"Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good production practices". To what extent would you agree with this statement? (50) A Very Rough Essay Plan For You...
Introduction - start by defining what is meant by 'success'.
Present the argument 'for' this statement - the importance of good marketing and wide distribution / distribution to specific audiences on the success of a film.
Present the argument 'against' this statement - can films that are not heavily marketed and distributed widely still be successful?
Conclusion - sum up your points and conclude with whether you agree or disagree with the statement.
The examiner is looking for:
Understanding of the task / refers to question throughout
Knowledge and understanding of institutional processes
A clear and developed argument
Detailed reference to / evidence from a range of case studies
Accurate use of terminology
Accurate spelling and punctuation
Deadline - Wednesday 28th November - hard copy please!
Your task for today is to research one of two British Independent films. You need to make a Prezi with your findings and post it to your blog. Your Prezi should cover in detail the pre-production, production, distribution, marketing and exhibition of the film you have chosen. If you wish, your Prezi can contain clips of the trailer or excerpts from the film; discussion and interviews with the director or cast members.You should also make reference to the different areas of the specification below. A 'translation' of these areas is also available on this blog. The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour Your film can be The Inbetweeners Movie or The King's Speech.
A Four Quadrant Picture is a marketing term used to describe a film targeted to all audience quadrants: men over 25, men under 25, women over 25, women under 25.
Usage
In the movie business, and it is most definitely a business, everyone is looking to maximize the audience for their picture. A four-quadrant picture is that magical type of film that attracts parents and kids, men and women, and brings in huge amounts of revenue on opening weekend. In the term “four-quadrant,” the quadrants refer to gender (male and female) and age (under 25 and over 25).
For most studios, the goal is to get enough details to line up so that they have broad-based, family-friendly appeal in designing a blockbuster or four-quadrant film. An important aspect of getting that appeal is the ratings system. An 18 Rating can be the kiss of death for a studio trying to market a film featuring pre-teen characters. A lowering from PG-13 to PG can mean millions more in revenue as parents feel more comfortable bringing young children to a given film like Evan Almighty.
Examples
One of the most famous four-quadrant, blockbuster films is Star Wars and all of its sequels. Jaws is another landmark blockbuster film. Other more current examples include Night at the Museum, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Shrek (1-3), Spiderman (1-3), Pirates of the Caribbean (1-3), andWall-E.
Implications
Another interesting by-product of the rise of four-quadrant films in the industry is cross marketing. Those films often are associated with toys and other products that both advertise the film and bring in revenue on their own. In addition, four-quadrant films are powerful vehicles for product placement advertisers looking to show their wares to the largest audience possible.
On the down side, many wonder how much effort is placed on credible, engaging story lines as opposed to marketing opportunities in these behemoth cinematic endeavours.
In the exam you will be tested on one of the following areas (the simplified translation is in italics. You'll notice there is quite a bit of similarity in some areas)
The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice (how does who owns a media company influence the type of film made and its potential success? For example do BIG companies make BIG films and therefore make all the money? Is it possible for small companies to succeed?)
The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing (how do companies work together to produce, distribute and publicise a film? How can Disney use their size to promote and publicise a film? How can small companies work together to promote their business' when making and promoting a film?)
The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange (how has the introduction of digital film, 3D, DVD, Blue Ray, internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema influenced the types of films made, the way we watch them and the way we 'buy' them?)
The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences (how and why have film companies had to alter the way they work now everyone has web enabled phones, PC's, consoles etc? How have audiences changed their viewing habits now we no longer need to go to the cinema to watch a film?)
The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences (can you think of examples of how different technologies have come together to help the film industry?)
The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions (how do film companies try and attract their audience? Do they do different things in different countries?)
The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour (what is your opinion on the above? Do you see the developments as a good or bad thing?)
...Indie Rock Albums
5. Ash - '1977'
4. The XX - 'The XX'
3. The Libertines - 'Up The Bracket'
2. Arctic Monkeys - 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'
1. Oasis - 'Definitely Maybe'
...(Slightly Cheesy) Pop Songs
5. Girls Aloud - 'Sound of the Underground'
4. Carly Rae Jepson - 'Call Me Maybe'
3. S Club 7 - 'Reach'
2. One Direction - 'What Makes You Beautiful'
1. Kylie Minogue - 'I Should Be So Lucky'
...Animated Films
5. Ice Age
4. Toy Story
3. Shrek
2. Finding Nemo
1. Monsters Inc.
...British Comedy Programmes
5. The Office
4. The Inbetweeners
3. Outnumbered
2. Peep Show
1. Alan Partridge
...British Films
5. Hot Fuzz
4. Love Actually
3. Shallow Grave
2. About A Boy
1. The King's Speech
...Indie albums. This was significantly harder than you would expect!
We think of Indie music as being guitar based, alternative rock. However, the term 'Indie' actually comes from 'Independent', meaning bands or artists that were signed to an independent record label; nothing to do with the style of music actually being made.
In actual fact, much of the music we may think of as being Indie music is produced by mainstream record companies, such as Polydor or EMI. This means that in some cases bands such as Radiohead who appear to fit into the genre referred to as Indie with their guitar based, alternative rock style, are signed to mainstream labels (in the case of Radiohead: Parlophone, a subsidiary of EMI), whilst some music we would think of as Pop, like Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan in the 80s, were actually signed to independent Australian record label PWL.
So, I have tried to keep my top ten true to both definitions: Alternative, guitar based rock music, signed to an Independent Record label (at least at the time when the album was released).
10. Jack Johnson - 'Brushfire Fairytales'
Everloving - February 2001
Certainly quite a chilled album, not at all how you would imagine Indie rock. But this has a relaxed summertime sound and reminds me of being in Australia.
9. Two Door Cinema Club - 'Beacon'
Transgressive - August 2012
Brand new so maybe a bit premature to put it straight into my top 10 but I love this album already! Also, Two Door Cinema Club are truly Indie, unlike other bands around at the moment, like The Vaccines, who are actually signed to major labels.
8. Example - 'Won't Go Quietly'
Data - June 2010
A bit of a fusion away from Indie rock music, into dance and rap, but a really fantastic album for moving Indie music in a new direction. This is Example's second album, and the one that helped him to become more noticed, although he still remains signed to an independent label.
7. Pigeon Detectives - 'Wait for Me'
Dance to the Radio - May 2007
Signed to a really independent label based in Leeds, this Leeds band's first album has some really cheeky and catchy lyrics.
6. The Strokes - 'Is This It'
Rough Trade - July 2001
New York based Indie guitar. This album brought Indie rock back to popularity following the Post-Britpop lull.
5. Ash - '1977'
Infectious Records - May 1996
Showing my age here but Ash were just 18 when this album reached number one and I found them quite inspirational for that. The music on this album reflects their age as lots of the lyrics are quite fun and the guitars are very high-octane.
4. The XX - 'The XX'
Young Turks - August 2009
Again, quite a chilled Indie album and the second by the XX.
3. The Libertines - 'Up The Bracket'
Rough Trade - October 2002
This first Libertines album, before it all went wrong for Carl and Pete. A really rocky album that has heavily influenced lots of other bands.
2. The Arctic Monkeys - 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'
Domino - January 2006
Arctic Monkeys were one of the first bands to gain notoriety through viral marketing and word of mouth on social networking sites. Alex Turner's observational lyrics are so clever and funny. Another Yorkshire band!
1. Oasis - 'Definitely Maybe'
Creation Records - August 1994
Again, showing my age, but for me nothing beats this first Indie album that I ever loved.
One of my favourite bands is The Libertines because I love the lyrics of their songs. Even though they aren't perhaps the best role models, that has actually been used as part of their marketing and attempts to present them as a little bit 'edgy'. I also think that they have been a big influence on other 'indie' bands like Arctic Monkeys, etc.
Probably my favourite film is the Shawshank Redemption. It is based on a short story by Steven King, a well-known horror writer, but this was not within his usual genre. The film has a fantastic twist at the end which has always made it very memorable for me (I'm not going to give it away, you'll have to watch it to find out!). It's quite an old film now (I'm showing my age) but was a success through word of mouth rather than advertising and its ideas are still relevant today.
This Blog is designed to help you keep up to date with what you will be doing in AS media studies.
Links to useful websites can be found on the right hand side of this blog.
Today's lesson
1. Set up a 'blogger' account
2. Create your class blog.
Your blog address MUST be firstnamesecondnamelcmedia.blogspot.com
All homework will be posted to your blog and this will be marked and used as the basis for all AP marks.
Try to make your blog as interesting looking and personal as possible!
3. Add a 'followers' tab to your blog.
4.Set up accounts in the following:
Scribd
Slideshare
Flickr
Prezi
5. Write your first post telling us a little bit about yourselves.
Here are some questions to get you started:
- why have you chosen to study media?
- what other subjects are you studying?
- who is your favourite band(s)/artist(s) and why (embed a YouTube video)?
- what are your favourite tv programmes (embed pictures)?
- what is your favourite film/who is your favourite director (embed a YouTube video)?
- what magazines do you read?
- what websites do you read?
