EvaluationTask 3

WHAT INSTITUATION WOULD MAKE YOUR FILM.

StudioCanal UK

• In 1999, the year Danny Perkins, Will Clarke and Paul Higgins launched Optimum Releasing, they set out their stand as smart, sprightly new operators in the UK distribution arena by re-releasing black-and-white British classics (a Studiocanal film)• In 2006, Optimum Releasing was developed by French film producer and

distributor StudioCanal, a subsidiary of Vivendi's Canal & Group. This marked StudioCanal's 1st entry into an international market. • Since then, StudioCanal distributes their classic British films, which includes many

from their Carolco Pictures and EMI Films libraries through Optimum Releasing under the Optimum Classic element. In September 2011 Optimum Releasing was renamed to StudioCanal• StudioCanal is a subsidiary type of studio.

Why would your chosen company make your film?

• StudioCanal would make my film, because it made a couple of thrillers that relate to our thriller. For instance, Tinker Tailor Soldier (2011), which is about the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley, who is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6. Not only that it is a thriller, but also a mystery. Our thriller has an unknown detail which challenges audience’s mind. Moreover, it has also produce The Kill List (2011). This film might contain horror, but it is a psychological crime- thriller about a hitman that takes a new assignment with the promise of a big payoff for three killings. What starts off as an easy task soon unravels, sending the killer into the heart of darkness. Similarly, out thriller has a killer who is a protagonist of the film. Thus, since the StudioCanal makes a handful of thrillers, the company is trained for this specific genre.

What other films have they made?

• The StudioCanal made an award winning ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2005) film, which is a romantic drama. This film is about a young woman (Elizabeth Bennet) that meets a single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. This film casts famous actress such as Keira Knightley, an Academy Award For the Best Actress in 2006. Moreover, the company also made ‘The Pianist ‘(2002), which is a historical drama about a Polish Jewish musician who struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.

How does the film fit the ethos of the institution? • The company releases many feature films, including foreign, Studio Ghibli, independent, art-house,

British, Irish and American films in the United Kingdom and sometimes Ireland. In the early days, the company released black and white British classics and now the company still distributes their classic British films.

• The famous directors that worked for The StudioCanal are Liam Neeson and Colin Firth. Colin Firth is also an English actor and his films have grossed more than $ 3 billion from 42 release worldwide.

• In the ten years since Optimum was purchased by StudioCanal, the company has expanded tenfold in terms of revenue. Perkins is self-assured that the company will not stop growing anytime soon. “Along the way, we’ve had nothing but support to grow our production ambitions, to buy bigger films, to release bigger films. And now that Vivendi are more involved in Canal Plus and StudioCanal, we feel we’ve got them behind us to keep at it and keep growing. There’s no shortage of ambition on both sides.”

• The StudioCanal is rapidly expanding and Perkins identifies for the company going forward is a closer synergy with Vivendi-owned Universal Music Group (UMG) to develop a slate of projects concerned with music.

How would they market the film? Give examples of other marketing they have done before.

• The Paddington's marketing campaign, particularly in the UK where a specially created trail of 50 Paddington statues designed by the likes of London mayor Boris Johnson and man-of-the-moment Benedict Cumberbatch, were placed across the city. They have generated huge publicity and drawn much admiration. Just as importantly, it will raise funds for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. This is an example of a traditional media marketing campaign.

• For the film the Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the company used various ways to advertise it. Regarding the traditional media, the posters were mounted that showed Oldman’s character in profile, the image made up of a variety of words that, we can assume, describe that character along with random number strings that the audience can think of as codes or something. The Posters are a good way of marketing as it reaches a wider range of audience, and indeed the company wanted to appeal to a specific age group (to anyone who is above 40), as most of the people in that age group were reading novels when cold war spy thrillers were still in fashion. New Media was also involved in the marketing campaign. The Trailers were released both online and in the cinemas. Speaking of social media, the movie’s Facebook page and the studio’s Twitter feed were both full of updates about the movie’s publicity and marketing activity. With Facebook also hosting photos and videos.

• The StudioCanal had a lot of experience in the marketing area, and thus will be able to market my film well. The traditional and the new media will be involved in the marketing stage. Firstly, the billboards and posters of the main actors will appear in the streets and the underground. The film will be also advertised in the newspaper and on radio in order to reach a wider audience. The teaser trailer with action scenes will be released online, followed by the original trailer later on. The social media will also be involved, the Tweeter and Facebook profiles will share the news and the details of my film.

Do they specialise in a genre?• The StudioCanal seem to produce a diversity of films, varying from

thriller/action, romance for the older audience to fantasy/adventure for younger (The House of Magic). However, the company releases British films and not the world famous blockbusters.

Does the studio have a particular target audience?• The research showed that the StudioCanal’s target

audience vary from children of the primary age school, as the company make fantasy/adventure films such as (The House of Magic) and the older generation, around 40s and 50s, as the studio creates documentaries based around the past. Moreover, the company is appealing for both genders, male and the female. It makes rom-coms and comedies (Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jone’s Diary) for woman and thriller/action, or crime films (The Gunman) for men. Thus, there is not specific audience for this studio.

The Paramount Pictures

• Paramount was founded in 1912, 104 years ago.• The company which is (also known as Paramount Pictures and often referred to

simply as Paramount) is an American film studio based in Hollywood, California. It is a subsidiary of the American media conglomerate Viacom since 1994. Paramount is the fifth oldest surviving film studio in the world, the oldest in the US, and a member of the "Big Six" film studios still located in the Los Angeles. • Paramount is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America.• In 2014, Paramount Pictures became the first major Hollywood studio to

distribute all of its films in digital form only.

Why would your chosen company make your film? • Paramount was founded in 1912, 104 years ago.• The company which is (also known as Paramount Pictures

and often referred to simply as Paramount) is an American film studio based in Hollywood, California. It is a subsidiary of the American media conglomerate Viacom since 1994. Paramount is the fifth oldest surviving film studio in the world, the oldest in the US, and a member of the "Big Six" film studios still located in the Los Angeles.

• Paramount is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America.

• In 2014, Paramount Pictures became the first major Hollywood studio to distribute all of its films in digital form only.

What other films have they made? • The Paramount Pictures made many thrillers. For

instance;’ Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’ (2014). The genre of the film is action, drama, thriller. The plot: Jack Ryan, as a young covert CIA analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. Orr ‘The Shutter Island’ (2010). The genre of this film is mystery, thriller. The plot: In 1954, a U.S. marshal investigates the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. • Paramount is also immensely famous for making ’The

Titanic’ (1997) which is ranked first as the most grossed film. ’The Titanic’ is a beautiful, world known romantic drama.

How does the film fir the ethos of the institution?

• The Paramount is a member of the ‘Big Six’ studios and is famous for the classic, world -wide known films. • It is known for the numerous blockbusters, such as

‘The Titanic’, which is the highest grossed film- $658,672,302. ‘The God Father’, ‘Transformers’, ‘Transformers: revenge of the fallen’, ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’, and etc. ‘The Iron Man’. • In 2014, Paramount Pictures became the first major

Hollywood studio to distribute all of its films in digital form only. • Paramount is also known for the famous directors

such as James Cameron, Michael Bay and Christopher Nolan.

How would they market the film? Give examples of other marketing they have done before. • As Paramount have more power in the film industry, the company is snot scared to invest more resources into the marketing campaign, even

if the film will not do as well. • For instance, for the film ‘Transformers’- an additional $150 million was spent to market the film globally. The company used the traditional

media and the new media, but on a greater scale. Posters of the main characters (transformers) appeared on the streets, there was a good amount of online advertising done, beginning with square ads like this one that featured the teaser poster art of Fallen and continuing through to units that incorporated more of the characters and visuals from the movie and the campaign. Moreover, cross- promotion was also involved; There GM showed off Bumblebee and some of the other cars that appear in the movie.

• LG released a limited edition version of the Versa phone that came inscribed with the Decepticon logo and with exclusive movie content pre-loaded on the device. LG also created a movie-themed microsite that made you part of N.E.S.T which gave you access to games, downloads and other content you could add to your LG phone.

• Burger King acted as the film’s fast food partner, one of three movie promotions the chain is engaging in during the summer, all with Paramount. BK locations will include Transformers toys in their Kid’s meals and offer a new burger called the BBQ Double Stackiton for the duration of the promotion.

• Mars (chocolate bar), for its part, created displays and events at two New York locations that were exclusive with both the movie’s logo and Kmart’s.

• Bay (director) also did his part to fuel excitement for the IMAX release of the movie teasing that there would be additional footage in those prints that was not in the standard prints. Of course some of his claims that Optimus Prime would be “to scale” on IMAX screens.

• My movie, apart from having the 3D printed posters in the underground, and internet advertisement, the collaboration and cross-promotion will also be involved. For instance, the film can be advertised in various clothes brands, having logos or prints of the characters on the clothes items would spark people’s excitement. Interviews with the main actors will be released online talking about their filming journey .

Kids Happy meal at McDonalds

One of the Transformers poster

Do they specialise in a genre?• Similarly, to StudioCanal, the Paramount pictures do not specialise in

one particular genre. They make various action/ sci-fi movies, but also comedies, dramas and thrillers.’

Does the studio have a particular target audience?• The company targets an older age group being ages 12-15 which is an

older target audience compared to other production and distribution companies. Paramount Pictures has created movies such as Indiana Jones, G.I.Joe and Star Trek which are all around the 12 age rating movies and movies such as World War Z, Anchorman and Hansel and Gretel which are based around the 15 age rating movies.

Conclusion • I believe that the StudioCanal UK would make my film. Firstly, the

company is based in the UK, which will be more convenient, as all of the actors live in England. Moreover, my film has a small budget due to not famous actors or producers, thus studio like the Paramount Pictures would not benefit from making it. The StudioCanal is an experienced company that produced a handful of films that became world known, and amongst them few were thrillers. Additionally, the the studio has enough of money to market my film, in order to raise awareness and demand for the product. Therefore, due to its location and the small budget of my film, I believe that the StudioCanal would make my film.