Tony Sella, Last Century Fox’s co-president
of marketing says, “Blame me, not Tom Cruise” in this LA Times article bemoaning
the fragile world of movie marketers.
Apparently, among Knight And Day’s other problems, moviegoers were confused by a print campaign devoid of photos of Cruise and Diaz:
Sella contends that the silhouette-style representations of the film's stars weren't meant to hide the actors from view. "I was doing an homage to [fabled title designer] Saul Bass," he explained. "It was a way for us to signal that this was a different, adult kind of movie. The whole campaign was designed to evoke a film like 'North by Northwest.' It wasn't in any way us trying to hide anyone, simply to make the film look unique, so you didn't just look at the billboards as if they were designed to say, 'The Two Stars Go Here.' "
Maybe it was the armless woman with a penis?
Posted by: Pierre Pressure | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 08:36 AM
I was going to say something about the poster, but all the really good comments have already been made on IMPAwards:
http://www.impawards.com/2010/knight_and_day.html
Posted by: Joe Sixpack | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 08:44 AM
"Homage" = RIP OFF!
Posted by: Saul Bass | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 09:15 AM
Saul Bass? There's nothing remotely Saul Bass about it!
Posted by: don deezy von weezy | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 09:26 AM
Shockingly, put me in the column of one moviegoer who actually enjoyed this summer-fluff film. (Admittedly, my expectations walking in were subterranean.)
A Hitchcock-ian 'round the world breeze? No. More like Michael Bay wandering the Bermuda Triangle with an armada of competing screenwriters. (Still trying to figure out WTF "Day" in the title refers to. "Knight" I kinda get.)
This marketing message is equally muddled. All the 70's-era release poster is missing is an indication of the rubylith overlay and the callout "Cut out the type so Cruise's head overlaps."
An homage to Saul Bass? Spare me the Monday morning rationalization. Go back to school and check out the truly Bass-ian opening titles to "Catch Me If You Can."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVEgK3nCkao
Audiences stayed away because they don't want to dump $$$ in Tom Cruise's pseudo-religion collection plate. More importantly, you forgot to show Cameron Diaz's more than ample cleavage. My God, you even forgot to show her arms!
Posted by: Neptune's Net | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 10:10 AM
"The whole campaign was designed to evoke a film like 'North by Northwest." Really, Tony, really? http://tinyurl.com/22m9zad
Posted by: Jiminy Kritic | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 10:19 AM
Dude, rippin' of Bass is my job!
http://tinyurl.com/2bnm945
Posted by: Art Sims | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 10:28 AM
Nothing wrong with the poster. It's the movie that's a failure.
Posted by: Hired Hand | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 10:54 AM
Agreed. The key art is solid.
Not sure I'd call it an homage to Saul Bass, but I like it.
And - hello? Does anyone really think showing Cruise and Diaz in the one sheet would saved this movie? Duh! People are staying away BECAUSE of Cruise and Diaz!
Posted by: Mike No Last Name | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 10:59 AM
Some people love the key art.
Some people hate the key art.
Art directors whine when somebody else gets the finish.
Art directors whine when they get the finish and not everyone falls over praising their genius.
If an art director's lips are moving you know he's whining about something.
Ho hum. What else is new?
Posted by: ZZZZZZZZZ | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 11:10 AM
Hey, ZZZZZ - in case you haven't noticed, we women whine, too.
Posted by: Lady AD | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 11:27 AM
Its weird. in my office all the straight guys LOVE this poster. all the gay guys don't...
Posted by: whatshisname | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 12:44 PM
Who is Saul Bass?
Posted by: Mistetr Magoo | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Tony Sella falling on his sword for something - has the world totally gone mad? This man never took the blame for the things he really did, so are we now to accept his taking the blame for something so trivial as a Tom Cruise movie not opening?
Let's not put Mr. Sella up for sainthood quite so soon. His motives may not be so saintly when all is said and done.
By the way, anyone out there ever hear of Tim Palen even commenting about one of his "marketing campaigns" after a movie failed to open? One can certainly hope that his reign as a 'marketing guru" will come to an end when lgf sorts itself out...
But back to K&D. Several comments above it was noted that people just don't want to add money to Tom Cruise's religious zealotry. Add to that the notion that Cameron Diaz is no longer a movie star, and the combo of the two of them together is about as thrilling as Ashton Kutcher & Katherine Heigl (which studio marketing team kept their collective mouths shut about that one?) trying to do whatever homage they were after.
But feel free to check out an unbiased opinion on what else might have gone wrong at: adage.com/madisonandvine/article?article_id=144726
Posted by: refinedthinker | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 01:33 PM
The silhouettes look as if they were a mistake, like some idiot art director left his alpha channels on. Either way, the campaign is dreadful.
Posted by: Far out space nut | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 01:52 PM
I was too busy playing Red Dead Redemption to spend my pennies on a movie.
Posted by: Crass | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 01:59 PM
What's an alpha channel?
Posted by: Saul Bass | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 03:59 PM
I I don't know who he thinks his mea culpa is likely to fool. At this point even Tom Cruise must know audiences are having second thoughts about Tom Cruise movies.
Posted by: Chet | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 04:05 PM
couldn't even use different splatters? the ol' step and repeat. this shit reeks of laziness. i'm gonna go rub one out.
Posted by: don yankee von skankee | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 04:06 PM
ok. let's switch gears here and talk about 'red dead redemption'. that's worth talking about.
Posted by: john marston | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 04:18 PM
The background looks like a mustard, ketchup and relish stained napkin after a delicious Pinks hot dog.
Posted by: Hungry Hungry Hippo | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 04:33 PM
Hey Tony,
You don't know your Bass from your elbow.
Posted by: Bindar Dundat | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 04:44 PM
you would all lick tony's butt crack if he even approached you for a project.
the magic of anonymity.
a bunch of losers who have to "freelance" around town cause you can't get a fucking job...
I get all your emails. "hi, i'm up this week, you need any help" LOL you all suck.
Posted by: gainfully employed. | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 05:22 PM
Wait til you loose that cushy job, a-hole, er temporarily "gainfully employed"
Posted by: Sir Freelancealot | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 05:33 PM
Hey gainfully, you are just bitter cause you are not in Mexico yet.
Posted by: Seth | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 06:27 PM
Best thing about Red Dead Redemption is Sella had nothing to do with it, Tom Cruise isn't in it and the hookers are better looking than Diaz.
Posted by: Mercer | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 06:33 PM
I shot the piano player in Armadillo last night. Didn't go over to well with the peeps in the saloon.
..anyone get the "Fightin' Around the World" achievement yet??
Posted by: john marston | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 07:14 PM
Was he playing "the entertainer" if so then you are well within your legal rights.
Posted by: Bitter Lemon | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 08:19 PM
Confidential to Production Artist/ Designer: We don’t doubt you when you claim, in regards to Knight And Day’s epic fail, that “a certain person who's the creative there (at Fox) will truly take the brunt of it… I won't mention his name but those in the know, know.”
And yes, we agree, these studio marketers are a bothersome lot.
However, we do ask that you click on our link to the original LA Times article and post your personal grievences on their website. They have all those big, downtown lawyers on retainer while we here at MonKeyArtAwards have only our accountant - who keeps reminding us that no one has ever made money with a blog.
Posted by: Edwina Trout | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 10:19 AM
Sorry Edwina. No personal grievance. I have nothing to gain nor lose with said comment. Sorry if it was taken that way.
Posted by: Production Artist/ Designer: | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 10:27 AM
I find it hard to believe that John Marston reads this blog -- let alone posts comments on it
Posted by: Nigel West Dickens | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 10:33 AM
eh. it's what I do when I'm not wrangling horses or helping you pedal your shwag tonics.
Posted by: john marston | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 11:16 AM
Nigel you work at the snakeoil studio don't ya?
Posted by: Bonnie | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Campaign has nothing to do with a lack of desire to see Tom Cruise. The only thing he has to sell is Les Grossman.
Posted by: BoozeyFlapjack | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 11:35 AM
Boozey is right (as he/she so often is) - the campaign itself has nothing to do with a lack of desire to see Tom Cruise, i.e., Tom Cruise gets the prize for keeping people away because he is Tom Cruise and no marketing campaign, whether done by weenies like Tony Sella or nasty thieving tantrum throwing bitches like Tim Palen could prevent audiences from staying away in droves.
As for Les Grossman - less is more.
Posted by: refinedthinker | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 12:41 PM
I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot no deputy.
Posted by: B Marley | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 01:21 PM
Production Artist? They still exist? One would have thought job title creep would have eliminated that appellation years ago. I assumed everybody's at least a Creative Director by now.
Posted by: Senior Executive Vice President Creative Director/Print | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 06:20 PM
ink splats are so 2001. it's like the automatic coolness element for a 1 sheet layout but ends up looking lame.
Posted by: jung | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 08:43 PM
@Senior Executive Vice President Creative Director/Print...
Sorry but unlike your title, some LIKE to work. Once someone like you can do more than point or say "move that up two clicks," we will always have work. Some of us actually get to do the studio thing too. With your title, you must own your own business.
How's the postcard business?
Posted by: Production Artist/Designer | Thursday, July 01, 2010 at 02:28 AM
A lot of jealous babies commenting here.. except for the Red Dead Redemption crowd.
Posted by: A Grown Up | Thursday, July 01, 2010 at 08:19 AM
"This ain't gonna end well, friend."
Posted by: RDR crowd | Thursday, July 01, 2010 at 09:41 AM
homage to saul bass = bad idea.
combined with Tom Cruise' current image (scientology's loose cannon) = double bad idea.
combined with waffling mktg strategy = triple bad idea.
lots of bad ideas = bad B.O.
Posted by: what'sthatfishysmell | Thursday, July 01, 2010 at 05:48 PM
Good luck with that "studio thing" PA/D. Enjoy it while it lasts, which it never does. As long as you enjoy taking it up the poop chute, you'll always have work.
Posted by: S.E.V.P.C.D./P. | Friday, July 02, 2010 at 10:28 AM
I think it's amazing!!! I think many movie posters today are overly homogenized, training an increase of starf*cking audiences that won't appreciate all aspects of what really goes into this.... Cruise and Diaz were both amazing in this refreshing, breezy, exciting film--- AND you're a complete dumbass if you don't know who's in this film with the aggressive tv and print marketing campaign they had going-- amazing poster dude-- I LOVE it!!!! I wish more movies would be more creative like this ala the 70's posters--- Tarantino still manages with his, and of course, he's an auteur so I'd expect nothing less...
Posted by: Mark B. Newbauer | Friday, July 02, 2010 at 11:58 AM
S.E.V.P.C.D./P.
You seem to have a hard on these days. If someone is in the studio, we are taking up the poop shoot. "They still exist" is all that a production artist/designer is? I mean pot and kettle = you.
I was never speaking to you to begin with. Enjoy your super title, postcards and have a great 4th.
BTW, this was about Sella, Knight and Day and a film struggling...right?
Posted by: Production Artist/Designer | Saturday, July 03, 2010 at 02:28 AM
"Shoot" is spelled "chute", whippersnapper. Enjoy your career in the bull-pen.
Posted by: S.E.V.P.C.D./P. | Saturday, July 03, 2010 at 10:32 AM
Gee thanks. I now know you're a copywriter and publishing editor too. What next, are you going to say I'm a "hunt and peck" typer? Ooh, hard stuff there.
You need help.
Posted by: Production Artist/Designer | Saturday, July 03, 2010 at 10:18 PM
I love it when someone who corrects somebody else's grammar, spelling and/or word usage makes similar mistakes in their own post (like not knowing where to put a comma or that "bull-pen" is "bullpen").
Posted by: William Strunk, Jr | Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Right-On!
Posted by: E.B White | Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 01:52 PM
So we're all done with Tony Sella then?
Posted by: Peter S. | Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 02:23 PM
No point in using a shotgun to kill a songbird. Nothing left to pick up. No profit in that.
Posted by: RDR crowd | Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:32 PM
yes, indeed. glad to see we are back on topic.
another helpful hint- wear the bandana when cracking safes.
Posted by: john marston | Wednesday, July 07, 2010 at 10:28 AM
I know the AD + the finisher. This project was a nightmare from start to end (9+months later). Who's fault? Fox.
Posted by: poopeepaah | Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 12:14 AM