Production and Distribution Companies

DCP

How films are showed in cinemas?
There are some cinemas that use 35mm projectors, these are only used for special events now. Modern cinemas which show any new releases are exclusively distributed in digital format.
Digital projectors have been used since 2005 in the UK, however much earlier in America and China, other countries are now moving in the same direction. Many cinemas use a system called DCP which is a USB pen that gets shipped around inside a case. It improves accountability on behalf of cinema-pirates, each pen has a certain number of licences on it. A DCP is simply a file that requires activation from a licence. The DCP is signed for by the cinema, and then the projectionist is given the licence activation code to allow the content to be played. Satellite technology is being explored in order to reduce the cost of distribution (which has already more than halved in the past 10 years). Under satellite systems, the film is downloaded from a secure server and the film is activated for use via satellite; projectors can even be controlled remotely through the satellite, which centralizes the entire process externally. This is a method that has been spearheaded in the UK by such projects as National Theatre Live and Opera Live. Whilst they do broadcast globally, they remain a minority interest for exhibitors (although a growing one, due to their success). The legacy of these projects will not, however, come from their content but by their method of distribution. Even now, many distributors are promoting their ease of use as leverage to persuade developers to pursue satellite distribution as it reduces the overheads dramatically.

Why are films showed in cinemas?
 Personally I would say that films are shown in cinemas to create a profit, films are showed in cinemas before they are created into DVD's for people to buy, by getting an audience interested in trailers of films it will attract them to go and watch the film at the cinemas, if the film is great more people will buy the film once it is out to buy. Another reason I can think of is the atmosphere, it is completely different watching a film at the cinema compared to in your room. The cinema has bigger screen and the sound is better which makes you feel like you are in the film, especially if the film is in 3D. Also at special events it gives people a chance to see actors that are in the films when they first premiere which can attract more people to see the film, for example the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere in London. You are also less distracted watching a film at the cinemas due to no phones being switched on and less people being able to distract.

Why do films have websites?
Films create websites for many different reasons, we have been looking at upcoming films that have websites to promote the film, we found http://www.starwars.com/films/rogue-one , http://bleedforthisfilm.com/ , https://www.fantasticbeasts.co.uk/ , http://movies.disney.co.uk/moana and many more. These websites are for different audiences, each website shows the trailers of the films and give extra information about the films such as the actors and the making of the film. Another thing that the websites do is sell merchandise to get a profit, for example Fantastic Beasts will already have a big market due to it being a link to the Harry Potter films which explains why they have such a big shop on their website as it has similar merchandise to the Harry Potter merchandise. Some websites even have games on them. The reason for the films to have websites is to try to gain a bigger audience and to attract more people to watch the film either in the cinemas or on DVD once it is out.

Problems that a small UK based film company face in getting its film shown

• The digital revolution has flooded the marketplace

Cheaper digital production methods have helped create more product than buyers. To overcome this problem you would have to make sure that your film is a specific genre, this is because genres are the only ways that film buyers and marketing managers of distribution companies can quickly visualise the films image, trailer and marketing campaign, distributors buy genres, not drama.

• Online distribution is becoming commonplace

Valentine's day 2005, the co-founders of YouTube registered the name at www.whois.com. The company revolutionised film distribution and has changed that way people watch films and TV shows, the impact of illegal online distribution has also had the same impact on the film industry as it has the music industry. A way to overcome this problem is to develop a hybrid distribution strategy that encompasses traditional cinema/DVD/television releases with online distribution.

• You can't fund small companies like before

The Euro economic malaise has translated into public sector budget cuts, dampening the political appetite for using public money to fund films. To overcome this problem film making should be commercially viable without the need for public funding, film budgets need to stand the scrutiny of investors seeking cost-effective production, as well as a reasonable rate of return.

• Producers struggle to get development funding

Development funding is hard to get, yet without proper development movies will continue to suffer from weak storylines, and a way to overcome this is by not creating a film until a script is fully developed.

• Film producers do not necessarily need to be involved with social media

Social media is becoming more and more popular, it is here to stay strong, and it is becoming an essential part of a film's package. For example Paranormal Activity may have cost around $15,000 to make, but what Paramount bought was not the film but the social media strategy that the film maker Orin Pelli developed around the film. A way to overcome this problem is to embrace any film maker, writer, director or producer who has a strong and clearly defined social media strategy.

What are the arguments about who holds the most power in what films get made and seen?

• The BBFC have the authority over what gets shown in film, if scenes in a film are not appropriate for the classification they will have to be cut off, without their permission the film will not be able to be shown to an audience. 
• Another person that holds power is the audience, the film writers will be looking into what the target audience enjoys and what actors they like, so if the audience like a particular actor then they would be forced to use the star which makes that star also very powerful.
• Only 3 companies (StudioCanal, eOne and Entertainment) control half of all box office income made on UK independant incomes.

Extra Investigation into UK cinemas
I have chosen to look at cinemas in Derbyshire to analyse them, I will be looking at the Odeon Cinema in Derby, Showcase Derby Cinema de Lux, Cineworld in Chesterfield, Odeon Cinema in Swadlincote and Cineworld Burton-on-Trent.
Over one weekend there are;

1. 12 screens in Showcase Cinema with 28 films being exhibited and 15 films showed several times.
2. 10 screens in Cineworld Chesterfield with 14 films being exhibited and 9 films showed several times.
3. 5 screens in Odeon Derby with 3 films being exhibited.
4. 5 screens in Odeon Swadlincote with 2 films being exhibited.
5. and 9 screens in Cineworld Burton-on-Trent with 15 films being exhibited and 8 films showed several times.

17 of these films are also shown at the exact same times within these cinemas over just one weekend. Blockbuster films that have had a high budget on them will be shown more times in cinemas compared to films that have had a low budget to create their film, for example Storks is only showed twice over the weekend in Showcase cinema in Derby whilst The Accountant is showed 7 times over a weekend.
In conclusion the UK film distributors alone spend around £300 million a year on bringing new releases to market and building awareness and interest among audiences. It is a fast moving, highly competitive, high-stakes business.

What does distribution entail?
Distribution entails the way in which something is shared out among a group or spread over an area. Distribution is also a way to make a product well known, similar to advertising.

What is above the line and below the line promotion?
To quote Michael John Baker from The Marketing Book , the terms ‘Above The Line’ and ‘Below The Line’ came into existence way back in 1954 with the company Proctor and Gamble paying their advertising agencies a different rate and separately from the agencies who took on the other promotional activities. ATL advertising is where mass media is used to promote brands and reach out to the target consumers. These include conventional media as we know it, television and radio advertising, print as well as internet.  This is communication that is targeted to a wider spread of audience, and is not specific to individual consumers. ATL advertising tries to reach out to the mass as consumer audience. BTL advertising is more one to one, it involves the distribution of pamphlets, handbills, stickers, promotions, brochures placed at point of sale, on the roads through banners and placards. It could also involve product demos and samplings at busy places like shopping centres and markets. For certain markets, like rural markets where the reach of mass media like print or television is limited, BTL marketing with direct consumer outreach programmes do make the most sense.

Definitions;
Production-Making films
Distribution-Promoting films and getting them into cinemas out on DVD, as well as spin offs/related media products
Consumption-People paying at the cinema, renting or buying DVDs and downloading and purchasing related products

Sound

What are soundtracks and sound designs?
Sound tracks can be music or songs to fit in to the chosen film, they help to create an emotional effect onto the audience. Sound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. These are important to make the audience recognise the sounds anywhere, the music makes films iconic, for example Jaws and Psycho. I will analyse shortly the most iconic soundtracks.
What are diegetic, non diegetic and internal/external diegetic sounds?
Diegetic sound is any sound presented as originated from source within the film's world. Digetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame. Non diegetic sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action: narrator's commentary, sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect, for example music. Internal diegetic sound is sound within a characters mind so none of the other characters can hear it. External diegetic sound is sound within the media production that all characters can hear.
Here are some iconic sound motifs in which I will be analysing the music, the role it plays and what effect it makes.

1. Pyscho

Music
Instrumental and violin discords.

Role Played
Reflects a screaming sound as the victim's voice is edited alongside the music. The music amplifies her screaming and rasping sounds.

Effectiveness
Shocking and deliberately upsetting. There is only the sound of a shower running beforehand and the violin shatters the silence. The music is waiting to make the outcome of the scene immanent.
   2.Trainspotting

Music
Upbeat to fit in with the heroin addiction because music is important to the characters, drums and guitar used, sound design including tyres screeching.

Role Played
The upbeat sound shows that the characters aren't just addicted to heroin but also to music, also shows characters music taste. This music is used to show lust for life due to it being upbeat and exciting which reflects the lifestyle of the characters and the action being chased at the start of the clip below.

Effectiveness
Makes the audience happy, the sounds are very cheerful, the film wants us to be as relaxed and as happy as the characters in the film.
   
     3.Apocalypse Now
Music
Trumpet used, potentially a violin at the start with the helicopter noise, maybe even a flute?

Role Played
Used to show tension which leads to a triumphant ending. It is also used to show the madness of the war and is diegetic in that the characters can hear the music. The music is described as a storm coming and as demonic but tender.

Effectiveness
Strange music in my opinion for a shooting scene, the music can be interpretated as alarming at the start then sounding more aggresive with the heavier beats.

     4.Ghost
Music
Vocals, drums, cymbals, guitar?

Role Played
Used to show love between the two characters, brings them closer, very affectionate song, the romantic song brings back memories to the female. The lyrics show that the male doesn't want the female to forget about the strong love they had for each other.

Effectiveness
The slow music is gentle, sounds soft and warm.
     5.Rocky
Music
Drums, trumpet, triangle maybe? Electric guitar

Role Played
The happy music sounds triumphant and very energetic, could even be used for motivational purposes. It shows the hardship of a man trying to achieve his goals.

Effectiveness
Triumphant sound, makes the audience excited. The music makes you root for the character, it also fills you with a sense of pride.

All of the 4 films that we have been looking at in the post apocalyptic genre have slow paced music to highlight the idea of isolation and loneliness.

Sound Design
Sound design is an important part to a film, there is a lot of editing in films to make them perfect, for example editing the natural sounds such as wind noise, microphone rattling, distracting background noise, sound of actors voices changing from quiet to loud or vice versa. By keeping sound design simple it makes the audience focus better on the film. A way to improve sound in films is by taking away certain sounds and adding other sounds in, for example by muting the whole scene and adding on some pre recorded sounds of someone walking and heavy breathing would make the scene more clean and clear.

Reception Theory

Throughout this week I have studied the Stuart Hall Reception Theory. There are three different ways that people interpret things they see, this is because of people's different cultural backgrounds. The first side is the Dominatant, this is the intended reading, so what you see is what you are supposed to understand. The second side is Negotiated, this is where the audience questions what they have seen, they don't see anything as right or wrong but want to understand everything from different points of views. The last side is Oppositional, this is where the audience does not approve of what they have seen and are completely against it. A great example of this theory is a video showing the Sex Pistols swearing on television, some people see this as great entertainment, some question why they did this's and others disagree with their actions and think it's  rude and disrespectful.

Special Effects

"Special effects" is known as to others SFX, SPFX or FX, they are visual illusions used in films, theatre, television and video games to stimulate the imagined events in a virtual world. Over the years special effects have been growing and improving due to the great technology we have today and the investment into special effects and equipment. One of the greatest well known and most expensive films due to special effects is The Matrix Reloaded (2003), this film is the second movie of the trilogy which was written and directed by the Wachowski Brothers. This film was the highest grossing film from the series, earning in excess of $735 million at the worldwide box office, it is also the most successful R-rated movie in movie history. The most expensive scene of the film shows Neo taking on hundreds of Agent Smiths in a dramatic fight including lots of CGI action, the length of the scene and the variety of special effects needed came to a hefty pric. The scene is 17 minutes long and cost a reported $40 million dollars, which is around 40% of the entire movie budget, the scene also took 27 days to shoot.

Preliminary Task: What to do?

In our lessons we have been creating a storyboard for our preliminary task, we have decided to make a thriller themed short film. We were inspired by different films and TV shows such as Pretty Little Liars. We had to create different scenes showing different shots, this is a brief idea of what we are wanting to do, however as we will film we may change some ideas if there are any difficulties such as getting a car scene into the Skegby Trail. We then added our photos of the storyboard onto Adobe Premiere Pro to create an animatic to post onto YouTube which is now linked down below for you to watch, the video has been edited so that the timing shows how long our scenes estimated should last so that the film doesn't go over 3 minutes.


Clothing
The plan for our preliminary task is to make our video seem as natural as possible, however we did plan how we wanted our suspect to look. Suspects usually wear dark clothing and have their face hidden to keep their identity as a mystery, therefore we decided to organise for our filming to get the suspect to wear black jeans and a black coat, we wanted the suspect to also wear a hoodie or a hooded coat to try to hide the suspects face. Whereas for the victims clothing we did not want to organise what we want him to wear purely because it would have looked too organised, if this situation was to happen in real life then they would be wearing anything comfortable, therefore we told the victim to wear something he liked to show off his personality in the film.
Location
For our kidnapping scene we chose Stoneyford Rec as we wanted the film to look natural showing a park and people in the background, Skegby Trail is the location we will mainly be using, the long trail is very bright surrounded by a small forest which then leads into a forest including a stream, we thought this would be perfect for our idea to drop the child there.
Music
We decided we wanted to have a voice over throughout our film to explain what the story is about and why it is happening. We also planned on wanting music in our film, we wanted some slow but not too slow with good beats to match the actions and something that was slightly tense, we ended up hearing a song on an advert on YouTube in one of our lessons which we recognised and ended up Shazaming it to remember what it was, the song was The XX-Intro and we decided to use this for the task.

Costumes and Props

We have been exploring into costumes and props for 2 separate genres, we could choose any genre we wanted to analyse them.

Real Audience Tastes and Trends

Previously I have used YouGov to find out what a stereotypical post apocalyptic audience is like. From this we decided to create our own version of one, but with a real audience of people that we know or know of. Our filming groups are creating surveys or questionnaires whichever we prefer to gather some information to analyse the results. My group decided to create a survey on Survey Monkey including 10 questions. We posted our link onto 2 social media pages, Facebook and Twitter.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Y7SJ5MJ

It has now been 6 days since we posted our survey. Overall we have had 45 females and 15 males that have completed our survey, this may be because we do have a lot of friends on social media that are girls and that our friendship groups are mainly girls. The age is quite varied, our most popular age group was 13-17 again due to more people from our sixth form being within that age group and because we have a lot of friends from lower school they will have completed the survey too which confirms as to why we had 35% of our total to be 13-17 years old. The next popular age group was 18-22 with 30%, the age groups from 23-48+ were all under 10%. The interests were a wide range of different answers as it was an open question for anyone to type what they are interested in, sports was very popular, eating and arts such as photography, media and art were also popular as was sleeping. Profession was a similar styled question where everyone could say whatever they wanted, our most popular job was a student, the next most popular answer was a carer, the rest were a mix. Our most common answer for how many hours do you watch films per week was 3-5 hours, however 0-2 hours came second by 1 person. The next question was to see if the people doing our survey watched post apocalyptic films, 65% of people answered yes, the question after was linked to see what films the people have watched. The Book of Eli was by far the most liked film, Independence Day was a good popular answer as it was a film that we have not covered in our lessons and another one was Armageddon which again was great as we have not been through it. Trailers and well known actors persuade many of the people that completed our surveys. Our next question is very different, "Because in post apocalyptic films religions have an importance, do you consider yourself to have any religious beliefs?" and for this question we had one person skip it, 10 people answered yes, 37 said no and 12 answered not sure completely. This question is something we wanted to include to try to see exactly what people thought, we knew it was quite a personal question however we really did appreciate everyone that helped us by answering this question to see exactly what our audience were like. Finally the majority of people chose natural disaster as their favourite story line to post apocalyptic films with Zombie Apocalypse as the next interested story line.

Classification Categories

Each film is categorised in a different age group, there are 7 different groups which were created by the BBFC, the group watch films to then assess them for cinemas when the films are ready to be released for viewers. The reason why we have age restrictions is because of violence, controversy, sex and nudity, sexual violence, religion, class, language and shock.

• "U" is suitable for all
• "PG" is parental guidance needed
• "12A" is similar to 12, however a parent must company the child
• "12" means that you must be 12 or above to watch it
• "15" is for 15 or above
• "18" is only for adults
• and "Restricted 18" is a film which includes hard-core sexy time

Examples of the categorised age restrictions

• U- 101 Dalmatians, the film is for children which shows threat to the dogs as Cruella DeVille tries to catch them
• PG- Big Hero 6, this film is still for children however because it does include explosions, frightening images and some rude humour it is rated a PG
• 12A- Me Before You is a 12A example, due to it mentioning suicide and sex refrences and mild bad language such as "piss off"
• 12-Divergent counts as a 12 rated film due to a slight bit of nudity showing chest and back, slight violence scenes, strong language and a serum is used which some viewers may consider as "drugs"
• 15- Ted is a brief nudity, sex references, strong language and drug use
• 18- Friday the 13th is rated an 18 due to its bloody violence and strong sex scenes.
• Restricted 18-  Cannot find a restricted 18 film example, however a typical film in this classification would be explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and video works may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. R18 video works may not be supplied by mail order.