I think that was Nicolette, actually: Consider This Shit.. It was, like, every time another person walked out, I was like, Oh, there goes another one!, Sacco: All my friends and family, they kept asking about this new company. Garland: I didnt know what Tinder was until the festival. Hodges had been an integral part of the studio since its inception in 2012, along with co-founders David Fenkel and Daniel Katz. This story appears in the summer issue of GQ Style. Uncut Gems ($50 million). Fenkel: More than 50 percent chance La La Land. And when youre a loser, you think for a split second, Maybe they got it wrong. Franco: I would bet that [Alien] was one of the biggest, most popular Halloween costumes that year. Katz came from a film finance group, while Fenkel and Hodges both left positions at other independent film companies. Im dying. As one of the founding members of the New York-based company, Hodges played a key role. There is no Tinder for Room! Tinder was yelling at us. He was calling me. As one of the founding members of the New York-based company, Hodges played a key role in putting A24 on the map, culminating with last years best picture winner, Moonlight, just five years after it was launched. Hodges teamed with Daniel Katz and David Fenkel to launch the company, which is based in New York City. It was crazy. Were putting together a gift basket of glass guns and a gift basket with munchies. Katz: Tusk, we were like, oh, Kevin Smith! Other indie labels, like Megan Ellisons Annapurna Pictures (which co-produced Spring Breakers), tend to go in the other direction, releasing a minuscule handful of movies into the currents of Oscar season in the hopes that the waters will carry them toward a crowd. Its DirecTV/A24 release grossed $229,094 and never played on more than 54 screens. We spoke with the companys friends, collaborators, and employees to make sense of how A24 became the most interesting, creative, and reliable film company of the 21st century. We want to hear from you! Brie Larson (actress, Room, The Spectacular Now): A24 has the unique ability to find and champion authentic narratives that cut to the core in a raw and honest way. Her film The Invitation" plays on agitation and insecurities between a group of old friends and some suspicious strangers at a lavish dinner party. Correction, Sept. 30, 2015: This article originally contained a photo of John Hodges, a film producer, rather than John Hodges, co-founder of A24. It is based in New York City. Fenkel: So hes booking, what, fifteen hundred screens? Focused on High Net Worth Policy holders where policy coverage exceeds $1 million. [14], In May 2015, A24 announced that it would start a television division and began producing the USA Network series Playing House, as well as working to develop a television series that would later become Comrade Detective, produced by Channing Tatum. When an A24 acquisitions exec pitched the story to me, excitedly laying out the plot in broad but heartbreaking strokes, he asked if it sounded like an A24 film. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Aizenberg: I was already, like, putting together the distribution plans for Frances Ha. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. I dont mean it that way. And the interns are running around trying to find a glassblower. And in that moment I was like: Now its time to go do this. But I feel that the fact that it was their first filmthere was a lot of idealism around the process. 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. I think we all were kind of a bit shell-shocked. Franco: I hope they dont get too big that they forget what got them started. 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. Since the small blast of trade articles that greeted the companys inception, theyve remained unusually quiet. They came on strong in the late 90s, really. Wed be like, Heavey, just make sure hes alive and you can get him to communicate.. Not like we should have paid more. Dont get left behind. Coppola: That was the worst. Itd be very unlikely for that to happen. The gross guysand hes like, All right. a24. Some dissatisfied customers later accused the marketing campaign of misrepresenting the movie as a fun adolescent romp. That was a thing. Deploying for Major CAT Events, tornadoes . Katz: We get there. Greetings From the Vortex of Unpredictability, Robert Pattinson singing Keri Hilsons Pretty Girl Rock. While there is speculation in the trades that A24 may be on the block, I get the impression that sale rumors are just that rumors. [8] In October 2012, Nicolette Aizenberg joined as head of publicity from 42West where she was senior publicity executive. And then you meet Barry and hear Barry talk, and its like, Of course! We all go nuts for a few minutes, and then were all like, Okay, what do we do?. And then, in 08, the bubble burst, and the economic downturn probably had a little bit of impact. Quite often you finish a film, he told me, youve had no contact with the distributor, you hand it to them, you get a quick look at the poster. 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. You know, theyre big-time. Discover Johnny Hodges's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. We wanted to deliver in a meaningful way. They entered into deals with DirecTV Cinema and Amazon Prime in late 2013, with some films distributed through them, and the name was changed to A24 in 2016.[3]. It was such an out-of-body experience. How great it was. Thats an achievable budget number for me. You know what I mean? A24 Co-Founder John Hodges Exits | Art and Experience Cinema 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! Alex Garland (director, Ex Machina): They make things work that according to standard procedures really shouldnt work. John has been a trusted partner who helped conceive A24 and for that we will always be grateful. Essie Davis is insanely good as a single mother on the brink of a mental breakdown as she attempts to care for her troubled young son. That was tough. And so anytime you speak with someone whos not a pure accountant, is not a pencil pusher? Were gonna get there on time. And then we drank a huge amount of red wine. And integral and critical for the film to rise on its own feet. 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. 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). Zach Baron is GQs staff writer. But then also do things that other companies arent doing. And we got Best Picture [also for Room]. The A24 intrigue: The men behind the mysteries - Student Life Theirs is a potent brand that Ive admired for a long time, and their reputation as innovative partners to talent is second to none.. Jenkins: They were like, Look. A24 Co-Founder John Hodges Exits as Sale Rumors Plague Indie Studio With how bad it tested. A24 is cool and I know they say great things about Miramax, which makes me feel proud and old at the same time. And then its like on the biggest stage, I didnt thank anybody! Fenkel: You dont know how to control yourself. People want to see movies. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Its not remarkable that A24 had set such a goalits remarkable that the company is accomplishing it. Robert Pattinson (actor, The Rover, Good Time): Its crazy that there is an article about a distribution company. Other similarly sized outfits tend to flood the flooded marketplace with a steady barrage of quality independent and foreign fare in a way that can feel indiscriminate: Send the DCPs to Film Forum and let God sort em out. When I was explaining to people what I was doing, it felt like a political campaign. They just seem like theyre the first company thats really abandoned a lot of the old models. If the companys success continues apace, it might not be long before a profitable mid-budget movie no longer seems like a unicorn, and it might not be much longer until being an A24 film is the only hook a film needs. Fenkel: We had a meeting. Kapadia: Theyve won Best Picture. Although A24's actual net worth is not known. Here's who: Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, John Hodges and James Schultz. But youre in a tuxedo and everyone around you is older and theyre quiet Jenkins: It sucks, man, because of how it happened, none of us thanked them! Hodges. And then we opened. Saulnier expertly contains conflict, depth and gore within small confines. And Im not saying theyre magicians. No way., Katz: It was just like, Wait. Many of the countrys most vital filmmakers, unwilling to accept that their next movie would have to be either shot on an iPhone or connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, have begun to abandon ship. Aizenberg: Remember he didnt show up to the premiere? All Rights Reserved. Thats someone else. We werent a fully formed company yet. Hodges previously served as head of production and development at Big Beach Films and exec produced "Our Idiot Brother" and "Safety Not Guaranteed.". When it happens again and again, thats very, very intelligent work and planning. Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges have unveiled New York-based A24 as a distribution, financing and production company with plans to release eight to 10 titles annually. Aizenberg: That first private plane didnt make it to Austin. John Hodges - High Net Worth Field Adjuster - LinkedIn It is based in New York City . And theyre aiming at them. None Of Us Thanked Them. They had faith that people would continue to show up. When Ex Machina director Alex Garland was asked what he liked about working with A24, he compared the major studios to ocean liners: To change direction it takes them two days to even start to make that turn. 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. Read Next: Publicists Rachel Karten and Lindsay Krug Launch Origin Public Relations (EXCLUSIVE), Wishbone Film Adaptation in the Works From Mattel and Universal With Peter Farrelly Producing, The Old Guards Gina Prince-Bythewood to Direct Woman King Starring Viola Davis (EXCLUSIVE), Sony and SK Global Land Rights to Crazy Rich Asians Authors New Novel Sex and Vanity (EXCLUSIVE), Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan Actor, Dies at 61, Reality TV Star Stephen Bear Jailed for 21 Months Over OnlyFans Sex Video, Jonathan Majors Confronts Those Terrible Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Reviews: It Doesnt Change How I See Myself, New Alien Movie Starts Filming in March, Reveals Cryptic Synopsis and Full Cast, Why Sylvester Stallone Is Not in 'Creed 3', Michelle Yeoh Says Hollywood Questioned If I Even Spoke English After 1997 Bond Film: I Didnt Work for Two Years Due to Stereotype, Woody Harrelson Slams COVID Set Protocols as 'Nonsense,' Urges Hollywood to 'Stop' Forcing 'Vaccination': Thats 'Not a Free Country', Idris Elba Says Backlash Over Not Calling Himself a Black Actor Is Stupid: Where Am I Denying My Blackness?, Ke Huy Quan Lost His Health Insurance Right After Filming Everything Everywhere All at Once: Nobody Else Wanted to Hire Me, Harry Potter Star Evanna Lynch: I Wish People Would Give J.K. 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. John Hodges - Entertainment Executive | Variety.com We were watching it the whole time. It was a perfectly good jet! A24 Founder John Hodges To Part Ways With The Company John Hodges is a producer and the founder of A24 alongside David Katz and David Fenkel. Under the Skin reintroduced Scarlett Johansson as a killer alien from outer space (and, more jarringly, a shockingly brave improv performer). Fenkel: Lenny [Abrahamson, for Room] beats out Ridley Scott! Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. I legitimately watched people almost pass out. At a time when young people are increasingly going to the movies only for blockbuster spectacle, A24 has established itself as the film industrys most forward-thinking company by releasing the kind of midsized, stylish, quality films that seemed on the verge of going extinct, transforming them into a collective theatrical experience, and aiming them squarely at a demographic that would rather watch movies on their phones. [21][22] Episodes are based around a discussion between two members of the film industry. So, how much is Johnny Hodges . We were about to have two movies [Ex Machina and While Were Young] with him. A24, which was founded in 2012, said that no additional changes in management will be made. I think I made out with my wife in front of people. I think theatrical will always be there, but most of my biggest experiences of cinema have been in front of a TVno one was screening Fellini films in Ireland when I was 19 or 20.. Of the 174 million impressions that the movie made in the weeks leading up to its debut, 49 percent were organic, meaning that you were just as likely to learn about a new Harmony Korine film from your weird aunts personal page as you were from a promoted update in your news feed. Im glad it all worked out. For instance, an actress. 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. Profile of the independent film distributor A24, the company behind Other companies wanted to do stuff with it. 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. But what happens when the titles involved in this deal get bettera lot better? So I suppose the question now surrounding A24 is what Fenkel and Katz plan to make of it. Patrick Stewart (actor, Green Room): [The premiere of Green Room] was at the Toronto Film Festivals Midnight Madness. First movies gonna be so exciting! And I remember everyone came back from that test screening. Photos courtesy A24, by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images, and Janette Pellegrini/WireImage/Getty Images. 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. Worst case, youll get the trench-coat crowd. You know what the trench-coat crowd is? 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. They had heart to them. 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?
Inguinal Hernia Massage Therapy,
Is Penny Mordaunt Married,
Private Landlords In Marion, Ohio,
Crash In Central Wyoming,
Articles A