Fox Searchlight

By Akif and Joe

Company Info:

Fox Searchlight Pictures was established in 1994 in Los Angeles, California. It is

subsidiary company from the major company 20th century fox. Which are owned by

News Corporation.

In the 1990’s when the company was founded, they managed to release around 30

films. Which ‘The Full Monty’ being the most successful film in the 1990’s which made

around 200million profit, and won the academy award for best picture in 1998. This

was the most successful film they made in the 1990’s.

They then went on to winning more awards for films like Slumdog Millionaire, Juno,

Black swan, 127 Hours and a few more. Making many successful films in the 2000’s.

Their Films:

Fox Searchlight Pictures produces smaller films in genres such as drama, comedy,

horror, and science fiction. It specializes in independent and British films, and is

involved with the production and distribution of these types of films.

Although Fox Searchlight specialize in independent and British films, they have a

widely global audience. An example of this would be their film Slumdog Millionaire,

which had a very big audience in many countries. Most of their target audience

between around 15-25, as a lot of their films is either 15 and some going to the 12A

rating. Their target audience is mainly British as a lot of the actors are British and the

films set in British locations, but they try to aim as big as possible when they release

the films as shown from their successful films.

A lot of their risks taken have been when producing high budget films, as it can be

risky making a film with high budget, and a lot of the films with high budget did end

up as flops, which was a big risk for them and they lost a lot of money.

Profile:

Their budgets is usually lower than 20million, with many films below 10million, but on

some of the films budgets have been up to 40million, but the films that have this high

of a budget are the ones that become flops, like Smilla’s feeling for snow. Which lost

over 30million. However some of the big films they have made like Napoleon

Dynamite, which had a budget of 400,000, made a USA gross of 46million, making

45million profit.

In their films, they don’t seem to use many famous actors, they use smaller actors,

which is probably because the budgets of their films are low, so it’s a way to save

money and make the film more successful. Most of the genres is of drama, comedy

and horror. One of the biggest films they've made, Slumdog Millionaire which made

around 130million and won many awards including an Oscar clearly represents the

films they specializes in, as it is of the drama genre and is aimed at a global audience.

Fox Searchlight don’t really do any tie – ins with other media, as for all of their films

there aren't really any toys made, they release the soundtracks of the films but

nothing not much else promotional.

Marketing materials and strategies

• The famous slum dog millionaire , was nominated for 10 academy awards in 2008. They famously won 8 awards ; Best picture , Best director , “The film also won seven of the eleven BAFTA Awardsfor which it was nominated, including Best Film; all four of the Golden Globe Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Drama Film; and five of the six Critics' Choice Awards for which it was nominated. They was one of 8 films to ever get 8 awards as well as being the highest award holders in 2008.

• This was one way in which the DVD and TV views hit a miraculous increase after the good word of mouth. Overall the film made $377,910,544 worldwide so adding a further $236,591,349 which was generated by DVD and TV sightings towards their profit made from box office. And just to make it clear their budget was an estimated $15,000,000 . Slum dog millionaire definitely will always go down as fox searchlights biggest hits.

• IMDB FILM RATINGS FOR FOX SEARECHLIGHT

FILMS :

• Slum Dog Millionaire : 8.1

• Juno : 7.7 – Box office : $143,492,840 (USA)

• Bend it like Beckham : 6.8 – Box office :

• $32,543,449 (USA)(estimated)

• Fox searchlight main marketing materials are

via awards . For example If you remembered

the box office for English film Bend it like

Beckham as $32,543,449 (USA) (estimated) ,

you must have thought it done well

considering its $3million budget. However on

top of this ,through their DVD and TV releases

they made a total profit of : $76,583,333

Quotes on the Company

• ‘ the feel good film of the decade’ (slum dog

millionaire)

• ‘ A buoyant hymn to life and a movie to

celebrate ‘ – Richard Collins – (slum dog

millionaire)

• ‘ the most gloriously , delightfully and quirky

feel-good British movie since billy Elliot’ -

Bend it like Beckham - The mirror