Wednesday 28 November 2012
Sunday 25 November 2012
Why Has The Inbetweeners Movie Been So Successful?
To really appreciate just how monumental the opening for The Inbetweeners Movie has been, try overly emphasising the last three words of the next few sentences in a disgruntled Kanye West tone. For instance: The highest grossing UK comedy opening 'Of All Time'! The biggest TV spin-off in the UK 'Of All Time'! It took in more cash in its opening weekend in the UK than Avatar. As everyone knows that motherfucker is the biggest movie, say it with me, 'Of All Time!'
As industry experts and film fans pick their jaws from off the floor with one hand and grab the scalpels to dissect every inch of the 'sleeper' hit with the other, we're gonna offer some theories of our own. Of course whatever conclusion we come to, we and they will be completely wrong. After all, this is the industry where everybody knows: 'Nobody Knows Anything'.
He that first spaketh the famous phrase 'Nobody Knows Anything' was Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman. In his book, The Big Picture – a tome that dictates if anybody does know anything about the film business that person may well be Goldman – the writer of Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid talks of a phrase he hates: “non-recurring phenomenon”. The Inbetweeners Movie falls into this category.
Goldman believed if you ask any studio why a film that wasn't expected to do well (e.g. not a franchise movie, not a star-vehicle), did do well, they'll reply, “it's a non-recurring phenomenon”. No need to explain it. No rhyme or reason to it. Like the England riots and the popularity of James Corden (hey buddy!) some things just can't be explained. They'll whistle a happy tune and go about greenlighting the next Green Lantern.
But let's forget that 'Nobody Knows Anything' and let's at least try to gain some knowledge. For the first word as to why we're looking at the equivalent of a Twilight haul on a Ken Loach budget, let's ask the writers. Goldman would like that. They reckon it's all to do with "the four greatest comic actors of their generation"...
Cast
Bollocks. Ask the man on the street, who Will, Jay, Simon and Neil are and you may well get a response in the affirmative. Ask them who Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas are and you're likely to get results ranging from “that dead musician” to “the left back for QPR?”. These guys are not stars. They will not open other films. Hopefully they'll go on to have decent careers, they seem like genuinely nice boys. But they are not, repeat not, stars. Nobody said “let's hit the cinema this weekend and watch the new Blake Harrison film”. I'd hazard a guess, no one ever will.
Bollocks. Ask the man on the street, who Will, Jay, Simon and Neil are and you may well get a response in the affirmative. Ask them who Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas are and you're likely to get results ranging from “that dead musician” to “the left back for QPR?”. These guys are not stars. They will not open other films. Hopefully they'll go on to have decent careers, they seem like genuinely nice boys. But they are not, repeat not, stars. Nobody said “let's hit the cinema this weekend and watch the new Blake Harrison film”. I'd hazard a guess, no one ever will.
Built-in audience
So then it's simple. It has a built in audience. Fans of the show means fans going to the cinema. But then Glee also has a built-in audience. Glee has a following on E4 of about half that of The Inbetweeners. Singing teens equals 1.1 million viewers. Wanking teens equals 2.2 million. Ergo, vis a vis, concordantly, Glee's opening weekend will be half ofThe Inbetweeners haul of £13,196,422 or at least there or there abouts. But Gleeactually took £356,271. Anybody out there recently got an A-Level in Maths and fancies working out if that is half? Or even there or thereabouts.
So then it's simple. It has a built in audience. Fans of the show means fans going to the cinema. But then Glee also has a built-in audience. Glee has a following on E4 of about half that of The Inbetweeners. Singing teens equals 1.1 million viewers. Wanking teens equals 2.2 million. Ergo, vis a vis, concordantly, Glee's opening weekend will be half ofThe Inbetweeners haul of £13,196,422 or at least there or there abouts. But Gleeactually took £356,271. Anybody out there recently got an A-Level in Maths and fancies working out if that is half? Or even there or thereabouts.
Demographic
Teenagers, when they're not smashing up JD Sports and nicking trainers/offering to clean up the mess of PEOPLE OF ALL AGES smashing up JD Sports and nicking trainers (delete depending on age and newspaper choice), have a lot of cash. Well they don't -or at least me and my friends never did when I was the age to be wanking into a sock - but they also don't have bills. What they do have is, a phrase to make money men semi-erect, “expendable income”. A movie aimed at teenagers during the school holidays, opening on an Orange Wednesday. On the week of A-Level results when parents are rewarding their children financially. Now that's good forethought.
Teenagers, when they're not smashing up JD Sports and nicking trainers/offering to clean up the mess of PEOPLE OF ALL AGES smashing up JD Sports and nicking trainers (delete depending on age and newspaper choice), have a lot of cash. Well they don't -or at least me and my friends never did when I was the age to be wanking into a sock - but they also don't have bills. What they do have is, a phrase to make money men semi-erect, “expendable income”. A movie aimed at teenagers during the school holidays, opening on an Orange Wednesday. On the week of A-Level results when parents are rewarding their children financially. Now that's good forethought.
Marketing
Not being an avid Hollyoaks fan I'm unaware of the advert coverage The Inbetweeners is getting during the Channel 4 soap. I'd guess a fair bit. I'd also guess it's about an eighth of what Harry Potter acquired. The poster was awful. The trailer was adequate. The social network coverage was pretty good. Most websites had at least some interviews or clips. FilmFour giving over their Twitter account to the four boys was a great piece of low budget marketing that seemed to work well, but no amount of press could account for £13million plus. But then there's the reviews...
Not being an avid Hollyoaks fan I'm unaware of the advert coverage The Inbetweeners is getting during the Channel 4 soap. I'd guess a fair bit. I'd also guess it's about an eighth of what Harry Potter acquired. The poster was awful. The trailer was adequate. The social network coverage was pretty good. Most websites had at least some interviews or clips. FilmFour giving over their Twitter account to the four boys was a great piece of low budget marketing that seemed to work well, but no amount of press could account for £13million plus. But then there's the reviews...
Quality
Surely a film reaps what it sows in terms of quality? Right? The reason The Inbetweeners Movie has done so well is because it's a good film. It's a well structured comedy with heart that, one 'insanely good-looking and sexy' reviewer said, “works for the uninitiated” (note the “may help its box office” statement too, I am available to film studios for consultancy work). So quality equals success. By that rational we can all popTransformers: Dark Of The Moon in our Best Films of 2011 lists. Also Fight Club, Citizen Kane, 'It's A Wonderful Life' and Children of Men were all rubbish and should never be spoken of again. Even sarcastically that was hard to write.
Surely a film reaps what it sows in terms of quality? Right? The reason The Inbetweeners Movie has done so well is because it's a good film. It's a well structured comedy with heart that, one 'insanely good-looking and sexy' reviewer said, “works for the uninitiated” (note the “may help its box office” statement too, I am available to film studios for consultancy work). So quality equals success. By that rational we can all popTransformers: Dark Of The Moon in our Best Films of 2011 lists. Also Fight Club, Citizen Kane, 'It's A Wonderful Life' and Children of Men were all rubbish and should never be spoken of again. Even sarcastically that was hard to write.
So there we are. Lesson learned. Make a decent movie for teenagers starring the “greatest comic actors of their generation”, release it during the holidays and watch the money roll in. Easy really.
Oh and The Inbetweeners Movie 2. I'd bet approximately £13,196,422 on it.
By Owen Nicholls
The Inbetweeners Movie: Additional Information
Phones4U gave away The Inbetweeners box sets with the Samgsung Galaxy Ace, which not only promoted the show but created hype surrounding the new film.
"Filmology were instrumental in developing the relationship with the film's UK distributors, not only delivering the DVDs and procuring the rights to use the film's images, but providing a holiday competition prize to Crete, too." - Sally Dawson, BIG Group
The primary audience were generally those which enjoyed the TV show, mostly 15-25 in age to signify those approaching sixth form and those who just left university.
The release date of the summer holidays allowed many of which to go and see the film at the cinema, and if not, the DVD was released around Christmas anyway and so most would have purchased that.
"Filmology were instrumental in developing the relationship with the film's UK distributors, not only delivering the DVDs and procuring the rights to use the film's images, but providing a holiday competition prize to Crete, too." - Sally Dawson, BIG Group
The primary audience were generally those which enjoyed the TV show, mostly 15-25 in age to signify those approaching sixth form and those who just left university.
The release date of the summer holidays allowed many of which to go and see the film at the cinema, and if not, the DVD was released around Christmas anyway and so most would have purchased that.
Thursday 22 November 2012
The Inbetweeners Movie: Who was involved?
Details
Bwark Productions is a London based comedy producer founded in 2004 by two former Channel 4 commissioning editors – Iain Morris and Damon Beesley. Bwark is best known in the UK for its hit E4 comedy series The Inbetweeners. The third series drew a record audience in October 2010 (both for E4 and 4OD) and The Inbetweeners movie premiered in the UK in August 2012 before going on UK and international release. Bwark has also enjoyed success with television series Free Agents (Channel Four), Angelo’s (Five), and The Persuasionists (BBC2). Zodiak acquired Bwark in July 2011, making it the first acquisition since the formation of Zodiak Media. The Managing Director is Mark Lesbirel.
Young Films:
Chistopher Young (born April 28, 1958) is an American music composer for both film and television.
Many of his music compositions are for horror films, including Hellraiser, Tales from the Hood, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, Urban Legend, and Drag Me to Hell. Other works include Lucky You and Spider-Man 3, for which he received the Film & TV Music Award for Best Score for a Dramatic Feature Film. He also made three cameo appearances in Spider-Man 3.
Young was honored with the prestigious Richard Kirk award at the 2008 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.
Film4 Productions:
Film4 Productions is a British film production company owned by Channel Four Television Corporation. The company has been responsible for backing a large number of films made in the United Kingdom. The company's first production was Walter, directed by Stephen Frears, which was released in 1982.
Distribution
- Release Date: 17 August 2011
- Type of film: Features
- Certificate: 15
- Running Time: 97 mins
- Country: UK
- Director: Ben Palmer
- Producer: Christopher Young
- Executive Producers: Damon Beesley, Iain Morris
- Editors: Charlie Fawcett, William Webb
- Screenwriters: Damon Beesley, Iain Morris
- Music: Oliver Whelan
- Cinematograhpy: Jon Tester
- Editing: William Webb, Charlie Fawcett
- Director of Photography: Ben Wheeler
- Production Designer: Dick Lunn
- Principal Cast: Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison, Joe Thomas
- Production Studios
Bwark Productions is a London based comedy producer founded in 2004 by two former Channel 4 commissioning editors – Iain Morris and Damon Beesley. Bwark is best known in the UK for its hit E4 comedy series The Inbetweeners. The third series drew a record audience in October 2010 (both for E4 and 4OD) and The Inbetweeners movie premiered in the UK in August 2012 before going on UK and international release. Bwark has also enjoyed success with television series Free Agents (Channel Four), Angelo’s (Five), and The Persuasionists (BBC2). Zodiak acquired Bwark in July 2011, making it the first acquisition since the formation of Zodiak Media. The Managing Director is Mark Lesbirel.
Young Films:
Chistopher Young (born April 28, 1958) is an American music composer for both film and television.
Many of his music compositions are for horror films, including Hellraiser, Tales from the Hood, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, Urban Legend, and Drag Me to Hell. Other works include Lucky You and Spider-Man 3, for which he received the Film & TV Music Award for Best Score for a Dramatic Feature Film. He also made three cameo appearances in Spider-Man 3.
Young was honored with the prestigious Richard Kirk award at the 2008 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.
Film4 Productions:
Film4 Productions is a British film production company owned by Channel Four Television Corporation. The company has been responsible for backing a large number of films made in the United Kingdom. The company's first production was Walter, directed by Stephen Frears, which was released in 1982.
Distribution
Entertainment Film Distributors is a British distributor of independent films in the UK and Ireland for various production companies, currently run by Nigel Green.
Michael L. Green, Nigel's father, was a veteran producer/distributor involved in the film industry since the 1930s when he was a teenager. In 1972 he formed Variety the prolific film distributor. In 1978 Green closed Variety and with his two sons Nigel and Trevor formed Entertainment Film Distributors, (and later its video arm Entertainment in Video), which handled the likes of The Lord of the Rings and was one of the leading forces in UK distribution. Michael L. Green died on June 17, 2003 aged 84.[1]
Their first big success was Teen Wolf (1985) starring Michael J. Fox. Entertainment also released films for Empire Pictures and New World Pictures.
Most notably, between 1990 and 2010, Entertainment distributed films made by New Line Cinema along with films from other independent production companies. One of the most notable series of films distributed to date is The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In 2010, distribution rights for New Line Cinema films in the UK and Ireland were folded into New Lines parent company Warner Bros. Entertainment have released many BAFTA and Oscar winning films including The Departed, Million Dollar Baby, Gosford Park, Brokeback Mountain and The Artist.
Entertainment Film Distubutors is UK's leading independent film distibutor; and whilst they had the rights to the film for cinema exhibition, Channel 4 retained the rights for sales on the DVD market.
Michael L. Green, Nigel's father, was a veteran producer/distributor involved in the film industry since the 1930s when he was a teenager. In 1972 he formed Variety the prolific film distributor. In 1978 Green closed Variety and with his two sons Nigel and Trevor formed Entertainment Film Distributors, (and later its video arm Entertainment in Video), which handled the likes of The Lord of the Rings and was one of the leading forces in UK distribution. Michael L. Green died on June 17, 2003 aged 84.[1]
Their first big success was Teen Wolf (1985) starring Michael J. Fox. Entertainment also released films for Empire Pictures and New World Pictures.
Most notably, between 1990 and 2010, Entertainment distributed films made by New Line Cinema along with films from other independent production companies. One of the most notable series of films distributed to date is The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In 2010, distribution rights for New Line Cinema films in the UK and Ireland were folded into New Lines parent company Warner Bros. Entertainment have released many BAFTA and Oscar winning films including The Departed, Million Dollar Baby, Gosford Park, Brokeback Mountain and The Artist.
Entertainment Film Distubutors is UK's leading independent film distibutor; and whilst they had the rights to the film for cinema exhibition, Channel 4 retained the rights for sales on the DVD market.
Why did The Inbetweeners Movie succeed?
The Inbetweeners: 'Our movie's success doesn't make any logical sense'
Blake Harrison, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Simon Bird on the year they made the most successful British comedy movie in history
The Inbetweeners cast: from left, Blake Harrison, James Buckley, Simon Bird and Joe Thomas. Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer
In an early scene of The Inbetweeners Movie, released in August, audiences met a central character wearing boxer shorts and scuba-diving equipment, noisily pleasuring himself into an open packet of wafer-thin ham. There followed 90 minutes of similarly vulgar surprises (intercourse with the elderly, the nasal ingestion of poo), but the film's biggest shock, its most convention-rattling stunner, was saved until last. Within a month of release, The Inbetweeners Movie – a feature-length spin-off of a sitcom broadcast on E4 from 2008 to 2010 – had become the most successful British comedy in cinema history.
"Hard to compute," says Blake Harrison, one of the film's four stars. "Surreal," says Joe Thomas. "If you thought about it too deeply you'd drive yourself mental," says James Buckley. "It certainly doesn't make any logical sense," says Simon Bird.
And it doesn't, because their film was released on the same day as Hollywood blockbuster Cowboys & Aliens, starring proven money-maker Daniel Craig. A week later, the adaptation of David Nicholls's mega-selling novel One Day was due out. A Justin Timberlake vehicle, Friends With Benefits, hovered, as did new versions of Jane Eyre, Conan the Barbarian and The Smurfs…The Inbetweeners should have been swamped by Hollywood mulch; instead, it spent four mind-blowingly lucrative weeks at the top of the summer charts. It out-earned Cowboys & Aliens nearly 8:1 in its opening weekend, taking £13m. A further £13m came in from the US box office, and to date, without accounting for inevitably chunky sales of the new DVD, the film has pulled in more than £45m. How did this happen?
"The show's writers [and creators, Iain Morris and Damon Beesley] must have suspected that there was a market for a British take on an American Pie, a Superbad," says Bird. "And they were right. Probably beyond their wildest dreams." Buckley agrees. "There was room for a young-British-lads film, and maybe we were the guys to do it."
Thomas wonders if the giant numbers the film registered might have been down to fans of the TV show – which was pulling in more than 3m viewers by the time its third series finished last year – going along to the cinema, each dragging several friends. Harrison thinks there was simply something "quintessentially British" about the film's depiction of a hopeless Mediterranean holiday, all sunburn and disappointment and failures to pull, that tapped in to domestic sympathies. Anyway, the thing was a triumph, and the question of a sequel looms.
"No one's asked me," says Buckley. "We haven't had one conversation about it," says Bird. "I think there will definitely be interested parties who will want to do it," says Thomas. "If we're being completely honest, the distributors will want to do more," says Harrison, "because it's money in the bank. Because they know, now, that we've got an audience for it." Thomas: "I love working with the rest of the cast and would always want to do something more." Bird: "I wouldn't rule it out. We'll wait and see."
Everyone agrees that if they're going to do it "the story has to be right". In other words: ready the wafer-thin ham.
The Inbetweeners Movie: About The Film
Summary
The Inbetweeners Movie is a 2011 British coming-of-age comedy film based on the E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners, written by series creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris and directed by Ben Palmer. The film follows the misadventures of a group of teenage friends on holiday in Crete after the end of their final year at school together, and currently serves as an ending to the TV series. It stars Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison. The film was released on 19 August 2011 in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Box Office
On its first day of release, The Inbetweeners Movie grossed over £2.5 million in 409 cinemas, outperforming Cowboys & Aliens. The film then went on to set a new record for the most successful opening weekend ever achieved by a comedy film in the UK, overtaking Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and The Hangover Part II after earning £13,200,000. It retained its number 1 position in the UK film charts for 4 weeks and for 3 weeks in the Republic of Ireland, finally being overtaken by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on 16 September 2011. The film saw a limited theatrical releases in the United States on 7 September 2012 where it grossed $36,000, making its total box office revenue $88,025,781.
Home Media
On 12 December 2011, The Inbetweeners Movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in the UK by 4DVD, with the latter version sold as a triple pack containing both formats along with a digital copy of the film. Both versions include a number of special features, such as a making-of documentary, footage from the film's London premiere, various deleted scenes, cast commentaries and a blooper reel. The Blu-ray Disc release also features an extended cut of the film that restores approximately four minutes of material omitted from the theatrical release, most notably an additional scene in which Will and Simon encounter a drunken Mr. Gilbert on a Malia stag weekend. These additions resulted in the extended cut being rated an 18, as opposed to the 15 rating of the theatrical release.
Following its appearance in UK stores, the DVD quickly became a major financial success. Within less than a week, the film became the third fastest-selling British home media release of 2011 after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, with approximately 575,000 copies sold in the first day of its release. By December 17, estimated sales reached one million, resulting in the film displacing the home media release of Paul as one of the five best-selling DVDs of the year in the UK.
Critical Reception
The Inbetweeners Movie received mostly positive reviews upon UK release in August 2011. However, following release in the US in September 2012 critical reaction was less favourable, with the film currently holding a 55% score on Rotten Tomatoes. At the website Metacritic, which uses a normalized rating system, the film received a mixed rating of 44/100 based on 36 reviews.[7] Ian Freer of Empire Magazine gave the film four stars out of five, observing that "Like any holiday, it is episodic and suffers from repetition but this is gag-for-gag the funniest film of the summer and a fitting end to a much-loved series."[8] Steve Rose of The Guardian gave the film three stars out of five, giving particular praise to Simon Bird's performance and arguing that the film "updates the teen summer holiday formula surprisingly entertainingly, considering it doesn't subvert it one iota and the formula was already done previously with Holiday on the Buses and Kevin & Perry Go Large among others."[9] Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph also gave a positive assessment of the film, praising it as "an enormous hit, a Mamma Mia! for the Hangover demographic."[10] Screen Daily, on the other hand, gave a mixed review, praising the performances of the main cast and proclaiming the film "Britain’s delayed riposte to American Pie," yet simultaneously arguing that it "can’t quite shake off its TV roots, and plot-wise, this is nothing the Greek tourist board would want to advertise."[11] In contrast, Margaret Pomeranz from At the Movies called the characters "gormless" and said, "I’m giving this one star really generously".
The Inbetweeners Movie is a 2011 British coming-of-age comedy film based on the E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners, written by series creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris and directed by Ben Palmer. The film follows the misadventures of a group of teenage friends on holiday in Crete after the end of their final year at school together, and currently serves as an ending to the TV series. It stars Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison. The film was released on 19 August 2011 in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Box Office
On its first day of release, The Inbetweeners Movie grossed over £2.5 million in 409 cinemas, outperforming Cowboys & Aliens. The film then went on to set a new record for the most successful opening weekend ever achieved by a comedy film in the UK, overtaking Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and The Hangover Part II after earning £13,200,000. It retained its number 1 position in the UK film charts for 4 weeks and for 3 weeks in the Republic of Ireland, finally being overtaken by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on 16 September 2011. The film saw a limited theatrical releases in the United States on 7 September 2012 where it grossed $36,000, making its total box office revenue $88,025,781.
Home Media
On 12 December 2011, The Inbetweeners Movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in the UK by 4DVD, with the latter version sold as a triple pack containing both formats along with a digital copy of the film. Both versions include a number of special features, such as a making-of documentary, footage from the film's London premiere, various deleted scenes, cast commentaries and a blooper reel. The Blu-ray Disc release also features an extended cut of the film that restores approximately four minutes of material omitted from the theatrical release, most notably an additional scene in which Will and Simon encounter a drunken Mr. Gilbert on a Malia stag weekend. These additions resulted in the extended cut being rated an 18, as opposed to the 15 rating of the theatrical release.
Following its appearance in UK stores, the DVD quickly became a major financial success. Within less than a week, the film became the third fastest-selling British home media release of 2011 after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, with approximately 575,000 copies sold in the first day of its release. By December 17, estimated sales reached one million, resulting in the film displacing the home media release of Paul as one of the five best-selling DVDs of the year in the UK.
Critical Reception
The Inbetweeners Movie received mostly positive reviews upon UK release in August 2011. However, following release in the US in September 2012 critical reaction was less favourable, with the film currently holding a 55% score on Rotten Tomatoes. At the website Metacritic, which uses a normalized rating system, the film received a mixed rating of 44/100 based on 36 reviews.[7] Ian Freer of Empire Magazine gave the film four stars out of five, observing that "Like any holiday, it is episodic and suffers from repetition but this is gag-for-gag the funniest film of the summer and a fitting end to a much-loved series."[8] Steve Rose of The Guardian gave the film three stars out of five, giving particular praise to Simon Bird's performance and arguing that the film "updates the teen summer holiday formula surprisingly entertainingly, considering it doesn't subvert it one iota and the formula was already done previously with Holiday on the Buses and Kevin & Perry Go Large among others."[9] Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph also gave a positive assessment of the film, praising it as "an enormous hit, a Mamma Mia! for the Hangover demographic."[10] Screen Daily, on the other hand, gave a mixed review, praising the performances of the main cast and proclaiming the film "Britain’s delayed riposte to American Pie," yet simultaneously arguing that it "can’t quite shake off its TV roots, and plot-wise, this is nothing the Greek tourist board would want to advertise."[11] In contrast, Margaret Pomeranz from At the Movies called the characters "gormless" and said, "I’m giving this one star really generously".
Tuesday 20 November 2012
Monday 19 November 2012
Saturday 17 November 2012
Prometheus: Sequel
Ridley Scott Talks Prometheus and Blade Runner Sequel!
Prometheus director Ridley Scott recently spoke about
Prometheus, it's sequel Paradise and the rumors surrounding the Blade
Runner sequel with Metro.co.uk. According to Ridley - Blade Runner is
definitely happening. So read on for an excerpt from the interview!
What made you want to tackle sci-fi again?
I hadn’t done sci-fi for so long and I enjoyed doing it. Plus, when it comes to the Alien world, no one else had addressed the origin question and I thought that was interesting to tackle. Prometheus evolved into a whole other universe. You’ve got a person [Noomi Rapace’s Elizabeth Shaw] with a head in a bag [Michael Fassbender’s David] that functions and has an IQ of 350. It can explain to her how to put the head back on the body and she’s gonna think about that long and hard because, once the head is back on his body, he’s dangerous.
So that’s the sequel?
[Laughs] I wish it was that easy. They’re going off to paradise but it could be the most savage, horrible place. Who are the Engineers?
Was it your idea to shoot in 3D?
Yes, but it was an obvious thing to do. I may as well join the club, you know? Celluloid is disappearing. The labs don’t exist any more except to service the old films. I like the digital process. It’s more reliable. You push a button and you get 5,000 prints that are all exactly the same but if I was going to do it physically with film, at the end of the process the chemical has gotten so used it’s no longer functioning. I would never use film again.
Why did you use a lot of real sets rather than full CGI like, say, Avatar?
[Laughs] Because it was a quarter of the price of Avatar. Sorry, Jim! I’m a cameraman, primarily. My films have always been criticised for being too visual, too misty, too this or too that, but I don’t care. We’re dealing with a visual medium; storytelling is entirely visual, as Hitchcock said. Because I went to art school and I can draw, I know exactly how the script is going to evolve into a film.
There is a rumour you’ll be making a Blade Runner sequel.
It’s not a rumour – it’s happening. With Harrison Ford? I don’t know yet. Is he too old? Well, he was a Nexus-6 so we don’t know how long he can live [laughs]. And that’s all I’m going to say at this stage.
For those interested in Ridley's return to the Blade Runner universe, check out BladeRunner2-Movie.com for more news on the film's development and to engage with other fans in the Blade Runner forums!
For those looking forward to PARADISE, Prometheus' sequel, be sure to visit the Prometheus Sequel Forums for speculation, news and discussions!
Source: Metro.co.uk
http://www.prometheus-movie.com/news/372
Thursday 15 November 2012
Prometheus: Production
Development
Development on a fifth film in the Alien franchise was in progress by 2002. Scott considered returning to the series he created with his 1979 science fiction horror film Alien, to pursue a sequel that would explore the engineered origins of the series's Alien antagonists, and the "space jockey"—the extraterrestrial being, who briefly appears in Alien, as the deceased pilot of a derelict spaceship.Alien star Sigourney Weaver also expressed interest in returning to the series.Aliens director James Cameron discussed the potential for a sequel with Scott, and began working with another writer on a story for the film. It was then that 20th Century Fox approached Cameron with a script for a crossover film that would pit the series's monsters against the titular characters of the Predator films; this project became the 2004 science fiction film Alien vs. Predator. After Fox confirmed that it would pursue the crossover, Cameron stopped working on his own project, believing the crossover would "kill the validity of the franchise". In 2006, Cameron confirmed that he would not return to the Alien sequel project, believing that the series was Fox's asset, and he was unwilling to deal with the studio attempting to influence the potential sequel.
In May 2009, Fox said that the project was a "reboot" of the Alien franchise, and soon afterwards was reported as an untitled prequel to Alien. Development stopped in June 2009 when Fox clashed with Scott over his selection of former television advertisement director Carl Erik Rinsch as director. Fox was only interested in pursuing the project if Scott directed. By July 2009, Scott was contracted to direct the film, and screenwriter Jon Spaihts was hired to write the script based on his pitched idea for a direct Alien prequel. With the director and writer in place, and pleased with Spaihts's pitch, Fox scheduled a release date for December 2011, but this was eventually canceled. In June 2010, Scott announced that the script was complete and that pre-production would begin, and a filming date was set for January 2011. Fox eventually pushed to develop the project into an original work, and by July 2010, Lindelof had been hired to redevelop Spaihts's screenplay. In October 2010, Lindelof submitted his rewritten screenplay to Fox. Scott had initially requested a $250 million budget and an adult oriented project, but Fox was reluctant to invest this amount of money, and wanted to ensure the film would receive a lower age-rating to broaden the potential audience.
In December 2010, it was reported that the film would be called Paradise, named after John Milton's poem Paradise Lost, but Scott considered that this would convey too much information about the film. Fox CEO Thomas Rothman suggested Prometheus, which was confirmed as the title in January 2011. A release date was scheduled for March 9, 2012, but weeks later the release was postponed until June 8, 2012. With the name confirmed, the production team began to publicly distance the film from its Alien origins, and were deliberately vague about the connection between the films, believing it would build audience anticipation for Prometheus. Scott stated that "while Alien was indeed the jumping-off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien's DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative." In June 2011, Scott and Lindelof confirmed that Prometheus takes place in the same universe as the events of the Alien series. In July 2011, Scott stated that "by the end of the third act you start to realize there’s a DNA of the very first Alien, but none of the subsequent [films]".
Pre-production
Pre-production began in April 2010. A team developed graphic designs for the film. Scott convinced Fox to invest millions of dollars to hire scientists and conceptual artists to develop a vision of the late 21st century. The production of Prometheus was marked by a high degree of secrecy and story details were kept "extremely under-wraps." Ridley Scott was determined to maintain the secrecy of the plot, and he required the cast to sign clauses to prevent them disclosing story details, and the cast were only allowed to read the script under supervision in Scott's production office. One exception was made when a courier flew to one actor outside the US, and then stood guard while the actor read the script. Scott said, "I was insistent that the script not leak onto the internet, where it gets dissected out of context, which spoils it for everyone."
In July 2011, Lindelof said that the film would rely upon practical effects, and would use CGI generally for on-set pre-visualization of external space visuals. Scott said that, "you can pretty much do anything you want" with digital technology, and, "Doug Trumbull once said to me ‘If you can do it live, do it live.’ That was 29 years ago. Even though we have remarkable digital capabilities I still say do it live. It’s cheaper." Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski convinced Scott that it would be possible to film in 3D with the same ease and efficiency of 2D filming. 3D company 3ality Technica provided some of the rigs and equipment to facilitate 3D filming, and trained the film's crew in their proper operation. According to Scott, the decision to film in 3D added $10 million to the film's budget. Since 3D films need high lighting levels on set, the hallmark dark and shadowy atmosphere of the Alien films was added in post-production using grading processes, and the 3D equipment was based on post-Avatar technology.
Principal Photography
Principal photography began on March 21, 2011, lasted 82 days, and had an estimated $120–130 million budget. Filming began at Shepperton Studios and Pinewood Studios in England. Scott used eight sound stages for filming, including the 007 Stage. Studio space was limited and the crew had to make five stages work for approximately 16 sets, and increased the size of the 007 stage by over 30%.
Exterior shots of the alien world were shot in Iceland, where filming occurred for two weeks. It commenced on July 11, 2011, at the base of Hekla, an active volcano in southern Iceland . Speaking about working at the volcano, Scott said, "If one is afraid of nature in this profession then it would be best to find a different job". Filming also took place at Dettifoss, one of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe. The Iceland shoot involved 160 Icelandic crew members and over 200 imported crew. Scott said that the filming in Iceland comprised approximately fifteen minutes of footage for the film, and that the area represented the beginning of time. Morocco had been chosen as a location for these scenes, but the 2010 Arab Spring protests forced the change of venue. Alternatives including the Mojave Desert had been considered, but Scott explained that Iceland was ultimately chosen because "here it is so rough and 'Jurassic-like' and that proved decisive".
In September 2011, filming moved to the Ciudad de la Luz audiovisual complex in Alicante, Spain. Shooting areas included the complex's large water tank, and a nearby beach. The complex was booked from August 22, 2011, through to December 10, 2011, and set construction occurred from August until late September. Approximately 250 people worked on the three month-long Spain shoot, generating over €1 million in the local economy. Filming also took place in the Wadi Rum valley in Jordan.
Scott avoided using green screens unless necessary, instead he used various items so the actors would know where they should be looking in any particular scene on the practical sets where CGI elements would be inserted in post-production. Rapace said that green screens were used less than six times during filming. The production used five 3ality Technical Atom 3D rigs, four of which were configured with Red Epic 3D cameras set on camera dollies and tripods, which were continuously in use during filming. The fifth rig used an Epic camera as a steadicam, which was used only occasionally.
Post-Production
Scott focused on using the 3D footage to increase the illusion of depth. Despite this being his first 3D film he found the process easy. He said, "You can literally twiddle a knob and the depth will increase", and, "the trick is not to overdo it". In December 2011, Rapace undertook additional dialogue recordings for the film. Additional pick-up scenes were filmed during January 2012, including a one-day shoot on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and a new scene shot at a cave in the Scottish mountains. For dark scenes, the film was color graded to specifically compensate for the light loss of 3D glasses, to ensure the image was comparable to the 2D version.
In July 2011, Scott said that he was filming Prometheus with both adult-oriented R and more accessible PG-13 film ratings in mind, allowing the more adult content to be cut if necessary without harming the overall presentation. Scott said he had a responsibility to 20th Century Fox to be able to present a PG-13 cut of the film if the studio demanded, allowing it to be viewed by a wider potential audience. When asked about the rating, Scott said, "the question is, do you go for the PG-13, or do you go for what it should be, which is R? Financially it makes quite a difference ... essentially it's kinda R ... it's not just about blood, it's about ideas that are very stressful." Scott also said that, regardless of rating, he would present the most aggressive cut of the film he could while Rothman said that Scott would not be forced to compromise the film's quality to avoid an R-rating. On May 7, 2012, Fox confirmed that the film had received an R-rating and would be released without any cuts being made. According to Scott, the scene of Shaw surgically removing her alien offspring was the significant cause of the restrictive rating, and it was suggested that removing the scene entirely would be the only way to gain a lower one. A fight scene between Shaw and the Engineer was shortened because Scott decided that Shaw directly wounding the Engineer diminished his role. Scott concluded work on the film in March 2012.
Development on a fifth film in the Alien franchise was in progress by 2002. Scott considered returning to the series he created with his 1979 science fiction horror film Alien, to pursue a sequel that would explore the engineered origins of the series's Alien antagonists, and the "space jockey"—the extraterrestrial being, who briefly appears in Alien, as the deceased pilot of a derelict spaceship.Alien star Sigourney Weaver also expressed interest in returning to the series.Aliens director James Cameron discussed the potential for a sequel with Scott, and began working with another writer on a story for the film. It was then that 20th Century Fox approached Cameron with a script for a crossover film that would pit the series's monsters against the titular characters of the Predator films; this project became the 2004 science fiction film Alien vs. Predator. After Fox confirmed that it would pursue the crossover, Cameron stopped working on his own project, believing the crossover would "kill the validity of the franchise". In 2006, Cameron confirmed that he would not return to the Alien sequel project, believing that the series was Fox's asset, and he was unwilling to deal with the studio attempting to influence the potential sequel.
In May 2009, Fox said that the project was a "reboot" of the Alien franchise, and soon afterwards was reported as an untitled prequel to Alien. Development stopped in June 2009 when Fox clashed with Scott over his selection of former television advertisement director Carl Erik Rinsch as director. Fox was only interested in pursuing the project if Scott directed. By July 2009, Scott was contracted to direct the film, and screenwriter Jon Spaihts was hired to write the script based on his pitched idea for a direct Alien prequel. With the director and writer in place, and pleased with Spaihts's pitch, Fox scheduled a release date for December 2011, but this was eventually canceled. In June 2010, Scott announced that the script was complete and that pre-production would begin, and a filming date was set for January 2011. Fox eventually pushed to develop the project into an original work, and by July 2010, Lindelof had been hired to redevelop Spaihts's screenplay. In October 2010, Lindelof submitted his rewritten screenplay to Fox. Scott had initially requested a $250 million budget and an adult oriented project, but Fox was reluctant to invest this amount of money, and wanted to ensure the film would receive a lower age-rating to broaden the potential audience.
In December 2010, it was reported that the film would be called Paradise, named after John Milton's poem Paradise Lost, but Scott considered that this would convey too much information about the film. Fox CEO Thomas Rothman suggested Prometheus, which was confirmed as the title in January 2011. A release date was scheduled for March 9, 2012, but weeks later the release was postponed until June 8, 2012. With the name confirmed, the production team began to publicly distance the film from its Alien origins, and were deliberately vague about the connection between the films, believing it would build audience anticipation for Prometheus. Scott stated that "while Alien was indeed the jumping-off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien's DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative." In June 2011, Scott and Lindelof confirmed that Prometheus takes place in the same universe as the events of the Alien series. In July 2011, Scott stated that "by the end of the third act you start to realize there’s a DNA of the very first Alien, but none of the subsequent [films]".
Pre-production
Pre-production began in April 2010. A team developed graphic designs for the film. Scott convinced Fox to invest millions of dollars to hire scientists and conceptual artists to develop a vision of the late 21st century. The production of Prometheus was marked by a high degree of secrecy and story details were kept "extremely under-wraps." Ridley Scott was determined to maintain the secrecy of the plot, and he required the cast to sign clauses to prevent them disclosing story details, and the cast were only allowed to read the script under supervision in Scott's production office. One exception was made when a courier flew to one actor outside the US, and then stood guard while the actor read the script. Scott said, "I was insistent that the script not leak onto the internet, where it gets dissected out of context, which spoils it for everyone."
In July 2011, Lindelof said that the film would rely upon practical effects, and would use CGI generally for on-set pre-visualization of external space visuals. Scott said that, "you can pretty much do anything you want" with digital technology, and, "Doug Trumbull once said to me ‘If you can do it live, do it live.’ That was 29 years ago. Even though we have remarkable digital capabilities I still say do it live. It’s cheaper." Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski convinced Scott that it would be possible to film in 3D with the same ease and efficiency of 2D filming. 3D company 3ality Technica provided some of the rigs and equipment to facilitate 3D filming, and trained the film's crew in their proper operation. According to Scott, the decision to film in 3D added $10 million to the film's budget. Since 3D films need high lighting levels on set, the hallmark dark and shadowy atmosphere of the Alien films was added in post-production using grading processes, and the 3D equipment was based on post-Avatar technology.
Principal Photography
Principal photography began on March 21, 2011, lasted 82 days, and had an estimated $120–130 million budget. Filming began at Shepperton Studios and Pinewood Studios in England. Scott used eight sound stages for filming, including the 007 Stage. Studio space was limited and the crew had to make five stages work for approximately 16 sets, and increased the size of the 007 stage by over 30%.
Exterior shots of the alien world were shot in Iceland, where filming occurred for two weeks. It commenced on July 11, 2011, at the base of Hekla, an active volcano in southern Iceland . Speaking about working at the volcano, Scott said, "If one is afraid of nature in this profession then it would be best to find a different job". Filming also took place at Dettifoss, one of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe. The Iceland shoot involved 160 Icelandic crew members and over 200 imported crew. Scott said that the filming in Iceland comprised approximately fifteen minutes of footage for the film, and that the area represented the beginning of time. Morocco had been chosen as a location for these scenes, but the 2010 Arab Spring protests forced the change of venue. Alternatives including the Mojave Desert had been considered, but Scott explained that Iceland was ultimately chosen because "here it is so rough and 'Jurassic-like' and that proved decisive".
In September 2011, filming moved to the Ciudad de la Luz audiovisual complex in Alicante, Spain. Shooting areas included the complex's large water tank, and a nearby beach. The complex was booked from August 22, 2011, through to December 10, 2011, and set construction occurred from August until late September. Approximately 250 people worked on the three month-long Spain shoot, generating over €1 million in the local economy. Filming also took place in the Wadi Rum valley in Jordan.
Scott avoided using green screens unless necessary, instead he used various items so the actors would know where they should be looking in any particular scene on the practical sets where CGI elements would be inserted in post-production. Rapace said that green screens were used less than six times during filming. The production used five 3ality Technical Atom 3D rigs, four of which were configured with Red Epic 3D cameras set on camera dollies and tripods, which were continuously in use during filming. The fifth rig used an Epic camera as a steadicam, which was used only occasionally.
Post-Production
Scott focused on using the 3D footage to increase the illusion of depth. Despite this being his first 3D film he found the process easy. He said, "You can literally twiddle a knob and the depth will increase", and, "the trick is not to overdo it". In December 2011, Rapace undertook additional dialogue recordings for the film. Additional pick-up scenes were filmed during January 2012, including a one-day shoot on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and a new scene shot at a cave in the Scottish mountains. For dark scenes, the film was color graded to specifically compensate for the light loss of 3D glasses, to ensure the image was comparable to the 2D version.
In July 2011, Scott said that he was filming Prometheus with both adult-oriented R and more accessible PG-13 film ratings in mind, allowing the more adult content to be cut if necessary without harming the overall presentation. Scott said he had a responsibility to 20th Century Fox to be able to present a PG-13 cut of the film if the studio demanded, allowing it to be viewed by a wider potential audience. When asked about the rating, Scott said, "the question is, do you go for the PG-13, or do you go for what it should be, which is R? Financially it makes quite a difference ... essentially it's kinda R ... it's not just about blood, it's about ideas that are very stressful." Scott also said that, regardless of rating, he would present the most aggressive cut of the film he could while Rothman said that Scott would not be forced to compromise the film's quality to avoid an R-rating. On May 7, 2012, Fox confirmed that the film had received an R-rating and would be released without any cuts being made. According to Scott, the scene of Shaw surgically removing her alien offspring was the significant cause of the restrictive rating, and it was suggested that removing the scene entirely would be the only way to gain a lower one. A fight scene between Shaw and the Engineer was shortened because Scott decided that Shaw directly wounding the Engineer diminished his role. Scott concluded work on the film in March 2012.
Monday 12 November 2012
Prometheus: About the film
Prometheus is a 2012 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, and written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. The film stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, and Charlize Theron. The story is set in the late 21st century and centers on the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they follow a star map discovered among the remnants of several ancient Earth cultures. The crew, seeking the origins of humanity, arrive on a distant world and discover an advanced civilization and a threat that could cause the extinction of the human race.
Development of the film began in the early 2000s as a fifth installment in the Alien franchise. Scott and director James Cameron developed ideas for a film that would serve as a prequel to Scott's 1979 science fiction horror film Alien. By 2003, the development of Alien vs. Predator took precedence, and the project remained dormant until 2009 when Scott again showed interest. Spaihts wrote a script for a prequel to the events of the Alien films, but Scott opted for a different direction to avoid repeating cues from those films. In late 2010, Lindelof joined the project to rewrite Spaihts's script, and he and Scott developed a story that precedes the story of Alien but is not directly connected to that franchise. According to Scott, although the film shares "strands of Alien's DNA, so to speak", and takes place in the same universe, Prometheus explores its own mythology and ideas.
Prometheus entered production in April 2010, with extensive design phases during which the technology and creatures which the film required were developed. Principal photography began in March 2011, with an estimated US$120–130 million budget. The project was shot using 3D cameras throughout, almost entirely on practical sets, and on location in England, Iceland, Spain, and Scotland. It was promoted with a marketing campaign that included viral activities on the web. Three videos featuring the film's leading actors in character, which expanded on elements of the fictional universe, were released and met with a generally positive reception and awards. Prometheus was released on June 1, 2012 in the United Kingdom and on June 8, 2012 in North America. Prometheus grossed over $400 million worldwide. Reviews praised both the film's visual aesthetic design, and the acting, most notably Fassbender's performance as the android David. However, the plot drew a mixed response from critics, who criticized plot elements that remained unresolved or were predictable.
Development of the film began in the early 2000s as a fifth installment in the Alien franchise. Scott and director James Cameron developed ideas for a film that would serve as a prequel to Scott's 1979 science fiction horror film Alien. By 2003, the development of Alien vs. Predator took precedence, and the project remained dormant until 2009 when Scott again showed interest. Spaihts wrote a script for a prequel to the events of the Alien films, but Scott opted for a different direction to avoid repeating cues from those films. In late 2010, Lindelof joined the project to rewrite Spaihts's script, and he and Scott developed a story that precedes the story of Alien but is not directly connected to that franchise. According to Scott, although the film shares "strands of Alien's DNA, so to speak", and takes place in the same universe, Prometheus explores its own mythology and ideas.
Prometheus entered production in April 2010, with extensive design phases during which the technology and creatures which the film required were developed. Principal photography began in March 2011, with an estimated US$120–130 million budget. The project was shot using 3D cameras throughout, almost entirely on practical sets, and on location in England, Iceland, Spain, and Scotland. It was promoted with a marketing campaign that included viral activities on the web. Three videos featuring the film's leading actors in character, which expanded on elements of the fictional universe, were released and met with a generally positive reception and awards. Prometheus was released on June 1, 2012 in the United Kingdom and on June 8, 2012 in North America. Prometheus grossed over $400 million worldwide. Reviews praised both the film's visual aesthetic design, and the acting, most notably Fassbender's performance as the android David. However, the plot drew a mixed response from critics, who criticized plot elements that remained unresolved or were predictable.
Prometheus: 'When Movie Marketing Goes Very Right'
Any major studio film these days is going to have a marketing campaign that includes some kind of online element. Often that means a trailer. Sometimes film clips are thrown in there too. But what every studio exec would really like is something about the film that goes viral — that has people passing it on to friends. With Prometheus, the upcoming film from director Ridley Scott, Fox has scored a major viral victory.
First there was the TED talk from the future. The short video showed Guy Pierce, as fictional Weyland Industries head Peter Weyland, giving a TED talk in 2023. The piece was first screened at the real TED conference in February. According to the LA Times TED organizers helped to make the film look like what they envision a TED talk will really be like in the future. (See previous post.)
Now Fox has released a second video. This one is about David, a robot who understands human emotions that he does not feel, and who is creepily life like. Actor Michael Fassbender plays David in this short made to look like a corporate video about a cool new product. The latest video is almost a little movie into itself. We learn a lot about David and the world he lives and works in and the video is just incredibly entertaining.
(See previous post.)
On top of all of that there’s this website for Weyland Industries. The movie promo site could easily be mistaken for an actual corporate website. My favorite bit is the “about” section. It includes the standard corporate information like number of employees: 837.53 MILLION. Secondary locations: 160 countries and 63 colonies. There’s a corporate time line that includes facts such as in 2042 Weyland Industries donated $5 billion to Little Explorers, a charity “dedicated to the education of troubled middle school students.”
There are several reasons this marketing is proving to be so effective. The movie (which is likely a prequel to Scott’s Alien) has been shrouded in mystery. Sci-fi fans have been chomping at the bit to get any information they can about the film’s plot. The current marketing campaign provides lots of tasty tidbits.
The promos are also good enough to pull in movie lovers who have never seen Alien. This summer is going to be crowded. Prometheus will be up against a new Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers. Those franchise films are based on well-known heroes. Prometheus doesn’t have that advantage so the film makers (and the studio) have had to be smarter about their marketing. Mystery + well done promos = marketing gold.
Will it help at the box office? That remains to be seen. The film hits theaters June 8th.
Follow me on Twitter at DorothyatForbes.
First there was the TED talk from the future. The short video showed Guy Pierce, as fictional Weyland Industries head Peter Weyland, giving a TED talk in 2023. The piece was first screened at the real TED conference in February. According to the LA Times TED organizers helped to make the film look like what they envision a TED talk will really be like in the future. (See previous post.)
Now Fox has released a second video. This one is about David, a robot who understands human emotions that he does not feel, and who is creepily life like. Actor Michael Fassbender plays David in this short made to look like a corporate video about a cool new product. The latest video is almost a little movie into itself. We learn a lot about David and the world he lives and works in and the video is just incredibly entertaining.
(See previous post.)
On top of all of that there’s this website for Weyland Industries. The movie promo site could easily be mistaken for an actual corporate website. My favorite bit is the “about” section. It includes the standard corporate information like number of employees: 837.53 MILLION. Secondary locations: 160 countries and 63 colonies. There’s a corporate time line that includes facts such as in 2042 Weyland Industries donated $5 billion to Little Explorers, a charity “dedicated to the education of troubled middle school students.”
There are several reasons this marketing is proving to be so effective. The movie (which is likely a prequel to Scott’s Alien) has been shrouded in mystery. Sci-fi fans have been chomping at the bit to get any information they can about the film’s plot. The current marketing campaign provides lots of tasty tidbits.
The promos are also good enough to pull in movie lovers who have never seen Alien. This summer is going to be crowded. Prometheus will be up against a new Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers. Those franchise films are based on well-known heroes. Prometheus doesn’t have that advantage so the film makers (and the studio) have had to be smarter about their marketing. Mystery + well done promos = marketing gold.
Will it help at the box office? That remains to be seen. The film hits theaters June 8th.
Follow me on Twitter at DorothyatForbes.
Saturday 10 November 2012
Prometheus: The Art of the Film
Go Behind the Scenes With Prometheus: The Art of the Film
- 06.11.12
- 2:00 AM
Wednesday 7 November 2012
How is Media Convergence important for Audiences and Institutions?
The film industry, though a form of media on its own, has to incorporate Media Convergence into the production, marketing and distribution of a film, in order to make that film a success.
For example, behind the scenes footage was filmed alongside the production of Kick-Ass, and was aired before the film's release, so as to increase publicity and anticipation of the main event.
The same was done for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, but it was not aired until after the film had been released, as it would have spoiled, rather than promoted the film, for its already adoring fans.
In relevance to Kick-Ass in particular, it is clear that the kind of people who frequently check out internet movie sites are the ones who tend to enjoy comic book movies the most and who look forward to humorous action movies, and so the story of Kick-Ass was heavily documented from the first clips shown at Comic-Con.
The problems in which Matthew Vaughn had experienced whilst looking for a distributor, the way the movie was developed in parallel with the comic, and the fact that several TV spots were created, all for teaser purposes, had given the movie fanatics something to talk about.
However, the mainstream movie audience had still never even heard of the film.
Most people who go to see movies make their choices based on which billboards they see in the street, which trailers they come across between TV shows, and because of the occasional full page splash in a national tabloid.
In regards to this, a batch of trailers and posters had to be made, and pages on social networking sites were also created to try and reach a broader audience.
Kick-Ass mainly relied solely on the trailers themselves to generate word-of-mouth, though, and there was a lot of controversy as to how badly the marketing for the film had been constructed, as it portrayed the film to be much less violent than it turned out to be, and did not make a lot in sales figures - although it did make a small profit.
This proves that Media Convergence is extremely important in selling a film to an audience and to the institutions which are trying to make something from it.
The final Harry Potter film was a different kettle of fish, however, as a growing franchise had already been established before the film's release, and had been around for quite some time already, which meant that millions of fans only had to find out that the film was being made to want to go and see it.
This meant that marketing was not as big of an issue as it was with Kick-Ass to create a fan base, as there was already an audience for the film.
Although, this did not mean that marketing was not achieved to its best ability, and because of the enormous budget for the film, Warner Bros. did not sell themselves short when it came to advertising.
A number of fan sites were created due to the film's release, and J.K. Rowling (author of the book the film was based on) even created her own site entitled 'Pottermore', which, although was not entirely linked with the new film, coincided with the film's release and created a whole new wizarding world for the people at home to be a part of.
There were numerous posters and trailers made for the film, which could be found pretty much wherever you looked, and Harry Potter even had its own ticketing app located on several ticket sites and also on Facebook, which meant that people could purchase tickets before the movie had even been released, and friends could be invited to do the same.
Although the film's huge success was not based around its marketing and Warner Bros. were such a big company that they didn't need much help in the first place, Media Convergence had definitely played a big part in constructing the Harry Potter franchise throughout the years, as it could not have been everything that it was without the mix of so many different windows having been introduced from the very beginning, such as video games and merchandise, as well as the fans of the novels who had always supported the story and had watched it grow into something completely new.
Attack The block, on the other hand, was neither here nor there.
Social networking sites offered teasers of the film, whilst an official website had also been created to do the same thing, but apart from the release of a trailer and a poster, and a brief mentioning at Comic-Con, Big Talk Productions didn't come up with any extraordinary ways of promoting the film.
However, this was mainly due to its incredibly low budget, and reflected in the total sales the film made, which was considerably less than the budget itself, meaning that it did not succeed at the box office at all, although ratings of the film were generally good.
This reinforces just how important Media Convergence actually is, as Attack The Block is a perfect example of a film which was well received, but was considered a flop because of the lack of publicity it had, and so could not make enough money to succeed, though those who went to see it did enjoy the film.
Social networking and websites dedicated to publicising film reviews have become increasingly popular when in mid-production of a film or soon after its release, as they allow constant updates to be posted and opinions to be expressed through the best way to advertise a product - the internet.
For example, Twitter initiated an increase in the circling of information and hype surrounding Kick-Ass, and Rotten Tomatoes gave Attack The Block very good ratings.
As well as this, home media, such as DVD and Blu-Ray, is important for Audiences and Institutions, as they provide extra income and another way for people to view the films which they may not have had the chance to go to the cinema to see.
If we look back at Kick-Ass, we know that it was distributed by two different film companies - Universal Pictures (in the UK), and Lionsgate Films (in the US).
With Universal being one of the 6 'major' studios, and Lionsgate being a current 'mini-major' studio, a lot of publicity was created for the film; and as both companies were American based, Vaughn was able to promote Kick-Ass successfully overseas, and pretty well in the UK, as Lionsgate took care of the US, whilst Universal Pictures specifically targetted areas closer to home.
This sense of working together also meant that a vast assortment of advertising techniques, such as trailers, posters, games etc., could be used in different areas of the world to attract an audience, and also to spark a range of different responses and anticipation in build up to the film's release.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was solely distributed by Warner Bros., and so you could say that in this aspect, Media Convergence was not as important as it was for say the marketing of the film, as the company was big enough already to account for the many millions worldwide who wanted to view the final installment of the Harry Potter series.
Also, the fact that there had been a staggering 7 films already made in the same series must have counted for something?
There was already a huge fanbase wanting to view the film, as I mentioned before, and because it was the final film, anticipation was nowhere near inadequate in the weeks leading up to its release, anyway.
This goes to show that if you have a big enough company supporting you, and an ever-growing audience which is eager to receive their next fix - and let's not forget the enormous budget the film acquired - you need only do very little in order to succeed, as it is almost a given.
Attack The Block was a little different, as each company which contributed to the film was UK based.
Big Talk Productions, UK Film Council, StudioCanal and Film4 all worked together to create an audience for Joe Cornish's first blockbuster; but Film4 publicized the film the most and distributed it on a huge scale, by making it possible to view on their channel on numerous occasions in the UK, Republic of Ireland and even Switzerland.
Optimum Releasing, StudioCanal's British distribution company, released the film on 11 May 2011 in the UK, and Screen Gems distributed the film elsewhere after Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions acquired the film's US distribution rights, although this was on a significantly smaller scale and the film did not become a hit over there.
Because Attack The Block was such a low budget, British film, these small companies were ideal to collaborate with each other, as they knew exactly how to work well as a team and how to achieve the best outcome.
However, the fact that the film was so small on account of both of these things meant that it couldn't use its size to gain publicity, and so there was a slight problem from the beginning, which lead into marketing and then distribution.
Overall, Media Convergence is definitely important to Audiences and Insitutions, as it allows for the targetting of an audience, and helps to create extra windows surrounding the films, which again will make people more interested.
I have found out that this was the case for Kick-Ass and Attack The Block, as these were completely new films and were not part of any other franchise; but if we come across a film such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, we can see that an existing fanbase has already been established, and so promoting too much may lead to the exposure of secrets which are best left not revealed, and also that the storyline of the film is obviously a big factor in drawing in the public on its own. However, obviously if there was no advertising surrounding a film at all, it would not have the chance to do half as well as it could have, as the public need to obtain a certain level of awareness in order to make an informed decision as to whether they want to see the film or not, and so Media Convergence is well worth the time and effort.
For example, behind the scenes footage was filmed alongside the production of Kick-Ass, and was aired before the film's release, so as to increase publicity and anticipation of the main event.
The same was done for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, but it was not aired until after the film had been released, as it would have spoiled, rather than promoted the film, for its already adoring fans.
In relevance to Kick-Ass in particular, it is clear that the kind of people who frequently check out internet movie sites are the ones who tend to enjoy comic book movies the most and who look forward to humorous action movies, and so the story of Kick-Ass was heavily documented from the first clips shown at Comic-Con.
The problems in which Matthew Vaughn had experienced whilst looking for a distributor, the way the movie was developed in parallel with the comic, and the fact that several TV spots were created, all for teaser purposes, had given the movie fanatics something to talk about.
However, the mainstream movie audience had still never even heard of the film.
Most people who go to see movies make their choices based on which billboards they see in the street, which trailers they come across between TV shows, and because of the occasional full page splash in a national tabloid.
In regards to this, a batch of trailers and posters had to be made, and pages on social networking sites were also created to try and reach a broader audience.
Kick-Ass mainly relied solely on the trailers themselves to generate word-of-mouth, though, and there was a lot of controversy as to how badly the marketing for the film had been constructed, as it portrayed the film to be much less violent than it turned out to be, and did not make a lot in sales figures - although it did make a small profit.
This proves that Media Convergence is extremely important in selling a film to an audience and to the institutions which are trying to make something from it.
The final Harry Potter film was a different kettle of fish, however, as a growing franchise had already been established before the film's release, and had been around for quite some time already, which meant that millions of fans only had to find out that the film was being made to want to go and see it.
This meant that marketing was not as big of an issue as it was with Kick-Ass to create a fan base, as there was already an audience for the film.
Although, this did not mean that marketing was not achieved to its best ability, and because of the enormous budget for the film, Warner Bros. did not sell themselves short when it came to advertising.
A number of fan sites were created due to the film's release, and J.K. Rowling (author of the book the film was based on) even created her own site entitled 'Pottermore', which, although was not entirely linked with the new film, coincided with the film's release and created a whole new wizarding world for the people at home to be a part of.
There were numerous posters and trailers made for the film, which could be found pretty much wherever you looked, and Harry Potter even had its own ticketing app located on several ticket sites and also on Facebook, which meant that people could purchase tickets before the movie had even been released, and friends could be invited to do the same.
Although the film's huge success was not based around its marketing and Warner Bros. were such a big company that they didn't need much help in the first place, Media Convergence had definitely played a big part in constructing the Harry Potter franchise throughout the years, as it could not have been everything that it was without the mix of so many different windows having been introduced from the very beginning, such as video games and merchandise, as well as the fans of the novels who had always supported the story and had watched it grow into something completely new.
Attack The block, on the other hand, was neither here nor there.
Social networking sites offered teasers of the film, whilst an official website had also been created to do the same thing, but apart from the release of a trailer and a poster, and a brief mentioning at Comic-Con, Big Talk Productions didn't come up with any extraordinary ways of promoting the film.
However, this was mainly due to its incredibly low budget, and reflected in the total sales the film made, which was considerably less than the budget itself, meaning that it did not succeed at the box office at all, although ratings of the film were generally good.
This reinforces just how important Media Convergence actually is, as Attack The Block is a perfect example of a film which was well received, but was considered a flop because of the lack of publicity it had, and so could not make enough money to succeed, though those who went to see it did enjoy the film.
Social networking and websites dedicated to publicising film reviews have become increasingly popular when in mid-production of a film or soon after its release, as they allow constant updates to be posted and opinions to be expressed through the best way to advertise a product - the internet.
For example, Twitter initiated an increase in the circling of information and hype surrounding Kick-Ass, and Rotten Tomatoes gave Attack The Block very good ratings.
As well as this, home media, such as DVD and Blu-Ray, is important for Audiences and Institutions, as they provide extra income and another way for people to view the films which they may not have had the chance to go to the cinema to see.
If we look back at Kick-Ass, we know that it was distributed by two different film companies - Universal Pictures (in the UK), and Lionsgate Films (in the US).
With Universal being one of the 6 'major' studios, and Lionsgate being a current 'mini-major' studio, a lot of publicity was created for the film; and as both companies were American based, Vaughn was able to promote Kick-Ass successfully overseas, and pretty well in the UK, as Lionsgate took care of the US, whilst Universal Pictures specifically targetted areas closer to home.
This sense of working together also meant that a vast assortment of advertising techniques, such as trailers, posters, games etc., could be used in different areas of the world to attract an audience, and also to spark a range of different responses and anticipation in build up to the film's release.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was solely distributed by Warner Bros., and so you could say that in this aspect, Media Convergence was not as important as it was for say the marketing of the film, as the company was big enough already to account for the many millions worldwide who wanted to view the final installment of the Harry Potter series.
Also, the fact that there had been a staggering 7 films already made in the same series must have counted for something?
There was already a huge fanbase wanting to view the film, as I mentioned before, and because it was the final film, anticipation was nowhere near inadequate in the weeks leading up to its release, anyway.
This goes to show that if you have a big enough company supporting you, and an ever-growing audience which is eager to receive their next fix - and let's not forget the enormous budget the film acquired - you need only do very little in order to succeed, as it is almost a given.
Attack The Block was a little different, as each company which contributed to the film was UK based.
Big Talk Productions, UK Film Council, StudioCanal and Film4 all worked together to create an audience for Joe Cornish's first blockbuster; but Film4 publicized the film the most and distributed it on a huge scale, by making it possible to view on their channel on numerous occasions in the UK, Republic of Ireland and even Switzerland.
Optimum Releasing, StudioCanal's British distribution company, released the film on 11 May 2011 in the UK, and Screen Gems distributed the film elsewhere after Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions acquired the film's US distribution rights, although this was on a significantly smaller scale and the film did not become a hit over there.
Because Attack The Block was such a low budget, British film, these small companies were ideal to collaborate with each other, as they knew exactly how to work well as a team and how to achieve the best outcome.
However, the fact that the film was so small on account of both of these things meant that it couldn't use its size to gain publicity, and so there was a slight problem from the beginning, which lead into marketing and then distribution.
Overall, Media Convergence is definitely important to Audiences and Insitutions, as it allows for the targetting of an audience, and helps to create extra windows surrounding the films, which again will make people more interested.
I have found out that this was the case for Kick-Ass and Attack The Block, as these were completely new films and were not part of any other franchise; but if we come across a film such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, we can see that an existing fanbase has already been established, and so promoting too much may lead to the exposure of secrets which are best left not revealed, and also that the storyline of the film is obviously a big factor in drawing in the public on its own. However, obviously if there was no advertising surrounding a film at all, it would not have the chance to do half as well as it could have, as the public need to obtain a certain level of awareness in order to make an informed decision as to whether they want to see the film or not, and so Media Convergence is well worth the time and effort.
Sunday 4 November 2012
7 Areas of Audience and Institution - Applied to Kick-Ass
- the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice; (how does who owns a media company influence the type of film made and its potential success? For example do BIG companies make BIG films and therefore make all the money? Is it possible for small companies to succeed?)
As both were small companies, with Plan B (US) being the slightly bigger of the two, Vaughn only had a $30 million budget, which he raised within two weeks, half from his own pocket and half from private investors.
Because the movie had such a low budget, Vaughn could afford to have it rated 'R' and have it pay off, as it was only expected to please a certain audience.
However, these smaller companies were able to succeed with Kick-Ass, even though they weren't in a position to go crazy with special effects and marketing, and couldn't afford to hire many well known stars, although they did manage to tie down a few, and considering the size of the film and its budget, the film did create a relatively big profit.
This proves that it is possible for small companies to succeed in their own way, but also proves that the size of the company does in fact impact the size of the film, as Kick-Ass only grossed around $48 million, which although was an acomplishment for the company, was not a major achievement when compared to other films produced by bigger companies.
- the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing; (how do companies work together to produce, distribute and publicize a film? How can Disney use their size to promote and publicise a film? How can small companies work together to promote their business' when making and promoting a film?)
With Universal being one of the 6 'major' studios, and Lionsgate being a current 'mini-major' studio, a lot of publicity was created for the film.
As both companies were American based, Vaughn was able to promote Kick-Ass successfully across the Atlantic, and also extremely well in the UK, as Universal Pictures specifically targetted areas closer to home.
Working together also meant that a vast assortment of advertising techniques, such as trailers, posters, games etc., could be used in different areas of the world to create this said publicity and also a range of different repsonses and anticipation in build up to the film's release.
Kick-Ass relied on word of mouth, as money had proven to be an issue, and so the trailers that had been made were significant in the promotion of the film.
- the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange; (how has the introduction of digital film, 3D, DVD, Blue Ray, internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema influenced the types of films made, the way we watch them and the way we 'buy' them?)
This does make the process more difficult and complicated, but the response in sales at the end of it is generally considered good. Likewise, cinema sales are also boosted as more people are willing to pay for the 'real-life experience' that 3D offers.
Similarly, the recent introduction of Blu-Ray now meant that the 'cinema experience' which most viewers wanted could now be achieved in the comfort of their own living rooms, and so this had influenced the majority of Kick-Ass viewers to purchase the DVD, thus boosting sales of the film after it had been released in cinemas.
This was also a more popular alternative for the people who didn't want to pay a high price for a ticket to see the film, and it meant that they could invest in a long time product which they could view as many times as they liked, rather than just going to see the film once.
As well as this, online distributors helped to increase the success of Kick-Ass, too, as they constantly provide an almost never-ending selection of films which can be accessed or rented out quickly and affordably via the internet.
This has recently become one of the most popular distributing techniques, and companies such as Netflix and LOVEFiLM have become extremely well known.
However, because of the increasing popularity surrounding free internet streaming an opposite effect on the success of the film industry has come about.
Focusing on Kick-Ass in particular, it is definitely possible to find an online copy of the film for free which is decent enough to entice an audience, and so even though it is illegal, a negative effect on the sales of the film was also created.
- the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences; (how and why have film companies had to alter the way they work now everyone has web enabled phones, PC's, consoles etc? How have audiences changed their viewing habits now we no longer need to go to the cinema to watch a film)
For example, a film's website, which previously would have only been accessed via a PC, would now have to be altered slightly so that it could be accessed via a mobile device, too.
This would also increase publicity of the film by way of word of mouth, because if a conversation about the film is established between a group of people and portable access to websites, trailers etc., are accessible at the touch of a button, more people are likely to make the effort to go and see the film after its release.
As well as this, due to this change in technology, cinema is not the only way to watch a film anymore, and so audience's viewing habits have also changed a considerable amount.
With regards to this, in order to increase their number of potential customers, film companies decide to sell their films to online distributors, so as to increase their profits, sales and publicity, as more people now rent videos online and view them on computers, laptops, consoles etc.
- the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences; (can you think of examples of how different technologies have come together to help the film industry?)
Everyone is interested in different types of media, whether it be films, TV, books, magazines or the internet, but no matter which one that may be, it is certain that there will be some overlap, as products converge into many different platforms nowadays.
For example, as Kick-Ass had a small budget, the incorporation of technological convergence was limited, but still existent, as a website, soundtrack, and a video game were created to promote the film, as well as a comic book which was made before the film itself.
This created multiple windows for the film to receive financial benefits, and created a franchise much bigger than the film itself, along with a rise in the film's sales, the final profit and the success of the film, which proves that technological convergence is extremely important.
- the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions; (how do film companies try and attract their audience? Do they do different things in different countries?)
For example, Matthew Vaughn made sure that Aaron Johnson spoke with an American accent throughout the film, so as to exaggerate the American 'comics' theme which is present, in order to appeal to the American audience, and many of the scenes were also filmed in the US, too.
As the film was distinctly British, however, Vaughn had to make sure that it appealed to a British audience as well, which was obviously easier to do, given his background and experience, and so various scenes were shot in the UK, including the opening sequence with Nicolas Cage which was filmed in a sewage plant in East London.
Several big names starred in the film, as well as this, which gave both the Americans and the British an insentive to go and see the film.
The film was clearly well received in both countries, due to Vaughn's efforts in production and casting, as it took over £11 million in the UK by the end of May, and chart topped the US box office, taking just under $20 million in America during its opening weekend.
The same trailers and batch of posters were used in both the US and the UK, which tells us that excess marketing was not needed at all and that the film's idea was enough to draw in two different audiences to the film anyway.
- the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour (what is your opinion on the above? Do you see the developments as a good or bad thing?)
We can see that the positives of such technology, such as Blu-Ray, special effects, 3D, online distribution and other windows etc., certainly outweigh the negatives, such as illegal viewing, as the film industry don't tend to acknowledge the bad points very much, and new technology is always being used to benefit the way we watch films - so it can't be that much of a problem.
These growing changes in technology mean that films can be accessed more quickly and efficiently, and that the experience we have as an audience is more enjoyable.
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