Take Serenity for example, we here at the IESB supported that film more than any other mainstream movie website out there. It would make sense that the studio would want to make sure that we would continue to give this movie the coverage that it deserved. Two weeks prior to the junket and the premiere, we were informed by one of the publicists that we were being pulled from the junket and premiere due to a misunderstanding we had with 4 Serenity fans, or A.K.A “Browncoats”.

There are approximately 50,000 registered “Browncoats” on the official Serenity website. Realistically, who knows how many of that group are true hardcore fans. But as I was told, because of the problems we had with the 4 fans, they were going not going to invite us to these events.

Now lets look at this, the 50,000 registered Browncoats are going to see this film, hands down. But let's not let the other 50,000 movie fans PER DAY that visit this website get access to this coverage so that they will not feel the need or the interest in seeing this film, yeah that makes sense.

If this franchise was to succeed it will not be because of the hardcore “Browncoats”, there just aren't enough of them. What makes a film succeed and become a “blockbuster” or at least a success is the everyday movie fan that goes to see it because they have heard about it, it's been recommended to them etc. and that's what we're here for.

The junket, I was informed by colleagues, the studio was scrambling to get coverage and to get outlets to come because no one was interested from the mainstream press. There were online outlets that were given TV spots that didn't even show up.

The World Premiere was one of the smallest I have ever seen for a Universal film. There were probably 300 or 400 fans outside eagerly watching and waiting for the cast. There were 14 outlets given a spot and only 12 of them showed up. Out of those twelve, two were IESB video crews because other outlets had no interest whatsoever in covering this event and asked us to send our video crews.

Publicity should have tried to cater to sites that had been promoting this film and offered them premium spots on the red carpet. Instead, they bend over backwards to outlets that had never offered any coverage for this film nor cater to the genre fans.

Wouldn't it have made sense to make a deal with sites like sci-fi.com, ign.filmforce.com and of course IESB to offer exclusive red carpet content to their readers? But instead they had E! Channel and other outlets who instead of talking about the film, would rather talk about makeup and clothing and who use about 10 seconds of video coverage if any. Yeah, that helps promote the film.

Production costs for Serenity was 39 million, a relatively small film. Marketing was probably no more than 10 million, if that. So for this movie to break even this film needs to make 100 million.

This movie opened with a 10 million dollar weekend, less than what was expected. But some spoke hole over at Universal said that they are happy with that. Nonsense, no they're not, how could they be. Apparently they are hoping that word of mouth will bring more people to the box office.

The way this movie is going it might take a total worldwide box office of between 40 and 50 million and another 10-20 million with its DVD release. So after everything is said and done, this film will not break even, which will probably put an end to any hope for sequels.

If Universal had competent people behind the marketing and publicity of this film, this movie would have had a much stronger opening at the box office and would not be content with the hopes of breaking even.

Screw ups like this are why movie studios are losing money. This will not change until shareholders demand accountability from the publicity and marketing of a film.

So here is some advice, not just for Universal but to all studios.

It doesn't make sense to give priority to gossip and fashion outlets/magazines and give then better access at junkets and premieres when they are not going to be promoting the film. How does asking a celebrity during interviews, “what music are they listening to, what shoes are they wearing, what are they buying their Mom for Christmas”, help box office receipts? That is unless mediocrity and idiocy have become the norm.

To date Serenity has made a little over 30 million in world wide box office receipts.

Universal publicity is to blame for the failure of Serenity, not the filmmakers. Universal has failed Joss and the crew in a much larger way then Fox TV ever did.

Quoting Master Yoda: "That is why you failed."