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?
1. Yes – there are a handful of media conglomerates that dominate the film business in the UK. Vertical integration allows a company like SONY to dominate all stages – production, marketing, distribution, exhibition – give some explanation of Sony’s development and don’t miss out the link with Columbia…
2. How can smaller companies fight back? Use Celador and Slumdog to explain – look at the deals made to get the film made and distributed and marketed. Look at its deal with Fox and how Fox promoted it on its website. Look at its use of social networking sites and viral marketing.
3. See how the film was crafted to appeal to as large an audience as possible (storyline, cast, crew, deal with Celador etc...) including the vast and largely untapped (by Hollywood) Asian audience.
4. How was Slumdog released to gain the widest audience possible?
5. Danger – these companies almost have a monopoly and the ability to squeeze out small companies. Larger companies can write off the odd loss or bankroll films aimed at a niche audience too because their other films and other aspects of the business are so profitable whereas smaller companies can go bankrupt, unless their product is created astutely or they can make deals with major companies, even, in the case of Working Title, becoming part of a larger US company and having links with the French company Canal Plus. However, smaller British regional films without the appeal to a huge audience will be tougher to make. How does Amber survive?
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