1. Beth Melia
PR2: Same Film, Different Time and Place
Rec and Quarantine Research Task
Quarantine Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUw2zNR5Dzc
Task 1
Find out the following information:
Director
Year of Production
Distributor
Budget
Box office takings
Sequels
Rec
JaumeBalaguero, Paco Plaza
2008
Filmax
2m
$42,392,948
Rec2,3,4
Quarantine
John Erick Dowdle
2008
Screen Gems
$12million
$41,319,06
Quarantine 2
Read the interviews with John Erick Dowdle and JaumeBalaguero and answer the following
questions
http://totalscifionline.com/interviews/2761-john-erick-dowdle-quarantined
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/865/865683p1.html
Task 2:

2. Beth Melia
1. Explain JaumeBalagoro’s reasons for making REC in a handheld, documentary style and Is it a
coincidence that Cloverfield and Diary of Deadwere released at the same time, or does it
relate to audience demand for horror filmed in this style?
One of the reasons for Jaume Balagoro making REC in a handheld documentary style was because
of trends. Around that time films such as clover field and the first paranormal activity was
released. REC was following this trend.
2. Why do you think Screen Gems, the distributors of Quarantine wanted to get the remake
out so quickly?
I think Screen Gems wanted to remake REC quickly because of how well REC did with the
European audience. They wanted to get the film out to a wider audience so they made it in
English. This was to maximise the profits.
For your article, you need to consider why film production companies produce remakes and the
factors that influence those remakes.
Factors which influenced the remake of REC
Financial factors
Trends
Genre and popularity
Synergy (related products such as DVD’s/books/TShirts)
Vertical integration (where a film company deals with the production, distribution and
consumption of a film)
In your magazine article you will need to comment upon all of the above
Task 3:
In the box below, write your introduction to your article. Use your findings from Task 1 and 2 to
help you

3. Beth Melia
P2 describe the
relationshipbetween
films and
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contexts withsome
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terminology[IE]
M2 explain the relationship
between films and their
production contexts with
reference to detailed
illustrative examples and
generally correct use of
subject terminology
D2 comprehensively explain the
relationship between filmsand
their production contextswith
elucidated examplesand
consistently using
subjectterminology correctly
Article intro:
P1.
To maximise profits of films they do remakes of them. For example they have done this
with the film REC, and remade into the film Quarantine.
P2. REC.
REC’s director were Jaume Balagueroo and Paco plaza. The film spent around 2million and got
$32,492,948 (Worldwide). The director decided to shoot the movie all handheld. The plot synopsis is
a girl and her friend is making a documentary on what it’s like to work for the fire services, when they
get called out to an apartment block. They originally just go to help out an old woman who has been
heard screaming from her apartment. When they get to her, she attacks a fireman who then changes
into a demonic creature also. The rest of the film is about getting out of the apartment block safely
without being attacked by more demonic people. It was filmed in Spanish with English subtitles.
P3. Quarantine
The director of Quarantine was John Erick Dowdle. The release date was the 21st November 2008
and the distributor was Screen Gems. The budget was estimated at around $12,000,000.
The overall box office takings were $14,211,321 (USA) and £937,833 (UK). Quarantine was filmed in
a handheld style. This is the way REC was filmed. To fit the narrative they had to do it handheld as it
was a documentary style film. The plot to Quarantine was exactly the same as REC. Reviews have
said that Quarantine was more exaggerated and over the top than REC. Some have even said this
was purposely done to make REC look like a better film, therefore getting
P4. Production Contexts
I think the reason Quarantine was produced so soon after REC was for finacial reasons. They realised
that REC did well throughout the european audience and it was in spanish. So to release it in english
was getting it out there to a wider audience. Both REC and Quarantine are the same genre therefor
they have the same target audience. The trend between them both is that they are both made in the
hand held style.
P5.

4. Beth Melia
Screen gems are a subsidary of sony. Sony are a verical integration company which is why REC was
promoted so well. Synergy