Chapter 22: Top Ten at the Box Office
[Chapter 22: Top Ten at the Box Office]
The weather was beautiful that afternoon, with temperatures just right -- not too hot or too cold -- making it one of the most comfortable seasons in Los Angeles.
Link met with his lawyer, Sean, at the Burbank United Theater to finalize a contract. His previous contract had been with William Mason, and this time he was signing a distribution deal with a representative from United Theatres, one of the more notable art-house chains in the U.S., with 28 theaters showcasing around 400 screens.
United primarily showed independent films, occasionally featuring higher-quality mainstream releases. The agreement was for a two-week limited release, during which Buried would be screened in five of United's theaters. If the film exceeded expectations at the box office over the coming weeks, United would consider expanding the release to their entire chain.
Because theaters had to invest in venue maintenance and promotions for releases, they had the upper hand, taking a significant cut of the box office revenue -- 65%, to be exact. Link would receive 35% and was also required to support promotional events organized by the theater.
This distribution model was not uncommon in the film industry. Filmmakers sometimes bypassed traditional distribution companies, partnering directly with theater chains. For instance, the low-budget film My Big Fat Greek Wedding had mediocre box office numbers initially, leading its distributor to pull back on marketing while theaters believed in its potential and kept showing it. It eventually grossed $369 million worldwide on a mere $5 million budget -- breaking records for romantic comedies.
The advantage of this partnership was that both the filmmakers and the theaters could secure a larger share of the profits, though it raised concerns about transparency in box office reporting, which could leave filmmakers in a tight spot if revenue numbers were not clear.
So far, United had been highly transparent about their box office data, and Link was eager to continue collaborating with them. After signing the contract, Buried had its US release in five theaters, with four hosting premieres. Link attended the premiere at the Beverly Hills United Theater.
At the event, Link answered questions from over a dozen reporters regarding the film's plot, its themes, and any challenges he faced during production. United even invested $300,000 in media promotions, running trailers for Buried on AMC. Compared to his previous premiere, this one had significantly larger scale and influence.
...
Quentin Tarantino, Jerome Preston, and others saw the news and called to ask about it.
"Link, did you really get Buried released?" Quentin asked over the phone.
"Yeah, I told you I'd get it out there, and I followed through," Link replied.
"You're insane! How much has it made so far?"
"Not much, just over $80,000."
"Eighty grand is still decent! You made it on a $20,000 budget, so that's four times return. You're in the clear, and for a new director, that's a great start. You might even have studios reaching out to you for collaborations. Make the most of it."
"Got it."
---
Three days after the film's release in the five theaters, Link received box office data from William Mason. The weekend figures showed total earnings of $148,000, with an average gross of $9,866 per theater and an attendance rate of over 65%.
In the realm of art films, an average of over $10,000 per theater was considered impressive, indicating strong potential for box office success. Buried was just shy of that mark.
In its first week of release, Buried grossed $288,000 across five theaters, placing it 18th on the weekly box office chart among films released at the same time. The average per theater was $8,228, good enough for 3rd place, suggesting considerable ticket-selling power.
According to Link's agreement with United, theaters would expand Buried's screening to all 28 locations starting the following Friday. He then followed the promotional team arranged by United on a roadshow through major cities to increase the film's visibility and excitement.
...
"Look over there! Isn't that the poster for Link's movie Buried?" Matt Damon pointed to a larger-than-life poster outside the local United Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
"He really is a director," Ben Affleck raised an eyebrow.
"He mentioned that last time," Matt observed.
"I thought he was just joking. He was such a wreck, working in a fast-food joint, riding his bike to deliver food. Who would think he'd be a director?"
"He's also an actor -- directing himself as well. That sounds pretty cool; should we check it out?"
"Let's go! Hopefully, it's not a dud."
They walked into the theater together and queued for tickets. An hour and half later, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck emerged from the cinema, their expressions a mix of surprise and bewilderment.
"How is this possible? Link really is incredible! Not only did he make a great film, but his acting was top-notch too. He's our age; how did he pull this off?" Matt thought back to the film he had just seen, recalling the waiter at the burger joint, the bike delivery guy, and the scruffy young man on the train. He felt a newfound respect for a peer.
"It's nothing. He's just a bit ahead of us. If we take it seriously, we could catch up in no time," Ben said, with his hands in his pockets and a deadpan expression.
"That's hard! Let's not even talk about his acting; just look at his writing and directing skills. One actor, one coffin, in an incredibly confined space, conveying a grand worldview using simple dialogue and reflecting on the Cold War while opposing war -- it's astonishing! I know I could never pull that off."
Matt sighed, feeling a twinge of defeat.
"Hey, man, don't think that way. You're a Harvard grad; there's nothing you can't do. If you think Link is impressive, make him your target. How about aiming to surpass him in three years? If you pull it off, how cool would that be?"
Ben clapped him on the shoulder.
"That sounds good. I'll take your challenge. I'll make Link my goal and aim to surpass him in five years."
"Now that's the spirit!" Ben wrapped an arm around Matt's shoulders.
----
"Great news! Great news! Link's movie is a hit, breaking into the top ten this week with over a million dollars at the box office!"
In Los Angeles, Chris Barnes rode up to the apartment complex on his bike, waving a copy of the Los Angeles Times. A group of young men and women was partying in the courtyard.
"What? Link's movie is a hit?"
"Made it into the top ten for the week?"
"Didn't you guys say it was terrible and no one would see it? How can it be a hit?"
"Chris, let me see!"
The group paused their drinking and dancing, eager to grab the newspaper from Chris's hands to check how much Buried had made that week.
Gasps of astonishment filled the air as they saw the numbers. At that moment, Monica Bellucci strolled by, her stunning figure quickly catching the attention of the men present.
"Hey, Monica, did you hear? Link's movie made over a million dollars!" shouted Erik, tattooed and excited as he waved the paper.
Monica Bellucci ignored him, her expression indifferent, as she swayed her alluring hips and entered Apartment 13.
"Fuck, what an arrogant girl! When I get her, she'll know what I'm about," Erik grumbled, looking frustrated.
...
As Monica climbed the stairs, a newspaper slipped from her bag as she fumbled for her keys, landing open on the ground. The still images of Buried on the page aligned perfectly with the face of the guy she had bumped into before.
Monica blinked her long lashes, bending down to pick up the newspaper.
*****
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