Media conglomerates own major film studios, record labels, TV stations, magazines and newspapers, exploiting synergies between their various business interests. The UK film industry includes both large independent producers and smaller outfits co-producing with Hollywood studios, as well as television companies and government bodies. Films can now be watched through a variety of technological means beyond traditional cinemas, such as smartphones, laptops, and games consoles.

1. Film institutions
Steph Webb

2. Media conglomerates
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What is media conglomerates?
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A media conglomerate is a group of businesses who own the media and put
a lot of money into film production.
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Multinational media companies own:
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Film studios
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Record labels
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Newspapers.
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This is known as synergy.
- TV stations.
- Magazines.

3. Ownership and the UK Film
Industry
Independent companies
Television companies
Government bodies
Co-productions with Hollywood studios

4. Independents
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Some producers work away/outside of the major studies. British productions are made by
smaller outfits such as:
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Warp Films
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Film 4
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BBC
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They do this to try and secure extra funding and help with the distribution of the film.
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The five major distributors that dominate media ownership of the film industry within the UK
are:
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United international Pictures
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Warner Bros
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Buena Vista
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20th Century Fox
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Sony.

5. Technological convergence
In today’s society, there is a broader way of watching films. They can
now be watched on gadgets such as:
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Smart-phones
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MP4 players
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Laptops
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Multimedia devices can also play films at home:
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Games consoles (xbox, PS3 etc).
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PC
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Home cinemas

6. Production cycle
1. Film Production
2. Film Distribution
3. Film exhibition
4. Film Marketing