TV DRAMA EXAM PRACTICE

We analysed an extract from Consuming Passions: 100 Years of Mills and Boon. Our focus was age.
PREP Familiarize yourself with Examiner's reports OCR website
January 2013 HERE

MEDIA OWNERSHIP ESSAY continued

G322 EXAM PRACTICE QUESTION:     What impact does media ownership have upon the range of products available to audiences in the media area you have studied?     (50 Marks)  

HERE ARE YOUR FIRST 4 PARAGRAPHS.

START I have studied the film industry. In this essay, I understand 'media ownership' to mean both the Hollywood film industry and independent British film producers and distributors.First, I am going to write about the Hollywood 'big six' using as my case study Disney as an example of the mega-franchise model. Then, I plan to discuss British film, using as my case studies Working Title and Vertigo (or Warp) and a selection of independent films some with small budgets and niche audiences. Finally, I refer to the newest developments and future trends of consumers as producers, crowd-sourced films and vloggers, as exemplified by Tortoise in Love, Ridley Scott's Life in a Day and vlogger Casey Neistat.

To begin with, I will define 'range of products' in relation to production values (big budgets, high production values, CGI, motion capture, exotic locations, expensive casting and so on), big distribution budgets (interactive websites, range of trailers, luxury brand tie-ins, syndicated TV channel advertising, P&A saturation and so on), diverse film products (animation, DVD, BluRay, 3D, IMAX, downloads, sound tracks, ring tones and so on) and entertainment super-texts (like theme parks and video games). In other words,  I intend to show that Hollywood mega-franchises dominate because of their ability to generate constant synergy: for instance, the Disney Stores promote the consumer products which promote the theme parks which promote the television show, as in my case study of Avengers and Frozen. Disney can produce a variety of successful products: n February 2015, the team at Walt Disney Animation Studios scored a double whammy at the 87th Oscars in both the 'Best Animation Feature' (Big Hero 6) and the 'Best Animation Short' (Feast) categories.

However, I also intend to argue that Hollywood's focus on certain film genres (sequels, prequels and superhero film) actually narrows consumer choice. By playing safe as they aim for global markets, Hollywood develops films that offer archetypes, story and spectacle, whereas British film and independent film producers in general offer more diverse film genres. Interestingly, British film seems to be entering a golden age of Oscar success with products like The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, the Grand Budapest Hotel and Whiplash, as well as 'heritage' films like Mr Turner which have received critical acclaim if not Oscar success.

Therefore I intend to define 'range of products' in terms of 'range of genre' and show how smaller film makers make a wide range of films that offer what national audiences need. 
By contrast with Hollywood, I will examine how smaller film makers and national production companies (like Vertigo / Warp) tackle issues relating to genre, casting, production values, distribution, building audiences and exhibiting films.

HERE IS A PARAGRAPH TO PUT IN AS WELL: 

Audi / Iron Man cross promotion HERE

I have seen that distribution for Iron Man 3 has included film website trailers, in-cinema trailers and a TV advert tie-in. I watched the 30 second teaser trailer with very high production values which highlighted the thrills and spills side of the film; in cinema whilst watching Oblivion I saw an extended trailer (addressed to like-minded audiences). On TV I watched no less than two Audi R8 e-tron car advert featuring Robert Downey Jr extolling the qualities of Audi engineering, linking his high-tech CGI suit to an Audi ("Iron Man approved" and "Engineered for Iron Man"). This is an example of cross-promotion or synergy.

AND HERE IS A PARAGRAPH TO PUT IN AT THE END: BRAND NEW POINTS!
In future, Hollywood may not have such a hold over global markets. In the first three months of 2013, ticket sales for American-made films in China, the world's second-largest cinema market, took an unexpected nosedive. Hollywood's bombastic superheroes have met their match as they struggle to keep their foothold in China: revenues fell in China, compared with the same period last year as big budget movies like The Hobbit failed to impress. ChinaFilmbiz.com reports that American movies "now hold a mere 23% of mainland China ticket revenues, a disastrous drop from the 57% share they held at this point last year". At the Oscars this year (2015),

It is interesting to note what Iron Man 3 has done to distribution in China: although the hero, brash but brilliant industrialist Tony Stark exemplifies the gung-ho spirit of the US, the script was vetted by Beijing, the film has a Chinese co-producer, many of the gadgets are from the Chinese electronics firm TCL, Ben Kingsley plays The Mandarin and a famous Chinese actor plays the villain Dr Wu. These measure aim to target the huge (global) Chinese audience. However, China also manipulates figures by imposing quotas on foreign film while giving incentives to national cinema. Chinese taste is also shifting towards local products.

Nevertheless, it may be that Asian audiences in general are tiring of  Hollywood action films that prioritise spectacle over story or character, and rely heavily on computer-generated explosions. I say this because I have read (The Times 23.04.13) that Hollywood did not do well that year in Japan, Korea and other parts of Asia and that

 
 

G322 EASTER HOLIDAY EXAM PRACTICE

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G322 EXAM PRACTICE QUESTION:     What impact does media ownership have upon the range of products available to audiences in the media area you have studied?     (50 Marks)     

Please complete this essay question by the first Media lesson of the summer term. 

• Use the notes on the Hollywood megafranchise model (the Big Six) Start by defining the 'megafranchise model' and its impact on film production LINK TO NOTES HERE
• As case studies, refer to The Avengers and Skyfall as examples of mainstream films; explain how their distributors attracted and addressed audiences. What products are available apart from the cinema experience? LINK TO AVENGERS & SKYFALL NOTES
• As contrast, explain the issues that British film makers face
• What kinds of films are more likely to be green lit? What has British cinema to offer audiences? Why is there a place for national cinema?
• Illustrate by reference to Working Title's practices and illustrate by reference to one film now in production by WT
• Independent cinema production does not have a range of products in the way that a big studio production does. For example, explain how niche films like Shifty (Eran Creevy) were distributed; mention Creevy's current film Welcome to the Punch (2013). See the TRAILER here.  Explain why this film is such a different one from Eran Creevy's first. Explain how its distributors attracted and addressed its audiences.
• Case studies of smaller indie films: Tortoise in Love. How did the BFI funding help? Is it enough?  Are niche films like this at a disadvantage in the national, international and global marketplace?   (Sentence starter: 'The impact of low budget, independent production is that indie films may not even receive cinema release but go straight to DVD or online release.' 
• Final sentence should be about trends (the future): as a result of Hollywood's suffocating grip on film production, producers are seeking new ways to reach audiences and one new product is the selling of films direct to audiences online, bypassing the studios.  Kevin Spacey, Netflix and House Of Cards. Where YouTube started with amateurs building audiences online, production companies follow.Will this Netflix original series from Kevin Spacey redefine how television is produced and consumed?                                                                                        

EVALUATION Q.3 DISTRIBUTION

VERVE specializes in distributing independent films and has a proven track record with new film makers
VERVE's website here 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will start, 

complete and post this during the double period on Friday 22 March. We've done the ground work on distribution in class. When you've finished, get on with your blog or editing.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

• PRESENT THIS IN PREZI EXPLAINING WHICH DISTRIBUTION COMPANY WOULD PRESENT YOUR FILM AND WHY YOU CHOSE THAT COMPANY (their track record)
• SAY WHAT DISTRIBUTORS DO (digital and conventional screenings, cinema exhibition, DVD and other sales) 
• and HOW THEY RAISE AWARENESS ( P & A, film websites with interactivity, TV spots, trailers) 
• EXPLAIN THE RESEARCH YOU DID TO FIND OUT ABOUT DISTRIBUTORS  (FDA, Launching Films, video presentations from this site)
• GIVE EXAMPLES OF CASE STUDIES ( eg Shifty, The Disappearance of Alice Creed. a film by your chosen distributor)