English 345: American Independent Film Pulp Fiction Production Timeline

Preproduction Production Post-Production

• 1990: Tarantino and Roger Avary • 9/20/1993: Production begins with • Early 1994: Editing completed to meet (friend and former coworker at Video budget of $8.5 million (actors Samuel scheduled Cannes debut Archives) author two sections of L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, John • Finished cut of Pulp Fiction not planned anthology film, eventually Travolta and Bruce Willis agreed to screened for focus groups, per expanding sections into features work for reduced fees, and all were arrangement between Tarantino and (Avary: Pandemonium Reigns ; paid the same salary, per agreement Miramax. Tarantino: Reservoir Dogs ) negotiated by Bender); Miramax head • 5/1994: Pulp Fiction premieres at • 1992: Reservoir Dogs tours festivals; Harvey Weinstein had already sold Cannes Film Festival at 12:30 a.m. two Tarantino-authored films, True foreign distribution rights for $11 screening. Wins Palme d’Or. Romance and Natural Born Killer , million. • 10/14/1994: Pulp Fiction released in debut in 1993 and 1994 • 12/1993: Eight-week shoot wraps. United States; plays in 1,100 • Tarantino receives $1 million • 1994: Avary persuaded to take “story theaters, unlike typical indie film development deal from Jersey Films, by” rather than co-writing credit. “platform” release. Danny DeVito’s production company; • Film makes $9.3 million during first Tarantino uses money to fund offices weekend, $107.9 million in U.S. and for A Band Apart, a production $212.9 million worldwide. company he formed with producer • Film critically lauded, with Tarantino Lawrence Bender, returns to idea of receiving “Best Director” and Pulp anthology film and asks to use Avary’s Fiction “Best Picture” designations Pandemonium Reigns from the Los Angeles, New York and • 3/1992: Avary joins Tarantino in National Board of Review Critics’ Amsterdam to work on script; Circles. Pandemonium Reigns rewritten as • Pulp Fiction nominated for multiple “The Gold Watch” and Avary leaves to Academy Awards (Best Picture, direct own project, Killing Zoe . Director, Actor: Travolta, Supporting • 1/1993: Pulp Fiction script completed Actor: Jackson, Supporting Actress: • 1993: Jersey Films shows script to Thurman, Editing: Sally Menke, TriStar as part of “first-look” deal. Original Screenplay: Tarantino and TriStar passes, and Bender brings Avary); wins for Original Screenplay. script to Miramax, who agrees to • Pulp Fiction wins four Independent make the film. Spirit Awards, including Best Picture.