How will you see the Butterfly Tattoo?

[jessia]

TBT has experienced a recent surge in popularity... but mostly because of 200 000+ illegal downloads.

THE BUTTERFLY TATTOO was independently financed and for those investors they expect a return on their money. We’ve been lucky for a low-budget British indie flick to have a limited theatrical release in the US (followed by the DVD) and we’ve also sold the film to various countries in the middle east and Europe but we haven’t recouped the budget yet. I also don’t think the average joe downloader understands what independent film is (and if they do they should already realise the damage!) I’m not suggesting for a second that there is an argument in downloading studio vs indy films but from my point of view for every download my own wallet (and the wallets and purses of the rest of the production cast, crew and investors) is damaged. The film, afterall, was based on a profit share. If nobody is buying it, nobody is getting paid a penny. It’s that simple.

[...]

Bizarrely, there are some positives from my point of view. I was actually quite surprised how many people knew about the movie and downloaded it. After all, we are a little indie film which has only had a small release in the US. How do the tens of thousands of people know it exists? Apart from the website, a few Pullman fan sites and the trailer on YouTube there hasn’t been much publicity. Since the downloading frenzy has begun, loads of reviews have appears, message boards have lit up and our IMDb page has gone up 10,393% in popularity. This sudden burst of interest has meant our relatively unknown film has been thrown into the spotlight and is now no. 75 on IMDb’s top 100 films (we’re above Wall:E!) and - on one website - we’re in the top 50 of the most downloaded things at the moment. If the success of a film is mainly word of mouth, we’ve certainly got it now.

[...]

THE BUTTERFLY TATTOO was always a platform for everyone involved. It was a great showcase for me but especially for the actors - it was both Jessica Blake and Duncan Stuart’s first major film roles. With distributors - especially in the UK - not wanting to take a chance with a film full of “unknowns” and a general release highly unlikely for an independent suddenly the film has reached an massive audience, albeit an illegal one. I’ve always said to the nervous theatrical distributors that the film definitely has an audience - the surge in popularity is a testament to that fact.

So where does that leave us? Will the popularity hurt anymore theatrical or distribution prospects or can this seen as proof that the public want to see it and like it?

any thoughts? (i've set the poll to allow voters to check all that apply, because i suspect that maybe how sraffies work)

[Bellerophon]

I'm a Netflix member, so I can watch it online for no additional charge. I assume the filmmakers are paid from my membership fees.

[Ian]

TBT has experienced a recent surge in popularity... but mostly because of 200 000+ illegal downloads.)

Wasn't it 25,000 downloads? 200,000 would be rather impressive.

Well I'd rather like to see it in the cinema, but that opportunity doesn't seem likely to happen... So DVD probably.

[jessia]

TBT has experienced a recent surge in popularity... but mostly because of 200 000+ illegal downloads.)

Wasn't it 25,000 downloads? 200,000 would be rather impressive.

it jumped in the last week.

myself, i instinctively looked to go download the appropriate torrent as soon as i discovered (via hawkins' philmblog) it was available. then, i went to buy it on amazon, mostly because i planned to originally but partially 'cause i felt bad.

matt, is it available on netflix?

[Bellerophon]

matt, is it available on netflix?

Yes. I'll probably watch it later today. The viewer reviews are mixed.

[Kinders]

I didn't even realise it had finally made it to public release here (or maybe it hasn't). I'd like to see it but I don't rent/buy/download films, so in all likelihood I'll only see it if it's a) in the cinema b) on iPlayer/4oD or c) in somebody else's DVD collection (which would indeed mean Dynamic would be out of pocket). Hope it's still on its way to UK theatres!

[DutchCrunch]

Hi guys. Thanks again for your relentless support. I know it's been quiet from my end (been sleeping for a year.)

In fact the release in the States is huge for a DVD. We're in major rental outlets and retail stores. The theatrical release was limited. A national theatrical release in the states costs millions. With the big TGC-flop hanging over the film, no one was willing to take that gamble.

Anyways, the current buzz and craze are more than anything we could've thought. We're the 75th most visited film on IMDb. That is utterly bizar for a film that costs less than an average catering budget.

So all in all, I am happy to wait and see where this all ends. For now we're enjoying the rollercoaster.

G'night!
Rik

[Ian]

Will there be a theatrical release in the UK?

[Haku]

I just ordered yesterday the DVD but it should take a while before reaching France ; maybe two or three weeks.
It has been now two years (or something like this) we are speaking about this movie on websites such as BTTS or your French colleagues from http://www.cittagazze.com (I come from there)
We (aka 'fan' communities) saw trailers and pics, and we read articles about the movie, about the shooting in Oxford and the filmaker, about the bands playing in or about the difficulties of distribution, etc, etc...

This was making me very curious, and reading Phil Hawkins' text thanks to BTTS news led me to buy the DVD, my DVD-player having no 'zone'. Good or not, at least I will judge by myself on this movie and know what we have been speaking so long about really looks like . By the way, I never download and prefer theaters. But as far as TBT is concerned, at least DVD is a way to watch this movie for me ! By the way, I think there is still no news about French market (theater or DVD) ? Am I wrong ?

Good lock for the future to all team.

[DutchCrunch]

I I think there is still no news about French market (theater or DVD) ? Am I wrong ?

Sadly, no news on France yet. We're working on it!

And, of course, thank you very very much for taking the trouble and having the patience to order the film from the States rather than steal it. Thanks!

[jessia]

did TBT get a distribution deal in any chinese-language countries? i went dvd-shopping a couple weeks ago in my current chinese city, which of course means shopping for pirated dvds, and i was able to pick this up.

at least you're getting a chinese audience?

(disclaimer: i first downloaded, then legally purchased this film. i probably won't even watch this chinese pirated copy because my netbook has no disc drive but maybe i'll pass it onto someone who might appreciate it. also, i usually only buy pirated copies of chinese films i cannot get a hold of in canada~ and chinese copyright law is weird so i don't think i'm doing anything illegal in this regard.)

[AaronD]

Hmm, how could I get my hands on such a DVD? I would very much like to see this movie, it looks wonderful.