At 10:47 AM 13/11/97 +1000, you wrote:
>I don't know that I'd advance this as _the_ reason for US cinema's
>influence in Australia, but distribution is obviously a factor. The
>relationship between large cinema chains and large distributors here is
>pretty cosy; it can be very difficult for smaller distributors to get a
>hearing, or for independent cinemas to get the films that they want
>without committing themselves to ridiculously long seasons.
>
>I'm curious about the effect of the "discovery" of Australian
>directors/actors and their subsequent moves O.S. on the Australian
>industry--given that their O.S. productions (and I'm thinking in
>particular of PJ Hogan's "My Best Friend's Wedding" as a recent example)
>are sometimes promoted as quasi-Australian product.
>
>Helen Kay.
>
>----
 
        I think that you Helen have touched on a very important point.  I
have read that there is a strong relationship between exhibitors and
distributors.  I know that here in Canada and in the U.S that Famous Players
have exclusive rights to MGM/United Artists, Paramount and Warner Bros.
films.  Cineplex Odeon shows Columbia and Universal.  I also know that
exhibitors buy movies in "blocks", this is called block booking.  In these
blocks there are major block busters along with some low budget films.  The
exhibitors buy these blocks specifically for the blockbusters.  They really
have no choice because this is how movies are sold by the big production
companies or distributors in Hollywood.  If they don't buy them, then the
next time a big block buster comes around, the exhibitors may not be offered
the movie.
        This obviously posses a large problem for the idependent film makers
whose films do not have a chance to be exhibited.  Block booking decreases
the amount of screen space available.  Even worse, when the independents get
called on to show their movies, it is very spontaneous and the independants
do not have enough time or really the money to advertise their movies and
hype it up like the Hollywood majors do with their pictures.
 
Ellen Au
 
>Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the
>University of Alabama.
>
>
 
----
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