News

Genre does sell… overseas

Road TrainAccording to Prodigy Movies producer Michael Robertson, his company will continue to make genre-based lower budget films even though Road Train failed at the box office.

Road Train did not perform at the box office and will now go out as a DVD in March next year, but the reason I am pursuing genre-based lower budget storylines  is that they do sell overseas, and I have the track record of Black Water, Road Train (aka Road Kill in the United States) and the soon-to-be-released The Reef to show for this,” Robertson told Encore.

Road Train was released in South Australia on October 21. It received positive reviews, but it didn’t succeed at the box office.

“This is a contrary reaction to the film’s achievements overseas as per the sales it has obtained, including the most recent one to Korea at the American Film Market. The 30+ countries that have all ready provided sales advances will help Road Train  move towards the credit side of the film’s ledger.

“It appears Australian audiences are not reacting favourably to genre-based films. (Sean Byrne’s) The Loved Ones is another example of Australian genre-films failing to resonate with Australian audiences, and yet performing creditably – both critically and in commercial terms in the overseas marketplace,” explained Robertson.

Robertson’s production The Reef – directed by Andrew Traucki and starring Damian Walshe-Howling, Gyton Grantley, Zoe Naylor and Adrienne Pickering) will have its first theatrical release in Mexico, with more than 100 prints, followed by a release in Japan. The Australian release via Gold Coast-based Pinnacle Films is scheduled for 2011.

Prodigy’s next project is Falls Creek – “Cape Fear meets Insomnia topped with an ice cold ‘western style’ shootout”. It will be produced jointly by Robertson and Natalie Palomo, from a script by writer/director James Ward Breen. The shoot is scheduled for the second half of 2011, in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia.

ADVERTISEMENT

Get the latest media and marketing industry news (and views) direct to your inbox.

Sign up to the free Mumbrella newsletter now.

 

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up to our free daily update to get the latest in media and marketing.