Film Marketing Flashcards
I, Daneil Blake Production Contexts
- The genre of this film is social realism.
- This film is directed by award-winning director Ken Roach (Kes, Sweet Sixteen).
- This is a low-budget film that grossed over £8 million and was therefore both commercially and critically successful.
- This film won the Palme d’Or Cannes Award. It was also nominated for several other prestigious awards.
- The film directly engages with the political context of issues such as poverty and the welfare system (this film is particular pertinent currently because of Universal Credit).
- The film conveys a clear left-wing, socialist ideology that directly attacks the then-government’s policy of austerity. It interrogates and re-frames the right-wing representation of the jobless as lazy and unprincipled.
Power and media industries - Curran and Seaton
The idea that the media is controlled by a small number of companies primarily driven by the logic
of profit and power.
The idea that media concentration generally limits or inhibits variety, creativity and quality.
The idea that more socially diverse patterns of ownership help to create the conditions for more
varied and adventurous media productions.
Regulation - Sonia Livingstone and Peter Lunt
The idea that there is an underlying struggle in recent UK regulation policy between the need to
further the interests of citizens (by offering protection from harmful or offensive material), and
the need to further the interests of consumers (by ensuring choice, value for money, and market
competition).
The idea that the increasing power of global media corporations, together with the rise of
convergent media technologies and transformations in the production, distribution and marketing
of digital media, have placed traditional approaches to media regulation at risk.
Cultural industries - David Hesmondhalgh
The idea that cultural industry companies try to minimise risk and maximise audiences through
vertical and horizontal integration, and by formatting their cultural products (e.g. through the use
of stars, genres, and serials).
The idea that the largest companies or conglomerates now operate across a number of different
cultural industries.
The idea that the radical potential of the internet has been contained to some extent by its partial
incorporation into a large, profit-orientated set of cultural industries.
Producer Influence:IDB
I, Daniel Blake Director Ken Loach has great significance as a practitioner in British and Global
cinema to this films on-going success (as well as its initial creation) – Loach has been able to
repreatedly secure funding for social realist films and to an extent the genre itself in its current
form due to his continuing work.
he is chellenging government policy mean he is also chellenging mainstream
opinions, and therefore his films are more independent/niche in nature
a pre-solid audience of Loach fans who are eager to watch his films
gives him indepdent licence to make films that mgiht not otherwise secure
finance.
SOCIAL & POLITICAL CONTEXT
I,Daniel Blake
I, Daniel Blake addresses contemporary British social issues such as poverty, the welfare system
and the Work Capability Assessment.
The film portrays a group of traditionally underrepresneted characters in Newcastle struggling in
poverty to gain benefits and support
intended audience,I Daneil Blake
the intended audience for this film is educated, media literate and people who are socially aware of political policies.
iDaneil Blake Funded
The film was funded by the BBC and the BFI (through the national lottery funding)
I, Daniel Blake is a low budget social realist film, funded by the BFI and BBC. It adheres to the
codes and conventions of British social realism film as it:
Was filmed largely on location in exisiting regional (in Newcastle) buildings (hospital, job
centre etc.) to exhibit a sense of verisimilitude.
Features lesser known actors.
Produced on a small budget (£3.5 million).
Contains semi improvised dialogue
Contains dark humour.
Has a lock of non diegetic music
Has a linear narrative.
Does not rely on special effects.
social media marketing IDB
The internet and online marketing also allowed interactive audiences to join in with the
#WeAreAllDanielBlake campaign, creating blogs, vlogs, Youtube videos and artwork (all User
Generated Content – UGC) describing their similar experiences or opinions on the matter. The
prosumers becae real agents of social change in the way the media reported the impact of this film
– the audience were marketing the film FOR the fiilm distributer, through viral marketing as
audiences were actively seeking out this material. INCLUDE CLAY SHIRKEY HERE
Projections
New NomadX Media iProjectors were used by Kommando Marketing to project images and text
based questions about the issues from I, Daniel Blake on the side of a variety of buildings across
the UK.
The dailiy mirror
The promotion of the film though eOne’s (distributor) partnership with the Mirror Trinity Group
(now Reach PLC). The Mirror ran an on-going campaign (through print AND digital
articles/editorials – including one ‘written’ by film character DB) addressing the ‘austerity’ issue as
a source of national debate; both the film (through free ticket offers and banner advertising) and
the ‘equality for all’ issues within the film were brought to the attention of the Mirror’s
readership.
creating hype for a product with a niche audience.
Grassroots campaing
I, Daniel Blake made use of grassroot campaigns including taste maker screenings, street
marketing, ‘takeovers of refional cinemas, I, Daniel Blake speech video, etc.
Jeremy Corbyn
Connections with politics and the Labour party in particular (including Labour Leader Jeremy
Corbyn) supporting the main message behind the film, in response to the (Conservative)
governments claims of ‘saving the economy of Britain through austerity’.
Applying Hesmondhalgh & Vertical + Horizontal Integration
Vertical Integration: When one company owns corporations operating different stages of the same
process (e.g. production – distribution – exhibition)
Hortizontal Integration: When one company owns various corporations which are involved in the
same activities (e.g. production)
Unlike Straight Outta Compton who’s film process was covered under the umbrella of Fox we
know that I, Daniel Blake doesn’t have the opportunity to make use of this same technqiue.
Local screening
The film was Premiered in cities in England but not in the captial, London. There were local
premieres in Newcastle, Manchester, etc. Where areas of poverty are effected by the
governments ‘austerity plans’ the most.
BBFc
The BBFC (an independent, non-governmental body) age rates film and video releases in the UK.
However, local councils have the power to overrule BBFC decisions and rate differently (e.g This is
England was rated 18 by the BBFC but several councils rated it 15). The theatrical release of I,
Daniel Blake gained a 15 certificate.
Livingstone and Lunt
Livingstone and Lunt – regulation theory.
Livingstone and Lunt think the needs of a citizen are in conflict with the needs of the consumer, because protection can limit freedom. They noticed that regulating media to protect citizens from harmful content can limit freedom of expression.
Why are agre ratings important to producers and distributors
Age ratings are important to producers and distributors in guaranteeing an audience – for
example, a 15 rating in the UK opens the film to much wider audience than an 18 certificate.
Curran and seaton
Power and Media Industries – Curran and Seaton
The idea that the media is controlled by a small number of companies primarily driven by the logic of profit and power. The idea that media concentration generally limits or inhibits variety, creativity and quality.
Black Panther production context
- Black Panther is the 17th film in the ‘Marvel
Cinematic Universe’, the highest-grossing film
franchise in history. It was directed by Ryan
Coogler (Creed) and released in February 2018. - The film shows us the fictional African kingdom
of Wakanda, which has avoided European
colonisation and achieved a technological
superiority through the use of a mineral called
Vibranium. T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman)
must fight a number of foes who oppose him
becoming king after the death of his father. - Black Panther (T’Challa) first appeared in
Fantastic Four #62, released July 1966. - The film was produced by Marvel Studios,
a famous comic book brand that is also a
subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company. - Black Panther was extremely successful, broke
records for the highest opening weekend in
the USA, and also performed well globally.
The film has grossed well over $1 billion
worldwide, with 48% in non-US countries. - It was also one of the only superhero films to
be nominated for a ‘Best Picture’ Academy
Award. It won three Oscars for Costume,
Production Design, and Original Soundtrack.
*The Black Panther Party (October 1966-82)
was a political activist group established
initially to provide armed monitoring of police
behaviour and prevent police brutality in the US.
It was controversial, with many Panthers being
arrested or killed in confrontations with police.
Cultral context of Black Panther
The science fiction blockbuster and superhero
genres have traditionally been dominated by
white, male characters. In the 1990s, actors like
Will Smith and Wesley Snipes did break ground
playing black characters, but recent action
films and especially superhero films have rarely
featured African-American actors in lead roles.
* For the last 15 years, Marvel films have topped
the box office. Though these regularly featured
non-white characters, they were often sidekicks
(e.g. The Falcon in the Captain America films).
There have also been very few superhero
films with a female lead (Wonder Woman
and Captain Marvel being exceptions).
* Black cinema has traditionally consisted of
issues-based social realism (e.g. the films of
Spike Lee) or have been ‘arthouse’/’prestige’
pictures (e.g. Moonlight, 2016). Blade
(1998) is one of the few superhero films
to have a black main character.
* In 2016, the #oscarssowhite meme drew attention
to the lack of diversity in the films nominated.
* US/European news media tends to portray Africa
as an under-priviliged, developing country,
focusing on civil wars, famine and terrorism.
The Victorian branding of Africa as ‘the Dark
Continent’ has not evolved very far. Very few
feature films from Africa reach the Western
mainstream, and films like Blood Diamond
(2006) and Captain Phillips (2013), though
featuring sympathetic African characters, still
portray Africa as a dangerous and barbaric place.
Economic and Political Contexts: Black Panther
Barack Obama (2009-2017), America’s
first African-American president, created
many initiatives that aided minority
A level Media Studies Fact Sheet
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and women’s groups: from universal
healthcare, to college and entrepreneurship
access funds for the under-priviliged.
* Donald Trump, the current president, has vowed
to reverse many of these, winning support
from mostly white, right wing Americans who
consider such initiatives unfair. In addition,
Trump has insulted other countries (including
many in Africa), and refused to condemn
violent racist attacks in American cities.
* Worrying statistics about the amount of
unarmed ‘people of colour’ (POC) shot by
US police led to the #blacklivesmatter
campaign, which has utilised social media
to raise awareness of an issue that has often
been ignored by mainstream media.
Ownership of Black Panther
Black Panther was produced by Marvel Studios,
who became a subsidiary of Disney in 2008.
They are also the film’s distributor, which makes
this a good example of vertical integration.
* Marvel has historically sold options on
individual characters or comicbook titles e.g.
Spiderman to TV and then to Paramount (and
who is still partly owned by Sony). Black
Panther was one of those owned fully by
Marvel; in 2009 a new team began developing
T’Challa and lesser known characters.
* In early 2000s, Marvel Studios began
to produce films, starting with Blade
(1998) and the X-Men films (2000).
* When Disney bought Marvel, they agreed to
minimal creative influence over Marvel products.
* in 2013, Marvel also signed a deal with
streaming service Netflix to develop TV series
for six more characters (including Daredevil and
Punisher who had already been made into films).
This may have caused conflict with Disney,
who has their own streaming channel, and in
2019 Netflix cancelled their Marvel shows.
Black Panther Marketing
- Disney, the film’s distributor adopted
a ‘360-degree consumer experience’
to their marketing (i.e. wherever you
look, there’s Black Panther!) - The concept was to make the film into a ‘cultural event’ across a variety of
media and platforms and raising its profile
from being ‘another superhero’ film into
something more politically resonant.
Hasbro toys
Lexus cars
Kandrik Lamars soundtrack
These combine to create synergy and something that is more than a superhero film
- Black Panther’s teaser trailers were
shown between NBA games and a special
collaboration with Lexus called ‘Long
Live The King’ was shown during the
Superbowl. What kind of audiences normally
watch these programmes? How are they
different to the usual Marvel fanbase? - The film’s release also harnessed a political
element to add gravitas. Crowd-funding projects
to buy under-privileged children a ticket won
support from celebrities; the film was released
during Black History Month; plus Coogler, the
stars and the costume , hair/make-up , production
designers all gave detailed interviews about how
the film celebrates African culture.
There was also a ‘Welcome to Wakanda’ catwalk
show at New York Fashion Week and features
in numerous fashion magazines.
Disney are adept at identifying nuanced
demographic groups and strategies for targeting
them. Many of their products are ‘intercultural’
i.e. they strongly represent one cultural tradition
but in a way that resonates with audiences from
other cultural / national / ethnic backgrounds.
Black Panther Regulation
- The BBFC (an independent, non-governmental
body) classifies film and video releases in the
UK. However, local councils have the power
to overrule BBFC decisions and rate films
differently (e.g. This is England was rated 18
by the BBFC but several councils rated it 15).
The film, like many recent Marvel films,
features very little romantic drama and no sex
or nudity. It is fairly violent, but the combat is
fantastical (hard to imitate) and there is a strong
moral code to most of the conflict. The film
was classified as PG-13 in USA, and similarly
in other territories.
Circulation Black Panther
- The teaser trailer was released in June 2017
by Disney’s sister channel ABC, during
NBA Finals. Within 24 hours it had been
viewed 89 million times on Youtube. - Just before release, Black Panther was the
most-tweeted about film of 2018 with more than 5 million tweets globally. In midMarch 2018, it became the most-tweeted
about film ever with 35 million tweets.
Black Panther trailers
clear that it was part of marvel universe attracting pre sold auidence of marvel fans
ad break of Super Bowl, one of the most expensive advertising slots in the world. more expenive, better quality. millions of mainstream viewers world wide
Black Panthers Release
Black History Month
could be marketed as a cultral event, celebratong black heratige
crowdfunding sites set up to raise money so black kids could go and see the film, unofficial marketing for the film, as crowdfunding gained publicity
Youtube and Black panther
effective global marketing techmique for the trailer, allowing uadiences to like comment and share the trailer. low cost to disney
Reasons why BP is low risk for Marvel Studios (Hesmondhalg)
- shared universe, existing franchise
- presold audience
- global conglonerate involvement
- famous actors
- popular genre
Elements of risk for BP
lesser know marvel chacrcter
predominantly black cast
costs alot to make
