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1. Saxon-lee bushell
To what extent does media ownership have on the impact on the successful distribution the successful
media products you have studied? (Synergy, marketing, production)
Both of my films “whiplash and Prometheus” were ableto acquiresuccessful through the distribution of their
product despite there being a huge difference with the production and origins of the creation of the film. With
Prometheus, The Company that produced the filmwas an oligopoly,which uses vertical integration in order to
both distributeand produce its films. Meanwhilewith whiplash,ituses a variety of different independent
production and distribution companies in order to both get the filmmade and so that it was ableto gather an
audienceto be ableto gather box officeresults.
With Prometheus, 20th century fox was ableto releasethe filmwas able to a wide audience. Prometheus was
ableto gather an exhibition deal with multiplex cinema as the filmwas mainstream,and was partof a lar ge
franchise,meaningthe filmhad already had success previously with its box office results,especially with the
original film“alien”and its sequel “aliens”. THEREFORE THE SUCCESSFUL DISTRIBUTION OF PROMETHEUS
WAS GUARANTEED BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS SCUCESS OF THE FRANCHISE. The multiplex’s would
therefore allowmultiplescreenings as they knew that the filmwould be bringin audiences,as audiences tend
to bringin money for sciencefiction films and sequels,as star wars,theempire strikes back a nd the force
awakens are 3 of the top ten films of all timewhen adjusted for inflation. THEREFORE THE OLIGOPOLY 20TH
CENTURY FOX WAS GUARANTEED TO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY THROUGH THIS BLOCKBUSTER. Meanwhile,
whiplash was ableto achieve the distribution of the filmin multiplex’s yet was unableto achieve to the extent
that Prometheus did,with many viewings of the filmbeing in arthouse films and in filmfestivals. THIS IS DUE
TO THE OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE OF INDEPENDENT COMPANIES. A MAJOR FIL RECIEVES FUNDING FROM ONE
ORGANISATION AND INDEPENDENT COMPANY LIE WHIPLASH HAD TO Go TO 4 DIFFERENT PRODUCTION
COMPANIES AND 1 CONGLOMERATE TO GET DISTRIBTION. Whiplash also would nothave had a bigger
distribution deal as itwas an independent filmwith a $3.3 million,meaningthat because itwas an
independent filmitwas not ableto gather a larger audiencedue to the nichethemes of the film,while
Prometheus had broader themes due to ithavinga sci fi film.This means that audiences would rather go
Prometheus as they want to be a spectacleand have more awareness of the film,meaning that because
Prometheus has made by the conglomerate 21st century fox then the multiplex’s would show Prometheus
rather than whiplash becauseitwill bringin bigger numbers and therefore more money for the cinema.
For fox, it was ableto spend a largeamount of its production budget on marketing. This meant it was ableto
spend money, unlikewhiplash to gather in a larger audienceto the studio.This meant that more people would
come to cinema sincethe filmis mainstreamand well known, and therefore would be ableto gather a larger
distribution deal.This shows thatdue to Prometheus being made by the oligopoly fox,itwas ableto gather in
a larger distribution deal,meaningthey were ableto gather in more profit. Meanwhile, due to size of fox, it
was ableto work with other companies to create more products.These includecompanies such as NECA and
Electronic arts for alien:colonial marines.This led to more interest in film,as well as more marketing to the
filmas well as the profitmade via the saleof the product. This means that because itwas ableto make more
merchandise,the multiplexes would partakein a largedistribution deal,as itshows to them that people are
interested in the film.This means that because Prometheus was part of fox group, it would be ableto gather
distribution deal becauseof how fox were ableto invest largeamounts of money into the filmto bringion an
audience. Meanwhile, whiplash used marketingsimilarto Prometheus, as it used its trailersin order to make
the filmgo viral,as well as usingsocial media accounts.This led to an increaseof interest from consumers into
the film,as the filmwas ableto gather a relatively largedistribution deal dueto consumer interest. This shows
that despite the difference in money, both major and independent films areableto securedistribution deals,
whilstalso showingthatmoney does not mean that a filmcan be successful,and the audience can influence
the distribution deal a filmis ableto get.