New Technologies Essay

Based on the ‘New Technologies’ question from the June 2014 Media Studies exam.

‘The increase in hardware and content in media industries has been significant in recent years.’
Discuss the effect this has had on institutions and audiences of films.

Plan

Introduction

– technology has changed massively over times, especially in the last 100 times
– in this time media has also changed in all areas

– technology used in media, in all areas (production, post-production, marketing, distribution) has changed – the media industry has adapted to change

– more films are actually made because its easier to

Main Body

Case Studies:

Prometheus
Production-
– filmed on digital cameras
– filmed on 3D cameras

Marketing techniques-
– social media marketing- stills, trailers and websites advertised
– websites – projectprometheus.com, weylandindustries.com – games, videos (the viral videos), trailers and stills, exclusive content available
– exclusive content available via text messages – WonderCon business card
– viral videos – 5 videos introducing the characters and the world in which the film is set

Release-
– Conventional theatrical release, then on DVD/Blu-Ray and VOD

Spectre
Production-
– filmed on digital cameras
– filmed on 3D cameras

Marketing techniques-
– websites- offical film website,stills and trailers available
– social media marketing – trailers advertised
– product placement and product commercials – Sony phone commercial – Heineken beer commercial
– Comic Relief sketch – mockumentary of behind the scenes of the film

Release –
– Conventional theatrical release, then on DVD/Blu-Ray and VOD

A Field In England
Production-
– filmed on digital cameras

Marketing techniques-
– social media marketing – Ben Wheatley used Twitter and other social media accounts to market his film – trailers etc.

Release-
– day-and-date release
– freeview TV
– released on Film4
– virtually everyone has a TV at home
– VOD

Special Correspondents
Production-
– filmed on digital cameras

Marketing techniques-
– social media marketing – Gervais released the first trailer on Twitter

Release –
– day-and-date release
– VOD (Netflix)

 

Essay

Over time technology has changed drastically, especially in the last 100 years, with the invention and discovery of many various different technologies designed for thousands of purposes.  In this time media has also changed and increased, in all aspects and areas, as has the technology used in the media industry.  In terms of film making the technology used in all areas, such as production, post-production, marketing and distribution, has changed and improved to make the process better, quicker and easier.  Due to these new technologies there are more films that are actually produced because it is now much easier to make them.  The creation of technologies and devices, such as smartphones, tablets, computers and even game consoles, allow more ways for films to be distributed and marketed due to their ability to store and play content as well as their internet capabilities allowing access to social media sites and VOD platforms.

General film hardware and technology has changed drastically in recent years.  Things are now filmed digitally instead of on celluloid film and they’re also distributed, stored and projected digitally.  Almost every film made now are filmed on digital cameras, apart from a few choice directors who stick with the old ways, however even films that are produced on actual film are still converted to digital and shown in cinemas on digital projectors.  We have seen the rise of effects such as 3D, with films such as Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror Prometheus (2012) being filmed on both normal and 3D digital cameras.  This is also true of Sam Mendes’ most recent James Bond film, Spectre (2015), which was shown in 647 cinemas, and had an opening weekend gross profit of £41.7 million ($63.8 million).  Both 4D and IMAX screenings have seen a rise, with seats that move and a make the viewer feel as if they were in the film.  Both Prometheus and Spectre was not only shown in normal 2D and 3D but also in various IMAX cinemas in the UK, with Spectre being shown in 40 IMAX screens.

The hardware on which films are released to the public has also changed.  In the past one would have to either see a film upon its theatrical release at the cinema or wait until it was released years later on television; some film would also be released on VHS after the creation of the VHS player and then eventually DVD when DVD players were invented.  However, the abundance of DVDs has now increased, with most people owning one, along with televisions, and with the creation of the Blu-Ray disc and player there are even more ways of viewing films.  Game consoles have also now been designed with disc drives that are capable of playing Blu-Ray and DVD discs, and the abundance of these in the homes of the general public have increased within the last 10 years.  Set top boxes have also been created and become very common in the last few years, giving the owner access to VOD providers, such as the Amazon Fire Stick and Apple TV.  Freeview boxes such as those provided by Virgin Media and Sky, which again have increased in abundance within the last 10 years, also give the owner access to VOD platforms, such as Netflix.  Most film companies utilise DVD/Blu-Ray and VOD platforms for releasing their content after the course of the film’s theatrical distribution.  However, some films, such as Ricky Gervais’ Special Correspondents (2016), use only VOD platforms for their release.  Gervais’ film was released via a day-and-date method using only the Netflix VOD platform, which is probably the most popular VOD platform; Gervais exploited the fact that the majority of the general public have access to either set top boxes, freeview boxes or mobile hardware such as smartphones, tablets and laptop computers which have internet capabilities and access to VOD providers.  This is similar to the release of Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England (2013), which again was released in the UK via a day-and-date method in 17 select Picturehouse cinemas as well as TVOD providers, such as iTunes, Amazon and Film4OD, and the Film4 freeview television channel.  Wheatley, like Gervais, was exploiting the fact that most people now own devices with access to the internet as well as nearly everyone owning at least one television.

The creation of new hardware means that there are now more ways than ever before for companies to to distribute their films and products.  A market emerged for institutions with mobile hardware, such as smartphones and tablets which are capable of playing content.  This is also true of computers and laptops.  The portable nature of smartphones, tablets and laptops also mean that users can download content and watch it on the go.

The creation of internet capable devices such as this mean that people now have easy access to social media sites, another market which companies have been able to exploit, mainly in terms of their marketing strategy.  More and more films are being marketed and advertised on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, which is true of both Prometheus and Spectre.  Ridley Scott and 20th Century Fox hired RSA, a promotion company, to market and promote Prometheus.  They used guerrilla marketing techniques and utilised the internet and social media heavily.  Posters, trailers and stills of the film were shown on social media sites, as well as on websites (projectprometheus.com and weylandindustries.com) created especially for the film.  These websites also provided games for the user and showed the viral videos which were created for the film’s promotion, introducing the characters and world of the film; these were also shown on social media.  RSA also exploited the increasing use of mobile phones by the public by allowing access to exclusive content for the user by texting a number provided on a futuristic Weyland Industries business card given out at the 2012 Wondercon.  This symbiosis was also used with Spectre, which was was promoted on social media sites with trailers and posters, as well as a specially designed website purely for the film.  Columbia also exploited the public’s use of televisions, creating partnerships with companies such as Sony and Heineken to create television adverts to promote their product which included cast members of Spectre; this synergy in turn promoted the film.

A Field In England was also marketed heavily on social media, using an active use of Ben Wheatley’s Twitter account with 200,000 followers.  This included re-tweeting and commenting on audience tweets and reviews about the film, as well as releasing trailers.  The same was true of Special Correspondents, for which the first trailer was released on Ricky Gervais’ Twitter account.

Due to new technologies and hardware there are now more films being made than ever before because of the ease and speed in which they can be produced.  Both Prometheus and Spectre are examples of tentpole releases produced by members of the ‘Big Six’ global conglomerates, which were shown in the majority of cinemas across the UK.  The fact that they were made by members of the ‘Six’ meant that they could have large production budgets, with Prometheus having a budget of $130,000,000, and Spectre one of $245,000,000.  This ease in which films can now be made due to digital technology and hardware means that wealthy companies such as the ‘Big Six’ can make multiple movies a year, and because of this they are filling the cinemas with their products; this blocks out smaller companies and means films made by independent companies or directors with small budgets are less likely to have a large scale theatrical release.  Companies which once only showed films are now actually making their own content; these Netflix, which has made television series such as Daredevil and Jessica Jones, as well as films such as Special Correspondents, and HBO, which makes hit series such as Game of Thrones and True Detective.

There are now more films in the cinema and more choice of content than ever before because there is more of everything being made due to the creation of new and digital film making hardware; however, this means that people are less likely to watch a particular film because of the abundance in choice.  There is now much easier access to content than ever before, meaning that it can be viewed pretty much wherever, whenever by whoever.  This is all because of the creation and abundance of new hardware which gives the user access to the internet, on which they can stream content, download and view content, view it on VOD platforms, and use social media to view promotion of content, meaning they can get excited about are then more likely to view it at the cinema upon its theatrical release.

Digital Distribution Essay

Based on the ‘Digital Distribution’ question from the January 2012 Media Studies exam.

To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media production of films?

Plan

• films in the present day are distributed digitally – not on film anymore
• they are also distributed on VOD
• the way films are marketed has changed over time
• films now have to be marketed to appeal and to appear to users of VOD etc. – the platforms on which films are distributed – simple adverts and posters are no longer as effective

Case Studies

A Field In England

• day-and-date release
• released on 5th July 2013 in 17 select Picturehouse cinemas across the UK, on Blu-Ray and DVD, TVOD (Transactional Video On Demand), and was broadcasted on Chanel 4’s film channel, Film4, on free-to-air television.
• – on the opening weekend the film made £21,399 in the 17 cinemas.  It picked up 2,213 admissions with a screen average of £1,259 from the 17 sites, finishing at number 20 in the UK chart.
  – Additional special screenings on the opening Friday generated £10,783 from 14 screens.
• – primary audience was identified by the films distributors as ABC1 18-25 year olds.
  – cinema exit polls showed and average age of 35, skewing strongly male, below the average age of all cinema going.
  – 77% of the cinema audience said they knew it was available free on television.
• – averaged 367,000 viewers during its free television screening.
  – total television reach of the film was 918,000 viewers, which was about 1.8% of the population.
• – audience for the film was made up of more male, ABC1 and over-55 views than is usual for the slot.
• – combined HMV, Amazon DVD and Blu-Ray sales on the Friday and Saturday reached 1,462, with Blu-Ray outselling DVD.
  – VOD rental figures were well ahead of the 2,000 forecast, with 3,133 on iTunes, 1746 on Virgin Media, and 714 on Film4OD.  Download to own figures on iTunes were 680, which was below the predicted 1,000.
• – release did not include subscription VOD (SVOD) services, such as Netflix and LoveFilm and some pay-per-view services, notably Sky Box Office.
• – marketing plan was to build interest across all platforms – Channel 4, Film4, Film4OD, Picturehouse Cinemas, the related websites and social media channels and through VOD channels.
• – an innovative risk-sharing deal was agreed with theatrical and other platforms to ensure that there was no unfair burden on any one area of exploitation.
  – interviews with executives suggested the film would not have bettered its performance through a conventional release.
  – Wheatley had a keen interest in new forms of communication and distribution.

Special Correspondents

• day-and-date release on 29th April 2016 on VOD (Netflix)
• announced in April 2015 that Netflix had pre-bought the global distribution rights for roughly $12 million.
• world premiere took place on 22nd April 2016 at the Tribeca Film Festival – was followed by an audience discussion with Ricky Gervais, Eric Bana and additional cast members.
• can be assumed that it will eventually be available on DVD and Blu-Ray at some point, although it has not been confirmed yet – might not be any time soon due to the initial VOD release

-Marketing was quite minor, mainly social media based  – Ricky Gervais shared the first trailer on his Twitter account

– Gervais and Banna also starred on talk shows, such as the Graham Norton Show, as a way of promoting the film

Prometheus

– Traditional theatrical distribution, then on DVD/Blu-Ray and VOD providers such as iTunes

• Total Lifetime Grosses – Domestic:  $126,477,084     +    Foreign:  $276,877,385=   Worldwide:   $403,354,469

  Opening weekend:  $51,050,101

– RSA promotion company – used guerrilla marketing strategies

– Interesting and new marketing technique:

• online – websites (projectprometheus.com, weylandindustries.com)
• social media
• viral videos

Spectre

– Traditional theatrical distribution, then on DVD/Blu-Ray and VOD providers such as iTunes

• UK opening day gross profit: £6.3 million ($9.2 million)
• Uk opening week gross profit: £41.7 million ($63.8 million) – broke the UK record for highest first-week opening, which was set by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in 2004, making £23.88 million ($36.9 million).
• Worldwide gross profit (as of 31st March 2016):  UK – $135.5 million  +  USA – $200.1 million = Worldwide – $880.7 million
• In the UK, it surpassed Avatar to become the country’s highest-grossing IMAX release ever with $10.09 million.
• Spectre also broke the record for the best per-screen opening average with $110,000, a record previously held by The Dark Knight with $100,200.

– Online marketing technique – websites and social media promotion
– Product placement marketing – Heineken and Sony adverts

 

Essay

In the present day the majority of films made are distributed digitally, stored on hard rives, sent to theatres and cinemas over the internet, and exhibited to the public on digital projectors; the days of celluloid film are drawing to a close.  Even if a film is produced on film, as is the choice of a few directors, it is converted to digital and distributed digitally.  Films are distributed theatrically and on DVD/Blu-Ray, but the rise of VOD (Video On Demand) has opened up new doors for film distribution, and even changing the way some films are distributed initially.  Due to platforms such as VOD films can be viewed and consumed with more ease, but they also mean that the marketing of films has had to change.  Films have to be marketed to appear more to the modern generation who use VOD, such as on social media; the majority of VOD users are also social media users, or at least web savvy.  Simple trailers and posters are no longer as effective as they once were due to the changing and increasing ways in which people view films.

Kevin Wheatley’s A Field In England is an example of a film utilising new means of modern film distribution.  The film was released to the general public in the UK using a day-and-date release on 5th July 2013.  It was simultaneously released in 17 select Picturehouse cinemas across the UK, on Blu-Ray and DVD, on TVOD (Transactional Video On Demand) and was also broadcasted on the Film4 film channel on free-to-air television.  On the opening weekend the A Field In England made £21,399 in the 17 cinemas.  It picked up 2,213 admissions with a screen average of £1,259 from the 17 sites, finishing at number 20 in the UK chart.  Additional special screenings on the opening Friday generated £10,783 from 14 screens.  The film averaged 367,000 viewers during its free television screening and the total television reach of the film was 918,000 viewers, which was about 1.8% of the population.  Combined HMV, Amazon DVD and Blu-Ray sales on the Friday and Saturday reached 1,462, with Blu-Ray outselling DVD, and VOD rental figures were well ahead of the 2,000 forecast, with 3,133 on iTunes, 1746 on Virgin Media, and 714 on Film4OD.  The download to own figures on iTunes were 680, which was below the predicted 1,000.  The film’s release did not include SVOD (Subscription Video On Demand) services, such as Netflix and LoveFilm, and some pay-per-view services, notably Sky Box Office.  Interviews with executives suggested the film would not have bettered its performance through a conventional release.

A Field In England‘s release was not a conventional one and this was partly due to it being a film that wasn’t produced or released by one of the ‘Big Six’; it was never going to have a large or lengthy slot in hundreds of cinemas across the UK because the collaboration between the production company and the cinema was non-existent.  It was also due to the fact that Wheatley had a keen interest in new forms of communication and distribution, and interviews with executives suggested the film would not have bettered its performance through a conventional release.  Wheatley utilised new forms of digital technology, such as VOD and freeview television, to distribute his film, and in doing to made it much easier to be viewed and consumed by audiences across the UK.  The fact that the release was -day-and-date made it even better; people could choose to go to the cinema or watch it on TV for free at exactly the same time, and 77% of the cinema audience actually said they knew it was available free on television.

Another film with a similar interesting digital release was Ricky Gervais’s Special Correspondents, which had a day-and-date release on 29th April 2016 purely on the Netflix VOD platform.  It was announced in April 2015 that Netflix had pre-bought the global distribution rights for the film for roughly $12 million.  The world premiere took place on 22nd April 2016 at the Tribeca Film Festival, which was followed by an audience discussion with Ricky Gervais, Eric Bana and additional cast members.  It can be assumed that Special Correspondents will eventually be available on DVD and Blu-Ray at some point, although it has not been confirmed yet; this might not happen any time soon due to the initial VOD release.

The film’s marketing was quite minor and mainly social media based; Ricky Gervais shared the first trailer for the film on his Twitter account.  This was relatively effective as Gervais himself has a large social media fanbase, but also because the majority of people who use platforms such as Netflix also use social media; they are going to most likely see the trailer and therefore be more likely to watch it upon its release.  This would have been increased in the UK as Gervais has a large fanbase as a British comedian.  Simple posters and trailers as with a conventional film release would have been less likely to reach the target audience of VOD users.  Gervais and Banna also appeared on talk shows, such as the Graham Norton Show in the UK, as a way of promoting the film.

Ridley Scott’s Prometheus was released differently to both A Field In England and Special Correspondents.  It was released in a conventional theatrical distribution, and then on DVD/Blu-Ray and on VOD platforms such as iTunes.  On the opening weekend the film made $51,050,101, and its total worldwide lifetime gross is $403,354,469.  RSA, a promotion company, were hired to promote Prometheus, and to do so they used guerrilla marketing strategies, utilising the internet and social media to reach their audiences.  Websites were created, such as projectprometheus.com and weylandindustries.com promoted the film and offered users exclusive content as well as the various viral videos that were created, which introduced different cast members as characters.  These viral videos were also shown on various social media sites as a way of promoting Prmotheus, as well as the trailers and movie posters.  Due to the majority of people now using social media RSA had to tailor the promotion of the film to appeal to the target audience, which mainly included people who used social media, therefore it had to be marketed on social media sites.

Over time the way in which films are distributed and the way that they are viewed and consumed by audiences has changed, therefore the marketing of films has also had to change.  Due to the increasing rate in which films are distributed on VOD providers, the marketing has had to change to appeal to the target audience of the people who use it, which are predominately users of the internet and social media sites.

Media Ownership Essay

Based on the ‘Media Ownership’ question from the June 2015 Media Studies exam.

To what extent does media ownership have an impact on the successful distribution of of films?

Plan

The ‘Big Six’ –  who, what, why, how?

• Disney
• Warner Bros.
• 20th Century Fox
• Universal Pictures
• Paramount Pictures
• Columbia Pictures

– the 6 biggest and most successful production and distribution companies in the film industry
– collectively control around 80-85% of US and Canadian box office revenue.
– 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Paramount Pictures were part of the original ‘Big Five’ who existed during the Golden Age of Hollywood (late 1920s to mid-1940s) – became very successful and well known

Case Studies:

Spectre – big tentpole release, example of film by ‘Big Six’

• Produced by Columbia Pictures – one of ‘Big 6’

– had a guaranteed audience across the UK in fans of the Bond franchise
– Columbia, being one of the ‘Big 6’, ensured Spectre a long and big slot in the majority of UK cinemas
– world premiere took place in London on 26th October 2015 at the Royal Albert Hall, the same day as its general release in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland – a big venue achieved by the power and wealth of Columbia Pictures
– shown in 587 cinemas and 21 IMAX screens in the UK

– the company also has a large amount of money to make the film of a high quality, therefore making it appealing to fans and viewers
– Production budget: $245,000,000

– UK opening day gross profit: £6.3 million ($9.2 million)
– UK opening week gross profit: £41.7 million ($63.8 million)

– Worldwide gross profit (as of 31st March 2016):  UK – $135.5 million  +  USA – $200.1 million

= Worldwide – $880.7 million

Prometheus – another big tentpole style release by ‘Big Six’

• Produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox – one of ‘Big 6’

– was guaranteed an audience of some sort (maybe not as big as for Spectre) in fans of the Alien franchise
– 20th Century Fox, being one of the ‘Big 6’, ensured Prometheus a long and big slot in the majority of UK cinemas
– the premiere took place on 31st May, 2012, at the Empire cinema in Leicester Square, London -a big venue achieved by the power and wealth of 20th Century Fox
– shown in 536 cinemas in the UK

– the company also has a large amount of money to make the film of a high quality, therefore making it appealing to fans and viewers
– Production budget: $130,000,000

– UK opening weekend gross profit: £6,234,812

– Total worldwide lifetime gross: $403,354,469

A Field In England – not a tentpole release not released by ‘Big Six’

• Produced by Film4 – not one of the ‘Big 6’ – smaller and independent

– was guaranteed a small audience in the form of fans of Ben Wheatley’s former work
– the release strategy was much different to that of a film produced/distributed by one of the ‘Big 6’
– day-and-date release in 17 cinemas, VOD and freeview TV (Film4 channel)

– didn’t have large amounts of money invested in it
– Production budget: £316,879
– the BFI Distribution Fund supported the release of the project with £56,701, which contributed to a P&A spend of £112,000.

– Opening weekend theatrical gross profit: £21,399

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – not a tentpole release not released by ‘Big Six’

• Produced by Blueprint Pictures and Participant Media – not one of the ‘Big 6’ – smaller and independent, but bigger than A Field In England

– was guaranteed a small audience in the form of fans of the popular and well known actors – Maggie Smith, Judie Dench, Dev Patel
– release strategy was standard, but not as costly or as invested in as that of a film produced/distributed by one of the ‘Big 6’

– didn’t have large amounts of money invested in it, compared to that of a film produced by one of the ‘Big 6’ – but much bigger than that of A Field In England
– was much more successful than it was expected to be
– Production budget: $10,000,000

– UK opening weekend gross profit: £2,222,0000
– Worldwide lifetime gross profit: $136,000,000

 

Essay

In the present day there are six companies within the media industry that are the most powerful, wealthy and most successful production and distribution companies currently in operation.  These companies are aptly named the ‘Big Six’, and are Disney, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures. The ‘Six’ collectively control around 80-85% of US and Canadian box office revenue and make the majority of films that are shown in cinemas worldwide.  They invest extremely large amounts of money in both the production and distribution of films.  Three of the ‘Six’, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Paramount Pictures, were part of the original ‘Big Five’ who existed during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the late 1920s to mid-1940s, and becoming very successful, resulting in their success, power and popularity today.

An example of a film made by one of the ‘Big Six’, and a tentpole release, is Spectre (2015), the most recent film in the Bond franchise, directed by Sam Mendes and produced by Columbia Pictures.  The distribution of this film was exceptionally successful for a variety of reasons, but was mainly due to the fact that the film was made by one of the ‘Big Six’; Columbia invested a large amount of money on not only the production of Spectre, which made it of a very high quality with popular actors, but also on the film’s distribution, which was aided by Sony Pictures in the UK.

Spectre had a guaranteed audience in the UK from the very beginning in the form of fans of the James Bond franchise.  As the latest instalment in the franchise and featuring Daniel Craig as 007, who had become very popular in the role, the film was expected to attract a large audience very easily based purely on the pre-existing success and popularity of the franchise and the cast.  As the production company, Columbia Pictures, is one of the ‘Big Six’ it ensured Spectre a large and lengthy slot in the majority of UK cinemas, due to the company’s power and known success, giving it an ability to gain cinema time easily.  Following its release on 26th October 2015, Spectre was shown in 587 cinemas and 21 IMAX screens across the UK.  The film’s world premier took place on the same day as its general release in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and occurred in London in the Royal Albert Hall.  This is a big and extremely famous venue, which was achieved due to the success and popularity of the Bond franchise, but also by the power and wealth of Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures.

Columbia spent large amounts of money on Spectre in order to make it of a high quality and therefore more appealing to fans and viewers.  The production budget devised for Mendes’ film was $245,000,000, and this apparently paid off because in the UK the opening day gross profit was £6.3 million ($9.2 million), and after the opening weekend it had grossed £41.7 million ($63.8 million).  As of 31st March 2016 the worldwide gross profit for Spectre was $880.7 million, combining $135.5 million from the UK and $200.1 million from the USA.  It made nearly four times what had been spent on it, and that number is still rising as copies are purchased worldwide on DVD and Blu-Ray, and on VOD providers.  If Spectre hadn’t had a production budget of this scale, the quality might have been poor and then perhaps the success of the film’s release might not have been as big.  By investing in Spectre and making it a tentpole release, Columbia ensured a certain measure of success for the film.  However, if the popularity of the Bond franchise hadn’t been pre-existing, then maybe Columbia might not have invested as much and risked it as a tentpole release.

Another example of a tentpole release created by one of the ‘Big Six’ is Prometheus (2012), the most recent film in the Alien franchise, directed by Ridley Scott and both produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox.  Such as with Spectre the distribution of Prometheus film was successful for a variety of reasons, but was mainly due to the fact that the film was made by one of the ‘Big Six’.  20th Century Fox invested a large amount of money on both the film’s production and distribution.

Prometheus was guaranteed an audience of some sort (maybe not as big as for Spectre, but still big) in the form of fans of the Alien franchise; the first film in the franchise, Alien, also directed by Ridley Scott, was extremely successful upon its release in 1979 due to its new ideas and stellar cast.  Prometheus is a prequel to that first film, and justifies the events which take place in Alien, so this would have been attractive to viewers and fans of Scott’s first sci-fi horror.  The fact that 20th Century Fox is one of the ‘Big Six’ ensured Prometheus, like Spectre, a large and long slot in the majority of UK cinemas, and it ended up being shown in 536 venues across the country.   The film’s premiere took place on 31st May 2012, at the Empire cinema in Leicester Square, London, a big venue achieved by the power, wealth and success of 20th Century Fox.

20th Century Fox, just like Columbia with Spectre although not quite as much, spent a large amount of money on the production and distribution of Prometheus, with a production budget of $130,000,000.  However, Ridley Scott did want more money from Fox for the film, but they refused to give him the $250 million he wanted to make it as it was R rated.  They agreed to give him the budget if dropped the rating, but he refused and a compromise was made.  The smaller budget didn’t seem to matter much as on the opening weekend in the UK Prometheus grossed £6,234,812, and it has a total worldwide lifetime gross of $403,354,469.

The film A Field In England is an example of a film that was not a tentpole release and was not produced or distributed by any of the ‘Big Six’.  It is a smaller, independent film that was directed by small time director Ben Wheatley and produced by Film4 and Rook Films.  Although it wasn’t heavily advertised, A Field In England was guaranteed a small audience in the form of fans of Ben Wheatley’s former work.  The release strategy for the film was much different to that of a film distributed or produced by one of the ‘Big Six’, and very different from a general film distribution method.  A Field In England was distributed using a day-and-date release strategy in which the film was shown simultaneously in 17 cinemas, VOD and freeview TV, on Film4’s film channel, across the UK on 5th July 2013.

Due to the fact that Ben Wheatley is a small scale independent director who’s films are not produced or distributed by the ‘Big Six’, A Field In England didn’t have large amounts of money invested in it; it simply didn’t have the backing.  It had a production budget of £316,879 and the BFI Distribution Fund supported the release of the project with £56,701, which contributed to a P&A spend of £112,000.  On the opening weekend the film made a theatrical gross profit of £21,399, making back no where near what it cost to make, however this money will be made back slowly over time in the form of DVD/Blu-Ray and VOD purchases.

Another example of a film that wasn’t a tentpole release or produced or distributed by one of the ‘Big Six’ is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  This was a small independent film, but bigger than A Field In England, which was directed by John Madden and  produced by Blueprint Pictures and Participant Media.  The film was guaranteed an audience of some kind in the form of the well known and popular actors who starred in it, such as Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy and Dame Judy Dench, as well as Dev Patel, who’s popularity had grown due to his performance in Slumdog Millionaire.  The release strategy of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel release and distribution strategy was a standard one, but not as costly or as invested in as that of a film produced or distributed by one of the ‘Big Six’.

Madden’s film didn’t have large amounts of money invested in it, compared to that of a film produced by one of the ‘Big Six’, but it was a much bigger film than that of A Field In England and had much more money invested in it.  It had a production budget of $10,000,000 and on the opening weekend in the UK it grossed £2,222,0000, with a worldwide lifetime gross profit of $136,000,000.  Overall it was much more successful than it was expected to be, and made back much more money than what was invested.

By looking at these four films, two of which were tentpole releases produced and distributed by two of the ‘Big Six’ it is clear that media ownership does have a big impact on the successful distribution of films.  Both Spectre and Prometheus were produced and distributed by members of the ‘Big Six’, having large amounts of money invested in them, and due to this, the pre-existing fan base of the franchise, and the power and success of the companies, they were very successful upon release.  A Field In England and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel however were not produced or distributed by any of the ‘Big Six’ and did not have massive amounts of money invested in them.  A Field In England was not particularly successful, but The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel  was much more successful than expected, however it did have a better cast and more money spent on it, and although the production companies were not part of the ‘Big Six’ they were more successful than those that made A Field In England.

New Technologies Essay Plan

Based on the ‘New Technologies’ question from the June 2013 Media Studies exam

Evaluate the role of digital technologies in the marketing and consumption of products in the media area you have studied.

Introduction

-Technology has changed massively over time, especially in the last 100 years
– In this time media has also changed drastically, in all areas

Main Body – New Technologies

Case Studies:

• A Field In England
  • day-and-date release
  • freeview TV
    • released on Film4
    • virtually everyone has a TV at home
  • VOD
  • social media marketing
    • Kevin Smith used Twitter and other social media accounts to market his film – trailers etc.

• Special Correspondents
  • day-and-date release
  • VOD (Netflix)

• Prometheus
  • online marketing
    • trailers and websites advertised on social media
    • websites
  • websites
    • projectprometheus.com
    • weylandindustries.com
    • games, videos (the viral videos), trailers and stills available
  • exclusive content
    • available via text messages – WonderCon business card
  • viral videos
    • 5 videos introducing characters and the world in which the film is set

• Spectre
  • online marketing
    • websites
      • offical film website
      • stills and trailers available
    • social media marketing
      • trailers advertised
  • product placement and product commercials
    • Sony phone commercial
    • Heineken beer commercial
  • Comic Relief sketch
    • mockumentary of behind the scenes of the film

Conclusion

Technology has changed and therefore has changed the way movies are released – going away from traditional release and marketing techniques

Technology changing has forced the media and film industry to change – no choice but to adapt

‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ (2013) – Small independent film case study

Sisters Olanna and Kainene return home to 1960s Nigeria, where they soon diverge on different paths. As civil war breaks out, political events loom larger than their differences as they join the fight to establish an independent republic.  It is based upon a book of the same title written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and published in 2006.

Production budget: £4.5million ($8 million) – around 80% of the budget came from Nigerian investors.

Genres: Drama/Romance

Media Ownership

Director: Bivi Bandele

Producer: Andrea Calderwood

Executive Producers: Muhtar Bakare, Gail Egan, Peter Hampden, Norman Merry & Yewande Sadik0u

Production companies:

• Slate Films
• Shareman Media
• British Film Institute (BFI)
• Lipsync Productions

Distribution companies:

• FilmOne Distribution (2013) (Nigeria) (theatrical)
• Leap Frog Films (2013) (Australia) (all media)
• Leap Frog Films (2014) (Australia) (all media)
• Monterey Media (2013) (USA) (all media)

The author of the book on which the film was based, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, was happy about the final product of the film as she thinks it’s beautiful and very well done, She also says the acting is very good and she loves the fact that it was filmed in Nigeria which was her only requirement.

Box Office

Opening Weekend Gross: £1.5 million

Marketing

The marketing of Half of a Yellow Sun varied in its attempts to attract two different types of audience.

Marketing in the form of outdoor media, print and broadcast advertising, and press & PR activity was used to attract older audiences and those who were fans of the original book.

The other audience, that being the black community and the younger and more socially aware, were addressed by marketing in the form of email and text contact lists, flyer ‘shop drops’ in key locations, social media and promotional activity via Black media outlets, which included satellite TV and online radio stations.  This was all done by the company Kush Promotions & PR, a specialist marketing and distribution agency.

New Technologies

Different forms of marketing, from outdoor media, print and broadcast advertising, and press & PR activity, to email and text contact lists, flyer ‘shop drops’ in key locations, social media and promotional activity via Black media outlets were used.

The release campaign for Have of a Yellow Sun had a budget of around £112,000.  Some of this was £56,500 awarded by the New Models strand of the BFI Distribution Fund.

Digital Distribution

Half of a Yellow Sun was released in the UK on 11th April 2014 on 17 cinemas across the country.  It was premiered a day later in Lagos, the capital of Nigeria, the country in which the movie was both set and filmed.  It was officially released in Nigeria on 1st August 2014.

‘Special Correspondents’ (2016) – Case study

Special Correspondents is a remake of the french film Envoyés très spéciaux, directed by the comedian Ricky Jervais.  It follows a radio journalist (Eric Bana) and his technician (Ricky Gervais) who get in over their heads when they hatch a scheme to fake their own kidnapping during a rebel uprising in South America and hide out in New York instead.

Production Budget:

Genre: Comedy

Media Ownership

Director: Ricky Gervais

Producers: Chris Coen & Aaron L. Gilbert

Executive Producers: Jason Cloth, Ron Mcleod & Larry Sanitski

Production companies:

• Bron Studios
• Unanimous Entertainment

Distribution companies:

• Netflix
• Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA)

Ricky Gervais both wrote and directed the film.

Marketing

On the same day as the film’s release date, which is 22nd April 2016, was announced, four stills from Special Correspondents were released.  They featured the characters played by Eric Bana, Ricky Gervais, Vera Farmiga, Kelly Macdonald, America Ferrera, and Raúl Castillo.  

Ricky Gervais debuted the first official trailer on his Twitter account on 23rd March 2016.  A second trailer was released on 12 April 2016.

New Technologies

The film has been heavily marketed, mainly by Ricky Gervais, the filsm writer and director, on social media, namely Facebook and Twitter.

The film is being released in a day-and-date fashion on Netflix, the VOD provider.

Digital Distribution

It was announced in April 2015 that Netflix had pre-bought the global distribution rights to Special Correspondents for roughly $12 million.

The film’s world premiere will take place on 22nd April 2016 at the Tribeca Film Festival, which will be followed by an audience discussion with Ricky Gervais, Eric Bana and additional cast members.

It will be released worldwide on 29 April 2016.

It can be assumed that it will eventually be available on DVD and Blu-Ray at some point, although it has not been confirmed yet.  This might not be any time soon due to the film’s initial release taking place on VOD.

‘Spectre’ (2015) – Tentpole release case study

“You’re a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr Bond.”

Spectre is the fourth 007 movie with Daniel Craig playing the famous fictional secret agent of the British secret service, James Bond, based on the character created by Ian Fleming in his series of Bond books.  The film was directed by Sam Mendes, the director of the previous Bond film, Skyfall, and was released on 26th October 2015.  The film follows 007 as he follows a cryptic message which takes him across the globe and leads him to discover a secret and sinister organisation, SPECTRE.  As he ventures towards the heart of SPECTRE, Bond discovers a chilling connection between himself and the leader of the organisation whom he seeks to find.

Production budget: $245,000,000

Genres: Action/Adventure/Thriller

Media Ownership

Director: Sam Mendes

Producer: Barbara Broccoli

Executive Producer: Callum McDougall

Production companies:

• B24
• Columbia Pictures
• Danjaq
• Eon Productions
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
• Sony

Distribution company: Sony Pictures

Box Office

UK opening day gross profit: £6.3 million ($9.2 million)

Uk opening week gross profit: £41.7 million ($63.8 million) – broke the UK record for highest first-week opening, which was set by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in 2004, making £23.88 million ($36.9 million).

Worldwide gross profit (as of 31st March 2016):  UK – $135.5 million  +  USA – $200.1 million

= Worldwide – $880.7 million

In the UK, it surpassed Avatar to become the country’s highest-grossing IMAX release ever with $10.09 million.

Spectre also broke the record for the best per-screen opening average with $110,000, a record previously held by The Dark Knight with $100,200.

Marketing

The marketing for Spectre was varied but relatively successful, mainly relating to sponsors and product placement that would feature in the film, as well of course the standard trailers and posters that accompany every movie.

One of the main things to be linked with James Bond is cars, and during the December 2014 press conference, in which the start of filming for Spectre was announced, Aston Martin and Eon unveiled the new DB10 as the official car of the film.  An Aston Martin is of course 007’s car of choice, with him driving a variety of models over the years, but the Spectre DB10 was designed especially for the film; it was made as a collaboration between the Aston Martin and the film makers, with only 10 actually being made as a celebration of the car company’s association with the Bond franchise.  In addition to this, Daniel Craig, as reward for his time spent playing the character, can take any Aston Martin of his choosing from a factory or show room.  The Williams F1 team also had a part in the marketing process as, after they modified a Jaguar C-X75 for the film, they carried the 007 logo on their cars at the 2015 Mexican Grand Prix; the team also played host to the cast and crew prior to the Mexican premier of the film.

Sony offered Daniel Craig $5 million to be seen with their new Sony Experia Z4 smartphone in Spectre, and offered $18 million for the marketing and production of the film.  This figure was trumped by a $50 million offer from Samsung and a $5 million sum for Craig if he was seen with their latest smartphone.  However, Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes were not happy with this offer of product placement.  But in September 2015 Sony released an advert for their Sony Experia Z5 smartphone featuring Naomie Harris as Miss Moneypenny picking up the phone for Bond in a movie style commercial, however Daniel Craig does not feature in it.

There was also an advert created by Heineken which featured Daniel Craig as James Bond in a high-speed speed boat chase.

One of the biggest aspects of Spectre‘s marketing strategy was the theme song for the film.  It was first rumoured that pop star Ellie Goulding would sing the song, but for whatever reason it was Sam Smith that sung the song, Writings On The Wall, which was used in the opening credits and as the film’s official theme song.  The song came with a lot of success after the success of the theme song for the previous Bond film Skyfall, which was sung by Adele and shared the same name as the movie.

An official website for the film was created featuring news, pictures and video clips and trailers of it.

On 13 March 2015 on BBC1 for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day, several members of the cast and crew of Spectre, including Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes, as well as previous James Bond actor, Sir Roger Moore, appeared in a sketch written by comedian David Walliams and the Dawson Brothers. The sketch was shown as a behind-the-scenes mockumentary on the filming of Spectre.  

The first teaser trailer for the film was released worldwide in March 2015, followed by the theatrical trailer in July and the final trailer in October.

The fact that this was a new film in the Bond franchise helped massively with the success of marketing in the UK as the franchise is massively popular and has been in existence for over 50 years; it could be considered a British classic.  The 007 franchise has made such a name for itself that following the announcement of the start of filming of Spectre,Paramount Pictures brought forward the release of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation to avoid competing with it.

New Technologies

The various trailers for Spectre were shown in various different ways after their release, such as on television, in cinemas and largely on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Commercials by companies such as Sony and Heineken featuring characters from the film helped spread knowledge of it.

An official website for the film was created featuring news, pictures and video clips and trailers of it.

Spectre was released on both DVD and Blu-Ray several months after its release in cinemas, and was also available on various VOD services.

Digital Distribution

Spectre had its world premiere on 26th October 2015 in the Royal Albert Hall in London, which was the same day of the films release in the UK.  The IMAX corporation announced in March 2015 that it would screen Spectre in its cinemas due to the success of Skyfall.

The film received a much wider release than its predecessor Skyfall; Spectre was shown in a minimum of 647 cinemas and 40 IMX screens, compared to Skyfall being shown in 587 cinemas and 21 IMAX screens.

Spectre was released on both DVD and Blu-Ray several months after its release in cinemas, and was also available on various VOD services.

‘Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ (2012) – Case Study

“Everything will be all right in the end… if it’s not all right then it’s not yet the end.”

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a British comedy-drama film directed by John Madden and was released on 24th February 2012.  The film follows a group of retirees from England who decide to move to the infinitely more interesting, as well as cheaper, land of India to live out their retirement.  They are enticed by advertisements for the ‘newly refurbished’ Marigold Hotel, imagining a life of leisure in new and exotic surroundings, however the hotel is run down and dilapidated, a shell of its former self.  Although their new home is not quite as they had imagined it would be, the retirees find that life and love can begin again when they let go of their pasts.

Production budget: $10,000,000

Genres: Comedy/Drama

Media Ownership

Director: John Madden

Producers: Graham Broadbent & Peter Czernin

Executive producer: Jonathan King

Production company:

• Blueprint Pictures
• Participant Media

Distribution company: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Producers Broadbent and Czernin got inspiration for this film in a book released in 2004 by Deborah Moggach of a similar plot line, which was originally called These Foolish Things, but was then renamed to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel after the release of the movie.

The cast contained acclaimed and popular actresses such as Judie Dench and Maggie Smith, which helped boost the popularity of the film amongst bigger fan bases.  Dev Patel also starred, who was still relatively well known for his role in Slumdog Millionaire.

Box Office

Opening weekend gross profit:

UK – £2,222,0000
USA – $737,0000

Worldwide lifetime gross profit: $136,000,000

Marketing

Due to the target audience of the film (women over 50) there was no online marketing strategy.

A trailer was released prior to the films premier and was shown on television and in cinemas months in advance.

The film producers believed word of mouth and interest in the cast would be some of the main forms of marketing

New Technologies

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel did not have a large production budget and because of this little new technology was used in the production process.  Due to the target audience being predominantly over 50, little new technology was also used in the marketing and distribution process.  As a result of this the film was more heavily and carefully marketed in places that the target audience would see it, such as releasing trailers on television and in cinemas; there was less of a marketing strategy including social media as there would be for a film aimed at a younger target audience.

It was released on both DVD and Blu-Ray, as well as being made available to buy and rent from iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.

Digital Distribution

The film was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures and premiered in the UK in 504 cinemas on 24th February 2013.

The film was released in cinemas in the USA two months after premiering in the UK, and only showed in 27 cinemas.

It was also shown at the Glasgow Film Festival on 17th February 2015 prior to the films nationwide theatrical distribution.

It was released on DVD and Blu-Ray several months after after the theatrical release, and even though its target audience was predominately over 50, it was still released on various VOD  services, such as iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was unfortunate enough to be released in the same year as some rather big and eagerly awaited movies.  It came out at the same time Avengers Assemble, the first time the Marvel superheroes had been seen together on the big screen (so naturally it was going to be popular), and The Woman In Black, the film adaptation of the horror book.  It was also released not long before the first Hunger Games, a film that got a lot of marketing and media coverage due to the success of the book series by Suzanne Collins upon which it was based on.  The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel  actually came second in the UK, in terms of money made on its opening weekend, to The Woman In Black, proving that even though it was competing against other popular films, it was still watched by a large amount of people.  This is probably due to the targeted audiences of the films.  Avengers and Woman In Black attracted and were targeted at predominately younger audiences due to their content and the fact that they were both rated 12; more young people were likely to watch them.  The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel on the other hand, had an older target audience of people, mainly women, over the age of 50, due to its content and the fact that it was about elderly retirees; young children or teenagers are less likely to watch a film like this in general, especially when there is one about superheroes or ghosts on hand.

‘Prometheus’ (2012) – Case study

“Big things have small beginnings.”

Prometheus, directed by Ridley Scott and released on 1st June 2012, is a sci-fi film that acts as a prequel to the Scott’s famous sci-fi classic Alien, released in 1979.  The film is set in the year 2093, and follows a team of explorers led by two scientists on an expedition to a planet in the furthest and darkest part of the universe in an attempt to discover mankind’s origins on Earth.  However, what they find is far more terrifying than they could ever have imagined, and when they realise they are not alone, their voyage of discovery turns into a desperate fight for survival.

Production budget: $130,000,000

Genres: Adventure/Mystery/Sci-Fi

Media Ownership

Director: Ridley Scott

Producers: David Giler & Walter Hill

Executive Producers: Michael Costigan, Michael Ellenberg & Mark Huffam

Production companies:

• 20th Century Fox
• Dune Entertainment
• Scott Free Productions
• Brandywine Productions

Distribution company: 20th Century Fox

RSA
RSA was a company that promoted Prometheus, and with the help of the creative team Ignited, they used innovative guerrilla marketing strategies to do this, resulting in three billion media impressions worldwide.  Their marketing campaign, which they considered ground-breaking, won multiple awards: it won three Cannes Lions, two D&AD Pencils, and both Gold and Silver BTAA Arrows.  The viral videos they created to market Prometheus were very successful, with Luke Scott winning silver for the TED Conference video, and Johnny Hardstaff winning gold for the Happy Birthday David clip.

Box Office

Total Lifetime Grosses – 

Domestic:  $126,477,084     +    Foreign:  $276,877,385

=   Worldwide:   $403,354,469

Opening weekend:  $51,050,101

There was some debate between the director and distributor over the film’s budget; Ridley Scott wanted $250 million dollars to make the film.  Fox agreed to give him the budget he wanted if he dropped the rating from R to PG.  In the end, with script re-writes and compromises from Fox, a budget of between $100 million and $150 million ($130 million) was decided.

Marketing

When it came to marketing Prometheus, Ridley Scott and Fox were very successful.  The marketing and promotional campaign for the film was prominent and persistent, as well as highly innovative.  Of course various different trailers were released as part of the marketing strategy, differing in length and content; there was a short and ambiguous teaser trailer, and a much longer one with more information about the film’s plot.  Various different movie posters were also released, as per usual with films, as well as images, clips, set reports and ‘making of’s’ videos.  The innovative side of the campaign came in the form of several viral videos released by Fox.

The first example of these viral videos was a fictional TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) talk given by Guy Pierce playing the character Peter Weyland, head of the fictional Weyland Industries (the company running the Prometheus expedition  in 2093 in the film) in 2023.  This video was first shown at a real TED conference in February 2012, and the TED organisers helped to make this video look like how they imagined a TED talk from the future would look.  The clip introduces the viewer to the Weyland Cooperation, a company that plays a large part in the film, namely what the company produces and why it exists.

After this Fox released a second viral video as a precursor to Prometheus, which was called Happy Birthday David, and it is about an extremely realistic humanoid robot with artificial intelligence called David, played by Michael Fassbender.  David talks about how he understands human emotions but cannot feel them, about how he thinks about whatever he wants, and how he is grateful for his creation.  It is designed to look like a corporate video, created by the Weyland Cooperation, for a new product, which is a new design of robot.  It can be assumed that David is the convincingly human robotic system that Weyland talks about at the end of the TED talk clip.  The video is not only entertaining, but it also introduces the viewer to one of the main characters in Prometheus.  It also gives an idea about the fictional company Weyland Industries, which features heavily in the film, just as the TED talk does.

A third viral video was then released, titled Quiet Eye, which appears to be a video sent to Peter Weyland by Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, one of the main characters in Prometheus.  It introduces her as a character and her motives and desires, suggesting at the premise of the movie.

The fourth video, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, is exceptionally ambiguous and much shorter than the other four, simply showing Guy Pierce as Peter Weyland talking to himself, possibly preparing to go on stage for the TED talk.

The fifth video, which has no name, appears to be a test video, featuring Idris Elba as the character Janek, although the only name he gives in this video as he is being asked questions by an unseen interviewer is ‘Captain’.  Elba seems to be testing a space suit of some kind, perhaps one that will be used on the Prometheus expedition.

However innovative this marketing strategy and technique was, it wasn’t pleasing to some.  Many fans stated online and on social media after the release of Prometheus that their enjoyment of it was diminished due to the high level of promotional material the preceded the films release, particularly articles that discussed the plot in detail.

Part of RSA’s marketing strategy was allowing the general public to sign up and receive access to exclusive content.  For example, at WonderCon in March 2012, an annual comic book, sci-fi and entertainment convention, attendees were given a futuristic Weyland Industries business card.  This card contained a phone number for the company which, when called, texted the caller a video of the unboxing of the “humanoid robotic system” mentioned by Peter Weyland (Guy Pierce) in the viral TED Conference video.

RSA also created various challenges that were available for the public online, namely on the Project Prometheus Training Centre, which allowed participants to take part in activities, which tested their physical and mental abilities, allowing them to discover their fitness and ability to join the space crew of the ship Prometheus on its expedition.  This was available on the website projectprometheus.com, along with content such as the viral videos.  A game, called Project Genesis, was available online on weylandindustries.com, a website for the fictional company created especially for the purposes of this film, in which players , as RSA said, “could assist in finding artifacts of ancient Earth cultures throughout outer space”.

RSA also launched a guerrilla marketing campaign on LinkedIn, using people’s affiliated email addresses to reach out with offers of fictional prospective jobs at Project Prometheus.

New Technology

The marketing strategy created by RSA for Prometheus involved lots of new technology.  It relied heavily on social media for the distribution and viewing of the viral videos and trailers.

The viral videos and other marketing aspects of the film such as games and exclusive content were available online on websites such as projectprometheus.com and weylandindustries.com.

Prometheus was released on DVD and Blu-Ray several months after the film’s theatrical release, as well as various VOD providers such as iTunes and Amazon.

Digital Distribution

Prometheus premiered in the UK on 31st May 2012 in Leicester Square in London at the Empire Cinema.  It was then released in the UK the next day on 1st June and then in the USA on 8th June.  It was released at the same time in IMAX theatres and in 3D; it was also encoded for D-Box motion seats that provide physical feedback to the audience during the film.

It was released on DVD and Blu-Ray several months after the film’s theatrical release, as well as various VOD providers such as iTunes and Amazon.

 

Institutions and Audiences – Media Ownership