BIG TALK PRODUCTIONS

INDEPENDENT FILM COMPANY STUDY

MEDIA OWNERSHIP On October 13, 2008, it was announced that BBC Worldwide

had bought a 25% stake in Big Talk That Mitchell and Webb Company- Big Talk will produce all

future Mitchell and Webb projects and also "give them the ability to work with other writers and performers as producers". BBC Worldwide support the company in exchange for exclusive first-look distribution rights.

In 2007, Nira Park expanded Big Talk Productions to create Big Talk Pictures, a feature film subsidiary separately controlled but fully owned by Big Talk Productions.

Although Big Talk Productions still remains an independent film company, and has managed to expand to converge with other companies, it has still had to rely on one of the bigger conglomerates, BBC Worldwide, to an extent, for more widespread promotion, higher budgets, and therefore a more reliable success rate.

SYNERGY & CONVERGENCE This is most clearly seen in the promotion of the films Big Talk

have produced. In particular, Shaun of The Dead (2004) used much cross-media convergence and synergy when producing and promoting the film.

Promoted by the magazine ‘Total Film’, thus widening the audience of the film and the amount of money it makes at the box office, as well as boosting the ratings for the magazine as it was a much anticipated film. This is an example of cross media convergence as both are examples of the use of the media to target, and expand, a target audience.

In 2006, the National Entertainment Collectibles Association announced that it would be producing action figures based on the film as part of its "Cult Classics" line that features fan favourite characters from various genre films.

Upper Deck Entertainment released a card for the popular World of Warcraft Card Game in 2007, an ally named "Shawn of the Dead“.

These 2 promotional methods are therefore examples of synergy, as they have completely different markets, but are coming together to both make more profit.

NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES

New media technologies allows the independent film companies to widen their audience, as this sometimes cannot be done through extensive promotional campaigns, like the bigger conglomerates.

For example, when looking at Attack the Block (2011) made by Big Talk Productions, there is a huge number of special effects used…

MAKING OF THE ‘ALIENS’ The film features over 100 FX shots, which were completed over

the course of 4 months by Swedish effects house, Fido. The shots included a range of CG fur, jaws, paws and claws for

the alien creatures. The budget of was just £8 million, of which little would have gone

on the VFX, the alternative to a full CG solution allows the creatures to sit naturally in the film, while still allowing for a stylised effects look.

Fido created an animation rig that was capable of sniffing, snarling, grinning, and most importantly, some big impressive roars.

Magnus Eriksson was responsible for the jaws and teeth, which were sculpted in ZBrush and animated in Maya. They were also shaded and rendered in RenderMan

The extensive list of software that was used for the creation of the monsters in this British Independent film is a prime example of how new technology is helping independent film companies.

THE SPREAD OF TECHNOLOGY Internet sites such as YouTube and Vimeo allow for a

much wider spread promotional campaign for these smaller companies, such as Big Talk. For example, Big Talk have their own YouTube channel, where they can link to the trailers of other upcoming films they have. This allows for cross-promotion, but overall for the same company

Social Networking also plays a huge part in the promotion of Independent Films. They can freely create Facebook pages dedicated to that one film, which would be linked on the film’s website, and Big Talk’s website.

This can also pave way for the use of ‘viral marketing’, something that Independent Film companies can rely hugely on, as they do not have the huge budget to be able to synergise with big conglomerates.

TECHNOLOGICAL CONVERGENCE

New technologies such as iPhones and iPads that have converged many different technologies together allow the consumer to be able to download apps and films themselves to their device. This is where the independent film companies create most of their attention, as they cannot afford to have a large promotional campaign for the DVD release of the film.

This also allows for the popularity of the film to spread through the new technologies, as it is quick and easy to share trailers, wepages and other things relating to a specific film to others.

BIG INDUSTRIES targeting British audiences

The British audience used to be the prime target audience for the Independent film companies, such as Big Talk productions, who have converged with Film4 and Channel 4 previously to release extremely successful films with the British audience. However, now the larger conglomerates are starting to target the British Audience as well.

Companies like Studio Canal, and Working Title, are now converging to work together with the Independent film companies, to distribute films such as The Kings Speech, and Slumdog Millionaire, which went on to become huge hits internationally.

This, in turn, although being almost vital to the Independent film companies success’, is limiting their creative freedom and expression, as the conglomerates are only releasing films with one aim- to make as much money as they can.

MY MEDIA CONSUMPTION I own new devices, that are converging technologies

together, such as an iPhone, iPad, and laptop. I find out about films through promotion on social

networking sites, and mainly through trailers at the cinema.

I buy DVDs frequently, and like to watch them in blue-ray as I have a blue-ray player.

I watch films in the cinema, DVD, on my smaller more portable devices, on my computer and on TV.

I do feel that I am repeatedly watching the same narrative, recycled over and over again, done by the conglomerates. However, this in a sense in the reason why they are so successful- because they are safe, and not challenging people’s opinions or knowledge. I also tend to watch films in a franchise, which is only really done by the bigger film conglomerates.