Welcome to the show folks...
Maybe I wrote my last post a tad too soon... or to be more exact, I may have overlooked another option. According to the indefatigable Nikki Finke, Summit Entertainment, flush with cash from those sparkly emo vampire pics, is making some very preliminary sniffing around the remains of Miramax and might purchase the recently deceased former indie titan.
Now anything could happen to scotch this deal, so I'm going to take a moment to weigh the pros and the cons of Summit Entertainment buying Miramax. So let's look at the facts:
THE NAME MIRAMAX:
PRO: The name represents a certain amount of street cred in the world on independent film. It could make an excellent "art house" or indie acquisition arm for Summit.
CON: The name of this revived company will only be as good as the hustle of the people standing behind it. The people running this revived Miramax would have to start from scratch building relationships with filmmakers and producers, and then fight to keep those relationships strong. Whoever runs this new Miramax has to be willing to burn serious calories to make into something worthwhile.
THE LIBRARY:
PRO: The library has a lot of Oscar winners and even a few big hits. It would make a welcome addition to Summit's library, which consists of sparkly emo-vamp pics, and some flicks no one cares about. They could use the clout that the Miramax library gives them in the never-ending battle for store shelf-space and TV sales.
CON: There are a lot of jokers in that deck because of the company's desire under the Weinsteins to own every indie film ever made, and then re-edit them into cinematic oblivion. Plus, I'm suspicious of Disney selling anything that might have a remote chance of generating revenue. What traps lay in this land of make believe? So any buyer should be alert, and have the numbers and the fine print studied extremely carefully.
THE BAGGAGE
PRO: Miramax doesn't come with MGM's crushing debt, which means it will most likely not crush an over-extended Summit. And a really big plus is that Harvey Weinstein's white hot rage could be used as an alternative energy source, thus freeing America from dependency on foreign oil.
CON: If anyone does buy the company, they will be pestered by the Bros. Weinstein until one side or the other are in their graves, and even then they'll find some way of making their displeasure known. Though it could be used as material for a new Twitter phenomenon "Shit Harvey Says."
So this is where I go to my readers and ask them for their opinions.
Should Summit Entertainment buy Miramax?
Maybe I wrote my last post a tad too soon... or to be more exact, I may have overlooked another option. According to the indefatigable Nikki Finke, Summit Entertainment, flush with cash from those sparkly emo vampire pics, is making some very preliminary sniffing around the remains of Miramax and might purchase the recently deceased former indie titan.
Now anything could happen to scotch this deal, so I'm going to take a moment to weigh the pros and the cons of Summit Entertainment buying Miramax. So let's look at the facts:
THE NAME MIRAMAX:
PRO: The name represents a certain amount of street cred in the world on independent film. It could make an excellent "art house" or indie acquisition arm for Summit.
CON: The name of this revived company will only be as good as the hustle of the people standing behind it. The people running this revived Miramax would have to start from scratch building relationships with filmmakers and producers, and then fight to keep those relationships strong. Whoever runs this new Miramax has to be willing to burn serious calories to make into something worthwhile.
THE LIBRARY:
PRO: The library has a lot of Oscar winners and even a few big hits. It would make a welcome addition to Summit's library, which consists of sparkly emo-vamp pics, and some flicks no one cares about. They could use the clout that the Miramax library gives them in the never-ending battle for store shelf-space and TV sales.
CON: There are a lot of jokers in that deck because of the company's desire under the Weinsteins to own every indie film ever made, and then re-edit them into cinematic oblivion. Plus, I'm suspicious of Disney selling anything that might have a remote chance of generating revenue. What traps lay in this land of make believe? So any buyer should be alert, and have the numbers and the fine print studied extremely carefully.
THE BAGGAGE
PRO: Miramax doesn't come with MGM's crushing debt, which means it will most likely not crush an over-extended Summit. And a really big plus is that Harvey Weinstein's white hot rage could be used as an alternative energy source, thus freeing America from dependency on foreign oil.
CON: If anyone does buy the company, they will be pestered by the Bros. Weinstein until one side or the other are in their graves, and even then they'll find some way of making their displeasure known. Though it could be used as material for a new Twitter phenomenon "Shit Harvey Says."
So this is where I go to my readers and ask them for their opinions.
Should Summit Entertainment buy Miramax?
My pappa raised me with too much common sense to get the way hollywood runs business. Still, I'd say that if Summit is looking to get out of Twilight's shadow, Miramax might be the best way to do it. In fact, from a certain point of view, the twilight films are almost indie.
ReplyDeleteAlso, D that is the greatest pic you've ever put up. I look forward to no end of caption gags to it (or even having your face jumping to other characters, it's making me giggle even now).
Old films librarys are like the Beatles catalog was to Michael Jackson an investment that pretty much is a license to print money.
ReplyDeleteOnly cost is the first initial investment that you can rake in the money through DVD sales and broadcast rights. Money you can then use to fund your primary operation, that is the production of new content.
Like D said it is the legs of the business but to the heart.
Unless you are the late Michael Jackson, use the money to fund the operations of the NeverNormal NAMBLA land abusement park, Capt Crunch outfits and lawyers to defend you in countless lawsuits pending aganis tyou.