An introduction to Institutions and the production process. Can be used to prompt students own investigations based on a film of their choice.

1. AS Media Studies
The Film Industry

2. Media
“All media exist to invest our lives with
artificial perceptions and arbitrary values”
Marshall McLuhan
(Canadian Philosopher, 1911-1980)

3. Media Terms
Media
Agencies Who is communicating what and why?
Media
Categories What type of text is it?
Media
Technologies How is it produced?
Media
How do we know what it means?
Language
Media
Who receives it, and what sense do they make of it?
Audiences
.
Media
How does it present its subject?
Represent-
ations

4. Media Terms
Who is communicating what and why?
Media
Who produces a text; roles in the production process; media institutions; economics and ideology;
Agencies
intentions and results.
What type of text is it?
Different media (television, radio, cinema, etc.); forms (documentary, advertising, etc.); genres
Media
Categories (science fiction, soap opera, etc.); other ways of categorising texts; how categorisation relates to
understanding.
How is it produced?
Media
What kinds of technologies are available to whom; how to use them; the differences they make to
Technologies
the production process as well as the final product.
How do we know what it means?
Media
Languages How the media produce meanings; codes and conventions; narrative structures.
Who receives it, and what sense do they make of it?
Media
How audiences are identified, constructed, addressed and reached; how audiences find, choose,
Audiences
consume and respond to texts.
How does it present its subject?
Media
The relation between media texts and actual places, people, events, ideas; stereotyping and its
Represent-
ations consequences.

5. Institutional Issues
• What kind of films do
you expect to come
from Hollywood?
• How big are
Hollywood budgets?
• How much revenue
does a Hollywood film
expect to make on
average?

6. Hollywood Institutions
• Find the names and logos of as many
Hollywood movie institutions as you can…

7. History of Hollywood
• Find out 5 facts about the history of the
Hollywood movie industry…

8. The Film Industry
• Follow the guidance to • Concept
• Cost/profit
research the production of • Producer
your chosen film… • Director
• Casting
• Location
• Production
• Post production/editing
• Distribution
• Audience
• Rating
• Timing of release
• Advertising
• Tag line
• Publicity
• Promotions
• Exhibition

9. Independent Film
• Does it really exist?
• Can you find any truly independent film
production companies that are not backed
by the big institutions?
• What kind of films do they produce?