Four Quadrant Picture

A Four Quadrant Picture is a marketing term used to describe a film targeted to all audience quadrants: men over 25, men under 25, women over 25, women under 25.

Usage
In the movie business, and it is most definitely a business, everyone is looking to maximize the audience for their picture. A four-quadrant picture is that magical type of film that attracts parents and kids, men and women, and brings in huge amounts of revenue on opening weekend. In the term “four-quadrant,” the quadrants refer to gender (male and female) and age (under 25 and over 25).
For most studios, the goal is to get enough details to line up so that they have broad-based, family-friendly appeal in designing a blockbuster or four-quadrant film. An important aspect of getting that appeal is the ratings system. An 18 Rating can be the kiss of death for a studio trying to market a film featuring pre-teen characters. A lowering from PG-13 to PG can mean millions more in revenue as parents feel more comfortable bringing young children to a given film like Evan Almighty.

Examples
One of the most famous four-quadrant, blockbuster films is Star Wars and all of its sequels. Jaws is another landmark blockbuster film. Other more current examples include Night at the Museum, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Shrek (1-3), Spiderman (1-3), Pirates of the Caribbean (1-3), andWall-E.

Implications
Another interesting by-product of the rise of four-quadrant films in the industry is cross marketing. Those films often are associated with toys and other products that both advertise the film and bring in revenue on their own. In addition, four-quadrant films are powerful vehicles for product placement advertisers looking to show their wares to the largest audience possible.
On the down side, many wonder how much effort is placed on credible, engaging story lines as opposed to marketing opportunities in these behemoth cinematic endeavors.

Above The Line & Below The Line Advertising

'Above The Line' is a type of advertising through media such as television, cinema, radio, print, web banners and web search engines to promote brands. This type of communication is conventional in nature and is considered impersonal to customers.

'Below The Line' is efficient and cost-effective for targeting a limited and specific group. This can take the form of tie in's with other products and companies.

5x5

5 Favourite TV Shows

1. Supernatural (2005-)
      I love the way that the supernatural creatures in it are portrayed as realistic; it makes it seem as though they could exist in real life. I also love the humour involved in it. There are several gags related to The X Files  which the show has been liked to, and episodes such as 'The Curios Case Of Dean Winchester' and 'The Girl With The Dungeon And Dragon Tattoo' which play on popular culture. My favourite comedic episode would have to be 'The French Mistake'  where the two brothers, Sam and Dean, end up in a parallel universe where their lives are a show and it crosses over with the real life production of the show.
2. Malcolm In The Middle (2000-2006)
      I grew up watching this show and never get tired of it as the comedy doesnt fail to still amuse me although now it may seem outdated. The young actors are brilliant and I especially love Erik Per Sullivan's portrayal Dewey,  even though he was only about 9 when the first series aired.
3. Torchwood (2006-2011)
      Torchwood is a spin-off from Doctor Who that is set in modern day Cardiff. It is about a group of people that are part of an organisation 'outside of the government and beyond the police' that take care and control the alien life on this planet. I think it is a really great piece of television that keeps me entertained series after series - I just didn't appreciate how the main characters Owen, Tosh and Ianto were killed off, although I could see how it helped the series to grow and develop.
4. Being Human (2008- 2012)
      Being Human  was, I thought, a original and unique take on monsters such as vampires, werewolves and ghosts. The actors are fantastic and I really enjoy the story lines. I love how it makes the viewers question what it really means to 'be human.'
5. Dexter (2006-)
     Based on the Dexter series of books by Jeff Lindsay, this show is about a forensic blood spatter pattern analyst that works for Miami-Metro Police Department, who is also a serial killer. The show plays on our perception of good as Dexter is a serial killer, but he only really kills people that deserve it. I really enjoy how it has managed to make the viewers care for him, even though he would probably be hated in real life.

5 Favourite Movies:

1. Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (2011)
     I was weary about seeing this film as I often find that remakes, especially prequels, are nowhere near as good as the original - but I have to say it is one of the best films I have ever seen; I could watch it a million times and not get tired of it. My absolute favourite scene is where Caesar says "No" for the first time. It is so powerful and thrilling to watch -  it gives me goosebumps every time I see it.
2. The Avengers (2012)
      I love how this movie was a collaboration of such wonderful characters and actors. Tom Hiddleston was excellent as Loki, the villain of the film, managing to portray him as heartbroken - as we saw him loose everything at the end of Thor - yet malevolent as he wishes to take over earth. Many people said that Scarlett Johansson was added to the film as just a pretty face - however I found that she was a credit to female action heroes, she was feisty and smart, not to mention great at fighting. I am very glad that the film was directed by  Joss Whedon as he was a fan of Marvel comic books which meant he actually cared about what he was doing and wanted to make it as true to the comic books as possible.
3. Psycho (1960)
      This is just a classic piece of cinema that everybody should see. I was amazed at how brilliantly the story is put together and the tension is created so perfectly. I really adore the strong female characters, which was unusual for the time, and I think the twist at the end is truly marvelous.
4. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
       I really love this film and how the main character is a young girl who is thrown into a very adult situation. The actress that plays her does so amazingly well and makes the audience care for her. I really like how different it is to other films and feel that the ending, although very heartbreaking, makes the film a must see.
5. Hot Fuzz (2007)
      I love Pegg and Frost films because they have real chemistry together. This is a hilariously funny slasher movie that has a fantastic British cast including Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman and Bill Baily. I have seen it hundred of times but it never gets old.

5 Favourite Actors:

1. Misha Collins
      He is such a perfect human being. He gives 100% to each role he plays. Some of his most well known roles are Supernatural he plays Castiel, a fallen angel, and in Karla, a film based on the true story of serial killers Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka - a truly stunning performance where he manages to portray Bernardo realisticly rather than just  psychotic murderer, giving him more depth. He was also in the 2010 film Stonehenge Apocalypse. Great acting. Terrible movie. Outside of his work he is a great person. Every year he goes to Haiti to build an orphanage. He dressed in drag to renew his wedding vows, outside of a supermarket, with a bouquet of vegetables. He was once arrested for climbing on the roof of a bank to read because he 'needed better lighting.'
2. Bradley Cooper
      Everything that Bradley has been in, I have loved. He seems like such a fun, laid back guy and his work never fails to entertain me. And let's face it - he isn't hard to look at.
3. Bruce Willis
     He is such a great actor and I have never seen a bad movie of his. He has a persona that fits with each of his characters so that he almost becomes  them, making him a pleasure to watch.
4. Benedict Cumberbatch
      Benedict always seems so into his roles and spreads his passion to the audience. He manages to become connected to each character he plays, causing the good in them to be shown and making them more realistic and believable for the audience.
5. Hugh Jackman
      Hugh seems to be able to do everything. From small parts in unknown Australian dramas, to huge blockbuster movies, to musical theater. His acting is mesmerising - he has a way of grabbing the audience from the moment the comes on screen.

5 Favourite Songs:

1. Mike Dexter Is A God, Mike Dexter Is A Role Model, Mike Dexter Is An Asshole - Zebrahead
        I love how Zebrahead use two vocalists - Ali Tabatabaee, who is more of a rapper, and Matty Lewis, more of a pop punk style - to produce a unique blend. This is probably my favourite song by them as it has an awesome tune and simple repetative lyrics. It is a happy song and is about as romantic as these guys can do. My favourite part of the song is at 2:45 when it really kicks off, introducing a load of instruments for the finale.
2. The Bad Touch - Bloodhound Gang
      A filthy song full of puns and innuendos that would make an old lady blush, no less than I would expect from a band that produced songs such as 'A Lap Dance Is So Much Better When The Stripper Is Crying' and 'You're Pretty When I'm Drunk.' The monotonous tone of Jimmy Pop fits perfectly with the beat and I just love how catchy it is.
3. Fat Lip - Sum 41
       This song is wonderful. From the days where punk was popular came forth this hit by Sum 41. It reminds me of my childhood and makes me happy with its upbeat tune. I love how there are three vocalists whose lyrics overlap to produce a work of art.
4. Fela Igjen - Alex Rybak feat. Opptur
      I have no idea what anyone is saying in this song (it is in Norwegian) but it is so catchy and has a great beat to it. Alex Rybak is one of my favourite singers and his voice perfectly compliments the fast rapping of Opptur. The chorus, 'jeg bytta bort kua fikk fela igjen' translates as 'he traded away that cow, and got the fiddle back again.'
5. Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas
        Classic rock is incredible and I just love how unique this song is. The lyrics are deep and meaningful, the tune is powerful and flawless. It is five minutes of joy, followed by 26 seconds of sadness because the song is almost over.

5 Favourite Comediens:

1. Lee Mack
      Everything Lee does makes me me laugh. It might be his face or how northern he is, but either way I think hes just so funny.
2. Frankie Boyle
      Frankie Boyle just causes so much controversy - its hilarious. I love how people take him so seriously and think his opinion is really important. He's just so amusingly offensive.
3. Russel Howard
      I once went to see the filming of Russell Howard's Good News  and love how relaxed he is on stage. I like how he manages to appeal to an audience of older and younger people, while still being cheeky and fresh-faced.
4. David Mitchell
      I really enjoy watching David Mitchell. Most of my friends don't like him because he is 'too posh' but I find that makes him funny. I like how he appears to look really socially awkward and how he goes off on rants about small things like kitchens.
5. Tim Vine
      I was at The Tim Vine Chat Show at The Y theatre on the 20th of September and it was fantastic. Quick witted and clean humour that made everyone's sides split. Even the friend I dragged along, who has a very different taste in comedians to me, didnt stop laughing. I loved how he made the audience feel involved and there was probably a laugh a minute. He is the true king of the one liner.

Attack The Block Research

   Attack The Block is a british film written and directed by Joe Cornish. It is set in South London and is about a gang of teenagers that attempt to save their home from an alien invsion.

   It was produced by a variety of companies such as Studio Canal - that finances films such as Bridget Jones's Diary, the UK Film Council - which had funded The Kings Speech and Nowhere Boy, Big Talk Productions - which makes films such as Paul and Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World,  and Film4 - which is most famous for making Slumdog Millionaire. 
  
   Attack The Block  was inspired by the directors experience of being mugged near his home in London, which is portrayed in the first scene where Sam is attacked by the gang. He began to research into the lives of teenagers in gangs and wanted to make a movie featuring the young culture of South London but with the added sci-fi element to it.

   The main problem that arose during the film was the budgetary constraints. This resulted in 15 pages of the script having to be removed.

   The producers of the film did tried to save money by using the bare minimum of CGI so they showed the aliens when absolutely necessary and they used people in constumes for the aliens in some of the shots, which apparently made it more realistic for the actors. The actors themselves were reasonable unknown - the biggest person in it was Nick Frost. This would have saved a lot more money than if they used big, well known stars. The main bulk of the film was filmed in 67 days which would also add to the savings, resulting in lower costs for things such as hiring out sets and equipment.

   The film is rated 15 due to profanity, drugs, violence, and scenes which some viewers may find disturbing.

   The film was promoted in a variety of ways, such as
Posters:

Promotional website:

Trailer:

And a premiere:

   Attack The Block had an original soundtrack that was composed by Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton, from the electronic music group Basement Jaxx, and Steven Price.

Filmmaking Process

The Idea:
    Making a film takes years and involves hundreds of people. All films start with an idea which is then pitched to a Producer, a Director, a Writer and then Financiers - who will then decide whether or not to fund the film so the project can go ahead.
There are lots of sources of inspiration for a film.
Books  - such as with the Harry Potter Series
Real life events - eg. Soul Surfer
Remakes - such as King Kong
Original Idead - like Inception
Films can also be spin-offs from other films, such as Alien Vs. Predator.

Development Finance:
   Next the rough idea must be turned into a final script which is ready for production. This costs money.
The producer goes to a number of people to get money, such as production companies , private investigators or public funding bodies such as the Uk Film Council. They make a Treatment (an outline of the plot and main characters) to pitch to people for development money in order to make a script. While doing this, the Producer can offer future salaries and broadcast rights to sales companies, broadcasters and distribution companies in order to get money to Develop a script.

Script Development:
   The writer and the producer work closely to produce a synopsis. After this, most writers will produce a step outline - short descriptions of each scene that will show them in more detail than the synopsis. The writer will then produce a first draft of the script which will then be edited over and over again until everyone involved is happy with it when it will become a final draft. Finally a sales treatment is made which is a synopsis designed to sell the film to potential financiers and to be an advert for the script, focusing on selling points of the story.

Packaging:
   When the script is complete the director and producer decide how they want to film it and who should be employed to help with the project. A rough budget is decided and actors are decided to attach to the project - the more well known they are, the more likely it is for the movie to sell. Heads of departments are decided like the Editor, the Production Designer and the Director of Photography. The producer must know how much time and money the film will take to make so draws up a budget and production schedule. Finally the producer makes a finance plan, showing how to raise finance for the film, and a recoupment schedule, showing the estimated revenue of the film. After the film has been packaged into a viable commercial product it is time to see what people make of it.

Financing:
   Film making is expensive so the producer needs to get enough funding to make it at the highest possible standard. They try to attract investment from places such as the film finance market place -  which is international, private individuals and public bodies. They can also attract money from pre-sales, banks, and Gap Funding - which is a loan to cover the difference between what has been raised so far and the budget of the film. Sometimes Completion bonds have to be put in place to protect the financiers interests. Once all funding and insurance has been sorted a film has been given the green light to go ahead.

Pre-Production:
   Once financing is secured the full cast and crew are hired so detailed preparation begins for the shooting of the film. The shooting script is given out and no major changes are made to it from this point on. The casting director, Producer and Director begin to decide what actors should be in the film and which character they should be. Storyboards are made so every shot can be planned in advance, then production designers plan how every aspect of the film should look and hire people to design and build every part. Special effects have to be planned in much more detail due to the fact they take longer to design and build to a good quality. 

The Shoot:
   The camera department is responsible for getting all the footage ready for the Editor and Director to tell the story. Lighting, sound and make up departments all play a vital part in the film, once they are set up shooting can begin. Actors must bring the story to life, capturing the hearts of the audience and adding depth to the film. Special effects are filmed with strict health and safety guidelines to minimise the risk to cast and crew, stunt doubles are often used instead of the main actors to perform risky stunts.

Post Production:
   This usually starts during the shoot - as soon as the first raw footage and sound are available. As the processed footage comes in the Editor puts it together in scenes to create a narrative sequence for the film. Once the picture is sorted, the sound department works on audio to make it more realistic and to fit with the picture. Digital effects are added as well as the titles and credits. The Telecine operator (colourist) adjusts the colour and establishes the aesthetic of the picture and then the sound is set to the final levels. When the final cut is finished it is ready for duplication.

Sales:
   The producer secures a specialised sales agent to help sell the film and trailer is made to show the most marketable aspects of the film. After the film is taken to market the producer aims to have it screened at a high profile film festival. Deals are then made with distributors around the world.

Marketing:
   As finishing touches are being made to the film, distributors plan a strategy to market it. The marketing team run test screenings to see how an audience reacts to the film. Advertising is crucial as it introduces potential audiences to the film using posters, trailers, merchandise and other materials. Press and media coverage can also help spread a positive word-of- mouth about the film, and using the internet can help target people who are most likely to watch the film by advertising on other forms of media that are similar to the genre of the film. To get the film to audiences the distributor must negotiate with cinemas to get the film screened.

Exhibitions:
   Cinema exhibitions are still the main way films reach their audiences and box office success is crucial for financial success. High profile premieres will launch the film into the spotlight and create a huge media buzz around the film, causing people to want to go and see it. Distributors will supply the exhibitors with copies of the film to broadcast on their screens.  If a film is a box office hit then the exhibitors will be more willing to prolong the showing of it to create a higher revenue, however if it is under performing they would wish to cancel it and replace it with the showing of a different film. Exhibitors will take their cut of the box office receipts and then the revenue is distributed between those involved.

Other Windows:
   A successful run in cinemas can lead to the film becoming a sought after product which can then be used to generate more income. 'Hospitality' sales can be made, which would be used for hotel channels or in-flight entertainment. DVD and Video are very popular to release after a film as British audiences spend more on DVDs than they do in the cinema. Television is another source of revenue - rights for films can be sold and then broadcast to TV audiences. Rights for computer games that accompany the film can also be sold, which would be very profitable. Each of these would cause a great deal of revenue and increase the popularity of a film, maybe introducing it to new audiences.
Once the film has made a profit, the key creative people can be rewarded with their share. The final income of a film is never known as revenue continues long into the future from things such as DVD sales and maybe even a re-release.

Good Cop Homework

     The character of Sav is first introduced to the audience walking through the rain late at night - which we know as there are no other people around. This intrigues the audience as to where he has been and what has caused him to stay out so late. The rain suggests that he is in an emotional state and sad or distressed about something, and the fact  he is completely alone conveys that Sav is not just physically alone, but emotionally alone. It shows that he has nobody to turn to and nobody who will understand what he is going through.
  When he enters his room he leaves a bloody hand print on his door and drops a gun on his bed. This interests viewers due to the fact they would be naturally curious about what he has done, who he has injured and why. It is assumed from the start that this is the main character and the camera is following his journey, however this would be confusing as the main character is thought to be the 'Good Cop' which conflicts with what we have seen of the character so far, as he has not necessarily been 'good' or acting within the law.
At the end of the first scene, Sav runs a bath which could symbolise that he wants to be clean and have his bad deeds 'washed away' meaning he feels guilty for what he has done and therefore portrays him to be a good man that has made a mistake - causing the audience to be sympathetic towards him.

   Eighteen hours before the first scene is set we see Sav running on the beach where he bumps into Cassie and her daughter Libby. He appears to be trying to reconnect with her as he offers to walk with her to her car yet she refuses him, indicating to the audience that the two have had a history together that didn't end well as she is very hostile towards him and protective of her daughter. When Sav asks how old Libby is, Cassie states that she 'was six last week' in a way that tells Sav he should have known that and he also asks if she is shy to which Cassie replies ''you're a stranger'' proposing the possibility that Sav is her father, which would cause the audience to feel sorry for him as he seems to want a role in Libby's life.

   When he is at a cafe with his friend and work college he notices a group of men that are dealing drugs and one of them begins to be sexually abusive towards the waitress, Amy. This man then follows her into the women's bathroom and becomes increasingly threatening towards her which grabs the viewers attention making them become protective over her as she is young and scared whereas he is intimidating and scary. Sav notices that Amy has been gone for a while and is concerned that the creepy man has harmed her so he goes to the women's bathroom where he confronts the man. This shows that Sav is a good person and tries to do what he thinks is right, gaining the viewers respect. When Sav forces the man to leave by revealing that he is a policeman, the man states "You know the next copper I see all alone? I'm havin' him" which foreshadows what may occur later on in the episode and leading to the viewer suspecting what Sav does may not be entirely out of pure evilness. This leads Sav to be seen as a victim rather than a criminal as the audience would have to question what they would do in his situation and causes conflict as to whether people are really either good or bad, or if good people can do bad things.

Selected Key Terms for Institutions and Audiences - The Film Industry

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. TRON was 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 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! 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.

Camera Angles

Long Shot:

King Kong

Medium Shot:

Hawkeye - The Avengers

Point Of Veiw Shot:

 Mark - Peep Show, POV of Jeremy

Close-Up:

Castiel - Supernatural

Two Shot:



Mitchell and Annie - Being Human



Audience and Institutions-the 7 Key Concept Areas Listed And Explained

Section B: Institutions and AudiencesCandidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:

• 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.

This unit should be approached through contemporary examples in the form of case studies based upon one of the specified media areas.  See explanations below.

Section B: Institutions and Audiences.

The Exam Board will select one concept to devise a question for the exam.

Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:

• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary (current) media practice

The depth and range of ownership across a range of media and the consequences of this ownership for audiences in terms of the genres and budgets for films. How for instance, 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?

• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing

 Digital technology is enabling various media to converge in hubs, platforms and devices. For instance, mobiles phones do a lot more than act as hand held telephones: you can download and watch films and TV programmes, use them as alarm clocks, watches, play music on them, take photos and short films, text, go online, use GPS functions, a range of apps, and a whole lot more. New HD TVs, Playstations, X-Boxes, I-Pads, Notebooks, MacBooks, etc. are also examples of hubs which in which a variety of media technologies can converge for convenience for users. Media convergence is having an enormous impact on the film industry because of the ways in which institutions can produce and market for audiences/users on a widening range of platforms, capable of receiving their films.

Synergies can come out of an organisation's size; smaller media organisations such as Channel4 can-cross promote their films, etc. but the scale of cross-media promotion is nowhere near as great as that which can be gained by massive media organisations. Film4 is therefore unable to promote their lower budget films on a level playing field.

• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange

The audience's ability to interact with films by, for instance, using digital technology to put extracts on You Tube and overlay new sound tracks on them, etc. and make answering videos has been greatly enhanced by Web 2.0; Film studios can make films using CGI, greenscreen and other special effects that were impossible to make only a few years ago. The ways of filming and editing films have changed, too, with the introduction of digital film and film cameras, editing software, laptops, digital projectors, etc. Distributors market films using the latest software for designing high-concept film posters and trailers. They can use phone apps., online marketing, Face Book, etc. File-sharing and piracy are growing issues because the software exists to take the protective encryption of DVDs, etc and WEB 2.0 enables people to make and share copies of films easily. One way in which film companies are trying to get around this is by releasing films soon after theatrical release by selling them on video-on-demand, premium TV channels and downloads. US and UK cinemas chains are not happy about this, especially after all the investment some have made on digital equipment, projectors, etc. which unfortunately quickly goes very quickly out of date!

• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences

This means the increase of something: i.e. digital cameras, software, CGI, 3D films, film genres, etc. which are part of current trends; how significant is this for See Saw Films or Film4? Or are they still able to be successful without it by making films with genres that do not need the latest breakthroughs in digital technology? Research the film company's use of cameras, special effects, software, posters, digital distribution of films, etc.

• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences

This is a WEB 2.0 issue and how technology is coming together in hubs like laptops is one of the features of our age; the mobile phone in your pocket is a great example of technological convergence: it can do so much more than a simple phone call; think how this is affecting film making at the production, marketing and exhibition stages? The Internet is acting as a hub for many aspects of film: you will find film posters, You Tube videos on films, interviews, trailers, official film and blog websites, etc. on it.  Audiences can also remake their own films by creating extracts and running new scores over them and then posting them on You Tube. This often leads to answering videos, never mind the comments, etc. that people make  on such sites. The internet, film and videos games seems to be converging in so many ways. People can watch films in a range of ways, using an astonishing range of hardware and software. They can also find audiences of their own. This amounts to free publicity for film institutions for their films and "A Long Tail" sales into the future through endless exchange.

• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions

"Slumdog Millionaire" was originally aimed at Asian audiences living in various parts of the UK and also at Danny Boyle fans. The film's unexpected success at film festivals and being nominated for the Oscars led to another theatrical release and a crossover from the "indy" art-house into the mainstream. British film makers often make social realism films and aim them at local and regional audiences whereas this would never be enough for the major media players who tend to make high budget, high concept films. They have boutique offshoots who make and often distribute lower budget films, aimed at more high brow audiences. Disney's Mirimax and Fox's Fox Searchlight are examples of such boutique, art-house film distribution.

• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour

How you consume films whether it is as a social activity after visiting a shopping centre or on an MP4 player or Playstation, is what is at issue here. Visit Pearl and Dean to see how multiplex cinemas are adapting the experience of cinema-going to gain audiences. In an age of falling DVD sales, home cinema and an increase in downloading for both music and film audiences are changing in how they want to consume film. Identify trends and consider where the audience trends are going in the near future.

This unit should be approached through contemporary (up-to-date) examples in the form of case studies based upon one of the specified media areas. 

Thanks to DOG for this post.

LINK

The Dark Knight Rises: Institution and Audience

  Recently I went to see Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises with my Batman enthusiast friend who made me watch the first two films the night before. I was weary at first as I don't often like DC films, I much prefer Marvel, however after watching the previous Batman films I was impressed at their high standards so was enthusiastic about the new release.
One of the reasons I actually went to see the film was the cast, which included some of my favourite actors - Burn Gorman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine. Another factor that encouraged me to go was the trailer of the film; it is fast paced, intriguing and thought provoking - leaving me excited for what would happen in the movie without giving anything away.
After seeing the blockbuster I was impressed. It was much better than I expected. I love action movies and so enjoyed all the fighting scenes, as well as the tension that built up around the detonation of the nuclear bomb. I also like films that could happen in real life and was engrossed by the realism surrounding the average people, and their desperation to survive.
Overall I am very glad i saw The Dark Knight Rises and enjoyed every moment of it.