The movie was Spring Breakers, it played like a Kesha music video as directed by Terrence Malick on MDMA, and it debuted to the highest per-screen average of any film released that year to date. Fenkel: I remember we were just getting to know Scott Rudin. Lets run there. Their hair and makeup people, actually, are the people that had an issue with this. A24 is an American independent entertainment company founded on August 20, 2012, by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges and based in New York City. A24 was set up ten years ago by David Fenkel, John Hodges and Daniel Katz, all veterans of New York's independent film business. They came on strong in the late 90s, really. Their whole point was, We dont know this world. You were in the A24 offices. Here's who: Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, John Hodges and James Schultz. But A24 has the money to acquire a steady slate of releases, the model to support them, and the chutzpah to make nearly each one into a mini-phenomenon. Fenkel: And then I started saying, No way. Igoe: That morning was crazy. But in a shift from its typical way of doing business, A24 acquired Room based on its script, before shooting had even begun. Zoe Beyer (marketing, A24): Spring Breakers had a whole Oscar campaign. So it was strange, if you were a moviegoer in 2013, to see the A24 logo pop up again and again before movies as varied and weird as Harmony Korines Spring Breakers and Sofia Coppolas The Bling Ring, James Ponsoldts The Spectacular Now and Roman Coppolas A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III. The things about it that didnt were what made me most excited, both for Moonlight and the future of a company thats confident enough in its sense of self to stretch toward something new. The deal excludes films that are already part of the Apple partnership. We all go nuts for a few minutes, and then were all like, Okay, what do we do?. Judging by the fact that the trailer racked up more than 3 million views in its first week online, the crowds are ready with their pitchforks. Eggers: In the very beginning, when we went to Sundance initially, I didnt think that this was going to have such a large audience. A24 Films is a US theatrical distribution and production company founded by Daniel Katz, John Hodges and David Fenkel. BREAKING: John Hodges, one of the founding members of A24, has announced his departure from the production and distribution studio to focus on future opportunities. Fenkel: Lenny [Abrahamson, for Room] beats out Ridley Scott! Katz formerly led the film finance group at Guggenheim Partners, Fenkel was the president, co-founder and partner at Oscilloscope, and Hodges served as Head of Production and Development at Big Beach. Fifty-six-year-old guy. Korine: I could tell that they were on some new shit, you know? We literally didnt know what to do. Steven Soderbergh retired. Spike Lee turned to Kickstarter. You get a movie with them and it represents something. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. When I arrived at A24s office, in an anonymous building so close to the western lip of lower Manhattan that it can practically taste New Jersey, my fears that the company might be growing too fast werent exactly assuaged by learning that within weeks it was moving to an enormous office closer to midtown. I say, Dont go there. Because what happened was, someone ran out with a red envelope. Take its efforts on Spring Breakers, for example. Daniel Katz and David Fenkel will continue to oversee the NYC-based indie. And it was on the A24 [motorway]. I think he was in Hawaii on his honeymoon or something while it was all going down, so I felt terrible. (For context, the Spring Breakers Facebook page has 1.1 million likes, while that for Fox Searchlights Best Picture-winning Birdman has only 289,000.) John Cornelius Hodge (Squatty Roo, Jeep, Rabbit) was born on 25 July, 1907 in Cambridge, MA, is an American saxophonist. Jennifer Kents drama is a psychological heavyweight that examines how parents feed their demons to quell the pain. Moonlight we hadnt seen yet. Katz: Theres an A24 audience, and sometimes a movie connects with the A24 audience. Photos courtesy A24, by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images, and Janette Pellegrini/WireImage/Getty Images. The next day it was like, Anythings possible.. They just need to know how it feels.. All Rights Reserved. I found it so deep in Google Image searches. IFC earned a raft of Oscar nominations when it decided to put its muscle behind Boyhood and transform it into a phenomenon, but dumping all of its eggs into one beautifully textured basket helped to underline the paucity of love that most indies receive from their distributors, who ferry them from festivals to home video with all the solemn purpose of Charon taking passengers across the river Styx. . junio 12, 2022. cottage for sale in timmins on . Beyer: Alicia VikanderI think she read about it, or she saw this photo of her that was being used. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Katz: In LAwhatever just transpired last month, you feel it in LA. Fenkel: I was at the Union Square theater, and they couldnt have had enough theaters. It took us ten minutes to get a block. I dont think it was related to her professional career. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Garland: Under the Skin is exactly the kind of movie that you would not see distributed by a major studio. And David cannot stop perspiring. GQ Style. Since its inception in 2012, A24 has become one of the hottest destinations for indie filmmakers, ushering such edgy films to theaters as The Bling Ring and Spring Breakers. Aizenberg: I was at the Q&As at the ArcLight [in Los Angeles], and I remember taking a picture of the screen, and then all of a sudden it was like every screen at the ArcLight: Spring Breakers, Spring Breakers, Spring Breakers. Heading into production nearly a decade after the premiere of Jenkins only other feature (the excellent Medicine for Melancholy), the film has been waiting a long time for a company with the confidence required to finance it. Thats someone else. The films were darlingsincluding David Michds The Rover, starring Robert Pattinson; Denis Villeneuves Enemy, starring Jake Gyllenhaal; and Jonathan Glazers Under the Skin, starring Scarlett Johanssonand, by and large, box-office underperformers. And theyre aiming at them. A24 is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. Wed be like, Heavey, just make sure hes alive and you can get him to communicate.. Fenkel: You dont know how to control yourself. A24, which was founded in 2012, said that no additional changes in management will be made. He was calling me. Like, no way in hell. A24 has an estimated net worth of about $1.89 million. And there are studio subdivisions, like Fox Searchlight, that have consistently guided films like 12 Years a Slave and Birdman to Academy Awards and box office success over the past twenty years. Villeneuve: If my memorys good, I was amongst their, not their first movies, but they were a young company at the time. Jenkins: They were like, Look. Aizenberg: I remember that Sunday we all got on the phone and were like, Were going over a thousand screens.. [18] In June, the company, along with Oscilloscope and distributor Honora, joined BitTorrent Now to distribute the work of their portfolio across the ad-supported service. The question with any company that lavishes attention and resources upon a modest amount of product is, of course, where does the money come from? John Hodges is leaving A24, the Oscar-winning indie studio that he co-founded. It is based in New York City. Hodges: The office literally looked like a pump-and-dump stock operation. A24 is an American independent entertainment company founded on August 20, 2012, by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges and based in New York City. So everyones wrapping up this gift basket that Im supposed to deliver to Megan [Ellison, one of the producers of Spring Breakers, who was on location in Pittsburgh] and say, like, This is why you should go with us. Fenkel: [Katz] is a better runner than I am. (Blindsided teens, many of whom had been intrigued at the thought of seeing former Disney star Selena Gomez in a more mature performance, assailed the Internet with complaints that they had paid to see the Worst Movie Ever Made.) An A24 project is far more likely to be female-driven than a film released by another company, and it is typically directed by a major filmmaker (Sally Potter, Sofia Coppola, Noah Baumbach) or a filmmaker on the cusp of becoming one (J.C. Chandor, James Ponsoldt). A24s biggest success, Lady Bird, grossed $49 million domestically, so can that ceiling support the duos ambitions, or will a larger distributor make them an offer they cant refuse? In 2016, A24 expanded into original production with Moonlight. It also put out some of its weirder and most singular movies to date: Trey Edward Shultss micro-budget family drama Krisha; Swiss Army Man, in which Daniel Radcliffe plays a corpse; and Yorgos Lanthimoss romantic tragedy, The Lobster. In February, Robert Eggerss The Witch, which A24 bought at Sundance for one million dollars, made $40 million and became the companys highest grossing film to date (Moonlight has since surpassed it). Katz, Fenkel and Hodges all got together in 2012 and decided to make their late night yammerings a reality. And the guy asked me, Is there anything we might find suspicious in there? I said, Theres an art piece inside in the shape of a gun. And literally the entire security department was like, What is wrong with you? Long story short, it made it through. [21][22] Episodes are based around a discussion between two members of the film industry. I was like, Fuck yeah!, Sacco: I think its inspiring and motivating to a younger generation: Oh, that movie cost this, and it did this. Hollywood is run by accountants at this point. For Ponsoldts latest, A24s marketing efforts followed the films example of approaching a highbrow topic with a low bar for entry, partnering with Medium.com for a project called Just Words, for which writers, artists, and other intellectual types collectively celebrated the life and work of David Foster Wallace. John Hodges. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. in the past 3 years a24 has managed to make from 90 - 110 million at the yearly box office. Denis Villeneuve (director, Enemy): I never saw them as businessmen. [19], In January 2017, the company acquired the United States and Chinese distribution rights for their first foreign language film, Menashe. Robert Pattinson (actor, The Rover, Good Time): Its crazy that there is an article about a distribution company. BREAKING: John Hodges, one of the founding members of A24, has announced his departure from the production and distribution studio to focus on future opportunities. No additional changes in management will be made, said A24, which will continue to develop and produce a growing slate of content across film and television. A24 was founded in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges. On the most literal level, an A24 film is budgeted from anywhere between $1 million (Obvious Child) and $20 million (A Most Violent Year). Coppola: That was the worst. Sacco: Its sobering and motivating in a different way. Whoa! Because theyd made a curated, awesome, crafted film. Your eyes dont gloss over James Franco as a trap music Jesus. But I do remember finally looking over, because I didnt know where they were sitting, and I spotted Dan Katz and Dave Fenkel, and, man, the smile on their faces! raised the Oscar at them. There was this weird time. It was social media. Fenkel: One thing we notice is now people are saying, Oh, good job. I Just Raised The Oscar At Them. In the last few years, there have been a spate ofindie horror films that have broken into the mainstream. A24 is responsible for such films as Lady Bird, Moonlight, Eighth Grade, Hereditary, The Witch, The Lobster, Ex Machina & more. I think when we started [2016], it was another, like, what Id consider a building year. Kapadia: There were other films that had a lot more money in their campaign and were everywhere. Without the same star power or effects as your typical studio horror film, these scary movies rely on mood, style and character to create a feeling of dread, rather than jump scares. Film-distribution companies tend to be important but invisible: They buy finished films, cut trailers, make posters, and put movies into movie theatersor, more often these days, dump them onto VOD, never to be heard from again. Whether thats old white people in the Academy, or people all over the country, or frankly the rest of the world. A24 co-founder John Hodges is exiting the indie company to "focus on future opportunities," he and the company jointly announced on Monday. Said Korine: They saw that marketing was a creative act that could be entertaining in and of itself. A24s initial funding came via an infusion of capital from Guggenheim Partners, the investment firm at which Katz previously oversaw film financing. Zach Baron is GQs staff writer. Fenkel: Do you have to be a genius to do Sofia Coppolas movie, or Harmonys? Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Apply Bed Bath and Beyond Coupon and save 25% Off your entire purchase, Target Circle: up to 50% Off with Target promo code, Save 25% on your purchase of Spring Styles with Asos Coupon, Michael Kors Promo Code: sign up for KORSVIP + Get 10% Off on First Order, 2023 Cond Nast. Three were winners. Theyre on the tarmac, and were having to find a new jet for them within twenty minutes. But if it is, a monastic degree of focus will be required to recognize which A24 titles might fare better on VOD. He booked the theaters over the phone. When the film comes out in early 2016, it will arrive exclusively in theaters, and its trial by fire will be exclusively in theaters. Losing a movieI wanted to jump off a bridge. Aizenberg: There was a week in January where we dropped the trailer of Spring Breakers. [29][30], "A24 Films" redirects here. When your audience does the work for you. And I felt with these guys it was a dialogue. Hodges previously served as head of production and development at Big Beach Films and exec produced "Our Idiot Brother" and "Safety Not Guaranteed.". Garland: I didnt know what Tinder was until the festival. They have a very good understanding of the Zeitgeist. Its first release was A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III in 2013, followed by Spring Breakers later that year. Were passionate. That was tough. Aizenberg: When I started, we didnt have Spring Breakers yet, but the whole focus of that very first meeting I went to was like, How do we get Spring Breakers? So what is an A24 film? And I was just acting! In recent years, the recession and the concurrent rise of VOD streaming services have already torpedoed the midbudget movie. You know more than me.. [10] The company's first theatrical release was Roman Coppola's A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, which had a limited release. Sasha Lane (actress, American Honey): They were like, You guys are who you are and were not going to change that. No one had to be perfected for anything. We closed the deal on The Bling Ring on the way to Sundance. Discover Johnny Hodges's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. I dont mean it that way. A24 is cool and I know they say great things about Miramax, which makes me feel proud and old at the same time. But I feel that the fact that it was their first filmthere was a lot of idealism around the process. This is before Wolf of Wall Street came out, but Margot Robbie, I didnt know her, but she was working with somebody that knew my costumer or something, and got in touch with me and was like, Can you print me a photo of the tattoos in detail, so that I can get this costume perfectly? Because she was fucking Alien that year. Because even the companys failures are interesting. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. It made me crack up. This is a growing company, not a struggling one. Talk me through it. And you could tell that it was in their reach. Our site's data suggests A24's net worth to be about $1.89 million. [Sofia] was like, Oh, will you at least partner with Harvey? We were like, No!. This elegant, yet sadistic horror film from Austria resembles Michael Hanekes Funny Games, yet the home invader was under the victims noses all along. IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. It is based in New York City . They had heart to them.Harmony Korine, Sacco: I wouldnt say I got it. As one of the founding members of the New York-based company, Hodges played a key role. Over the past six years I have been fortunate to work with a diverse group of talented storytellers across film and TV and look forward to continuing those collaborations in my future endeavors.. Im glad it all worked out. Starring Splits Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Eggers creates a world devoid of God in this thunderous and bleak religious melodrama. Whatever lingering reservations I had about the VOD side of A24s business were dismantled by the recent rumblings of a demonically possessed goat: The DirecTV logo may still be lurking toward the bottom of The Witchs teaser poster (which accurately identifies and champions Black Phillip as the movies breakout star), but at some point along the way it was decided that this crowd-pleasing, pants-ruining work of art has the makings of a communal sensation, and A24 pivoted. When your business model is predicated on treating each movie like an event, how do you get bigger without changing who you are? And I think thats the main thing, Id say. Place Beyond the Pines, wed worked with the producers before. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Dave Franco & Alison Brie Take a Couples Quiz, Heres a First Look at Daniel Lees Burberry, Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez Are Shaping NASCAR's Future, Inside Daniel Lee's Burberry Debut, London Fashion Week's Biggest Show. Hodges. And with the opening weekend, with the numbers that we did, it became very clear that, yes, this is a viable strategy, to keep this very small, gay, art-house hood-ass filmlike, yeah, were just gonna keep it in theaters. The tech titan is reportedly in the midst of dropping $1 billion on original content, but has yet to make a major film market move. You walk through that office, and there arent a lot of people that look like theyre from Liberty City, Miami. I dont even look at him. Pattinson: Theyre definitely the place to be now. [13] That same year, A24 entered a deal with Amazon Prime, where A24-distributed films would be available on Amazon Instant Video after becoming available on DVD and Blu-ray. Still, A24 has never enjoyed a box-office breakout hit. All the actors had taken the risk. 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Rowling More Grace and Listen to Her, Britain's $4 Billion Boss: ITV Chief Carolyn McCall Bets It All on Talent, 2023 Music Festivals: How to Buy Tickets to Coachella, Governors Ball, Lollapalooza and More. I think that was Nicolette, actually: Consider This Shit.. Jul 2021 - Present1 year 7 months. Fenkel: I stare straight ahead. Annapurna Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection, Moonlights Mahershala Ali Picks His Own Oscar Winners. Katz: That was a good learning experience for us. Franco: I hope they dont get too big that they forget what got them started. His relationship with talent and creators is exceptional and we look forward to having him make Jax his new home.. A24 may not yet inspire the same kind of blind devotion in theatergoers that the Criterion Collection does in home video obsessives, but its the only indie distributor that feasibly could. Eddie Guy. Ask for forgiveness. I think it just showed that we cared about these movies so much. All Rights Reserved. Johansson plays something between an android and alien symbiote who seduces men in order to envelop them in a dark, infinite pool of nothingness. [24], On November 15, 2018, A24 and Apple announced that they had entered into a multi-year partnership where A24 will produce a slate of original films for Apple. All Rights Reserved. And then over the course of, like, four months, we bought a lot of movies. And then there was another one where hes deep-throating the gun, and we replaced it with a gold statue. Karyn Kusama is a rapidly rising female director, and for good reason. Other companies wanted to do stuff with it. When we started, we wanted it to be about the films and filmmakers, not us, Katz told the Hollywood Reporter at the end of 2013, and that culture remains evident in all aspects of their business. Fenkel: But it was like, Youre not going to be 20 minutes late for Scott Rudin. So you ran. Meanwhile, A24 has already been building an ark. Katz: David and I are sitting next to each other. A24s television division released The Carmichael Show.. I legitimately watched people almost pass out. New York, no one gives a shit. That was a thing. Miramax, they were a huge deal, and also Fox Searchlight. A24 also released 2017s Lady Bird, an acclaimed coming-of-age story from Greta Gerwig, picking up a best picture nod. Theyre super-smart people. Most importantly, an A24 film is a happening. It wasnt going to get lost in the shuffle. Focus and Fox Searchlight had become kind of isolated in what they did. Yes, Scream VI Marketing Is Behind the Creepy Ghostface Sightings Causing Scares Across the U.S. David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE), Star Trek: Discovery to End With Season 5, Paramount+ Pushes Premiere to 2024. (He won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association award for Best Supporting Actor). But A24, it became clear when I spoke to the companys employees, saw Spring Breakers as a Trojan horse for progressive cinemathe company less concerned about the nine kids who found the film too weird than they were the one kid who went home and rented Gummo. Notable guests on the show have included Bo Burnham, Paul Schrader, Sofia Coppola, Alia Shawkat and Martin Scorsese. Key grip. I remember when all the commotion started, I look at David. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. And then it was consolidation. Noah Sacco (head of acquisitions and production, A24): I think some of our biggest movies had no stars in them at the time of releaseEx Machina, Moonlight, The Witch, Room, The Spectacular Now. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Its like, oh, this person has no idea what Moonlight is, and it just won Best Picture. John Heavey (distribution, A24): Especially the first two years, we fell in love with every movie. I liked the fact that they had never made a doc. The world opened itself up. And it satisfied something they werent getting.