Film Industry Essay

Film Industry Essay;

The film industry incorporates many multifaceted aspects that ultimately constitute to the production and distribution of films. However the very nature of the corporation behind these aspects can massively effect the overall outcomes, as we will look out in this essay, as we identify the differences of the aspects in a transnational film corporation and a small independent British film company, firstly with Warner Brothers - transnational film company.

Warner Brothers was originally founded by and named after the four 'Warner Brothers'. They started out with a singular theatre called the 'Cascade' in Pennsylvania. This quickly led to more and more theatres before, an American soldier returning from war, with a French film; 'Rin Tin Tin' helped to put the 'Warner Brothers' on the map, as their distribution of the film, was one of the most successful of the time. Later Warner Brothers Pictures, Incorporated, was initiated into the world of film, and has remained firmly towards the top of a particularly competitive market since their founding in 1905.

IMDb describe Grudge Match simply as; The tale of a pair of aging boxing rivals are coaxed out of retirement to fight one final bout -- 30 years after their last match starring non other than boxing film icons, Sylvester Stallone & Robert De Niro. Lets take a look at these two in action.

Grudge match was advertised initially in the 'states' across billboards, television and social media, before similar means were used in the films UK advertisement. For a Hollywood blockbuster, consisting of two of the most recognisable actors in the boxing movie genre (Sylvester Stallone [Rocky Balboa] & Robert De Niro [Raging Bull]) the advertisement was particularly low profile and simplistic, potentially explaining the poor box office turn over.

Grudge Matched used convergence thoroughly as a part of the the marketing strategie releasing an album with boxing themed motivational songs to accompanies theme. Also a website was created soley for the film, so fans or the target audience can form a greater connection with the film and therefore will be more willing to watch the film.

Grudgematch was released in the United States during the December moth of 2013, before its release in the UK and worldwide in January 2014. Its worldwide status is as a result of its distributing company; Warner Brothers and their formidable reputation within the industry. Since then the film has been inducted onto such sites as Netflix as well as on DVD and Blue Ray thus appealing to a variety of consumers.


So the film giants are very clear about the way they approach the production and distribution of their films in that notably their larger budget and status allows for them to publicise and market the film at a much greater scale than smaller independant British films for example. However as will later be discussed, synergy and convergence is a key player in the marketing and publicity of any film.

BBC Films are a sub division of the British Broadcast Corporation (BBC) and are in control of the production of films and movies under the company name. Due to BBC Films being a sub division of a bigger company, they share the same CEO's and Managing directors. Film budgets are usually quite low, also as a result of the sub division title, because the companies budget has to be split into a variety of sub divisions including BBC Films.

IMDb describes the layout of Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie as 'a company tries to shut down Mrs Browns fruit and veg stall. But they can feck off' accentuating directly the tone and synonymous matriarchal nature of the protagonist in question.

Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie has been advertised intensely throughout the United Kingdom, as a result of the shows big success on television screens up and down the country. The large following of the show before the movies release, is a unique selling point to the movie because audiences already know what to expect from the matriarchal mother. Generically; (show film poster and voice over) billboards, television adverts, posters, newspapers and chat show interviews from the creator and portrayer of Mrs Brown, Brendan O'Carroll.

Mrs Browns Boys uses the importance of synergy and convergence as a form of film advertisement and marketing very effecitvely. Throughout the marketing process such things as calenders, fancy dress costumes and other merchandise were sold in retail stores across the UK and Ireland, to potentially create a trend therefore signyfying the importance of synergy in getting people to recognise the film being marketed and thus wanrt to go an watch it. In terms of convergence a sountrack and autobiography were produced to coincide the film, publicising the actors invovled as well as providing a multifaceted view of what the audience may expect from the film, thus allowing for greater interest in the film, showing the importance of convergence.

Mrs Browns Boys was premiered, convinently in Irelands capital and film focal point, Dublin, before being released in UK and Irish cinemas on the 27th of June 2014. Being a small independant film company it means that BBC Films are less able to appeal to a larger target market such as the worldwide market and therefore the release of the film being soley in the UK makes good business sense. The film has since been put onto Netflix and released on DVD and Blue-Ray.

So as we see the production and distribution of films differs between big corporate film companies and small independent British films. However in terms of the way the films are marketed and advertised they both follow similar techniques and means of doing so, however the major difference is the scale in which they do so. So could it all be down to money or does simply the lack of finance aid the films reception by it's audience?

Statistically his is how it panned out for both of our films. BBC Films: Mrs Brown’s Boy’s D’Movie: Budget - £3.6 million, Box Office - £14,290,727 creating a total revenue of just under £10.7 million. However, Warner Brothers Grudge Match: Budget - $40 million, Box Office - $44 million creating a total revenue of $4 million.

So as we can see, even with the advantage of an exchange rate the smaller independent British film, came out top trumps against the bigger ‘giant’ in the film industry, causing us to question as to whether by having the funds to perform elaborate marketing campaigns is actually beneficial and just how cleverly BBC Films have used the characters reputation as the films main USP preventing the need for excessive expenditures therefore heightening the films financial success. In terms of public reception however you could argue that Warner Brothers elaborate marketing campaigns gained a worldwide audience status for the film, potentially proving that global film companies have a greater chance of being successful in comparison to BBC Films for example.

Either way regardless of financial backing or elaborate marketing schemes, importantly each company appeals and markets perfectly to its target audience deeming both films just as successful as the other. 

 

 

 

 

Representation of Ethnicity: Hotel Babylon

Representation of ‘Ethnicity’ in ‘Hotel Babylon’

Brett Moore; BrettMooreG322

Ethnicity is represented in a variety of different manners from the onset and throughout in this clip from hit television drama ‘Hotel Babylon’, invariably so from the establishing shot.

The establishing shot details a white male character wearing a suit and later in the scene two –again- white police officers are also shown. The very nature of the characters including their attire and apparent stature accentuates this clips continual portrayal of ethnically based hierarchy’s with white characters seemingly at the highest point in said hierarchy, with each of the three characters expressing power-respectively- through mis-en-scene. Despite the use of mis-en-scene however the scenes prominent use of camera work exceptionally shows the representation of ethnicity in this scene. Firstly a head shot is used which allows for the facial expressions to be magnified. This is vital because the shot shows the white male character looking down, which connotatively could suggest the white ethnic power at the for-front of this clip; as  someone with power is often said to be someone of whom looks down upon those with much less superiority in situ thus representing ethnicity. In addition as the shot evolves, the camera zooms and pans around the room – tracking- and displays the entire mis-en-scene and sets the tone for the rest of the extract in that an industrious picture is presented, which may cause the viewers to paint a stereotypical view of the ethnic groups of which may work in said settings thus foreshadowing later scenes. Once more the diegetic sound of movement and footsteps in the same scene builds tension and foreshadows the later events of the clip.

The very next scene is particularly interesting in terms of the mis-en-scene notably the character attires. The scene shows two female characters standing behind a desk in a receptionist’s role however the interest in the scene comes in through the outfits the characters are wearing. The white female character is wearing a white dress. White can be related to innocence, peacefulness and purity. The Asian female character however his depicted in black a colour representational of negativity or impurity thus suggesting that this clip is further implementing a white supremacist notion in that any other ethnicity is indubitably impure.

Later in the same scene three white male characters of whom are wearing suits much like the very first white male in the establishing shot, are presented further signifying the authoritarian power that surrounds a lot of the white, English characters in this clip. Slow paced editing as well as a tracking shot are also in use at this point, thus adding tension and emphasising the sheer power the prominent white male character exerts in the scene. This is also accentuated by the use of non-diegetic sound of atmospheric music as the music signifies the reoccurring theme of power.

The next scene uses a POV – point of view - shot very effectively picturing the ‘immigrants’ through a metal gate. This is a powerful image as it depicts the immigrant workers being chaperoned almost single file into a store cupboard, of which may lead many of the viewers to draw reference to many historical dictatorships that enforced such cruel acts upon perceptually less ethnic groups. The gate itself may resemble that of an ‘iron curtain’ of which is also synonymous with dictatorships and a controlled society in which those deemed to be below the highest power are treated in a manner that completely contradicts that of those who follow the expected patterns. In this instance therefore it is presented in manner that details the white male immigration officers being the dictators of a cruel and ethically unjust system that seems to prey on opposing ethnic groups. In addition the scene shows fast pace editing, effective in portraying the angst felt by the immigrant workers in knowing of the fate they may ensue should the immigration officers discover them.  Furthermore the low key lighting leads the picture to be dull and unsatisfying. This dullness is matched by the simplistic nature of the workers clothing potentially signifying the insignificance of the immigrants, in that they just blend in to the mis-en-scene whereas the white, English characters for example are presented in attire that makes them stand out, and are instantly recognisable within scenes unlike the immigrant workers.

The following scene depicts the immigrant workers within the small cupboard with low key lighting to suit the dark meaningful purpose of the acts. A wide shot is used to accentuate the vast amount of immigrant workers within Hotel Babylon of which is particularly poignant because despite the population density of immigrants here, still the white, English immigration officers and figure heads, instantaneously have a hold over such a vast amount of immigrants pictured, further signifying the clips depiction of white power and ethnic dictatorship over all others.

Therefore in conclusion the representation of ethnicity in the ‘Hotel Babylon’ scene is one the supports a dated thesis that white – in this case English – characters are always in superiority over opposing ethnic groups accentuated by the vast contrasts in attire, portrayal and the stereotypical, low skilled, low paid jobs the immigrant workers are assigned to ultimately constitute to an democratic portrayal and representation of ethnicity.