The Walt Disney Company bought Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. Disney is a large conglomerate that owns many smaller companies, while Marvel was previously an independent comic book publisher that faced bankruptcy in the 1990s. The deal increased Disney's influence in the film industry by gaining the rights to popular Marvel characters like Iron Man and Avengers, allowing Disney to appeal to both male and female audiences. However, Disney does not own the full rights to all Marvel characters like Spider-Man. The acquisition was a major event that impacted ownership structures in Hollywood.

1. DISNEY BUYS MARVEL

2. What companies were involved? What is the ownership information for the companies involved
1) There are two main companies involved in this buying process which is The Walt Disney company and
Marvel Entertainment. Disney is a parent company owning all the small Disney companies like Disney
nature Pixar and so on. It is also a conglomerate putting together many different companies and
organizations to create one big successful company. Marvel has also got a parent company which is
Marvel entertainment and now The Walt Disney company since it was recently bought for 4 billion. Its
also a subsidiary company being less important the the main company but the same as the others that
Is involved in Disney like Disney nature Disney animations and the Muppets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Comics
What are the companies involved famous for? i.e what are their biggest grossing films or why would
people know who they are?
2) These two companies are very well know and popular for many different things. For example marvel is very
famous for its super hero comics like the hulk, captain America and iron man and many more. Some of these
comics have become very popular and been made into feature films and using A list actors. For example iron
man has been made into a feature film staring Robert Downey junior Another famous and popular film made
and inspired by marvel was the avengers, combining and using the hero's different powers and villains to
create and ultimate hero team. Which also stars very A list celebrities. Disney is very well known across the
world for many different little things like there TV programs, animations, theme parks, movies, series,
channels and so on many of there famous films are animations made created and produced by Disney Pixar like
finding Nemo, the Disney princess stories like Arial, sleeping beauty and snow white. These productions have
become big around the word creating characters like Mickey mouse as a well know Disney character which is
recognized and followed by millions nation wide.
3) when and why did the deal take place.
Both companies that this take over was is for a mixture of cash and stock. Marvel which was known and a very
popular and famous comic book company, the company failed for bankruptcy in 1996 under heavy debts and it
faced a very heavy downfall in comic book sales which came around in 1998. This created some trouble In the
company which leaded to the selling of marvel. The buyout was supposed to have finished by the end of that year
which was 2009.

3. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/aug/31/disneymarvel-buy-out
4) How has the deal increased the power or influence of the company within the film industry – is there
any evidence of a monopoly or oligopoly – if so please explain?
When the deal took place Disney became more powerful and the influence in the film industry shot up. This
is Disney was proven to be targeting more of a younger female audience because of the Disney princess and
Hannah Montana , When buying Marvel and combining the characters with the other Disney characters
created more of an interested to young males which created more of a profit and income to there parks and
merchandise to a new audience being targeted. It also brought together new ages and took down barriers
that there was with Disney. There is a monopoly which is The Walt Disney company which is the main
parent company is running all smaller companies which is involved in Disney which I also Marvel.
5)What do you think the impact will be on the other major film companies?
I think there will be a big impact on other major film complains due to two very popular and
mainstream companies coming together to create something that will be attractive to both genders
and also be appealing to different age groups then just a younger female audience. This will mean a lot
of interest which also includes more income for the company which will create less interest in other
film companies
6) What are the key issues with this ownership deal find at least 3 issues- this will require you to research.
An issue that still needs to be resolved with the buying of marvel is that Disney does have full
ownership of Iron man but not of spider man the fantastic 4 , X men and other huge characters
in the marvel company. Also a lot of movies and sequels are in the making to come out to a lot
of marvel superhero fan and the production of theses might become slow or not happen which
would be disastrous for many fans waiting to see them. Another is that scripts and other
comics might not be at the same slandered of the comics that we run by marvel they could be
water down super hero's due the new writers that are hired

4. 6) summarize what you have learnt about how ownership practices work within the film industry.
During my research I found that Disney is a parent company that buys smaller companies
to add to there wide range of Disney movies and animations. This shows Disney is a
monopoly, a bigger company running and overpowering smaller companies. Also both of
theses companies in the deal are having a certain amount of income and weight and relief
off there shoulders due to the filed bankruptcy.
7) What are the different ways in which the FILM industry makes money from audiences – create a mind map – include
the words below – for a distinction try to find some of your own.
Product placement: This is when a brand pays a big feature film money
• product placement
http://www.bfi.org.uk/film-industry
to advertise there product in there film. They do thins knowing that the
•Sponsorship
film the have chosen to advertise there product is popular and stars A
•Private investment
list celebrities. For example Heineken wanted to be featured in the
•Development funds
upcoming bond movie they paid 45 million for there product to be
•Corporate
featured in there movie so bond would ask for a Heineken instead of a
martini .This 45 million will go to the production of the film.
Sponsorship: To sponsor
something is to support a person,
organization, film company or
event. A different companies will
sponsor a film or TV program so it
How do films
can feature before the movie or
make
TV series begins and advertise
there brand or product. They give
money?
money to the program the are
sponsoring to help them with the
Private investment: This is when a company pays for the production of the film. An
example of a sponsorship is
production of the film not for them to promote a
BOOHOO.com sponsoring a
product or for the publics amusement or interest but so
reality TV show called beauty
they can educate or get across there point by sharing
school cop outs. BOOHOO.com is
there believes and views which will come across in the
a clothing website aimed at
movie that they are helping to produce. An example of a
younger teens, the target
film which had a private investor was ‘The Blind Side’
audience for this reality TV
which got given money to produce due to the plot of the
program is also aimed at younger
story and of the young man that features in this movie.
teens so the audience from the
The minimum buy for individual investors is 300,000.
program is being shoed this
corporate: This is when other companies invest in the
movie to help with the production of it they might be
involved or in partnership with the company making the
movie . To gain money for this movie they sell different
merchandise for this movie.
Development funds: This Is when a cretin
famous and popular company pays
money to a independent film producer to
help them create there short or feature
film. They do this because they want to
help and get unknowns peoples talent
recognized and acknowledge by other's in
the industry. An example of this is the
national lottery which gives up some of
there funds to help these new filmmakers
the accepts short films and feature films
but only accepts action movies and live
action movies.

5. 8) What is meant by product placement – what famous examples are there of films that have used product placement .
This is when a brand pays a big feature film money to advertise there product in there film. They do thins knowing that the film
the have chosen to advertise there product is popular and stars A list celebrities. For example Heineken wanted to be featured in
the upcoming bond movie they paid 45 million for there product to be featured in there movie so bond would ask for a Heineken
instead of a martini .This 45 million will go to the production of the film.
9) How does product placement help films to make money (explore a big blockbuster film)?
To create this big blockbuster film, they need money to produce it to pay for the special effects if needed, for a list actors to star
in the production and to pay for other things like locations. A lot of well know businesses pay would find different ways to show
and advertise there product. These companies would pay a big blockbuster film which stares a list celebrities to show there
product in there film for a time of 30 seconds or less the company who owns this product will pay the produces a sum of 30
million or more to advertise there product this sum of money will help to the main production and set up of this big blockbuster
film.
10) Where do Independent film companies get their funding – explore development funds, film funding schemes etc. Explain how
development funds and film funding schemes work. (Look at examples like Film four, BBC films, Revolver)
There are many different programs and organization that help with funding for independent film companies for
example ‘kickstaters’ which helps independent film makers advertise and get the general pubic to donate and create
a small fan base and interest for the film. The film is placed on this website which is then shown to the members the
public the film produces put a set target of what they think would be the price of there production, members would
then donate a set amount of money which they would like to give. Another originations that help with independent
film companies is ‘London microwave’ this helps young film makers produce there film and also to develop there
skills.
11)Explain how sponsorship deals work within the film industry – provide an example of a sponsorship deal for a recent film. (think
of a big blockbuster film, you can try Man of Steel, The Avengers Assemble, The Hobbit – and see what you can find).
There are many different sponsors that sponsor many different films. When a cretin company or origination
sponsors a film or a program they give money for the production of the film they also advertise in most of the
merchandise and before the showing of the film on the selected channel. They Mainly try to sponsor a film
which is of the same target audience so the audience that watched the film can become know of the company
and the product that is targeted towards them.
http://microwave.filmlondon.org.uk