Film Studies

Task 1: Film Studies

There are simple ways to attract an audience in film. Majority of films especially blockbusters rely on the actors who star in the film to attract an audience. They combine the actors with the genre to target a certain audience. For example, Angelina Jolie and Will Smith are action stars. They mainly star in action movies. By putting both of these actors in an action movie, you are not only attracting their fan base but also the action audience. This is a ready made market, tried and tested formula.

The attraction of seeing a film from a particular genre for the audience can be a thrilling experience. For example, horror movies include several things which the audience is dying to see; Murders, Killers, Heroes and Victims. You get attracted to the horror genre because you expect/want to see these things. Genres can define an audience whether its action, adventure, sci-fi or drama.

Filmmakers keep an audience interested in seeing genre films because they always keep the scenes in the film fresh. By using different camera angles, effects etc. you grab the audience. In the musical genre; majority of the scenes are happy, cheerful and preppy however when you come across a scene in a musical that is completely opposite to what you expect to see, you are keep the film fresh and that’s what grabs you in. Also, you could argue that the actors in the films also keep you interested.

‘Hybrid’ in relation to genre means that you combine more than one genre to either make one genre (sub-genre) or to make the film more interesting. Some examples of hybrid are:

• Docu-Soap
• Docu-Drama
• Action Adventure
• Classical Horror

Case Study: The Prison Genre

Films associated with the genre:

• Death Race
• Shawshank Redemption
• Law Abiding Citizen
• The Green Mile
• Bronson
• A Clockwork Orange
• Chicago
• Cool Hand Luke

The codes and conventions of a prison genre are:

• Hard man characters; a Hero & a Villain
• Situations: conflict between the characters
• Deaths, Suicides, Fights, Blackmail, Escape attempts
• Weapon of choice; a gun, knife etc.
• Location – a deserted island or a rundown area
• Iconic subject or image

The scene I’ve chosen to analyze from Shawshank Redemption is the escape scene. In this scene Andy Dufresne escapes through a hole in the wall that he has picked with. Previously in the film, he stuffs clothes in the hole for his escape. He covers the hole with a poster. He climbs through the hole to the other side. It is raining outside. He sludge’s on the floor and gets covered in mud. He escapes. He is liberated and run off to a special place after his escape.

‘Hope’ is the main theme in this scene. The anticipation that is built up during the characters escape is massive. There is instant connection between you and the character because you want him to escape, you want him to be free and you want to see the aftermath of his escape. There is one-on-one chemistry between you and the character because throughout the film you see his character develop in the prison and you witness friendships been built as well as hardship.

Mise en Scene:

• Props: Rock picker (Iconography)
• Poster (Another piece of iconography)
• Bags

The ‘mise en scene’ that is featured in the film can be argued as very iconic. The rock picker that is used to dig the whole that Andy escapes from is seen as an iconic piece in the film.

Location:

• A prison in Maine. Andy is sent to Shawshank State Penitentiary where he is imprisoned. Red is also incarcerated at the Shawshank State Penitentiary.

Narrative:

• The narrative in the film is Non-Linear.

Characters:

• Andy Dufresne

Andy is the main protagonist. The entire film is revolves around Andy.

• Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding

Red is a convicted murder who is serving time a life sentence in prison for his crime. Red narrates the film from start to end.

• Prison Officers; Samuel Norton & Bryon Hadley

Samuel and Bryon are the prison warderns in the film.

Costume:

• Prison Uniform for the Inmates
• Wardens Uniform
• Plain Clothes

The costume in the film is really important. You can identify a character mainly based on what there wearing. You could argue that the clothing in the film is iconic.

Themes:

• Hope & Freedom

Hope is one of the most important themes in the film. You instantly gain hope when you learn Andy’s story. One key thing that stems from hope is survival.You as the audience and drawn to the escape scene because you ‘want’ Andy to escape. Yellow symbolizes Hope as well as Freedom and as you can see in the promotional poster below it expresses hope and survival.

• Friendship

Friendship is another key theme in the film. Red and Andy create this special bond that not only draw the audience in, but also leaves you wanting more.

• Identity

The characters have completely lost their identity whilst being in prison.

  

(The Shawshank Redemption DVD poster & the official poster for the film)

The Prison Genre: The Magdalene Sisters

Shawshank Redemption is not as generic as The Magdalene Sisters. Shawshank Redemption is more harsh and straight to the point unlike The Magdalene Sisters. The aesthetics of Shawshank Redemption is more real. There are more props and elements to the prison genre than The Magdalene Sisters.

It’s not that obvious that The Magdalene Sisters is of the prison genre but you are given a small hint. Because of the characters reaction to the nuns in the film, you feel their pain and you also feel that there stuck in the nunnery. Shawshank Redemption is different because don’t feel there pain but you see that they are in the situation in prison because of themselves.

You could argue that it does fit in the genre template because of its harsh reality. The Magdalene Sisters is more drama than prison genre. You could also argue that the film is a hybrid.

Location & Mise En Scene:

• Location: Nunnery. Film is set in Ireland
• Props: Crucifix cross necklace, Itchy Leafs, Laundry

The laundry scene is a very symbolic scene. It shows fear and at the same time strength. Revenge is the key word for this scene because of how she reacts against what she’s seen between her friend and the priest.

Costume:

• Nun: Religious Attire
• Plain Clothing

The clothes are one of the key image in the film. Without the outfits you could never know that he film was based in a nunnery.

Narrative and Characters:

• Bernadette – Stuck Up, Miserable, Bitchy
• Margaret – Innocent, Good Person, Caring
• Crispina – Innocent, Gullible
• Sister Bridget – Boss, Miserable

Throughout the film, we witness the characters develop. They start out being weak and very vulnerable. We as the audience immediately feel attached to the characters because we feel pity for them. Growth and Strength is one of the themes in the film. This is what we witness happen between the characters. Slowly, we see that Margaret gains strength and is able to stand up for herself as well as others whom she cares for. Despite being imprisoned at the nunnery, the characters grow into the atmosphere. Bernadette, who has already grow accustom to the prison displays growth throughout the film. Besides her character being quite bitchy and stuck up; she too is vulnerable and weak but fails to show this side of her as she always has her guard up. The structure of the film is linear. The film lets the audience know that characters are being punished and sent to the nunnery because of something that they have done or being accused of doing. Rather then using flashbacks, the film gets straight to the point and mainly focuses on the characters.

Themes:

• Hope

Hope is a minor theme in the film. We see hope several times in the film especially when the girls try to escape the nunnery.

• Friendship & Loyalty

Friendship is a minor theme in the film as a few friendships are really formed. A friendship between Margaret and Crispina is formed at the beginning of the film. Loyalty appears within the character quite often in the film. Bernadette is the character where you witness loyalty the most primarily because her character is so disloyal especially to Crispina.

• Identity

There are certain points in the film where the characters identity is questioned not just by the audience but also by the character themselves. Towards the end of the film, we witness Crispina locked up in a mental institution.

• Religion

Religion is one of the most explored themes in the film. The film is

In the film, the nuns use religion as away to punish the girls by tricking them into believing that what they are doing for them is a good thing and will help the girls in the future. Crucifixes are constantly used throughout the film. The crucifix is the iconography throughout the film.

  

(The Magdalene Sisters DVD poster and two characters from the film)

In conclusion, I feel that the prison genre will continue to expand and at some point in the world of cinema will dominate film genres.  I reckon that the future prison genre films will not only feature the key elements and the codes and conventions of a prison film today but there will be new elements and codes that will make prison films more exciting and interesting.

Task 2: Film Studies: Genre & Auteur

Andrew Sarris; an American film critic introduced Auteur theory to the film industry. His key focus was to prove to people that Hollywood films should be taken more seriously. He started evaluating directors according to the 3 circles:

1. Technical Competence
2. Personal Style or Signature
3. Interior Meaning (Cinema as art/tension between director’s personality and material)

An auteur is an director who’s personal style and creative vision is expressed through there films. Whether its from their cinematography to their usage of actors to their narrative, these are  the things that define directors. Loads of film directors could be described as auteurs. Shane Meadows, Tim Burton, Ken Loach, Spike Lee and Christopher Nolan are just a few directors who have been described as auteurs. The director I have chosen to identify as an auteur is Quentin Tarantino. He has written, directed and produced such films Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and Reservoir Dogs. All the film that he has written, produced or directed has grossed more than $600 million dollars worldwide. Majority of his films all originate from one particular genre; action. Sometimes he branches out of the action genre and invests into other genres such as drama, crime, biography and thriller. Most of his films are hybrids. He creates platforms for the audience to sit on. It is down to the audience to decide which genre they choose to follow. Quentin’s body of work usually involves a main character whose scenario always starts out bad and ends well. The character(s) are sometimes outsides who are seeking for something to better themselves whether it’s sympathy of piece of mind. He consistently uses the same actors to help portray a certain character. His recurring collaborations are with actors such as Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth have appeared in more than 2 movies. On the odd occasion, Tarantino will often make a cameo appearance. I believe that this is his comfort zone in which he feels a sense of confidence and security within these actors. No director is willing to take the risk of using the same actor more than once in there films.

Some people have accused Quentin of plagiarizing other film directors work. One of the films that has been highlighted as an inspiration for Kill Bill is the film “Thriller – A Cruel picture”. Comparing his vision of the film, especially through the characters; the similarities are very noticeable. Some people have argued that all of the plagiarism accusations are just conspiracy theory and that Quentin had actually created these films based off of his own imagination.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tuKkeQDSek&list=FL8q9Nk8zP1hY9GyKTPR3PcA&index=72&feature=plpp_video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i94nansYjsM

When comparing the two videos above, you can see the resemblance between Kill Bill and Thriller – A Cruel Picture. Character Elle Driver from Kill Bill and Character Frigga/Madeleine from Thriller – A Cruel Picture, you can see that both characters have similar looks and that both there characters have similar ways.

When questioning Quentin’s reasons for copying/stealing another persons’ idea, you could argue whether Quentin is simply playing homage to the films that have inspired him or whether he really is just ripping the benefits off of another directors work. However Quentin’s originality gets questioned all the time not only by critics but by other film makers as well.

Dannez Hunter; a unknown film maker recently sued Quentin Tarantino, Harvey and Bob Weinstein and Miramax Studios for after he claimed that Miramax and Quentin has stolen/copied the concept for a film that he had submitted to Miramax in 1999. Dannez Hunter claims that the outline story that he wrote about a woman named Ren who witnessed her mothers murder and takes revenge on those who did, was later featured in Kill Bill through a character named O Ren Ishi. In Kill Bill, O Ren Ishi story is told in anime which features the character witnessing her mother and father being killed by gangster men.

This claim from Dannez Hunter rocked the film industry and was what brought the ‘plagiarism’ story to light. Quentin never commented on the issue and that made people question his originality and creativity as a film director.

(Image above is another example of Quentin being accused of plagiarism)

There’s always a good and bad that test the audience morally. His topic of choice could be suggested as didactic. There is always a message behind his films, a story within a story that has a value meaning whether it’s to help gain confidence or to find your inner self. For instance, in Kill Bill; Beatrix Kiddo starts the film by seeking vengeance on those who badly wounded her. By the end of the film she still feels like she hasn’t accomplished her journey. This leads the way for a sequel to break through. In Kill Bill 2, she finally seeks the peace she was desperately searching for in the beginning. This is non-linear narrative. The film started with conflict, intro, conclusion and then resolution. Quentin’s unique and original stamp on his movies is what makes his films iconic. His style of film making stands out. The camera shots and movements that he includes in his films are one of the things that make his films memorable. He uses different varieties of shots which sometimes can improve your understanding of the film. There is always an iconic object in Tarantino’s films. In Pulp Fiction; it’s the injection needle, in Inglorious Bastards; it’s the guns and in Kill Bill; it’s the samurai sword. Critically, all his films are a success which is questionable as to whether his code to film making must be correct. Some people could argue that the only reason his films are successful and gross high at the box office is because of the iconography. The A-List actors in the film make the film a success.

The language style in Quentin’s films is always of adult humor. This includes swearing, sexual innuendo and mother tongue based language. He rarely uses slang. Sometimes, he uses another language in his movies to help express what is happening and to keep the flow of the film going. In Kill Bill; some of the characters speak Japanese. Despite the film being a kung-fu based movie, this blends in well with the plot as well as the characters. Tarantino is excellent at adding parallel sound to his films. He always makes the scene/image match perfectly with the sound. The music that he chooses for his films always fits well. 85% of the time, the music prepares you for what’s about to happen. It’s the smallest but biggest hint in a movie. This is juxtaposition.

In my opinion, Quentin Tarantino is one of the best film directors in Hollywood. His films represent him and also represent the good and the bad in most situations. He’s originality makes him identifiable. A director’s job is to entertain the audience with different shots and movements and I believe he does that really well.

    

(Picture of Quentin Tarantino, a picture of him shooting a movie and a DVD collection of Tarantino’s greatest films)

Task 3 – Preparatory Work – Shane Meadows

Shane Meadows is a British director who has written and directed such independent films as This is England (2006), Dead Man’s Shoes (2004), Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2004) and A Room for Romeo Brass (1999).

With a vast amount of his films dominating British cinema, it is clear to see that his films are making an impact across the UK. His unique and creative style of film has made him a legend in the film industry as well as an inspiration. Without a doubt Shane Meadows’ films are captivating.

Shane Meadows’ has been nominated and won numerous awards for his films such as Best British Film at the 2007 British Academy Film Awards for ‘This is England’.

Here is a 3 minute extract from Shane Meadows’ 2004 film ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’.

Here is the trailer from Shane Meadows’ 2006 film ‘This is England’.

Task 4 – British Article

What makes a film British? What makes a British film? You could say the actors or the directors or even the setting. Never or less nothing screams British more than a cup of tea and a slice of batternburg cake. But what comes to mind when you think of Britain? Could it be the Red Double Decker Bus? Or could it be that classic episode of EastEnders; Phil Mitchell getting shot or Dirty Den serving Angie the divorce papers? Or could it simple just be the people? The nation; a group of individuals who define Britain. Whatever it maybe there’s one thing that’s certain; Britain love movies…especially British movies. Films like A Clockwork Orange, Slumdog Millionaire & Shaun of the Dead have dominated British cinema as well as cinemas all over the world. British film directors like Noel Clarke, Shane Meadows and Danny Boyle have defined British cinema over the last decade. So where did this urge for British films originate? Is Alfred Hitchcock the man to blame with his thrilling yet genius films such as The Birds and Psycho? British cinema has changed over the last 50 years. Everything that makes a great film has evolved. The storylines, the characteristics of characters, aesthetics of a film etc. British audiences responded positively to fictional characters that create an atmosphere in films, despite certain stereotypes being represented in a bad way, us as the British audience love watching these types of films.

(Noel Clarke; a British film director and a BAFTA rising star winner. He also starred in Kidulthood and Adulthood in which he wrote, directed and produced)

Noel Clarke is a British film director who wrote and starred in Kidulthood and directed Adulthood. Kidulthood and Adulthood are all British films that feature an all British cast. Both Kidulthood and Adulthood paved the way for British teen films. The success of Kidulthood was down to word-of-mouth. The public were aware of the film but didn’t pay much attention to it until people started talking about it which then made the film popular amongst Teenagers. With a budget of £600,000, Kidulthood only managed to earn £453,876 at the box office. Despite the low box office earning, the film still become an iconic British film.

  

Adulthood, which was the sequel to Kidulthood didn’t manage to live up to the expectations that everyone had preceded. Earning more the £3 million pounds, critically the reviews that I received wasn’t that good. This is a good example that having a big budget doesn’t necessarily mean its going to be a big budget. A lot of British films are small independent films that become a success.

Shane Meadows is a British film director that has written and directed successful like This is England and Dead Man’s Shoes. This is England had a bigger budget than Kidulthood and also earned more at the box office. It was written and directed by Shane Meadows and premiered in 2006. Because of the success of This is England, Shane Meadows decided to expand the franchise and developed two TV series that have both been successful. This is not the first and only time that a franchise which has been created by a British film director or writer and has developed into a TV series or even a movie. Take the Inbetweeners Movie for instance; a film that originally started out as a TV sitcom on E4 has become a British phenomenon claiming more that £45 million pounds at the box office with a budget of £3.5 million.

British film makers had never ventured out into other genres. It sound untrue but that is fact. A vast majority of British films dab in particular genres such as drama and war. But tell me can you name one British sci-fi film? Nope. And why is that? Because the British only stick to genre’s that we know. A lot of the time, this can be boring. Nobody wants to sit in a cinema for 2 hours or maybe more just to watch a boring film. The iconography in British films is easy to spot out.  Iconography is a really important thing because it sets the scene in the movie. For example, Harry Potter wouldn’t work without his wand or his glasses; This is England made the Dr. Martens popular again amongst teenagers and adults. This makes the film popular as well. It’s those small things that make an impact in British.

A lot of British films are either historical or biographical. Take The Kings Speech & The Queen; two biographical films that grabbed the nation’s attention. The Kings Speech won numerous awards including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor & Best Director. Tom Hooper’s vision for The Kings Speech was not just make a film about someone’s life, but to explore in detail what happened. Trainspotting & Bronson are two British films that explore personal issues. Both films are very realistic and have made an impact because of how relatable the storyline and the characters are. In Trainspotting, we witness Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) deeply immersed in drugs. He tries to escape the drugs and become a clean man. In Bronson, we see this film follow the life of a crazy prisoner Charles Bronson. These particular storylines fit Britain because they represent an aspect of Britain. Each film has an edgy feel to it and that’s what help makes a British film. Unlike American films, we don’t focus on the unnecessary stuff like the hair and the make up, we focus more on the storylines and the acting from the actors.

 

(Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting and Tom Hardy in Bronson)

Location helps make a film noticeable. Point out one of the UK’s most iconic buildings in a film sometimes make a film more worth of watching. The Harry Potter films cleverly exploit London’s most recognizable buildings. You see Kings Cross St. Pancras station in all the films, London Bridge, multiple buildings in the city and the houses of parliament. Featuring these buildings in films only leaves that true stamp of Britain in the films.

In films, the establishing shot is what tell you where the story is setted. Funding doesn’t usually make a British film successful. Unlike American films we don’t depend on the budget to make the movie successful, we depend on the public; who will either support the film or deny the film. Production companies like Lionsgate, Film4, The Lottery, and the BBC are some companies that fund a lot of British film that we see today in the cinema. Film 4 Productions have funded and produced such films as The Inbetweeners Movie, Trainspotting, This is England, Shaun of the Dead, Dead Man’s Shoes, Four Lions, Four Weddings & a Funeral and Slumdog Millionaire. BBC Productions have funded and produced such films as Bullet Boy, Jane Eyre, Much Ado about Nothing and Billy Elliot. A lot of people ask ‘If the funding of a film is American, and the cast and setting is British; does that make the film British or American?’ Personally, I think that it make the film a bit of both. Look at Harry Potter, a film that consists of an all British cast, an all British setting but was funded by an American production company. Some people would argue that Harry Potter is strictly a British film and that’s that. However some people suggest the opposite.

Slumdog Millionaire was a really successful film that grossed more than $370 million dollars at the cinema. It was directed by Danny Boyle and written by Simon Beaufoy and it was funded by Film4. Deciding whether to put this film in the ‘British’ category or ‘international’ category is a bit of a pickle. Loads of people including myself would consider this film to just be strictly British. I mean the main actors are BRITISH, the film was directed by a BRITISH director and the film was written by a BRITISH screenwriter. Also, the film is set around ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ which is a BRITISH TV Show. However, some people would say that isn’t enough to make the film British. The location of the film is set in India, Mumbai. Throughout the entire film (yes from beginning to end) we see nothing except Indian iconography. Not only that but the little children that are featured in the film are also from India. Do you think the film could be considered British? The Indian community however would disagree.

American movies are always big productions. Something as small as a paper cut would be turned into a big scene featuring stunt doubles and everything. Us Britons, we like to keep it simple. A small production which doesn’t feature much or cost that much either. Most of successful British movie are independent i.e. We Need To Talk About Kevin, Tyrannosaur, Four Lions and Somers Town.

“And The Award Goes Too…” is the most important sentence at an award show. For British films winning an award for a piece of work that you created on a small budget is a big thing because not only does your film become an international ‘success’ you get massive stage lights shining on you from every corner of the room. Take Tom Hooper for instance; a name that was fairly unknown until him and his team took over the 2012 Academy and Golden Globe awards.

Geordie. Cockney. Londoner. Scouse. Brummie. Mancunian. All of these are British accents that at some point have been featured in a British films. Accents are everything. Besides location, accents help set the location for a scene. In Sweeney Todd, Johnny Depp plays a London Victorian barber butchers vulnerable customers who simply just want clean new hair and leave well and truly dead. Despite Johnny Depp being American, in the film his accents informs you that Sweeney is a Londoner.

One thing that is undeniable is that British films have changed society. From Alex DeLarge to James Bond; fictional film characters have helped make British films recognizable. Could this be another reason as to what makes a film British? Can one or maybe two characters create a whole new world for British films?

(Malcolm McDowell as Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange)

Iconic fictional British characters:

• Alex DeLarge (from A Clockwork Orange)
• James Bond (The Bond Franchise)
• Professor Severus Snape (from the Harry Potter franchise)
• Sherlock Holmes

Majority of British films have been remade into American blockbusters like the Italian Job. Films like Slumdog millionaire, The Queen and The King’s Speech have stormed award show claiming top awards such a best director, actor/actress and even best film. The impact that British films have had on the world is gargantuan.

So what does the future hold for British cinema? Who knows? 20 years from now, English speaking robots could be taking on Pierce Bronson in a child’s animation film. Nobody knows what might happen. The future of British films is unknown.

New British Cinema & It’s Audience!

The film I have chosen research and case study is The Avengers Assemble which is a 2012 superhero film which was directed by Josh Whedon, produced by Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Kevin Feige produced the film on a $220 million budget. Kevin Feige has directed many comic book adaptions such as Iron Man, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk and X-Men.

Marketing has really made this film more known worldwide. Despite the film feature several superhero characters from different comics such as Thor, Iron Man, The Hulk and Captain America; the film stars A-List Actors like Robert Downey JR., Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Hemsworth. This itself could be considered as a marketing promotion because most people will go and see the movie just because of who is starring in the movie. A lot of the characters in the film have already starred in the own movie that has been released worldwide. The audience are familiar with the characters and this could be considered as another reason for people to see the film.

The Avengers Assemble has 3 trailers that you can view at anytime. There is the teaser trailer which features small clips from film; then there’s the theatrical trailer which is played in places like the cinema where people can get a sneak peak view of the film and then there is the official trailer which gives a full insight as to what the film is about. All of these trailers market to the target audience purely based on the facts about the film. For example, people who are interested in comic books and superheroes; after seeing the trailer would go and see the film. You can also check out the website: http://marvel.com/avengers_movie which features trailers, clips and pictures. The film was produced by Marvel Comics but it  was distributed to Walt Disney Pictures.

Me & Natalie British Teen Movie – The Lost Causes

Tagline: Misfits meets The Avengers

Genre: Teen Sci-Fi Superhero Action

Plot: The Lost Causes is a British teen sci-fi superhero action film that was created by myself and Natalie. The story consists of 3 ordinary teenagers Chloe, Michael and Shenice who discover that they each have a superpower.

The finance for our film will be funded by Film4. We estimate the budget from Film4 to range between £5 million to £7 million.

The producers that we think will be interested in our film are producers like Michael Bay, Kevin Fiege, Neal H. Moritz, Matthew Vaughn, Susan Cartsonis and possibly James Cameron. All the producers have produced film that are of the same genre as ours. Matthew Vaughn successfully directed Kick Ass which was a teen superhero film that grossed $96,188,903 at the US Box Office. We think that he would potentially be one producer that would be interested in our film. Another producer we think would be interested in our idea is Michael Bay. He produced as well as directed films such as Transformers, Armageddon and I Am Number Four.

What sets our film apart from every other teen superhero film is that our film is not your conventional superhero teen film. Unlike films like Kick Ass and Superman, our film doesn’t follow the conventional format of a superhero film, it isn’t adapted from a comic book; our characters don’t have costumes or sidekicks and most importantly you can relate to our characters unlike most superheroes from comic books. Some people could argue that our film is a sham to other teen sci-fi superhero action films.

Demographically our film is aimed specifically at teenagers and young adults. The age ranges from 15 to 23 because majority of the 15 to 23 year olds are highly interested in superhero action films. We have chosen to aim our film at teenagers because of what the genre was. The actors that will star in our movie will possibly be A-List actors will the few unknown actors as well. We have chosen to feature A-List actors who have familiarized themselves with the superhero franchise such as Robert Downey JR. and Halle Berry. We want there to be a deep connection between the audience and the actors.

The P&A (Prints and Advertising) is the main part of our advertising. In terms of advertising, we will be applying different techniques and strategies of advertising to our campaign. We will include posters/billboards, shop advertisements, magazine ads, transport ads, merchandise from the film, a downloadable app which can be downloaded on iPhone’s as well as Androids and movie trailers. We will print over 500 poster which will vary in different sizes. We will have the 30” x 40” standard posters which will be featured on shop windows. You will also be able to purchase one of these posters for your own personally use at any stationary store or any HMV / WHSmith store. Then we will have the 20” x 30” poster which will be featured on London buses or concert/theatre bills. All train stations and bus stops across the UK will feature a 40″ x50″ poster. It’s important for our film to advertised at all plays because it makes it easier for people to be aware of the film. Finally we will be printing  40” x 60” oversized magnificent posters will we be featured at popular tourist attractions like Leicester Square and London Bridge. The larger billboard advertisements will be featured above popular cinema chains such as Odeon or Vue. Several of our billboards will be printed and displayed all over UK shopping centres such as Bluewater, Westfield, Lakeside, The Chimes etc. Considering the budget, there will be things that the film company will have to pay for i.e prints and advertising. Our estimated budget for P&A is from £50,000 to £800,000.

Examples of Prints and Advertising

• T-Shirts and Jumpers
• Mobile Application
• Poster
• Merchandise
• Accessories
• Product Placement / Co-Branding

Our film will be released theatrically on a Wednesday in July. Deciding to release the film in July wasn’t a hard choice. Me and Natalie decided on July because that’s when all teenagers/students are on summer holiday which give the amicable time throughout the holiday to see our movie as well advertise our movie via word-of- mouth. We will be distributing our film to majority of the cinema chains in the UK such as Cineworld, Vue, Odeon, Empire, Picturehouse, AMC etc.

   

    

Private screenings as well as movie previews will be arranged for critics and fans who want to see the film before anybody else. Having our 30 second trailer play during the adverts in the cinema is another piece of advertising that we could benefit from.

We will be holding a premier for our movie in Leicester Square because it is a popular tourist attraction as well as one of the biggest premier spots in the UK.  Featuring our film at popular festivals will definetly help boost the reputation  of our film which could potentially help the grossing of the film. Festivals such asBritish Urban Film Festival, East End Film Festival, London Film Festival, Raindance and the Somerset House will feature our movies. Somerset House is a very popular arts and culture centre that hold events such as music and film festivals. During the summer they run Film4 Summer Screen which features some up-and-coming films. Considering that Film4 is funding our movie, it would be a great idea to use the Film4 Summer Screen to our advantage.

To help boost the overall image of our film, cameo roles will be featured in the film. UK celebrities like Cheryl Cole or Joey Essex will be in our film and will boost the public/audiences’ interest in the film because of the status’ of Cheryl and Joey. Cheryl Cole is a national treasure and a singer in the UK and every and anything that she does people pay attention to. Joey Essex is a reality TV star from the show ‘The Only Way is Essex” which is well-known show amongst teenagers and adults.

    

The soundtrack to our film which will feature crowd-pleasing British music acts such as Rizzle Kicks, Ed Sheeran, Cher Lloyd and Rita Ora. We have chosen these musicians because we are still trying to maintain that element of teenage-ship through the music. It is important for our film to always fall back on the genre and audience. 

Taylor Herring will be our PR Agency that will help us when it comes to press. We will make agreements with them to help market and advertise the film. We will be asking them to hold events such as a pre-release party which will feature a press party for the film. We will ask them to hold a press conference which will feature all the stars and crew of the film; where there will be a Q&A from critics, press as well as fans of the film.

Product placement / Co-branding is one of the most important parts of our marketing campaign. Attaching our poster or logo to a product or a promotional give-away would help promote our film as well as advertise it. Despite having Film4 fund our movie, we are going to use a film sponsor that could potentially help us get free advertising. For example; we are think about having a major drink company such as Coca Cola sponsor our film which could entitle us  to having our poster/logo printed on the back or side of the there bottles or even there drinking cups at the cinema.

Viral marketing/advertising is something that myself and Natalie have considered doing. Having websites like Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube display our poster, logo and trailer on there website will definetly benefit. Statistically, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and popular amongst teenagers and young adults. Displaying an advertisement for our will bring awareness and knowledge of our film to the people using these websites.

We will be applying the 4ps stratergy in our martketing campagin.

1. Product
2. Price
3. Promotion
4. Place

Product

Our product is our movie The Lost Causes. It was funded and produced by Film4 and distrubuted through Film4 to cinemas located in the UK such as Cineworld and Vue. This film appeals to teenagers and young adults aged from the range of 16 to 23.

Price

Our merchandise will be available online and at certain stores around the UK. Our T-Shirts and Jumpers will be available to purchase online or via the mobile app. Prices for the T-Shirt start from £5.00 and Jumpers/Hoodies start from £10.00. The T-Shirts are available in all sizes and selective colours such as Black, White, Green, Blue and Pink.

Promotion

When it comes to promotion we will promote our film in the best way possible. Using posters, adverts, merchandise and promotional parties; we will try our best to get our film out there for people to see and be interested in.

Place

Using popular attractions like Oxford Street, Leicester Square and popular shopping centers; we will promote our film in places/areas where we will think it will help bring some interest to our film.

Me and natalie pitch

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