Production, Distribution and Exhbition

Production

There are three parts to production; pre-production, production and post-production.
During pre-production, every step of actually creating the film is carefully designed and planned. The production company is created and a production office established. The film is pre-visualized by the director, and may be storyboarded with the help of illustrators and concept artists. A production budget is drawn up to plan expenditures for the film. They then producer hires a crew. The budget, determine the size and type of crew used during film making. Many Hollywood blockbusters employ a cast and crew of hundreds, while a low-budget; independent film may be made by a small crew of eight or nine.

In production, the video production/film is created and shot. More crew will be recruited at this stage. The production office will be the one who is free to create any unique blend of roles to suit the various responsibilities possible during the production of a film. Here is when the crew will help with lighting, sound, script and may also rehearse with actors. With workdays often lasting 14 or 18 hours in remote locations, film production tends to create a team spirit and the office arrange a wrap party to thank all the cast and crew for their efforts.

Post-production is where everything is edited; for example, video/film is assembled by the video/film editor. The shot film material is edited. The production sound (dialogue) is also edited; music tracks and songs are composed and recorded if a film is sought to have a score; sound effects are designed and recorded. Any computer-graphic visual effects are digitally added. Finally, all sound elements are mixed into "stems", which match the picture, and the film is fully completed.

Distribution

Distribution of a film is the final process through which a movie is made available to watch for an audience by a film distributor. This can be accomplished in variety of ways such as theatrical release, home entertainment release (DVDs, Blu-Ray) or a television program. 


Film distribution can be done in many ways; for example, standard release, simultaneous release, straight to video release and internet release. 


The standard release routine for a movie is regulated by a business model called "release windows". It is a strategy to keep different instances of a movie from competing with each other, allowing the movie to take advantage of different markets (cinema, home video, TV, etc.) at different times. Normally, a movie is first released through movie theaters (theatrical window), then, after approximately 16 and a half week, it is released to DVD (entering its video window). After an additional number of months it is released to Pay TV and VOD services and approximately two years after its theatrical release date, it is made available for free-to-air TV. 


A simultaneous release takes place when a movie is made available on many media (cinema, DVD, internet) at the same time or with very little difference in timing. Simultaneous releases bear great advantages to both consumers, who can chose the medium that most suits their needs, and production studios that only have to run one marketing campaign for all releases. The flip side, though, is that such distribution efforts are often regarded as experimental and thus, do not receive substantial investment or promotion. 


A straight to video (or straight-to-DVD or straight-to-Blu-ray depending on the medium upon which the movie is made available) release occurs when a movie is released on home video formats (such as VHS, DVD, etc.) without being released in theatres first, thereby not taking into consideration the "theatrical window". As a result of strong DVD sales, STV releases also achieved higher success and have become a profitable market lately, especially for independent movie makers and companies. 


Internet release is still new when it comes to the film distribution platform. The volume of downloaded movies is difficult to find but none compares to the even more problematical discovery of their origin.

Exhibition

Exhibition is the retail branch of the film industry. It involves not the production or the distribution of motion pictures, but their public screening, usually for paying customers in a site devoted to such screenings, the movie theatre. What the exhibitor sells is the experience of a film (and, frequently, concessions like soft drinks and popcorn). Because exhibitors to some extent control how films are programmed, promoted, and presented to the public, they have considerable influence over the box-office success and, more importantly, the reception of films.

Though films have always been shown in non-theatrical as well as theatrical venues, the business of film exhibition primarily entails the ownership, management, and operation of theatres. Historically, film exhibitors have been faced with a number of situations common to other sectors of the commercial entertainment industry: shifting market conditions, strong competition, efforts to achieve monopolization of the field, government regulatory actions, and costly investment in new technologies.

Cinemas fall into 1 of 2 categories: national chains; and independent exhibitors. The specific programming will depend on the target audience, with large chains often filling their multiplexes with blockbuster fare and individual independents more likely to cater to art-house crowds.

Opening Sequences Research - Skyfall

Skyfall Opening Sequence

This is the opening sequence for James Bond- Skyfall. The film opens with a chase sequence, filled with guns, explosions and car chases. This is a huge indicator that the genre of the film is action and immediately sets the tone for the rest of the film. A chase sequence is typical for an action film, it shows either the protagonist being chased by someone that tells us he is in danger or the protagonist is in pursuit of someone else indicating they might be the villain. The fast paced music is also a key indicator as to the genre of the film. Fast paced and tense music is used to emphasise a chase or danger. 

The protagonist "James Bond" is shot and you see him falling into the water off a bridge then down a waterfall. This suggests his line of work is very dangerous and potentially life threatening. As soon as he enters the water the music soundtrack beings to play which commences the start of the title sequence. Firstly the Production company is introduced "EON PRODUCTIONS LTD" and then name of the main character followed by the title of the film, then the rest of the characters are introduced in order of importance. The title sequence features animations that are huge indicators towards the genre, examples of this are; the sea of blood, and the graveyard also the common recurrence of guns. 

The colours that are most frequently used are blacks, greys, blues and reds and oranges, each of which represent significant elements of the film. The dark colours connote a dark storyline, and the deep rich reds connote blood and the oranges connote fire and danger. The font of the writing in the title sequence is simple, basic and the same throughout the entire sequence, which makes it look sophisticated and elegant, connoting it may be for an older audience. 

Opening Sequence Research - Spiderman 2

Spiderman 2 Opening Sequence

This is the opening sequence for Spiderman 2. The film opens by introducing the production and distribution studio "COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES, INC" and then "MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT" as they are the founders and publishers of this comic turned film. The name of the film is intoduced "SPIDERMAN 2" followed by actor names. A web effect is used to relate with the title of the film as the film has a clear link with spiders. Animation is used to show the characters and scenes from them film to give the audience an early insight into the film and plot. 

Because the story was written by Marvel this suggests that the primary audience for the film are young children and comic book fans and the secondary audience are parents who take their children to see the movie and teenagers.The music used is very fast paced and dramatic. A feel of suspense and danger is created with the constant rising and lowering of tempo. The music suggests it is an action film, as it is not calm rather keeps us on edge and constantly thinking. 

The fonts used are the same throughout the entire opening sequence to create a sense of continuity and equality among the actors. The main colours used are reds, blues, blacks and whites. These are simple colours that don't have a certain meaning but create a sense of continuity leading on from the previous Spiderman film where the colours of his costume were reds, blues blacks and whites. This is done so that the audience can form a sense of recognition with with film.

What I have learnt from my research is that the colours and fonts used in my opening sequence have to be representative of the storyline and genre so that it is easier for the audience to identify with the film. When writing the titles there is an order in which they appear:

1. Name of Studio 
2. Name of Production company 
3. (Producer Name) Production
4. Film By (Director Name)
5. Starring
6. Film's title 
7. Featuring 
8. Casting Director (Casting/Casting By) 
9. Composer of Music (Music/Music Composed By/Original Score By)
10. Production Designer (Production Design) 
11. Editor (Edited By)
12. Director of Photography 
13. Producer (Produced By/Executive Producer)
14. Based on the Characters By (Based On The Characters Created By) OR
15. Story (Story By) 
16. Screenplay (Writers/Written By)
17. Director (Directed By)

I have also learnt that sound plays a crucially important role in opening sequences. Sound is used to create emotions before the film has even started, the right sounds can get the audience in the right mindset to view the film. 

Opening Sequence Research - Wall-E

Wall-E Opening Sequence 

This is the opening sequence for Wall-E. The film opens with the name of the production studio "PIXAR", this suggests the film is animated, as Pixar is the most renowned animation studio in the world. Because the film is animated it creates a link to the audience; such as young children and also adults who may take their children to go see the film. The production company is then introduced; "WALT DISNEY PICTURES" which is also a signifier as to the audience for the film. Because it is set in space it tell us the genre is Sci-Fi

The soundtrack soon starts playing, it is very joyful and sound like something typical of a 1950's film, this is soon seen to be very misleading as the film continues. The film is set on Earth, but not the Earth we know it. The whole place is covered in metal and junk, and looks very gloomy and miserable. Creating a sense of irony through the contrasting joyful audio and depressing visuals. The music then fades away and your left with an eerie noise that creates the sense of desolation and isolation, no longer happy and joyful. 

There are a range of colours used in this sequence. At the beginning when the galaxies and planets are being show the colours are bright and bold. This changes when the audience are given a closer look at Earth, the colours are no longer bright and bold rather dull and rustic creating a worn out polluted feel. There aren't many titles in this sequence as this is an animation not many actors would have been used.

I have learnt that sound plays a critical part in the conveyance of emotion and atmosphere in a film. It can either allow the viewer to feel a certain way only in greater depth or it can be used to mislead the viewer and create a sense of irony (as shown in the sequence above), but if used incorrectly it can destroy a perfect piece of film. 

Institution Research

Institutions that might distribute our film:

1. Revolver Entertainment - Is one of the UK's leading "All Rights" distribution and production companies. It is a multi-award winning company that had spirit and flair that has been awarded with 18 of the industry's top awards for marketing excellence. Their main focus in youth entertainment and exploiting both physical and digital home entertainment distribution channels.

I have chosen this independent distribution company as they have produced many successful low budget films such as 'ill manors' and 'Dead Man Running'. Revolver's films are available through numerous platforms, in addition to DVDs the company has connections with Apple's iTunes, Xbox, Amazon and Netflix. The company also has links with TV broadcast networks, fully optimising the power of the company. Being able to view the film at home is an effective way to widen the audience and reach non-regular cinemagoer's. This is an effective way to increase profit. 

Using social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and video sharing websites such as YouTube and Vimeo is a good way to market our film as these are all free services, that all specifically target our ideal audience, aged 15-25. 

2. Sony Pictures Entertainment - Is a Japanese multi-million dollar conglomerate that operates in the entertainment industry. It is one of the largest film studios, it is a subsidiary of Sony. It is also a member of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). They have distributed a countless number of successful high budget films such as 'Salt', 'White House Down' and many more. 

I think they would be a great distributor for my film as the company is incredibly well know and has the means and resources to distribute our film on a global scale. Fans of this institution will also want to watch our film which increases the audience for our film and a greater audience means more profit. Big companies like this will not have to rely on free online forms of distribution as they have the funds for bugger forms of advertising and distribution.  

Genre Research

Preliminary Work

During the early days of Media studies we were told yo get into groups and create a short video of a conversation. Within this conversation we had to include different camera angles e.g. 2 close ups, 2 mid shots and 1 tracking shot. The whole purpose of this activity is to prepare us for the sort of things we would be expected to do when it comes to actually making our final opening sequence. This gave us a taster into the types of shots we could use, when to use a certain shot, how to cut/ edit and also gave us an idea into the time we needed to film and to edit. 

Here is the piece of work I produced:

I thought most of the shots and editing was pretty good. We used a range of shots from close ups to low angles, this made it look interesting and therefore would do a better job of attracting the audience. Most of the cuts were extremely precise, for example the match on action of the door handle opening. We also used a form cut to to join the shape of the tree to the back of the persons head, as we thought it would be an interesting cut to do and it also adds comical value. We took care in not breaking the 180° rule when filming the stair sequence. The lighting was also good. We were indoors for the most part of the sequence so we had the use of well lit rooms and corridors.

The students in my class seems to really like the video, they thought it was interesting and funny. They did have some criticisms however. They thought the transition shot from the person walking onto the stairs and down the stairs could have been better. They noticed how, when the camera tracked the person walking off the stairs the camera slightly titled. 

I completely agree with the criticisms that I received and while editing the footage I noticed the errors but we didn't have sufficient time to re-shoot the footage so we tried to do the best with what we had. This taught me an important lesson that time management is key in producing a good piece of work. 

I thought we were pretty organised when filming our opening sequence considering we only had 1 hour to finish our script and storyboard. We had two days to film and we made sure for our second shoot the characters we wearing the same clothes for continuity. 

We could improve the sequence by re-filming some of the shots and possibly even improve the narrative and make the acting more believable. We also had a lot of unwanted background noise, so we could find a way to quieten it down or remove it all together. 

Past Opening Sequence Ranking And Review (Issues To Avoid)

Opening Sequence Ranking

I listed the opening sequences that I watched from what I thought was the best to the worst.

1. The Deception: Out of all the opening sequences I watched I liked this one the best as it had a clear narrative, the title sequence was creative and the way action was presented was clever, for example there was a section of the sequence where someone went to press the doorbell with their finger, at the same time another finger went to touch the water in the bath tub, when these two actions were shown together it created a really good effect, this is called 'match on action'.

2. Bacterium: The use of non-diegetic sound created suspense and within the sequence information was deliberately hidden to create enigma e.g. in the 'bosses office'.

3. Abduction: It had a good narrative, although it did create a bit of confusion at the beginning.

4. Graves: The narrative was good and clear. The sound was representative of the action on screen and it wasn't the same throughout which kept it interesting.

5. Snakes and Ladders: The narrative was clear, and they used a wide range of camera angles. They used very clever shots including match on action, where the girl is seen stepping into her shoes and then in a another location a boy steps into his.

6. The Resistance: Had a clear narrative however, the acting could have been a lot better. The music used created good suspense and tension. They had an interesting point of view shot. The shot reverse shot was filmed badly as they were looking directly into the camera which made it seem less like a real conversation. There was also a continuity error with the times on the phones.

7. Rundown: It had a good narrative. The sound used helps to create a feeling of excitement and danger. A wide range of camera angles were used to portray action.

8. The Slayer: They used varied camera angles, for example the worm-eye-view and low angle this made the sequence look interesting however, I found the narrative quite confusing.

9. It Swings In Roundabout: The sound used creates tension and discomfort among the viewer which is good as that was the aim. The acting could have been better and the use of studio lights was too obvious as you could see a reflection of the camera man.

10. Chroniker: Their editing was very creative, they used split-screens which was clever, but it went on for too long and got a little boring. And the narrative was really unclear.

11. 1962: Not a wide range of camera angles were used. The narrative was very unclear. The shot-reverse-shots were too boring and the music got very annoying.

There were a few issues with the opening sequences that I analysed in class. Some of the errors were pretty basic that could have been fixed, which may have enabled the group to getting a higher mark. Whereas some required a lot more technological knowledge to correct.

One error I spotted a numerous amount of times was, the title sequence had no relevance to the narrative of film. For example if the genre was horror the title sequence included no signifier's for the audience to understand the genre. To avoid this I will make sure everything in my title sequence, from colour to font is somehow relevant to the genre of my film.  

Another error I spotted in a few of the opening sequences was, when studio lights were used it made the scenes look highly unnatural and in a few cases shadows of the cameraman appeared in the scene. To avoid this I will try and use as much natural lighting as I can, but if I need to use studio lights I will take care with monitoring the shadows and re-shoot any imperfect scenes.  

Sound was also an issue with a few of the opening sequences. It was a regular occurrence that the sound used in the background had no relevance to the action in the scene. Another issue was an error in sound continuity. The music would jump from track to track without any fades. The sudden changes in tracks may cause the audience to feel confused. Sometimes the diegetic background noise overpowers the dialogue. To avoid all these issues, I will make sure I create appropriate sounds for every scene, and make sure the transitions to each sound is smooth and clean cut, and once I've recorded a scene I will play it back to make sure the sound is audible. 

In a few of the opening sequences I watched I noticed they lacked usage of a variety of camera angles. Different camera angles are used to make scenes more interesting and to keep the audience engaged and interested. To avoid repeatedly using the same camera angle I will make sure that when I storyboard my opening sequence I use a variety of camera angles wherever possible to keep my work as intriguing as possible.     

Secretes and Lies Representation Analysis

Children of Men Analysis

Children of Men Analysis

It’s a dystopian-based science fiction film that is set in the year 2027. The opening credits are first show; the production company was introduced in this case it was Universal Studios. There were no non-diegetic sounds in the scene. This is done to capture the audience’s attention. There’s then a black screen with a sound bridge this makes the audience listen carefully to the dialogue. The names of the production companies are repeated, this is done so that the audience remember who the makers of the film are because if they like the film they will be encouraged to watch other films made by the same company. The next scene is of a café you know this because of the wallpaper, the coffee mugs in people’s hands and sandwich bars. It’s a social hotspot where people meet and interact. Everyone in the café is old; this relates to the narrative that women are now infertile so they can’t have children. The main character walks in, you know this because he is the only mobile person in the scene and the camera focuses on him everyone else is still and focused on what’s on TV. When he walks out of the café the camera follows him, and pans around. This is done to introduce the audience to a new setting. The year and place is also shown to ease the audiences understanding of the situation. The camera then continues to follow him and circles around him, to make you feel like you’re around the character. The lighting is dark/grey/muted which connotes sadness and depression. The sparse amount of light connotes there’s no hope for the future and bleakness. The narrative is introduced in the first few seconds of the opening sequence. It establishes the current situation and informs the audience. 

Framing/Shot Distances

The Effect Of Frames

Movie: X-Men: First Class

Extreme Close Up: The extreme close up is used to draw attention to one particular element in extreme detail, whether it is a facial feature or object. Its main objective is to emphasise and is mainly used in dramatic scenes.  

In this scene an extreme close up was used to show the fierceness of the character. The wounds on top of his eyes suggest he was in a fight. The helmet he's wearing connotes he may be a warrior or a fighter of some kind. Because the helmet is metallic and edgy it suggests this may be a warrior from the future. His facial expression is very serious, this sets the tone of the scene which suggests something huge is about to happen. 

Movie: I Am Legend

Close Up: The close up is used to show facial expressions or a specific detail of mise-en-scene. The shots focus is on one element in particular, everything else is just a blur in the background. The shot prominences an object to signify importance. It takes you directly into the world of the character.

In this scene a close up was used to show the worry and confusion of the character. His eyes are red which suggests he's been crying or he's exhausted. And his face looks concerned or weary which connotes he may be riddled with guilt or worry. The lighting is bright which connotes its day time.

Movie: The Titanic

Long Shot: Long shots are used to show entire objects or people in their surroundings. The main aim is to show the shot approximately "life" size. It allows you to visualise the scenario in greater depth, to get a clearer understanding.
  
A long shot was used to set the scene, so the audience understands what happening. In this scene a man and women are in what looks like a flooded room, the expressions on their faces suggest they're afraid. The props in the scene look quite vintage such as the chandelier and the clothes the characters are wearing, this connotes the movie was set in the past.

Movie: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2

Extreme Long Shot: This type of shot is used to establish the scene. It normally shows an exterior such as the outside of a building or a landscape. Its used to show the enormity of an area. Its also typically used to create a sense of intimidation amongst the audience. 

In this scene a extreme long shot is used to show a fight between two people. The lighting is dark which connotes danger and death this is shown through the dead bodies seen scattered around in the frame. The castle in the background and the magic wands connote the genre of the film being fantasy. 

Movie: 17 Again 

Mid Shot: This type of shot is used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action. Background detail is very limited because the location has probably been established in an earlier scene. 


In this scene an over-the-shoulder-shot is used to show a conversation between two people. One of the characters is wearing a baseball jacket which suggests they're students and the other character is holding a basketball which  may have some significance to the film. The scene looks to take place in a cafeteria which further suggests the location is a school. 

Movie: Matilda

High Angle Shot: This type of shot is used to make the object photographed look smaller or less significant or scary. The character or object often gets swallowed up by their setting and they become part of a wider picture. 

In this scene a high angle shot is used to show a young girl looking up. The position of the camera makes her look small and shows that when people look at her this is what they see. The shot is very intimidating, the way it makes her look minuscule compared to everything else. This may connote how no one pays any attention to her because she is so small. The clothes she's wearing and the bow in her hair is typical of a young girl, so if not yet acknowledged allows the audience to know her age. She's in the centre of the frame which suggests she's the main character. The way she is stood with her arms to her sides and the anxious look on her face suggests she's frightened or nervous, she may be in a new place or talking to a person she's never met before.

Camera Movements

Pan: A pan is a horizontal movement (left or right). A pan is used to show movement or to introduce new settings. Its gives the audience a clearer understanding of the situation. It can also be used to show a conversation, but instead of a slow pan it would be quick so its as if you are there watching this conversation yourself.  

Track: A tracking shot usually follows a character or object as it moves along the screen. It therefore creates a closer empathy with the character or object moving, since the spectator is not just watching him/her moving, but moving with him/her. 

Tilt: A tilt is a movement which scans a scene vertically, otherwise similar to a pan. The camera points up or down from a stationary object. Its used to show the way humans work for example like when you nod. 

Pull Focus: To show more than one scene without moving a camera you use a pull focus.    

Crane: A crane shot is used to show what's happening from a higher angle, an example of when this is regularly used is in a car chase or to show a huge crowd of people. Crane shots are often long or extreme long shots. They lend the camera a sense of mobility and often give the viewer a feeling of understanding over the characters.

Aerial: This is often used at the beginning of a film, in order to establish setting and movement. The shot is taken from high up, usually in a helicopter. 

Zoom In/Zoom Out: The zoom shot uses a lens with several elements that allows the film-maker to change the focal length of the lens, while the shot is in progress. We seem to move toward or away from the subject.  Zooms are commonly used at the beginning of a scene, or even a film, to introduce an object or character by focusing on it.

Whip Pan: An extremely fast movement of the camera from side to side, which briefly causes the image to blur into a set of indistinct horizontal streaks. Often an imperceptible cut will join two whip pans to create a trick transition between scenes. Whip pans always stand out, given their abrupt, brisk nature. 

Handheld: Hand held cameras give a film an unstable, jerky feel, they also allow for a greater degree of movement and flexibility than bulkier standard cameras. It makes the audience feel as if they're there, the camera is from the audiences perspective. 

Dolly: A dolly shot is a good way of portraying movement, the journey of a character for instance, or for moving from a long shot to a close-up, gradually focusing the audience on a particular object or character.

Steadicam: It allows for a smooth shot, even when moving quickly over an uneven surface.