INSTITUTIONS AND AUDIENCES

FILM INDUSTRYPRODUCTION – AUD, SYN, CMC

& Proliferation

RECAP

What do the following terms mean?- Synergy- Cross-media convergence- Proliferation

- a sudden increase in the amount or number of something

NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGY

The emergence of digital, computerised, or networked information and communication technologies in the later part of the 20th century.

How do you use digital technology to produce media? How do you use digital technology to consume media?

SYNERGY IN PRODUCTION HOLLYWOOD EXAMPLES

SPIDER-MAN

Can you think of any other examples of synergy you have seen in the production of films?

Convergence and Synergy

Here is a good example of converged media aliens.

Before the film

Before Aliens was a film it was a sci fi comic in the 60’s and 70’s.

Then the Toys

The comics then converged with a toy company to make various toys of the aliens like these ones to the right.

Then came the films

The comic then converged with films to make the iconic sci fi/horror aliens.

Then the novels

Even know there were comics before the films, novels converged with the films to make fan fiction after the films.

And the games

Then many games companies such as rebellion and Aklaim converged with the films to make games.

FIND EXAMPLES OF SYNERGY FIND EXAMPLES OF SYNERGY in Film 4 filmsin Film 4 films

• You have 10 minutes to find as many examples of synergy as you can.

• Be as creativecreative as possible with your examples – the more bizarre the piece of synergous merchandise the better!

• Present your examples as a collagecollage on a PowerPoint slide. Underneath each picture say the film it’s promoting and what the product is.

• Do notDo not just search ‘film synergy’. Try searching for a film title and a piece of merchandise e.g. ‘Lion King T-Shirt’. Or simply ‘Film T-Shirt’.

• AND REMEMBER – A DVD IS NOT AN EXAMPLE OF SYNERGY IN AND REMEMBER – A DVD IS NOT AN EXAMPLE OF SYNERGY IN MARKETING.MARKETING.

CROSS MEDIA CONVERGENCE IN Hollywood PRODUCTION AN EXAMPLE

STAR WARS EPISODE I – THE PHANTOM MENACE

THE FILM THE GAME

Can you think of any other examples of cross-media convergence you have seen in the production of films?

Cross Media Convergence in Film 4 films??

WHERE CAN WE SEE THIS WHERE CAN WE SEE THIS TRAILER?TRAILER?

Hunger (Dir. Steve McQueen, 2008)

-TV (Film 4, Channel 4)

-Cinema (would usually only be attached to other independent films)

-Film 4 productions website

-Official film website (www.hungerthemovie.co.uk)

- www.youtube.com and other content sharing sites

-Countless fan or review sites

Which of these are examples of Which of these are examples of new media technology being used new media technology being used to market a film?to market a film?

Which of these are an example of Which of these are an example of cross-media convergence?cross-media convergence?

FILM 4 AND NEW MEDIA FILM 4 AND NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGY?TECHNOLOGY?

•You have 10 minutes to log onto two Film 4 films’ websites.

You must:•Make a list of all the marketing features on the website•Which site do you think is most effective and why?•How could the website be used more effectively to engage the audience and generate word of mouth?

www.hungerthemovie.co.uk

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/slumdogmillionaire/

ADVANTAGES FOR FILM 4 OF ADVANTAGES FOR FILM 4 OF NMTNMT

• Can target a wider audience (basically the whole world) through their website

• Allows the audience to access more information about the film than a simple trailer or poster would

• Brings together whole marketing campaign in one location• Is far cheaper than traditional print or video based advertising• Can link off of other Channel 4 owned outlets e.g. the official Film 4 site

DIFFICULTIES FOR FILM 4 OF DIFFICULTIES FOR FILM 4 OF NMTNMT

• Audience need to go looking for official website therefore must already have some awareness of the film.

• Pop-up advertising or advertising hosted on another site is easily ignored and can be as expensive as some print/video advertising

• Requires audience to have internet• Difficult for indie films to stand out against sophisticated Hollywood

marketing campaign.

HOLLYWOOD AND NMT – HOLLYWOOD AND NMT – VIRAL MARKETINGVIRAL MARKETING

•Viral marketing is a marketing strategy that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily through new media technology.•Viral promotions may take the form of video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, ebooks, software, images, or even text messages. Why would using these techniques help a film-Why would using these techniques help a film-maker generate fantastic word-of-mouth?maker generate fantastic word-of-mouth?

ALTERNATIVE REALITY GAME ALTERNATIVE REALITY GAME WHY SO SERIOUS?WHY SO SERIOUS?

The most advanced type of viral marketing is the Alternative Reality Game. An ARG is an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a platform, often involving multiple media and game elements, to tell a story that may be affected by participants' ideas or actions.

In Spring 2007 Warner Bros launched an ARG Why So Serious to help promote the release of The Dark Knight the following summer. Players had to follow a scavenger hunt, interacting with a variety of purpose built websites and finding clues to gain more information about the film. Those that succesfully completed the scavenger hunt won free tickets to a preview screening of The Dark Knight.

MARKETING DURING MARKETING DURING PRODUCTION USING NMT?PRODUCTION USING NMT?

Nowadays many films market during production, sometimes even before actual shooting has begun.

This could take the form of video-diaries from the production company or teaser trailers, attached to other films or accessible on sites like youtube.

How could this type of marketing allow the audience unparrelled influence How could this type of marketing allow the audience unparrelled influence over the content of the film?over the content of the film?

http://www.spidermanmovieblog.com/archives/2007/05/michael_moore_assistant_direct.php

AUDIENCE IMPACTAUDIENCE IMPACT

• Generate far more word of mouth in the audience without the use of expensive advertising

• Audience may not actually see any footage from film during a viral campaign, or may have to work hard to access it.

• Allows audience to interact with marketing campaign, creating even greater interest in the film

• Allows campaign to build slowly, carefully increasing awareness and audience anticipation of a new film

• Allows all advertising material for a film to be accessed in one place – at the audience’s convenience

• Gives audience a previously unheard of opportunity to influence the content of a film production.

RECAP• There are examples of synergy in production in

many films, especially those made in Hollywood.• Why do we see so few examples of synergy in the

production stage of Film 4 films?

• Cross media convergence is seen in the production of many Hollywood films, especially those aimed at children.

• Why do we see so few examples of cross-media convergence in the production stage of Film 4 films?

• What are the differences in funding between a typical Hollywood, independent and Film 4 film?

Recap – 15 min

• How does New Media Technology impact how films are produced?

• How does New Media impact on how films are consumed

• How has the proliferation and relatively low cost of digital production equipment blurred the lines between film audiences and film producers?

• How might the internet allow film audiences to influence films whilst they are still production, in a way they would never have been able to before?

• Can you think of any negative comments film audiences could make about the digital revolution in film-making?

HOMEWORK Reminder: 2 x exam questions ‘TV Drama’off blog http://hasntvdrama.blogspot.com/ by HALF TERM

Due in today: 1.New Media Technology Worksheet2.How has digital technology affected the film industry?

HOMEWORK TASK

Due in Monday on blog OR printed out on paper OR emailed.

“What impact has digital media technology had on the production company you have studied.” Spend 45 minutes on it.