I, Daniel Blake

Question 1

who is the director?

Answer 1

ken loach

Question 2

Who are the main actors (2)?

Answer 2

Dave Johns - Daniel Blake
Hayley Squires - Katie

Question 3

when was the film released?

Answer 3

2016

Question 4

what is the genre of the film?

Answer 4

social realism

Question 5

what age rating is the film and why?

Answer 5

15
single use of c word
frequent use of f word
use of milder terms like ‘bastard’, ‘bullshit, ‘wanker’, and ‘twats’
Other issues include visual and verbal references to prostitution

Question 6

explain the industry context of I, Daniel Blake

Answer 6

• film was classed as loach’s most successful
• loach was 80 at the time but the film proved he was still powerful with a sharp conscience
• was nominated for several BAFTAs and won Outstanding British film for 2017, and the Palme D’Or at Cannes film festival
• significant because it shocked its audiences and encouraged the need to social change in britain
• was supported by the BBC, the BFI and the National Lottery

Question 7

explain the financial context of I, Daniel Blake

Answer 7

• cost 5 million to make and returned over 13 million
• low budget
• low production values eg lighting, wardrobe, special effects, setting
• film on location in real settings
• the story and characters are credible (verisimilitude)
• real ppl working as actors
• no use of special effects
• no marketable soundtracks

Question 8

What is BBC Film?

Answer 8

A department of bbc which works in partnership with major international and uk distributors to make distinctive british films. They are committed to finding and developing new talent.

Question 9

What is BBC Film’s remit?

Answer 9

to support the production of s small number (roughly 12) of films each year; these have to be british and independent

Question 10

What is the BFI?

Answer 10

British film institute
A charity that uses money from the national lottery who aims to:
- support the next generation of uk storytellers
- to grow the BFI national archive
- to use their knowledge to educate and deepen public appreciation of film

Question 11

What is an independent film?

Answer 11

a privately financed film which is not controlled by a major film company, and is usually low budget

Question 12

how is the genre reflected in the trailer?

Answer 12

• not well known actors (some are political and social activists)
• loach is known for his social realism films e.g. cathy come home
• real people (public) involved in the filming
• real locations
• reviews and quotes “protest cry for common humanity” (sight and sound)
• accents
• normal everyday clothes
• no special effects
• normal hair and makeup

Question 13

How does the trailer show that it would be beneficial to watch the film?

Answer 13

• representations (normal looking characters representing us)
• quotes by well-known organisations
• the award at the beginning
• film appeals to left wing beliefs

Question 14

How does the trailer show the thematic content of the film?

Answer 14

health - pills, ‘heartattack’

he is the main character - very present in the trailer

benefit system - interview about health

looking for work - trouble at job centre

challenging the political situation - DB spray painting the wall and people cheering

Question 15

How does the trailer show the films success?

Answer 15

• Palme D’Or at the beginning
• reviews
• homeless man holding his arms up, and non-actors taking selfies with daniel blake

Question 16

who were the distributors for the film?

Answer 16

eOne

Question 17

How did eOne use a grassroots campaign to market the film?

Answer 17

film premiered in Newcastle instead of London

Question 18

How did eOne use disruptive display advertsing to market the film?

Answer 18

• the daily mirror changed the masthead (temporarily) to match the font if ‘I, Daniel Blake’
• ‘I Daniel Blake’ was displayed on the side of the houses of parliament

Question 19

How did eOne use guerrilla marketing?

Answer 19

• daniel graffitis the wall and people (not necessarily actors) watch and support him
• the actors protested outside the theatre at the london premier of the film
• ‘I Daniel Blake’ displayed on the side of houses of parliament

Question 20

Is it a horizontally or vertically integrated film? Why?

Answer 20

horizontally
the film company had to work with other companies involved with the films production, marketing and distribution

Question 21

what social issues are addressed in the film?

Answer 21

poverty, the welfare system, the work capability assessment

Question 22

Is the film left or right wing? why?

Answer 22

Left
Loach is notoriously left wing (other works such as Cathy Come Home convey similar issues)
Film criticises the current government and its welfare system which doesn’t help those in need

Question 23

how does curran and seaton’s power and media industries theory relate to the film?

Answer 23

challenges the theory as the trailer (and creators) were not primarily focused on power and profit, and instead were concerned about the social message of the trailer/film