A few months back there was a little outrage in the musicindustry when Prince’s latest album was given away totally for FREE with every copy of The Mail on Sunday here in the U.K. I don’t think you even had to send away for any vouchers or coupons or anything (though I’m not certain on that) it just came attached to the paper.
Presumably, Prince got a small percentage of every newspaper that was sold and you have to wonder whether he made a fortune out of doing it this way? I mean, in 2007 how many people realistically were going to buy Prince’s latest album here in the U.K. but a massive number of people will buy The Mail on Sunday and even if he is only getting a small percentage, it could have amounted to an awful lot of money.
The edition of the newspaper sold 2.8 million copies, which is the most sold since a special pullout edition of Princess Diana’s death in 1997. Yes folks, it seems we all like freebies!
Now comes word from Variety that The Mail on Sunday is at it again but this time with a feature movie. The British indie murder-mystery thriller The Riddle starring a whole host of famous actors has ‘gone straight to paper’ and will be offered free with ever copy of The Mail on Sunday on Sept. 16th.
Vinnie Jones, Julie Cox, Jason Flemyng, Vanessa Redgrave and Derek Jacobi all star in the flick for director Brendan Foley.
The managing director of The Mail, expects over 2 million copies of the newspaper to be sold. The newspaper will hold the rights to the feature film for one week before giving up their ownership of it and it will then be brought out in the more traditional methods of DVD distribution and even television screenings.
The movie is about a murder mystery which kicks into gear when an unpublished Charles Dicken novel is found.
I shall certainly be picking up this DVD on Sept. 16th so I guess you could say this move has worked on me. The movie was budgeted at $5 million and although it won’t make that figure back just from newspaper sales, it potentially could make a lot more than if it were released theatrically alongside the likes of 3:10 to Yuma, Disturbia and Superbad here in the U.K.
3 Comments
I remember buying the Times on Sunday a few months back for Donnie Darko directors cut. Mind you, the paper cost £2.50.
Yuck. Another evil scheme by the Daily Mail to lure innocent people into its wicked, warped, neo-fascist view of the world.
It just goes to show the kind of desperate state mainstream media forms are in these days. Music, British film and the printed press all in a panic and having to go for these gimmicks to try and get attention and remain important. I bet the film is poor, and I can guarantee that the paper will be even worse.
I applaud the filmmakers for making this bold move for Indy Cinema. The studio system has grown so immense that it’s virtually impossible for smaller indy movies to be discovered.
(I mean, when you think of the Mail and Prince…they are anything but similar in what they say and how they say it…But it was a brilliant move on Prince’s part to get his CD the coverage it got from the MoS.)
And whatever I feelings about the editorial content of the Mail, I am HUGELY excited to see a new British film with such a diverse and remarkable cast: Derek Jacobi, Vanessa Redgrave, Vinnie Jones, Mel Smith, Jason Flemyng…Wow!
The old distribution model is quickly becoming obsolete. Face it, in the world of youtube, myspace and movies being released directly to the consumer via DVRs (it’s a fact already in the states) — these moves will become more and more common.
It’s a realy plus for the consumer.
I can’t WAIT to see this film!