Evaluation Question 3

WHAT KIND OF MEDIA
INSTITUTION MIGHT
DISTRIBUTE YOUR MEDIA
PRODUCT AND WHY?
EVALUATION QUESTION 3

SOCIAL REALISM DISTRIBUTORS &
THEIR FILMS
ARTIFICIAL EYE:
o FISH TANK (2009)
o LAST RESORT (2000)
VERVE PICTURES:
o THE ARBOR (2010)
o BULLET BOY (2004)
PATHÉ DISTRIBUTION:
o RATCATCHER (1999)
o ADULTHOOD (2008)
OPTIMUM RELEASING:
o TYRANNOSAUR (2011)
o THIS IS ENGLAND (2006)
ICON DISTRIBUTION:
o SWEET SIXTEEN (2002)
o LOOKING FOR ERIC (2009)

ARTIFICIAL EYE
FILMS, GENRE, STYLE,
THEMES/ISSUES,
PRODUCTION STYLE, MEDIA
LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS,
NARRATIVE CONVENTIONS,
TARGET AUDIENCE AND
CULTURAL VALUE

ARTIFICIAL EYE
VALUES:
“ARTIFICIAL EYE HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO DISTRIBUTUING THE BEST IN EUROPEAN AND WORLD
CINEMA SINCE ITS FOUNDATION IN 1976 BY ANDI ENGEL.”
EXHIBITION AND CONSUMPTION:
“ARTIFICIAL EYE RELEASES ABOUT 20 NEW THEATRICAL FILMS, AND ANOTHER 30 NEW DVD AND
BLURAY TITLES, EVERY YEAR. IT IS ALSO COMMITTED TO A STRONG PROGRAMME OF DIGITAL
RELEASES VIA CURZON HOME CINEMA, SKY BOX OFFICE AND SKY PLAYER, ITUNES, VIRGIN
FILMFLEX, LOVEFILM AND OTHER PLATFORMS, ITS LIBRARY INCLUDES MORE THAN 300 FILM
TITLES.”
“WE ARE THE UK’S LEADING INDEPENDENT CINEMA GROUP, COMBINING LUXURY VENUES AND AN
INNOVATIVE HOME CINEMA OFFERING WITH A PASSION FOR HIGH-QUALITY FILM PROGRAMMING.
WE OFFER THE VERY BEST IN FILM, EVENTS AND ALTERNATIVE CONTENT FOR A DISCERNING
AUDIENCE”
THERE ARE CURRENTLY 10 CURZON CINEMAS IN THE UK. CURZON CINEMAS ALSO WORK WITH
OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS TO PROVIDE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND THE FINEST IN FILM TO AS
MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
CONSIDERING THIS, CURZON ARTIFICIAL EYE’S TARGET AUDIENCE WOULD BE THOSE WHO HAVE
A TASTE IN A WIDE RANGE OF FILM, SPECIFICALLY THOSE THAT ARE INDEPENDENT.

ARTIFICIAL EYE
FISH TANK
ISSUES/THEMES: WORKING CLASS
LIFE, RELATIONSHIPS, SINGLE
PARENTING, VIOLENCE
CHARACTERS: MOTHER, DAUGHTER,
BOYFRIEND
EVENTS: LOVE TRIANGLE
GENRE: DRAMA, COMING-OF-AGE
PRODUCTION STYLE: LESS/
UNEXPERIENCED ACTORS, REAL
LOCATIONS
KEY REPRESENTATIONS: AGE, GENDER
LAST RESORT
ISSUES/THEMES: IMMIGRATION,
INCARCERATION
CHARACTERS: MOTHER, SON, LOVE
INTEREST
EVENTS: REFUGE, BREAK UP,
CONFINEMENT, NEW RELATIONSHIPS
GENRE: DRAMA, ROMANCE
PRODUCTION STYLE: REAL LOCATIONS,
LESS/ UNEXPERIENCED ACTORS
KEY REPRESENTATIONS: ETHNICITY,
REGIONALITY

ARTIFICIAL EYE
NARRATIVE CONVENTIONS:
THE NARRATIVE IN BOTH FISH TANK AND LAST RESORT BOTH FOCUS ON SOME
SORT OF RELATIONSHIP, IN WHICH THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON INVOLVED OR HAS
JUST LEFT. THIS MIGHT BE CONVENTIONAL TO A FEW OTHER TITLES THAT
ARTIFICIAL EYE HAS DISTRIBUTED, BUT MORE RESEARCH WOULD NEED TO BE
CARRIED OUT.
MEDIA LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS:
THE MISE-EN-SCENE CAN BE LINKED IN THESE TWO FILMS, AS THE STORY OF EACH
OF THESE TEXTS OCCURS IN AND AROUND A HIGH RISE BLOCK OF FLATS, AS A
PART OF SOME SORT OF HOUSING PROGRAMME.

VERVE PICTURES
THEMES/ISSUES,
TARGET AUDIENCE AND
CULTURAL VALUE

VERVE PICTURES
VALUES:
“AT VERVE PICTURES, WE SPECIALISE IN THE RELEASE OF INDEPENDENT FILM IN CINEMAS AND ON
DVD, OFFERING AUDIENCES THE CHANCE TO ENJOY ORIGINAL AND THOUGHT PROVOKING
CINEMA FROM THE UK AND AROUND THE WORLD. WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT FILM AND
DISCOVERING NEW TALENT, AND ARE COMMITTED TO RELEASING FILMS THAT HAVE BECOME
INCREASINGLY LOST IN TODAY’S MULTIPLEX CULTURE.”
“OUR SUBSIDIARY DRAKES AVENUE DISTRIBUTES ACQUIRED TITLES, SPECIALISING IN
DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT ICONS AND HAS ALLIANCES WITH ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS NEW WAVE
FILMS, ICA FILMS, BUNGALOW TOWN PRODUCTIONS AND GREEN LIONS TO RELEASE CUTTING EDGE
WORLD CINEMA PROGRAMMING IN CINEMAS AND ON DVD.”
TARGET AUDIENCE:
VERVE PICTURES TARGET AUDIENCES THAT AGREE WITH THEIR STATEMENT ABOUT RELEASING
FILMS THAT HAVE BECOME LOST IN TODAY’S MULTIPLEX CULTURE. MEMBERS OF THIS AUDIENCE
WILL KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR THESE TYPES OF FILM, AS THEY WOULDN’T BE COMMONLY
SHOWN IN MAINSTREAM CINEMAS.

VERVE PICTURES
THE ARBOR
ISSUES/THEMES: SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TEENAGE PREGNANCY,
PROSTITUTION, POVERTY
CHARACTERS: FAMILY, NEIGHBOURS, EX-
BOYFRIENDS OF ANDREA DUNBAR
EVENTS: FAMILY BREAKDOWN, GRIEF,
ALCOHOLISM, DRUG TAKING, ABUSIVE
RELATIONSHIPS
GENRE: BIOGRAPHY, DOCUMENTARY,
DRAMA
PRODUCTION STYLE: REAL LOCATIONS
KEY REPRESENTATIONS: CLASS,
GENDER, ETHNICITY
BULLET BOY
ISSUES/THEMES: GUN CRIME, GANG
VIOLENCE
CHARACTERS: TWO BROTHERS,
GIRLFRIEND, OLD FRIEND, MOTHER
EVENTS: IMPRISIONMENT, CAR ACCIDENT,
CRIME
GENRE: DRAMA
PRODUCTION STYLE: REAL LOCATION, A
FEW UNTRAINED ACTORS/ ACTORS WITH
LITTLE EXPERIENCE
REGIONALITY

VERVE PICTURES
THERE ARE A FEW SIMILARITIES IN THE NARRATIVES IN THE ARBOR AND BULLET
BOY, INCLUDING THAT OF THE PEOPLE BEING, OR BEING VICTIMS TO, VIOLENCE.
STORYLINES THAT INCLUDE VIOLENCE MIGHT BE CONVENTIONAL TO THE FILMS
DISTRIBUTED BY VERVE PICTURES.
THE LOCATIONS OF BOTH OF THESE FILMS SUGGEST THAT OF A COMMUNITY, AS
THEY ARE BOTH SET IN A PLACE WHERE ALL OF THE CHARACTERS ARE FAMILIAR
WITH ONE ANOTHER, SUCH AS A NEIGHBOURHOOD OR HOUSING PROGRAMME.

PATHÉ DISTRIBUTION
THEMES/ISSUES,
TARGET AUDIENCE AND
CULTURAL VALUE

PATHÉ DISTRIBUTION
VALUES:
“WITH A REPUTATION BUILT ON INDEPENDENCE, INNOVATION AND QUALITY, PATHÉ IS THE
WORLD'S LONGEST ESTABLISHED FILM COMPANY, AND NOW ENCOMPASSES A DIVERSE RANGE
OF MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT INTERESTS.”
“FOLLOWING THE TAKEOVER OF GAUMONT THEATRES, PATHÉ IS CONTINENTAL EUROPE'S
LEADING CINEMA EXHIBITOR, WITH OVER 1000 SCREENS IN FRANCE, THE NETHERLANDS AND
SWITZERLAND. PATHÉ IS ONE OF THE LEADING DISTRIBUTORS AND PRODUCERS OF FILMS IN
FRANCE.”
TARGET AUDIENCE:
PATHÉ’S TARGET AUDIENCE IS MUCH LARGER COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER
DISTRIBUTORS MENTIONED HERE. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN MULTIPLEX CINEMAS ACROSS THE
REST OF EUROPE, AND DISTRIBUTES A WIDER RANGE OF GENRES THAN MOST DISTRIBUTORS.

PATHÉ DISTRIBUTION
RATCATCHER
ISSUES/THEMES: POVERTY, FAMILY
BREAKDOWN, ALCOHOLISM, WORKING CLASS
LIFE, DEATH, GRIEF
CHARACTERS: MOTHER, FATHER, SON,
DAUGHTERS, FEMALE FRIENDS, OLDER MALE
FRIENDS
EVENTS: DEATH/GRIEVANCE, DUSTMEN
STRIKE, NEW FRIENDSHIPS
GENRE: DRAMA, COMING-OF-AGE,
PRODUCTION STYLE: LESS EXPERIENCED
ACTORS, REAL LOCATIONS
KEY REPRESENTATIONS: AGE, CLASS,
REGIONALITY
ADULTHOOD
ISSUES/THEMES: VIOLENCE, CRIME,
GANG CULTURE, DEATH, GRIEF
CHARACTERS: PROTAGONIST, GANG
MEMBERS, EX-FRIENDS
EVENTS: PHYSICAL ATTACKS, CAR
ROBBERY, BEING HELD AT GUNPOINT,
ANTAGONISTS ARRESTED
GENRE: CRIME, DRAMA
REGIONALITY

PATHÉ DISTRIBUTION
BOTH FILMS FEATURE THE DEATH OF THE PROTAGONIST’S FRIEND. DEATH WITHIN
A CLOSE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS A GANG OR A FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD MAY BE
A CONVENTION WITHIN FILMS THAT PATHE DISRIBUTES.
ONCE AGAIN, BOTH NARRATIVES ARE SET IN AN AREA WHERE EACH PERSON LIVES
IN AN AREA WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER, WHETHER THEY LIKE ONE
ANOTHER OR NOT.

OPTIMUM RELEASING
THEMES/ISSUES,
TARGET AUDIENCE AND
CULTURAL VALUE

OPTIMUM RELEASING
VALUES:
“SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1999, OPTIMUM RELEASING HAS STEADFASTLY ADHERED TO ONE
MANTRA: SUPPORTING FILMMAKERS WITH A VISION, AND BRINGING THESE VISIONS TO THE
WIDEST AUDIENCE POSSIBLE.”
“WITH A COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING OPTIMUM RELEASING IN THE FUTURE THE COMPANY
WILL BE FURTHER EXPLORING ITS ACTIVITIES THROUGH PRODUCTION, OPTIMUM HOME
ENTERTAINMENT WHILST ALSO LOOKING AT NEW MEANS OF DISTRIBUTING FILMED
ENTERTAINMENT.”
TARGET AUDIENCE:
OPTIMUM RELEASING, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED IN THEIR ‘ABOUT’ PAGE ON THEIR WEBSITE,
SAY THAT THEY WANT TO BRING FILMMAKERS’ VISIONS TO THE WIDEST AUDIENCE POSSIBLE,
AND SO THEY WOULD PROBABLY TARGET THOSE WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN A LARGE VARIETY
OF FILM, AS THEY WOULD BE THE ONES WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO ENJOY IT.

OPTIMUM RELEASING
TYRANNOSAUR
ISSUES/THEMES: VIOLENCE,
ALCOHOLISM, DOMESTIC ABUSE
CHARACTERS: PROTAGONIST, LOVE
INTEREST
EVENTS: FIGHT, MEETING LOVE
INTEREST
GENRE: DRAMA
PRODUCTION STYLE: REAL
LOCATIONS
KEY REPRESENTATIONS: CLASS
THIS IS ENGLAND
ISSUES/THEMES: WORKING CLASS LIFE,
RACISM, XENOPHOBIA, DEATH/GRIEF
CHARACTERS: PROTAGONIST, SKINHEAD
GANG,
EVENTS: PROTAGONIST JOINS GANG,
SKINHEAD RELEASED FROM PRISON AND JOINS
RACIST POLITICAL PARTY, BINARY
OPPOSITION BETWEEN PARTY AND GANG
GENRE: DRAMA
PRODUCTION STYLE: REAL LOCATIONS,
LESS EXPERIENCED ACTORS (PARTICULARLY
PROTAGONIST)
KEY REPRESENTATIONS: AGE,
ETHNICITY, CLASS

OPTIMUM RELEASING
WHILST BOTH FILMS ARE VERY DIFFERENT, THEIR NARRATVIES CAN BE LOOSELY
CONNECTED THROUGH THE DISCRIMINATION FACED BY SOME OF THE
CHARACTERS. IN TYRANNOSAUR, HANNAH IS INSULTED FOR BEING CHRISTIAN,
WHILST THE POLITICAL PARTY IN THIS IS ENGLAND IS OPENLY RACIST.
THE COLOUR PALETTES WITHIN BOTH OF THE FILMS FEATURE MUTED, NEUTRAL
COLOURS. RARELY, THERE ARE SCENES THAT ARE VERY COLOURFUL. HOWEVER,
TYRANNOSAUR FEATURES DARKER COLOURS AND LIGHTING THAT THIS IS ENGLAND
TYPICALLY DOES.

ICON DISTRIBUTION
THEMES/ISSUES,
TARGET AUDIENCE AND
CULTURAL VALUE

ICON DISTRIBUTION
VALUES:
“FORMED IN 1999, ICON FILM DISTRIBUTION IS ONE OF THE UK’S LEADING INDEPENDENT FILM
DISTRIBUTORS GENERATING IN EXCESS OF £150M AT THE BOX OFFICE WITH A LIBRARY OF OVER
200 TITLES RANGING FROM MAINSTREAM HITS SUCH AS PARANORMAL ACTIVITY AND
TRANSPORTER 3 TO SPECIALIST BREAK-OUT TITLES SUCH AS TOM FORD’S A SINGLE MAN, AND
MULTIPLE BAFTA AND OSCAR®NOMINEE NICOLAS WINDING REFN’S DRIVE.”
“ON 23 SEPTEMBER 2013 IFD WAS RE-LAUNCHED BACKED BY INVESTMENT COMPANY NEW SPARTA
FOUNDED BY DR JEROME BOOTH. THE ACQUISITION , WHICH INCLUDES TITLES RELEASED THOUGH
IFD’S OUTPUT DEAL WITH LIONSGATE AND THE UK LIBRARY, WILL SEE IFD ACQUIRING AND
RELEASING FILMS IN ALL MEDIA. IFD WILL WORK WITH EXISTING AND NEW PARTNERS TO DELIVER
EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGNS FOR QUALITY DISTINCTIVE MATERIAL.”
TARGET AUDIENCE:
ICON WILL BE TARGETING THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN INDEPENDENT FILMS IN GENERAL, AS
THEY DO NOT DISTRIBUTE A SPECIFIC GENRE. SOME MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL JUST VISIT
MULTIPLEX CINEMAS TO SEE THE ‘MAINSTREAM HITS’ WHILST OTHERS WILL VISIT INDEPENDENT

ICON DISTRIBUTION
SWEET SIXTEEN
ISSUES/THEMES: DRUG USE, WORKING
CLASS LIFE, POVERTY
CHARACTERS: PROTAGONIST, MOTHER,
MOTHER’S BOYFRIEND, GRANDFATHER
EVENTS: DRUG DEALING, HOMELESSNESS,
IMPRISONMENT, VIOLENCE
PRODUCTION STYLE: UNTRAINED
ACTORS, REAL LOCATIONS
REGIONALITY
LOOKING FOR ERIC
ISSUES/THEMES: DRUG USE, CRIME, FAMILY
CRISIS
CHARACTERS: PROTAGONIST, EX-WIFE,
STEPSON, DAUGHTER, GRANDDAUGHTER,
FOOTBALL HERO
EVENTS: CONSIDERING SUICIDE, DRUG
CONSUMPTION WHICH LEADS TO
HALLUCINATION, REBUILT RELATIONSHIPS
GENRE: DRAMA, COMEDY. THIS IS A SOCIAL
REALISM HYBRID.
REGIONALITY, DISABILITY

ICON DISTRIBUTION
BOTH NARRATIVES INCLUDE THE USE OF DRUGS. THIS MIGHT BE CONVENTIONAL
TO THE FILMS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED BY ICON.
THE MISE-EN-SCENE FOR BOTH FILMS USUALLY INCLUDES COMFORTABLE AND
BAGGY CLOTHES THAT LOOKS AS IF THEY WERE DESIGNED TO BE WORN FOR
SPORTS. THESE CLOTHES SUGGEST THAT THE WEARER IS OF WORKING CLASS AS
THEY ARE VERY CASUAL.

MY FILM
GENRE, THEMES/ISSUES,
PRODUCTION STYLE,
REPRESENTATION, TARGET
AUDIENCE

MY FILM
ISSUES/THEMES: GENDER DISCRIMINATION, VIOLENCE, SUBSTANCE
ABUSE, WORKING CLASS LIFE
CHARACTERS: PROTAGONIST, FRIENDS, FOOTBALL TEAM MEMBERS
EVENTS: FOOTBALL MATCH, FIGHT, ALCOHOL/DRUG USE, FAILED EXAMS
PRODUCTION STYLE: REAL LOCATIONS, UNTRAINED ACTORS
REPRESENTATIONS: GENDER, CLASS, AGE
TARGET AUDIENCE: THOSE WHO IDENTIFY WITH THE KEY REPRESENTATIONS

EVALUATION
FROM LOOKING AT THE ISSUES/THEMES, CHARACTERS, EVENTS, GENRE,
PRODUCTION STYLE AND KEY REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FILMS THAT I HAVE
EVALUATED, IT SEEMS THAT THE ARBOR AND FISH TANK ARE THE MOST
SIMILAR TO MINE, IN THAT THEY LOOK AT SIMILAR THEMES/ISSUES, AND
HAVE SIMILAR KEY REPRESENTATIONS.
THE ARBOR AND FISH TANK WERE DISTRIBUTED BY VERVE PICTURES AND
ARTIFICIAL EYE RESPECTIVELY.
ACCORDING TO THE CONVENTIONS THAT I IDENTIFIED, VERVE PICTURES
SOUNDS THE MOST SUITABLE TO DISTRIBUTE MY FILM, AS THE NARRATIVE
INCLUDES VIOLENCE, AND THE MEDIA LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS WILL
INCLUDE A SETTING THAT SUGGESTS A WORKING CLASS ENVIRONMENT, AND
A SENSE OF COMMUNTIY. ARTIFICIAL EYE’S CONVENTIONS WERE SIMILAR,
ALTHOUGH I SUGGESTED A NARRATIVE CONVENTION OF HAVING A LOVE
INTEREST, AND I HAVE DECIDED THAT MY FILM DOES NOT HAVE ONE.

Evaluation Question 3

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Evaluation Question 3