Tuesday 24 April 2012
Cyborg - Zombie - Terrorists 2020
Act 1
Deep in Iran in the Taliban cave systems, they're experimenting on the radiated corpses after America had launched a series of nukes.
Zeke (played by Keanu Reeves) who is Captain of the US ambassador's security team, suspects something is up after lack of Taliban activity.
Because of this the US believes it's safe to leave. Suddenly... whilst leaving in the dead of night, red beams target them. Thinking it's a sniper, guns are raised, only to vbe confronted by a CYBORG ZOMBIE TERRORIST!!!
Zeke only survivor, forced to take control.
Act 2
Zeke has to find where they originated from but can't do it alone. Therefore he teleports back to the USA to get a team together.
Has to convince people but no-one believes this could ever happen. Finds long-time scientist friend who has known the possibility of this for years, only one to believe Zeke.
Zeke discovers holodiscs belonging to his scientist friend so takes a watch of them. He realizes the scientist has actually been hired by the Taliban!
Retrieves location of the Taliban caves. Kills traitor scientist and starts to doubt this is reality as its so surreal.
Act 3
Zeke teleports to Taliban caves. Alone. Slightly delusional. And dehydrated.
He gets into a HUGE battle with the cyborg-zombie-terrorist army, his only weapon being a nanite gun.
Thousands lay dead around him. But he's in pain. Dragging his severed leg as it barely hangs on.
Discovers head of the Taliban cyborg zombies... Bin Laden. He was the creator. Zeke realizes the only way left is to melt everything via EMP. NO-ONE SURVIVES :(
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Invasion of the body snatchers beat sheet
Invasion of the Body Snatchers Beat Sheet
Establishing shot pan following police car. Non-diegetic music (violins) putting the audience on edge.
Miles’ fist line of dialogue, protesting he’s not crazy whilst looking like a mad man and being held back. Emphatic sound, a non-diegetic sound effect matching Miles’ actions as he lunges forward and grabs the doctor. (1:55)
Finds out other man is a doctor from a mental institute and shouts he’s not insane. Reaction shot CU, over-the-shoulder. (2:08)
Miles starts to narrate the story as the films told in flashback. Dissolves to the next scene. “First glance everything looked the same. It wasn’t. Something evil had taken possession of the town”; sets the scene. (2:37)
Young boy runs out in front of car with Woman running after him who goes to explain he doesn’t want to go to school. Miles narrates “The boys panic should have told me it was more than school he was afraid of”; connoting to the audience something behind the scene is going on. Non-diegetic sound creating suspense. (4:18)
Cuts to Miles in doctor’s surgery, no major incidents got rushed back for nothing. (5:10)
Continuity cut to outside. All Miles’ patients are out and about doing their usual thing, nothing at all seems wrong. (5:25)
Miles’ old love, Becky, tells how her cousin believes her Uncle is an imposter. Non-diegetic sound adds emotion and suspense. Shot-reverse-shot. (6:16)
Sam meant to have appointment but says it wasn’t anything important. (7:45)
Miles about to leave surgery, woman drags young boy in (same one from earlier in the film) who’s in hysterics saying his mother isn’t his mother. Begs Bennell not to let her get him(8:40)
Bennell dismisses the boys claims and tells his grandmother to look after her for a few days while the boy in the background countinues to plea. Boy persists his mother isn't his mother and shouts at Bennell when he suggests it.(9:43)
Bennell goes to Wilmer's house to investigate her claims that her uncle was not her uncle. at 11:00, she explains in more detail the symptoms of being exactly the same but something's missing; no emotion.
12:00: Bennell assures Wilmer that there is no way it can't be her uncle.
12:53: Wilmer asks Bennell if she's going crazy. Bennell says no but says that she should go see his doctor friend Dan that we see in the opening sequence of the movie.
14:00: Encounters her uncle directly. His actions are eerie. Narration describes Bennell's distrust of her uncle despite what he's said to Wilmer but can't see why.
0:21:37 - "Body" has no fingerprints.
0:22:20 - Wife speculates the body is a clone of Jack.
0:25:52 - "Body" has same cut on hand as Jack. Changing into him.
0:27:35 - Doc rushes to Becky's house, check she's safe.
0:29:00 - Searches Becky's house for Becky.
0:30:12 - Finds Becky clone in house basement.
0:31:10 - Takes real Becky and runs for safety in his own home.
0:32:15 - Doc, Jack & Dan enter Jack's home, "Body" is gone, no trace.
0:33:05 - Dan tries to rationalise the "Body" incident.
0:34:14 - "Body" at Becky's has also disappered.
0:35:00 - Dan continues to rationalise experiences.
0:35:35 - Police officer arrives, gives an explanation of missing "Body" at Jack's
0:38:45 - Patient cancels phychiatrist appointment
0:39:15 - Patient walks inside house, no expression , monotone voice.
0:39:42 - Small delerious boy from start of film is in Doc's office, made full recovery.
0:39:58 - Doc asks himself why all his patients cancelled, knowing he didnt help them.
Bennell arrives at Jack's house where they are preparing a barbique.
cut to dutch angle of inside Jack's glasshouse when Bennel enters to find something to help the coal burn. Revealed there is an alien pod inside the glasshouse beginning to take form of someone.
Bennell notices the pod. Extreme close up of his face to stress his shock.
The whole group is alerted to the presence of the pod. Close ups of members of the groups to show the shock and their reaction.
Dialogue tells the audience the nature of the the seed pods. "Something or somebody wants this duplication to take place... when the process is completed the original is probably destoryed or disintergrates... There isn't any danger until it's fully formed."
The group then realise it's when you fall asleep it's when the transformation takes place.
Dutch angle of a group of alien pods foaming.
Bennell tries to call the FBI. Mentions that so many discoveries have been made over the past few years the pods could have come from anywhere, including atomic radiation.
Dialogue during this sequence reminds audience of what has happened during the film and summarises what we know about the alien pods.
The operator tells Bennell his call hasn't gone through; Bennell suspects the telephone office has been taken over.
Human shapes begin forming from the pod's foam. Jack realises they all resemble the group at his house.
Bennell sends Jack and his wife off to nearest town to get help. Bennell realises that they've taken over the phone lines; he has to stay with the phone to answer it when the operator calls back or they'll know they've left town and will block the roads.
Bennell goes into the greenhouse to kill the pod humans; unable to bring himself to kill Bekkie's duplicate.
Bennell and Bekkie decide to leave to find his nurse Sally, his "best bet" for someone to trust. Stop at gas station to try and use a pay phone to call her.
Gas man takes keys "to open the gas tank." Bennell notices him in the boot of his car and is suspicious.
Bekkie and Bennell drive off; in a dark road they pull over and open the trunk to find two alien pods. They set fire to them before driving off. Bennell no longer sure if he can trust anyone.
Arrives at Sally's house. Bennell goes to have a look to make sure it's safe while Bekkie waits in the car. Ready to make drive off quickly.
Bennell discovers a group of sinister invaded in Sally's house. They have a pod ready to replace the baby of the house.
Bennell approached from behind by an invaded policeman. Is told "we've been waiting for you". Bennell escapes but is pursuied by the invaded members of the house.
cuts to inside police cars with a voice over the radio telling all units to catch Bennell and Bekkie. Also shots of various police cars travelling in various directions to show these roadbloacks being installed and the whole force is after the couple.
Bekkie and Bennell turn down a dark alley and park their car and abandon it. Framed in an enclosed hallway to show that they are caged in and trapped.
The two hide in a wardrobe to prevent being seen. Look out onto the room through a barred window to represent their entrapment while waiting for Jack to return with help.
The pair take drugs to help them stay awake. Dialogue reinforces what happens if they fall asleep; they'll become like them. Also reinforeces the importance of individualism and Bennell's feelings for Bekkie whom he kisses.
Population of the town turn up outside. It's too early for this type of activity (7.45am). Realises it's becaus ethere are a bus load of strangers in town and the police arrest them.
Jack arrives; reveals he's been invaded and he turns up with police. Told not to fight it, he has to sleep some time.
Told there's no need for emotion; everyone will be the same.
They also gather to hand out pods to the population to spread the invasion tp sorrounding towns.
1:00:30 - shot reverse shot, eyeline match, non diagetic sound, "there is no need for love", plants (reminder of what once was?) and desk (give aliens more authority).
1:01:16 - "I want to love and be loved", violin fades in, reaction shot, close up.
1:03:53 - doors block exit, medium close up pan, revenge, slightly louder
1:05:45 - average american street, long shot, scream as the actors pretend to be emotion-less, diagetic, shot reverse shot/action shot.
1:07:15 - hills and vegitation as well as people with car, crane high angle pan, town/them running to get them, diagetic and emphatic, establishing shot/reaction shot.
1:09:54 - mining cave with doards in floor, long shot, scared and exasperated/fearing for their lives, diagetic and empathetic, interior shot.
1:15:16 - mud and water, close up, emotion-less, non-diagetic, establishing shot.
1:18:06 - traffic at night (car lights), close up, terror "you're next", reaction shot.
1:18:34 - simple and plain room, medium close up three shot, sarcasm and despiration "you don't believe me", diagetic, reaction shot/jump cut.
1:20:02 - doorway in hospital, close up, fearful but releaved, emphatic, reaction shot.
Establishing shot pan following police car. Non-diegetic music (violins) putting the audience on edge.
Miles’ fist line of dialogue, protesting he’s not crazy whilst looking like a mad man and being held back. Emphatic sound, a non-diegetic sound effect matching Miles’ actions as he lunges forward and grabs the doctor. (1:55)
Finds out other man is a doctor from a mental institute and shouts he’s not insane. Reaction shot CU, over-the-shoulder. (2:08)
Miles starts to narrate the story as the films told in flashback. Dissolves to the next scene. “First glance everything looked the same. It wasn’t. Something evil had taken possession of the town”; sets the scene. (2:37)
Young boy runs out in front of car with Woman running after him who goes to explain he doesn’t want to go to school. Miles narrates “The boys panic should have told me it was more than school he was afraid of”; connoting to the audience something behind the scene is going on. Non-diegetic sound creating suspense. (4:18)
Cuts to Miles in doctor’s surgery, no major incidents got rushed back for nothing. (5:10)
Continuity cut to outside. All Miles’ patients are out and about doing their usual thing, nothing at all seems wrong. (5:25)
Miles’ old love, Becky, tells how her cousin believes her Uncle is an imposter. Non-diegetic sound adds emotion and suspense. Shot-reverse-shot. (6:16)
Sam meant to have appointment but says it wasn’t anything important. (7:45)
Miles about to leave surgery, woman drags young boy in (same one from earlier in the film) who’s in hysterics saying his mother isn’t his mother. Begs Bennell not to let her get him(8:40)
Bennell dismisses the boys claims and tells his grandmother to look after her for a few days while the boy in the background countinues to plea. Boy persists his mother isn't his mother and shouts at Bennell when he suggests it.(9:43)
Bennell goes to Wilmer's house to investigate her claims that her uncle was not her uncle. at 11:00, she explains in more detail the symptoms of being exactly the same but something's missing; no emotion.
12:00: Bennell assures Wilmer that there is no way it can't be her uncle.
12:53: Wilmer asks Bennell if she's going crazy. Bennell says no but says that she should go see his doctor friend Dan that we see in the opening sequence of the movie.
14:00: Encounters her uncle directly. His actions are eerie. Narration describes Bennell's distrust of her uncle despite what he's said to Wilmer but can't see why.
0:21:37 - "Body" has no fingerprints.
0:22:20 - Wife speculates the body is a clone of Jack.
0:25:52 - "Body" has same cut on hand as Jack. Changing into him.
0:27:35 - Doc rushes to Becky's house, check she's safe.
0:29:00 - Searches Becky's house for Becky.
0:30:12 - Finds Becky clone in house basement.
0:31:10 - Takes real Becky and runs for safety in his own home.
0:32:15 - Doc, Jack & Dan enter Jack's home, "Body" is gone, no trace.
0:33:05 - Dan tries to rationalise the "Body" incident.
0:34:14 - "Body" at Becky's has also disappered.
0:35:00 - Dan continues to rationalise experiences.
0:35:35 - Police officer arrives, gives an explanation of missing "Body" at Jack's
0:38:45 - Patient cancels phychiatrist appointment
0:39:15 - Patient walks inside house, no expression , monotone voice.
0:39:42 - Small delerious boy from start of film is in Doc's office, made full recovery.
0:39:58 - Doc asks himself why all his patients cancelled, knowing he didnt help them.
Bennell arrives at Jack's house where they are preparing a barbique.
cut to dutch angle of inside Jack's glasshouse when Bennel enters to find something to help the coal burn. Revealed there is an alien pod inside the glasshouse beginning to take form of someone.
Bennell notices the pod. Extreme close up of his face to stress his shock.
The whole group is alerted to the presence of the pod. Close ups of members of the groups to show the shock and their reaction.
Dialogue tells the audience the nature of the the seed pods. "Something or somebody wants this duplication to take place... when the process is completed the original is probably destoryed or disintergrates... There isn't any danger until it's fully formed."
The group then realise it's when you fall asleep it's when the transformation takes place.
Dutch angle of a group of alien pods foaming.
Bennell tries to call the FBI. Mentions that so many discoveries have been made over the past few years the pods could have come from anywhere, including atomic radiation.
Dialogue during this sequence reminds audience of what has happened during the film and summarises what we know about the alien pods.
The operator tells Bennell his call hasn't gone through; Bennell suspects the telephone office has been taken over.
Human shapes begin forming from the pod's foam. Jack realises they all resemble the group at his house.
Bennell sends Jack and his wife off to nearest town to get help. Bennell realises that they've taken over the phone lines; he has to stay with the phone to answer it when the operator calls back or they'll know they've left town and will block the roads.
Bennell goes into the greenhouse to kill the pod humans; unable to bring himself to kill Bekkie's duplicate.
Bennell and Bekkie decide to leave to find his nurse Sally, his "best bet" for someone to trust. Stop at gas station to try and use a pay phone to call her.
Gas man takes keys "to open the gas tank." Bennell notices him in the boot of his car and is suspicious.
Bekkie and Bennell drive off; in a dark road they pull over and open the trunk to find two alien pods. They set fire to them before driving off. Bennell no longer sure if he can trust anyone.
Arrives at Sally's house. Bennell goes to have a look to make sure it's safe while Bekkie waits in the car. Ready to make drive off quickly.
Bennell discovers a group of sinister invaded in Sally's house. They have a pod ready to replace the baby of the house.
Bennell approached from behind by an invaded policeman. Is told "we've been waiting for you". Bennell escapes but is pursuied by the invaded members of the house.
cuts to inside police cars with a voice over the radio telling all units to catch Bennell and Bekkie. Also shots of various police cars travelling in various directions to show these roadbloacks being installed and the whole force is after the couple.
Bekkie and Bennell turn down a dark alley and park their car and abandon it. Framed in an enclosed hallway to show that they are caged in and trapped.
The two hide in a wardrobe to prevent being seen. Look out onto the room through a barred window to represent their entrapment while waiting for Jack to return with help.
The pair take drugs to help them stay awake. Dialogue reinforces what happens if they fall asleep; they'll become like them. Also reinforeces the importance of individualism and Bennell's feelings for Bekkie whom he kisses.
Population of the town turn up outside. It's too early for this type of activity (7.45am). Realises it's becaus ethere are a bus load of strangers in town and the police arrest them.
Jack arrives; reveals he's been invaded and he turns up with police. Told not to fight it, he has to sleep some time.
Told there's no need for emotion; everyone will be the same.
They also gather to hand out pods to the population to spread the invasion tp sorrounding towns.
1:00:30 - shot reverse shot, eyeline match, non diagetic sound, "there is no need for love", plants (reminder of what once was?) and desk (give aliens more authority).
1:01:16 - "I want to love and be loved", violin fades in, reaction shot, close up.
1:03:53 - doors block exit, medium close up pan, revenge, slightly louder
1:05:45 - average american street, long shot, scream as the actors pretend to be emotion-less, diagetic, shot reverse shot/action shot.
1:07:15 - hills and vegitation as well as people with car, crane high angle pan, town/them running to get them, diagetic and emphatic, establishing shot/reaction shot.
1:09:54 - mining cave with doards in floor, long shot, scared and exasperated/fearing for their lives, diagetic and empathetic, interior shot.
1:15:16 - mud and water, close up, emotion-less, non-diagetic, establishing shot.
1:18:06 - traffic at night (car lights), close up, terror "you're next", reaction shot.
1:18:34 - simple and plain room, medium close up three shot, sarcasm and despiration "you don't believe me", diagetic, reaction shot/jump cut.
1:20:02 - doorway in hospital, close up, fearful but releaved, emphatic, reaction shot.
Sunday 8 April 2012
Sci-Fi Zombie Blog
Both the Invasion of the Body Snatchers and its 2007 remake Inavsion deals with the idea of human identity and how it takes more than memories and acting like a human to be a person. In both films, characters who are related to the invaded refer to them as being that person but not being that person, because "something is missing."
Invasion of the Body snatchers also hints around the fears of communism and how easily Americans in a sleepy town can be taken over.
Invasion deals with a more modern fear of a flu pandemic, replacing the seed pods that previously replaced humans with micro-organisms. This may be because of several events that has taken place over the past fifty years since IOTBS, including the rise of AIDs (spread by the sharing of body fluids, which is how the Invaded infect new hosts), bio-warfare and also the rise and rebirth of the Zombie-horror films (more later).
The film moves on from the fear of communism; this is a reaction experienced in many post-communist Russia films. The James Bond franchise moved on from communist plots to terrorist and crime organisations after the fall of communist Russia, starting in the film Goldeneye.
ZOMBIES
Invasion has several inavded characters that bear resemblence to the famous zombie-genre which was largely defined by Romero in his film Night of the Living Dead.
"Romero's Zombies" as they are known are template zombies; mindless, slow, primitive beings with no emotions. These zombies have been adapted over the decades, particually at the turn of the century with the release of Resident Evil, Dawn of the Dead, 28 Days later and Shaun of the Dead. Modern zombies are typically faster and smarter than their predecessors; in Invasion, there are several scenes that echo the horror franchise. For instance, the scene where Bennell is unconscience in the car and the invaded are trying to break in. This scene where two characters are enclosed is similar to scenes in most zombie films where the characters are surrounded by zombies (for instance, in Dawn of the Dead where the characters are locked inside a shopping mall surrounded by zombies bashing the door, trying to get in).
Also, there are several scenes where the characters are chased by the invaded; this also echoes modern zombie scenes such as in Dawn of the Dead where the zombies chase the lead characters as they escape the mall.
An example of the horror-genre bearing similiarities to Invasion. From Dawn of the Dead, this zombie-crowd scene is similar to the final sequences in Invasion when the lead characters are chased through the streets to escape.
Invasion of the Body snatchers also hints around the fears of communism and how easily Americans in a sleepy town can be taken over.
Invasion deals with a more modern fear of a flu pandemic, replacing the seed pods that previously replaced humans with micro-organisms. This may be because of several events that has taken place over the past fifty years since IOTBS, including the rise of AIDs (spread by the sharing of body fluids, which is how the Invaded infect new hosts), bio-warfare and also the rise and rebirth of the Zombie-horror films (more later).
The film moves on from the fear of communism; this is a reaction experienced in many post-communist Russia films. The James Bond franchise moved on from communist plots to terrorist and crime organisations after the fall of communist Russia, starting in the film Goldeneye.
ZOMBIES
Invasion has several inavded characters that bear resemblence to the famous zombie-genre which was largely defined by Romero in his film Night of the Living Dead.
"Romero's Zombies" as they are known are template zombies; mindless, slow, primitive beings with no emotions. These zombies have been adapted over the decades, particually at the turn of the century with the release of Resident Evil, Dawn of the Dead, 28 Days later and Shaun of the Dead. Modern zombies are typically faster and smarter than their predecessors; in Invasion, there are several scenes that echo the horror franchise. For instance, the scene where Bennell is unconscience in the car and the invaded are trying to break in. This scene where two characters are enclosed is similar to scenes in most zombie films where the characters are surrounded by zombies (for instance, in Dawn of the Dead where the characters are locked inside a shopping mall surrounded by zombies bashing the door, trying to get in).
Also, there are several scenes where the characters are chased by the invaded; this also echoes modern zombie scenes such as in Dawn of the Dead where the zombies chase the lead characters as they escape the mall.
An example of the horror-genre bearing similiarities to Invasion. From Dawn of the Dead, this zombie-crowd scene is similar to the final sequences in Invasion when the lead characters are chased through the streets to escape.
Monday 27 February 2012
Shane Meadows
-Attracted to films based around similar events to his life in Uttoxeter (i.e. based around the Midlands or characters turning to petty crime).
-Dead Man's Shoes is based on the more unpleasant side of his youth in Uttoxeter. It was inspired by a close friend who had been bullied, developed a drug problem and then committed suicide.
-Influences: Ken Loach and Mike Leigh
-Fan of Notts County F.C., making several references in his films by way of imagery and background shots.
-Uses kitchen-sink realism
-Claims to be self-taught
Pawel Pawlikowski
-Polish Born
-best known for his documentaries (started his career filming for the BBC)
-writes a majority of his films
-Won a BAFTA
-Has does a number of Foriegn language or foriegn based films
-Attracted to films based around similar events to his life in Uttoxeter (i.e. based around the Midlands or characters turning to petty crime).
-Dead Man's Shoes is based on the more unpleasant side of his youth in Uttoxeter. It was inspired by a close friend who had been bullied, developed a drug problem and then committed suicide.
-Influences: Ken Loach and Mike Leigh
-Fan of Notts County F.C., making several references in his films by way of imagery and background shots.
-Uses kitchen-sink realism
-Claims to be self-taught
Pawel Pawlikowski
-Polish Born
-best known for his documentaries (started his career filming for the BBC)
-writes a majority of his films
-Won a BAFTA
-Has does a number of Foriegn language or foriegn based films
The Oscars
Quick notes:
-The Artist was the big winner at the Oscars (received ten nominations, winning five awards; at the Golden Globes, the film was nominated for six and won three of them. The Artist became the first silent motion picture in 83 years to win Best Picture.
-Hugo (which won awards for sound and visual effects; 11 nominations, the most nominations for the night, taking home 5 awards) and The Iron Lady also won big
-The Oscars kept up a general trend with the Golden Globes (nominations wise)
-The British film industry was well represented (i.e. War Horse and The Iron Lady) but wasn't well represented winners-wise.
-Although many films had multiple nominations, only three walked away with multiple awards (the artist, hugo and the iron lady).
-The Artist was the big winner at the Oscars (received ten nominations, winning five awards; at the Golden Globes, the film was nominated for six and won three of them. The Artist became the first silent motion picture in 83 years to win Best Picture.
-Hugo (which won awards for sound and visual effects; 11 nominations, the most nominations for the night, taking home 5 awards) and The Iron Lady also won big
-The Oscars kept up a general trend with the Golden Globes (nominations wise)
-The British film industry was well represented (i.e. War Horse and The Iron Lady) but wasn't well represented winners-wise.
-Although many films had multiple nominations, only three walked away with multiple awards (the artist, hugo and the iron lady).
Saturday 25 February 2012
Film Study Notes: Somers Town and Last Resort
Some notes from two recent films I've watched and studied.
Somers Town
Director: Shane Meadows
Budget: £566,616 (entirely funded by Eurostar)
Release: 2008 (UK)
Reception: 96% on rotten tomatoes
Awards: Michael Powell Award (Edinburgh International Film Festival's highest award)
Some notes I made about the film:
-Immigrants (like in Ghosts and Last Resort) live in poor conditions.
-The Polish family (at the opening of the film) are quite strong in the belief of separating us and them.
-Immigrants seem to largely enjoy life in Britain, with the exception of missing family members.
-The film revolves around three people from three different backgrounds and places all coming to one new place (Somers Town). This makes them all forigeners to the area even though one comes from England.
-The main characters seem to have a simple grip on reality. This may be because they are children in an adult world and so retaining a childish outlook on the world.
-All of the main characters, despite being from different backgrounds, all seem to be gravitated to the same things and problems, at one point all being stuck in a rut facing similar situations despite the differences in nationality.
-The film ends by the two boys travelling to Paris to spend time with the girl they have apparently fallen in love with.
Last Resort
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Release: 2001
Reception: 94% On rotten tomatoes
Awards: BAFTA "Most Promising Newcomer in British Film - Pawel Pawlikowski" and Best New British Feature (Edinburgh Film Festival)
Some notes I made about the film:
-The mother appears not to fully understand the situation; like with Ghosts and Somer's Town, she holds a simpler grip on reality. Her son appears to have more sense about what is going on than she does.
-Like in Ghosts and Somer's town, there is a gangster-style buisnessman and several other characters who take advantage of the foreigner's lack of understanding on their situation. For instance, there are children in Last Resort selling items to immigrants to make money.
-Like in Ghosts and Somer's town, the immigrants live in poor conditions, even trying to sell things to make money.
-Also like in the previous two movies, an English character befriends them, eventually helping them escape the situation they're in.
-Unhappy in their new situation and wish to go home.
-The boy makes an effort to learn english like characters in the previous two films. He turns to crime and drinking later on because his lack of understanding of the country and poor conditions means he comes under the influence of "corrupt" teenagers.
-Unlike in Somer's Town, the Russian family leave the main male character Alfie and love to return home.
Somers Town
Director: Shane Meadows
Budget: £566,616 (entirely funded by Eurostar)
Release: 2008 (UK)
Reception: 96% on rotten tomatoes
Awards: Michael Powell Award (Edinburgh International Film Festival's highest award)
Some notes I made about the film:
-Immigrants (like in Ghosts and Last Resort) live in poor conditions.
-The Polish family (at the opening of the film) are quite strong in the belief of separating us and them.
-Immigrants seem to largely enjoy life in Britain, with the exception of missing family members.
-The film revolves around three people from three different backgrounds and places all coming to one new place (Somers Town). This makes them all forigeners to the area even though one comes from England.
-The main characters seem to have a simple grip on reality. This may be because they are children in an adult world and so retaining a childish outlook on the world.
-All of the main characters, despite being from different backgrounds, all seem to be gravitated to the same things and problems, at one point all being stuck in a rut facing similar situations despite the differences in nationality.
-The film ends by the two boys travelling to Paris to spend time with the girl they have apparently fallen in love with.
Last Resort
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Release: 2001
Reception: 94% On rotten tomatoes
Awards: BAFTA "Most Promising Newcomer in British Film - Pawel Pawlikowski" and Best New British Feature (Edinburgh Film Festival)
Some notes I made about the film:
-The mother appears not to fully understand the situation; like with Ghosts and Somer's Town, she holds a simpler grip on reality. Her son appears to have more sense about what is going on than she does.
-Like in Ghosts and Somer's town, there is a gangster-style buisnessman and several other characters who take advantage of the foreigner's lack of understanding on their situation. For instance, there are children in Last Resort selling items to immigrants to make money.
-Like in Ghosts and Somer's town, the immigrants live in poor conditions, even trying to sell things to make money.
-Also like in the previous two movies, an English character befriends them, eventually helping them escape the situation they're in.
-Unhappy in their new situation and wish to go home.
-The boy makes an effort to learn english like characters in the previous two films. He turns to crime and drinking later on because his lack of understanding of the country and poor conditions means he comes under the influence of "corrupt" teenagers.
-Unlike in Somer's Town, the Russian family leave the main male character Alfie and love to return home.
Friday 17 February 2012
Producers and Audiences Round Up
(A few case studies and notes to finish the producers and audiences off and act as back up for my essays)
Cowboys and Aliens
Budget: $163 million budget
Starring: Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig
Notes: Despite the budget and star presence, the film only took $174.8 million (around $11 million profit) and is therefore considered largely a finacial dissapointment.
The film was the second highest grossing film on its opening weekend (beaten by the Smurfs, a suprise to many critics who expected CAA to be the clear winner).
The film follows a world-wide trend that Western films are historically not popular, but CAA was expected to be different due to star presence and its cross-genre fusion of a western and sci-fi.
Based on a book of the same name, released in 2006.
Star Wars: Episode 4
Budget: $11 million (delays forced the budget up from $8 million)
Gross: $775 million
Star presence (at the time of release): Alec Guinness
Sci-fi films had previously seldom been successful; it was only with manned moon trips during the 70s that sci-fi became popular. This is shown with Lucas' failiure of sci-fi film THX 1138 but success of his american film American Graffiti.
Serious animation sci-fi has not yet proven commercially successful in the United States (i.e. Iron Giant and Titan A.E. all proving to be flops).
Avatar
Budget: Offically $237 million (unoffically budgeted at £310 million and $150 million for promotion)
Gross: $2.7 billion
Notes: Illegally downloaded 16.5 million times in 2010; the most pirated movie of that year. Lost an estimated $248.5 million through illegal downloading of DVDs alone (not including Blu-Ray or losses from box office takings).
The Dark Knight
Budget: $185 million
Gross: $1 billion
Notes: Media hype surrounding the film due to Heath Ledger's death cause a huge turn out for the film (the previous film made just about double on its original budget compared with this film which made over $1 billion gross).
See my previous piracy post and case study of TDK.
Paranormal Activity
Budget: $15,000
Gross: $193 Million
Notes: It is the most profitable film ever made, based on return on investment.
Originally an independent film.
Paramount Pictures bought the domestic rights to the film, and international rights to any sequels, for $350,000 USD. When the film was taken in by Paramount Pictures, several changes were made. Some scenes were cut, others added, and the original ending was scrapped, with two new endings being shot. The ending shown in theaters during the film's worldwide release is the only one of the three to feature visual effects, and it differs from the endings previously seen.
It was the above's purchase of the film that gave it such world wide success because of such wide-scale distribution that an independent film could never do. The film had originally been released to film festivals where Paramount staff noticed and picked up the film.
On October 3, it was reported that a total of 33 screenings in all 20 markets sold out and that the movie had made $500,000 domestically. A day later, Paramount announced that the film would have a full limited release in 40 markets, playing at all hours (including after-midnight showings). On October 6, Paramount announced that the movie would be released nationwide if the film got 1,000,000 "demands" on eventful.com. The full limited release of the film started on Friday, October 9. On October 10 the Eventful.com counter hit over 1,000,000 requests. Paramount announced soon after that the film would get a wide domestic release on Friday, October 16 and then expand to more theaters on the 23rd. By November, it was showing in locales worldwide.
Three sequels are being produced for the film. All these sequels have been produced on low budgest ($3-5 million) although these are increased budgets from the first film's original $15,000.
Paranormal Activity 3 created the "Tweet Your Scream" campaign on Twitter in preparation for the release.
Cowboys and Aliens
Budget: $163 million budget
Starring: Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig
Notes: Despite the budget and star presence, the film only took $174.8 million (around $11 million profit) and is therefore considered largely a finacial dissapointment.
The film was the second highest grossing film on its opening weekend (beaten by the Smurfs, a suprise to many critics who expected CAA to be the clear winner).
The film follows a world-wide trend that Western films are historically not popular, but CAA was expected to be different due to star presence and its cross-genre fusion of a western and sci-fi.
Based on a book of the same name, released in 2006.
Star Wars: Episode 4
Budget: $11 million (delays forced the budget up from $8 million)
Gross: $775 million
Star presence (at the time of release): Alec Guinness
Sci-fi films had previously seldom been successful; it was only with manned moon trips during the 70s that sci-fi became popular. This is shown with Lucas' failiure of sci-fi film THX 1138 but success of his american film American Graffiti.
Serious animation sci-fi has not yet proven commercially successful in the United States (i.e. Iron Giant and Titan A.E. all proving to be flops).
Avatar
Budget: Offically $237 million (unoffically budgeted at £310 million and $150 million for promotion)
Gross: $2.7 billion
Notes: Illegally downloaded 16.5 million times in 2010; the most pirated movie of that year. Lost an estimated $248.5 million through illegal downloading of DVDs alone (not including Blu-Ray or losses from box office takings).
The Dark Knight
Budget: $185 million
Gross: $1 billion
Notes: Media hype surrounding the film due to Heath Ledger's death cause a huge turn out for the film (the previous film made just about double on its original budget compared with this film which made over $1 billion gross).
See my previous piracy post and case study of TDK.
Paranormal Activity
Budget: $15,000
Gross: $193 Million
Notes: It is the most profitable film ever made, based on return on investment.
Originally an independent film.
Paramount Pictures bought the domestic rights to the film, and international rights to any sequels, for $350,000 USD. When the film was taken in by Paramount Pictures, several changes were made. Some scenes were cut, others added, and the original ending was scrapped, with two new endings being shot. The ending shown in theaters during the film's worldwide release is the only one of the three to feature visual effects, and it differs from the endings previously seen.
It was the above's purchase of the film that gave it such world wide success because of such wide-scale distribution that an independent film could never do. The film had originally been released to film festivals where Paramount staff noticed and picked up the film.
On October 3, it was reported that a total of 33 screenings in all 20 markets sold out and that the movie had made $500,000 domestically. A day later, Paramount announced that the film would have a full limited release in 40 markets, playing at all hours (including after-midnight showings). On October 6, Paramount announced that the movie would be released nationwide if the film got 1,000,000 "demands" on eventful.com. The full limited release of the film started on Friday, October 9. On October 10 the Eventful.com counter hit over 1,000,000 requests. Paramount announced soon after that the film would get a wide domestic release on Friday, October 16 and then expand to more theaters on the 23rd. By November, it was showing in locales worldwide.
Three sequels are being produced for the film. All these sequels have been produced on low budgest ($3-5 million) although these are increased budgets from the first film's original $15,000.
Paranormal Activity 3 created the "Tweet Your Scream" campaign on Twitter in preparation for the release.
Saturday 11 February 2012
Independent Film Companies
An independent film (or indie film) is a film initially produced without financing or distribution from a major movie studio. Often, films that receive less than 50% of their budget from major studio are also considered "independent". According to MPAA data, January through March 2005 showed approximately 15% of US domestic box office revenue was from independent or indie studios.
An independent film production can rival a mainstream film production if it has the necessary funding and distribution, like in the case of Paranormal Activity.
Case study: WARP FILMS
Origins: Based in the UK; started life as a record store.
Films include: Rubber Johnny, Dead Man's Shoes, This Is England, Donkey Punch, A Complete History of My Sexual Failures, Four Lions.
Warp Films has developed and has several projects currently in the works for the BBC, Channel 4 and Film4 (including one of their most popular creations, This Is England which has a sequel released due for release later this year).
One of the company's most recent productions, Tyrannosaur, received a grant of £206,540 from the National Lottery fund through the UK Film Council. The remainder of the film's budget was came from Warp X (part of the Warp Films company, typically funding films with budgets of £400,000 and £800,000), Inflammable Films, Film4, Screen Yorkshire, EM Media and Optimum Releasing (StudioCanal).
An independent film production can rival a mainstream film production if it has the necessary funding and distribution, like in the case of Paranormal Activity.
Case study: WARP FILMS
Origins: Based in the UK; started life as a record store.
Films include: Rubber Johnny, Dead Man's Shoes, This Is England, Donkey Punch, A Complete History of My Sexual Failures, Four Lions.
Warp Films has developed and has several projects currently in the works for the BBC, Channel 4 and Film4 (including one of their most popular creations, This Is England which has a sequel released due for release later this year).
One of the company's most recent productions, Tyrannosaur, received a grant of £206,540 from the National Lottery fund through the UK Film Council. The remainder of the film's budget was came from Warp X (part of the Warp Films company, typically funding films with budgets of £400,000 and £800,000), Inflammable Films, Film4, Screen Yorkshire, EM Media and Optimum Releasing (StudioCanal).
Director Study: Nick Broomfield
Nick Broomfield (b. 1948) is an English documentary film maker.
Broomfield's style has evolved a number of times over his career.
His documentary films, such as Ghosts, tell and explain events from the point of view of the victim, so the audience grow and experience the character's emotional journey with them. He currently employs a technique he calls ‘Direct Cinema’ which uses non-actors to play themselves and helps capture the truth of his film’s subject matter. In Battle for Haditha, Broomfield worked with ex-Marines and Iraqi refugees, as well as known actors, shooting the film sequentially, enabling the cast to build their characters as the story progressed. It also used real locations and improvised dialogue was encouraged, despite working from a detailed script.
Previous work includes Kurt and Courtney, Sarah Palin: You Betcha! and Monster in a Box .
-Influenced by Colin Young.
-Mother was a czech refugee and father a photographer.
-Dislikes using big crews with expensive equiptment.
Ghosts
Broomfield's 2006 documentary of the 2004 Morecambe Bay cockling disaster Ghosts is generally accepted as an accurate telling of the circumstances leading up to the disaster.
Much of Ghosts is based on a series of daring investigative reports by the Taiwanese-born journalist Hsiao-Hung Pai, but the film also incorporates the experiences of its actors, themselves former illegal migrants.
Broomfield and his lead actress, Ai Qin, shot several scenes for the film undercover, working in a factory and picking spring onions, although ultimately these scenes were cut form the final version because it was "too much like a different film" (Broomfield).
"I remember picking spring onions for about eight hours", Broomfield recalled, "then getting three hours' sleep and then being hauled up to go and work in a book factory. I was always being fired because I was too slow, partly because I was filming as well. It was very, very tough."
Broomfield shot Ghosts using a five-man crew using a single hand-held HD camera on a tiny budget. The film picked up 1.15% of the audience viewing figures when aired (122,000 people), up on the average figures for the channel's viewing figures for that 10pm slot (which is typically 0.62%, or 72,000).
However, there are a few details that have been changed for the film:
-38 individuals, of whom 23 drowned, were involved in the disaster while the film depicts a much smaller group of people.
-The film itself is based heavily on undercover reports by Hsiao-Hung Pai. Because there is no real documentation of the characters in the film (due to them working illegally in the UK), the film reflects and is based on what Hsiao-Hung Pai experienced himself and also the experiences of both the cast and crew.
-Ghosts had no scripted dialogue only working from a written outline.
-Released on the 200th annerversary of the abolition of slavery.
-Originally intended as a drama, not a documentary.
The Wider Issue
The rules about immigration control (which are law) are complicated by the fact that they overlap with nationality law - that is, the law about who is or is not a British citizen, and the rights of the different types of British citizen.
The system of immigration control in the UK splits people into two broad categories: those who have 'right of abode' in the UK and who can live, work and move in and out of the country as they wish, and those who require permission in order to enter and remain here.
Broomfield's style has evolved a number of times over his career.
His documentary films, such as Ghosts, tell and explain events from the point of view of the victim, so the audience grow and experience the character's emotional journey with them. He currently employs a technique he calls ‘Direct Cinema’ which uses non-actors to play themselves and helps capture the truth of his film’s subject matter. In Battle for Haditha, Broomfield worked with ex-Marines and Iraqi refugees, as well as known actors, shooting the film sequentially, enabling the cast to build their characters as the story progressed. It also used real locations and improvised dialogue was encouraged, despite working from a detailed script.
Previous work includes Kurt and Courtney, Sarah Palin: You Betcha! and Monster in a Box .
-Influenced by Colin Young.
-Mother was a czech refugee and father a photographer.
-Dislikes using big crews with expensive equiptment.
Ghosts
Broomfield's 2006 documentary of the 2004 Morecambe Bay cockling disaster Ghosts is generally accepted as an accurate telling of the circumstances leading up to the disaster.
Much of Ghosts is based on a series of daring investigative reports by the Taiwanese-born journalist Hsiao-Hung Pai, but the film also incorporates the experiences of its actors, themselves former illegal migrants.
Broomfield and his lead actress, Ai Qin, shot several scenes for the film undercover, working in a factory and picking spring onions, although ultimately these scenes were cut form the final version because it was "too much like a different film" (Broomfield).
"I remember picking spring onions for about eight hours", Broomfield recalled, "then getting three hours' sleep and then being hauled up to go and work in a book factory. I was always being fired because I was too slow, partly because I was filming as well. It was very, very tough."
Broomfield shot Ghosts using a five-man crew using a single hand-held HD camera on a tiny budget. The film picked up 1.15% of the audience viewing figures when aired (122,000 people), up on the average figures for the channel's viewing figures for that 10pm slot (which is typically 0.62%, or 72,000).
However, there are a few details that have been changed for the film:
-38 individuals, of whom 23 drowned, were involved in the disaster while the film depicts a much smaller group of people.
-The film itself is based heavily on undercover reports by Hsiao-Hung Pai. Because there is no real documentation of the characters in the film (due to them working illegally in the UK), the film reflects and is based on what Hsiao-Hung Pai experienced himself and also the experiences of both the cast and crew.
-Ghosts had no scripted dialogue only working from a written outline.
-Released on the 200th annerversary of the abolition of slavery.
-Originally intended as a drama, not a documentary.
The Wider Issue
The rules about immigration control (which are law) are complicated by the fact that they overlap with nationality law - that is, the law about who is or is not a British citizen, and the rights of the different types of British citizen.
The system of immigration control in the UK splits people into two broad categories: those who have 'right of abode' in the UK and who can live, work and move in and out of the country as they wish, and those who require permission in order to enter and remain here.
Friday 3 February 2012
Major Film Studios
A major film studio is a movie production and distribution company that releases a substantial number of films annually and consistently commands a significant share of box-office revenues in a given market.
The top 6 film distributors are these major film studios, called "The Majors," and they dominate the UK and US film market; these companies own over 80% of the film distribution market themselves. The top majors are Warner Bros (18.3% with 31 films released) and 20th Century Fox (15.9% with 28 films released).
CASE STUDY: Time Warner
First emerged: 1972
Share of the market: 18.3% in 2010 (The biggest share of all Majors in 2010)
As of mid-2010, it was the world's second largest entertainment conglomerate in terms of revenue (behind Disney), as well as the world's largest media conglomerate.
Competition: Box office receipts have been rising while the growth rate of DVD sales have recently been declining, which affects Warner Bros.' growth prospects and revenues.
2012 and upcoming films:
Already, Warner Bros. have had the 6th highest grossing film of 2012 so far (as of Feb. 2012)Joyful Noise.
More upcoming films are Wrath of the Titans, Bullet to the Head, The Lucky One, To The Arctic 3D, Dark Shadows, Magic Mike, The Apparition, Argo, Trouble with the Curve, The Gangster Squad, Gravity and The Great Gatsby.
But, probably the biggest release of the year for the studio is Christopher Nolan's third Batman installment, The Dark Knight Rises, In July.
Warner Bros. tend to do a wide range of films to appeal to multiple audiences; For instance, Project X is a comedy-drama while Journey 2 is a family-orientated film.
However, Warner Bros. do often favour production of sequels (Journey 2), films based on previous work such as books (i.e. The Dark Knight Rises and Bullet To The Head) (i.e. Sylvester Stallone in Bullet To The Head, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp in Dark Shadows).
Buisness Structure:
This is an example of Horizontal Intergration: This is absorption into a single firm of several firms involved in the same level of production and sharing resources at that level.
Vertical Intergration: The combination in one company of two or more stages of production normally operated by separate companies.
The top 6 film distributors are these major film studios, called "The Majors," and they dominate the UK and US film market; these companies own over 80% of the film distribution market themselves. The top majors are Warner Bros (18.3% with 31 films released) and 20th Century Fox (15.9% with 28 films released).
CASE STUDY: Time Warner
First emerged: 1972
Share of the market: 18.3% in 2010 (The biggest share of all Majors in 2010)
As of mid-2010, it was the world's second largest entertainment conglomerate in terms of revenue (behind Disney), as well as the world's largest media conglomerate.
Competition: Box office receipts have been rising while the growth rate of DVD sales have recently been declining, which affects Warner Bros.' growth prospects and revenues.
2012 and upcoming films:
Already, Warner Bros. have had the 6th highest grossing film of 2012 so far (as of Feb. 2012)Joyful Noise.
More upcoming films are Wrath of the Titans, Bullet to the Head, The Lucky One, To The Arctic 3D, Dark Shadows, Magic Mike, The Apparition, Argo, Trouble with the Curve, The Gangster Squad, Gravity and The Great Gatsby.
But, probably the biggest release of the year for the studio is Christopher Nolan's third Batman installment, The Dark Knight Rises, In July.
Warner Bros. tend to do a wide range of films to appeal to multiple audiences; For instance, Project X is a comedy-drama while Journey 2 is a family-orientated film.
However, Warner Bros. do often favour production of sequels (Journey 2), films based on previous work such as books (i.e. The Dark Knight Rises and Bullet To The Head) (i.e. Sylvester Stallone in Bullet To The Head, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp in Dark Shadows).
Buisness Structure:
This is an example of Horizontal Intergration: This is absorption into a single firm of several firms involved in the same level of production and sharing resources at that level.
Vertical Intergration: The combination in one company of two or more stages of production normally operated by separate companies.
Monday 30 January 2012
3D and Film
In the late 1890s, British film pioneer William Friese-Greene filed a patent for a 3-D movie process.
Two 30-minute Nazi propaganda films shot in 3D in Germany in 1936 were found in Berlin’s Federal Archives in 2011. By 2004, 54% (133 theaters of 248) of the IMAX community was 3D-capable.
3D film has resurged a number of times over the past 100 years; in 1952–1955, 1960, 1985 and 2009.
2011 has shown a considerable decline in audience interest in 3-D presentation. For instance, only 45% of the premiere weekend box office earnings of Kung Fu Panda 2 came from screenings in the 3D presentation format as opposed to 60% for Shrek Forever After in 2010.
A major criticism of 3D is that many of the movies in the 21st century to date were not filmed in 3D, but converted after filming. Filmmakers who have criticized this process include James Cameron, whose film Avatar was created in 3D from the ground up and is largely credited with the revival of 3-D.
Director Christopher Nolan has criticised the notion that traditional film does not allow depth perception, saying "I think it's a misnomer to call it 3D versus 2D. The whole point of cinematic imagery is it's three dimensional... You know 95% of our depth cues come from occlusion, resolution, color and so forth, so the idea of calling a 2D movie a '2D movie' is a little misleading."
Some films, like "Piranha 3D" have been accused of being made specifically to cash in on the hype around 3D.
Four of the biggest box-office films (Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Titanic and Finding Nemo) will all be re-released in 3-D in 2012.
Two 30-minute Nazi propaganda films shot in 3D in Germany in 1936 were found in Berlin’s Federal Archives in 2011. By 2004, 54% (133 theaters of 248) of the IMAX community was 3D-capable.
3D film has resurged a number of times over the past 100 years; in 1952–1955, 1960, 1985 and 2009.
2011 has shown a considerable decline in audience interest in 3-D presentation. For instance, only 45% of the premiere weekend box office earnings of Kung Fu Panda 2 came from screenings in the 3D presentation format as opposed to 60% for Shrek Forever After in 2010.
A major criticism of 3D is that many of the movies in the 21st century to date were not filmed in 3D, but converted after filming. Filmmakers who have criticized this process include James Cameron, whose film Avatar was created in 3D from the ground up and is largely credited with the revival of 3-D.
Director Christopher Nolan has criticised the notion that traditional film does not allow depth perception, saying "I think it's a misnomer to call it 3D versus 2D. The whole point of cinematic imagery is it's three dimensional... You know 95% of our depth cues come from occlusion, resolution, color and so forth, so the idea of calling a 2D movie a '2D movie' is a little misleading."
Some films, like "Piranha 3D" have been accused of being made specifically to cash in on the hype around 3D.
Four of the biggest box-office films (Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Titanic and Finding Nemo) will all be re-released in 3-D in 2012.
Saturday 28 January 2012
Film and Piracy
According to a report from the website TorrentFreak, 'Avatar' -- the highest grossing movie ever -- is the most pirated movie of all time. The film has been illegally downloaded 21 million times, two million more than runner-ups 'The Dark Knight' and 'Transformers.'
The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) has consistently tried to get The Pirate Bay closed down but has always being thwarted by fact that The Pirate Bay’s base of operations is in Sweden, out of the jurisdiction of U.S. copyright law.
CASE STUDY: The Dark Knight
Box office gross: Over $1 billion ($158.4 million in the first weekend). Also sold 3 million copies on DVD on its first day of release in the U.S., Canada, and the UK and managed record Blu-ray sales.
With 'The Dark Knight,' Warner Bros. devoted six months to an anti-piracy strategy that involved tracking the people who had a pre-release copy of the film at any one time. The film was always guaranteed to be a hit, but studio executives knew that an early leak of the film to online sources could prevent the record-breaking opening weekend that ended up becoming a reality. Shipping and delivery schedules were also staggered and spot checks were carried out both domestically and overseas to ensure illegal copying of the film was not taking place in cinemas. Despite all this, a pirated copy was released on the Web approximately 38 hours after the film's release. BitTorrent search engine The Pirate Bay taunted the movie industry over its ability to provide the movie free, replacing its logo with a taunting message.
However, Darcy Antonellis, president of Warner’s distribution and technical operations told the LA Times that the first weekend is important to ensure a film's success and the 38-hour delay between release and free pirated availiability was very important:
“One of the reasons why it’s so important to try to protect the first weekend is that it prevents the pirate supply chain from starting... A day or two becomes really, really significant. You’ve delayed disc manufacturing that then delays distribution, which then delays those discs from ending up on street corners for sale.”
(source: http://www.webtvwire.com/batman-the-dark-knight-movie-how-warner-bros-stopped-film-leaking-to-internet/ )
The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) has consistently tried to get The Pirate Bay closed down but has always being thwarted by fact that The Pirate Bay’s base of operations is in Sweden, out of the jurisdiction of U.S. copyright law.
CASE STUDY: The Dark Knight
Box office gross: Over $1 billion ($158.4 million in the first weekend). Also sold 3 million copies on DVD on its first day of release in the U.S., Canada, and the UK and managed record Blu-ray sales.
With 'The Dark Knight,' Warner Bros. devoted six months to an anti-piracy strategy that involved tracking the people who had a pre-release copy of the film at any one time. The film was always guaranteed to be a hit, but studio executives knew that an early leak of the film to online sources could prevent the record-breaking opening weekend that ended up becoming a reality. Shipping and delivery schedules were also staggered and spot checks were carried out both domestically and overseas to ensure illegal copying of the film was not taking place in cinemas. Despite all this, a pirated copy was released on the Web approximately 38 hours after the film's release. BitTorrent search engine The Pirate Bay taunted the movie industry over its ability to provide the movie free, replacing its logo with a taunting message.
However, Darcy Antonellis, president of Warner’s distribution and technical operations told the LA Times that the first weekend is important to ensure a film's success and the 38-hour delay between release and free pirated availiability was very important:
“One of the reasons why it’s so important to try to protect the first weekend is that it prevents the pirate supply chain from starting... A day or two becomes really, really significant. You’ve delayed disc manufacturing that then delays distribution, which then delays those discs from ending up on street corners for sale.”
(source: http://www.webtvwire.com/batman-the-dark-knight-movie-how-warner-bros-stopped-film-leaking-to-internet/ )
Friday 27 January 2012
Media Technology and Film Research
1976 - Year VHS launched
1996 - DVD is launched in Japan, followed by USA release in 1997 and Europe release in 1998.
2006 - Blu-ray Disc launched
Home-entertainment Wars
Two major conflicts have arisen throughout the past 40 years over home entertainment between alternate formats and ways to watch film:
-Videotape format war (1970s-80s): Battle between Sony's Beta and JCV's VHS video cassette systems for who had dominat use over the market. Although higher quality, standard Betamax tapes recording span lasted 60 minutes— not long enough to record a movie. Conversely, the 3-hour VHS tapes were perfect for recording television programmes and movies. Sony adopted changes too late and thus lost the war. The issue of recording time is often cited as the most defining factor in the war.
Both Betamax and VHS were later rendered useless with digital technology such as DVD; VHS ceased to be a format for major film releases in 2006.
-HD DVD vs. Blu-ray (2006-8): Battle for HD home entertainment between HD DVD and Blu Ray (both launched in 2006). In 2008, major content manufacturers and key retailers began withdrawing their support for the format after the manufacture and devlopement of Blu Ray disks became cheaper and more efficent.
On-Demand Streaming and the Digital Revolution:
With the emergence of fast internet connection on a wide-access scale in the early to mid-2000s, video streaming websites like Youtube became popular for accessing and watching video clips.
Youtube was launched on February 14, 2005 and in October 2006, the website was purchased by media-giant Google for $1.65 billion. Despite asking users not to upload copyright material, Organizations including Viacom, Mediaset, and the English Premier League have filed lawsuits against YouTube for the upload of such material. Viacom, demanding $1 billion in damages, said that it had found more than 150,000 unauthorized clips of its material on YouTube that had been viewed "an astounding 1.5 billion times".
However, some companies, particually the music industry, have used this website to its advantage. Vevo offers music videos from three of the 'big four' major record labels: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI and is part of the Youtube video website. There are more than 45,000 videos available on Vevo for viewing in most countries.
However, the film industry is yet to launch a similar format on Youtube for taking advantage of the Youtube audience, only really making money through uploading adverts on offical film trailer accounts.
Netflix is an example of an emerging film-streaming website. According to its offical website, Netflix more than 20 million streaming members at the end of September 2011.
What the website offers is a membership fee of £5.99 a month in exchange for unlimited film and TV show viewing. Initially, the feature offered subscribers one hour of media for approximately every dollar they spent on their subscription but this was lifted in January 2008.
In September 2006 iTunes progressed to selling full-length films, an alternate form of pay-for-viewing films from an online source. iTunes also gives the option of renting movies, which began in January 2008. Once a rental is downloaded the viewer has thirty days to watch the movie before it expires and once the viewer begins to watch the movie he/she has twenty-four hours to finish the movie before the file expires the useage period.
Alternatively, film-rental sites that send copies of the film physically via post or download, such as LoveFilm, are becoming popular. At the end of 2011, LoveFilm claimed to have over 1,500,000 members, over 70,000 titles, and over 4 million rentals per month across five countries. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, LoveFilm has, in a few years, become the leading online DVD rental outlet in the UK and across Europe.
Film rental has changed considerably over the past decade; Blockbuster (founded in 1985) has undergone significant revenue losses due to LoveFilm's popularity. On September 23, 2010, Blockbuster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to challenging losses, $900 million in debt, and strong competition from Netflix, Redbox, and video on-demand services.
Other physical suppliers of film have been facing difficulty for a number of reasons, including competition from online sources.
On Christmas Eve, 24 December 2008, the "Zavvi UK" group went into administration owing to the loss of its supplier, as the company was unable to source stock in its usual way. The visual media department primarily consisted of DVDs. By March 2008, with the demise of the HD DVD format, Zavvi stores only stocked the Blu-ray High-definition video format. The company has since reopened exclusively as a website at www.zavvi.com.
HMV, an entertainment retailer that supplies films on DVD and Blu Ray format. currently faces a £180m debt. HMV and Zavvi are two examples of a trend that has effected the entertainment-supplying market along with the highstreet as a whole; a recession-hit public has stopped buying as much lesuire products such as films to save money. As a result of this causing less profit, a rise in production prices and inflation, prices rise and thus fewer and fewer products are bought.
Such issues have claimed the lives of retailers Zavvi and Woolworths that both supplied films to the public.
Facts:
-In 2010, 80% of American Internet users had watched video online.
-142 paying VOD services were operational in Europe at the end of 2006 increasing to 650 by 2009.
-Movie piracy alone has cost the United States economy $20.5 billion per year in loss of business, jobs, wages and taxes, according to a recent market study.
-In the UK, Piracy generates £200m a year for criminals
1996 - DVD is launched in Japan, followed by USA release in 1997 and Europe release in 1998.
2006 - Blu-ray Disc launched
Home-entertainment Wars
Two major conflicts have arisen throughout the past 40 years over home entertainment between alternate formats and ways to watch film:
-Videotape format war (1970s-80s): Battle between Sony's Beta and JCV's VHS video cassette systems for who had dominat use over the market. Although higher quality, standard Betamax tapes recording span lasted 60 minutes— not long enough to record a movie. Conversely, the 3-hour VHS tapes were perfect for recording television programmes and movies. Sony adopted changes too late and thus lost the war. The issue of recording time is often cited as the most defining factor in the war.
Both Betamax and VHS were later rendered useless with digital technology such as DVD; VHS ceased to be a format for major film releases in 2006.
-HD DVD vs. Blu-ray (2006-8): Battle for HD home entertainment between HD DVD and Blu Ray (both launched in 2006). In 2008, major content manufacturers and key retailers began withdrawing their support for the format after the manufacture and devlopement of Blu Ray disks became cheaper and more efficent.
On-Demand Streaming and the Digital Revolution:
With the emergence of fast internet connection on a wide-access scale in the early to mid-2000s, video streaming websites like Youtube became popular for accessing and watching video clips.
Youtube was launched on February 14, 2005 and in October 2006, the website was purchased by media-giant Google for $1.65 billion. Despite asking users not to upload copyright material, Organizations including Viacom, Mediaset, and the English Premier League have filed lawsuits against YouTube for the upload of such material. Viacom, demanding $1 billion in damages, said that it had found more than 150,000 unauthorized clips of its material on YouTube that had been viewed "an astounding 1.5 billion times".
However, some companies, particually the music industry, have used this website to its advantage. Vevo offers music videos from three of the 'big four' major record labels: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI and is part of the Youtube video website. There are more than 45,000 videos available on Vevo for viewing in most countries.
However, the film industry is yet to launch a similar format on Youtube for taking advantage of the Youtube audience, only really making money through uploading adverts on offical film trailer accounts.
Netflix is an example of an emerging film-streaming website. According to its offical website, Netflix more than 20 million streaming members at the end of September 2011.
What the website offers is a membership fee of £5.99 a month in exchange for unlimited film and TV show viewing. Initially, the feature offered subscribers one hour of media for approximately every dollar they spent on their subscription but this was lifted in January 2008.
In September 2006 iTunes progressed to selling full-length films, an alternate form of pay-for-viewing films from an online source. iTunes also gives the option of renting movies, which began in January 2008. Once a rental is downloaded the viewer has thirty days to watch the movie before it expires and once the viewer begins to watch the movie he/she has twenty-four hours to finish the movie before the file expires the useage period.
Alternatively, film-rental sites that send copies of the film physically via post or download, such as LoveFilm, are becoming popular. At the end of 2011, LoveFilm claimed to have over 1,500,000 members, over 70,000 titles, and over 4 million rentals per month across five countries. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, LoveFilm has, in a few years, become the leading online DVD rental outlet in the UK and across Europe.
Film rental has changed considerably over the past decade; Blockbuster (founded in 1985) has undergone significant revenue losses due to LoveFilm's popularity. On September 23, 2010, Blockbuster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to challenging losses, $900 million in debt, and strong competition from Netflix, Redbox, and video on-demand services.
Other physical suppliers of film have been facing difficulty for a number of reasons, including competition from online sources.
On Christmas Eve, 24 December 2008, the "Zavvi UK" group went into administration owing to the loss of its supplier, as the company was unable to source stock in its usual way. The visual media department primarily consisted of DVDs. By March 2008, with the demise of the HD DVD format, Zavvi stores only stocked the Blu-ray High-definition video format. The company has since reopened exclusively as a website at www.zavvi.com.
HMV, an entertainment retailer that supplies films on DVD and Blu Ray format. currently faces a £180m debt. HMV and Zavvi are two examples of a trend that has effected the entertainment-supplying market along with the highstreet as a whole; a recession-hit public has stopped buying as much lesuire products such as films to save money. As a result of this causing less profit, a rise in production prices and inflation, prices rise and thus fewer and fewer products are bought.
Such issues have claimed the lives of retailers Zavvi and Woolworths that both supplied films to the public.
Facts:
-In 2010, 80% of American Internet users had watched video online.
-142 paying VOD services were operational in Europe at the end of 2006 increasing to 650 by 2009.
-Movie piracy alone has cost the United States economy $20.5 billion per year in loss of business, jobs, wages and taxes, according to a recent market study.
-In the UK, Piracy generates £200m a year for criminals
Sunday 22 January 2012
Film Distribution Example
INCEPTION
UK Distribution: Warner Bros. UK
Budget (Advertising): $100 Million
Notable cast/crew used for advertising (i.e. interviews): Christopher Nolan (Director), Leonardo DiCaprio
Press Agents: Eugénie Pont, Carole Chomand, Sabri Ammar, Caroline Marechal.
Trailers: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/inception/trailers/ (Includes teaser and several different standard trailer clips).
Sue Kroll, president of Warner's worldwide marketing, said the company believed Inception could gain awareness due to the strength of "Christopher Nolan as a brand".
After the revelation of the first teaser trailer in August 2009, the film's official website featured only an animation of Cobb's spinning top. In December, the top toppled over and the website opened the online game Mind Crime, which upon completion revealed Inception's poster.
More pieces of viral marketing began to surface before Inception's release, such as a manual filled with bizarre images and text sent to Wired magazine, and the online publication of posters, ads, phone applications, and strange websites all related to the film. Warner also released an online prequel comic, Inception: The Cobol Job.
The official trailer released on May 10, 2010 through Mind Game. On June 7, 2010, a behind-the-scenes featurette on the film was released in HD on Yahoo! Movies.
UK Distribution: Warner Bros. UK
Budget (Advertising): $100 Million
Notable cast/crew used for advertising (i.e. interviews): Christopher Nolan (Director), Leonardo DiCaprio
Press Agents: Eugénie Pont, Carole Chomand, Sabri Ammar, Caroline Marechal.
Trailers: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/inception/trailers/ (Includes teaser and several different standard trailer clips).
Sue Kroll, president of Warner's worldwide marketing, said the company believed Inception could gain awareness due to the strength of "Christopher Nolan as a brand".
After the revelation of the first teaser trailer in August 2009, the film's official website featured only an animation of Cobb's spinning top. In December, the top toppled over and the website opened the online game Mind Crime, which upon completion revealed Inception's poster.
More pieces of viral marketing began to surface before Inception's release, such as a manual filled with bizarre images and text sent to Wired magazine, and the online publication of posters, ads, phone applications, and strange websites all related to the film. Warner also released an online prequel comic, Inception: The Cobol Job.
The official trailer released on May 10, 2010 through Mind Game. On June 7, 2010, a behind-the-scenes featurette on the film was released in HD on Yahoo! Movies.
Monday 16 January 2012
Golden Globes 2012
Winners
Best Drama
The Descendants
Best Comedy/Musical
The Artist
Best Animated Film
The Adventures of TinTin
Best Actor in a Drama
George Clooney, The Descendants
Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Actress in a Drama
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Director
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Best Screenplay
Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
Best Score - Motion Picture
The Artist - Ludovic Bource
Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Masterpiece" - Madonna
Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation, Iran
Cecil B. Demille Award
Morgan Freeman
Television
Best TV Comedy or Musical
Modern Family
Best Television Series - Drama
Homeland
Best Mini-Series
Downton Abbey
Best Actor in a TV Drama
Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Best Actor in a TV Musical or Comedy
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Best Supporting Actor in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Best Actress in a TV Drama
Claire Danes, Homeland
Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Best Supporting Actress in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Best Actor in a TV Movie
Idris Elba, Luther
Best Actress in a TV Movie
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
20th Century Fox did best at the award ceremony, winning two awards (not counting awards for actors or directors). However, one of these awards was for best television series.
No film was the overall winner at the ceremony, but George Cloony won two awards for his film "The Descendants" (best drama film) and Clooney himself received the best actor in a drama film award. The film "The Artist" won three awards.
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade awarded by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA); these members HFPA members attend more than 300 interviews and countless movie and television screenings throughout each year. None of these active members were from the United States (source http://www.goldenglobes.org/hfpa_members/ )
The broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards, telecast to 167 countries worldwide, generally ranks as the third most-watched awards show each year, behind only the Oscars and the Grammy Awards.
Revenues generated from the annual ceremony have enabled the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to donate millions of dollars to entertainment-related charities.
Six of the top seven highest-grossing films worldwide of all time have some British historical, cultural or creative dimensions: Titanic, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Harry Potter films. The second culturally American film on the list, Star Wars at number 9, was filmed principally in the UK. Adding four more Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films, plus three about a Scottish ogre in British fairy tale setting (Shrek), and about two-thirds of the top twenty most commercial films, with combined cinema revenues of about $13 billion, had a substantial British dimension.
Best Drama
The Descendants
Best Comedy/Musical
The Artist
Best Animated Film
The Adventures of TinTin
Best Actor in a Drama
George Clooney, The Descendants
Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Actress in a Drama
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Director
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Best Screenplay
Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
Best Score - Motion Picture
The Artist - Ludovic Bource
Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Masterpiece" - Madonna
Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation, Iran
Cecil B. Demille Award
Morgan Freeman
Television
Best TV Comedy or Musical
Modern Family
Best Television Series - Drama
Homeland
Best Mini-Series
Downton Abbey
Best Actor in a TV Drama
Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Best Actor in a TV Musical or Comedy
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Best Supporting Actor in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Best Actress in a TV Drama
Claire Danes, Homeland
Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Best Supporting Actress in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Best Actor in a TV Movie
Idris Elba, Luther
Best Actress in a TV Movie
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
20th Century Fox did best at the award ceremony, winning two awards (not counting awards for actors or directors). However, one of these awards was for best television series.
No film was the overall winner at the ceremony, but George Cloony won two awards for his film "The Descendants" (best drama film) and Clooney himself received the best actor in a drama film award. The film "The Artist" won three awards.
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade awarded by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA); these members HFPA members attend more than 300 interviews and countless movie and television screenings throughout each year. None of these active members were from the United States (source http://www.goldenglobes.org/hfpa_members/ )
The broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards, telecast to 167 countries worldwide, generally ranks as the third most-watched awards show each year, behind only the Oscars and the Grammy Awards.
Revenues generated from the annual ceremony have enabled the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to donate millions of dollars to entertainment-related charities.
Six of the top seven highest-grossing films worldwide of all time have some British historical, cultural or creative dimensions: Titanic, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Harry Potter films. The second culturally American film on the list, Star Wars at number 9, was filmed principally in the UK. Adding four more Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films, plus three about a Scottish ogre in British fairy tale setting (Shrek), and about two-thirds of the top twenty most commercial films, with combined cinema revenues of about $13 billion, had a substantial British dimension.
Friday 13 January 2012
Tuesday 10 January 2012
Film Industry info...
None of the 20 Most Profitable Movies (Based on Absolute Profit on Worldwide Gross) are above the age recommendation of PG-13 (source: http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/records/budgets.php). 5 of these films are child-friendly animations (such as The Lion King) aimed at a family audience.
12 of the 20 films are part of a series (such as Harry Potter, Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings).
However, the most profitable movies based on investment return tend to be low-budget horror movies, such as Paranormal Activity which were produced independantly on a low-budget and became mainstream oftern by the movie being distributed by a powerful distributor such as Dreamworks.
12 of the 20 films are part of a series (such as Harry Potter, Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings).
However, the most profitable movies based on investment return tend to be low-budget horror movies, such as Paranormal Activity which were produced independantly on a low-budget and became mainstream oftern by the movie being distributed by a powerful distributor such as Dreamworks.
Monday 9 January 2012
Film Production, Distribution and Audiences
Film Production and Distribution
The top 10 film distributors owned 93.7% of the 2010 market share in 2010. The top 6 distributors are known as "The Majors" and they dominate the UK and US film market; these companies own over 80% of the film distribution market themselves. The top majors are Warner Bros (18.3% with 31 films released) and 20th Century Fox (15.9% with 28 films released).
The cinema market can be broken down into three sections:
-High-budget tentpoles, or films that are designed for a large audience.
-Mainstream movies on wide release.
-Specialised films that require a more selective and considered release.
High-budget tentpoles, or "event movies," attempt to appeal to a large audience; The film industry call this audience 'the four quadrants audience' e.g everybody - children, young adults, parents, male and female.
Examples of tentpoles for 2012 are:
-The Avengers (Marvel/Disney/Paramount)
-Men In Black 3 (Sony Pictures)
-Ice Age 3 (Dreamworks)
Many tentpole movies, particually the Avengers, use merchandise to generate publicity and money. The Avengers has a deal with toy maker Hasbro to produce an offical line of Avengers toys to coincide with the movie release, annouced in Feb. 2011 (see previous blog for more details.)
Puss in Boots is an example of a film with a merchandise line that is produced along with a children's fast food menu; The restaurant McDonalds produces a themed-happy meal pack with a children's meal and free toy oftern from a children's blockbuster film which generates interest about the movie from the children.
More examples of past McDonalds toys produced can be found at:
http://www.kathysfastfoodtoys.com/
In 2010, film-based toys include toys themed from the films Megamind, Transformers, Shrek Forever After, Star Wars, How To Train Your Dragon, Alvin And The Chipmunks (The Squeakquel) and Madagascar. A full list can be found at:
http://www.kathysfastfoodtoys.com/McD2010.html
Similally, in 2010, Burger King produced its own ranged of movie-themed toys such as Iron Man 2 and Marmaduke.
The Avengers has a merchandise deal with Hasbro, Funko and Mondo to produce toys and sports-based products. See some of the products here:
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MarvelFreshman/news/?a=52053
The biggest budget ever for a film is $300,000,000 for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides while the most profitable movie is Avatar ($1,154,959,491 profit).
Source: http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/records/budgets.php
Here is a link to cinema tickets sold and top movies of each year (1995-1011): http://www.the-numbers.com/market/
In addition, here is a chart of the top 100-selling movies on DVD (2011): http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2011.php
Film Audiences
UK film admissions
2011: 157,930,152
2009: 173,461,335
2007: 162,542,120
2005: 164,666,563
2003: 167,255,261
2011 experienced a 10-year low in cinema admissions (down by an average of around 10,000,000).
62% of people said they went to the cinema at least once last year, up by 2% on the year before; 19% said they went to the cinema at least once a month.
-On average, each person watched 81 induvidual films in 2010.
-80% of these viewings were on TV and only 4% in the cinema.
-Viewing on demand owned only 1% of the film audience and DVD/Blu-Ray the remaining 16%.
(Note- These figures do not take into account film viewing from illegal sources, such as illegal pirate website downloads)
-The total 2010 film audience is estimated at 4,609 million people.
-The main cinema audience for the top 20 films were aged 7-24 (about 48%)
The top 10 film distributors owned 93.7% of the 2010 market share in 2010. The top 6 distributors are known as "The Majors" and they dominate the UK and US film market; these companies own over 80% of the film distribution market themselves. The top majors are Warner Bros (18.3% with 31 films released) and 20th Century Fox (15.9% with 28 films released).
The cinema market can be broken down into three sections:
-High-budget tentpoles, or films that are designed for a large audience.
-Mainstream movies on wide release.
-Specialised films that require a more selective and considered release.
High-budget tentpoles, or "event movies," attempt to appeal to a large audience; The film industry call this audience 'the four quadrants audience' e.g everybody - children, young adults, parents, male and female.
Examples of tentpoles for 2012 are:
-The Avengers (Marvel/Disney/Paramount)
-Men In Black 3 (Sony Pictures)
-Ice Age 3 (Dreamworks)
Many tentpole movies, particually the Avengers, use merchandise to generate publicity and money. The Avengers has a deal with toy maker Hasbro to produce an offical line of Avengers toys to coincide with the movie release, annouced in Feb. 2011 (see previous blog for more details.)
Puss in Boots is an example of a film with a merchandise line that is produced along with a children's fast food menu; The restaurant McDonalds produces a themed-happy meal pack with a children's meal and free toy oftern from a children's blockbuster film which generates interest about the movie from the children.
More examples of past McDonalds toys produced can be found at:
http://www.kathysfastfoodtoys.com/
In 2010, film-based toys include toys themed from the films Megamind, Transformers, Shrek Forever After, Star Wars, How To Train Your Dragon, Alvin And The Chipmunks (The Squeakquel) and Madagascar. A full list can be found at:
http://www.kathysfastfoodtoys.com/McD2010.html
Similally, in 2010, Burger King produced its own ranged of movie-themed toys such as Iron Man 2 and Marmaduke.
The Avengers has a merchandise deal with Hasbro, Funko and Mondo to produce toys and sports-based products. See some of the products here:
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MarvelFreshman/news/?a=52053
The biggest budget ever for a film is $300,000,000 for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides while the most profitable movie is Avatar ($1,154,959,491 profit).
Source: http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/records/budgets.php
Here is a link to cinema tickets sold and top movies of each year (1995-1011): http://www.the-numbers.com/market/
In addition, here is a chart of the top 100-selling movies on DVD (2011): http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2011.php
Film Audiences
UK film admissions
2011: 157,930,152
2009: 173,461,335
2007: 162,542,120
2005: 164,666,563
2003: 167,255,261
2011 experienced a 10-year low in cinema admissions (down by an average of around 10,000,000).
62% of people said they went to the cinema at least once last year, up by 2% on the year before; 19% said they went to the cinema at least once a month.
-On average, each person watched 81 induvidual films in 2010.
-80% of these viewings were on TV and only 4% in the cinema.
-Viewing on demand owned only 1% of the film audience and DVD/Blu-Ray the remaining 16%.
(Note- These figures do not take into account film viewing from illegal sources, such as illegal pirate website downloads)
-The total 2010 film audience is estimated at 4,609 million people.
-The main cinema audience for the top 20 films were aged 7-24 (about 48%)
Friday 6 January 2012
The Avengers: Marketing and Promotion #1
"we will own the summer of 2012... by the time The Avengers debuts in 2012, there will be a significant amount of awareness in the marketplace."
--Paul Gitter, president of consumer products for Marvel Entertainment
The Avengers takes advantage of social media by installing a "Share" tab on its offical website, allowing vistitors to blog or post the link on social networking sites such as twitter or facebook. This is a form of free advertising for the company because users inform their friends of the film's relase through word of mouth and therefore generates more interest.
Offical facebook Avengers feed:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/AvengersUK
This facebook page keeps fans and also casual film goers updated.
Mechandise
In December 2011, Marvel announced that a four-issue comic book prelude to the film, written by Christopher Yost and Eric Pearson with art by Luke Ross and Daniel HDR, will be released in March 2012. A videogame coinciding with the film's release was planned but was eventually cancelled due to game-producer THQ failing to sell several other of its projects successfully.
In february 2011, Hasbro debuted 21 Avengers toys at the Toy Fair in New York.
Habro announced there were no plans for an offical X-Men First Class line of figures, only an Avengers line. The fact that X-Men was a film released a year before the Avengers proves the marketability of the franchise.
Link:
http://www.mania.com/21-avengers-toys-marvel-toy-fair-2011_article_128535.html
Link:
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MarvelFreshman/news/?a=50329
Tuesday 3 January 2012
FilmStudies Research Project...
For my FilmStudies research project, I will be following the marketing and release of Marvel's The Avengers movie.
Release Date: May 4th, 2012 (USA)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey, JR,.
Synopsis:
When an unexpected enemy emerges who threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, the director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team of superheroes to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.
Offical Trailer:
I have decided to study and follow the release of this film because of the huge marketing budget and marketing scale behind it; The Avengers follows the release of several previous Marvel superhero films building up to The Avengers storyline, including Iron Man
and The Hulk, and is predicted to be the boxoffice smash hit of the summer.
Release Date: May 4th, 2012 (USA)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey, JR,.
Synopsis:
When an unexpected enemy emerges who threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, the director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team of superheroes to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.
Offical Trailer:
I have decided to study and follow the release of this film because of the huge marketing budget and marketing scale behind it; The Avengers follows the release of several previous Marvel superhero films building up to The Avengers storyline, including Iron Man
and The Hulk, and is predicted to be the boxoffice smash hit of the summer.
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