Release date can make or break a movie
Release date can make or break a movie
Introduction
Release date refers to the date when a movie is released in cinema theatres for public viewing. The income from movie theatres is a key medium of revenue for the movie makers. In India movies are generally released on Fridays, near vacations & festivals to attract more audience and thus revenue.
Yes
- Choosing a release date is strategically important as it has an impact on expected audience turn out.
- Release on Fridays means higher probability of audience turn out over the weekend
- Release during festival season can lead to higher audience turn out as this is vacation time for most people, and movies is a sort after entertainment
- Release of a romantic movie near valentine day would usually lead to high audience turn out on that day.
- Release of other movies should also be considered while deciding release date, as multiple releases on the same day or nearby days would mean division of audience thus negatively impacting both.
- Release of movies during exam times is a bad idea, at this time both students as well as parents are more likely to focus their energies on exam preparation rather than watching movies.
- Some producers also consider the release date based on astrology and numerology, and fear that release on dates/days not suited to them as per astrology or numerology would bring bad results.
- It is also important to consider other significant events, for instance releasing a movie when people are busy watching cricket / soccer is not going to be very promising.
No
- If the movie is good then irrespective of the release date audience would turn up to view the movie
- The movie makers should be able to identify the target audience for the movie and market/promote their movie effectively
- Fan following is based on reputation & performance, for instance you don’t need to check date for movies in which Rajnikanth has played the hero – his fans would watch the movie not matter what the release date is.
- The movie should be released in theaters where the expected target audience is likely to be available, and pricing of the movie considered
- Movies with subsidised tickets have a higher potential of viewer turn out compared to others irrespective of the release date.
- Even if the movie is not released during the fastive vacations but if it is good, it can definitely cover up during the next weekend.
Conclusion
While story, actors, content, and message are all important; there is a strategic importance of release date as well. Movies are a source of entertainment and people only go out for entertainment when it is convenient for them which for most people is over the weekends or during vacations. There are other entertainment events as well, which needs to be considered in deciding the release dates for increasing the chances of getter higher volumes of viewers in cinema theatres and thus higher revenue.
Discussion
- RE: Release date can make or break a movie -Teena Bhatia (08/07/14)
- Competitive Dynamics plays a major role in the release date of movies. If the latest trend of the Hollywood movies is analyzed. It is clearly visible that the studios are finalizing the release date for their upcoming films. The tentpole race is getting fierce in the film industry. And why not, the release dates certainly affect the revenues. It might not make a movie hit but certainly can add on to the revenues of movies. The film producers are taking the long view on the scheduling and planting early flags on release dates in the upcoming years and especially the days coming on holidays.
To see it in simple terms, if the producer is spending crores of rupees on movies, it becomes imperative for the producer to take all the measures that can get an optimum opening to the movie. Releasing the movies on significant date indicates locking the profits well in advance. The fact that a lot more efforts, time and money is spent on making big-budget movies, planning down the right release date is crucial for the producers. It allows the film producers to have an edge over the competitors. They make a point to choose the dates on which the movies have scored well in the past or their rivals movies have done well.
