1. Q3. What kind of
media institutions
might
distribute your
media product and
why?
2. Conglomerate vs Independent
Conglomerate –
A media conglomerate is a company that owns numerous companies involved
in mass media enterprises. Examples of world famous conglomerates are:
Comcast, 21st Century Fox, Walt Disney Company, CBS Corporation, Time
Warner and Sony.
Large conglomerate companies e.g. Time Warner (the conglomerate of
Warner Bros) often only distribute and produce films that they know will make
them a profit. An example of this is how Warner Bros were keen to be the
main distributers of the recent ‘Fantastic Beats and Where To Find Them’ film
because they were aware of the obvious success that the Harry Potter film
chain had achieved, therefore making it a safe bet that FBAWTFT would be
successful and therefore make them a profit.
A good example of a film distributed by conglomerate company is Avatar,
which is the highest-grossing film of all time, which was distributed by 20th
Century Fox. This shows that when a conglomerate company distributes a film,
it most likely is successful in terms of profit, ratings etc
3. Conglomerate vs Independent
Independent –
Independent film companies often target their films to a niche audience and have a
much lower budget to produce films than conglomerate companies do. Examples of
independent film companies are: IFC Films, UK Film Council, EON Productions, Taplin,
Blumhouse Pictures and Hemdale Film
Independent film companies e.g. Film4 are more likely to take risks with the films they
produce/distribute. This is because Independent companies have a much lower
budget than conglomerate companies meaning they have to potentially produce
controversial films in order to gain viewers. Furthermore, independent companies
mainly produce their films for a niche audience e.g. for a British targeted audience an
independent company might add aspects that appeal to the niche British audience in
an attempt to appeal to them.
A good example of a film distributed by independent company is Trainspotting
which, unlike most independent films, made a profit for its film. It was distributed by
‘PolyGram Filmed Entertainment’ (with help from a small American based company).
This shows that independent films can go against the dominant ideologies of most
people in the film industry and make a profit for their productions.
4. Conglomerate distribution
In order for our film to be the success we want it to be, I strongly believe that
the best way of achieving this would be by the distribution of a
conglomerate company. I believe this because conglomerate companies
have a much larger budget than independent companies which would
massively help in terms of how many places we would be able to distribute
the film to. Furthermore, it is often perceived that conglomerate companies
are reliable in producing and distributing high quality films, one of the main
reasons why companies such as Warner Bros are so successful is because
they have built a reputation of producing high quality content, therefore
people go and see the film purely for the high probability that the film will be
a good watch because of the conglomerate company that has been involved
with it. Also, conglomerate companies mainly produce/distribute films that
appeal to the mass market, rather than a specific, niche audience. I feel our
film would appeal to the mass market therefore it seems logical to have it
distributed by a conglomerate company.
5. Which company would I choose to distribute our film?
The specific company I would choose to distribute our film would be Time Warner
(the conglomerate of Warner Bros). This is because Time Warner are a multinational
company that has plenty of experience in distributing thriller films worldwide. A
perfect example of this is the film ‘The Dark Night’ (had a budget of $180million)
which was distributed by Warner Bros. The film itself made over $530,000,000 in
domestic gross and was a worldwide sensation. This shows that many of the films that
Warner Bros distribute make a huge profit, which was one of the main aims we had
even before the completion of the film.
Another reason I would choose Time to distribute our film is because we feel our film
fits the themes of a conventional thriller, which is an important aspect companies like
Time Warner often look for. Therefore, Time Warner might be more interested in
distributing the film because it could be seen as a safe bet in terms of controversy etc.
Finally, we feel our media product would appeal to the interests of audiences
worldwide – this making Time Warner the obvious company to distribute our film as
they have connections with multiple countries and would therefore be able to
distribute our film to a larger number of nations.
6. Which company would I choose to distribute our film? - Continued
Like with every decision there are disadvantages to consider. Choosing a
conglomerate company, like Time Warner, to distribute your film does
have a few drawbacks. One being that conglomerate companies
sometimes try to get involved with the production of films, on some
occasions choosing who they want the actors to be, who they want to
direct the film etc. This is understandable as they are investing large
amounts of money into the production and distribution of the film,
however, I feel with a reasonable explanation and well thought discussion,
the influence of the conglomerate company could be limited. As well as
this, getting a conglomerate company on board is much more difficult
than getting a independent company involved, which could lead to
possible issues regarding their initial decision to distribute the film.
However, taking the disadvantages into account, I still feel that in order
for our film to be a success, the distribution of a conglomerate company
is required and is therefore why I would choose a conglomerate company
to distribute our film.
