FILM INDUSTRIES

Characteristics of mainstream products

Usually mainstream film productions include high budgets, In Avatar the budget was 200,000,000 this illustrates that the film is very mainstream as the distributer is from the “20th Century Fox” which is a very well known film distributer. This means they will have high budgets included towards the production and film it self.

Avatar had exclusive advertising rights such as advertisements all over TV, posters were shown, official trailers were shown on channels

Mainstream films usually have well known directors, James Cameron directed not only Avatar, he also direct the Titanic, Terminator etc.

The equipment used for the Avatar is very impressive as they use more up to date technology compared to the ‘Blair Witch project’

Characteristics of independent products

Independent films usually have a lower production value, this consists of an low budget such as the ‘Blair witch project’ film made in 1999

Budget $60,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend $29,207,381 (USA) (1 August 1999) (1,101 Screens) (wide release)

$1,512,054 (USA) (18 July 1999) (27 Screens)£750,822 (UK) (24 October 1999) (36 Screens) The budget for this independent film is very low compared to mainstream films such as Spider Man, Avatar etc in the end they made profit considering how many screens were open worldwide

There are various reports detailing the amount the movie cost to make, but Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, who co-wrote and produced the film, confirmed the original budget was somewhere between $20,000 and $25,000. It was shot on handheld cameras, one of which was returned after use for a refund to keep costs down. The three main actors did most of the filming, and their lines were entirely improvised – they only had a general outline to follow and had to react to situations unprepared. It took eight days to shoot, and a further eight months to edit. The end result was all the more terrifying as audiences didn’t know whether it was real or not.

Low production also includes an decrease of equipment compared to an mainstream film, The ‘Blair witch project’ only used a camcorder the actors and actresses improvised

Independent films have a selective set of screens due to the budget

Characteristic of niche products• Niche products usually have a specific target audience• They are also different and unique Budget• $600,000 (estimated)

Gross$6,000,000 (USA)$16,000,000 (worldwide)$10,000,000 (Non-USA)SEK 1,585,673 (Sweden)The budget compared to ‘Blair witch project’ is a massive difference as Piranha had a higher budget towards the film itself• Piranha has made various films, and has been popular

ever since, it is a niche product as it is well known and has been around for a while

• It also is a classic film