Week 1: The Film Industry
Media products within the film industry:
- DVD’s
- Soundtracks
- Music Videos
- Advertisements (TV, billboards, posters)
- Newspapers
- Magazines (there are even magazines which focus on film)
- Internet
- Merchandise
- Games
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Big-Six—Top-6-Major-Film-Studios-in-the-Movie-Business&id=1750590
The Big 6 Major film Studios:
- Warner Bros. Pictures. Comprising a 19.7% of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures), Warner Bros. Pictures is the biggest studio in the film industry. Securing the rights to major films like Harry Potter, Superman, Batman, The Matrix and Star Wars .
- Paramount Pictures. With 15.5% of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures), Paramount Pictures continues to be one of the most successful film production companies in the world. Star Trek, War of the Worlds, the Mission Impossible series, Transformers and Tropic Thunder are a few of the popular films produced by Paramount Pictures.
- Walt Disney. One of the most renowned film production companies, Walt Disney now holds 15.3% of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures). With highly successful movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, Meet the Robinsons and Enchanted. Disney is mainly aimed at a younger audience, primarily children.
- Columbia Pictures. Comprising 12.9% of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures), Columbia Pictures remains a big player in the business. Some of this company’s recent successes include Casino Royale, The Da Vinci Code, the Spider-Man series and Step Brothers.
- Universal Studios. 12.2% of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures) belongs to Universal Studios, which continues to make millions for the film industry. With major hits like the Bourne series (Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum), The American Pie series, Knocked Up, American Gangster and The Incredible Hulk.
- 20th Century Fox. (Also known as “Twentieth Century Fox,) A highly successful movie production company makes up 11.9% of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures). Some of the biggest and most successful movies from this empire include the X-Men series, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Star Wars Episodes II and III, and the Fantastic Four.
Different techniques are used to target specific audiences some of which are; soundtracks, music videos, advertisements, newspapers, magazines, internet, merchandise and games. Techniques such as film studios working with McDonald’s to give away free film related toys with happy meals are ways of targeting a specific audience. This will attract the attention of a younger audience and will most probably make them want to see the film their free toy is related to.
Iron Man 2
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
This sequel to Iron Man has been successful as in its opening weekend in the UK it made at the box office $11 million, when Iron Man made $8 million, this shows that enough people liked Iron Man to see the sequel.
Iron Man 2 is an album by AC/DC, released April 19, 2010 as the soundtrack to Jon Favreau’s Iron Man 2. Co-Chairman of Columbia Records, Steve Barnett said “Jon Favreau’s vision and passion for AC/DC’s music blend seamlessly into this incredible film; the music really underscores the high energy and excitement of the film.” The album features an almost half-and-half mix of songs from both the Bon Scott and Brian Johnson eras of AC/DC. The album features fifteen tracks from ten different albums, ranging from 1975 to 2008. Only two songs ‘Shoot to Thrill’ and ‘Highway to Hell’ were used completely in the film. As of May 6, 2010, the album has sold 370,000 copies worldwide.
This may be one of the ways that was used to gain interest in Iron Man 2 as fans of AC/DC will probably see this album in the shop or know that the album is being released prior and so may want to see Iron Man 2 for this reason as it may provoke an interest in the film.
At the 2009 San Diego Comic Con, a five-minute teaser trailer for Iron Man 2 was shown. Actors portraying Stark Industries recruiters handed out business cards with an invitation to apply for a job at Stark Industries. A website for Stark Industries also went online, with an attached graphic of a “napkin memo” from Tony Stark to Pepper Potts announcing that Stark Industries no longer made weapons. Another section featured an online application. It was confirmed that the first Iron Man 2 theatrical trailer would premiere in front of Sherlock Holmes, a film which star Robert Downey, Jr. is also stars in. A new trailer was shown by Robert Downey, Jr. on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 7 after the Academy Awards. The international release date of the film was moved forward to increase interest ahead of the FIFA World Cup football tournament.
Promotional partners include Symantec, Dr Pepper, Burger King, 7 Eleven, Audi, and LG Mobile.
Alice In Wonder Land
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Tim Burton
Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland made $15 Million in its opening weekend in the UK.
Fans of Burton’s work will probably have seen Alice in Wonderland as Burton creates films using his trademark style and so it would be different to the other versions of Alice in Wonderland. Actor Johnny Depp may also have been another key feature to attract attention in the film as Depp has worked with Burton on several films and is also one of the most well known actors of his time.
On June 22, 2009, the first pictures of the film were released, showing Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Hathaway as the White Queen, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, Matt Lucas as Tweedledee and Tweedledum and Mia Wasikowska as Alice. In July, new photos emerged of Alice holding a white rabbit, the Mad Hatter with a hare, the Red Queen holding a pig, and the White Queen with a mouse.
At ComicCon, props from the film were displayed in an “Alice in Wonderland” exhibit. Costumes featured in the exhibit included the Red Queen’s dress, chair, wig, spectacles and scepter; the White Queen’s dress, wig and a small model of her castle; the Mad Hatter’s suit, hat, wig, chair and table; Alice’s dress and battle armor (to slay the Jabberwocky). Other props included the “DRINK ME” bottles, the keys, an “EAT ME” pastry and Stand-In models of the White Rabbit and March Hare.
On July 22, 2009, a teaser trailer from the Mad Hatter’s point of view was released on IGN but was shortly taken down because Disney claimed that the trailer was not supposed to be out yet. The leaked version was originally to be shown to one of the three Facebook groups used to promote the film that had the most members. The groups used to promote the film are “The Loyal Subjects of the Red Queen”, “The Loyal Subjects of the White Queen” and “The Disloyal Subjects of the Mad Hatter.”
