Which means you won't pay for a ticket. Which means they lose revenue.

Thunder Child has it right. Don't ascribe some deep and mysterious 'meaning' to the fact that Pendragon hasn't released pictures of much of the machinery, nor given too many details about the exact nature of the film. That's normal. Spielberg is playing his movie close to the vest as well.

[dudalb]

"That's normal. Spielberg is playing his movie close to the vest as well. '
But we know Speilberg's film will be out on June 29th.
We don't know when the Pendragon film will be out.
They continue to give a March 30th date which is a bad joke.
I dont' mind Pendragon keeping the film close to the vest. But the lack of release date except for the bad joke March 30th one is what has driven a lot of people, including me, into the skeptics column. Thye do not even have a major distributor for heaven's sake.
A lot of people are really doubting the film is going to be released.
And if you think the die hard WOTW fans talking about a film constitutes some grand publcity scheme, you need a dose of reality.

[Topaz]

dudalb said:

But we know Speilberg's film will be out on June 29th.
We don't know when the Pendragon film will be out.
They continue to give a March 30th date which is a bad joke.
...
And if you think the die hard WOTW fans talking about a film constitutes some grand publcity scheme, you need a dose of reality.

Insofar as the March 30th date is concerned, its lack of legitimacy is your opinion, dudalb, unless you have some specific inside knowledge you haven't shared with us. You may be right, or you may be wrong. I haven't seen any FACT that says it'll be one way or another. Okay, they haven't released a name of a distributor. That doesn't mean they don't have one. We'll all know on March 30th, won't we?

Fan buzz is always part of the publicity scheme. As soon as word is out about a movie, the studios are doing their damndest to generate it. I'm not saying it IS the publicity scheme, but to deny that it's a part of it seems a trifle naïve, IMHO.

[themotile]

LOL, let me see if I am understanding you...

Releasing a bunch of crap, below standard trailers and by doing so alienating half of the fan base was part of some grand plan?

Having a release date but keeping where exactly its being released a secret and having NO reference to your movie in any cinema website is to highten the suspense and so is also part of some amazing plan?

I suppose having the website crash was also part of this plan to get us all talking eh?

Come on get real, its been a joke from the start.

[malfunkshun]

if its a joke, its a bad one, and its being played by SS. i'm not refering to his movie, i'm refering to his power and resources and being able to squash the competition, which i have a sneaking suspicion is the reason behind why PP doesn't seem like its gonna meet its release date.

it has already been mentioned that the website crash was a result of the superbowl trailer, which had gazillions of people googling WOTW and flooding the PP site. whats so strange about that? its not unheard of

[RustiSwordz]

Maybe SS did squash PP.

But Paramount do have the rights too WOTW for years, personally i think PP has taken on a project far above their station.

SS is the perfet choice short of perhaps Ridley Scott, but rumours persist that he never wanted the job.

[Topaz]

the said:

LOL, let me see if I am understanding you...

Releasing a bunch of crap, below standard trailers and by doing so alienating half of the fan base was part of some grand plan?

Having a release date but keeping where exactly its being released a secret and having NO reference to your movie in any cinema website is to highten the suspense and so is also part of some amazing plan?

I suppose having the website crash was also part of this plan to get us all talking eh?

Come on get real, its been a joke from the start.

Motile, your opinion of the trailers doesn't change the movie itself. The movie will be what the movie will be, regardless of what you think of the trailers. Forming a reliable judgement about the entire PP movie at this point requires either a preview of the cut film or a crystal ball, neither of which you likely possess. All we know is that the trailer wasn't at all up to big-studio standards. Whether that makes sense given Pendragon's size, and what that means for the film, we won't know until it's released. Unless you work for Pendragon, you don't know if those were finished CGI scenes or not. Judging an entire film based on a couple of tiny trailers is short-sighted, to say the least.

Also, checking a bunch of movie theater websites doesn't make you an expert in the movie distribution industry, so face it yourself - you really don't know any more about the distribution plans for this film than the rest of us. You're guessing and depending on your opinion as fact.

As for the website, now you're just being your usual argumentative, sarcastic self and frankly you're getting more than a little annoying about it.

Instead of saying "This movie isn't coming out, and when it does it's gonna be crap," why don't we just wait a few more weeks and find out if it's gonna release on time and what it's like. Hmmm? As far as I know, you have no more special knowledge about this movie than any of the rest of us. If what you've seen so far leads you to believe it's gonna be bad, then don't go see it. You don't have to try and shout down everyone else who's willing to go see the movie and decide for themselves. The fact is that some of us are willing to just find out what happens on the 30th. I'm not being pollyanna about the movie, I'm just willing to wait and see what happens rather than insist that I have some strange prognostication of the future, as you seem to claim.

I understood your opinion the first time. And the second, the third, and the twenty-third. Okay? We get it. You don't like the trailers and you don't think the movie will release on time. Fine. We'll find out what really happens on March 30th.

Can you please spare me the sarcasm until then?

[jeffwaynefan]

How long have we been going on about how Pendragon have let us dowm, how were not impressed by this or impressed by that, you would think that after (what has it been now) some 3,4,5 months, maybe longer that some would have gotten over it or even come to terms with it. Bit late for changing the past. Do you honestly think that someone with $$$$ millions in there back pocket is going to give a damn at what WE think. No one except Hines himself knows how much as been spent (get ready for the $5 jokes) so Hines is going to suddenly stop production on this film in Feb and say 'guys, lets start it all over again ans spend some $60 - $80 million that we don't even have just to satisfy the fans'.

Why can't we just make the most of what we have.

[Topaz]

Horsell_Common said:

How long have we been going on about how Pendragon have let us dowm, how were not impressed by this or impressed by that, you would think that after (what has it been now) some 3,4,5 months, maybe longer that some would have gotten over it or even come to terms with it. Bit late for changing the past. Do you honestly think that someone with $$$$ millions in there back pocket is going to give a damn at what WE think. No one except Hines himself knows how much as been spent (get ready for the $5 jokes) so Hines is going to suddenly stop production on this film in Feb and say 'guys, lets start it all over again ans spend some $60 - $80 million that we don't even have just to satisfy the fans'.

Why can't we just make the most of what we have.

Amen.

I'll form my opinion when I see the film. I'll either like it or I won't and frankly, that's the way it goes with any movie. In the meantime, wait and see.

[dudalb]

"Also, checking a bunch of movie theater websites doesn't make you an expert in the movie distribution industry, so face it yourself - you really don't know any more about the distribution plans for this film than the rest of us. You're guessing and depending on your opinion as fact.'
I do know a little about film distribution, and unless a miracle happens the film will NOT be in theaters on March 3oth.You cannot set up a distribution plan in Five Weeks or less

not even on the "art House" circuit.. Not to mention that gives you no time to plan a advertising and marketing campaign.

I also would be amazed if the film is actually anywhere near the final cut. You need at least two weeks after a film is "locked" to get prints made.

I would have no problem if Pendragon would just be honest and admit they are not going to make the March 3oth date, and they have no release date as of yet. It's this maintaining a March 3oth date that irritates me. They are just plain lying or Hines is living in another dimension of reality.

Topaz, do you really beleive the film will be theaters on March 3oth?

"i'm refering to his power and resources and being able to squash the competition, which i have a sneaking suspicion is the reason behind why PP doesn't seem like its gonna meet its release date."
Anybody who thinks that Speilberg is worried about the Pendragon film competing with his WOTW is really out there in never never land.
I don't think that Spielberg gives a damn about the Pendragon film. He knows he is almost certain to have a big hit with his WOTW no matter if the Pendragon film is out or not.
Thinking that Pendragon is a threat to Speilberg is like thinking that a Little League has chance of Beating the Boston Red Sox.
Or, for you Brits, that a boys soccer league has a chance of beating Manchester United....

[Ashe Raven]

I'm tired

The doubters will just keep at it and at it and at it

I kept myself out of the speilburg doubting for the sake of peace. I just want to get back to discussing PD's film without the constant

"crap crap crap crap"

I keep hearing. I have severe doubts about SS film even though I now for the short term I'll enjoy it, but like Jurrasic Park, forget about it in the long term, and only remember it if I see on a DVD shelf eventually.

Maybe the same can be said of PD's version, but that said, I'm still enjoying so called "crap movies" with higher value in the spirit of the sense then the "great, becasue they sat bums seats and had right on spectacular special effects films". C'mon, gimme a break now, I gave you plenty.

[Topaz]

"... Do you really believe the film will be in theaters March 30th?"

My entire point is that we really don't know for sure, and won't know until March 30th comes and goes. Pendragon has stated that the film will release on March 30. That's all we know.

I will gladly agree with you that I don't see any kind of distribution contract having been announced. Where you and I part ways is in the interpretation of that fact.

I don't agree that this absolutely indicates there is no distribution contract. I understand and appreciate that you've got some experience with film distribution from the theater end. But unless you've got some kind of 'in' with Pendragon, I think that you have to admit that you're guessing as much as the rest of us. Pendragon may indeed have all the distribution agreements 'in the bag,' but we wouldn't know it if they don't announce it.

All I'm saying is "let's wait and see."

[TOMAHAWK]

Thats what I have bee saying all along...lets just wait

I dare say the film will come out eventually , even if it is not 30th March, but I personally cannot see Mr Hines as been stupid,or incompetent enough to not finish the film and get it released.

Pendragon knows what happening , and unfortunately we cannot do anything about that but wait and see, no amount of carping, whining , positive thinking, fen shuie, yoga or whatever is gonna change that....unless we all club together and steam down to Pendragons studios and kick some butt.... ;D ;D

[nervouspete]

malfunkshun said:

if its a joke, its a bad one, and its being played by SS. i'm not refering to his movie, i'm refering to his power and resources and being able to squash the competition, which i have a sneaking suspicion is the reason behind why PP doesn't seem like its gonna meet its release date.

It's not Steven Spielberg himself. I doubt he'd give a damn one way or another. One thing he's never been that fussed about is eliminating the competition. Based on his popularity and box office he can rely on his name to effectively dominate the media as it is.

Paramount, on the other hand, are a Hollywood studio. And as we all know Hollywood studios are generally evil, venal, and posess a fully armed brigade of crack lawyers to play havoc. How it works is this...

Exec 1: "I surely cannot wait for Spielberg's film, surely. With all its lovely money and merchandising rights."

Billy Fan: "And have you heard of Pendragon's effort? That might be cool..."

Graeme Friend: "I agree, Billy. I am palpable with anticipation/Billy you fool, it is clearly amateurish work."

Exec 1: (Automatic response system engaged) "THREAT LOCATED. DEPLOY LAWYER-BOTS!"

Laywer Bots: "WE EXIST TO LITIGATE! LITIGATE! LIT-EE-GATE!"

Billy Fan: "Crivens!"

Graeme Friend: "Crikey! Pendragon Pictures are being hassled by terrible beings from another set of values!"

Spielberg & Cruise: (Rapt in discussing motivation) "Did you just hear something? Naaah. Must have been an extra squealing. On with the film."

The director's job is to direct. The actor's to act. The studio's to carve with cold dead hands the rest of the world's media entertainment industry. Although Spielberg is guilty for not pumping more money into independant studios and waving the flag for smaller, imaginative productions, he isn't guilty of trying to run Pendragon out on a rail.

And remember, none of the rumours of Paramount screwing Pendragon have been confirmed yet. Wait for the third party reports, which will either damn Paramount or just reveal them to be the generally innocent but crass, callous, bloated excess that they are.

As for lack of representation for Pendragon, it's nothing personal. Most magazines and papers won't give much space for Neil Gaiman's and Dave McKean's 'Mirrormask', a FOUR MILLION POUND fantasy film starring obscure people (and Steven Fry and Rob Byrdon) that has wowed critics and will have a limited cinema release, distributed by Jim Henson Pictures and Miramax soon. The difference is between them and Pendragon is that:

Neil and Dave have a long history of wonderful, critically acclaimed projects.
Their trailer, frankly, is utterly amazing.
They have kept their fanbase constantly updated and have only released finished shots/trailers with accurate release information.
It has cats with human heads, and Steven Fry as a librarian, and flying books, and a giant catapilliar, and a girl who's drawings come to life, and a hedgehog primeminister, and spiders with one huge eye that act as security cameras, and a small, dedicated group of one genius and seventeen arts students working for a year on the effects.

See here to see how four million pounds should be spent...

www.sonypictures.com/movies/mirrormask/main.html

Click previews for the trailer.

If you can't see the animated menu at the bottom, you need to reset your screen size, probably.

Pete

[Topaz]

Wow. Looks like it's going to be beautiful!

I'll have to bookmark that and keep after it.

[Cylinder]

EVIL, HORRID, PARAMOUNT forcing Tim Hines to use substandard actors and laughable effects

[malfunkshun]

yeah good points, when i said spielberg what i actually meant was paramount, i'm just used to refering to that camp as SS.

edit:

what in the HELL. that mirrormask trailer is like an acid trip. i assume that made sense to somebody