International strategy

Institution and audiences - Lesson notes

Production Institutions

The production company for irony Lady was Film4, UK film council, 

Distribution and marketing institutions 

20th Century Fox distributed the film 

They are creating the film for profit.

Exhibition institutions

cinemas eg odeon

Orange is another institution because they are interested in profitability 

FACT (federation against copyright theft) 

BFI - To eduction people about british film and to protect and celebrate the british film indutry.

Independent and art-house cinemas aim to make profit, but also for a public service and from a artistic view.

Convergence

Iron lady having their own Facebook page

Many trailers of the film on TV

Film review on the guardian, The Observer and Telegraph 

Actors appearing on chat shows, Meryl Streep appeared on chat show the view

Media do not exist separately, TV, video, games, films, newspapers, radio. magazines, music converge and are interdependent on each other 

Personalised advertising - Facebook, women in black

They are mashing up the users' personal information and photos with the film. 

Audiences

360 degree branding is the ultimate aim for the company. Want to surround the audiences with their brand. Some films are more of a brand than other e.g. disney films.  

The iron lady hasn't got that much because its not aimed at that type of audience.

Your marketing a fill to trigger engagement. 

A new ecosystem - we can now watch films anywhere any time, we can chose who or what we engage in on demand. 

David Gauntlett - "new media erodes the boundary between producer and audiences to the extent that it makes little sense to talk about media audiences anymore. we now have media 2.0"

Bullet Boy

1. Who is the director of Bullet Boy?

director Saul Dibb

2. Where was the film first screened in 2004?

The film screened at the end of 2004, the film quickly gathered a reputation as the first film to tackle the difficult subject of contemporary gang and gun crime in Britain’s inner cities.

3. Who handled the release?

The release of Bullet Boy was handled by Verve Pictures.

4. What is their most recent release (look on their website)?

 Breathing

5. What percentage of their releases are from first time feature directors(look on their about us link)

Over 75% of our releases are from first time feature directors

6. Who handled the release of your case study, provide the link to their website, consider how effective their webpage is. 

7. How did Verve manage to broaden the theatrical release?
In order to broaden the theatrical release of the film, Verve applied successfully for funds from the UK Film Council's P and A Fund.

8. How many prints did it have in the UK?
The film was released on 8th April 2005, opening on 75 prints UK wide

9. What did the advertising campaign consist of?
The campaign included advertising in all of the national daily newspapers that allocate significant space to film reviews, plus two tabloids, newspapers with a black perspective, a selective London Underground campaign and extensive use of radio stations with a concentration on R 'n' B and Garage, the musical forms with which Walters is associated.

10. How does this compare to the ad campaign for your case study film
The advertising for Iron lady is very different to bullet boy becasue they were aimed at mainly youths so they advertised on radio stations with a concentration of R 'n' B and Garage, the london underground and newspapers with a black perspective. The Iron lady was aimed at a completely different audience and had a larger budget which allowed them to advertise on television channels and newspapers such as the telegraph.

Logistics of Distribution

1. Who decides on the  'play date'?

The distributor will enter into an agreement with the cinema to screen the film on certain 'play-dates'.
 

2. What is the distributors responsibility?

It is the responsibility of the distributor to arrange the transportation of the film to the cinema, as part of its wider coordination of print use across the UK.

3. Why is it imperative that films are delivered on time?

There's an imperative for the distributor to deliver the film on time becasue cinemas spend their money publicising film play-dates and times in local papers or through published programmes.

4. About how much does a 35mm print cost?

Each print can cost around £1,000

5. How are prints usually broken down?

In the UK, prints are generally broken down for ease of handling into smaller reels, each lasting around 18-20 mins when run through a projector at 24 frames per second. So a feature print, in its physical form, will usually be 5 or 6 reels, stored and supplied in a single hard case, weighing in at 20-25kgs.

6. What are the disadvantages of using film prints?

35mm theatrical prints invariably suffer cumulative damage as they pass through different projectors, and the hands of various projectionists.

7. How was your case study film distributed? Digitally or 35 mm or a combination? Can you find out how many prints were developed?

Printed film format

35 mm (anamorphic) (Kodak Vision 2383)
D-Cinema

Marketing

1. What are the two questions around the marketing of a film release? 
 The marketing of a film release revolves around two key questions: 'When?' and 'How?'

2. What day of the week are new films released in the UK?

In the UK, new films are released theatrically on Fridays.

3. Who schedules and coordinates forthcoming releases?

The schedule for forthcoming releases is coordinated and published by the Film Distributors Association. A distributor will assess this schedule to identify a Friday release date where there are only a few films scheduled for release

4. What is a ‘light’ week?

 Finding a 'light' week will ensure that there will be both screen space and adequate review column inches in the press allocated to any potential release

5. What three aspects have to be taken into account for a film to have the greatest potential to reach audiences?

In recent years in the UK, these two aspects of release planning have become increasingly difficult, as the release schedule has regularly featured over 10 new releases in a week.

6. Why is this becoming increasingly difficult?
The schedule for forthcoming releases is coordinated

Scheduling a release is the seasonality of the film
Distributor will try to position the film distinctively and avoid a release date occupied by other films with similar traits (story, subject, country of origin) 

7. What are P&A

The costs of theatrical distribution, met by local distributors, are often referred to as 'P&A', or Prints and Advertising.

8. What are the costs of P&A?

P&A are the nuts and bolts of marketing and distributing films into cinemas, the tools used by the distributor to create a public for its film. P&A also represent the bulk of the distributor's investment, after paying the initial fee for rights, and can range from less than £1,000 to over £1 million for the release of a film in the UK.  

9. Who marketed your film?

20th Century Fox

Marketing: P&A

1. What are the 7 elements of P&A?

1. The quantity and production of release prints and trailers:
2. Press materials, clips reels, images, press previews, screener tapes
3. The design and printing of posters and other promotional artwork
4. Advertising campaign - locations, ad size and frequency
5. Press campaign / contracting a PR agency
6. Arranging visit by talent from the film
7. Other preview screening

2. About how many prints might a specialised film have and how long will the tour be?

Specialised films will often be released with fewer than 10 prints into key independent cinemas, with these prints subsequently 'toured' over a 6-month period to all parts of the UK.

3. How many prints might a commercial mainstream have?

Commercial mainstream films will often open on over 200 prints, simultaneously screening in all major UK towns and cities.

4. How many did your case study film have?

5. Why is a favourable press response a key factor?

Favourable press response is a key factor in developing the profile and desirability of a film. Distributors consider both the quality and breadth of coverage, and this is often inscribed into the nature and scale of a press campaign.

6. What is the standard format for a cinema poster?

 30" x 40" 'quad' format is the standard format and still the cornerstone of theatrical release campaigns. 

7. Why is a poster important?

 poster design is highly effective in 'packaging' the key attributes of a film for potential audiences. Distributors will also consider other poster campaigns, ranging from Underground advertising to billboards.

8. Please insert a copy of your case study film poster and analyse how it features to key attributes.

This is the poster for The Iron lady. The poster is very basic  and only includes a large image of the main character in the film. This main character is a famous hollywood actress who is well known all around the world so many of the people who recognise her will be attracted to the poster and then the film. The poster also has the name of this actress is large size font which is easily visible so will attract many people becasue its famous hollywood actress Meryl Streep. The post also includes other film information such as the production companies, directors, producers ect in a blog of text on the bottom right of the poster. 

9. WHat is the word to express coverage working at the same time.

Advertising in magazines, national and local newspapers works in tandem with press editorial coverage to raise awareness of a release.

10. What is the key aspect for mainstream film?

For mainstream films, scale and high visibility is the key.

11. Why is distribution in the UK seen as riskier than in other countries?

The cost of print advertising in the UK is comparatively high, and is seen as making distribution in the UK a riskier business than in most other countries.

 

12. How are distributors trying to get around this problem?
 In order to extend the reach of advertising and develop more effective communication with audiences at low cost, distributors are looking increasingly to 'viral marketing' - different forms of electronic word-of-mouth via the internet, email and mobile phones.

13. Who was the press agency for your case study?

14. What is another name for the actors or director?

The use of talent - usually the director and/or lead actors - wins significant editorial coverage to support a release.

15. What sort of coverage did the key players in your case study have? Did they appear on
Jonathon Ross, this 

The lead actress didn't appear on any british talk shows however she did appear on the ellen show in america to promote the film. The film also had coverage on BBC television show "Film with cluadia Winkleman".

16. What is the ultimate aim of marketing?
the ultimate aim a marketing is to make people aware of the film and encourage them to go and watch it or buy it on DVD.

Licensing

1. Define the licensing process.
Licensing is the process by which a distributor acquires the legal right to exploit a film.


2. How many levels are there?
In distribution, licensing itself can take place on two levels.

3. How many ‘market territories are there around the world?
International distribution ensures that films find their way to the 90+ market 'territories' around the world. By contrast, independent producers have to sell their films to different distributors in each territory

4. Why are smaller independent film companies unable to handle the licensing for their own films?
Independent production companies are usually small concerns, sometimes set up for one film and often lacking the necessary knowledge or contacts of each of the territories around the world.


5. So what do they do?
They might choose to hire a specialist sales agent, whose function is to understand the value of a film in many different markets. The sales agent will then set up stall at the film markets that take place throughout the year.

6. What is ‘local’ distribution?
Involves the distributor acquiring the licence to release and exploit the film in a particular country. The distributor will usually pay the producer a minimum guarantee for the licence.

7. They purchase the theatrical rights, what does this consist of?.
The theatrical rights consist of showing the film in cinemas; video rights, for video and DVD exploitation; and TV rights, if the distributor is able to sell the film to a broadcaster.


8. Who do they have to share royalties with?
The licence will stipulate that the distributor will also pay royalties to the producer, taken from the profits that the film generates. 

9. What is the most effective way to create interest in a new film in the UK?
Theatrical opening is seen as the most effective way to create interest in a new film. The big screen is still the optimum setting for a film for both audiences and the filmmakers.

10. What options are available after the theatrical (cinema) release?
Some months following the theatrical release, a film will be packaged and released on DVD and VHS video, then on various forms of pay television and eventually, two years after opening in cinemas, on free-to-air television.

11. What must a successful distributor do?
successful distributor must have an in-depth knowledge of the marketplace - which cinemas, video outlets and broadcasters can best draw an audience for its films - and of the variable marketing costs involved in releasing a film in that territory. The trick is to weigh up the two factors, to invest as much as is needed in promoting the film to draw out the maximum returns.


12. Who was the distributor for your case study? 
The distributor for the Iron Lady was 20th Century Fox

13. What techniques did they employ?
They had various trailers on television channels. Some of the stars of the film went of TV chat shows to promote the film. They created a website specifically for the film and a Facebook page.