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December 10, 2009

Avatar Embargo Smashed - That Didn't Take Long

So... Variety and The Hollywood Reporter twisted Fox's arm and demanded a screening this morning from Honeycutt and McCarthy because otherwise they would intentionally write spikey reviews via stringers in London, even though there was an embargo - busted by another print outlet - there too.

As is inevitable, the dominoes of look-at-me fell and Kirk Honeycutt smashed the embargo, drawing actual traffic to the Hollywood Reporter's just-sold website for the first time in years.

Who knows when Todd will break his review, though at this point, all bets seem to be off. The fact that he's not up now would seem to suggest that he actually intended to hold to his word on this one. The Hollywood Reporter clearly can't afford that kind of responsible behavior.

Studios - and Fox is no different than most others - get treated the way they teach journalists to treat them... by the now-dying trades... by Nikki Finke... by the Nikki Finke wannabes... by all the squeaky wheels.

I have been squeaky. I can be squeaky. But I don't want to be squeaky.

On the other hand, I don't want to be a punk, being suckered by omission.

We'll see the movie in 2 hours. I am guessing, as I have for months as one of the only journalists to fight the tide of anti-Avatarism, that I will quite like it. And I will write the review tonight, unexpectedly, at 11p at night... which is ridiculous on its face.... and life will go on.

I know this all seems silly and petty to some people. To me too, when I hear myself screaming at people over being misled. But you know, it's my job. People I have worked with for years, albeit in a sometimes conflictual job by its very nature, just showed a lack of respect and a lack of concern in how i work with them... in a way that if the roles were reversed, would cause me no end of trouble. Of course, I could overcome that trouble by acting like a threatening prick.

I don't like when "you should have been a prick" is the lesson I take away from a situation. I don't think it's right... even if it's the hard reality of how sheep are herded. I like people. And I like be able to show respect to those who earn it and to earn the respect of others myself. Silly me.

Posted by dpoland at December 10, 2009 03:49 PM

Comments

"I don't like when "you should have been a prick" is the lesson I take away from a situation."

How true. Not just in business, but in personal relationships as well.

Posted by: LYT [TypeKey Profile Page] at December 10, 2009 10:49 PM

You know, you don't HAVE to write a review at 11p at night...

Posted by: Kristopher Tapley [TypeKey Profile Page] at December 10, 2009 10:52 PM

Silly you??
Don't think so...
Now that it's Jan 3, 2010, and Avatar has already cleared the billion dollar mark, and I'm going to my forth viewing with 15 others,
I think you got it right.
I'll look for your reviews again...

Posted by: Mzam [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 3, 2010 06:06 PM