film industry

Films are produced by film producers and they can fill a variety of roles depending on the producer. There are two ways that film producers are employed:

1-      Producers can be employed by a production companies

2-      Producers can be employed by independent companies

Film production companies

Warner Bros- Wonder Woman, Fantastic beasts and where to find them

BBC films- An adventure in space and time, Hawking

Aardman animations- Shaun the sheep movie, flushed away

Lionsgate- Jigsaw

Distribution of films

Film distribution describes everything that happens in between a production and exhibition. Film distribution also involves all the deals to get the film shown including the promotion

What film distribution involves

1-      Acquiring legal rights to show a film

2-      Distribution is about releasing and sustaining films in the market place

3-      Marketing and releasing the film

4-      Making and distribution of prints and flies to cinemas

5-      Marketing and distribution of DVD and Blu-ray to stores

Vertical integration

The three stages are seen as part of the same larger process, under the control of one company e.g. warner Bros, Disney…

Horizontal integration

Distribution is a collaborative process, for example independent companies will depend on other companies to distribute their films

British vs Hollywood film industry

The average critic’s score for Hollywood films is 5 out of 10

The average critic’s score for low budget British films is 6.5 out of 10.

Across all films, British films get higher audience ratings than American ones

Broadly, audiences and critics agree on the ‘quality’ of a film

British films that critics loved but audiences hated include The Deep Blue Sea (2011), Coriolanus (2011) and The Arbor (2010)

British films that audiences loved but critics hated include Tideland (2005), Revolver (2005) and The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Common themes in British films

Drugs/alcohol

Less known actors

Gangs/violence

Day-to-day life

Different cultures

Urban areas or fantastical locations

Poverty/financial hardship

I, Daniel Blake- contextualisation

            The film depicts the hardships a joiner and a            Single mother must endure when facing the Kafkaesque bureaucracy of the benefits System and its draconian sanctions regime

Daniel Blake is a 59-year-old widowed carpenter who must rely on welfare after a recent heart attack leaves him unable to work. Despite his doctor's diagnosis, British authorities deny Blake's benefits and tell him to return to his job. As Daniel navigates his way through an agonizing appeal process, he begins to develop a strong bond with a destitute, single mother who's struggling to take care of her two children.

Straight Outta Compton- contextualisation

In 1988, a ground-breaking new group revolutionizes music and pop culture, changing and influencing hip-hop forever. N.W.A's first studio album, "Straight Outta Compton," stirs controversy with its brutally honest depiction of life in Southern Los Angeles.

Marketing campaign for I Daniel Blake

 

Back of the DVD

Blu-Ray release for I Daniel Blake

Book release for I Daniel Blake

Poster for I Daniel Blake

Poster for I Daniel Blake

Trailer for I Daniel Blake

Marketing campaign for Straight Outta Compton

Blu-Ray release for Straight Outta Compton

DVD release

Posters for Straight Outta Compton

Cinema poster for Straight Outta Compton

Merchandise for Straight Outta Compton

Trailer for Straight Outta Compton

Contextual details for Straight Outta Compton

During the production of the film, Tomica Woods-Wright, Ice Cube and Dr Dre were set to produce the film. This is significant as they could tell the truth about what it was like at that time through the film as they were the ones who lives were affected by the events that took place in the film. Also in the person who portrayed Ice Cube in the film was the son of Ice Cube. This is significant also as it would be an ideal portray of Ice Cube. On August 12, 2014, TMZ reported that just seven days into filming in Compton, a drive-by shooting took place directly in front of the cast and crew members while they were on the set. A group of men standing outside the Compton Courthouse flashed gang signs at a passing car and passengers in the car opened fire on the group. No one affiliated with the film was injured or hurt, but one civilian near the set was shot.

Contextual details for I Daniel Blake

There has been a wide variety of both praise and criticism of the film from politicians. Former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith referred to the film as unfair, aiming particular criticism at its portrayal of Jobcentre staff, saying: "This idea that everybody is out to crunch you, I think it has really hurt Jobcentre staff who don’t see themselves as that. Producer Rebecca O'Brien responded by stating that Duncan Smith "is living in cloud cuckoo land.”

Similarly, on an episode of BBC's topical debate programme Question Time broadcast on 27 October 2016, which featured Ken Loach as a panellist, Business Secretary Greg Clark described the film as "a fictional film”, saying "It’s a difficult job administering a benefits system...Department of Work and Pensions staff have to make incredibly difficult decisions and I think they should have our support in making those decisions."[16] Loach responded to this by criticizing the pressure that DWP staff are placed under.

Conversely, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn appeared at the film's London premiere with the director, then subsequently praised the film on his Facebook page. In a session of Prime Minister's Questions on 2 November 2016, he advised Prime Minister Theresa May to watch the film, as he criticised the fairness of the welfare system.