Film Industry: Final Index

1) Film Industry: Marketing - Marvel Cinematic Universe

2) Film Industry: Black Widow

3) Film Industry: I, Daniel Blake

Film Industry: I, Daniel Blake

1) What is independent cinema and how is it different to Hollywood blockbusters?

Independent films are different to Hollywood blockbusters in that they have a much smaller budget, are usually niche (appeal to a small audience) and are often financially supported by public service broadcasters, film institutions and charity funding. Directors and producers also have much more creative input in independent films, whereas Hollywood blockbusters are normally made in the vision of studio bosses.

2) What is I, Daniel Blake about?

I, Daniel Blake is about a 59 year old man who needs help from the state, following an illness. After meeting a single mother who was forced to accept a flat 300 miles away to escape from a homeless hostel, Daniel stands up and protests, leading a "crusade for compassion".

3) Who directed I, Daniel Blake and why is this important?

I, Daniel Blake was directed by Ken Loach. This is important as he is a famous left-wing director who is popular in England and France, therefore, the fact he directed the film helps market it to fans of Ken Loach or people who share his political views.

4) How was I, Daniel Blake promoted to an audience? List at least three different methods used by the film's marketing campaign and how they targeted their audience.

• Instead of being premiered in Leicester Square, London (where most movies made in England are promoted), the film was premiered in Newcastle - where the film was set. This helped to target locals in Newcastle and garner their support.
• Jeremy Corbyn attended the London premiere, helping market the movie to left-wing people who supported his ideology / his political views. People that had been denied benefit payments were also asked to placard the event, creating a sense of community and targeting a working-class audience who have experienced issues with the government before.
• Free or 'pay what you can' screenings were organised to attract / target those who couldn't afford to pay for cinema tickets.

5) What unusual or creative marketing methods were used to get audiences talking about the film?

• 'I, Daniel Blake' used guerrilla marketing. They projected the logo onto the Houses of Parliament, and projected quotes on walls in various cities. This spread awareness of the film, and encouraged people to watch the movie as movies don't usually market in this way.

6) What was the estimated production budget for I, Daniel Blake and how much did it make at the box office?

The estimated production budget for 'I, Daniel Blake' was £2 million. It made £11 million at the box office worldwide.

7) What were some of the companies involved in funding or producing I, Daniel Blake?

• BFI (British Film Institute) funded the production through the National Lottery
• BBC Films
• Some companies in France - this is why it is considered a UK/French co-production.

8) What is the name of the film regulator in the UK and what was the age rating for I, Daniel Blake?

The film regulator in the UK BBFC (British Board of Film Classification). They gave the movie an age rating of 15.

9) What aspects of the film contributed to the film's age rating?

According to the BBFC website, it had "infrequent use of very strong language", and visual and verbal references to prostitution.

10) Finally, considering everything you have learned about I, Daniel Blake, do you think the film was a success? Explain your answer in a well developed paragraph. Try and compare it to Black Widow if you can.

I think the film was a success. It made a profit five times larger than its budget (£11 million from a £2 million budget) in comparison to 'Black Widow', which made just over double its budget (around $379 million from box office earnings, plus $60 million from Disney+ - from a budget of $200 million). It received many positive reviews from critics, and won the 'Palme D'or' award from the Cannes Film Festival. On the other hand, 'Black Widow' received a range of reviews - many praised the movie, whilst some were negative. It received some awards too, which is to be expected from a Hollywood Blockbuster. However, considering that 'I, Daniel Blake' was an independent film, the fact that it made such a large profit, received an award and had mostly positive reviews is surprising (in a good way), and, in my opinion, makes it a success.

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Media Magazine article on the disruptive marketing campaign used to publicise I, Daniel Blake. Media Magazine is an excellent publication aimed at A Level Media students and it's a great resource for GCSE students aiming for the top grades.

Read this Hollywood Reporter interview with executive Alex Hamilton on film marketing - including the I, Daniel Blake grassroots marketing campaign. Why was it successful?

They denied having the premiere in London and instead opted for Newcastle, as it "[wasn't] appropriate". In doing so, the movie reached people who related to the film and, therefore, increased its success. They also did many community screenings and employed regional marketing officers (people responsible for marketing in specific areas), aiding the film in reaching a large audience before it even came out. Furthermore, they worked with a newspaper group called the Trinity Mirror, who helped spread awareness of 'I, Daniel Blake'.

I, Daniel Blake is an A Level Media text for another exam board. Watch Media teacher Mrs Fisher's YouTube lesson on I, Daniel Blake and make notes on the key points she makes.

• As Ken Loach is a well-known director, him being the director of 'I, Daniel Blake' attracted several people and companies to work on the film itself. 'Why Not Productions' agreed to work on the film because they knew Ken Loach was a part of it, so it was most likely going to be a success. As there is no famous cast, Ken Loach's name is used in advertising in order to attract pre-sold fans of him. He is a unique selling point.
• The funding for the film (economic context) had an impact on the content of the film and its marketing. The BBC and BFI prefer funding projects that are: innately British, niche / alternative, culturally significant, educational and/or show British culture. 'I, Daniel Blake' shows different, regional areas of Britain, follows a niche storyline and, in comparison to other mainstream films, is more alternative.
• Ken Loach is well-known for being left wing and anti-conservative, and many of his other movies explore the problems caused by government policy in Britain. His political views are clearly reflected in the film and its marketing
• The Daily Mirror was chosen as a key marketing tool because they had a left wing stance and audience. They featured the character of 'Daniel Blake' as a "guest columnist", having him write about Britain as if he was a real person, to attract audiences. This form of marketing helped make the movie feel more 'real', adding to the social realism genre and engaging older audiences who still read print newspapers, and especially left-wing audiences who agree with the film's values.
• The light projections in London were a form of 'guerrilla marketing' that not only targeted British audiences, but also global audiences through tourists and it being shared online. This also aided in making the political message of the movie clear.
• Northern audiences were targeted specifically, as they were more likely to be living in poverty and be anti-conservative, due to political issues from the 80s (Margaret Thatcher).
• The fact that the premiere was held in Newcastle reflects the film's alternative nature, and again targets a Northern audience.
  

Film Industry: Black Widow

1) List the companies involved in the creation of Black Widow. You may wish to use Black Widow's IMDB entry to help with this - see the company credits page - but the answers can also be found in the notes above.

Production:

• Marvel Studios

Distributors:

• Walt Studios Disney Motion Pictures (US, Canada, UK, etc.)
• Blitz Film & Video Distribution
• Blitz
• Cinecolor Films Peru
• Feelgood Entertainment
• Forum Hungary
• etc.

Special Effects:

• PixStone Images
• The Third Floor
• etc.

Other:

• 4DX
• Dolby
• etc. 

2) What is conglomerate ownership and how does it link to Black Widow?

Conglomerate ownership is when a conglomerate (large company) owns subsidiaries (smaller companies). This links to Black Widow as Disney owns Marvel Studios, who made the film.

3) Analyse the film trailer for Black Widow. What aspects of the trailer tell you this is a big-budget blockbuster movie?

• Part of a franchise (Marvel Studios) - "Before I became an Avenger..."
• Expensive CGI/SFX
• Action set pieces - car chases, explosions, etc.
• Expensive locations/settings/set designs around the world
• Camerawork (crane shots)
• IMAX
• Expensive costumes and props
• Comedy scene at the end of the trailer

4) How was Black Widow promoted to an audience? List at least three different methods used by the film's marketing campaign and why they were effective in promoting the film.

• They used trailers and movie posters (traditional film marketing) - this helped spread awareness of the film and excitement long before it was released.
• They had stars (e.g. Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh) speak on TV chat shows and online. This was effective due to parasocial relationships some members of the audience may have with these stars, and also the way they subtly implied this movie was "different" during interviews, attracting more viewers.
• They put fans' social media posts about Black Widow on billboards, and reposted/retweeted fan posts using official accounts. This involved fans in the marketing campaign for the movie, bringing the movie "closer" to fans in a way, making it more enticing.

5) What was the production budget for Black Widow and how much did it make at the box office?

The production budget for Black Widow was approximately $200 million (possibly $300 million if the marketing budget is included). It made $379 million at the box office (not including profit from Disney+, which was about $60 million).

6) Would you consider Black Widow a successful Hollywood blockbuster? Why?

It's difficult to have a definitive answer due to the effects of the pandemic. When compared to other movies in the MCU, Black Widow seems to be far behind at the box office. While 'Avengers: Endgame' grossed $2.8 billion on a $400 million budget, Black Widow secured $379 million at a budget of around $300 million. Looking at these statistics at first glance, Black Widow seems to have made little profit. However, considering Covid-19, it may have been a success. It made $80 million on opening weekend, which was the biggest since the start of the pandemic (at that time). This, therefore, could have been considered somewhat of a success, as Marvel still made profit and was able to make more than other movies released around the same time.

7) Who regulates the film industry in the UK?

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). They give an age rating and content guidance for all films released in the UK.

8) What age rating was Black Widow given? Why?

Black Widow was given a rating of 12A, as it was seen as not too graphic, yet had "moderate violence" and "injury detail". This was important as Marvel had (and still has) a large young audience who may generate a lot of profit.

9) Read this feature on Marvel using a fan's tweet to help market the film. Why is audience interaction such an important aspect of modern film marketing?

Audience interaction is heavily important in modern film marketing because it is used a lot less compared to other marketing methods. This makes companies who do use it stand out more. Normally, a Black Widow billboard wouldn't lead to a news article, but in this case it did, as they used a tweet from a fan. Audience interaction helps companies connect with fans directly, strengthening the bond between 'super-fans' and attracting new viewers. In this case specifically, 'Mars saw bw (@yelenatfilms)' posted a follow-up tweet to the billboard, gaining traction and 

incidentally promoting the movie further.

10) What other interesting details can you pick out of the article about Black Widow marketing? For example, you may want to make a note of some statistics, ratings or how they used TikTok influencers to help promote the film.

The article states that popular TikTok influencers collaborated with Disney to promote the movie, cosplaying as certain Disney characters. Due to the pandemic, they also promoted the film on Disney+, allowing audiences to watch it after paying $29.99. The film itself received an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 92% viewer rating.

Grade 8/9 extension tasks:

If you want a top grade in Media, you should also complete the grade 8/9 extension tasks once you've completed the basic eight questions above. Try the following:

1) Read this Guardian report on Scarlett Johansson suing Disney over the release strategy for Black Widow. Do you agree she is right to be angry with the multiplatform release strategy?

Scarlett Johansson sued Disney as they released Black Widow at cinemas as well as on Disney+. She claimed that her salary was based on the box office performance of the film, which started strong with an $80 million opening weekend, but had a sharp decline. According to exhibitors, the decline was a direct result of the hybrid release, and an exclusive theatrical release would've lead to more profit.

Scarlett Johansson sued over her argument that the performance of the film (caused by the multiplatform release) prevented her from "realising the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel". In my opinion, she is not right to be angry. Her lawsuit is based off her wanting more money, which should be completely unnecessary considering that (most likely) she made millions off of the film. Furthermore, Disney is right when they state that she disregarded the effects of the pandemic. Being able to rent on Disney+ was important for those who couldn't risk going out, yet didn't want to miss out. Her anger seems selfish, and I believe she failed to think about the reasoning behind the multiplatform release before suing.

2) Read this feature on how Black Widow shot 22 minutes of IMAX footage to give viewers an incredible widescreen experience in IMAX cinemas. Why is IMAX an important part of marketing a blockbuster movie?

IMAX is an important part of marketing a blockbuster movie as it expands the aspect ratio, allowing for a widescreen viewing that will attract more people. Most Hollywood blockbusters use IMAX, which makes movies that use it appear more synonymous / similar to them and therefore more popular. It also, somewhat, attracts more viewers through voyeuristic pleasures, in that they're seeing parts of the movie (through the widescreen view) other people who didn't watch in IMAX wouldn't get to see, making it feel more 'special'.

3) Look at this Guardian website page allowing Marvel fans to discuss Black Widow. What interesting opinions do you notice in the comments?

 

• "waitingforgodot10" was unable to watch it in cinemas due to the lockdown, but luckily was able to watch it on Disney+ (proof that the multiplatform release was in fact beneficial). They also compared it to the Bond films, and applauded the feminist theme.
• "MarkLondon11" said, "it's almost as if sex appeal can be used to market films."  He implies he's glad to see the return of the hypersexualisation of female characters (in reference to Scarlett Johansson), and criticises the 'current' (2021) ideology that characters should be played by more realistic, 'conventionally unattractive' actors.
  
• "Theocapa" felt that the film itself was too shallow, in that it refused to delve into deeper themes of trauma or the devastating effects of human trafficking, instead deflecting / ignoring the topic with comedy. "ehaines" replied - "It's Disney. Just edgy enough but not too edgy."
  

 
Finally, you might want to read this feature on whether there are too many Marvel sequels and spin-offs. Do you agree that there are too many Marvel films?

Yes. I completely agree in that Marvel is releasing too many 'origin stories'. It's become quite tedious and lackluster to have to sit through movies that only fill in a few tiny holes in the plotlines of characters we've already seen thousands of times before. Marvel likes to follow the same pattern again and again, in that they'll release a 'final' movie, then go back chronologically to what happened to characters before they died, again and again. As a result, the movies feel like a waste in that we aren't progressing forward at all in the Marvel timeline, and we aren't seeing all of the characters (or any new characcters). In my opinion, Marvel should be releasing movies focused on moving the overarching story forward, that are not focused on a singular character; these character stories can be easily condensed into series on Disney+ (as seen in Wandavision, or Loki). In summary, Marvel should be focusing on releasing new stories with new characters, instead of sequels and prequels.