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WAIST DEEP IN CLICHES
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Rogue Pictures is devoted to producing and distributing high-quality suspense, action, thriller, comedy and urban entertainment with mainstream appeal and franchise potential.
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Waist Deep only matches 1 out of the 4 criteria:
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Quality action movie? No.
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Urban Entertainment? Yes..
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Mainstream appeal? No.
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Franchise Potential? No.
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Can’t imagine any sequels as a result of this one: Chest Deep: Even Deeper, or, Neck Deep: Even More Deeper, and finally, “Over His Head Deep: He’s Had it up to Here.”
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Maybe, there’s an explaination to be found in the rest of the mission statement.
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(Rogue Pictures is)...part of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information fo a global audience.
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Movie Deja Vu: You feel like you’ve seen this before.
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When the preview promotes B-list actors as if they were A-list.
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Another movie where a music star tries to extend their career to the big screen.
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Formed in May 2004, through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.
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Move over L.L., DMX, 50 Cent, and Snoop there’s a new rapper/thespian in the hood.
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THE TAGLINE
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His son. His life. His freedom. He’s taking them all back.
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Which reminds TMPC of a similar line from another movie: The Goonies
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Ahhh, Rogue Pictures is part of a corporation. It’s run by the rules of business. Now it makes sense.
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Let’s ask The Movie Producer why this got the green light.
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1) Past movies like it have made money.
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Boyz in the Hood, Menace to Society, Dead Presidents, New Jack City.
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So, the “urban” environment is a profitable locale in movies, but for the last 15 years it’s been mainly used for gangs, drugs, and violence as the main focus of stories.
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This is a mostly negative portrayal of urban life.
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2) Part of this negativity is the role of the father, usually portrayed as absentee and neglectful.
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Here is where Waist Deep strives to be different: An urban “gangsta” father, or “baby’s daddy” if you will, who is responsible and cares very much for the well being of his son.
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That’s usually the characteristic of fathers played by people like Mel Gibson in Ransom or Harrison Ford in Firewall.
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Have you ever seen a movie set in the urban milieu where the father figure is heroic? No, and that’s why Waist Deep is different enough to get the greenlight.
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Notice the credits. This is not directed by John Singleton or Spike Lee, starring Denzel Washington, Vivica A. Fox and the kid who plays Walt on Lost.
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Here’s how I would handle the above the line budget:
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He’s no M. Knight Shyamalan.
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Estimated payday: 1- 2 million.
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He’s no Will Smith.
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Estimated payday: 2 million.
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He’s no Ice Cube.
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Estimated payday: 1 million.
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She’s no Halle Berry.
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Estimated payday: 500 thousand.
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Added with below the line costs and your lucky if this one costs 10 million to make
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4) It’s being marketed lightly, to the urban hip-hop MTV demographic, so P&A costs are light.
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5) It’ll make 20 million for sure, maybe 30 or 40. If so, consider it a big time victory.
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All right, enough school, I’ve gotta run, Stallone is calling, he’s already over budget on Rambo IV and they’re not even filming yet.
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TMPC: Thanks for taking the time.
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MP:Yeah, yeah, see ya kid. (talks on cell phone in the distance) “Sly, how many red bandanas do you need?”
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SEE THESE INSTEAD
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“This one here, this is my wish, and it didn’t come true, so I’m taking it back, I’m taking them all back!”
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PROOF FROM THE PREVIEW THE MOVIE’S WORTH SEEING
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Positive father & son relationship in an urban setting.
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Guns, guns and more guns.
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A little sumpin’ - sumpin’.
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See the newest gangsta handshake: The Pinky Swear
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PROOF FROM THE PREVIEW THE MOVIE’S NOT WORTH SEEING
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LET’S START WITH ANNOYING & CLICHÉ DIALOG:
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AND JUST PLAIN LAME:
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The bad guy’s name is “Big Meat”.
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The kidnapping is about getting...money!(yawn)
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ANNOYING AND CLICHÉ THINGS IN GENERAL:
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Using out-of-date distraction techniques when robbing banks.
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Sunglasses and a cigarette = no one will recognize you.
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Sympathetic cop who believes in the innocence of the main character.
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Gratuitous shots of money like it’s never been done before. What is this, MTV?
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Screaming “I want my son!” Dude, I think Big Meat knows that already.
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All of the sudden the deep voice of the preview guy shows up just to say the title of the movie.
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MONEY SHOT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE PREDICTION
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THE CLOSING ARGUMENT
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This one is just not different and surprising enough.
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Tyrese’s son gets kidnapped, Big Meat wants 100k before the end of the next day. So, he and the hottie factor rob banks, gain sympathy from the public and police officers, probably Big Meats employees and save his son and bring Big Meat to justice and Tyrese knocks boots with hottie factor.
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It’s doubtful it will go any other way. So, hopefully the audience will look the other way and see something else.
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CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA
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Positive portrayal of a “baby’s daddy “in urban “gangsta” setting.
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Use of the title Waist Deep in a non-porno movie related way.
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PLACE IN CINEMATIC HISTORY
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