Media ownership has a significant impact on the successful distribution of films. Large companies like Time Warner, which owns Warner Bros., have a major advantage over smaller companies due to their ability to independently distribute films on a massive global scale through their ownership of production and distribution subsidiaries. For example, Warner Bros. was able to profit greatly from The Dark Knight Rises through extensive traditional and social media marketing campaigns made possible by their large size and resources. In contrast, smaller companies like Vertigo and Warp have much more limited distribution capabilities and rely heavily on film festivals and DVD sales rather than wide theatrical releases, making it difficult to compete with major studios.

1. To what does media ownership have an impact on the successful distribution of media
products in the media area that you have studied?
Time Warner isthe world’slargestmediaconglomerate,consistingof subsidiariessuchasWarner
Bros, DC Comics,HBOand Castle Rock. WarnerBrothersis alsoa subsidiaryof Time Warner,a
companyformedin1923. Time WarnerproduceshighbudgetHollywoodmovies.Itispartof the
oligopolyof the big6,allowingitgreatpowerinthe filmindustry.
One of itsbiggesttentpolemoviesis‘The DarkKnightRises’(TDKR) whichhadaproductionbudget
of $250,000,000 allowingamassive tentpolemovietobe created.WB were certainthisfilmwould
generate enoughmoneytocomfortablyfundanyothersmallerfilmthe companywishedtomake.
Due to the size of the company,WB were able todistribute theirfilmcompletelyindependentlyin
the UK andin the US they distributedthe filmthemselves.Theyspentmillionsof dollarson
marketing,securingaprofitof 200% and$1.08 billion.Theyusedsocial mediatoenable themto
produce a Twitterpage,facebookpage,numerouswebsitesandYouTube trailers.Campaignsuch as
‘hashtagthe fire rises’were launchedallowingaudience interaction.Everytime someonetweeted
‘hashtagthe fire rises’apixel of a photoof Bane wasreleased,makingfanstweetlikecrazy,
resultingin‘hashtagthe fire rises’trendingworldwide.Due toWB’smassive ownershippatterns,
theywere able tolaunchsynergisticcampaigns,suchasa collaborationwith‘MountainDew’,where
a newflavourof energydrinkwasproducedandnew packagingthat promotedthe projectandthe
film.A campaignwithNokiaLumiawasalsolaunched,producinganew phone manufacturedtolook
like ithadred bat earsand withBatman soundtracksalreadyinstalledonthe phone.A Formula1 car
alsopromotedthe filmasit resembledthe image of the batmobile.Allthese campaignsalongside
traditional marketingtechniques(trailers,posters) helpedcreate awarenessforthe film, ensuringits
success.The filmwasfilmedusingtopendtechnology,suchasimage cameras – 75mm and 35mm
cameras– and editedonAvid,makingwatchingthe filmincinemasamore prestigiousexperience,
creatingdemandforscreenings.Thisalsohelpsdealwithrisinglevelsof piracywhichisabig ever-
growingproblemforWB.
Formedin2002, Vertigoisa Britishindependentfilmcompanyproducingcommercial filmsfora
wide audience andemulatingaHollywoodstructure.ItreleasedMonstersin2010 whichcreateda
great awarenessaboutthisfilmcompany.The filmwasdirectedbyGarethEdwards,anup-and-
comingnewdirector.Thisisa massive contrastto the well known,highlypaidChristopherNolan
(directorof TDKR).The productionbudgetforMonsterswas a small $500,000 allowingforlittle
moneytobe spentonmost things.MonsterswasdistributedbyVertigointhe UKand through
Magnet inthe US. By usinga companycalled4Square,Vertigotookaverydifferentapproachto
marketthe filmthantheyare usedto.4Square are a website andappcompany,where fanscan
access exclusive clipsandsoundtrackswhichcreate awarenessandexcitementaboutthe film.They
created‘infectedzones’inwhichuserscouldfindlocationbasedplaceswhichheldcodestounlock
discountsoncinematicketsandotherpromotions.Thisappwassuccessful asitbroughtmany
people tothe cinema,howeverdue toa stuntedrelease andalsobadweatheronthe dayof actual
release,the filmdidn’treachitspotentialsuccessinthe openingweekend.However,itstill made a
massive profitof 700% and $4 million,beatingTDKRinpercentage profit.Vertigowasfilmedon
prosumercamerasand editedonadobe andZbrush,allowingforsuchasmall budgetwhichresulted
ina large profit.Vertigoare constantlytryinghardertobeatpiracy,forexample theyreleasedstreet
cinema,the firstBritishfilmfilmedon3D cameras,showingtheirevolvingskillsinattemptingto
emulate companiessuchasWB. Monsterswas releasedin25 countrieswhichisagood amountfor a

2. small Britishcompanyproducing4filmsperyear.Thisis ingreat contrastto WB producing18-22
filmsperyearand releasingTDKRis25 countriesand4,404 cinemas.
Warp produce filmsfora more niche market,fundedbycompaniessuchasfilm8andtheyalsoused
to be fundedbythe UK FilmCouncil.However,theydistribute theirfilmsthroughfilmfestivalswith
minimal marketing. Tyrannosaurus,asocial realismfilmwasshownatthe Sundance FilmFestival the
San Franciscofestival aswell asmanyothersacrossEurope and Americaincludingthe LondonFilm
Festival andthe filmwasnominatedforaBafta award.
Mediaownershiphasa massive impactonsuccessful distributionof film, makingitimpossible for
small companiessuchasVertigoandWarp to compete withthe bigsix includingWB.Distributing
filmsforWarp and VertigoreliesheavilyonDVDsalesratherthan justcinemareleases.Withthe
constantrise of piracy,thismakesitincreasinglydifficultforthe companiestomake moneydue to
lack of demandincinemas.However,itisclearVertigoistryingtocatch up withWB as they
distribute theirfilmaimingfora biggercinemaaudienceandhave attemptedtodothisby
incorporatingtechnologysuchas3D cameras.
Examiners Commentary – This was a High Level 4 Response
 The candidate’sresponse here isdetailedandaccurate
 Consistentuse of mediaterminology
 Consistentaddressof the questionset
 There isfocus ontwo case studies – The Dark KnightRisesandVertigo’sMonstersand
fleetinglyWarpfilms.
 Strongargumentmade betweenownership,distributionandthe abilitytofrontloadthe
productsat the time of release.
 Thisis supportedbythe candidate’sunderstandingof the institutional processof
distributionof the productinsymbioticrelationshipwithfilmcompaniesmarketing
strategies(bothtraditional andonline).
 The candidate isalsoable to identifyhow the productswere distributedandoffersaccurate
understandingandexplanationof thisincontrastof a US and UK filmproduction.
 Thisis clearlyevaluatedwhichdemonstrateshow alevel fourmarkforEAA can be reached.
 Thisis a sustained,logical and well evidencedcandidate response whichaddressedthe
questionsetandprovideddiscussionsinthe rightcontextof the threatof piracy anddigital
technologiesinvolved.
 Distributionasprocessisfullyunderstoodandwell-arguedbythiscandidate froman
institutional perspective withconsiderationtoUKand global markets.

3. Level 4 Mark Scheme
Explanation/analysis/argument (16-20 marks)
 Showsexcellentunderstandingof the task
 Excellentknowledge andunderstandingof
 Institutional/audiencepractices –factual knowledge is
 relevantandaccurate
 A clearand developedargument,substantiatedby
 detailedreference tocase studymaterial
 Clearlyrelevanttosetquestion
Use of examples (16-20 marks)
 Offersfrequentevidence fromcase studymaterial –awardmarks to reflectthe range and
appropriatenessof examples
 Offersafull range of examplesfromcase studyandown experience
 Offersexampleswhichare clearlyrelevanttothe set question
Use of terminology (8-10 marks)
 Use of terminology is relevant and accurate
 Complex issueshave beenexpressedclearlyandfluently.
 Sentencesandparagraphs,consistentlyrelevant,have beenwellstructured,using
appropriate technical terminology.
 There may be few,if any,errorsof spelling,punctuationandgrammar.