INDEPENDENT VERSUS MAINSTREAM FILM

KEY FOCUS: BRITISH AND AMERICAN FILM

“I’VE JUST SEEN AN INDEPENDENT FILM”

Independent Film•MAKES YOU THINK – The Selfish Giant, Locke (more later)

•MAKES YOU ASK QUESTIONS

•IS ASSOCIATED WITH CRITICAL SUCCESS

•FILM MORE AS ART AND CULTURAL EXPRESSION

”I’VE JUST SEEN A MAINSTREAM FILM”

“I’VE JUST SEEN MY BANK ACCOUNT”

Mainstream Film•MAKES YOU LAUGH

•MAKES YOU CRY

•IS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMERCIAL SUCCESS – Gravity (Clooney)

•FILM AS ESCAPIST ENTERTAINMENT

Audiences and Access

MASS AUDIENCES CONSUME PRIMARILY ‘MAINSTREAM’ FILM:

WHY?

Audiences and Access •DISTRIBUTION LED INDUSTRY – MAINSTREAM FILMS ATTRACT SIGNIFICANT ADVERTISING BUDGETS

•HISTORICALLY AND COMMERCIALLY THE FILM INDUSTRY IS CONTROLLED BY HOLLYWOOD AND ‘THE BIG SIX’ WHO PRODUCE MAINSTREAM FILMS FOR MASS AUDIENCES

•FILM IS AN INDUSTRY, A BUSINESS

•ENTERTAINING, MAINSTREAM FILMS MAKE MONEY,

Mainstream Film•HAS SATURATED CROSS MEDIA ADVERTING CAMPAIGNS – GRAVITY OPENS IN THE UK TODAY – WHO IS GOING TO SEE IT?

•IS SHOWN AT MULTIPLEX CINEMAS THAT DOMINATE UK FILM EXHIBITION

•HAS FILM STARS IN THAT YOU WANT TO GO AND SEE

•HAS HIGHER PRODUCTION VALUES AND IS MORE ENTERTAINING AND TARGETS YOUTH AUDIENCES

Mainstream Film Clip:Casino Royale (12.40 – 18.21)

•2006 Action Adventure •Distributed by MGM/Columbia Pictures (Sony)•Starring Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench

What makes it mainstream?

Casino RoyaleMainstream Conventions

•HIGH PRODUCTION VALUES e.g. multiple camera technology•SATURATED DISTRIBUTION BY A MAJOR STUDIO – SONY•STAR MARKETING, BRAND/FRANCHISE FAMILIARITY (23rd Bond Film)•SAFE GENRE (ACTION) – SFX/CHASE SCENES/EXPLOSIONS....•KEY FOCUS ON ENTERTAINMENT VALUES•MAINSTREAM, TRADITIONAL REPRESENTATIONS, plus CULTURAL STEREOTYPING•SIMPLISTIC, PREDICTABLE SINGLE STRANDED NARRATIVE – MORE LIKELY TO FOLLOW A CLASSIC THREE ACT STRUCTURE•NARRATIVE RESOLUTION , PROPP’S THEORIES CAN OFTEN APPLY•GLOSSY MISE-EN-SCENE, STUDIO and LOCATION SHOOTING•COMMERCIAL SUCCESS

Independent Film•LIMITED DISTRIBUTION

•IS RARELY SHOWN AT MULTIPLEX CINEMAS (YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR IT)

•TENDS TO HAVE LIMITED STAR MARKETING AND LOWER PRODUCTION VALUES

•TENDS TO TARGET STEREOTYPICALLY AN OLDER TARGET AUDIENCE

Independent Film: Biutiful•GENRE: SOCIAL REALISM (Mexico/Spanish production)• 2010: Directed by Alejandro Inarritu (Amores Perros,/Babel....)•CRITICAL SUCCESS – Best Foreign Language Film (2011 Oscars)•WINNER OF JURY PRIZE AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL•2010 BAFTA – BEST BRITISH FILM•INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTION – Focus , later Universal)

What makes it Independent ?

(2.54 – 8)

Biutiful – Independent Film

•No non diegetic sound, frequent periods of silence•Documentary feel – use of hand held camera•Complex narrative – audience are not being ‘led by the hand’•Explores difficult narrative themes – Cancer•Goes against convention – needle penetration scenes•Unusual in style and content – camerawork/mise-en-scene...•Surprising commercial success (normally only critical)•Set in unfamiliar location for many American/British audiences•Limited UK Release

Independent FilmKey Features

•LOW PRODUCTION VALUES, LIMITED DISTRIBUTION•LIMITED STAR MARKETING•REALIST GENRES, LESS ESCAPIST REPRESENTATIONS•CRITICAL SUCCESS, LIMITED COMMERCIAL SUCCESS•INTENDED TO CHALLENGE, PROVOKE, INFORM AND EDUCATE•EXPLORATION OF NARRATIVE THEMES, OFTEN OPEN ENDED•ON LOCATION SHOOTING•NICHE, OLDER, MORE EDUCATED TARGET AUDIENCE•DE-SATURATED COLOUR PALETTE, NATURAL LIGHTING, OFTEN A MORE GRAINY MISE-EN-SCENE, MORE DIEGETIC SOUND•LESS ENTERTAINMENT VALUES