November to February: awards season
Small cinemas wish they could be spead out as they only have (for example) two screens and only get to do few screenings of big blockbuster films
DISTRIBUTION:
Essential to connect every new film with the largest possible audience
Film business is product driven, films themselves are the main reason why we buy tickets
Audience has a desire for great stories on screens
Consumers call the shots
RELEASE CHAINS:
Films are released in many formats to ensure they maximise their potential to reach a wide an audience as possible, as often as possible to achieve the greatest profits
Commerical value defined at this stage, affects release on future platforms
Theatrical launch in cinema comes first
Home entertainment release bluray, DVD, legal download
Pay per view subscription TV
Free to air TV then repeats
Distributor, producer and exhibiton will take their cut of profits
£3.50 extra a month for Sky Go to download films
SYNERGY:
Synergy is a term used to describe a situation where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. Simply defined, it means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
For example: Disney: HSM CD, outlets, DVD and game
Anchorman 2, Will Ferrel dressed up as Rob Burgandy and stayed in role for press conferences
SYMBIOSIS:
Different companies work together to promote a range of related products e.g. happy meals. A percentage of the profits go to the distributor
Walt Disney pioneered symbosis in 1930s
TECHNOLOGICAL CONVERGENCE
Convergence is a process by which a range of media platforms are intergrated within a single piece of media technology
For example: Xbox 360 is a games console, DVD player and internet modern
iPhone is a phone, camera, video camera, mp3 player etc.