Tuesday, 25 February 2014
How important is technological convergence for institutions and audiences within a media area which you have studied?
The merging of different technologies within the film industry is quickly becoming a large factor for film companies and the consumer of the films. The Hobbit is a strong example of this.One main use of technological convergence in this film is it's use of 3D cameras- the RedEpic to be precise. The use of 3D was incorporated into this blockbuster movie to go along with the ever popular demand among cinema goers and film lovers fir 3D films, especially in the genre of action/fantasy that this project conforms to. In a survey recently conducted, it was shown that 71% of the people questioned said that they preferred 3D over 2D films. This statistics indicates to the institutions involved in making this film as successful as possible that by using this type of technological convergence that they are going to be appealing to a wider audience of cinema goers. The fact that The Hobbit was a blockbuster funded by a conglomerate such as Warner Bros meant that they had a large production budget of $250,000,000 meant that it was not a problem to delve into the uses of different technology, and experimenting with the merging of the different technologies.
Film industry facts.
1. What percentage of the british population prefer 3D films to 2D films?
Out of a total 1,011 people surveyed, only 373 said they'd rather see 3D over 2D if the 48% who had never chosen to see a 3D movie were included.
Jim Chabin a report the society commissioned saying "most" US cinemagoers liked 3D compared to 2D. Some 71% of people surveyed who had seen a 3D movie preferred the experience.
Out of a total 1,011 people surveyed, only 373 said they'd rather see 3D over 2D if the 48% who had never chosen to see a 3D movie were included.
Jim Chabin a report the society commissioned saying "most" US cinemagoers liked 3D compared to 2D. Some 71% of people surveyed who had seen a 3D movie preferred the experience.
Friday, 14 February 2014
Working title
3. Universal studios is owned by NBCUniversal- a major media company that produces not only many of the films that are popular in the industry, but also television (network, cable and local) networks, several television production companies, and branded theme parks.
NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast. Comcast is one of the biggest mass media and comunications companies in the world. It is the largest cable television and home internet broadband company in the world, also covering home security. It also produces major television and film projects, owns multiple television cable networks, national channels, and the major film institution Universal Pictures, as well as the Universal theme park.It is the parent company of NBCUniversal and Comcast spectator.
By being owned by Universal, Working Title are benefiting a lot. They will receive more money to fund their projects, so they can not only improve the quality of their projects, but also improve and widen their marketing campaigns to bring in a bigger audience. At the top of the chain of parenting companies, there is the biggest mass media company in the world. This means that the company has multiple television networks that are seen by most likely billions across the globe, as well as various other popular points across the media platforms to advertise their project and draw in the audience.
4. Because Working Title is owned by a company as big as Universal, and they go as far up as Comcast, Working Title manage to have a bigger budget to produce bigger films, and also have the ability to widen their audience to an international market, and have a greater opportunity for global marketing. They can produce higher budget movies, thus increasing the quality of the films that they make. However, by being in partnership with such a big company, Working Title are minimizing the opportunity of creating more indie films that carry a risk, as the big corporations are more likely to fund a project that is mainstream and is guaranteed to ensure an audience.
5. Risk free film:
Projects they feel passionate which have risk factor:
NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast. Comcast is one of the biggest mass media and comunications companies in the world. It is the largest cable television and home internet broadband company in the world, also covering home security. It also produces major television and film projects, owns multiple television cable networks, national channels, and the major film institution Universal Pictures, as well as the Universal theme park.It is the parent company of NBCUniversal and Comcast spectator.
By being owned by Universal, Working Title are benefiting a lot. They will receive more money to fund their projects, so they can not only improve the quality of their projects, but also improve and widen their marketing campaigns to bring in a bigger audience. At the top of the chain of parenting companies, there is the biggest mass media company in the world. This means that the company has multiple television networks that are seen by most likely billions across the globe, as well as various other popular points across the media platforms to advertise their project and draw in the audience.
4. Because Working Title is owned by a company as big as Universal, and they go as far up as Comcast, Working Title manage to have a bigger budget to produce bigger films, and also have the ability to widen their audience to an international market, and have a greater opportunity for global marketing. They can produce higher budget movies, thus increasing the quality of the films that they make. However, by being in partnership with such a big company, Working Title are minimizing the opportunity of creating more indie films that carry a risk, as the big corporations are more likely to fund a project that is mainstream and is guaranteed to ensure an audience.
5. Risk free film:
Mainstream films:
- The World's End
- Closed Circuit
- I Give It A Year
Projects they feel passionate which have risk factor:
- Rush
- About Time
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
Extension questions: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
1. Does The Hobbit franchise illustrate any wider trends in terms of contemporary film production?
There are many contemporary trends of modern day films that are illustrated in The Hobbit franchise. One example of this would be the dominance of blockbusters in the modern film industry. There is a rise lately in the success of films with a simplistic storyline which gain a large profit, way exceeding the film's original budget. Another trend that is common in the modern industry, especially in the action or fantasy genres, is the rise in British actors being selected. Over the past few years many British actors have come to fame, staring in many international films. Attaching these rising stars and their names to the franchise is often done by the institutions to increase the attention brought onto the film. One final trend that is seen in both The Hobbit and the wider film industry is the collaboration of multiple institutions to fund and produce the project. For example, for The Hobbit, New Line Cinema, Wingnut productions, and a few other institutions collaborated with Warner Bros to create this film
There are many contemporary trends of modern day films that are illustrated in The Hobbit franchise. One example of this would be the dominance of blockbusters in the modern film industry. There is a rise lately in the success of films with a simplistic storyline which gain a large profit, way exceeding the film's original budget. Another trend that is common in the modern industry, especially in the action or fantasy genres, is the rise in British actors being selected. Over the past few years many British actors have come to fame, staring in many international films. Attaching these rising stars and their names to the franchise is often done by the institutions to increase the attention brought onto the film. One final trend that is seen in both The Hobbit and the wider film industry is the collaboration of multiple institutions to fund and produce the project. For example, for The Hobbit, New Line Cinema, Wingnut productions, and a few other institutions collaborated with Warner Bros to create this film
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Warpfilms
1. Background/history of the company. What box office successes has the company had?
Warpfilms have produced many films which have been a success, mainly in Britain:
-This is England
-A Complete History of my Sexual Failures
-Exhibit A
-Four Lions
-This is England '88
-The Midnight Beast (TV)
Warp films is an independent film company based in Sheffield and London, with a further company in Melbourne, Australia (Warp Films Australia).
It was established by Warp Records founding partners Rob Mitchell and Steve Beckett. It was originally created with financial support from NESTA and had a remit to produce a number of short films.
The company has won many prestigious film making awards for their work
2. How is the company structured?
Warp Films was established from Warp Records.
Warp Films quickly expanded in 2006 and set up a sister company dedicated to digital, low-budget filmmaking driven by creativity and independence, established with the backing of a consortium of industry bodies. They produced six low-budget films in three years, Warp X redefined the industry rulebook for the way in which such productions could be approached in the UK.
Warp Films now has two sister companies which expand beyond the UK boarders- Warp Films Australia and Warp X.
In the past, warp have made many partnerships. Their film 'Grow Your Own' was made as their first collaboration with BBC films, and they also have ongoing contracts with Film 4 and Channel 4.
3. What genre of films does it produce? How are these targeting British audiences?
The types of films produced by Warp Films tend to follow the more controversial story lines and narratives that other companies do not risk covering. They tend to try and take a controversial insight into British life, 'This is England' and 'Four Lions being clear examples of this.
Warp take on the dark British humour that tends to be neglected in modern film making, creating twisted story lines that carry sensitive themes such as terrorism. This means that Warp aren't just fitting into the genre of comedy- they are also expanding it and taking it down an alternative, more taboo filed route.
Drugs, murder and other controversial influences play heavy roles in these films, too. The company uses these influences to create a sense of social realism. They also challenge the idea of power and corrupt power.
Mixed into the surreal humour, we also are given a flavour of aspects of the love, war, murder, and mystery genres. That's the thing that makes Warp Films such a success, and a breath of fresh air to the film industry. They play outside the box, and never follow the guidelines of playing to a selective few genres. All of their films carry a happy balance of each genre and mix them to create unique tales that are new to their audience, and have not yet been covered- the films are constantly treading on new turf- untouched by even the biggest American names.
Due to the controversial, taboo nature that comes with these unique films that are produced, Warp has ultimately limited it's audience to above the 18 mark.
Warpfilms have produced many films which have been a success, mainly in Britain:
-This is England
-A Complete History of my Sexual Failures
-Exhibit A
-Four Lions
-This is England '88
-The Midnight Beast (TV)
Warp films is an independent film company based in Sheffield and London, with a further company in Melbourne, Australia (Warp Films Australia).
It was established by Warp Records founding partners Rob Mitchell and Steve Beckett. It was originally created with financial support from NESTA and had a remit to produce a number of short films.
The company has won many prestigious film making awards for their work
2. How is the company structured?
Warp Films was established from Warp Records.
Warp Films quickly expanded in 2006 and set up a sister company dedicated to digital, low-budget filmmaking driven by creativity and independence, established with the backing of a consortium of industry bodies. They produced six low-budget films in three years, Warp X redefined the industry rulebook for the way in which such productions could be approached in the UK.
Warp Films now has two sister companies which expand beyond the UK boarders- Warp Films Australia and Warp X.
In the past, warp have made many partnerships. Their film 'Grow Your Own' was made as their first collaboration with BBC films, and they also have ongoing contracts with Film 4 and Channel 4.
3. What genre of films does it produce? How are these targeting British audiences?
The types of films produced by Warp Films tend to follow the more controversial story lines and narratives that other companies do not risk covering. They tend to try and take a controversial insight into British life, 'This is England' and 'Four Lions being clear examples of this.
Warp take on the dark British humour that tends to be neglected in modern film making, creating twisted story lines that carry sensitive themes such as terrorism. This means that Warp aren't just fitting into the genre of comedy- they are also expanding it and taking it down an alternative, more taboo filed route.
Drugs, murder and other controversial influences play heavy roles in these films, too. The company uses these influences to create a sense of social realism. They also challenge the idea of power and corrupt power.
Mixed into the surreal humour, we also are given a flavour of aspects of the love, war, murder, and mystery genres. That's the thing that makes Warp Films such a success, and a breath of fresh air to the film industry. They play outside the box, and never follow the guidelines of playing to a selective few genres. All of their films carry a happy balance of each genre and mix them to create unique tales that are new to their audience, and have not yet been covered- the films are constantly treading on new turf- untouched by even the biggest American names.
Due to the controversial, taboo nature that comes with these unique films that are produced, Warp has ultimately limited it's audience to above the 18 mark.
Sunday, 2 February 2014
Distribution: Marketing and promotion
Partnerships with other brands:
Google:
One brand that had a major involvement in the more recent promotion of The Hobbit is google. They set up and digitally modified with the help of the team that did the CGI for The Hobbit an entire online Middle Earth that can be explored.
Air NZ:
Air New Zealand have been heavily involved with the marketing promotion of The Hobbit. For the release of both 'An Unexpected Journey' and 'The Desolation of Smaug', Air NZ transferred images for the film onto planes that would fly across the world- to London, L.A., Wellington etc.
By teaming up with Air NZ they not only spread the word via news on the internet, but also they managed to reach word of the film to people all around the globe that were either using the airports, the plane, or just looking into the sky.
Toys and figurines:
The Hobbit teamed up with companies such as Funko, Funko POP!, The Bridge Direct, Lego to create a number of toys and figurines to help promote the film. This synergy helped to reach out to a wider audience because they would now have the name of their brand pushed onto toy shop, comic book and general shop shelves globally.
Google:
One brand that had a major involvement in the more recent promotion of The Hobbit is google. They set up and digitally modified with the help of the team that did the CGI for The Hobbit an entire online Middle Earth that can be explored.
Air NZ:
Air New Zealand have been heavily involved with the marketing promotion of The Hobbit. For the release of both 'An Unexpected Journey' and 'The Desolation of Smaug', Air NZ transferred images for the film onto planes that would fly across the world- to London, L.A., Wellington etc.
They also did other things, for example hanging and setting up models fitting to the size of the character's scale, and creating health and safety videos the be shown to all of their passengers, as well as the whole world:
By teaming up with Air NZ they not only spread the word via news on the internet, but also they managed to reach word of the film to people all around the globe that were either using the airports, the plane, or just looking into the sky.
Toys and figurines:
The Hobbit teamed up with companies such as Funko, Funko POP!, The Bridge Direct, Lego to create a number of toys and figurines to help promote the film. This synergy helped to reach out to a wider audience because they would now have the name of their brand pushed onto toy shop, comic book and general shop shelves globally.
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