I Love The 'Idiots' at Asylum

rayw

rayw

Universal Lawsuit Sinks 'Battleship' Knockoff 'American Battleship'
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/universal-battleship-movie-knockoff-331150

"The Asylum, producer of a low-budget rip-off called American Battleship, has agreed to change the name of the film to American Warships and alter its marketing and packaging in exchange for Universal dropping the lawsuit. "

0427-battleship-american-battleship-1.jpg
:lol:
 
Ha! Fantastic! Though I don't think "lawsuit sinks" is really the case here..."lawsuit temporarily inconveniences" doesn't sound so dramatic though.
 
You gotta love The Asylum for their creative and profitable business plan.

I was offered a role as an actor in one of their films but turned it down for the complete nudity and suggestive dildo usage that was required for my character.

2 years later and I kinda wish I had done it just for the laughs.
 
LOL. I have to take my hat off to them though, their business model is pretty sound. I'm sure A read somewhere, from starting the script to finishing the editing, they try and get it all done in 7-8 weeks and under $1m. (Was that one of your posts Ray?) Either way, their films may not be the best that's a pretty good work ethic.
 
welsh_gambit said:
(Was that one of your posts Ray?) Either way, their films may not be the best that's a pretty good work ethic.
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:) I dunno.
Could have been.
I can't remember a tenth of the sh!t I read and about as much of what I write. :lol:

And I honestly respect the business model, as well, although certainly not the products.



Just watched AVH: Alien vs. Hunter last night on SyFy.
avp.jpg


OMG.
What horrendous half mil bullsh!t.
Yeah, I don't care if your camerawork is only fair or that you have no budget for decent props, costumes, locations and such, but by God give a care to the story and script - PLEASE?!!!!
Surely I could theoretically do better.

http://www.freddyinspace.com/2008/10/cheap-horror-knock-offs.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjc2MNxABqc

It just breaks my heart watching actors (poorly directed to NOT act like they are on the stage for a play) deliver non sequitur lines and actions that the director/DP/editor is just going to butcher.

It was just ill conceived stem to stern.

http://forums.syfy.com/index.php?showtopic=2325297
"people for the love of god,,stay away from this."
by iuuiiuuiiuui

http://www.theman-cave.com/2009/09/amateur-hour-avh-alien-vs-hunter-2007.html
"One last note, Dedee Pfeiffer's name is misspelled on the DVD cover. I noticed this in the video store before I watched the film, so it should have been a tell-tale sign of things to come."

I find it simply amazing what SyFy will air.


http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/ff_the_asylum/all/1
December 21, 2009
"Yet, at a time when major studios are scaling back production, Asylum is thriving — or, at least, surviving. The company’s 2009 revenue is estimated at $5 million — an amount that would barely cover Michael Bay’s volumizer per diem but enough to make Asylum a reliably healthy business. And the studio is growing. It recently signed a series of deals to air more than 20 films — both “vintage” mockbusters and new titles — on the Syfy network and other NBC Universal cable channels, and it moved to a new production facility in Burbank, California.

Using cheap digital technology and even cheaper talent, the Asylum can turn around such requests in as little as four months (the Sherlock shoot — one of the Asylum’s longest — was 14 days).

“We don’t skimp on the genre,” Latt [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490375/] says. “When I talk to writers, I say, ‘OK, take a three-act structure. Write your first act, your second act, your third act — let’s develop it. Let’s get it good. Now take the first and the second act and throw them away. I only want to make act three. Because that’s when the drama happens.”

A few years ago, the Asylum’s Japanese buyers asked for a submarine thriller. But when the idea was pitched to Blockbuster, the video distributor balked, prompting the Asylum to suggest adding a monster plotline. Both parties approved — so long as the monster was a giant squid. Then all the Asylum needed to do was incorporate the two elements into one semi-coherent plotline. “I said, ‘What if we did 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea?’” Latt recalls. “‘We’ll call it 30,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It’s 10,000 more leagues.’ Everyone liked that, and it did well at the end of the day.”"



I expect at some point The Asylum films are going to pick up major cult status and they'll get talent on board much like Saturday Night Live does.



And I gotta get on board with this, somehow: http://www.syfy.com/ventures/index.php?sub=2
 
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Gonzo_Entertainment said:
Whenever I get down about my production values they always give me a shot in the arm. Hell, some of MY stuff looks better than that.
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Sh!t, man.
About ALL of your stuff looks better! :lol:

To me it's depressing that I'm not making sh!t-schlock that's broadcast worthy! Seriously!

(Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe if I got of the internet and actually... Blah, blah, blah...
Re:
NickClapper said:
I imagine that once I get that studio deal (am in BIG talks with MAJOR hollywood producer to develop my AWARD-WINNING script) I probably won't have time to spend on this board.
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?p=269762#post269762 )
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I PROMISE, as soon as I get some serious action going on I'll be long gone outta ya'lls hair - for a while. ;)




Ah!
Bonus!
The ONLY redeeming quality about AVH: It's lead actress, DeDee Pfeifrer: http://www.amazon.com/2002-Dedee-Pfeiffer-Playboy-magazine/dp/B000VNPQ32

Golly.
She's a bottle blonde.
Whowouldathunkit? :rolleyes:
 
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rayw said:
“We don’t skimp on the genre,” Latt [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490375/] says. “When I talk to writers, I say, ‘OK, take a three-act structure. Write your first act, your second act, your third act — let’s develop it. Let’s get it good. Now take the first and the second act and throw them away. I only want to make act three. Because that’s when the drama happens.”
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This may be one of my favorite quotes ever!
 
2001 Productions said:
I occasionally think that, too. And then I remember they have distribution and make a profit.
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IF I had the startup money, I have 100% confidence I could create a production/distribution company with that level of success. Anybody who wants to give somewhere between .75 and 1.5 million to give a shot, feel free.
 
Wow that was horrible.

Then again, Asylum aren't trying to make a good film...

They're trying to capitalize on the hope that Mum and Dad will be stuck in the store going "hm, Alien versus Hunter.. I think that's the one Timmy wanted!".

I think I'd rather gore my eyes out than watch more than that 1 minute "trailer".
 
A little insight:

I've know David Rimawi since he was with Village Roadshow in
the 90's. He and is partner David Latt are not interested in making
"quality" - they want to (and do) make a living doing what they
love. I, personally, admire them. I am even a bit envious. I fully
understand that most of you what to make "quality" films and
this business model is almost appalling to some of you.

Asylum produces, finances and/or distributes an average of 1000
films per year. The produce nearly 100 films per year releasing one
every four weeks. Their budgets are between $250,000 and two
million. Even thought the pay is low for everyone, The Asylum
offers a terrific entry point for people trying to learn about filmmaking.
Work on four Asylum films for $350 a week and you will learn more
about all aspects of filmmaking than four years of film school. And
get paid to do it.

Rather then wanting to gore my eyes out, I admire these guys. A
couple of six packs, a couple of pizzas, few friends and a double feature
of “The Day the Earth Stopped” (much more fun than the remake) and
"Titanic II" is a great way to spend as evening. Frankly I'd rather do
that than go see most "Hollywood" offerings.

2007 Revenue: $4.4 million
2010 Revenue: $8.2 million
 
directorik said:
I, personally, admire them. I am even a bit envious.
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Yeah. Twice now I've invested my savings and 5 years of my life each into what I thought were interesting, compelling features, busting my ass to make sure they looked and sounded as much like professional productions as possible. Despite high marks from audiences and loads of positive feedback from other producers and producer's reps, the latest film has just received its 42nd pass from a distributor.

Well, fuck that (s'cuse my french). :bang:

If you, directorik (and anybody else on this forum), have any interest in partnering up with someone like me to produce "shit that sells", I'm ready to swallow my artistic pride and start making some damned money.

Seriously.
 
I am always interested in partnering up with people to make
"shit that sells". You can swallow your artistic pride and I can
be the one very proud to make movies that sell. My goal has
never been "artistic". My goal has always been to earn a living
doing what I love and not have to work a "real" job to support
doing what I love.
 
Gonzo_Entertainment said:
IF I had the startup money, I have 100% confidence I could create a production/distribution company with that level of success. Anybody who wants to give somewhere between .75 and 1.5 million to give a shot, feel free.
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I wish you good luck ahead.

May I know how much minimum capital is required just to set up a production/distribution company and studio like The Asylum ?

I appreciate any real estimation according to present time.

Thanks
 
Gonzo has a good range. Between $75,000 and $1,500,000

The minimum could be lower. A one person operation could get
started for as little as $30,000. Maybe less.
 
directorik said:
Gonzo has a good range. Between $75,000 and $1,500,000

The minimum could be lower. A one person operation could get
started for as little as $30,000. Maybe less.
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Thanks.

So one can start with 3/5m assuming for good infrastructures like The Asylum .
 
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There is a "luck" factor involved for sure. If you took that $1.5 million and spent a couple hundred ground getting the business off the ground (office, insurance, support staff employees, several months of operating expenses, etc...) and the other million or so making 4 X 250K films at least one of them would have to hit (preferably more of course). If all 4 lost money, probably game over, but just one of them earning you a couple million back and you're off to the races.
 
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