Crossing At The Intersection
The
dynamic nature of the characters and their story will spark interest well beyond
the expansive Latin communities. Youthful characters confronting mature
conflicts within universal themes, assures TRAITORS a market with
young and old movie audiences. It gives TRAITORS a significant crossover
potential with strong worldwide commercial possibilities. In TRAITORS,
love, action- adventure, and deep personal drama share a spotlight with history.
Current
censuses have recorded the large growth of the US Hispanic population, which now
comprises 40 million, 12.5% of the total U.S. population. Over 70% of U.S.
Hispanics are under forty. According to a recent survey by the Motion Picture
Association of America (MPAA), the Latino audience spends over $110/person on
movies alone, seeing an average of 10 to 11 movies a year, which makes up 15
percent of total U.S. film admissions
.
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Overall,
Hispanics nationwide spent $585 billion in 2002, up from $490.7 billion in
2000 and $223 billion spent in 1990 (in 2000, 3.6% or $1,179 per/person on
'entertainment'). Far exceeding the non-Hispanic growth-rate increase,
Hispanics’ total annual spending is projected to balloon to $926.1 billion
by 2007 and $1 trillion by 2008. Yet U.S. Hispanics remain the most
underserved group by today's American media.
In
the new millennium, this rapid Hispanic expansion continues, to grow five
times faster than the general US population and is expected to reach 33% of
the U.S. population by the year 2040. Currently however, the native
Spanish-speaking population already exceeds 370 million [see VI. MID/LOW
BUDGET FILM’S MARKETING CRITERIA:
page 27].
When
Hollywood’s previous efforts to portray Hispanic subjects have fallen short,
it has been because of insensitive casting and tactless storylines Dedicated
artistic integrity, regard for authenticity, cultural relevance and avoiding
offensive stereotyping is vital in gaining acceptance and reaching these,
increasingly more sophisticated, populations.
Though
Hispanics are composed of people from different countries, US Hispanics
possess many of the ‘typically American’ values, great loyalty to family,
religious faith, a strong work ethic, enduring patriotism and a strong
connection to their native lands. Cuban-Americans are particularly fervent
about their roots. They are politically active; their children tend to be
fully bilingual with a higher than average educational level [see VIII.
APPENDICIES: B. - Showtime’s FIDEL, a
published review].
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The
Log Line
...because
they would change the world.
Rob
is a young loner, in search of direction. A young Cuban, Adela, with her deep
idealistic conviction and a close-knit family, intrigues his desolate psyche. A
passionate bond arises between them while they connect with Fidel Castro and his
rebel band as the revolution triumphs in 1959.
Adela and Rob’s blossoming romance is hampered by personal conflicts
and by clashing political affiliations within a new revolutionary Cuban
government.
A bitter breakup of their love affair is finalized during a trial for
high treason of popular Cuban rebel-leaders. With Machiavellian cunning, Fidel
manipulates the outcome of the riveting military trial to total advantage. He
subverts the rule of law, vanquishing all opposition within a budding new
government. Personal freedoms are sacrificed in Fidel’s frenzy of fear, amidst
his cries for national security. A new Cuban power structure quickly takes shape
as Rob and Adela take different paths and painfully separate fully. Despondent
and unable to forget each other, their final encounter occurs soon after, in New
York City, and renews a faith in the prevailing virtues of human nature and the
possibilities for triumph of the human spirit [extended synopsis and full script
also available].
II. THE HISTORICAL GENRE: THE PROFIT
POTENTIAL EDGE
Overview
In
the enterprise of film, today as in the past, there remains a significant risk
element based on audience appeal unpredictability.
If film budgets are kept within ‘sensible’ parameters, the changing face of
the market has significantly reduced the likelihood of a capital loss.
When previous experience is used as a guide, can this risk-returns
potential be improved and further reduced?
|
While
the Hispanic marketplace remains largely untapped traditional support
for epic films involving, adventurous, accurately portrayed, historical
events continue capturing the imagination and interest of audiences
everywhere. Before such impassioned legendaries as Gone
With the Wind or Doctor
Zhivago, time has evidenced the strength of the historical drama
with a great consistency.
Whether in a movie about WW-II, Vietnam, an American presidential
assassination, the Holocaust or a transatlantic voyage, well-made films
directly based on actual historical events continue to realize their
potential. More recently, prominent films such as
JFK (1992 / World Wide Theatrical Gross: $205.4 M), Schindler’s
List (1993 / W. W. Theatrical Gross: $317.M), Apollo
13 (1995 / W. W. Theatrical Gross and Domestic Video: $418.8.M), Saving
Private Ryan (1998 / $479.4M / W. W. Theatrical Gross alone) and Titanic
(1999 / W. W. Theatrical Gross: $1.84B) have led the way.
Most recently, The Passion was rejected by every major
studio prior to being made. What these successes have in common are
dramatic accounts of widely known events, which also diligently capture
the life and times during which they occur. Audiences not only become
absorbed by the storyline but are also intrigued by the provocative
aspects of the historical events depicted. With intelligent casting, a
culturally relevant, historically faithful, action-adventure, romantic
drama, which intertwines with Fidel Castro and events of the Cuban
revolution, such as Traitors,
has evident, double-edged commercial potential [please see: VIII. APPENDICIES:
A. 1-3 – Film script endorsements]. |
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VI. MID/LOW BUDGET FILMS’ MARKETING CRITERIA
(PAGE
#27 OF
PROPOSAL TABLE OF CONTENTS: A CONFIDENTIAL PLAN SUMMARY -
NOT AN OFFERING FOR SECURITIES - NOT FOR CIRCULATION)
Totaling
40 Million, first-generation
U.S. Hispanics are most comfortable speaking Spanish in home, social and
business environments, the preferred use of Spanish is diluted in second and
third generations. Sixty-five percent of second-generation Hispanics designated
English as the language they had the “most comfort” in speaking; in
third-generation Hispanics, this number increased to over seventy percent.
In
any language, reaching a mere five percent (5%) of this potential in 2003, at an average
$8.00/ticket, would have translated into over
$16 million in
gross theatrical-box-office only receipts in the U.S. 2003
U.S. video sales and rentals outpaced
theatrical spending 2.7-1, across
the board.
Thus,
5% of that Hispanic-only spending would translate to $40-$50
million in U.S.-only,
video revenue.
Finally, reaching 5% (at $2.50/ticket average) of only
Hispanics, worldwide, would translate to $50 million
in
box-office-only, Hispanic-only sales!
For
film marketing to be successful, it should be well conceived and wisely
executed. A marketing design, as intended for Traitors,
could also improve on the normal risk vs. returns Hollywood marketing
standard. Although
U.S. Hispanics have been increasing throughout, seventy-six percent of the U.S.
Hispanic population primarily resides in the metropolitan centers of six states:
CA/33%, TX/21%, NY/11%, FL/6%, IL/5%, AZ/5%. An intelligently conceived
and executed marketing campaign would strategically target these six core U.S.
Hispanic audiences statewide and would expand its marketing and distribution
from this core.
Spanish-target
media still offers one of the better buys in the marketing world, at lower
‘costs-per-thousand’ (CPMs) than general-audience media, with attractive
volume discounts in television, radio and print.
Along with its genre advantage, current population concentrations will
also avail Traitors a cost effective
marketing that minimizes initial promotional costs and further increases its
profit/risk perspective.
Mr.
Valenti also noted that the largest film audience by age is the 12-to-24
brackets, accounting for 39% of attendance.
The Hispanic population is a youthful one, with a median age of 25.9,
compared to 36 for the total population (70% of Hispanics under 40 in the 2000 census.) The
use of the available Internet marketing possibilities, as currently provided by
several prominent Spanish-language and Hispanic-oriented but English-based ISPs,
allows for preliminary, low-cost crossover momentum, again increasing
profit/risk potential to the investor.
All
this leads to the conclusion that an articulate, Hispanic, bicultural, youth
marketing approach for TRAITORS, can
serve as financially prudent promotional criteria to precede its successful,
broader, and multinational, ‘crossover’ expansion [see:
VIII. APPENDICIES: A. 1-3 - Film Script Endorsements
&
B. - News Clippings].
1.
"National Minority Buying Power" - Annual study by the University of
Georgia, Terry College of Business and the Selig Center for Economic Growth.
