Industry - Ownership Flashcards
What is Black Mirror?
A science fiction anthology tv show with each episode acting as a standalone film.
Who created Black Mirror?
Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones in 2011.
What are the main themes of Black Mirror?
The effect of technology on human bodies and consciousness.
Who is Black Mirror currently distributed by?
Distributed by Netflix, a major streaming service.
Who was Black Mirror distributed and produced by in Season 1 and 2?
It was produced by Endemol and distributed by Channel 4.
What is the significance of Channel 4 as distributor of Black Mirror?
Channel 4 is a Public Service Broadcaster meaning it must inform, educate and entertain its audience through various programming - more willing to take risks with the products they distribute such as Black Mirror which began as a more niche programme.
What business model does Channel 4 function under?
The ‘Robin Hood’ model which means the programmes that make profit can pay for other products that are key to delivering the remit and are more niche.
What is the significance of Channel 4 in relation to reaching a wide audience?
Channel 4 is a major TV network within the UK meaning it has more exposure for the show and it sometimes distributes products internationally which reaches more audiences.
What three part form do Channel 4’s distributed products try to follow?
Talent, Subject and Format - At the time, black mirror fit into new subject and format as the episodes were standalone and the genre was innovative.
What is the significance of Zeppotron (owned by Endemol) as producer of Black Mirror?
It is a British TV production company known for creating innovative and offbeat content - this allows for more creative freedom with it being a smaller company therefore less profit driven and instead strives for quality over quantity.
Who was Black Mirror distributed and produced by in Season 3, 4 and 5?
It was produced AND distributed by Netflix - they gained exclusive distribution rights to the show in 2014 and won a bidding war to produce the show, in which Channel 4 could not begin a co-production due to budgetary issues.
What is the significance of Netflix as DISTRIBUTOR of Black Mirror?
Netflix is available in 190 countries with over 200 million members which allows for a global audience - however, each library is curated for each country meaning the show can get lost among all the saturated content.
What business model does Netflix function under?
They have adopted a ‘conglomerate niche’ strategy which means they distribute a handful of products to gain interest from all various audiences (Drama, Romance, Horror etc).
What is significance of Netflix as PRODUCER of Black Mirror?
Black Mirror became less political within its content because of Netflix’s mass appeal - it included more stars such as Bryce Dallas Howard and Miley Cyrus - to minimise risk while maximising audience. Netflix had the budget, they won bidding war for $40M and roughly each episode had a budget of $6.6M.
Who was Black Mirror distributed and produced by in Season 6?
It was produced by Broke and Bones (production company by Brooker and Jones in 2020) and distributed by Netflix.
What is the significance of Broke & Bones as producer of Black Mirror?
Because it is now only distributed under netflix it no longer has to follow Netflix’s ideologies and therefore can be varied - company is less profit driven and has more creative freedom.
What is the significance of Netflix as distributor of Black Mirror?
Netflix is digitally converged meaning there is increased availability of watching the show on any device - however because it is no longer produced by Netflix, it may not appear advertise on the main page meaning less of an audience (would have to search platform for the show).
