Attack The Block

Attack The Block

In an interview with Joe Cornish, he says that the movie is based mainly on film about aliens, gangster films and also fantasy films.

The main problem that he was faced with when making the film was the extremely low budget he was faced with and with the money he had Cornish could not afford to use lots of technology and film the movie in 3D so he was faced just to record in 2D and also use older editing techniques to try to save money.

Joe Cornish's views on the British film industry was that not enough young break though actors were being cast in films and he wanted to change this so he auditioned for 11 actors all under or around the age of 16. this also made the story seen more realistic as the actors were actually playing characters their own age and not trying to pull of being different ages which would have been more difficult and would not have worked as well.

The soundtrack for Attack The Block was written and recorded by the electronic dance group Basement Jaxx, 20 songs were recorded for the whole movie in total. Having this type of music made the movie seen more real because it fitted well with the stereotype of all young people  that live in city suburbs listen to hip hop and electronic music.

The movie was promoted by showing adverts on TV and also by having lots of posters up everywhere, for example having them on the side of buses lets lots of people see the add. the bigger characters and also the directors and producers would also have done interviews to promote the film. 

Working Title

1. Who were the co-founders of Working Title? -  The company was founded by Tim Bevam and Sarah Radcyffe.2. When was the company founded? - Working Title films was founded in 1983.3. Where is working title based? -The company is based in London but has other offices located in Ireland and Los Angeles.4. Who are the co-chairpersons of working title now? - Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are now joint owners of the Working Title.5. What awards have Working Title won? - Working Title have won two Academy awards for, "Atonement" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age".6. How many full time staff does Working Title employ? - Working Titlt currently employ 42 full time working staff.7. What is Working Title's philosophy? - They aim to make european films feature to a worldwide audience.8. List 5 box office hits that Working Title have made. - Shaun of the dead, Tinker tailor soldier spy, Johnny English reborn and Hot Fuzz.9. List 5 flops that Working Title have made - Thunderbirds, Green Zone, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, The Boat That Rocked, Wimbledon.10.  What is Richard Curtis’ relationship with Working Title? - He has directed many of Working Title's films that have been produced and became a success.11.  List 2 famous directors that Working Title have worked with? - Kirk Jones and Richard Curtis.12.  What is Hugh Grant’s relationship with Working Title? - He has worked with Working Title on numerous occasions and starred in many of their films, mainly romcom's, as he believes there is something about the company that sets it apart from all others.13.   Find out about the Coen Brothers (films, genres, status) and what do they have to do withWorking Title? - The Coen brothers are American filmmakers. They write, direct, and produce their films that are known for their dry humour and amazing visuals. They have worked with Working Title on numerous occasions, on their films.14. Who owns 67% of Working Title films? When did this happen? Why did this happen? - Universal Studio's own 67% of Working Title, as PolyGram films was merged and sold to Universal Studios in 1999.15.   List two of Working Title big blockbuster films and find out their budgets. - Notting Hill - £46 million. Bridget Jones' Diary £26 million.16.  What genre of films is Working Title most famous for? - most famous for comedy films.17.  What other genres do Working Title films like to make? - family, romantic, action, comedy.18.  Find out as much as you can about WT2? (when established, films made, budgets, awards) - WT2 is a subsidiary company to deal with low budget titles, and since 1999 has been run by Natasha Wharton and has made films such as Billy Elliot and Ali G In Da House.19.   What information can you find out about Working Title through their web page? - you can find out various information such as their upcoming movies and their trailers, and news.20.  Find out one other interesting fact about Working Title that you would like to share with the class. - working title have a budget of £35 million to work with, if they need more they have to ask universal for it. 

Selected Key Terms for Institutions and Audiences - The Film Industry

Selected Key Terms for Institutions and Audiences - The Film Industry

Selected Key Terms for Institutions and Audience

An institution (in the film industry)

Definition: any company or organisation that produces, distributes or exhibits films. The BBC makes films with their BBC Films arm; Channel4's Film Four produces films, Working Title also produce films, as does Vertigo Films, etc. Some institutions need to join with other institutions which distribute films. Vertigo Films is able to distribute its own films, Channel Four distributed Slumdog Millionaire through Pathe. Working Title's distribution partner is Universal, a huge US company which can make, distribute and show films. The type of owner ship within an institution matters as, for instance, Channel 4 and the BBC are able to show their own films at an earlier stage than other films made by other institutions. They are also better placed to cross-promote their in-house films within their media organisations. Use you work on Film Four as the basis for most of what you write, Moon is a good cross comparison as Duncan Jones had to create his own institution just to get the film made.


Distribution and Marketing

Definition: the business of getting films to their audiences by booking them for runs into cinemas and taking them there in vans or through digital downloads; distributors also create the marketing campaign for films producing posters, trailers, websites, organise free previews, press packs, television interviews with the "talent", sign contracts for promotions, competitions, etc. Distributors use their know-how and size to ensure that DVDs of the film end up in stores and on supermarket shelves. Distributors also obtain the BBFC certificate, and try to get films released as the most favourable times of the year for their genre, etc.


Examples:
Universal distributed Working Title's The Boat That Rocked; Pathe distributedFilm4 and Celadors' Slumdog Millionaire after the original US distributor, Warner Independent went out of business. TRONwas heavily marketed across a variety of mediums, Moon struggled to get press attention and Duncan Jones had to really push the film  in obscure places like Popular Mechanics etc. The Kings Speech was distributed by Momentum (a susiduary of Aliance films) who are a major independent film distributor.


Exhibition
Definition: showing films in cinemas or on DVD. Media attention through opening nights and premieres How the audience can see the film: in cinemas, at home, on DVD, through downloads, through television, including premieres, the box office take in the opening weeks; audience reviews which includes those of the film critics, ordinary people, cinemas runs; awards in festivals, The Oscars, BAFTAS, etc.


Examples:
Slumdog Millionaire almost never got distribution. Its early US distributor, Warner Independent was a victim of the economic downturn and went out of business. The film's makers then struggled to find a distributor! Then Fox Searchlight stepped up and "the rest is history". The 8 out of 10 Oscarnomination wins ensured that the film has been the greatest British success in awards and in box office for nearly 60years.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/boyle-reveals-slumdog-millionaire-was-nearly-never-made-1331821.html

Motherhood took just £86!
Moon. Initially Sony Pictures Worldwide were due to distribute the film but they specialise in straight to DVD features. Following positive reaction following its Sundance film festival the rights were acquired by Sony Classic Pictures who gave the film a limited release in the US in Cities like New York and LA.

Exchange

Definition: The unintended use of an institution’s media text (i.e. a film) by OTHER PEOPLE who use the film or parts of it to form new texts. What happens to a film, etc. after the public get their hands on it using digital technology.  

Examples:
People unconnected to the institution/ film using WEB 2.0 applications such as YOUTUBE, Blogger, Amazon film message boards, TWITTER, Face-Book, discuss the film or edit parts of together to form a new text which the may then put a new soundtrack to and publish on YOUTUBE, etc. When you add a trailer from a site like YouTube on your blog you have been engaging with exchange. Look back to MArk Kermodes video regarding piracy and the new release strategies for films like Ken Loach's "Route Irish" (Loach has reportedly steeled himself for a frosty response from critics and anticipates an underwhelming box office, noting the difficulty he faced securing a distribution deal. Though pragmatic in his view that “people don’t make films to communicate; they make it as a commodity”,an unorthodox release strategy utilising Sky Movies Premier - which will place the film (and by extension, its subject matter) in a wider public sphere than it might otherwise have reached – suggests he hasn’t given up on pedagogy entirely.) or the Jack Ass 3 release on DVD and Sky Box Office.


Vertical and Horizontal Integration

Definition: Absorption into a single firm of several firms involved in all aspects of a product's manufacture from raw materials to distribution.


Example:
Vivendi Universal have integrated film, music, web and distribution technology into the company, including owning big stakes in cables and wires that deliver these services. Therefore they are vertically integrated because they own all the different companies involved in film, from production to distribution to exhibition. They are also horizontally integrated because they have all the expertise for producing media content under one roof – films, TV, magazines, books, music, games thus being able to produce all the related media content for one film under the same roof (see synergy). This is important for the control the institution has over their product/film.


Synergy/Synergies  

Definition: The interaction of two or more agents (institutions/companies) to ensure a larger effect than if they acted independently. This is beneficial for each company through efficiencies in expertise and costs. 

 

Examples:
Working Title know how to make films and they have formed a business partnership with Universal, a massive US company, who have the experience and size in the marketplace (cinemas, stores, online, etc.) to distribute them. (They create the marketing campaign to target audiences through posters, trailers, create the film’s website, free previews, television and press interviews featuring “the talent”, drum up press reviews, word of mouth, and determine when a film is released for the best possible audience and the type of release: limited, wide, etc.) Channel Four’s Film 4 and Celador Films(Celador also produce Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and films, too) benefited by pooling their know-how, experience and expertise to jointly produce Slumdog Millionaire. These companies formed a business relationship with France’s Pathe to distribute this film. In the UK Pathe helped create the poster, trailer, website, etc. In the USA the film found another distributor after being nominated for the Oscars.


Viral Marketing

Definition: A marketing technique aiming at reproducing "word of mouth" usually on the internet and through existing social networks. YouTube Video pastiches, trailers, interviews with cast members, the director, writer, etc. You can find interviews of “the talent” trying to gain publicity for your case study films on YouTube. Find some clips from the films we have studied to help you in the exam.
Guerilla MarketingDefinition: The use of unconventional and low cost marketing strategies to raise awareness of a product. The aim is usually to create “buzz” and “word of mouth” around a film. Unusual stunts to gain publicity (P.R.) on the film’s opening weekend, etc.

Examples:
Sasha Baron Cohen created “buzz” before the release of his film “Borat” by holding fake press conferences. The studio also accessed the popularity of YouTube by releasing the first 4 minutes of the movie on YouTube, a week before it’s release, which can then be sent virally across the nation. At a special viewing of “Bruno” Cohen landed on Eminem “butt first” from the roof MTV Awards venue, dressed in as an angel outfit with rents in the rear end.


Media Convergence
Definition 1: Convergence of media occurs when multiple products come together to form one product with the advantages of all of them. 

 

Examples:
More and more films are being marketed on the Internet and on mobile phones. You no longer need even to buy the DVDs or CDs as you can download films and music directly to your laptop, Mac or PC. Blue Ray DVDs can carry more features than ordinary DVDs and can be played on HD televisions and in home cinemas for enhanced/cinematic picture quality. You can save films on SKY digital, Free-box digital players, etc. You mobile phone has multiple features and applications. With media and technological convergence this is growing year on year. Play-Stations, X-Boxes and the Wii can can connect with the Internet and you can play video games with multiple players.


Technological ConvergenceDefinition 2: The growing interractive use of digital technology in the film industry and media which enables people to share, consume and produce media that was difficult or impossible just a few years earlier.

Examples:
For instance, the use of new software to add special effects in editing; the use of blue-screen; using new types of digital cameras like the one Danny Boyle used in “Slumdog Millionaire” (The Silicon Imaging Camera to shoot high quality film in tight spaces); you can use the Internet to download a film rather than go see it in the cinema; you can watch it on YouTube; you can use special editing programs like Final Cut Pro to edit bits of a film, give it new soundtrack and upload it on YouTube; you can produce illegal, pirate copies on DVDs from downloads and by converting the film’s format; you can buy Blue Ray DVDs with greater compression which allows superior viewing and more features on the DVD; distributors can use digital software to create high concept posters; cinemas can download films to their projection screens and do not have to depend on a van dropping off the film! The is also the Digital Screen Network. There are tons of ways in which technological convergence affects the production, distribution, exhibition and exchange by prosumers. ( A prosumer is someone who not only consumes (watches films) but also writes about them the Net, blogs and make films out of them, often uploading them on sites like YouTube, etc.

A Mainstream Film

Definition: A high budget film that would appeal to most segments of an audience: the young, boys, girls, teenagers, young people, the middle aged, older people, the various classes in society. Distributors often spend as much or more than the film cost to make when distributing mainstream films that are given wide or universal releases.


Example:The Boat That Rocked was a mainstream idea and was given the mainstream treatment on wide release. The film flopped at the UK box office on release ( and has not done too well since mid November 2009 on release in the USA. This was mostly because of its poor reviews, particularly from “Time-Out”. However, when young and older audiences see the DVD they generally like the film because of its uplifting storyline and the well-chosen soundtrack.


Art House Films

Definition: A low budget independent film that would mostly appeal to an educated, higher class audience who follow unusual genres or like cult directors that few people have heard of. Therefore it is usually aimed at a niche market. Foreign films often come under this category.


Examples:
The low budget film, Once (2007) which found a specialised, boutique distributor in Fox Searchlight fits this label. (FOX the mainstream company usually distributes big budget film and blockbusters); So does “Juno” from 2008 which began as a low budget film about teenage pregnancy that the big studios thought too risky to touch – but it found popularity through its touching storyline, engaging music and its Oscar nomination for best script. Like “Slumdog Millionaire” the film crossed over between art-house cinemas and audiences to mainstream ones because of the recognition it received from Canadian film festivals and award ceremonies like Britain’s BAFTAS and the Hollywood’s Oscars.


Ratings bodies BBFC - The British Board of Film Classification

How your institutions films are rated will affect audiences in so far as WHO can see them. Remember that sex scenes, offensive language, excessive violence, the use of profanity, etc. can affect the rating and certificate the film receives and therefore affect who is able to see the film.

Male Gaze

The Male Gaze

In our lesson last week we learnt about the male gaze. We were asked to find the definitions for these looks.

Marjorie Ferguson (1980) identified four types of facial expression in the cover photos of British women’s magazines:

Chocolate Box: half or full-smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera. Projected mood: blandly pleasing, warm bath warmth, where uniformity of features in their smooth perfection is devoid of uniqueness or of individuality.

Invitational: emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. Projected mood: suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise, the cover equivalent of advertising’s soft sell.

Super-smiler: full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. Projected mood: aggressive, ‘look-at-me’ demanding, the hard sell, ‘big come-on’ approach.


Romantic or Sexual: a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. Projected moods: possible ‘available’ and definitely ‘available’

In a study of advertisements in women’s magazines, Trevor Millum offers these categories of female expressions:

Seductive: similar to the cool/level look in many respects - the eyes are less wide, perhaps shaded, the expression is less reserved but still self-sufficient and confident; milder versions may include a slight smile. 

Carefree: nymphlike, active, healthy, gay, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning. 


Practical: concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back. 


Comic: deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness. 


Catalogue: a neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, waxlike; features may be in any position, but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, but the look remains vacant and empty; personality has been removed.

Representation.

REPRESENTATION

In media we were set a task to say what we thought of 3 images, we had to say who they were, that they did and what their story was. This is what i said.

Image 1

At a first glance i thought that this was just some old man standing in the street in a city smoking a cigarette. I noticed that he looked very different to all the other people around him. He is wearing what looks like some old trousers with patches on them, an old looking cardigan, a checked shirt and a beanie hat. He is also unshaven and has a beard. All of these features stood out to me and i straight away assumed that he was a homeless person living on the street in a big city. I then thought a bit more and had an idea of him being some sort of street performer or something like that, but neither of my conclusions were right.

The man's name is Doug Bihlmaier and he works as a designer for large fashion companies all around the world. His job is in interior design and he decides what the inside of the shops he works for will look like and what different individual things they will have in them to make them different from all the other shops. The clothes he is wearing isn't some kind of joke or act, this is his own style. The patches on his trouser legs are in fact dead in line and look as if they are meant to be there and are not actually an authentic patches used for fixing holes in trousers. Bihlmaier is well known for his style and deffinatly stands out in a crowd.      

Image 2

Looking at this picture my first impressions were that it was an intelligent man with a job in law or something similar. I thought this because of his clean cut look and that the clothes he is wearing are quite formal. In the picture he is holding a few pieces of paper and also has in front of him what looks like a few books. this made me think that he was intelligent and also that he could be involved in law or some other high paid academic line of work. Because of his clean cut look i assumed that he was just a normal respectably man.


The name of the man is Ted Bundy and he was a serial killer during the 1970s. when i found this out i was very surprised as this image was not the image i had thought of as a serial killer. to me he looked t clean cut and innocent to be a serial killer. Between the years of 1974 and 1978 Bundy admitted to killing 30 people. This has shown me that you shouldn't always stereotype people and put people in different categories just on what they look like.

Image 3

My first impressions of this image were quite mixed, i didn't really know what to think. I had some idea of the woman being some kind of weird model for a rather wacky clothing line, or that she was a crazy old woman that just wore really odd clothes everywhere she went trying to draw lots of attention to herself and the items that she was wearing.

Her name is Anna Piaggi and she was a fashion designer who worked with bug name companies such as Italian Vogue and some other big name brands. She is renowned for her individual style and is known for never wearing the same outfit twice, so this would explain the crazy outfit. She sadly passed away a  few years ago, taking with her, her epic sense of style and individuality.

From doing this task it has made me think more carefully about judging people just by looking at what they are wearing and how they look and has defiantly taught me not to judge a book by its cover!