Film Industry: Chicken case study research

Funding

1) What was the budget for Chicken?

£110,0002

2) How did Joe Stephenson end up raising the money to make the film?

Raised entirely through investment by individuals (e.g. rich friends/contacts)

3) How does the Chicken budget compare to a Hollywood-funded British blockbuster such as Spectre or Paddington 2?

Chicken had a much smaller budget than movies such as specter and Paddington.

4) Joe Stephenson tried to secure funding from organisations that help low-budget filmmakers. What is the BFI Film Fund and how does it contribute to the British film industry?

The BFI film fund helps fund films to reach their full potential. The BFI is funded by the national lottery.

5) Why do you think Chicken failed to secure funding from the BFI Film Fund?

Joe Stephenson, the director, was a new film creator, therefore, his inexperience may have put the BFI off funding his movie.
Production

1) What difficulties did the film run into during production?

Chicken was shot mostly outside so lighting and weather was a difficulty during the creation of the film.

2) How many days did the film take to shoot?

19 days

3) What scenes were particularly difficult for Joe Stephenson to film?

The scenes that involved "fiona" the chicken, they had to use 2 chickens during the filming which may have been problematic. 


Distribution

1) Why did the film fail to secure a distribution deal when first made in 2014?

The film was low budget so distributors may have assumed the movie was low quality meaning it would not be worth taking a risk on it.

2) What film festivals did Chicken feature at between 2014-2016?

These were the film festivals shown on IMDB

New Hampshire Film Festival

Giffoni Film Festival

3) Why are film festivals an effective way for a low-budget film to secure a distribution deal?

Because film festivals have a large attendance, therefore, multiple people are bound to be interested in your film. This could land you a distribution deal as many people will rate your movie which can give it more exposure to distribution companies.

4) When was Chicken released in cinemas in the UK?

May 2015

5) Why do you think film subscription service MUBI chose the film to feature on the service?

Mubi usually takes a liking to low-budget, Art-house films.

6) Why was Film4 a good choice to give the film its UK television premiere?

Because film 4 is a free channel which most people are able to view. It is also quite popular in the Britain

7) When will the film be released on iTunes and other video-on-demand services in the USA and Canada?

Released in US/Canada january 2018
Promotion

Note: some of these pages will be blocked in school - you will need to complete those particular questions at home.

1) What does the trailer suggest regarding genre and the potential audience pleasures of Chicken?

we see a 15 year old boy named richard which could be a relatable character to teenagers considering his age, also we mostly see a rural Britain which may appeal to some people.

2) What synergy can you find between the trailer and other traditional marketing methods such as the film poster?

The trailer and poster had quotes from different sources.

3) Why are reviews from industry figures such as Mark Kermode so important to a film's success?

Because they are all social media influencers with a following, meaning that many people will immediately show interest in something if they're preferred social media influencer is interested in that certain thing. This way movies can gain a large amount of exposure and hype.

4) How does the Chicken Twitter account create and maintain interest in the film?

Chicken twitter page can promote the movie without a price.

5) Who does the Twitter account re-tweet? How does this help to promote the film?

The twitter account retweets famous people who give good reviews on the film.

6) How does the Chicken Facebook page use images and video content to promote the film?

The Facebook account uses images and videos to lure people into watching the movie by posting interesting snippets from the movie.

7) What pages are liked by the Chicken Facebook page? What does this tell you about the film and potential target audience?

The page like niche film organizations which suggests they want to attract a more subtle and niche audience.

8) Go to the B Good Picture Company's website page for Chicken. What celebrities are mentioned on the page? Why might they be highlighted?

Stephen Frears, Karen Gillian etc

9) Now go to the film's official website. What is the key purpose of the website and what does this tell you about the influence of new technology and how it is changing how people watch films?

The website gives you key information about the film and gives you details about the people who were behind creating the film. It tells us that technology is the way forward as it essentially provides everything we need to know, it is changing how people watch films because there is a large number of streaming services for tv and film now.

10) Go to the B Good Picture Company YouTube channel. What videos feature on the channel? How do they help to promote Chicken?

An interview of Scott chambers and Ian McKellen was posted, this helps promote the movie as people may draw a connection to the people behind the film, therefore, wanting the watch the actual movie. Also, it can give people a better understanding of the movie.

Final reading: Media Magazine - the appeal of arthouse cinema

Complete the following tasks to improve your understanding of arthouse film and the possible audience pleasures that the genre offers:

Read Beyond Hollywood: Reading Arthouse Cinema. This is in MM45 on page 24 - go to our Media Magazine archive to find the article. 

1) Summarise the article in 50 words.

ArtHouse films are made for artistic purposes and may be difficult to understand, certain parts of the film can only be explained through the characters.

2) What are some of the suggested audience pleasures for arthouse film?

People can relate to the characters and can see a different perspective of life.

3) Why do some audiences struggle with arthouse film? Refer to some media theory here (there are some important media theories discussed in the article itself).

Because many people may not understand the themes of the film. 

4) To what extent is arthouse film only for the middle classes and older audiences? Why might this be the case?

Arthouse films are mainly for middle-class people and older audiences as they may want to take the time to analyze and delve into the deeper meaning of the film.

5) What type of audience would be interested in Chicken?

I believe Chicken is for all audiences, however, in my opinion, I believe it suits the older side of teenagers 16-19
as it has some distressing themes that younger audiences may not be keen on. Also, I believe that chicken can also suit an older audience due to its intriguing themes and a deep emphasis on class and the harsh realities of the world.

Film Industry: British film industry factsheets

1) Write a one-sentence definition of what makes a film British.

A British film is a film containing British culture.

2) What is the difference between a Hollywood production context and production context of a British film?

Hollywood production context means that most films made by Hollywood studio have high budgets, a heavy reliance on celebrities both in the cast and crew and spectacle driven stories. The British film production context does not have as many clearly defined characteristics. British film production context are that films made within the British production context will in some way reflect British culture, films such as The
King’s Speech (Momentum Pictures, 2010) and Son of Rambow (Optimum Releasing, 2007) have varying degrees of involvement from Hollywood or other outside agencies however they are both inherently British in their subject matter.

3) When did the James Bond franchise start?

The James Bond franchise started in 1963.

4) In terms of film censorship and graphic content, what began to change in British film in the 1970s and 1980s?

The 1970s sees a rise in British Films of sexual content, both the act of sex and sex linked to violence with films like A Clockwork Orange (Warner Bros, 1971) coming under a lot of scrutiny. The 1980s see the rise of

videos and the ‘video nasty’s scare where filmmaking was becoming more accessible and more extreme content was being created and finding its way to Britain.

5) What groups are often represented in British film? Give examples of films these groups feature in.

films portray young people, especially in the British Horror Film. For example if we look at the way youth is portrayed in a very singular way in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (Warner Bros., 1971), the focus
is on violence, anti-establishment and a compulsion to act in an anarchic way.

6) What does the Factsheet suggest might be the audience appeal of British film?

A British film will need to have strong culture identity so the audience can clearly identify that the film is a British one. Also, the main characteristics that can be identified as appealing to a native British audience would include; the actors, British actors tend to be clearly identifiable as British and will often be associated
with a particular genre of British film.

Find Media Factsheet #100 on the British film industry. Save it to USB or email it to yourself so you have access to the Factsheet for homework. Read the whole of the Factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What is the 'cultural test' to see if a film counts as British?


If a film does not qualify as a co-production, it must pass the British Film Institute’s Cultural Test in order to be defined as British. The Cultural Test is divided into four sections and a film must score at least 16 out of a possible 31 points to be classified as British.

2) Complete the task on the Factsheet, researching the films listed and finding out what they score on the cultural test: Sweeney, Attack The Block, The King's Speech, We Need To Talk About Kevin and Skyfall.

Cultural test score

Attack the block: 30

The Sweeney: 27

Kings Speech: 26

We need to talk about Kevin: 14

Skyfall: 15

3) What is the main problem for the British film industry?


Historically, the British film industry has been production led rather than distribution led. This means that many UK films are made but, in order to get the film exhibited, the filmmakers have to sacrifice the distribution rights by selling the film to a distribution company. Once sold, all revenue from cinema screenings, DVD and Blu-ray sales, plus sales to television companies, are lost. Even a highly successful British film is not necessarily making money that will be reinvested in British film-making.

4) What are three of the strengths of the British film industry?


• outstanding creative skills of practitioners
Directors like Richard Curtis have made films, such as Love
Actually (2003), which have grossed billions of dollars worldwide
and intellectual property, such as J. K Rowling’s Harry Potter
books, have also enabled British film production companies to
be involved in the production of financially successful franchises.

• outstanding facilities
British studios, camera companies and digital post-production
houses all attract investment from filmmakers around the world,
especially the USA.

5) What are the two options for the future of the British film industry?


Firstly, British filmmakers could choose to rely upon co-productions with American studios to keep the industry afloat. However, the drawback would be that much of what makes the film British may be lost, such as regional accents and dialects or cultural and political references. Since these features would make no sense to an audience outside of Britain, it is unlikely that an American company involved in a co-production would approve of them.

The UK film industry’s second option is to attempt to make low budget films targeted at a niche, British audience. Though the production costs will have to be lower and box-office taking and profits will necessarily be lower too, the filmmakers will be able to retain what it is that makes British films so distinctive without compromise.

6) In your opinion, which of these two options would best safeguard the future of the British film industry?

Making low-budget films may be the most effective options as they can easily keep the British culture as well as having a compelling story-line to follow.

Film & TV Language index

1) Film poster analysis
2) Mise-en-scene blog tasks
3) Star persona: video feedback and learner response
4) Lighting blog tasks
5) Sound blog tasks

6) Sound: parallel and contrapuntal video feedback and learner response

7) Cinematography blog tasks
8) Cinematography video task and learner response
9) Cinematography additional clip analysis
10) Editing video task and learner response
11) Editing blog task - 750 word analysis

editing video feedback

1) Type up your feedback/comments from your teacher.

·         Some brilliant shots – particularly the close-up on the phone and the over-the-shoulder walking handheld shot towards end.

·         Overall construction is difficult to follow and the large gaps of black screen don’t help with this. Why does it start with random punch but then not return to that scene? I do like the fact you’ve got a narrative but with storytelling you need to keep it simple!

·         The sequence immediately following the black screen does largely meet the editing brief but has some key errors (there is a rogue frame or two outside the door that flashes up before the scene begins at 0.12).

·         The continuity editing through the door is excellent but the dip to black transition immediately after that ruins the continuity. An important lesson for your coursework!

·         The shot framing for the conversation is not over-the-shoulder and therefore difficult to judge the 180 degree rule. There is also someone’s knee in the shot which is a basic error. Focus is patchy in places and there are more random dips to black. If your coursework involves shot-reverse-shot conversation there are definite lessons to learn here.

·         Cross-cutting between Mandeep leaving the room and the night location doesn’t really work – it’s just confusing.

·         Not sure on title at start and end – is it supposed to be a trailer? Always think about the type of product you are constructing!

2) Type up your feedback from fellow students.

• exciting to watch
• good music
• well shot
• hard to follow at times
• couldn't understand plot
• camera quality changed at times

3) Now reflect on your video. Did you meet the brief and successfully include the three key editing aspects we have learned?

I believe i have not met the brief as well as i could have as i strayed away from what i was supposed to be doing. I included the conversation.

4) What were the strengths and weaknesses of your final film? Write a detailed analysis picking out specific shots, edits and any other aspect of film language you think is relevant.

My strengths were the music I added and the different types of shots i used such as the medium close up when mandeep was on the phone. It gave a very cinematic look. Also i added black bars to the top and bottom of the screen which again made my work look professional

5) Learner response: what aspect of editing did you find most difficult? What have you learned from this process that will help you when you start the actual coursework later this year?

I found syncing actions with the music difficult. Also

cinematography final blog tasks

1) Using your printed booklet (an electronic copy is available in the folder above) watch any of the clips you haven't seen in class for Cinematography. Complete the tasks in the booklet in full paragraphs for each clip.

Lawrence of Arabia:

Discuss how the long shots create tension and suspense.

The use of the man on the horse, cruising at a high speed and then a long shot followed by that certainly allows the audience to understand something dangerous is being foreshadowed which also then builds up tension and suspense.. The long shot allows the audience to establish the surrounding of the horse and the man himself on the horse.

Who are the audience encouraged to identify with?

The audience is encouraged to identify with Lawrence as a range of camera shots and angles have been used on Lawrence, in addition to this, the main focus throughout the film is on Lawrence.

Watch the following extract from Citizen Kane (1940), directed by Orson Welles.

1. Discuss the various shots and camera movements and their effects.

Throughout the extract a range of various shots from medium shots to extreme close-ups.

The use of extreme close-ups enables the audience to build an emotional connection with

the characters in the extra, in addition, allows them to feel like they are in the characters shoes.

2.How does the cinematography work with other aspects of film language?

The use of lighting vividly reinforces the fact of how horrific and dangerous the settings within

the extract are and furthermore the use of dark lighting connotes danger, violence and crime.

These all show to the audience and demonstrate that something dangerous may be coming along

and is being foreshadowed.

Watch the following extract from Three Colours: Blue(1993), directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski

How does the use of close-up shots enhance our understanding of the narrative?

The use of close up shots allow the audience to build an emotional connection with the characters in the extract,

more because the audience can clearly view the characters facial expressions, as well as they,

can make clear eye contact with the character, making them understand the narrative much better

Watch the following extract from Moulin Roughe (2001), directed by Baz Luhrmann

1. Comment on how various shots and camera movements help to introduce the story.

The range of camera shots enable the characters to be introduced to the audience as well the plot and setting.

2. How does the cinematography work with other aspects of film language

There is a wide range of camera movements and the lighting varies from scene to scene which many other films use.

Cinematography video task and learner response

1) Make sure your video is on YouTube and embedded on your blog. 

2) Type up your feedback/comments from your teacher.

• well shot, framing of the opening is very good
• some titles were incorrect e.g tracking shot was a pan and the pan was actually a tilt.
• very effective narrative with good use of sfx

3) Type up your feedback from fellow students.

• good narrative
• well shot
• good music
• the audio was quiet at times
• make titles more clear

4) Now reflect on your work and write your own comments. Add three WWWs and three EBIs underneath the rest of your feedback.

• Quality was good
• the narrative was engaging for the audience
• the music went well
• some titles were incorrect
• audio problems
• less swearing

5) Learner response: think about what you learned making the video and also watching others. What will you do differently when you start the coursework in the summer? What tips or tricks have you learned from others that you can use next time? Are there any specific aspects of camerawork that you need to revise or practice?

I will make sure I research and become intellectually prepared for whatever task I do. Also, I will try to stick to the brief more. I have learnt that asking others for advice on my video is very important so I can grow and improve.

cinematography blog task

1) Write an analysis of the cinematography in the opening sequence. Highlight your use of media language and try to cover camera shots, angles and movement using the terminology we have learned in lessons.


Right at the beginning, a panning medium/long shot was used then moving closer to the main character who is the protagonist (Ashley Waters) to show his facial expressions in order for the audience to feel an emotional connection with the character. Moving on from that, one of the next crucial scenes in the trailer was when Deshane (the victim in the series) was kissing his girlfriend, a close-up was used on the characters while they were kissing so the audience can have and feel voyeurism. Onto the next scene, an over the shoulder shot was used on le he was being confronted by a drug dealer. The use of over the shoulder shot shows how Deshane is a victim in the scene and also shows the facial expressions on the drug dealers who was furious at that time. Later on, a medium shot was used on the drug dealer when he shot Leon and started running away.

2) How does the camerawork give the audience clues about the setting, narrative and character?

The camerawork allows the audience to engage well with the characters as there are many shaky POV shots and over the shoulder shots allowing the audience to feel a sense of realism as well as diversion which is escaping reality and real life routines and problems. In addition to this, the setting of this trailer is mostly in a council estate in East London. Furthermore the use of close-ups on the props, for example the gun, really gives the audience clues that it is violence related and that the characters are possible antagonists and that the series is set in a lower class- working class area for instance a council estate.

3) Find and analyse four film or TV stills. Embed the images in your blog and analyse the camera shot/angle and what they communicate to the audience.

https://blog.starzplay.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Kanan-Power-Starz.jpg

Here a close up shot has been used on 50 Cent, in the Netflix series 'Power'. The use of close-up allows the audience to analyse the actors face and with this the audience is also able to establish a emotional connection with the actor. The close up specifically on this still image allows the audience to understand the character seems to be mischievous as his  facial expressions how to be worries and stressed and in addition his hands have grip of a prop which is to be a gun which connotes violence, danger and ultimately death. 
https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/the-punisher-4.jpg?w=1000

In this still image, a medium close up is seen to be used which was captured in the Netflix series 'Punisher'. The use of medium close enables the audience to understand the environment that the protagonist in this image is currently in. In addition to this, the medium close up allows the audience to also view the protagonist's facial expressions which also allows the audience to build an emotional connection with the character, keeping them interested and wanting to watch on to see what happens with the character in the end.
https://digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/13/30/1280x640/landscape_topboy.jpg

This still image was taken from a Netflix series called 'Top Boy'. Here a medium shot was used which allows the audience to gain knowledge of the environment the characters are currently in which in this case would be a staircase in a rough council estate which would lead them onto understanding that the characters are to be working class individuals. Although the medium shot shows the environment the characters are currently in, it doesn't reveal too much about their location.