Tuesday 26 November 2013

The Big 6 -

The Big six are major film studios which produce and distribute a substantial number of films annually and consistently. These companies (which are listed below) command a significant share of box-office revenues in a given market.


20th Century Fox -

20th century fox (2009).pngTwentieth (20th) Century Fox Film Corporation  is a large American company that makes movies. It is in the Century City area of Los Angeles, California, USA, just west of Beverly Hills. The studio is a subsidiary of News Corporation, the media conglomerate controlled by Rupert Murdoch.
Twentieth Century Fox was formed in 1935 when Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures joined together to form the company. 20th Century Fox Television is a part of the company that makes television series. In recent years the company has released films such as  Ice Age, Wolverine, Prometheus as well as the highest grossing film of all time, Avatar.


Colombia Pictures -

Columbia Pictures (logo).jpgColumbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American company that produces movies and television shows. It is part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, which is owned by the Japanese company Sony.
Columbia has distributed films such as Skyfall, Elysium and The Amazing Spider-man.



Universal Studios -

Universal logo 2013.jpgUniversal Studios is one of the major American movie studios that has production studios and offices at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City, California. Distribution and other corporate, administrative offices are based in New York City. Universal have distributed films such as Jaws, E.T, Jurassic Park and The Back to The Future trilogy.






Walt Disney Studios -

The Walt Disney Studios is an American film studio, one of five major business segments of The Walt Disney Company.The studio, known for its multi-faceted film division, which is one of Hollywood's major film studios, is based at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Walt Disney Studios' film division is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America. The Studios generated an estimated income of $722 million during 2012. The studio entertainment business alone (live-action and animated motion pictures, direct-to-video content, musical recordings and live stage plays) brought in $5.83 billion in 2012.


Paramount Pictures -

Paramount Pictures logo (2013).jpgParamount Pictures Corporation (commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount) is a film and television production/distribution studio, consistently ranked as one of the largest (top-grossing) film studios. The company has distributed various commercially successful film series, such as Shrek, Transformers, Mission: Impossible, Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-2011), Indiana Jones, Star Trek, Jackass, Beverly Hills Cop, "Crocodile" Dundee, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, Paranormal Activity, G.I. Joe, and Friday the 13th.


Warner Bros. -

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly called Warner Bros.) is a large entertainment group, movie studio and record label. It is owned by Time Warner. Warner Bros. is best known for the creation of the hit cartoon comedy show titled 'Looney Tunes'. The company owns the copyrights to the Harry Potter movie series, the Batman movie series, and Superman movie series, making it one of the most well known distribution companies in the world.







Why Did DREDD Fail At The Box Office? (New and improved version)

There are many reasons as to why 'DREDD' failed so miserably at the box office and why 'The Dark Knight Rises' succeeded. The first reason arises from the British comic book titled '2000 AD.' This particular comic book handed the brand new superhero 'Judge Dredd' its debut in the year 1977. However, 2000 AD comic books were not at all popular or even recognized on the world stage as they were only distributed across the UK. This may be a huge factor as to why 'DREDD' failed at the box office - people from countries or nations other than the UK had never heard of the character and so were simply not interested in watching a film containing it as the main role, this is the first reason why 'DREDD' failed. However, there are also many reasons as to why 'The Dark Knight Rises' was so successful at its box office. Like Judge Dredd, Batman started out as a comic book character, however there is a key and crucial difference between the two. The character of Batman first entered the comic book world in 1940 in 'DC comic books.' unlike 2000 AD, DC comic books were distributed worldwide and so a larger number of people recognized the characters which featured in the book itself, as Batman was one of these characters, audiences were much more likely to watch 'The Dark Knight Rises' upon its release, simply because they already knew the character 'inside -out' This is the first reason as to why 'The Dark Knight Rises' was so successful at the box office.

The second reason why DREDD failed was due to the fact that DREDD is a British film and so had a vast amount of money less to spend on the likes of top, A list actors than the Dark Knight Rises. Although it did feature an experienced cast, none of them were stand out performers. The most recognizable in the film was New Zealander Karl Urban, who has featured in films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as Star Trek and the Bourne Supremacy. However, both the producer and director decided to cover Urban's face with the famous DREDD helmet, and so Urban  was almost unrecognizable to the audience throughout the entire film. This may have been another crucial reason as to why it failed so miserably on its opening weekend. It is a common fact that big name actors attract audiences and boost the films advertising; therefore the overall popularity is increased. A list stars also give the film that certain 'wow factor' which audiences are looking for, by giving the audience this, the film is more likely to stick in their minds, as great actors are never forgotten. Unfortunately for DREDD, it lacked the presence of a big name star and so did not have the popularity it so desperately needed.
The Dark Knight Rises on the other hand had a star studded cast and featured the likes of Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Michael Cane, all of whom of are some of the most successful and well-known actors of the 20th/21st century. These hugely popular actors may have been another crucial reason as to why The Dark Knight Rises was so successful at the box office, as their names alone may have made the audience attracted to the film. Therefore, another reason as to why The Dark Knight Rises was much more successful than DREDD was because of the big name actors involved in the film.

The third reason as to why DREDD failed at the box office is due to the fact that the production team decided to include many graphic, violent and mature scenes throughout the film, in order to market the film at an older/adult audience.The scenes included were; sex scenes, drug usage scenes as well as graphic violence scenes. Although this style of film may have appealed to a number of people, it also potentially lost the film millions of pounds. The film was released as an 18, and therefore eliminated what could have been the films 'gold mine audience.' By this i mean the younger audience, as it is a common fact that superhero style films are extremely popular with children and teenagers under the age of 18, rather than older audiences of 18 and above.
However, although The Dark Knight Rises included a large amount of violence and mature themes such as terrorism, it was released as a 12A and so children, teenagers and adults could all go and watch the film, therefore it made a huge more amount of profit than DREDD as it appealed and was watched by a larger audience.

The failure of DREDD was not only down to the fact it was not 'child friendly' but because it's attempts to make the film appear American or 'non-British' backfired. DREDD in fact qualifies as a British film and was filmed mainly on location at the London based studio 'DNA films'. The production team behind DREDD decided to make the film appear American in an attempt to highlight their efforts on the special effects (as American films often spend more on special effects because they have larger budgets than British films) as well as lose the stereotypical British 'comedy loving' audience. This quiet obviously backfired as it simply did not appeal to a British or American audience. British audiences stereo-typically enjoy films which they themselves can relate to and laugh at e.g. Bridget Jones' Diary, DREDD did not fit into this category. However, although the American audience stereo-typically enjoy superhero style films with high budget explosions etc. DREDD did not appeal to this audience either, as it was not up to the standards which American made superhero films had set e.g. the explosions were not big enough, the sets were not impressive enough.

The fifth reason why DREDD failed at the box office was due to the fact that the DREDD production team had spent a large amount of their budget on the special effects within the film, they decided to release it to cinema's in 3D only, as they believed it would captivate the audience and show them how much work, effort and money had gone into the creation of the special effects.The film was shot digitally and primarily in 3D using RED MX, SI2K and Phantom Flex high-speed cameras, multiple camera rigs were also used.This proved to be extremely unpopular with audiences globally, as although many people agree 3D is a great experience, many would argue that they prefer to watch a film in 2D with HD features. The Dark Knight Rises once again got the better of DREDD, as the production team decided to release the film to cinemas in both 2D and 3D, giving the audience the option of choosing which style of film they would be most suited to. Unlike DREDD, the option of 2D proved to be extremely popular with audiences globally, as The Dark Knight Rises had a large amount of money coming in from both 2D and 3D films, rather than just 3D. This is yet another crucial error for DREDD and another reason why The Dark Knight Rises was so much more successful.

There is yet another reason as to why DREDD failed at the box office. Prior to DREDD, a 1995 adaptation of the virtually unknown comic book character titled 'Judge Dredd' was released to the worldwide audience. Although this version made an overall profit on it's opening weekend, it was given many negative reviews from critics and was only given an average rating of 3.7/10. To qualify as a successful film it would have had to pick up at least 6.5 out of the possible 10 and make an overall profit.  However, 17 years later and another version of 'Judge Dredd' was released, however it was clear to see that the memories of the horrific '95 version were still present in the minds of audiences worldwide. This clearly gave millions of people across the globe negative visions of what the new version titled DREDD would be like, this is another reason which suggests why DREDD failed at the box office.
However, The Dark Knight Rises did not have this problem. As Batman has been an established, popular comic book character which has been recognized globally since the 1940's and so many different versions of Batman films have appeared in cinemas over the years. Films such as 'Batman' 'Batman Returns' and 'Batman and Robin' all made a respectable amount of profit and were films which were enjoyed by audiences because of their 'comic book style.' However, in 2005, Christopher Nolan took over the role of the Batman director and completely re-branded the character into a dark, misunderstood, crime fighting legend that audiences have been crying out for, for years. The Nolan trilogy is to date one of the most successful superhero trilogies of all time. Therefore upon its release, The Dark Knight Rises was of course popular with audiences not only because it was the third and final installment of the Nolan trilogy, but also because of previous films which were popular and successful. These are other clear reasons as to why DREDD failed and the Dark Knight Rises succeeded. The Dark Knight Rises also received a rating of 8.5/10 as well as making a huge amount of profit, therefore making it a very successful film.

As stated before, DREDD was filmed mainly at London's DNA studios. Although it may not be an obvious reason, it did still in fact contribute to the failure of DREDD. Since the studios opening, it has produced films such as Love Actually and The Last King of Scotland, both successful films in Britain. From the studios history or filmography it is clear to see that it's best use is for British based comedy/drama films featuring British actors, whilst having a British feel/theme throughout. However, DREDD once again did not fit into this category, as it did not have a British theme and did not contain many British actors. These reasons are key contributing factors as to why it failed, as the studio which produced it were not experienced nor equipped for a film such as this, therefore creating a somewhat shambolic superhero mess.
However, The Dark Knight Rises was filmed in a studio with previous history of bringing superheros to life AND doing it well. Legendary Studios have created films such as Watchmen, Batman Begins and Superman Returns, and so has experience and equipment needed to create a successful superhero film - unlike DNA Studios. The studio has also had a partnership with Warner Bros for many years, and as of next year they will develop a new deal with Universal studios. This also suggests why The Dark Knight Rises was a better quality of film than DREDD, it had the co-finance of one of the biggest film companies/distributors in the entire industry and so was bound to have a bigger budget ($250–300 million) as well as a better distribution pattern and better advertising.

In conclusion, DREDD was a box office failure because the character is virtually unknown on the global scale and the previous film which was released was regarded as one of the worst superhero films of all time. DREDD was also released in 3D only which did not prove particularly popular with global audiences as many people find it easier and more enjoyable to view films in HD, due to the fact that the novelty of 3D has worn off. The film was also released as an 18, meaning that a huge portion of superhero fans and possible viewers were unable to watch the film at the cinema, causing a huge loss of money at the box office. DREDD was given the age rating of 18, as it features violent, mature themes and appeals more to film buffs rather than a mainstream audience. Finally, as DREDD was a British film it had a low budget to spend on the likes of A list actors, top of the range equipment such as IMAX cameras and did could not market the film on a global scale.

Targets for improved DREDD essay -

Since reading through Mr Smith’s comments I have learnt:

-I need to make my introduction shorter and more concise in order to answer the question directly.
-I also need to be more specific and add in figures such as film budgets and box office figures.
-When speaking about star power, I need to link the certain points to Mark Kermode’s thoughts on blockbusters.
-I also need to establish what counts as a successful film and include more details on distribution patterns, 2D vs 3D as well as audience types.
-Finally, I need to mention the Britishness of DREDD.

Monday 25 November 2013

In What Way Have The Improvements In Hardware And Content Affected Institutions And Audiences? -

Today we live in an era where technology is key to everyday life. Across the globe millions of people have access to technology and are able to accomplish tasks which may once have appeared impossible. With the introduction of devices such as smart phones and games consoles the viewing of film has become more available to audiences worldwide. In this essay i am going to explain why the improvements in technology have affected the film industry and how they affect its audiences.

The introduction of 3D cameras and therefore 3D films has seen audiences flock back to cinemas in recent years. The reasons for this are simple. Firstly, it is a well known fact that 3D films automatically have a better quality picture as HD features are in-cooperated into the production, this allows the audience to experience films in a completely new way as 3D offers a clearer depth of picture as well as the novelty of images 'popping' out of the screen. 3D was officially brought 'back to life' in 2009, when James Cameron released the masterpiece known as 'Avatar.' This particular film astonished audiences worldwide due to the fact that the 3D features were used to enhance the wonderful alien scenery as well as highlight the colours and other animation. These features made the film spectacular and completely rekindled the relationship between audiences and 3D films. However, low budget films such as DREDD were also released in 3D but did not have the same affect on the audience. DREDD used 3D in an attempt to make cheap scenery and average CGI effects appear better than what they actually were in order to attract a larger audience. However, this backfired and eventually led to DREDD becoming a box office failure.
There are also many other negative points surrounding 3D technology. Firstly, although many audiences agree that when used properly, 3D can be a truly amazing experience, they also argue that it is overpriced and is somewhat infuriating because of the irritating glasses which have to be worn. Also, with the further improvements of other forms of technology, audiences are less likely to watch 3D films at the cinema because they find it much more convenient to watch it at home or on the go for a cheaper amount of money.

Since Television became commercially available in the late 1920's, the product itself has undergone hundreds of changes in order to update it and make it a more enjoyable experience for the consumer. Some of these changes include a wider, more slimline screen as well as the addition of HD and 3D features, all of these make the viewing of both standard programmes and films a more enjoyable and better experience for audiences at home. Therefore, changes such as these have boosted TV sales and decreased the overall income of cinemas worldwide, as audiences are now less likely to go and watch films at the cinema, as they may feel as if they have a product which could be classed as 'cinema standard' at home and so do not need to waste money on something which is unnecessary.

There are also different forms of satellite technology such as Sky+HD which also adds to the lack of cinema interest shown by modern day audiences. In this modern era, Sky+HD customers are able to view hundreds of films in HD for a lower amount than they could at the cinema thanks to the movie package as well as Sky Anytime or On Demand. Once again, the cinemas overall income and profits will decrease, due to the fact that a large amount of consumers find it cheaper to view recent HD blockbusters in the comfort of their own homes. The introduction of Sky+HD is also extremely likely to lower the amount of profit films make from DVD and Blu-ray sales, as once again, consumers find it cheaper to view films on Sky, rather than spend unnecessary money on DVDs. However, although a film may not take as much profit from the box office or DVD sales, they still manage to make a large amount of profit through companies such as Sky, as in order to show the most recent blockbusters, Sky itself has to pay for the rights to run the film.

In this modern era, games consoles have become a 'must have' item for people of all ages. Leading Consoles such as the PS3 and the Xbox 360 are popular with both older consumers as well as younger ones, because of their ability to play films as well as games. For example, The PS3 is able to play Blu-ray DVD's and therefore both the cinema and Blu-ray DVD players' profits will decrease, as once again consumers find it easier and cheaper to watch HD films at home. The introduction of Netflix is also another contributing factor to the decrease of DVD and cinema ticket sales. Netflix allows audiences who have a modern games console to view hundreds of films as well as TV programmes online. This is once again cheaper and requires a lower amount of effort from the consumer.

Devices such as Netflix are also now available on smart phones such as the IPhone. This improvement allows smart phone holders to view recent films, on their phones in HD for a cheaper amount than they could at the cinema. The installment of Netflix on smart phones was devastating news to both DVD sales as well as Blu-ray sales, as consumers quickly discovered that they did not need to spend money on un-needed items, as they had already got hundreds of HD films literally in the palm of their hand. Therefore smart phone sales soared and once again cinema ticket sales plummeted. However, although the major fall in cinema ticket sales is a reoccurring theme throughout this essay, many cinema's use different marketing techniques such as synergy marketing to try and drag consumers back to the 'home of film' the cinema. Advertisement such as orange Wednesday's is one ways in which cinema’s regain some of their lost profits. Orange Wednesdays allows orange customers to claim cheap cinema tickets for a film of their choice. However, this particular form of advertising does still not reclaim all of the cinema's lost profits, as not every smart phone user is on an orange contract, and so this rule or deal does not appeal to a large percentage of the overall audience.

To conclude, the improvements in Hardware and content within the film industry attract audiences to the cinema, but draw more away. Although many consumers flock to cinemas to watch huge blockbuster films in 3D, many would argue that they prefer to view films in HD. This is because they are still able to see the creative aspects which the director has included in the film, and can view it in high quality depth and do not have to wear the irritating, uncomfortable glasses for a substantial amount of time. Therefore, a larger amount find it more convenient and cheaper to wait for the film to be released on devices such as Sky or Netflix, so that they can view recent HD films for a cheaper amount of money in the comfort of their own homes.



Tuesday 12 November 2013

British Film Companies -

Warp Films -

'Warp Films' is an independent film production company based in Sheffield & London. Since its opening in 2001, the company has created short films, feature films, TV dramas and even documentaries. The style of films which are usually created by this particular film company usually contain 'dark' story lines, graphic violence and occasionally racism.

Below are a list of some of the films the company has produced -

-This is England
-Dead Mans Shoes
-Four Lions
-Exhibit A


Film 4 -

lfbfmedia.blogspot.com
Film 4 is a digital television channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company is owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation and offers films in standard definition free of charge. The company has produced over 100 films since the its formation in 1982, all of which have been from different genres such as comedy, horror, action and romance.

Below are a list of some of the films the company has produced -

- Slumdog Millionaire (co-production with Fox Searchlight Pictures, Warner Bros. Pathé and Celador Films)
- Shaun Of The Dead (co-production with Fox Searchlight Pictures, Warner Bros. Pathé and Celador              Films)
- The Last King Of Scotland (co-production with DNA Films and Fox Searchlight Pictures)
- The Inbetweeners Movie (co-production with Bwark Productions, Young Films and Entertainment Film        Distributors)


Studio Canal -

Studiocanal 2011.svg
Studio Canal is a production and distribution film company which was formed in 1988 and is based in Paris. The original function was to focus on French and European productions, but later made strategic deals with American production companies. like Film 4, this production company has also produced films from many different types of genre, these include Sci-Fi/horror to Biopics as well as family friendly films.

Studio Canal's most notable productions from its early years include -

-Terminator 2: Judgment Day
- JFK
- Basic Instinct
- Cliffhanger
- Under Siege
-Free Willy
-Stargate



Screen Yorkshire -

Following a major review of the film infrastructure in the United Kingdom during 2000, the UK Film Council created nine Regional Screen Agencies, one in each region of England, to deliver support for film-making, exhibition and related media activities.
For over ten years, Screen Yorkshire has been  in poll position when it comes to selling the films, TV's, games and digital industries in Yorkshire and Humberside. Its aim has always been to secure and support the very best projects, companies and individuals, helping to make Yorkshire and Humberside one of the most sought after destinations for production in the UK.
Since 2000, Screen Yorkshire has produced Feature films, TV Dramas as well as documentaries. Unlike the other companies, Screen Yorkshires films are predominantly aimed at the 'film buffs' audience as they usually contain graphic violence and mature themes.

Below are a list of some of the films/TV Dramas the company has produced -

- The Dammed United
- This Is England '86
- Red Riding
- Kill List

Friday 8 November 2013

Editing Techniques -

Film editing is part of the creative, post-production process of film making. The term 'film editing' is derived from the traditional process of working with film, but now it increasingly involves the use of digital technology. Film editors commonly work with the raw footage, selecting shots and combining them into sequences to create a finished motion picture.

Below are a list of editing techniques frequently used by during the editing of films -

Continuity Editing -
Continuity editing is the predominant style of film ans video editing in the post-production process of film making. It is also used in narrative films and even television programs. The purpose of continuity editing is to 'smooth over' the inherent discontinuity of the editing process and to establish a logical coherence between shots.

Jump Cut -
This particular editing technique is used when two sequential shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions which vary, slightly. This particular type of technique gives the effect of e.g. a character moving or jumping forward in time. This allows dull parts of the film e.g. someone walking down some stairs to be sped up.

Credits -
Allows the audience to acknowledge the roles of every person involved with the film. In most cases, the opening credits are shorter and state the obvious or needed information, such as who is starring in the film, the studios/company which made the film as well as the director and producer etc. Traditionally the closing credits state everybody involved in the film and what their role was.

Cross Cutting -
This particular editing technique is most often used in films to establish action which is occurring at the same time, in two different locations. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one piece of action to another, which can suggest the simultaneity of these two actions. (but this is not always the case.)

Cutaways - 
In a large majority of films, a cutaway shot is the interruption of a continuously filmed piece of action. The action is interrupted by inserting a view of something else. It is usually, although not always, followed by a cut back to the first shot, when the cutaway avoids a jump cut.

Freeze Frame -
A freeze frame is a single frame, forming a motionless image from a film or videotape. These shots are usually followed by a voice over, this particular editing technique is used throughout the 1991 film 'Goodfellas' and allows the main character to narrate over the frozen image, this helps to break the story up and may keep the audience interested.

Eye line Match -
An eye line match is a film editing technique associated with the continuity editing system. It is based on the premise that the audience will want to see what the character on-screen is seeing. The eye line match begins with a character looking at something off-screen, followed by a cut to the object or person at which he is looking.

Juxtaposition - 
Two things being seen or placed close together with a contrasting effect.

Linear Narrative - 
Linear narrative is a sequential narrative with a beginning, a middle and an end-in that order.

Montage Editing - 
Montage editing is the juxtaposition of seemingly unconnected images in order to create meaning.

Parallel Editing - 
A style of editing that involves cutting back and forth between two or more scenes in which the action is taking place simultaneously or in which one action is compared or contrasted with another. See also crosscutting.

Visual Effects - 
Visual effects (commonly shortened to Visual FX or VFX) are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shot.

Match On Action - 
Either an action commenced in shot A is completed in shot B, or an action in shot A is mirrored by an action in shot B, for example when we cut from character A in location A reading a letter to character B in location B reading the same letter.