#6 - Funding of SOC and I,Daniel Blake

Film Industry - Straight Outta Compton and I, Daniel Black

THE FILM PROCESS

There are three distinct areas of the film industry.

Each one of these could be viewed as a type of media institution.

PRODUCTION

DISTRIBUTION

EXHIBITION

What happens at each stage?

For the exam, you will only need to be familiar with the first two stages in detail.

Some of the key issues that you will need to understand and relate to the case studies
Production	Distribution
•         Budget and funding •         The types of films produced (Hollywood vs. British Film Industry) •         How the different stages of production can be used in order to target the audience? •         The impact of technology	•         The use of vertical integration •         The role of festivals •         Different types of release patterns used [cinematic and home release] •         Digital distribution •         Regulation - Film classification and age certification •         Marketing •         The impact of technology (piracy)
The impact of media ownership – to what extent can Curran and Seaton as well as Hesmondhalgh’s theory be applied to analyse the two case studies?

Production involves the creation of the media product and is the responsibility of the PRODUCTION COMPANY

Which production company produced Straight Outta Compton?

How do films get funded? •         The Studio Model •         Government funding •         UK Tax finance •         Pre sales •         Co-productions •         Product placement •         Music •         Crowdfunding •         National and regional agencies

What funding method is most likely to be used in the Hollywood film industry?

The writer/director/producer must find finance for a film – which may come from one or many production companies (a co-production)

Both use co-production in order to fund the film. But what is the main difference between the two films regarding funding?

Why did Straight Outta Compton have a larger production budget?

Universal Pictures is part of a conglomerate •                 What is a conglomerate? Conglomerate is when business come together to get benefits of each oter business and reduce costs

What is the benefit of being part of a conglomerate? To use the benefits of the business in the conglomerate such as advertising and to reduce costs

Some of the production costs were covered by product placement in the film.

•                     You will watch the trailer of the film – what examples of product placement do you see in the film?

•                     Why would Straight Outta Compton be appealing to companies as possible place to advertise their product?

•                     At the begging of the trailer it advertises the companies and uses the big actors to bring in viewers. It would seem appealing for business as they would get advertisement from well-known actors

•                      

It can be argued that Legendary Pictures and Universal’s deal is an example of horizontal and vertical integration. Why?  As they gain the benefits of cheaper distribution and production.

Why is important to look at the funding of film?

You can explore the following:

•                     The types of films made •          The production value What is production value?

•                     In the movie industry, the quality of a film is referred to as its “production value.” •               Films with a higher budget will usually have a high production value.

high concept film

A major film that features global themes, a simply fairy-tale narrative, major stars, music by major composers or pop stars, is a genre film and has a saturated 360-degree marketing campaign.

A high-budget production •       Looks good exhibiting high production values  •       Aimed at mass global  markets •       Universally recognisable story •       Simple characters easy to understand •       Offers ‘synergy’, merchandising, TV/ DVD sales    •       Relies on vital merchandising		High budget affords: •       Special effects •       Actors •       Great script •       Exotic locations •       New technology – camera work
Cross-media convergence = They are looking to create brand that they can transfer to theme parks, games and television.

Hollywood film industry is dominated by conglomerate

Characteristic of Hollywood What is the benefit of taking this approach? Films Today

•         Franchise

•         Prequel/sequel

•         Blockbuster: sfx/cgi/3d

•         Comic/book/tv/remake

•         Genre and the repackaging of successful elements

Power and media industries - Curran and Seaton

Cultural industries - David Hesmondhalgh

•          The idea that the media is controlled by a small number of companies primarily driven by the logic of profit and power. •          The idea that media concentration generally limits or inhibits variety, creativity and quality •          The idea that more socially diverse patterns of ownership help to create the conditions for more varied and adventurous media productions.

•          The idea that cultural industry companies try to minimise risk and maximise audiences through vertical and horizontal integration, and by formatting their cultural products (e.g. through the use of stars, genres, and serials) •          The idea that the largest companies or conglomerates now operate across a number of different cultural industries. •          The idea that the radical potential of the internet has been contained to some extent by its partial incorporation into a large, profit-orientated set of cultural industries.

To what extent is the film is a high concept film and typical of the Hollywood film industry? Provide evidence Argments in agreement

To what extent is the film is a high concept film and typical of the Hollywood film industry? Provide evidence Argments in disagreement

Hollywood – a brief overview

•         Hollywood is built around studios and conglomerates

•         Hollywood operates as an oligopoly especially when it comes to distribution.

•         Hollywood film industry is vertically integrated.

•         Companies who aim to make money from films through diversification, which is aided by cross media convergence

Focus on producing high concept films and building franchises.