How important is film marketing in attracting audiences?

Film marketing is a very important aspect of attracting audiences to films. Aside from actors, many people find movies through various different marketing campaigns created by the production companies. The success or failure of the marketing campaigns of films will have a large influence on the success of the film overall, impacting the box office success of the film. These marketing campaigns include things such as trailers, posters, contests and many other ways to reach out to potential viewers before releasing the movie. 
The trailer(s) of a film is vital for focusing the intended audience’s initial attention towards the film. Trailers use various enigma codes embedded within the video clips to grasp the attention towards certain aspects of the film, yet giving away small details of the film to draw them in even more. As there are many other trailers, each one uses various different designs in order to seem unique, selling the film to audiences before they have even seen the movie itself. 
Media advertising is another way by which companies market their films as it reaches wider audiences across more platforms, whether it be advertising the movie posters on billboards or sharing interviews on social media. In the modern day, marketing films using the internet is a widely used strategy; the marketing campaign for the third movie in the Taken franchise, Taken 3 used the internet to market the film. To market this film, 20th Century Fox created a YouTube video of the star actor Liam Neeson in character asking viewers to follow a link which then takes you to the movies LinkedIn page where they could enter a competition by following the page. This strategy is successful in marketing the film as it uses a variety of popular platforms to promote the movie, as well as giving something to the fans. 
The US Blockbuster Inside Out also used media advertising to attract audiences in many effective ways. Prior to releasing the movie, the production companies teamed up with companies such as Sky TV and Animal Planet, releasing advertisements promoting the movie as well as showing clips that are not a part of the movie. These advertisements were shown on many platforms, from advertising on the TV to on pages of the internet- attracting a wider audience to watch the film. Another way in which this movie was marketed was through real-time weather reports. To help market the film, characters from the movie were featured in weather advertisements in Singapore, using the different emotions to portray the weather. 
However, some strategies to promote films are not as important as others due to the negative outcomes of them, such as word of mouth often creates a bad stigma for a movie. One example of this is from the movie Taken 3 as word of mouth created a bad stigma for the movie- with many reviews openly stating that the film had lost its originality. Many fans of the previous two movies speculated the outcome of the third, asking whether or not the same ‘family member gets taken, main character rescues them’ plotline would appear in the third movie. With these questions and reviews, this movie was not as successful as it could have been due to many fans being put off of the third movie. This can also be found from Item 1, showing how word of mouth affected the film in negative ways. 
In conclusion, film marketing is very important in attracting audiences as it gives them an idea as to what to expect from the movie, as well as keeping them intrigued as to how good the movie will be overall. 

Exam Case Studies

US Blockbuster- Inside Out

• Budget= $175 million
• Director= Pete Docter, Ronnie Del Carmen
• Stars= Amy Poehler (Joy), Phyllis Smith (Sadness), Bill Hader (Fear), Lewis Black (Ager), Mindy Kaling (Disgust)
• Genre= Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Box Office= $851.5 million
• Production Company= Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios
• Certificate= PG
• Release Date= May 18, 2015 (Cannes), June 19, 2015 (US)
• Reviews= 8.4/10 (IMDB), 94/100 (Metascore), 5/5 (The Guardian)
• Marketing= 
• Used a Sky TV ad (popular, well known company) to promote the movie before coming out in cinemas 
• Used real-time weather ads in Singapore to promote the film
• Ad for Animal Planet's "Puppy Bowl"

Weather ads promoting the film in Singapore

Other facts: 

• Only 45 animators worked on the movie, half the size of previous movies
• Original idea- used Docter's daughter as the main inspiration as she aged through adolescence alongside his own experiences
• Took 5 years to complete- the first pitch was in June, 2009
• The film was storyboarded over 2-3 years
• Seven versions were produced before the film went into production

UK Production- The Theory of Everything

• Budget= $15 million
• Director= James Marsh
• Stars= Eddie Redmayne (Stephen), Felicity Jones (Jane), Charlie Cox (Jonathan)
• Genre= biographical romantic drama
• Box Office= $122.9 million
• Production Company= Working title films
• Certificate= PG 13
• Release Date= 7 September 2014 (Toronto International Film Festival), 1 January 2015 (UK) 
• Reviews= 7.7/10 (IMDB), 72/100 (Metascore), 4/5 (The Guardian)
• Marketing= 
• interviews with the cast, clips while filming, meeting Stephen Hawking
• The fact that this movie was based on the true story of Hawking, this helped to promote the film in a massive way, making people interested in knowing the personal side of his life. 

Other facts

• Took 3 years to convince Jane to make a book adaptation
• Redmayne spent 6 months researching Hawking's life
• The voice of Hawking is his actual electronic voice he uses

US Independent- Whiplash

• Budget= $3.3 million
• Director= Damien Chazelle
• Stars= Miles Teller (Andrew), J.K. Simmons (Fletcher)
• Genre= Drama
• Box Office= $49 million
• Production Company= Sierra/Affinity, Bold Films, Blumhouse Productions, Right of Way Films
• Certificate= R (restricted, under 17= parent accompaniment) 
• Release Date= 16 January 2014 (Sundance), 10 October 2014 (US)
• Reviews= 8.5/10 (IMDB), 88/100 (Metascore), 4/5 (The Guardian)
• Marketing: 
• Facebook page for the movie
• Cast members facebook and twitter accounts
• Twitter account for movie 

Other facts:

• Original concept- inspiration from the directors past jazz band
• Fletcher was based on his past instructor, but the attitude was pushed further than in real
• 15 pages of the original screenplay was turned into a short film to attract investors  
• First time director
• No well known stars 
• plotted & shot as thriller 
• Shot in 19 days with 14 hours filming per day

World Cinema Production- Taken 3(France)

• Budget= $48,000,000
• Director= Olivier Megaton
• Stars= Liam Neeson (Bryan), Forest Whitaker (Franck), Maggie Grace (Kim Mills)
• Genre= Action, Thriller
• Box Office= $326.5 million
• Production Company= EuropaCorp, M6 Films, Ciné+, Canal+
• Certificate= PG 13 
• Release Date= 
• 16 December 2014- Germany (premiere) 
• 8 January 2015- UK
• 9 January 2015- USA
• 21 January 2015- France 
• Reviews= 1/5 (The Guardian) 
• Marketing= 
• Contest for fans through social media 
• Facebook profile picture effects 
• Quizes for fans to complete in time limits 
• Reference: (http://marketingland.com/liam-neeson-promises-find-linkedin-profile-endorse-particular-set-skills-111128) 

Other facts:

• Was originally R rated but was edited down to become PG 13 for theatrical release 
• Many reviews say that this movie uses many of the old worn down aspects of the other movies, producing nothing new of this film
• Liam Neeson said that he would only do the movie if 'nobody gets taken' 

FM1 Creative Project

Aims and context

• Genre- Action
• Target Audience- 18-25 year old, both genders
• Using the common convention of low-key lighting

Section A Practice Question

“What are some of the main factors that influence different kinds of film production today?”

There are many things that influence the type of films that get produced today; these include the production companies, actors, certifications and funding of the film.

       Referring to Item 1 of the resource material in Part A, the article shows how the five studios worked together to produce a variety of movies, using what’s popular and creating films around that. The two studios which produced 2015’s “Inside Out” were Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios, both of which came together to produce this movie. These well-known production companies are an example of how studios influence what type of films are produced as they are well known for animated movies which help to influence the types of movie which they would create.

       Another factor that would influence the type of film that is made is the actors involved in the film. Linking to Item 2, the report talks about how the film “Dallas Buyers Club” would not have been created if it weren’t for Matthew McConaughey joining the film. The article talks about how the film was declined and rejected 137 times before finally being made. The leading actors Léa Seydoux and Adéle Exarchopoulos in the film “Blue is the warmest colour” were cast almost instantly as the director thought they suited the roles.  Another example of this was from Disney’s “Inside Out” as animators based Anger off Lewis Black who eventually did voice the character. The actors who are involved in a film are an important factor in film production today.

            

The Shining Analysis

The Shining Analysis


The bike scene shows Danny riding his bike around the hotel, many of the rooms seen throughout this scene have been used throughout the film- some of these include the kitchen hallway, main lobby area that Jack uses to write and the hallway where Danny finds the room 237. A tracking shot is used here to follow his movements as he travels through various hallways and rooms of the hotel, this is a common convention in the horror genre as is allows the audience to follow the characters movements. Danny can be seen to be wearing a red jumper with blue overalls- this has been done as the bike itself is blue and red- showing the link between Danny and his bike as the bike is his own. Another reason as to why these colours have been used is based on the common convention of this genre as they are often used to represent hot and cold- in this shot Danny is wearing both, showing that he is a mixture of the two. The only sound shown at the start of the scene is diegetic as the source of the noise- this being the wheels of the bike as it travels across various floors, is visible on the screen. This noise changes as Danny moves onto different floor types, from being most noticeable on the wooden and hard floors to being the quietest on the carpets that Danny rides across. The editing then cuts to a shot of Danny riding through the kitchen which is seen later in the scene before cutting once again to a hallway- the carpets used in these hallways are designed to disorientate the viewers, causing them to become thrown off by where in the hotel Danny is going until he is there. As Danny rides down one of these halls, he comes across room 237 where he stops- high pitched non-diegetic noise is used here in order to create tension in the audience- the noise that can be heard relates to water droplets, a common convention in the horror genre. As Danny reaches room 237, he stops at which point a low angle is used to show him looking up at the door number- this shot shows how powerless Danny is in this hotel and how he is subject to the things that are happening in the hotel.


A close up of Danny’s face is then used to show the fear in his face before cutting back to the low angle where a long shot is then used from behind Danny to show him attempting to open the door of room 237. The noise that is played here then changes to a low pitched noise as the editing cuts to a quick shot of two girls standing in a hallway, this relating to the visions that Danny has throughout the film. At this point, Danny returns to his bike and quickly rides away from the room. The next hall that Danny is seen in is the kitchen once again where the sound changes again to a high pitched sound that quietens and soon stops. The camera is still tracking Danny but in this shot it is at a slower speed, allowing Danny to ride out of the kitchen and out of the camera shot. The next shot is of Danny turning into a hall that isn’t seen in the film at any other point- a panning shot is used as he turns the corner to show the two girls previously seen as Danny tried to open the door to room 237. The noise in this shot is low as before, yet this time is like a gong being struck, giving a sense of suspense in the audience. As the girls speak, a close up of Danny’s face is used to show his reaction to the girls being in the hotel- this reaction shot is a common convention of the horror genre as it shows how the characters are feeling in a specific scene, allowing the audience to relate to how the characters are feeling.


The bar scene is seen later on in the film, it starts with a long shot of Jack walking down a hall mumbling angrily using a backwards tracking shot to follow what Jack is doing. A mixture of high and low non-diegetic sounds are used in this shot- the high
pitched sound allows the audience to become aware that something may happen, however the low pitched sound creates mystery as to what will happen. Used a lot in the horror genre as well as this film, the colour red has been used to paint the walls- this gives connotations of both anger (as Jack can be seen to be) as well as death (as can be seen throughout this movie). As Jack walks into “The Golden Room”, a panning shot is used to follow him into the room. A high pitched noise is heard which decreases as Jack moves further into the room as a side shot and a medium long shot is used to show him walking towards the empty bar that is directly opposite the entrance. You are able to see the rest of the room as Jack is walking, there are multiple chairs placed in the room as well as a small stage with a piano on it- this shows the audience what the room would be used for if the hotel was open- this can also be seen later on in the film as many more people are in the same room. There is another low, sudden non-diegetic noise as Jack leans over the bar that creates a false tension in the audience, making it seem as though there is something about to happen in the shot. When Jack sits down, he references God saying, “Do anything for a drink, give my God damn soul- just a glass of beer” which is another common convention as it pairs the supernatural and paranormal with God. There is a constant background sound as this scene continues, this noise sounds like wind, showing the isolation of the hotel and the people inside.


When Jack sits down, a medium shot is used to show Jack from what the position of the mirror- at this point, he says “Hi Lloyd”, suggesting that somebody is on the other side of the bar even though in the last shot the bar was empty. Another medium shot is used in the next shot but this time positioned next to Jack where it shows that there is a bartender standing there with the bar full of alcohol. Through this conversation, Jack complimented Lloyd by stating “I like you Lloyd, I always liked you- you were always the best of them…” This implies that Jack had previously met Lloyd at another time, however due to the hotel being shut and all of the staff gone, unless Jack had been to the hotel previously (which is never stated in the film). A medium close up is used behind Lloyds left arm as Jack is speaking about being accused of hurting Danny. Jack references God twice in this conversation, saying “I never laid a hand on him God damn it” and “I wouldn’t touch one hair on his God damn little head”- this allows the audience to grasp the type of character that Jack is, showing his true nature towards his family. Another way that the audience can see Jacks nature toward his family as he is talking about his wife, stating “I love the little son of a bitch” and “that bitch...” This shows how little Jack thinks of his wife- showing that he does not love her as he is continuously calling her a bitch. After a medium shot of Lloyd listening to Jack, the editing changes to a close up of Jack where he looks around him (which is ironic as the hotel is empty) before telling Lloyd how he had hurt Danny in the past.

Themes/Conventions of movie genres

Action Films:

• Car/Bike chase
• Fights
• Weapons- guns, knives, etc.
• Explosions
• Death of loved ones
• Good vs Bad
• Mission/Objective to achieve
• Male protagonist- strong
• Female love interest- Weak
• Fast paced music (create tension)
• Complex plot lines
• Protagonist- 'normal/average' person
• Exotic locations
• Jump cuts- follow the action (fast paced)

Comedy Films:

• Average locations
• Slapstick comedy
• 'Dim' person(s) paired with 'normal' person(s)
• Natural camera shots- looking realistic
• Accident prone characters
• Comedic props used (e.g. pies)
• Shy characters
• Sarcastic/Witty characters
• Bright places/lighting
• Goal wanting to be achieved
• Comical & quirky sounding music
• Gags

Reflective Analysis

My intention was to produce a short film of approximately 1-2 minutes that fit into the horror genre. I wanted to create a film that captured the audience’s attention and leave them questioning the ending that would finish on a cliff-hanger.  The main theme of the movie is stalking and chasing- I decided this as the theme as it creates tension in the audience as well as keeping an interesting subject. I chose to use non-diegetic sound as it fits into the video better as what is going on in the screen does not require any diegetic sound- I feel as though the music I used in the editing process fits in well with the film as it is very mysterious and eerie, building up at certain points to create even more tension in the audience. Various camera shots were used in the filming process including long shots in corridors, extreme close ups when opening doors and tracking shots to follow the chase- these were effective as it showed what was happening in the film, allowing the audience to follow the action and know what is going on. I chose only to use two transitions in the film and leave the majority of the changes as jump cuts as it give a sense of action in the film, keeping the shots continuous and fast paced. Only 12 shots have been used in the video to keep the tension in the clips shown rather than creating a longer film that would not interest the audience.

If I were to redo this film, I would improve different things throughout the film. For example, I would have used a tripod in certain shots as the footage we have gathered often shakes, creating shots that look unprofessional. In addition, I would also create a backstory or narrative as to why this stalking/chasing is happening as viewers would not understand why this is happening if there is no information given beforehand or during the film.

Induction Project

What was your favorite film this summer?

My favorite film of summer 2015 was Pixar’s animated film, Inside Out- it follows the five emotions inside Riley, an eleven year olds head as she is faced with frightening new opportunities as Riley and her family move to San Francisco. The film shows a simplified and fun idea of what goes on through our heads, it gives the viewers new and imaginative ideas to think about.

         There are five emotions shown throughout the film: the two main emotions that we see throughout the entire movie is Joy and Sadness, with the other emotions being Anger, Fear and Disgust.

         The film shows Riley in Minnesota throughout her years growing up, from the day she was born to the day she moved- this affects the entire film as it shows her life as she is growing up in comparison to her struggle in this new life as she moves to San Francisco. Through this move, Joy attempts many times to keep Riley positive, however these do not work and leaves Riley to see this new area in different eyes, allowing fear, anger and disgust to creep their way in and take control. Sadness is a key character throughout this as you see her attempting to help at many points, but being split from the other emotions in fear that she would harm Riley. This barrier eventually breaks when Sadness handles a core memory- one that is a vital part of Riley’s life so far- then starting her and Joy’s journey to retrieve this core memory and help Riley get it back while the other emotions are in control of Riley’s control-room. The journey takes them throughout Riley’s head, from Long Term Memory, Imagination land to the Memory Dump. These are all vital areas that are in her mind, showing the audience the key areas of her mind and what is most important to her throughout her life.

         Although Joy is the dominant character in this film, taking control of Riley’s emotions most- as can be seen through the short term memories in the film, Sadness is also a key emotion, allowing Riley to react to many situations in a healthy way- the film shows how you should allow sadness into your life, as well as what happens if you don’t. Although Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust are seen as “negative” emotions, they are healthy in a person’s life and necessary for our survival through finding new things and making a variety of responses to them through these emotions. Towards the end of the movie, you start to see how each of Riley’s emotions take an equal role in how she perceives the world around her, showing the importance of each emotion. Even though Riley’s emotions are the main focus of the film, you also get to see her mother and fathers emotions- both of which are shown to be the same gender as the individual. This shows how Riley is different, showing her emotions to be both male (Anger and Fear) as well as female (Joy, Sadness and Disgust). Of each character, the emotion which is in control is also important in how it affects the movie and the impact it has on those watching. As Riley’s main emotion is Joy at the start of the film, you get an idea of how her life would have been previously- full of joy and happiness. However, her mother’s main emotion is sadness and her father’s anger- this shown by the emotion that is centred in the control room, showing how their own lives could have been lived previously and how they live their lives in sadness and anger.

         I enjoy this film as it uses a range of real life ideas in a fun and imaginative way to portray a variety of lessons and concepts. It is a film that both adults and children can enjoy both together and separately, as well as being able to watch again and again. The animation of this movie is incredible to portray a fin and creative style to the film that everyone will enjoy, in addition to leaving its brilliant mark in your heart.