the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;
the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.
The Seven Areas (Translations):
the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;(how does who owns a media company influence the type of film made and its potential success? For example do BIG companies make BIG films and therefore make all the money? Is it possible for small companies to succeed?)
the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing; (how do companies work together to produce, distribute and publicize a film? How can Disney use their size to promote and publicise a film? How can small companies work together to promote their business' when making and promoting a film?)
the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange; (how has the introduction of digital film, 3D, DVD, Blue Ray, internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema influenced the types of films made, the way we watch them and the way we 'buy' them?)
the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences; (how and why have film companies had to alter the way they work now everyone has web enabled phones, PC's, consoles etc? How have audiences changed their viewing habits now we no longer need to go to the cinema to watch a film)
the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences; (can you think of examples of how different technologies have come together to help the film industry?)
the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;(how do film companies try and attract their audience? Do they do different things in different countries?)
the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour. (what is your opinion on the above? Do you see the developments as a good or bad thing?)
What % of global box office was the British film industry responsible for?
The British Film Industry is responsible for 15% of global box office. What was this % in 2009?
The figure from 2009 was 6.8%. What might this change indicate about British film?
This positive change indicates that the British Film Industry is getting bigger and being more successful. What films have been responsible for this change?
The Kings speech is a main film responsible for this and it grossed over 9 times its budget. What % of the British film industry makes a profit?
Films with a low budget (under £2 million) have a 4% of making a profit. But films with a bigger budget have more chance of making a profit at 17%. What % of Hollywood films make a profit?
Hollywood films have a 17% chance. How does that % differ between £2m and £10m budget British films?
A smaller film with a £2 million budget has a 4% chance of making a profit and a bigger film with a £10 million budget has a 17% chance of making a profit. What might we infer from this difference?
Having a bigger budget means that there is more chance of having success. Which age group makes up the largest % of UK cinema goers?
18-24 years old. Why do you think this might be?
This age group has the most time and disposable income to go to the cinema. Which 'type' of film has seen an 18% drop in attendance?
3D films have seen a drop. Within that 'type' which genre has seen the biggest fall?
Big family films have seen a drop. What did Charles Grant put this decline down to?
Grant put this to 3D films prizes and that families would want to save a little extra money. Who is Paul Greengrass?
Greengrass is a British director, screenwriter and former journalist. How did he describe the British film industry?
Greengrass describes it to have change from what it used to be.
How did he describe the British film industry?
"British film is on a very positive journey. If you look at the
biggest movies in the world, like Star Wars, Gravity – a hugely cutting edge
movie - they’re being made in Britain. British technicians are world class and
audiences are queuing up to see these films. Distinctive British
voices, like Stephen Frears, and all the emerging voices on show here
highlight where the industry is. Strong leadership from the British Film
Institute helps too. There’s a real vibrancy among British film making and all
these elements have been growing for the last 10-15 years and it shows no signs
of stopping.”
What did a BFI spokesperson say was the point of
less profitable low budget British films?
What was the budget for Filth and how much money did it
take?
Budget = £2 million
Money taken = £4 million
What advantage did James McEvoy feel £100m films have over low budget
films?
He had an advantage over low budget films because he felt that films with a
larger budget have much miore chances to sell the film in different
ways.
What is VOD?
Video On Demand.
What % increase did VOD see last year?
VOD had a 50% increase last year.
What impact might VOD have on distributors and Studios?
Because VOD is becoming larger it might outsell
distributors and studios.
What impact has it had on Blockbuster rental stores?
It could easily outsell these stores meaning the stores
would hardly get any profit.
What was unique about Ben Wheatleys 'A Field In England'?
It was unique as it was the first UK film to be released in
cinemas, DVD, on TV and through VOD at the same time.
What does director of The Machine Caradog James think is the toughest
part of film making?
He thought the hardest part of making films is "The toughest thing is
you make a good film but can you get it to reach an audience? It's events like
this and individuals who champion independent cinema that give us a profile and
any chance of a mass audience".
Why have rules been relaxed on what makes a film
'British'?
They have been relaxed because they want more British films
to be made so they become more of a success.
How has the use of visual effects in films been encouraged?
The use of visual effects have been encouraged to be used
because it makes the film more interesting to watch.
Name five of these rules and link them to The Kings Speech, Kill List, The
World's End
Keeping a British Theme through culture -Kings Speech 'LAD' like actions and ways about them - Worlds End British director - The King's Speech British Cast - Kill List, Worlds End Location set in Britain - Kill List, Worlds End, King's Speech
What rules has chancellor George Osbourne announced for
tax on British films?
films will now only need to spend 10% of their budget within the UK ti
qualify for tax relief whereas before they would of had to pay 25%. Tax relief
would be applied to 25% of the first £20m of a production and 20% on ant
remaining budget regardless of the overall total.
What is the highest grossing film in UK box office
history?
James Bond - Skyfall
How much has it taken and how many screens was it
available on?
Skyfall took £94.3m in the UK alone and it was opened in 587
cinemas across the UK and Ireland on the 26th of October.
The Kings Speech is a film about King
George IV (Colin Firth) overcoming his stammer using the help from a very
different speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). King George IV works
past his problems to become the great war time speaker he father intended and give
the country hope during the second time England has faced war.
Bitishness
This film is thought to be a very British film. This is
because it is a very British theme of the film; you can’t get much more British
than British royalty. The Kings Speech is also classed as a very British film
as it is set in the capital of England and in a time which is a key part in
British history. This film also has predominately British actors, director (Tom
Hooper) and writer (Davis Seidler).
Exhibition
The Kings Speech did very well on its opening weekend, it
grossed £3,523,102 (UK) (7 January 2011)(IMDB). This film was also well received,
Will Chadwick from We Got This Covered said ‘The King's Speech features a
fantastic, awards courting performance by Firth and is also brilliantly
written, resulting in a surprisingly tense and very entertaining watch.’
November 9, 2013. The film was not received well by everyone and had criticism,
Jeremy Heilman from MovieMartyr.com ‘The tone shifts, lamentably, from one
buoyed by awkward comedy and very British charm to one that is more concerned
with decorum and duty. What was a remarkably entertaining costume drama soon
becomes a remarkable slog.’ February 25, 2011.
Production Issues
This film was produced by The Weinstein Company, UK Film
Council, Momentum Pictures, Aegis Film Fund, Molinare Investment, FilmNation
Entertainment, See-Saw Films and Bedlam Productions. All these production company’s
put together and produced a budget of $15 000 000(IMDB) for the film to be
produced .
Distribution and Marketing Issues
The Kings Speech didn’t have a big budget so the marketing
was simple and relied a lot on word of mouth, posters were produced. One of
these posters (poster shown) is relatively simple, it has the two main actors
name above the title to try and draw more appeal. This poster shows a familiar scene
from Buckingham Palace and draws together the whole film.
An institution (in the film industry) Definition: any company or organisation that produces, distributes or exhibits films. The BBC makes films with their BBC Films arm; Channel4's Film Four produces films, Working Title also produce films, as does Vertigo Films, etc. Some institutions need to join with other institutions which distribute films. Vertigo Films is able to distribute its own films, Channel Four distributed Slumdog Millionaire through Pathe. Working Title's distribution partner is Universal, a huge US company which can make, distribute and show films. The type of owner ship within an institution matters as, for instance, Channel 4 and the BBC are able to show their own films at an earlier stage than other films made by other institutions. They are also better placed to cross-promote their in-house films within their media organisations. Use you work on Film Four as the basis for most of what you write, Moon is a good cross comparison as Duncan Jones had to create his own institution just to get the film made.
Distribution and Marketing Definition: the business of getting films to their audiences by booking them for runs into cinemas and taking them there in vans or through digital downloads; distributors also create the marketing campaign for films producing posters, trailers, websites, organise free previews, press packs, television interviews with the "talent", sign contracts for promotions, competitions, etc. Distributors use their know-how and size to ensure that DVDs of the film end up in stores and on supermarket shelves. Distributors also obtain the BBFC certificate, and try to get films released as the most favourable times of the year for their genre, etc.
Examples: Universal distributed Working Title's The Boat That Rocked; Pathe distributedFilm4 and Celadors' Slumdog Millionaire after the original US distributor, Warner Independent went out of business. TRONwas heavily marketed across a variety of mediums, Moon struggled to get press attention and Duncan Jones had to really push the film in obscure places like Popular Mechanics etc. The Kings Speech was distributed by Momentum (a susiduary of Aliance films) who are a major independent film distributor.
Exhibition Definition: showing films in cinemas or on DVD. Media attention through opening nights and premieres How the audience can see the film: in cinemas, at home, on DVD, through downloads, through television, including premieres, the box office take in the opening weeks; audience reviews which includes those of the film critics, ordinary people, cinemas runs; awards in festivals, The Oscars, BAFTAS, etc.
Examples: Slumdog Millionaire almost never got distribution. Its early US distributor, Warner Independent was a victim of the economic downturn and went out of business. The film's makers then struggled to find a distributor! Then Fox Searchlight stepped up and "the rest is history". The 8 out of 10 Oscar nomination wins ensured that the film has been the greatest British success in awards and in box office for nearly 60years. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/boyle-reveals-slumdog-millionaire-was-nearly-never-made-1331821.html Motherhood took just £86! Moon. Initially Sony Pictures Worldwide were due to distribute the film but they specialise in straight to DVD features. Following positive reaction following its Sundance film festival the rights were acquired by Sony Classic Pictures who gave the film a limited release in the US in Cities like New York and LA. Exchange Definition: The unintended use of an institution’s media text (i.e. a film) by OTHER PEOPLE who use the film or parts of it to form new texts. What happens to a film, etc. after the public get their hands on it using digital technology. Examples: People unconnected to the institution/ film using WEB 2.0 applications such as YOUTUBE, Blogger, Amazon film message boards, TWITTER, Face-Book, discuss the film or edit parts of together to form a new text which the may then put a new soundtrack to and publish on YOUTUBE, etc. When you add a trailer from a site like YouTube on your blog you have been engaging with exchange. Look back to MArk Kermodes video regarding piracy and the new release strategies for films like Ken Loach's "Route Irish" (Loach has reportedly steeled himself for a frosty response from critics and anticipates an underwhelming box office, noting the difficulty he faced securing a distribution deal. Though pragmatic in his view that “people don’t make films to communicate; they make it as a commodity”,an unorthodox release strategy utilising Sky Movies Premier - which will place the film (and by extension, its subject matter) in a wider public sphere than it might otherwise have reached – suggests he hasn’t given up on pedagogy entirely.) or the Jack Ass 3 release on DVD and Sky Box Office.
Vertical and Horizontal Integration Definition: Absorption into a single firm of several firms involved in all aspects of a product's manufacture from raw materials to distribution.
Example: Vivendi Universal have integrated film, music, web and distribution technology into the company, including owning big stakes in cables and wires that deliver these services. Therefore they are vertically integrated because they own all the different companies involved in film, from production to distribution to exhibition. They are also horizontally integrated because they have all the expertise for producing media content under one roof – films, TV, magazines, books, music, games thus being able to produce all the related media content for one film under the same roof (see synergy). This is important for the control the institution has over their product/film. Synergy/Synergies Definition: The interaction of two or more agents (institutions/companies) to ensure a larger effect than if they acted independently. This is beneficial for each company through efficiencies in expertise and costs. Examples: Working Title know how to make films and they have formed a business partnership with Universal, a massive US company, who have the experience and size in the marketplace (cinemas, stores, online, etc.) to distribute them. (They create the marketing campaign to target audiences through posters, trailers, create the film’s website, free previews, television and press interviews featuring “the talent”, drum up press reviews, word of mouth, and determine when a film is released for the best possible audience and the type of release: limited, wide, etc.) Channel Four’s Film 4 and Celador Films(Celador also produce Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and films, too) benefited by pooling their know-how, experience and expertise to jointly produce Slumdog Millionaire. These companies formed a business relationship with France’s Pathe to distribute this film. In the UK Pathe helped create the poster, trailer, website, etc. In the USA the film found another distributor after being nominated for the Oscars.
Viral Marketing
Definition: A marketing technique aiming at reproducing "word of mouth" usually on the internet and through existing social networks. YouTube Video pastiches, trailers, interviews with cast members, the director, writer, etc. You can find interviews of “the talent” trying to gain publicity for your case study films on YouTube. Find some clips from the films we have studied to help you in the exam. Guerilla MarketingDefinition: The use of unconventional and low cost marketing strategies to raise awareness of a product. The aim is usually to create “buzz” and “word of mouth” around a film. Unusual stunts to gain publicity (P.R.) on the film’s opening weekend, etc.
Examples: Sasha Baron Cohen created “buzz” before the release of his film “Borat” by holding fake press conferences. The studio also accessed the popularity of YouTube by releasing the first 4 minutes of the movie on YouTube, a week before it’s release, which can then be sent virally across the nation. At a special viewing of “Bruno” Cohen landed on Eminem “butt first” from the roof MTV Awards venue, dressed in as an angel outfit with rents in the rear end.
Media Convergence Definition 1: Convergence of media occurs when multiple products come together to form one product with the advantages of all of them. Examples: More and more films are being marketed on the Internet and on mobile phones. You no longer need even to buy the DVDs or CDs as you can download films and music directly to your laptop, Mac or PC. Blue Ray DVDs can carry more features than ordinary DVDs and can be played on HD televisions and in home cinemas for enhanced/cinematic picture quality. You can save films on SKY digital, Free-box digital players, etc. You mobile phone has multiple features and applications. With media and technological convergence this is growing year on year. Play-Stations, X-Boxes and the Wii can can connect with the Internet and you can play video games with multiple players.
Technological ConvergenceDefinition 2: The growing interractive use of digital technology in the film industry and media which enables people to share, consume and produce media that was difficult or impossible just a few years earlier. Examples: For instance, the use of new software to add special effects in editing; the use of blue-screen; using new types of digital cameras like the one Danny Boyle used in “Slumdog Millionaire” (The Silicon Imaging Camera to shoot high quality film in tight spaces); you can use the Internet to download a film rather than go see it in the cinema; you can watch it on YouTube; you can use special editing programs like Final Cut Pro to edit bits of a film, give it new soundtrack and upload it on YouTube; you can produce illegal, pirate copies on DVDs from downloads and by converting the film’s format; you can buy Blue Ray DVDs with greater compression which allows superior viewing and more features on the DVD; distributors can use digital software to create high concept posters; cinemas can download films to their projection screens and do not have to depend on a van dropping off the film! The is also the Digital Screen Network. There are tons of ways in which technological convergence affects the production, distribution, exhibition and exchange by prosumers. ( A prosumer is someone who not only consumes (watches films) but also writes about them the Net, blogs and make films out of them, often uploading them on sites like YouTube, etc. A Mainstream Film Definition: A high budget film that would appeal to most segments of an audience: the young, boys, girls, teenagers, young people, the middle aged, older people, the various classes in society. Distributors often spend as much or more than the film cost to make when distributing mainstream films that are given wide or universal releases. Example:The Boat That Rocked was a mainstream idea and was given the mainstream treatment on wide release. The film flopped at the UK box office on release ( and has not done too well since mid November 2009 on release in the USA. This was mostly because of its poor reviews, particularly from “Time-Out”. However, when young and older audiences see the DVD they generally like the film because of its uplifting storyline and the well-chosen soundtrack. Art House Films Definition: A low budget independent film that would mostly appeal to an educated, higher class audience who follow unusual genres or like cult directors that few people have heard of. Therefore it is usually aimed at a niche market. Foreign films often come under this category. Examples: The low budget film, Once (2007) which found a specialised, boutique distributor in Fox Searchlight fits this label. (FOX the mainstream company usually distributes big budget film and blockbusters); So does “Juno” from 2008 which began as a low budget film about teenage pregnancy that the big studios thought too risky to touch – but it found popularity through its touching storyline, engaging music and its Oscar nomination for best script. Like “Slumdog Millionaire” the film crossed over between art-house cinemas and audiences to mainstream ones because of the recognition it received from Canadian film festivals and award ceremonies like Britain’s BAFTAS and the Hollywood’s Oscars. Ratings bodies BBFC - The British Board of Film ClassificationHow your institutions films are rated will affect audiences in so far as WHO can see them. Remember that sex scenes, offensive language, excessive violence, the use of profanity, etc. can affect the rating and certificate the film receives and therefore affect who is able to see the film.
In today’s
modern 21st century most studio titles are no longer household names. Modern
day actors don’t always get a huge audience waiting to view the latest film;
many movie studios have had to study the art of audience creation allowing them
to know what the audience wants. Big studios use their big budgets to design
vast showy marketing campaigns around blockbusters often incorporating
merchandising tie-ins with other companies such as McDonald’s and other fast
food companies.
The studios
control when and where their films will be released, which means they can shape
the films themselves to suit the marketing campaigns. They also place teasers
in coming-attraction reels, in hopes of getting viewers to eagerly anticipate
their films. These days, with so many entertainment options competing for a
viewer’s free time, even a movie with an Oscar-winning star may not draw an
audience unless it’s part of a really good marketing campaign.
To start the marketing
scheme Abrams designed a series of questions and the prize for answering would
be two extra roles on the film, this was after the release of Super 8 in 2011.
After that three frames of the film were released on October 4 2012 and then
two months later the official poster was released on December 3. In the United
States nine minutes of the opening sequence was shown before The Hobbit: An
Unexpected Journey on December 14th,2012. A 30-second teaser
premiered February 3, 2013 during the stadium blackout of Super Bowl XLVII. The
same day, Paramount released apps for Android, iPhone and Windows Phone which
enabled users to unlock tickets for showtimes two days before the film's
release date. On April 8, Paramount released the final international one-sheet
featuring solely Benedict Cumberbatch's character. On April 12, 2013, iTunes
Movie Trailers revealed the final domestic one-sheet featuring the USS
Enterprise, and announced that the final US domestic trailer would be released
on April 16. Into Darkness was dedicated to post-9/11 veterans. J. J. Abrams is
connected with The Mission Continues, and a section of the film's website is
dedicated to that organization.More recently, Bryan Burk,
an “Into Darkness” producer, went on an 11-city foreign tour — South America,
Asia, Europe — to show 35 minutes of the movie
Chocolate Box: half or full-smile, lips together or slightly
parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera. Projected
mood: blandly pleasing, warm bath warmth, where uniformity of features in their
smooth perfection is devoid of uniqueness or of individual
Invitational
Invitational: emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only
a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. Projected mood:
suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual
promise, the cover equivalent of advertising’s soft sell.
Super-Smiler
Super-smiler: full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust
forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. Projected mood: aggressive,
‘look-at-me’ demanding, the hard sell, ‘big come-on’ approach.
Romantic or sexual
Romantic or Sexual: a fourth and more general classification
devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded,
unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. Projected moods:
possible ‘available’ and definitely ‘available’.
Trevor Millum
Seductive
When a model is posing in the Seductive look they should
have their eyes slightly closed, the expressions will be small, but will still
show through, they will also aim to look confident.
Carefree
A Carefree look, can be linked to sports because it seems as
if they are active and healthy.
Practical
A pratical will include a model who seems to be
concentrating something, so thier eyes will be focussed and their mouth will be
closed but not tightly.
Comic
This will be seem as if the actor/model is being studpid,
comical, funny and it will normally be exagerated, to make the most as if to
seem that what they are laughing at is very funny.
Catalogue
This will make the model have their eyes wide open, with a
big smile as if they are not stupid but quite dumb.
Male gaze Video Clip
This is a clip from the film The Mask, and this is the scene we first meet Cameron Diaz's character Tina Carlyle. This scene is a intra-diegetic scene because Jim Carrey's character Stanley Ipkiss is gazeing at Tina Carlyle who is depicted in the same world of the text. Male gaze is in this scene because the camera fixates on the curves of Cameron Diaz and how the men in this scene look at her. Cameron Diaz in this scene is bent over doing up her shoes and as she stands up the camera follows her cleavage. This is where men would be looking at. This scene also contains one of the main things about the male gaze, this is that the women is relegated to an object and men only view her as an object. Overall the male gaze is focused on Cameron Diaz to please the male viewers.
