P&A

No, no, no, not a typo in a headline from a girlie mag.

P&A, P&A, P&A. Any feature film producer who has spent too little on ‘promotions/publicity,’ and been haunted by that alpha-symbolic combo – knows it stands for prints and ads. (While T&A might give a big boost to P&A, we don’t want to go there right now…)

The effectiveness of the a-part of P&A says much about why some films find the public they deserve, while others stumble and fall. So today, gentle readers, let us discreetly observe and gently remark upon the film marketing environment in Canada.

The average English Canadian doesn’t give a rat’s a about Canadian film.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but consider an ‘average’ example lately seen…

Two movers lug the various parts of a pool table through the family room of a suburban home in a big Canadian city. Stopping for a break en route to the basement, they catch sight of an unassuming yet quite attractive film poster leaning against the wall. ‘Hey, look at that,’ says the junior, nudging his boss, ‘is that Grumpy Old Men?’ And they focus for a sec on the snow-speckled, fur-clad stars of Claude Jutra’s masterpiece Mon oncle Antoine.

‘Actually,’ the new homeowner puts in shyly, ‘it’s a Canadian film.’

‘Canadian?’ The movers are suspicious. They lean in for a better look.

‘Oh, but it’s in French,’ says one. ‘I don’t speak French.’

‘Actually, it’s got subtitles. It’s really good.’

A glance, a shrug between them and the game is up. Eight ball in Hollywood’s corner pocket. The homeowner doesn’t even have time for a lame ‘I’m sorry’ before the pair move off. Clunking down the stairs after his boss, the junior huffs, ‘I don’t go for subtitles. I thought it was Grumpy Old Men.’

And now for something completely different.

So the jurors for the Canadian Film Awards – aka the Genies – are lugging around the rules on film eligibility as they prepare to screen the submissions for Genies 2000. Suddenly, they catch sight of a practical, but quite attractive new rule leaning against the ballot box. It says that even films in which Canadians hold a minority equity position can qualify for the Genies. So pictures like Sunshine and Felicia’s Journey can bring the reality of internationally financed movies home, not only to meet the folks, but compete with them at the box office and awards shows, too. A thoroughly modern rule for a modern, global marketplace. But the rule is not applied uniformly, it seems, since some films manage good reviews and good box office but no award nominations.

Genie jurors presumably do give a rat’s a for Canadian film, but gave no nods to Better Than Chocolate, Anne Wheeler’s lesbian comedy which has racked up some $3 million in North American ticket sales and lots of good press.

But maybe the jurors haven’t seen enough of an ad campaign.

With international coproducers now free to rack up Canadian recognition in all forms, Canadian distributors have clear choices: either have the majority partner dictate the level of promotion spending and pick up most of the back end, or structure a good majority deal themselves which recognizes the need to spend on promotions in every release window.

P&A.