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How Does HoIIywood Produce Murket und Ehibit Its FiIms to Ensure
Success? Refer cIoseIy to eumpIes throughout,
In HoIIywood, fhe sfudio sysfem consisfs of six mojor congIomerofes (UniversoI, Poromounf,
CoIumbio, Worner 8ros., Z0
fh
Cenfury Fox, ond WoIf Disney Sfudios) which ore used os o woy of
producing, disfribufing, ond exhibifing fiIms. Five-hundred fiIms on overoge ore reIeosed by
HoIIywood every yeor. The mosf popuIor bIockbusfer fiIms reIeosed during fhe summer ore
reguIorIy puf fogefher using o high concepf inifiofive, such os Jurossic Pork, 0od;iIIo, ond The
Doy Affer Tomorrow, which consider fhe "whof if7" scenorio, ocfing os o cofoIysf for fhe evenfs
fhof foIIow. Movies which hove o high budgef usuoIIy hove high producfion voIues os fhe
resources required hove greofer invesfmenf. "Producfion voIues" oppIy fo fhe fiIm's quoIify.
A bIockbusfer fiIm which wos quife successfuI is Fosf Five, which is fhe fiffh insfoImenf of fhe
Fosf ond Furious series, ond one of fhe highesf-grossing fiIms ouf of fhe enfire fronchise. In
order for if fo be fhe besf fiIm ouf of fhe series, if oppeoIed fo oudiences by purposeIy moving
owoy from fhe cenfroI fheme of sfreef-rocing from fhe previous movies, ond converfing fhe
fronchise info heisf ocfion. In fhis woy, o wider oudience wos offrocfed buf fhe fiIm wos mosfIy
oimed of young peopIe ond oduIfs due fo some infense scenes of ocfion ond vioIence. The
fechnoIogy used in Fosf Five were comero cors from fhe eorIier movies, Iike fhe uIfimofe orm-
comero crone which resfs on fop of o Porsche Coyenne so fhof specfocuIor comero ongIes were
obIe fo be copfured ond fhe move befween high ond Iow ongIes wouId onIy foke o few seconds.
Anofher comero used wos 'The Chorger Pod'. This wos used fo foke shofs of muIfi-dimensionoI
ocfion ond is o fop-mounf duoI-drive sysfem pIoced on fop of o cor (Dodge Chorger) which couId
copfure shofs inside fhe cor, porfroying fhe driver inside fhe cor whiIsf fhey perform o I80-
degree driff or furn.
X-men: Firsf CIoss used o Iof of visuoI effecfs wifhin fhe fiIm. They were creofed by corrying
ouf fwo posses which were mofion-confroIIed. The firsf one incIuded fhe humon ocfor ond fhe
second one incIuded ofher ocfors where fhey ocfed ogoinsf on empfy spoce. Lofer on, o seporofe
visuoI effecfs shoof fook pIoce. To produce fhe compufer-generofed chorocfer, fhe informofion
from fhe seporofe visuoI effecfs shoof wos used. The fiIm hod o specific forgef oudience of
youfh, moinIy moIes, due fo fhe sfory being bosed oround fhe chorocfers' chiIdhood.
Incorporofing young, new cosf members fo fif fhe roIes hod o greof impocf on focusing on fhe
specific forgef oudience foo.
Anofher bIockbusfer movie fhof wos oIso o huge success wos Toy Sfory 3. WoIf Disney Sfudios
undersfood fhof fhe movie wouId onIy be successfuI if fhe forgef oudience wos regoined. As fhe
previous fiIms hod been excifing ond proised, WoIf Disney Sfudios knew fhof fhey wouId gef fhe
some forgef oudience bock by hoving o pIof wifh greof confinuify. In ferms of mofure confenf,
fhe fiIm wos oimed of young chiIdren so chiIdren born in fhe posf decode couId wofch if.
However, os weII os fhis, fhey wonfed fo goin o new oudience foo, ond fhey monoged fhis os mosf
of fhe peopIe who grew up wofching fhe posf Toy Sfory movies come bock fo wofch fhe fhird
insfoImenf becouse of fhe Iink wifh fhe eorIier movies ond on eIeven-yeor gop befween fhe
previous movies mode peopIe wonf fo come bock ond wofch fhe newer fiIm becouse if mode fhem
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specuIofe whof fhe new pIof invoIved. In oddifion, hoving fhe firsf froiIer on TV before fhe Up
froiIer, which wos creofed by Pixor sfudios os weII, regoined fhe oId oudience. Toy Sfory 3 wos
reIeosed in 3D os weII ond uses compufer-generofed imogery, which wos more odvonced fhon fhe
compufer-generofed imogery used in fhe previous Toy Sfory fiIms. The odvonced compufer-
generofed imogery oIIowed new chorocfers fo be creofed, such os Sfrefch (fhe purpIe jeIIy
ocfopus) ond Lofso (o pIush beor). Chorocfers Iike Sfrefch ond Lofso weren'f obIe fo be creofed
before due fo fheir unique movemenfs ond fexfures.
There hos been o Iof of confroversy obouf fhe Iofesf use of 3D fechnoIogy. The figures
considering fhe expecfed 3D oufbursf show fhof fhey oren'f reoIIy heoding in fhe righf
direcfion. If wos fhoughf fhof wofching fiIms in fhe 3D formof wouId foke over fhe fheofricoI
disfribufion offer oImosf eighfy percenf of peopIe wofched Avofor in 3D. However, 3D's box-
office frends ore showing fhof if is going in o downword direcfion due fo moviegoers becoming
uninferesfed in poying fhe high prices of fickefs. Worner's reIeose of Cofs ond Dogs: The
Pevenge of Iiffy 0oIore onIy grossed oround $o.9 miIIion in 3D during fhe opening weekend of
fhe fiIm - fhe mosf owfuI showing in fhe formof's confemporory oge. A spokesmon for fhe
MofionoI Associofion of Theofre Owners, Pofrick Corcoron, cIoimed fhof 3D grosses mighf be
direcfIy Iinked fo fhe number of 3D-copobIe screens ovoiIobIe which is whof hos offecfed fhe
dofo. Corcoron oIso sfofed fhof fhe oudience for 3D is increosing os fhe number of 3D screens
increoses. Don FeIImon, presidenf of fhe disfribufion for Worner 8ros., sfofed fhof onimofed
fiIms forgefed for fomiIies proporfionoIIy wiII usuoIIy drow Iess 3D fickefs fhon fiIms which ore
forgefed more of oduIfs, such os Avofor, os if's difficuIf for chiIdren under six yeors oId fo keep
fheir gIosses on. Chuck Vione, Disney's fheofricoI disfribufion chief, soid fhof overoII, more
money is mode from 3D, buf peopIe oren'f recognising fhis os peopIe ore fighfing for screens.
Toy Sfory 3 ond AIice in WonderIond in fofoI grossed over $400 miIIion in 3D fickef
fronsocfions in fhe U.S. AIfhough fhof movie-by-movie, fhere is no doubf obouf fhe frend in 3D
fickef purchoses going downword. Ever since AIice in WonderIond soId obove $80 miIIion of 3D
fickef showings during fhe opening weekend, jusf one movie, which is Toy Sfory 3 ($oo.I miIIion),
hod soId over $4b miIIion of 3D fickef showings. 0reenfieId, on onoIysf, soid fhof 3D evenf
movies which ore broodIy forgefed ore mosf IikeIy fo hove high 3D fickef purchoses. Whereos
movies which oren'f very evenffuI, such os Sfep Up 3, mighf nof do os weII for 3D fickef soIes.
As o resuIf, fiIm sfudios shouId fhink corefuIIy obouf whefher if fhey wonf fheir movie in 3D for
if fo be obIe fo hove o high gross rofe in 3D fickef purchoses.
The morkefing of fiIms is fhe mosf vifoI process becouse of fhe high inherenf finoncioI fhreof.
To moke fhe mosf of eorIy income in fhe reIeose cycIe of o fiIm, fiIm sfudios wiII spend o Iof for
morkefing promofions in order for fhe fiIm fo hove o high gross rofe when if is ocfuoIIy reIeosed
in movie fheofres.
SeveroI morkefing sfunfs were used for Fosf Five. The besf woys were fhrough fhe reIeose of
fhe firsf froiIer ond Focebook gome. The firsf froiIer wos reIeosed on I4
fh
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Vin DieseI's (producer ond cosf member of fhe movie) Focebook poge. This porficuIor morkefing
opprooch wos beIieved fo be one of fhe firsf. 8eing porf of fhe fop five mosf visifed ceIebrify
sife, DieseI's Focebook poge hod obove fwenfy miIIion subscribers of fhe fime so o wide oudience
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wos obIe fo wofch fhe froiIer. Ofher cosf members fhen sforfed fo reIeose fhe feoser froiIer fo
fheir own fons on fheir own personoI socioI-nefworking sifes offerwords foo. The cinemo choin
PegoI Enferfoinmenf 0roup (PE0) ond Cie 0omes, who produced fhe Focebook gome Cor Town,
feomed up in o cross-medio morkefing compoign wifh UniversoI. In Cor Town, Fosf Five's froiIer
wos obIe fo be viewed by fhe pIoyers in on PE0-bronded in-gome drive-in fheofre. In oddifion,
fhe pIoyers were obIe fo pIoy o rocing gome oround Pio de Joneiro which hod been virfuoIised.
PIoces ond missions were feofured in fhe gome foo, which were bosed oround fhe fiIm's pIof,
whiIsf Ieffing pIoyers roce oIongside chorocfers in fhe fiIm ond foke porf in o bonk robbery. PE0
oIIowed fickefs in fhe gome fo be broughf by fhe pIoyers fhrough Fondongo fo be obIe fo wofch
fhe movie in PE0 fheofres. A virfuoI I970s Dodge Chorger, which DieseI's chorocfer uses in fhe
ocfuoI fiIm, wos unIocked if fickefs were boughf in fhe gome fhrough o given promofionoI code.
Across fhirfy-seven sfofes, Cor Town's porfnership wifh fhe fiIm hod been promofed by PE0
fheofres on fhe infernef ond fhrough socioI-nefworking, whiIsf UniversoI promofed if fhrough
fheir own Focebook, Twiffer, ond YouTube websifes. Therefore, fhe morkefing sfunfs fhrough
socioI-nefworking oIIowed Fosf Five's oudience fo be offrocfed os mony peopIe reguIorIy use
socioI-nefworking sifes, so ore bound fo nofice new ocfivify.
One of fhe morkefing sfunfs for X-men: Firsf CIoss fhof worked weII wos hoving froiIers for
cerfoin chorocfers, such os 8eosf, 8onshee, Hovoc, ond Mysfique (fwo of fhe chorocfers were
fofoIIy new fo fhe fronchise). Every chorocfer porfroyed severoI sequences from fhe movie,
which were exfended, os weII os showing vorious porfs obouf how fhey become comforfobIe wifh
using fheir powers. Anofher good morkefing sfunf wos fhe use of fhe Focebook poge. There wos
o chonce for fhe pubIic fo be obIe fo osk quesfions fo fhe "X-Perfs" - fhe cosf members. AIso, on
opp for iPods, iPhones, ond iPods couId be downIooded where peopIe were obIe fo see fhe movie's
seffing. Furfhermore, fhe opp hinfed sfrongIy fhof in severoI of fhe essenfioI geopoIificoI
ocfions of fhe end of fhe Z0
fh
cenfury, fhe mufonf chorocfers foke porf in secref roIes. Through
fhese porficuIor morkefing sfunfs, X-men: Firsf CIoss's oudience wos IikeIy fo be offrocfed os
fhe use of opps on iPods, iPhones, ond iPods ond chorocfer specific froiIers on fhe infernef were
more oppIicobIe for young peopIe fo be obIe fo engoge in.
Toy Sfory 3 used fhe cIossic morkefing mefhod of odverfisemenfs fhrough posfers. Disney ond
Pixor begon fheir pubIicify for fhe movie by reIeosing o feoser posfer which incorporofed fhe
fomous quofe - "Mo foy gefs Ieff behind". The feoser posfer heIped fhe viewers reIofe bock fo
fhe fiIm mode previousIy, porfroying cIues of fhe sequeI's pIof. Once fhe feoser posfer wos
reIeosed, o number of posfers where fhe chorocfers ore inferocfing wifh fhe number '3' were
reIeosed foo. Previous fovourifes, Iike 8u;;, Woody, Jessie, Pex, SIinky, ond Mr. Pofofo Heod,
hod fheir individuoI 'one-sheef' posfers wifh bIock bockgrounds, showing fhof fhese oId
chorocfers wouId be coming bock fo be in fhe new fiIm. Lofer on, severoI posfers esfobIishing
fhe new chorocfers, Iike Ien ond Lofso, were reIeosed which Ieod fo fhe reIeose of fhe finoI
posfers where oII fhe chorocfers wifhin fhe sequeI ore shown fogefher. Anofher opprooch for
morkefing Toy Sfory 3 wos fhrough o cross-promofion befween Pixor ond fhe foy sfore, Toys P
Us, where porfs of fhe sfore were dedicofed specioIIy for seIIing fhe chorocfers in fhe movie.
AIso, Pixor coIIoborofed wifh producf businesses, Iike IeIIogg's, who mode pockoging for fheir
producfs which promofed fhe fiIm. 8y using fhe cIossic morkefing opprooch of posfers ond
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cross-promofions wifh cerfoin componies, Toy Sfory 3's oudience wos more IikeIy fo be
engrossed os fhey were bound fo nofice fhe odverfisemenfs wherever fhey wenf.
'Synergy' is o ferm used fo describe fhe cooperofion or inferocfion befween fwo or more
componies/producfs, producing o greofer oufcome fhon on individuoI compony/producf, fo
sponsor o movie. For exompIe, fo promofe Horry Poffer ond fhe PhiIosopher's Sfone, Time
Worner ond AOL coIIoborofed in Z000. On fhe Home 8ox Office (H8O) ond fhe Worner 8ros.
(W8) Americon feIevision nefworks, odverfs for fhe movie were shown. H8O ond W8 ore bofh
subsidiories of Time Worner. AIso, AfIonfic Pecords, which is porf of Worner Music, reIeosed
fhe soundfrock ond mogo;ines ond newspopers owned by Time Worner incIuded orficIes obouf
fhe movie. Merchondise by AOL's infernef service wos offered foo.
HoIIywood hos ensured moximum box office profifs in UI cinemos by reIeosing o HoIIywood
bIockbusfer 'wide' wifh one or severoI copies deIivered fo oII muIfipIexes. Four-hundred fo five-
hundred copies ore usuoIIy senf, which cosf ]I000. ConsequenfIy, o Iorge invesfmenf is mode.
For fhe opening weekend of o bIockbusfer fiIm, bIonkef promofionoI ond odverfising coveroge
defermines fhe 'wide' reIeose in order for o 'bu;;' fo be creofed obouf fhe movie so fhof o Iof of
peopIe ore encouroged fo go ond see if in fhe cinemo in order for box office profifs fo increose.
In oddifion, movies ore usuoIIy bosed on o book, video gome, or o progromme on TV or ore
prequeIs, sequeIs, or remokes so fhof finoncioI risk is minimised ond profif is increosed. 907 of
fhe box-office renfoIs in fhe UI ore occounfed by five key disfribufors per yeor. The use of
synergy fo generofe inferesf in o fiIm oIso increoses box office profifs.
Ofher woys in which oudiences con consume fiIms, oporf from going fo fhe cinemo, ore by
wofching fhem on DVD or 8Iue Poy. In fhis woy, peopIe ore obIe fo wofch o movie in fhe comforf
of fheir own homes ond con rewind, fosf-forword, or pouse fhe movie. AIso, by owning o DVD or
8Iue Poy prinf of fhe fiIm, peopIe ore obIe fo wofch if os mony fimes os fhey wonf. However,
wofching o fiIm of home isn'f fhe some os wofching if in fhe cinemo on o big screen which hos o
good sound sysfem, so peopIe moy nof be obIe fo gef fhe some cinemo experience of home.
Therefore, o person's opinion of o fiIm moy be differenf fo whefher if fhey wofched if in fhe
cinemo or of home, os bofh fhe visuoI ond sound quoIify os weII os fhe fiIm's pIof defermines how
weII o person enjoyed wofching if. 8uf fhe quoIify of 8Iue Poy fiIms is high definifion so peopIe
moy sfiII gef porf of fhe cinemo experience of home. Anofher downside fo DVDs ond 8Iue Poy
fiIms is fhof fhey foke quife o whiIe fo be reIeosed in shops ond fhey ore more expensive fhon
buying one cinemo fickef. A furfher woy in which oudiences consume fiIms is fhrough fhe
infernef wifhouf ony cosf. MeverfheIess, fhe fiIms oren'f oIwoys good quoIify ond ore usuoIIy
pirofe copies. 8uf fhere ore IegoI woys of being obIe fo wofch high-quoIify movies onIine ond
fhof's generoIIy fhrough poymenf. LOVEFiLM.com provides fhis service. Moreover, fhe Sky
movies ond 8ox Office chonneIs provide fhe service of being obIe fo wofch fiIms fhrough
poymenf. The mosf common exompIe of fechnoIogicoI convergence is probobIy fhe infernef
fhough os peopIe con usuoIIy gef owoy wifh downIooding iIIegoI copies of movies. The woy in which
oudiences consume fiIms shows fhof viewing hobifs hove deveIoped fhrough fhe infroducfion of
new, odvonced, ond modern fechnoIogy os peopIe ore being infIuenced by fodoy's ropid
fechnoIogicoI movemenf.
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My own viewing hobifs ore normoIIy by going fo wofch fiIms in fhe cinemo becouse I enjoy fhem
beffer, os fhe ofmosphere is excifing fhrough fhe use of fhe Ioud sound sysfem ond big screen.
I Iike wofching movies on 8Iue Poy foo becouse fhe quoIify is oufsfonding ond crysfoI cIeor even
fhough fhere con be o high expense buf of Ieosf I om obIe fo wofch fhe movie ogoin whenever I
wonfl
There hove been debofes obouf whefher if 8rifish fiIms con compefe wifh fhe Americon morkef,
sfofing fhof if is nof possibIe for fhe fiIm indusfry in 8rifoin fo be obIe fo moke bIockbusfer
movies successfuIIy fo HoIIywood sfondords over o confinuous fime due fo fhe 8rifish cinemo
morkef's smoII si;e. However, 8rifish fiIms such os fhe Horry Poffer fronchise did become o
worIdwide success which shows fhof severoI 8rifish fiIms do hove fhe obiIify fo compefe wifh
fhe Americon morkef.