The more characters stand, the more divided the movies get. Quality will fall.
f********* haikus.
I don't have anything really special planned today, but at the end of this post I will discuss an idea for my blog. It is something that's hopefully going to add a little spice to this page so stay tuned for that. For now, I'd like to discuss something that means a lot to me. Of course, they are superhero films. Here's the thing. I enjoy Disney. I enjoy Barbie movies. But they're not my first love. My first love is Batman and Spiderman. When I was young, Batman and Spiderman has been one of my regular shows to watch especially when I'm bored. And I'm not gonna tell you which Batman and Spiderman shows they were because that's just gonna reveal how immortal I really am. Anyway, I love Superheroes. I may not read comics as much as others, but I really love Superheroes. I think they're cool, they have great stories to tell and I am a sucker for great stories. We get a lot of it, and I think this is the perfect time to talk about it, now that Captain America: Civil War is going to show in my country this week (I am so excited!).
Having all these phases for Marvel & DC, but there's something wrong with Superhero films nowadays. For the longest time, I've been trying to pinpoint what that was. Now I have. Without further adieu, let me talk about the problem I have with superhero films today.
2016 is the year of superhero films. We got Deadpool down, and a dozen more to go. But I guess it doesn't matter because we all love them, anyway. But if you follow trending news about Superhero films and TV series like me (wait you don't?), you would be able to notice that there are issues. And no, I am not talking about the casting choices. We got to see this issue before Deadpool came out. That's right, it is the rating issue. This does not end with Deadpool. Heck it didn't even begin with Deadpool. Suicide Squad intended to push through with their PG rating for a very long time. That certainly did not make a lot of fans happy. Now, Wolverine is going for an R-rating, and there are news that Batman V Superman should also have the same rating. Suicide Squad is still going for their PG-rating, making fans a bit more disappointed.
Recently we have so many trailers coming all at once.I can smell the marketing competition
alongside my Christmas candles.
The major mistake of many is to immediately judge the movie
because of the two T’s: teasers and trailers. Just because the marketing
strategy of the film was not that good, it does not necessarily mean that the
movie is going to be awful. Sometimes there is a good marketing and a bad
movie; other times there is bad marketing and good movies. The challenge most
of the time is to have the marketing part and the delivery of the product match
each other. If you can’t market your product well, no one is going to care about
it or worse, they’re going release negative word-of-mouth. I’ve been studying
marketing for quite some time and I think now is the time to put those
learnings to good use by analyzing the marketing strategies of the following
movies; Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Captain America: Civil War.
Here we shall see what went right and what went wrong, and what has caused us
to think this way.
Warning: DC and Marvel comparisons are present in this post,
but only for the sake to point out their marketing strategies. Please do not
assume that I am saying that the other entity is better than the other. Both
fandoms are great. Now let’s leave it at that.
Ok let’s be honest, not everyone was thrilled with the brand
new trailer of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Comments say it was
overstuffed. It gave away the entire plot and it was just plain disappointing.
Now the people who say this are mostly DC fans. Mostly. First thing you need to
know about marketing is that once you have a product in mind—in this case, a
movie that’s soon-to-be-a-franchise—you need to know your niche.
Side note: Marvel has the upper hand on this part now
because they’ve been doing so much movies already, and they know their audience
fairly well by now. As for DC…well, not so much. The only DCU films movie-goers
ever gave a shit about, were the Dark Knight Trilogy and The Man of Steel.
That’s just it. And these films were presumed to be independent of one another.
Basically, the DCU still doesn’t have a clue who their target market was until
the first official trailer, which was shown during Comic Con. If you think I’m
saying that they’re starting from scratch, then that’s I’m trying to point out.
Again, let us be reminded they’re not following the Marvel Studio formula where
you need three or five independent movies for each iconic Justice League
character. Compared to MCU, DCU still needs a lot of work at this point if they
intend to make it big as well in the Box Office.
Now they managed to succeed in the first trailer release,
because I don’t think it was not that bad. It shows everything you need to be
excited about. But since it is released just for Comic Con—and eventually the
World Wide Web, then my best assumption for this is that this very first
trailer was obviously meant to target the hardcore comic book and DC fans. The
second trailer was definitely not for the fans. That’s right fans who were so
disappointed in the second trailer; this wasn’t for you at all. It is meant for
a much more general audiences who aren’t that knowledgeable about the DC
universe. Like seriously, re-watch the trailer with a Twihard and ask if he or
she knows who Doomsday is, I effin’ dare you. He or she might assume Doomsday is like
the Justice League’s version of the Incredible Hulk. Back to my point, they want more people to watch this. They
probably want to recreate the miracle that occurred in Marvel Studios where people
were oblivious to the world of comics and came out of the theaters as converted
fans (Haha, don’t deny it. You’re one of those people too.). Simple as that.
But hey, what’s the point of making a good trailer for the
general audience if they show all the good parts?
Now that’s where they got confused.
When you market something, it’s like saying a promise. When
you buy this shampoo, I promise you that your hair will no longer have ticks.
When you buy this car, I promise you that the gas consumption of it will be
cheaper. The title of the movie alone delivers not one, but two promises. The
first promise of BvS is well…BvS. It promises a good fight scene between
Superman and Batman. The second promise lies on the Dawn of Justice part, which
simply means that this will be where the journey of the Justice League begins.
Now here is where the marketing team of BvS struggled. After knowing what
promise you want to tell your target market, that’s where you show your best
features. In this case, they have two major promises for the audiences and they
need to feature each somehow. This unfortunately caused the trailer to be
overstuffed. Basically, they weren’t sure what message to tell to the
audiences. They were simply torn if they should only talk about the Batman V
Superman fights or the emergence of the Justice League, because these are very
exciting concepts. So they probably panicked and showed both. Shoehorning
Doomsday because that’s their best feature for the Justice League promise. Now
I agree, the trailer shouldn’t reveal everything. But in this case, their goal
is a very general trailer. Now I can’t help but notice that most of the
comments and critics for the second trailer came out like this:
“I just want Batman V Superman. I don’t care about the
Justice League. Just give me Batman and Superman fighting.”
At this point, they should’ve listened to their niche and
stick to just Batman vs. Superman snips. Or maybe just released their 50-second
teaser. But again, I understand why they released this trailer, because it is
for an audience who know not much about Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman. And
to make this work, they could’ve just stuck to at least until the roar of
Doomsday and then cut the tape. That is, if they want to execute two of their
promises in one three-marketing material. I guess at this point the DCU is
pretty much desperate to look cool in the superhero trends. They want everyone
to know they can have a cool team-up just like the Avengers.
But let me tell you guys that this does not define DC
altogether. I think the best marketing for DC so far occurs in the TV Universe,
and that is DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. The TV Universe has more ground, thanks
to Arrow and The Flash and they are fully aware that the side characters
featured in this spin-off series are well-loved by the audience, so to keep
them hooked a crossover/team-up series with no filler arcs is the best way to
go to keep up their numbers. And they need to get through to Arrow first if
they want to see it. Good move, CW. But please work on your teasers.
Now for the Civil War trailer. Yes, I can smell the Marvel
fans expecting me to praise this trailer.Ok, personally I thought the trailer was good, and it already showed
what I needed to know about. It already spoke of its promise, which is, “Expect
Captain America to fight Ironman and the entire world for Bucky. Because...Bucky. Bucky.” Then they
execute the scenes that make it look like a Civil War.
I like how they give a reason for their fight, which is
Bucky. The reason why it’s been given so much praises is simply because Marvel
does have the upper hand. They’ve been making one movie after the other, and
they know their fans will still watch because they are fully aware that
everything in Marvel is connected somehow. It is a tiring yet effective plan.
Because of this non-stop movie-making, they’ve become aware of their target
market, and they were also able to research them, which is something the WB
marketing team can’t do at the moment due to their scarce source materials
(like I said, DCU is just starting, chill guys and have faith). Marvel Studios
knows what makes us tick. And after Avengers and the Winter Soldier, they know
perfectly well that anything that has to do with the friendship of Tony and
Steve, and a bit off Bucky will make us shut up and allow them to take our
money. Because…Bucky. Bucky.
Just looking at the scenes makes you wonder what is going to
happen and how in the world will this conflict end. For the hardcore Marvel
fans out there, you probably already know.
The best features of their promise are three things. First
is the tension between Ironman and Captain America. The next is Bucky. And the
last how this simple conflict is going to cause Civil War.That’s all the trailer shows. That’s their
marketing strategy. Let us make Bucky the source of this conflict, because
everyone seems to care about Bucky. Because as implied in the trailer, Captain
America won’t let anyone hurt Bucky, who is perceived as this man that must be
killed. And it is going to cause a lot of problems. So hurrah, Marvel fans.
Your marketing team is not so bad. Because…Bucky.
That is how you market a movie, my friends. Tell us the
promise and only show portions of your best features. Whether it is the
characters or the conflict itself, just showcase it somehow. But don’t expose
all the parts of your best features/ And also, it is best if you can come up
with a target market, especially when you are starting franchise like DC. If
you want a general audience, then give them an education of the characters who
they probably know about and let them know what these characters are getting
into. If you want to target an audience is very knowledgeable about fandoms,
then tug at their hearts and research on your freakin’ audience. Know what
makes them tick and use it against them. Isn’t marketing just plain beautiful?
And that concludes my long post about marketing approaches
and how it must be done. As I mentioned on my Facebook page, December is the
most convenient month for me to watch some Anime. And yes, I will be posting a
brand new Anime review pretty soon. Just give me a couple of more days to
finish the show until I can construct my thoughts on it. It will probably not
be the last since I have time to review some Anime movies and series. So expect
more Anime in this post. If you’re on the holidays, then congratulations and I
wish you the best time of your life. If you’re still on a Holidaze due to your
upcoming exams and workload, then I still wish you all the best. Till the next
post~
This week has been really action-packed with DC. We had the major crossover events between The Flash and Arrow. And we had a brand new teaser and full trailer for Batman V Superman! What a good time to be alive.
I have to say, this crossover was so much better than last year but most of my expectations weren't met, to be honest. A lot of people have been saying that the crossover event here would introduce the Legends of Tomorrow, but all we've got was an introduction to the villain, Vandal Savage--who was super awesome, by the way (I love the step-up for villains this season--and the brand new heroes, Hawkman and Hawkgirl. And the crossover episodes were focused on how to defeat Vandal Savage, who's role was to kill both Hawkman and Hawkgirl in order for his immortality to continue. That's just it. I was kinda hoping to see White Canary or even Captain Cold enter the scenes to take down Savage, but that didn't happen. Apart from that slight disappointment, I thought this week's episodes were great. The action scenes were epic, the tension between the characters of Arrow and The Flash were so amusing to watch. Also, the emerging moment of Hawkgirl was the most highlighted moment for me. It sent chills down through my spine and the teamwork of the Green Arrow and the Flash just gives me the feels! Sorry, I just love seeing heroes work together.
Then there's the brand new trailer of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. In this trailer, we get to hear Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne have an actual conversation...that is, until Jesse Eisenberg cuts in. I'm not gonna lie, but he sounds kinda funny in this trailer than he did in the last one. Also I am questioning their choice of casting for Alfred because no matter how much ear surgery I will get, I will still hear Scar from the Lion King. The last thing I need to hear is telling Bruce that he needs to be prepared.
Anyway, let us re-live this epic trailer for a few minutes, shall we?
Aside from that, I thought the trailer was semi-cool. Meaning, I love it but at the same time I have some concerns. Of course, I was amazed by the effects in this. I get the feeling anyone gets whenever they view porn: full satisfaction. But also, I thought the trailer showed too much. Like everyone is complaining that the trailer gave everything away. Since this is Fangirl Moment, allow me to sound DC-Biased for this; I want to think that there is more to the plot than just Batman and Superman fighting. I think they decided to show them working together awkwardly behind Wonder Woman--that part made me squeal omg--because a fight between major DC heroes can come out as something predictable. On the other hand, I think they decided to show that last bit because lots of bloggers and social media people overanalyzed the first trailer. So what will the movie truly show? Is it something we have to worry about? Is there going to be more DC heroes appearing in this movie? Is there going to be romance blossoming between Clark and Bruce? What? Can this movie come out tomorrow?
And that is it for my mini-fangirling. What did you think of this week's line-up of heroes? Did you like the crossover episodes of The Flash and Arrow? Did you hate the trailer of BvS just like everyone who lost all hope for DC? Let me know. Let's Disqus. Till the next post~
Ok. Because someone managed to leak the entire trailer, we get the full-length of it in high definition earlier than we expected.
Again, this teaser trailer screams teaser trailer. Since the movie is just a year away, it does not reveal too much. All we know is that Superman is being treated like some kind of god, and people are either against it or for it. That alone is pretty interesting and not so surprising. It reminds me of the beginning of Pixar's The Incredibles, when civilization was trying to sabotage all the superheroes. The only difference is that Superman here is viewed as a god. A god to be feared and respected, judging from how the military bows down to him. Now I am curious about what kind of personality Clark will have in this film. Because Superman is a DC character who is filled with humility. It really makes me wonder why he would allow the masses to view him as some sort of deity, who ends up being disrespected in the end.
As for Batman...well I am stoked. Not everyone is not huge about the idea of Ben Affleck becoming the next Batman. Some of my friends are not approving of it, since most of us are still convinced by the idea that Christian Bale nailed the role and only he can uphold the Batman name. I have to be honest, I had my doubts about it as well. I am not too familiar with Affleck's work, and let's be real here; his Daredevil days were not so hot. But when I heard his dialogue, which is the famous one-liner, "Do you bleed" thing. Yeah. For the first time ever, I took Batman's intimidating voice very seriously. It sounds so good. It's crispy, tough, and empowering. It almost sounds like the Batman I grew up to know and love. Sorry Bale.
One thing is certain. Superman is someone to be feared in this film. But then again, we are not sure until we see more trailers of it. For all we know, he could framed, brainwashed, or both. All we know is Superman is messed up and Batman needs to intervene. Then their meeting will give birth to the Justice League. Boom. Can't wait for more. Hopefully the next trailer will reveal a glimpse of Wonder Woman please?
I know that Avengers: Age of Ultron is just a week away and everyone is absolutely excited to see another clash of heroes and squads working together, but allow me this. After a millenium... we are getting the Batman Vs. Superman trailer we all deserve.
...Well almost.
Unlike the Star Wars trailer, fans will not have a hard time analyzing this trailer frame by frame. Not only because it is twenty seconds long, but also it is literally a teaser. This teaser has definitely outdone its right as a freakin' teaser. It was total tease! Like seriously! What you see is what you get...for now.
Luckily, we will get a slightly bigger picture of it by Monday once they release the official trailer. But for now, let's keep our fingers crossed weirdos. It's finally happening. The DC crossover we have all been waiting for. It's time for them to shine, suckers.
Then again, it's kind of funny that we are having our anticipated DC trailer on the same week as the Avengers film, right? Haha, I see what you did there business people.
Hello again! As most of you know, the appearance of Wonder Woman for the upcoming film, "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" has been revealed during the San Diego Comic Con. And I must say, it must have been considered one of the golden moment for DC fans worldwide (aside from the 75th anniversary of Batman, maybe). I mean, it's been a long time since we all seen a remake of a live-action Wonder Woman, right? And personally, out of all the superheroes ever created, Wonder Woman deserves some major appreciation. She's the definition of nobility, strength, honor, and justice. Furthermore, her character development as a person is quite impressive. So I am very happy that she will be featured in the upcoming Batman/Superman film and I am thrilled that she will have her very own film in a few years. Although, I haven't seen how Gal Gadot acts, I am hoping that she will nail her role. The photo of her as the Amazon looks very promising. It was something I did not expect. First of all, it is not any random rendition of her past costumes, nor is it the one in New 52, but it is something very different. It's hard to make out the actual colors of her costume, but I definitely do not see the star-patterned bottoms. Not that I'm against it though, I am actually very happy with her outfit here. It screams Amazonian and that's how it should be. The pattern on her armor is also beyond amazing, words cannot describe how in awe I am by the details. Right now, I am waiting for at least a teaser that will feature Gal as Wonder Woman, so everyone can have an idea on how her acting skills are (since that's the most important!). To be honest, I am looking forward for DC to take over the film industry next, because the stories of each superhero and villain (including anti-hero) have sooo much potential, plus they have a whole set of amazing characters! And don't you think it's about time for Marvel to rest and let DC take the lead? Tell me what you think!
