G322: Institutio

ns and Audience

The questions are very broad and can focus on one of the following areas:Media Ownership (Media Conglomerates)Synergy & Cross Media ConvergenceNew Media TechnologiesThe spread of technologyTechnological Convergence (media gadgets)Big industries targeting British audiencesYour media consumptionMarketingProduction

LO: To explore the issues raised by

ownership

Our Case Study: Disney

• Revenue: $48 billion • Operating income: $12 billion• Its assets are believed to be

worth $84 billion

DisneyA MEDIA

CONGLOMERATE

DisneyA media conglomerate, media group or media institution is a

company that owns large numbers of companies in various mass media such as television, radio, publishing, movies, and

the Internet. Media conglomerates strive for policies that facilitate their control of the markets across the globe.

Institution/Media OwnershipDisney’s Assets

Walt Disney StudiosBuena Vista Home Entertainment

Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group: Touchstone PicturesPixar Animation StudiosLucasfilm Animation

ESPN

ABC Entertainment Group

Marvel Entertainment

Disney Music Group

Institution/Media Ownership Media ConglomeratesMassive multinational media companies who own:

•Film Studios•TV Stations•Record Labels

•Magazines•Newspapers•Books•Internet platforms

The media industry is dominated by the big 6

In 1983, fifty corporations dominated most of every mass medium and the biggest media merger in history was a $340 million deal. … [I]n 1987, the fifty companies had shrunk to twenty-nine. … [I]n 1990, the twenty-nine had shrunk to twenty three. … [I]n 1997, the biggest firms numbered ten and involved the $19 billion Disney-ABC deal, at the time the biggest media merger ever. … [In 2000] AOL Time Warner’s $350 billion merged corporation [was] more than 1,000 times larger [than the biggest deal of 1983].— Ben H. Bagdikian, The Media Monopoly, Sixth Edition, (Beacon Press, 2000),

Just how dominant are the big 6

studios?Have a look at the highest grossing films

of all time – can you spot any independents?

Gladiator DreamWorks, Universal

A Beautiful Mind DreamWorks, Universal, Imagine EntertainmentChicago MiramaxThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King New Line Cinema, Wingnut Films

Million Dollar Baby Warner Bros., Malpaso

Crash LionsGate,

The Departed Warner Bros.

No Country for Old Men Miramax, Paramount VantageSlumdog Millionaire[O] Fox Searchlight, Warner Bros., Celador, Film4

The Hurt Locker Summit Entertainment, Voltage Pictures, First Light Productions, Kingsgate Films

The King's Speech The Weinstein Co., Momentum Pictures, UK Film Council, See-Saw Films, Bedlam Productions

The Artist The Weinstein Co. (US/AUS), Warner Bros. (France),Entertainment Film Distributors (UK), La Petite Reine, ARP Sélection, Studio 37, La Class Americane, France 3 Cinema, U Film, Jouror Productions, JD Prod, Wild Bunch

Argo Warner Bros., GK Films, Smokehouse Pictures

12 Years a Slave

Fox Searchlight, Regency Enterprises, River Road Entertainment, Plan B Entertainment, New Regency,Film4

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Fox Searchlight, Regency Enterprises, Worldview Entertainment

Why might conglomerates be seen as a negative?

Global conglomerates can at times have a progressive impact on culture, especially when they enter nations that had been tightly controlled by corrupt crony media systems (as in much of Latin America) or nations that had significant state censorship over media (as in parts of Asia). The global commercial-media system is radical in that it will respect no tradition or custom, on balance, if it stands in the way of profits. But ultimately it is politically conservative, because the media giants are significant beneficiaries of the current social structure around the world, and any upheaval in property or social relations—particularly to the extent that it reduces the power of business—is not in their interest.—

Robert W. McChesney, The New Global Media; It’s a Small World of Big Conglomerates, The Nation Magazine, November 29, 1999

StarterHomework due today.

New homework:Choose an independent film and compare its commercial success to your film

StarterYou will be shown a term, take turns testing your partner on the meaning

Starter

Conglomerate

Starter

Monopoly

Starter

Merger

Starter

Dumbing down

Starter

Diversity

StarterCultural imperialism

StarterAnswers?

It is useful to remind ourselves that free expression is threatened not just blatantly by authoritarian governments and all those in the private sector who fear public exposure, but also more subtly by the handful of global media conglomerates that have reduced meaningful diversity of expression in much of the globe.

— Gerald Caplan, Advancing Free Media, Open Markets, Open Media forum, November 1997

As Michael Eisner, CEO of Walt Disney Co. said in an internal memo:We have no obligation to make history. We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make a statement. To make money is our only objective.— Michael Eisner, CEO, The Walt Disney Co., (Internal Memo). Quoted from Mickey Mouse Monopoly-Disney, Childhood & Corporate Power

Mickey Mouse Monopoly: Disney Childhood Corporate Power

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byaMd_PNyIY

Independent film

Independent institutionsIndies now form an industry that runs not so much against Hollywood as parallel to Hollywood. American culture has two legitimate film industries, mainstream and independent,

Most of the big 6 have an ‘independent’ style division

Indies have their own Oscars -- the Spirit Awards. It celebrates difficult fare that fights for commercial viability in a mainstream marketplace. http://www.filmindependent.org/spirit-awards/

Lots of A list actors support indie film because it stretches them as actors

Because indie films are free from studio interference, filmmakers can write and direct the films they want to make

In the 1990s the vision of indies changed, some were being made for $1-3 million so profit was the primary concern

1. 'THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST‘ $611.9 million worldwide. Financed by Mel Gibson himself, without the safety net of a distributor in place, the film went on to become the highest-grossing indie of all time and the second-highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

2. 'SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE‘ – SORT OF

• $377.9 million worldwide. Danny Boyle's eclectic adaptation of Vikas Swarup's novel Q & A garnered widespread critical acclaim, and went on to take home best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay at the 2009 Academy Awards.

3. 'MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING'

• $368.7 million worldwide. Despite the fact that it never held the No. 1 spot on the box office charts, the Joel Zwick-directed romantic comedy, which reportedly cost $6 million to make, proved to be one of the most profitable films of all time and the second-highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time.

4. 'SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE‘ ?

$289.3 million worldwide. Preproduction started way back in 1991 when the project was under the Universal banner, but when rising star Julia Roberts dropped out of the lead role of Juliet, Uni balked and dropped the project. Once in turnaround the other majors didn't touch it, but Harvey Weinstein's Miramax swooped in, bankrolled it, and ended up with the best picture statuette at the 71st Academy Awards.

5. 'THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT‘ $248.6 million worldwide. Perhaps the most profitable film of all time, with a reported budget of $25,000, The Blair Witch Project popularized the now ubiquitous and hyperprofitable genre of "found footage" films.

Indie success stories?

The reality facing indie filmmakers…

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tg1zT_2pyo

Independents

The AmericanFilm Industry

Institution/Media Ownership Dreamworks – an independent success story

31 feature films, including the franchises of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Monsters vs. Aliens and The Croods. As of November 2014, its feature films have grossed $12.9 billion worldwide, with a $419 million average gross per film

Distribution:

Paramount

20th Century Fox

Independents

The problem of being an independent:Read the article and make notes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/business/media/19dreamworks.html?_

r=0

Institution/Media Ownership – U.S.A Independents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_UxLEqd074‘Paranormal Activity’

Institution/Media Ownership IndependentsUS independent film maker Orin Peli made ‘Paranormal Activity’ for just $15,000. But he needed Paramount, a US major studio to distribute and remarket his film ($20 million). In doing so the film made over $190 million.

It does show though that there are exceptions to the rule that big budget films usually do best...

Independents

The UKFilm Industry

Independent filmBritish film

Often British productions are made by smaller outfits like Warp Films, working with Film 4 or the BBC to try to secure extra funding and help with distribution.

Often films made this way struggle to get more than £1 or £2 million budgets and consider a success to break even, with DVD after-sales included.

Industry Overview

Hollywood Studios

(US)

Working Title

(UK/US)

Budgets average $30m

Budgets average £1m

Budgets average $100m+

British Films, have low to modest budgets, make modest returns. British films - stuck in a rut…

US films out of Hollywood have massive budgets, which generate massive profits - a cycle of self-sustaining profit.

The main British success story, Working Title now has US cash to finance its films.

Institution/Media Ownership

Institution/Media Ownership Working Title Films

Aardman: British animation

Aardman was founded in 1972 as a low-budget project

Creature Comforts, was the first Aardman production to win an Oscar

December 1997, Aardman and DreaWorks (later DreamWorks Animation) announced that their companies were teaming up to co-finance and distribute Chicken Run

The deal was officially terminated on 30 January 2007

April 2007, Aardman signed and in 2010 renewed a three-year deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to finance, co-produce and distribute feature films

Kickstarter: The campaign has a target of £75,000 which will be used to fund 12 new one-minute episodes of Morph.

https://www.youtube.com/user/aardman

Institution/Media Ownership Independents

Some producers work outside of the major studies. Often British productions are made by smaller outfits like Warp Films, working in synergy with Film 4 or the BBC to try to secure extra funding and help with distribution. Often films made this way struggle to get more than £1 or £2 million budgets and consider a success to break even, with DVD after-sales included. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGk2TojOd-4

Institution/Media Ownership Independents: Four Lions

Theatrical PerformanceDomestic Box Office $310,007International Box Office $2,126,104

Worldwide Box Office $2,436,111

• The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. • Short-listed for the festival's World Cinema Narrative prize.• RELEASE: The UK première took place at the National Media

Museum as part of Bradford International Film Festival as part of Bradford International Film Festival on 25 March 2010]

• Nationwide release on 7 May.• DISTRIBUTION: Despite its acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival,

Four Lions failed to find a distributor in the US for nine months, until the newly formed Drafthouse Films picked it up.

• U.S RELEASE The film had a limited release in the US on 5 November 2010.

PRACTICE

Why might conglomerates be seen as a negative?

DISCUSS

What are the advantages of am indie film company?

DISCUSS

Find out about the institutions involved with the production,

distribution, exhibition and

marketing. What role did they play? Who

spent what?

H/W

Types of questions you might

encounter…

Discuss the issues raised by media ownership in the production and exchange

of media texts in your chosen area

“Media production is dominated by global

companies, which sell their products to national

audiences”. To what extent do you agree with this

statement?

What impact does media ownership have upon the

range of products available to audiences in the media area you have

studied?

L/O: To explore

the production process of Disney

films

Homework:

Research the production of the film – what problems were there? What technology was used? Was there any synergy between institutions?

ProductionWalt Disney Animation: History

Overview: The Production CycleYou are expected to know what happens in each of these 4 stages of a film’s life:

1. Film Production

2. Film Distribution

3. Film Exhibition

4. Film Marketing

Choose genre, director, stars, SFX, & film it!

Get film into multiplexes & TV deals

Advertise the film as widely as possible (Synergy?)

The Production Cycle

What issues might film producers faceduring the production cycle?

ProductionWalt Disney Animation

For a long time, Walt Disney was seen as the most innovative and successful animation institution.

1970s and 80s – downturn

1990s – renaissance thanks to new technology, A list actors, use of music and engaging narratives (for both adults and children)

ProductionThe Importance of Innovation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKUWli76KRc

The Little Mermaid (1989) was also the first to feature the use of Disney's Computer Animation Production System (CAPS).

Developed for Disney by Pixar

ProductionLittle Mermaid (1989) Fact File

Budget$40,000,000 (estimated)

Box office: $211,343,479 (worldwide)

Rentals: $40,227,000 (USA)

Computer Animation Production System

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDjPziJl778

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmcJthJmF98https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqRHdH_4PK0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkb0r2-vYK0

Soundtrack:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3o7eBeTQo0

Production The Lion King (1994)

ProductionThe Lion King Fact File

Budget$45,000,000 (estimated)

Following a 3D re-release in 2011, with earnings of over US $987 million worldwide as of 2011, the film is the highest-grossing hand-drawn film in history,

The film has led to many derived works such as a Broadway show, two straight to video follow ups and two TV spin offs.

Digital T.V

Satellite ( Sky) Digital Terrestrial (Freeview) Cable (NTL)

Film & New Media Technology

Advances in new media technology have made it possible for anyone to make films and showcase them on the internet on sites like YouTube.We can now also watch films on phones, games consoles, digital TV on demand.We can also see state of the art SFX on giant screens in 3D.

HOME CINEMA? FILMS ON THE MOVE?

OR IMAX 3D?

Media Convergence - Film

Technological ConvergenceGadgets to watch films on:• Smart-phones (iPhone etc)• MP4 players • Portable Games Consoles (PSP etc)• Laptops (Airbooks etc)

Multimedia devices, films at home:• Games Consoles (Xbox 360, PS3

etc)• PC (via DVD, BluRay, il/legal

downloads)• Home Cinema (Plasma TV /

Projector + digital TV)

Frozen (2013)

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/frozen-at-christmas/on-demand

Produced by Walt Disney AnimationDistributed by Walt Disney Pictures

A summary:

Productionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UZRqjUXbSM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H1gRQ6S7gg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szJ9Ohi2FNo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-4c3JSLVww

Essay Approaches.• The exam board want to know what you understand about:• Media Institutions: Hollywood Studios (20th Century Fox etc.),

British Studios (Working Title + Warp Films etc).• Media Audiences: UK film viewers (either in cinemas, or via PC /

TV / Phone etc)• Media Technology: Digital filmmaking (CGI, 3D, Imax, DV-Cams),

Online Films (LoveFilm, iTunes, YouTube, piracy), Convergence (gadgets to watch films on)

• Marketing Campaigns: How Studios advertise their films (Synergy, TV + Internet trailers, Print ads – newspapers, magazines, posters, Premieres, junkets, word of mouth, USP, merchandising etc).

ALL OF THE ABOVE NEED SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.

Past Questions for Q2.• Section B: Institutions and Audiences • Answer the question below, making detailed reference to examples

from your case study material to support points made in your answer.

• Discuss the issues raised by an institution’s need to target specific audiences within a media industry which you have studied.

Past Questions for Q2.• Section B: Institutions and Audiences • Answer the question below, making detailed reference to examples

from your case study material to support points made in your answer.

• Discuss the ways in which media products are produced and distributed to audiences, within a media area, that you have studied.

Past Questions for Q2.• Section B: Institutions and Audiences • Answer the question below, making detailed reference to examples

from your case study material to support points made in your answer.

• “Media production is dominated by global institutions, which sell their services and products, to national audiences.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Past Questions for Q2• Section B: Institutions and Audiences• Answer the question below, making detailed reference to examples

from your case study material to support the points made in your answer.

• How important is technological convergence for institutions and audiences within a media area which you have studied?

Marking Grid for Qu2.Band / Grade Argument Examples Terminology

Level 1: U

Minimal understanding& reference to study

(0-7)

Limited range and use of examples

(0-7)

Minimal use of terms. Inaccuracies

(0-3)Low Level 2:

E > DBasic understanding. Some relevant points.

(8-11)

Some relevant examples

(8-11)

Some terms used. Some inaccuracies

(4-5)Upper Level 3:

C > BProficient argument,

well supported.(12-15)

Good range of examples(12-15)

Mostly accurate terms(6-7)

Level 4 : A

Excellent, relevant, sustained argument

(16-20)

Frequent use of relevant examples

(16-20)

Relevant and accurate terms

(8-10)