FILM INDUSTRY Flashcards

Question

What track did the official trailer include and how does this link to black culture?

Answer 1

The trailer featured the track Bagbak by rapper ‘Vince Staples’ and an excerpt from the 1970s track ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ by African American poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron. The song's title was originally a popular slogan among the 1960s Black Power movements in the United States.

Answer 2

A special collaboration with Lexus, the car manufacturer released the advert ‘Long Live The King’ which was shown during the Superbowl. The film also used product placement to showcase the car - synergy The Lexus LC500 was featured heavily in a key action sequence within the movie itself, but also appeared in a companion ’graphic novel’ created with Marvel Custom Solutions called Black Panther: Soul of a Machine. B.P. featured throughout the print advertising for the car, as well as in the TV ad - featuring many of the actors from the film in their roles. Using its relationship to the B.P. property, Lexus hoped to appeal to the ‘cool vibe’ generated from the release and success of the film - as the appeal moved beyond ‘comic nerds’ into the mainstream - young adults or parents of children seeing the film may be enticed by expensive products featured throughout the movie.

Answer 3

On Jan. 8 2018, Disney organised the first halftime show during the College Football National Championship, where Lamar performed. A new trailer dropped during the game, featuring Lamar's and SZA’s song from the film, “All the Stars.” The football game, carried on Disney owned TV channel ESPN, was watched by 28.4 million people

Answer 4

Disney also used the stunt to start selling advance tickets on Fandango (Black Panther would go on to sell more tickets in advance than nearly any other movie in history, with Fandango responsible for 30 percent of all tickets sold in the U.S. on opening weekend)

Answer 5

The B.P. soundtrack featured music produced by popular award winning rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamarr. This product appealed to fans of the artist and fans of the Marvel property it is associated with Another example of Synergy - both the movie and the musician benefited. Some individual songs were released independently thus generating further ‘buzz’ not only for the album, but for the film franchise as well. Some tracks feature explicit language - therefore targeting an older audience not primarily associated with a Marvel product.

Answer 6

There was a ‘Welcome to Wakanda’ catwalk show at New York Fashion Week and features in numerous fashion magazines (On opening weekend 44% of ticket buyers were female).

Answer 7

The cast were predominantly people of colour, subverting predominantly white superhero films. The women in the film are represented as strong and independent leaders, attractive to a female audience too.

Answer 8

Hasbro's BP toys: Including masks, claw gloves, toy cars, action figures, etc. All advertising for these toys features children (across a range of ages and both genders) of colour (not just black but Asian too) predominantly playing with these items - as the marketing clearly focuses on the non-white comic fan and asks them to identify with the protagonists of the property itself - “make way for the hero in you!”

Answer 9

In early February, New York resident Frederick Joseph raised over $50,000 on GoFundMe to take Harlem* children to see Black Panther and launched the #BlackPantherChallenge. Over 600 GoFundMes raised nearly $1 million, helping thousands of children see the movie. Donations came in from all 50 US states and 50 countries around the world.

Answer 10

B.P. still appeals to fans of action blockbusters by still maintaining many of the codes and conventions of mainstream Hollywood blockbusters (including stylish special effects, an engaging antagonist, good vs evil plot) The subversions of expectations make this film quite unique.

Answer 11

Conglomerate advantages: Horizontal integration Disney has acquired Marvel, LucasFilms and Pixar as subsidiaries. These companies are film producers responsible for creating movie content, therefore they were effectively rivals before Disney acquired them. Therefore, advantages of horizontal integration are that production costs can be minimised, resources can be shared and markets can be controlled. Horizontal integration in Black Panther: Shared resources: Marvel characters©, ILM special effects*, Disney personnel, Disney production studios (sound stages, set builders etc.) Conglomerate advantages: Vertical integration Disney retains all profits from product distribution. Full control of when and where their products are broadcast. Cross media synergies - use subsidiary companies to promote their products and maximise profits. Producing and distributing products internally creates substantial cost savings. Can restrict access to competitors on their distribution channels. Examples from Disney: Production: Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios Distribution: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures + Disney owned subsidiaries involved in marketing (TV, merchandise,theme parks etc.) Exhibition: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (DVD,Blu-Ray), Disney + (2019)

Answer 12

Arguably, these profit driven motivations can be seen through Marvel's Cinematic Universe - since 2007, the beginning of the MCU, 35 films have been produced with at least 10 more in varying stages of production.

Answer 13

Film industry dominated by mainstream Hollywood blockbusters and franchises - format-driven movies. Franchises help minimise risks - ready-made audiences, existing fanbase Profits can be ploughed back into the company who can then increase their production and marketing budgets and dominate the market. The dominance of Marvel in the sci-fi / superhero genre does somewhat limit the opportunities for alternative, riskier independent films in these genres, as audiences have come to expect and find comfort in some of the more conventional approaches and larger budgets (expressed through polished CGI and all-star casts) associated with these films which Marvel produces. Disney have capitalised on the Star Wars and Marvel franchises and their own animation creations to create re-boots, live-action movies, spin-offs, sequels, prequels, TV content.

Answer 14

It is NOT just another superhero film about a young white male with an alter-ego. B.P. challenges norms and stereotypes - the character is an older black non American hero, who is also king of a small nation, with a very public identity. The supporting cast is predominantly black - featuring only 2 white established actors. When Disney bought Marvel, they agreed to minimal creative influence over Marvel products.

Answer 15

Star Power - Kendrick Lamar soundtrack, Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Martin Freeman. Genre based formatting - Marvel Studio branding in the trailer and repetition of superhero genre evident in marketing materials. Remakes and Serialisation - Part of MCU T’Challa previously seen in Captain America:Civil War, superhero genre re-shaped for a more diverse audience. Independent Labelling/Stylisation - Non-mainstream aesthetic through Afrocentric settings and cast to attract a wider audience

Answer 16

The media industry is a high risk business and industries are interested in maximising profits and minimising risks. Media products are produced to create profit. Creativity plays secondary role to marketing needs and brand development.

Answer 17

BBFC: 15 Genre: Drama Release date: 21st October 2016 Box office : 12.45 million USD Release date: 21st October 2016 Awards: BAFTA Award for Best British Film, Palme d'Or

Answer 18

A cinematic genre which is typically associated with niche audiences rather than mass, multiplex audiences. British social realist films often seek to offer a ‘window on the world’ and represent contemporary social issues. In general terms, the genre uses a low-budget, documentary-style aesthetic to create ‘verisimilitude’; this contrasts with the much higher-budget, commercialised offerings of mainstream Hollywood studios.

Answer 19

A platform release pattern was used, which means the number of cinemas offering the film increased over its ‘lifetime’ (the period in which it was screened in cinemas). In its opening weekend in the UK, the film started off in 94 cinemas, before growing to 273 cinemas.

Answer 20

After a premier at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2016, IDB was released worldwide throughout late 2016 and early 2017.

Answer 21

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 consumer audience.

Answer 22

More one to one, and involves the distribution of pamphlets, stickers, promotions, brochures placed at point of sale, on the roads through banners and placards

Answer 23

The launch wasn’t just about selling tickets, it was also about raising awareness and generating debate with the hope of bringing social change. An issue-based independent film would naturally attract a more niche audience but to kickstart the debate the campaign needed to spread the films wider message and target a more politically active audience.

Answer 24

Giving away 10,000 free tickets to the regional screenings. Prominent appeals from the film’s protagonist used on the mastheads and the front covers of their newspaper titles. Banner advertising. An editorial ‘written by’ Daniel within an October 2016 issue of the Mirror. Disruptive display advertising across the group’s digital newspapers. Articles promoting the film, which were retweeted by Ken Loach.

Answer 25

The Guardian’s “Meet the real Daniel Blakes” displays the social realist elements of the film, and how it is reflective of real lives - showing an activist stance. A documentary style YouTube videos made in which they follow people going through similar situations to Daniel Blake to highlight the realism of the film. Actor in the film, Hayley Squires went on TV show this morning to talk about how her upbringing related to the issues presented in the film. A speech was made into a video which was shown on social media and before screenings of IDB in cinemas, it highlighted the social realism in the film and included significant figures such as Jeremy Corbyn - leader of the labour party at the time.

Answer 26

Director Ken Loach tweeted and promoted the film using interactive hashtags such as DanielBlakeDay and WeAreAllDanielBlake. 1.1 million engaged with these hashtags. Bespoke IDB filters were available for Facebook profiles to spread awareness of the film - these were used by 16k people.

Answer 27

A series of posters were released which clearly represent the values of the film - through the representation of community (DB and a family), social rebellion (Graffiti and fist in the air). Good reviews are on the posters, alongside the mention of notable awards and companies such as the BBC, BFI and the Palme d'Or.

Answer 28

Multiple Go Fund Me pages were made to raise money for children to go to screenings of IDB and to send the Conservative party to see it too. The film was heavily spoken about, even in Parliament to make a point of the lack of social care for citizens - a video went viral of MP Mhairi Black telling Tory MPs To Watch "I Daniel Blake", reflecting how the film itself is critical of the system.

Answer 29

Projections relating to IDB - quotes and the name of the film - were put onto public places such as the houses of parliament using the Nomadix iProjector to draw attention to the film.

Answer 30

The film is critical of modern social issues in Britain such as the welfare system. The characters of Daniel and Katie are traditionally underrepresented characters. The film has a left-wing political message, which criticises Conservative Government policies - as much of Loach's work does. This means that the film had a pre-sold audience of Loach's fans.

Answer 31

£300,000 funding from the BFI (British Film Institute) through its National Lottery funding scheme. The BBC co-financed the film, through its PSB remit which supports independent cinema. Why Not Productions - a French production company - collaborated with the film, who frequently work with Loach and contributed to the films budget.

Answer 32

It appealed to grassroots organisations to put on screenings which meant community groups were able to rent the film for a small fee and charge the price they wanted to screen the film.

Answer 33

Much of the filming was done on location (for example the streets of Newcastle, job centres, hospitals etc). The lack of special effects in the film - mostly due to its realist element - also kept production costs low.

Answer 34

Due to his involvement in previous successful projects. The film could be considered mainstream as Loach is a well-known producer/director in the UK, however his anti-Government stance and style of films isn't mainstream.

Answer 35

The film's purpose was primarily to create a social discourse and spread awareness of British social issues, as opposed to making profit and gaining power.

Answer 36

The film is produced by few small companies joined together to make "I, Daniel Blake". All of the production companies are independent and not so Hollywood, however they all produce very similar products such as independent films.

Answer 37

This can be seen through IDB's marketing rollout through the Mirror Groups newspaper The Mirror, which promoted the film and perhaps posed it as more mainstream.

FILM INDUSTRY Flashcards

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