US Film Industry

British Cinema and Hollywood

British film production companies have co-production and distribution with Hollywood studios

‘British’ films can be funded and distributed by US companies (Fifth Estate)

Decisions on which British films to produce and how to market them are often based on the tastes of both domestic and American audiences and they have very set ideas about what it means to be ‘British’

Hollywood – a brief overview

Hollywood is built around studios and conglomerates

Companies who aim to make money from films

WHAT IS A CONGLOMERATE?

a corporation consisting of a number of subsidiary companies or divisions in a variety of unrelated industries, usually as a result of merger or acquisition.

They are VERY big companies that have often brought up or taken over smaller companies

The BIG TEN

Vertical Integration

Where a company will own/control all the steps in the production process

For example AOL Time Warner owns not just the Production companies and their distribution arms, it also owns TV networks, magazines, record labels, radio stations. So it is in a position to not only make and distribute films, but has the ability to play and promote them through other media forms.

Horizontal Integration

Where one step in the production process is own by a very small number of companies

For example, AOL Time Warner owns Warner Brothers Studios, Castle Rock Entertainment , New line Cinemas and Fineline features, all of which are Production and distribution Companies. Many companies try to do this, but it is dominated by the big 6

What is a MONOPOLY?

exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices.

No or very little competition!This is the Hollywood system and it has serious

draw backs for British companiesWhat might they be?

The Illusion of Choice

Info graphic

Disney

Time Warner

News Corp

CONSEQUENCES OF CONGLOMERATES

Media become loyal to sponsors, rather than to the public interest.

For the general public, there are fewer diverse opinions and voices available.

Only a few companies represent the interests of a minority elite control.

For minorities and others, fewer opportunities are available for voicing their concerns and reaching the public.

Healthy, market-based competition is absent, leading to slower innovation and increased prices.

Hollywood and British Films

Hollywood realised that there is serious money to be made in international distribution so they invest heavily

They retain the rights to their films so secure profits for many years

British film industry is production led whereby distribution is usually through an American company

Any money made is not going back into the British film industry

‘Cottage’ industry

Britain vs Hollywood

How do American successes compare to Britain's?

Activity – Find out……

What did you notice? What does this tell us?

UK 2010

UK 2011

UK - 2012

UK 2013

UK 2014

US 2010

US 2011

US - 2012

Us - 2013

US - 2014

What did you notice? What does this tell us?

Questions

What are the advantages of Hollywood’s domination?

What are the disadvantages of Hollywood’s domination

What is good about having a British Film Industry?