Magic number for screeners
Ever wonder how many DVD or VHS screeners are sent out by studios as part of a typical awards derby? Try 14,025. At least that's the tally of one of this year's leading campaigners (which wishes to remain anonymous, but shares its secret info with GoldDerby readers).
Here's the breakdown on this particular studio's screener mailing list, with total copies per organization:
American Film Institute: 70
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences: 6,300
BAFTA (Los Angeles): 1,200
BAFTA (New York): 200
BAFTA (U.K.): 3,700
Broadcast Film Critics Assn.: 200
Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.: 100
L.A. Film Critics Assn.: 50
National Society of Film Critics: 60
N.Y. Film Critics Circle: 35
Screen Actors Guild (Nominating Committee): 2,100
One curious note about these numbers: The plan allocates 500 extra screeners to AMPAS beyond actual Academy voters.
"All-AMPAS mailings usually include non-voting associate and retired members as a matter of courtesy," a studio source tells GoldDerby. (Campaigners also have the option of targeting specific branches, like actors, which is apparently what "The Upside of Anger" marketers have done on behalf of Joan Allen, while "Junebug" shipped to all members.)
Another interesting bit: No screeners are sent to members of the Directors Guild of America. That's forbidden by guild rules. The Screen Actors Guild permits campaigning, but since there are nearly 100,000 national members, marketers most efficiently target just the 2,100 members of the nominating committee.
