Define film franchise
A series of films or multi-picture stories, often including some of the same characters from film to film
What is meant by a ‘blockbuster’ movie?
A major studio movie that’s made with a large budget, big stars and often involves a franchise
Explain who was involved in the production of Black widow
- Made by Marvel studios - a subsidiary of Disney.
- In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment for US$4 billion. Horizontal integration like this enables rich powerful companies to absorb or eliminate competition.
Absorbing Marvel studios means that Disney had rights to the Marvel characters and could continue making the film and making profits.
How does Disney eliminate competition?
Absorbing Marvel studios and other companies (e.g. Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm and Pixar) means that Disney has control over the brand and any images they like. Whenever they see the competition, they purchase those countries to make all the revenue and profit possible.
How did Marvel reach several industries?
Marvel is a diversified company, producing comics, books, tv programmes, animation, films, toys, and music.
Explain the budget of Black widow
US$200 million just for production
Means that approx same amount used for marketing and distribution
Makes it most expensive film Marvel ever made
Also, no full CGI characters like other Marvel films (e.g. Guardians of the galaxy) which makes budget even more expensive
Explain the context behind female empowerment, which lead to Black widow’s release
- David Hayter and Lionsgate brought the rights to Black widow in 2004. However, at the time, many large female-led films in the market didn’t do as well (e.g. Aeon Flux) which showed that the market wasn’t ready for that. They shelved the plans for Black widow until the rights of the film eventually reverted back to Marvel.
- In 2006-2007, there was a period of female empowerment in the media - me too campaign - which showed the huge amount of discrimination women face particularly in the film industry
- Many companies were looking around for films that prove their support for women, and Black widow was a great choice
Define conglomerate
Companies that own a range of smaller companies (called subsidiaries).
An example of this is Disney owning Marvel
Define vertical integration
Vertical integration is when one conglomerate owns different companies in the same chain of production.
E.g Disney owns film studios, CGI specialists, film distributors and TV channels such as the Disney Channel. This gives Disney the chance to make money at every stage of production. Complete ownership = more profit.
Define horizontal integration
Horizontal integration is when one company buys other companies at the same level of distribution.
E.g Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 (at a cost of $1 billion) so that they could cancel out the competition by making money from both. Horizontal integration allows companies to widen their audience and find other ways to make money.
Explain why it was a good idea to choose Scarlett Johansson as the protagonist in the film
Star power - many people were familiar with her from several previous marvel films, brings in key presold audience and would link film clearly to rest of marvel film universe
Shows that Marvel believes that women can lead and star a movie (me too campaign - people started to recognise the amount of discrimination women face in the workplace and especially in the film industry)
Why did Disney employ a female director for the movie?
Scarlett insisted that they do this to reflect the political and social context of female empowerment, so they employed Cate Shortland
How did Cate Shortland ensure to convey female empowerment?
She immediately started researching action movies with female lead characters and fight scenes (e.g. terminator, alien, Thelma and Louise.
How did the production of the movie show Disney’s power as a conglamorate?
Took 6 months to film the movie
Filmed in multiple locations around the world - Norway, Budapest, Morocco, Pinewood studios, Georgia (USA)
The huge budget allowed for massive stunt sequences involving cars, explosions, blue screen, CGI, wires (for illusion of fighting and jumping)
High budget allowed them to employ 188 stunt performers used to create the stunt sequences
What shows Disney’s power and wealth?
Film was shot mostly using 3x Sony Venice cameras at the same time, which allowed to capture big action scenes from multiple angles, makes it feel more action based
Being digital and an adaptable size means the cameras are easy to move around for stunt sequences to add effect
Director of cinematography said he had a ‘bus full’ of cameras and lights available on set, to choose best cameras and lenses required based on scenes
Some stunt sequences used even more technology to get shots of a car chase with 360 degree angles, so they hired a company called Cinesite to use 9 special cameras
Focus group liked chemistry between Mason and Natasha so Disney organised reshoots just for this
Company Digital domain hired to complete further effects such as clouds and explosions
Company Trixter hired to complete effects such as masks on chacters
300 people credited for cinematography
Over 1000 staff credited for effects
Purchase the right to use several recognisable songs in the film
How did Black widow sucessfully appeal to their target audience?
CGI is a great way to attract audiences who love big budget action scenes and effects
Purchase of several recognisable songs in the film to bring in audiences
160 person orchestra and 60 person choir to record original music
Using feedback from focus group to remove scene of Scarlett in her underwear
Focus group liked chemistry between Mason and Natasha so Disney organised reshoots just for this
Scarlett is attractive and brings in male audiences (male gaze)
How does the film use star power?
- Scarlett Johansson well known for appearances in other Marvel films
- Florence Pugh hired for great feedback from other films and well known in Britain
- David Harbour familiar to many audiences from Stranger things
- William Hurt (older)
Real range of both young and older globally recognised stars helps the film become more appealing
