1. Previous Ownership Questions:
1) Discuss the issues raised by media ownership upon the
diversity of media products and services available to
audiences in the contemporary media area you have studied.
2) Discuss the issues of media ownership in the production and
exchange of media texts in your chosen media area.
3) "Media production is dominated by global institutions, which
sell their products and services to national audiences." To
what extent do you agree with this statement?
What these questions mean for us:
1) How do films range depending on the ownership?
2) How does ownership affect film production, distribution and
exhibition?
3) ‘Large film companies dominate the industry’ Discuss
Essay Structure
Introduction should always show an examiner that you have understood the
question and outlay how you are going to respond.
1) Discuss the issues raised by media ownership upon the
diversity of media products and services available to
audiences in the contemporary media area you have studied.
Ownership, at times, can affect the genre of films made. The film industry
has always been a competitive market and dominated by global institutions
due to the amount of money involved and therefore it can be difficult for
smaller independent companies to compete. In this essay I intend to discuss
the genres of films most often produced by larger film institutions and how
genre may be the varying factor in order for independent companies to
produce in this competitive market.

2. Main body of essay
Point 1: Large companies produce blockbuster films, large budgets can mean
CGI, special FX and 3D.
Example: Avatar directed by James Cameron – 10 years to produce and
averaging 500 million to produce and distribute but grossing a 2 billion profit.
Explanation: When the budget is so high in the first place it allows for more
experimentation and time for production.
Relevant Terminology – Globilization, Hardware Proliferation
Point 2: Smaller companies may want to produce certain genres but it is easier
and cheaper to produce British realist films and exhibit via film festivals. – This
can enable them to acquire bigger budgets for future projects.
Example: Steel Mill Pictures – made London to Brighton £500,00 which
allowed them to make The Cottage (black comedy) for 2 million after it’s
success on the film festival circuit. Gone on to experiment with other genres
now like Filth (comedy drama) and A song for Marion (drama).
Explanation: Not all film companies desire to produce films for mass audiences
but working on low budgets is no longer impossible due to technological
convergence.
Relevant Terminology – guerrilla filming, technological convergence, mass vs
niche
Point 3: Independent companies have been able to create films requiring larger
budgets and genres for mainstream audiences through synergy.
Example: Working Title and Universal Vivendi – synergy allows Working Title to
produce films with a higher budget – romantic comedies like Notting Hill,
Bridget Jones Diary, Comedy Spy Thrillers like Johnny English, Costume dramas
like Anna Karenina due to funding from America.
Explanation: It is arguable how British these films are though due to American
funding but these films are competing with larger institutions.

3. Relevant Terminology: Synergy
Point 4: Audiences now have more choice over the genres of film available due
to the changes over time in Ownership. Breakdown of vertical Integration
means smaller companies can exhibit easier and audiences can stream film in
different ways due to technological convergence.
Example: Netflix, Smartphones (opportunity to discuss personal interaction
with film)
Explanation: Perhaps the ways in which audiences watch films affects the
genres of films being made.
Point 5: Larger companies need to create more of an experience for the
audience to entice them back in to cinemas. The expectation of 3D or digital
quality has become normality for most films and so we have seen an influx of
Sci-Fi/ Action films which lend themselves more to this effect.
Example: Gravity Distributed by Warner Bros, budget of 100 mill
Explanation: Other larger companies like Disney have also bought in to making
their films in 3D to maximise profits and to ensure that they retain audiences.
Conclusion
Should always link back to the question and summarise key points.
In conclusion, larger film institutions are less restricted when it comes to genre
of film and maybe more influenced by social and technological advancements.
Independent companies may be more restricted to realist dramas but are
beginning to utilise new technologies and other strategies in order to
experiment.