How much does it cost to Rome to compete for the best film Oscar?

Listen this article

In addition to having a great movie, it is necessary to pay millions in a good promotion campaign, this year Rome was the star

While the Oscars aim to recognize the biggest events in the movie industry within a given year, there are other factors, in addition to the quality of the work, that influence the inclusion or not of a film within the awards.

Leer en español: ¿Cuánto le cuesta a Roma disputar el Óscar a mejor película?

Mainly speaking of promotion campaigns, or Oscar campaigns, where the studios invest millions of dollars to ensure that the film is among the nominees and have opportunities to take as many statuettes as possible.

The main objective of a promotional campaign of this style is to get as many people as possible to see the movie in theaters, which usually involves huge public relations maneuvers so that their stars appear in as many promotions as possible.

But, beyond that, what separates a good promotion campaign from an excellent one is the fact that the film is seen by the right people. This, according to Stu Zakim, voter of the academy and publicist of the industry, what makes the most important thing end up being "the meals".

Social events, involving, of course, members of the industry and particularly voters of the academy, end up becoming the central axis of an Oscar campaign. These events, sponsored in their entirety by the studios, producers, and distributors of a film, tend to be enormously attractive and can cost millions of dollars, but the recognition of a film within the academy depends on them.

Through a strategy that gives priority to these events, a film like Moonlight, winner of the Oscar for best film in 2017, can sweep the most disputed categories without having great success at the box office. According to Zakim, Moonlight organized up to seven events in the city of New York, where the voters of the academy had the opportunity to speak with the talent of the film, and where they could do everything to convince them that this was the movie that deserved the awards.

"It's something I'd like to see done in politics because you can actually sit down with (La La Land director) Damien Chazelle and ask him about his film, put the members of the academy directly in front of those who they want to take away the prizes." Zakim told ABC News.

Read also: 3 advertising failures that left millionaire losses

This year it seems that it was spent more than ever

For the 91st edition of the Óscar awards, the prices of promotional campaigns seem to have skyrocketed, far exceeding the expenses of previous years.

Some of the films with more nominations: Rome, A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody, competed strongly to win the favor of the voters of the academy in as many social events as possible.

Netflix, the company behind Rome by Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón, seems to be particularly committed to spending as much as necessary to position his film as the winner of the grand prizes.

According to reports from the New York Times and Fast Company, the Netflix campaign to ensure Rome gets the statuette for best film, and as many others as possible, must have cost more than $ 20 million.

To put this figure in context, the entire budget for the film, including all stages of production, was just $ 15 million. If the sources cited in the reports are correct, Netflix spent much more on the promotion of Rome than on its production.

According to Kyle Buchanan of the New York Times, this campaign may be the most ambitious of this year. "Hollywood is completely covered in ads with the face of Yalitza Aparicio (actress in Rome), there are events in Rome practically at all times and many industry figures received a $ 175 book about the film" assured Buchanan.

Securing talent in the commercial part

The Netflix promotion campaign was orchestrated by 'prize strategist' Lisa Taback, who joined the streaming giant in June of last year. Taback has organized Oscar campaigns for seven films that would eventually win the best film award.

"Lisa has moved heaven and earth. If someone from the industry comes to Los Angeles she always organizes some event to present them with the talent of Rome. It has notices everywhere. Your budget has to be huge, "an industry source tells Fast Company.

"There is no doubt that Rome has the most expensive campaign since The Social Network, which seems to have spent around $ 25 million," said Nicole Laporte, marketing agent for Hollywood studios, before Fast Company.

"Netflix not only spends a little more than all, but they also spend millions and millions more," added an anonymous industry publicist at the IndieWire portal.

LatinAmerican Post | Pedro Bernal

Translated from: '¿Cuánto le cuesta a Roma disputar el Óscar a mejor película?'