The Film Industry

The 4 Stages of A Film:

• Production
• Distribution
• Marketing
• Exhibition/Exchange

Production:

• The creation of the film

1. Development - The script is written and drafted into a workable blueprint for a film
2. Pre-production - Preparations are made for the shoot, in which cast and crew are hired, locations are selected, and sets are built.
3. Production - The film footage is shot.
4. Post-Production - The film is edited; production sound (dialogue) is concurrently (but separately) edited; music tracks (and songs) are composed; performed and recorded; sound effects are designed and added, all sound elements are mixed into "stems" then the stems are mixed then married to picture and the film is fully completed ("locked")

Distribution

• Describes everything between production (Making the film) and how the film gets to an audience (people watching the film in cinemas/ dvd etc.)
• The film is screened for potential buyers (distributors), is picked up by a distributor, and a marketing and release plan are developed. The film is duplicated as required for distribution to cinemas.
• The business of getting films to their audiences by booking them for runs in cinemas and getting them there eg digital screens/ reel films
• It includes all of the financial deals done to get films shown and promoted   

Marketing

• This is the business of creating campaigns to promote the film, eg posters, apps, television interviews
• Press kits, posters, and other advertising materials are publishes and the film is advertised. Film are usually released with a launch party, press releases, interviews with the press, oppress preview screenings, and film festival screenings. Most films have a website and a trailer

Exhibition

• The way people consume films - eg showing films in cinemas or renting/ buying DVD's or downloading films, piracy.
• About how the audience see the film, box office intake, reviews, awards etc
• The film is released to cinemas for exhibition ( or at this point occasionally straight to DVD, Blu-Ray, or direct download from a provider), in order to reach its cinema and/or home media audience. The film plays at selected cinemas and the VD typically is released a few months later.

The Aim of A Film and the Production Company!



The primary Aim of the production company making the film is:
To make a profit= good business
You want the audience to spend their money seeing it and gain money back on it!
They will make money by: Having a Distribution Plan, Marketing and promoting the Film and Selling it to Audiences through cinematic release and DVD/Television release.

Conglomerates

• A conglomerates is when two or more companies engage in a multi- industry company.
• This means they combine media activities in at least three different sectors. For example - in the USA, all the main television networks are owned by NBC Universal.
• Although the corporations seem to compete, they also cooperate on joint ventures ad may invest in each others companies through cross ownership.








 

Ownership and the Film Industry

• The Film Industry is dominated by major studios, each of which are subsidiaries of major media conglomerates.
• The American film industry makes more money from international revenue ($30 billion) than domestic revenue ($10 billion).
• What are the implications for this ownership structure?
• Concentration of media ownership (bias, stealth marketing)
• Ability to take bigger risks - bigger budgets - spectacle

Ownership

• Ownership is all about different film companies owning each other and provind each other with money, ideas for films and finance
• Major companies own others (smaller institutions) within the industry in order for more films to be produced
• Ownership Types;
• Horizontal Integration
• Vertical Integration

Horizontal Integration

• When the Production Company expand into other areas of one industry. It can acquire or merges with other companies that do the same thing to help eliminate competition. The profits will be shared amongst each company.

Vertical Integration

• When the Production Company has ownership of the means of production, distribution and exhibition of the film  by the same company as they receive all of the profit.