This document provides guidance for answering an exam question about the film industry. It discusses the key areas of production, distribution, and exhibition that should be covered. Examples are given from films like Frozen, Star Wars, and The Dark Knight. Other topics that should be mentioned include synergy, digital piracy, social media, accessibility, and convergence. The importance of both audiences and institutions is highlighted. Possible exam questions are outlined focusing on how these groups interact and make decisions.

1. The Key Points

2.  Section B.
 45 minutes to respond to 1 question.
 Question will ask you to discuss the processes of
production, distribution and exhibition in the Film
industry.
 Your answer should make reference to specific
examples from the case studies we have studied.

3. Your answer can should contained detailed examples.
You can refer to:
 Disney- Frozen / Star Wars
 Warp
 If you have done your own research on a particular film
such as The Dark Knight and Warner Bros.
 You should refer to one main case study and use other
examples to back yourself up.

4. The question requires you to discuss these three
areas…
 Production – Processes and decisions that take
place when making a film.
 Distribution – Advertising, merchandising and
delivering the film to the market
 Exhibition – The different ways in which the
audience can ‘consume’ the film.
You should also make reference to…

5.  In media economics, synergy is the promotion
and sale of a product (and all its versions)
throughout the various subsidiaries of a media
conglomerate, e.g. films, soundtracks or video
games.
 Walt Disney pioneered synergistic marketing
techniques in the 1930s by granting dozens of
firms the right to use his Mickey Mouse
character in products and ads, and continued to
market Disney media through licensing
arrangements.

6.  Downloading – itunes, ipod, apple TV
 Digital Piracy – DVD’s, filesharing
 Social Networking Sites – marketing and buzz
 Accessibility – everywhere???
 Control – industry/audiences

7. What does convergence mean and why is it
important?
 When two or more technologies come together
to create a new technology.
 Audiences: Everything in one product.
 Institutions: Audiences tied to one product.

10.  Hollywood dominates.
 Different cultural values and appeals.
 Successful partnerships…
FilmFour relies on joint partnerships with other companies to make films:
 Slumdog Millionaire = Celador Films, Pathe Pictures
 Trainspotting = Polygram, Figment Films
 Four Weddings = Polygram, Working Title
FilmFour relies on American studios to distribute their films to an international
audience:
 Slumdog Millionaire = Fox Searchlight
 Trainspotting = Miramax Films
 Four Weddings = Gramercy Pictures

11. How do you consume films?

12.  Remember that YOU are a key part of the film
industry.
 YOUR behaviour influences what they (the
institutions) do.
 Be prepared to comment on the power of the
audience!

13.  Discuss the issues raised by an institution’s
need to target specific audiences within a media
industry which you have studied.
Or maybe…
 What issues / decisions do institutions face
when releasing their products?
 How do audiences influence institutional
decisions?

14. Level 4
Explanation/analysis/argument (16-20 marks)
• Shows excellent understanding of the task
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of institutional/audience practices – factual
knowledge is relevant and accurate
• A clear and developed argument, substantiated by detailed reference to case study
material
• Clearly relevant to set question
Use of examples (16-20 marks)
• Offers frequent evidence from case study material – award marks to reflect the range
and appropriateness of examples
• Offers a full range of examples from case study and own experience
• Offers examples which are clearly relevant to the set question
Use of terminology (8-10 marks)
• Use of terminology is relevant and accurate

15.  The blogs
 The booklets and resources
 The internet
 Youtube