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Maybe this is miramaxes way of deciding if it is worth expanding into the same markets.

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Yeah, but there were sneaks at some theatres in town while some others were already playing it.
If it wasn't playing in town at all, I could understand.
 

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Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 01-26-2003, 03:26 AM:
 
Yeah. We got the sneak and pretty much every other theater had it already; but we had about 80+ people!

I maybe see some logic in this. Since some sort of sporting event is going on Sunday ("the game" I believe.) Miramax felt that Confessions's target audience would be at home, while Chigago's target audience would rather go out, and they'd earn some oscar buzz in the process. Saturday (4pm-ish) was the "sneak" of Sunday's (7pm-ish) "sneak."

Sounds pretty sneaky. Did everyone have the same showtimes? I know that people were not allowed to stay for Confessions afterwards. Odd for a true sneak.

=TMP=
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 01-26-2003, 10:03 AM:
 
The reason for this is that Confessions was not tracking very well. They did this simply to boost the gross on Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind.

Cue Charles Everett ... rant about how unfair this is for Miramax to be artificially boosting Confession's gross.
 

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Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 01-26-2003, 11:19 AM:
 
This one weirded me out. Very confusing to run a 'sneak' in town when the film is already playing at six other locations at a full schedule. I don't mind the extra boost of business though.....
 

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Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 01-26-2003, 11:59 AM:
 
Mike S is correct: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind had its national break this week. Miramax did this not-so-sneak of Chicago to pump up the per-theater average on Dangerous Mind.

How stupid was this? I was in Bucks County PA yesterday. The Regal Warrington Crossing 22 has 2 prints of Chicago and sold out at least 3 matinees. Five miles north the Regal Barn Plaza 14 got the not-so-sneak of Chicago. Why sneak a movie if you can go to a theater already playing it?

Fox did much the same thing in June 2000 when it sneaked Me, Myself & Irene on opening weekend of Titan A.E. Irene at least broke even. Titan A.E. tanked bigtime; that promoted Fox to fire its chairman and shut down its animation unit.
 

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Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 01-26-2003, 01:48 PM:
 
The sneak is tracked on a different number so nothing is turned in on Confessions. That movie will not see any of this money. Chicago is going wider next week. My thinking is that Miramax may be seeing if it is worth going wider in some markets. In our market there are three zones. The one zone is only regal and they are playing the film full scheduel. THe other two zones picked up the sneak. A decision may be made this week wether to keep them in the zones on a regular run or drop them out based on what the sneaks do. That is my theory.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-26-2003, 02:36 PM:
 
It's no different than adding a manual to the sneak section of this website. Sure the manual may already be available elsewhere in some other form, but it's new to this site, just like Chicago is new to the theaters sneaking it this weekend.

Film-Tech - The Miramax of websites!
 

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Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 01-26-2003, 04:07 PM:
 
Chicago is slated to go wide relese in early feb.

It has been playing at other theatres in my area for awile, yet the sneak we showed last night (sat) nearly sold out a 450 seat auditorium!
 

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Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 01-26-2003, 08:40 PM:
 
Brad called:
Film-Tech - The Miramax of websites!

OK Brad, do you want to be Bob or Harvey?!
 

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Posted by Aldo Baez (Member # 790) on 01-26-2003, 11:15 PM:
 
Wierd, my theatre sneaked Chicago in place of a 7:15 pm Catch Me If You Can on both Sat and Sunday. Which I thought was wierd. When I went downstairs and looked in the office I saw on the booking notice to sneak Chicago on "anything"...
 

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Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 01-27-2003, 09:38 AM:
 
We had that sneak as well, and yes, it was screwed up, IMO.
Why the print wasn't made available for teh week long playdate I have no clue. It's still made up on our platter, so why not allow us to run it for the many who WANT TO SEE IT NOW????

Also, Thomas, it WAS a double feature sneak. You may want to pass that along to your GM so that she can get further clarification. 9/10 we have sneaks, they are always double features. If your booker is like mine, youy GM should have rec'd a letter, oh, say FRIDAY, in regards to the aforementioned facts. Yeah, Friday. Four days AFTER bookings are confirmed and three days AfTER newspaper deadlines are met!
 

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Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 01-27-2003, 12:57 PM:
 
Jason -- We received an e-mail, which was posted in the box office and had a paragraph highlighted that explained, "Patrons who come for Chicago are NOT allowed to see Confessions of a Dangerous Mind for free afterwards."

=TMP=
 

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Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 01-27-2003, 06:24 PM:
 
More sneaks this weekend. We are playing it at 7:00pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. No 7:00pm Confessions. Not a stay and see spill and fill only. Has it's own tracking number for it's totals.
 

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Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 01-28-2003, 01:51 AM:
 
We ran a 4:05 'sneak' on Saturday, and a 7:05 'sneak' on Sunday, all factors considered, both shows did well, so this weekend we have 7:05 'sneaks' Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. All of the above shows play instead of Confessions of A Dangerous Mind.

It's weird. *shrugs* But I'm the projectionist, not the film booker.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 01-28-2003, 10:58 AM:
 
Although it's probably a nuisance for exhibitors to deal with these "sneaks", I have to give Miramax credit for trying something creative to boost the film's word-of-mouth.
 

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Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 01-28-2003, 06:46 PM:
 
Ah yes- the sneaks continue. We too have one at 7:30PM this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Then TES picks up the print on Monday.
 

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Posted by Franklin Armstrong (Member # 1448) on 01-28-2003, 11:40 PM:
 
I Have It FRI. SAT. SUN. @ 7:00 PM
 

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Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 01-29-2003, 04:47 PM:
 
I think that this whole deal of 'sneak' showings of Chicago has only further befuddled people at Technicolor!

So, they dropped off print #1563, on Friday, it got built Friday, so there would be a chance to screen in before it had to play Saturday.
Saturday morning, we had a staff meeting, and in the middle of the meeting, we notice a vehicle pull up outside, and some dude hops out, and brings a pair of orange cans to the (still locked) doors. He had print #785 of Chicago. We already had a print, that ran fine, no call had been made for a replacement!
We 'detained' the courier whilst making a call to TES. For some reason they thought there was a problem with the print we had - no idea why they thought that; nice that they would be so quick to get a replacement out to us, just dumb because we didn't need it. As it turned out, Technicolor had no clue what to do with the 'extra' print, and essentially asked us to babysit it until they figured out where it needed to be. So the courier left.
Within the next hour, they decided to have the same courier fetch the print & bring it to and airport, then wait until he had the print and was on the road, before contacting him, and had him bring it back to our theater again! (Still, just for us to 'babysit' the freaking thing!)

Last night, we got a call from Technicolor, about picking up the extra print we were holding for them ... they wanted #1563! What the...? That was the print we received first, built & ran! We hadn't even opened the cans of #785, which was delivered in error - why didn't they want that one? At their suggestion, they had a print in the cans marked #1563 available to pick up first thing today ... and that print was never introduced to my rewind bench, house reels, or splicer!
Hey, they asked for it!
 

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Posted by Coleman L. Zatarain (Member # 1559) on 01-29-2003, 05:37 PM:
 
Showing it again this Fri. - Sun. in Alabama. Seven o'clock set only.
 

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Posted by Bill Carter (Member # 156) on 01-30-2003, 12:28 AM:
 
I also have it, Fri-Sun. 7pm set only.
 

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Posted by Franklin Armstrong (Member # 1448) on 01-30-2003, 12:49 AM:
 
it opens wide at my theater 2/7
 

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Posted by Jim Casterioto (Member # 1155) on 01-30-2003, 11:49 AM:
 
Chicago has been playing a full set of shows at one theater in my area, another theater has had the sneaks the past two weeks. Next Friday, February 7, our theater is scheduled to open it

To Miramax.
 

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Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 01-31-2003, 10:07 AM:
 
From today's L.A. Times:

By Anita M. Busch, Times Staff Writer

In a move that bolsters the fortunes of its other films, Miramax Films is using its award-winning musical "Chicago" to increase box office of "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" and Oscar hopeful "Gangs of New York."

Last weekend, in addition to the 616 regular engagements, Miramax piggybacked "Chicago" with "Confessions" on 500 screens. In such a case, ticket buyers for "Confessions" were entitled to see "Chicago." The practice, known as "sneaking" a film, usually takes place when a yet-to-open movie needs an extra marketing push through word-of-mouth. Miramax has been rolling out "Chicago" slowly to build interest.

Miramax's strategy has raised eyebrows among seasoned distribution executives. "It's obvious that all they are doing is pumping up the grosses on 'Confessions,' " said one veteran distribution executive. "It's tough to break out how much 'Confessions' got out of last weekend, but the sneak certainly helped....What they are trying to do is capitalize on the success of 'Chicago' and spread it around the rest of the release schedule."

"Regardless of what people say, the sneaks are all about 'Chicago,' " countered Miramax Chief Operating Officer Rick Sands. He said people in smaller towns are hesitant to see musicals "and that needs to be overcome." He said Miramax also wants to maintain the soundtrack's sales momentum.

Beginning today for three days, Miramax is sneaking "Chicago" on a significant number of screens -- 1,200 -- with "Confessions" and "Gangs," which have not performed up to expectations. Because there is no revenue sharing, the other films, not "Chicago," benefit financially. As for how much of a bump in box office "Confessions" received last weekend, Sands said, "it's hard to say ... what it would have done on its own."

The strategy may affect compensation deals made for "Chicago's" filmmakers and on-screen talent. "Chicago" was made for an estimated $45 million. Usually, on a film with such star value -- in this case, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere -- a moderate budget may indicate that its talent could have forgone their usual fees in exchange for a share in receipts.

What's striking is that Miramax is sneaking "Chicago" in some of the same cities where it has already opened. While sneaking is a normal part of movie marketing, it is unusual when a film has already opened in other theaters in the same city and to stretch it over three days.

It is also not done when the film has already achieved such a high profile. The critically acclaimed "Chicago" has won the Golden Globe for best picture/musical or comedy. This weekend, the musical, which has taken in more than $40 million, will "officially" be in about 620 theaters and will expand to more than 1,800 play dates Feb. 7.
 

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Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 01-31-2003, 11:14 AM:
 
Those sneaks of Chicago today, tomorrow and Sunday? Miramax all but concedes that Confessions of a Dangerous Mind has tanked.

To see how badly Miramax has bungled Chicago just look to the Hamptons. UA has a 6 in East Hampton, a 4 in Southampton and a 5 in Hampton Bays. Generally the studios treat UA in the Hamptons as one 15-screen -- UA places the product wherever it will do the best. East Hampton gets a full run of Chicago starting today. Southampton holds over Dangerous Mind and gets the sneaks of Chicago. WTF?

Also, this means 2 separate stack ads in each newspaper -- great way to waste advertising dollars and confuse the public. As per Miramax policy the stack ads omit any reference to DTS and SDDS.
 

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Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 01-31-2003, 11:32 AM:
 

quote:

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As per Miramax policy the stack ads omit any reference to DTS and SDDS.

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To see how badly Miramax has bungled Chicago just look to the Hamptons.

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Have they bungled it? It's a little early to tell. The message the public is getting is that this might be an important film they are being "teased" with. The fact is the film has performed exceptionally well in the relatively small number of theatres it has been released in (40 plus mil so far). Not all films should be treated the same. And one thing this industry needs is to learn to find different marketing approaches for different films. There have been a lot of films that, based on huge opening week business in a few theatres have expanded too quickly and died opening week. Maybe Miramax is afraid of this happening here. And they're waiting until Oscar will give a boost for the second week of tis wide release.

At least, that's what they're saying in Conspiracy Monthly.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 01-31-2003, 11:40 AM:
 
Miramax's ads placed here for "Dangerous Mind" have all 3 digital sound logos (not sure about "Chicago"). "Dangerous Mind" is a tough sell. The audience I saw it with seemed to like it though. And it's way too soon to tell if they've bungled "Chicago".
 

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Posted by Bill Carter (Member # 156) on 02-03-2003, 01:40 PM:
 
Interesting...
When EDI called me for grosses this weekend, they asked me to add together the numbers for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and the Chicago sneak. They only wanted one number for the both of them.
 

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Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 02-03-2003, 11:07 PM:
 
ANOTHER L.A. Times article today on the REVISED accounting Miramax is doing for the CHICAGO sneaks:

By Anita M. Busch, Times Staff Writer

Miramax Films Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein settled a dust-up in Hollywood's talent community Friday with a novel proposition:

For certain Miramax pictures, the company said, every ticket sold at a series of screenings last weekend would mean a payday for two sets of stars and filmmakers.

The double-pay arrangement -- described as unprecedented -- is designed to make sure Miramax's unusual marketing strategy for its award-winning musical "Chicago" doesn't take money out of the pockets of high-profile actors Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere and others involved with the film.

Over the weekend, the Walt Disney Co.-owned studio expanded an aggressive campaign of "sneak" previews. It put "Chicago" on 950 screens that were playing its "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," which stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and on 250 screens that were playing "Gangs of New York," the Martin Scorsese epic with Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz.

Such sneaks customarily piggyback a picture that hasn't opened on top of a film already in release to build word of mouth for the new arrival. Audiences buy a ticket for the current release and see the preview free.

Miramax, however, caused a storm in Hollywood by sneaking "Chicago" for two successive weekends and by running the sneaks for the last three nights, rather than limiting them to the usual one. Also, "Chicago" already had opened in some of the cities where it was "previewed."

Talent representatives have complained to Miramax that the studio was using red-hot "Chicago" -- which has a high profile as winner of the Golden Globe in the best comedy-musical category but is officially playing on only about 600 screens -- to boost the box-office tally of its less hot "Confessions" and "Gangs."

The issue is particularly sensitive because the stars and filmmakers of "Chicago," which was directed by Broadway director-choreographer Rob Marshall, deferred their usual fees so the film could be made on a modest budget, estimated to be about $45 million.

International Creative Management represents Gere and Marshall. Creative Artists Agency represents Zellweger. William Morris Agency represents Zeta-Jones.

The aggressive piggybacking apparently racked up substantial ticket sales over the weekend for "Confessions" and "Gangs," increasing the payout for profit participants in those pictures while threatening to deprive the "Chicago" players of their share.

Weinstein, however, has promised to resolve the dispute by paying everyone involved with the 1,200 sneaks.

"Any money that 'Chicago' collects on sneaks on 'Confessions' or 'Gangs,' Harvey is going to match that amount for the profit participants on 'Chicago,' " Miramax spokeswoman Amanda Lundberg said.

Lundberg said Friday that Weinstein had intended to pay both sets of participants all along.

"Harvey always comes up with innovative ways to do things," she said.

Further, Miramax maintained that its unorthodox sneaks were intended to help "Chicago" build interest with male audiences and to make sure its soundtrack held its No. 2 position on the sales charts. Earlier sneaks, however, occurred on Super Bowl Sunday, when the male audience generally is absent from theaters.

According to rival film distributors, both "Confessions" and "Gangs" got a lift this weekend from the sneaks.

Box-office sales for "Confessions" dropped only about 25% from the previous weekend, to $4.3 million; rivals had expected a bigger falloff.

Similarly, "Gangs" slipped only about 20% over the weekend, to $2.1 million. Competitors had expected a larger drop, because "Gangs" was appearing in 420 fewer theaters than a week ago.

Miramax executives said it was impossible to gauge how much "Chicago" had bolstered the other films.

"Chicago" scored weekend ticket sales of about $7.1 million, pushing its total gross past $50 million to date.

How much Miramax will pay in "make-goods" to the "Chicago" participants is unclear. The compensation was to be based only on Miramax's share of each ticket sale, after the theater takes a substantial cut. And each player may be paid under a different contractual formula.
 

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Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 02-03-2003, 11:59 PM:
 
Quote from preceding post:
"How much Miramax will pay in "make-goods" to the "Chicago" participants is unclear. The compensation was to be based only on Miramax's share of each ticket sale, after the theater takes a substantial cut. And each player may be paid under a different contractual formula."

WTF? The THEATRE takes a substantial cut? Since when?
This further allows people to be blind of the fact that it is, after all, the DISTRIBUTOR who takes the substantial cut of the ticket price...
 

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Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 02-04-2003, 08:46 AM:
 
I'm willing to bet a number of theatres playing GANGS OF NEW YORK are only paying 35 percent of the b.o. in rentals to the dirtributor at this point. CONFESSIONS may be down to around 50-60 percent by now. I would call that substantial.
 

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Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 02-04-2003, 10:02 AM:
 
none of that makes sense since the numbers for Chicago were turned in as chicago not confessions. They had different movie numbers with our company and you did not get to see confessions. So what is there to boost.
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 02-04-2003, 10:45 AM:
 
That's Miramax math

I work with them
 

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