Hi Sajjad - just looking for another AWA Assessment. Thanks, as always!
PromptThe following appeared as part of a column in a popular entertainment magazine:
“The producers of the forthcoming movie 3003 will be most likely to maximize their profits if they are willing to pay Robin Good several million dollars to star in it—even though that amount is far more than any other person involved with the movie will make. After all, Robin has in the past been paid a similar amount to work in several films that were very financially successful.”
Response:The argument being presented by the producers of 3003 is weak at best as well as based primarily on some significant assumptions. These assumptions will be discussed at length below, and include ignoring the types of movies or genres that Robin has previously starred in, the quality of 3003 itself, as well as other cast members that starred alongside Robin in previous movies. These are critical pieces of information that could seriously undermine the producers' argument that providing a multi-million dollar contract to Robin will result in the movie's success. More information must be collected related to the above assumptions before signing any contract with Robin. This information is also detailed below.
The first assumption made is that no information is provided about what other types of movies Robin was cast for and paid several million dollars. Relatedly, the genre that 3003 belongs to is not noted either. A primary concern is that if 3003 is a Romantic Comedy, but Robin usually stars in Action movies, this decision to commit several million dollars may not pay off at all. It also likely requires different acting skills to perform in different genres. Some breakdown of Robin's past movies would be useful in addressing this.
The second issue with the producers' argument, and one which may be tough to gauge but is nonetheless important, is the quality of the movie 3003. Quality would be affected by a number of conditions, such as other actors and actresses in the film, the past history of the producers and directors, and even the genre in terms of how popular it is to viewers at the moment. For example, if 3003 is a zombie-related film, but the audiences' desire for more zombie films is extremely low, there is no guarantee any actor or actress could make the film succeed. Oppositely, if 3003 is a zombie film and these types of films have become increasingly popular, and Robin is also a well-liked performer, then it may be a perfect fit. Regardless, concerningly little detail was given to assess this.
The third and final concern within the producers' argument is that there's no mention of Robin's role in previously successful movies, nor who he starred alongside. While several million dollars is a lot of money, some big budget films can pay a number of starts tens of millions of dollars. Therefore, if Robin has acted in a number of big budget films, but only served as a less important character than the main actors and actresses, he may not be as big of a draw as expected. Alternatively, if Robin has mainly been the star of the movies that were successful and for which he was paid several million dollars for, then a much better case can be made. This should also be a priority to understand.
Based on the above issues, some further information should be provided to alleviate concerns or doubts about the film's potential success. Fortunately, most of the gaps in information can be addressed easily. The producer's should provide information about what genre 3003 fits into and what genre Robin Good's compared films fit into. Even if only a couple of of Robin's previous successful movies were similar, that would provide some assurance. Next, the producers should look into what role Robin played in his past movies and what other actors or actresses he starred alongside. There may be a relationship between these conditions that will give a better indication of how likely 3003 is to succeed. This would help justify the major contract. Lastly, while quality is difficult to gauge, the producers could provide evidence that the cast and staff behind 3003 are successful. For example, have the directors, producers, or set designers won awards for their work on past films? If so, despite not being directly related to Robin Good's role, if Robin is brought onto the cast, it would enhance the likelihood of the film's success. Alternatively, if the other staff have been associated with poorly produced or directed films, no matter how good of a performance Robin provides, if early reviews are very negative, people may not want to spend money on the film.
Overall, the producers' argument is very limited in terms of evidence provided to support it. The argument fails to explain why exactly Robin's role in the film will lead to greater revenue generated. There are many factors that contribute to a film's success, such as the other cast members starring in the film alongside Robin, the staff directing or producing the film, and the film's genre in relation to what Robin typically stars in as well as what genres are actually popular. As discussed, more detail related to these concerns should be provided by the producers before they commit to a multi-million dollar contract with Robin, assuming it will lead to more success and revenue. Fortunately, all of this information should be easy to access so a better-informed decision can be made.