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Has anyone every had problems with a major studio that will not book their product in your theatre. We passed on a "dog" from a studio, and because we would'nt even play it for just a week they will not give us any of their releases. This includes old titles that we have attempted to book for late night shows.Luckily, they have not had any hit product in awhile. But, they do have a few titles that I would like to screen late night.

They definitely play "Pay-back". Most are pretty easy going about smaller places but when people from above lean on them they lean on the next guy. They're under pressure to sell and hold films and if you don't buy they start to get pissed. It's another aspect of the weird world of movies. I'd send the guy some movie candy and a nice card and try to loosen him up. I've never felt that playing ahrd or being a whiner would work for me.

Artisan got pissed off at us when they tried to ram Ninth Gate down our throats. They kept insisting that it was a limited run, art film because it was by Roman Polanski. Our 5-plex was full but they insisted we drop All About My Mother to play Ninth Gate. They told us we couldn't have Ghost Dog if we didn't play Ninth Gate. They were also opening it at three other county locations. If we had opened it, it would have made less money for each location. So Artisan still makes noises about being mad at us. We wrote a conciliatory letter to them, but have heard nothing. Ghost Dog opened at a new 14-plex in this town and took in $700 in it's first weekend. We are still here for them, if they will be reasonable.

We book Ghost Dog, then get a call that we have to fill out, notorize, and return a new contract or they will hold the film. Get the contract, fill it out, notorize, send it back Priority Mail with delivery confirmation. They get it. Three days later, i get a call wanting to know where the contract is -- and yes, they are holding the print until they get the contract. No apology for losing it and making me spend part of a busy day picking up after their inept staff. So, here we go again. The fact they're making me play Ghost Dog clean pisses me off in the first place, now this. Artisan got really big-headed after Blair Witch. be nice if they had some product to go with the 'tude. i was goign to call my booker and tell them to go pee up a rope -- i'd hold-over Not One Less and Topsy, which are not grossing huge, but comfortably paying the bills. But, i guess i'll hold the burning bridges for next time they pull something like this.