Showing posts with label C. Assignment 2: Marketing Campaigns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label C. Assignment 2: Marketing Campaigns. Show all posts
Friday, 11 January 2013
Monday, 7 January 2013
Understand the nature and purpose of research in the creative media industries
Research is essential to all aspects of creative media for more reasons than one, It could be to find a target audience, or to find the best way of selling a product to someone or even just to see if someone would watch a film but whatever it's for it is important to know how to conduct the research effectively the purpose of the research and how to research data. I will be looking at all of this vital information throughout this post.
Methods of research:
A widely used form of research is primary research, this meaning it is research conducted by you and there are many different ways of conducting this research such as using questionnaires like I did for my re marketing campaign of Tekken or there are more extravagant ways like interviews, observations, audience panels and even test screenings. Some test screenings have changed films drastically and there is a large list of them such as Australia staring Hugh Jackman, Titanic and even 28 Days Later.
Another form of research is secondary research, meaning conducted by other people that you use, a mass source of secondary research is the internet with websites such as IMDB, Wikipedia and many others we even used IMDB and, Box office mojo and Wikipedia and other similar websites for our research. There are many other forms though such as books or archives, TV programs and even YouTube. The popular TV show Who Do You Think You Are? Would use some kind of archives to find out their information on relatives for the appearing guests, there are more ways of obtaining information however. There are some company's out there that monitor views on television programmes, radio broadcast's and even magazine sales these companies are BARB for television show's, RAJAR for radio broadcast's and ABC for magazine sales, if you wanted information on any of this it would be secondary research as these companies are conducted the research and not you. However there is more types of research available.
Another type of research that can be used is quantitative research , This is data which can be expressed numerically as percentages such as fixed facts, viewing figures, box office data. The easiest ways to obtain such information is with questionnaires using closed questions and simple multiple choice answers I done this with my questionnaire for Tekken, giving me graphs and results to use in my prezi. Quantitative research is often used to place people in larger groups rather than taking them to be an individual and information will be collected through questionnaires, Online or through the phone, the information received however is not very detailed but there is ways of obtaining much more detail.
Quantitative data is all about the facts and figures where as qualitative data is all about the detail, and will try to be tailored to a persons needs or large amounts of qualitative data can try to tailor it for multiple needs. This includes more open ended questions which can be included in questionnaires, I even done some in my Tekken survey to try and get the most accurate results possible.This method will be used when we don't know what to expect and it can be gathered in multiple ways through focus groups, In-depth interviews, uninterrupted observations and many more ways, so in theory test screenings with in-depth interviews with the audience members after the film would be a method of qualitative research leading to changes in films like Titanic because too many people said it was too long or other things just like Pride and Prejudice and how the UK audience rejected the American ending because it was too sappy.
There are many was to obtain all this information and some companies specialize in obtaining information, these companies are one's like BARB, RAJAR, ABC and even IMDB, Some of these companies have been mentioned before others not. For example companies like BARB and RAJAR obtain information on ratings and can see how well a particular show or program is doing such as you can look at BBC one and see the ratings for Strictly Come Dancing compared to the ratings for ITV's X factor and then companies like IMDB would gather information on films such as there budget and the world wide gross they have made. For example on IMDB's website it tells you that the budget for X-Men First Class was $160, 000, 000 and the world wide gross the film made was $352, 616, 690 so not only is this given you accurate information on the budget but it can also give you information on the cast, crew and even a break down of the story line. Although there are all these forms of research it is important to understand the purpose of the research allowing you to carry out the most effective form of research needed.
Purposes of Research
It is important to know the purposes of any research even if it is something as simple as working out weather the audience will like the newest James Bond film of if it is something a little more in-depth like finding out what kind of genre's a certain audience likes, how old they are and asking open questions to get the most in-depth answer possible. It is a good idea to ask the audience what they think to get some audience data but when doing it you ill often end up with audience profiling based on their demographics such as age, gender, ethnicity, and class all of these things can contribute to stereotypes as it might appear that there is a higher percentage of people aged between 12 and 16 that prefer violent or action films leading to the stereotype that younger people tend to be more violent but however this could be crucial information to make sure a marketing campaign does well, for example The Expendables 2 might be aimed at a teenage or Young adult male audience meaning audience profiling and stereotypes are needed to find what sells a film to the target market. However these are based off just Demographics and are very fixed answers where as Psychographics is more about individual people and their personalities one which links into this is geodemographics which is about where people live although this is very closed in can give us an insight into their daily lives but may also create more stereotypes.
Although it is one thing researching to understand you audience and how to get the best ways for them to see a film it is also important that you understand the competition in the market and also being able to get a good competitor analysis, being able to spot a good time for the release and not having to compete with another big film to draw the crowds in just like how during 2012 the film Total Recall although it is a fairly big film it had to compete at the similar time against The Bourne Legacy and there were many other films like it competing for the title of the best summer block buster. So it is important to know the competition and what they plan to do, however before even getting this far you have to know the purposes and full fill in detail the production research.
Before the actual production starts it is important to conduct research on a variety of things such as viability. Will it succeed? If so what price are you looking at for a budget and how much will each thing cost? After that it is important to consider content so if it will contain blood or violent images or anything else for example films are age categorized and TV shows by what time of day they are being shown such as The Walking Dead is shown after 9 o'Clock so after the water shed to try to protect children from seeing it however cinemas are a lot more secure due to the age restrictions. On top of that you have to consider what technological resources you want to use and do you have the required personnel to do everything you want, Not just for the technical side but for everything including the cast. You also have to consider locations, where you are going to shot when and will it be in or outside and what release forms will you need, all of this plus more has to be considered before production even starts otherwise things can easily go wrong.
Assessing Research data
After gathering all of the required research it is important to asses them and make sure they are valid although it can be difficult to get valid results for multiple reasons. One being that when people are asked to fill out questionnaires and other things they might rush or not give appropriate answers so it is important to ask an appropriate audience other wise you might just get answers you want to hear rather than what they actually think, if this was to happen at test screenings when asked to fill out surveys films that we know and love such as Australia, 28 Days later, Titanic and Pride And Prejudice could have all turned out very differently.
It is also important to try and get the most reliable results possible although this can be more difficult than it first seems, as said before people may rush surveys and questionnaires leaving you with results that are not appropriate or accurate and are there fore not reliable so once again it is important to ask a appropriate audience but also if you are asking more than one person you must make sure that the questions and method being used are appropriate for the task and also that when repeated to someone else that it is done under the same conditions.
Whilst assessing the research you must consider representatives as this could affect the results given. Using audience measurement panels you can determine who is watching something rather than how many people are watching it so if asking a group of people after a test screening you can determine where they are from and how it affected the results for example this could mean Americans are more found of the film Shutter Island than the British or maybe that the British are more found of Harry Potter than the Americans anything like this can have a spin on results and once again this leads back to Psychographics and Geodemographics of where people live and how this can effect personalities or views on certain things. This method can be used to give us a wider range of results especially if a representative of a area or region is in the audience.
All things consider when gathering data you must make sure that you know the purpose of the research and then use the correct method to gather the required data needed but it is also important that you ask the right audience so that you can make sure you gather valid and reliable answers rather than rushed, inappropriate and untruthful answers. All of this can lead to many ways and means of gathering data using methods appropriate for the cause and can help make sure you get honest answer and hopefully lead to a projects success.
Bibliography:
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/10-films-drastically-changed-after-test-screenings.html
http://www.rajar.co.uk/
http://www.barb.co.uk/
http://www.surveygizmo.com/survey-blog/quantitative-qualitative-research/
http://www.imdb.com/
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/873069/the_big_blockbusters_of_summer_2012.html
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Comparing new and old Questionnaire results
There is about the same percentage of males and females for each questionnaire I had a few more results for the 2nd questionnaire than the first leaving a slightly larger percentage for each side, however there is a big increase in the amount of people that said the would watch the film with the original poster. 70% Said they wouldn't watch it with the original poster and only 42.86% said the wouldn't with the new poster.
All of my asked audience were 16 - 25 for the new poster so that was the age group inclined to watch my film with the original poster 10% was 15 or under and the rest 16 - 25 however the 15 or under's said they wouldn't watch the film leaving the age group most inclined to watch it the same.
The original poster was more easy to establish the genre as the only answers were Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Action which all in some way are somewhat correct were as the new posters answers were Horror, Action, Thriller, Sci-Fi and Romance so there is obviously a big difference in results here.
The participants could more easily established the main characters in the new poster as there was less characters there however it was easier to establish the narrative, setting and some of the era in the original poster than it was in the new one.
There wasn't any major key stars to feature in the poster so unfortunately the audience could not establish stars but could establish characters more easily in the new one as hey knew of the games and could easily make out faces and knew the characters such as Jin.
All of my asked audience were 16 - 25 for the new poster so that was the age group inclined to watch my film with the original poster 10% was 15 or under and the rest 16 - 25 however the 15 or under's said they wouldn't watch the film leaving the age group most inclined to watch it the same.
The original poster was more easy to establish the genre as the only answers were Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Action which all in some way are somewhat correct were as the new posters answers were Horror, Action, Thriller, Sci-Fi and Romance so there is obviously a big difference in results here.
The participants could more easily established the main characters in the new poster as there was less characters there however it was easier to establish the narrative, setting and some of the era in the original poster than it was in the new one.
There wasn't any major key stars to feature in the poster so unfortunately the audience could not establish stars but could establish characters more easily in the new one as hey knew of the games and could easily make out faces and knew the characters such as Jin.
Id id succeed in broadening the film to a wider range of audience and more people said they would view the film based on the poster compared to the original and this may be to do with the fact that I exploited the game more. Although I originally said the problem was it being related to the game films based of games have made a profit and this is not unusually so I exploited the game more aiming it towards the game rather than trying to be more realistic as fans of the film would have wouldn't a film closer to the game rather than trying to be different and more realistic.
My Poster Original Poster
Monday, 3 December 2012
Key marketing Ideas based on Tekken, and criticisms of original poster
I actually feel that the Tekken movie and poster were both quite good and I really did enjoy the film, not saying they are perfect in any way but bottom line is that the could have quite easily been a lot worse. However there are a few aspects of the poster which could have been found to justify the original film more.
The title of the film represents it for what it is and not hiding anything, it is absolutely a film based on the game series Tekken, however I feel this was it's downfall. There have been many other live action films based from fighting games such as Street Fighter, Tekken and Dead or Alive and most have been terrible. So audiences would be put off from seeing this film due to how bad other films of it's genre have been so in effect it would have been better to change some aspects of the film making it just another action film where he has to fight in a competition for his life.
The genre was displayed perfectly in the poster showing it for what it is and not trying to hide it and it does the film justice as it is a action packed film and shows it on the poster, however as previously said audiences would be put off from seeing this film due to others in the same genre.
There are no main stars in the film or at least none that are really well known and would sell the film, instead it relies on the main character Jin Kazama as he plays a major role in the video games so the whole film is based around him but once again its to do with Tekken and audience would be put off.
The Tag line "Survival is no Game" seems ironic as it's based off a game maybe trying to counter attack the negativity on films based from games by saying this is more realistic and unlike any of the other films, if so unfortunately it didn't work.
The setting and general scenario is about the fighting in the tournament and although the tournament is not been made clear the fighting has showing off the situation well but not 100% clearly but it would appeal to the few fans of this genre.
The poster represents the film really well not hiding anything and representing the film for exactly what it is a action video-game based film, which is where the problems lie, how you would change the film to make it not about Tekken but extremely similar to it is quite a task but if it could be pulled of then maybe the film would have made a profit at the box office.
The title of the film represents it for what it is and not hiding anything, it is absolutely a film based on the game series Tekken, however I feel this was it's downfall. There have been many other live action films based from fighting games such as Street Fighter, Tekken and Dead or Alive and most have been terrible. So audiences would be put off from seeing this film due to how bad other films of it's genre have been so in effect it would have been better to change some aspects of the film making it just another action film where he has to fight in a competition for his life.
The genre was displayed perfectly in the poster showing it for what it is and not trying to hide it and it does the film justice as it is a action packed film and shows it on the poster, however as previously said audiences would be put off from seeing this film due to others in the same genre.
There are no main stars in the film or at least none that are really well known and would sell the film, instead it relies on the main character Jin Kazama as he plays a major role in the video games so the whole film is based around him but once again its to do with Tekken and audience would be put off.
The Tag line "Survival is no Game" seems ironic as it's based off a game maybe trying to counter attack the negativity on films based from games by saying this is more realistic and unlike any of the other films, if so unfortunately it didn't work.
The setting and general scenario is about the fighting in the tournament and although the tournament is not been made clear the fighting has showing off the situation well but not 100% clearly but it would appeal to the few fans of this genre.
The poster represents the film really well not hiding anything and representing the film for exactly what it is a action video-game based film, which is where the problems lie, how you would change the film to make it not about Tekken but extremely similar to it is quite a task but if it could be pulled of then maybe the film would have made a profit at the box office.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
The Role Of The Distributor
Distribution Plan
Each film has its own tailor-made distribution plan and important decisions have to be made such as when and how to release a film in order to optimise its chances. This means looking at many aspects such as who can be convinced to buy a ticket? What sort of audience have similar films attracted? When were they released?
When distributors have estimated what a film may earn they prepare a budget for it, but launching films is very expensive and risky as you can never tell what they might earn. When planning a new release, relying solely on conventional wisdom is never an option. Sometimes the final distribution plans may be confirmed only when the finished film is ready to view.
Audience tastes are notoriously unpredictable and traditional preferences may not count count for much in practice however market research may be conducted to probe audience reactions at pre-release test screenings. Occasionally a film becomes a "sleeper" hit, playing for longer and generating greater returns than expected. This makes distributors determined to achieve this but inevitably, as its such an unpredictable, product-driven business, each distributors earnings, market share and profitability fluctuates year by year, reflecting the success or otherwise of individual titles across all platforms.
It is important to have a detailed understanding of the target audience of naturally the audience can vary considerably film by film, from families with young children to teenagers and other adults however cinemagoing has only an average of 3 people per party so its important never to lose sight of a films target audience.
The most frequent cinemagoers tend to be aged 15-25 for teenagers, students and young adults, the cinema is a favorite out-of-home leisure activity. Although a majority of 15-25's visit the cinema at least once a month, overall just a quarter of the population goes that often. Amazingly the average number of cinema visits per person in the UK works out at 2.7 a year. The better a film performs at the box office, the more likely it is to be attracting infrequent cinemagoers and repeat visits. Infrequent cinemagoers tend not to come out for the opening weekend but wait until later, raising the challenge to distributors to sustain the run in cinemas.
Competition is always a primary consideration as many other hit block busters nay be released in the same time or even in the same week so its important to know if there is any space in the market for another film of this sort however it always good if you have some star power in the cast as this can boosts a films response dramatically. Its good to have cast members available for UK/International publicity or to attend the a premier as it boosts awareness of the film. If the film has media reviews on the week of release it highly boosts awareness and will attract more people to go see it.
If the film is made for a season for example, Christmas is a big selling time especially if its aimed at families for young children whilst they are off school. If films hope for award nomination they will be trying hard to get it and even if they don't win just being nominated will get the film more noticed such as it did with The Artist and this can create a buzz about the film, buzzes can also be made from the cast, director, books such as the Harry Potter films were based on books and even posters of the film even sequels of if it is from a franchise can create a buzz.
If a film has opened else where especially in America it will create a big buzz in other places as critics and general fans can view reviews of the film and that might make the decision for someone weather they want to see it or not. Film certificates are important for aiming towards your target audience and also for how many people will go and see it, a popular one is 12A as alot of people will see this film due to the certificate where as a 15 films cuts out any fans under 15 meaning maybe making not as much profit or even a loss.
Different releases are managed in different ways some are played simultaneously on 2 or more screens per multiplex meaning it will be played on over 1,000 screens in the UK. Specialized films offer a completely different cinematic experience as a film may be played in selected locations where local audiences are know to favor such titles meaning you might get it early making it feel alot more individually and special than a film that's released world wide. London has a diverse population of 7.5m people and accounts for a quarter of UK cinema admissions although only 15% of the screens are situated in the capital.
Marketing Plan
Every film has a detailed marketing plan with the objective being to create visibility, awareness, interest and cut through the competition. Distributors must compete for a significant share of voice not only against other distributors but also other leisure activities.
Social recommendation is key a favorable word of mouth highly raises awareness and strong interest however negative word of mouth is extremely difficult to overcome. When constructing a campaign distributors aim to reach as much of their target audience as possible, the main image or artwork can help with appeal to the film and will help attract the right audience but the posters must stand out as they will compete for attention in theaters with dozens more posters on display.
Film posters may be created by studios or sales agents and will be based on what approved materials are available and how the film is best positioned for local audiences. A poster is made for every release in quad format (traditional UK size of 30" x 40" landscape orientation) sometimes even months before a teaser poster may be created to announce a film is coming. Distributors also provide other display materials for cinema foyers such as banners and mini posters so prime space for advertising is vital.
Distributors usually have a range of audio-visual content to work with as they prepare campaigns such as campaigns and this can be the single most cost-effective marketing technique. Early teaser at about 90 seconds well raise awareness well before the films release naturally, in aiming to sell the film, they want to include a representative glimpse of the most dramatic sequences and trailer making is a film making art in its own right. Distributors fund the duplication and often the production of trailers making them a even more vital part of the process.
The Internet plays a pivotal role in shaping many cinemagoers' perceptions of new releases as the web helps distributors to start building awareness of a new film at an early stage with the use of teaser posters and trailers, seeding interest among fans. Film clips are among the web's most searched-for content and sometimes distributors will make fan-made things into finished films!
The moment a film is screened feedback via comments or videos will appear immediately not just opinions, but content too, can spread virally like wildfire via Facebook and Twitter. Media proliferation and fragmentation have given all advertisers a multitude of options however advertising placed on broadcast channels, outdoor panels and the press is usually the largest expenditure item on a P&A budget. Terrestrial television is traditionally the most effective visual means of reaching a mass audience allowing for films with top stars and heavy advertising to be able to support their wide release. It's important to know that different audiences will react to advertising and reach their decision to see a film in different ways.
Editorial coverage of a film can be persuasive but airtime is limited so its important to have press kits for journalists, containing cast and crew lists, biographies, notable facts about the production and a synopsis. It's important to have image from the film as all these materials are disseminated via online press rooms and distributors pro-actively devise 'hooks' or 'angles' for feature articles and media promotions.
The publicity team frequently supported by specialist agencies, arranges media interviews with available members of the films cast as the more the film's talent is willing and able to support the worldwide publicity effort, the better! Screenings for national critics are normally held on the Friday Monday and Tuesday before a films opening to the public to create an incentive for people wanting to watch the film although positive reviews are no guarantee.
The build up to the major awards is an important time for publicists promoting the films vying for consideration, receiving or even being nominated for an award can create a buzz for the film and even raise awareness. As with any product development, the film production process is conducted confidentially behind studios doors and are usually kept away from public, however sometimes filming may take place on a public location or trips may be arranged to see the studio being filmed in.
Depending on the films theme and target audience, the distributor will endeavor to arrange promotional partnerships raise awareness through shops, restaurants or even collecting premium items. Importantly, too, tie-in advertising under license by a promotional partner or a brand with product placement in a film can add substantial weight to the distributor's own campaign.
Manufactures may be licensed to use approved logo devices, images or character likenesses on specific products, tie-in merchandise can embrace toys, action figures, ringtones, clothing, stationery, calendars, anything. Media promotions, placed on an appropriate channel or publication, can make effect use of film merchandise or location holiday prizes. Occasionally a film becomes a ubiquitous event, saturating the media as well as appearing in advertising, partner campaigns and other outlets.
Distributors' publicists organise premieres as an official launch for a film, reflecting an event stature and providing a platform for photo opportunities and red carpet interviews. Star-studded premieres and after-show parties are covered by celebrity publications and news media, often transmitted worldwide. A screening in aid of charity can create a substantial sum while from the distributors perspective the main goal is to raise a high profile. In addition to premieres, distributors may consider other 'experiential events' where fans and visitors can interact with the film characters or situations, for example via touring displays in shopping centers or themed presentations at movie conventions.
Overall
Everything all adds up to the success or downfall of a film at the box office, some factors you have complete control of and other factors you have no control at all such as word of mouth, so sometimes it can be all down to how good the film is, but no matter how bad or good the film is the distributors have to do their best and advertise and market the film to the correct audience. This production can be long and hard but it is all worth it if the strategy works and the film becomes a hit or a 'blockbuster'.
Each film has its own tailor-made distribution plan and important decisions have to be made such as when and how to release a film in order to optimise its chances. This means looking at many aspects such as who can be convinced to buy a ticket? What sort of audience have similar films attracted? When were they released?
When distributors have estimated what a film may earn they prepare a budget for it, but launching films is very expensive and risky as you can never tell what they might earn. When planning a new release, relying solely on conventional wisdom is never an option. Sometimes the final distribution plans may be confirmed only when the finished film is ready to view.
Audience tastes are notoriously unpredictable and traditional preferences may not count count for much in practice however market research may be conducted to probe audience reactions at pre-release test screenings. Occasionally a film becomes a "sleeper" hit, playing for longer and generating greater returns than expected. This makes distributors determined to achieve this but inevitably, as its such an unpredictable, product-driven business, each distributors earnings, market share and profitability fluctuates year by year, reflecting the success or otherwise of individual titles across all platforms.
It is important to have a detailed understanding of the target audience of naturally the audience can vary considerably film by film, from families with young children to teenagers and other adults however cinemagoing has only an average of 3 people per party so its important never to lose sight of a films target audience.
The most frequent cinemagoers tend to be aged 15-25 for teenagers, students and young adults, the cinema is a favorite out-of-home leisure activity. Although a majority of 15-25's visit the cinema at least once a month, overall just a quarter of the population goes that often. Amazingly the average number of cinema visits per person in the UK works out at 2.7 a year. The better a film performs at the box office, the more likely it is to be attracting infrequent cinemagoers and repeat visits. Infrequent cinemagoers tend not to come out for the opening weekend but wait until later, raising the challenge to distributors to sustain the run in cinemas.
Competition is always a primary consideration as many other hit block busters nay be released in the same time or even in the same week so its important to know if there is any space in the market for another film of this sort however it always good if you have some star power in the cast as this can boosts a films response dramatically. Its good to have cast members available for UK/International publicity or to attend the a premier as it boosts awareness of the film. If the film has media reviews on the week of release it highly boosts awareness and will attract more people to go see it.
If the film is made for a season for example, Christmas is a big selling time especially if its aimed at families for young children whilst they are off school. If films hope for award nomination they will be trying hard to get it and even if they don't win just being nominated will get the film more noticed such as it did with The Artist and this can create a buzz about the film, buzzes can also be made from the cast, director, books such as the Harry Potter films were based on books and even posters of the film even sequels of if it is from a franchise can create a buzz.
If a film has opened else where especially in America it will create a big buzz in other places as critics and general fans can view reviews of the film and that might make the decision for someone weather they want to see it or not. Film certificates are important for aiming towards your target audience and also for how many people will go and see it, a popular one is 12A as alot of people will see this film due to the certificate where as a 15 films cuts out any fans under 15 meaning maybe making not as much profit or even a loss.
Different releases are managed in different ways some are played simultaneously on 2 or more screens per multiplex meaning it will be played on over 1,000 screens in the UK. Specialized films offer a completely different cinematic experience as a film may be played in selected locations where local audiences are know to favor such titles meaning you might get it early making it feel alot more individually and special than a film that's released world wide. London has a diverse population of 7.5m people and accounts for a quarter of UK cinema admissions although only 15% of the screens are situated in the capital.
Marketing Plan
Every film has a detailed marketing plan with the objective being to create visibility, awareness, interest and cut through the competition. Distributors must compete for a significant share of voice not only against other distributors but also other leisure activities.
Social recommendation is key a favorable word of mouth highly raises awareness and strong interest however negative word of mouth is extremely difficult to overcome. When constructing a campaign distributors aim to reach as much of their target audience as possible, the main image or artwork can help with appeal to the film and will help attract the right audience but the posters must stand out as they will compete for attention in theaters with dozens more posters on display.
Film posters may be created by studios or sales agents and will be based on what approved materials are available and how the film is best positioned for local audiences. A poster is made for every release in quad format (traditional UK size of 30" x 40" landscape orientation) sometimes even months before a teaser poster may be created to announce a film is coming. Distributors also provide other display materials for cinema foyers such as banners and mini posters so prime space for advertising is vital.
Distributors usually have a range of audio-visual content to work with as they prepare campaigns such as campaigns and this can be the single most cost-effective marketing technique. Early teaser at about 90 seconds well raise awareness well before the films release naturally, in aiming to sell the film, they want to include a representative glimpse of the most dramatic sequences and trailer making is a film making art in its own right. Distributors fund the duplication and often the production of trailers making them a even more vital part of the process.
The Internet plays a pivotal role in shaping many cinemagoers' perceptions of new releases as the web helps distributors to start building awareness of a new film at an early stage with the use of teaser posters and trailers, seeding interest among fans. Film clips are among the web's most searched-for content and sometimes distributors will make fan-made things into finished films!
The moment a film is screened feedback via comments or videos will appear immediately not just opinions, but content too, can spread virally like wildfire via Facebook and Twitter. Media proliferation and fragmentation have given all advertisers a multitude of options however advertising placed on broadcast channels, outdoor panels and the press is usually the largest expenditure item on a P&A budget. Terrestrial television is traditionally the most effective visual means of reaching a mass audience allowing for films with top stars and heavy advertising to be able to support their wide release. It's important to know that different audiences will react to advertising and reach their decision to see a film in different ways.
Editorial coverage of a film can be persuasive but airtime is limited so its important to have press kits for journalists, containing cast and crew lists, biographies, notable facts about the production and a synopsis. It's important to have image from the film as all these materials are disseminated via online press rooms and distributors pro-actively devise 'hooks' or 'angles' for feature articles and media promotions.
The publicity team frequently supported by specialist agencies, arranges media interviews with available members of the films cast as the more the film's talent is willing and able to support the worldwide publicity effort, the better! Screenings for national critics are normally held on the Friday Monday and Tuesday before a films opening to the public to create an incentive for people wanting to watch the film although positive reviews are no guarantee.
The build up to the major awards is an important time for publicists promoting the films vying for consideration, receiving or even being nominated for an award can create a buzz for the film and even raise awareness. As with any product development, the film production process is conducted confidentially behind studios doors and are usually kept away from public, however sometimes filming may take place on a public location or trips may be arranged to see the studio being filmed in.
Depending on the films theme and target audience, the distributor will endeavor to arrange promotional partnerships raise awareness through shops, restaurants or even collecting premium items. Importantly, too, tie-in advertising under license by a promotional partner or a brand with product placement in a film can add substantial weight to the distributor's own campaign.
Manufactures may be licensed to use approved logo devices, images or character likenesses on specific products, tie-in merchandise can embrace toys, action figures, ringtones, clothing, stationery, calendars, anything. Media promotions, placed on an appropriate channel or publication, can make effect use of film merchandise or location holiday prizes. Occasionally a film becomes a ubiquitous event, saturating the media as well as appearing in advertising, partner campaigns and other outlets.
Distributors' publicists organise premieres as an official launch for a film, reflecting an event stature and providing a platform for photo opportunities and red carpet interviews. Star-studded premieres and after-show parties are covered by celebrity publications and news media, often transmitted worldwide. A screening in aid of charity can create a substantial sum while from the distributors perspective the main goal is to raise a high profile. In addition to premieres, distributors may consider other 'experiential events' where fans and visitors can interact with the film characters or situations, for example via touring displays in shopping centers or themed presentations at movie conventions.
Overall
Everything all adds up to the success or downfall of a film at the box office, some factors you have complete control of and other factors you have no control at all such as word of mouth, so sometimes it can be all down to how good the film is, but no matter how bad or good the film is the distributors have to do their best and advertise and market the film to the correct audience. This production can be long and hard but it is all worth it if the strategy works and the film becomes a hit or a 'blockbuster'.
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Online Tekken Survey
Help me out with my Btec work by filling in this survey! It will help greatly as we need to collect information from different media platforms!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B3JJLFP
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B3JJLFP
Monday, 26 November 2012
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