AS Media Studies

1. Exam Approaches & Case Studies
• The exam board want toknow what youunderstandabout:
• Media Institutions: Hollywood Studios (20th Century Fox etc.), British Studios (WorkingTitle+ Warp
Films etc).
• Media Audiences: UK film viewers (eitherin cinemas, or viaPC /TV /Phoneetc)
• Media Technology: Digital filmmaking(CGI, 3D, Imax, DV-Cams), OnlineFilms (LoveFilm, iTunes,
YouTube, piracy), Convergence(gadgets to watch films on)
• Marketing Campaigns: HowStudios advertisetheir films (Synergy, TV+ Internettrailers, Print ads –
newspapers, magazines, posters, Premieres, junkets, word of mouth, USP, merchandisingetc).
ALL OF THE ABOVE NEED SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
Small Independent Low BudgetBritish Film:
 Genre: Social Realist Drama - ‘This is
England’
 Budget £1.5m, takings £1.5m.
 Institutions: Warp Films + Film 4 + various
small UK mediacompanies.
Successful UK Studio: Working Title
 Genre: stringof blockbusterRom-Coms:
 ‘Four Weddings & a Funeral’ budget
$6m, takings $244m
 Post-Universal take-over‘LoveActually’
budget $30m, takings $244m.
 Produced 100 films, but several non Rom-
Com flops.
Successful USBlockbuster Film(s): ‘Star Trek’
 Genre: ScienceFiction /Action
 Studio: Paramount: massivemarketing
campaign - budget $140m, takings
$280m+.
Successful USBlockbuster Film(s): ‘Avatar’
 Genre: ScienceFiction /Action /Romance
 Studio: 20th Century Fox: massivehype,
digital, 3D, massivebudget $300m,
massivetakings $2.7bn.
+ add yourown case study films & studios.
When creating your own case studies/examples, you need to research the following:
Exam Approaches & Case Studies
• The exam board want toknow what youunderstandabout:
• Media Institutions: Hollywood Studios (20th Century Fox etc.), British Studios (WorkingTitle + Warp
Films etc).
• Media Audiences: UK film viewers (eitherin cinemas, or viaPC /TV /Phoneetc)
• Media Technology: Digital filmmaking(CGI, 3D, Imax, DV-Cams), OnlineFilms (LoveFilm, iTunes,
YouTube, piracy), Convergence(gadgets to watch films on)
• Marketing Campaigns: HowStudios advertisetheir films (Synergy, TV+ Internettrailers, Print ads –
newspapers, magazines, posters, Premieres, junkets, word of mouth, USP, merchandisingetc).
ALL OF THE ABOVE NEED SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
Small Independent Low BudgetBritish Film:
 Genre: Social Realist Drama - ‘This is
England’
 Budget £1.5m, takings £1.5m.
 Institutions: Warp Films + Film 4 + various
small UK mediacompanies.
Successful UK Studio: Working Title
 Genre: stringof blockbusterRom-Coms:
 ‘Four Weddings & a Funeral’ budget
$6m, takings $244m
 Post-Universal take-over‘LoveActually’
budget $30m, takings $244m.
 Produced 100 films, but several non Rom-
Com flops.
Successful USBlockbuster Film(s): ‘Star Trek’
 Genre: ScienceFiction /Action
 Studio: Paramount: massivemarketing
campaign - budget $140m, takings
$280m+.
Successful USBlockbuster Film(s): ‘Avatar’
 Genre: ScienceFiction /Action /Romance
 Studio: 20th Century Fox: massivehype,
digital, 3D, massivebudget $300m,
massivetakings $2.7bn.
+ add yourown case study films & studios.
When creating your own case studies/examples, you need to research the following:
PRODUCTION
• Original idea?
• Book?
• Franchise?
• Casting?
• Producers?
• Directors?
• Composer – music
tie ins?
• Screenwriters –
other films?
• Studio – genres the
do best?
• Blockbuster?
• Locations?
• Stars - A List or
unknown?
DISTRIBUTION
• How did the distributor
market the film and who
was the target audience?
• Posters
• Trailers
• Websites
• Release date and type of
cinemas best?
• Blockbuster?
• Locations?
• Stars - A List or unknown?
• The number of prints and
scale and pattern of
release eg wide release
• Internet downloads,
DVDs.
EXHIBITION/EXCHANGE
• In cinemas and at home
• Screen release
• DVD release
• Rating?
• Censorship?
• Restrictions?
• Film reviews
• A commercial success?
• Why?
• Stars - A List or unknown?
• Audience figures
• Box office figures
• Personal response
• Sales figures for DVDs,
CDs
• Rising stars?
PRODUCTION
• Original idea?
• Book?
• Franchise?
• Casting?
• Producers?
• Directors?
• Composer – music tie
ins?
• Screenwriters – other
films?
• Studio – genres the
do best?
• Blockbuster?
• Locations?
• Stars - A List or
unknown?
DISTRIBUTION
• How did the distributor
market the film and who
was the target audience?
• Posters
• Trailers
• Websites
• Release date and type of
cinemas best?
• Blockbuster?
• Locations?
• Stars - A List or unknown?
• The number of prints and
scale and pattern of
release eg wide release
• Internet downloads,
DVDs.
EXHIBITION/EXCHANGE
• In cinemas and at home
• Screen release
• DVD release
• Rating?
• Censorship?
• Restrictions?
• Film reviews
• A commercial success?
• Why?
• Stars - A List or
unknown?
• Audience figures
• Box office figures
• Personal response
• Sales figures for DVDs,
CDs
• Rising stars?