PRODUCTION,DISTRIBUTION, MARKETING AND EXHIBITION.

FOUR LIONS AND The DARK KNIGHT.Kamil Wojtas

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Director and WritersDirector:Christopher NolanWriters:Jonathan Nolan(screenplay), Christopher Nolan (screenplay), 3 more creditsStars:Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart

Production

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Four Lions is the debut feature film from director Chris Morris. The film is a Jihad Satire following a group of jihadi islamist terrorists from Sheffield, England.Morris spent three years researching the project, speaking to terrorism specialists and experts, police, the secret service and imams as well as ordianry Muslims, and writing the script in 2007.The project was originally rejected by both the BBC and Channel 4 as being too controversial . Morris suggested in a mass email, titled ‘ Funding Mentalism’ that fans could contribute between £25 and £100 each to the production costs of the film and would appear as extras in return. The funding was secured in October 2008 from film 4 productions and warp films, with Mark Herbert producing. Filming began in Sheffield in May 2009.The budget for the film was £2.5 million.The film premiered at the Sundance film festival in January 2010. The UK premiere took place at the Bradford International Fillm Festival on 25 March 2010 followed by a nation wide release 7 May. Four Lions was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on the 30 August 2010. As of the 6 August 2010 Four Lions grossed £2,928, 884 at the UK box office.

Nolan's inspiration for the film was the Joker's comic book debut in 1940, the 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke, and the 1996 series The Long Halloween which retold Two-Face's origin. The nickname "the Dark Knight" was first applied to Batman in Batman #1 (1940), in a story written by Bill Finger The Dark Knight was filmed primarily in Chicago, as well as in several other locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. Nolan used an IMAX camera to film some sequences, including the Joker's first appearance in the film. On January 22, 2008, some months after he had completed filming on The Dark Knight and six months before the film's release, Heath Ledger died from a toxic combination of prescription drugs, leading to intense attention from the press and movie-going public. Warner Bros. initially created a viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight, developing promotional websites and trailers highlighting screenshots of Ledger as the Joker.

Production

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Producers LinksFilm4 Productionshttp://www.film4.com/film4-productionsWild Bunchhttp://www.wildbunchmedia.com/Optimum Releasinghttp://www.studiocanal.co.uk/Warp Filmshttp://warp.net/films

DC Comics

Warner Bros. Entertainment

Legendary pictures

Syncopy inc

Production

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Production

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Budget & Production Companies£2.5 millionWarp FilmsWild Bunch Optimum Releasing

$185 millionDC ComicsWarner Bros. EntertainmentLegendary picturesSyncopy inc

Production

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Budget & Production Companies

Distribution

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Four Lions was distributed to 115 cinemas. It then spread to 200. It was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. Had a premiere at the National Media Museum and was nominated for the Sundance film festivals best Narrative.

However the film struggled to find a US distributor, although Drafthouse films released it in America, it was limited and grossed just of $400,000.

DISTRIBUTION

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

http://www.timeout.com/london/film/chris-morris-and-the-writers-of-four-lions-interview-1

However the film struggled to find a US distributor, although Drafthouse films released it in America, it was limited and grossed just of $400,000.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/nov/10/four-lions-us-chris-morris

http://www.slashfilm.com/alamo-drafthouse-announces-distribution-arm-first-release-will-be-four-lions/

DISTRIBUTION

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Trailers

Marketing

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Interviews

Marketing

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Poster – Four Lions has one MAIN poster that fits in with the theme. Trailers – Four Lions has one trailer that has been carefully thought out showing the best, funniest and most exciting bits of the film.Online and Mobile – The online and Mobile marketing campaign was much more simpler and directed ant a certain audience. Myspace, Facebook, Twitter (they did not use every social networking site but still used quite a few) and trailers. They did not have such a big online presence . Media Advertising – Trailers, Internet social networking sites. Promotional Partnerships – Four Lions does not have any promotional partnershipsMerchandising – Four Lions does not really have much merchandise. DVD, Blu-Ray DVD.Premieres – Premiered at the Sundance film festival in January 2010. The UK Premiere took place at the Bradford International Film Festival. Preview screenings -FOUR LIONS will be screening on 30th october 2010 at Midnight at the E Street Cinema (555 11th Street) in Washington DC.Festivals – The Sundance film festival and The Bradford International Film Festival.

Marketing

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Film Posters

Marketing

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Box office revenue Exhibition

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Four Lions was released onto 115 screens across the UK.Made a total of $609,000 on it’s opening weekend.It was branded a ‘sleeper film’ and Optimum Releasing went on to screen the film in 200 screens across the UK. After having an unsuccessful run in the USA, it grossed a worldwide total of - $4,658,570.

The film was mainly shown in Independent cinemas which contrasts to The Dark Knight which featured in many multiplexes and Independent chains.

Exhibition

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

PlatformsReleased on Blu-ray and DVD, the price ranges from approximately £5.00 to £8.00This film was eventually aired on TV for free on Film 4.

Release on blu-ray earned $33,095,519 and the total domestic video sales is $315,121,940

Exhibition

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Awards

Exhibition

INDEPEDENT FILM

Four Lions

BLOCKBUSTER

The Dark Knight

Reviews Ratings: 9.0/10 from 1,384,463 users Metascore: 82/100 Reviews: 4,217 user | 626 critic

Exhibition