AS Media Studies- Research Task 4

1. Film Studio Research
Shannon Doyle

2. Introduction
 I am going to research into numerous film studios who are well known for
their producing of thriller films. I will find out what and how great their
successes have been what they are known for and who they have worked with
previously.
 Researching into all of these elements will help me to gain an insight into
which film studios would be best personally as an amateur film maker looking
to produce a thriller film and this will allow me to see which could potentially
be most suitable for distribution if that was the chosen route.

3. Hammer Film Productions
 A film production company based in the UK who were founded in 1943.
 They have had a partnership with Warner Bros studio.
 They are well known for their series of gothic ‘hammer horror’ films such as
Dracula and The Curse of Frankenstein.
 They also specialise in science fiction, film noir and most importantly thriller
films.

4. Recent Successes
 In 2011 they produced the thriller film The Resident.
 Director: Antti Jokinen
 Stars: Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lee Pace
 Gross: $3,069,729
 In 2012 they produced the thriller film The Woman In Black.
 Director: James Watkins
 Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer and Ciaran Hinds
 Gross: $54,322,273

5. Paramount Pictures
 A film production company based in the US (Hollywood specifically) who were
founded in 1912.
 It is ranked as one of the largest grossing film studios.
 They produce a large variety of film genres, which of course includes the
genre of thriller.

6. Recent Successes
 In 2010 they produced the thriller film Shutter Island.
 Director: Martin Scorsese
 Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer and Mark Ruffalo
 Gross: $294,804,195
 In 2011 they produced the science-fiction thriller film Super 8.
 Director: J.J. Abrams
 Stars: Elle Fanning, AJ Michalka and Kyle Chandler
 Gross: $259,713,319

7. Lionsgate Entertainment
 A film production company based in the US who were founded in 1997.
 They are commercially the most successful independent film company in
North America, as well as being the sixth most profitable film studio.
 Although they release film of all genres they are known for their
horror, action and thriller genre of films.

8. Recent Successes
 In 2000 they produced the crime thriller film American Psycho.
 Director: Mary Harron
 Stars: Christian Bale, Justin Thereoux and Josh Lucas
 Gross: $34,266,564
 In 2009 they produced the horror thriller film Saw VI.
 Director: Kevin Greutert
 Stars: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor and Mark Rolston
 Gross: $27,445,118

9. Conclusion
 After researching into three major thriller film studios I have decided that
Lionsgate Entertainment would be the best choice. This is for a number of
different factors because although it is based in the United States it is a more
independent film company and thus they may be more likely to take on the
risk than a far bigger and universal company such as Paramount Pictures. Also
as they are the sixth most profitable film studio there would not be so much
of an issue with funding as there potentially could be with another studio.
Another advantage of them being independent is that they would be more
likely to keep the idea as close to the original as possible as it would not be as
big of a risk in comparison to a larger company who would most probably gain
too much control in the producing of the film. I would also chose Liongate
over the other studios because when it comes to distribution despite being a
smaller and more independent company they have access to a vast audience
and would be able to get the film to the correct intended audience as well as
others.