The Male Gaze

The Gaze

The concept of gaze is one that deals with how an audience views people presented. For a feminist this can be classed of in three ways: How men look at women, how women look at themselves or how women look at other women.

In 1975 Laura Mulvey a British media professor coined the term 'male gaze' to ensure film audiences view the characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male.

Things such as videos and magazine covers, something in which will sell a product, use figures to catch the gaze. Without noticing, as an audience people will not pay full attention to the information being presented, as the person on screen will distract them due to their actions of sexiness, seductiveness or their invitational body language.

This theory is still relevant in todays society as current Music Artists, celebrities and presenters use the gaze to sell their image to companies in order to create job opportunities such as advertising. Not only that, but people with an aesthetically pleasing body or face to attract both the opposite and same sex are used to endorse the sales of products.  An example of this would be the latest Paco Rabanne Mens Fragrance - Invictus.

Example of 'The Male Gaze' from a TV Drama

 

 

This clip taken from the final season of One Tree Hill includes Quinn and Clay, a couple who have been together for a significant amount of time. The male gaze with in this scene will be Quinn, due to the way she stands, her body language and her tone of voice is an act of seducing the other character. The male audience connect to this, by capturing the image placed in front of them. You may notice that the majority of the camera work displays Quinn's best standing out features which will attract both the opposite and same sex, grabbing a wider audience. Through the theory, the gazers may not take in relevant information from this scene, as they will be too focused on what is displayed, however the significance of what Clay says is huge, as it completely changes the storyline. The reasons for using the gaze in this scene may be the directors intention of gripping more interest, however some viewers may find it distracting. 

 

Examples of 'The Male Gaze' from a Magazine Cover

 

The male gaze in this magazine cover will attract straight men and gay women, who will instantly be captured by the large cleavage Jennifer Aniston is showing. The use of tight clothing also creates attention of those interested as it outlines her sexual features. The colour red which is used both as the background and a darker shade for her clothing symbolises the positive connotations of the colour, such as: love, sex, beauty and romance. Although the text is in white to stand out, you will notice that none of it covers the main gaze features of her body which will sell the magazine. Her bodily features cause a distraction to the content of the magazine which the company use to their advantage to ensure they sell as many copies as possible.

The cover of Elle Magazine featuring David Beckham shirtless attracts mainly the gay male and straight women. The central position on the cover is taken by Beckham's abdomen which is known as his best selling feature, this alone is the covers best selling point, as it attracts a wide range of people as it is aesthetically pleasing. The reason for me stating that the main attraction for the cover would be gay male and straight women, doesn't however mean they are the only audience which is targeted. They are the main, however due to Beckham being shirtless straight men look up to his body as a goal to reach to ensure they look the best they can. The positioning of his head between the magazine cover heading creates a frame for Beckham's facial appearance in which attracts the gaze audience as it allows them to connect with the connotations present through his emotion shown.


Beyoncé, central of this magazine cover stands in a sexual position to attract the male gaze straight away. With her hands on her head, the connotations the audience take from it is that she is trying to seduce them. The main features which stand out are her chest area - this teases the audience as its barely showing, which make them want to look through to see if they can see more. Her thigh gap and large gluteal area which the male gender seem to take a liking to which distracts them from the information on the cover. The small pants Beyoncé is wearing are to tease the audience to distract them from any other irrelevant information in which could be on the cover. The way she I holding her hair you can connote that she has the sexy 'rough and ready' look which attracts the audience in which will buy the magazine. She can act as a role model for females as her figure is exposed, so they look up to her as a goal for what they wish their body to look like.

Advent Calendar - Film Marketing Revision

Advent Calendar Media - Marketing by Nat Clarke

Advent Calendar - Film Production Revision

Advent Calendar - Media Film Production by Nat Clarke

British Film Industry - 30 Questions

What % of global box office was the British film industry responsible for?
The British Industry was responsible for 15% of global box office, roughly 600 British films were made in between 2003 and 2010, and only a small percentage profit. The figure improves as budgets rise - with 17% of films that cost more than £10m making their money back.

What was this % in 2009?
In 2009 there was 6.8% global box office profit from British Films.

What might this change indicate about British film?
The change in the percentage over the years indicates that the British Film Industry is rising, and more of the films they are producing are becoming of a success.

What films have been responsible for this change?
The films responsible for this increase are - The King's Speech, Sky Fall, Slumdog Millionaire and The Woman in Black.

What % of the British film industry makes a profit?
Lower budget films such as those made for less than £2m were less likely to make a profit of 4%. The figure improves as budgets rise with 17% of films that cost more than £10m making their money back.

What % of Hollywood films make a profit?
The percentage of Hollywood films that make a profit is 17%.

How does that % differ between £2m and £10m budget British films?
Lower budget films such as those made for less than £2m were less likely to make a profit of 4%. The figure improves as budgets rise with 17% of films that cost more than £10m making their money back.

What might we infer from this difference?
By stretching a budget, and using extra special effects, or hiring better well known actors, the film is more likely to succeed in making a larger profit than films without.

Which age group makes up the largest % of UK cinema goers?
Ages range from 18-24years of age, both genders.

Why do you think this might be?
The quadrant system allows this age range to view all films, as well as genres, so they are targeted as the most popular and significant age range.

Which 'type' of film has seen an 18% drop in attendance?
The 18 per cent gross income generated by 3D in 2012 continues a slight decline, down from 20 per cent in 2011 and 24 per cent in 2010.

Within that 'type' which genre has seen the biggest fall?
Big family films such as Madagascar 3 and Brave were the genre in which have seen the biggest fall.

What did Charles Grant put this decline down to?
The price of 3D tickets deterred families from going to the cinema, as they tried to economise their pricings to ensure they were saving that little extra money.

Who is Paul Greengrass?
Paul Greengrass is an English film director, screenwriter and former journalist

How did he describe the British film industry?
He says that the British film industry has transformed from what it used to be

What did a BFI spokesperson say was the point of less profitable low budget British films?
"tiny budget films that, while commercial success is always hoped for, are successful and beneficial to the industry for other reasons like skills and training development and for artistic and cultural importance"

What was the budget for Filth and how much money did it take?
Its budget was just under £2 million, and it made £4million

What advantage did James McAvoy feel £100m films have over low budget films?
He says that films with larger budgets have chances to sell the films in all sorts of ways, where as smaller budget films aren't able to do this

What is VOD?
VOD is known as Video on Demand

What % increase did VOD see last year?
The VOD market has increased by 50% last year.

What impact might VOD have on distributers and Studios?
Video on demand is becoming more popular so it might outsell them

What impact has it had on Blockbuster rental stores?
It has a chance of outselling the stores, which will cause them profit and business issues

What was unique about Ben Wheatley's 'A Field In England'?
A Field in England was the first UK film to be released simultaneously in cinemas, on DVD, on TV and through video-on-demand.

What does director of The Machine Caradog James think is the toughest part of film making?
"The toughest thing is you make a good film but can you get it to reach an audience? It's events like this and individuals who champion independent cinema that give us a profile and any chance of a mass audience."

Why have rules been relaxed on what makes a film 'British'?
To encourage more people to make British films, so that there can be more successes.

How has the use of visual effects in films been encouraged?
Visual effects are used in films to make it more interesting for the audience, to aid boosting of ratings

Name five of these rules and link them to The Kings Speech, Kill List, The World's End
Keeping a British Theme through culture -Kings Speech
'LAD' like actions and ways about them - Worlds End
British director - The King's Speech
British Cast - Kill List, Worlds End
Location set in Britain - Kill List, Worlds End, King's Speech 

What rules has chancellor George Osbourne announced for tax on British films?
He announced that films only need to now spend 10% of their budget within the UK to qualify for tax relief, where previously they had to spend 25%. Tax relief would be applied to 25% of the first £20m of a production, and 20% on any remaining budget, regardless of the overall total; previously only films under £20m were eligible for the higher rate.

What is the highest grossing film in UK box office history?
James Bond: Sky Fall

How much has it taken and how many screens was it available on?
Bond adventure has earned £94.3m in the UK, beating the previous record holder Avatar. Sky Fall opened in 587 cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 26 October, and is still on general release.

 

Stereotypes

Stereotypes from hammonda

 

 

Dumb Blonde Stereotype

 

Appearance of the stereotype includes particularly a woman, with blonde hair and heavy make up, especially around the eyes, and an orange face. There is no particular weight in particular which outlines the stereotype, the blonde hair is the most significant feature. They are very simplistic, and wear clothing which can be revealing to all to try and attract attention from the opposite sex in particular.

The behaviour and the way they act can sometimes be deliberate to feel as if they should fulfil their stereotype, or they are just genuinely what society would call extremely stupid. They have very basic personalities, with not much of a variety of interest which makes them seem as if they have boring characteristics, and they rely totally on their looks to be noticed.

You wouldn't necessarily associate a 'dumb blonde' as being a male figure, as the female figure is stereotypically what the stereotype relates to. Their attitudes are usually to try and impress people, especially males, but end up saying stupid things which make them come across as stupid. Girls are genuinely known especially blondes for being relatively 'dumb' compared to male figures, as males think that they will stereotypically be the ones to go out and work to cater for a family when they grow up.

The character Karen Smith in Mean Girls portrays this stereotype in her role throughout the film. Played by Amanda Seyfriend, Karen is a particular person who doesn't think before she speaks, and doesn't tend to have any common sense. She represents the extreme of this stereotype, with severe incapability to know anything knowledgeable.

 

Macro Aspects - Representations

Representations Homework by Nat Clarke

Harry Potter World - Media Trip

A trip to the Warner Brothers Studio in London is nothing of the ordinary. It was a whirlwind of a day, filled with a variety of laughs, cries, and a bundle of energy and excitement. It really puts into perspective, what a Big Six company have to do to ensure every fine detail is perfect. The budget has now, in my eyes become of an understandable margin, as to why institutions are in need of that large amount of money per film. The sets were so realistic it made you feel a part of the film, whilst you were taking in all of its beauty. You couldn't pick a favourite part of the day because it was all an exceptional 10/10 experience which all ages can enjoy. From playing Quidditch, driving a flying car, or drinking butter beer, Harry Potter World has it all. However the gift shop does rob you of your money, but everyone has to get some form of memorabilia don't they? We met life size sculptures of the characters, shown video tutorials on the makeup and costume, and participated in a photo competition in which the winner would take away a real chocolate frog. Apart from the huge fun endured throughout the day, it was such a learning curve and helped to understand what it would be like to be involved with in a film production of this scale. It was well and truly a fantastic school trip which will be remembered by all with amazing memories for a long time. 
                                                                             

          Hogwarts Castle

 

 

            Group Photo

       Harry Potter Entrance

     "It was all an exceptional
      10/10 experience"

The King's Speech Posters

The title graphics have been written in serif font which gives it the 'official' style look. From it being in the colour gold you can connote from this wealth and status which outlines to the audience what the genre could entail. The capital letters shows a formal representation accompanied by a logo. However it has been extremely photo shopped making it look unprofessional and unappealing to look at. This poster doesn't significantly outline who is King, which can deter audiences from the production. The King isn't central on the poster so doesn't give any clues away as to who plays this role, this doesn't sell the narrative very well as the audience cannot understand the purpose of the production. The stars names are directly underneath their image to helpfully outline to the audience who they are. The surnames of the actors are in capitals to attract more attention to it, as this is what should help sell the film. The image has been edited together to ensure it looks as if the characters are all stood together for a photograph, this isn't therefore real, and doesn't give away any information in which will explain to audiences the purpose, the genre or who they are. The only way the audience could guess the genre is from the title. The catch line - 'when God couldn't save the King, the Queen turned to someone who could'. This statement outlines to the audience that alongside the title there is royalty involved with in the film so it could be a period drama, due to the fact there currently isn't a King on the throne. From this we entail as the audience that it will be a very sophisticated, well organised, typically British script, with the scenes to compliment that. Due to the way the characters are stood, and the crown logo above the title you can identify the audience as being of an older generation/adults, this is because not many young people would know too much about past kings, and aren't interested in formal films, they are more stereotypically interested in action, chick flicks and Rom-Coms. The colours above the characters heads is photo shopped to look as if its from a past era, as the clouds have been given that tea bag effect look. This accompanied by the title is significant at symbolising that the genre is of a different period.

This second poster is extremely different, as it outlines to the audience the main theme which occurs throughout the film - the storyline and the basic purpose of the film. By the lack of character figures present the audience cannot justify clearly what genre the film could be classed as from short glances. The golden background can connote just like the first poster wealth and status, but other than that it's there for the purpose of brightening the poster up, so it looks aesthetically pleasing, to attract attention to itself so people look at it. There is no justification of what will happen in the film, all we can connote as an audience is that the old fashioned microphone represents older times, particularly the start of technology (1900's). You cannot as an audience connote anything from the way in which the characters are stood, or by their expressions because the narrative isn't possible to identify. The layout includes a lot of blank space which draws the audience to the main features on the poster (jaw and microphone).



The layout for this poster is very simplistic. With quotes from newspapers covering the front, taking priority over anything else to ensure it's noticed. The title writing is still of that gold colour which connotes the wealth and status with in the film, however due to the character wearing only a suit, it doesn't give away ideas about the narrative, or sell the films genre particularly well. The words across the poster symbolises positivity, and the vibe of greatness the film is represented by. The text is what sells the film with in this style of poster, as the character behind is of irrelevance due to their being very limited denotations. The colours used are mainly pastille, so the important parts such as the title stand out significantly. The USP of this poster is definitely the public reviews made by newspapers in particular. By having these across the front of the page they are selling the production as a 'film of the year' type of project which will grab attention of a range of audience types.
 The social network poster, (in which was designed before the King's Speech poster) of this version was available, but purposely copied in a unique way by the King's Speech, due to the fact they thought it would relate to the younger audience type. By doing this the marketing team believed it would be an easier way to connect to teenagers especially as they would go off ratings to chose which films they watch. However, this could be argued, because lots of teenagers, especially boys prefer posters which grab their attention through action scenes, something that would look good as a wallpaper for a phone, or a picture you would frame and put on a wall in your bedroom. The similarities within these two posters include the white writing covering an image which is significant to the film (e.g. a characters head and shoulder shot).
           

The final poster to evaluate is the US way about marketing The King's Speech. This is completely different to the way this film is marketed in the UK for a number of reasons. The representation of culture with in this poster will sell the film abroad because foreigners are attracted to the British Lifestyle and love anything to do with the Royal Family or the London type setting. Bearing in mind this poster was released after the Oscars, the film has titles attached to its name to help sell the production increasingly better across the globe, especially in the US, as Hollywood is the biggest competition when it comes to films. The main colours again used is gold, to connote the wealth and status with in the genre of the film. This can then significantly point out the Royal Family based theme throughout by the Mise en Scene. The costumes worn by the young girl and the Queen, tell the audience that the classification of the characters in society are high, and in fact it may cover real past events. The words 'Best Picture' are in bold at the top of this poster to outline clearly to the audience one of the awards it won, and tries to represent this through the highly printed graphics on this poster. The Mise en Scene sells the narrative well, and will attract a range of audiences abroad, as there is a lot of typical British like background used.








                                    

How Does Your Chosen Clip Attract The Audience?

Star Trek: Into Darkness Essay on Micro Aspects and Narrative by Nat Clarke

The King's Speech Research

The King's Speech

 What makes a film British?

Audiences assume the culture of a film is what makes them British, however by researching into Parliament UK it is accompanied by many factors. The culture of Britain focuses around the current location (which is usually London), how day to day life is gone about, with historical roots such as The Royal Family. The cast should be predominantly British with minor exceptions, however all storylines would cover past, present or future events tying in with the British Lifestyle. Also, there would be reference from / by a British Author of a book or script which relate to the film, including the same nationality (in this case British) of producer, scriptwriter, director and sometimes the investor.
For a film to be legally classed with in our culture, a number of tests must be met to certify its class as categorised British. These four tests include:

• The Maker Test: the film must be made by a company that is registered and centrally
  managed and controlled in the UK, in another state of the European Union/European
  Economic Area or in a country with which the European Community has signed an
  Association Agreement
• The Production Cost Test: 70% of the production cost of the film must be spent on film-making activity in the UK
• The Labour Cost Test:
  i. 70% of the total cost (minus — if desired — the cost of one person whose nationality
  must be non-Commonwealth/EU/EEA/Association Agreement country) must have
  been paid to citizens or ordinary residents of the Commonwealth, EU/EEA or a
  country with which the European Community has signed an Agreement; and
  ii.  75% of the total labour cost — after deducting the cost of two persons whose
  nationality must be non-Commonwealth/EU/EEA/Association Agreement country,
  and one of whom must be an actor
  — must have been paid to citizens or ordinary
  residents of the Commonwealth, EU/EEA or a country with which the European
  Community has signed an Agreement
• Previously Filmed Material: no more than 10% of the playing time of the film should
  comprise a sequence of visual images from a previously certified film or from a film by a
  different maker.

Exhibition Issues - Box Office in the UK

The Kings Speech certified 15 was the 'plucky-underdog success story' with a £3.52m opening weekend with in the UK. It was set up with modest previews (in other words - set up to fail) as audiences didn't think that they would be astounded by the production. The film lost cinema viewings to the New York Met Opera screening, however in London's Chelsea cinema brought in over £40,000 which broke records.

Exhibition Issues - Reviews and Reception

"Lead man Colin Firth probably isn't complaining, after picking up the Golden Globe for Best Actor at the weekend. In fact his performance was so impressive that a newly created Facebook group is campaigning to have him ascend to the throne." - The Guardian

As well as Colin Firth picking up the Golden Globe for Best Actor from a total of 7 nominations for the whole production, the film was also nominated for 12 Oscars and 14 BAFTAS.

"The King’s Speech isn’t just an enlightening period drama, but a very entertaining, heartfelt and surprisingly funny crowd-pleaser with a glint of Oscar gold in its eye." - Time Out
Time Out also comment on how perfectly precise the film was, by focusing the attention on the characters relationships and insecurities, they said it makes the whole experience intimate and convincing.

Film Junk state that "In all honesty, the average moviegoer doesn’t have a whole lot to be excited about in Tom Hooper’s new film". They say this because they believe the storyline about George VI and his speech therapist is hardly an interesting topic, unless you like that kind of thing, in which case they say you may find it an "often lively and effective drama"

"Unlike many of the films that helped lend the genre its dry reputation, authentic atmosphere doesn’t substitute for drama here. The King’s Speech works not because we watch a historical personage overcome a debilitating verbal ailment, but because we watch a human being do so." - Film Junk

Critics Reviews

"There's no doubt this film has Oscar bait written all over it" - Mark Kermode

Kermode believes the Americans especially love a British film when a monarch has a relationship with a commoner. He also states when a friendship transcends into a relationship is what grips a global audience to a British film.

By making the interior and psychological space with in scenes gripping through the camera angles (mainly close ups and zooms) this film becomes visually interesting.

Compared to 'The Queen' and 'Mrs Brown' this film (The King's Speech) is set apart as it felt more real, even though all of them are mainly people talking in rooms. Its funny, and its interesting due to the fact the happy ending is gone about by revealing 'we will be at war for the next 6 years'.

Mark Kermode seemed to take a liking to this film more so than the two others stated above, due to the warmth he developed to Colin Firth, as he states he should win the awards he is nominated for hands down. He also believes that people should look back at his history and take note of his remarkable performances with in his previous films, one being 'Trauma'.

The Films Production Issues

The Origins

"The King's Speech, the story of how King George VI overcame his stammer, was just a letterbox delivery away from never getting made"

The films production team posted the script to the film through Geoffrey Rush's letter box in order to hopefully gain his role as Lionel Logue. After unsuccessfully gaining his involvement after sending numerous emails they thought this was the way about it. The films producer Gareth Unwin stated that the film needed some key casted roles to be a success and that is why they went to so much trouble to attract Rush's attention towards this film.

"This flies against every fibre of me knowing how the business works. I ended up with a four-page email from his manager tearing me a new one. But it finished off with Geoffrey saying he liked it and that we should talk. We wouldn't have got to talk to Geoffrey at that stage otherwise. Joan was audacious in her thinking and it did pay off."

Director: Tom Hooper
Producers: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
Production Companies: See-Saw Films, Bedlam Productions, UK Film Council
US Distributor: The Weinstein Company
International sales: FilmNation Entertainment
US Release Date: December 10, 2010
UK Distributor: Momentum Pictures

Gareth Unwin from Bedlam Productions spent 5 years prior to the start of production developing this story with David Seidler. “ I knew we had an upper level that we had to aim for,” says Unwin of his need to find co-producers for the ambitious project.

The team were keen to make a period drama that didn't feel mainstream. “It’s uplifting without being cheesy,” says Canning. “The Weinsteins gave us one really great note early on, which is, it’s all about the friendship. We honed it to focus on that.”

Tom Minter (US Writer) sent Joan Lane the play script. As a fellow friend who was also a writer of the play’s author Seidler, Tom recommended Joan as a well-connected London-based producer of theatre. Having previously sent the play to another London based colleague, who had not been able to attract interest in it, Seidler wasn't sure what to do following this - so he followed Tom’s advice.

Lane gave a copy of the script to Simon Egan from Bedlam Productions to try and gain his interest in production. Thankfully he saw potential and took an option of screenplay adaption. Following that, Lane organised a rehearsed reading in which would have director Tom Hooper's parents in the audience. This wasa tactical move of Lane as she introduced The Hooper's to David Seidler the Plays author, so he could exchange contacts with Tom's father to gain contact with Tom himself.

The Finance

The Weinstein company over in America has been praised for the backing of this spectacular production., however the British production company Prescience are really who should be praised,

"We worked with ex-chair of Bafta Richard Price, and started turning this story about two grumpy men sitting in a room into something bigger."or identifying the films potential first. - Gareth Unwin (after getting Iain Canning from See-Saw Productions involved)

 See-Saw Productions worked alongside Bedlam Productions in synergy to create The King's Speech as well as receiving One Million Pounds from The UK Film Council to help with the films production. The film was at production stage for 39 days, with an input from Bonham Carter, who also, at the time was working with Warner Brothers on the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows set.

Distribution and Marketing

The distributor of The King's Speech (Momentum Pictures) a British institution were in charge of the films marketing plan, the way in which the UK audiences will have it advertised to them.

The film had its global premiere on 6th September 2010 at the Telluride Film Festival in the United States. It was screened at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival on Colin Firth's 50th birthday, receiving a standing ovation and the Peoples Choice Award.

The original poster was altered to show an extreme close up of Colin Firths jaw to the right of a microphone in which symbolised the plot of the film. Due to the film being entirely related to The King's Speech and dialect by representing the film with a microphone it shows that a voice is a way in which a King maintains his power. For advertising a film the poster is key as it is primarily the most viewed was of advertising other than the official trailer.

 

 

Review of Harry's Dredd Essay

Harry elaborated his points by using numerous examples of films to back up his points. Whether it was to name films the actors were in, or listing films that included similar or complete opposite statistics, Harry expanded his answer to its maximum via different techniques which were all effective. These points, alongside his facts about budget, comparison budgets and income really nailed down why Dredd did fail at the Box Office.

He links his statistics and facts back to his opinion, which creates effect for the reader to not be swayed by what he is saying but believe every word. The reason this is important is because it gets the point across smoothly but extremely quickly and avoids an excess in unimportant information.

By confidently using a negative semantic field of vocabulary, Harry put his points across sharply that Dredd flopped at the Box Office, and links them back through his opinion to the question. By doing this he gained a B grade mark, which is reflected in his writing. Harry's clear line of argument is represented through his constant opinion. By linking back to it after each point, he made out his opinion almost outweighed the facts as if they were supporting him.

To be critical about Harry's response, he could add in additional alternative vocabulary, rather than repeating the same words. 'Cult' seems to be used a bit too much, and different words could make it progressively more fluent. By expanding his knowledge with in the marketing area, he would use excelling understanding if backed up by his forceful opinion.

Global Institution Domination Essay

Global Institution Domination Essay by Nat Clarke

Exam Question Research

Dredd:

Budget - $45 million
Box Office Gross - $36.5 million

Distributed by Entertainment Film and Lionsgate

Running times 95 minutes

Sci-Fi Action Genre

Produced by: DNA Films, IM Global and Reliance Entertainment

 

Actors:

Dredd - Karl Urban

Judge Cassandra Anderson - Olivia Thurlby

Kay - Wood Harris

MaMa - Lena Heady

 

Location it was filmed in was mainly South Africa, the rest was produced in CGI, the costumes tend to be of a science fiction genre.

 

This film took $6,278,491 (USA) (21 September 2012) on the opening weekend.

UK Opening Gross: £1,049,345 and was viewed on 415 screens

 

Dredd is known as an 'exclusive with limited runs release', as it was extremely difficult to find where abouts you could watch it in the cinema as it was screened very narrowly.

Star Trek: Into Darkness:

Budget - £190 million
Box Office Gross - $470 million
Distributed by Paramount Pictures (Big Six)
Running time 133 minutes
Sci-Fi Genre
Produced by: Bad Robot Productions, K/O Paper Productions and SkyDance Productions

Actors:
Chris Pine - Captain Kirk
Benedict Cumberbatch - Khaan
Simon Pegg - Scotty
Zoe Saldana - Uhura
Alice Eve - Dr Marcus
Zachary Quinto - Spock
Karl Urban - Doctor

Star Trek was predominantly filmed with in warehouses, however spaceships are filmed on real life huge dustbins and edited away to look Sci-Fi like. They also used an element of CGI, however JJ Abrams (director) wanted to produce as much props as possible and edit them to make it look more life like and real. The scene in which contains the volcano was filmed via a helicopter, this shows that due to a large budget they can create a variety of camera angles to put empathy with in the scene. CGI however wasn't used for the spaceship scene when Khan comes to attack Starfleet because Abrams wanted it to be more lifelike. The 1000 watts of electricity was used for a few seconds in a scene, this will have cost a lot of money from the budget for a few seconds, however due to large sum of money they have for this film they are able to splash out on accessories and novelties to make the film so much more real.
Star Trek Producers (Paramount) hired a dialect coach, in order for the role of Uhura to ensure the 'alien' language was perfectly produced and pronounced. A British company wouldn't afford this due to the lack of budget, and therefore this makes Star Trek widely successful once again due to the huge budget.
The first 2 minutes of the film shows Captain Kirk and Doctor running through a 'jungle' made from entirely red painted trees, and yes they were painted, by hand. The set managers spent months preparing and producing hundreds and hundreds of trees each with a couple dozen branches and millions of leaves. Without the scale of budget Star Trek had, this wouldn't have been possible at all, as it was very time consuming and costly.

Star Trek used IMAX camera for 30 minutes of the film
This film took $70,165,559 (USA) (17 May 2013) on the opening weekend at the cinema

Star Trek was a wide release film, as it had a heavy investment in all areas in order to ensure its success.

On the opening weekend, Star Trek: Into Darkness was viewed across the UK on 555 different screens. In the second weekend of release it then dropped to 512 screenings throughout the UK.

Paramount Pictures

Paramount have production deals with the following institutions:

Bad Robot

Di Bonaventura Pictures

Disruption Entertainment

Fake Empire

Michaels Goldwyn Co.

Montecito Picture Co.

Platinum Dunes

Plan B Entertainment

SkyDance Productions

Paramount are a parent company for DreamWorks

Films Produced: Shrek, Transformers, Mission: Impossible, Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-2011), Indiana Jones, Star Trek, Jackass, Beverly Hills Cop, "Crocodile" Dundee, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, Paranormal Activity, GI Joe and Friday The 13th

Entertainment Film

Based in London
Distribute films made by New Line Cinema

What they have Distributed this year:

Beautiful Creatures

Her

The Butler

American Hustle

The Harry Hill Movie

Romeo & Juliet

They also distributed the whole of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Lionsgate

Canadian Entertainment Company

Industry: Motion pictures, television programming, home video, family entertainment, Video on demand, digital distribution, music, & music publishing

Serves Areas such as United Kingdom, North America, France and Australasia

Subsidiaries:
Celestial Tiger Entertainment (Joint venture)
Debmar-Mercury
Mandate Pictures
Pantelion Films
Roadside Attractions
Sea to Sky Entertainment
Summit Entertainment
TVGN (joint venture)
Epix (joint venture)
CodeBlack Films

Films they have distributed:
Dirty Dancing, Earth Girls are Easy, Army of One, Total Recall, On Golden Pond, and the Rambo series.
Lionsgate also distributes select NBC programs such as Will & Grace, Little House on the Prairie and The Biggest Loser; Mattel's Barbie

Exam Question Practice

“Media production is dominated by global institutions, which sell their products and services to national audiences” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

 

Topic - UK an US Film


Aspect - Media Production


Viewpoint - Global Institutions                                           


Instruction - To what extent (evaluate)

 

       

 

        What I need to know in order to answer the question:

• Information about two films (1 US and 1 UK, with statistics and facts) Box office, budget, actors, genre etc
• One of the Big Six - linked with US film (Evaluating Star Trek: Into Darkness - Paramount) - what they own, what they have produced, how successful
• Production companies UK films (usually 2 or more - Dredd - Entertainment Film and Lionsgate) - what they own collectively and separately, who owns them, films produced, any other type of media influence etc
• How Star Trek and Dredd are produced - location, props, lighting, cameras, colour, costume
• National Audiences - Cinema viewings down to distribution and release of films nationally
• Add opinion with facts - evaluate how negatively UK institutions cannot affect the US big six and why

Hardware and Content Essay

Hardware and Content Essay by Nat Clarke

British Institution Research

Screen Yorkshire has been running for over ten years, with an aim to not only provide support for Britain within the film industry, but to make Humber and Yorkshire the most sought after destination for productions in the UK. Investments made by Screen Yorkshire are purposely made to develop talent and content in specific films they target. This is the largest organisation in the UK that invests in content (£15 million). Investments are made on market rate commercial terms with an intention to make sure investment returns are going to produce a legacy fund to support the development of content and production for TV and Film in Yorkshire.
Screen Yorkshire also run highly regarded talent schemes, such as 'The List' and 'Triangle'. The idea behind these schemes is to encourage national and regional talent to progressively excel in the TV and Film industries.

       Examples of Screen Yorkshire Production:

• Wuthering Heights
• Kill List
• A Passionate Woman
• The Damned United
• Tyrannosaur
• Red Riding
• This is England '86

Film 4 started out as a production company owned by Channel Four Television Corporation in 1982. It was initially responsible for the production of films with in the UK and across the world. It was originally known as 'FilmFour' to coincide and support the launch of channel 4. In 2002 it was made available to a larger range of customers, instead of just being on the market for subscription to people with SKY and digital terrestrial via ITV. Cuts were then made towards the end of 2002 as Film4 couldn't compete against Hollywood, this meant a decrease in budget (£30 million to £10 million) and a loss of 50 jobs. In 2006 the channel re-launched as 'Film4 Productions' the channel then became free, which boosted viewers from 300,000 subscribers to 18 million households. Broadcasting hours were then increased, and advert breaks during the films would then occur. The original idea for Film4 was that it didn't broadcast big Hollywood blockbusters, however nowadays do. Film4+1 was dropped in August 2007 on satellite, cable and freeview and then replaced with channel 4+1, however then returned in August 2013.

       Examples of Film4 Productions:

• Never Let Me Go
• Slumdog Millionaire
• Dead Mans Shoes
• The Lovely Bones
• The Inbetweeners Movie
• Dr.Easy
• 12 Years a Slave

Studio Canal was founded in 1999, which established a reputation for an innovative approach to distribution with in the film industry in the UK. With an aim to work collectively with filmmakers to achieve brilliant results. It is one of Europe’s leading companies in the market for co-production, acquisition, distribution and sale of international feature films. This is the only company which has three main territories in Europe (Germany, UK and France). Studio Canal distribute more than 50 films a year across Europe, and owns one of the most important libraries in the world, which itself holds over 5,000 titles.

       Examples of Films Distributed via Studio Canal:

• Drug War
• Rush
• Robocop
• In Fear
• Non-Stop
• Alan Partidge - Alpha Papa
• The Bling Ring

Warp Films is an independent institution in the UK, with a secondary company Warp Films Australia, based in Melbourne. It was officially founded by Warp Records (Rob Mitchell and Steve Beckett). When created, Warp Films gained financial support from NESTA and had to remit and produce a selection of short films. The first short film created - 'My Wrongs' (2002) which then went on to win a BAFTA in 2003, following that then became the first short film DVD single in the UK. Warp Films have worked alongside Channel 4 and Screen Yorkshire numerous times to create films that they feel will turn out successful nationally.


     
       Examples of Warp Film Productions:

• Dog Altogether
• Hush
• Curtains
• Four Lions
• The Midnight Beast
• Grow Your Own
• Arctic Monkeys At The Apollo

Revision Video

Star Trek: Into Darkness Revision Animation

Star Trek: Into Darkness - Marketing Answers

On what date did JJ Abrams release three freeze frames, and why was this effective?
The release of three freeze frames took place on October 4th 2012, in which was a very effective way of marketing the film. The reasons for this which make it effective are down to the 'geekiness' of graphics, mise en scene and CGI which attract people to this stereotype of action film. JJ Abrams knew his audience would be based down on the way his film looked on the screen, as well as the science-fiction genre, so by releasing freeze frame he thought he could express the elements of what his main base of critics would appreciate. By pleasing the people who really know what they are talking about when it comes to films such as Star Trek Abrams knows the audience can only increase.

After significant levels of research why did Bad Robot release a teaser trailer for Star Trek: Into Darkness?
JJ Abrams and the Bad Robot team investigated into what happens to people when they experience levels of fear. In terms of the reaction they were going for, excitement would do pretty much the same thing, and therefore by releasing a teaser trailer they knew that the general public would go crazy for it. In order to get the word out about the teaser trailer, the film would need to be marketed in a variety of ways, so therefore a teaser trailer wouldn't work on its own.

Why was a press junket important for Star Trek's publicity approach?
Firstly, a press junket is when the people in charge of the production of the film set up a session in a hotel usually, in which an interview takes place with all the main cast members present. This then leads to the film being publicised worldwide via radio, TV, news, magazines, newspapers etc. This is crucial publicity for Star Trek and allows their name to be all over every cover, website or news flash, raising awareness, and eventually leading to raising the audience at the cinema when released. After the cinema reviews the DVD and Blu-Ray will then be promoted in the same way. Seems like a win-win situation really.

What was different about the release of their Blu-Ray as opposed to other films?
To stretch the profit even more, the marketing team decided to do something with rattled the cages of many Star Trek lovers. When purchasing this film on Blu-Ray in order to get the special features which would on any normal Blu-Ray be on a different disc in the same box, they decided to release each feature separately. This meant that for the real geeks that like to know everything about the film right down to the tiny details had to purchase each part separately for the same price as the original disc. The two parts that were released include material that cannot be seen anywhere else, and therefore this spurs many buyers to go the extra mile and make sure they get their hands on it.

What was the purpose of the Official Poster?
The purpose of the poster was to express the fact that even though the film is set in the Future, it is still marked as London, and by sneakily including this in the poster image people who look into it closely will realise this. Another thing which is quite important regarding the poster is the quality of the image, so looking at the effects and how it has been structured together to make the professional finish.

Why was the Official Trailer important?
The trailer is required in order to make a successful film. You could evaluate why this is, but personally I believe this is true because it educates the general public, and the specific audience type to what the film is about. The trailer shows a one man mass destruction of the world, which instantly appeals to a certain category in the quadrant. They also introduce the new female character which then is obviously more aimed towards the male population. By showing this figure within the trailer it is more than likely going to get more people watching it, stereotypically boys and men.

What was the idea behind the advertisement at the Super Bowl?
With an audience convincingly over 100,000,000 people worldwide the Super Bowl is a brilliant way of advertising. However there does come a cost, and its pretty huge! It costs roughly $4,000,000 per 30 second slot of advertisement, think of how much of the budget that has blown, and you've already made the film and paid the actors. The idea was to basically increase awareness of the film, but to act as a platform to launch the Star Trek app which becomes of a huge importance within the answer to one of the following questions regarding the premier of the film to the public.

What happened to the release date of the film, and why was it crucial for the marketing?
If fans had downloaded this app, it was possible for them to gain access to 'secret' tickets to see the film before release. This was brilliant for the marketing side of things, due to the fact Paramount who distributed the film knew that it would hit the tabloids and newspaper headlines as it had never happened ever before with any film. This is their eyes was absolute genius, due to the fact not only were they able to start selling tickets for the cinema early, but it made it sound like the event of the year, which will have made more people gone to see it, whether it be before the actual release or after.

Why was there a fuss over the release of the International Poster?
It became a very big event for Star Trek lovers when the posters were published, not only were they all different for each country that the film was released in (so gaining more ideas of what will happen). The main fuss was over the fact the film was going to be released earlier in some countries than others. The reason there was so many posters released was to try and boost ratings for a film where Star Trek has initially fell below the stocks before with previous films.

What was the film most known for in the way it was marketed across London?
On the 23rd March 2013, 30 helicopters equipped with hundred of LED Lights lit up the sky forming the original Star Trek Logo. This created masses of people watching under the night sky at what was going on. It was covered by the magazines and was all over the national news, and the internet, which raised a huge awareness of the film, it will have even got people researching into what happened, and then may be leading them on to watching the trailer.

Why was the ending significant when going about marketing the film?
Looking closely and reading the credits of the film you may notice that the films ending was dedicated to the 9/11 veterans. The ending of this film shows Chris Pine reading a speech of the events which took place in the so called terrorist attack on London itself which was caused by Khaan. He didn't really mention anything about it being London, or the fact that it was a terrorist attack, however by it being dedicated to these veterans you can make out that it symbolised that particular event. This, if publicised correctly, with the ending as the way it is, will have produced respect from many viewers, and may even boost the ratings or viewings. However by adding a significance of an event in many peoples life, globally people will connect to the film, even if they have to wait until to the end. In my opinion this was a brilliant idea, and really ended the film with grace and peace.