An Open Letter to Studio Heads re: Comic-Con

Dear who ever runs a studio currently mad at leaked Comic-Con footage,

Tell 'em why you mad, son! Seriously though, let me just ask one question. Why is it in your best interest to exclude people from the opportunity to get excited about your product? This is the age of the internet. There is no room for the idea of exclusive footage or even an exclusive trailer.

You must be fully aware of the fact that almost half of the Suicide Squad trailer could have been predicted based on the set pictures that have been on my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter since day one of production . Why not let everyone see this glorious footage and have a global experience?

What's that you say? You want to reward people who have come out to San Diego? Guess what, the opportunity to ask a question of the cast and filmmakers is the exclusive experience. If anything, get mad about the panels being released online. That's actually something that will never be recreated or experienced by the masses. The interaction with the people who make and are in the movies is the premium.

Not footage that by all accounts people are going to see in some form or another.

Why go to the trouble of putting something together this far out if you don't want to create a buzz with everyone? The truth is anyone packed into Hall H is going to give you their money anyway. You're preaching to the converted. Let me sell my parents or casual movie goers on the majesty of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice by way of an official YouTube link without relying on someone's awkwardly filmed bootleg. That's how you make money isn't it? By everyone going to see it, right? Ask Zack Snyder how it went when only Watchmen fans went to see Watchmen then tell me only comic-con goers should see footage like this.

You could have been like Disney/Marvel and just not shown up. Do your own thing on your own terms. You chose not to. So I have to ask, why give an opportunity to have your precious material distributed in a way you don't control to the people who will 100% do that? People at Comic-Con will want to share the footage they see, they trekked there for it and will no doubt need to talk to someone who wasn't there about it, so again... why try to create exclusivity around it?

Allow the conversations to be had around the footage, that you didn't have to make available to anyone until you were ready for everyone to see, to happen with ease. Let it happen because chances are it will only add to the people who want to go see your movies.

I suppose the alternative could be that you go ahead and show the footage and no one feels the need to share it with anyone. That reality has to be scarier than people being so excited about what you showed them that they were willing to face punishment just to share their excitement.

-YG