The Creative Idea that Got Friday the 13th the Greenlight
Last month I read a speech Taylor Swift gave where she talked about three types of lyrics she writes, classifying them as Quill Pen, Fountain Pen, and Glitter Gel Pen.
Some lyrics she writes are old fashioned (Quill Pen), some are modern (Fountain Pen), and some are just fun (Glitter Gel Pen).
I like this model, as I notice the stories that spark my curiosity often fit into three categories: history, business, or pop culture.
Last week’s story of Vasily Arkipov and the Cuban Missile Crisis was history (Quill Pen).
The story about a-ha’s song Take on Me was pop culture (Glitter Gel Pen).
And the story of Don Featherstone’s plastic pink flamingos was a bit of all three.
In fact, a lot of my business stories cross into history or pop culture.
But I realized that a few recent issues of Curious Minds have been heavy on the Quill Pen, so today, we’re going Glitter Gel Pen.
With a mix of Fountain Pen mixed in if we’re going to get technical…
And as we approach Halloween, I am reminded of the scary movies that filled the “Horror” section at the video stores when I was growing up.
We had Michael Myers in Halloween.
Freddie Krueger in Nightmare on Elm Street.
And Jason Voorhees – and his mother – in Friday the 13th.
Last Halloween I dug into the history of the film Halloween, but where did Friday the 13th come from?
I was curious…
It turns out we can thank (or blame) 1978’s Halloween for all the slasher flicks that followed.
After the low-budget horror film Halloween made a killing (no pun intended) at the box office, many filmmakers decided to replicate the Halloween model, making scary movies fast and cheap.
And one of those filmmakers was Sean Cunningham.
He had an idea for a movie called: ‘Friday the 13th.’
But he didn’t have a script – or any money – to make the film.
He also didn’t know if the title ‘Friday the 13th’ was owned by anyone else.
So, he got creative.
Sean decided to put a full-page ad in Variety in July 1979 – promoting ‘Friday the 13th.’
The top of the ad read: THE MOST TERRIFYING FILM EVER MADE!
The ad also said the film was in production and would be available in November 1979.
But that wasn’t true.
Sean didn’t have a film – or even a script.
But the ad generated interest.
People contacted Sean about releasing the film in Germany and Japan – and that led to investment.
He was also able to confirm that no one else owned the ‘Friday the 13th’ title (and avoid potential lawsuits later).
His creative approach helped him secure $550k from investors and make his movie.
In May 1980, Sean’s film Friday the 13th scared audiences (and divided critics) – but became a commercial success, making nearly $60 million at the box office.
It also spawned a series of Friday the 13th films – and a main character who has been frightening audiences for four decades.
The franchise now includes 12 slasher films and has grossed more than $468 million at the box-office.
So if these movies make so much money, why hasn’t there been a new Friday the 13th film since 2009?
Well, the answer to that is complicated.
The screenwriter of the original Friday the 13th film, Victor Miller, and Sean Cunningham had a nasty legal battle over the rights to Friday the 13th for years.
It’s a complicated situation, but it appears that the two parties will have to come to an agreement before another film can be made.
If they can’t come to agreement, Sean Cunningham’s lawyer Larry Zerner suggests:
“In 53 years, it’ll be in the public domain, then anyone can make the movie.”
Friday the 13th may not be a great film, but I give Sean Cunningham points for his creative ad. And like it or not — he did create a new style of horror film.
Do you prefer Halloween?
I don’t blame you, and you can find out more about the story behind the original Michael Myers film here.
Recent Work and Writing
The Thumbs Up Emoji Does Not Make You Look Old — Despite what you may have read (or heard) about this recently, it’s still OK to use the thumbs up emoji.
Reach Out and Touch Someone (Metaphorically Speaking) — I reconnected with a friend I hadn’t seen in 20 years. Here’s why I recommend it.
What’s up with all the cheaters? — From celebrities to sports, the news is full of cheating scandals right now. What’s going on?
I Get What Serena Is Saying — Serena caught a lot of grief after some comments she made last month. But is she right? I investigate…
How Can I Help?
I’ll keep saying it: Communication matters.
How much?
Well, recent research found that communication is the most in-demand soft skill employers are looking for today.
And there have been a lot of communication examples keeping me busy this week: from former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “I would win if I ran, but I’m not running” statement to Jacob Rees Mogg’s illegible resignation letter that showed us only commoners use “25 October” to date their letters.
But don’t worry, darling…If you want to improve your communication (and get all the good things that come with that), I’m your gal.
So many companies could reap so many benefits – from performance and culture to retention and engagement – by improving their communication.
So, if you know someone who could benefit from some help (as even the most seasoned leaders do), please get in touch and check out my website for more information.
You can also see my Top 10 list of what I can (and can’t) do for you here.
And if you see any communication examples (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that you think are worth analyzing or sharing, please send them my way!
Stay Curious!
-Beth
Holy mackerel Kevin Bacon is YOUNG there!!!