Evaluation question 3 BY TATUM EVANS

Local Odeon

What is on at the Guildford Odeon?

At our local Guildford Odeon we have viewed the films which are currently showing. For our genre, thriller, it is clear that January is not a popular time for a thriller film to be released at the moment. The most popular genres showing at the Odeon are romance and comedy. This may be because at this time of the year it is leading towards Valentines day and it is post Christmas and New years, therefore everyone wants to be uplifted instead of watching a fast moving film. Moreover, if our film was to be released at this time of the year it is unlikely to find out target audience because of the genre being less popular.

Hollywood Vs British films In large cinemas, such as the Odeon or Vue, the movies which are shown

are very mainstream audiences which go to look at movies which are Hollywood dominated. Hollywood films are big budget movies compared to smaller films like ours. They can afford to pay for much more expensive and higher quality equipment that will make their films editing and camerawork much more intriguing for the mainstream audience. This compared to our low budget film shows that our local Odeon is more likely to show larger movies with well known Hollywood stars which are idolised by most audiences. In most large cinemas they have around 9 screening rooms which all use digital technology to pay the movie, if there are too many films at the time wanting to release then the cinema will also think about how much money they will make from playing a high budget film compared to a low budget – most likely people will come to watch a high budget because it may have been advertised on the TV.

Independent cinemas

Picturehouse

Picturehouse cinemas

Picturehouse is an independent cinema which have several locations in the London area. The majority of the cinemas are small and have three screenings. Most movies which are shown are aimed at a niche audience, a small group of people with a particular interest in a movie. This is why independent cinemas like Picturehouse are a good idea for low-budget film like ‘Puppets’. Picturehouse also does Hollywood films with big actors as well as smaller independent movies, therefore people who watch the Hollywood movies at Picturehouse may then see the independent movies advertised and take an interest in them. It can give unknown directors a chance to become noticed, especially since Picturehouse is owned by the large chain of Cineworld. The company also runs its own film distribution company, Picturehouse Entertainment. This will help directors become stars and be able to create more big motion pictures.

The Electric Cinema

The Electric Cinema

The electric cinema is one of the oldest cinemas in the UK. They show a mixture of mainstream and independent movies which are the latest. This gives independent, low-budget films a chance from the mainstream audience to see independent movies advertised and hopefully take notice – just like Picturehouse.

It could give the producers and even actors in the movie a chance to become stars and even go on to make their own mainstream movies. Cinemas like the electric cinema imply to low budget indie films that they can become big because all Hollywood movies did start off with an independent director.

Large cinemas like the Vue and Odeon don’t take independent films, only Hollywood, therefore cinemas like Picturehouse and The Electric Cinema are perfect to have our video shown there.

Film Festivals

UK film festivals

BFI film festival

BFI film festival is one of London's largest film events. The festival helps independent directors get noticed, help emerge them and become known in the film industry. It allows the public to see important and exciting new talents which may not make it into the British cinemas. It is aimed for unknown directors who are trying to peruse a passion or hobby in film making.

They are now joined by professional film critics and judges which then offer the producer and director some favourable feedback on what they can improve or what they have enjoyed.

Thriller Films shown on TV

Film4 – top thriller films shown

All the films on the previous slide are the top thriller films which are mainly shown on Film4. The thriller genre is very popularly viewed when played on the channel, making it more likely for a low-budget, independent thriller film like ours to become a big picture film.

Also, a lot of people are going onto the TV to watch videos on demand. This gives a target audience for a specific genre an easy access to the types of films they want to watch – however, the audience have to pay to be able to get all the movies on demand.

Young Filmmakers Competition

CineMagic

CineMagic

This young filmmakers competition gives all young people from the age of 12 to 25 with a passion in media a opportunity to peruse their hobby. It is not judged about how much money is spent on making the film because most people are on a low-budget. It is accessible to make the film and an easy way to get recognised. The competition is a way of motivating whilst also educating the younger generation.

The younger generation can make a mark on some of the judges who could then pass their knowledge of the young people onto professionals.

Internet websites

Netflix and Amazon Prime

Netflix and Amazon Prime

By using the internet to watch movies it means that people are most likely needing to pay a fee to have access to these sites. But most people pay this because the sites have lots of Hollywood movies as well as a few independent. This gives movies like mine a chance to be seen along side expensive movies. People can log onto Netflix or Amazon Prime not expecting a particular movie but just search for a genre they want, if thriller than it could come up with ours.

Illegal downloading

Illegal downloading

Putlocker

Sites like Putlocker are illegal to use, however, for low budget films it is perfect because you don’t have to pay to put your movie on the internet. Most teenagers use Putlocker to watch movies these days, therefore they are most likely to stumble across the low- budget movies here then anywhere else.

Where could ‘Puppets’ be shown?

Independent cinema Vs Odeon

The difference between a mainstream cinema like Odeon and an independent cinema like Picturehouse is that the Odeon only focuses on films with famous actors and with better equipment (cameras). Moreover, the Odeon will not show a low-budget film like mine whereas independent cinemas are known for more indie films.

BBC Vs Film4

Film4 is a channel which shows more of a range of film genres including thrillers, family, mystery, comedy, romance, etc... Therefore, the audience are more likely to expect a range and not look on Film4 for a particular film unless it has been advertised. However, it is less likely for a thriller to be shown on BBC because that channel is more for family orientated or for more scheduled programmes, like EastEnders.

Which institution is most realistic?

In my opinion…

There are lots of different opportunities for low-budget films, like our film Puppets. I feel that the there could be more than one way of distributing our film. By entering a filmmakers competition it means that there can be favourable feedback which would give us the opportunity to take this into consideration and then take it to an independent cinema. Also, by having ‘Puppets’ being put onto Netflix will make it be seen by a wider audience who aren’t in the local area. Hopefully more reviews will be made at all of these different platforms, so people will take more notice of the movie and us who produced it. It may help us get through to professionals who can help the film become big and any other oncoming films which may be made in the future.