FILM STUDIES

Section A- PRODUCERS AND AUDIENCES- Introductory lesson

What will we be looking at?

Section A

The American film industry

The British film industry

Production/ distribution/ marketing/finance

Importance of stars

Importance of genre

The audience

Convergence and new media technologies

Exhibition and consumption

The dominance of the USA

Global companies and media ownership

Section A Producers and Audiences – 40 marks

  One stimulus response question from a choice of two.  Three pieces of stimulus will be included for each question.  May include one or more of: Visual material- marketing materials/images from the

internet/magazine publicationsWritten materials- fan magazines extracts/internet

sources/trade journals Material in table form- including numerical information  

Types of stimulus material a website article about Hannah Montana

and its target audience – a table showing cinema-going by age – the cover of an X-Men comic, a film

poster and information from a news item

– an extract from the Amazon website – information on Turner Classic Movies – an advertisement for the screening of

a silent film.

Choice of two questions

 

Using case study material provided and own research :   1. What are some of the key factors which influence the kinds of film that get made

today?

Or  2. What are some of the reasons for the popularity of US produced films for UKaudiences?  3. What are some of the ways in which films from the past are made attractive to

contemporaryaudiences?  or

4. Are the attractions of going to a cinema today sufficiently strong to compete against

other ways in which we can now watch films?

The film industry

 The American film industry- Contemporary

Hollywood, including its impact on UK audiencesThe British film industry- Specifically the

contemporary industry, issues of independence, distinctiveness and profitability.

 Using case studies to look at: Finance/

organisation/production/distribution/marketing/exhibition.

  

The film audience

 Focus on:Film demand and supply specifically in

the UK

The consumption of film- film going, importance of home cinema, internet, significance of digital technologies to deliver film.

The different kinds of film experience that are offered.

The interrelationship between producers and audiences- case studies

Using a case study to teach this and show the relationship between producers and audiences.

 Looking at issues of Supply led or demand

ledThe significance of convergence of media The changing nature of the producerAudience relationship explored 

Contemporary case studies to consider:

 Hollywood film producers and the institutional frameworks within which they

operate- e.g as part of large conglomerates The UK film producers and the institutional frameworks that they operate in

( collapse of the UK film council/ co production with other companies)  The importance of genre and stars for UK and US for producers and audiencesFilm marketingFilm reviews- media and fan basedFilm exhibition and consumption- types of film viewing, film culture,

importance of convergence Availability of independent/low budget/foreign films in the UK (Include

Bollywood)Star images- those put into circulation by the industry and by fans. Star

personas  

Task 1

On a large sheet of a3 I want you to mind map the following:

Why you think people go to the cinema and what is on offer

Where you think the money comes from to make the films

The types of film advertising that you are aware of

The use of film stars What British and American films you are

aware of that have been made recently.