Thor: The Dark World was a big-budget sequel produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios. It had a large marketing campaign including comic preludes, two trailers released months before the film, and promotions at Comic-Con and D23 Expo to appeal to fans of the Marvel universe. The film was released globally in October 2013 and earned over $644 million worldwide, due in part to its built-in audience as a sequel and its connections to other Marvel films.

1. Thor: The Dark World
(Thor 2)

2. 8 minute competition
The group to find the widest range of FACTS in 8 minutes about Thor 2 will win 
Remember:
Production
Marketing
Distribution
Exchange/exhibition
Ownership
digital technology
proliferation of hardware
technological convergence
local & global audiences

3. General facts
• Watch trailer
• What are UPS of film? (unique selling point)
• UK/international release: Oct 30………..US: Nov 8
• Distribution (theatrical and DVD release): Walt
Disney Company (conglomerate)
• Complete 4 column grid?
• 20 min paragraph response – how such a high
grossing film?

4. 1st trailer
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p7rocHEecE
• Release: apr 13 (8 months in advance!!!)
– Forbes said:
• ‘Trailer fits nicely into that larger marketing push for Marvel’s brand. It puts all of the
recognizable characters from the 1st film front and centre, presents the action as a team event
reminiscent (suggestive) of the avengers, once again, Loki (popular with audiences) makes an
appearance.”
– Synergy? Cross media convergence?
• What are UPS? (unique selling points)

5. UPS (unique selling points)
• Stars
– Chris Hemsworth
• Inherited audience from Thor 1 and Avengers
– Natalie Portman
• Thor 1, Black Swan, Star Wars
– Anthony Hopkins
• Thor 1, Silence of Lamb/Hannibal
• Inherited audience
– Sequel (franchise film) therefore has established audience
-and also fans of the comic/character
• Connection with marvel comics
– 8th installment in the marvel comics universe
• CGI special effects, high production values
• .

6. 2nd trailer
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhEHo46x2w8
• Release: Aug 13
• Was criticized as it doesn’t have much added since the 1st trailer but makes the film look EPIC

7. Audience
MASS audience
Target
• White, Male, 14-24 (highest cinema goers!)
• Also males who read comic when young (30/40)
Secondary
• Natalie – female audience (secondary) (and of course women love chris h!)
– Article in mirror (talking about that filming was easier than being a mum)
– -love story element
• Anthony – older audience (secondary)
– Well established actor with oscar wins (respected)
• Kids – synergy with lego (get them while they’re young!!!)
• But even kids, teens, adults as its part of the most successful genre at cinema (35%?)
• (but saying that these are generally an audience who are quite passive – this film is not aimed at
niche audiences such as people who like challenging indie films which are different/thought-
provoking. The mass audience who enjoy thor are types of people who follow whats ‘trendy’ and
‘entertainment’
• Audience theory – its thrilling and exciting (the pleasure – altman), people would mostly see this
for entertainment value (mcquail) (not personal identity for example)

8. Not everyone likes it….
• Gary Oldman (watch video clip – bbc news)
• Why else would others not like this film?
• Why would others not want to buy the film?
(think of different audiences)

9. website
• http://marvel.com/thor# (marvel owned)
• Videos playing as you login
– Encourage to share (below the line – audience to audience exhange)
– Tweet, facebook, tumblr, google +, pinterest
• Film info
• Gallery
• Video clips (trailer, clips, tv spots)
• Downloads
– Video clips
– Wallpaper
– Twitter (header / skin)
– Facebook (cover / icon)
• Link to blu ray featurette (article and other into about loki)

10. Website still

11. Pre-Production
• Production companies:
– Marvel Entertainment: Subsidiary of Walt Disney Corporation
– Marvel Studios: Subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment
• Part of conglomerate!
• Producer: Kevin Feige
– Avengers Assemble
– Iron Man 1, 2, 3
– X Men
– Captain America
• Director: Alan Taylor (mostly TV)
– Game of Thrones
– The Sopranos
– Mad Men
– Rome
– Current Terminator
• Actors: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
• Budget: $170 (thor 1 - $150 million) (so bigger than thor 1 – investing more!)

12. Entertainment
Ownership!

13. Production
• Shot on location
– Iceland
– Shepperton Studios, UK
– Surrey
– Stonehenge
– Greenwich (london)
• 1st in Marvel films not to be set in USA

14. Camera – arri alexa plus!
• Cameras
– Arri Alexa Plus
– Panavision anamorphic lenses

15. Anamorphic lens (like panoramic)
Mix between fish eye and panoramic
Use these in selling houses – make room look bigger/wider

16. More filming pics

17. More filming pics

18. Avengers – cool pics

19. More production
• Cinamatographer Kramer
Morgenthau: his 1st digital film
– The lens brought some of the
magic and mystery of
photorealism back to digital,
that big-movie look” (good
for Iceland wide shots)
• Levitating truck scene
– Achieved by large hydraulic
rig- programmed to change
speed and movement
• Prologue (fight scene)
– Blend of live action and CGI
(costumes were too
constrictive to fight in
effectively and convincingly)

20. Making of videos
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLq3_X1hams making of 1
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzyQLV2dk4I making of 2
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pakdq1Y1si4 making of 3
• These are so useful to watch to understand production and how they film things – will make
you understand technology and just how expensive all this stuff really is! (ownership,
audience)

21. Post Production
• 7 special effects companies
• 2 are:
– Double Negative (UK)
• Digital effects from the real to the magical (fire,
water, smoke)
• Shoot real landscape and then add
ruins/buildings/ships/skies (like photoshop)
– Blur Studio (US)
• Created space sequence in Avatar (good credentials)
• In post production 3D version was digitally
remastered into IMAX 3D

22. Marketing
• Part of ‘Marvel cinematic universe’
• Was an Inherited audience
– Sequel (franchise film) therefore has established audience
• March 2013 – Marvel release a comic book prelude (introduction) (subsidary publisher: marvel worldwide inc.)
• Apr – 2013 – first trailer released
– Forbes said:
• ‘Trailer fits nicely into that larger marketing push for Marvel’s brand. It puts all of the recognizable characters from the 1st film front
and centre, presents the action as a team event reminiscent (suggestive) of the avengers, once again, Loki (popular with audiences)
makes an appearance.”
– Synergy? Cross media convergence?
• July 13 – Thor: The Dark World: The Official Game
– Gameloft announce the official game release will coincide (match) with the film release on Nov 8/13 (US)
• July 13 – San Diego Comic Con International
– Hiddleston introduces clips from the film (dressed as Loki)
• August 13 – Trailer 2 released (150 seconds (long!)
– Was criticized as it doesn’t have much added since the 1st trailer but makes the film look EPIC
• August 13 – Disney’s D23 Expo (ultimate disney fan event https://d23.com/d23-expo/ )
– Natalie, Tom & Anthony present clips from the film
• August 13 – Disney theme park
– Disney announce ‘Treasure of Asgard Theme Park Exhibit’
• Nov 13 – Agents of SHIELD (ABC network)
– Special episode ‘The Well’ – takes place in the aftermath of events of Thor
– Marvel Television (subsidiary of disney) & ABC network (and yes…….owned by Disney! (easy to have cross media convergence
when you are a conglomerate!
• And of course all the merchanise!!!!!!!!! (which you can get on Amazon) (dr pepper
– Thor flashdrive, dvd, blu ray, audio Cd, (2 games nintendo DS & 360 exist for thor 1), action figures, mr potato head action figure
These are all Synergies/cross media convergence: in chart, explain how/why these examples are cross media convergence or synergy

23. Comic book prelude
• Part of marketing (remember you owns the publisher – disney is parent company so they get
all the pfits from this (from dedicated fans of thor)

24. Game (app)
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=97XfUaV_VOs
Game trailer
(Gameloft: synergy)
(not owned by disney)
-availble on iTunes (apple)

25. San Diego Comic Con International
Hiddleston introduces clips from the film (dressed as Loki)
(THIS IS AIMING THEIR TARGET AUDIENCE!!!)

26. Disney expo
(promote film by the big stars)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyeH3R60hRE
• Remember disney are parent company –
they have capital (money) to do this!!!!!!!!!
https://d23.com/d23-expo/
-the expo website

27. Disneyland
‘Treasure of Asgard Theme Park Exhibit’
• Disneyland in Florida
Interesting extract from an article….
• ‘If you've been following Theme Park
Insider for awhile, you might remember
that Universal Orlando holds a perpetual
license to the Florida theme park rights for
the Marvel characters it features at
Universal's Islands of Adventure. Universal
made this deal with Marvel years before
Disney bought the comic book company,
and Disney's coveted those theme park
rights ever since making that deal.’

28. Agent of SHIELD episode ‘The Well’
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vkKiXBJmPfs trailer
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrlr6OrSkLA (actual clip)
– Special episode ‘The Well’ (TV SHOW) – takes place in
the aftermath of events of Thor
– Marvel Television (subsidiary of Disney)
& ABC network - and yes…….(subsidiary) owned by Disney!
Very easy to have cross media convergence when you
are a conglomerate!

29. Dr pepper synergy (marketing)
• Audience participation!! (like coke zero in skyfall)

30. Stuff from cinema
$30 of popcorn = $3000 in sales HUGE PROFIT
Cinema’s make 40% of profits from
refreshments alone!!!
(and you wonder why they invest in this promotional stuff!!!!?)

31. More Marketing
• Press coverage (2 weeks before release)
– Guardian guide (feature article about film)
• Creating buzz:
– Premiere: London (Odeon Leicester Square)
• METRO: full page advert for premiere
• Press coverage (such as Mail Online) talking about world premier (pictures of her in silver skirt)
• ITV: features xfactor contestants at premiere https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-VEGD-4FzM
– Sky interviews the cast
– Graham norton show (natalie & chris)
– 89% rotten tomatoes (audience interaction)
• However = Gary oldman (video from bbc news – when promoting robocop – said its rubbish!
• Many, many posters
– Appeal to different audiences (see examples)
• Facebook and twitter pages
– 2011 – thor 1 was most tweeted movie! Remember this is about audience participation
• 80% rotten tomatoes (critic and audience) critic is only 65%
• Comicbook.com & Skype (SYNERGY / CROSS MEDIA CONVERGENCE)
– Promoting skype live chat about thor 2 asking the audience to contribute questions
– So interactive with audience participation!

32. Press coverage
Guardian Guide & Metro

33. Premiere – Leicester square
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acuBsGO4X5M&safe=active (footage)
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2471884/Natalie-Portman-gazes-Benjamin-
Millepied-Thor-The-Dark-World-premiere.html (article) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
M-VEGD-4FzM (xfactor footage)

34. We know about hollywood premiere
(global appeal)

35. Sky movies -interview the cast
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmbpaVJuR3A sky cast interview
• (marketing/promotion & synergy!)

36. Graham Norton show
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajl6azepsL0
• Remember this is part of MARKETING (promotional tour) (tours around to promote film)

37. posters
• Appeal to different audiences
• Remember they are everywhere (billboards, buses, bus
shelters etc) (disney have the money to have HUGE
marketing budgets)

39. twitter
FB & twitter = below the line advertising
(audience interaction and sharing to each other)
PART OF EXCHANGE (audience to audience)

40. Rotten tomatoes
• Audience – pretty good
• Critics – quite poor – but why?
• Remember – owned by warner bros!
Why is this
website
beneficial to
audiences &
institutions?
Why could it be
detrimental?

41. merchandise

42. Merch on amazon

43. Comicbook.com & skype
(marketing and synergy/cross media convergence)
• http://comicbook.com/blog/2013/10/07/thor-the-dark-world-launches-skype-chat-with-cast-producer/
Notice the adverts??
Thanks disney!

44. Distribution
• Walt Disney Studios (subsidiary of Walt Disney)
• UK: 500 screens (huge!!!!!)
• UK/International release: Oct 30
• US: Nov 8
• Online release: Feb 4 2014
– Distributor: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
• DVD/blu ray release: Feb 25 2014
– Distributor: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
– Digitally distributed (shot digitally) so there for digitally distributed (to
cinema, online, TV etc) (relates to technology and technological
convergence)

45. Exchange/exhibition
• Budget: $170 million
• Box office: $644 million (Thor 1 – $449 million)
– $85 million opening weekend
– By Nov 4th: $109 million already (before even released in US)
• Odeon: on main picture on website (most popular)
• Website: watch clips, trailers, tv spots (marketing)
• Itunes
– Pre-order
– Rent, buy, SD/HD, the film
– Audio CD (album)
– iPhone /iPad game (app store)
• Gameloft (marvel)
• In multiple languages
• Rated 9+ (children audience!!!!!!)
– DVD/blu ray
– Home:?
– Download:?
– TV:?

46. Odeon – made the homepage!

47. How can you watch it?

48. american

49. Cinemas in UK
Only thor 1
in chelsea
Omers Private Equity
(canadian investment co.)
Dalian Wanda Group
(american)
In December 2012, the company was bought by Cineworld for £47.3m
Publically owned (shares)
Publically owned (shares)

50. It did not get shown in….
Artificial eye (film distributor)
Some other picturehouses (indie
arthouse cinemas)
Why is this?

51. Think about how you can get tickets
• Order online
• Cinema websites
• Ticket websites

52. Uh oh…..

53. Synergy/cross media convergence
• Skype & comicbook.com
• Lego
• Gameloft: app game
• Disney expo
• Disney theme park
• Agent of shield – ABC network
• Merchandise (amazon, disney shops, toyshop

54. Lego
• Synergy with lego
• Promotes the film
(marketing)
• Appeals to kid audience
• Ancillary revenue (profit
from side products)

55. Media key Terms in this powerpoint
Do you know them?
Conglomerate
Parent company
Subsidiary company
Global release, national release, wide release, blanket release, local release, limited release
UPS
Inherited audience
Audience participation
Franchise film
Sequel
Difference between synergy & cross media convergence
Passive audience, active audience
Budget
Box office
Above the line advertising, below the line advertising
Arri Alexa Plus
Panavision Anamorphic lens
CGI
Prelude
Merchandise
Press coverage
Capitol
Exhibit
Promotion
Promotional tour
Beneficial and detrimental
Opening weekend
Appeal
Revenue
Ancillary revenue

56. Names & Companies
Do you know them and their role?
Walt Disney Company (Disney)
Marvel Worldwide Inc. (Marvel Comics)
ABC Network
Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Studios
Marvel Television
Kevin Feige
Alan Taylor
Chris Hemsworth
Natalie Portman
Anthony Hopkins
Tom Hiddleston
Odeon Leicester Square
Gameloft
iTunes (Apple)
San Diego Comic Convention International
Disney D23 Expo
Agent of SHIELD
Dr Pepper
Comicbook.com & skype
Disneyland ‘Treasure of Asgard Theme Park Exhibit’
(*agreement with Universal)
Guardian guide
Metro
Sky Movies
Youtube (owned by Google)
Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google +
Film Website
Rotten Tomatoes
Amazon
Graham Norton
Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Sky Movies
DVD
Blu Ray
Blu Ray 3D
3D
RealD 3D
Isense
Blinkbox (tesco)
Flixster
Netflix
Lovefilm (amazon)
Amazon Prime
Google Play
Ultraviolet
Redbox
Virgin Media
Vue
AMC
Odeon
Empire
Curzon
Cineworld
Picturehouse (hackney) (owned by cineworld)
Lego
The Disney Store