Monday Morning Quarterback Part I
By BOP Staff
August 14, 2006
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Kim Hollis: Step Up become one of the biggest surprises of the summer box office season, earning an estimated $21.1 million, almost upending Talladega Nights in the process. How would you describe this performance?
Joel Corcoran: "Inconceivable"?
Reagen Sulewski: Kids and ballet. Boy, I don't know.
Tim Briody: It's MySpacearffic. We touched on it last week discussing John Tucker Must Die, but that's basically where this stuff gets marketed now.
Kim Hollis: I truly didn't even know what this movie was until last week. I never even considered it as a factor.
David Mumpower: This is exemplary. We again see that tracking is shaky on that pesky teen demographic. Step Up was universally regarded by experts as a lower teens performer yet the My Space crowd treated it like a blockbuster.
Dan Krovich: Every teen movie from here is going to be running to My Space now. They're 2/2.
Reagen Sulewski: And here's the best part - it doesn't even have to seem like it'll be good!
Tell BOP what you don't like about yourself.
David Mumpower: When Nip/Tuck did a MySpace page for The Carver, F/X got eviscerated for such an absurd marketing campaign. In hindsight, they were six months ahead of the curve.
Joel Corcoran: I agree, Dano. It's a fascinating effect to watch, too. Just think of all those college kids with marketing degrees graduating this year who can go directly to Hollywood.
Dan Krovich: Step Up isn't bad, and more importantly for marketing purposes, it's familiar.
Kim Hollis: I officially became old when myspace became huge.
Reagen Sulewski: Exactly. I feel a bit fogeyish here. This? This is a hit?
David Mumpower: Dan brings up an excellent point. This is no different from Grease in its own way.
Kim Hollis: Well, other than the fact that Grease is fantastic.
Joel Corcoran: But all snarkiness aside, I think this is a great side-effect of Step Up and John Tucker Must Die. We're seeing new marketing strategies emerging alongside new distribution technologies.
Sure, you'll Step Up, but you won't Stick It.
Dan Krovich: And it's almost exactly Save the Last Dance (from the same writer).
David Mumpower: That's right, Dan. It's no different from the woman behind Bring It On doing a similar theme with Stick It.
Joel Corcoran: Stick It is still one of my favorite movies of the year.
Kim Hollis: I *loved* Stick It. Which probably means I'll love Step Up, too. If it's good enough for Kevin Smith...
David Mumpower: Stick It is a wildly enjoyable film and you made a great point, Joel. The whole thing circles back to Mark Cuban offering a job to anyone who can figure out a new marketing model for movies. The current system is too expensive. Winners like Step Up overcome this obstacle.
Tim Briody: Does Step Up have a completely random dance montage to a Jackson Five song too?
Joel Corcoran: I'll probably go see Step Up when it gets to the brewpub theater circuit, but honestly, I'm glad to see a "crowd-sourcing" approach to movie marketing. And it will be even more interesting when other studios try mimicking the same approach.
David Mumpower: I'll be disappointed if Step Up doesn't include the monologue: "You are now carrying my child. It is the magic of the dance!" Step Up is a movie for the Lisa Simpsons of the (real) world.
Dan Krovich: Step Up was basically fun. A familiar story with appealing leads, good music and dancing, and a positive message about following your dreams.