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

Technological convergence is important for audiences because it allows them to consume films in different ways. A way in which audiences can consume films is through internet TV's. The amount of people that are signed up to Netflix are 29.2 million with 7.1 million being international. Due to the large amount of subscribers it shows just how important technological convergence is.14% of the subscribers to Netflix watch by connecting their computer to the TV. 50% of people will watch films via video game consoles and 6% watch films through their phones. 42% of people use their computers to stream and watch films.  The number of hours that subscribers will watch streamed videos on hi-speed internet is 2 billion. There are 58 Netflix distribution centres with 35% making up all disc renting spending for Netflix snail-mail. Technological convergence has allowed audiences to watch films on the go.  Lovefilm is also a provider of dvd by mail and online streaming which has 2 million subscribers showing that a large amount of people tend to stream. It allows people to watch instantly through their TV, Ipad, laptop, Xbox and PS3.

Web 2.0 & The Worlds End

Facebook
The Worlds End facebook page has 217,502 likes.  The films Facebook site uses a variety of different techniques to target the audience for example it constantly promotes the film through posting about the box set of the three cornettos triology to persuade people to buy it and by seeing the other two films again it will refresh their memory and this may make them want to watch the third film.  Tickets for the premier of the film were also available to win by following the twitter page which allows the Worlds End to get more followers so that fans can keep up to date with the film. It also includes a countdown which would have got fans excited to the release of the film.  The Facebook page also included the soundtrack of the film which fans can download. Facebook allows the the film to be marketed  through images and videos which also gives fans the chance to comment their opinions to get involved with the film and things such as the soundtrack allows fans to connect with the film. It advertises competitions aswell so that fans can become involved with the film in an interesting and fun way.  On the Facebook page it also contains links to the website through encourages people to make their own pub sign which allows fans to again interact with the film and once they are on the website they would want to look at other things that are featured on it such as videos, photos and read more about the characters which promotes the film.

Twitter

The Worlds End has a twitter account which has 10k followers. Twitter is good for allowing fans to connect and get involved with the film as they can tweet the actors, writers, directors which therefore promotes the film. Peoples tweets also get retweeted onto the page for the followers to see.  It also includes images and constantly keeps fans up to date with the film and competitions. It promotes the film through the competitions as it is a fun way for the fans to interact. It also allows people to tweet their opinions on the film and soundtrack to others.  There is also a Golden Mile twitter account which has just over 1,000 followers. The was used to for a competition to allow the winners to view the worlds end at its premier. This promotes the film as it allows the winners to view the film before anyone else and if they enjoy the film they are likely to encourage other people to go and watch it.

Tumblr 

The tumblr page allows viewers to images, short clips and fan work which are linked to all the films in the Cornetto Triology in an interesting way. Many young people use tumblr so are most likely to take an interest in the page. By fans art being posted on the tumblr page it allows them to interact with the film.

I personally don't connect with films using social networking sites. I usually see a trailer on TV and if I like the look of it or I have seen the other films within the trilogy and enjoyed it then I will go and watch the film rather than keeping up to date and commenting my opinions on social networking sites as it doesn't interest me.

Sightseers

Techniques used to target audiences.

Trailer:

The trailer allows the audience to see what the film is about showing parts of the film. This allows the audience to see if they want to go and actually watch the film depending on whether they think it appeals to them.

There are interactions such as create your own pub sign to get the audience to interact with the film in a fun and interesting way. They can also create there own beer mat. This targets younger people as they are they are the ones most likely to want to create things.

Pictures of the characters allow the audience to find out more about the characters before going to see the film.  There are images of each actor which includes text and each of the images are fun and interesting. On the Focus Features website there is more to read on the actors and their characters. This allows the audience to get to know more about the actors staring in the film.

There are reviews from the Los Angeles Times and Washington post for people who are going to watch the film.  This allows the audience to see other peoples opinions of the film to see if it is worth watching. 

There is a social stream where things people have posted to do with the trilogy are shown for the audience to see. As its showed it gets the film to become more well known and we can interact with stars and other fans of the film. (web 2.0 sites).

A photo gallery showing some of the best parts of the film are shown to attract people into watching the film as they get an insight into it.  

There are clips from the film that enable the audience to look at parts of the film and to see the premiere of the film. Fans of any of the actors starred in the film can watch them in the clips. It also allows people to see behind the scenes of the film as Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have a done a short clip on it and they can also find out more about the characters. 

http://www.focusfeatures.com/the_worlds_end/videos

Here is a virtual pub crawl with a chance to watch an early screening of The Worlds End if you collect the 12 different signs. This allows the audience to interact with the film. It also allows the audience to find where the nicknames of the stars came from- the 12 pubs. There is a different website for each of the pubs featured in the movie.  The audience are encouraged to follow the Golden Mile twitter page which allows the audience to keep up to date with the Golden Mile and allows anyone taking part to get the location of the 12 limited Golden Mile trading cards dispersed throughout. By encouraging people to follow their twitter page and doing a virtual pub crawl it publicises the film.

The Worlds End Discussion Questions

Why did Universal and Working Title green-light the film?
The Worlds End is part of a trilogy of other films that have been successful and made a lot of money. Actors have been used that have an international appeal for example Simon Pegg.


How far does the film illustrate wider patterns/trends with the film industry?
There are lots of trilogies such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter and so this shows a pattern in the film industry. The actors have been kept the same throughout the films.

The Worlds End

Producers

• Tim Bevan co-founded Working Title Films In London
• The Guru, Love Actually, Bridget Jones Diary, Nanny Mcphee, Wild Child, The Worlds End, Paul, Les Miserables, HotFuzz, About Time, Mr Beans Holiday and Atonement are among the more then 40 films  where he was producer or executive producer. 
• Films he has co produced has grossed a total of almost $4 billion worldwide. 
• Co producer of west end musical Billy Elliot
• Executive producer for TV series such as True Love  and The Tudors 

As he has produced many successful films people may want to go and watch films he has produced. 

Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Question 4

Write a paragraph about why you feel Working title are Britains most successful Production Company.

I feel that Working Title are Britain's most successful Production company because they are owned by Universal who are a well known brand with a large business that targets an international market producing successful films and so Working Title have a large budget of $35 million.Universal are a Global Distribution company. Universals parent company Concast is a global conglomerate with huge budgets. Working Title has an establishment in the UK and US. They have different teams such as a creative team, books team and so they don't have to get distribution rights. Working Titles slate is 4-5 per year  and they include 1 risk free film, 2 mainstream films and 2 projects they feel passionate about which have risk factors. 

Working title minimises risks by mainly producing romantic comedy films which are safe making them marketable and this is how they have created a brand. They also use well known actors which appeal to a large mainstream target audience.  Working Title also have a large market-place. 

2013 films

1 risk free film:Rush

2 Mainstream films: Romantic Comedy are the most typical genre of film produced by Working Title

• I Give It a Year
• About Time

2 Projects they feel passionate about which have risk factors:

• The Worlds End
• Closed Circuit

The Worlds End
Closed Circuit
About Time
Rush
I Give it a Year

Working title

Overview/introduction of the company:key dates and people

• founded in 1984 by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe
• £500,000 investment in My Beautiful Launderette (first of a series of collaborations with Channel Four Films)
• Production deal in 1988 with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
• in 1991 Working Title set up a HollyWood office developing production deals with Tim Robbins  (Bob Roberts, UK/USA, 1992 and Dead Man Walking) and The Coen Brothers.
• 1992:Polygram buys Working Title and Sarah leaves to set up her own production company. She gets replaced by the American producer Eric Fellner
• 1998: Polygram gets bought by Universal (Seagram company)
• 2000: Seagram gets bought by Vivendi (French Multimedia Conglomerate) Working Title is now owned by Universal which in turn is owned by Vivendi.
• deal with Universal allows Working Title to greenlight films up to $35m
• WT2(low budget, filmmaking arm) was set up to encourage new British filmmakers. One of the first films was Billy Elliot.
• Universal has owned Working Title for 16 years

What genre of films does the company produce?

• Les Miserables- Romance/History
• I Give it a Year- Comedy 
• Paul-Comedy
• Love Actually-Romantic Comedy
• Johnny English- Comedy
• Mr Beans Holiday- Comedy
• About Time- Romance
• Nanny Mcphee and The Big Bang-Family

Using exam board prompt questions

The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences by international or global institutions.

• Warp targeted British audiences by using British actors and British settings.
• The problems Warp has faced in an industry dominated by US films is that they only had a small budget.
• The British are used to watching US films rather then British films so therefore they may not want to go and watch Warp films.
• They may struggle to get the film distributed due to distributers being unsure of it being successful and they may have other films which they would rather distribute that are guaranteed success. 
• As the film has a niche audience its risky

British Independent film industry: Submarine and Warp

Warpfilms

1. Background/history of the company. What box office successes has the company had?

• Warpfilms is based in Sheffield and London
• Independent film company
• Office In Melbourne, Australia
• Established by Warp Records founding partners Rob Mitchell and Steve Beckett
• Initially created with financial support from NESTA (national endowment for science, technology and arts)
• First film- Chris Norris-My Wrongs shot in 2002 won the award for best short film at the 2003 BAFTA awards, it also won the southbank award for best film.
• Nominated for 8 British Independent film awards
• Four Lions was a critical and box office success achieving impressive numbers on its first opening weekend. 
• Four Lions generated the highest site average of all the new releases. 
• Made a total of £609,000
• 8 August 2010 Four Lions grossed £2,932,366.

How the company is structured?

• Warp films is a parent company to Warp X and so Warp X is a subsidiary.
• Warp X films:Tyrannosaur, For those in Peril, She,A Chinese. 
• Warp X has budgets between £400,000 and £800,000.
• synergy with warp records
• collaboration with Pathe

What genre of films does it produce? How are these targeting a British audience?

• Genre-comedy, drama
• Warpfilms:Bunny and the Bull, Donkey Punch, This is England 86, Paradise Lost, Hush, Four Lions. 
• They target a British audience by using British actors in British settings.
• Warp films targets a range of audiences through its films.