Opening paragraph and essay plan: Rhea and Kate

To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?

To a large extent digital distribution affects the marketing and consumption of media products as it has drastically changed the way people receive and consume products due to the development of new technologies such as portable tablets and smart phones. Evidently, digital distribution has positive effects on marketing and consumption as it faster for people to access due to the power of the Internet as well as being significantly cheaper as it is not necessary for hard copies such as posters. The recent progression in social networking has proved an advantageous resource as many people use sites such as Facebook and Twitter, which produces a viral effect in terms of distribution.

Case Studies

The Dark Knight-

The Boat That Rocked

Paragraph 1:

Use The Dark Knight case- > Created an IOS app, Viral Twitter campaign, Tumblr app and Facebook, YouTube they utilized social media and digital distribution to create awareness of the film targets a youthful audience using modern technologies. Encourages sharing

Paragraph 2:

Enables people to watch films on the go e.g. smart phones and portable tablets rather then going to the cinema, more convenient. Higher qualities and better experience using blue-ray, 3D TVs and surround sound systems.

Paragraph:

The Boat That Rocked example. Didn’t use digital distribution and was not successful. Consumption-> People didn’t want to watch it because awareness was not created and they do not hear about the film. Does not encourage global appeal and limits sales to the UK.

Opening paragraph and essay plan: Ashwin

Discuss the ways in which media products are produced and distributed to audiences, within a media area, which you have studied?

a) Media products are produced and distributed to audiences in many ways, two of which include large conglomerates and small companies. Large conglomerates tend to have the production and distribution done by them without having to rely on external companies, which is where smaller companies come in. Smaller companies, unlike big conglomerates, tend to have distribution done externally whilst they take care of production, and sometimes they don’t even have the funds for distribution so they rely on things such as word-of-mouth and Internet success (Such as uploading to YouTube and having it shared across social networking sites like Facebook.)

Case Studies:

Sony Pictures (Conglomerate) – The Amazing Spiderman Part 2

21^st Century Fox (Conglomerate) – Avatar, Titanic, Life Of Pi

Pico Pictures (Small British Film Company - 13 multi award winning shorts since 2008 and have a feature on the iFeatures2 development slate, another in development with Northern Ireland Screen, and another in development with the BFI, 2AM Films and Luke Snellin (BAFTA nominated and Virgin Media Shorts grand prize winning filmmaker).

Hanway Films – (British Company) – Kidulthood

BBCFilms (Production)

http://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk (distribution company – UK)

http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk

Warner Bros. (Big Distribution And Production Company)

Pathe Distribution - http://www.pathe.co.uk - Mandela Long Walk To Freedom

b) I will answer the question by first mentioning large conglomerates and how they do most of the production and distribution. I will then mention smaller companies and how they have separate companies doing different things – one company does the production and one does the distribution.  I would structure it like this:

à An opening statement that answers the question and talks briefly about what you are going to mention in the essay

àFirst paragraph (Large Conglomerates)

àSecond paragraph (Small Companies)

àThe rest of the paragraphs going back and forth between large conglomerates and small companies mentioning the pros and cons of each

àFinal Statement/Conclusion that closes the essay.

Opening paragraph and essay plan: Justin

How important is technological convergence for institutions and audiences within a media area that you have studied?

1. Technological convergence has allowed institutions in film to produce and market films in a variety of ways and has provided films with different and new characteristics, it has an inevitable result of our modernising world and so the film industry relies on keeping up and competing with varying array of formats The development in technology has meant that different cameras and special effect can be added and used in films. The producers of The Dark Knight wanted to release it in IMAX theatres, which is a technique of widescreen cinematography that produces an image approximately ten times larger than that from standard 35 mm film. Technological convergence has become a very crucial component in the changes to the film industry. Technology has allowed us to develop and improve the quality of films, making them more complex and dynamic, whilst also helping making them easier to make and also access.

2. I will answer the question by first mentioning how important is technological convergence is for institutions and audiences, after I’ll include a case study which we have done to back up my statement.

I would structure it like this:

·         An opening statement that answers the question and talks briefly about what you are going to mention in the essay

·         First paragraph (New Technological convergence)

·         Second paragraph (Case Study in depth)

·         The rest of the paragraphs going back and forth between technological convergence and mentioning the pros and cons of each

·         Final Statement/Conclusion that closes the essay.

Case Studies: Technological convergence

·         4k

·         3D

·         Films; Avatar, Gravity

Opening paragraph and essay plan: Ewelina

Discuss the ways in which media products are produced and distributed to audiences, within a media area, which you have studied?

a) Media products are produced and distributed to audiences in many different ways, two of which include large conglomerates and small companies. Large conglomerates usually have the production and distribution done by without having to reply on external companies, which is where small companies come in. In comparison to larger conglomerates tend to have the distribution done externally whilst they take care of production, sometimes they don’t have founds for distribution so they rely on things such as word-of-mouth and internet success. For example uploading a video to YouTube and having it shared across different social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter.-

b) I will answer the question by talking about how different companies produce and distribute films giving examples and case studies. I will mention how larger conglomerates use one company to produce and distribute the film and compare them to smaller companies, which have two separate companies for distribution and production. This is how I would structure my essay:

·      Opening statement that answers the question and talks briefly about what is going to me mentioned in the essay

·      First paragraph about how large conglomerates produce and distribute films

·      Second paragraphs about how smaller companies produce and distribute films

·      Comparing both and talking about pros and cons of them

·      Final statement that concludes the essay

List of Case Studies:

* Sony Pictures (large conglomerate) – The amazing Spiderman 2

* 21th Century Fox  (large conglomerate) – Avatar, Titanic, Life of Pi

* Pico Pictures (small British film production company)

* Hanway Films (British production company) – Kidulthood

* BBCFilms (British distribution company) 

Opening paragraph and essay plan: Ashleigh, Sangam, Nicole

Media production is dominated by global institutions, which sell their products and services to national audiences.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

In general, global institutions do appear to dominate media productions. For example Time Warner is a very dominant conglomerate, well known company.  As it owns other famous companies which have very high grossing movies, tv series etc such as Warner Bros, Warner Bros records, Time, Inc. (magazine). As they cover most of the media industry, they have the power to shape audience taste because the audiences are used to time warner products and other conglomerate products dominating the market.

Case studies:

Time warner

Very global,

High budget, distribution branches, well known, produced highest grossing movies- Harry Potter, Superman, Batman

The King’s Speech- produced by small companies but still had a big success.

Own CNN, Warner Bros

Rest of the essay:

2nd Paragraph: how Time Warner sells their products- marketing and distribution. i.e Harry Potter world- in England and Orlando.

3^rd Paragraph: counter argument- the kings speech- made by smaller production companies.

4^th Paragraph: how both would affect the audience.

5^th Paragraph: summary and conclusion- back up original point.

Opening paragraph and essay plan : Iqra and Ali

“Cross-media convergence and synergy are vital processes in the successful marketing of media products to audiences.” To what extent do you agree with this statement in relation to your chosen media area?

Case Studies : Dark Knight Rises

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 2

AGAINST:

Kings Speech, The Lone Ranger + The Blair Witch Project

Media convergence is the combining of two or more mediums and can happen at any of the three stages (production, distribution and exhibition), for example using merchandise to promote a movie. Synergy on the other hand is the simultaneous release of different products, in the hope that they promote one another. Due to the increase in technology, especially in the film industry, it has become easier for different companies to work together to create a successful product, therefore I believe cross-media convergence and synergy are important (not vital) processes in the marketing of a product to audiences and I shall further explain the reason why in this response.

Plan For The Essay:

Intro –

Define Cross Media Convergence and Synergy. Explain the process in which these two are vital for marketing of media products.

Paragraph 2

Begin writing the impact of Cross Media Convergence and Synergy on audiences. (eg. Appeal, Fan Bases etc)

Case Study: The good use of cross media convergence and synergy DARK KNIGHT RISES. Example of the use of Social Media - #Firerises .The snippet release of trailers online. And different graffiti revealing story line.

Explanation of how synergy and cross media convergence are not the only factors to provide success to movies and example of these are the following.

Kings Speech, The Lone Ranger + The Blair Witch Project

Case Study #2: Kings Speech – They are British films that are not well known are also looked upon very well but the actors and production was a lot more vital to the movie than the distribution.

Case Study #3 : The Lone Ranger  this case study provided very well established production team and a distribution strategy as well as its marketing techniques how ever it resulted in being a flop. Synergy and convergence through Disney channel, Disney stores, Disney parks, etc

Conclusion: Reflect on all case studies and concepts of Cross Media Convergence as well as summarizing the previously highlighted positives and negatives of production and distribution.