what is marvel studios a subsidiary of
Disney - a conglomerate - one of the biggest film companies in the world
- Disney bought Marvel Studios in 2009 for 4 billion - example of horizontal integration
- this allowed Disney the rights to the marvel characters & could continue making the films & benefit from the profit
what was black widows production budget & how much was spent making the film in total
budget - 200 mil
production , marketing & distribution - 400 mil
why was CGI used in black widow
- cgi attracts mainstream audiences who enjoy big budget action sequences & effects
- easy to understand by a global audience - not restricted by the barrier of language
what was the problem with CGI in black widow
oppositional reading - some audiences complained online saying the CGI looked unrealistic & of poor quality
- proves that simply having a high budget & almost endless resources won’t always please audiences
why did it cost so much to make black widow
- 6 months to film - high cost
- filmed in many locations - Norway , Budapest , Morocco , England & USA - expensive to fly an entire film crew around the world , something which can only be accomplished by large companies
- many stunt performers & massive stunt sequences involving explosions , multiple car chases
what is the significance of Scarlett Johansson to the film
- star power - helped marvel secure investment , secure distribution & garner media attention
- Disney wanted her to star in the film due to her playing the role of NR in previous Marvel films
- Johansson therefore had a lot of power over Disney & requested they find a female director for the film to reflect the political & social context of female empowerment
who directed black widow
Cate shortland
how is Disney vertically integrated
able to produce , market & distribute their films themselves
why were the cast of BW chosen
- range of both older & younger audiences recognisable stars appeals to a wider audience
- SJ - very well known actress
- FP - attracts a British audience due to her nationality , fans of her previous work - hired due to previous positive reviews for her performance
- DH - familiar for many audiences from ‘Stranger Things’
- Rachel Weisz, William Hurt & Ray Winstone recognisable for an older audience
where was BW announced
- 2019 comic con - effective way of targeting a mainstream audience & Marvel fan base who attend & are interested in this event
what was the new marketing Disney produced to promote the postponed release of BW
- new trailers posted on YT - also a 30 sec trailer in the Super Bowl half time - cost 5.6 MIL - target mainstreamers
- cast did multiple interviews & in magazines to target more traditional audiences e.g Jimmy Kimmel Live
- merchandise - funko pops , black widow dolls
- BMW campaign deal - company’s cars executing some of the film stunts
why is it easy for Disney to strike deals with other companies to create merchandise
- they are a global conglomerate that have a lot of power , money & a well known brand image + reputation
how are films typically released
- theatrical release in cinemas first , before being released on DVD & in digital download 6 months later
how was BW released
- Disney released the film in cinemas & on their streaming platform ‘Disney+’ simultaneously, which was very unusual - another example of vertical integration ( can distribute / exhibit their own movies )
- Disney+ customers had to pay an additional fee for ‘Premium access’ to watch BW - 30 dollars
why was BW released differently to most films
due to impact of COVID -19
- COVID meant that many cinemas were still closed & many people were reluctant to the cinemas that were open
what was the advantage of Disney releasing BW in cinemas & Disney+ simultaneously
- helped reduce number of people pirating the film
- also allowed people in places where cinemas weren’t open to see the film
what was the controversy around BW’s simultaneous release
- SJ sued disney over simultaneously releasing the film in cinemas & on a streaming service , claiming it was not in her contract
- she was expecting a lot of extra pay from her percentage of the box office revenue as stated in her contract - disney deprived her of potential earnings
what formats were BW released in
- disney have the power & money to have huge releases with wide distribution
- distributed in expensive formats which are costly to film / shoot e.g IMAX, 3D, 4DX , ScreenX
was BW a Financial success
- film did not reach the same success as other marvel films
- film only made 379 mil in its box office opening weekend
how many countries was BW released in
59 - appeals to a worldwide audience
black widows release demonstrates …
Some of the contextual problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the film industry
I Daniel Blake success
- critical success & award winner ( including renowned palm D’or from Cannes film festival
who directed I Daniel Blake & why was this important
ken loach - star power
- made many successful films in social realism genre - won Palme D’or twice
- was the unique selling point of the film not the cast - his name repeatedly appeared on the films posters, trailers & other forms of marketing
- brought a pre-sold audience to I, Daniel blaue since he was a well known director before the films release
- his films reflect his own political views - critical conservative gov & how their policies affect working class Britain - his pro labour views are evident in the film & its marketing
what companies are involved in making I Daniel Blake
production :
- sixteen films - KL’s company
- why not productions - French company who wanted to partner with 16 films because the specifically liked KL’s films - social realism films particularly popular in France
Distribution & marketing :
- eOne - were needed because neither of the production companies above are vertically integrated so the could not market + distribute the film alone
Funding : film needed funding to go ahead
- BBC films
- BFI
