Subdivision gets a second chance at cinemas
The Disney-distributed film will be released in Western Australia, with festival screenings in Europe and potential UK/France distribution deals.
Producer Trish Lake admitted that Subdivision disappointed in NSW and QLD, but the team has new strategies to ensure it reaches an audience in Australia and overseas.
“I’ve got investors who want to feel like we’re going to the wire, and that’s what we’re doing,” Lake told Encore. “Subdivision has had a tough time, but it hasn’t given up. We haven’t given up.”
Written by and starring Queensland radio personality Ashley Bradnam, the comedy/drama was directed by Sue Brooks and distributed by Disney in Australia, with an estimated budget of $4m and a box office result of $206,350. It was released in August 2009 in Queensland and New South Wales only, as part of a regional rollout strategy.
“It was always our ambition to do well in Australia, but when we started the rollout we were not getting the traction and we put a hold to it. It is a good film, and unfortunately we have not been able to find audiences in Australia yet,” said Lake.
“It’s very hard to make the sort of noise you need, even with a significant campaign such as the one that Disney brought to life. They were very solid, but we could not get the film somewhere between art house and multiplex cinemas,” admitted Lake.
But not all is lost and Subdivision will make its comeback to Australian screens, with further screenings in Western Australia in April.
“We’ll do a much more targeted campaign. We’ve learned from what went wrong with the QLD and NSW rollout, and we’ll be targeting by using special date screenings rather than a big first weekend wide release.
“Then we might be able continue to do that type of roll out in the other states and potentially we’d even come back to QLD and NSW,” explained Lake.
Additional lessons have been learned from the results of other films, such as Mao’s Last Dancer and Bran Nue Dae; Lake says they have been analysing how and why audiences have engaged with ‘feel-good’ films with very targeted campaigns.
According to the producer, they have Disney’s ‘blessing’ for this new cinema strategy, but there is also pressure to release the DVD.
The film recently played at the Antipodes Film Festival in St Tropez, and will screen tomorrow night at a special presentation organised by the Australian embassy in Paris. Subdivision has also been accepted to play at the Barbican Film Festival in London next month and at the Cannes Cinephiles’ Cinema des Antipodes section at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
Lake said she was ‘hopeful’ of reaching a French and UK distribution deal later this year, with interest from French distributors generating after the audience’s positive reaction at the St Tropez screening.
Bring the film to South Australia! We have four govt owned country cinemas that rarely show Australian films, Adelaide has several independent cinemas — and closer urban density/outer expansion are hot issues here.An election on 20 March! Bring it to us!
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Sigh. Why look at Mao’s Last Dancer and Bran Nue Dae as examples? These both had multi-million dollar campaigns from Roadshow.
How about starting from scratch and cutting a trailer that makes people laugh and a poster that is funny? Or maybe it is too late for that, release three or four funny scenes online like the Hollywood films do.
It’s weird, I remember reading about the plans for this film to market itself via the Bradnam family’s MASSIVE windows and doors company, http://www.bradnams.com.au/about_bradnams.html – but as the film edged closer to release I checked for any evidence of this, both online and out in hardware land and there was nothing. As Mike LaFontaine would say, “Wha’ happened?”
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If marketing in general tends to be a challenge for Australian filmmakers, the marketing of a comedy is almost mission impossible.
What were you thinking having Sue Brooks direct a comedy? Didn’t she direct that turgid little piece “Japanese Story”? Yeah, that was HILARIOUS (for all the wrong reasons). It would be like getting Mick Molloy to direct “Schindler’s List”. It would also help if the film was funny. Fortunately I saw a bootleg copy so i didn’t have to waste my money on it. Trying too hard to be “The Castle”. 15 years too late, my friends. Second chance? No chance!
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Miguel, you gotta wonder why they make them then. They think they are going to project it into the MCG? For free? Get audiences that way? If you can’t market something to audiences why make a product directed at them? Unless it was a comedy for made the Bradnam family to laugh along with, which I am starting to wonder if it was. A little family tax break.
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>>you gotta wonder why they make them then
isn’t that the ultimate question? And I’m not specifically talking about Subdivision or any other Australian film.
Tax break conspiracy theories aside, I don’t think anyone makes a film thinking they’re going to alienate their audience, but it is clear that there is a lack of understanding of who that audience is and their media consumption needs and wants.
Unfortunately, years go by and it becomes an ongoing discussion compicated by egos, policies and other elements that ultimately have nothing to do with the filmmaking process but are sadly reflected on screen.
I put up some comments yesterday… but they didn’t come up on this site.
Ppl can me soo bitchy in this industry…. sad really… Miguel you are right.. who goes out to make a film they don’t want anyone to see. For those film critics who should at least see it before they trash it, let me organise them a screening. And how disrespectful to me as a producer the comments about tax benefits.. we’re talking years of hard work and the writers’ too.
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Maybe I should put a smiley face after each comment to show when I am joking. I am a talking egg after all. Of course I don’t think it’s a tax break, but I think it’s funny that some 10BA type films are still being made in the wake of 10BA.
Also I have seen the film. Steve Bisley is great.
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Trish, I ain’t in the industry, just a punter. And I’m guessing your film was aimed at a person just like me, a working class bloke (after all your film is about the building industry after all) who likes to support the Aussie films. I just didn’t think yours was very funny. It just seemed old, slow and really predictable. Sorry, but if it walks like a duck…..
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Oh, and when I say “support” I just mean like watching……I do understand that I saw your film as a knockoff, but hey, that’s the net for you.
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Like precious egg said on his blog, I need someone to explain the internets to me. I can never find Australian films on torrent sites – not that I like downloading movies, legally or not, not with my unwired connection! – so I don’t know where people get them online.
Hi Henry …
I’m really mystified as to how you came to see a bootlegged pirated copy which I can only assume was an old rough-cut of the movie if it’s as slow as you say.
How it came to be on the net is very concerning . Any info you can give me about the site where you found it, would be much appreciated. But I’d ask you to send it to me confidentially to our web address at freshwaterpictures.com.au rather than put it out there on the net via this blog . ( There are legal issues involved).
So I’m betting that you didn’t see the final cut that is going out to cinemas.
But thanks for the heads up.
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Hey Trish,
no, I never said I got it off the net, I think that Miguel guy made the assumption I did. I bought a copy from a chinese guy who had a little stall outside Paddy’s Market in Sydney, so it was a DVD copy. From the look of it it was filmed in a cinema where it was showing, but it is quite a good copy. The sound is excellent and it was obviously shot with a good camera on a tripod. In fact it was so good I didn’t even twig to the fact it was a bootleg until about the last five minutes when someone walks in front of the camera! So, to answer your question, it was undoubtedly the cinema release and not an old cut. I guess you are never going to stop this sort of piracy because, believe me, it is everywhere. And the chinese guy only had a sheet list of titles so if you wanted something he would phone someone, obviously the copier, and they would bring the disks over. Hard to catch that guy because if I was a cop and purchased without telling the guy I was a cop that’s entrapment. The only reason I bought it was because I missed it at the cinemas. But then I know I’m a bad film industry supporter…….
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I have been looking for this movie on DVD (to buy) for a few months. I didn’t know that it is going to be re-released through the cinemas. Do you have any idea when it will be released as a DVD?
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Henry….
That is so weird that you were able to buy a pirated DVD of this movie in Sydney. There were test screenings of a much slower version of the film, so perhaps you DID see a slower version after all. Or perhaps you did see the more recent version. I won’t be able to tell you without seeing what you bought. But thanks for alerting me to this. The “real” DVD with all the extras, deleted scenes, IV’s with the actors and filmmakers etc…will be released nationally after our Southern states’ screenings later this year. Anyone who wants to see it on the big screen let me know and I shall see if we can find a cinema near you. As SUBDIVISION was shot in anamorphic – “cinemascope” and has the most beautiful cinematography by John Stokes ( legend DP) then if you get a chance to see the movie on the big screen first, I’d recommend you try it.
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Hi Trish,
I live in South Australia and have been trying to see this film for months!!! None of the movie shops can tell me anything about when it’s coming out or where to see it! I’m dying to see it! I’ve seen the clips on the website and think it looks great. I’d appreciate if you could point me in the right direction… Cheers!
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Why do Australian films such as this continually fail? (don’t resonate with audiences). No brainer.
“Its the stories stupid”.
This was a tele movie (poor one at that) masquerading as a feature.
Words of advice Ms Lake (& your producer colleagues).
Never underestimate the collective intelligence of your intended audience.
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Word of advice for you Screen Writer; don’t presume your opinion reflects the view of the entire country.
Subdivsion isn’t the greatest film ever made, but there are many lesser films that are given a much better showing in our cinemas. Nearly all are American rubbish, like Date Night, Kick Ass and She’s Out of My League, which succeed because of the level of promotion they get.
Do you want to claim any of these are aimed at audiences of outstanding intelligence?
As to Subdivision itself it’s worst fault, in my opinion and the opinion of several others I’ve spoken to or read, is script issues. The relationship between the lead characters is unbelievable, mostly due to the male lead being an A*hole.
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Never claimed my opinions reflect the view of the entire country?
Don’t have too – figures (audience returns) – speak for themselves.
Don’t understand your logic – claiming this film is somehow acceptable because other are even worse?
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Unfortunately, I missed Subdivision, and my apologies for that – as a Queensland filmmaker I should have made more of an effort. But to add my 2 cents to this ongoing, and quite fascinating, discourse, I have to say that we, as filmmakers, have to stop blaming the audience for not watching Aussie movies. We’re not making movies they like. When we DO make a film they like – the film is generally an indie (because it’s quite rare to get a good comedy funded by funding bodies) without an A-List cast. Without the cast, it’s almost unmarketable. The crap Hollywood films get all the promotions – and the box office dollars – because, crap or not, they have a star or two in them. An indie film has no marketing money, hell, it doesn’t even have production money, so it’s an almost impossible mission to get the film in front of the Australian public. Girl Clock is an example – it has run 9 weeks in one cinema – quite a rarity for ANY film – because the audience LOVES the film and the word of mouth keeps bringing more and more people to the cinema. But word of mouth takes a while, so you HAVE to get enough people into the film in the first couple of weeks to make sure the cinema keeps you in there long enough for the word of mouth to work. It’s a chicken and egg classic. Why Subdivision didn’t work, with the kind of marketing money Disney would have behind it, should really be the question. Ditto for Two Fists. Perhaps we, collectively, as Aussie filmmakers, should be looking long and hard at distribution strategies for Aussie films. I do not think the steam train that works for Hollywood films works for Aussie films; and until the distributors can figure out the heart of the Aussie film audience, not many of these films – minus a-list casts – will have a chance. But then again, with the amount of Hollywood fare, why would they need to bother? (And granted, I do not think it’s up to the marketing only – obviously, the film has to be what the audience wants to see, regardless of the country of origin, because, as was so succinctly pointed out, the audience’s collective intelligence cannot be taken lightly.
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Writers – audiences – marketing – funny how the one’s who should be carrying the can somehow always deflect criticism? Producers.
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But Screen Writer, you did make a statement on behalf of the “intended audience”, who are they, if not the entire country?
As for my point it was that people judging the acceptability of this film on the basis of box office is flawed when you consider the box office success of films which are clearly worse. All the box office results demonstrate, IMO, is the failure of the distributor to adequately promote and distribute the film.
I suspect part of the cause for the box office failure of Subdivision was the particular audience to which it was originally distributed. For a film which pokes fun, however gently, at little coastal towns distributing it predominantly in little coastal towns seems risky at best. Had the film initially been released in the major cities it might have gained a reputation which overshadowed any tendency to give offence. Sadly it is now unlikely we will ever know.
Producer ultimately carry the can for any failed film regardless of what is said about them. Frequently they put up the money for the films, if not they deal directly with the investors who put up the money, in either case the blame for any failure ultimately comes home to them.
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We’re credited with making the first commercial feature – since then we’ve spiralled
down into publicly funded mediocrity – a people once renowned for creativity & innovation reduced to bottom feeders – where’s our Coen Bros – Spielbergs & Tarantino’s & like? Please – don’t mention Baz.
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Screenwriter – you really do seem mad at the world of Aussie film! Your comment aimed at the producers taking the blame is well taken. Frankly, speaking ONLY on behalf of myself as a producer (of Girl Clock, the film I mentioned above), OF COURSE we take the blame! It’s taken for granted, which is why I didn’t mention it. I agree with you about the publicly funded mediocrity as well – but do look out for Patrick Hughes’ film Red Hill. I was at film school with him – and I can tell you the boy is brilliant. His film is indie as well, needless to say – written, produced and directed by himself. I’m not sure when it will be released but when it is, go and see it. It’s been picked up for US distribution – so if it’s not distributed here, then I guess all my points – and everyone else’s regarding distribution, audiences and marketing is made. I haven’t seen it either, but I saw his work at film school as an 18 year old, and he is way beyond his time. As for Girl Clock – well, I’m not blaming distributors, audiences or marketing. Audiences LOVE my film, distributors don’t know how to market it because there is no A-List star in it so if they put it in a cineplex it will get kicked out after a week if we don’t come in in the Top 6 or so films that weekend (and if it’s a word of mouth film, no A-Lister to draw the crowd, HOW do you get into the top 6 against Johnny Depp or Jennifer Aniston?), and marketing is merely a question of money if you’re self distributing. But the film isn’t flawless – some of the jokes miss the mark, it’s not big budget slick slick, but at the end of the day, audiences are drawn to the story. We knew our demographic, and we aimed the film directly at them, and it works for them. Reviews have included “4 Stars – a successful Australian RomCom ” (Des Partridge), “4 and a half stars’ – go and see it for big laughs’ (Sunday Mail), ‘A black comedy that’s not afraid to take chances’ (ABC Breakfast) “An uproariously funny movie” (SE and Wynnum Herald), “A charming romantic comedy with plenty of laughs and plenty of substance” (Courier Mail). But, audiences and reviewers aside, the film doesn’t attract a distributor because the inherent problem remains – HOW do you market this film? And to drive people to see YOUR film, over and above the others, it needs to be in front of them – they need to see ads for it, they need to be guaranteed to have a good experience for their money. As one guy who came to the premiere said “I would definitely pay money to see that film”. But he said it AFTER he’d seen it. How do I get him in in the first place?
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How about releasing the “full” version of the movie, that includes the introduction of characters in the Jet.
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We thought the movie “Subdivision” was great. Thought direction, cast & crew were refreshingly wonderful. Has it been released onto dvd & where can we get a legal copy to buy?
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So how DID the relaunched Subdivision “grassroots campaign” go?
Did anyone go see this film?
It doesn’t seem to show on any box office reports…
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Hi, i really hope Subdivision reaches the UK !! as with it being cold and grey depressing weather all the time (usually over here) !! It woudl CHEER us all up, i know it would be a HIT here ! i lived in Hervey Bay for 3 years where the film was made and was lucky to be an Extra in it ! PLEASE GET THE FILM OUT HERE IT WILL DO WELL HERE, BY THE WAY,
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I am often disgusted when people just won’t bother visiting a cinema unless it’s an American block buster or widely promoted movie. Where are people’s brains?
I told so many people how good this film was -it was far better than 90% of films on offer the entire year-strong story, great acting & filming-an all round good film. But no-it’s not from USA & not a block buster-why do the public keep patronizing rubbish when we have such quality at home-hard to fathom! But keep up the great work Aussie producers/film teams-you will win out eventually! Don’t stop beleiving in what you are doing-it is GREAT!!
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So it’s the end of the year and I am stilling trying to find out where to get a copy of the DVD from? I was an extra in the movie and would love to have it as a keepsake. Anyone know if it’s released on DVD yet?
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I am also keen to get a copy of the DVD. Any hints?
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I to was an extra in ‘subdivision’, and would like to have a copy of the movie, does anyone have a release date?
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from a Disney press release:
“In a coming of age comedy about family, love and the great Australian dream, SUBDIVISION is a beautifully crafted film set on the sparkling southern coastal corner of Queensland that all Australians will fall in love with, when it’s released to DVD on 2 March 2011.”
Hi again everyone, and especially friends of SUBDIVISION.
The DVD of SUBDIVISION is launched from this month and out there in all the best stores across Australia including JB HiFi, Sanity, Sight&Sound, Borders, Civic Video, Blockbuster, Video Ezy etc… Buy or rent for a great night in. And enjoy. Looking forward to your comments!
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“An estimated budget of $4,000,000 and a box office take of $206,350”
There’s a bit of a defecit there.
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This movie is basically a bad stereotypical coming of age telemovie that is falsely advertised as a comedy. Can’t believe Disney and the screen agencies wasted their money on this crap. No wonder the Australian Film Industry is in trouble. We never learn to focus more time on making entertaining genre projects.
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I know right. What a joke that the screen bodies and studios fund this rubbish
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Coming of age zzzzz. We need more genre productions and less of this stereotypical coming of age crap.
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Exactly. How this telemovie got a budget of 4 million is beyond me.
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