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.