Wreck, I know that sometimes print quantity is publicized and other times not but will retailers/distributors ever increase print runs after opening pre-orders if they notice high demand? Thanks, Liam
As far as I know, they can't increase the print run. Say you contracted to run 4k, they would completed the production run maybe in just 2-3 days time. By the time you want to increase the print run, it would be re-print. So another 4k? I doubt so.
actually there is a schedule to it all. Like most companies when you get a quote its valid for X amount of days. 45 days etc. So if you got your contract/quote ... you can put up for pre-order and if you're going to increase then you need to do so probably within that time frame before your print run is ran. But this tends to mean your print run is increasing in small number.
For instance Terminator Play UK ... remember it was first announced 4k, but then as they monitored how fast it was selling they bumped it to 5k .. it still sold out before release date.
1k increase before print run is ran shouldnt cause problems from what I'm aware ... but imagine if someone said give me 40k more .. that would probably cause some scheduling delays (my speculation) but at the end of the day the title hasnt been ran and they arent going to piss off clients. But their schedules are strict as they have many clients to please. Sometimes if you want more your whole order will be delayed unless your fine with taking the MOQ again. ie. 4k
But lets be honest here ... titles dont sell so fast at that huge amount to make the studio/retailer merit increasing the order by that large a volume. As you see by example that Terminator was only increased by 1k. Last year Play sold many titles out at pre-order before street date and even so they didnt take the chance of ordering more qty before street as they monitor sales spikes etc and then make judgement on order. No one wants to be "that guy" who bumped an order up and now the company they work for are looking at them as they sit on slow sales of the remaining qty.
The movie studios have seen crazy times in the past 5 years and after seeing many of their colleagues let-go its made many of them too afraid to reach out and risk doing things that are new when they can stick to things that work and keep their job. That's how USA studios have viewed things for a few years after some talks I had. However FINALLY it seems some are coming around and starting to get on board the steel wagon.
Which also goes to show you how freaking crazy and strange it all really is. New art approval in other Countries almost always still goes back to USA studios (hollywood) for approval ... which is why you see so many steels that have same art as its already approved and less work and easy to get it going. I find it funny that USA lacks steels so badly, and yet other Countries are getting approvals from USA studios for steels in their Countries. Cant you see its working there and it could be working here!? Frustrating.... Tom Cruise requires a 6 month lead time on new art approval for any movies he is in. Russel Crowe was involved in what art was approved for Robin Hood. And then Angelina threw a fit at her skin tone on the Salt steel. And here I was thinking only we collectors were obsessive freaks about steels and quality art etc. Nice to know the actors and actresses are just as crazy as us. Guess we're all drinking the same juice.
Most all qtys that are made public are actually true to form. Some people like to think otherwise but when you sit in my seat and talk to people and or see screen shots and #s etc (and having seen contract etc) then you are able to easily pick apart truth. There wont be fake #s in a law biding contract.
