How the summer movie season expanded

How the summer movie season expanded

Dustin Rowles looks at how studios learned to look beyond the summer release schedule:

They were releasing too many tentpoles in a short period of time, and they were cannibalizing each other. The studios adjusted. The box-office release schedule evolved. The summer season expanded. Months that used to be dumping grounds became profitable. Big budget films were finding unusual times to exploit audiences.

Gradually — and we’re still in the midst of this expansion — studios began to realize that Memorial Day through the first of August and the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas were not the only times a a studio could release a $100 million film. They could also make money in January. And March.

Horace Deidu came to many of the same conclusions — with charts! — when he looked at movie release schedules. The summer pattern is still dominant, but an increasing number of titles have made $100+ outside of that window.

In fact, for 2011, the only months that didn’t have a $100+ title were January, September and November. And November was an oddball — it’s traditionally a big month.

Small Fire Burns Porch of Venice Boardwalk Structure

Small Fire Burns Porch of Venice Boardwalk Structure

A minor fire Sunday damaged the porch of a turn-of-the-century home on Venice's Oceanfront Walk.
Apparently, the fire damaged only the porch of the blue, two-story, shingle, wood-frame house, which was reported on fire about 12:20 p.m. at Sunset Avenue.
The house has been used for a number of businesses and events over the
past few years, including a medical marijuana club and MTV set for one its
summer reality shows. Situated next to the vintage-1922, brick Gingerbread
Court complex, the house is often vacant.
It was unclear if the structure was rented when the fire started.
No injuries were reported.
According to a Venice web site, police were able to put out the fire
within about 10 minutes.
--City News Service

Meet the Man Who Put the '@' in Your E-Mail

Meet the Man Who Put the '@' in Your E-Mail

Who invented e-mail? That's a bit like asking, "Who invented the internet?" Even those with intimate knowledge of its creation can't agree on the moment it actually came to life. But amid all the bluster over the origins of e-mail, one man holds a claim that resonates well beyond the rest. Ray Tomlinson is the reason there's an '@' symbol in your e-mail address.