Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Study Notes
Unit G322 Section B
Audiences and Institutions
Part 6
Distribution
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Film Distribution
Consider these two competing views of who holds the most power in terms of influencing
what films get made and seen:
If you break it down and look at it as a business then the audience has the greatest power. It's
the audience that tells you what they like. So if the audience likes a particular superstar, then
Hollywood is forced to use the superstar and that star then becomes extremely powerful.
(Tony Angellotti)
In a world where money spent on the budget of a film often sees 50 % going on promotion as
opposed to what you actually see on screen, the idea that we have a world where the consumer
can exercise authority is absurd. This industry is like any other. Of course it has to sell things,
but it doesn't rely on waiting, listening, responding to what audiences want and then delivering
that to them. It relies on knowing which parts of the world and the media need its products and
will pay for them. (Toby Miller)
They can't both be right and you therefore need to come to an informed judgement on this
dynamic. In the case of film marketing, it is a complex issue.
Definition of a distributor
A distributor is the link between the filmmakers and the public, and allows a film to
reach the public via the cinemas, DVD and on television. There are a number of distribution
companies in the UK, all with different styles, funding structures, aims and marketing plans, all
trying to sell their films in an incredibly competitive environment. Back in Section 2 we
looked at Film Distribution in the UK here were taking a more global view.
Each distribution company takes on a certain number of titles each year and creates an
individual release-plan for those films. Their responsibilities include:
o deciding on a release date;
o deciding how many prints to produce and in which cinemas to screen them;
o advertising campaigns;
o designing art work for adverts, posters, flyers and billboards;
o organising premieres and talker screenings;
o booking talent (i.e. the stars or director) for press interviews and personal
appearances.
Distributors are also responsible for negotiating deals regarding the film's release on video
and DVD, and showings on television, cable and satellite channels.
A film could come to the distributor in a range of ways films produced by the main
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American studios will be distributed through their own companies, so Warner Bros. will
distribute their own films as will 20th Century Fox and Buena Vista International will distribute
Disney films as it is the Disney distribution 'arm'.
Some films are seen at film festivals and are picked up through complicated negotiations with
sales agents and producers so deals can be struck in different territories (i.e. North America,
Europe, Asia, Australasia).
The success of the home DVD market has led to increased pressure on the DVD rental
window with some of the major distributors keen to put their product into the retail market
place as soon as possible. In the immediate future more films will be released simultaneously
into the rental and sell-through DVD/VOD windows. The rental window, which currently
lasts for about six months before titles go into retail outlets, may be closed altogether before
too long. This may also lead to the Pay per View window moving forwards with titles
reaching television screens within 9 to 12 months of their theatrical release.
Theatrical Distribution Deals
The share of Box Office paid over to distributors varies between territories. The typical
exhibitor's share in the US is 45% and in the Rest of the World 55%. The UK has some of the
highest retentions by the exhibitor, averaging around 65%.
The Majors
The majors are those affiliated to the biggest Hollywood companies and are:
Paramount (14.8%);
Walt Disney/Buena Vista International (14%);
United International Pictures (UIP) who release films from Universal and MGM
studios (10.2%).
The films released by the majors tend to be mainstream Hollywood blockbusters as well as
UK/USA co-productions. Most companies have an 'indiewood' arm such as Fox Searchlight
or Focus Features (Universal) that will take risks on films that are not such commercial
blockbusters.
The Independents
These are companies who release a much wider range of films, and include Artificial Eye,
Metrodome and Momentum. Titles will include foreign language films, documentaries,
re-releases and non-mainstream Hollywood/UK titles picked up at film festivals across
the world. Entertainment Distribution is an unusual case in that it is a UK independent that has a
long standing relationship with US studio New Line Cinema (a unit of the Time Warner
Corporation). Entertainment release their titles in the UK, therefore getting such films as Lord
Of the Rings as well as small UK films. (http://www.entertainmentfilms.co.uk)
Acquiring a film
A distributor can acquire the rights to release a film in the UK in a number of different
ways:
directly from their parent studio (i.e. Universal through UIP);
through a deal a distributor may have with a production company or studio;
a distributor may attend a film festival and approach a sales agent after watching a
film at a screening.
A distribution deal is different for every film, and will include theatrical rights (i.e. the
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screening of the film in cinemas), and possibly the release of the film on DVD as well as TV
and satellite rights.
Releasing a film
Hollywood distributors will consider their release strategies from (at least) four perspectives:
Global: where will the film work?
Regional: how will we make it work in (say) Europe?
National: how should we release it in each country?
Local: are there any particular local conditions that need to be taken into account within
each country?
Many things have to be taken into consideration when distributors choose a release date for a
movie. School holidays in Easter, half term, summer and Christmas tend to be the time when big
family movies are set for release. Big national sporting events, particularly when England are
taking part, such as the European Championships and the World Cup can affect audiences, so
care is taken about releasing male-orientated, action-type movies at that time.
It is also crucial to know the landscape with regard to film and media related events
happening nationally and most importantly, what else is being released at the time. The last
thing you want is your film being released on the weekend The Lord of the Rings: The
Return of the King (2003) or Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), are
released, both of which will swamp the media and the national consciousness (unless, that is,
you are consciously positioning the marketing strategy in opposition to these blockbusters).
Box office - A film's performance in the cinema is judged on the box-office figures. Box-office
figures are based on the number of people who purchase a ticket to see a particular film and
what they pay: it is the accumulated cost of tickets which equals the box-office figure. The US
box-office figures will give a rough indication of how successful a film might be in the UK.
For most films, almost 40% of total Box Office will be taken in the first week, with the
majority of that arriving in the first weekend. Takings tend to fall to about 5% of the total by
the sixth week of release (if the film has lasted that long). Oscar winning films have tended
recently to gross more internationally than at the US Box Office, partly because the release
pattern means that their Academy Award success can be used in the International marketing
campaigns. Films like The English Patient (1997), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), The Kings
Speech (2010) are good examples of this.
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Film Classification
Before a film can be shown to a paying audience, it is required by law that it is
certificated by the British Board of Film Classification. This ensures, for example, that
films which are of an adult nature are not shown to children.
Distributors must submit their films to be watched by examiners who write reports
describing each film and justifying the decisions they have reached. The cost to the
distributor is roughly 9.50 per minute, so classification of an average film costs
around 800 1100.
The British Board of Film Classification produces a set of guidelines which are easily
obtained for your reference from the organisation's website (www.bbfc.co.uk). The BBFC is
not a separate entity from the film industry or a government department. It is a selfregulatory body as it is made up of film industry representatives. But despite this, this is the
one area of film distribution over which the makers and promoters of a specific film have
limited control. It is possible for a film to be targeted and promoted for a particular audience
group such as 15 and over, only for the BBFC to impose an 18 certificate, although this is
rare.
The film certificate influences the marketing campaign of the film since this will need
to be pitched at the age range indicated by the certificate. A distributor may indicate to
the Board which certificate they are hoping the film will be awarded, for example, a
PG certificate to allow a wider audience to see the film. The Board, in turn, might
suggest cuts are made in order for it to get this certificate.
Conversely, there might be times when a higher rather than a lower certificate will
actually help to sell a film. For a thriller or a horror film to be rated 18 will do more
for it than if it were to be awarded a 15 certificate.
In 2008, 639 films were classified of which 7 had to
make cuts - 4 at the 15 rating, 2 at 12A and 1 at PG.
The BBFC's guidelines state that there are three main
considerations for any film:
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2
3
cause 'harm'
needs protecting
opinion in mind with
to comply and
range than
access in
the locality, or even to ban a film from release in the area. This hardly ever happens, but a
famous example was the decision of Westminster Council to ban the screening of David
Cronenberg's Crash (1996), which was given an 18 certificate elsewhere.
The BBFC's relationship with Government is known, rather misogynistically, as a
'Gentleman's Understanding' which means that Parliament observes from a distance and the
BBFC regulates itself in accordance with the political climate established by the Government
(stricter or more liberal depending on who is in power). During the New Labour Blair/Brown
era, the BBFC has been more relaxed about material for the 18 certificate, but tougher
when considering material for younger children.
It is important to be aware of classification as an
element in 'gate keeping' the distribution process.
The classifications, as published in the BBFC
guidelines, are as follows:
U: Universal (suitable for all).
PG: Parental Guidance (general viewing, some scenes
may be unsuitable for young children).
12 and 12A: Suitable for 12 years and older. No one
younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema
unless accompanied by an adult. No one younger than
12 may rent or buy a 12 rated DVD. Responsibility
for allowing under 12s to view lies with the
accompanying or supervising adult.
15: Suitable only for 15 years and over. No one
younger than 15 may see a 15 film in a cinema. No
one younger than 15 may rent or buy a 15 rated DVD.
18: Suitable only for adults. No one younger than 18
may see an 18 film in a cinema. No one younger than
18 may rent or buy an 18 rated DVD.
R18: To be shown only in specially licensed cinemas,
or supplied only in licensed sex shops, and to adults
of not less than 18 years. (Source: BBFC guidelines)
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Several factors were noted which supported a 12A certificate. These included the films
comic book style, the appeal of the
work to 12 15 year olds, the clear
fantasy context and the lack of
strong detail, blood or gore.
The BBFC was also careful to
ensure that additional advice was
available to parents and other
moviegoers through the bbfc.co.uk
website including extended
information about the film
detailing how and why it was
classified 12A and urging parents
to think carefully before taking
youngsters to see it.
Films classified '12A' are, broadly speaking, the most complained about decisions. As is
often the case such complaints about The Dark Knight focussed largely on the possibility of
very young children seeing the film although many correspondents also cited what they
believed to be brutal, sadistic and strong violence. Several noted in particular the focus on
knife threat and violence perpetuated by the Joker character. Some complaints also linked the
content of the film to concerns about knife crime. Everyone who contacts the BBFC gets a
personal reply. But it is important to set the complaints in the context of the number of
people who saw the film. In the case of The Dark Knight the 200 plus complaints are a tiny
proportion of the five million people plus who saw it in the first two weeks after it opened.
The introduction of the 12A classification demonstrates that the BBFC have become more
careful with children's viewing, but the introduction of the R18 legalises forms of
pornography that were previously banned completely.
Q3. Prepare a 5 slide powerpoint explaining what you think of the 12A rating. What
are your opinions on the debate surrounding film classification in this country? Use
Spiderman and The Dark Knight as a starting point. Look at the example of Juno also
from 2008 (http://www.bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/juno-0) and the definition of 12 and 12A
ratings (http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/12a-and-12) Why is the rating so
important?
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Marketing a Film
Making an audience aware - The Unique Selling Point
As with any product, the potential buyer (the audience) needs to know that a film is available
and is coming to their local cinema. Not only do they have to know about the film, they also
have to be persuaded to want to go and see it.
In starting to plan a marketing campaign for a film, the distribution company has to decide
how it will present the film to the potential audience -they will look for the 'unique selling
point' (USP). If, for example, a distributor is handling a science fiction film, they will need to
look for the aspect of the film which sets it aside
from other science fiction films.
Normally, in deciding what the USP of a film is, the distributor will first of
at the storyline to see how this differs from other films and what
elements of the story are. This is vitally important as
storyline elements will influence the way that the visual
campaign - posters, trailers etc. - is put together.
After this they will look at such things as stars,
special effects and director to see how these can
be incorporated within the campaign. Once the
USP of the film has been decided on, the distributor will begin to
marketing campaign and set their overall budget.
all look
the key
the key
develop the
Above-the-line costs
Here, the above-the-line costs are for advertising. This is where the distributor pays a certain
amount of money to buy advertising space. They pay for a slot on television or radio, or buy
advertising space in newspapers or magazines, and know what they are getting for their
money. They know the size of the advert, when and where it will be placed and roughly how
many people are expected to see it.
Below-the-line costs
Publicity and promotions are below-the-line costs. Publicity is where money is spent on
bringing stars in from the United States for example. By doing so the distributor hopes to get
good coverage in the media, but it's not guaranteed. It's all about taking a risk and hoping the
gamble pays off. Promotions are set up with another company (e.g. a tie in with McDonald's)
to promote the film to a wider audience.
The trailer
The trailer often plays in the cinema around six weeks before the release of a film and
continues to play until the picture opens in the cinema. The trailer aims to raise audience
awareness of a film by logging the film title in their minds. It gives an overall impression of
the film to its potential audience, making sure that the audience is aware of the stars
particularly where their names will help to sell the picture. It should create the desire to see
the film when it finally opens. Trailers tend to use a combination of footage from the film,
graphics and voice-over to generate curiosity.
'Teaser' trailers might also be used to whet the appetite of the audience in the same way as a
'teaser' poster. Lasting approximately 30 seconds, these are shorter than the main trailer and
play in the cinema for anything up to six months before a film opens. However, it is
important to understand that cinema advertising will only reach a cinema-going audience. It
is always important to make as many people as possible aware that a film is coming and so
other audiences must also be reached.
Media advertising
The distributor will want to buy advertising space in as many different media as is
appropriate both for the film and its P & A budget. The media normally available are
newspapers, magazines, television and radio. Internet websites are also set up to announce
the arrival of a film. The form of the advertising in each medium must tie in with the overall
campaign. Thus, newspaper advertising will be based on the campaign poster, whilst
television advertising will have elements of the cinema trailer in it. What is vital is that the
right media outlet is chosen for the film. Research will already have shown who the target
audience for a film is. It is up to the distributor to decide which would be the best
newspapers, magazines, slots on television and radio to select in order to reach that audience.
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Extensive use is made of radio advertising on regional commercial radio stations. Radio is a
powerful medium, and reinforces the message of the poster and trailer, particularly if the film
has a strong soundtrack. Radio advertising is considerably cheaper than television, and is
usually used for mainstream films. Radio stations which target a particular audience, such as
a jazz station or a classical station, might be appropriate for the advertising of specialist
films. Adverts themselves consist of music from the film and narrative voice-over detailing
the cinema and release date.
Preview screenings
The general public are invited to a preview screening of the film in the hope that they will
enjoy it, and more importantly, that they will recommend it to friends. Following a preview
screening a questionnaire like the one opposite is handed out which the audience is expected
to complete in return for their free ticket to see the film.
These preview screenings, sometimes also called 'talker screenings', start the process of word
of mouth publicity, with audience members telling their friends and contacts about the film.
The completed questionnaire also provides the distributor with information about the
audience's enjoyment of the film, which will affect the way the film is sold to the public.
Publicity
Publicity involves gaining attention for the film in the media - newspapers, magazines,
television and radio - without paying for the space. Some distributors employ independent
companies who specialise in this area, known as PR companies, short for Public Relations.
Working in this area involves dealing with national and regional journalists, keeping them
informed about the film using the publicity tools outlined in the following pages. Although
the distributor will have to spend money on publicity, the amount of coverage that could be
gained will probably far outweigh in value the amount of money spent.
the press are given access to them - but bear in mind that, in Cannes, there may be 5000
accredited media either chasing or
needing persuading to conduct an
interview. Somehow their needs have
to be satisfied within 10, 20 or, if you
are lucky, 30 working hours from each
of a small number of stars, each of
whom may be spending fewer than 3
days at the Festival. PR Agencies
spend a lot of time nurturing their
relationships with the key media
representatives, so that they can
increase the chances of winning their
attention when it is being stretched
across so many competing priorities.
PR Budgets
Very often, PR is over-looked when producers are putting budgets together and, even if there
is an allowance made for this expense, it is usually too small. A typical budget for unit
publicity might be around 10 - 15,000 on a 3-5 million film. There also need to be
allowances for photography, Electronic press kits (EPKs) and media visits.
Gala premieres
For high profile films, the release might be preceded by a Royal or Charity Film Premiere.
These premieres are prestigious evenings where the stars, cast, crew and celebrity guests are
invited to a special screening of the film a few days in advance of its release. The media are
also invited to secure coverage of the event and increase public awareness of the film.
The benefit of a film premiere for the distributor is that this will usually gain a great deal of
media attention. It is very expensive to organise a premiere and it is only films
with larger marketing budgets that can afford to do this. A large cinema is hired and a postscreening party is organised. We are all familiar with pictures in the newspaper or shots on
television of stars arriving at these events, usually in formal evening wear. The guests arrive
at the cinema in chauffeur driven cars, and members of the public often turn out to see the
arrival of these celebrities, all helping to make the premiere a "special occasion". These
events are not easily accessible to the public: tickets are extremely difficult to obtain, with
those that are sold raising money for a selected charity. The publicity gained for the film,
including newspaper editorials and news items is better than any advertising.
Screening programmes
To build on awareness for a film, screenings are organised prior to the release of the film in
conjunction with a media outlet which will appeal to the target audience. An example of this
would be the screening programmes organised through T4. These are free screenings with
tickets obtained by calling a hotline number advertised on the television screen.
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The Biggest Seller? Call it Word of mouth, call it buzz, call it chatter
Research has proved that the key factor which will get audiences in to see a film is
something which cannot be bought - the personal recommendation of a friend or
acquaintance who has seen the film. It is word of mouth that really gets audiences into
cinemas. This explains why the opening weekend of a film's release is so important.
Whatever the advertising spend or however good the publicity - it is the audience's verdict
which will make or break a film.
Release Patterns
An important decision for the distributor is how many screens to open the movie on. This
depends largely on the results expected for the film but may also be influenced by the wish to
attract as big an audience in the first week as possible to help the film retain its screens for
subsequent weeks. (Conversely, a higher screen average from fewer screens can also help to
persuade exhibitors to keep a film in play even if its overall Box Office is not as high as
some competitors). The different types of release that might be considered are:
Approx. number of screens
in the UK
Platform:
Limited:
Wide:
Saturation:
15
150
300
600+
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Saturation
Click on the link to discover what films being released this week are being given what
coverage(http://www.launchingfilms.com/release-schedule)
A film that literally saturates the country in terms of number of prints and national publicity, i.e.
The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit series, the Harry Potter series, Spiderman sequels,
Avengers Assemble and so on.
These are usually films backed by the major
Hollywood studios and will have had an extremely
large publicity and production budget behind them.
There will also be advertising tie-ins to high street
companies and merchandising spin-offs such as
computer games, books, magazines and a TV
Making of ... documentary. The films will also have
almost as much publicity when they are released on
DVD . In terms of screenings, films like Avengers
Assemble will be shown up to 12-15 times a day at
most multiplexes even three or four weeks after
their release.
Posters will be on key billboard and bus shelters
sites, and recognisable images will usually feature
on magazine covers with saturation coverage
inside. In Empire for example, each month the cover
and dozens of inside pages are given over to one
new blockbuster film in terms of articles, reviews,
interviews and adverts. For example, in Empire's
July 1999 issue, over 50 % of the pages in the magazine featured articles, adverts and interviews
about Star Wars Episode III, The Phantom Menace
The number of prints for a saturation release can range from 600-800 and will screen at all the
major cinema chains (Odeon, UCI, UGC, Warner's), as well as high street commercial
independents such as City Screen sites, opening across the country on the same day. It is now
usual for the biggest films to have 1 or 2 days of 'preview screenings' before the
Friday opening.
release may have as little as 4 or 5 prints, and if it's a film touring as part of a festival (i.e. The
London Film Festival on Tour), only one print may be available.
Costs
Cinemas will pay distributors a percentage of net box office, which is usually between 35-60
% but may be higher for some multiplex chains for franchises such as James Bond, Harry
Potter, The Lord of the Rings, etc. In the case of smaller cinemas that may get the film on a
second run or may screen a classic repertory title, the rental fee may be around 25-30 %.
Universal Pictures International claimed the crown as the UK's No. 1 distributor in 2008 on the
back of a slew of hits, the biggest of them Mamma Mia! which secured a whopping 67.9
million alone. UPI, Universal's overseas distribution arm, took 176.6 million for the year, an
18.5% market share. Sonys best box office showing was Quantum of Solace which bonded with
audiences to the tune of 50.7 million. January 13, 2009
Throughout the marketing campaign the distributor will be concerned about the effectiveness
of their pre-release film advertising and publicity. Private companies are employed to
conduct the audience research which can take a number of forms:
Audience tracking
At regular intervals leading up to the release of a film and during its first weeks of play, a
random selection of the public will be interviewed over the phone or on the street by a
research company. This is known as tracking. People are asked whether they have heard of
the film, whether they intend to see it or, if they have seen it, whether they enjoyed it. This
type of information can then be used by the distributors to assess the effectiveness of their
marketing campaign. If there are any serious problems, for example, the audience does not
know that the film is coming, then they can change the emphasis of the campaign.
Television Deals
Pay per View: the Pay TV service retains about 40 to 50% of the viewer's fee, recoups the
distributor's advance and pays any balance to the distributor. The distributor usually retains
around 25 to 35% in commission.
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of
Subscription TV: The TV operator pays a fixed fee to the distributor (of 50k to 1.2m)
which usually depends on the film's performance at the Box Office. The distributor takes
between 25 and 35% commission with the balance to the producer / financier / agent.
Free TV: the fee paid by the broadcaster usually depends on the film's Box Office
performance. The distributor takes percentage fees of between 25 and 50% in the US and 20
- 40% in the Rest of the World, with the balance to the producers.
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This change in pattern is partly to combat the effects of piracy which is proving to be a huge
problem in certain territories, but also to boost the studios' cash flow by reducing the amount
of time it takes for them to see revenues from further along the value chain.
Fast Burn Sales - 50% of new DVD sales are generated in the first month of release.
Getting the in-store point of sale materials and displays right is crucial to the studios if they
want to maximise sales of their top titles.
Release Days - Traditionally new videos and DVDs have been released on a Monday.
Distributors are now looking to move key releases to a Thursday or Friday to make best use
of their major marketing campaigns immediately before the heaviest buying days (50% of
DVD sales take place on Friday and Saturday).
Pricing - DVD retail prices are falling much faster than was the case with CDs. In the UK,
CD prices fell 13% in the first 6 years after their introduction; DVD prices have fallen by
19% in just three years. This is the result of some aggressive market by the majors who have
priced very aggressively to boost sales and consumer behaviour: research suggests that a
40% drop in retail price can lead to a 3,4 or 5 times lift in unit sales. To maintain their
profits, the studios will have to reduce their costs of sales by reducing the additional cost of
marketing DVDs by reducing the gap between cinema and DVD release - or develop more
premium priced products by improving the extras supplied on the disc.
DVD Extras - Extra features on DVDs are becoming increasingly important to differentiate
products in the market and to generate premium pricing. Reviews of DVDs often focus on
the extras and consumers are increasingly expecting them - research has shown that the
presence of good quality extras increases the consumer's intention to buy the disc. To ensure
top quality extras, it is essential to plan their content at the film's pre-production stage and
get endorsement for them from the producer and director of the film. Additional footage
might need to be shot on set or produced during post-production. Finished bonus material
needs to be delivered before the film's theatrical release so that it can be factored into the
DVD's release schedule.
Piracy - The MPAA estimates that piracy is currently running at 20% of the total DVD
market and is likely to get worse with the increased domestic take up of broadband. The
studios are considering technical solutions to help combat this problem but their main
weapon may be closing exploitation windows to reduce the time available for pirated copies
to circulate.
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Marketing - Mobile Phone Campaigns - There are 290 million mobile phone users in
Europe - 100 million of whom are under 25. This makes text-based campaigns ideal for
movies that are aimed at the younger market. Online Campaigns - People spend
approximately twice as much time online each day as they do reading a newspaper. 7 billion
of transactions are carried out on the internet each year (excluding pornography) and DVDs
are the most popular item purchased online. Many DVD buyers do their research online even
if they buy through traditional outlets.
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Target audience
The trailer's placement gives an indication of the target audience, one which is a difficult
market for advertisers at the moment: teens and, more specifically, young adults. These
groups are becoming hard to reach for advertisers who rely on conventional methods.
Young adults tend not to watch TV on a predictable, regular basis and often have access to
multi-channel cable television which fragments the audience across a range of channels.
Devices like Sky+ mean they can record television programmes, watch them when they
choose and fast-forward through any advertising. Alternative methods of viewing television
programmes also make this audience hard to find. 'On demand'. downloads and YouTube
split the audience further and this is the generation that is likely to wait to buy television
programmes and films on DVD rather than watch them in traditional settings surrounded by
advertising.
Alternative advertising methods were needed if Cloverfield was going to be able to attract
the attention of the group of people who could be used to help make the film a success in the
cinema. A specialised online and computer savvy audience was specifically targeted as their
interaction with the marketing was vital in the film generating interest from another valuable
audience group, the mainstream movie-goer. The story of Cloverfield's marketing shows how
the online audience was used to create a buzz about the film to support a more traditional
marketing campaign.
In addition a widget was available for download from the website. This piece of software
could be attached to MySpace pages, blogs etc. and contained the first five minutes of the
film with an introduction by JJ Abrams. To download and use the widget people needed to
register their contact details.
This registration immediately entered people into a competition based on who managed to
distribute the widget to the most people; a direct encouragement of more 'word of mouth'
marketing.
with this much interest it was almost inevitable that people are gonna want to know how it
all went down.
Tagruato's corporate homepage looks like a conventional business website even down to
experiencing hacks by 'eco-terrorists' It appeared that Slusho's key ingredient, 'seabed nectar',
might not be entirely safe. The site reported that a drilling rig in the Atlantic Ocean had been
mysteriously destroyed.'TV reports' based on mobile phone footage showed huge chunks of
debris being hurled from the sinking rig although there was no explanation for this
phenomenon. Pictures from the scene were added to www.1-01-08.com.
There's more...
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Cloverfield 2?
Could the actual film Cloverfield be just another element in a complex marketing campaign?
Is the film an expensive advert for yet another product still to be made? There are online
rumours already about a Cloverfield 2 with theories ranging from the sequel being told from
another victim's perspective (plenty of people can be seen filming events in the film) or from
a military or reporter's point of view. Maybe Cloverfield 2 will be a standard blockbuster
movie with omniscient narration and a solid resolution. At this point the 'truth' is irrelevant.
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What is important is that people are talking about a potential second film and so the viral
campaign has already begun.
Q4. Why do you think Cloverfield was such a successful movie? In your opinion what
was particularly attractive about its marketing campaign. Go to the websites listed in
the case study to see if theyre still live. Film likes Wedding Video, Paranormal Activity
and End of Watch have used the found-footage format more recently? How have they
been marketed? Do you think this format is beginning to become tired?
Film can always be turned into video, regardless of what DRM you choose to use. Sure,
DRM makes it harder, but when there's a will, there's always a way and you lose your
viewers trust in the process if you choose to make their lives more difficult. As we saw a few
weeks ago with the HD-DVD hack, once information is out there, there's no bringing it back.
Once it's digital, it can be copied and reformatted to make searching difficult. It's much faster
to copy than it is to clean up copies, for better and for worse. DRM will never protect film
but it will alienate consumers. DRM does slow the flow of content, which can benefit big
blockbusters but makes independent film even more obscure. For example, there's no point
in crippling a trailer with flash DRM. Trailers are advertisements. Put it up on YouTube,
Revver, MySpace, everywhere you can think of... provide the code for people to copy/paste
your trailer into their blogs and MySpaces. If people like it and want to pass it on, encourage
them! Copy/paste! The more people who hear about your film, the better.
I bring up DRM because as we think of the audiences of tomorrow, we need to think of ways
to engage them, not alienate and control them. There's a lot of creativity in this room. Why
put it into trying to maintain status quo rather than taking things to the next level?
By and large, we treat the Internet as another broadcast medium where you push content at
people. In other words, we're still aiming to localize rather than to co-opt. A better way of
conceiving it is as a public space where people want to pull content in to personalize it,
identify with it, and share it. It is no secret that we're not yet sure how to monetize this
practice, but efforts to stop it are like trying to build gigantic walls after planes were
invented.
Youth are online to hang out with friends... they use media to jockey for status and
socialize with their peers.
Youth do not and will not consume media whole in a passive way.. the more they are
able, the deeper they were engage. This means remix, chopping it and sharing it.
Building walls to stop deep engagement scares off fans and never actually closes the
loophole.
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It is time for the film industry to innovate rather than trying to control. Many new
opportunities lie ahead.
Q5. To what extent do you agree with the statement that the audience of tomorrow is
online? What examples from your own consumption of films and media lead you
towards the internet? Write a paragraph answering each of these questions.
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