Monarch of the Glen: AGE

https://vimeo.com/album/3059466/video/108236730

To what does media ownership have an impact on the successful distribution of media products in the media area that you have studied?

Having studied the film industry, I will focus on how media ownership impacts the distribution of  film. The big six is made up of 20th century fox, Paramount, Universal, Warner Brothers, Sony and Disney. Disney is a multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate and it was founded in 1923. It is one of the largest and most popular diversified entertainment company with the set up of theme parks and popularity from its iconic animated movies. This company produces high budget films and it is a part of the big six oligopoly.

A recent film that is extremely popular for its sister loving power and inspirational attitudes is frozen which was produced and marketed from a budget of $150 million, and Disney believe that Frozen is the 18th highest grossing movie ever. As Disney is such a large company it vertically integrated its film, meaning all revenue and costs would go straight to disney as a company. Disney having previous popular films, they had a large foundation which helped to produce and distribute their film, as well as it being a multinational conglomerate there are various companies situated all over the world as well as different groups. For example there is a Walt Disney Motion Pictures in Norway and Japan which helped wth the distribution process. Frozen was most popular in America and Europe however it did make it to many other countries such as Japan and China. It was recorded in 41 languages and was particularly large in Japan where box-office receipts contributed to 19% of the worldwide earnings as well as USA's 32%. Frozen has taken a total of £723 million worldwide and a domestic gross of $400 million+. Frozen is rated high in getting the largest amount of domestic growth of all time. It has won a variety of awards which is down to the films distribution techniques and its wide variety of showings across the world. They won Golden Trailer Awards and won a Bafta and Golden Globe award in 2014-2015. Instead of using one trailer which is the main source of marketing for a film, they created an extra trailer which was aimed towards a target audience of boys specifically to show them that the film didn't just focus on princesses and girly themes. In connection with trailers, some of the cast, directors and producers all had interviews where they expressed their feelings and knowledge of the film which excited others for the film. Due to technological convergence merchandise was another platform that this film relied on relating to their marketing techniques as they released various products, games and music a long with the film. For example they used synergistic techniques such as working with apple to create games online, on the app store as well as being available on android and tablets. Cross media convergence also allows the film to be played on amazon, sky movies and virgin movies and the film was available to be viewed in 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D and IMAX.

Studio Canal was responsible for the distribution of Fast Girls and Aegis Film Fund, Dj Films and Ealing Metro International were all apart of the production. Fast Girls was launched at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011 and was cast promoted the film at 2012 Cannes Film Festival which secured an international distributor for the movie. Having a film being promoted at a festival it receives a recognition platform from a variety of people, allowing it to be nominated for some awards  before and after the release. In comparison to Frozen the budget for this British indie film is extremely low with a figure of £50,000 and box office taking of over £1 million. They got a review of 6.2/10 from IMDb and from the guardian 3/5. As they didn't have the money too market the film widely they use below the line marketing to entice the public, so they distributed flyers, put up posters, spread the word on social media and created a website and Facebook page. As well as this at the premiere of the film they shared photos of this events showing that the red carpet was theoretically a running track in support of the themes in the film. This film is also widely available as it is being shown on Netflix, Amazon and Google Play Movies and has been shown in 2D and 3D and can be purchased on DVD and blu-ray. Piracy is prevented from the film being available to be viewed in 3D as it wouldn't be able to be filmed properly. Moreover, with this film being produced and distributed by smaller companies they still managed to get a few famous artists for the soundtrack which helps promote the film from the minute the artist is associated with the film. Even though Disney have released a film every single year they have the income to reproduce these, although studio canal have had a number of films also, such as Paddington, Nanny McPhee and Love Actually.

Another type of company that have benefitted with their distribution of their films due to media ownership was the mini major companies. Lions-gate, MGM studios and dreamwork studios have all produced and distributed well known films however they arent' incorporated by the big six, one of the big six companies could still own them. For example Columbia is owned by Sony which is well known for their action films.

As a result of media ownership there has been a range of successful distribution techniques within the film industry which makes independent companies look a lot smaller in comparison to the mini majors and the big six. Disney do not have to worry if they make an unpopular film as they know they will recieve all their money back with extra takings as well, where as a smaller company such as studio canal or Aegis Film Fund rely on their DVD sales, cinema takings and popularity within the media.  The development of technology has helped smaller independent companies within the distribution of their film as they can now film in 3D technology and incorporate different camera effects and special effects, increasing the consumption of the film.

Physical Disablity: Secret diary of a call girl

Disability is shown throughout secret diary of a cool girl from various factors  such as camera, Mise en scene, editing and sound. The first way that disability is shown is through camera frames, angles and movements.
Camera

• As the 1st scene is opened the camera pans down to the boy and makes disability the focal point implying that the image of blake is beneath society due to his disability. The camera then pans up to show another figure who is shown of a higher social making him more powerful.
• A two shot is used to show the relationship between the two younger actors which is the girl and the boy as they want to show the audience how the boy isn't used too these  types of acts where as the girl does it as a day job naturally.
• A wide shot is used to show the audience the setting that they are in which is mainly the flat however the focus is in the bedroom, giving the audience an idea for what is too occur.
• There is a slow movement of the camera to show the relaxation of both the actors and too show the mood as calming for the boy, as the girl is considerate and offering.
• They use a low angle of the boy looking up to the girl when they are on the bed too show who holds the power between the couple which was previously owned by his father. This suggests that although he is a man (who are usually pictured as leading in a relationship) he is again the lower half in comparison to the girl as the power from the father to the girl is passed on due to his disability causing him incapabilities. 

Mise En Scene

• One of the primary props that is significant in representing disability is the boy in the wheel chair showing that he is physically unable and needs the assistance of someone else, which seems to be his dad.
• There are three main actors of which is the girl, the boy and the dad. The boy is focused on as he is the disabled one and is looked after by both the boy and the girl. The girl is treating him as if he isn't different and tries to relax him by being careful with her words.
• The lighting is bright throughout all the scenes to show that all actors are comfortable within their surroundings and they aren't afraid of showing their actions. With the mood being uplifting too show that not every disability has to be a negative thing.
• Costumes that are worn by the father of blake is placed in dirty work clothing  suggesting that he is a harder order and brings the money to the family with conforms the stereotype of a male. Comparing both blake and his father they are in similar clothing however blake is shown as a lower class and doesn't work as much due to his disability.

Editing

• There is a quick cut too separate each scene which shows the father alone in his truck. His actions subvert the stereotype of an able-bodied in comparison to his disabled son. As his son has the disability some are seen as immature and youthful however the father portrays immature actions whilst he is alone as he plays with his car window and messes around in the car, although this would be pictured to come from his son.
• There is a slow pace to start with as everyone is welcomed into the clip and all the characters meet each other although as the scene progresses and the actions become more sexual between the girl and the boy the pace speeds up showing that the boy could feel overwhelmed and unsure what to do in the situation as he has never committed an action like this before.
• As for screen time, the disabled boy is the focal point of the whole clip which conforms society stereotype a random person normally stare at those who are less able and make sure that they are attentive and aware of those who are less abled in case of any problem or danger towards them or others. 
• After the boys dad leaves, who is also shown as his carer, the pace fastens in a short time in comparison to the previous events and things go quicker which could suggest that the father occasionally holds him back from doing what he wants as he is not only his carer, but his father and could be worried or scared of his dads opinion. 

Sound

• Music is used after the father is shown in his car, where classical music is played. Romantic music, which is parallel, is used as non-diegetic over the top of the last scene where acts get more sexual between both the boy and the girl. This subverts the idea of a disabled doing able-bodied actions with the girl.
• Silence is used to create a tension and a build up between the boy and girl within the flat whilst they are alone, additional dietetic sound is used when the girl expresses " shall we get the formalities out of the way" which suggests that the girl follows a procedure and as the boy is disabled she understands that he needs help getting comfortable. This awkwardness is also suggested against the audience putting them in the same position.
• When blake asks "can you un-do your dungarees a bit; it looks like were wearing the same t-shirt" this suggests that he is partially insecure and worried about the opinion of others, especially the girl. Although the subverts the stereotype as people would usually think the disabled would want to act and be pictured like the more able-bodied.
• With blake saying "dad" this supports the way his father is treating him younger than he is and is shown like a baby who is unable to carry out daily tasks. This is also shown by his father kissing him on the head, of which this sound is also emphasised which is both diegetic and non-diegetic. 
• "have you two talked about what blake can do or.." with his father involving both the boy and the girl this shows both the characters being on the same level as each other, of which the older man treats both the boy and girl younger than they are. However when the father leaves his position is retrieved by the girl who in society would be shown as more powerful than blake due to his disability. 

Task 10: Distribution

What is film distribution?

Distribution of a film is the process of making a movie available to be viewed which is linked with film promotion. For example marketing techniques correlate with the distribution of a film, it is too ensure that the film is heard about and at which platforms the film can be watched by an audience. 

What is the distributors role?

A film distributor has the responsibility for the marketing of the film such as the one who distributes the film through cinemas after the process of post-production. They determine their marketing strategy and how they would like to promote their film. In addition they also decide on the release date which is crucial when deciding when they would like to release the film in what country and around which other films. 

Whats a distribution plan?

A distribution plan is a strategy that is customised to enhance the audience revenues, impact and career. This is designed based on the films content and where the distributor would like to see the film go in the future. It focuses on it core audiences and the opportunities in the ranges of distribution such as selling their product online, through the theatres or through the TV. 

Whats a P + A budget?

What is the average distribution cost for a big six film?

In order to distribute a big six film their average cost would be around 100-200 million which is way beyond other companies budget ranges, such as mini major budget are well below 100 million. 

What does the distribution budget include?

The distribution budget is largely dependent on what company has produced and is distributing it. For example Film 4 films will have a lower budget that will be spent on minimal features for the film in comparison to a larger film. For example a disney films budget with cost hundreds and a bulk of the money will go to cinemas to release the film, ways of marketing such as going towards social media sales. As well as this the budget go's towards trailers, TV adverts, billboards and websites to lure people in for the opening weekend specifically. It is said that what ever the production budget is, they distributors need an extra half of that sum to ensure that they market their film the best they possibly can. 

What is a simultaneous release?

A simultaneous release is the name given to experimental ned methods of making movies available to consumers. This strategy allows consumers to choose how and where they wish to watch the movie. 

What are some main distribution companies?

• 20th Century Fox
• Lionsgate
• Paramount
• Sony Pictures
• Universal Pictures
• Walt Disney

What do you think is the link between audiences and distribution?

The link between a distributor and an audience is that the distribution company has a target that they desire to reach which is appealing to their target audience. This company is known for doing this by the decision being made how they release their film, where they release it and the way in which they market their film to intrigue their audience. 

Define target market audience. What is audience positioning?

Audience positioning is when all media text has a series of encoded signs and messages that the audience will figure out. Different audiences will view these differently and the various media texts and industries are aware of their audiences. An active audience is one that responds to and interprets the media text in different ways and engages with the messages passed through the film where as a passive audience is one that doesn't engage with the text. They don't query the messages and they don't read messages throughout the film making the viewing more challenged. A target market audience is a particular group of consumers that is determined before the release of the project, and their is a specific group of people identified to enhance the chances of advertisement and messages sent across through the film. 

Why is the release date crucial?

What is self distribution?
Self distribution is when those who have created a film decide to distribute their film independently and cut up the step that distributors have to visit which is querying companies and having meetings to how much they can market/sell their film for.  This was previously carried out by showing a film through the distribution of flyers/leaflets and this type of marketing is usually known as below the line.

Digital Technology Essay

Evaluate the role of digital technology in the production, marketing and consumption of products?

1.     

Digital Technology, Production, Marketing, and Consumption: This is suggesting the technology which used throughout the stages of making a film such as production, marketing and consumption which is the way people view the film, as well as exhibition and distribution which helps with the stages of the making in the film.

2.    

          Digital Technology is used throughout the making of the film which is what we have studied; film industry, which involves production, marketing and consumption (the way in which people view the film). Production is the type of company that is involved in the making of the film before it releases and the main body of what it is. Marketing is the way that the film is heard about and the way in which the film is released into various cinemas, examples of this is viral marketing- social media. Moreover, consumption is the foundations at which people watch the film, whether this is in different types of platforms such as different cinema viewings like 3D and IMAX as well as different platforms that films can be watched such as from DVD, Netflix and Apple TV. The big six use a range of technologies within the making of their films.

Within the production of films various different technologies are used to produce different mediums within the film. There are three stages to production; pre-production, production and post-production.  Pre-Production is what happens before shooting begins which is factors such as the creation of story boards, location scouting, set construction and semi-finalisation of the script. Production: point of no return, it isn’t financially visible to cancel projects. Finally, post-production which is the editing of the footage, decision of the sound tracks and the insert of sound effects within the editing stage.  Within films CGI (computer generated industry) is used frequently. As well as this, in Frozen they used a method called a material point method which helped the artists with how the snow appears on the screen, specifically Olaf’s body which needed to be rebuilt and moved around, and this helped with animating the extra movement. As well as this films are filmed via different cameras which allows the film to be released in different formats which are 2D, 3D and IMAX. Along with the filming from different cameras, green and blue screens are used to insert different animations within the process of editing that can’t be created in real life. The reason these colour screens are used is due to it being the furthest colour away from the pigmentation from the skin. In comparison to a big six film produced by disney, ansmaller film that shows digital technology within the stage of production is 'tortoise in love; which is a British comedy that debuted at Empire in Leicester Square. This was filmed by a village using their locals as their actors which attracted the news and by everyone sharing it, the film was widely previewed and acknowledged. Therefore, technologies used throughout the production of a film is due to different stages.

4.    

Technologies are used differently for the distribution and the marketing of a film as opposed to production. Distribution companies are ones that focus on the release of the film into different platforms and companies, for example what cinemas the film would be released to, for how long and for how much and how people acknowledge the film. The ways in which the film is heard about is through different marketing techniques such as trailers, social media which is below the line marketing such as viral marketing. Viral marketing is when people talk about the film online and spreads the word of the film. Technological convergence has made the marketing of films easier, as people can now get updates on their phones and various devices so it’s faster and easier for companies to promote their films for example trailers will be watched through these devices.  Linking with trailers, frozen had their original trailer which was released officially however there was an additional trailer to ensure that they attracted a wider audience. The second trailer was aimed more towards boys too show that the film wasn’t focused purely on princesses therefore attracting a range of youths. As well as this frozen also had the creation of an app with apple to promote their film and interviews and music was released in promotion of the film from different artists which gathered more of an audience. They had a variety of marketing techniques instead of just trailers, for example they involved their animated characters within a popular American TV series ‘once upon a time’ and used TVs too broadcast different versions of the film like singalong versions. 

Consumption of products is initially the exchange and exhibition of a film which is the platforms at which an audience can view the film and how it is released. Type of exhibitions depend on the type of audience the film is aimed at, for example the film could be released on vimeo if it was a short at home film made with no production costs, whereas a film released in a cinema or in a large theatre would be targeted towards a wider audience. An example of a type of exhibition is when Spiderman collaborated with Evian with the baby campaign and a trailer was made to promote the new Spiderman with the Evian campaign. This had millions of shares and popularity for both companies increased rapidly this was due to synergy.Technologies that are a type of exhibition could be the format in which you watch the film. For example different types are 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D and IMAX. 3D has become more widespread to prevent the chances of piracy as well as having a different experience when watching the film. Whereas 4D and 5D isn’t as popular and is specific in particular places such as Disney parks and in capital cities. Exhibition of a film is the final stage to retrieve information to see whether the movie was initially a hit or a miss. Cross-media is a technique that has helped make it easier for people to find data that show the reviews of the film and whether it has impressed others and this can be located on websites such as IMDB and rotten tomatoes. This is another platform that could primarily spread the word of the film. Frozen was made available to download on iTunes, Netflix and Amazon Movies as well as being able to be purchased on DVD and Blu-ray and it was released in cinemas as 3D and IMAX. This gave the film a whole potential to please any person of their audience giving them a variety of ways to watch the film.

On the other hand, it isn’t just major company films that benefit from the use of digital technology throughout the consumption of their film. Fast Girls was also released on Blu-Ray and DVD on the 8^th October and is also available to be streamed on Netflix, Amazon and Google Play Movies. Moreover, exchange is the way in which films can be viewed. By making a variety of platforms available for a film to be watched engrosses a wider audience and enhances the chance to have a higher intake of gross product. For example, Samsung released a 3D TV which can also be connected with a phone with playing films. Therefore a variety of different digital technologies does play a role in the production, marketing and consumption of products.

In conclusion, digital technologies have given us great advances within the film industry as opposed to what was able to be made in previous years. For example, the development of technologies in showing animation have made a huge impact on the films that are aimed particularly towards a younger audience. For example, how the original beauty and the beast was released in 1991 and has now developed into a movie with real actors with advanced special effects and digital techniques. As well as this due to technological convergence a wider range of technologies has become available for all different companies that make various films. For example, the film tangerine was filmed all on an iPhone 5s and was edited with a free app store app and this received wide marketing and popularity, in comparison to this frozen was edited with hundreds of different technologies with a large amount of money put into the production and they both managed to receive a following. However, there are some negatives to digital technologies; with advances being so high few films have a small amount of reality incorporated within and are purely based on green screens, voice overs and editing techniques. Although digital technologies have made a positive impact on the film industry overall and have attracted a wider audience.