http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/82299-unit-f631-film-text-and-context-specimen.pdf
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/175046-question-paper-unit-f631-01-film-text-and-context.pdf
Thursday 29 January 2015
Monday 26 January 2015
Video Nasties and E.T
- VHS; home audiences can see things that the government don't want you to watch, because these were banned and not put into cinema showcases.
Monday 19 January 2015
3 stages of film from being made and being produced in the cinema
Stage 1. Production :
- Making of the film
- Not all films that are pitched are made
- Based on audience trends
- Budget and actors needed = financing
Stage 2. Marketing :
- Advertising; posters, trailers, etc
Stage 3. Distribution:
- Sending the film out
- Getting it out there
Stage 4. Exhibition :
- Showing the film
- Blockbusters in multiplexes
Production:
- Test screenings : a registered research company i.e. Mori can carry out research into audience preferences. This information can be used to shape the final film £500,000
- Film Lab: is essential for processing the footage converting it to a high resolution 3D digital format, £500,000
- VFX Studio : a modern visual effects production studio allows you to create all of your CGI sequences and use a virtual backlot is a cheaper alternative to shooting on location £1m
- Legal : contracting star appeal factor for your film and securing the rights to a movie franchise protects your investment £1m
Distribution:
- Marketing: creating hype for the film to become an event - everything from psoters, trailers, street campaigns, to free online games £250,000
- Youtube/vimeo : advertise your trailers and allow audiences your films pay to stream in HD £250,000
- Web Distributer: a web distributer can provide online streaming of your film in HD to prevent illegal piracy i.e. Netflix £1 m
- Cable/satellite tv : licensing your iflms through a cable or satellite Tv operator for Movie Service captures revenue from the home audience rental market £1m
- DVD retailer: collect extra revenue from your franchise with Blu ray experience or collectable Box sets £500,000
- Merchandising : a merchandising compay is responsible for producing toys, lunch boxes, tie-ins etc. Can prove to be a huge way of increasing revenue £2m
- Distributor: a distributing company can make sure that your film gets to cinemas across the country in a digital format securely and without the threats to quality or piracy £1 m
Exhibition:
- Multiplex cinemas
The Success of Star Wars/ increasing popularity of blockbuster
The era of independent films was known as the new hollywood; filmmakers who went to film school - art
Social
Technological
Economical
In the 1960s films were more realistic and reflecting on their times/era dealt with the issues of the Vietnam war
1970s was the era of independence
Sci-fi operated narrative
Star Wars was inspired by the 1930s Flash Gordon
Stock character types - Propp's fairytale characters - not independent or socially realistic
Wanted to get away from reality/ escapism - futuristic and new
Every type of person went to see it over and over again, this created a massive fan base, making an event movie. Seeing this film became the fashion, and a huge group of merchandise was everywhere, included on everything.
20 billion since 1997
Effect on - what is the effect of these things on the rise of the blockbuster:
The effect of Star Wars becoming an event movie resulted in it becoming a business rather than an art form, selling merchandise and other sequels and prequels
The VFX resulted in more people going to multiplexes and cinemas as the exhibition of the film = experience.
The fact that it was an event movie meant that people went to the cinema to become a collective audience and share the experience
Social
- New Hollywood films, for example the God Father that were about current affairs and realism, then Star Wars cam out introducing fun and entertainment
- Event movie and marketing/ fan base/ sequels - the film becomes a business rather than an art form
Technological
- Jaws demonstrates some of the characteristics of being a new Hollywood and a blockbuster. It is a blockbuster due to the hype with merchandising and advertising and the fact that it was out in the cinema for 6 weeks
- Development of VFX makes Star Wars new and exciting, also making people go to the cinema. Jaws however did not use VFX because the shark sank, POV shots had to be used, however this led to psychological effects as people could not see the threat
- VHS meant that people were staying at home and watching films, this became and trend and fashion to watch films at home. E.T was the biggest selling VHS in 1981. Criminals sold pirate copies as this was prohibited.
Economical
In the 1960s films were more realistic and reflecting on their times/era dealt with the issues of the Vietnam war
1970s was the era of independence
Sci-fi operated narrative
Star Wars was inspired by the 1930s Flash Gordon
Stock character types - Propp's fairytale characters - not independent or socially realistic
Wanted to get away from reality/ escapism - futuristic and new
Every type of person went to see it over and over again, this created a massive fan base, making an event movie. Seeing this film became the fashion, and a huge group of merchandise was everywhere, included on everything.
20 billion since 1997
Effect on - what is the effect of these things on the rise of the blockbuster:
The effect of Star Wars becoming an event movie resulted in it becoming a business rather than an art form, selling merchandise and other sequels and prequels
The VFX resulted in more people going to multiplexes and cinemas as the exhibition of the film = experience.
The fact that it was an event movie meant that people went to the cinema to become a collective audience and share the experience
Mutliplex cinemas
-No projectionist and no ushers needed with the development of technology (the electronic projection)
-From 1965-1970, 100 multiplex cinemas were opened in shopping centres in the US
-Before multiplexes were introduced, there was a big decline in cinema attendance
-Multiplexes put smaller cinemas out of business
-"Success of a few expansions in 1980s"
-'Megaplex' = 20 or more screens - 1985 -Milton Keynes
-1984 - the multiplex was designed to get people back into cinemas because of the introduction of VHS (home video) became a trend, resulting in a decline in cinema attendance
-Technological
-Social
-Economic
-Success led to an expansion in 1980
-Rotate films of biggest films; release the biggest on the main screen and the smaller ones on the smaller screens
-Multiplexes increased attendance to cinemas due to the introduction of technology and VFX, which enhanced the experience
- In 1944, cinema attendance was at its peak due to the war = to escape reality and a distraction, to see the news, or as a propaganda form, to reinforce moral. War films were also at its peak, but this was not a true image of the war, it was more idealistic, reinforcing moral and comfort about the war.
-Cinema attendance has risen from 2003 -2011 due to technological advances such as 3D, making the experience of the cinema greater and the lack of experience if watched at home or pirated.
-The pricing of the cinema attendance has risen because the price of tickets have increased, it is not that more people are going to the cinema, but the increase of ticket pricing.
-3D impacts the amount of pirate copies. This happened again in the 1980s and is repeating again now. online and the threat of home videos / piracy. You can't watch 3D at home, therefore the risk decreases.
Economic:
-From 1965-1970, 100 multiplex cinemas were opened in shopping centres in the US
-Before multiplexes were introduced, there was a big decline in cinema attendance
-Multiplexes put smaller cinemas out of business
-"Success of a few expansions in 1980s"
-'Megaplex' = 20 or more screens - 1985 -Milton Keynes
-1984 - the multiplex was designed to get people back into cinemas because of the introduction of VHS (home video) became a trend, resulting in a decline in cinema attendance
-Technological
-Social
-Economic
-Success led to an expansion in 1980
-Rotate films of biggest films; release the biggest on the main screen and the smaller ones on the smaller screens
-Multiplexes increased attendance to cinemas due to the introduction of technology and VFX, which enhanced the experience
- In 1944, cinema attendance was at its peak due to the war = to escape reality and a distraction, to see the news, or as a propaganda form, to reinforce moral. War films were also at its peak, but this was not a true image of the war, it was more idealistic, reinforcing moral and comfort about the war.
-Cinema attendance has risen from 2003 -2011 due to technological advances such as 3D, making the experience of the cinema greater and the lack of experience if watched at home or pirated.
-The pricing of the cinema attendance has risen because the price of tickets have increased, it is not that more people are going to the cinema, but the increase of ticket pricing.
-3D impacts the amount of pirate copies. This happened again in the 1980s and is repeating again now. online and the threat of home videos / piracy. You can't watch 3D at home, therefore the risk decreases.
1970s-1980s Rise of the Blockbuster and Multiplex cinemas
Economic:
- Box office - cinema attendance
- Budget / production budget (+100 mil)
- Marketing budget = hype - Jaws was the first movie that marketed hype - the summer event movie - pre-sold audience; fear; iconic posters = need to see it, wanted to be scared = part of the event
- Economic recession - no throwaway money - UK
- Multiplexes located in shopping centres = a leisure or social experience - part of the teenagers weekend - it becomes a product and entertainment item, rather than an art form
Jaws and Star Wars were successful, therefore people saw these as safe and repeated these and types of films like this to make more money, similarly to these circumstances. = Blockbuster Formula - Production
Special effects = money = Star Wars
Film studios built multiplexes so that they could show and sell their films - used as outlets to advertise and show their blockbusters - Exhibitions - the only thing you could watch, therefore it will make money if this is the only thing you can watch and is on the menu
Film studios make films and show them in their multiplexes
Multiplexes put smaller 'fleapit' cinemas out of business - they were independent and located in towns, however, now smaller cinemas have refurbished and adapted their cinemas - they served a neish audience.
Multiplexes only allowed their blockbusters to be shown within their cinemas rather than the fleapit cinemas. This puts the smaller cinemas out of the business as these are the films that people want to watch. = Multiplex cinemas = one big factory industry
Cross promote = advertisement of their own films = revolving circle of multiplex cinemas and the decline in fleapit, smaller cinemas.
Cross promote = advertisement of their own films = revolving circle of multiplex cinemas and the decline in fleapit, smaller cinemas.
Monday 5 January 2015
Homework due Monday 12th January 2015
Task 1:
-Read through the notes and state why Jaws was so significant
Present as a mindmap:
-Look at the now blockbuster - advertising, marketing, poster, trailer, merchandise etc
-Compare and see how the characteristics have developed, increased, changed and/or intensified
-Budget of the film -IMDB
-Showings of the film - cinema -fleapit or multiplex
-What else is showing at the cinema - Blockbusters ? Independent? Hollywood?
Task 2:
Make a presentation:
-Read case study
-Watch trailers
-Analyse characteristics using the above reading
-Does it compare with the trailers of the Godfather, Jaws and Star Wars - are there notable similarities and differences
-Read through the notes and state why Jaws was so significant
Present as a mindmap:
-Look at the now blockbuster - advertising, marketing, poster, trailer, merchandise etc
-Compare and see how the characteristics have developed, increased, changed and/or intensified
-Budget of the film -IMDB
-Showings of the film - cinema -fleapit or multiplex
-What else is showing at the cinema - Blockbusters ? Independent? Hollywood?
Task 2:
Make a presentation:
-Read case study
-Watch trailers
-Analyse characteristics using the above reading
-Does it compare with the trailers of the Godfather, Jaws and Star Wars - are there notable similarities and differences
-To explain how old films influence new Blockbusters
-Politics and social values (audience) influence censorship for example, Korea etc
-How the cinema is now a multiplex, showing multiple blockbusters at one time
-Effects of film piracy
-Special effects drive the cinema = no piracy and make one go to the cinema, the experience and quality, etc
-Formulaic / repeated ideas
-Told to enjoy films with special effects through the advertising - these films are only put into the cinema or multiplex cinemas. Cinemas only play blockbusters
Why do we have special effects in films?
To encourage an audience to go to the cinema as a preference to going online and illegally downloading films.
An event film is a film that entices a large audience. For example, Star Wars 2015. A shared experience of a film, etc. An event film will have advertisement everywhere, for example in McDonalds toys. An event film is part of a franchise, therefore products can be sold further on from the actual film itself. An event film makes even more money from the merchandise.
Fleapit -> independent, local cinema. Not on the outskirts of town attached to a shopping centre.
Multiplex -> large screening of a film at multiple times. Usually found in a shopping centre.
-Politics and social values (audience) influence censorship for example, Korea etc
-How the cinema is now a multiplex, showing multiple blockbusters at one time
-Effects of film piracy
-Special effects drive the cinema = no piracy and make one go to the cinema, the experience and quality, etc
-Formulaic / repeated ideas
-Told to enjoy films with special effects through the advertising - these films are only put into the cinema or multiplex cinemas. Cinemas only play blockbusters
Why do we have special effects in films?
To encourage an audience to go to the cinema as a preference to going online and illegally downloading films.
An event film is a film that entices a large audience. For example, Star Wars 2015. A shared experience of a film, etc. An event film will have advertisement everywhere, for example in McDonalds toys. An event film is part of a franchise, therefore products can be sold further on from the actual film itself. An event film makes even more money from the merchandise.
Fleapit -> independent, local cinema. Not on the outskirts of town attached to a shopping centre.
Multiplex -> large screening of a film at multiple times. Usually found in a shopping centre.
Conclusion: Monday 5th January 2015
Why do we have CGI and VFX in these films?
To stop piracy and therefore increase the film's profit earn in the box office. To give the audience a reason to see it at the cinema and not to illegally download it. If it is 3D, you will be less likely to download it illegally because the experience and quality will be poor. This therefore reduces the risk of piracy.
Do audiences actually want to see CGI and VFX in a film or are we just encouraged and told to watch it? - Advertising technique. The audience is dependant on special effects.
To stop piracy and therefore increase the film's profit earn in the box office. To give the audience a reason to see it at the cinema and not to illegally download it. If it is 3D, you will be less likely to download it illegally because the experience and quality will be poor. This therefore reduces the risk of piracy.
Do audiences actually want to see CGI and VFX in a film or are we just encouraged and told to watch it? - Advertising technique. The audience is dependant on special effects.
Is the blockbuster formula still working?
What is a flop?
-An unsuccessful or unprofitable film
-A film's profit needs to earn twice the production and marketing budget to not be considered a flop
What is the flop formula?
-A-list star = more money
- Cannot be a comedy - no special effects or not as much - no hardcore audiences or fan base/ followers
-Spend a lot on visual effects -> budget headlines
- If you spend money, you'll make money
How much does a film need to earn to be considered a success?
-Star wars episode 1: $1,027,044,677 Budget : $115, 000, 000
-Avatar: $2, 782, 275, 127 Budget: $237 million
Franchise: A collection of media that exists in multiple forms; film, lit, video games etc. i.e. jaws with the franchise and products that were made from it
Multiplex: Multiple or group of cinemas; showcase cinemas etc
Multiple screens showing multiple viewings of the same film
In these cinemas blockbusters are popular and commonly shown
Cinema budget:
What is considered to be a blockbuster budget:
Marketing is not including in the production budget
What factors effect the success of the film:
-Based on box office figures at the cinema (how many times you see it at the cinema, not downloading it, etc).
Boxofficemojo OR imdb -> box office figures and data OR Mark Komode BBC film critic
What is a flop?
-An unsuccessful or unprofitable film
-A film's profit needs to earn twice the production and marketing budget to not be considered a flop
What is the flop formula?
-A-list star = more money
- Cannot be a comedy - no special effects or not as much - no hardcore audiences or fan base/ followers
-Spend a lot on visual effects -> budget headlines
- If you spend money, you'll make money
How much does a film need to earn to be considered a success?
-Star wars episode 1: $1,027,044,677 Budget : $115, 000, 000
-Avatar: $2, 782, 275, 127 Budget: $237 million
Franchise: A collection of media that exists in multiple forms; film, lit, video games etc. i.e. jaws with the franchise and products that were made from it
Multiplex: Multiple or group of cinemas; showcase cinemas etc
Multiple screens showing multiple viewings of the same film
In these cinemas blockbusters are popular and commonly shown
Cinema budget:
What is considered to be a blockbuster budget:
Marketing is not including in the production budget
What factors effect the success of the film:
-Based on box office figures at the cinema (how many times you see it at the cinema, not downloading it, etc).
Boxofficemojo OR imdb -> box office figures and data OR Mark Komode BBC film critic
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