There is something innately arcane about market share statistics and yet they are a ferocious obsession for players in the film industry. Pies and graphs breaking down revenues in North America and in key international territories are not uncommon. But judging market share for the entire international market with a true global perspective throws up real difficulties.
Market share is rather like bragging rights. One can dine out and generate investment using it as a wedge. It is obviously a coup to have the largest share but there are also benefits to be had as the 'most improved' company or as the 'leading independent'.
But in itself, market share reveals just a fraction of the picture - it is more about the heft exerted by a distributor than its business savvy or return on investment.
Drilling down through the numbers
Screen last year devised the first international market share report and is now working on a second improved model.Drawing up the new study and finding the bigger picture is a difficult task - the level of sleuthing necessary says something important about the way the film business collects and uses data.
It is easy enough to discern the average revenue generated per picture but the cost of production and the amount spent for marketing is not something posted on the internet or to be gleaned from annual reports.
Other factors also give a very different perspective from market share, such as the ability to collect box office.
In theory, it does not require a lot of thought to add up columns of numbers, take out a calculator and apply some simple division to concoct a market share. But methodologies used for the domestic marketplace do not necessarily conform to the international arena.
There are little more than a handful of companies that have the ability to distribute their wares in any country where there are screens to be filled and even they present difficulties.
How, for example, should one approach a significant supplier such as New Line that is not a hands-on distributor internationally but has, in effect, agents and associations (including its parent Warner Bros)'
There are as many wrinkles as there are entities with pictures to sell. Gaumont and Toho, for example, do not book theatres outside their national borders. Still, to level the playing field, one generally would apply international revenues to their market share.
Nothing is apples to apples and even those majors such as Sony and Buena Vista have areas of the world where others distribute their product or they have shared releasing arrangements in specific countries.
There is no way to be wholly consistent in the construction of an international market share. It is a case of "I know it when I see it". One is best advised to keep one's head down and be scrupulous not to count the money twice on a film with split rights.
It is a difficult but worthwhile exercise and Screen will be pursuing it.
E-mail Len Klady at klad1213@ca.rr.com
NORTH AMERICA | ||||||||
Four-day weekend January 12-15 (includes Martin Luther King Day) Top 30 | ||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 4-day | Screens | Screen | % | Total | |
gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (-) | Stomp The Yard (US) Sony Pictures | NEW | $25,876,318 | 2,051 | $12,616 | - | $25,876,318 |
2 | (2) | Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox | 4 | $21,847,867 | 3,612 | $6,049 | -8 | $190,503,618 |
3 | (3) | The Pursuit Of Happyness (US) Sony Pictures | 5 | $10,703,352 | 3,169 | $3,378 | -17 | $138,082,302 |
4 | (6) | Dreamgirls (US) Paramount | 5 | $10,259,911 | 1,907 | $5,380 | +18 | $67,101,078 |
5 | (5) | Freedom Writers (US) Paramount | 2 | $8,849,005 | 2,179 | $4,061 | -6 | $20,172,832 |
6 | (4) | Children Of Men (US-UK) Universal | 4 | $7,449,555 | 1,508 | $4,940 | -27 | $22,415,823 |
7 | (-) | Alpha Dog (US) Universal | NEW | $7,411,750 | 1,289 | $5,750 | - | $7,411,750 |
8 | (-) | Primeval (US) Buena Vista | NEW | $6,792,318 | 2,444 | $2,779 | - | $6,792,318 |
9 | (-) | Arthur And The Invisibles (Fr-US) MGM Studios | NEW | $5,702,789 | 2,247 | $2,538 | - | $5,702,789 |
10 | (8) | Charlotte's Web (US) Paramount | 5 | $5,348,867 | 2,513 | $2,128 | -19 | $73,731,304 |
11 | (9) | The Good Shepherd (US) Universal | 4 | $4,346,080 | 1,994 | $2,180 | -33 | $54,704,190 |
12 | (7) | Happily N'Ever After (Ger-US) Lionsgate Films | 2 | $4,277,793 | 2,381 | $1,797 | -35 | $11,865,637 |
13 | (10) | Rocky Balboa (US) Sony Pictures, MGM Studios | 4 | $3,336,025 | 1,835 | $1,818 | -45 | $65,600,017 |
14 | (16) | Blood Diamond (US) Warner Bros | 6 | $2,874,933 | 1,116 | $2,576 | -25 | $48,199,168 |
15 | (14) | Happy Feet (Aus-US) Warner Bros | 9 | $2,866,252 | 1,451 | $1,975 | -28 | $189,052,102 |
16 | (11) | We Are Marshall (US) Warner Bros | 4 | $2,858,355 | 1,804 | $1,584 | -41 | $39,188,707 |
17 | (12) | Eragon (US) 20th Fox | 5 | $2,644,106 | 1,614 | $1,638 | -45 | $70,811,997 |
18 | (22) | Pan's Labyrinth (Mex-Sp-US) Picturehouse | 3 | $2,611,968 | 194 | $13,464 | +242 | $4,834,269 |
19 | (30) | Curse Of The Golden Flower (Chi-HK) Sony Pictures Classics | 4 | $2,190,075 | 1,234 | $1,775 | +552 | $4,538,871 |
20 | (17) | Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) Sony Pictures | 9 | $2,010,237 | 819 | $2,455 | -33 | $162,760,504 |
21 | (13) | Code Name: The Cleaner (US) New Line | 2 | $1,994,562 | 1,736 | $1,149 | -53 | $7,030,225 |
22 | (20) | Notes On A Scandal (UK) Fox Searchlight | 3 | $1,933,215 | 200 | $9,666 | +72 | $4,424,805 |
23 | (15) | The Holiday (US) Sony Pictures | 6 | $1,745,448 | 1,337 | $1,306 | -55 | $61,785,466 |
24 | (21) | The Queen (Fr-It-UK) Miramax | 15 | $1,355,625 | 344 | $3,941 | +29 | $31,766,072 |
25 | (26) | The Painted Veil (US) Warner Independent Pictures | 3 | $1,199,214 | 202 | $5,937 | +146 | $2,640,154 |
26 | (19) | Apocalypto (US) Buena Vista | 6 | $1,015,931 | 467 | $2,175 | -42 | $49,039,536 |
27 | (-) | Guru (Ind) Adlabs Films | NEW | $843,200 | 71 | $11,876 | - | $843,200 |
28 | (24) | Volver (Sp) Sony Pictures Classics | 11 | $593,030 | 113 | $5,248 | -1 | $6,798,460 |
29 | (28) | Babel (Mex-US) Paramount Classics | 12 | $458,861 | 173 | $2,652 | +1 | $21,386,073 |
30 | (-) | Letters From Iwo Jima (US) Warner Bros | NEW | $449,962 | 35 | $12,856 | - | $958,923 |
$1 = $1.00 Nielsen EDI | ||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +0.1% on equivalent week, 2006 | ||||||||
Top 30 total 4-day gross: $151.8m |
UK/IRELAND | |||||||||
Three-day weekend January 12-14 Top 10 | |||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 3-day | 3-day | Sites | Site | % | Total | |
gross £ | gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (-) | The Pursuit of Happyness (US) Spri | NEW | £2,527,181 | $4,969,874 | 402 | $12,363 | - | $4,969,874 |
2 | (1) | Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox | 3 | £1,939,335 | $3,813,835 | 471 | $8,097 | -35 | $32,781,375 |
3 | (-) | Smokin' Aces (US) Universal | NEW | £1,023,862 | $2,013,495 | 338 | $5,957 | - | $2,013,495 |
4 | (3) | Miss Potter (US-UK) Momentum Pictures | 2 | £901,474 | $1,772,810 | 343 | $5,169 | -19 | $6,325,111 |
5 | (-) | The Last King Of Scotland (-) 20th Fox | NEW | £861,086 | $1,693,384 | 246 | $6,884 | - | $1,695,164 |
6 | (5) | Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) SPRI | 9 | £839,164 | $1,650,273 | 301 | $5,483 | -21 | $104,408,336 |
7 | (2) | Apocalypto (US) Icon Film Distribution | 2 | £767,493 | $1,509,327 | 378 | $3,993 | -42 | $5,552,686 |
8 | (4) | Employee Of The Month (US) Lionsgate UK | 2 | £703,621 | $1,383,719 | 327 | $4,232 | -35 | $4,229,784 |
9 | (6) | Happy Feet (Aus-US) Warner Bros | 6 | £552,251 | $1,086,039 | 470 | $2,311 | -44 | $33,607,561 |
10 | (7) | White Noise: The Light (Can-US) Entertainment Film Dist | 2 | £309,149 | $607,963 | 286 | $2,126 | -56 | $2,534,368 |
$1 = £0.51 Screen International | |||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +14.5% on equivalent week, 2006 | |||||||||
Top 20 total 3-day gross: $23.2m |
FRANCE | |||||||||
Week ending January 9 Top 10 | |||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 3-day | 3-day | Screens | Screen | % | Total | |
gross EUR | gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (1) | Arthur And The Invisibles (Fr-US) EuropaCorp Distribution | 4 | EUR5,720,886 | $7,399,930 | 967 | $7,652 | -40 | $39,431,472 |
2 | (2) | Eragon (US) 20th Fox | 3 | EUR3,257,241 | $4,213,221 | 759 | $5,551 | -40 | $16,967,332 |
3 | (3) | Priceless (Hors De Prix) (Fr) TFM Distribution | 4 | EUR1,851,691 | $2,395,150 | 459 | $5,218 | -25 | $11,675,739 |
4 | (4) | The Holiday (US) UIP | 2 | EUR1,598,434 | $2,067,564 | 4,113 | $503 | -28 | $4,945,117 |
5 | (5) | Happy Feet (Aus-US) Warner Bros | 5 | EUR1,280,504 | $1,656,324 | 725 | $2,285 | -29 | $9,726,484 |
6 | (6) | My Best Friend (Mon Meilleur Ami) (Fr) Wild Bunch | 3 | EUR1,175,114 | $1,520,003 | 416 | $3,654 | -30 | $5,362,640 |
7 | (8) | Flushed Away (US-UK) UIP | 6 | EUR858,103 | $1,109,951 | 582 | $1,907 | -24 | $8,780,542 |
8 | (9) | Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) Gaumont Sony Pictures | 7 | EUR781,660 | $1,011,073 | 294 | $3,439 | -30 | $22,115,198 |
9 | (10) | The Departed (US) TFM Distribution | 6 | EUR720,803 | $932,354 | 301 | $3,098 | -23 | $11,937,041 |
10 | (7) | Le Heros De La Famille (Fr) UGC Distribution | 3 | EUR697,754 | $902,540 | 464 | $1,945 | -45 | $4,175,274 |
$ figures approximated on a $5.57 average ticket price. Le Film Francais | |||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +40% on equivalent week, 2006 | |||||||||
Top 20 total 7-day gross: $29.2m |
SPAIN | |||||||||
Three-day weekend January 12-14 Top 10 | |||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 3-day | 3-day | Screens | Screen | % | Total | |
gross EUR | gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (-) | Rocky Balboa (US) 20th Fox | NEW | EUR2,628,898 | $3,400,463 | 301 | $11,297 | - | $3,400,463 |
2 | (-) | The Prestige (US-UK) Warner Bros | NEW | EUR1,272,924 | $1,646,519 | 309 | $5,329 | - | $1,646,519 |
3 | (1) | Babel (Mex-US) UIP | 3 | EUR993,655 | $1,285,287 | 199 | $6,459 | -19 | $6,085,940 |
4 | (-) | The Kovak Box (UK-Sp) Filmax | NEW | EUR495,094 | $640,401 | 198 | $3,234 | - | $640,401 |
5 | (2) | Eragon (US) 20th Fox | 5 | EUR481,447 | $622,749 | 363 | $1,716 | -31 | $13,180,823 |
6 | (3) | Marie Antoinette (Fr-Jap-US) Spri | 2 | EUR461,838 | $597,385 | 112 | $5,334 | -20 | $1,577,479 |
7 | (5) | The Illusionist (US) Aurum | 9 | EUR414,537 | $536,201 | 206 | $2,603 | -5 | $10,718,947 |
8 | (4) | Flags Of Our Fathers (US) Warner Bros | 2 | EUR373,332 | $482,903 | 167 | $2,892 | -32 | $1,609,853 |
9 | (6) | Deck The Halls (US) 20th Fox | 2 | EUR266,310 | $344,470 | 200 | $1,722 | -28 | $877,072 |
10 | (14) | Perez, El Ratoncito De Tus Suenos (Arg-Sp) Filmax | 4 | EUR229,899 | $297,373 | 256 | $1,162 | +6 | $3,390,188 |
$1 = EUR0.77 Nielsen EDI | |||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +26.4% on equivalent week, 2006 | |||||||||
Top 20 total 3-day gross: $11.8m |
GERMANY | |||||||||
Four-day weekend January 11-14 Top 10 | |||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 4-day | 4-day | Screens | Screen | % | Total | |
gross EUR | gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (1) | Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox | 3 | EUR2,098,067 | $2,713,837 | 803 | $3,380 | -45 | $17,239,450 |
2 | (-) | Mein Fuhrer (Ger) X-Verleih | NEW | EUR1,978,941 | $2,559,748 | 265 | $9,659 | - | $2,559,360 |
3 | (2) | Deja Vu (US) BVI | 3 | EUR1,121,541 | $1,450,706 | 601 | $2,414 | -38 | $8,842,218 |
4 | (4) | The Holiday (US) UIP | 5 | EUR1,017,597 | $1,316,255 | 544 | $2,420 | -34 | $13,695,703 |
5 | (3) | Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) Spri | 8 | EUR957,805 | $1,238,915 | 540 | $2,294 | -44 | $47,566,149 |
6 | (-) | The Queen (Fr-It-UK) Concorde | NEW | EUR566,007 | $732,127 | 153 | $4,785 | - | $732,127 |
7 | (7) | The Departed (US) Warner Bros | 6 | EUR465,485 | $602,102 | 415 | $1,451 | -30 | $9,544,999 |
8 | (5) | Eragon (US) 20th Fox | 5 | EUR450,431 | $582,630 | 688 | $847 | -55 | $12,990,643 |
9 | (8) | Babel (Mex-US) Tobis Film | 4 | EUR438,550 | $567,262 | 114 | $4,976 | -25 | $3,345,455 |
10 | (6) | Charlotte's Web (US) Universal | 2 | EUR401,668 | $519,555 | 400 | $1,299 | -50 | $1,678,396 |
$1 = EUR0.77 Nielsen EDI | |||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +19.1% on equivalent week, 2006 | |||||||||
Top 15 total 4-day gross: $13.5m |
ITALY | |||||||||
Three-day weekend January 12-14 Top 10 | |||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 3-day | 3-day | Screens | Screen | % | Total | |
gross EUR | gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (-) | The Pursuit of Happyness (US) Medusa Film | NEW | EUR3,615,039 | $4,697,296 | 391 | $12,014 | - | $4,697,296 |
2 | (-) | Rocky Balboa (US) 20th Fox | NEW | EUR2,868,704 | $3,727,526 | 331 | $11,261 | - | $3,727,526 |
3 | (1) | Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) Spri | 2 | EUR1,682,713 | $2,186,477 | 399 | $5,480 | -47 | $7,442,305 |
4 | (2) | Apocalypto (US) Eagle Pictures | 2 | EUR1,368,596 | $1,778,321 | 326 | $5,455 | -44 | $6,234,864 |
5 | (7) | A Good Year (US) Medusa Film | 5 | EUR433,571 | $563,372 | 203 | $2,775 | -49 | $6,562,152 |
6 | (5) | Flushed Away (US-UK) UIP | 3 | EUR422,980 | $549,610 | 233 | $2,359 | -57 | $7,725,390 |
7 | (6) | Deja Vu (US) BVI | 5 | EUR398,847 | $518,252 | 164 | $3,160 | -54 | $9,543,159 |
8 | (3) | Natale A New York (It) FilmAuro | 5 | EUR392,618 | $510,159 | 209 | $2,441 | -77 | $30,414,132 |
9 | (4) | Eragon (US) 20th Fox | 3 | EUR383,142 | $497,846 | 185 | $2,691 | -64 | $12,563,027 |
10 | (9) | The Prestige (US-UK) Warner Bros | 3 | EUR329,822 | $428,563 | 145 | $2,956 | -46 | $4,692,201 |
$1 = EUR0.77 Cinetel | |||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +43.1% on equivalent week, 2006 | |||||||||
Top 20 total 3-day gross: $16.7m |
MEXICO | |||||||||
Three-day weekend January 12-14 Top 10 | |||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 3-day | 3-day | Screens | Screen | % | Total | |
gross peso | gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (-) | Rocky Balboa (US) 20th Fox | NEW | 17,368,148 | $1,582,375 | 381 | $4,153 | - | $1,582,375 |
2 | (1) | Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox | 4 | 17,228,797 | $1,569,679 | 777 | $2,020 | -28 | $15,451,140 |
3 | (-) | The Holiday (US) UIP | NEW | 8,465,569 | $771,280 | 230 | $3,353 | - | $771,280 |
4 | (-) | Fuera Del Cielo (Mex) Videocine | NEW | 7,435,450 | $677,428 | 150 | $4,516 | - | $677,428 |
5 | (2) | Tired Of Kissing Frogs (Cansada De Besar Sapos) (Mex) BVI | 4 | 6,290,587 | $573,122 | 317 | $1,808 | -12 | $4,895,938 |
6 | (3) | Eragon (US) 20th Fox | 5 | 4,265,811 | $388,649 | 409 | $950 | -38 | $9,777 |
7 | (4) | Flushed Away (US-UK) UIP | 5 | 2,705,661 | $246,507 | 254 | $971 | -37 | $5,882,963 |
8 | (5) | Charlotte's Web (US) UIP | 3 | 2,292,656 | $208,879 | 233 | $896 | -39 | $1,655,912 |
9 | (6) | Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) SPRI | 6 | 1,731,025 | $157,710 | 167 | $944 | -44 | $6,321,626 |
10 | (10) | Material Girls (US) Videocine | 5 | 1,498,487 | $136,524 | 118 | $1,157 | -1 | $1,186,524 |
$1 = peso10.98 Screen International, compiled by Leonard Klady | |||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +13.5% on equivalent week, 2006 | |||||||||
Top 10 total 3-day gross: $6.3m |
Japan | |||||||||
Two-day weekend January 13-14 Top 10 | |||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 2-day | 2-day | Screens | Screen | % | Total | |
gross Yen | gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (-) | Love Never To End (Jap) Toho | NEW | Yen157,916,245 | $1,309,432 | 288 | $4,547 | - | $1,309,432 |
2 | (1) | Letters From Iwo Jima (US) Warner Bros | 6 | Yen152,230,389 | $1,262,286 | 305 | $4,139 | -39 | $33,045,936 |
3 | (-) | Monster House (US) Col TriStar | NEW | Yen144,241,069 | $1,196,039 | 300 | $3,987 | - | $1,196,039 |
4 | (3) | Love And Honour (Jap) Shochiku | 7 | Yen113,814,473 | $943,743 | 331 | $2,851 | -29 | $27,031,860 |
5 | (2) | Oh-oku, The Women Of The Inner Palace (Jap) Toei | 4 | Yen106,490,559 | $883,014 | 321 | $2,751 | -38 | $13,949,810 |
6 | (-) | Lucky Number Slevin (US) Toho | NEW | Yen95,784,784 | $794,242 | 152 | $5,225 | - | $794,242 |
7 | (4) | Dobutsu No Mori (Jap) Toho | 5 | Yen85,368,685 | $707,872 | 270 | $2,622 | -40 | $12,915,432 |
8 | (5) | Eragon (US) 20th Fox | 5 | Yen68,186,762 | $565,401 | 495 | $1,142 | -46 | $14,104,978 |
9 | (6) | Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) SPRI | 7 | Yen62,047,920 | $514,498 | 295 | $1,744 | -41 | $168,160,914 |
10 | (8) | Murder Of The Inugami Clan (Jap) Toho | 5 | Yen34,842,137 | $288,909 | 282 | $1,025 | -47 | $288,909 |
$1 = Yen120.60 Screen International, Compiled by Leonard Klady | |||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +42.2% on equivalent week, 2006 | |||||||||
Top 10 total 2-day gross: $19.8m |
SOUTH KOREA | |||||||||
Three-day weekend January 12-14 (90% screens reporting) Top 10 | |||||||||
Rank | Film (Origin) Distributor | Week | 3-day | 3-day | Screens | Screen | % | Total | |
gross won | gross $ | avg $ | change | gross $ | |||||
1 | (-) | Eragon (US) 20th Fox | NEW | 2,102,094,600 | $2,239,845 | 270 | $8,296 | - | $2,794,113 |
2 | (2) | 200 Pounds Beauty (S Korea) ShowBox | 5 | 1,946,939,400 | $2,074,523 | 236 | $8,790 | -30 | $29,593,174 |
3 | (-) | Herb (S Korea) ShowBox | NEW | 1,839,038,100 | $1,959,550 | 256 | $7,654 | - | $2,583,106 |
4 | (1) | Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox | 4 | 1,501,592,300 | $1,599,992 | 226 | $7,080 | -49 | $23,357,760 |
5 | (-) | Death Note 2: The Last Name (Jap) Lotte Ent't | NEW | 1,376,156,000 | $1,466,336 | 214 | $6,852 | - | $1,955,792 |
6 | (-) | Deja Vu (US) Sony Pictures Releasing Int | NEW | 1,363,432,500 | $1,452,778 | 200 | $7,264 | - | $1,749,817 |
7 | (-) | Battle Of Wits (China-HK-Jap-S Korea) CJ Ent't | NEW | 856,001,000 | $912,095 | 187 | $4,878 | - | $2,031,559 |
8 | (-) | Blood Diamond (US) Warner Bros | NEW | 725,210,200 | $772,733 | 138 | $5,600 | - | $996,791 |
9 | (3) | Jopog Manura 3 (China-S Korea) ShowBox | 3 | 439,077,600 | $467,850 | 143 | $3,272 | -75 | $9,018,651 |
10 | (4) | Open Season (US) Sony Pictures | 2 | 396,468,000 | $422,449 | 145 | $2,913 | -48 | $1,614,905 |
$1 = won938.50 Kofic | |||||||||
Year-on-year performance: +2% on equivalent week, 2006 | |||||||||
Top 10 total 3-day gross: $13.4m |
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