Homework due March 7th

Choose any film released this year. Find out the distributor and track the distribution of the film. Did it have a blanket release or a staggered release? Was it distributed digitally? Was there a teaser campaign? Either through trailers or posters? Analyse the poster/trailer – who are they targetting? How? Where was the premiereheld? Did the film go to festivals? Did it receive any other publicity? Was there any merchandising attached to the film? Include any other information you can find related to the distribution of the film.

 

The films I mentioned that you will need to watch by March 7th are "The Dark Knight" and "This is England". If you can watch the tv spin-off/sequel "This is England '86" too, that'd be no harm (or any other films directed by Shane Meadows, especially "Dead Man's Shoes"). "Batman Begins" and any other Christopher Nolan films would be helpful too, particularly films he has made for Warner Bros, like Inception and the Prestige.

Film Industry - In praise of … publicly funded British film

In praise of … publicly funded British film
What is needed is policy and a body which will support films that can secure European co-funding

The crowning of The King's Speech at the Bafta awards was indeed a bitter-sweet moment for the UK Film Council, which funded it and is now being axed. The council had its critics – it was too top-heavy, with a wage bill to match; it tried to compete with Hollywood instead of funding the sort of film that would never attract attention from the big studios; and besides, it picked its fair share of lemons. Anyone remember Sex Lives of the Potato Men? For all that, the goal of a "self-sustaining UK film industry", which was the council's brief when it was set up 10 years ago, remains as elusive as ever. The rolling caravan of British actors, scriptwriters, producers, cameramen, special effects wizards exists – but somehow never at the same time and in the same place... Read here

The video produced by the UK Film council is here.

Institutions and Audiences - First Homework Task

Homework task due Monday 14th February:

Create a factsheet on the film industry based on what you learned in the lesson on Monday 7th February. You can return to the skillset website for help: http://www.skillset.org/film/business/#