Production
The advancements in technology has helped with production of films. With better cameras and microphones the quality of the films has increased steadily over the years. Also, the post-production stage such as editing has become easier because it is now done on a computer as opposed to manually cutting and sticking film negatives together. Another component of post-production that has been affected by technology is special effects. Special effects have become much more realistic and therefore makes the film much more entertaining. Good special effects also a big selling point for the youth market. It is also worth noting that because filming and editing equipment is always improving, it lowers the price of the equipment that used to be used making it affordable for independent film makers. So with technology, low-budget films can now look high quality.
Distribution
In a world where social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter are very popular, film distribution companies have used this to their advantage. It is now very common to see films having their own facebook page where they can promote it by posting trailers, pictures and other information that can be viewed by millions in seconds.
In regards to Twitter, most actors have a twitter account and 'following' famous people on Twitter is a very common thing. The actors use Twitter as a promotion tool by talking about their films, such as when it is out, when the premiere is or even when they are going to have interviews talking about the film. Twitter is probably very successful because it makes the consumer feel like they are being spoken to on a personal level, especially because some famous people interact with other users.
Youtube is another tool for marketing, because it makes it very easy for film makers to show trailers, preview clips and viral videos to a wide audience. Videos are given tags which are specific words associated with the video, meaning that if that word is searched for the video will appear in the results. Also, when someone is viewing a video (a trailer for a film, for example), videos that are similar in subject will appear on the side of the screen, making it easier for a video to be seen.
Other ways that technology has helped marketing is through apps for smart phones and official websites for the film
Exhibition
The change in technology has changed the exhibition in many ways, not all positive. Being able to buy cameras at an affordable price has allowed for people to pirate films by filming a cinema screen and then either selling it for their own gain, or uploading it to the internet. It is very easy to find and watch films on the internet without paying a penny. This is harming the film industry because they are now recieving less money for their films and it could make it less common to see high-budget films
In a bid to fight off piracy, the film industry has begun to release many films in 3D. The 3D can only really be appreciated on a large screen so it encourages more people to pay to see the film. However, 3D films are starting to decline because many people do not like having to wear 3D glasses.
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Life Cycle of a Film
Idea
A producer will find an idea for a story to be made into a film. This idea may be inspired by a book, a true event or an original script.
Pre-Production
The producer will identify a theme/underlying message. In some cases a script will be developed after the story has been decided. The script will be altered and rewritten many times to improve it. In this stage, every step of creating the film will be carefully planned.
Funding
A film pitch will be prepared which will go on to be presented to potential financiers. These financiers will typically be a major film studio, film council or independent invester. If the pitch is success, then the film will be given the 'green light'. After this, the producer will hire a film crew, the size of which will be dependent on the budget on the film
Production & Post-Production
In this stage, all the scenes of a film will be shot. This can be a long process, with workdays often lasting 14 to 18 hours, with very little minutes of material being produced each day. After this, the film will go into post-production. This is where all of the material that has been shot will be reviewed and the best scenes will be selected for the final cut. This process involves the editor who puts the scenes together.
Distribution & Marketing
This is the stage where the film companys aim to raise public awareness of the film. This will involve releasing a trailer, a small preview of the film along with film stills. The stars of the film will give various interviews on television, magazines and radio. Film critics who write for papers or magazines will get an early screening and write a review for the film. Another feature in the marketing stage is that a website for the film will be set up. The website will usually include the film's trailers, television adverts, clips from the film, stills and the opportunity to pre-book tickets
Exhibition
The exhibition stage is the final stage in the life cycle of a film. The film will be released to cinemas (big budget films will be released to cinemas across the world, while independent films will be shown at independent cinemas or at film festivals) and the amount of money the film makes in it's first weekend can affect the success of the film. This is because if the film has good opening numbers, other people will believe that the film is good and go and see the film, therefore giving the film studio more profit. If the film doesn't get good opening numbers, it will most likely be pulled early from cinemas and released to dvd quite early. Usually after a couple of months the film will be released on dvd and also made available on pay-per-view channels such as Sky Box Office. Eventually terrestrial channels such as Channel 4 or BBC One or Two will get the rights to screen the film.
A producer will find an idea for a story to be made into a film. This idea may be inspired by a book, a true event or an original script.
Pre-Production
The producer will identify a theme/underlying message. In some cases a script will be developed after the story has been decided. The script will be altered and rewritten many times to improve it. In this stage, every step of creating the film will be carefully planned.
Funding
A film pitch will be prepared which will go on to be presented to potential financiers. These financiers will typically be a major film studio, film council or independent invester. If the pitch is success, then the film will be given the 'green light'. After this, the producer will hire a film crew, the size of which will be dependent on the budget on the film
Production & Post-Production
In this stage, all the scenes of a film will be shot. This can be a long process, with workdays often lasting 14 to 18 hours, with very little minutes of material being produced each day. After this, the film will go into post-production. This is where all of the material that has been shot will be reviewed and the best scenes will be selected for the final cut. This process involves the editor who puts the scenes together.
Distribution & Marketing
This is the stage where the film companys aim to raise public awareness of the film. This will involve releasing a trailer, a small preview of the film along with film stills. The stars of the film will give various interviews on television, magazines and radio. Film critics who write for papers or magazines will get an early screening and write a review for the film. Another feature in the marketing stage is that a website for the film will be set up. The website will usually include the film's trailers, television adverts, clips from the film, stills and the opportunity to pre-book tickets
Exhibition
The exhibition stage is the final stage in the life cycle of a film. The film will be released to cinemas (big budget films will be released to cinemas across the world, while independent films will be shown at independent cinemas or at film festivals) and the amount of money the film makes in it's first weekend can affect the success of the film. This is because if the film has good opening numbers, other people will believe that the film is good and go and see the film, therefore giving the film studio more profit. If the film doesn't get good opening numbers, it will most likely be pulled early from cinemas and released to dvd quite early. Usually after a couple of months the film will be released on dvd and also made available on pay-per-view channels such as Sky Box Office. Eventually terrestrial channels such as Channel 4 or BBC One or Two will get the rights to screen the film.
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