FM2 Section A - Producers and Audiences
Resource Material
For this section, you answer ONE question, based on the resource material provided for you in the separate booklet.
You could get any combination of texts, including statistics from official sources, opinions from a blog, film posters and film reviews, as well as quotations from academic essays.
The question asks you to "use the Resource Material, as well as information from your studies" when answering the questions - and you will get more marks for structuring an argument that uses ideas in the texts as well as contradicting them with examples from your own knowledge.
For more examples of questions, look at the Exam Papers which are available on this site.
You could get any combination of texts, including statistics from official sources, opinions from a blog, film posters and film reviews, as well as quotations from academic essays.
The question asks you to "use the Resource Material, as well as information from your studies" when answering the questions - and you will get more marks for structuring an argument that uses ideas in the texts as well as contradicting them with examples from your own knowledge.
For more examples of questions, look at the Exam Papers which are available on this site.
Lesson Resources
Below is a complete list of revision materials from the lessons we have studied so far on this topic. Click on the link to download the file.
Lesson 1: The History of Hollywood
You may have seen the films, but until you've actually looked at the history of Tinseltown, you won't understand the full picture.
This lesson discusses the history of Hollywood.
Download the powerpoint and timeline of early cinema. Read the Wikipedia article on the history of cinema in the United States - it is detailed and informative. There is an interesting site discussing the impact of the studio system on the career of Judy Garland here. You should also look at the history and decline of the major studios like MGM and RKO, as well as the rise of conglomerates such as Twentieth Century Fox, the Disney Corporation and newer major players in animation such as Dreamworks, Lucasfilm and Pixar.
This lesson discusses the history of Hollywood.
Download the powerpoint and timeline of early cinema. Read the Wikipedia article on the history of cinema in the United States - it is detailed and informative. There is an interesting site discussing the impact of the studio system on the career of Judy Garland here. You should also look at the history and decline of the major studios like MGM and RKO, as well as the rise of conglomerates such as Twentieth Century Fox, the Disney Corporation and newer major players in animation such as Dreamworks, Lucasfilm and Pixar.
1._the_history_of_hollywood.pptx | |
File Size: | 64 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
early_cinema_-_timeline.doc | |
File Size: | 159 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Lesson 2: Methods used when Marketing Films
Often our first encounter with a film is through the marketing methods a company uses to get the film seen. This lesson discusses the difference between above-the-line marketing and below-the-line marketing. It also looks at case study films which have been very successful because they were marketed correctly.
Read the powerpoint. You should read up on key terms such as social grading scales and synergy. You should also look at the case studies of Star Wars (especially the re-release of Episode I), Toy Story (1995) and for the UK, The Inbetweeners Movie (2011), as examples of films where box-office success has been augmented by a strong marketing strategy. You also need to look at films where the marketing was not so successful - Around the World in 80 Days (2004), Cutthroat Island (1995), Hudson Hawk (1991) and (one of my personal favourites) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010).
One of the key factors in marketing is the success of the product, and in an age where the audience for something is increasingly fractured and spread across many different media, if the product does not work well, there is no way it will be saved by a flashy marketing strategy. Look at advertising agency Red C's blog to see their advice on film posters and other methods of publicity.
Read the powerpoint. You should read up on key terms such as social grading scales and synergy. You should also look at the case studies of Star Wars (especially the re-release of Episode I), Toy Story (1995) and for the UK, The Inbetweeners Movie (2011), as examples of films where box-office success has been augmented by a strong marketing strategy. You also need to look at films where the marketing was not so successful - Around the World in 80 Days (2004), Cutthroat Island (1995), Hudson Hawk (1991) and (one of my personal favourites) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010).
One of the key factors in marketing is the success of the product, and in an age where the audience for something is increasingly fractured and spread across many different media, if the product does not work well, there is no way it will be saved by a flashy marketing strategy. Look at advertising agency Red C's blog to see their advice on film posters and other methods of publicity.
2._marketing_in_film_industry.pptx | |
File Size: | 104 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Lesson 3: New Technology and Marketing Films
So you know the basics... but there's so much more to modern marketing than meets the eye. This lesson focuses on how the film industry uses the Internet and social media to reach a larger group of consumers than ever before - and the effect of this on the film's revenue (which is usually very positive).
But why promote yourself on these platforms in the first place? It's simple: There are millions of users (a large potential audience), information is rapidly shared between large groups of people (getting the message out quickly), and despite the relative anonymity of one user, it is for the most part both personal and public at the same time.
The growth of Facebook is of particular importance here, as is the increasing prevalence of Twitter. For more information on how companies monitor what tweeters say about them, you should look at this page. For a case study in the influence of Facebook groups, you need only look at the success of the campaign to make Rage Against the Machine the 2009 Christmas Number 1 single. There's also a study that has been published in the Journal of Interactive Advertising into viral advertising and social media, which is weighty but useful if you wish to understand the theory.
But why promote yourself on these platforms in the first place? It's simple: There are millions of users (a large potential audience), information is rapidly shared between large groups of people (getting the message out quickly), and despite the relative anonymity of one user, it is for the most part both personal and public at the same time.
The growth of Facebook is of particular importance here, as is the increasing prevalence of Twitter. For more information on how companies monitor what tweeters say about them, you should look at this page. For a case study in the influence of Facebook groups, you need only look at the success of the campaign to make Rage Against the Machine the 2009 Christmas Number 1 single. There's also a study that has been published in the Journal of Interactive Advertising into viral advertising and social media, which is weighty but useful if you wish to understand the theory.
3._new_methods_of_marketing.pptx | |
File Size: | 1670 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Lesson 4: Ways of Viewing Films
The ways we watch and consume films are numerous. Twenty years ago it would have been unheard of for people to download a film; even being able to make their own DVDs was out of reach for many computer users, despite Hitachi shipping the world's first DVD-ROM . There has been a definite shift from people watching films in the cinema to them watching films at home. However, this is not a recent phenomenon and it all began with the battle between Betamax and VHS for supremacy of the home video market. From laserdiscs to Super 8 film, there have been many ways of watching your favourite film without venturing out. New laws like SOPA and PIPA threaten the thriving market in illegal downloads which, arguably, give consumers more choice. However, legal downloads look to be fighting back.
You need to be aware of the new ways that film producers and distributors make films available. Aside from watching a film at the cinema, you can purchase the film on DVD or Blu-ray. Sometimes, films are released as a triple pack, with Blu-ray, DVD and digital versions for the price of one. This is deliberate, to combat illegal downloads. In today's digital age, it's not too expensive to make a digital copy - unlike in the past when VHS tapes took hours to record, or it took hours and hours to develop a 35mm cinema print of a film for home use.
You can also watch films on pay-per-view TV such as Sky Movies - Sky offer the Sky Store, which is available to HD subscribers, listing over 1000 films which users can download to their Sky+ box; Virgin Media's TiVo box allows users to choose a similar amount of films to watch. In addition to PPV TV, you can download a film from subscription rental services like Love Film, or Netflix... or alternatively, you could just visit a bay full of pirates, if you wish to act illegally (not that you would).
You need to be aware of the new ways that film producers and distributors make films available. Aside from watching a film at the cinema, you can purchase the film on DVD or Blu-ray. Sometimes, films are released as a triple pack, with Blu-ray, DVD and digital versions for the price of one. This is deliberate, to combat illegal downloads. In today's digital age, it's not too expensive to make a digital copy - unlike in the past when VHS tapes took hours to record, or it took hours and hours to develop a 35mm cinema print of a film for home use.
You can also watch films on pay-per-view TV such as Sky Movies - Sky offer the Sky Store, which is available to HD subscribers, listing over 1000 films which users can download to their Sky+ box; Virgin Media's TiVo box allows users to choose a similar amount of films to watch. In addition to PPV TV, you can download a film from subscription rental services like Love Film, or Netflix... or alternatively, you could just visit a bay full of pirates, if you wish to act illegally (not that you would).
4._viewing_films.pptx | |
File Size: | 683 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Lesson 5: The British Film Industry - Key Problems
The British Film industry has enjoyed many periods of success - however, when there have been lean years, they have usually cost the industry dear. The biggest problem the industry has faced has been the dominance of Hollywood, and the lack of investment in the British Film Industry from government. As you know, the French have a funding system that is called the avance sur recettes, which is where the government bankroll a film, on the assurance that the film will make money. Additionally, there is a series of laws protecting French films from being swamped by Hollywood films in French cinemas, which ensures that Hollywood films are never monopolising cinemas and audiences. American film companies have so much money available for distribution and marketing, and are vertically integrated to keep costs down. British companies simply cannot compete.
Another key problem is the way films are funded in the UK - until 2010, the UK Film Council provided cash to people who wanted to make films. When the Coalition Government announced a series of funding cuts, the money from the UKFC was cut and then the UKFC was disbanded, its remit now being covered by the British Film Institute or BFI. It is therefore harder than ever for film companies to get films - particularly those that are not 'commerically viable' - from being made.
Another key problem is the way films are funded in the UK - until 2010, the UK Film Council provided cash to people who wanted to make films. When the Coalition Government announced a series of funding cuts, the money from the UKFC was cut and then the UKFC was disbanded, its remit now being covered by the British Film Institute or BFI. It is therefore harder than ever for film companies to get films - particularly those that are not 'commerically viable' - from being made.
5._key_problems_in_the_british_film_industry.pptx | |
File Size: | 276 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Lesson 6: The British Film Industry - Key Successes
The British film industry is successful in its own way - even if it is like a cottage film industry where companies pay relatively more for the same services American film companies take for granted. You need to click on the links in the powerpoint to see the videos - make sure you have sound...
6._key_successes_in_the_british_film_industry.pptx | |
File Size: | 48 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Lesson 7: British Film vs. American Film
For this lesson, you will need to click on the links for more information, as well as look for clips from the film on YouTube or Google Video.
There are several British films that have been successful in the last 20 years, and it's really worth looking at them in more detail. Films like Mike Newell's Four Weddings and a Funeral (1993) made so much money that they arguably bankrolled many subsequent films which became less successful. It certainly launched Hugh Grant's Hollywood career. Made by Working Title, writer Richard Curtis's film production company of choice, which at that time was an all-British affair but has since been sold, Four Weddings also launched the film career of John Hannah, who later went on to star in Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow, and has since been seen in blockbusters like The Mummy and its sequel, The Mummy Returns, as well as Starz and Sky favourite TV 'swords, sex 'n' sandals epic' series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.
A few years later, Danny Boyle made Trainspotting, an adaptation of Scottish author Irvine Welsh's supposedly 'unfilmable' novel of the same name. This film catapulted Ewan McGregor to star status, leading to a series of roles in Hollywood, as well as the British film industry, from indie pictures such as The Pillow Book and Big Fish to big-budget franchises like the three Star Wars prequels, where he starred as Obi-Wan Kenobi, a role made famous by Sir Alec Guinness, and musical spectacles like Down with Love (with Renee Zellweger) and Moulin Rouge!, Baz Luhrmann's postmodern retelling of the story of the famous Parisian nightclub, alongside Nicole Kidman. Boyle, meanwhile, has gone on to win an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire and was last seen making 127 Hours, another real-life movie about a desperate struggle to survive against the odds.
More recent British successes have been Edgar Wright's rom-zom-com Shaun of the Dead, and its follow-up Hot Fuzz, both of which starred Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. These films were also 'genre-busting', combining elements of British society such as the 9 to 5 working culture and the local pub with American cliches such as zombie apocalypses and iconic moments from action movies such as Bad Boys 2 and Point Break (you ain't seen Bad Boys 2?). In addition to Wright's success, there has been a resurgence of 'indie' films such as Shane Meadows' This is England (which has spawned two Channel 4 TV series), and Chris Morris's Four Lions, both of which have challenged the nostalgic and often rose-tinted views of the UK espoused by other films. Of course, a film like Harry Brown or Kidulthood contradicts this again with gritty and violent, pessimistic representations of British urban life.
There are several British films that have been successful in the last 20 years, and it's really worth looking at them in more detail. Films like Mike Newell's Four Weddings and a Funeral (1993) made so much money that they arguably bankrolled many subsequent films which became less successful. It certainly launched Hugh Grant's Hollywood career. Made by Working Title, writer Richard Curtis's film production company of choice, which at that time was an all-British affair but has since been sold, Four Weddings also launched the film career of John Hannah, who later went on to star in Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow, and has since been seen in blockbusters like The Mummy and its sequel, The Mummy Returns, as well as Starz and Sky favourite TV 'swords, sex 'n' sandals epic' series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.
A few years later, Danny Boyle made Trainspotting, an adaptation of Scottish author Irvine Welsh's supposedly 'unfilmable' novel of the same name. This film catapulted Ewan McGregor to star status, leading to a series of roles in Hollywood, as well as the British film industry, from indie pictures such as The Pillow Book and Big Fish to big-budget franchises like the three Star Wars prequels, where he starred as Obi-Wan Kenobi, a role made famous by Sir Alec Guinness, and musical spectacles like Down with Love (with Renee Zellweger) and Moulin Rouge!, Baz Luhrmann's postmodern retelling of the story of the famous Parisian nightclub, alongside Nicole Kidman. Boyle, meanwhile, has gone on to win an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire and was last seen making 127 Hours, another real-life movie about a desperate struggle to survive against the odds.
More recent British successes have been Edgar Wright's rom-zom-com Shaun of the Dead, and its follow-up Hot Fuzz, both of which starred Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. These films were also 'genre-busting', combining elements of British society such as the 9 to 5 working culture and the local pub with American cliches such as zombie apocalypses and iconic moments from action movies such as Bad Boys 2 and Point Break (you ain't seen Bad Boys 2?). In addition to Wright's success, there has been a resurgence of 'indie' films such as Shane Meadows' This is England (which has spawned two Channel 4 TV series), and Chris Morris's Four Lions, both of which have challenged the nostalgic and often rose-tinted views of the UK espoused by other films. Of course, a film like Harry Brown or Kidulthood contradicts this again with gritty and violent, pessimistic representations of British urban life.
7._british_vs._american_film_-_hot_fuzz.pptx | |
File Size: | 1439 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Lesson 8: Star Power
Films make stars, but then again, stars can also 'make' films. Sometimes films can be made that make gratuitous use of stars, and sometimes, the director is the star we pay to see. In this lesson we will be looking at two films: one where the abundance of stars made it a must-see feature that spawned a trilogy, and one where the director got first billing (and first choice of actors).
Ocean's Eleven, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia...
Snatch, a Guy Ritchie film (starring Brad Pitt as well).
Ocean's Eleven is a remake of the 1960 film starring Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis, Jr. However, the remake is totally different from the original - compare the plot synopses of the 1960 version and the 2001 version here.
Snatch, meanwhile, is an example of a film where the director is the star. The fact that Brad Pitt plays an Irish gypsy boxer with a questionable accent means nothing - at the time this film was made, Ritchie was married to Madonna (yes, really - that Madonna) and therefore his films were attracting considerably more media attention because Mrs Ritchie was so very, very famous.
Do look for some clips of the films - use IMDB or YouTube if you can, or download the films legally.
Ocean's Eleven, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia...
Snatch, a Guy Ritchie film (starring Brad Pitt as well).
Ocean's Eleven is a remake of the 1960 film starring Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis, Jr. However, the remake is totally different from the original - compare the plot synopses of the 1960 version and the 2001 version here.
Snatch, meanwhile, is an example of a film where the director is the star. The fact that Brad Pitt plays an Irish gypsy boxer with a questionable accent means nothing - at the time this film was made, Ritchie was married to Madonna (yes, really - that Madonna) and therefore his films were attracting considerably more media attention because Mrs Ritchie was so very, very famous.
Do look for some clips of the films - use IMDB or YouTube if you can, or download the films legally.
8._how_films_use_stars.pptx | |
File Size: | 683 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Lesson 9: The Major Selling Points of Movies
Briefly, then, it is possible to explain what makes a film successful, or rather, what the makers of the film believe will make it successful. Much of this takes place in the commissioning process, but it is obvious from the script whether a movie can be commercially successful or not. However, increasingly, ordinary people have the chance to influence the success or failure of a film.
major_selling_points_of_films.pptx | |
File Size: | 198 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Lesson 10: Why some films are made, but others aren't
For this, we really need to look at the production process behind films. The commissioning process is complex and often bureaucratic, hence the reason why within the film industry, it is a lot easier to make a film once you have already made a film (so how do you get to make a film in the first place?). However, as you know, proposing the idea for a film is the simple part: the rest of it is the difficulty. Development Hell is the term for when the rights to a film are purchased, but never made, for many different reasons.
This article from the Independent tells us why and how some films were never finished, and is worth looking at to see the reasons why
One reason why films don't get finished is a lack of funding. Money doesn't come through from the studio (the studio goes bust), or the director goes over budget and no more money is supplied; it could even be that a change of management means less commercial projects are shelved and funding is pulled.
Morbidly, stars are another reason for the film being incomplete. River Phoenix died in 1993, midway through filming Dark Blood; Heath Ledger died in 2008 midway through filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. The film was completed, but many critics felt that Ledger's performance lacked charisma, or depth (partly due to being unfinished). Famously, Marilyn Monroe did not complete Something's Got to Give due to her early death in 1962. Stars can also be fired from films. This Yahoo Movies article explains why some stars were fired from their films.
Sometimes directors begin projects which are later abandoned due to their deaths. Stanley Kubrick began work on AI: Artificial Intelligence many years before his death, but when he died, Steven Spielberg completed the work. In the past, entire films were shelved if the chemistry between the actors was not correct; projects were not made at all if nobody suitable could be found for the role.
This article from the Independent tells us why and how some films were never finished, and is worth looking at to see the reasons why
One reason why films don't get finished is a lack of funding. Money doesn't come through from the studio (the studio goes bust), or the director goes over budget and no more money is supplied; it could even be that a change of management means less commercial projects are shelved and funding is pulled.
Morbidly, stars are another reason for the film being incomplete. River Phoenix died in 1993, midway through filming Dark Blood; Heath Ledger died in 2008 midway through filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. The film was completed, but many critics felt that Ledger's performance lacked charisma, or depth (partly due to being unfinished). Famously, Marilyn Monroe did not complete Something's Got to Give due to her early death in 1962. Stars can also be fired from films. This Yahoo Movies article explains why some stars were fired from their films.
Sometimes directors begin projects which are later abandoned due to their deaths. Stanley Kubrick began work on AI: Artificial Intelligence many years before his death, but when he died, Steven Spielberg completed the work. In the past, entire films were shelved if the chemistry between the actors was not correct; projects were not made at all if nobody suitable could be found for the role.
Lesson 11: Why Films Fail
So we are back to our list of box-office flops. Here, we will look at a few key elements of films, so that you can judge for yourself why a film fails.
Before we begin, remember that there is a difference between a film not being made or finished, and a film failing.
The definition of a film failing is usually financial: it fails to recoup the cost of its budget from box-office and DVD revenue. More subtly, if an American film fails at the American box-office, but does well elsewhere, it is seen to have failed by many critics. The home market matters more than the foreign market.
These are adapted from http://evan-bruno.suite101.com/5-reasons-why-films-fail-a203339.
Reason 1: Appalling Script
Screenplays are imperfect at the best of times, but of course there are some mistakes you just shouldn't make.
Reason 2: Input Overkill
Too many cooks spoil the broth. In the case of many films, it can make for a messy movie if there are too many people adding ideas into the mix. This is of particular note in comedy films, where a team of screenwriters may have been working.
Reason 3: Insufficient Financing
Reason 4: Lack of Star Power
Reason 5: Business failure
Strangely, accidents on set often make a movie more profitable - look at the top-grossing films on this list of movie disasters.
Before we begin, remember that there is a difference between a film not being made or finished, and a film failing.
The definition of a film failing is usually financial: it fails to recoup the cost of its budget from box-office and DVD revenue. More subtly, if an American film fails at the American box-office, but does well elsewhere, it is seen to have failed by many critics. The home market matters more than the foreign market.
These are adapted from http://evan-bruno.suite101.com/5-reasons-why-films-fail-a203339.
Reason 1: Appalling Script
Screenplays are imperfect at the best of times, but of course there are some mistakes you just shouldn't make.
Reason 2: Input Overkill
Too many cooks spoil the broth. In the case of many films, it can make for a messy movie if there are too many people adding ideas into the mix. This is of particular note in comedy films, where a team of screenwriters may have been working.
Reason 3: Insufficient Financing
Reason 4: Lack of Star Power
Reason 5: Business failure
Strangely, accidents on set often make a movie more profitable - look at the top-grossing films on this list of movie disasters.