Monday 4th November 2024
Media Industries and Audience
L/O: To explore the content of unit.
paper two section a
Film Industry
sony
products - electronics as well as video games
company owned- Sony Corporation, Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Sony Entertainment (including Sony Pictures and Sony Music Group), Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Financial Group, and others.
worth- £82.38 Billion
A conglomerate is a large corporations that own multiple business in different industries or sectors. these business usually work on their own but they are still owned by the conglomerate (mother company) but they benefit financially, recourses, expenses and capabilities.
Disney subsidiaries include ABC,ESPN, Pixar, Marvel Studios
Disney's strategy of diversification and acquisition, they diversify by buying the best in their field that is different from what Disney is known for so that the product is a bit different. Disney has been able to leverage its brand and intellectual property t create synergies (promote each other )
Disney different industries- Theme Parks, Television (Disney Channel..), Merch, Film,
known for cartoons
Disney worth- $173.76 billion
Pixar pay- $7.4 billion
owns-toy story, monsters inc, cars, 70 million revenue( generated)
Lucasfilm pay- $4.05 billion
owns- starwars, 12 billion (generated for Disney)
Marvel pay- $4 billion
owns- comic, avengers, iron man, revenue 13.2 Billion
20th Century Fox pay- $71.3 billion (its a conglomerate thats why it cost so much)
owns- avatar
Friday 8th November 2024
Snow white and the seven dwarfs
L/O: To explore the set text
horizontal integration - branched out into different ownership of companies (across) when you buy other companies that produce can also be in different industries same level
vertical integration - owning all the branches of distribution different value chain (distribution, exhibition, circulation..) its within the same industry just different level within it(up)
Disney used both of these to expand.
Warner Brothers, Columbia, Paramount, Universal and Disney are the big 5, and their are the oldest and most produced and successful films of all time. They have shaped the film industry.
Early Cinema: 1898-1915
5 major technological developments
motion picture camera
coloured film, orchestras in a pit for sound
luminere brothers- they developed the camera
the birth of the nation- the editing was very different since they edited between scenes
late 20s sicronised sound
1930s cinema has become a major form of entertainment.
1930s HOLLYWOOD golden age
warner bros- jazz singer
warner brother
dubbing over so theres no language barrier
fox, mgm, paramount, warner bros, RKO Radio- owned theatres so great depression couldn't afford so they went under
columbia unitet artists, universal- didn't own theatres, they did well
the wizerd of Oz colour 1930s
distinct personalities between companies different themes and genre,
will H haze warning which lead to regulation
vertical integration, films were made on a consistant basis
very controlled and the studios operating as powerful entities within the film industries, lack of divercity (which was normal at the time) and opportunities for independent filmmakers and actors
Walt Disney:
who he was and how he became successful in 1930s?
he was a cermertion artist, animation
he started with a camera that he took from his boss and made short animations and gave to the cinemas. He made a company, he took an idea from his rival to make money, but he went into bankruptcy before he made it
he became a movie director but he got chosen by an animator director Margaret.
He decided to focus more on animation rather than with the girl in the animation.
Monday 11th November 2024
oswalt the rabbit
then mickey mouse
then he added sound to it to be different and be distributed
1928 was the first mickey mouse movie (steamboat willie)
founded in 1923
1934 produced its first full length cartoon, Snow white and the seven dwarfs, which it helped establish disney as a major player.
Snow white and the seven dwarfs (1937):
main characters-
snow white
evil queen/step mother-
sleepy
grumpy
doc,
happy
sneezy
bashfull
dopy
prince
narrative-
themes-
romance, friendship
representations-
gender- female- villain, stereotypical, beauty, youth male - hero
dwarfs-
age-
Monday 18th November 2024
Snow White
L/O: To explore the context and influence in the 1930s
making of the movie:
movie related merchindise on the day the moive was released
first movie soundtrack released on vile to go with it
one of the first film musicles
silly symphony where preparations for snow white with the animation
first full lenghted animated feature film ever produced
they made a lot of changes to the story to fit and more appealing to a more audience
took 3 yrs to complete
they used a process names multi plane camera which lets create the illusion of depth and movement in the animation. this was new to animation
disney himself was heavely involved in the production, he over saw every single aspect and he was making little changed in editing. he was a studio owner.
-december the 21 snow white was premiered so more people were able to see it, it made the most money, the success of snow white paved the way for future animated feature films from Disney and other studios
Influences:
influenced by a fairytale the brothers grimm they took inspiration for the themes of good vs evil, the power of true love, and importance of friendship.
- the traditional of European ballet and opera in the musical (eg heigh ho)
- the animators took inspo of various sources like European animators
- multiplane camera system for depth
- he tried to use up to date technologies.
Friday 22 November 2024
German expressionism
Codes and Conventions- german exp is a visual influence for snow white, with the evil queen and the castle. The evil queen angular lines, sharp angles. Snow white and dwarfs with thematic elements of human nature, duality of nature with grumpy. Character torn between good and bad. The forest scene.
Link to snow white- the cabinet of Dr. Caligari influenced expressionistic/ dramatic mise en scene. Exagerated and distorted mise en scene to show the inter phycology of the character. (GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM)
Technology and Techniques (Production context)- labrotory colours, moviola, watercolour for backgrounds, characters are drawn of clear paper. Master camera to photograph each scene, technicians and sound effect recorders did the sounds by them selfs, multiplane camera, rotoscoping, silly symphonies, hand-drawn animation, orchestra doing the music, and lastly sound effects.
Innocentce and wholesomeness, when snow white and the seven dwarfs are dancing and singing, when she sings for them to sleep.
American mid- west:
-Walt Disney had a impact on the themes and values that are present in his films. they portray an idealised, all American vision of innocence and wholesomeness. Traditional values.
- Deep appreciation for family, community and hard work these values are seen in his films. Characters such as snow white are portrayed as virtuous and hardworking. The films emphasises the importance of family and community bonds.
- his films often features an nostalgic view of rural America, idyllic small towns, this version was popular with audience during 1930s and 40s since people were seeking escape from the great depression and ww2.
- Disneys portrayal of American life was not without criticism. People have argued that his films show a narrowed and idealised view of American culture that does not reflect diversity and complexities of real life. Despite these sayings his films continue to be loved world wide.
Walt Disney:
- he was a demanding and sometimes difficult boss but he had a deep respect for art of animation and a passion for creating entertainment and inspirirng films
- he was highly involved and giving his animators specific instructions and feedback on their work. He was described as a perfectionist with high standards for the quality of their work.
- However he recognised the importance of his employees and the contribution they made to the success of the studio. He was known for organising company events and outings, such as picnics and holiday parties.
- He encouraged his employees to pursue their own creative interest and develop their skills outside their assigned work. This led to the formation of the ' Nine Old Men' a group of top Disney animators who were given the freedom to explore new techniques and styles in their work.
- Despite his reputation as a demanding boss, many of his employees remained fiercely loyal to him and credited him with creating a supportive and collaborative environment at the studio.
What influenced the production of Snow White and the seven dwarfs?
Snow white and the seven dwarfs was heavily influenced by a book that the Grimm brothers wrote that has the theme of the power of true love and the importance of friendship. European folklore was also used as inspiration, either from other European animators or even the traditional ballet and opera (eg heigh ho), this helped bring the dwarfs into life and give them personality. Walt Disney passion for animation and his determination in making the snow white made him have the first full animated featuring film. Which would become a success and inspire other animators to this day.
New animations techniques made Snow white and the seven dwarfs very different at the time. They used new technology like the multiplane camera system to add depth to their animation and the moviola which was used for editing, it let the editors see the animation while editing. The editing team doing rotoscoping which was a technique used by tracing over motion picture footage frame by frame to produce realistic action; and sound team making the sounds them selfs as well as the orchestra recording the songs in Snow white. Walt Disney oversaw all the animations done and even gave feedback to the animators, since he oversaw the production he made few changed himself with the editing, cut some scenes down or removed them to appeal to the audience more. They had drawn the backgrounds in watercolour and the characters were drawn on see through paper which would be put together to make the scenes which would then be photographed by the master camera.
The past experimentation of the animation and techniques can be seen in the silly symphonies which they experimented stories and characters. The old mill was a trial run for snow white and the seven dwarfs, it let the audiences sit back and lose them selfs to the atmosphere of the nature scenes. German Expressionism also has a role in the influence of the production, since german expressionism is exaggerated and distorted mise en scene that shows the inter phycology of the character. This links to snow white since in the intense running scene we can see the exaggeration of the forest coming to life and this shows her inter phycology. German Expressionism was used in a more dark cinema style since it was made by and for generations destroyed by war, poverty and broken dreams.
Monday 25th November 2024
The Golden Age
L/O: To explore cinema in the 1930s.
How does the 1930s cinema experience differ from today?
- allowed to smoke in the cinema
- it was cheaper (5 cents) a nickle
- orchestra rather than sound
- a lot of people would of went ( since today it is the norm so it isn't as exciting)
- no great depression/ war to escape
- you would have to pay different prices and places, and some places would of only be late night viewing
- the working class went mainly, thats why they made it look like a palace which would appeal to the upper classes
- they had double features, it was common to see two feature films at the price of one.
- so before the film they would show newsreels, which were short films about the world which were relevant and cartoons before the film. Thats one way people knew about the news around the world
- for longer films they would have a intermissions, so the film would stop half way through to move around and take a break
- everything they were seeing was new
- it was very poplular back than now due to streaming sites
- censorship either by government bodies or industry associations, so some were heavily edited or completely banned.
Massively popular by all classes form of entertainment, used to escape from their everyday lives.
Distribution context 1930s:
- The studio system was massive, the big studios have big influence all about vertical integration. Independent films didn't really happen, this gave them a lot of power and control.
- when disney made snow white it wasn't part of the big studios.
- distribution costs were very high, make the film then transport them physically through a network of regional and national distributors. they would negotiate with theaters to secure exhivitions rights of the film. Also globally which is why companies didnt compete with the big ones since who had all that money.
- it didn't suffer as much as people thought due to the great depression and the cost.
Distribution of snow white:
it was premiered in LA and was shown in two cinemas. Disney secured a limited release since he was a small company. RKO was their distributor decided on a general release ( nation wide) in 1938. Big success in the US and overseas. In london cinema it ran for over half a year. Distribution in the 90s were slower so people in smaller towns had to wait for months. Film had longer 'legs' despite the larger number of films available to cimea goers, because lack of comeptition.
Disney and RKO:
- Disneys relationship with RKO was a significant success of his animation studio. This gave RKO the exclusive distribution rights to Disneys animated shorts and features, including snow white and the dwarfs.
- RKO was a major hollywood studio at he time, this let Disney wider audeince. This let his animation studio and produce longer and more ambitious projects.
- There was some conflicts like RKO excutives wanted to cut some scenes but Disney won and the film was released intact.
Monday 2nd December 2024
Exhibition
L/O: To explore Disney's exhibition strategy.
Innovation- making something new, feature film
Storytelling- it was engaging for all ages, based on a well known fairytale, the nostalgic feeling
Music- first film to have a soundtrack
Marketing- they had a trailer and posters, tie in merch
Reception- well received by the critics, praised it and encouraged it
Marketing comes under distribution.
Their merch, toys and other themed items that were out on shelfs months before the film. The merch was sold out several times before the release of the film. This was very unusual at the time 1937
They made feature films after the scuccess of Snow White.
Expansion into Tv- in 50s and 60s for mickey mouse and disneyland.
theme parks-
acquisition of other companies- this has helped disney diversify and expand into other areas of entertainment
digital and streaming- they released their own streaming site during covid.
Merch:
clothes, toys, mugs, christmas decorations, headbands, dolls, lego sets, stationarie.
Synergy example:
MacDonalds and Disney working together in marketing. Doing toys in happy meals, posters. They are promoting each other and bringing their profit.
Soundtrack:
it has several soundtracks since its original in 193.
- Original in1937 this was from the films
- 1987 for the 50th aniversary celebration. Remastered verision as well as new sngs and recordings
- Legacy collection soundtrack in 2015 it released a special edition of Snow White shoundtrack, it remastered version of the original soundracka s well as bonus and behind the scenes content
- Vinyl releases
- digital releases
Disney re-released the films 6 times in cinemas
1944- this was helped boost moarale during ww2 and to introduce a new generation
1952- double feature with disney alice and the wonderland, new generation
1967-30th celebration this is re-release including promotion campaign
1983- Double feature with mickey mouse carol and 50th anivercery
1993- limited engagement in theaters to celebrate the 56th anivercery
2016
Home Release:
VHS in 1994 marking the first time the film was available for home viewig
DVD in 2001, this was the platinum edition series, this includes restored version of the film, along with a range of special features and bonus content
Blu-ray in 2009 dimond edition
Digital both fr purchase and rental
4K Ultra HD in 2019
Live action re-makes:
Allows them to breathe new life into their classical stories and characers, introduction to the new generation. Try new filming techniques and modern technologies.
A way for Disney to leverage their exsititng intelectual property which is a valuable asset for the company.
The change of industry and audience preferences. Disney is looking for ways to differentiate themselves and stand out in a crowded market.
Finally, its a way for Disney to take advantage of the nostalgia factor. Many people grew up watching Disnesys classical animated films and remaking them live action.
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Friday 6th December 2024
Contexts Snow White
L/O: To explore regulation and context of the 1930s.
Regulation: very brief
- BBFC regulates film in England
what do they look for, age ratings, language/ violence/ nudity/ graphic and realism. they were called slightly different in 1930s. The BBFC has the power to cut or ban a film.
- they had stablished regulations in the 30s
- hays code in the US in 1930s aimed to eliminate content that was considered immoral/ offensive. They enforced the code through a system of self regulation.
- the moral standers of society was more strict so it wasn't the company that was strict.
- they did push the boundaries of what was acceptable in a animated film at the time
- There was less ratings in the BBFC
- snow white was considered a U but in England they gave a warning that it might not be suitable for very young kids.
- the regulation in both America and Britain had an impact on the production and distribution of Snow White. this reflect the limitations and restrictions placed on filmmakers at the time.
Context:
-how the two films differ in institutional backgrounds and se of ML to create meaning.
- reflecting social, cultural and political attitudes towards wider issues and beliefs.
- constructing social, cultural and political attitudes towards wider issues and beliefs.
-how the two films can act as a means of reflecting historical issues and events.
-how the two films are influenced by social, cultural, political and historical contexts through intertextual references.
- how the two films reflect their economic context through production, financial and technological opportunities and constraints.
- historical context is Snow white and about how Disney came to be and how films were made
Economic Context: Snow White
- production costs, merch and revenue stream
- production costs were about 1.5 million, Disney had to borrow a lot
- revenue streams, highest- grossing film of its time, streaming over 8 million at the box office during its initial release.
- merchandise that were released before the film was, figurines were sold
historical significance with the first feature animation film, this lead to growth in the animation industry as a whole
- impact on Disneys finance for his work and also identity
Historical context
Dominance of hollywood major: releases strategies reflect changed
sources of income: merchandising and additional revenue sources
proliferation of technology: audience expectation about it
proliferation is the rapid increase in the number or amount of something.
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Monday 9th December 2024
Shang-Chi and the legend of the ten rings
L/O: To explore the set texts.
what makes a film a Hollywood blockbuster?
- high profile actors
- big budget
- produced by a popular studio
- blockbuster- meaning that it destroyed film charts
- high production values
- designed to appeal to a very wide audience
- strong marketing techniques
- released during peak moviegoing periods
eg: star wars franchise, harry potter, Deadpool and Wolverine, titanic
summery of blockbuster: a film that is not only financial successful but also culturally significant and widely recognised by audiences.
what is a tent pole film?
film that supports the finance of the studio, a film that is guarantied to make a certain amount if money
apply these points to one of the films above.
Marvel Cinematic universe (MCU) is a series of interconnected superhero films and Tv shows produced by marvel studios and based on characters from Marvel Comics. The MCU is one of the most successful and expensive franchise in history.
The films and Tc shows in the MCU are interconnected, with events and characters from one story affecting and influencing others. This has allowed for complex and interwoven storyline that span multiple films and Tv shows, creating a rich and immersive fictional universe.
What are legacy characters identity is passed down to them from an older character in the form of a title, job or persona for the newer character to assume. got nothing to do with the actor and more of the persona of the character.
Spiderman is the best example with the no way home, with the three spidermen introducing multiverses.
The inclusion of legacy characters in these films in a way to pay homage to previous interactions of beloved characters, while also expanding the story and bringing in new audiences.
Shang- chi and the legend of the ten rings (2021)
what makes this film different from the rest marvel films:
Origin story- this introduces this character of Shang-chi. This allows new themes and ideas, such as family, identity and cultural heritage. This character never existed before this.
Cultural representation- this is the first Marvel film to feature an Asian superhero as the lea charcter. This film has majority of the cast being asian.
Action Sequences- this film features visually stunning and innovative action sequences in the mcu. This film incorporates marcial arts, acrobatics, and CGI to create thrilling and dymatic fight scenes, that stands out from other Marvel films.
Villains- features a compelling and complex villain in the form of Wenwu. This is in contrast to some other Marvel films that have had weaker or more one dimensional villains
Connections to the MCU- its a standalone film, it also connect to the wider MCU in several ways. The film features a cameo from a well-known Marvel characters and sets ups potential future storylines and connections to other MCU films.
Notes:
Main Characters-
Shang Chi
Xu Wenwu
Xu Xialing
Wong
Ying Li
Katy
Ying Nan
Master Guang Bo
Narrative:
An origin story about a young Kung-Fu master who is forced to confront his past when his estranged father draws him into a search for a mythical village.
Themes:
Representation:
men and woman is equal power, male character hungry for power, female is feminine in representation, entirely subtitled.
How are changes in the film industry shown:
- special effects
- different ethnicities.
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Monday 6th January 2025
Shang- Chi and the legend of the ten rings
L/O: To explore the context of the set text.
Representations:
Gender- inclusive, equal but stereotypical at the same time. How his father treats his daughter. More modern take on gender roles and diverse roles for woman.
Ethnicity- inclusive, more asian cast.
Age- range of ages,
Sexuality- heterosexual in SW, heterosexuality though not really touched on as a main focus.
Social Context:
more inclusivity in globalisation and immigration in films. Developments in technology in the films, global travel.
Disney 2021:
- International Conglomerate made up of small businesses
- Film still remain loved and popular so spin off remain important to Disney
- Diversification from animation to films into television (Disney Channel).
Film in 2021:
- Streaming services, audience share is a higher priority than profitability.
- Exclusive rights to blockbuster films such as Shang-Chi can promote the service which can then extend the brand of the franchise.
- Disney cut all licensing deals with streaming companies such as Netflix in order to ensure exclusivity for Disney+.
Research:
Who directer Shang-chi
- Destin Daniel Cretton
Who produced it
- Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz
Company production
- Marvel Studios
Distribution company
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Production budget
-150-200 million dollars
Marketing budget
-
Release strategy used
- exclusively theatrical release and cinemas,
how much it made
-
box office revenue
- set some box office records and received positive reviews from critics. 432.2 million dollars
Production:
- produced by marvel studios a subsidiary of Disney.
- vertical intergration released by Disney on Disney stream only unless its cinemas and theatres.
- in the 30s disney films reflected the tastes and styles of walt Disney as an individual.
- kevin Feige (president of marvel studios) is a key figure within the MCU
Influences:
- was influenced by the kung fu series comic books, martial art films (choreographed by veteran hong kong action director), crouching tiger hidden dragon, marvel.
- superhero films (special effects, epic action sequences)
- chinese mythology and folklore
- hong kong cinema
- fantasy adventure films
Distribution and exhibition:
- exhibition means public display of films for audience to watch in movie theatres or cinemas. Distribution is the process of getting the films to the theatres or other venues for exhibition.
New Technology:
Visual and special effects
- CGI- marvel use it extensively to create a wide range of special effects.
- Motion capture- this is used to animate digital character.
- Green screen- flying dragon would of been green screen
- pratical effects- realistic tactile environments and props, makeup
- 3D printing- props/costume that cant be done traditionally
Streaming Services:
how streaming sites reduce the risk of illeagal streaming
- wide range of content- theres a lot of content legally and affordable
- high quality streaming
- implementing anti piracy measures- digital rights managements prevent unortherised content.
- offering competitive pricing - they make it more affordable legally.
Streaming and Disney: (Digitally convergent media platforms)
- its allowed Disney to expand distribution channels and reach a wider audience. This allowed their company to increase their revenue.
- It has given a way to connect with audiences in new and engaging ways.
- This gives them access to the data and insight about their audiences, this can make more personalised experiences and tailor their content to specific demographics.
- the challenge has been competition and forced their company to adapt to changing consumer behaviour and preferences. They have to invest heavily in creating high quality content to stand out in the market.
- they had to heavily invest in anti piracy and copyright infringement.
Friday 10th January 2025
Shang-chi Marketing and Promotion
L/O: To explore the marketing of the set text.
Marketing techniques:
- trailers/ teaser trailers
- posters
- billboards
- merch
- advertising
- social media (actors, company, films themselves)
- collaborations, sponsorships
- interviews
- video game events
- magazine/ press reviews
- premiers
- behind the scenes
Distribution:
distributors are involved before production, advising
they also cover:
- the promotion in all media before and after release
- different cuts necessary for different cultures or territories
- how the income for hte release will be apportioned
- the agreements with how the money made will be shared
- how far the distribution licence extends into other market such as Tv and home entertainment
The objective is to create 'visibility' for an individual film and engage the audience's interest
Because of the proliferation of films, interest need to be build to a peak just before the film opens at cinemas.
Shang Chi- marketing
premiered on ESPN as their official trailer- TA men
project being unveiled at 2019 Comic- Con.
Monday 13th January 2025
Shang Chi: Marketing and Promotion
L/O: To explore the marketing of the set text.
Film poster analysis:
genre- sci-fi/fantasy, action, adventure
helicopters in background
marvel- costumes and team
narrative- something with the ten rings, end battle with the mc against the guy behind him.
- dark in the shadown shows that hes the bad guy, yellow good colour, different locations, showing the two sides of his lights
Binary oppositions- good vs bad, colours warm against cold, dark against light, youth and age
Semiotics- ten rings with the title, glowing rings shows the power,
stars- Shang chi (Simu liu)?, Katy (Awkwafina), dad(Tony Leung Chiu-wai), aunt(michaelle yeoh),
- not typical star vehicle on this poster
tone- darker tone with the poster but it doesn't match with the film. TA a lot for male, cultural Chinese input with the input of the legend of the rings.
intertextuality- Shang chi character name, marcial arts, the comics. Marvel Studios itself has its own set of connotations.
Theatrical trailer:
Appeal to the audience- the action scenes appeals to men mainly, family relationship links to the values of Disney mainly father and son appeals more to men, fans of marvel in general the superhero comedy and lighter tones, the won character links to the mcu, the ancient asian culture, the dragon, the marcial arts, spoken in english the setting of san-Francisco very American. Focuses on his Origin story, with the father against son and emotional.
how tech changed since the 30s- the dragon, the rings them selfs, the animals/ creatures, the fighting in the rings, the slow motion water, explosion shows the CGI.
narrative- Origin story
intertextuality-
Marketing in Hollywood films have changed since the 30s due to the proliferation in technology. Disney released toys and merch before the Snow white film was even released which was a marketing technique that no one has done at the time. But from then and now a lot of the marketing techniques are similar to each other for example:
Both Snow White and Shang chi have used Posters and put them at the cinemas or around the town. They do this to show that a new movie is coming out but this also links with the great success that the Snow white full animation film had. For the more modern posters you also have character posters which fans would recognise a character that is in the movie from another movie, this further promotes the film and attracts the audience. Trailers are another thing they had in common which is used to appeal to the audience. Since both Shang chi and Snow white is something new that Disney did, for Shang chi is an asian cast and Snow white being the first full feature animation film, which were both successful. Hollywood films also release teaser trailers or have two different trailers which wasn't what happened in the 30s. Soundtracks releases is something they both did though, for Snow white is was something new and exciting back then for the audiences, but it isn't something new for todays audiences since we are used to the soundtracks released. The sound tracks were released as vinyls which doesn't happen anymore since the soundtracks are digital and Shang Chis soundtrack was released after the film while Snow whites soundtrack was at the same time with the film.
What Shang chi did that was different was the social media marketing and the advertising on the actors socials or even the company itself. Since social media wasn't around in the 30s that is what was different. What Snow white did different was that they released the merch a few months before the film was released which was really successful since everyone would of had a doll or merch in their houses and the audience would of been familiar with the characters when the animation was released. Shang chi did the same thing with the funko pops. Another thing that Shang chi did was collaborations with brands mainly BMW to promote their brand, as well as interviews which the actors are asked about the film. And Snow white has had re released since it was first released, every 10 years since theres a new generation that wouldn't have saw it which made it stay popular and become a classic.
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Friday 17th January 2025
Shang Chi: Economic Context
L/O: To explore the context of the set text.
- production budget
- box office revenue
- merchandising
- market trends
- streaming and distribution
intelectual properties means that they own the rights of the film which makes it their properties
middle age, was released after the film.
Economic context:
Production costs- high budget with the technology, the budget was around $150 million.
Box office revenue- ticket sales from theatrical release. Did really well in box office
Market trends- its influenced by market trends with the origin story.
Streaming- availability of Shang chi on Disney+
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Audience and Regulation
-to explore film regulation
Shang chi rating Uk - 12A (moderate violence, fantasy threat, bloody images, language)( 12A isn't for dvd its just for cinemas)
- taking out entire army though its very quick and doesn't focus too much on the damage. Martical arts as well
- showing cuts and injuries though not gory and briefly
- bus scene with slow motion and choreographed and heavily styled hand to hand combat.
- mother death, abusive upbringing though the overall tone of the film is not upsetting.
- language with some swearing ' bitch, ass, shit and bloody'
shang chi rating in US- PG13 which is the same as 12A
the monsters, final battle with dad and he kills him, when he's drowning would be intense scenes
Streaming sites:
have their own age classifications for several reasons, each country has its own classification system and standards vary from country to country. so its challenging to comply to all standards so they have their own classification, so they do a consistent standard across.
they use the user data to make more informed age classifications.
but it can lead to confusion for viewers mainly if they are used to the classifications of their own country.
Banned:
some countries ban films due to religious or values of their countries.
Shang chi ban in china: not really known why but it has been released in 2023.
- ongoing tension between China and us
- portrayal of Chinese culture and themes. theres been concerns about the representations of perpetuating stereotypes and cultural appropriation
- china has strict rules about their content, politically sensitive or culturally inappropriate.
Monday 20th January 2025
Exam Format
L/O: To explore exam style questions.
Section A paper 2:
Two questions on the set texts:
- Radio
- Video game
- Film
One will be on Industry one on audience, one will include specific context
About 50 minutes
they are both 15 markers
Response1:
Strengths- proliferation mentioned, mentioned both set texts and gave examples of both. Introduction. Explains the evolution of tech and why.
Weaknesses- could of expanded on some examples, conclusion (not necessary), lacks 60s detail but not badly written
Response2:
Strengths- focus on the question, a good answer, mentioned who the TA was, good detail
Weaknesses-
Response3:
Strengths- profliferation mentioned,
Weaknesses- not enough for a 15 marker, no comparison, it was very uneven, too focuses on the modern. Bad structure
Explain how producers target, reach and engage audiences for film through content and marketing. In your answer you must explain how social and economic contexts influence how producers target, reach and engage audiences.
Producers target, reach and engage audiences through their marketing mainly since it gives the audience a lot more freedom with sharing the content around, which is influenced by the social and economic context.
Snow white and the seven dwarfs is a good example with the marketing back in the 30s; since Disneys marketing technique of releasing merch months before the film was released was something that has never been done before. This made people buy the merch and engage with the characters before the film was even out, which played a big role in Disneys success. The actual film was then marketed as usual with posters and trailers as well as releasing a soundtrack at the same time. The word of mouth further engaged the audience with the film since people were talking about it. Since Disney wasn't a conglomerate at the time the marketing really helped with the success of Snow White, so it was important that it reached as many people as possible. But also having a light hearted film helped the people mentally a lot since the great depression was happening around that time, Disneys traditional values of family and story telling that was influenced by the Grimm brothers really helped that generation socially. The values of family appeals to the TA parents for their children.
Whereas, Shang Chi is different, since the proliferation of technology marketing has become a lot more engaging and reachable. The actors and film studio can put the trailers and talk about their characters on their socials as well as interviews. The audience can comment and share on the posts and let people know about their opinions. Since Disney is now a conglomerate their economical funding isn't an issue and can use various technology to make the content for the fans better, the use of CGI specifically with the dragon in Shang Chi. But online marketing doesn't cost a lot but they also do the traditional advertising with posters/ character posters, trailers and teaser trailers on youtube. But what they did do that shows that Shang Chi is targeted at the male audience was them releasing the official trailer in a ESPN match.
Friday 24th January 2025
And Finally...
L/O: To summarise key factors in the film industry.
Film industry in general in the 30s:
- very clear studio system in the 30s, it was very little bit of regulation. the big companies formed an oligopoly (small group of companies having power and control, like monopoly). Vertical intergation
- they owned and controlled the production, distribution to exhibition, and owned cinemas so studios that didn't own cinemas relied on the big five to distribute their film. Disney distributed through RKO.
- The cinemas that aren't owned by studios relied on them for content, which they controlled through block booking(buying packages of content)
- The packages of content included: A film, B film, newsreels, comic shorts cartoons that were designed of all round entertainment, Disneys little animations would of been part of these packages as the cartoons.
The film industry in general now:
- International conglomerate
- Cinemas aren't owned by the studios anymore,
- big budget tentpole films must offer visual spectacle and am immersive experience. (Tentpole is a film that is expected to be a blockbuster that money goes to more riskier smaller films since they know if it fails they still got money)
- 1970 blockbuster was introduced, Saturated distribution means that the film goes everywhere and huge marketing efforts selling the opening.
- Production companies now bring together script, cast, producers, directors and other key staff as a package to promote to distributors often Hollywood. They bring the financing, Stars are still important but they are no longer owned by studios, making their agents more powerful. (Hesmondghagh as a theory)
Production Key points: SW
- The film was the first ever animation to use Technicolour
- no stars
- the two main VA were relatively unknown
Distribution key points
- Premiered in L.A in Dec 1937, it was shown in two cinemas in NY and Miami in January 1938
- Then it was decided on a general release in Feb 1938
- Films run in cinemas for months, Snow white ran for 6months. these reflected the much slower pace of distribution in the 30s.
- Films had longer legs, since there wasn't any competition.
Marketing Key Points: SW
- Starr- studded premiere featuring elaborate replica model set of the soundtrack and orchestra.
- the premiere was reported on nationally in the US on NBC Radio
- They were the first film to experiment with merchandise as an additional revenue stream
Production key points: Shang Chi
- blue screen technology
Distribution key points: SC
- vertical integration
- didnt do well in the Asian market
- got funding from Australia since it was filmed there
Release key points: SC
- released on Labour day weekend
- Simultaneous 'saturation' release in 4,300 cinemas (Avengers endgame opened in about 4,700 US cinemas)
- preformed well on the west east american asian audience in America
Marketing Key points
- Global distribution with digital distribution. Shang chi was distributed in two thirds of its international markets by the end of its opening weekend (during a pandemic)
- needed to appeal to both new MCU fans and MCU fans
Context: Historical and Economic only
Historical: Snow white only
- Produced by white people
- Hays Code
- Great Depression and escapsim with SW
- influence by German film makers, Grimm brothers
Economic Context:
Free market capitalism- Hollywood is comercial, pursuit of making profit. Anti- trust laws in the US protext free market by ensuring competition( laws that stop companies from becoming too powerful).
The economic domination of the US film industry- US still dominates the film industry today.
Globalisation- both films were successful in global markets. However the pace of globalisation accelerated at the end of the 20th century.
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