Media As Case Study

1. The Inbetweeners

2. Context/History:
• A movie spin-off from a successful series from E4.
• The Inbetweeners enjoyed 3 seasons on E4 and was
the most successful in terms of viewings for a
digital channel

3. The Film
•
• On its first day of release, The Inbetweeners Movie grossed
over £2.5 million in 409 cinemas, outperforming Cowboys
and 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, finally being overtaken by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
on 16 September 2011.
• As of November 20, 2011, the films total box office gross is
£45,028,695.

4. • Such impressive box office figures were no accident: this was a well
planned production that relied upon a loyal fan base and This
presentation aims to effective use of examine some of the
distribution and factors that producers and marketing, utilising
distributors would have many tie-ins and PR considered before
opportunities embarking on the project.

5. Pre-production
• The companies involved (detail)
• Bwark Films (aquired by Zodiak Media in July 2011)
production company
• Young Films (joint producer) who had previously
backed less successful films but always been
involved as producer of Inbetweeners TV show.
• Entertainment Film Distributors (distributed the film in
the UK for theatrical release) website
• Channel 4 had DVD and TV rights to the film
• Film 4 have rental rights through 4OD until the film is
screened on UK TV.

6. Bwark Films
• Advised to sell to Zodiak Media in the interest of
shareholders.
• The sale to Zokiak group will allow the
producers/founders of Bwark films to access a
global network. It will also put them in a better
position to fund and distribute future comedy
shows/films.
• A full production breakdown can be found here

7. Entertainment Film Distributors
• The UK’s leading
independent Film
Distributor.
• The company was
founded in 1978 and
has showed
continuing growth
and success since
that time
distributing a wide
range of product
and building a
significant film
library.

8. • Whilst Entertainment Film Distributors had
the rights to the film for cinema exhibition,
Channel 4 retained the rights for sales on
the DVD market.

9. Primary Audience
• Those that enjoyed the TV series. Mostly 15-
25 in age to signify those approaching sixth
form and those who just left university.
• The release date of the summer holidays (and
DVD release at Christmas) allowed many of
them to go and see the film at the
cinema/watch on DVD over festive period. A
lack of sporting events and poor British
summer would also have supported this.

10. Suburban Audiences
• The most popular cinemas screening The
Inbetweeners Movie did not come from
inner city multiplexes, but cinemas in
suburban areas; Kent, Crawley and Romford
featured in the top 10 cinema revenues for
this film. This links to the TV series, set in
suburbia, and the target audiences
identification with narrative.

11. International Audiences?
• Whilst performing relatively okay in Europe, the
film wasn’t a success across the border,
although the series TV rights have reportedly
been sold to MTV. This review from an
American site clearly highlights the contrasting
ideologies of the UK and USA.
• Given that Bwark Films has now been acquired by
Zodiak Media, we may not have seen the last
of The Inbetweeners Brand, although not how
you and I remember it. This article might give
some clues.

13. Movie
• On December 12, 2011, The Inbetweeners Movie was
released on DVD and Blu-ray 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 films
London premiere, various deleted scenes, cast
commentaries and a blooper reel.[
• The Blu-ray 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.

14. Strategic DVD 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.
• Asda released the film with a bonus disc consisting of video
diaries from the cast.