A controversial release strategy: Beasts of No Nation (2015)

Use the links below to explore the groundbreaking release strategy of Beasts of No Nation from last year - create a new case study grid to gather your information:

IMDB
Participant Media
Inside Netflix's $12 million film
Beasts of No Nation brings the power of Original Cinema to Netflix and beyond
Beasts of No Nation gets mauled by cinema chains

Convergence and Synergy

Using the definitions below, identify all the examples of convergence and synergy across our case studies:

Behind the scenes: Gravity

Past exam questions

January 2009 Discuss the ways in which media products are produced and distributed to audiences, within a media area, which you have studied.


June 2009 * 2 example answers How important is technological convergence for institutions and audiences within a media area that you have studied?


January 2010 “Media production is dominated by global institutions, which sell their products and services to national audiences.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?


June 2010 What significance does the continuing development of digital technology have for media institutions and audiences?


January 2011 Discuss the issues raised by media ownership in the production and exchange of media texts in your chosen media area.


June 2011 “Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good production practices.” To what extent would you agree with this statement, within the media area you have studied?


January 2012 To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?


June 2012 “Cross-media convergence and synergy are vital processes in the successful marketing of media products to audiences.” To what extent do you agree with this statement in relation to your chosen media area?


January 2013 What impact does media ownership have upon the range of products available to audiences in the media area you have studied?


June 2013 (* excellent booklet of exemplars with commentary) Evaluate the role of digital technologies in the marketing and consumption of media products in the area you have studied.


June 2014 What impact does the increase of hardware and software have in the media are you have studied?

June 2015 To what extent does media ownership have an impact on the successful distribution of products in the industry you have studied?

"Media production is dominated by global institutions, which sell their products and services to national audiences."

Using the statement above, prepare your argument for or against, using case study information from our previous work and any ideas below:

Working Title Films info

http://variety.com/2006/film/news/euros-buy-creative-freedom-1117952377/

http://variety.com/2006/film/news/the-rolling-cornerstones-1117952379/

http://mediachs.edublogs.org/film-industry/as-working-title-films/

http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/michaelwalford/entry/working_title_history/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Title_Films

A useful example essay

http://rbiggsfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/media-production-essay.html

oligopoly

ˌɒlɪˈɡɒp(ə)li/

noun

1. a state of limited competition, in which a market is shared by a small number of producers or sellers.

Marketing of a large budget film

After spending millions of dollars on making a movie, the studio spends millions more on letting audiences know about it. Marketing a big product like a movie can be a very expensive business, especially when that product has a limited shelf life. Movies have to be a hit on their opening weekend, often on their opening day, otherwise they tend to disappear very quickly, and the studio stands to make a loss on their investment. Most blockbuster movies already have an audience. The studio has greenlit a huge budget for the movie because they already know people will go and see it - often because it is based on a media text that already has an audience. This may be a previous film (eg Iron Man 2's audience consists of many people who are fans of the first movie), or the source material (the first Iron Man is based on the Marvel character of the same name created by Stan Lee in 1963). This is why remakes and reboots are so popular. Original movies like INCEPTION and AVATAR are the exception to the rule, and represent a huge risk for the studio backing them. Studios have a huge operating overhead, and put out a lot of flops that make no money at all, so they need a guarantee that a blockbuster movie is going to be make not just a small profit, but a comfortable one. After spending $100 million dollars on a movie they can spend 50% as much again (or more) on marketing.

Film 4 overview and case study: A Field in England

https://www.youtube.com/user/Film4video

http://www.film4.com/film4-productions/innovation-at-film4

http://www.picturehouseentertainment.co.uk/component/content/article/9-uncategorised/134-about-picturehouse.html (A Field in England)

http://www.film4.com/reviews/2013/a-field-in-england

http://www.afieldinengland.com/masterclass/

http://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-insight-report-a-field-in-england-2013_1.pdf

Using these two sites: http://www.afieldinengland.com/masterclass/

http://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-insight-report-a-field-in-england-2013_1.pdf

Research and prepare a detailed assignment on the following:

Production: art-house or blockbuster? Institutions involved? Impact of technology on filming process?  Budgets and impact? Actors, director and links to audience?  Locations and budget implications? Expansive or restricted? Why?

Distribution and Marketing:  niche or mainstream audience?  Why?  Use of Web 2.0 and impact? Digital or 35mm film? Why? Online, print, TV campaigns, social media, website roles?  Budget and impact?

Exhibition, consumption and exchange: time of year of release - significant?  Type of release - across which platforms? (Cinema, VOD, DVD) Target audience and links to release platforms?  Impact of social media/role in release and exchange? Box office figures for opening? How audience viewed film/reviews/audiences' engagement? How they shared thoughts?

Film4 info

Explore this link to find out about Film4's dedication to talent development through their 'innovative' work...

Explore this link and look at the 'history' section to help with your answer to why Film4 might have some advantages over other independent film companies...

Film 4 Productions Case Study - G322 Institution & Audience from laneford

Article about marketing strategy of Gravity

http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/warner-bros-plots-careful-gravity-launch-1200596502/

Marketing of 'Gravity'

Now you've read about the success of Gravity and explored the technical side of things, have an explore of these articles/reviews here to find info on the following points:

* Key features of the Gravity marketing campaign: teaser trailer, trailer, social media campaigns, interviews with stars, showings at film festivals, website.
* Why it was so successful - summarise in no more than 5 key reasons.

Warner Bros plot careful launch
Behind Gravity's historic box office success
Four reasons 'Gravity' flew so high
Blockbuster blueprint (follow other links in this article to discover more info about social media campaign etc)

The visual effects company behind 'Gravity': Framestore

Visit Framestore's website and read the article on this page to identify key features of technology used to create the film.

Areas to think about:

What new piece of technology did the team invent to create the impression of no gravity in space?

Why did they need to create this? What benefits did it bring to the filming process?

Pick out an example of technological synergy...

What difference did the LED lights make to filming?

In which ways was the technology used in the filming process groundbreaking?




http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/06/sandra-bullock-pain-gravity-oscars-george-clooney-2014

Gravity at award ceremonies 2014

Read this BBC article to get some background information from before the BAFTAs were announced...

This clip explores behind the scenes technology for Gravity...

This article explains the results of the BAFTAs, with a particular focus on Gravity and 12 Years a Slave.

This BBC article explores the definitions of what constitutes a British film, with particular reference to Gravity

Definitions

An institution (in the film industry)

Definition: any company or organisation that produces, distributes or  exhibits films. TheBBC 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'sdistribution 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.


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 distributed Film4 andCeladors'  Slumdog Millionaire after the original US distributor, Warner Independent went out of business.


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:
The Boat That Rocked opened on wide release in over 400 cinemas in April 2009.  The film flopped at the box office for a number of reasons: the critics' reviews, poor weather putting off cinema goers, and perhaps the lack of a strong female character. The film also flopped on American release in November 2009. However, young people and older people like the film: sales in Morrisons and other supermarkets seem brisk before Christmas as many are buying the DVD as a present to cheer people up during  these dark winter months. 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 60 years.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/boyle-reveals-slumdog-millionaire-was-nearly-never-made-1331821.html


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.


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 withUniversal, 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.
Guerilla Marketing
Definition: 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 Convergence
Definition 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! 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 Classification
How 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. 

Taken from: http://asanda2mediastudies.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/selected-key-terms-for-institutions-and.html

Film4 revision concept map

Use this as a guide for how to structure revision notes for case studies on the institutions - use for Gravity/The Dark Knight/Avatar as well...

Issues raised by media ownership

How can Channel4's Film4 survive in the British market place against the high concept, big-budget films made by Newcorp's FOX, Warner Bros, Disney, Universal, etc.? What kinds of niche audiences are left for Film4 to attract? Are mass audiences out of reach given the genres of films Film4 have the budgets to make? How successful have they been in reaching mass audiences with their films? How healthy is it that just a few mega media groups can own such a range of media and can decide what the public may see, and, perhaps, shape audience's tastes?

BBC Article about digital film production

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/5262456.stm

British Independent Film awards

http://www.bifa.org.uk/

How Digital Cinema works

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/digital-cinema.htm

Foxsearchlight

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/

Oscars 2014 and British Film Industry

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25711514