Lionsgate Films would be a suitable distributor for my crime/thriller film because: 1) Lionsgate specializes in distributing similar genre films like Sicario and The Expendables series. 2) My mid-budget crime film would not attract large distributors but Lionsgate supports films of all budgets. 3) Lionsgate has a division dedicated to the UK market, allowing my film to reach the intended target audience. 4) Sicario and my film share similar elements of mise-en-scene, sound, camerawork and editing techniques suited for the crime thriller genre.

1. What kind media institution might distribute your
media product and why

2. What is a film disdributor?
A film distributor is responsible for the marketing side of a film. This includes:
• Picking the release date
• Selecting what platform the film will be on( DVD, Cinema, TV, etc)
• Where the film will be seen( location wise)
If it is a primary distribution they will usually receive some recognition in the credits of the film.

3. The importance of choosing the right
distributor
Because my media product would most likely be a mid budget production. This
means that big distribution companies such as Warner Bros would not be interested
in distributing my film as they would see it as a poor investment.
It would be more suitable if my media product were to be distributed by a company
that mainly distributes my specific genre. This would allow my product to be seen by
the right target audience and would bring the most success to my product.

4. Lionsgate Films
Lions Gate is a film production and film distribution company that branches from Lions Gate Entertainment. Lionsgate
have made a number of popular films such as the Hunger Games series and the Expendables series, allowing them to
compete with much larger companies like Disney and Warner Brothers. Lions Gate have been able to compete with large
companies using vertical and horizontal integration.
Vertical integration
This is when a company has ownership of production, exhibition and distribution of a film. This means they receive all
profits from the film.
Horizontal integration
This is where production companies expand into other areas of the industry. This allows a company to develop in a
particular area or they can buy another company that deals with another area.
Lionsgate have used both vertical and horizontal integration for their films. Evidence of vertical integration is that they are
able to produce a film and distribute it. Evidence of horizontal integration from Lionsgate is their ownership of Summit
entertainment.

5. Sicario
Sicario is a film about drug cartels and law enforcement. The themes it uses are crime, violence,
discipline are similar to my media product. The four key areas that are similar to my own film is:
• Mise en scene
• Sound
• Camera and editing

6. Mise en Scene
The mise en scene in sicario is very similar to our own in the aspects of:
• Costume
• Props and décor
• Setting
• Lighting and colour

7. Costume
The costumes in sicario are seen to be very
militarised and tactical to show professionalism
in their film. We also used militarised costumes
to show the professionalism in our film. In both
films you see the protagonist wearing a full set
of tactical clothing, representing a cautious and
professional character. Like Sicario, we have
used suits to show formality and high class.

8. Props
The main similarity between props in sicario and my media product is the of
guns. The use of guns in both films has been used to portray the theme of
violence. This theme is essential in a Thriller/Crime film. The weapons used are
to show the audience that the situation the protagonists are in is dangerous.

9. Setting
The setting for sicario is the slum area of Mexico whereas my film in set in
a higher class area as I try to show that the antagonist is wealthy.
However both films are in public area as you see in sicario they enter a
public area and in my film they are also in public.

10. Lighting and Colour
Sicario uses natural lighting when
outside and uses bleak colours. It
uses this to make the situation seem
uncomfortable to the audience as
the colour is very negative. When
making Backstabbed, we decided to
make our colours very bleak to give a
negative effect to the situations our
protagonists faced. It also made it
feel very gloomy and depressing,
portraying the negativity of the film

11. Camera and Editing
Sicario uses many shots in their opening that
match our own. For example at the start of the
opening there is an establishing shot that sets the
location of the scene. This is a similar shot in my
opening where there is a wide shot of the house
that the two protagonists are approaching.
Another similar aspect of both film is the close
ups it uses. In Sicario there are a number of close
ups when there is an action sequence. In my
opening there are close ups as the enemy
approach. This is done to make the audience feel
uncomfortable with the current situation.
Sicario uses fast cuts during it action sequences to
leave confusion in the audience, this was something I
tried to do when making my opening. Continuity
editing is a good way of portraying chaos in an action
sequence which is why most films use it.

12. Sound
Sicario uses suspense music to build tension in their audience whereas
my film uses its music to give a millitarised feel to it. The dialogue in
Sicario is mainly focused around the communication of the swat so it
doesn’t really set up the rest of the film via dialouge. This is different to
mine as in my opening the two protagonist use brief dialogue to give
the audience an insight on what is to come later in the film.

13. Why Lionsgate would distribute my film
Based on the success of other Thriller/Crime films such as Sicario, I
believe that my film would do well with being distributed by them as it
follows their specific genre of thriller films. Also because they have a
section of their distribution company dedicated to the UK it would give
a specific audience and if it was successful to this specific audience it
could be branched out nationally.