Post on 17-Jul-2015
transcript
You have to research the production and distribution companies that made and
distributed your film
•Here is a list of statements, questions and tasks to ensure you have EVERYTHING covered!
1. ALL the questions are offered asguidelines.
2. There will be questions that you may notbe able to answer.
3. It is down to you to work on thedevelopment of your own chosen film fromidea to screening: from institution toaudience.
•GOOD LUCK!!!
Take Note
• Since his directorial debut with Othello in 1995, Oliver Parker has
helmed a wide range of projects ranging from the classical (The
Importance of Being Ernest) to the farcical (St. Trinian’s).
• Now Parker can add action filmmaker to his palate with the release
of Johnny English: Reborn, a stylish spoof of modern espionage
movies which features the return of comedy god Rowan Atkinson as
bumbling spy Johnny English.
• Matt’s Movie Reviews spoke to Oliver Parker about the making of
Johnny English: Reborn, spy movies and working with Rowan
Atkinson.
• Genre
• Consider your film. Are there any issues
with the genre of it? Is it a hybrid? How
does this effect the distribution and
marketing?
Johnny English Reborn
• 2011
• Oliver Parker
• Spy Spoof
• Released in the wake of James Bond as
the modern audience knows him to be.
• As a hybrid it has appeal across genres
and sub genres e.g. Spy > James Bond >
Spy spoof: 3 potential markets.
Trailers
• Trailer 1
• Trailer 2
• Promo
• Promo 2
• 5 different promo trailers
• 3 different UK trailers: the
first in April ’11 with the
last in August ‘11.
• A separate trailer for
International markets.
• You must be able to understand the film
genres associated with each studio/
production company.
• Why have they chosen these? What
does this suggest about them?
• How profitable are these genres in
today’s market? How do you know
this?
Universal
• In 1930s – prestige costume films,
musicals, dramas, and was a big player in
developing the horror genre.
• Very diverse.
• 90s – present :high concept films
Universal Films
• Problem Child 1990–1995
• Child's Play 1990–present
• Beethoven 1992–present
• Jurassic Park 1993–present
• The Flintstones 1994–2000
• Babe 1995–1998
• Balto 1995–2005
• The Nutty Professor 1996–present
• American Pie 1999–present
• The Mummy 1999–present
• The Skulls 2000-2004
• Bring It On 2000–2009
• Meet the Parents 2000–2010
• The Fast and the Furious 2001–present
• The Bourne Identity 2002–present
• The Chronicles of Riddick 2004–present
• Nanny McPhee 2005–present
• Curious George 2006–present
• Despicable Me 2010–present
Working Title
• Working Title Films was co-founded by producers Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. In
1992,
• Although contractually allowed to produce any film with a budget of up to $35 million, on a
practical basis, Bevan and Fellner consult with studio executive at Working Title's parent company
NBCUniversal. Working Title is located in London, and is known for having a limited number of
employees. The company also has other offices located in Los Angeles, and Ireland.
• PolyGram became the company's corporate backer. Radclyffe left Working Title, and Eric
Fellner, a fellow independent film producer, joined the company.[1]The company produced a
variety of films forPolyGram's London-based production company PolyGram Filmed
Entertainment. An Anglo-Dutch film studio, PolyGram Films became a major Hollywood
competitor. In 1999, PolyGram was sold to Seagram and merged with MCA Music
Entertainment, to form Universal Music Group. PolyGram Films was merged and sold to Universal
Studios in 1999
In 1999, Bevan and Fellner launched a subsidiary company named Working Title 2
Productions, commonly known as WT2. The company is an independent film production arm run by
Natascha Wharton, and has produced films that include Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead and The
Calcium Kid.
Synergy and institution
• Working Title UK
• Owned by Universal US
• Universal made films; bigger budget
• Universal can branch out…
• Vivendi own Universal and mp3.com and Odeon = very useful when distributing and promoting an up coming release e.g. Synergy
• Convergence
• Relate to...
• Production
– Arricam LT, Zeiss Master Prime Lenses
– Arricam ST, Zeiss Master Prime Lenses
• Distribution?
– 35 mm (anamorphic)
– D-Cinema
• How did cross-media platforms aid your film?
• What could be pre-production issues for
the production company?
• Sequel would it flop? Could it secure
continuity?
• This was Oliver Parker’s first time
directing an action oriented movie.
• Reviews prior release
like…http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/ci
nema/johnny-english-reborn
• Original Idea
• Where did it come from? Hamish Mccoll
• Website interview with Mccoll
• Did your company get taken over by
another, or use another for support?
(Look at Warp and Film4 here).
• Detail any institutional issues that were a
result of this?
• Consider the implications to the audience
here.
• Finance
• Were there any issues with getting
backing?
• Who financed it? One group or many?
What was in it for them?
What was in it for them? Work
with a partner.Vivendi/General
Electric
Working Title Studio Canal
Studio Canal UK f. Optimum
Handles Miramax
Relativity Media
Netflix
Universal
Vivendi Video games
• Now think about the budgets and
prospects of how companies might
distribute and market a film.
$45,000,000 budget
• What issues do you think there are?
• Where can you find this information?
– Imdb
– http://www.the-numbers.com/
What was in it for them? Work
with a partner.Vivendi/General
Electric
Working Title Studio Canal
Studio Canal UK f. Optimum
Handles Miramax
Relativity Media
Netflix
Universal
• Costs
• What did it cost the studio to make?
• How much did the stars get? Did it
differ much between the main stars?
Why? X
• Can you identify where the budget
went? X
• Was it shot within budget? Did it go
over? How close?
•
Name of producer/s?
• Tim Bevan.... producer
• Jo Burn .... co-producer
• Liza Chasin .... co-producer
• Chris Clark .... associate producer
• Eric Fellner .... producer
• Debra Hayward .... co-producer
• Mark Huffam .... producer
• Name of the director?
• How did they get involved? Any further
associations with these - what are they
known for? X
• Casting
• Main stars/ roles/ characters?
• What had they been cast in before?
• What was their ‘star appeal’?
Barclay Holby
Atkinson – Bean and
Blackadder
Anderson- Xfiles/The
Last King of Scotland
Igawa – Memoirs of a
Geisha/Last Samurai
Pike – The Devil you
know/Wrath of the
Titans/Doom/Die Nother
Day/Foyles War
• Any issues with getting the cast? Their timetables and
other commitments? Were they second or first choice?
X
• How important was this casting in terms of the
audience? Why were they chosen? Effect?
• One of our ambitions was to cast the movie, as if
we were casting a James Bond movie, and I think
all those people would do extremely well in a
James Bond movie, along with Rosamund, who
was cast in a James Bond movie. I always believe
that the more serious and believable our British
secret service world is, the funnier Johnny
English’s mistakes would appear in contrast.
• Production
• Any issues for the production company
whilst shooting?
• See if you can find any ‘on set’disputes
• Any script changes whilst on set/ in
production? X
• Same editor throughout? Was the script
editor changed? X
• Do you know of any re-writes/ script
edits? X
• Sound
• Who composed the film music? Consider
the implications of this person (just as a
star is cast) – In 2010, IlanEshkeri
worked on the music for Kickass
• Consider the sales of the CDs. Find
reviews (Empire is good here). X
• Location
• Was it all shot in a studio?
• Was anything shot on location?
• Think about budgets - did they choose
the cheaper location, would the audience
know this? Yes
• Convergence – see earlier slides looking at App and D-Cinema.
• Consider in terms of technology and production/ distribution/ marketing and relate to the key concepts here.
• How important was new technology such as Computer Generated Imagery? Think about the studios involved here (Disney for example)
• How important is this for the film and its audiences?
• Importance of digital technology for the
distribution of your film?
• How significant are distribution mediums
like DVDS, the world web and DTV when
distributing a film?
• DVD distribution very important –
• What are the Advantages and
disadvantages of relying upon DVD
sales?
• What do you know about the consumptionof your film with different audiences -demographics and different geographicallocations?
•Who were the distributors?
• Is it a major player? What else have theydone? Did they work with other companiesin different locations?
• What do you notice about this?
• Where and when did they release your
film?
• What do you notice about the dates
(Awards, holidays, was it the same
across the country/ countries)?
• What happened outside of the UK?
• Do you know how these were secured?
• Where/ when was the premiere? Which
venue? Any themes? What was the
coverage like?
• Was it distributed to digital cinemas?
Why?
• When did it go to DVD/ blue-ray?
• Any figures for this?
• How did they market this online -
Youtube or viral ads? Any downloads
available before?
• Comment on the film’s website. What
do you notice about the marketing?
• Are there any social network forums
linked?
• Analyse film posters for the film:
• Consider the UK audience
• Further mediums for advertising?
• TV, radio, magazines...?
• Can you add any further marketing?
• Think about the actors and their
interviews on TV/ Radio and online.
• Where there any ‘leaked’ stories
about the stars and their private lives
around this time?
• How did your film fair with the
censors?
• Any issues?
• How did they achieve the rating?
• What is the benefit of this audience
to the institution?
• Any restrictions on the film? What
and why? Link to genre, audience...
• Reviews
• What were the reviews like of the film?
Favourable or rotten tomatoes?
• Was it considered a critical success?
• Has it been reviewed for DVD too?
• Choose a selection of Positive reviews -
do they choose the same features of the
film to focus upon?
• What was public opinion? Remember to
reference social networks or blogs here.
• Did it create any controversy, or water
cooler moments/ talking points?
• First year takings?
• Do you think this is a success? Does the
industry? How do we know this?
• Did it have an extended run? Was it cut
short? Was it re-released at the
cinemas?
• Primary Research
• Ask your peers what they thought of the
marketing of the film (using Face Book, a
film poster or the trailer for
example), using a survey.
• What conclusions do you reach about
the marketing of the film?
• Then ask if they saw it? What does this
tell you?
• Did the audiences’ reaction have
an impact on the studio/ producers
in terms of how they created/
promoted/released other films?
• Have they stuck with the stars or
genre for example? Why?
• Alternatively, have they completely
gone the other way?
• Have audiences’ tastes changed?
Why?
Finally
Speak to your peers about this
•Have they found anything of interesting with
their studies you could learn from?
•Could you create your own questions for this
unit?
•Have you googled everything about this you
can?
•Lastly, make sure you have clear points for your
response and keep up to date with new
references for this.