Foreign $Numbers$ are in!

[Temis the Vorta]

Why did Star Trek never appeal to the foreign audience?

Not enuf action, too much talking, too much expectation that the audience should know something about the characters' previous stories, basically just too complicated overall. The summer blockbusters that make 50%+ in foreign revenues are self-contained and simple stories that are easy for people who don't speak English to grasp.

its sentiment and feel was always quintessentially American.

So's Titanic, Batman, Spider-Man and Iron Man - that doesn't hurt em.

From last year, Indiana Jones got 60% of its revenue overseas. Was that movie not "American?"

Compare that to Twilight - not a big blockbuster type movie - revenue 50/50. Gran Torino, which was more a personal, character driven story, was 60% domestic. Marley & Me - sweet, dog-focused comedy - also 60% domestic. The pattern isn't new - the big foreign revenue=grabbers are action films and children's animated movies.

 

[USS Gettysburg]

Lots of Germans freaking love Trek. This board also has a heavy British population. Lots of Canadians. We've also got a few Aussies, an Icelander and at least one member each from Itlay and France.

Trek's appeal isn't limited to the US.

So we can say it is a Germanic language thing.

 

[Aike]

All the previous movies are bad movies.
For instance, Paramount never demanded that the producers and script writers introduced the characters in a way that a newbie could relate to. Instead, they excluded too many by appealing to pre-sold trekkies.

 

[intrinsical]

Lets use my home country, Singapore, as an example.

TOS was aired on public television in the late 70s (thats when I first saw it as a 6 year old).

TNG seasons 1 was initially aired on sunday afternoons. Seasons 2 and the first half of season 3 were aired on wednesdays, at 3am in the morning before the show was dropped.

DS9 was never aired.

Voyager was available on one paid cable channel that few have access to.

Enterprise repeated TNG's pattern, being aired on sunday afternoons before being shifted to Friday, 1am in season 2. Seasons 3 and 4 were never aired.

Can you imagine why there are so few trekkies here?

 

[erebus]

... and simple stories that are easy for people who don't speak English to grasp.

I think you've just illustrated the attitude that puts foreigners off!

(but i guess they feel the same about English speakers too)

 

[donners22]

It looks like Angels & Demons has done very well in the international market, despite opening badly in the US. That will probably throw the Star Trek US/international balance even further off.

 

[MvRojo]

It looks like Angels & Demons has done very well in the international market, despite opening badly in the US. That will probably throw the Star Trek US/international balance even further off.

Yeah, A&D probably dominated the international box office since it had a larger opening in terms of theatres/countries. DVC took in 71% of its total gross from the international market ($540 million vs. $217 million domestic).

 

[Stardate]

Why did Star Trek never appeal to the foreign audience?

I think its too American originated. I disagree with Temis the Vorta saying it is because not enough action and too much talking. I think majority foreigner like a balance in this 2 things. My take is American put too much focus on action and visual effects at expense of developing good story.. However Temis the Vorta is absolutely right that there too much expectation that the audience should know something about the characters' previous stories.
Star Trek isn't doing well in foreign market less the 30%. I see couple reason for this. The Star Trek plot about alternative time line with pseudo technobabble explanation is a buzz kill. Also Aike has a giood point that introducing the characters in a way that a only could appeals to pre-sold trekkers rather then newbies isent helpful.

 

[Flake]

The one country I am dissapointed in over any other with regard to Trek box office is Germany. It opened to half of what Insurrection & First Contact did. Less than Nemesis even!

Its only going to get about 1.2 Million admissions, FC and INS both did well over 2 million.

 

[pah2602]

Why did Star Trek never appeal to the foreign audience?

I'm curious. What is your basis for this sweeping statement?

Yours,
Non-US Trek Fan (All my Life)

 

[Similitude]

The one country I am dissapointed in over any other with regard to Trek box office is Germany. It opened to half of what Insurrection & First Contact did. Less than Nemesis even!

Its only going to get about 1.2 Million admissions, FC and INS both did well over 2 million.

Wow, this is mind boggling. Did it open on far fewer screens in Germany or something? Was TNG popular there but not TOS?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Aussies, for whatever reason, do not flock to Trek in their droves (except for me!) as compared with other countries.

Our population is only 21 million. If you work out the percentages, I'll just bet our percentage of ST fans in the population of Australia is similar to the rest of the world. Someone care to do the mathematics?

USA is over 306,000,000! That's a lot of potential ST fans. That's a lot of American people who ignored DS9, VOY, ENT and NEM!

 

[Therin of Andor]

All the previous movies are bad movies.
For instance, Paramount never demanded that the producers and script writers introduced the characters in a way that a newbie could relate to. Instead, they excluded too many by appealing to pre-sold trekkies.

What?

Decker, Ilia, Saavik and David were all introduced to add new young characters to the franchise. Xon was prepared as a character and not used.

None of them lasted, but each was intended to be a continuing character to replace the more expensive Shatner (and Nimoy) should they wish to walk away from the movies.

 

[Count Zero]

The summer blockbusters that make 50%+ in foreign revenues are self-contained and simple stories that are easy for people who don't speak English to grasp.

You do realise that in non-English speaking countries, films are either subtitled or dubbed, right?

The one country I am dissapointed in over any other with regard to Trek box office is Germany. It opened to half of what Insurrection & First Contact did. Less than Nemesis even!

Its only going to get about 1.2 Million admissions, FC and INS both did well over 2 million.

Well, I believe that in general, cinema audiences have been dropping steadily for all films. Most people either wait to rent the DVD or download the movies. It's sad. I saw Wall-E in its second or third week on a Tuesday afternoon (where prices are especially low) and I was the only one in the audience. There will be a time where cinemas won't be profitable anymore and I'm afraid it might be pretty soon.

 

[indranee]

Lets use my home country, Singapore, as an example.

TOS was aired on public television in the late 70s (thats when I first saw it as a 6 year old).

TNG seasons 1 was initially aired on sunday afternoons. Seasons 2 and the first half of season 3 were aired on wednesdays, at 3am in the morning before the show was dropped.

DS9 was never aired.

Voyager was available on one paid cable channel that few have access to.

Enterprise repeated TNG's pattern, being aired on sunday afternoons before being shifted to Friday, 1am in season 2. Seasons 3 and 4 were never aired.

Can you imagine why there are so few trekkies here?

depends on something else, as well. how's your domestic TV schedule? do you have enough home-grown programming that the population goes for? or do you have American/international fillers?

I'm not sure about Singapore. in India -- my birth country -- there's a ton of homegrown programming on TV so that American and international shows never really acquire a foothold. some people do watch them on cable, but the general populace pretty much ignores them. the same with the movies. Bollywood is a huge draw and market... American and international movies have to really fight for the dollar/rupee share.

in a country like that, even stuff like ET, SW, TDK, much less Trek isn't goig to have much of a chance. so those kinds of countries aren't part of the equation even.

 

[indranee]

Why did Star Trek never appeal to the foreign audience?

I think its too American originated. I disagree with Temis the Vorta saying it is because not enough action and too much talking. I think majority foreigner like a balance in this 2 things. My take is American put too much focus on action and visual effects at expense of developing good story.. However Temis the Vorta is absolutely right that there too much expectation that the audience should know something about the characters' previous stories.
Star Trek isn't doing well in foreign market less the 30%. I see couple reason for this. The Star Trek plot about alternative time line with pseudo technobabble explanation is a buzz kill. Also Aike has a giood point that introducing the characters in a way that a only could appeals to pre-sold trekkers rather then newbies isent helpful.

but the fact stands that what they did with characterization in this movie HAS helped it go mainstream. there's no way that most of its intake domestically is from "pre-sold trekkies". make no mistake, this movie has sold to non-Trekkies and is continuing to sell.

I think the main problem with Trek right now is bad WOM (or even lack of it) internationally. it's fighting its past. once this movie is a success and WOM spreads worldwide, the next movie will sell much better. in fact, even this movie should have better legs once it opens in some of the international markets in which it hasn't yet opened.

 

[indranee]

Aussies, for whatever reason, do not flock to Trek in their droves (except for me!) as compared with other countries.

Our population is only 21 million. If you work out the percentages, I'll just bet our percentage of ST fans in the population of Australia is similar to the rest of the world. Someone care to do the mathematics?

USA is over 306,000,000! That's a lot of potential ST fans. That's a lot of American people who ignored DS9, VOY, ENT and NEM!

actually, DS9 had pretty good numbers compared to ENT. it did BLEED numbers from TNG days, but in toto, it wasn't bad.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I believe that in general, cinema audiences have been dropping steadily for all films. Most people either wait to rent the DVD or download the movies.

Not here. Despite dire predictions of doom for movie theatre chains when home DVD become standard, cinema ticket sales have grown in Australia over recent years.

Also, in times of recession, people turn to cheap forms of entertainment: eg. cinema!

 

[Australis]

I think it's done well here (Australia), considering the population's size and the messing about with all versions of Trek that Channel 9 did. Right now, Trek is only on the box if you get Sci Fi.

I'd like some $ figures, and how it rates against A&D and Wolverine.

But seeing it's nearly made its budget back in the first 10 days, I'm not too conerned. And I'm going to go again.

 

[Count Zero]

I believe that in general, cinema audiences have been dropping steadily for all films. Most people either wait to rent the DVD or download the movies.

Not here. Despite dire predictions of doom for movie theatre chains when home DVD become standard, cinema ticket sales have grown in Australia over recent years.

Yeah, I was referring to Germany.