Distribution questions

1) How has Hollywood come to dominate world markets?

2) Why do i get to see the films I do at the local multiplex?
usually because thats what hollywood has given us to watch and there arent idependant

3) Do we get to see the films we want (demand led) or do we see films that are provided for us (supply led) and why?
I think that we dont choose what films we get to see as they are chosen for us which is why we dont see many British films in cinemas

4) Why are more people going to the cinema today?
Many people are now going to the cinema to see 3D films as they are an experience as well as entertainment which you cant do as well at home.

5) look to see whether films hold there positions well in the charts over a few weeks or whether they fall away quickly. What reasons can you come up with to explain this success or failure.

Production questions

1) How has the status and power of stars changed over cinematic history?
The bigger stars are the more power they force upon the producers or directors, they sometimes have as much say or even more than anyone else.

2)Take any film you have seen recently and find out who produced it. Then try to find out more about this person. What was their role on this particular production? What have they and others got to say about their involvement and contribution? What projects have s/he been involved in previously, were these ventures successful?
The film i have chosen is Avatar produced by James Cameron he and Jon Landau were the producers. He also directed and wrote Avatar and played a huge part of the development of the film. When he produced Avatar he said when he originally wrote the film the technology wasnt there to create it so he had to forget about the story and come back to it when he could. He had waited 12 years and couldnt believe it was finially happening. He has also produced many sucessful films such as The Terminator, Titanic and Aliens.

3)Why are certain kinds of films guarenteed to make large profits and others high risk?
Usually safe bets would be films such as teen movies and sequals as even though they are usually always the same they will be sucessful.

4) Which genres are currently popular/unpopular and why?
the genres which are popular at the current time are sci fi/fantasy/vampire films such as Twilight, Watchmen, Terminator ect.

5) Why was Hollywood under the studio system so successful?

6) What had been lost and gained as a result if the replacement of the studio system by the producer/agent/deal system?

7) How and why has hollywood again become vertically integrated?

8) What are the consequences of vertical integration?Please respond to these questions fully - the links on the blog should help your research.

Hollywood case study

Pre Production and Production

Mean girls was a popular chick flick produced by Paramount Pctures, M.G. Films and Broadway Videos based on a book called "Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence" by Rosalind Wiseman.

Mean Girls is a film about a girl called Cady who has always been home schooled in Africa as her parents were zoologists and had she never been to a high school until now. Cady then makes friends with Janis and Damien who shows her the way to survive in high school. This is when she meets Regina George one of the Plastics who are a group of popular girls within the school. Cady then joins their crew to help Janis get Revenge on Regina from years ago as Cady is invited to join the Plastics. She learns girl world and falls in love with Regina's ex boyfriend and she learns from her mistakes and who she can trust.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Chick Flick which I think is popular and a safe bet for American films as it is a teen chick flick movie and it was guaranteed to succeed.

Lindsay Lohan: $1,000,000 US

Produced by Paramount Pictures, M.G. Films, Broadway Video

Distribution

Distribution company Paramount Pictures

Exhibition

Date of release: 18th June 2004 (UK)

Is Cinema Dead?

Pros

• 3D films are bringing people back to the cinemas as its an experience that you can't expierence at home
• orange wednesdays, buy one get one free offer brings people to the cinemas
• tesco club points and nectar points to buy cinema tickets
• an experience and a night out for a wide audience of all ages

Cons

• love film.com renting DVDs
• Sky Movies and TV premiers such as High School Musical on Disney Channel
• Blu-ray and DVDs
• home cinemas and surround sound
• illeagal downloads making it easier and more popular to download films
• prices of cinema tickets
• may not always make enough money back from the cinemas but from merchandise and DVDs after it has left the cinema
• price of food in cinemas as thats how they get money

Shaun of the Dead

Shaun of the dead

Shaun of the dead was released in 9 April 2004 (2004-04-09)
September 24, 2004 (limited)

Genre: comedy horror genre

Directed by Edgar Wright

Produced by
Produced by
Tim Bevan
....
executive producer
Eric Fellner
....
executive producer
Mark Hudson
....
line producer: additional photography
Alison Owen
....
executive producer
Nira Park
....
producer
Ronaldo Vasconcellos
....
line producer
Natascha Wharton
....
executive producer
James Wilson
....
executive producer

No not all of the producers are British citizens as some people are from Queenstown, New Zealand however two people are from the UK and others are unavailable.

Produced by Working Title

Funded by Original Screenplay

Distributed by focus/rogue pictures

Babel

I thought that Babel was different from any film I've watched before however I was intrigued to see how the different narratives tied together. My favourite part of the film was probably when everything was revealed and the storyline all tied together after seeing everyone's point of view and feelings about what was happening and how it had affected so many people. There were parts which I still haven't understood in the film. I thought that seeing what different cultures are like was interesting for example the point of view in Mexico where the children are using guns and the way they live there. I liked how the non diegetic sound changed in different cultures and how we heard the same things that the Japanese girl did as she was deaf as if we were in her head which helped us to understand how she was feeling. Another part I liked was when the Mexican woman looking after the Americans children were running because the cinematography which gave a voyeuristic view on things when she was running helped give a disoriented feel again as if we were in her head.

Unit 3

post generic film making

In Top Gun i think that the genre is a hybrid genre of action, romance and drama because there are love scenes between Maveric and Charlie which appeals to the women in the audience.

The action of flying the planes and the competitive competition between the men could also appeal to the men in the audience however the drama ties everything in and makes you want to keep watching the film.

Use of extended montages

Extended montages have been used often in Top Gun when Maveric and Goose are flying and alot of quick change of shots are used which create the feeling of a fast moving plane. This helps create the dramatic effect of the big drops and quick turns of the plane which makes you feel like you are in the plane too and involved with the film. this is also represented in the many story lines happening such as the love scene, trying to win the competition and then when his friend Goose is killed flying. This also creates an emotional ride for Maveric.

Design reflects advertising styles

In the posters used for Top Gun alot of the images have been put together to show the main aspect of the film for example the photo of Maveric, Charlie, the planes and the sky. This gives you a rough idea of what the film is about and whos going to be in the film.

Detached appearance of the stars

Tom Cruise always plays a similar role in every film he is in as he has created a role of which he always acts. It is as if he only knows how to play one role however the role can be used in a number of films so that it works. This has in a way given Tom Cruise many fans and when they see a new Tom Cruise film is coming out they will know it will be good and will watch it straight away. This also shows how the actor helps to sell a film to the audience through the stars even though the film might not have a very big budget or anything else going for it.

Hyperbolic physiques and action

Some scenes in Top Gun seem to be slightly unbelievable such as when Maveric is flying and doing quite active things he always comes out afterwoods with not a hair out of place still looking sparkling clean. This however isnt always true as when they fall in the water from the plane crash they do look shaken, scared and they no longer look perfect.