INSTITUTIONS AND AUDIENCES FILM INDUSTRY REVISION OF
PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING
AIMS To understand the focus for KEY TERMS the Audience and
Audience Institutions section of your Institution June Exam
Production Subsidiary To understand the structure Distribution of a
Cultural Circuit Marketing To understand the different Exhibition
sectors of the film industry Horizontal Integration Vertical
Integration
CULTURAL CIRCUIT What they have produced Media Text
TargetInstitution AudienceWho has produced Who it is produced the
media text for.
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL INTEGRATION Often a single parent
company will own multiple companies in the film industry.
HORIZONTAL The parent company This is divided into two types of
ownership: owns multiple companies at the same stage of the film
industry. A smallerPRODUCTION PRODUCTION PRODUCTION company, owned
by the parent is a subsidiary. VERTICALDISTRIBUTION The parent
company For example Walt Disney also owns: For example Warner Bros
owns: owns multiple companies across Warner BrosFilms (Production)
Miramax Studios different stages of the film industry. EXHIBITION
Hollywood Pictures Warner Bros (Distribution) Used to own Warner
Bros Cinemas Pixar Animation What are the in the UK (Exhibition
advantages for a parent company of each type of ownership?
THE EXAM Section B: Institutions and AudiencesCandidates should
be ABLE to understand and discuss the processes of production,
distribution,marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary
media institutions, as well as the nature ofaudience 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)
byinternational or global institutions;the ways in which the
candidates own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider
patternsand trends of audience behaviour.This unit should be
approached through contemporary examples in the form of case
studies basedupon one of the specified media areas.
Exam Translation ExampleThe issues raised by media How the
ownership of the As case studies, useownership in contemporary
production, distribution and Warner Bros and Warp andmedia practice
exhibition companies compare the types of films affects the type of
films that that they make and how are made. they make sure they
reach their target audienceThe importance of cross Understand how
all aspects Compare how Warp andmedia convergence and of the media
(websites, Warner Bros films aresynergy in production, newspapers,
tv etc) are marketed through other aspects of the media. Look
atdistribution and marketing used to market a film and specific
examples of TDK and show you understand how TIE, discuss horizontal
and companies work together to vertical integration and produce and
distribute compare the different types of films. marketing
campaigns and how they target audiences.The technologies that have
Show you are aware of how From your case studies look atbeen
produced in recent years new technology has been used how filming
in HD, Imax andat the levels of production, to improve the making,
look at how SFX is added atdistribution, marketing and
distributing, marketing and the editing stage. Analyse howexchange.
exhibition on film. the Internet influences the way films are
marketed. Look at digital distribution of films.
The significance of Show you understand how the You need to be
able to explorehardware and content for increase and improvements
how the affordability of newinstitutions and audiences made in
technology are technology has impacted upon affecting the ways that
films are the making, distribution and made and distributed today.
exhibition of film in relation to Also, be able to assess how your
case studies. You should technological improvements also discuss
the emergence of have impacted the viewing blu-ray, piracy and the
new experience, at home and in the wave of 3D as well as analysing
cinema. new ways of distributing films that could have helped TIE
such as digital distribution.The importance of Understand how new
media Include information from bullettechnological convergence
technologies can combine points 3 and 4 here as well butfor
institutions and to produce, market, also give specific examples
from your case study on howaudiences. distribute and exhibit a film
new technologies can combine successfully to reach a target
audience. TIE- Greenroom digital approached Britfilm.tv to launch a
site take over to market the film to target audience. TDK
whysoserious and Ibelieveinharveydent.com ARGs.
Exam Translation ExamplesThe issues raised in the Show how you
know how Warner Bros is owned bytargeting of national and
international and global Time/Warner a Medialocal audiences
(specifically institutions target an conglomerate who makeBritish)
by International or international and local films for an
internationalglobal institutions. British audience and global
audience. State how compare this to how British they manage to do
this institutions target their using media language we audience.
have learnt. Compare this to how Warp target a niche audience.
Discuss relevant funding, costs, P and A and why they target
different audiences.The ways in which your own Include reference to
how This should be included asexperience of media your own
experience of the element of all your answers.consumption
illustrate wider media shows how You should show how you aware of
the factors thatpatterns and trends in audiences may behave.
influence the institutions andaudience behaviour. also, demonstrate
your awareness of how audiences consume films has changed in recent
years
Film Four Trainspotting Looking for Eric This is England
Slumdog Millionaire
THE FILM PROCESS There are three distinct areas of the film
industry.Each one of these could be viewed as a type of media
institution.PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION EXHIBITIONWhat would you expect
to happen at each stage?
Production involves the creation of the media product and is
the responsibility of the PRODUCTION COMPANY This includes all
pre-production, production & post-production processes. Before
that the writer/director/producer must Warp Films is the FILM
company who find finance for a film which may come from PRODUCED
This is one or many production companies (a co- England.
production) Channel 4 (film 4) co- financed the film It was also
DISTRIBUTED by FILM FOUR on TV
Film distributors are responsible for prints and
marketing:PRINTS producing physical copies of a film for
cinema/homerelease and finding the exhibitors/retailers to sell the
filmMARKETING raising audience awareness and anticipation of anew
releaseA distributor may:-Be a part of the same parent company as
the productioncompany-Have a long term arrangement with a
production company andprovide financial assistance for many of
their productions Optimum releasing-Provide financial assistance
for a single film by a production distributed This iscompany
England on DVD they-Acquire a film after it has completed
production also co-financed the productionA film will likely have
different distributors for: IFC Films handled the U.S Theatrical
release-Releases in different countries and Red Envelope-Cinema
Release Entertainment-Home-Video Release distributed in U.S on
DVD
Exhibition is divided into two sections:- Cinema the
distributor is paid by the cinema for a copy of the film FilmFour
made its reputation with films- Home the distributor is paid by the
company who is selling such as Trainspotting the film for a copy in
1996, which made 23m at the box office A films success is often
decided on the amount of money it but cost only 2.4m makes during
its cinema release. This is known as the Box and was the highest
Office Takings grossing British film in 1996. Home Exhibition is
becoming an increasing valuable and However, it was far varied
source for distributors to increase profits. more successful on
DVD, spawning numerous versions and WHAT METHODS OF HOME EXHIBITION
CAN WE THINK OF? special editions Why might a film be more
successful on DVD than in the cinema?
RESEARCH TASK - THE LIFE OF A FILM--STARTING POINT FOR RESEARCH
SHOULD BE IMDB.COM USE COMPANY CREDITS SECTION1. USING BOTH THIS IS
ENGLAND AND THE DARK KNIGHT:Provide a brief synopsis of your FILMS
STORIESInclude some of your films marketing materials (trailers,
posters, cast interviews etc.)2. PRODUCTIONWhat was your films
production budget?Which Production Company (s) provided the
finance? What other films have the company (s) produced?3.
DISTRIBUTIONWho are your films theatrical distributors? How many
countries has it been distributed in and what are they?Who are your
films home distributors? How many countries has it been distributed
in and what are they4. EXHIBITIONWhat was your films box office
takings? Would you expect it to be shown in BROMLEY CINEMA?
Why?What formats is your film available on for home exhibition?5.
HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL INTEGRATIONIs your films production
company a subsidiary of a larger company (Horizontally
Integrated)?Are there any signs of horizontal integration between
your films production company (s) and distributor(s)?
RECAPWhat do the following terms mean in relation to the film
industry? Production Subsidiary Distribution Marketing Exhibition
Horizontal Integration Vertical Integration