1. What kind of media institution
might distribute your film and why?
EVALUATION
Question 3
2. My media product is a low budget British directed film; it has several
conventions of realism. I had two options of real companies and my first one is
Studio Canal which is more commonly known as Optimum Releasing/Home
Entertainment/Classics before they changed their name to Studio Canal.
Optimum releasing was an independent distributor, which was modern and a
back catalogue distributor. Films were released under 4 sub-categories,
Optimum Releasing (Theatrical New Releases), Optimum Home Entertainment
(DVD, Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD New Releases), Optimum Classic (DVD Re-
releases of back catalogue films) and Optimum World (New and Back
Catalogue World Cinema). Apart from the Theatrical New Releases all other 3
are still being used under Studio Canal Distribution. When named Optimum,
the company's image was that of a modern, independent new release and back
catalogue distributor. Films were released under four strands: Optimum
Releasing (Theatrical New Releases), Optimum Home Entertainment (DVD, Blu-
ray Disc and HD DVD New Releases), Optimum Classic (DVD Re-releases of back
catalogue films) and Optimum World (New and Back Catalogue World Cinema).
The latter three appear to be still being used, despite the company's name
change.
3. They released over 200 films a year. Regarding UK independent film it was a sufficient
distributors and world cinema market since the closure of Tartan Films in 2008. One of the
most prominent films they released was “The Kill List”. Kill List is a 2011 British horror film
directed by Ben Wheatley, and I particularly enjoyed this film and done some research on
it. The cinematography of the film was very destabilizing, in forest like settings similar to
mine and in Britain, which my film is also set in. The kill list cinematography composes in a
dreamily unhurried realist style that is concerned to capture texture, mood and moment,
that is exactly what I also wanted to obtain through my own shots in my media product.
Thus I believe that Studio Canal is a good option as a distributing company for my product
because they produce films similar to mine. The distribution pattern was released to UK
cinemas on 2 September 2011. IFC Films brought the film to video on demand 4 January
2012, and it received a US theatrical release 3 February 2012. It was released on home
video in the UK on 26 December 2011 and 14 August 2012 in the US. I believe they done
this distribution plan only limiting the film to UK cinema because of the budget, which is
also similar to mine. After it was released to video on demand, and in the same year a
theatrical release which occurred in the same year. I believe this outlines the niche genre
they are trying to portray, and I myself would like to release my film through the same
distribution pattern because I see it as niche and a mix of genres between psychological
and thriller. I have subsequently changed the genre because zombie was too difficult to
portray and create suspense, and as I was shooting I found out that my shots were more
suited to the psychological sub-genre.
4. Eventually kill list was released on television. I believe that the distribution pattern was
suited to the niche genre and the fact that it was a low budget film it could not afford to
release worldwide and risk profit loss. Due to my own British production, I would also follow
this distribution pattern because I am on a low budget. Also, I believe by marketing it only to
Britain and highlighting specifically it is British produced, it can encourage more people to
support it and therefore want to watch it. Also, I would want to release it theatrically after
its released video on demand because it becomes more specific to certain theatres which
evidently want to portray niche low budget films. This also links in with my target audience,
seeing as my target audience is between 16-26 I believe that it is varied between teenagers
and adults. The Kill list’s target audience is too British people and from 18- 35 because that
is their certificate rating. Although mine is younger that is because I focus slightly more on
the psychological aspects on horror and they focus on gory scenes. Also, my horror is about
epidemic and apocalypse because eventually this terrible disease takes over and attacks
everyone. Therefore in my opening I wanted to enhance suspense first then throughout the
later stages of my horror represent the epidemic and disease which kills everyone.
Nevertheless, I took their cinematography as inspiration because I want to enhance
suspense, darkness, questions and horror that will leave you winded and discombobulated.
In many ways, "Kill List" embodies some uniquely British concerns and paranoia’s.
The setting and language place the film very distinctly in the depressed economic areas
outside the major metropolitan centers; it also reflects family life and sexual problems
within the family. It also explores themes such as break down of marriage and the effect on
money and trauma.
5. • Although my film doesn’t go to that extent, I do have a film that revolves
around family which I believe will add to my target audience. Not only
teenagers, but families and especially sisters because my two main actors
are females. Therefore seeing as Studio Canal is an excellent distribution
company who released “The Kill List” which I got my own inspiration from.
6. • Universal Studios Inc. (also known as Universal Pictures), is an American motion
picture studio, owned by Comcast and is one of the six major movie studios. 2
examples of film companies, suggest films similar to yours and same audience. It
was founded in 1912 by Carl Laemmle, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William
Swanson, David Horsley, and Jules Brulatour. It is the oldest movie studio in the
United States of America. It is also the fourth oldest in the world that is still in
continuous production. Universal Studios Florida became the first real challenge to
Disney's dominance of the Orlando tourism market. But the now famous rivalry
between the two mega-destinations didn't start in Orlando - for that, we need to
go back to the early 1920's. Universal Studios also bought out Walt Disney’s
Oswald the Rabbit. Universal Pictures are profound for their monster films
including Frankenstein and Dracula.
• One of the most profound films they distributed and I myself took inspiration from
and researched was the 2004 remake of Dawn of the dead. Dawn of the Dead was
directed by Zack Snyder in his feature film directorial debut and a
remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name. Its film is similar to
mine as we both have females as our protagonists as our main characters and I
would argue that our target audience is also the same. The target audience is
between 16 and 28 for mine and Dawn of the dead. Universal Pictures would
therefore be a very good distributor for my own media product.
7. • There is a variety of long shots, establishing shots and over the head shots.
I believe this is where I got my inspiration from as my first shot is an
establishing shot. I chose this because it represents how little power one
person can have over an epidemic and this is reflective of the characters
power against this horrible disease. In Dawn of the Dead there seems like
there is no real “hero”, and like mine I believe there is also this dilemma.
This is because in the end, the victim essentially kills her older sister who
was trying to save her from this ghastly disease. There is also a sense of
realism in both films, the main actor is a female who takes lead, and
several shot reverse shots of conversations influencing normality. I to also
have this in the opening sequence with Sandra and Zara. In dawn of the
dead there are scenes such as mid close ups and close ups that focus on
the character being affected which I believe I too also have in my opening
sequence where I have several shots of Zara, this is to create empathy.
• In terms of international distribution with film directors have to take into
account several factors including:
• Global: where will the film work?
• Regional: how will we make it work in (say) Europe?
• National: how should we release it in each country?
• Local: are there any particular local conditions that need to be taken into
account within each country?
8. • The success of the film depends largely on the results expected for the film but
may also be influenced by the wish to attract as big an audience in the first
week as possible to help the film retain its screens for subsequent weeks.
(Conversely, a higher screen average from fewer screens can also help to
persuade exhibitors to keep a film in play even if its overall Box Office is not as
high as some competitors).
• Two-thirds of all film revenue now comes from abroad. International sales
grew 35% from 2007 to 2011, while revenue in North America increased a
mere 6%. Over the past four years, the number of screens in China has
doubled to more than 6,200, a number that's expected to double again by
2015. Chinese box-office receipts hit a record $1.5 billion last year. With China
and other rapidly developing countries building thousands of new theatre’s,
this trend is expected to continue. Indeed, the North American market is by far
the toughest market to crack for a low budget independent film without stars.
Therefore I would think the wiser decision would be to stick to a British
Distribution company, and my choice of company would be Studio Canal. This
is because it will focus on my distribution in Britain and therefore not take the
risk if it is not successful abroad. Ultimately, as I am low budget also I believe
this would be a better choice as I would do my own marketing by using sneak
peaks via social media such as facebook.
9. Date Release to UK cinemas on 1st October 2014.
UK theatrical release 3 April 2015, this is for selective niche studios.
Release on DVD Blue Ray 11th June 2015 and 15th June 2015 in the US if successful
It was released on home video in the UK by SKY films on 26 December 2015
My Distribution Plan for “The
Finding”
