Producer - similar to an entreprenear. Gains an entrepreneaural role for the film making. The producer finds the the origional idea for the film, and deals with the cast. The producer works with the director and develops the film idea.
The script must inspire the director to take the next step in making the film. Producer must organise the 'The Package' - start with the script/book/novel, finance, production team. The finance includes the 'Regional Film Fund' - to support the film production. There is between 3-10 financiers involved in funding a film. The producer must create a finance plan, which will include how everything will be paid for.
Producer also takes charge of 'above the line' costs - creativity, talent, package, script etc. and 'below the line' costs - people who make the film, create shoot, costume it, photograph it etc.
The british film industry producers have to focus on the budget of getting the film made, whereas the US film industry producers focus on how the film will appeal to the audience.
Distributor - acquires the rights of the film and decide on the audience. They are in charge of marketing the film and selling the movie. They have to ensure there is certain parts of the film which will attract the audience - unique selling point (USP) - target audience.
who will it appeal to? Take charge of developing campaign and when to release the film. School holidays? Summer months?
Distributor has to take competitiors into consideration. They research, and cannot waste money on taking risks. They test certain marketing techniques, posters, trailers, visuals, ensure expectations are met, to deliver. Create questionnaire - recute audience.
In charge of Budget - look at film, decide appropriate budget to meet box office.
and: Advertising/Publicity - media/advertising, costs/producing, promotions and media promotions, radio?
Big name at premiers.
Distribution, the campaign - to sell the film and make film stand out. Formulate plan - public relations.
Has to make a connection with the public:
poster - sell genre and content of the film, tease the audience.
trailer - key importance to sell film, needs to have right impact and message. Teaser trailer and main trailer.
Foreign language films - trailer without speech, trick audience.
TV spots - short, film title, whose in it, date of release.
Multimedia - internet, websites - viral campaign, PR, press, editorial, reviews (newspapers, film magazines).
Tracking - what percentage of people are aware of the film.
Word of mouth - powerful, friends encourage other friends to watch a movie.
Opening weekend - crucial, mainly on a Friday for three days.
Exhibition - the films fate rests in the hands of the exhibitor.
Multiplex cinema - changed smaller screens to large, larger number of seating, better location etc. The location and number of screens effect the cinemas success. The right location of screening a film effects the success conserning the audience in that particular location.
Audience- have to understand the customers. Communication, schools, emails, other events at cinemas attract public. The location of the screening effects the income because if it is easy to get to, tube, bus, parking, people will come frequently and the film will recieve more viewings. If it is hard to get to, it is most likely to not be a popular cinema therefore the viewings will not be of a large number.
Digital cinema - digital 3D, a new experience. Makes a difference from watching a move at home, which attracts people as it is something different - an evening out.
Piracy - film piracy "murders" the film industry. British moviemakers are vulnerable due to piracy.
700 million pound is lost in film making due to piracy. No industry can survive giving their product away for free.
The British Film Industry
Although there are both positive and negative aspects about the British film industry, it is clear for the public to see that they have a pretty high expectation to reach considering how big and successful the American film industry is.
Nowadays, the British film industry tends to constantly produce remakes of older films and storylines. This could be a positive as these films will always appeal to the public, but the downside is that it can get boring, and the public want something new and exciting! Also within British film industry, there is a lot of stereotypical acting. This sometimes can represent a bad influence to the younger generation and discriminate us such as, sex, drugs, and physical abuse such as alcohol consumption or youth crime. As the younger generation could come across films involving these situations, they begin to think this type of behaviour is acceptable when it is not. Films like this result in the British film industry emphasising the negativity of reality, rather than using imagination and creating new and unique storylines both positive and negative. Therefore it leads to parents not allow the child to see certain films, which results in the film not receiving as many viewings and losing out on money solely because of small content highlighting negativity.
Also, certain British films can increase the crime rate in the UK as the content can give them ideas which harm our environment, break the law, or affect the public. Many people would say that the crime rate has increased massively since certain films, therefore it is down to the British film industry for some of the crime in the UK as they are emphasising it, portraying its positives in particular scenes.
Also I think that a problem with the British film industry is that they try to compete with the American film industry which is not easily done, considering they have produced high quality successful films as they generally have a larger budget than the UK. This makes it difficult as money can be more of an issue in the UK. The American film industry also end up developing sequences for some films frequently, such as the Twilight Saga, as this film is a massive success it reinforces the fact that there is no point of the British film industry creating any films around the times that these sequences come out as it will be overpowered.
Recently new technologies have been created allowing better, clearer viewing, HD, Blue-Ray. This has a positive response with the younger generation as they are familiar with high-tech DVD players, playstations, XBOX, but as for the older generation it could cause confusion considering it is all new to them, as they are used to a simple video and player. This therefore leads to more under purchased films because certain films would not appeal to the older generation, leaving only the younger generation to purchase these types of films.
As the British Film Industry create films only in their comfort zone, which they are used to, the same storylines. They need to branch out and create a new exciting film which is entertaining for the public and will stand out against others. Producers need to think outside the box and try new things!
Magazine Article: 10/9/11
My first film industry research that I have found is a review on a newly released film called 'Friends with Benefits'. I have chosen this research because the review interested me and I would like to see it in the future.
The colours used are basic such as black and white, however the title and a column is in yellow which stands out and is used to attract the reader which helps to promote the film. The title of the film is in the largest font size compared to the rest of the text, it is also in block, bold capitals for the reader to identify it is the title of the film. Below the main image they have employed a sell line, this informs the reader of the main actors which are featured in the film. In the bottom left corner there is a small image of the film cover, this is purposely employed as the reader will remember the film, also it is the last aspect they see on the page therefore it will remain in their head. The main image on this page is a screen shot from the film, they have used this particular shot as both actors have humorous expressions, thefore it relates back to the fact that this film is a comedy. Also each actor has an alcoholic drink their hand which tells the reader that this film is relaxed. The yellow column is purposley a different colour as it is important to inform the reader where this film will be showing, therefore it too influences the reader to view the film as their closest cinema could be showing the film.
This review tells the reader the plotline of the film; it is a promotion of the film and influences the reader to view the film when it is released. It has a unique selling point of "how to get your free tickets" which the reader would see as a bonus point.
Overall I think that this article would advertise the film well as they have used specific aspects to entise the reader such as, colours, images, sell lines and bonus tickets.
Film Review: 16/9/11
My second independant research is a review on the film 'The King's speech':
Some films are known as "game-changers". This is not one of those films. It is a don't-change-the-game-er, or yet a jolly-well-change-it-back-er: a traditionally mounted, handsomely furnished British period movie, available at a cinema near you in dead-level 2D. Set in the 1920s and 30s, it is populated by that sort of well-suited patrician Englishman of yesteryear who drinks spirits in the middle of the day, whose middle and index fingers are rarely to be seen without an elegant cigarette interposed, and who pronounces the word "promise" as "plwomise" (try it).
Film Review: 23/9/11
The third piece of independant research I have done is a review on the film 'Sherlock Holmes':
What a mysterious puzzle Guy Ritchie's new film presents. This time last year, he looked like a man in need of a miracle. The one-time saviour of British cinema's movie, the damp gangster squib RocknRolla, took under $6m in the US. Yet here he is, launching what looks like his very own period action superhero franchise. And he's been handed a rumoured $80m to blow on it.
History of the film industry: 30/9/11
This fourth piece of independent research is the history of the film industry:
The first feature film ever made was The Story of the Kelly Gang, an Australian film based on the infamous Ned Kelly. In 1906 Dan Barry and Charles Tait of Melbourne produced and directed The Story of the Kelly Gang, a silent film that ran continuously for a breathtaking 80 minutes. It was not until 1911 that countries other than Australia began to make feature films. By this time Australia had made 16 full-length feature films.
In the early 1910s, the film industry had fully emerged with D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation. Also in the early 1900s, motion picture production companies from New York and New Jersey started moving to California because of the good weather and longer days. Although electric lights existed at that time, none were powerful enough to adequately expose film; the best source of illumination for movie production was natural sunlight. Besides the moderate, dry climate, they were also drawn to the state because of its open spaces and wide variety of natural scenery.
3D Films: 7/10/11
A 3-D (three-dimensional) film or S3D (stereoscopic 3D) film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception. Derived from stereoscopic photography, a regular motion picture camera system is used to record the images as seen from two perspectives (or computer-generated imagery generates the two perspectives in post-production), and special projection hardware and/or eyewear are used to provide the illusion of depth when viewing the film. 3-D films are not limited to feature film theatrical releases; television broadcasts and direct-to-video films have also incorporated similar methods, primarily for marketing purposes.
3-D films have existed in some form since the 1950s, but had been largely relegated to a niche in the motion picture industry because of the costly hardware and processes required to produce and display a 3-D film, and the lack of a standardized format for all segments of the entertainment business. Nonetheless, 3-D films were prominently featured in the 1950s in American cinema, and later experienced a worldwide resurgence in the 1980s and '90s driven by IMAX high-end theaters and Disney themed-venues. 3-D films became more and more successful throughout the 2000s, culminating in the unprecedented success of 3-D presentations of Avatar in December 2009 and January 2010.
Top rated new releases: 18/10/11
Courageous
The Thing
The Help
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
Horrible Bosses
Cowboys and Aliens
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Moneyball
Final Destination 5
Captain America: The First Avenger
The Smurfs
Drive
The Undefeated
Film Review of TinTin: 8/11/11
The film is spectacular visually but its appeal lies primarily in its retro feel, recalling 80s adventure yarns; not only Spielberg’s own Raiders of the Lost Ark but also films like Romancing the Stone and The Goonies. In this way, Tintin expertly blends nostalgia with state-of-the-art filming techniques to create a contemporary gem that’s great for both kids and big kids.
Placing the emphasis on Captain Haddock rather than Tintin himself, Spielberg recognises the limits of the boy investigator’s somewhat staid character (though Jamie Bell does brilliantly) and hands the film instead to Andy Serkis’s old-soak sea captain who makes a far more entertaining point of focus – he’s funny, fallible and we take him to our hearts as one of cinema’s great anti-heroes.
And while we’re on the subject of funny, slapstick comedy courtesy of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as inept detectives Thompson and Thompson is carefully measured to give us a dose when we need it, while a CGI Snowy (Tintin’s faithful hound) is always on hand to elicit a laugh alongside his ah-factor.
A witty screenplay from the combined pens of blinding British talents Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish and Steven Moffat intersperses the odd well-placed irreverent moment with a surprising but not unwelcome amount of violence (there’s an assassination early on) that serves the film well in tempering any whiff of tweeness to balance an otherwise action-heavy movie experience.
What is wrong with the British film industry?
Its pretty clear that there is something not quite right with the British film industry considering the success of the American film industry. Recently the American film industry have easily overpowered the British film industry, which makes the British film industry seem dead at the moment.
The British film industry used to create films of a original genre or storyline, most of the films produced by the British film industry recently are using similar storylines with a slightly different finish which eventually bores the public. One of the problems would be that the British film industry stay in their comfort zone and havent tried anything new recently. They seem to be creating sequels only, which too the public enjoy but a new and unique film is what would make the public happy.
The Bristish film industry need to look beyond the safe option and create a new edgy and entertaining film. This would make it seem to the public that they have stepped it up a notch and thought outside the box.
Animated Filming
Animated Films are ones in which individual drawings, paintings, or illustrations are photographed frame by frame (stop-frame cinematography). Usually, each frame differs slightly from the one preceding it, giving the illusion of movement when frames are projected in rapid succession at 24 frames per second. The earliest cinema animation was composed of frame-by-frame, hand-drawn images. When combined with movement, the illustrator's two-dimensional static art came alive and created pure and imaginative cinematic images - animals and other inanimate objects could become evil villains or heroes.
Animations are not a strictly-defined genre category, but rather a film technique, although they often contain genre-like elements. Animation, fairy tales, and stop-motion films often appeal to children, but it would marginalize animations to view them only as "children's entertainment." Animated films are often directed to, or appeal most to children but easily can be enjoyed by all.
The inventor of the viewing device called a praxinoscope (1877) , French scientist Charles-Emile Reynaud, also created a large-scale system called Theatre Optique (1888) which could take a strip of pictures or images and project them onto a screen. He demonstrated his system in 1892 for Paris' Musee Grevin - it was the first instance of projected animated cartoon films (the entire triple-bill showing was called Pantomimes Lumineuses), with three short films that he had produced: in order:
- "Pauvre Pierrot" (Poor Pete) - the only surviving example (500 frames)
- "Le Clown et Ses Chiens" (The Clown and His Dogs) (300 frames)
- "Un Bon Bock" (A Good Beer) (700 frames)
