Key Media Concepts Exam part 2
Section B: Institutions and Audiences
FILM – We study a specific studio or production company within the contemporary film industry that targets a British audience (eg UK film), including its patterns of production, distribution, exhibition and consumption by audiences. This includes Hollywood and UK film. We study Working Title as a production company. See WT's website here.
Interview: Juliette Howell (launch of WTT Dec.2011); why WT films stroke a chord HERE
See the home page here.
See institutional info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Title_Films
See BFI page (although rather out of date) here
We study Skyfall as an example of a large budget British film, an excellent example of a film franchise and a useful example of the role of stars, product placement and the role of soundtracks to promote films. See Skyfall page at the top of the class blog.
We study The Hobbit to cover issues such as use of technology, distribution, role of ‘stars’, franchises and fandom. See page on the class blog.
By contrast, we take Tortoise in Love as a case study of a crowd-sourced, micro-budget film. See post of 07.02.14 here on the BFI's distribution funding
Other British films illustrate the diversity genre and scale in British film and provide interesting comparisons to Hollywood production practices.The King's Speech, about the last British monarch, achieved international audiences and Oscar success and was part funded by lottery money. It did very well in the US. By contrast, World's End (2013) is a comedy scifi and as part of Edgar Wright's cornetto trilogy, reflects Hollywood's penchant for trilogies: look at the LOR and Hobbit pattern of trologies. Working Title Films are the very successful British production company responsible for World's End and, interestingly, have as parent company one of the Hollywood Big Six: Universal.
We study a US case study for comparison: Iron Man 3
See post 14.03.13 on the role of digital technology in conception, production values, distribution, exhibition and Dalecki's 4S megafranchize model
See post 23.03.14 on media ownership and Iron Man 3
See post 30.04.13 on successful media products here.
See post 18.12.12 on A2 blog with ideas about audiences and the 'Big Six' here
Interview: Juliette Howell (launch of WTT Dec.2011); why WT films stroke a chord HERE
See the home page here.
See institutional info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Title_Films
See BFI page (although rather out of date) here
We study Skyfall as an example of a large budget British film, an excellent example of a film franchise and a useful example of the role of stars, product placement and the role of soundtracks to promote films. See Skyfall page at the top of the class blog.
We study The Hobbit to cover issues such as use of technology, distribution, role of ‘stars’, franchises and fandom. See page on the class blog.
By contrast, we take Tortoise in Love as a case study of a crowd-sourced, micro-budget film. See post of 07.02.14 here on the BFI's distribution funding
Other British films illustrate the diversity genre and scale in British film and provide interesting comparisons to Hollywood production practices.The King's Speech, about the last British monarch, achieved international audiences and Oscar success and was part funded by lottery money. It did very well in the US. By contrast, World's End (2013) is a comedy scifi and as part of Edgar Wright's cornetto trilogy, reflects Hollywood's penchant for trilogies: look at the LOR and Hobbit pattern of trologies. Working Title Films are the very successful British production company responsible for World's End and, interestingly, have as parent company one of the Hollywood Big Six: Universal.
We study a US case study for comparison: Iron Man 3
See post 14.03.13 on the role of digital technology in conception, production values, distribution, exhibition and Dalecki's 4S megafranchize model
See post 23.03.14 on media ownership and Iron Man 3
See post 30.04.13 on successful media products here.
See post 18.12.12 on A2 blog with ideas about audiences and the 'Big Six' here
Film distribution practices include digital cinemas, DVD, HD-DVD, downloads, etc. and their impact upon production, marketing and consumption.
Practices at a local, national or international level, that is British audiences’ reception and consumption as well as the role of overseas markets on the industry.
Include the experiences of being an audience yourself.
The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice, such as the importance of cross media convergence and synergy, in production, distribution and marketing
OCR says candidates should be prepared to demonstrate:
‘understanding of contemporary institutional processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange/exhibition at a local, national or international level as well as British audiences’ reception and consumption’.
They also want some emphasis on the students’ own experiences of being media audiences. The overall topic area is Institutions and Audiences so these key concepts should be at the heart of the case study.
How to answer this section of the module
Answer in terms of:
how the institution produces and distributes its media products or services and how this is consumed by audiences.
Selection of an appropriate case study is so important.We choose a topic area and a case study that is suitable to our interests.
- Make sure the case study is right up to date and detailed, and covers a range of examples within the industry.
- For example: in the film industry you should cover at least 2 film companies and films although one may be prioritised as the main case study. We cover key concepts such as convergence and synergy, and cross media ownership.
- Students need to understand why media companies are in a constant state of change due to working with new technologies, and more demanding audiences in a world of fluctuating financial conditions.
- To keep to this brief you will need to introduce the importance of audience early on in the study, and see it as part of the whole relationship between institution, product and audience.
What sort of question will be asked?
The question will be a generic one. Candidates are expected to spend 45 minutes answering the question using the industry case study they have prepared. This will need to cover all the aspects outlined below in a comprehensive way.
How to prepare for the exam
It is a good idea to have a structure to answer this prepared question with signposts of the key issues to explore.
Practise writing an essay under timed conditions of 45 minutes. You will need lots of practice to get enough down in that time.
You will create a blog page to note websites and augment your research.
You should look for contemporary examples in their industry and know about:
· the processes of production – how the product is created
· the methods of distribution – how does the product reach its audience
· marketing – methods, and processes of marketing as they relate to the institutions
· the way audiences consume the product
· the relationships between audiences and institutions
· issues raised by media ownership within your topic
· convergence and new technologies in production, distribution and marketing & its importance for institutions and audiences
· issues raised by global institutions targeting British audiences
An important aspect of the brief is your own experiences of media consumption, and how this relates to patterns and trends in audience behaviour.
The above list is not intended to be exhaustive. Most media industries have cross-media strategies for production and promotion. Candidates will be expected to focus on a particular medium, but refer to related media where relevant.
Task
Create a profile of Working Title, its patterns of ownership, how big a player it is, what it handles, where its money comes from, its successes and rivals, its relationship with Universal, how it survives in the global marketplace,
Content is the most valuable asset in the contemporary convergence culture of digital downloads and digital distribution.
Further research – what is the future for this company – what cross media synergies is it exploring – what does WT’s audience want from the company – how do you as a consumer respond to the anti pirating arrangements currently in place – such as targeting Youtube for copyright infringements.
Make sure you clearly describe and analyse the relationship between the institution, the products and the audience.
G322: INSTITUTIONS AND AUDIENCES (FILM)
Pinterest
Produced by Eon (a private & family corporation of the Broccoli family) and distributed by MGM and Sony Pictures
In Section B of your examination, you answer a long essay question on aspects of the film industry and processes of production, distribution, marketing and consumption. We focus on specific studios/production companies that target British audiences. We consider contemporary film distribution practices (digital cinema, DVD, HD-DVD, downloads etc) and how these affect production, marketing and distribution. We will study:
THE KING'S SPEECH: 2010 BIG SUCCESS
Official film website
Blog on The King's Speech
The King's Speech was the highest-earning film for three weekends in a row at the British box office. It has been widely praised by film critics for its visual style, art direction and acting. Other commentators discussed the film's misrepresentation of the historical events it portrays, in particular the reversal of Winston Churchill's opposition to abdication.
G322: INSTITUTIONS AND AUDIENCES (FILM)
Skyfall – UK Big Budget
Skyfall is
the 23rd James Bond film and is an example of a large budget British
film, it is an excellent example of a film franchise and is also useful
to discuss the role of stars, product placement and the role of
soundtracks to promote films.
Skyfall was produced by Eon Productions and distributed by MGM and Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2012. The film is the third Bond film that has starred Daniel Craig as James Bond and it was directed by Sam Mendes. For a film series to reach 23 and still be hugely popular is testament to the almost fail-safe formula that Bond films tend to follow. Including elements such as exotic locations, attractive actors, exciting action sequences, and adherence to a narrative structure that never truly threatens Bonds omnipotence.
Role of Stars
It is possible to argue that the true star of any Bond film is the character as opposed to the actor that plays him and essentially this is true. As spectators watching a Bond film we are watching the character as opposed to the actor, true spectators will often argue about who has been the best James Bond and once an actor has finished his run of films there is intense media speculation about who will play him next. Though Daniel Craig can now be considered a ‘star’ is that due to his role as Bond or was he a ‘star’ before?
Equally the choice of Director is always interesting as well respected director Sam Mendes was the director of Skyfall and his previous films have tended to be drama based, with the exception of Road to Perdition which featured a number of action set pieces. This could be seen as an attempt to add more elements of drama than the previous Bond formula allowed for, it may also be an attempt to widen the audience by using a director which would attract a different audience.
Product Placement
As Skyfall was distributed by Sony it may not be surprising to note that James Bond uses Sony electronic items such as a phone, laptop and other electrical devices. The cars used are all made by companies ultimately owned by Ford and his watch is an Omega Seamaster. Also in Skyfall he has swapped his Martini for a Heineken, for the character to make this swap cost the Dutch brewers £28.2 million. This type of product placement helps to fund the making of the film as well as provide the company with a captive market and a subtle way of promoting their product.
Soundtrack
Another element to the marketing and promotion of Skyfall was the use of a theme song, in this case one sung by Adele. The choice of Adele suited both parties as the Bond theme is often sung by an established and very popular artist and it provides a massive amount of exposure whilst it also allows the film to be associated with a younger and more current star. The music video will help to promote the film and build a buzz up surrounding the films release. The song was nominated for a range of awards which helped to keep the film in the press and therefore to continue to generate an audience for it and build up anticipation for the DVD release.
Overall a large budget film such as Skyfall needs to use a wide variety of marketing and promotional techniques to help try and recoup the cost of the production and try to generate as much revenue as possible.
Skyfall was produced by Eon Productions and distributed by MGM and Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2012. The film is the third Bond film that has starred Daniel Craig as James Bond and it was directed by Sam Mendes. For a film series to reach 23 and still be hugely popular is testament to the almost fail-safe formula that Bond films tend to follow. Including elements such as exotic locations, attractive actors, exciting action sequences, and adherence to a narrative structure that never truly threatens Bonds omnipotence.
Role of Stars
It is possible to argue that the true star of any Bond film is the character as opposed to the actor that plays him and essentially this is true. As spectators watching a Bond film we are watching the character as opposed to the actor, true spectators will often argue about who has been the best James Bond and once an actor has finished his run of films there is intense media speculation about who will play him next. Though Daniel Craig can now be considered a ‘star’ is that due to his role as Bond or was he a ‘star’ before?
Equally the choice of Director is always interesting as well respected director Sam Mendes was the director of Skyfall and his previous films have tended to be drama based, with the exception of Road to Perdition which featured a number of action set pieces. This could be seen as an attempt to add more elements of drama than the previous Bond formula allowed for, it may also be an attempt to widen the audience by using a director which would attract a different audience.
Product Placement
As Skyfall was distributed by Sony it may not be surprising to note that James Bond uses Sony electronic items such as a phone, laptop and other electrical devices. The cars used are all made by companies ultimately owned by Ford and his watch is an Omega Seamaster. Also in Skyfall he has swapped his Martini for a Heineken, for the character to make this swap cost the Dutch brewers £28.2 million. This type of product placement helps to fund the making of the film as well as provide the company with a captive market and a subtle way of promoting their product.
Soundtrack
Another element to the marketing and promotion of Skyfall was the use of a theme song, in this case one sung by Adele. The choice of Adele suited both parties as the Bond theme is often sung by an established and very popular artist and it provides a massive amount of exposure whilst it also allows the film to be associated with a younger and more current star. The music video will help to promote the film and build a buzz up surrounding the films release. The song was nominated for a range of awards which helped to keep the film in the press and therefore to continue to generate an audience for it and build up anticipation for the DVD release.
Overall a large budget film such as Skyfall needs to use a wide variety of marketing and promotional techniques to help try and recoup the cost of the production and try to generate as much revenue as possible.
Produced by Eon (a private & family corporation of the Broccoli family) and distributed by MGM and Sony Pictures
- Sony Pictures Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of Sony Pictures, a subsidiary of Sony; they are also responsible for TV shows as 'Sony Pictures Television'.
- MGM Interactive produces video games
THE HOBBIT – US big budget
As part of the Audience & Producers section on the exam
you need to refer to case studies of different films. One of these is a
big budget Hollywood production, The Hobbit is an ideal example
of this as it can be used to cover a range of different issues
including use of technology, distribution, role of ‘stars’, franchises
and fandom. All of these areas can be written about in the exam and as
long as clear examples are given can be used for either an audience or
producer based answer.
Technology
The Hobbit is a good example of how producers are using technolgy to generate a ‘buzz’ around new films. The Hobbit Trilogy has been shot in 3D 48 frames-per- second and has been released in High Frame Rate (HFR) 3-D, other 3-D formats, IMAX and 2-D. This use iof technology is a key selling point and ‘fans’ of the film can view different versions based upon their own preference, equally it also maximises the number of screens the film can be shown on thus maximising the amount of revenue that can be generated.
Articles linked to technology:
Telegraph article
Den of Geek article
Official page on frame rate
Stuff.co.nz article
Time magazine article on the technology of Gollum
Distribution
The Hobbit was premiered in New Zealand on the 28th November and then released in the majority of other territories on 12th or 13th December 2012. The film was released in China much later on 22nd February 2013. The breakdown of release dates is here and it is possible to see where and at what time the film was released. By being released in the run up to Christmas the film is attempting to attract as large an audience as possible and particularly family audiences. This also accounts for the 12A certificate that the film gained in the UK. A 12A means that the potential audience is much larger than if the film had gained a 15 certificate. This is a key tactic used by large budget films to gain larger audience shares.
Role of ‘Stars’
What makes The Hobbit interesting is the role of the ensemble cast. Though the film features recognisable faces from the LOTR franchise none of the actors is sold as a the ‘Star’ of the picture. This approach is emphasised in the promotional material for the film and can be seen in the following posters.
These
posters illustrate the nature of the film without highlighting one
actor over another. Perhaps the biggest name associated with the film is
the Director, Peter Jackson who will attract a group of viewers
expecting something similar to the original LOTR franchise. In fact part
of the pleasure that a spectator may get from The Hobbit is that it is
arguably very similar to the LOTR films. Lots of spectators enjoy
watching films which are the same but different as this is a key
component of genre films, most Superhero films are very formulaic and in
many ways this is reassuring for audiences who go to watch them.
Franchises
The Hobbit is the first of a 3 part series and continues the LOTR franchise. It is worth considering why a shorter book than LOTR was spilt into 3 seperate films. The cynic may argue that it is purely a motive to increase the amount of revenue the series can generate, others may point to the increase in popularity of long format TV shows such as Game of Thrones for a film to be spilt into enough parts to do justice to the book. There has also been an increase in the number of franchises being made by large Hollywood studios as they look to reduce the risk involved in making large budget pictures, even when the series is losing its critical appeal it does not always mean that the returns will fall as well. A case in point is Spiderman 3 which made the most money whilst being the least popular with critics.
Fans
As with lots of adaptations The Hobbit already has an established fan base to draw upon and these people are likely to go and watch the film more than once. They will also help spread positive word of mouth feedback about the film and therefore help to generate a buzz about the film. Fans may write fan fiction about the original book or the film and this helps the film develop a life beyond the original material.
Technology
The Hobbit is a good example of how producers are using technolgy to generate a ‘buzz’ around new films. The Hobbit Trilogy has been shot in 3D 48 frames-per- second and has been released in High Frame Rate (HFR) 3-D, other 3-D formats, IMAX and 2-D. This use iof technology is a key selling point and ‘fans’ of the film can view different versions based upon their own preference, equally it also maximises the number of screens the film can be shown on thus maximising the amount of revenue that can be generated.
Articles linked to technology:
Telegraph article
Den of Geek article
Official page on frame rate
Stuff.co.nz article
Time magazine article on the technology of Gollum
Distribution
The Hobbit was premiered in New Zealand on the 28th November and then released in the majority of other territories on 12th or 13th December 2012. The film was released in China much later on 22nd February 2013. The breakdown of release dates is here and it is possible to see where and at what time the film was released. By being released in the run up to Christmas the film is attempting to attract as large an audience as possible and particularly family audiences. This also accounts for the 12A certificate that the film gained in the UK. A 12A means that the potential audience is much larger than if the film had gained a 15 certificate. This is a key tactic used by large budget films to gain larger audience shares.
Role of ‘Stars’
What makes The Hobbit interesting is the role of the ensemble cast. Though the film features recognisable faces from the LOTR franchise none of the actors is sold as a the ‘Star’ of the picture. This approach is emphasised in the promotional material for the film and can be seen in the following posters.
These
posters illustrate the nature of the film without highlighting one
actor over another. Perhaps the biggest name associated with the film is
the Director, Peter Jackson who will attract a group of viewers
expecting something similar to the original LOTR franchise. In fact part
of the pleasure that a spectator may get from The Hobbit is that it is
arguably very similar to the LOTR films. Lots of spectators enjoy
watching films which are the same but different as this is a key
component of genre films, most Superhero films are very formulaic and in
many ways this is reassuring for audiences who go to watch them.Franchises
The Hobbit is the first of a 3 part series and continues the LOTR franchise. It is worth considering why a shorter book than LOTR was spilt into 3 seperate films. The cynic may argue that it is purely a motive to increase the amount of revenue the series can generate, others may point to the increase in popularity of long format TV shows such as Game of Thrones for a film to be spilt into enough parts to do justice to the book. There has also been an increase in the number of franchises being made by large Hollywood studios as they look to reduce the risk involved in making large budget pictures, even when the series is losing its critical appeal it does not always mean that the returns will fall as well. A case in point is Spiderman 3 which made the most money whilst being the least popular with critics.
Fans
As with lots of adaptations The Hobbit already has an established fan base to draw upon and these people are likely to go and watch the film more than once. They will also help spread positive word of mouth feedback about the film and therefore help to generate a buzz about the film. Fans may write fan fiction about the original book or the film and this helps the film develop a life beyond the original material.
 |
| Heyday Films produced Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (David Yates, 2011) |
- who makes, owns, funds and distributes specific recent films
- cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution & marketing
- new film technologies such as digital cinema
- technological convergence
- proliferation in hardware and content for institutions & audiences
- how national and British audiences are targeted by film institutions
- how your own experience illustrates wider trends
THE KING'S SPEECH: 2010 BIG SUCCESS
Official film website
Blog on The King's Speech
The film received many awards and nominations, mostly for Colin Firth. The film was nominated for seven Golden Globes, winning Best Actor – Drama for Firth. Furthermore, the film also nominated for fourteen BAFTAs, the most of any film, winning seven, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Firth, and both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress for bothGeoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter, respectively. The film was also nominated for 12 Academy Awards, the most of any film, and ended up winning four, all in the major categories including Best Picture, Best Director for Tom Hooper, Best Actor for Firth and Best Original Screenplayfor David Seidler. This is an excellent return on the £9 million that the film cost to make. A huge proportion of these takings will go to seminars and on advertising and marketing costs but the film will return £60 million to its British backers and creators.
The UK film Council provided £1.21 million to fund the film and in return it will receive over a third of its profits. The British film Institute is taking over the UK film Council's functions and will use the money to fund further new films.
British Oscar successes include Christian Bale in the fighter (best supporting actor), Christopher Nolan for inception (cinematography, pursuant effects, sound mixing and sound editing).
SHIFTY: 2009 LOW BUDGET FILM CASE STUDY
Watch this presentation on the film that was screened at our BFI study day:
Shifty case study
RELEASE: The film had its world premiere on 6 September 2010 at the Telluride Film Festival in the United States.[27] It was screened at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, on Firth's 50th birthday, where it received a standing ovation and won the People's Choice Award.[49] The theatrical release poster was re-designed to show an extreme close-up of Firth's jaw and a microphone after Hooper criticised the first design, as a "train smash".[50]
The film was initially given a 15 rating by the British Board of Film Classification for its release in the United Kingdom, due to scenes where Logue encourages the King to shout profanities to relieve stress. At the London Film Festival, Hooper criticised the decision, questioning how the body could certify the film "15" for bad language but allow films such as Salt (2010) and Casino Royale (2006) to have 12A ratings despite their graphic torture scenes. Following Hooper's criticism, the board lowered the rating to "12A", allowing children under 12 years of age to see the film if they are accompanied by an adult.[51][52] Hooper levelled the same criticism at the Motion Picture Association of America, which gave the film an R rating, preventing anyone under the age of 17 from seeing the film without an adult.[53] This rating was not appealed.[54] In his review, Roger Ebert criticised the R rating, calling it "utterly inexplicable", and said, "This is an excellent film for teenagers".[30] In January 2011, executive producer and distributor Harvey Weinstein said he was considering having the film re-edited to remove some profanity, so that it would receive a lower classification and reach a larger audience.[55]
Tom Hooper, however, refused to cut the film, though he considered covering the swear words with bleeps. Helena Bonham Carter also defended the film, saying, "[The film] is not violent. It’s full of humanity and wit. [It's] for people not with just a speech impediment, but who have got confidence [doubts]."[56] In the press room after receiving the Academy Award, Colin Firth himself has noted that he doesn't support the re-editing of the film, and while he doesn't condone the use of profanity, he maintained that the context of the use wasn't offensive and the scene "serves a purpose".[57] An alternate version, with some of the profanities muted out of the soundtrack, was classified PG-13 by the MPAA;[58] this version was released to theatres across the United States on 1 April 2011, replacing the R-rated cut.[59]
The film is distributed by Transmission in Australia and by Momentum Pictures in the United Kingdom.[11] The Weinstein Company is the distributor in North America, Germany, Benelux, Scandinavia, China, Hong Kong and Latin America.[60]The film was released in France on 2 February 2011, under the title Le discours d'un roi. It was distributed by Wild Bunch Distribution.[61]
SHIFTY: 2009 LOW BUDGET FILM CASE STUDY
Watch this presentation on the film that was screened at our BFI study day:
Shifty case study
http://www.slideshare.net/mickgoogan/g322-section-b-shifty-case-study
MAMMA MIA! : 2008 MEGA SUCCESS
The decade's most popular movie, Mamma Mia!, produced by British filmmakers at Pinewood Studios, is also the top grosser of all time in UK cinemas with box-office receipts of £69.1 million.
Mark Batey explains Mamma Mia's success
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE: 2009 HUGE SUCCESS
Slideshare presentation on film industry with info on how Slumdog was promoted
http://www.slideshare.net/filmcgs/the-british-film-industry-2-section-a
GET TO KNOW HOW THE INDUSTRY WORKS
Film Distributors Association Handbook
Read the FDA Handbook for 2009/10 (above) which refers to Shifty, The Boat That Rocked and Slumdog Millionaire. Then go to the FDA website to learn from the series of brief video presentations.
www.launchingfilms.tv/
THE BOAT THAT ROCKED: 2009 UK FLOP FOR WORKING TITLE
Booklet on WT will be handed out in class
Case study presentation on why it did not rock all the way to the top
AVATAR: A US SUCCESS STORY
We will use Avatar as a comparison case study.
Read this PDF on new technology in Avatar
SNAPSHOT OF INDUSTRY IN 2011 by Lord Putnam
moviecitynews.com London — 24 March 2011. In his role as President of the UK trade body, Film Distributors’ Association (FDA), Lord Puttnam of Queensgate CBE today gave a keynote speech in which he called for thedistribution of cinema releases to be placed at the heart of planning for a new UK film policy. Speaking in London’s Leicester Square to an audience of film industry members, press and politicians, Lord Puttnam said:
JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN (2011)
It is worth noting how the P&A machine works in the run-up to distributing a film, for example, by tracking how Johnny English is promoted: look on Working Titles website to follow the process: read it here World Premiere in Sydney September 4 2011 and here about publicity in Germany Johnny English Reborn Publicity Tour
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (Tomas Alfredson, 2011)
View the trailer on the Working Title website
IMDB Details of box office takings
IMDB Details of box offices takings here
Production companies
John Lennon's most famous imperative, "imagine", looks to have been taken to heart by the artist-turned-director Sam Taylor-Wood in this biopic about the Beatle's teenage years: it alters the facts in ways for which justifications are hard to see (writes Edward Potter The Times 02.10.2011). Whatever you make of it, the film is vigorous and engaging. Aaron Johnson plays Lennon and Kirstin Scott Thomas excels as his Aunt Mimi. Consider reasons why this film is likely to attract international audiences.
KIDULTHOOD (dir. Menhaj Huda, 2005)
IMDB details of box office takings here
MAMMA MIA! : 2008 MEGA SUCCESS
The decade's most popular movie, Mamma Mia!, produced by British filmmakers at Pinewood Studios, is also the top grosser of all time in UK cinemas with box-office receipts of £69.1 million.
Mark Batey explains Mamma Mia's success
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE: 2009 HUGE SUCCESS
Slideshare presentation on film industry with info on how Slumdog was promoted
http://www.slideshare.net/filmcgs/the-british-film-industry-2-section-a
Technological convergence is present at each stage in the media and in this instance, the distribution part of the film industry. Here, "Tug" plays up its part in the use of search marketing for Pathe to publicise Slumdog Millionaire using online marketing on the Internet. For those researching case studies on this film and its institutions notice also how niche audiences were targeted: "Indian moviegoers and Danny Boyle enthusiasts".
Launching Pathe’s Slumdog Millionaire Using search marketing
Problem
• Pathe was launching a new independent movie in the UK: Slumdog Millionaire.
• They wanted to use online marketing to build awareness with the public while also targeting niche audiences such as Indian movie goers and Danny Boyle enthusiasts.
• To support their above the line advertising, Pathe developed a suite of online marketing collateral including a viral, a widget and a trailer focused microsite
• But how could Pathe cost effectively gain an online share of voice in the competitive January release season, create engagement and drive traffic to their online assets?
Solution
Tug developed a PPC campaign on the major UK search engines targeting searchers interested in: Pathe, Bollywood, Danny Boyle, Slumdog, Indie movies and the like
• Tug launched targeted banners across the Google Content network to build
awareness of the film on a cost per click model. Eye balls were free.
• Tug worked with Google to create click to play trailer ads. Pathe only paid
when the surfer clicked through to the microsite. Banner and even trailer views were free!
• Tug tested and improved ad copy weekly and included Bafta award and box office hit messaging when the movie met these milestones.
• A tactical SEO programme was also put in place concentrating on the film name to ensure top positioning for the difficult to index, flash microsite.
Results
• PPC drove over 75,000 new visitors to SlumdogMillionaireMovie.co.uk
• More than 21 Million ad impressions were served and viewed by targeted audiences – for free. On a blind network at £5 CPM that would have cost over£100K
• 73,000 movie goers engaged with and viewed the video trailer
• These terrific results cost a mere £13,000 in media spend over a 5 week burst.
• Slumdog Millionaire smashed UK box office records and has won 7 Bafta awards and 8 oscars!
• Tug are working on an integrated SEO & PPC template campaign structure for further Pathe film releases.
Tug
Creative Search Marketing
77 Leonard Street
London, EC2A 4QS
GET TO KNOW HOW THE INDUSTRY WORKS
Film Distributors Association Handbook
Read the FDA Handbook for 2009/10 (above) which refers to Shifty, The Boat That Rocked and Slumdog Millionaire. Then go to the FDA website to learn from the series of brief video presentations.
www.launchingfilms.tv/
THE BOAT THAT ROCKED: 2009 UK FLOP FOR WORKING TITLE
Booklet on WT will be handed out in class
Case study presentation on why it did not rock all the way to the top
We will use Avatar as a comparison case study.
Read this PDF on new technology in Avatar
SNAPSHOT OF INDUSTRY IN 2011 by Lord Putnam
moviecitynews.com London — 24 March 2011. In his role as President of the UK trade body, Film Distributors’ Association (FDA), Lord Puttnam of Queensgate CBE today gave a keynote speech in which he called for thedistribution of cinema releases to be placed at the heart of planning for a new UK film policy. Speaking in London’s Leicester Square to an audience of film industry members, press and politicians, Lord Puttnam said:
“By acquiring, positioning, licensing, marketing and publicising films, distributors are the point at which movies connect with their audience, the largest possible audience that can be identified and motivated in each individual case. Films reach their audiences by professional design, not purely by accident or lucky chance. And it’s only when they reach their audience that they achieve their extraordinary potential to seize people’s consciousness – to amuse, amaze and excite. The global demand for film, including British films, has never been greater. But because all intellectual property markets are ‘content-led’, any forward-looking film policy in the digital age must adopt demand-side, as well as supply-side, strategies.”
Having discussed some digital challenges and opportunities affecting UK media, Lord Puttnam observed that however the release of movies is remodelled across myriad platforms, the cinema launch pad remains distinct and special, for audiences and filmmakers alike: “The cinema is where directors and actors aspire to have their work seen; in fact it’s where they make it to be seen, and there’s no sign of that changing one bit.”
FDA publications
At today’s event Lord Puttnam also launched two new publications: The FDA Yearbook 2011, which contains an array of data on the last 12 months cinemagoing, and the £300 million investment by film distributors to launch 573 feature films for UK cinema audiences in 2010 – a new record number in a single year.
Encouraging signs for cinema in 2011
Cinemagoing in the UK for January and February 2011 was up by an impressive 10.1% year-on-year compared to 2010 – 32.46 million admissions were recorded during the first two months of 2011. This is partly due to the tremendous theatrical success of The King’s Speech, and a very buoyant half term period, Valentine’s weekend and an array of awards titles that captured audience appetites. February 2011 on its own notched up the highest ever UK box office takings on record for the month with £112.1m in cinema receipts.
UK cinema snapshot 2010
Some highlights extracted from the FDA Yearbook 2011:
* No matter what the economic climate, cinema continues to offers the ultimate escape. One in sevenBritish adults go to the cinema at least once a month.
* UK box-office receipts topped £1 billion in 2010, an all-time high. 3D accounted for £237.9m – more than a fifth of the total box-office. Distributors’ support of digital switch-over is gathering pace in UK cinemas. Already around 1,500 screens are digital, nearly half of the total, and most of those are 3D-enabled.
* The number of feature films released, which has exceeded 500 a year in each of the last five years, leapt higher than ever to 573, an average of 11 openings each week, all competing for available screens, media space and audience time and money.
* Hot summer: 24% of the year’s admissions took place in July and August – by far the busiest months – led by Toy Story 3, Inception, Shrek Forever After, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and The Karate Kid. In those two months alone, the box-office exceeded a quarter of a billion pounds (£268.9 million), driven by 83 new releases, while admissions (40.5 million) were equivalent to two-thirds of the population.
* 136 films took more than £1m at the box-office. 55 films grossed over £5m, of which the top 27 grossed over £10m. The seven highest-grossing releases of 2010, led by Toy Story 3, earned places in the UK’s all-time top 100 box-office hits.
* Overall admissions dipped slightly below 2009’s total to 169.25m, the first decline in four years, yet still an average of 3.25m per week. Cinemagoing pre-Christmas, like other retail activities, was hampered by the Arctic weather conditions: December 2010 had the lowest admissions for any December since 2000. At the end of November, the moving annual total of admissions was up 2.3% year-on-year.
UK cinema snapshot 2010
Some highlights extracted from the FDA Yearbook 2011:
* No matter what the economic climate, cinema continues to offers the ultimate escape. One in sevenBritish adults go to the cinema at least once a month.
* UK box-office receipts topped £1 billion in 2010, an all-time high. 3D accounted for £237.9m – more than a fifth of the total box-office. Distributors’ support of digital switch-over is gathering pace in UK cinemas. Already around 1,500 screens are digital, nearly half of the total, and most of those are 3D-enabled.
* The number of feature films released, which has exceeded 500 a year in each of the last five years, leapt higher than ever to 573, an average of 11 openings each week, all competing for available screens, media space and audience time and money.
* Hot summer: 24% of the year’s admissions took place in July and August – by far the busiest months – led by Toy Story 3, Inception, Shrek Forever After, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and The Karate Kid. In those two months alone, the box-office exceeded a quarter of a billion pounds (£268.9 million), driven by 83 new releases, while admissions (40.5 million) were equivalent to two-thirds of the population.
* 136 films took more than £1m at the box-office. 55 films grossed over £5m, of which the top 27 grossed over £10m. The seven highest-grossing releases of 2010, led by Toy Story 3, earned places in the UK’s all-time top 100 box-office hits.
* Overall admissions dipped slightly below 2009’s total to 169.25m, the first decline in four years, yet still an average of 3.25m per week. Cinemagoing pre-Christmas, like other retail activities, was hampered by the Arctic weather conditions: December 2010 had the lowest admissions for any December since 2000. At the end of November, the moving annual total of admissions was up 2.3% year-on-year.
Top 20 films of the decade 2001 – 2010
This chart is peppered with franchises based on British stories, such as Harry Potter, James Bond, The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. Many titles, including Mamma Mia! and The Dark Knight, had British cast and crew members fulfilling key creative roles. All these British titles have been hits worldwide, not just in the UK.
This chart is peppered with franchises based on British stories, such as Harry Potter, James Bond, The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. Many titles, including Mamma Mia! and The Dark Knight, had British cast and crew members fulfilling key creative roles. All these British titles have been hits worldwide, not just in the UK.
 |
| Top 10 weeks in UK cinemas 2010 |
 |
| Top 20 films of the decade 2001 – 2010 |
It is worth noting how the P&A machine works in the run-up to distributing a film, for example, by tracking how Johnny English is promoted: look on Working Titles website to follow the process: read it here World Premiere in Sydney September 4 2011 and here about publicity in Germany Johnny English Reborn Publicity Tour
 |
| Publicity in Germany |
Rowan Atkinson returns to the role of the improbable secret agent who doesn’t know fear or danger in the comedy spy-thriller Johnny English Reborn. In his latest adventure, the most unlikely intelligence officer in Her Majesty’s Secret Service must stop a group of international assassins before they eliminate a world leader and cause global chaos.
In the years since MI7’s top spy vanished off the grid, he has been honing his unique skills in a remote region of Asia. But when his agency superiors learn of an attempt against the Chinese premier’s life, they must hunt down the highly unorthodox agent. Now that the world needs him once again, Johnny English is back in action.
With one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI-7. With mere days until a heads of state conference, one man must use every trick in his playbook to protect us all. For Johnny English, disaster may be an option, but failure never is. (Working Title website)
In the years since MI7’s top spy vanished off the grid, he has been honing his unique skills in a remote region of Asia. But when his agency superiors learn of an attempt against the Chinese premier’s life, they must hunt down the highly unorthodox agent. Now that the world needs him once again, Johnny English is back in action.
With one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI-7. With mere days until a heads of state conference, one man must use every trick in his playbook to protect us all. For Johnny English, disaster may be an option, but failure never is. (Working Title website)
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (Tomas Alfredson, 2011)
View the trailer on the Working Title website
IMDB Details of box office takings
 |
| Inside MI6 |
A British film in that it is based on the book by best-selling author John Le Carre and features the convoluted and dark world of MI6 and international espionage during the Cold War period. Set in the 1970’s, TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY finds George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a recently retired M16 agent, doing his best to adjust to a life outside the secret service. However, when a disgraced agent reappears with information concerning a mole at the heart of the Circus, Smiley is drawn back into the murky field of espionage. Tasked with investigating which of his trusted former colleagues has chosen to betray him and their country, Smiley narrows his search to four suspects – all experienced, urbane, successful agents – but past histories, rivalries and friendships make it far from easy to pinpoint the man who is eating away at the heart of the British establishment.
NOWHERE BOY (dir. Sam Taylor-Wood, 2009)IMDB Details of box offices takings here
Production companies
John Lennon's most famous imperative, "imagine", looks to have been taken to heart by the artist-turned-director Sam Taylor-Wood in this biopic about the Beatle's teenage years: it alters the facts in ways for which justifications are hard to see (writes Edward Potter The Times 02.10.2011). Whatever you make of it, the film is vigorous and engaging. Aaron Johnson plays Lennon and Kirstin Scott Thomas excels as his Aunt Mimi. Consider reasons why this film is likely to attract international audiences.
KIDULTHOOD (dir. Menhaj Huda, 2005)
IMDB details of box office takings here
Production Companies
- Stealth Films
- Cipher Films
- TMC Films
- UK Film Council (developed with the assistance of)
A Grange Hill for the gun-crime generation, Menhaj Huja's film crams every social problem into its story of London teenagers, among whom are Noel Clarke (who wrote the script) and Jaime Winstone. Rough and energetic though it is, it will have been judged uncool by some members of its young target audience, writes Edward Potter (The Times 02.10.2011). Consider the target audience for this film: it may find adults among its viewers desperately trying to understand the world it depicts. The sequel is Adulthood.
 |
| Music from the film: one way of adding value to financial returns |
