'Cornetto Trilogy' - repeatability for DVD and BluRay
The Audience
The target Audience is male 28-40 (who like sci-fi and comedy and indie music/britpop)
Links to soundtrack which is full of late 80s early 90s hits by bands such as: The Housemartins, Blur, Primal Scream, Pulp, James, Happy Mondays, Suede, The Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets.
All star 'British' cast
Simon Pegg (Gary King): Star Trek, Mission Impossible, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul - mainstream and niche appeal.
Nick Frost (Andy Knightley) : Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul - mainstream and niche appeal.
Martin Freeman (Oliver Chamberlain) : The Hobbit, Love Actually, The Office (TV), Sherlock (TV)
Paddy Considine (Steven Prince) : Dead Man's Shoes, Submarine, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (TV) - multiple acting award nominations. Target audience of film buffs/ aficionados
Eddie Marsan (Peter Page) : Tyrannosaur, Miami Vice, Happy-Go-Lucky, Sherlock Holmes (Inspector Lestrade). Target audience of film buffs/ aficionados.
Rosamund Pike (Sam Chamberlain) : Die Another Day, An Education, Made In Dagenham, Wrath Of The Titans, Jack Reacher
Other notable cast members
Pierce Brosnan (Guy Shepherd): James Bond (1995-2004), The Thomas Crown Affair, The Ghost, Mama Mia
Bill Nighy (The Network-voice only): Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean
Rafe Spall (Young Man): Grindhouse, Kidulthood, Prometheus, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Life of Pi, I Give It A Year
The Director
Edgar Wright: Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, The Adventures of Tin Tin (co writer), Spaced (TV)
Themes
The film focuses on uniquely British concerns: pubs, 'lad' culture, British nightlife, loss of British identity, the homogenization of the high street, American influence, school, sleepy market towns. The film is also about growing up, the potential of youth and the disappointment of adult life.
The film was a niche product globally and a mass market product nationally.
Figures
Only 7% of British films make a profit.
Of films costing less than £2 million only 45 make a profit.
Of films costing £10 million or more 17% make a profit
What % of global box office was the British film industry responsible for?
The British Industry was responsible for 15% of Global box office. Between 2003 and 2010 roughly 600 British films were made, and only a small percentage profit. With a budget rise- 17% of films costing more then £10 million made their money back.
What was this % in 2009?
In 2009 there was 6.8% Global box office profit from British films.
What might this change indicate about British film?
The change in percentage indicates that the British film industry is becoming more popular, and the more films they produce, the more of a success they are becoming.
What films have been responsible for this change?
The films responsible for this rise in percentage are- The King's Speech, The woman in Black, Slum dog millionaire and Skyfall.
What % of the British film industry makes a profit?
The lower budget films made for less then £2million were less likely to make a profit of 4%. As budgets rise with 17% of films that cost more then £10million making their money back the figures improve.
What % of Hollywood films make a profit?
The percentage of Hollywood films that make thier money back is 17%
How does that % differ between £2m and £10m budget British films?
The lower budget films made for less then £2million were less likely to make a profit of 4%. As budgets rise with 17% of films that cost more then £10million making their money back the figures improve.
What might we infer from this difference?
By having more of a budget this means you can add special effects, hiring more well-known actors, this means the film is more likely to succeed in making a larger profit than films with a smaller budget.
Which age group makes up the largest % of UK cinema goers?
The four quadrant grid shows that people are more likely to go to the cinema between 18-24 both genders.
Why do you think this might be?
The four quadrant system allows this age group to view all films, as they are targeted as the most popular and significant age range.
Which 'type' of film has seen an 18% drop in attendance?
The 18% is generated by 3D in 2012. This is a slight decline from 20% in 2011 and 24% in 2010.
Within that 'type' which genre has seen the biggest fall?
Big family films was shown to be the genre in which had the biggest fall.
What did Charles Grant put this decline down to?
The price of 3D tickets deterred families from going to the cinema, as they tries to economize their pricing to ensure they were saving a little extra money
Who is Paul Greengrass?
Paul Greengrass is an English Film director, screenwriter and former journalist.
How did he describe the British film industry?
"Transformed from what it used to be"
What did a BFI spokesperson say was the point of less profitable low budget British films?
"tiny budget films that, while commercial success is always hoped for, are successful and beneficial to the industry for the other reasons like skills and training development and for artistic and cultural importance"
What was the budget for Filth and how much money did it take?
Its budget was just under £2million and it made £4million
What advantage did James McEvoy feel £100m films have over low budget films?
He said that films with a largerr budget have chances to sell them in a wide range of ways, however films with a smaller budget only have a limited number of ways they can sell their films.
What is VOD?
VOD is known as Video on demand
What % increase did VOD see last year?
50%
What impact might VOD have on distributers and Studios?
As the VOD is becoming more popular it might outsell the distributes and studios attached to films.
What impact has it had on Blockbuster rental stores?
This can cause them profit and business issues by outselling the stores.
What was unique about Ben Wheatleys 'A Field In England'?
A Field in England was the first UK film to be released simultaneously in cinemas, on DVD, on TV and through video-on-demand.
What does director of The Machine Caradog James think is the toughest part of film making?
" The toughest thing is you make a good film but can you get it to reach an audience? It's events like this and individuals who champion independent cinema that give us a profit and any chance of a mass audience"
Why have rules been relaxed on what makes a film 'British'?
This encourages more people to take an interest in British films, so that they can become more of a success.
How has the use of visual effects in films been encouraged?
In films visual effects are used to make it more pleasing and realistic to the audience, this is to boost the ratings of the film to make it more popular.
Name five of these rules and link them to The Kings Speech, Kill List, The World's End
Keeping a British Theme through the culture- The King's Speech
"LAD" like actions and ways around them- The worlds end
British director- The King's Speech
British cast- The world end and Kill List
Location set in Britain- Kill List, The Kings Speech and The Worlds End
What rules has chancellor George Osbourne announced for tax on British films?
He announced that the films now need to spend 10% of their budget within the UK to qualify tax relief, where previously they had to spend 25%. Tax relief would be applied to 25% of the first £20million of a production, and 20% on any remaining budget, regardless of the overall total; previously only films under £20million were eligible for the higher rate.
What is the highest grossing film in UK box office history?
James Bond- Skyfall
How much has it taken and how many screens was it available on?
James Bond adventures earned £93.4million in the UK, beating the previous record holder- avatar. Skyfall opened in 587 cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 26th October, and is still on general release.
1. The hermeneutic code ( The voice of the the truth)
Is the way the story avoids telling the truth or revealing all of the facts, in order to drop clues throughout that will add to the mystery
2.The Enigma/ proairetic code.( the voice of the audience)
The way the tension is built up and the audience is left guessing what will happen next
3, The semantic code ( the voice of the person)
The semantic code points to any element in the text that suggests a particular, often additional, meaning by way of connotation which the story suggests
4. The symbolic code (the voice of a symbol)
Similar to the semantic code, however it acts on a wider level- organizing semantic meanings into order and deeper sets of meanings... This is typically done by the use of antithesis, where new meanings arise out of conflict and opposing ideas.
5. The cultural code ( The voice of science)
Looks at the audiences wider cultural knowledge, mortality and ideology. This gives more context and meaning to the text. It references how we think of the world, and how we think it works.
The story of King George VI of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it. (IMDB)
Britishness
What makes a film British?
There is a cultural test from the UK Film Council, which tells if the film is British or not.
There are 31 points to achieve. You must have passed 16 to be accepted.
You get points for 4 sections
Cultural content
The movie was filmed in the UK, It has British Actors/ Actresses, it was filmed in the English Language or has a British subject matter.
Cultural contribution
Reflects British culture
Cultural Hubs
Music and effects done in the UK
Cultural practitioners
People who worked in the movie are from Britain
How does The Kings Speech comply to the Brtishness?
Cultural context
Places filmed: Halton House, Halton, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK
Draper's Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, Broadgate, London, England, UK
Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
33 Portland Place, Marylebone, London, England, UK
Avenue Garden , Regent Park, London, England, UK
Battersea Power Station, Battersea, London, England, UK
Elland Road Stadium, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England UK
Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertforshire, England, UK
Ely Cathedral, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
Englefield House, Theale, Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
Grattan Stadium, Odsal, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK
Harley Street, Marylebone, London, England, UK
Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertforshire, England, UK
Knebworth House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Lancaster House, The Mall, St. James's, London, England, UK
Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London, England, UK
Pullens Estate, Southwark, London, England, UK
Queen Street Mill Textile Museum, Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK
Cultural context
Actors/ Actresses:
Colin Firth-UK Born
Helena Bonham Carter- UK Born
Derek Jacobi- UK born
Geoffrey Rush- Australian born
The Kings speech does have British born actors/ actresses in it apart from Geoffrey Rush who is an Australian actor and producer, this would lose points for the Britishness of the film.
The film was filmed in the English language, and has the subject matter of the royal monarchy of Great Britain, this would gain point for the film making it more British.
Cultural contribution
In order for the film to get points to become a British film, there needs to be a reflection of some British culture. The film concerns the Royal Monarchy of Great Britain, which is part of the British Culture! This would mean the film could gain points as it reflects the problems King George faces becoming the King of Britain. It also reflects the war and the lifestyle of the monarchy.
Cultural Hub
To gain points in this section, all the special effects and music tracks would have to be done in the UK. Research shows that the music was added at Abbey Park Road Studios in London, this is in Britain making it a cultural hub of the Britishness involved in making the movie. The special effects were added by Molinare Tv and Drama who are based in London! this also contributes to the amount of points the fiolm would have got for the Britishness involved.
The Kings speech had a budget of £8million ($15million) to work with, this was considered a low budget, and normally films with a low budget don't do well. However, a surprising $414,211,549 was made at the box office and gained £3.52 million at the opening weekend. Which is more then the opening gross of Pride and Prejudice (£2.53 million).
The film had an appeal to a wider audience, this was because of the British factors involved in the film. It is about the royal family near the beginning of the second world war. Also the class system, which Britain was well known for, was starting to break down. The sense of national unity was shown through the friendship of George and Lionel. The film doesn't just have the appeal to the British audience, but the American aswell. American audiences love the British Culture.
Critic Philip French of the Guardian gave the film a high rating and said that the kings speech was "the work of highly talented artists who might be regarded as British realists" He praised the film for not being triumphalist or sentimental.
However, Critic of The Times said "Hooper's framing and shot composition leave something to be desired" and that "Guy Pearce ( who plays Edward VIII) is too young for the part and doesn't sound English at all. Timothy Spall as Churchill resembles a distended bulldog who's been chewing wasps, and that the characters of Helena Bonham Carter and Jennifer Ehle are under used"
web 2.0 and exchange
It received nominations for 12 oscars including best picture, best director, best supporting actor and actress, best screenplay, best editing, best art direction and costume. It won 4 oscars for best picture, best director, best actor(Colin Firth) and best original screen play. It was also nominated for 14 BAFTAs of which it won 7. Mark commode comments that " Oscar and BAFTA nominations and awards are often expected when playing a monarch for example with Judy Dench- Shakespeare in love with Helen Mirren- The queen etc. and especially when the story is about humanising the monarchy.
Production issues
As a child, David Seidler(screenplay) developed a stammer which was caused by the emotional trauma of World War two and the murder of his Grandparents during the holocaust. King George VI over came his stammer which was a great inspiration for David. During the 1970's and 80's he researched the King and found information on Logue. Seidler contacted Dr. Valentine Logue, Lionel Logues son, in which he agreed to talk about his father if the Queen Mother gave her permission. She responded with "not in my lifetime" this gave a halt to Seidlers project! The Queen Mother died in 2002, Three years later Seidler returned to his project. In 2005 Joan Lane of Wilde Thyme, a production company in London, recieved the scrip from David, in which she talked to Bedlam productions, and they invited David to London to rewrite the play again, but this time for the big screen. The company organised a reading of the play in Pleasance Thearter, to a group of Australian companies, amoung whom was Tom Hooper's Mother, she called him and said " i've found your next project"
The UK Film Council awarded the production £1million in June 2009. Filming began in December 2009, and lasted 39 days. Most shots were completed three weeks before christmas because Geoffrey Rush would be performing in a play in January. This schedule was further complicated as Helena Bonham Carter was working on Harry Potter during the week, so her scenes had to be filmed on the weekends.
The Kings Speech had 8 production companies working with them to create a top hit film for the big screen, those of which include Weinstein Company, UK Film Council, Momentum Pictures, Aegia Film Fund, Molinare Investment, FilmNation Entertainment, see0saw films and Bedlam Productions. None of these production companies had created big movies before, therefore they could invest a big amount of money into the film. Despite this it was a success which contradicts the big six film companies stereotypical making the most money on films.
Distribution and Marketing
Momentum Pictures (US) and Aegis Fund (UK) were the distributes for The King's Speech. The issues associated with the films distribution is that the US company was more well-known then the UK one, meaning the film would be a bigger hit in the US then in the UK. However, this was to be expected because of the American audience loving the traditional British culture.
As an independent film, The King's Speech didn't have the budget of a Hollywood Movie market to get it recongised. With a budget of £8million, it could not complete with the marketing methods of major blockbuster movies, which had backing from massive institutions such as Universal or 20th Century Fox.
The film was made just in time for 7 film festivals in hope that national newspaper journalists will enjoy it and write about it in their papers.
Other marketing methods included:
Posters :
It also included a UK and US version of Trailer.
UK Trailer
US Trailer
They used different phrases and cut outs for the trailers depending on where the trailer was going. In the US trailer they made it more serious having references to the monarchy. Where as in the UK trailer they used the less serious scenes and the funny parts, making references to the Duke instead of Monarchy. this also had more British music which unites the nation.
Issues facing British Film Makers
According to the King's Speech director, Tom Hooper, there is a revolution in British film making due to the rise of digital technology. When he was younger digital technology was not available so he had to use film he could not afford. Gadgets today have the ability to film HD with sound, so everyone has an equal opportunity to make amazing film. Even though the digital revolution has changed and given British film makers an opportunity, film makers are still restricted by costs of marketing and distribution, and also the ability to over ride the major blockbuster companies.
