Case Studies

Big Picture

• Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:

• • the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice; • • the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production,

distribution and marketing; • • the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of

production, distribution, marketing and exchange; • • the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and

audiences; • • the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences; • • the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically,

British) by international or global institutions; • • the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption

illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

Production

• Originally conceived in the form of an 85-page screenplay, Whiplash came to prominence after being featured in the 2012 Black List that includes the top motion picture screenplays not yet produced

• Genre: Drama

• Run time: 146mins

Production Ownership

Production

The film was originally entered, as a short film, for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The 18-minute short film went on to receive much acclaim after screening at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. It won the Short Film Award and Chazelle secured $3.3 million from Bold Films to make a feature version.

Writer and Director: Damien Chazelle - He is a writer and director, known for Whiplash (2013), Whiplash (2014) and The Last Exorcism Part II (2013).

Production

• The feature film premiered at the 2014 Sundance, opening the film festival. Shortly afterwards, Sony Pictures Worldwide acquired the international distribution rights.

Production

• The 18-minute short film went on to receive much acclaim after screening at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival,[9] which ultimately attracted investors to sign on and produce the complete version of the script.[10] The feature-length film was financed for $3.3 million by Bold Films

• Cameras: Arri Alexa, Canon EOS 7D

• Lenses: Cooke Speed Panchro, Leica Summilux-C and Angenieux Optimo Lenses

Production

• The film was shot in just 19 days, with a frenetic schedule of 14 hours of filming per day

Budget

• $3.3 million for feature length film

• Small in comparison to a Hollywood blockbuster

Cast and Crew• J. K. Simmons - He won many awards from 2005 to 2007 in

Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2014 won Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. 2015 won a Golden Globe for his Best Performance as an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, BAFTA Film Awards Best Supporting Actor, Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Male.

• Miles Teller - For his performance in the film The Spectacular Now (2013), he won the Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. He has appeared in the films Rabbit Hole (2010), Footloose (2011), Project X (2012), That Awkward Moment (2014), Divergent (2014), Two Night Stand (2014), Whiplash (2014).

Factors Influencing Production

• MONEY!

• It won the Short Film Award and Chazelle secured $3.3 million from Bold Films to make a feature version.

• The writer and director are relatively unknown

• The main character played by Miles Teller is relatively unknown but has won the Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

• J.K Simmons best known for his roles in Juno and Spiderman

Distribution

• Sony Pictures Worldwide acquired the international distribution rights http://sonyclassics.com/whiplash/

• Sony Pictures Classics nabbed North American, German and Australian rights for Damien Chazelle's Whiplash early Saturday morning. The sale price approached $3 million, according to sources. SPC beat several bidders including A24 and Roadside Attractions.

• Hours after the film opened the 30th annual Sundance Film Festival on Thursday, Sony Pictures Worldwide acquired rights to several international territories for the coming-of-age drama that stars The Spectacular Now's Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. Those territories included the U.K., Scandinavia, Benelux, Eastern Europe (excluding CIS), Greece, South Africa, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Latin America.

• - See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sundance-sony-pictures-classics-pays-672062#sthash.tqu2OVCS.dpuf

Sony CorporationSony Corporation of America

Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Computer Entertainment Sony Music

Columbia Pictures

Screen Gems

TriStar Pictures Marquees

(*owns 20 percent of MGM studios)

Sony Classics -

division of Sony Pictures Entertainment founded in January 1992 that distributes, produces and acquires independent films from the United States and around the world.

Sony CorporationSony Corporation of America

Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Computer Entertainment Sony Music Ent.

• Columbia Pictures Playstation

• Screen Gems

• TriStar Pictures Marquees

• (*owns 20 percent of MGM studios)

• Sony Classics -

division of Sony Pictures Entertainment founded in January 1992 that distributes, produces and acquires independent films from the United States and around the world.

Poster CampaignFocus on quotes, awards won and stars of the film.

The style indicates the genre –drama and the intensity of the emotions of the film.

Promo Campaign• The film attracted a lot of interest due to the film award

nominations – released in the lead up to award season.

• Oscars, Golden Globes and Bafta’s nomination: Oscars- Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting role (winner – J.K Simmons) Film Editing (winner – Tom Cross) Sound Mixing (winner - Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley) Writing, adapted screenplay, Damien Chazelle

• http://sonyclassics.com/whiplash/

• Website provides trailers, galleries, release information, social media links (Twitter, Facebook, Youtube), links to buy DVDs, and soundtrack via iTunes.

• Limited release in the USA

• Interviews with Milles Teller and J.K Simmons with the press

Exhibition: Box Office

• Whiplash opened in a limited release Pattern release in the United States in six theaters and grossed $135,388, averaging $22,565 per theater and ranking number 34 at the box office. The film expanded wider and earned $6,671,000 domestically and $901,092 in other territories for a total gross of $7,572,092, above its $3.3 million production budget. By March 8, 2015, its domestic total had risen to $12,734,000 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582802/releaseinfo#releases

• UK release date Friday 16th Jan 2015 – UK opening weekend $869,207 in 249 cinemas. Total gross for UK £1,280,311

Home Release

• Estimated UK DVD/Blu-Ray Release DateApril-July 2015

Synergy and Cross Media Convergence• Sony Classics the distributor working with Sony Music

Entertainment for merchandise