Research: Media institutions

I have looked into media institution to help me start to think about the institutions which may want to distribute my film, i looked into what types of films they already distribute and how, to see if my film trailer would suit there distribution. I also looked into additional things like who might be in charge of distribution of music, magazines, and trailers, as this could effect my film trailers arrangements like when it would get distributed and how etc.

Film classification:
Rating 15, and will be produced, financed and distributed in Britain.

Institutions:

Institutions are (according to Key Concepts in Communication by O'Sullivan, Fiske, Hartley & Saunders 1983)
"Those enduring regulatory and organising structures of any society, which constrain and control individuals and individuality... the term more precisely refers to the underlying principles and values according to which many social and cultural practices are organised and co-ordinated."

Working title
Is a British production company and is merged with universal, this has advantages of bigger budgets for there films and can distribute global via universal as its such a big company. But also has disadvantages as it is a British based film company producing British film, we have a different sense of humour and it may not appeal to the US or Europe- examples like johnny English, Love actually etc, they mainly produce Rom-coms or comedy's but universal distribute from all types of different genres, so they might not be interested in my film, but as they are a British film company they may be interested as they have the choice to go global or not, and in the long run decide that it might be a good idea to try other country's such a USA distributing via universal, also could be interested in financing the film and then from there some of that money could be spent on distributing just in England.They can have budgets up to 25million and can afford to advertise well, they also own odeon cinema screens which would also help and cut costs of advertisement.

I do not think working title/ universal would go with me as universal are well known for going with big directors and well known actors, they use starpasonia to grab a wider audience and to the appeal of the movie. I don't think the horror genre about a ghost is the best film to invest for there company.

Warp
 was made in 2001, but before this had online record labels etc, this company stays true to Britain and doesn't have big budgets- this could work for my film as its not going to be the next "blockbuster".... they like to use the same directors like Shane meadows as he shows realism and warp mainly focus on social issues, this is why they don't go global, warp distributes there films through screen Yorkshire and film 4, this could help lower advertisement costs. Looking into warp they make produced horror films like donkey punch, and do think that they could help produce my film as they use lower budgets to save money and do not produce that many horror films so it wouldn't be such a competitive market for them when advertising...but they produce films that show realism and gratification to grab there audiences; these are the reasons I am suggesting why they would not distribute my film.

Time Warner/ Warner Bro's/ Time inc. 

Time Warner Inc is a global leader in media and entertainment. They have businesses in television networks, film entertainment and publishing. Time Warner’s digital initiatives are; Warner bros studio 2.0, kidsWB.com, Interactive entertainment properties as well as bestselling video games which include LEGO batman, LEGO Harry Potter: years 1-4. Digital Cinema, Blu-ray as well as multiple digital downloading. They own CNN, CNN apps for ipad and IPhone, TCM.com, CartoonNetwork.com, PGAtour.com etc. They are an ever growing company and move quickly, embracing and seizing new opportunities.

Warner bro's have distributed films such as the orphan, the rite, who's afraid of ghosts? final destination, Friday the 13th House of wax and One missed call. I feel Warner bro's could help me out a lot distributing my film, as it can do this on a massive scale; from various countries. Its target markets range from thriller, action and comedy, so I feel they would happily take on my film as they have touched the horror genre ranging from TV shows to films with horror films rating from age 15 to 18. They haven't really distributed many ghost thrillers either, some similar thrillers closely linked to my ideas would be orphan, One missed call and who's afraid of ghosts. The only downside to this is questions I need to ask myself; would my film get good ratings in the USA (would be nice to have the CHOICE to distribute there) is my film high budgeted like the films they distribute? (No because Friday the 13th, Final destination and house of wax all had low budgets) Some advantages of having Warner bro's as my institution would be that it could advertise my film cheaply and easily via all the networks they own such as E!news CN and news broadcasting shows they own also radio stations they own: headline news, drama vision. Magazines they own: NME, now, look, TV times, whats on TV, What Camera, Entertainment weekly. These are the types of networks etc Warner Bro's could advertise my film on, including USA networks and UK.

Film independent:
http://www.filmindependent.org/about/

It is a production company that helps independent films market, produce and build an audience for their products. It is very well known website and around the world, hosting the Los Angeles Film festival. After having a look on its website, I don't feel that they could make a mass market for my film. They seem to help anyone and so this would mean a lot of competition for my film and people might not take my film seriously.

Twisted Productions:
Twisted Productions are known for there gory, horror filled twisted films! This is why my film would be perfect for them. They havent touched thriller market as much as they have with gore and horror. They are a small production company, independent. and havent released that many films. There main success and started up in 2004 when they released saw 1.
I am going to go with twisted productions as they do not produce that many films so there is not much competition between each film; also they havent released a film about a ghost; I think they would release my film as it is still gory with a twist in the story line; which can also relate to the saw films which are physiological horror.

                  Institutions for my magazine:

Warren Publishing: Was founded in 1957 and is still running well today, it is an American based magazine company. His magazine genre is mainly horror fantasy science fiction movies, including magazines such as creepy, help and vampirella. They have a range of "comics"
I feel that because it is an American based magazine company, my magazine would not suit America, as they might not know much about British films as we know about Hollywood; not interested in our scary films, as English films might have a different scare tactic instead of the big Hollywood blockbuster/thriller.

By looking at his front cover pages on some of his magazine issues, I feel that his target audience is more towards younger people; people interested in comics, and arty horror....


Shroud Publishing Shroud publishing produces magazines that offer intelligent and dark fiction, as well as art, film and music reviews and articles that illuminate between reality and fantasy. There magazine is called "shroud"... I feel that they focus on more information and facts, and are much more formal than my magazine would be. They might be interested in a trial with my magazine; by putting it in as an extra inside the shroud magazines... or produce my magazine on its own; as there wont be that much competition between my magazine and shroud; as my magazine is more gossip, behind the scenes etc of films. When there magazines are about facts, authors and articles.

Advertising:

Advertising is a form of communication between the product and audience, viewers or readers or listeners, advertising is used to persuade the target audience to buy or look into the advertised product, this advertising (my trailer) is to drive and get the audience to take action; to go to the cinema! The desired result is to get the consumers attention with the commercial offering (offering that you will be scared and frightened).

Advertising can be through sponsors via traditional media like the mass media such as newspapers, magazines, TV and radio, outdoor advertising or direct mail; or new media via the Internet; YouTube advertising, Facebook and other websites and text messages!

Adverts often plan out to increase consumption of their products, like a teaser trailer; then a normal length trailer. Also by branding, which involved repetition of a product name with an image to associate certain qualities with the brand in the minds of a consumer e.g. my teaser trailer would build up peoples excitement and when they see the name of my film etc they would remember the scared feeling they got while watching the trailer.
Advertising also depends on your target market, since my target audience is 15-25 and related to couples, I would use the Internet mostly, as its cheap and sometimes free via using social networking sites. Social networking sites are used a lot by teens and young adults so advertising on facebook, twitter, YouTube would be a very beneficial way of advertising my trailer... by making a facebook group, facebook LIKE button, follow on twitter, YouTube advert before a song etc... also this is a very quick easy way to get audience feedback! Other ways of advertising would be obviously on TV as this groups a massive wide of audience depending on the time and channel... Also via billboards, posters in cinemas and trailers before a film in the cinema etc!