Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 155

155. Seat Occupancy

There’s a common misconception about successful movies:

[They only made money because theaters were forced to show it.]

[It’s all marketing.]

It’s all marketing.

The movie itself isn’t that great, but its success is inflated by forcing theaters to show it.

It would have flopped if it had been released normally like other movies.

But there’s one important premise missing here.

Namely.

[Companies aren’t stupid, why would they push a movie that won’t sell? LOL]

Corporations love money.

[Movies that the public criticizes are usually successful movies.]

[They get criticized because they’re successful. Movies that don’t sell don’t even get criticized.]

[There’s even a category called ‘movies you watch while complaining’.]

For corporations, each theater is money.

How they distribute screens across the country to different movies directly impacts their quarterly earnings.

Therefore, forcing a failed movie is something that rarely happens.

If they were to push it, the most they would do is give it a slight push in the early stages of release.

Once the story reaches this point, a question will soon arise.

[So what criteria do movie theaters use to push movies?]

The criteria for pushing.

And right now, [Buddy and Me 2] is shining in this regard.

[Achieved 81% theater seat occupancy rate]

It was the seat occupancy rate.

If there are 100 seats, how many of those seats are occupied by customers?

This is the standard that movie theater companies use to push movies.

A work with a 20% seat occupancy rate and a work with a 60% seat occupancy rate, with the power of marketing combined, can have a difference of more than 3 times, 10 times, or even more in sales.

“From now on, I will briefly explain the seat occupancy rate to the actor.”

If it exceeds 30%, there is a possibility of a big hit.

“Works that exceed 30% are on the borderline of aiming for the top spot in the box office rankings at least once. Unless the competition is too strong at the same time.”

If it exceeds 40%, it’s undoubtedly a big hit.

“At 40%, you’ll almost always hit number one. If the timing is right, there’s a possibility of recording number one for several weeks in a row.”

Going even further from here.

What if it exceeds 50%?

“Around 50%, that work can become the king of the releases of the year. If there’s a movie company that doesn’t push it, that company is a fool.”

“…….”

“If they have no sense, they should close up shop.”

Director Seo Jeong-woo stood Lee Min-ki in front of him, slowly and gently moving his feet.

It was like Michael Jackson’s dance moves.

“‘Buddy and Me 2’s occupancy rate is 81%.”

He turned slightly, looking at Lee Min-ki as he walked gracefully.

“What do you think?”

“That’s amazing.”

“Yes, it’s an amazing number. Of course, it’s a number created under special conditions. Compared to the buzz, the number of theaters itself was small, so interested people flocked to those few theaters.”

Conditions were good, he meant.

Netplay secured a small number of theaters and held a special screening, so fans must have flocked to it.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Even so, it’s still an amazing number. In the first place, unpopular movies have few theaters, and usually barely reach about 20%.”

Ah, I achieved four times that much.

Amazing.

It feels like spending ten million won on a game.

As Lee Min-ki was marveling, Director Seo Jeong-woo continued.

“Do you know what the highest seat occupancy rate in Korean film history was? You probably don’t know…….”

That moment.

“87.6%.”

An answer flowed from Lee Min-ki’s mouth like lightning.

“[Mooi], a movie about General Yi Sun-shin [a famous Korean admiral]. The final audience exceeded 17.5 million. There was controversy over screen pushing, but in reality, it maintained an occupancy rate of over 50% throughout the screening.”

“…….”

“It was definitely criticized for monopolization, but among industry insiders, the consensus was that it was worth pushing! Because it kept selling as much as it was pushed. Even when other movies would have been pushed back in the rankings.”

Accurate.

Director Seo Jeong-woo blinked at the very detailed answer.

“You knew.”

“Yes, it was such a great record. This much is common sense as an actor.”

Lee Min-ki answered as if it were natural.

But it’s by no means a boast.

The movie [Mooi] is truly a movie that will remain in Korean film history.

[Mooi, reaches 10 million viewers in just 8 days of release]

[Mooi, achieves the all-time number 1 record in Korean film history]

It’s shining proudly at the top with the name of number 1.

It would be strange not to know.

Then, Director Seo Jeong-woo squinted and said.

“You let me explain even though you knew.”

“Ahem, I didn’t really have any intention.”

Lee Min-ki hastily came up with an impromptu excuse, feeling guilty.

“I thought it wouldn’t be bad to listen to a lecture directly from one of the top experts and specialists in the Korean entertainment industry.”

Director Seo Jeong-woo let out a small cough at Lee Min-ki’s flattery that didn’t even sound like flattery.

“…… Well, I understand. Let’s move on from this for now.”

And then, gathering his breath.

He spoke as if to put a period on this conversation.

“‘Buddy and Me 2’ has now become a work that will remain in the history of the American box office.”

That’s right.

That was the key.

Beyond subjective evaluation, it clearly proved the potential of the work [Buddy and Me 2] with numbers.

“The occupancy rate of [Sphere], which is currently number one at the box office, is 42%.”

It surpassed [Sphere], which had screens pushed nationwide and marketing poured out like crazy.

If it didn’t become a hot topic, it would definitely be a lie.

“Do you understand?”

At that moment, Lee Min-ki even felt as if flames were flickering in Director Seo Jeong-woo’s eyes.

“Actor, you are now becoming a legend in the industry in your fourth year since debut.”

Legend.

Lee Min-ki swallowed hard at those heavy two letters.

And then asked.

“What should I do from now on?”

“You don’t need to do anything.”

Director Seo Jeong-woo cut him off as if making a firm decision.

The next moment.

What came out of his mouth was an arrogant yet confident remark.

“There are other places that need to take action. The movie companies that are getting impatient.”

“…….”

“They will come begging on their own.”

I wonder if it will really go that far.

I can’t quite adapt to the fact that the director, who is usually so calm, is saying such things.

‘What’s going to happen.’

Lee Min-ki looked at the ceiling, feeling a slight dizziness.

The next moment.

Beep.

A text message came to his phone, and the content was absurd.

[I heard Netplay declared war on AST?]

* * *

The revenue flow of typical movies in the United States is as follows.

Usually, one-fifth of the total North American revenue occurs in the first week of release.

This is called opening weekend records, and it generally refers to the revenue for the three days of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Why is this important?

Why are American officials so fixated on opening revenue?

[In North American movies, you can roughly estimate the value after the first 3 days.]

[When it comes to movies, the first thing you need to do is make good opening revenue.]

It was the established theory.

Because the first 3 days determine one-third of the work’s sales.

[Opening of 100 million? Then it will make 300 million dollars in North America alone.]

The opposite was also true.

If you ruin the opening revenue, the limit of that movie is as good as set.

There is no reversal.

Because movie companies judge the potential of a movie based on opening revenue.

[We decide whether to maintain or reduce the number of screens during the first 3 days and reflect it the following week.]

Publicity also proceeds based on opening revenue.

[Let’s reduce the coverage of this work and invest more in the next one.]

[There was no reversal.]

It was an absolute proposition, like the constitution of the film industry.

[The lifespan of a movie is determined in the first 3 days.]

Right here.

At this point, the reversal of [Buddy and Me 2] was born.

[Buddy and Me 2, achieves 4 million dollars in opening revenue]

Anyone could see it was a failure.

If it were a somewhat anticipated work, it would be disappointing even to make 40 million dollars in the opening week alone, but only 4 million dollars.

The competitor [Sphere] had already achieved 75 million dollars.

The problem was the seat occupancy rate.

[Seat occupancy rate 81%]

This contradictory figure.

Movie companies had no choice but to hesitate.

“Okay, let’s start the meeting.”

In deciding the future of the work Buddy and Me 2.

Cinecastle, a very large multiplex company with 6,000 screens in the United States alone.

The management there began to argue about the future of the work [Buddy and Me 2].

“Looking at the pure performance of the work Buddy and Me 2, it’s right to push more screens.”

A man opened his mouth.

“It has proven a figure that is among the best in the past 80 years of works shown in our theaters.”

It was an objective truth that everyone knew.

The potential of Buddy and Me 2 is enormous, and if pushed, it will definitely sell.

But the important thing was on the outside.

“Well?”

A man with an aristocratic impression sneered and opened his mouth.

What specific rebuttal will come out?

Just as everyone’s attention was focused on the next word, the man’s words were unexpected.

“I don’t think AST would like what you just said very much.”

It was because of AST’s pressure.

“There was a hint once recently, wasn’t there? That they want to maintain a good relationship.”

Good relationship is just a nice way of saying it, it was close to a threat.

AST not only held some shares of Cinecastle but also exerted influence throughout the film industry.

Even the sneering man right now wasn’t he an executive from AST?

‘That lackey. I want to burn his hair with a torch.’

Unfortunately, the bald director, who didn’t even have hair to burn with a torch, frowned at that obnoxious expression and tone.

“There are enough screens left. If it’s a work of this level, there’s a high possibility that another company will take it. Isn’t that right for AST right now?”

Why are they afraid that another movie company will take it?

Usually, distributors aren’t the absolute power?

To explain this part, it’s because this is America, not Korea.

‘Since you can only show about 4,000 theaters legally with one work anyway, it’s important to which movie company you give that work to.’

If it’s a lousy work, it doesn’t matter.

But as the level of the work increases, even the best movie company has no choice but to be mindful of the eyes of the very large studio, even if only a little, that was the reality of the American film industry.

“I agree with Richard’s opinion.”

A man raised his hand and opened his mouth.

“What if AST boycotts our Cinecastle from now on?”

“……!”

Everyone in the conference room flinched.

Everyone was aware of it, but the words that they didn’t bother to say came out.

“It’s a relationship that we’ve worked hard to build up until now. If we have to completely give up the Odin Universe works to other companies, where else would there be such a loss?”

AST’s presence was enormous.

Depending on which movie company supplies their works, sales for that year fluctuate by tens of percent.

Even if you sell one minor work, AST’s influence cannot but be exerted.

‘To have to worry about a 4 million dollar work like this.’

‘But the seat occupancy rate is 81%…… such figures are rare even for one work a year.’

It was humiliating, but in front of AST’s powerful sales, they had no choice but to voluntarily act as servants.

This was the current state of American movie companies.

Having to beg to please sell their goods.

But.

Because of that, there were also those who harbored antipathy towards AST.

“Listening to the story makes me curious.”

The current representative of Cinecastle was like that.

A man with a heavy impression like a godfather in a mafia movie, he tilted his chin and said.

“Which company are you an employee of?”

“……!”

“Listening to the story, I can’t tell whether this is our company’s conference room or AST’s conference room.”

When he, who had been quiet for a long time, threw a word, everyone who had been chattering in the conference room shut their mouths at once.

The representative of Cinecastle was such a person.

Because he was heavy?

No.

“It’s not like a kid worrying about who they like better, mom or dad.”

Because he had such a stubborn personality that there was no point in arguing.

‘Personal attacks here?’

While the AST executive was blinking in disbelief, the representative continued.

“Are we AST’s subcontractor? Is it the duty of a movie company to always give out movies that will be a hit? While begging for just one blockbuster work?”

“…….”

“No. Movie companies have traditionally been partners walking alongside studios, not above or below them.”

There was no one who could refute it.

It was because the other party was the representative, but more than that, if you were an employee of a theater company, you couldn’t refute those words.

Because it was a principle.

[If making a good movie is the job of the producer, then discovering it is the job of the movie company.]

It was a long-standing saying.

Like the Hippocratic Oath.

The representative of Cinecastle was pointing out this part.

“From our perspective, we don’t know whether AST will be a good partner in the long term, or whether Netplay will be a good partner.”

A decision must be made.

It seemed that the result would not be too difficult to reach.

“If you want to be treated like a partner, you have to act like a partner, right?”

It seemed.

The advance of [Buddy and Me 2] would not end in the first week.

* * *