Uk film policy

Institution

Production Company-Film 4, UK Film Council, Pathe
Distributing/Marketing- 20th Century Fox
Exchange/Exhibition- Odeon, Cineworld, The View, Imax, Orange (orange wednesdays)

Public service- BFI, FACT, Digital Screen Network

Independent cinemas- Cross over between working for profit, and for public service. They need to make a profit, but they're more into their art.

Convergence- The Iron Lady Facebook page, Meryll Streep appearing on The View,


Several mixed reviews

The Facebook site engages the audience. It posts several updates and interviews about the film crew and cast, behind the scene pictures and any other positive feedback on the film.


Mashing up digital technology to use personal information to incorporating into the website. App- the woman in black.

360 degree branding is the ultimate aim of a marketing company. Trying to surround the audience with their brand (film). Some films are more of a brand than others, e.g Disney. With their merchandising, toys, even theme-park.

Marketing is done in order to trigger engagement.

--Naughton--

on demand the audience demands it and then gets it, not passive anymore

David Gauntlett
"making is connecting". Media 2.0

Digital Distribution: A revolution in progress

1. When did UK distributors and exhibitors start to move towards digital distribution?

Towards the end of 2005

2. What are the advantages of digital distribution compared to film?

It can now replicate - if not surpass - the image quality of conventional 35mm cinema presentation.  Digital technology is seen to offer a more cost effective and logistics-light alternative

3. In which countries has it been particularly successful?

China and Brazil

4. In the UK, which institutions have particularly got to grips with it?

UK Film Council

5. What is the national body charged with encouraging digital film in the UK?

Digital Screen Network (DSN)

6. How many cinema screens are there in the UK?

7. How many of these are digital?

3,300 screens

8. In how many cinemas was your case study shown?

3000 plus

9. Describe briefly the process of digital transfer.

The compressed and encrypted files will be sent directly to cinemas to be downloaded, de-encrypted (unlocked) and opened as files for screening with digital projection equipment.

10. Which key film institution was disbanded in 2011 and who took over their work?

The UK film Councie was disbanded. The BFI took over.

11. What are the implications for the future of digital distribution?

It will be less expensive in the coming years to offer a wide theatrical opening with many copies, and also conversely, to screen a film for just one performance at any cinema. In theory at least, it will be possible for both distributors and exhibitors to respond more precisely to audience demand.

12. How might the share of profit change in the light of digital distribution?

13. Was your case study distributed digitally? 

Yes

Bullet Boy

1. Who is the director of Bullet Boy?

Saul Dibb

2. Where was the film first screened in 2004?

3. Who handled the release?

Verve Pictures

4. What is their most recent release (look on their website)

Breathing

5. What percentage of their releases are from first time feature directors(look on their about us link)

Over 75% of our releases are from first time feature directors

6. Who handled the release of your case study, provide the link to their website, consider how effective their webpage is. 

http://www.pathe.co.uk/ (international distribution)

7. How did Verve manage to broaden the theatrical release?

Widened market beyond the arthouse, especially with a young black audience

8. How many prints did it have in the UK?

75 prints

9. What did the advertising campaign consist of?

Advertising in all of the national daily newspapers that allocate significant space to film reviews, plus two tabloids, newspapers with a black perspective, a selective London Underground campaign and extensive use of radio stations with a concentration on R 'n' B and Garage, the musical forms with which Walters is associated.

10. How does this compare to the ad campaign for your case study film?

It is more focused towards a specific target audience, including they're preferred music genre. Mine was a much larger film, therefore marketed to a much wider audience.

The Logistics of distribution

1. Who decides on the 'play date'?

It is the responsibility of the distributor and the cinema

2. What is the distributors responsibility?

The distributor’s responsibility is to arrange the transportation of the film to the cinema, as part of its wider coordination of print use across the UK.

3. Why is it imperative that films are delivered on time?

The showing of films in cinemas is a time-pressured activity. Cinemas spend their money publicising film play-dates and times in local papers or through published programmes.

4. About how much does a 35mm print cost?

£1,000 - or twice that if subtitled

5. How are prints usually broken down?

Into smaller reels, each lasting around 18-20 mins when run through a projector at 24 frames per second. So a feature print, in its physical form, will usually be 5 or 6 reels

6. What are the disadvantages of using film prints?

35mm theatrical prints invariably suffer cumulative damage as they pass through different projectors, and the hands of various projectionists. There are also overheads incurred by the distributor for the storage of prints at the UK's central print warehouse in West London. For these reasons, each theatrical print has a finite lifespan.

7. How was your case study film distributed? Digitally or 35 mm or a combination?

Combined

Marketing Prints and Advertising

1. What are the 7 elements of P&A?

The quantity and production of release prints and trailers:

Press materials, clips reels, images, press previews, screener tapes:

The design and printing of posters and other promotional artwork:

Advertising campaign - locations, ad size and frequency:

Press campaign / contracting a PR agency:

Other preview screenings:

Arranging visit by talent from the film:

2. About how many prints might a specialised film have and how long will the tour be?

Specialised films will often be released with fewer than 10 prints into key independent cinemas, with these prints subsequently 'toured' over a 6-month period to all parts of the UK.

3. How many prints might a commercial mainstream have?

Over 200 prints, simultaneously screening in all major UK towns and cities.

4. How many did your case study film have?

/

5. Why is a favorable press response a key factor?

Favourable press response is a key factor in developing the profile and desirability of a film. Distributors consider both the quality and breadth of coverage, and this is often inscribed into the nature and scale of a press campaign.

6. What is the standard format for a cinema poster?

The standard 30" x 40" 'quad' format - is still the cornerstone of theatrical release campaigns.

7. Why is a poster important?

The poster design is highly effective in 'packaging' the key attributes of a film for potential audiences.

8. Celebrity endorsement in the main selling point of this poster.

9. What is the word to express coverage working at the same time?

Advertising in magazines, national and local newspapers works in tandem with press editorial coverage to raise awareness of a release.

10. What is the key aspect for mainstream film?

For mainstream films, scale and high visibility is the key.

11. Why is distribution in the UK seen as riskier than in other countries?

The cost of print advertising in the UK is comparatively high, and is seen as making distribution in the UK a riskier business than in most other countries.

12. How are distributors trying to get around this problem?

13. Who was the press agency for your case study?

14. What is another name for the actors or director?

The Talent

15. What sort of coverage did the key players in your case study have?

Chat shows interviewing the cast and the director for the Iron Lady

16. What is the ultimate aim of marketing?

Appealing to and attracting an audience

Marketing

1. What are the two questions around the marketing of a film release?

When? and How?

2. What day of the week are new films released in the UK?

Friday

3. Who schedules and coordinates forthcoming releases?

New releases are coordinated and published by the Film Distributers Association.

4. What is a ‘light’ week?

A week when not many films are being released, this means there is little competition, therefore meaning it is the best week for a distributor to launch their film. 

5. What three aspects have to be taken into account for a film to have the greatest potential to reach audiences?

·         Release on a light-week

·         Seasonality of the film; specialised films have a greater potential to reach audiences

·         The distributor will try to position the film distinctively and avoid a release date occupied by other films with similar traits (story, subject, country of origin).. 

6. Why is this becoming increasingly difficult?

Due to the increase in number of films, finding a light week has become much more difficult. The release schedule has regularly featured over 10 new releases every week.

7. What are P&A?

P&A stands for Prints and Advertising. They are the “tools” used by the distributor to create a public for its film.

8. What are the costs of P&A?

They are a large amount of the distributor’s investment, after paying the initial fee for rights and can range from than £1,000 to over £1 million for the film’s release. 

9. Who marketed your film?

20^th Century Fox and The Weinstein Company marketed my film.

Licensing of Film

1. Define the licensing process.

Licensing is the process by which a distributor acquires the legal right to exploit a film.

2. How many levels are there?

In distribution, licensing itself can take place on two levels.

3. How many ‘market territories are there around the world?

There are 90+ market 'territories' around the world.

4. Why are smaller independent film companies unable to handle the licensing for their own films?

Independent producers have to sell their films to different distributors in each territory. Independent production companies are usually small concerns, sometimes set up for one film and often lacking the necessary knowledge or contacts of each of the territories around the world.

5. So what do they do?

Instead of doing this themselves, they might choose to hire a specialist sales agent, whose function is to understand the value of a film in many different markets. The sales agent will then set up stall at the film markets that take place throughout the year.

6. What is ‘local’ distribution?

Local' distribution, involves the distributor acquiring the license to release and exploit the film in a particular country.

7. They purchase the theatrical rights, what does this consist of?

Showing the film in cinemas; video rights, for video and DVD exploitation; and TV rights

8. Who do they have to share royalties with?

The producer. Royalties are taken from the profits that the film generates. A local distributor will conventionally share profits equally with the producer for the theatrical leg, pay back higher royalties for broadcast rights, and lower for video/DVD.

9. What is the most effective way to create interest in a new film in the UK?

A theatrical opening is seen as the most effective way to create interest in a new film. The big screen is still the optimum setting for a film for both audiences and the filmmakers.

10. What options are available after the theatrical (cinema) release?

DVD and VHS video, then on various forms of pay television and eventually, two years after opening in cinemas, on free-to-air television.

11. What must a successful distributor do?

Must have an in-depth knowledge of the marketplace - which cinemas, video outlets and broadcasters can best draw an audience for its films

12. Who was the distributor for your case study?

The Weinstein Company (US)

20th Century Fox (UK)

Pathé (International)

13. What techniques did they employ?

Due to it being a British film, marketing was a strong part of its distribution. They appealed to a wide audience, using traditional methods such as print advertising (posters) and also social networking: twitter, face book etc.

Distribution

1.How would you define the exhibition of film?

The exhibition of film is a commonplace, shared cultural activity highly visible in every city and town in Britain, constantly feeding the popular memory.

2. What number part of the film supply chain is distribution?

Distribution is the third part of the film supply chain

3. How is it sometimes referred to?

Often referred to as 'the invisible art', a process known only to those within the industry, barely written about and almost imperceptible to everyone else.

4. Why is it argued that it is the most important part of the film industry?

Distribution is the most important part of the film industry, where completed films are brought to life and connected with an audience.

5. What are the three stages of film process?

1.Production

2.Distribution

3. Exhibition

6. In what way are they most effective?

They are most effective when “vertically integrated”, where the three stages are seen as part of the same larger process, under the control of one company.

7. Why is this more difficult for the independent film sector?

Vertical integration does not operate so commonly. Producers tend not to have long-term economic links with distributors, who likewise have no formal connections with exhibitors.

8. What are the three stage of distribution?

Distribution can be divided into three stages - licensing, marketing and logistics.