The Film Industry – Institutional Research & Planning Tasks

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USP

The actors starring in, or the director of a film, may be its unique selling point, as the audience will expect their level of work to be consistently good. Many directors are associated with a particular genre, for example the Wachowski Brothers with Science Fiction/action after their success with the Matrix trilogy. Given this success, it would be fair to expect that the film they are currently working on-‘Cloud Atlas’-will also be a success. The USP for a film may also be that it is based on a popular book, just as ‘Cloud Atlas’ is. An example specific to the thriller genre is Alfred Hitchcock; he is seen as a pioneer and known as ‘The Master of Suspense’, so his work is obviously of quality. These factors will affect how the film is publicised and sold.

Find out which media institutions might produce, distribute & exhibit

A such as Se7en (big budget Hollywood thriller)

Distributor: New Line Cinema

Budget: $33 million

Gross box office takings: $100,125,643

Number of screens released on: 2,528

A big budget British film such as Casino Royale (big budget British thriller)

Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Gross box office takings: $167,445,960

Number of screens released on: 3,443

Budget: $150 million

A low budget British thriller such as The Disappearance of Alice Creed

Distributor: Isle of Man Film and CinemaNX

Gross box office takings: $166,980

Number of screens released on: 12 theaters

Budget: N/A

Pulp Fiction

Distributor: Miramax Films

Gross box office takings: $107,928,762

Number of screens released on: 1,494

Budget: $8 million

Q. You can use these examples but find others too. What does it show you about the production, distribution & exhibition systems and how Hollywood and the UK film industry are interlinked?

A. Films are usually produced by film studios and with a partnership with the distributer. Famous distributers such as 20th Century Fox usually invest in films with a very large budget. Those that don’t, such as ‘The Disappearance of Alice Creed’, usually obtain funding from either Film4, The National Lottery, or The British Film Institute who now administer the funding that used to come from the UK Film Council.

It is obvious that films funded by larger, more well known companies will be more successful than independent film. An example of this can be seen in the comparison of ‘Shutter Island’ and ‘The Disappearance of Alice Creed’: ‘Shutter Island’ took $294,804,195 worldwide, had a budget of $40,000,000 and its largest release was in 3,356 theatres. ‘The Disappearance of Alice Creed’, on the other hand, took just $867,714 worldwide, had a significantly lower budget and had a widest release of 12 theatres.

Q. Look at the posters and trailers for these films save and analyze the logos the companies have used here. How have they signified their genre in these designs? Upload logos of companies who would produce and distribute your film

Optimum Releasing’s logo is comprised of various shades of black and white signifying the binary opposition of crime and the law, with a grey background behind the word ‘canal’. This links to the conventions of the thriller genre, as they often use chiaroscuro lighting. The swirling pattern creates a sense of movement and looks very similar to that seen in the opening credits of ‘Vertigo’ and  the word ‘optimum’ implies that they produce the best films released as a subsidiary of Studio Canal.

Q. Think about the type of thriller you want to make and who would produce and distribute your film, stating why they would be appropriate.

A. I would choose Optimum Releasing, as they are well established and have had recent success with films such as ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’, especially since it win several awards at the Baftas, as well as success in the past with films such as ‘Man Hunt’. These things would increase the potntial audience and therefore profit, something that is important as the film indstry is a business. Another option would be Miramax films, who have lots of experience with the crime thriller sub-genre, with films such as Pulp Fiction and No Country For Old Men.

Shot List

Fade from black into Adams eyes.

Zooms out to a mid-shot to reveal Adam tied to a chair.

Close up of his hands trying to get free.

*Flashback*

Over the shoulder shot as Adam walks away from the camera.

*Present*

Close up of Adams face.

Match-on-action shot of Kieran/Max going through a door.

Long shot of Adam struggling more, desperate to get free.

A two shot of two black silhouettes opposite of Adam.

POV of Adam as Kieran walks towards him

Over the shoulder shot showing Adams reaction.

Cuts to a long shot of Max in the corner.

POV whip pan from Adam looking at Kieran and Max as they ask questions.

2 shot reverse shot

*Flashback*

Long shot of Adam walking down the street.

Two shot of Adam handing something to some guy.

Different angle of Adam swearing and walking away.

*Present*

Fade back

Close up of Adams face as Kieran punches him.

Slow motion as he hits the ground and a tear rolls down his cheek (extreme close up).

Mid shot of Adam on the floor.

POV from Adam looking at Kieran 


The shot list, along with the script and storyboards, make the job of the director easier than it would be without them and provides a clear structure that ensures the production can be filmed
 effectively.

Synopsis

The Tester

Adam wakes up tied to chair startled and looks confused. Tries to gnaw/untie the ropes tying him to a chair. A flashback occurs of him walking out of his house and begins to stroll down the street. It goes back to Max questioning Adam about something. Flashes to Adam arguing with some guy swearing etc. It then comes back to Kieran punching him and his chair fall over and he cries. Flashes back to him walking off and he gets abducted by Kieran and Max with masks on. (Opening titles appear every time a flashback occurs. Flashbacks could be in black and white with sound bridges.)

Adam says, ‘if you kill me,’ zooms into his lips, ‘you will never get the “…...” ’

The story revolves around a ‘tester’ of drugs. He takes more than his fair share of drugs and his dealers chase him down, as he owes them money for what he has stolen from them. He ends up stashing some within his friend’s house putting them into a web of crime and mystery.

Script

INT. DARK ROOM – NIGHT

Adam is seen confused and bound to a chair in a dark room. He tries to free himself but fails.

EXT. STREET – DAY

Flashback of Adam walking down the street.

INT. DARK ROOM – NIGHT

Max questions Adam about something.

MAX

Where is it?

ADAM

Where am I? Who are y-

KIERAN

That doesn’t matter! You owe us!

MAX

You know what you owe us.

EXT. STREET – DAY

Flashback of Adam arguing with someone. He hands over a partially empty bag of drugs and he acts aggressively towards Adam.

INT. DARK ROOM – NIGHT

Kieran punches Adam and he fails to the floor, still bound to his chair and he cries.

KIERAN

You know what you owe us!

MAX

Don’t kill another tester.

EXT. STREET – DAY

Flashes back to him walking away from the angry man. He then gets abducted by Kieran and Max with masks on.

INT. DARK ROOM – NIGHT

MAX

Just tell us and all of this will be over…

ADAM

It’s at my friend’s house. 22 White Lane.

MAX

Thank you. …Kill him.

Bang.

INT. BEDROOM – DAY

Shows Max getting ready for work but zooms out from the window and reveals Kieran watching/waiting.

We followed the conventions of a script, with locations being alligned to the left in capitals and with either interior or exterior specified, and with character names also in capitals, but alligned in the center, along with dialogue.