Tuesday 4 December 2012

Film 4 Facts



Film4 was originally known as Film four when established in 1998 as channel 4’s second channel but was for subscription only.

 
  • Channel 4 is a production house company, who's funding comes from adverts/commercial funding.

  • FILM 4 - "committed to enhance the British film making industry by nurturing and funding new talent"

  • Film 4 has a niche (very specific small audience)

  • It was then followed by many other channel 4 further programmes who time shared the air of blockbuster films.

  • In 2006 film four modified its name to Film4 and also became a free digital viewing channel and started producing many adverts with celebrities in weird situations to stress and intrigue the audience that this is the only channel to watch free movies continuously.

  • Tessa Ross became the Controller of film4 in 2004 and head of TV drama for Channel 4.

  • Film4 is very heavily linked with Channel 4. Channel 4 financed in the helping of production in such films as “The Crying Game” and “Madness of King George”. Channel 4 also decided that there side film channel would be made free on digital networks, therefore becoming the only free film program to boost ratings.

  • Film 4 are currently on some large projects including Tyrannosaur, which Film4 backed in production and distribution closely working with Warp X and Inflammable films. This movie is an example of how Film4 help broadcast and produce English films and not just Hollywood Blockbusters as this was the first film ever to be directed by Paddy Considine. Also Film4 are in the final stages of distributing their own creation of Random originally a theatre play by director Debbie Tucker Green. It is being regularly advertised on channel 4 and competitions have started to try and attract people to see the film in cinemas.

  • Film 4 produces about 6 films a year and works along their subsidiary Warp X

  • Less of the budget is spent on distribution, because the films can be advertised on their own and parent companies TV channels.

  • They have won 5 Oscars in 4 years & 3 BAFTA's in 2007. 8.3 million AB Cl's a month, with an upmarket (42%) and male (55%) profile.

  • Successful Films include - Slumdog Millionaire/127 Hours/Four Lions/This Is England/Trainspotting

  • Film 4 work closely with specific actors and directors such as Danny Boyle's/Martin McDonagh/Steve McQueen/Peter Mullan/Chris Morris

  • Film 4 recently launched Film 4.0 - digital/online arena

  • Film 4.0's aim will be to find new talent and discover new ways of making, marketing and distributing films and engaging new audiences online in a multi platform environment.


Films:


Johhny English - It was wrote in 2009, worte by the same people of James Bond which grossed $160 million. Rowan Atkinson starred and the sequal was released in september 2010.


Wild-Child - Budget of $20 million. Filmed at Cobham Hall. Was marketed on radio stations, social networking sites and TV adverts - was a financial flop with 2.2 mill opening weekend.


The Soloist - Based on true Story. Budget $60 mill. Based on books and articles/directed by Joe Wright. Produced by Gary Foster & Russ Krasnof. Grossed $31,720,158 mill. Paramount helped distribute through Dreamworks animation and Universal Pictures. Released a year later than planned, therefore lost oscar potential


Written by Stephen Hare




Sunday 25 November 2012

Submarine Research

Submarine - New Technologies


Submarine is a very simple film and it would not have suited 3D as it does not have lots of special effects and it would not have fit in with the films overall mood. Also the film had a small budget and 3D was not as popular back when the film was made.
Submarine is available to buy on DVD and Blu-Ray. 

Submarine - the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;


Now that most films are available to stream online on websites such as LoveFilm and Netflix, Submarine is available on these websites. This helps the make it available to anyone anywhere on Phones, Laptops and TV's. Also, Submarine is available to download from Itunes and other websites.
Most people now choose to wait until a Film is released on DVD or Blu-Ray. This decreases the money made from cinema views as people are not paying for tickets. 
Submarine did not need to have 3D to be a good film as it would not have added much to the  overall film.

Submarine - the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.


I think for films like Submarine where you don't need 3D or special effects developments only apply when promoting the film and not in editing or filming of the film. 
As people are not going to cinemas to see films and waiting for the film to be available to stream, download and buy it may stop it may damage Cinema companies meaning that cinemas will not be able to advance in technology.


Saturday 24 November 2012

Submarine - the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions


(how do film companies try and attract their audience? Do they do different things in different countries?)





UK POSTER
US POSTER

The posters for submarine did not alter that much between the UK and US marketing. But on the US poster the phrase 'Ben Stiller Presents...' is shown in bold and stands out much more than the UK poster. This may be because Stiller is more known in the US for his films that have previously done better in the US than UK.



On the Weinstien US Site, there is 'Oliver Tate's Guide to Avoid Bullying' interactive animation. This was used to promote the film but also for an anti-bullying campaign.

Optimum's UK Trailer: 




Submarine's soundtrack features Alex Turner the lead singer/guitarist of The Arctic Monkeys. This may have encouraged people to want to go and watch the films because they like Alex Turner's music.






Submarine - Technological Convergence


Submarine had no website of it's own, it only had pages through Weinstien and Optimum. On the weinstien website there is an interactive slide show of 'Oliver Tates Guide to Avoid Bullying'. - http://weinsteinco.com/sites/submarine/index.html?page=bully

But the film did have a Facebook page which helped fans to keep up to date with the production of the film, trailers and releasing of the film. facebook.com/submarineUK
As Facebook can be accessed on Phones it means fans can see updates when they are not at their computer.

Potential Audience may have watched the trailer on their phones through YouTube. This means they can show friends wherever they want and increase the Audience.