Post-auction analysis - OMGs!, LOLs!, WTFs!, whatev....

[BruceH]

Interesting.  The Starfall was the only poster I expected to go higher.  Everything else went for way way above what I thought it should.  Collectors seem to have a lot of money these days.  I couldn't afford anything on Thursday and again tonight.

T

One of these days, Thierry, everything will go for the prices you think are "fair", and you will be very happy, but I (and my consignors) will likely be very sad!

And jpicken, we previously sold the Starfall for $2,000, so it DID beat that by a wide margin!

[kovacs01]

Bruce is back!  Ya know, I had my Starfall for sale for $895 for about a year.  Then, I decided to put it on my wall, so I wouldn't take $2000 for it now.

[Undead]

Bruce is back!  Ya know, I had my Starfall for sale for $895 for about a year.  Then, I decided to put it on my wall, so I wouldn't take $2000 for it now.

And I tried to buy it from you when I found out but you already put it on the wall and said no.  To me --->

[eatbrie]

I think that poster would go higher if it wasn't labelled "commercial".  There is a whole new crop of collectors who is not aware of its rarity and its history and won't spend the time reading about it.  They probably see that it is a commercial poster in the title and walk away.  That's how I would react if I didn't know better.

T

[crowzilla]

I think that poster would go higher if it wasn't labelled "commercial".  There is a whole new crop of collectors who is not aware of its rarity and its history and won't spend the time reading about it.  They probably see that it is a commercial poster in the title and walk away.  That's how I would react if I didn't know better.

T

But it is a commercial poster, and Bruce is doing the honest thing and describing it as such.
Are you suggesting he should purposely mislabel it as a theatrical poster when it is not?

[Harry Caul]

Is a Mondo poster a 'commercial' poster?

[eatbrie]

I'm not suggesting anything.  I don't know what it should be labeled.  All I know is that when I see commercial written, I look the other way.  It just happened that I know how rare it is and I'm surprised it didn't sell for more.

T

[MoviePosterBid.com]

Is a Mondo poster a 'commercial' poster?

most definitely as are the Starfall posters and some Japanese B-2's we've discussed recently

nothing wrong with commercial posters. the best Endless Summer poster is the silkscreened 30x40 which was made for store sale (though it was also used theatrically by smart exhibitors and when no other posters were available)

[archie leach]

Is a Mondo poster a 'commercial' poster?

Very early Alamo/Mondo posters were debatable, but it's been a very long time since they have been anything but 100% commercial...

[archie leach]

Bruce got some good results in his Star Wars auction. One that caught me off guard was that the Starfall B2 went for so much.  That is the most I have ever seen that style sell for.
http://auctions.emovieposter.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=4073297

The Force Awakens feeding frenzy seems to have bumped all these results up for a while, but with the current stream of Star Wars films in the future thanks to the Mouse House, will these results (or something close) become the new norm?

I'll never forget the time that I held off on pulling the trigger on a Starfall BIN that Peter Vilmur posted on the old MPT... It was $75, but had a 3/4" tear...

But only because I'd like to flip it for the cash.  It's one of the most over-rated Star Wars (RotJ technically) images out there...

[marklawd]

Very early Alamo/Mondo posters were debatable..............

Yes, particularly Rolling Roadshow editions as they referred to (and were used for) specific one-night screenings.

Mark

[Mirosae]

most definitely as are the Starfall posters and some Japanese B-2's we've discussed recently

nothing wrong with commercial posters. the best Endless Summer poster is the silkscreened 30x40 which was made for store sale (though it was also used theatrically by smart exhibitors and when no other posters were available)

Agree, I think one of the best John Wayne images is a commercial poster. BTW, can i ask a question ?

I have always considered "personality" posters a sub category of a commercial poster. Or are these personality posters totally different?

[Neo]

Agree, I think one of the best John Wayne images is a commercial poster. BTW, can i ask a question ?

I have always considered "personality" posters a sub category of a commercial poster. Or are these personality posters totally different?

What is an example of a "personality poster"?

Edit:

I just found the answer.

http://www.allposterforum.com/index.php/topic,8184.msg158115.html#msg158115

[kovacs01]

Yes, particularly Rolling Roadshow editions as they referred to (and were used for) specific one-night screenings.

Mark

Not that I don't love them and have a while bunch, but I still consider those mostly commercial.  You do not print a run of 100 for a 1 night, 1 venue screening of a film unless you are doing it for the commercial market.  Some of it is a byproduct of the fact that it cost money to make the screens and pay for the art, so extra are printed and sold to recoup the cost.  This was especially true early, but they were still printed for commercial sale, even if the intentions were purely altruistic.

[MoviePosterBid.com]

Yes, particularly Rolling Roadshow editions as they referred to (and were used for) specific one-night screenings.

I agree with Kovacs. Facts are that regardless of Alamo's being used theatrically, they were also done as items for sale, which clearly enters them into the 'commercial' arena

[Mirosae]

What is an example of a "personality poster"?

Edit:

I just found the answer.

http://www.allposterforum.com/index.php/topic,8184.msg158115.html#msg158115

Yes! Thank you Brandon! Very helpful. I  forgot about the discussions character posters, personality posters, commercial posters, oh boy...so much choice...you gotta love this hobby!

[archie leach]

Not that I don't love them and have a while bunch, but I still consider those mostly commercial.  You do not print a run of 100 for a 1 night, 1 venue screening of a film unless you are doing it for the commercial market.  Some of it is a byproduct of the fact that it cost money to make the screens and pay for the art, so extra are printed and sold to recoup the cost.  This was especially true early, but they were still printed for commercial sale, even if the intentions were purely altruistic.

Not true.  The cost of initial creation is higher than scaling to quantity.  You would if they were meant to advertise the events, some of these just advertised the event in a non-traditional manner, which they most certainly accomplished.   Alamo, a super-small Texas chain, built a nation-wide brand on the backs of these rolling roadshows that is the envy of every other small theater chain in the country - which was a major reason why they undertook such tasks.  It was an exceptional marketing strategy...

And the second part of your argument can apply to most any (US/UK) movie poster printed in the last 40 years.

[marklawd]

.....extra are printed and sold to recoup the cost...........

........... the second part of your argument can apply to most any (US/UK) movie poster printed in the last 40 years.

I agree with Archie. As an example, how many of the tens of thousands of posters for Star Wars The Force Awakens that have been printed are intended to be used for actual theatrical display as opposed to sale?

Mark

[kovacs01]

Not true.  The cost of initial creation is higher than scaling to quantity.  

True.  Obviously, it is cheaper per item if you print 100, but it is still a cheaper total cost to print 2.  You print more (and very smartly so) if you want to sell more to offset the cost of printing the first 2.  Advertising is a cute idea, except that they were sold at the shows to attendees or after the fact to collectors.  Or, in other words, to people that were already going to be paying customers without an advertising dollar spent and to people without a Delorean to go back in time and spend money on a show that already happened.

[kovacs01]

I agree with Archie. As an example, how many of the tens of thousands of posters for Star Wars The Force Awakens that have been printed are intended to be used for actual theatrical display as opposed to sale?

Mark

Not sure which had a worse ratio, probably a RR print if 100 were printed.  You figure Force Awakens is playing at over 4,100 theaters with most places displaying 4-5 posters for a blockbuster these days, and then multiple versions so that they aren't forced to display the same poster those 4 or 5 times and then multiples of each for ones that end up damaged.  That becomes a big number fast of posters legitimately printed for use in a theater, but I have no idea how many were actually printed.  Just spitballing.......

[MoviePosterBid.com]

I agree with Archie. As an example, how many of the tens of thousands of posters for Star Wars The Force Awakens that have been printed are intended to be used for actual theatrical display as opposed to sale?

Mark

I don't believe poster sale is among the considerations of the movie's producers nor is it the intention. They get sold by those who do not have a connection to the creation and printing of them. By "downwinders" reaping a benefit that their employers would frown upon.

[archie leach]

Advertising is a cute idea, except that they were sold at the shows to attendees or after the fact to collectors.  Or, in other words, to people that were already going to be paying customers without an advertising dollar spent and to people without a Delorean to go back in time and spend money on a show that already happened.

Not always.  Your definition of advertising is too limited. The entire process was a part of the advertising of the events. And it wasn't just the individual events that they were selling.

[jayn_j]

I don't believe poster sale is among the considerations of the movie's producers nor is it the intention. They get sold by those who do not have a connection to the creation and printing of them. By "downwinders" reaping a benefit that their employers would frown upon.

And yet, there seems to be no shortage of posters available to display at the theaters.

[jedgerley]

And soooo many are distributed to promotions companies that handle publicity/promotions/advertising. Thats where most of the moderns find their way to ebay etc. not from theatres.

[MoviePosterBid.com]

And yet, there seems to be no shortage of posters available to display at the theaters.

why would there be a shortage for the vast majority of titles?
They print based on perceived need AND quantity needed to get a printing price point.
maybe it costs $5000 to print 20,000 posters, but it might only cost $6000 to print 30,000 posters or $7000 to print 50,000 posters
after your initial order, which includes the cost of 'set-up', increasing print quantities is negligible. Promotions departments will print a determined excess to needs as the worst thing that could happen is to run out.