When targeting audiences for films, producers must consider both global and local appeal. For The Hobbit, Peter Jackson appealed to a global audience through an internationally recognizable story and casting both British and New Zealand actors. The Fifth Estate attempted to appeal to both American and European audiences but failed to capture global interest. Shifty focused on a British story and cast with low-key British actors, appealing to a local UK audience but not globally. Distribution is also key - The Hobbit was distributed globally through major studios while Shifty's independent distribution limited its reach.

1. What do film companies have to
think about when they are
targeting different audiences
GLOBAL AND LOCAL
AUDIENCES

2. At the Pre -Production Stage
• While the idea is being developed in the pre-production phase the
producers will need to think about the potential target audience,
how the audience will relate to the idea, how many people would
watch the film.
• Global Appeal Local Appeal
The Hobbit Fifth Estate Shifty
l

3. Casting Appeal – Global or Local?
Riz Ahmed Shifty
Daniel Mays Chris
Jason Flemyng Glen
Nitin Ganatra Rez
Jay Simpson Trevor
Dannielle Brent Jasmine
Francesca Annis Valerie
Kate
Groombridge
Loretta
Jason Maza Malik
Peter Capaldi
Alan
Rushbridger
David Thewlis Nick Davier
Dan Stevens Ian Katz
Daniel Brühl Daniel Berg
Benedict
Cumberbatch
Julian
Assange
Jamie
Blackley
Ziggy
Ludger Pistor Supervisor
Martin
Freeman
Bilbo
Richard
Armitage
Thorin
Ken Stott Balin
Graham
McTavish
Dwalin
William
Kircher
Bifur / Tom
Troll
James
Nesbitt
Bofur
Stephen
Hunter
Bombur
Aidan
Turner
Kili
Peter
Hambleton
Gloin / Will
iam Troll

4. • Hobbit – many UK based James Nesbitt, Martin Freeman
New Zealand: William Kircher
Fifth Estate: Benedict Cumberbatch – British but with past
Hollywood successes e.g Atonment
Daniel Bruhi – German but with past credits
Alicia Vikander – Sweedish
Shifty: Daniel Mays – British (low key work previously) Ritz Ahmed –
British – generally low key did act in the Road to Guantanmo

5. Director Appeal – Global or Local?
• Peter Jackson Bill Condon Eran Creevy
New Zealand
American
British

6. Summary
• Summarise why The Hobbit appealed to a global audience
• How did The Fifth Estate try to appeal to both a local and global
audience? Why do you think it failed to appeal to the global market
• Why would Shifty not appeal to a global audience? How does it
appeal to a UK audience?

7. Distribution -Local VS Global
• Who distributed our case study film?
• Local Appeal – will often have an understated/small distribution
campaign. The budget will be a lot smaller. Independent
Distributors tend to be the people that distribute films with local
appeal (Warp/ WarpX /Metrodome/ Optimum Releasing)
• Global – distribution campaign will be big, backed with a lot of
money and will be controlled by the big six -Viacom Time Warner
Walt Disney, Fox, Universal/Vivendi, and Sony. They don’t play well
with others!
• Why did it work for The Hobbit but not The Fifth Estate?

8. Frozen and 12 Years a Slave
• Research these two case studies and find out about their Global and
Local (British) appeal
• Discus how they managed to do both successful and what evidence
there is to say that they were successful for both a Global and Local
audience.
• You should consider
• Cast
• Crew
• Storyline , stereotypes and characters
• Themes and messages
• Production Values
• Distribution
• Reviews
• Box Office Mojo

9. Planning a response in Groups
• What are some of the reasons for the popularity of US
produced films for UK audiences and can UK films achieve
success in the US?
• Write the introduction to this question (200 words)
• What would be your central argument and what four key points
would you make?
• Give specific details from the case studies and explain why you
would include that information.
• What other films could you talk about and what could you say?
• What key terminology would you use (explain the terms in your
own words)
Prepare as a ONE PAGE word document that can be photocopied for
the class