Sunday, 10 May 2015

Age


  Plan
Mise-en-scene

  • Over the shoulder show- looking down on the boy
  • boy looking down to floor, results in no eye contact- stereotype
  • Judges costume- power
  • in the box, guards around him, makes him look small
  • crying- childlike
  • looks to parents for help
Sound
  • Judge well spoken
  • boy mumbles, speaks slowly, one word answered
  • judge answers quickly, trying to catch him out
  • non diegetic music- sounds mysterious 
camera
  • looking up to judge, down to boy
  • other people level- shows their position
editing
  • boy- longer, struggling to talk
  • judge- quick, more powerful, controls the questions

denotation- what is seen
connotation- what is suggested from what is seen
realism- if the character seems that they could be real
verisimilitude- dose the storyline reflect what could be real
high production value- looks like it costs a lot
low production value- looks cheap 
narrative- the way the story is told 
parallel editing- two different actions happening at the same time shown by shots taken turns to be seen
shot reverse shot- can see relationship of people and contrasts between them 
continuity editing- flowing shot to shot 
montage editing- 




Mise-en-scene helps represent age in the clip in may ways. The first shot we see is an over the shoulder shot looking at the boy. This shows the judge as higher in power and has more status than the boy. The boy in only looking up to the judge when he has to answer a question, the rest of the time he is facing the floor and is hunched over which connotes that he does not have any power or any choice but to look up to the judge when he is meant to. This fact may fit the stereotype of a teenage as they are shown as young people who do not wish to talk much. When he answers 'yes' he nods clearly which could be seen as a child like thing to do. It is detonated that he is sitting in the box showing his volubility. This is backed up by the fact that he is surrounded by guards. The judge is wearing typical outfit for a judge showing that he has status and is could highlight the age difference between the boy and the judge as the judge is playing a role and understands what is going on whereas the boy is not as aware. We also see that during the clip we see adults looking down on him in the docks which could again highlight how young he is. During the clip he starts crying which fits the stereotype of a child. When the judge starts to ask him about university he looks at his parents, although this is because they are unaware that he quit, it could also be a sign that he is looking for help from them like a child would, . 


Another way in which age is represented within the clip is through sound. The judges voice is very clear and simple to understand which might connote that he is trying to highlight the fact that the boy is young so his understanding of the spoken language may not be as advanced as his is. The boy is almost different. He speaks very slowly and answers one word answers when he can, his voice is also slightly mumbled showing that he has much less power than the judge and it also follows the stereotype of a teenage boy as they do not get shown as well spoken. There are also some words used within the clip which shows how young the boy is. One of them are 'university'. When the judge asks how long has he been there he looks at two people who says is his 'mum and dad' which may represent him looking to them for help. There is also non-diegetic music playing towards the end of the clip when the boy is shown, it sounds quite mysterious which could show that he can not be trusted.



In the clip there are many over the shoulder shots from the judge showing the boy. This shows that he is looking down on him showing that he has more power. This is also a similar case with the boy looking up to the judge, it shows that he has lower power due to his position and age. There are some shots with some people in the docks, the camera is level with them showing that even they are seen as more powerful than the boy due to them being free and also due to them being older than him. Due to the shots used I feel it makes the clip look like it has a high production value. 



The editing made when showing the boy talking are quite long whereas the judge is only shown for a very short time, sometimes the camera stays on the boy whilst the judge is talking. This could show that the boy is finding it a lot harder to talk and answer the questions than the judge. This may be because of his age and weakness against the power of the judge. There are also very quick shots of the people in the docks, again this could show that due to their age they have more power but also to show how many of them there are compared to him alone. 
Overall the clip of the court case is verisimilitude and the characters that are involved in it are very real to what you would expect people in the same situation to be like. 

Wednesday, 29 April 2015

How important is technological convergence for institutions and audiences within a media area which you have studied?

PLAN

TECHNOLOGICAL CONVERGENCE- it is the tendency that as technology changes, different technological systems sometimes evolve toward performing similar tasks. 
(it is when one device can do many things the other devices can do, for example, a smart phone can make and receive texts and calls, take photos, take videos, gain access to web 2.0, play games, watch videos, play music, have alarms and much more)

Examples of Technological convergence:

  • Smart phones- makes calls and texts, access to web 2.0, can play games, can listen to music, can take photos, take videos
  • Laptop- access to web 2.0, can play games, can listen to music, can make documents, can make video calls, some can take pictures, send and receive messages 

PRODUCTION 

  • Devices such as smart phones has a video camera on it so it will allow people more people to film videos without buying more devices so will be cheaper
  • Because more people will be able to film their own films there will be more competition for viewers
  • Devices such as computers can now do more (edit clips, gain access to web 2.0, edit documents) so companies won't have to buy different devices to do these jobs, not only will it be quicker but it will also be cheaper 

DISTRIBUTION 

  • Can advertise the film on many more platforms and those platforms can be accessed a lot more easily due to the fact that there are many more devices which can get access to web 2.0
  • Due to technological convergence video cameras have been easy to get hold of (phones have good video cameras on them and many people have one) therefore there is more competition because there are more videos 
  • Because many devices can gain access to web 2.0 people can share and upload videos easier therefore again there is more competition 
Case study- Ill manors had a small budget of only £100,000 so they used many free ways of marketing which largely involved web 2.0. They made a website, social media pages and a trailer to put on websites such as their own, their social media pages and YouTube. Due to technological convergence this way of marketing has had a big impact on the overall box office sales, which was £453,570 in the UK alone, as more people saw the advertising of the film. 

EXHIBITION 


  • People can access the films on many devices
  • Due to being able to access the film in more ways people are now free to watch the film when and where they want
  • It may be harder for them to keep track of where (for example, on what website) they have allowed the film to be shown so it is easier for people to illegally watch the film, this will result in a loss of profit
Case study- Skyfall, which had a huge budget of an estimated £200,000,000, is accessible on websites such as Netflix, due to technological convergence many devices can gain access to web 2.0 so they can watch the film on many more devices other then just a computer or just on a TV through a DVD.


AUDIENCE

  • It is easier for people to watch films because more devices allow them to
  • They can gain access to web 2.0 on many devices so they can watch films on like also they are more likely to watch the trailer or see other marketing materials as a lot of it is online and their increased time online will mean they they see more 

Technological convergence is when device can do many different things that other devices can do. For example a smart phone can send and receive texts and calls, gain access to web 2.0 which a computer can do, take photos which a camera can do, play music, take videos and play games which a games console can do. Another example a games console can gain access to web 2.0. 

Production companies have benefited a lot from technological convergence. Computers can other devices such as tablets can now have editing software on them. This allows them to reduce the cost of buying other devices. However due to this and the fact that smart phones can now take videos and photos there is more competition. This is because there are many more accessible devices which people can buy that take videos and can have editing software on it because of technological convergence. 


Also, due to technological convergence companies now have more ways to market a film. For example, Ill manors had a small budget of only £100,000 so had to use cheap ways to market their film. They used web 2.0 to get more box office sales. This is by making their own website, social media page and by making a trailer and poster to put up on their website, social media page and other websites including YouTube. Because it has got easier to do this many more people are using methods like this. This is therefore creating more competition for the companies. 



Tuesday, 28 April 2015

Disability in A touch of Frost

Within this clip disability is shown in many different ways. The first time we see one of the main characters, named Billy, is when he is shown walking along a road which is in the forest by a tracking shot. Due to using this kind of shot it allows him to stay in the centre of the screen showing his significance in the clip. He is seen dusting himself down in quite a clumsy manor which may be down to his disability. The fact that he is by himself could show that his disability does not limit independence. This scene is directly followed by a scene involving police with dogs and with the added music the audience sees that he may not be someone to trust.

The shot then changes. The audience can see him walk out in front of the police. The police are shown by a long shot making them easy to see. When he finally does see them his reaction is shown by a close up. Both shots are quite quick which could show that he is put into a situation where the only thing he can think to do is run like he is guilty of something that he may not be clear on, it also shows him as childish. As he runs in the opposite direction it is clear that the police can easily catch up with him but he does not realise this until they catch him. This shot is over very quickly to show how easily they get him. The camera is uneven which could show that Billy does not know what is really going on and is just running any where he can to get away from who ever is chasing him. When they do catch him, he falls to the ground and tries to get away from them yet again it is clear that he is not going to get away from them due to the close up shot. It is then followed by a close up of him saying 'I didn't do anything' again and again even though he does not know what he is denying, this could be shown as childish as children associate the police which doing something bad and automatically assume that they are going to arrest them no matter what they done.

The clip then changes setting which is shown by an establishing shot of the house which also uses panning. The house is seen to be surrounded by people and police. This could show that due to his disability they see him as a threat as they are all interested in what he has potentially done wrong. When the camera goes inside the house the audience sees Frost talking to Billy's father by a two shot. Frost explains that he will have to go in with him due to him being disabled. This again relates to being a child because they are meant to have an adult with them when they have an interview. Frost describes Billy as 'Mentally subnormal' showing that he looks down on him. It also shows that peoples views on disability has changed a lot over the years and this is also backed up with Billy's father calling him 'handicapped' which today is seen as not appropriate. Billy's mother then joins in with the conversation which is shown in a three shot and suggests that she should clean him up before he talks to Frost. This could show that he has limited ability to look after himself which goes against what the audience is first led to believe when they see him walk home alone at night.


They then enter the room and Billy's father explains what is going to happen in a very clear calm, reassuring voice, it sounds like the same manor to that of how you might speak to a child. Whilst he is talking he kneels down to Billy's level. Billy interrupts him saying yet again 'I didn't do anything'. This repetitiveness is again an example of how he could be described as 'childlike'. His father then moves back to allow Frost to sit in front of him and talk to him. Frost talks to him in the same manor and also lowers his head when talking to him which makes the audience feel that he is talking down to him like you would look down on a child. Him looking down on him could also show out of the two, even though they are both adults, Frost has the authority due to the fact that Billy has a disability. Their conversation is shown by using close ups. As each one of them talks the camera shows them and only them. This could show how different they are as people because one is able bodied and the other is disabled. Billy's father is always sitting in frame behind him through out the conversation which could show that Billy is often reliant on him. This point is backed up by the fact that sometimes he has the explain Billy's answers further. An example of this is when Billy explains that he came home from 'Workshop', the audience later find out this is where he works due to his father explaining this to Frost. He does not directly ask Billy what he means by 'workshop', instead he asks his father which could show Billy as untrustworthy or he may see him as childlike. When Frost finds this out he looks shocked, this could be because Billy is disabled and working. Billy also talks about 'the playground' with is a place where children go, yet he goes there regularly perhaps showing that he has the same mental capacity of that of a child. The clip ends with Billy repeating what he says again, this could again back up the point that he is seen as childlike, yet is may also show him as untrustworthy as due to him repeating himself it sounds like not only is he trying to persuade Frost that he did not see Trisha but it also sounds like he may be trying to persuade himself.


Friday, 24 April 2015

What is the significance of proliferation of hardware and content on institutions and audiences?

What is the significance of proliferation of hardware and content on institutions and audiences?

PLAN

Paragraph 1- Producers 
Advantages

  • Digital video cameras have become cheaper therefore they can afford more on set so therefore they can get more shots making the overall film look better
  • Due to computers becoming cheaper they can buy more meaning the film can be edited quicker 
Disadvantages
  • Due to cameras being so cheap more people can get them, therefore more content is being made so there is more competition
  • Computers are so cheap and so are other digital technologies which you can edit footage on so their will be more competition as more people can make professional looking videos 
Case study-  Skyfall has many scenes which includes different camera angles and this could not be possible without the cost of cameras decreasing even though the estimated budget for the film was $200,000,000.

Paragraph 2- Distributors
Advantages

  • More people have access to Web 2.0 via technologies that include computers, laptops, smart phones, smart TVs and tablets so websites that are used to market the film will have more impact as more people will see it 
  • Synergy can be used more effectively due to the proliferation of hardware and content as there are more platforms 
  • Because the footage is made on digital cameras and can then be put on computers, the final film can be sent to exhibitors digitally which will be cheaper, easier and much quicker

Disadvantages 

  • More people have access to Web 2.0 via technologies that include computers, laptops, smart phones, smart TVs and tablets so videos on websites such as YouTube will create more competitions for films
Case study- Due to the small budget of £100,000 Ill manors uses social media sites and has a web page due to the low cost. These ways of marketing would have much less impact if there was less ways of gang internet access.

Paragraph 3- Exhibitors
Advantages
  • more ways to show films, this makes it easier for the audience to access the film so therefore the will get more profit
  • Films can now be on viewed on websites such as Netfilx which means people can watch films without having to buy the DVD, as long as you have internet access you will be able to watch the films you want with only a monthly subscription fee 
Disadvantage
  • Illegally downloading films will be easier so therefore they will lose more money 
  • Due to TVs becoming cheaper and better quality and many other divides now being able to play videos less people are paying to go to the cinema 
Case study- As Skyfall has a higher budget and is better known due to more money going into marketing, it is more likely to be on websites such as Netflix. 

Paragraph 4- Audiences
Advantages
  • More divides on which you can watch films on
  • films are more accessible, you don't need to go and buy a DVD for the film you want to watch you can on online and watch the film
  • If the audience use websites such as Netflix they can watch many films with only one monthly subscription fee which may work out cheaper than buying individual films 
Disadvantages
  • Pirate DVDs or illegally uploaded films won't be as good quality which will directly effect the enjoyment of the film

Thursday, 23 April 2015

To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?

To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?

Remember to answer this from the point of view of the institution and the audience involved.

You absolutely must use case study material in your answer.

PLAN

MARKETING-
·      Social media- different target audience, cheap to use, worldwide, popular, can be shown on different platforms, many different forms (websites) of SM, easy to use. Can comment, like, rate, recommend. CASE STUDY- ill manors: low budget, SM main marketing
·      Websites- cheap to run, can get to a wide range of audiences, can link SM to page, worldwide, can use different format on it (videos, images etc.)
·      Posters
·      Trailers
·       

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMPTION
·      Cinemas- needing to get better quality as TVs are caching up (2D, 3D, IMAX, D box seats)
·      DVDs- now becoming cheaper, good quality, no need to re-wind etc., portable players, a lot of profit for film companies comes from DVD sales
·      Websites (YouTube, Netflix)- on the internet so easily accessible from home, gets film out there to the public easier, easier to commit piracy, can watch it on smart TVs, computers, laptops, smart phones, small screen means viewer may lose enjoyment of the film



There is no doubt that the digital distribution of a film does affect the way it is marketed and consumed. There are also many other factors.

One way in which a film could be marketed is by using different forms of social media. Social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are free to use meaning that films with all budgets can use these as a platform to market their film. Ill manors is a good example of how social media can be used in a effective way to market a film. Its Facebook site has 29,740 ‘likes’ it has 3,619 ‘followers’ on its Twitter page. This shows that also of the target audience have seen the pages. The target audience of your film may affect the impact of social media as although social media is becoming more popular with a rage of ages no everyone has a social media page. Social media sites also allows you to comment your thoughts about your film which can either work in favour or against the film itself because people will be able to express their views even if they are bad and you cannot control it.  One of the reasons why ill manors has used social media as a marketing platform is that it is free as its budget was only £100,000, this compared to the James Bond film Skyfall’s estimated budget of $200,000,000 is tiny.

Film websites are also another good marketing platform for films of all genre. Ill manors website has many things on it including its logo, trailer, poster, links to its social media page, images, videos, links to buy the film, reactions and a link to buy the album of the film. Again, it is very good for films with low budgets as it can be done for free yet it can be accessible around the world. Because many things in different formats can be put on it the viewer will not be aware of the costs so therefor may see the film as more professional. 

Trailors for both Ill manors and Skyfall have been put on websites sch as YouTube. YouTube itself is very well known making it the perfect platform for advertisement for any film. The ill manors tailor has 43,799 views and skyfall has 18,173,621 views. This shows that even though there is a big different in the amounts of viewers, they still get watched and is there for a way of getting people to watch the film.

Other internet platform that work to help the film industry in getting people to watch the films made include Netflix and lovefilm. They buy the film so they can then put it on their website. They then charge a subscription fee. It allows people to watch films in their own home on many devices as long as they have internet access, for example, smart phone, laptops, tables and computers. This may bring in more money for the film makers as it means that people can access the film without having to go out to buy the film. Internet shopping also has the same effect. However having the film on so many websites has made it harder to stop people from illegally downloading or uploading the film, it will result in a loss of profit or the film makers. 

Because of the easy access to films cinemas are having to make different ways to try and get people interested in paying for a ticket. Therefore they have made more ways to watch the film other than 2D including 3D, IMAX and D- box seating which moves along with the film. This has made it a little hard for the distributors as they have to turn it in to different formats however it does in most cases increase their profit along with the cinema profits as people hard to pay a little more for the tickets. 

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

Synergy- Disney and Independent British companies

Using Disney as a good example, do a post about SYNERGY and how it is easier for a media conglomerate than smaller independent British company.

Make sure you are clear what synergy is and include a definition, and examples of how it has actually worked in the past.

State why smaller independent companies find it harder with examples.



Synergy-  The interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other 
agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.
(When different companies make different items for a film to promote it)

Conglomerate- media conglomeratemedia group or media institution is a company that 
owns large numbers of companies in various mass media such as television, radio, 
publishing, movies, and the Internet.
(When a big company own lots of smaller companies that specialise in different forms of 
media)
Some of the smaller companies which Disney owns-

  • Disney music 
  • Disney publishing
  • Disneyland resort
  • Disney channel
  • Marvel entertainment
  • Disney interactive studios 
  • Disney online
  • Hollywood records
  • Pixar animations
  • Touchstone pictures 
  • ABC television network
Disney is a conglomerate because it owns these smaller companies which work in different forms of media for example, the ABC television network uses the media form television and Pixar animations uses the media form film.


Example of synergy in Disney is Toy Story 3-
  • 3D re-releases of Toy story and Toy story 2 featuring a trailer of Toy story 3
  • Combo releases of the films on DVD and Blu-ray which featured extras, for example 'The making of Toy story 3'
  • Disney interactive studios released 'Toy story 3: the video game'
  • Before release of the film Disney channel held a Toy story film day showing the past two films and sneak peeks of the third film 




Example of synergy in Disney is High school musical
High school now have the following things made because of it:
  • DVD
  • CD of soundtrack
  • Dolls have been made
  • Video game 







Example of synergy in Disney is The Avengers
There has been synergy between Disney's divisions such as:
  • Disney stores 
  • Marvel publishing
  • Retail and creative services 



Because there has been many films within The Avengers storyline they have all helped to permute each other. There for anything made for a film (for example, a game) will not only permute that film but also others with in the series of films. 


DISNEY SYNERGY


Why is it so difficult for smaller independent British companies to have synergy?
  • Disney do not have to get other companies involved as they own such a range of companies, this means they will save money and because they control them they then can have control over what they make and what they don't  Smaller companies do not have this so it is made a lot harder for them to have synergy as they have to persuade companies to make things based around the film.
  • British independent companies also generally have a smaller budget for example Toy story 3 had an estimated budget of $200,000,000 and Ill manors which was made by an independent company had a budget of only £100,00
Example of synergy in a small independent company is Ill manors (main production company- BBC films)-
There is:
  • A DVD 
  • CD (album promotes the film and vice versa)
The CD was from Ben Drew or otherwise known as Plan B and so was the film. The film includes his music from the album and it also describes a little of what is going on in the film. On the website of Ill manors there are links to buy both the DVD and CD so it is clear that they both play a very important role in promoting each other yet they were still being seen as two totally different items in their own right.  



Shaun of the dead (main production company- Working title films)-
Shaun of the dead had a low budget so didn't have money for synergy. This is the case for many films made by a small independent companies. 

Shaun of the dead is now part of a collection of three films. The other two are called Hot Fuzz and The worlds end, they now all are a way of publishing each other because if someone sees one film they are more likely to watch the others so even without synergy other films are still advertising each other. 

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Plan

Introduction

  • film companies: production, distribution, exhibition
  • audience 
  • case studies: 


Production 
Advantages 

  • Cheaper to film as film clips can be deleted and therefore the memory space can be re-used 
  • Quicker to edit from digital
  • quicker to make film as director can review the clip there and then
  • it is now possible to use CGI and is cheaper, more accessible to other people
  • due to cheaper cameras there can be more shots 

Disadvantages 

  • Because of cameras being more amiable to buy more people can make their own films, means more competition, less money
  • Editing software and CGI have become more accessible so more competition from other companies 

Case study:

Distribution
Advantages

  • Blu-ray is also available 
  • Social media sites can be used as a advertisement method, became more popular as you can gain access to the from different platforms (technological convergence)
  • youtube and other sites like it can have clips or trailers from the film as an advertisement method 
  • Easier to export to exhibitors as there is more ways to do so, it also takes less time 
Disadvantages 
  • Full effect of blu-ray cannot be seen fully unless played on a blu-ray player 
  • people can leak the film easier- loss of money 
Case study:


Exhibition
Advantages

  • More platforms to show the film on so can reach more people 
  • Examples of internet platforms: Netflix, Film 4
  • Cinemas have more ways to show films- 2D, 3D, IMAX, D box seating 
  • The high quality of digital won't change or decrease the more it is played 
  • more platforms to watch films  (technological convergence) 

Disadvantages 
  • Higher price of better seats (3D, IMAX)
  • Easier for people to put films up on the internet illegally due to it being easier to get hold of, loss of money- worse quality 
  • cinemas will be effected because more platform to watch films and they need to keep making cinema experience better to keep up with the rising quality of TVs to keep people paying to come 
case study:

Audiences 
Advantages 
  • More ways in which you can view the film
  • cheaper to view the film by dvd ect.
  • digital quality will not decrease
  • easier to gain access to the film (through the internet)
  • easier to make films as high quality cameras are easier to get hold of 
  • more of a range of platforms to watch films on 
Disadvantages
  • more expensive to by seats such as 3D and IMAX at the cinema 
  • illegally downloaded films, worse quality 
  • technological convergence on items such as phones may decrease the quality of the film and therefore may affect the enjoyment of the film experience 
Case study:

Conclusion 
  • Most things have got more accessible to all people which has both positive and negative effects to all film areas and the audience of the film
  • internet websites have had a huge effect (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix)




Tuesday, 17 February 2015

Advantages and disadvantages in possible ways in which we can consume and produce films

Write an illustrated essay outlining all the ways possible to consume and produce films, with advantages and disadvantages.

There are many ways in which we can consume and produce films. The possibilities have changed a lot through the years and now it is easier than ever to consume films.

The first way is on a DVD. Before the DVD there was the Video and is a disk which can be inserted into a player and watched when ever the consumer wants to. Advantages of this includes the fact that the consumer can watch it as many times as they want when they want once they have brought it. However, once they have brought it can then be passed on to whom ever they want as long as it is not to people who are paying meaning that the companies are missing out on some money. It also makes making pirate films a lot easier and therefore is another way for the film makers to loose money.

A new updated version of DVDs has come out which is Blu-ray. It is high quality for consumers to watch the film meaning that the film experience will be improved. It is important that changes like this happen to keep people interested in the film industry itself. It does have its draw backs though, it means that consumers have to purchase something in which the disks will play in as ordinary DVD players can not play them. Also, if they wish to watch a film in Blu-ray which they already own they will have to re-purchase the film as a Blu-ray disk which generally costs more money than your average DVD.

Smartphones are also another way in which you can watch films. This allows the audience to watch films when ever they want whilst on the go. Also, when you buy a DVD sometimes they come with a code for you to use to get a free digital copy of the film which can be played on any digital device  (including on your smartphone). The disadvantage of using your smartphone to watch films means that because the screen is so small the meaning and effect of the film may be lost due to the film being made to watch on a bigger screen. It is also the same for tablets. Even though their screens are slightly bigger, meaning that the quality may be a little better than a smartphone, the full effect of the film will not be view by the consumer.

You can also produce films on smartphones. It may be more practical as people have their phone to hand most of the time but the quality will not be as good due to it not being specially made for that purpose. As well as watching the film, the filming itself may be effected by the size of the screen. 
The more conventional approach to filming today is by using a digital video camera. The screen is bigger and due to it being made for the purpose of filming it will have much better quality and therefore making the finished product better and more enjoyable for the consumer to watch.

In addition, videos on demand through websites such as Netflix are getting ever more popular in the way we consume films. This is because there are many positive aspects of them. It allows the consumer to watch the film when ever they want to which is not possible through TV channels themselves.  As well as this it may work out cheaper for the consumer as the amount spent per month for the subscription is fixed but if they buy the DVDs the amount when collected together will be higher once they buy a certain amount. However there are negative sides to using videos on demand such as DVD sales drooping dramatically. In 2011 DVD sales were down by 18.3%, on the other hand subscription services were up between 40% and 45%. Due to it being so popular is has destroyed many other services which allow people to watch films when they wish to such as Blockbuster.

Cinemas have been a successful platform for the consumption of films for many years. People pay to watch a film due to the fact that the experience they will get will be better to the one that they would get at home. However, due to bigger TV screens the cinema experience isn't always confined to the cinema screen so they have had to come up with more ways in which to get people to go. Viewing films in 3D is normally seen as the normal way to watch a film in the cinema in todays world but yet again TVs have improved and you can now get 3D TVs. IMAX is also another way in which you can watch a film in the cinema. Tickets cost more but the quality of the cinema experience is enhanced greatly due to better quality images and sound making more people want to go.

Overall the way we consume films and produce films has changed a lot over the years to keep up with the ever changing society in which we live in today. Even though things have changed there are still huge drawbacks for either the consumer or the companies involved.





Wednesday, 11 February 2015

Disney

Disney is well known for its films, and FROZEN is just one example of the many it has released.

Do an investigation into the company, detailing its history, the breadth of the company and the many films and their successes.
You should write about how the different companies work together when dealing with a film product in order to maximise exposures and profits.

You need to talk about a current film ( within the last three years)  as an example.







Disney was first started by brothers Walt and Roy Disney 16th October 1923. It is one of the biggest Hollywood studios and its headquarters is in California, USA.  Films that Disney has made include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia and Peter Pan. One of their biggest successes was Pirates of the Caribbean 2 which was the highest grossing movie in the opening weekend in history at $135,000,000.

Walt Disney doesn't just make films, also they own a music company which was started 1st October 1949 and Disneyland first of which was first opened 17th July 1955. Disney even owns their own mobile phone service which was started on 12th June 2006. In 2006 they had 133,000 employees. It also owns companies such as Touchstone and Hollywood records. They have become a huge success all over the world.

All Disney films follow the same formula which is fantasy, relatable characters and the storyline good character v bad character. Most of the Disney films are based on fairy-tales, they are all make-believe stories that all follow yet again another formula which is girl meets boy, they are challenged in their love for each other and then all their dreams come true. All Disney films have relatable characters in them, for example, children and a mother. The audience can always find similarities between them and a character within the film they are watching which will bring them personally into the story more and therefor make it more enjoyable for them to watch. Most of the films Disney makes has a good character or characters who has a goal which is to defeat a bad character and  in the end the good characters normally win.

Disney are massively popular and therefore they gain a lot of money from each film they make due to the good reputation they have as film makers and all round entertainers. An example of this is Mary Poppins which was released on 27th August 1964. It was only budgeted $6million yet made a huge profit in the box office with $102,272,727. Disney made much more money when it got realised on things such as Video and even more when it got realised on DVD. When it was released on home media it didn't just make them more money but it also opened the film to a whole new generation as did it with many other Disney films.

Monsters University was realised in 2013. It was budgeted $200 million which gained $743.6 million in the box office. Monsters University was made by both Disney and Pixar, this was to make maximum profit. Disney had the rights to make prequels to any of Pixar’s films up to the film Cars. It was the first ever film to use a new way of animation called global illumination. Circle 7 animation was announced to be making the film but later due Disney now owning the Pixar studio Circle 7 animation closed. Disney purchased Pixar on 23rd January 2006 in a transaction which was worth $7.4 billion. The huge profit made at the box office was not only down to the name of the makers but also because the first film named Monsters Inc done so well and got $562.8 million when it was made on a budget of $115 million.






Monday, 9 February 2015

Harry potter and the deathly hallows part two

Within the first day of being realised 'Harry Potter and the deathly hollows part two' got £9 million. This was down to the marketing of the film. Different ways of marketing the film will reach different audiences which is why companies like to use a wide range range of promotion platforms.

The first example of a way of marketing that they used was posters. They used many designs, this was because it would attract peoples attention again and again. The posters themselves have images which work as teasers. Some images may be from the film but most would be promotional images. these posters will be put up on a ride ranges of places from bus stops to cinemas therefore it will reach a greater audience than if they were just shown in cinemas. The posters may show clues about the film. The genre and main characters where shown by the posters. Posters may also show the location and time in which the film is based.

  

Another way in which the film was advertised was trailers. They took real clips from the film in order to make it and therefore it will give away a small amount of the storyline. Giving away a small amount will make the audience want to see the entire film so they know the full storyline. They were show on TV screens, DVD adverts and cinema screens. Also they use sites such as YouTube as it increase the range of people who will see it. The editing of the trailer would also play a big role in getting people to want to see the film as tension is made by quick cuts, words and phrases and voice overs. 


Film companies also use premiers as a way of marketing the film. It is where the stars of the film come to a big event in public eye and the first screening is showed. The premiere is huge with thousands of fans coming as there is a chance of meeting the stars of the film and thousands ore watching online. This may make people to want to watch the film as it makes people feel more involved within the film. Also if there is a particular actor or actress in the film ten their fans are more likely to watch the film with them in than without them in.


 




This isn't the first harry Potter storyline that has been made so there for there is already a market for them. This film is the big finale of the films so there was a huge build up since the first part was realised. The merchandise range for Harry Potter is very big. this in itself is a good stage for marketing the film. Having films already out for public viewing also means that there is already a huge fan base for it so they may make people want to see the film by telling them about it.