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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek4-dayScreensScreen%Total
gross $avg $changegross $
1(-)Stomp The Yard (US) Sony PicturesNEW$25,876,3182,051$12,616-$25,876,318
2(2)Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox4$21,847,8673,612$6,049-8$190,503,618
3(3)The Pursuit Of Happyness (US) Sony Pictures5$10,703,3523,169$3,378-17$138,082,302
4(6)Dreamgirls (US) Paramount5$10,259,9111,907$5,380+18$67,101,078
5(5)Freedom Writers (US) Paramount2$8,849,0052,179$4,061-6$20,172,832
6(4)Children Of Men (US-UK) Universal4$7,449,5551,508$4,940-27$22,415,823
7(-)Alpha Dog (US) UniversalNEW$7,411,7501,289$5,750-$7,411,750
8(-)Primeval (US) Buena VistaNEW$6,792,3182,444$2,779-$6,792,318
9(-)Arthur And The Invisibles (Fr-US) MGM StudiosNEW$5,702,7892,247$2,538-$5,702,789
10(8)Charlotte's Web (US) Paramount5$5,348,8672,513$2,128-19$73,731,304
11(9)The Good Shepherd (US) Universal4$4,346,0801,994$2,180-33$54,704,190
12(7)Happily N'Ever After (Ger-US) Lionsgate Films2$4,277,7932,381$1,797-35$11,865,637
13(10)Rocky Balboa (US) Sony Pictures, MGM Studios4$3,336,0251,835$1,818-45$65,600,017
14(16)Blood Diamond (US) Warner Bros6$2,874,9331,116$2,576-25$48,199,168
15(14)Happy Feet (Aus-US) Warner Bros9$2,866,2521,451$1,975-28$189,052,102
16(11)We Are Marshall (US) Warner Bros4$2,858,3551,804$1,584-41$39,188,707
17(12)Eragon (US) 20th Fox5$2,644,1061,614$1,638-45$70,811,997
18(22)Pan's Labyrinth (Mex-Sp-US) Picturehouse3$2,611,968194$13,464+242$4,834,269
19(30)Curse Of The Golden Flower (Chi-HK) Sony Pictures Classics4$2,190,0751,234$1,775+552$4,538,871
20(17)Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) Sony Pictures9$2,010,237819$2,455-33$162,760,504
21(13)Code Name: The Cleaner (US) New Line2$1,994,5621,736$1,149-53$7,030,225
22(20)Notes On A Scandal (UK) Fox Searchlight3$1,933,215200$9,666+72$4,424,805
23(15)The Holiday (US) Sony Pictures6$1,745,4481,337$1,306-55$61,785,466
24(21)The Queen (Fr-It-UK) Miramax15$1,355,625344$3,941+29$31,766,072
25(26)The Painted Veil (US) Warner Independent Pictures3$1,199,214202$5,937+146$2,640,154
26(19)Apocalypto (US) Buena Vista6$1,015,931467$2,175-42$49,039,536
27(-)Guru (Ind) Adlabs FilmsNEW$843,20071$11,876-$843,200
28(24)Volver (Sp) Sony Pictures Classics11$593,030113$5,248-1$6,798,460
29(28)Babel (Mex-US) Paramount Classics12$458,861173$2,652+1$21,386,073
30(-)Letters From Iwo Jima (US) Warner BrosNEW$449,96235$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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek3-day3-daySitesSite%Total
gross £gross $avg $changegross $
1(-)The Pursuit of Happyness (US) SpriNEW£2,527,181$4,969,874402$12,363-$4,969,874
2(1)Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox3£1,939,335$3,813,835471$8,097-35$32,781,375
3(-)Smokin' Aces (US) UniversalNEW£1,023,862$2,013,495338$5,957-$2,013,495
4(3)Miss Potter (US-UK) Momentum Pictures2£901,474$1,772,810343$5,169-19$6,325,111
5(-)The Last King Of Scotland (-) 20th FoxNEW£861,086$1,693,384246$6,884-$1,695,164
6(5)Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) SPRI9£839,164$1,650,273301$5,483-21$104,408,336
7(2)Apocalypto (US) Icon Film Distribution2£767,493$1,509,327378$3,993-42$5,552,686
8(4)Employee Of The Month (US) Lionsgate UK2£703,621$1,383,719327$4,232-35$4,229,784
9(6)Happy Feet (Aus-US) Warner Bros6£552,251$1,086,039470$2,311-44$33,607,561
10(7)White Noise: The Light (Can-US) Entertainment Film Dist2£309,149$607,963286$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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek3-day3-dayScreensScreen%Total
gross EURgross $avg $changegross $
1(1)Arthur And The Invisibles (Fr-US) EuropaCorp Distribution4EUR5,720,886$7,399,930967$7,652-40$39,431,472
2(2)Eragon (US) 20th Fox3EUR3,257,241$4,213,221759$5,551-40$16,967,332
3(3)Priceless (Hors De Prix) (Fr) TFM Distribution4EUR1,851,691$2,395,150459$5,218-25$11,675,739
4(4)The Holiday (US) UIP2EUR1,598,434$2,067,5644,113$503-28$4,945,117
5(5)Happy Feet (Aus-US) Warner Bros5EUR1,280,504$1,656,324725$2,285-29$9,726,484
6(6)My Best Friend (Mon Meilleur Ami) (Fr) Wild Bunch3EUR1,175,114$1,520,003416$3,654-30$5,362,640
7(8)Flushed Away (US-UK) UIP6EUR858,103$1,109,951582$1,907-24$8,780,542
8(9)Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) Gaumont Sony Pictures7EUR781,660$1,011,073294$3,439-30$22,115,198
9(10)The Departed (US) TFM Distribution6EUR720,803$932,354301$3,098-23$11,937,041
10(7)Le Heros De La Famille (Fr) UGC Distribution3EUR697,754$902,540464$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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek3-day3-dayScreensScreen%Total
gross EURgross $avg $changegross $
1(-)Rocky Balboa (US) 20th FoxNEWEUR2,628,898$3,400,463301$11,297-$3,400,463
2(-)The Prestige (US-UK) Warner BrosNEWEUR1,272,924$1,646,519309$5,329-$1,646,519
3(1)Babel (Mex-US) UIP3EUR993,655$1,285,287199$6,459-19$6,085,940
4(-)The Kovak Box (UK-Sp) FilmaxNEWEUR495,094$640,401198$3,234-$640,401
5(2)Eragon (US) 20th Fox5EUR481,447$622,749363$1,716-31$13,180,823
6(3)Marie Antoinette (Fr-Jap-US) Spri2EUR461,838$597,385112$5,334-20$1,577,479
7(5)The Illusionist (US) Aurum9EUR414,537$536,201206$2,603-5$10,718,947
8(4)Flags Of Our Fathers (US) Warner Bros2EUR373,332$482,903167$2,892-32$1,609,853
9(6)Deck The Halls (US) 20th Fox2EUR266,310$344,470200$1,722-28$877,072
10(14)Perez, El Ratoncito De Tus Suenos (Arg-Sp) Filmax4EUR229,899$297,373256$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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek4-day4-dayScreensScreen%Total
gross EURgross $avg $changegross $
1(1)Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox3EUR2,098,067$2,713,837803$3,380-45$17,239,450
2(-)Mein Fuhrer (Ger) X-VerleihNEWEUR1,978,941$2,559,748265$9,659-$2,559,360
3(2)Deja Vu (US) BVI3EUR1,121,541$1,450,706601$2,414-38$8,842,218
4(4)The Holiday (US) UIP5EUR1,017,597$1,316,255544$2,420-34$13,695,703
5(3)Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) Spri8EUR957,805$1,238,915540$2,294-44$47,566,149
6(-)The Queen (Fr-It-UK) ConcordeNEWEUR566,007$732,127153$4,785-$732,127
7(7)The Departed (US) Warner Bros6EUR465,485$602,102415$1,451-30$9,544,999
8(5)Eragon (US) 20th Fox5EUR450,431$582,630688$847-55$12,990,643
9(8)Babel (Mex-US) Tobis Film4EUR438,550$567,262114$4,976-25$3,345,455
10(6)Charlotte's Web (US) Universal2EUR401,668$519,555400$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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek3-day3-dayScreensScreen%Total
gross EURgross $avg $changegross $
1(-)The Pursuit of Happyness (US) Medusa FilmNEWEUR3,615,039$4,697,296391$12,014-$4,697,296
2(-)Rocky Balboa (US) 20th FoxNEWEUR2,868,704$3,727,526331$11,261-$3,727,526
3(1)Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) Spri2EUR1,682,713$2,186,477399$5,480-47$7,442,305
4(2)Apocalypto (US) Eagle Pictures2EUR1,368,596$1,778,321326$5,455-44$6,234,864
5(7)A Good Year (US) Medusa Film5EUR433,571$563,372203$2,775-49$6,562,152
6(5)Flushed Away (US-UK) UIP3EUR422,980$549,610233$2,359-57$7,725,390
7(6)Deja Vu (US) BVI5EUR398,847$518,252164$3,160-54$9,543,159
8(3)Natale A New York (It) FilmAuro5EUR392,618$510,159209$2,441-77$30,414,132
9(4)Eragon (US) 20th Fox3EUR383,142$497,846185$2,691-64$12,563,027
10(9)The Prestige (US-UK) Warner Bros3EUR329,822$428,563145$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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek3-day3-dayScreensScreen%Total
gross pesogross $avg $changegross $
1(-)Rocky Balboa (US) 20th FoxNEW17,368,148$1,582,375381$4,153-$1,582,375
2(1)Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox417,228,797$1,569,679777$2,020-28$15,451,140
3(-)The Holiday (US) UIPNEW8,465,569$771,280230$3,353-$771,280
4(-)Fuera Del Cielo (Mex) VideocineNEW7,435,450$677,428150$4,516-$677,428
5(2)Tired Of Kissing Frogs (Cansada De Besar Sapos) (Mex) BVI46,290,587$573,122317$1,808-12$4,895,938
6(3)Eragon (US) 20th Fox54,265,811$388,649409$950-38$9,777
7(4)Flushed Away (US-UK) UIP52,705,661$246,507254$971-37$5,882,963
8(5)Charlotte's Web (US) UIP32,292,656$208,879233$896-39$1,655,912
9(6)Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) SPRI61,731,025$157,710167$944-44$6,321,626
10(10)Material Girls (US) Videocine51,498,487$136,524118$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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek2-day2-dayScreensScreen%Total
gross Yengross $avg $changegross $
1(-)Love Never To End (Jap) TohoNEWYen157,916,245$1,309,432288$4,547-$1,309,432
2(1)Letters From Iwo Jima (US) Warner Bros6Yen152,230,389$1,262,286305$4,139-39$33,045,936
3(-)Monster House (US) Col TriStarNEWYen144,241,069$1,196,039300$3,987-$1,196,039
4(3)Love And Honour (Jap) Shochiku7Yen113,814,473$943,743331$2,851-29$27,031,860
5(2)Oh-oku, The Women Of The Inner Palace (Jap) Toei4Yen106,490,559$883,014321$2,751-38$13,949,810
6(-)Lucky Number Slevin (US) TohoNEWYen95,784,784$794,242152$5,225-$794,242
7(4)Dobutsu No Mori (Jap) Toho5Yen85,368,685$707,872270$2,622-40$12,915,432
8(5)Eragon (US) 20th Fox5Yen68,186,762$565,401495$1,142-46$14,104,978
9(6)Casino Royale (Czech-Ger-US-UK) SPRI7Yen62,047,920$514,498295$1,744-41$168,160,914
10(8)Murder Of The Inugami Clan (Jap) Toho5Yen34,842,137$288,909282$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
RankFilm (Origin) DistributorWeek3-day3-dayScreensScreen%Total
gross wongross $avg $changegross $
1(-)Eragon (US) 20th FoxNEW2,102,094,600$2,239,845270$8,296-$2,794,113
2(2)200 Pounds Beauty (S Korea) ShowBox51,946,939,400$2,074,523236$8,790-30$29,593,174
3(-)Herb (S Korea) ShowBoxNEW1,839,038,100$1,959,550256$7,654-$2,583,106
4(1)Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox41,501,592,300$1,599,992226$7,080-49$23,357,760
5(-)Death Note 2: The Last Name (Jap) Lotte Ent'tNEW1,376,156,000$1,466,336214$6,852-$1,955,792
6(-)Deja Vu (US) Sony Pictures Releasing IntNEW1,363,432,500$1,452,778200$7,264-$1,749,817
7(-)Battle Of Wits (China-HK-Jap-S Korea) CJ Ent'tNEW856,001,000$912,095187$4,878-$2,031,559
8(-)Blood Diamond (US) Warner BrosNEW725,210,200$772,733138$5,600-$996,791
9(3)Jopog Manura 3 (China-S Korea) ShowBox3439,077,600$467,850143$3,272-75$9,018,651
10(4)Open Season (US) Sony Pictures2396,468,000$422,449145$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