Case Study:Independent British Film

G322 – Audience and

Institutions

Prepared by www.alevelmedia.co.uk

Context/History• A movie spin-off from a successful series from E4.• The Inbetweeners enjoyed 3 seasons on E4 and was

the most successful in terms of viewings for a digital channel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E4_(channel)

The Film

• On its first day of release, The Inbetweeners Movie grossed over £2.5 million in 409 cinemas, outperforming Cowboys and Aliens.[6] The film then went on to set a new record for the most successful opening weekend ever achieved by a comedy film in the UK, overtaking Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and The Hangover Part II after earning £13,200,000. It retained its number 1 position in the UK film charts for 4 weeks, finally being overtaken by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on 16 September 2011. As of November 20, 2011, the film's total box office gross is £45,028,695.

Taken from wikipedia

• Such impressive box office figures were no accident: this was a well planned production that relied upon a loyal fan base and effective use of distribution and marketing, utilising many tie-ins and PR opportunities.

This presentation aims to examine some of the

factors that producers and distributors would have

considered before embarking on the project.

Pre-production• The companies involved (detail)• Bwark Films (aquired by Zodiak Media in July 2011)

production company• Young Films (joint producer) who had previously

backed less successful films but always been involved as producer of Inbetweeners TV show.

• Entertainment Film Distributors (distributed the film in the UK for theatrical release) website

• Channel 4 had DVD and TV rights to the film• Film 4 have rental rights through 4OD until the film

is screened on UK TV.

Bwark Films

Entertainment Film Distributors• The UK’s leading

independent Film Distributor.

• The company was founded in 1978 and has showed continuing growth and success since that time distributing a wide range of product and building a significant film library.

• Whilst Entertainment Film Distributors had the rights to the film for cinema exhibition, Channel 4 retained the rights for sales on the DVD market.

Audiences• Participation was widely encouraged amongst

the target audience to create an online buzz. http://www.e4.com/inbetweeners/film-application.html

• Stories – the importance of web 2.0 and interactive secondary audience appeal.

• http://www.e4.com/inbetweeners/stories.html • Fan Photos – a text that offers verisimilitude?• https://www.e4.com/The+Inbetweeners/doitand

win/086dd56911b2f68d72d7d326f17c9f06/entry-terms.e4

Primary Audience• Those that enjoyed the TV series.

Mostly 15-25 in age to signify those approaching sixth form and those who just left university.

• The release date of the summer holidays (and DVD release at Christmas) allowed many of them to go and see the film at the cinema/watch on DVD over festive period. A lack of sporting events and poor British summer would also have supported this.

• Audience reviews here

Suburban Audiences• The most popular cinemas screening The

Inbetweeners Movie did not come from inner city multiplexes, but cinemas in suburban areas; Kent, Crawley and Romford featured in the top 10 cinema revenues for this film. This links to the TV series, set in suburbia, and the target audiences identification with narrative.

International Audiences?

• Whilst performing relatively okay in Europe, the film wasn’t a success across the border, although the series TV rights have reportedly been sold to MTV. This review from an American site clearly highlights the contrasting ideologies of the UK and USA.

• Given that Bwark Films has now been acquired by Zodiak Media, we may not have seen the last of The Inbetweeners Brand, although not how you and I remember it. This article might give some clues.

• What about Will’s mum?

Marketing and Use of Web 2.0

Trailers• From the E4 Website http://www.e4.com/video/TQj4bO65vLVw6gPaXvfyVm/play.e4

• The same version or variations of the trailer were also available across platforms such as Youtube.

Marketing• The role of the marketing

department is to:• Create visibility• Generate a buzz (word of

mouth)• Get poster designed• Produce the trailers• Demonstrate a good use of

the internet.

Audience Consumption

• 4OD – also links to the main website• http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-i

nbetweeners/4od

• Triple Play• http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inbetweeners-Mov

ie-Triple-Blu-ray-Digital/dp/B005CUB48K/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1329839314&sr=1-2

Home Exhibition

• http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/mpd/permalink/m2UUZQBGF1U7TF/ref=ent_fb_link

• On December 12, 2011, The Inbetweeners Movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK by 4DVD, with the latter version sold as a triple pack containing both formats along with a digital copy of the film. Both versions include a number of special features, such as a making-of documentary, footage from the film's London premiere, various deleted scenes, cast commentaries and a blooper reel.[11] The Blu-ray release also features an extended cut of the film that restores approximately four minutes of material omitted from the theatrical release, most notably an additional scene in which Will and Simon encounter a drunken Mr. Gilbert on a Malia stag weekend.

Strategic DVD release• Following its appearance in UK stores, the DVD quickly

became a major financial success. Within less than a week, the film became the third fastest-selling British home media release of 2011 after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, with approximately 575,000 copies sold in the first day of its release.[12]

• By December 17, estimated sales reached one million, resulting in the film displacing the home media release of Paul as one of the five best-selling DVDs of the year in the UK.[13][14]

• Asda released the film with a bonus disc consisting of video diaries from the cast.

Reflection• http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/j

an/10/the-inbetweeners-movie-britflicks-film

• Lots of journalists compared the film to that of American Pie, somewhat outdated although others say it has stolen the thunder for upcoming American Pie Reunion (May 2012).

• http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/dec/18/inbetweeners-movie-faces-2011-comedy

Synergy• http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/mpd/permalink/m2D6

A9W0BGGYQ6/ref=ent_fb_link

• Year book release.• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-1509

4047

• Competition entry http://www.channel4.com/play-win/inbetweeners/moviecomp.html

Cross Media-Publicity

• http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/inbetweeners-talk-to-absolute/id457852314?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Publicity

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2026808/The-Inbetweeners-cast-celebrate-film-premiere-beautiful-girls-screaming-crowds.html

Tie-ins• http://www.fdin.org.uk/

2011/07/golden-wonder-the-nations-noodles-unveils-inbetweeners-partnership/

• And not to forget . . . http://www.themerchandisingshop.co.uk/shop/shop/product_list.php?shopid=466