2. On October 13, 2008, it was announced that BBC Worldwide
had bought a 25% stake in Big Talk
That Mitchell and Webb Company- Big Talk will produce all
future Mitchell and Webb projects and also "give them the
ability to work with other writers and performers as producers".
BBC Worldwide support the company in exchange for
exclusive first-look distribution rights.
In 2007, Nira Park expanded Big Talk Productions to create Big
Talk Pictures, a feature film subsidiary separately controlled
but fully owned by Big Talk Productions.
Although Big Talk Productions still remains an independent
film company, and has managed to expand to converge
with other companies, it has still had to rely on one of the
bigger conglomerates, BBC Worldwide, to an extent, for more
widespread promotion, higher budgets, and therefore a
more reliable success rate.
3. This is most clearly seen in the promotion of the films Big Talk have
produced. In particular, Shaun of The Dead (2004) used much
cross-media convergence and synergy when producing and
promoting the film.
Promoted by the magazine ‘Total Film’, thus widening the audience
of the film and the amount of money it makes at the box office, as
well as boosting the ratings for the magazine as it was a much
anticipated film. This is an example of cross media convergence as
both are examples of the use of the media to target, and
expand, a target audience.
In 2006, the National Entertainment Collectibles Association
announced that it would be producing action figures based on the
film as part of its "Cult Classics" line that features fan favourite
characters from various genre films.
Upper Deck Entertainment released a card for the popular World of
Warcraft Card Game in 2007, an ally named "Shawn of the Dead“.
These 2 promotional methods are therefore examples of synergy, as
they have completely different markets, but are coming together
to both make more profit.
4. New media technologies allows the
independent film companies to widen
their audience, as this sometimes cannot
be done through extensive promotional
campaigns, like the bigger
conglomerates.
For example, when looking at Attack the
Block (2011) made by Big Talk
Productions, there is a huge number of
special effects used…
5. The film features over 100 FX shots, which were completed over
the course of 4 months by Swedish effects house, Fido.
The shots included a range of CG fur, jaws, paws and claws for
the alien creatures.
The budget of was just £8 million, of which little would have
gone on the VFX, the alternative to a full CG solution allows the
creatures to sit naturally in the film, while still allowing for a
stylised effects look.
Fido created an animation rig that was capable of
sniffing, snarling, grinning, and most importantly, some big
impressive roars.
Magnus Eriksson was responsible for the jaws and teeth, which
were sculpted in ZBrush and animated in Maya. They were also
shaded and rendered in RenderMan
The extensive list of software that was used for the creation of
the monsters in this British Independent film is a prime example
of how new technology is helping independent film
companies.
6. Internet sites such as YouTube and Vimeo allow for a
much wider spread promotional campaign for these
smaller companies, such as Big Talk. For example, Big
Talk have their own YouTube channel, where they can
link to the trailers of other upcoming films they have. This
allows for cross-promotion, but overall for the same
company
Social Networking also plays a huge part in the
promotion of Independent Films. They can freely create
Facebook pages dedicated to that one film, which
would be linked on the film’s website, and Big Talk’s
website.
This can also pave way for the use of ‘viral
marketing’, something that Independent Film
companies can rely hugely on, as they do not have the
huge budget to be able to synergise with big
conglomerates.
7. New technologies such as iPhones and iPads
that have converged many different
technologies together allow the consumer to
be able to download apps and films
themselves to their device. This is where the
independent film companies create most of
their attention, as they cannot afford to have a
large promotional campaign for the DVD
release of the film.
This also allows for the popularity of the film to
spread through the new technologies, as it is
quick and easy to share trailers, wepages and
other things relating to a specific film to others.
8. The British audience used to be the prime target audience
for the Independent film companies, such as Big Talk
productions, who have converged with Film4 and
Channel 4 previously to release extremely successful films
with the British audience. However, now the larger
conglomerates are starting to target the British Audience
as well.
Companies like Studio Canal, and Working Title, are now
converging to work together with the Independent film
companies, to distribute films such as The Kings
Speech, and Slumdog Millionaire, which went on to
become huge hits internationally.
This, in turn, although being almost vital to the
Independent film companies success’, is limiting their
creative freedom and expression, as the conglomerates
are only releasing films with one aim- to make as much
money as they can.
9. I own new devices, that are converging technologies
together, such as an iPhone, iPad, and laptop.
I find out about films through promotion on social
networking sites, and mainly through trailers at the
cinema.
I buy DVDs frequently, and like to watch them in
blue-ray as I have a blue-ray player.
I watch films in the cinema, DVD, on my smaller more
portable devices, on my computer and on TV.
I do feel that I am repeatedly watching the same
narrative, recycled over and over again, done by the
conglomerates. However, this in a sense in the reason
why they are so successful- because they are
safe, and not challenging people’s opinions or
knowledge. I also tend to watch films in a
franchise, which is only really done by the bigger film
conglomerates.
