Exhibition of film

The exhibitor sells the experience of the film.

e.g.
3D
Offers e.g. free popcorn
High definition
Big screen and surround sound
dark so no distractions

1. Why is digital exhibition important for the development of the film industry?

Because it only costs one tenth of the current reels and prints format of film distribution, it would mean that film producers could spend more of their budget on sending their films to more and more territories than they can currently. This means more people will see the film, and especially for the smaller films, it means they will get more money back from ticket sales and various other things.

2. The UK film council want to make non- mainstream films accessible in 3 days, what are they?

improvements access- 240 digital screens is showing non-mainstream films in the UK.
Raising awareness- prints and advertising fund provides £4 million every year to help promote films.
Increasing information- www.findanyfilm.com, can buy, rent or download lots of films.

3. The differnces between Mainstream and independant are the mainstream films have bigger audiences than independant, because they spend a lot more on advertising and promoting their films, so they reach a bigger audience and more people go to see the film.

4. What new technologies are exhibitors currently having to take into account, Consider technologies used in the cinemas and technology that can be used at home.

They are having to consider things like the arrival of digital distribution, which means they can export their films in a faster cheaper way, Also, in peoples homes they are having to cater for things such the arrival of Bluray, and high definition tvs, which means that the format of the film has to change to match these technologies. Also, producers can re-release older classic films, like all the Disney films, which have been digitally remastered, which means they can be sold all over again without creating any new films.

The recession is making box office takings go higher, because cinemas are cheap entertainment and it is a form of entertainment.

Monopolization is when one film company dominates everything. No cinema has achieved monopolization.

BBFC stand for British Board Of Film Council.
BFI stands for British Film Institute.
The BFI make decisions about films e.g. ratings, banning films.
Catergory A- totally British e.g. 'This is England'/ 'Dead mans shoes'.
Catergory B- Majority British but invested by foreigners.
Catergory C- British film, foreign but not US invesment.
Catergory D- Made in UK, US investment e.g. 'Hot Fuzz'.
Catergory E- American film, some British investment e.g. 'James Bond, Quantim of Solace'.

New Technologies to target more specific audiences

Social networking- Msn, people use keywords on your social profile to send you adverts to do with that key word.
Promotional emails, links to face book pages. Etc
You can become a fan on MSN for a specific film.
MSN websites shows trailers and films. There are pop-ups as well. MSN and facebook are focused more on younger aged groups so films that are displayed on the websites are more for that age. e.g. big hollywood blockbusters.

Interactive websites- Virtual tours interactive websites, then email link, when finished the game given next link for the next part of the game.

Online shopping- At the bottom of the page it recommends other things that you might also be interested in.

Text- Orange Wednesdays, They tell you to just text 'FILM' to 241 to get hold of your 2 for 1 tickets. A film is "A Christmas Carol". O2 send you things. Lovefilms.com send texts you about a new film that is coming out.

YouTube- Comes up with related films, Comments underneath making you think you might like to watch it, Say films you might like that is similar to the ones in your favourites. "She's the man", the related film youtube came up with was "a lot like love" They use visio trailers, they use it because you tube has more viewers.

Downloads- give trailers and films. An example of this is "The 13th day", you can download the film onto your ipod or portable video player.

VHS-> DVD-> Bluray- improving the quality od disney films by putting them onto a new format so that people will watch them again, and so they will buy them again in the new format.

You are able to write what we think of various sites.

Vertical Integration

This is a technique that big international film companies use.

Working title films use Universal, they would do all the work like distribute it.

Film Marketing

UK films are usually released on a friday because most people go to see a film on that day.
There are on average about 500 films every year, 10 a week.
They try to avoid films around the same genre, such as Harry Potter and Lord of the rings, coming out at the same time because otherwise the only people who would go to the cinemas would be those who like that type of film.

Digital and distribution

Digital distribution is the practice of providing the content in a purely digital format.

There is no print, it is in a digital file and can be downloaded on the internet.

It can be used to make the sound better in cinemas.
The advantag for using it is in the future it will become cheaper.

Prints and advertising

The distrbutor must consider several elements:
Specialised films: Small and more independant films usually 10 prints circulated across the country, it takes about 6months.

Mainstream film: However the larger films usually with bigger budgets have over 200 prints made.

Press materials: At the release of a film, the distributors will send posters, trailers and clips from the film to press release and interviews.
The standard size for cinema posters in UK is 30x40 quad format, basic format for all posters.
Posters are the most effective advertising format.
Pre-releases create a 'buzz' about the film and contrbutes heavily to viral marketing.

Logistics of a film

It is everything that goes on behind the film.
The distributors have to meet the legal requirements.
To buy the 35mm prints it costs around £100.
For small clips, each one lasts for 18 to 20 minutes.
They belong to the people producing the film.
The distributors rent out the prints to the vue, cineworld, etc.
Independant films can only afford £100.
3-D or substitutes cost way more.

1. Prints are hired
2. Onto a delivery van
3. To the cinema
4. Onto an assembly bench
5. Through the projector
6. Back through the process and onto the next cinema

When it has all finished it gets stored.

When in the van if it is damaged they have a lot of spares to use and to replace to damaged one, this is called theatrical coverage.

Licensing

Licensing, Catherine

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Types of Advertising

Merchandising


Viral Marketing


Synergy Marketing


Product Placements

Comparing Advertising

Bridget Jone's Diary- This film opened with a lot of synergy marketing deals with about $10 million partner buildup from The body shop, Virgin Megastore, MSN.com and Virgin Atlantic.

Virgin Atlantic sent Bridget with e-mails. There were lifetime TV runs 30-seconds and Entertainment Weekly teamed with Miramax for the top 10 market advance screenings, this week put on radio and in print ads. MSN.com offers sweeps, online Bridget cards and soundtrack clips.

The boat that rocked- Empire gave them two more new colourful and brilliant posters which boosted up the advertising so more people knew that the film existed.

James Bond- For this film an example for the product placement is that James Bond used Aston Martin.
For the synergy marketing the James Bond film used Sony to promote their product.


James Bond is a really well known film so people are more likely going to sponser that film than other films that are not as well known.

Representation and Gaze

Representation And The Gaze

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American Beauty Essay

Choose one effective scene from 'American Beauty' and analyse the effectiveness.

This comedy drama is about a man called Lester Burnam, who is going through a mid life crisis. The film includes themes such as dysfunctional families, crumbling marriages and obsessions. The scene I have chosen to do occurs shortly after Lester has quit his job. In this scene Lester is singing along to the music in his car, arriving at the burger joint and talking to the lady at the serving window.
From Todorov's narrative theory, this scene is part of the disequilibrium section of the film. Lester is starting to change his life and behaviour. In this scene, we are led to believe that Lester has resolved the problem of his wife Carolyn, being shown as the head of the family, normally a mans role. This is shown by Lester driving himself around whereas at the start of the film his wife was driving him about. Later on in the film we find out it may not be the case that Lester has resolved the problem.
From Propp's character role theory, Lester is supposedly the hero in this scene. This is because he has just quit his job. An example to show this is where you can see the reflection of office buildings rollig off his car windscreen. The connotation of this is that he is leaving that lifestyle behind and is going to start a new life. More evidence of this heroic role is where he is singing and bopping along to music and smoking drugs. This connotes that he is leaving his "old boring self" behind and changing his character. Many people would relate to the way he behaves here because they also may want to leave their jobs and responsibilities behind.
Barthes' theory tells us that there are cultural codes. Lester sees an application for a job at the burger bar. Working in a burger bar is seen as one of the lowest jobs in American society requiring very few qualifications and often one of the jobs teenagers get. Lester wants to apply for the job, which shows he wants the least responsibility.
In the scene, Lester is acting like a teenager because he is smoking and listening to some really loud music whilst singing along to it at the top of his voice. Also, he is rude to the person at the speaker by being bad mannered and sarcastic. When he sees the application for the job, Lester says, "Im looking for the least possible amount of responsibility". This tells us that he doesn't want to be depended on. Teenagers may admire him because he is acting like them. People in mid life crisis would think he has changed and why can't I. Most people though would feel embaressed by him and the way he is acting. In addition, the scene is quite bright which means Lester's life has improved and he is taking control and becoming more dominant and confident. This contrasts with the beginning of the film because the lights are dim showing he was timid and his life was dark and boring.
This scene has two establishing long shots, which show the start of the car journey, along a typical American city road, and when he arrives at the burger place. There are some mid shots when he is singing in the car and when he is at the burger place. The camera is looking down on him on some parts of the scene, which shows Lester thinks he is the "big guy", when really it shows how small he really is. This scene has about eleven cuts in it, which means it has slow editing. The scene is lit as natural light: an example of this is where Lester is in the car and the camera is looking at him through the windscreen. You can see the background of buildings blocking the sunlight until there is space in between the buildings letting the sunlight through and Lester is lit up. There is the same diegetic music all the way through the scene, from him singing along to the song, to keeping it turned low when he is talking to the lady at the burger place. The title of the film, "American Beauty" and the song, about an American woman, link together with the character, Angela, who Lester is obsessed with. The car screeches to a halt at the burger window connoting his lack of responsibility, acting more like a teenager than a middle-aged man. He is still wearing a suit, which connotes that he hasn't completely lost his responsibility.
The target audience would be anyone who likes comedy dramas. Some of the audience might be going through the same things as Lester, in the scene I chose.
The scene is showing us how he has changed his behaviour. He was boring and dull at the beginning but then he shows us that he is trying to change. I feel that the scene has been effective in showing us that Lester has changed.

Character Representations

1.Who is being represented?
2.In what way are they represented(characteristics)?
3.How was the director used language to represent them? Consider lighting, music, editing, camera work and mise en scene. Pick one scene to analyse.
4.Why is representation created in this way-What is the intention of the director in terms of how the audience respond to them?
5.Which audience member might admire your character and why? Which audience members might dislike them and why?

Lester:

Two sides to him, at the beginning he is timid but changes to being confident.

At the beginning the lights are dark to show his life is dark and dull.

Then the light brightens up to show his life is better.

On the windows of his car buildings reflect through showing he is leaving that lifestyle behind.

Slow editing, 11 cuts.

He is smoking, rude to the speaker acting like a teenager, music is loud, singing along to the song.

Camera looking down on him.

Teens might admire him because he is acting like them. People in mid life crisis might think he has changed why not me? Others might be embaressed.

Carolyn:

At the beginning she is hateful but in the specific clip her emotions come out but she hates herself crying. The blinds are hiding her. She is trying to keep her emotions private.

2 or 3 different cuts

made to look at her and it makes you feel awkward. They are in mid shots.

The room is bland and she is bland.

Some people will feel sorry for her but others still would not like her.

Colonel Fitz:

He is in a dark room so he is a dark charater.

The blinds are shut, shutting his emotions in.

He was in the army.

He can be emotional, questioning himself as aman, a father.

About 24 cuts, quick editing which creates tension.

Ricky has the light over him which shows he has become more dominant now.

Bar lights are over him, this shows he is trapped especially when he is hiding his secret.

Old fashioned people might agree with him but not really many peole will like him.

Mrs Fitz:

She is in her own world, not completely with it, very quiet, bland, forgetful.

Dark room, everything shiny and clean.

She is alone, empty room conotating she is empty.

The is no music.

Slow editing, not many cuts. This shows her life is slow.

The clothes she is wearing are plain, boring and bland.

The director wants to reflect on what is going on in her head which is basically nothing.

Some people might like her and some might not but it is very hard to admire her when she doesn't really do anything.

Ricky:

He is mysterious, no group on social skills.

He films people and dead birds and plastic bags, shows he is a bit weird.

He is clever to get away with his drug trade.

There are 6 shots, slow editing.

Slow music, serious scene.

dark shadow, the t.v is the only light.

Opening up his emotions to Jane.

Jane:

She hates her father.

She is openly negative and she is insecure.

She dislikes alot of things in her life.

Dark background.

enigma code- she wants to kill her dad. It makes us think she might be the one who actually kills her dad.

The scene is like a flashforward because it happens again later on in the film.

It is a home video through quality.

No music, camera sound effects.

Blinds are there to show privacy.

She is a strong character to talk about her family members.

Angela:

She represented as a sexy poser, a wannabe type.

She is attention seeking, insecure and desperate.

Thrills for male audiences aimed at them.

Covers up her true self with slutty act.

Girls may dislike her, find her kind of irritating.

49 cuts, fast editing, heartbeats. Makes it intense.

Music changes to suit the mood.

Cheer leader costume.

Roses (red) are love/lust related.

Everytime she comes on screen, there is the chance to ogle at her (gaze at her in a sexual way).

American Beauty

Main Characters:
Lester-husband
Carolyn-wife
Jane-daughter
Angela-daughters friend
Ricky Fitz-films people, a bit weird, scared of his dad becomes janes boyfriend, clever
Colonel Fitz-Homophoebic, does'nt trust his son, old fashioned, war like
Mother Fitz- not named in the film

Propps theory:
Hero-Lester
Villain-His lifestyle, boring
The donar-Ricky, gives the drugs, Angela
The dispatcher- Angela
The helper-Ricky

Some elements of Propps theory are relevant to American Beauty.

Barthes Code:
Symbolic-roses and colour in the film.
Action Code-build up and including Lester being shot.
Enigma- who was going to kill Lester, how and why.
Cultural Codes-colonel fitz, army background, American dream and culture.

Distribution and marketing

Above the line- this means for the film the advertising is given to you and you don't have to search for it. e.g. billboards, trailers, merchandising. etc

Below the line- where you have to go looking for the advertising. e.g. websites, itunes. etc

Films:

2012- they made alot of fake websites and facebook pages.

The men who stare at goats- t.v adverts, trailers, film posters.

Bunny and the bull- websites, hyperlinks, clips on youtube.

The average film used on marketing spends about 34.4 on advertising, although some have spent more than £100 million.

The marketing strategies have developed since Four weddings and a funeral by promoting through a technique called 'platforming'. This means that the film was only opened in a couple of cinemas and then they built on it by using word-of-mouth so more people will see it.

How does the budget of the film institution affect the production practices used to appeal to the target audience?

When the budget is low for the film the directors have to use as little techniques as they can because they are limited and this shows in the film, for example 'Dead mans shoes'.
When the budget is high for the film the directors have more choice in what they can do and they can use more techniques, for example 'Hot Fuzz'.

Hot fuzz

The Production Practices are:

• Well known actors, comic actors, such as Simon Pegg, Nick Frost.
• Unnatural lights
• Special expensive sets
• Alot of british pubs
• Hoodies
• Drinking under age
• Drunk driving
• crime, action, comedy

Dead mans shoes

• The audience it may appeal to is british people and working class people.

The Production Practices are:

• Natural light
• Post production enhancements
• Prefabricated setting
• Not well known actors

Dead Mans set budget is £723,000.

Hot Fuzz budget id £8000,000.