Past Paper Question Plan

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Task 10: Distribution

• Intro what is film distribution? Film distribution is the process of making a film available to view by an audience, it includes: marketing and promotion. 
• What is the distributor's role? The distributor's role is to market the film and so they may set the release date of a film and the method by which a film is to be exhibited or made available for viewing: for example, directly to the public through home viewing etc. 
• What's a distribution plan? A strategy outlined by the Production Company that's aimed at successfully promoting and distributing a film. 
• What's a P + A budget? A P&A budget is the money set aside for print and advertising of a film. Prints are the actual physical film that are shown in theatres and are quite expensive to make and distribute. Each theatre needs at least one print and possibly more depending on how many screens the film is playing on. The advertising part of the budget is the amount spent on advertising. Most of the money is spent on TV, but radio, newspapers and magazines, the Internet and in-theatre advertising are also very important. The average P&A budget for a major studio release was $34.5 million the last time the MPAA reported the figure in 2006.  
• What is the average distribution cost for a big six film?
• What does the distribution budget include? All marketing costs including press, interviews and billboard campaigns and the cost of distributing the film to cinemas. 
• What is a simultaneous release? A simultaneous release describes a film's release to an audience across all platforms. So instead of being showed in cinemas, then to DVD or Sky store etc. the film is released to cinemas and other channels such as DVD, internet and television, on or around the same date. 
• What are some main distribution companies? Warner Bros, Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Universal, Lionsgate, New Line, Dreamworks SKG and Miramax are the top 10 film distribution companies. 
• What do you think is the link between audiences and distribution? Audiences are crucial to think about when distributing and marketing a film because essentially the audience decide whether the movie is successful so in order for that to happen a film has to be marketed with the appropriate target audience in mind. 
• Define target market audience? What's audience positioning? Target market audience: a particular group at which a product such as a film or advertisement is aimed. Audience Positioning: the relationship between the audience and the responses that the audience will have to the film. A film will be encoded with messages and signs that the audience will have to decode. Different audiences will decode these messages in different ways. Camera shots and angles are used to position the audience; a close up shot of a character's facial expression will help the audience to see their emotion and create an emotional, sympathetic response in the audience.   
• Why is the release date crucial? The release date for a film is crucial because it could determine whether the film is successful or not. For example: Star Wars: The Force Awakens was always going to do well in the Box Office however in order to maximise this success the film was strategically released on the 18th December 2015, the day that schools break up for the Christmas holidays. This means that all of the children who would not have been able to watch it whilst at school can now get their parents to take them, maximise Box Office sales. Releasing it on this date was crucial in Star Wars making over $1.405 billion in total. 
• What is self distribution? A process by which the Director/Producer decides to distribute their film themselves. This means that they can retain the rights to their film and the distributors cut of the sales of their film. 

Task 9: Terminology

Mainstream: films that are widely released in cinemas, examples of this would be Hollywood movies and blockbusters. These have a large and extensive budget and are often produced by one of the big six. 

Independent: films that are produced outside of a major film studio, independent films are usually distinguished both by the style and the artistic way the director chooses to show them. They have a smaller budget than the mainstream films and have a limited release in comparison. 

Production (stages): 

Pre-Production- planning e.g. 

Production- filming e.g. 

Post-Production- editing and completion of the film

Distribution: the process of making a movie available for viewing by an audience. 

Marketing: is a key stage in the distribution of a film. Marketing is the promotion of a film, it usually includes press releases, advertising campaigns and merchandising. 

Exchange: how a film is viewed whether its in a cinema, at home or on a device via streaming.
Multinational Conglomerate: a company or firm that has branches all over the world and offers a branch of services such as Walt Disney.

Monopoly: where one single company dominates all or nearly all of the market for a given product.

Oligopoly: is where the market consists of a select few companies having significant influence over an industry- the big six. 

Name the Big Six (90% of box office takings): 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney and Universal Studios.

Horizontal Integration (also known as cross media ownership): this is where a production company expands into other areas of one industry. This means that the company can develop in a particular area of production or they can buy out another company that deals with these areas. 

Vertical Integration: this is when the production company has the ownership of the means of production, distribution and exhibition of the film by the same company, because of this they receive all of the profit.

Synergy: is the simultaneous release of two or more products to promote each other

Merchandising: branded products that help to promote a film or media event such as Iron Man helmets sold in children's toy shops.

Ultra Violet: allows you to store digital versions of films bought on DVD or Blu-ray. This enables playback on different devices using multiple applications from several different streaming services. 

Above the Line: where mass media is used to promote a brand or film. These include conventional media as we know it, television and radio advertising, print as well as internet.         

Below the Line: an advertising strategy in which a product is promoted in mediums other than radio and television etc. 

Technological Convergence/Cross media convergence: the combining of two or more mediums, like the film industry working together with the music industry (Adele releasing to promote the film)

Consumption: the sum of media information taken in by a group or individual. 

Exhibition: the last stage of a film's distribution journey- showing the film in theatres. Exhibition 

Piracy: obtaining, copying and distributing a media material without proper rights of legal ownership. 

Hollywood Franchise 4S Model – synergy, spectacle, sequelisation, story

Tie-In: a media product such as a book, video game or movie that makes use of material presented in another usually more well-known media product. For example: a video game that was a tie-in to a popular movie- Lego Batman game etc. 

Task 8: Technology

What significance does the continuing development of digital media technology have for media institutions and audiences?

Production: Motion capture technology was used in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes by Andy Serkis and in Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Lupita Nyong'o.
CGI and Green Screen technology- used in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 in order to create the Capital (large scale replicas were created by the production team and were then enhanced using this technology)
Filming on iPhones (Tangerine was filmed on an iPhone 5s)
4K cameras used in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Animatronix was used in Jurassic World
The Hobbit was filmed at 48 frames per second and filmed in 3D using RED Epic cameras, there were 16 in total.

Distribution: Marketing strategies like the Jurassic World website which became a viral success.
Strategic marketing- Deadpool Billboards
Movies are distributed using hard drives rather than film reels- cheaper and easy to transport
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 released a Virtual Reality App to help promote the film
Online- YouTube is often used to promote films like Devil's Due which released a genius marketing video called Devil Baby onto YouTube. Carrie released the New York Cafe prank.
Social Media- Twitter, Facebook

Exhibition: different formats have now been made available including IMAX 4D and 3D. IMAX with lasers is a new way of viewing films that has recently been developed. IMAX now use a laser light source rather than xenon arc lamp. This enhances the sharpness and brightness of the image and introduces a new colour scheme and blacker blacks.
Korea released Kung Fu Panda in 4D with massage chairs that move during the fight scenes to create a more immersive feel.
The Hobbit was played in Dolby Atmos, Sony's immersive sound system with two new overhead speakers and the ability to direct sounds at specific speakers inside a movie theatre.
Event Screening- The One Direction Concert, Opera, Ballet and Sports events.
Odeon's Screen Unseen event- £5
Moonbeamers Drive in Movies
Hot Tub cinema, Secret Cinema, Community Cinema, Pond Cinema,

Exchange: different platforms- Netflix, Amazon Prime, LoveBox, Flixter, iTunes.
Available to watch on Tablets and Smart Phones- on the go
Ultraviolet- can share films with up to 5 people and stream on different platforms
Blu-ray/DVD
BFI Player + Curzon- able to view independent cinemas for a monthly subscription
Increased use of piracy

Task 7: Audience and Cinema Going Statistics

What days to audiences go to the cinema?- Mainly weekends as they offer more free time than in the week.

What are the most popular genres?-  Comedy, Adventure and Action

What was the top film in each of these genres?- 

Action and Adventure: Ant Man, Insurgent, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Furious 7, Avengers Age of Ultron. 
Comedy: Trainwreck, Spy, Daddy's Home, Get Hard, Inside Out, Pitch Perfect.

How do audiences hear about films?- Mainly through trailers and word of mouth.

Do audiences prefer US, UK or other nationality films?- the US have recently produced some of the biggest blockbusters including the Marvel series resulting in the majority of audiences preferring US films to UK or other nationality films. 

Do audiences like 3D films?- No, 3D films are quickly declining in interest as they are hard to watch and are unrealistic. 

What other ways do audiences watch film aside from the cinema?- The majority of audiences use streaming services such as Netflix more frequently than going to the cinema as it is more convenient. 

Who do audiences go to the cinema with?- Friends predominantly but the occasional family member.

When and where are most audiences likely to go to the cinema?- Audiences are most likely to go to the cinema on weekends and to their local mainstream cinema chain such as Odeon and Cineworld. 

Areas To Focus On

After receiving my marked essay question back I have a greater understanding of what I need to work on in the future.
My main area of weakness is terminology as my essay lacked a wide range of camera, editing, sound and mise en scene terminology. In the future I will take steps to rectify this issue for example: I will incorporate detailed and relevant camera shots as well as editing terms thus increasing the level of my essay.

Camera shots that I will ensure I include:

• Medium Long Shot
• Establishing Shot
• Wide Shot
• Medium Close Up
• Big Close Up
• Long Shot

These technical camera terms will increase the terminology mark of my essay in turn the overall mark of my essay itself. So, terminology will be my main focus from now on when writing media essays. 

Paragraph Re-Write 

Similarly, the camera work in the attacking scene shows a counter typical representation of men when confronted with danger. When the Saber-tooth tiger attacks, the man hides in a hole and is seen whimpering and cowering away from the animal. The medium long shot of the man, pictured at a low angle, connotes fear and lack of control compared with the dominating view of the animal. The contrast of a low angle, medium long shot for the man and a high angle, medium close up for the women shows that the woman is more powerful within this situation than the man is. 

Throughout this scene, continuity editing can be seen which creates a more realistic and immersive viewing experience for the audience. When the Saber-tooth tiger attacks, mud can be seen falling on the camera which adds to the tense and fearful atmosphere that is being created throughout the scene. 

Representations of Age