The Seven Key Areas of Audience and Institutions - Star Trek Into Darkness

The Importance of Cross Media Convergence and Synergy in Production, Distribution and Marketing:

Paramount was the distributor and Production Company for Star Trek Into Darkness.

To co-inside with the film’s release and to generate more money and profit it means that Paramount had to work to get Star Trek more into the public eye (more so than it already was). It means that they had to make content that was all around the public eye, for example they made a video game and also an iPhone and Android app. Also because they were in charge of making sure the film was publicized and distributed enough to make sure that they got back all the money that they had spent creating the film in the first place, it was crucial that they decided to create the right media to ensure that the public interest was influenced by the marketing to actually decide to see the film in the cinema.

Paramount essentially took the lead in marketing the film; however they did also have a part in creating the film as well.

A game was created during the making of the film star trek, it was a single player action game with a co-operative game play option, and this allowed players to connect and either play Spock or Kirk. The person who created this game was named Steve Sinclair delivered his E3 pitch, and others described it as “bro-op”. Disadvantages about this game are that it doesn't allow players to switch characters between the different chapters; it also doesn't allow fellow players to “drop-in” and play alongside co-cooperatively.

Paramount would have created the app for I phones and devices as it would have been a good marketing point for the film, also it would have attracted a wide age range audience which then could encourage users to go ahead and watch the film.

The Seven Areas of Representation

DEFINITION OF AGE - the period of time that a person, animal, or plant has lived or is expected to live 

STEREOTYPES ASSOCIATED WITH THE AGE - there are many stereotypes in age;l most of these lie within the 'teen' age bracket. A variety of ages are found within all programs and all genres. Mise – en – scene plays a key role to represent age: teens wear hoodies; adults dress smartly; old people wear dated textured clothing and children dress immaturely in bright colours that don't co ordinate.Most perceptions of different ages are true – except some are unfair. Like not all teenagers are ‘chavs’ and intimidating, and not all old people are clumsy and short.Feelings have changed over time, especially within teenagers who are now represented in a much more negative light to years ago. 

A SELECTION PT TV DRAMAS THAT INCLUDE THE STEREOTYPE, AGE - There are many different kinds of shows on television today and these are able to present different kinds of images. Some shows present news and current affairs stories, trying to report on actual events in a realistic way. Other shows will create fictional drama or comedy situations that are designed to reflect real life. Commercials are made to sell products to specific groups or target audiences in society.

All of these types of television can use stereotypes as part of their presentation. Some of the main kinds of stereotypes used on television include:

· Gender

· Age

· Ethnicity

· Disability

Stereotypes can be used in positive or constructive ways, however there has been research that shows many people base real life opinions on how different groups are shown on television. An example of a stereotype in a TV programme is Coronation Street.

ANALYSIS OF HOW THE STEREOTYPES ARE REPRESENTED - People organize their knowledge about the world around them by sorting and simplifying received information. Therefore, they create cognitive schemes, which are certain representations of the reality displaying its most typical and fundamental elements and properties. These schemes are responsible for defining the essence of our worldview and have a significant influence on social cognition – understanding, anticipation, situation and emotion control.

IMAGES FROM THE TV DRAMAS YOU USE TO ILLUSTRATE YOUR POINTS -

ISSUES OR PROBLEMS THAT ARISE FROM THE REPRESENTATION OR THE 

STEREOTYPE INVOLVED - One of the main issues that is brought up with the representation of age, especially amongst the younger generation, is that if the writers stereotype too much then many people could take offence and complain to the producers and writers of the show. This means that when writing very stereotypical characters you shouldn't go too far into that representation to cause offence and starting to generalise about what the majority of the population is like at a certain age.

FORDASMEDIA- Age isn't necessarily straightforward: there are many sub-categories beyond young v old: teens, children,infants, 30-somethings, mature, middle-aged, elderly/pensioner, and even the mid-life crisis type.

 I’d advise you to avoid the terms ‘old’ and middle-aged’, stick with mature or elderly where appropriate.However, in most regards the key binary opposition is young v old, where the young are stereo typically less responsible, perhaps criminal, out of control (it wasn't like this in my day/young people today…), scholastically/academically weak – yet perhaps also cunning and conniving. Innocent, pure and naive can also apply  especially to younger children and infants.When children are portrayed as quite adult this is usually meant as critical, and bemoaning the ‘lost innocence of childhood’. Look out for narratives revolving around new media technologies; older generations’ ignorance of new media has led to recurring moral panics over use of the web, violent video games etc.The older are also negatively stereotyped though as slightly dim, with romantic or sexual plot lines often used for cheap laughs. Older people can also be represented as essentially childish.Consider non-diegetic music used and how it may reflect a target audience of a certain age range (eg jazz older,dance music younger). Clothing codes. Language used, especially slang.KEY WORDS: ir/responsible (possibly criminal); im/mature or foolish v wise/sensible; innocent v cynical;

The Male Gaze

Definitions:

• Chocolate box - 'noun - (informal) sentimentally pretty or appealing'

Marjorie Ferguson defined 'chocolate box' as - "half or full-smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera. Projected mood: blandly pleasing, warm bath warmth, where uniformity of features in their smooth perfection is devoid of uniqueness or of individuality."

• Invitational - Marjorie Ferguson defined it as 'emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. Projected mood: suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise, the cover equivalent of advertising’s soft sell.'

• Super smiler - Marjorie Ferguson also defined this as 'full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. Projected mood: aggressive, ‘look-at-me’ demanding, the hard sell, ‘big come-on’ approach.

• Romantic or sexual - 'a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. Projected moods: possible ‘available’ and definitely ‘available’.'

• Seductive - Trevor Millum said that this look is 'when the eyes are slightly wider eyes, perhaps shaded, the expression is a slight smile but still self-sufficient and confident.'

• Carefree - Trevor Millum also said that this look is 'nymphlike, active, healthy, gay, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning.'

• Practical - Millum also said of the practical look 'concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back.'

• Comic - Millum said of this 'deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness.'

Analysis of Male Gaze in Film:

This is a scene from the film 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit', it introduces Roger's wife, Jessica Rabbit. Even though the majority of the characters in this film are cartoon, in this instance especially they have really exaggerated the features of certain characters so we get a general idea of who they are and what they are about. In Jessica Rabbit's case we can plainly see that the animators of the film have tried to create an 'ideal' woman possibly in the eyes of men, especially in this first scene with her in because of the fact that she is in quite a revealing dress and singing a slow and seductive song. At points in the scene it does focus on her and fixates upon points of her body, such as the exaggerated hips. However she also has a very sultry and seductive facial expression which is also an example of trying to attract the male gaze. The thing with this character though is that she is meant to be looked and gazed at because she is the 'sex object' of the film and pretty much the majority of the rest of the characters are either jealous or attracted to her. Even though she is a cartoon I think the effect of the male gaze is definitely still there and the animators creating the character would have intended to create and very invitational and almost 'chocolate box' kind of character.

The Seven Key Areas of Audience and Institutions - Translations

During year 12 you will study a specific studio or production company within the film industry that targets a British audience, looking at how films are produced, distributed, exhibited and consumed by audiences. You will also have to study how films are distributed (digital cinemas, DVD, HD-DVD, downloads, etc) and their impact upon production, marketing and consumption.

In the exam you will be tested on one of the following areas (the simplified translation is in red italics. You'll notice there is quite a bit of similarity in some areas)

• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice; (how does who owns a media company influence the type of film made and its potential success? For example do BIG companies make BIG films and therefore make all the money? Is it possible for small companies to succeed?)
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing; (how do companies work together to produce, distribute and publicize a film? How can Disney use their size to promote and publicise a film? How can small companies work together to promote their business' when making and promoting a film?)
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange; (how has the introduction of digital film, 3D, DVD, Blue Ray, internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema influenced the types of films made, the way we watch them and the way we 'buy' them?)
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences; (how and why have film companies had to alter the way they work now everyone has web enabled phones, PC's, consoles etc? How have audiences changed their viewing habits now we no longer need to go to the cinema to watch a film)
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences; (can you think of examples of how different technologies have come together to help the film industry?) 
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions; (how do film companies try and attract their audience? Do they do different things in different countries?)
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour. (what is your opinion on the above? Do you see the developments as a good or bad thing?)

Selected Key Terms for Institutions and Audiences - The Film Industry

Selected Key Terms for Institutions and Audience

An institution (in the film industry)

Definition: any company or organisation that produces, distributes or exhibits films. The BBC makes films with their BBC Films arm; Channel4's Film Four produces films, Working Title also produce films, as does Vertigo Films, etc. Some institutions need to join with other institutions which distribute films. Vertigo Films is able to distribute its own films, Channel Four distributed Slumdog Millionaire through Pathe. Working Title's distribution partner is Universal, a huge US company which can make, distribute and show films. The type of owner ship within an institution matters as, for instance, Channel 4 and the BBC are able to show their own films at an earlier stage than other films made by other institutions. They are also better placed to cross-promote their in-house films within their media organisations. Use you work on Film Four as the basis for most of what you write, Moon is a good cross comparison as Duncan Jones had to create his own institution just to get the film made.


Distribution and Marketing

Definition: the business of getting films to their audiences by booking them for runs into cinemas and taking them there in vans or through digital downloads; distributors also create the marketing campaign for films producing posters, trailers, websites, organise free previews, press packs, television interviews with the "talent", sign contracts for promotions, competitions, etc. Distributors use their know-how and size to ensure that DVDs of the film end up in stores and on supermarket shelves. Distributors also obtain the BBFC certificate, and try to get films released as the most favourable times of the year for their genre, etc.


Examples:
Universal distributed Working Title's The Boat That Rocked; Pathe distributedFilm4 and Celadors' Slumdog Millionaire after the original US distributor, Warner Independent went out of business. TRONwas heavily marketed across a variety of mediums, Moon struggled to get press attention and Duncan Jones had to really push the film  in obscure places like Popular Mechanics etc. The Kings Speech was distributed by Momentum (a susiduary of Aliance films) who are a major independent film distributor.


Exhibition
Definition: showing films in cinemas or on DVD. Media attention through opening nights and premieres How the audience can see the film: in cinemas, at home, on DVD, through downloads, through television, including premieres, the box office take in the opening weeks; audience reviews which includes those of the film critics, ordinary people, cinemas runs; awards in festivals, The Oscars, BAFTAS, etc.


Examples:
Slumdog Millionaire almost never got distribution. Its early US distributor, Warner Independent was a victim of the economic downturn and went out of business. The film's makers then struggled to find a distributor! Then Fox Searchlight stepped up and "the rest is history". The 8 out of 10 Oscar nomination wins ensured that the film has been the greatest British success in awards and in box office for nearly 60years.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/boyle-reveals-slumdog-millionaire-was-nearly-never-made-1331821.html

Motherhood took just £86!
Moon. Initially Sony Pictures Worldwide were due to distribute the film but they specialise in straight to DVD features. Following positive reaction following its Sundance film festival the rights were acquired by Sony Classic Pictures who gave the film a limited release in the US in Cities like New York and LA.

Exchange

Definition: The unintended use of an institution’s media text (i.e. a film) by OTHER PEOPLE who use the film or parts of it to form new texts. What happens to a film, etc. after the public get their hands on it using digital technology.  

Examples:
People unconnected to the institution/ film using WEB 2.0 applications such as YOUTUBE, Blogger, Amazon film message boards, TWITTER, Face-Book, discuss the film or edit parts of together to form a new text which the may then put a new soundtrack to and publish on YOUTUBE, etc. When you add a trailer from a site like YouTube on your blog you have been engaging with exchange. Look back to MArk Kermodes video regarding piracy and the new release strategies for films like Ken Loach's "Route Irish" (Loach has reportedly steeled himself for a frosty response from critics and anticipates an underwhelming box office, noting the difficulty he faced securing a distribution deal. Though pragmatic in his view that “people don’t make films to communicate; they make it as a commodity”,an unorthodox release strategy utilising Sky Movies Premier - which will place the film (and by extension, its subject matter) in a wider public sphere than it might otherwise have reached – suggests he hasn’t given up on pedagogy entirely.) or the Jack Ass 3 release on DVD and Sky Box Office.


Vertical and Horizontal Integration

Definition: Absorption into a single firm of several firms involved in all aspects of a product's manufacture from raw materials to distribution.


Example:
Vivendi Universal have integrated film, music, web and distribution technology into the company, including owning big stakes in cables and wires that deliver these services. Therefore they are vertically integrated because they own all the different companies involved in film, from production to distribution to exhibition. They are also horizontally integrated because they have all the expertise for producing media content under one roof – films, TV, magazines, books, music, games thus being able to produce all the related media content for one film under the same roof (see synergy). This is important for the control the institution has over their product/film.


Synergy/Synergies  

Definition: The interaction of two or more agents (institutions/companies) to ensure a larger effect than if they acted independently. This is beneficial for each company through efficiencies in expertise and costs. 

 

Examples:
Working Title know how to make films and they have formed a business partnership with Universal, a massive US company, who have the experience and size in the marketplace (cinemas, stores, online, etc.) to distribute them. (They create the marketing campaign to target audiences through posters, trailers, create the film’s website, free previews, television and press interviews featuring “the talent”, drum up press reviews, word of mouth, and determine when a film is released for the best possible audience and the type of release: limited, wide, etc.) Channel Four’s Film 4 and Celador Films(Celador also produce Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and films, too) benefited by pooling their know-how, experience and expertise to jointly produce Slumdog Millionaire. These companies formed a business relationship with France’s Pathe to distribute this film. In the UK Pathe helped create the poster, trailer, website, etc. In the USA the film found another distributor after being nominated for the Oscars.


Viral Marketing

Definition: A marketing technique aiming at reproducing "word of mouth" usually on the internet and through existing social networks. YouTube Video pastiches, trailers, interviews with cast members, the director, writer, etc. You can find interviews of “the talent” trying to gain publicity for your case study films on YouTube. Find some clips from the films we have studied to help you in the exam.
Guerilla MarketingDefinition: The use of unconventional and low cost marketing strategies to raise awareness of a product. The aim is usually to create “buzz” and “word of mouth” around a film. Unusual stunts to gain publicity (P.R.) on the film’s opening weekend, etc.

Examples:
Sasha Baron Cohen created “buzz” before the release of his film “Borat” by holding fake press conferences. The studio also accessed the popularity of YouTube by releasing the first 4 minutes of the movie on YouTube, a week before it’s release, which can then be sent virally across the nation. At a special viewing of “Bruno” Cohen landed on Eminem “butt first” from the roof MTV Awards venue, dressed in as an angel outfit with rents in the rear end.


Media Convergence
Definition 1: Convergence of media occurs when multiple products come together to form one product with the advantages of all of them. 

 

Examples:
More and more films are being marketed on the Internet and on mobile phones. You no longer need even to buy the DVDs or CDs as you can download films and music directly to your laptop, Mac or PC. Blue Ray DVDs can carry more features than ordinary DVDs and can be played on HD televisions and in home cinemas for enhanced/cinematic picture quality. You can save films on SKY digital, Free-box digital players, etc. You mobile phone has multiple features and applications. With media and technological convergence this is growing year on year. Play-Stations, X-Boxes and the Wii can can connect with the Internet and you can play video games with multiple players.


Technological ConvergenceDefinition 2: The growing interractive use of digital technology in the film industry and media which enables people to share, consume and produce media that was difficult or impossible just a few years earlier.

Examples:
For instance, the use of new software to add special effects in editing; the use of blue-screen; using new types of digital cameras like the one Danny Boyle used in “Slumdog Millionaire” (The Silicon Imaging Camera to shoot high quality film in tight spaces); you can use the Internet to download a film rather than go see it in the cinema; you can watch it on YouTube; you can use special editing programs like Final Cut Pro to edit bits of a film, give it new soundtrack and upload it on YouTube; you can produce illegal, pirate copies on DVDs from downloads and by converting the film’s format; you can buy Blue Ray DVDs with greater compression which allows superior viewing and more features on the DVD; distributors can use digital software to create high concept posters; cinemas can download films to their projection screens and do not have to depend on a van dropping off the film! The is also the Digital Screen Network. There are tons of ways in which technological convergence affects the production, distribution, exhibition and exchange by prosumers. ( A prosumer is someone who not only consumes (watches films) but also writes about them the Net, blogs and make films out of them, often uploading them on sites like YouTube, etc.

A Mainstream Film

Definition: A high budget film that would appeal to most segments of an audience: the young, boys, girls, teenagers, young people, the middle aged, older people, the various classes in society. Distributors often spend as much or more than the film cost to make when distributing mainstream films that are given wide or universal releases.


Example:The Boat That Rocked was a mainstream idea and was given the mainstream treatment on wide release. The film flopped at the UK box office on release ( and has not done too well since mid November 2009 on release in the USA. This was mostly because of its poor reviews, particularly from “Time-Out”. However, when young and older audiences see the DVD they generally like the film because of its uplifting storyline and the well-chosen soundtrack.


Art House Films

Definition: A low budget independent film that would mostly appeal to an educated, higher class audience who follow unusual genres or like cult directors that few people have heard of. Therefore it is usually aimed at a niche market. Foreign films often come under this category. 


Examples: 
The low budget film, Once (2007) which found a specialised, boutique distributor in Fox Searchlight fits this label. (FOX the mainstream company usually distributes big budget film and blockbusters); So does “Juno” from 2008 which began as a low budget film about teenage pregnancy that the big studios thought too risky to touch – but it found popularity through its touching storyline, engaging music and its Oscar nomination for best script. Like “Slumdog Millionaire” the film crossed over between art-house cinemas and audiences to mainstream ones because of the recognition it received from Canadian film festivals and award ceremonies like Britain’s BAFTAS and the Hollywood’s Oscars.


Ratings bodies BBFC - The British Board of Film ClassificationHow your institutions films are rated will affect audiences in so far as WHO can see them. Remember that sex scenes, offensive language, excessive violence, the use of profanity, etc. can affect the rating and certificate the film receives and therefore affect who is able to see the film.

Why Films Are Made

Now you 'know' how a film is made, you're going to look into why a film is made.

Mark Kermode believes it is impossible for a Blockbuster to lose money if they just follow some simple rules. Those rules are

1. A newsworthy budget
2. Spectacular visuals
3. NOT be a comedy
4. Include an 'A list' star

These rules can be seen to fit into the five categories of film production
Pre Production (all the stuff that happens BEFORE you begin filming)
Production (all the stuff that happens whilst filming)
Post Production (all the stuff you do after filming to put the film together)
Marketing (advertising your film)
Distribution (how the film is sent to cinemas, how long its on in cinema and how many screens is it on)

Four Quadrant Picture

A Four Quadrant Picture is a marketing term used to describe a film targeted to all audience quadrants: men over 25, men under 25, women over 25, women under 25. 

Usage
In the movie business, and it is most definitely a business, everyone is looking to maximize the audience for their picture. A four-quadrant picture is that magical type of film that attracts parents and kids, men and women, and brings in huge amounts of revenue on opening weekend. In the term “four-quadrant,” the quadrants refer to gender (male and female) and age (under 25 and over 25). 
For most studios, the goal is to get enough details to line up so that they have broad-based, family-friendly appeal in designing a blockbuster or four-quadrant film. An important aspect of getting that appeal is the ratings system. An 18 Rating can be the kiss of death for a studio trying to market a film featuring pre-teen characters. A lowering from PG-13 to PG can mean millions more in revenue as parents feel more comfortable bringing young children to a given film like Evan Almighty.

Examples
One of the most famous four-quadrant, blockbuster films is Star Wars and all of its sequels. Jaws is another landmark blockbuster film. Other more current examples include Night at the Museum, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Shrek (1-3), Spiderman (1-3), Pirates of the Caribbean (1-3), and Wall-E.

Implications
Another interesting by-product of the rise of four-quadrant films in the industry is cross marketing. Those films often are associated with toys and other products that both advertise the film and bring in revenue on their own. In addition, four-quadrant films are powerful vehicles for product placement advertisers looking to show their wares to the largest audience possible.
On the down side, many wonder how much effort is placed on credible, engaging story lines as opposed to marketing opportunities in these behemoth cinematic endeavors.