US Media ownership

British film industry links

Institutions and Audiences - Key Terms For Film

Make this your starting point. How do British film production companies and distributors survive and prosper given their more powerful neighbour, Hollywood? What is the current state of the UK film industry? To be specific focus your case study on a UK institution from which you can later make comparisons with US production companies.

Links to get you started on researching UK film/distribution companies.

As you research make a list of subject specific key terms, i.e. "an integrated film company. production slate, etc."

Vertigo Films
http://www.vertigofilms.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertigo_Films
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/ukmovies/interviews/britplayers/vertigo_films.shtml ( essential videos with interviews/information )
http://www.uk.castingcallpro.com/cview.php?uid=354 (some history)

Film 4
http://www.channel4.com/film/ffproductions/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film4
http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/michaelwalford/entry/channel_4_films/

BBC Films
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Films

Working Title Films
http://www.workingtitlefilms.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Title_Films
http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/michaelwalford/entry/working_title_history/
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/577488/

Hogarth Pictures
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/ukmovies/interviews/britplayers/hogarth_pictures.shtml

UK Production Companies and Studios
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/ukmovies/relatedlinks/production_companies.shtml ( An extensive list with links to many lesser known UK film companies.)

UK Cinemas and Distributors
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/ukmovies/relatedlinks/cinemas_exhibitors.shtml

Several video interviews with key players on various aspects of the British film industry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/ukmovies/interviews/britplayers/

US industry research

Comparing Your British Case Study Institutions and Films with US ones

You need to research more than just your British case study institution and film - you also need be able to explain how the British film industry compares with the much larger American (Hollywood) film industry. You should do this by researching a US institution together with one of their recent films from production, distribution and exhibition. Focus on how British audiences reacted to the film and the distributor's efforts to market and distribute the film. US conglomerates can use their size and reach to create massives synergies to awaken desire in audiences to see their films. They can cross-promote their films across their media empires!

20th Century Fox's "Avatar" (2009) would be an ideal choice. By comparing the film  and media practices of the much larger US film industry with your own wholly British Case study you will be able to appreciate differences in institutional ownership and media convergence. You will also be able to understand conceptually how the massive budgets of US film can offer choices of genre not available to primarily UK production companies. The types of films and the scale of their releases, together with target audiences can also be examined and compared. Even the application of technology and the growth of 3D films and the opportunities to produce such films can be compared.

Working Title began as a UK company. It still is a British run - at least in this country. But it is two thirds owned by the the massive American conglomerate NBC-Universal. Working Title makes a "slate" of UK and US films. Its £50 million budget for "The Boat That Rocked" sets it apart from most other "British" film-makers like Vertigo and Channel Four because the budgets for their films are nowhere close to this figure. Working Title can use its links with NBC Universal to make big budget films and tap into this conglomerate for giant synergies to market them.

 Film 4's "Slumdog Millionaire" only cost $15 million dollars - it did better business than the more expensive film by Working Title. News Corporation's 20th Century Fox is in another league! Its "Avatar" cost around $250 million to make and another $170 million in distribution and promotional costs! Much of the production costs went in developing new technology (special digital cameras) and special effects. 20th Century Fox was only able to raise this cash because it was part of  a group of companies worth many Billions. (News Corp). Media Convergence worked in its favour as News Corp own just about any type of media company you may imagine. The synergies available in a company like this enable massive promotion of the film across a range of media. Click this LINK and scroll down to News Corp to get an idea of the scale of this organisation. With the control over their product that this scale of vertical ownership gives them how can Channel 4 and Film 4 even begin to compete? And yet, somehow, with "Slumdog . . .", they did! But it's a one-off!

It's stating the obvious but we could not make such an ambitious film simply because our choices of film genres is constrained by cost. Even Cameron had to leave his his plans for his big budget blockbuster until technology caught up to make his film financially possible.

20th Century Fox's "Avatar"
Opening Weekend

$77,025,481 (USA) (20 December 2009) (3,452 Screens)
£8,509,050 (UK) (20 December 2009) (503 Screens)

£18,404,659 (UK) (27 December 2009) gross to date.

For further research:
Click here for the IMDB page. There are lots of stats for the UK box office, merchandising and other information on this 3D film to be found by clicking in the left column of this site.

"Avatar's" Official Website
Avatar's Website
The UK Website

Press reviews
A film preview by The Guardian.
Articles on the film

Is James Cameron's 3D film changing the way we watch films?

How much did Avatar really cost? by Vanity Fair

The articles above are important for understanding the issues around technological convergence and how it affects the ways we consume films. They also reveal the growing significance of 3D films and the newly developed cameras that help make them.

It seems only 10% of British cinemas can effectively show this films!
"In the UK alone, only around 320 out of 3,600 cinemas are digitally equipped, while in the US the ratio is even worse (2,500 out of 38,000). "So there is a big problem looming," admits Peter Buckingham, head of distribution and exhibition at the UK Film Council. "You are looking at about a minimum of £80,000 to get yourself into a 3D position. Even with the hike in ticket prices and the potential hike in audiences, that's quite a stretch for the smaller venues. The danger is that, in this digital switchover, a number of cinemas may well be left behind."

Audience Reviews - ordinary folk:

A review from IMBD

946 out of 1707 people found the following review useful.

Technically outstanding. Originality: oh well...., 11 December 2009

Author: elchocobollo from Spain

Well, I just saw Avatar this morning, one of the press premieres which are running on these days. My opinion: you've seen this story a hundred times, but never like this. Finally 3D is what it's supposed to be, an instrument at the service of the movie. You'll enjoy the visual experience, no doubt.

As for the story, some of the "inspirations" are so huge and so obvious that mentioning two or three of them would REALLY ruin the movie for you, and I'm not willing to do that. Lots of mysticism and ecology, if you like that stuff. If you're 15 or so, you'll have a great time thinking that it's the first time somebody makes something like this. If you're an experienced movie watcher, better leave your skepticism at the door, bring lots of pop corn and enjoy with the usual action-flick-with-moral-and-loads-of-clichés.

I liked it, however: "the movie that re-invents movies"??? No way.

For more comments on the film by the public try Amazon UK or the many uploads on YouTube

Production and Post Production for "Avatar"
For information on "how they did it" read parts of the production notes for "Avatar".
Read Avatar's production notes here

Distribution for "Avatar"
20th Century Fox and Newscorp "hedged" much of the $500 million risk onto allied companies and outside investors. This means that a significant portion of the film's profit will be lost because of the unwillingness to shoulder the whole financial risk.
3D articles of interest - movies budget pops from the screen
Some of the numbers below and the Fox's strategy for marketing the film. (Must Read) Avatar Soars and Fat Ad Spending, Mass Marketing

Vertical integration info

In this era of corporate mergers, mega companies, and minimized competition, the film industry giants are looking for new ways to profit in an ever changing marketplace.   But as they search for innovation, they are discovering that there is an expanding opening because of mass business deregulation over the past eight years of casino capitalism.  Because of this deregulation, they are beginning to return to some classic business models instead such as being a vertically integrated industry.  Think of big oil for the best example of what vertical integration is and can do.  The oil giants produce, refine, distribute, and retail their product.  They control all aspects of their business from start to finish, maximizing profits and allowing for price gouging when appropriate.  For the film industry, being vertically integrated means producing the  films, distributing the films, and exhibiting the films.  Several media conglomerates are practicing vertically integrated models with no legal consequences for their monopolistic activities.   This is bad news for independent filmmakers across the country including those of us in Tucson.

Many companies possess two of the three elements needed for vertical integration.  But recently, instances of companies having all three of the elements in place are on the rise.  This is especially true when the company has a strong international presence.  For example, Time Warner has vertically integrated itself by keeping its Warner Bros. International Cinemas an international venture only.  Do the math and you realize Warner Bros. exhibits almost all of their U.S. releases internationally.  Time Warner has long had a powerful presence in film production and distribution in this country.  Time Warner’s holdings include Warner Bros. Entertainment Group, Castle Rock (big hit was Seinfeld), Warner Independent Pictures (an oxymoron if there ever was one), and New Line Cinema among others.  So if Time Warner owned theaters in the U.S., it would in theory be in violation of anti-trust laws. Cable giant Viacom, who counts among its holdings MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and film production giant Paramount Pictures, has a similar setup.  They own a 50% interest in Mann Theaters, which seem by rational investigation to be located in the U.S.  This seems to be something the U.S. Justice Department should be looking into because the holdings of  Time Warner and Viacom resemble corporations involved in monopolistic business practices that violate anti-trust laws laid out as early as 1948 in the United States v. Paramount Pictures.

Upon further examination, on some level, vertical integration monopolies are legal now as long as your exhibition rights are on network television or cable.   Corporations like G.E. (NBC’s parent), Walt Disney (ABC’s parent), CBS, and News Corp. (Fox’s parent) have long held television network outlets, newspapers, film and television production companies, publishing houses, and radio networks.  This arrangement is attempting to squeeze out small companies or swallow them up in a merger or straight buyout.  This is bad news for independent filmmakers of Tucson unless the enforcement of anti-trust laws improves and the penalties for the violation of the laws become more punitive.  Try and think of these issues the next time you fork over your $9 for a movie and it is the quality of Transformers 2.  It may be that way because we all reap what we sow.

Warner Bros

This link will help you with more company information about Warner Bros for your pitches...

Your group challenge...

Choose a film institution to produce, market, distribute and exhibit your coursework film:
Will you choose Film4 or Warner Bros? Why?
Who is your audience and how would the institution market and distribute your film to attract them?
Is this company an example of being vertically or horizontally integrated?
How would this benefit your film and why?

Use the slideshare below as an example of how to structure/set out your presentation:

Warner brothers presentation from ITZperfect

'Gravity' introduction

Film Distribution, Marketing, Publicity and Promotion Activities

For the film 'Gravity': 

• Identify the main target audience, their profile - psychographic or demographic - how were they targeted?
• Identify key cast and the film’s USP (unique selling point - what makes it different from other films?).
• Now research the 360 degree, saturated campaign including poster, theatrical trailer, outdoor and online marketing; publicity; and promotions that maximised the film’s profit potential and create a document to present to the rest of the class.

Questions to think about

Which production, distribution and marketing companies were involved with this film?

Are they one of the 'big players'/'mainstream'/'Hollywood' companies?  Or are they a smaller, independent company?  

Who were the target audience for the film? (This may depend on whether it comes from mainstream Hollywood or independent company...although there are exceptions to that rule...)

How was the film marketed?  How did they use modern technology for the filming/marketing?  Features of Web 2.0 to involve the audience?

Are there any elements of synergy or convergence in the process of making this film? What are they? 

Use this link to previous blog posts about Gravity to help your research