Independents Day
Not every movie tie-in has to rival a Cecil B. Demille production.
New York City-based Shooting Gallery, an independent film studio best known for producing Sling Blade, last month launched a film series to spotlight truly independent films – the ones that don’t get scooped up by the “independent” divisions of big studios after winning awards at trendy festivals.
“There are a lot of great films that never get seen at all,” explains Shooting Gallery president Paul Speaker. “We thought that if we could clump them all together, we could create an opportunity for corporations to help make art live.”
Speaker admits that he wasn’t exactly sure what reception the concept would receive from potential partners. But it struck an immediate chord with Loews Cineplex Entertainment, New York City, the first theater chain Shooting Gallery pitched to host the series.
“We were approached about a year and a half ago, and we thought there was merit to the idea,” says Loews executive vp Robert Lenihan. “We let ourselves be open to the vision.”
Working out the logistics with Loews took some time, but Speaker found himself pleasantly surprised again when he received sponsorship commitments from both Heineken USA and Polo Ralph Lauren shortly after making contact with the companies last December. “I knew the concept was going to live when I got call-backs between Christmas and New Year’s,” he says.
For White Plains, NY-based Heineken, which usually aligns with motion-picture events such as Austin Powers or The World Is Not Enough, “it’s not just about selling beer this time,” says brand manager Scott Hunter-Smith. “We’re in an entertainment economy. The big movies make our brand relevant to a younger audience. But it’s not just about what’s good for the brand, but what’s good for the [entertainment] industry.”
Both Heineken and Polo are committed to the entire life of the film series, for which Shooting Gallery acquired domestic distribution rights to six films from around the world (including Judy Berlin, which didwin an award at the Sundance Film Festival). The effort began last month with the series launching in 17 cities. Each film gets a two-week run initiated with a Club Night screening that features post-film discussions led by well-known film critics or someone involved in the film’s production. (Club memberships cost $90.)
Soon after the series concludes in early May, the films will air on the Encore and Starz! cable networks through an agreement with Encore Media Group, which began promoting the series on-air in December. Hollywood Video, Wilsonville, OR, then gets exclusive sales and rental rights for three months before the titles go into wider distribution.
Shooting Gallery didn’t ask for any sponsorship fees. “We’ve only asked for media support,” says Speaker. “It’s not going to be a blockbuster promotion, but it’s a great opportunity to do some grassroots stuff” including table tents at bars, restaurants, and retail outlets near the theaters, says Heineken’s Hunter-Smith. New York City-based Polo Ralph Lauren will also provide P-O-P support, and will throw in some alternative media buys, too.
“The 80-year-old wealthy individual and the inquisitive 16-year-old meet only at the movies, and they meet mostly at these kinds of movies,” says Speaker. “It’s a psychographic that you don’t get at a blockbuster film.”
“The people who want to see these films are probably not our regular movie-goers,” adds Lenihan. “We hope to be broadening our audience base.”
