AQA A2 media case study section B

1. Case study - Film
Research:
• What is ‘Ultraviolet’?
• What new formats are their for exhibiting films?
• When did digital projectors start to be introduced into cinemas?
• What proportion of UK cinemas now have digital projectors?
• What are the advantages to cinemas and film studios of digital projection?
• What other services does digital projection allow cinemas to offer?
• What has been the problem with digital projection? Why have cinemas been slow to adopt
it?
• When did 3D make a comeback? What benefits does 3D offer audiences and institutions
(cinemas and film studios)?
• Is 3D all it is cracked up to be? Is it genuinely “revolutionary” technology or just a gimmick?
• What have developments in CGI technology enabled filmmakers to do? Is this technology
only available to big budget filmmakers? Read the article on the film Monsters saved in the
articles folder on the public drive or here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/nov/27/mosters-gareth-edwards-avatar/print
•
• Listen to the podcast of the interview with the director of Monsters where he describes how
he used home computer technology to create special effects for his film.
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/audio/2010/dec/02/film-weekly-monsters-bfi
• What is the digital economy act and how has it impacted on the film industry?
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jul/17/digital-piracy-film-online-counterfeit-dvds

2. Case study - filmCase Study 1: Films of your own choice
Choose at least two contemporary films, preferably one relatively low budget “independent” film and one big
budget “blockbuster”.
1. Use the internet (www.imdb.com, www.boxofficemojo.com, www.wikipedia.org, www.the-
numbers.com/movies) to find out:
• The budget of the film.
• The studio responsible for making the film
• The worldwide box office gross for the film.
• Look at the official website for the film – what sorts of features does it offer? Which services/areas are unique
to the website and wouldn’t be possible with other methods of promotion? What is the appeal of official
websites to audiences? Print screen and annotate sample pages.
• Are iPhone/other smartphone/iPad apps available for the film? What services do they offer? If possible, use
them.
• How do the films use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and Myspace as methods of
promotion?
• Are websites such as Amazon and Play.com used to distribute the DVD edition of the film?
• Is the film available for download on iTunes or LoveFilm?
• Are/how are websites such as Amazon used to distribute merchandising linked to the film?
Things to explore/explain/consider: - positive and negative impact of new and digital media on the film, the film’s
audience and the film industry.
How have technological convergence and cross media convergence benefited or hindered the film in its financial
and critical success, in the audiences ability to access the film and the films distribution and marketing?
Films to consider as a starting point – ‘The Interview’ (Sony hacking scandal) ‘A field in England’ (British indie with
pioneering simultaneous distribution methods) ‘Beasts of no nation’ (trying to use new distribution methods but
this is causing issues…)