GBHS AS EXAM TV DRAMA AND FILM INDUSTRY (Thursday May 18th AM ): March 2015

Unit G322 – Section B – The Film Industry

To begin comparing both ends of the industry to use this as a model. Create a two column comparison between your low budget film and your blockbuster

Although the institutions are clearly very different there are some similarities which you need to be aware of so make sure you have a clear journey from planning to exhibition of both your case studies.

Here is an example, answer each bullet point with facts from your own films and this will serve as one of your revision sheets.

FILMS

Ill Manors / Skyfall

Any Similarities between the two films in terms of genre and narrative

· They’re both British films – Ill Manors is more ‘British’ than Skyfall (deals with social issues and themes relating to British society). Funded and filmed in Britain.

· They were both filmed predominantly in Britain.

· Both enjoyed strong opening weekends at the Box office

· Large British cast in both.

· They both have a high profile musician linked with the film whose music was released close to the film’s release.

Ill Manors / Skyfall – Differences between the two films in terms of genre and narrative

· Different genres – Skyfall is an Action/Adventure and Ill Manors is a gritty social realist drama.

· Bond is a part of long running (47 years and counting) franchise. Ill Manors isn’t.

INSTITUTIONS

BBC Films & Film London Microwave /Sony – Similarities

· Both involved in film production.

· Both are companies whose main goal is to make profit – both are driven by the bottom line.

· Both split production across different companies “film is fundamentally a collaborative medium”.

BBC films & Microwave / Sony – Differences

· Budget – Ill Manors £100,000 Million

· Skyfall $150-200M.

· BBC Films and Microwave are low budget independent film making companies – Sony is a major global conglomerate with a diverse range of interests.

· Sony work on lots of films each year such as…..enabling them to spread their risk; BBC Films and Microwave only work on a few each year (what other films have they made?)

· Sony are involved in production (MGM), distribution (Columbia Tristar and Sony Pictures Entertainment) and exhibition (Sony Blu-ray machines/ Sony DVD Players/ Sony TVs / Sony phones.) THIS IS CALLED VERTICAL INTEGRATION.

BBC Films and Film London Microwave are ONLY involved in film production.

Sony – well established. Microwave – new company in its infancy.

Sony are better placed to withstand losses. BBC Films and Film London Microwave cannot sustain losses.

Sony make films with leading directors – BBC Films and Film London Microwave focus on new directors.

BBC Films and Film London Microwave films will mainly be distributed in the UK to a selection of cinemas

Sony – makes films distributed globally and internationally

AUDIENCES

BBC Films and Film London Microwave

– AUDIENCE DIFFERENCES

· Skyfall was aimed at a huge mainstream target audience:15 – 55 year olds. Core male target audience with a wider secondary female audience, straddling broad cross sections of class, ethnicity and sexuality.

· Ill Manors was aimed at a niche audience – urban 16-24 year olds, heavily pitched at a male audience.

· Skyfall is aimed at an international audience so the dialogue/script is less specific than Ill manors which uses contemporary urban colloquialisms.

PRODUCTION / DISTRIBUTION / EXHIBITION

BBC Films and Film London Microwave – PRODUCTION DIFFERENCES

· Skyfall had a huge budget – Ill Manors didn’t.

· Skyfall used a host of well known famous ‘stars’ – Daniel Craig, Judi Dench etc – Most of the cast of Il Manors were unknown or first time actors (apart from the main star) so cast were less recognizable.

· Skyfall used exotic and varied locations round the world – Ill Manor’s setting was much more geographically specific, as exotic locations weren’t called for in the story.

· Skyfall used a lot of expensive special effects. Ill Manors didn’t.

· Skyfall utilized product placement within the film – Heinekein, Coke, Aston Martin, Omega. Ill Manors didn’t.

· Skyfall had expensive action sequences – highly produced fight and chase scenes. (writing off various cars!) Ill Manors’s dramatic scenes were less full of action.

Ill Manors / Skyfall – DISTRIBUTION DIFFERENCES

· Skyfall’s marketing campaign was huge and extensive. Ill Manors’s marketing was very specific and highly targeted.

· Skyfall used synergy Eg Sony PS3, phones, games, DVD, TV, soundtrack and film were released at the same time. Whereas Ill Manors didn’t/couldn’t use synergy to the same extent by releasing just the DVD and soundtrack at the same time as the film

· Skyfall had a series of huge international premieres – all over the world. Ill Manors didn’t.

· Skyfall used cross promotion through a range of companies all advertising Skyfall – Heinekein, Omega, Sony TVs, Coca-cola, etc. Product placement earned $50Million plus ($44 M for just Heinekein alone)

· Sony had blanket advertising with tease trailers in cinemas, TV adverts, newspaper and radio adverts and interviews with main stars

· Ill Manors had much smaller advertising.

EXHIBITION DIFFERENCES

Skyfall opened in 580 cinemas – over 1000 screens in the UK and Ireland

Skyfall broke box office records and overtook the highest grossing film of all time, Avatar in terms of takings on opening night and opening weekend and overall profits globally.

Skyfall landed straight into number 1 spot on UK DVD chart. Quantum of Solace did too and hit number 2 on Blu-ray chart and became the UKs biggest selling DVD and Blu-ray release of 2009. A worldwide box office phenomenon, broke countless records and now scores as the top grossing film of all time.

Ill Manors didn’t break box office records, nor did it get to top of the DVD or Blu-ray charts on day of release.

It played in much fewer, selected and niche cinemas.

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