Film - Snow White, Shang-Chi Flashcards
1
Q
outline 4 milestones in the history of Disney
A
- 1923: Disney was made
- 1955: opened Disneyland
- 1983: Disney Channel was set up
- 2009: bought Marvel for $4 billion
2
Q
_ of every dollar spent at the __ is spent on _
A
- 40% of every dollar spent at the box office is spent on Disney
3
Q
define oligopoly
A
- oligopoly = an industry where a small number of powerful companies share the power
4
Q
outline the Golden Age of Hollywood
A
- during the 1930s
- the film industry thrived compared to other struggling industries due to the Great Depression - escapism
4
Q
name the 5 main studios during the period of Snow White’s release
A
1) MGM Studios: Wizard of Oz
2) Paramount Pictures: Morocco
3) Warner Brothers: Moby Dick
4) 20th Century Fox: Ramona
5) RKO: King Kong
4
Q
outline the concept of ‘block booking’
A
- block booking = theatrical ‘packages’ which were a great way of using a big film to simultaneously sell shorter films to cinemas
- Disney established a niche within this system by producing animated shorts that would play as part of these packages of content
- Snow White was made possible from the success of its Mickey Mouse + Silly Symphony cartoons + was distributed by RKO
5
Q
what role did RKO play in terms of Disney
A
- was the studio Disney worked with
- RKO was the larger company that packaged, marketed and distributed Disney’s short films for cinemas
6
Q
describe Disney’s reputation in the 1930s
A
- had an established reputation for short cartoon films, e.g. Silly Symphonies
- known for iconic characters like Mickey Mouse
6
Q
what was the budget of Snow White
A
- $150,000, but ended up being $1.5 million - was an extremely costly film to make at the time
- made it a huge risk for Disney
7
Q
what were the risks of Snow White
A
- it had a very costly budget ($1.5 million)
- Disney was in debt before SW
- SW, a full length animated feature film wasn’t wanted by audiences
- people thought a full length coloured film would hurt their eyes
- had dark subject matter
8
Q
outline Walt Disney (the man)
A
- Walt Disney:
- was a key figure in the company
- his name was recognisable and was a promise of quality, family friendly content
- Walt had a personal interest in darker genres of film and wanted to use SW to explore + experiment with this
8
Q
outline the marketing of Snow White
A
- SW had to be marketed from scratch as a new film + film concept as the 1st mainstream full-length animated film;
- focused on the involvement of Walt Disney himself due to the lack of actors/ voices to promote it
- word of mouth had a main role
- posters promoting the use of technicolour
- actors dressed as SW characters welcomed audiences to the premiere in LA
- open air concerts using the Disney orchestra where music from the film would be played
- released a trailer which focused on Walt D’s ‘genius’ in creating a full length animation + the tech involved + glowing review in Time magazine, the characters
- Disney produced 7 foreign language versions of SW (in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish and Dutch)
9
Q
what new technology was used in the making of SW
A
- the multiplane cameras; allowed for filming to be through different layers of animation to create depth in 2D animation, was revolutionary + industry changing
- the soundtrack was mono (more simple)
- technicolour; used to make the film in colour
- also; used cells, used different filters, worked with frame rates
10
Q
what older technology was used in the making of SW
A
- rotoscoping;
- drawing over a film of real people moving in order to get a realistic animation of movement
10
Q
outline the release process of Snow White
A
- it premiered in LA in Dec 1937
- due to the film’s high risk nature, RKO released it only 2 cinemas in Miami + NYC
- once it had gained popularity, RKO released it more widely in several other countries in 1938, e.g. UK, also in 7 different languages
11
Q
outline the Hayes Code
A
- were the major principles governing film made in 1930s for film
- the code was racist, homophobic and sexist
- all film companies had to stick to these rules to be allowed to release movies
- e.g. villains cant win, no nudity, no lustful kissing, no inter racial or queer relationships
12
Q
when was the Great Depression
A
- 1929 to 1939
13
Q
when was the technicolour camera created
A
- 1922
14
Q
what are the anti-trust laws
A
- anti-trust laws = laws that encourage competition between the big 5 studios for capitalism by limiting the power of one company
15
Q
what was the SIMPP
A
- Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers (SIMPP)
- introduced in 1941 due to the dissatisfaction of domination in the film industry
- aimed to make the industry more equal for independent producers
16
Q
outline Walt Disney’s ‘volting’
A
- Walt Disney ‘volted’ all his old tapes to then re-released in cinemas on anniversaries - goes against conventions of the industry
- scarcity of the product creates demand
- was a successful scheme
16
Q
__ is the _ most successful __ of all time
A
- Snow White is the 10th most successful Hollywood film of all time
16
Q
outline the success of Snow White
A
- had both positive critical + commercial success
- at its time of release, it was the most successful sound film of all time
- was a huge success domestically + internationally; e.g. in London the film ran for over half a year
17
Q
how was Shang-Chi marketed
A
- trailers; appealed to both general, global audiences coming to the MCU for the first time as well as MCU fans
- word of mouth online
- promotional events: run by BMW, Microsoft
- pre-sold audience to story of Shang-Chi from comics/ fans of Marvel content
- project unveiling at 2019 Comic Con
- soundtrack album
- promotional tie-ins: e.g. limited edition Lychee drink - ties in with East Asian culture
17
Q
outline Shang-Chi’s budget
A
- $150-200 million - one of Marvel’s lowest
- the Australian gov gave $24 million in funding as the film was shot in Australia
18
Q
how much did Shang-Chi make
A
- $432 million worldwide
- its box office was probably affected by the Covid Pandemic, which reduced cinema-going
19
Q
where was Shang-Chi filmed + its significance
A
- was filmed in Australia
- the Australian gov gave $24 million in funding as it provided jobs for Australians - fed into AUS economy
- was filmed in Fox Studios - which Disney owned - e.g. of horizontal integration
20
Q
what was the age rating of Shang-Chi
A
- PG-13 in US / 12A in UK
20
Q
what were the challenged for Shang-Chi’s release
A
- would it follow up Avengers: Endgame’s success
- small pre-sold audience for cast - only very small for story
- was released post- pandemic; fear of covid kept many out of cinemas
21
Q
how many cinemas was Shang-Chi first released in
A
- 4,300 cinemas
22
Q
outline the economic context of Snow White; free market capitalism
A
- ownership + control in the USA reflect their economic context of free market capitalism
- Hollywood works to a commercial imperative; they pursue profit through selling products to AUDs, selling AUDs to promotional partners/ advertisers, selling services or intellectual properties to other companies
- US Anti-Trust laws protect the free market by ensuring competition
- Hollywood films is the UK + USA are free of regulation; the classification system is run by the industry
23
Q
outline the economic context of Shang-Chi; economic distribution of the US film industry
A
- being a small fish in a big pond is advantageous - allows films to be globally distributed
- most Asian self-representations struggle to compete globally with Hollywood blockbusters like Shang-Chi
don’t need to know
23
Q
outline the economic context of Snow White; economic distribution of the US film industry
A
- part of Disney’s ‘genius’ was to be a small fish in the most economically powerful film industry at the time - thus, his films were globally distributed
don’t need to know
23
Q
outline the economic context of Shang-Chi; shown in China
A
- The China Film Group Corporation (CFGC) has a state granted monopoly (possession/ control) on imported films into China
- this allows political + ideological control over what audiences can see
- e.g. Shang-Chi wasn’t shown in mainland China due to a push back on Western culture in China - but was released in Hong Kong
- the rise of the Chinese film market means avoiding censorship in China is increasingly important - SC producers tried to appeal to the Ch market - e.g. use of Mandarin in script, but failed
24
Q
outline the economic context of Snow White + Shang-Chi; globalisation
A
- both SW + SC were successful in global markets, suggesting the film industry was an early adopter of globalisation
- the pace of globalisation sped up at the end of the 20thC, when SC was released
- represents a globalised product; an American film shot in Australia, representing Chinese culture w/o the worst stereotypes of the US comic original to appeal to international audiences
24
Q
outline the economic context of Snow White; globalisation
A
- SW was successful in the global market
- suggests that the film industry was an early adopter of globalisation
25
Q
outline the historical contexts of Snow White
A
- attitudes to Dwarfs in 1930s were patronising
- gender representations uncritically reflects a patriarchal society
- Hays code: restricts many of the things considered normal today - homosexuality, miscegenation (interracial relationships),
- 1930s cinema was escapist from the 1929 Great Depression
26
Q
outline the historical contexts of Shang Chi
A
- Covid played a restrictive role on the filming of SC - e.g. was placed on hold for a couple months in 2020
27
Q
Snow White’s _ re-releases from _____-__ made £____ million
A
- Snow White’s 8 re-releases from 1944-93 made over £37 million
28
Q
outline the production process of films + application to set texts
A
- films can be produced by a small production company producing 1 film, or, by subsidiaries of the distributors who produce a large number of films
- Shang-Chi: produced by Marvel Studios, owned by the Walt Disney Company which has produced many films + TV series
- Snow White: produced by Walt Disney Productions, a small production company at the time
29
Q
outline the distribution process of films + application to set texts
A
- film distributors include the major Hollywood studies - the main power-brokers in the film industry
- they finance films + market films + distribute them to cinemas
- they are the most powerful agents in the industry as, without a distribution deal, its very difficult to finance a film
- Shang Chi: distributed by Walt Disney Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company
- Snow White: distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, a major Hollywood studio at the time
30
Q
outline the exhibition process of films + application to set texts
A
- traditionally (e.g. for Snow White), the exhibitors are the cinema chains, through TV rights + streaming are now alternative sources of revenue
- cinema exhibition is still important for gaining some of the prestige associated with film - e.g. film reviews + awards
- Shang Chi: distributed to cinemas worldwide, then streamed on Disney+, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company
31
Q
outline the 3 steps in creating a film
A
1) production: making the film
2) distribution: marketing and distributing films to cinemas
3) exhibition: (circulation) showing the films
32
Q
outline the Hollywood studio system
A
- Hollywood studios in the 1930s were vertically integrated - owned the whole process from production studios, from production to the cinemas themselves
- studios that didn’t own cinema chains, e.g. Disney, relied on the Big 5 to distribute their films
- control of film making is in the hands of these distributors, where huge sums of money are being risked on a creative venture that can easily fail
33
Q
outline the value of films to Walt Disney Company
A
- the 21st century Walt Disney Company, in contrast to the Walt Disney Productions of 1937, is an international conglomerate that makes films as a part of its overall operations
- Disney’s films are key to est brand awareness of its streaming services, where audience growth is more important than profitability
- exclusive rights to blockbuster films, e.g. Shang Chi, promotes the service, which can then extend the brand of the franchise by making TV spin-offs
- BUT, D primarily sells TV, parks, cruises, merchandise etc
34
Q
define conglomerate
A
- (business) conglomerate = a large company made up of multiple, often unrelated, smaller businesses operating under a single parent company
35
Q
outline Disney’s vertical integration
A
- Disney’s ownership of Marvel Studios and Disney+ represents vertical integration
- the Walt Disney Company owns the producers of Shang Chi, its distribution company, and D has
restricted streaming of SC to Disney+ - however, it doesn’t own/ control cinema chains that provide the theatrical release
36
Q
outline the horizontal integration of Disney
A
- media conglomerates like Disney also own companies that make related products such as film, TV and video games - e.g. Disney’s acquisition of Marvel Studios
- this is horizontal integration + aims to reduce risk by diversifying revenue streams
37
Q
outline cinema in the 1930s
A
- the long run of Snow White (over 1/2 a yr in London) reflects the slow distribution pace of the period
- big city cinemas would attract audiences from far away who didn’t want to wait months or years for SW to reach their cinemas
- total cinema attendance was far higher then than today - mostly due to lack of competition from other media forms (little TV)
38
Q
outline blockbusters
A
- since the 1970s, Hollywood has been dominated by blockbusters - large budget films with accessible pleasures designed to appeal a mass global AUD
- this floods the market with saturation distribution + huge marketing efforts selling the opening of the film as a cultural event
- Shang Chi is a blockbuster
39
Q
define saturation distribution
A
- saturation distribution = filling all available cinemas with a blockbuster film on its opening weekend in order to create a cultural event + crowd out other films
39
Q
outline Shang Chi as a blockbuster
A
- it opened in 4,300 cinemas in the USA, a classic saturation distribution release
- like most blockbusters, it made most money in its opening weekend in the US
- the box office dropped by 2/3 by the 2nd week, because audiences rapidly moved on to the next big release
40
Q
in _, the film segment of Disney made just over _ in revenue, when total revenues were _
A
- in 2019, the film segment of Disney made just over $11 billion in revenue, when total revenues were $70 billion
41
Q
what is free market capitalsim
A
- free market capitalism: an economic system where anyone can set up a business + try to make a profit, driven by the belief that competition + open markets promote efficiency
42
Q
about _ out of every _ films make an economic loss
A
- about 9 out of every 10 films make an economic loss
42
Q
outline funding for films
A
- Hollywood majors survive by operations large enough scale that any losses are offset by large profits on a few films
- calculating profits in Hollywood is uncertain, but a rule of thumb is that a film has to make about 2 1/2x its production budget to make a profit
43
Q
outline a means of minimising economic risk
A
- establish franchises minimises risk
- franchises are series’ of films that retain an audience over time (though usually a diminishing one)
- the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is Marvel’s new development of the franchise
- the MCU is an expandable franchise - includes sequels, but doesn’t rely on them
- this predictability + returning audience allows for larger production + marketing budgets, more ambitious saturation releases, which increases commercial success
- the strong element of the MCU fandom is word of mouth
44
Q
outline the funding of Snow White
A
- in the 1930s, there were fewer sources of income for film-makers
- merchandising was one means of income, but Disney was most reliant on box office for incom
45
Q
outline product placements in film
A
- product placement has become commonplace in films
- this provides an additional source of income before the film is released
- Shang Chi used product placement by BMW
46
Q
by the end of Shang Chi’s opening weekend, it had been distributed in _ of its international markets
A
- by the end of Shang Chi’s opening weekend, it had been distributed in 2/3 of its international markets
- reflects the quicker global distribution in 2021
47
Q
outline the trailer for Shang Chi
A
- the trailers for SC reflect the power of Marvel as a brand - producers are named, cast isn’t (some weren’t established stars)
- Marvel emphasises generic pleasures; an archetypical hero narrative with family drama, spectacle, action and martial arts scenes + hint of relationship comedy
- trailers must appeal to both MCU fans and global audiences who will require accessible blockbuster pleasures such as action + spectacle
- with word of mouth, MCU fans discussed the trailer online - the previous history of the Mandarin + the Ten Rings organization, easter eggs in trailer
48
Q
outline the impact of technological changes on film distribution
A
- film distribution has been transformed by digital distribution
- contemporary film can be downloaded by cinemas, thus avoiding the expense of producing + sending out physical copies of films - e.g. with Snow White
- films are now simultaneously released on streaming channels
49
Q
outline the impact of technological changes on film exhibition
A
- before: expensive film copies of the film were made + physically delivered t the cinema, fewer copies of film was made so the distribution was slower
- blockbuster are now available to all cinemas simultaneously
- technologies such as IMAX + high quality digital sound enables cinemas to offer a more immersive experience in order to compete with TV + digital devices
- Shang Chi was released on a variety of formats; IMAX, 3D etc
49
Q
outline regulation of films
A
- film is a self-regulating medium - it polices itself to avoid state regulation
- the BBFC was founded in 1912 to regulate film in the UK
- the USA is the largest market for films aimed at global audiences, so meeting the requirements of American regulation is crucial for success
- the BBFC regularly surveys the public to discover what they find objectionable + wish to keep from children
49
Q
outline the regulation of Shang Chi
A
- SC was rated 12 by the BBFC for moderate violence, fantasy threat, bloody images and infrequent moderate ‘bad language’
- it was rated PG-13 in the USA
49
Q
outline the regulation of Snow White
A
- at the time of Snow White, the BBFC either classified films as a U or an A
- SW was an A, more suitable for Adult audiences
- by the time of its re-release in 1964, the cut version was rated U
49
Q
outline the replacement of the Hays Code
A
- the Hays Code was replaced in 1968 by a new age-based system
- it rated films as G for general audiences, PG for parental guidance, PG-13 for parents strongly cautioned, R for restricted or NC-17 for over 17s/ adults only
50
Q
outline Walt Disney’s personal views in SW
A
- Walt Disney’s rather Conservative vision of the world has been replaced as Disney films now reflect liberal values such as; multiculturalism, the impact of feminism and changing attitudes to sexualities
