Initial Research, Star Wars Episode III

Prezi For DOMINION

Understand The Nature And Purpose Of Research In The Creative Media Industries

Introduction

In this blog post I will be explaining the different types of research that is required in either pre-production or marketing and distributing a film. It could also be used in all aspects of creative media production and is the essential starting point for productions of any scale. It can be used to determine the financial viability of a future production, to gather a range of information relevant to the content of the production, or to assist with the planning of technical and logistical requirements.

Companies, also in the media, which conduct extensive research, use a range of sophisticated methods to gather data about audiences consumption of media products and services. This has become increasingly necessary in the highly mixed and competitive environment that media industries operate in.

Some people who are searching for a job which requires research skills might consider employment in a research agency, or in radio, TV or film, whilst a knowledge and understanding of research techniques is vital in a number of roles in advertising and marketing, as said before. They are also, of course, important in journalism. However, some ability to undertake research is essential for anyone working in the media industries.

Types / Methods Of Research

Primary Research / Self-generated Research

The definition of primary research is, research conducted by 'you' and can be conducted in many ways. One way that a person can collect their own data is through questionnaires. By asking open and closed questions (which will be explained further through the post) can give a person a collection of information which they can then conduct into a graph. Graphs can only be created through 'closed' questions.

Questionnaires and online surveys can be found mostly on the Internet as it is a way to expand the collection of answers and are also easy to access. One or more questions can  be found on participating forums at which participants find answer to questions around a certain subject. One example could be the World Of Warcraft gaming forums at which online players find solutions or answers to any problems or questions they have. Questions and solutions can be created by the public or by the company.

Interviews can also be a good way to collect Primary Research and could be most effective as the person you are asking are present and are face-to-face. Through interviews closed and open questions can be asked as well as any questions that the interviewee might have.

Observation or test screenings are another way of primary research at which certain critics or a selection of people with certain interests watch a film by the producers and in return the producer will have a collection of comments by the critics and can be used to improve any parts of a film before release. Test screenings or observations can also be adapted to other things like marketing plans.

Another way of collecting Primary Research could be through focus groups or audience panels. This is where a group of people either with knowledge of a certain subject, or a group of random people, sit down and listen to another person give their ideas on either their own creation or another person's creation. This gives the opportunity for improvement on any ideas that are given

When it came to my project for creating a new marketing and distributing plan, the types of Primary Research I used were questionnaires, online surveys and I also created a posters analysis to help me with my research on the film I was investigating. When proceeding with are poster analysis we used a method called semi-logical analysis. This is finding a meaning from features that are present in a poster. For example the colour red on a poster could suggest evil or blood, however this depends on the portraying genre. 

Secondary Research

Another type of research would be secondary research which is conducting research that is originally from another source. Ways at which this can be done is through searching on the Internet (Google), searching through archive files, in books, reading articles / magazines, watching TV or looking up videos on video sharing websites (YouTube).


YouTube could be used to look up interviews that other people have organised which is a great example of secondary research. Searching through archives could either be video, written or photo base information at which permission may be required.

When it came to our project we used the Internet to search up facts and figures and information about a film that didn't do well at the box office. Websites that we used were IMDB and Box Office Mojo. These websites help us conduct our research and are a great example of secondary research. Also when conducting research on a marketing and distribution plan we extracted information from the Film Distribution Association (FDA).

If a person wanted to find information on how many people watch BBC programmes or listen to KissFM then the websites they would use would be BARB (Broadcaster's Audience Research Board) and RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research). These are government statistics . After they have collected their research they would then (depending on what results were collected) place the results into a graph to be used in their own project.

Quantitative Research

Another type of research is quantitative research. This is the results in data that is displayed numerically. For example if a questionnaire was a questionnaire that only involved yes and no questions (closed questions), then the results will be in numbers. The results will then be analysed into a graph (for example). Examples of websites that have quantitative data would be Box Office Mojo and IMDB. These websites show circulation figures of how much a film has made, in what countries, and at what period of time it made a gross. Quantitative research can also be used in other things besides the media industry.

When it came to our project we used quantitative research on our surveys and our questionnaires. We did this so that the results could help us create a new poster (as the questionnaire was on a poster that was presented to the audience).

This is an example of a quantitative question from one of my questionnaires. As you can see the question was 'How Old Are You?' (Yes or No question), and the results I got were in numbers, (for example 67% of people were 10 - 20 years of age). Also the results are presented in a graph.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is a little different to quantitative research as it involves more than a yes and no questions (for example). Qualitative research is when additional information like comments are given rather than, as said, a yes or no (this is known as open questions). This is commonly used in questionnaires as it can help when it comes to the analysis process. If a person wanted know why do people like Comedy (genre) then they would set out a question that would ask that. This person would then get a selection of comments to use in their analysis.

Qualitative research can also be used in interviews and focus groups. In interviews and focus groups, mostly open questions are asked so that enough information is given. Also as seen in all interviews the interviewee rarely says yes and no to an open question, instead they would usually give an opinion or more information about the question asked. This could also apply to film interviews, and can be used for semi-logical analysis. In focus groups qualitative research is needed so that the topic being discussed can be assessed and if needed, improved. As said before this can be used in other things besides the media industry.

Test screenings are also another form of qualitative research, as in test screenings comments are given after the film, which producers and directors can use as an opportunity for improvement.

In our project we used a little bit of qualitative research. We used them in our questionnaires which has had a variety of Quantitative and Qualitative questions and results (open and closed questions).

This is an example of a qualitative question from one of my questionnaires. As you can see the results I got back from the questions were full sentence answers. This helped me get a clearer understanding on what they thought of the poster. This is one of the good ways to obtain qualitative research.

 

 

 

 

 

Data Gathering Agencies

Data Gathering Agencies, are agencies that collect information for either themselves or other companies. Here are some examples and links of Data Gathering Agencies:

• RAJAR - This agency is the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK. It is jointly owned by the BBC and the RadioCentre on behalf of the commercial sector. The way they collected their data is through surveys. They use a seven-day listening diary Approximately 110,000 adults 15+ are asked to fill one out over 50 weeks of the year. 

• Ofcom - Ofcom are a communication regulator. They ensure that the UK has a wide range of electronic communication services, including things like high-speed services such as broadband. They also ensure others legal duties like provide TV and radio, ensure that people watching TV or listening to radio are protected, that TV and radio are provided by a range of different organisations, and that a universal postal service is provided in the UK. There are some more legal duties and things they 'do not do', on their website. 

• BARB - This agency is the official source of television viewing figures in the UK. They continually develop new ways of measuring what one person and the rest of the UK are watching. BARB viewing data give broadcasters, advertisers and other interested parties a minute by minute breakdown of viewing at regional and national levels. It is vital information in assessing how programmes, channels or advertising campaigns have performed and provides the basis for airtime advertising trading. In order to estimate viewing patterns across all TV households, a carefully selected panel of private homes is recruited. In ever panel household, all television viewing is monitored automatically by special metering equipment installed by Kantar Media. Included in this process is viewing of recorded programmes that are watched within seven days of the original broadcast; this is referred to as time shift viewing. Viewing figures are then sent to the TV industry at 9:30am everyday.

• IMDB - The way IMDB collect their data is through other sources. In 2006, they introduced its "Résumé Subscription Service", where actors and crew can post their own information (like photos) for a yearly fee. IMDB also offers a rating scale that allows users to rate films on a scale of one to ten.

Purpose Of Research

Audience And Market Research

One of the purposes of research is finding out about your audience and the market. One of the challenges that come from releasing a film (for example) is competition. Films that are released around the same time compete with each other and can decide if a film makes profit or not. For example if a big blockbuster like the Twilight Saga, is released the same time as a specialized film like Senna, then Twilight has more of a chance to over throw Senna as the previous Twilight films have been a huge hit so they already have a large audience.



So, how does research fit in to this? Well, this purpose of research is there to help distributors decide when to release a film or when to market a film. By researching on films that will be released around a certain time, can change a distributor's mind on the release of a film. This in favor could increase the chances of the film making profit as they may decide to release when no big blockbusters are being shown at the same time.

Gathering audience data could also help the the distributor and the producer in many ways. Obtaining information on how many 'groups' of different people live in a certain area and what certain films would appeal to them, can increase the chances of a film making profit. For example, the group 'Goths' would probably enjoy films with gore or death, so if a certain area has a dominant number of Goth groups, then releasing the film with gore or death, in that area, would be wise.

Part of marketing a film is finding out what people's tastes and likes are. It's all about supply and demand. This part of research is done through market trends. This involves things like questionnaires of what people enjoy and can also apply to test screenings. Once a first draft of a film is finished, it is shown to an audience that would apply to the film's genre. After the film is finished, questionnaires are given to see if any improvements can be made. After that a small number of people stay behind for a focus group for a more in depth look at the film's 'likes and dislikes'. When the studios look at the results from the questionnaires and the focus groups, they may decide to change parts of the film or re-shoot a whole entire scene.

http://www.launchingfilms.tv/marketing.php?video=6&autostart=1


Categorizing different types of groups or audiences is also know as audience profiling  This is put in to two sections, Demographic and Psychographic. Demographic is the statistical characteristics of a population. An  example of this would be, 'How many 13-18 year old  like Comedy films?'. This type of research focuses around a specific group and gives the results in numeric values and can be used for marketing methods.

Psychographic is the study of personality, values, attitudes, interests and lifestyles. Because it focuses on interests, activities and opinions, Psychographic factors are also called I.A.O variables. Some Demographic factors can be involved, like gender and age. With Psychographic audience profiling, interests can change over time and this is why researching what interests people have can be a key value that can help with marketing and distributing. This picture gives and example Psychographic values.

Geo-demographic is also another type of audience profiling and focuses around where a group of people or individual states i.e where they situate. This can help where to distribute and market a film and as said before can increase the chances of a film making profit.

When it came to our project, we made sure that our questionnaires and surveys had some audience profiling involved in them. For example we asked questions that specifically asked what genre of film people liked, and this ranged around different ages. This in favor helped us with completing our marketing and distribution plan.

Production Research

Production research is vital when it comes to marketing and distributing, as the methods used must match as closely to the film as possible, so that the public are not disappointed when they go and see the film. Also the distributors must decide weather the film needs loads of marketing spent on it. Again this can conclude if a film makes profit or not. For example, if a film was portraying a Horror genre and the film was actually a Comedy, then it can get bad reviews as Horror fans are disappointed, and Comedy fans won't watch it as they think the film is a Horror, in both ways the film loses profit.

Production Research could also apply to pre-production when a producer and director goes scouting locations for a film. When it comes to the marketing and distribution plan, production research is needed so that, as said before, the film is not portrayed in the wrong way from what it was meant to be. Researching on other films that have failed or succeeded in the box office is a great example of production research, and is what we used in our own project when finding facts and figures.


Providing content for the product is also a great example of production research as movie clips and movie stills may be needed for marketing methods like posters or trailers. These could either be teasers or main posters and trailers. 

Assessing Research Data

In assessing research data, it is split into three categories; these are Validity, Reliability and Representativeness and Generalisability. Validity is quite simple when it is put into a certain process or object. The definition of validity is in general 'keeping everything the same'. For example in our project we created questionnaires that were given out to 10 or more people. The questions that we asked had to be the same on each questionnaire given out, so that the results given back, were valid.

The problem with keeping the questions valid, was that some people that took the questionnaire or surveys, might just of rushed through it, making the results false. This can affect things, for example, the distribution plan that we had to create, as the results that were given, may not improve the chances of the film making profit. Figures that are rounded are also a way of keeping results valid but in some ways can be risky.

Reliability is about getting results that would be reliable in your own project and would you help improve or proceed in anything the project may involve. For example in our questionnaires and surveys, we made sure that we gave out at least 10 so that the results were reliable, and would help us in creating our distribution and marketing plan.

Generalisability means can the results of the research be applied more generally and more widely than the study itself or are they only relevant to the specific context of study? For example if in my questionnaires and surveys, I asked how many teenagers liked Romance, I could go further and asked how many female teenagers like Romance to make the results more generalisable.

Representativeness research or sampling is a type of statistical sampling in which a researcher attempts to select individuals which are Representatives of a larger population. Researchers gather more data from a small group and try to extrapolate the results to make generalisations about a larger group. For example I asked a small group of teenagers about a poster, one from the original creator and one remade by me, and asked them on their opinions about it by giving out questionnaires and creating surveys. The small group that were representatives were teenagers and that would then expand the generalisation of the larger teenage group.

References

http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/images/2012/07/jugar-world-of-warcraft.jpg  

http://blog.bjdgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Deal-done-_000003176376Large-small1.jpg

http://www.floodlightsurveys.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/FocusGroup.gif

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychographic 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Validity_(statistics)

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-representative-sampling.htm

http://www.collemergencymed.ac.uk/CEM/Research/technical_guide/validgen.htm

http://www.collemergencymed.ac.uk/CEM/Research/technical_guide/validgen.htm

http://www.slideshare.net/mroper/research-techniques-in-the-media-industry

http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/diasporas/files/diasporas/imagecache/zoom/Special%20Issue%20of%20Historical%20Journal%20of%20Film,%20Radio%20and%20Television.jpg

http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEyLzEyLzA0LzEzL3lvdXR1YmV0aGVzLmJSai5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk5NTB4NTM0IwplCWpwZw/42783b3b/0f7/youtube-the-secret-ingredient-for-job-recruitment-infographic--501ecffedf.jpg

http://rack.2.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEyLzEyLzAzL2U0L3NlZWhvd3lvdXJnLjlyMS5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk5NTB4NTM0IwplCWpwZw/8fec6ce4/e71/see-how-your-google-results-measure-up-with-google-grader-video--6b8bbb4b41.jpg

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMjAzOTcxMDA2Nl5BMl5BcG5nXkFtZTcwMTc1MzIzOA@@._V1_.png

http://www.lvqresearch.com/clientUploads/LVQResearch/uploads/radEditor/images/Qualitative.jpg

http://www.badhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/TwiBooks1.jpg

http://jetcracker.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/goth-makeup1.jpg

http://rack.3.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEyLzEyLzA0L2Q2L1BzeWNob2dyYXBoLmFBNS5wbmc/b0a16bd0/6cf/Psychographics_Are_More_Detailed_Than_Demographics-640.png

http://nerdbastards.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/movie-trailers.png

http://www.validrecords.com/images/home/valid-records.gif

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Movie_Database

http://www.launchingfilms.tv/marketing.php?video=6&autostart=1

Compare and Contrast On Questionnaires

Introduction

In this post I will be comparing and contrasting my results from the two different questionnaires on the film 'DOMINION'. I gave out the same amount of questionnaires (10) but both had a different poster, one made by the original creator, and the other by myself. This is helpful for my research, as it can help me identify the things that could of made the film 'bomb'.

 

 

QUESTION 1

 

In this question it doesn't really help me loads on how to make 'DOMINION' successful, however it shows on which age group of people I gave both types of questionnaires to. As you can see from the two results, I asked mostly 10-20 age group because that age group was most common in the location where I handed out the questionnaires (college).

 



Original Questionnaire

New Questionnaire

 

QUESTION 2

 

From looking at these two graphs, I have roughly gathered the same results. I made sure of this so that I could get a wider field into what 'DOMINION's target audience was going to be. From looking at these graphs and seeing the film I think the film is mainly aimed at the men. 

 

 Original Questionnaire

New Questionnaire

QUESTION 3

 

 In this section of my questionnaires they were two different types of questions but both helped me realise what genres of films people like and what genre they think 'DOMINION' is. Comparing these two results helped me design my poster into what I was trying to portray (e.g genre).

 

Original Questionnaire

New Questionnaire

 QUESTION 4

 

In both of these results, most people hadn't seen the film 'DOMINION' which is probably because of the way it was marketed. However in the new questionnaire, there was one person that did see the film, and they quoted that it was "garbage".

 

Original Questionnaire

New Questionnaire

QUESTION 5

 

From looking at the two results, we can see that more people seem to go to the cinema either once every month or once every 3 months. Some people said other to this question. This was mostly the same in the original and new questionnaire.

 

Original Questionnaire 

New Questionnaire

QUESTION 6

 

From looking at these results, we can see that the new design of the poster has attracted more people to go and see the film. This is because I made sure that, when designing my new poster, I looked at my results from the original questionnaire and Incorporated what was needed so that the poster was more attractive.

 

Original Questionnaire

New Questionnaire

Quotes From 'Open Questions'

 

NEW QUESTIONNAIRE

Question 4:

" was 'garbage' (let down by links to the Exorcist - which I loved - and not getting similar".

 

Question What Films Do You Like?:

 

Ted - Comedy

Run Fat Boy Run - Comedy

Alvin And The Chipmunks

Hangover - Comedy

 

Question 6:

"Doesn't look good" (10-20 Female)

"Doesn't seem like my film" (10-20 Female)

"Looks interesting" (10-20 Female)

"Looks entertaining, worth the money as the poster well presented" (10-20 Male)

"Not the type of film I would like" (10-20 Female)

"Don't like horror" (10-20 Male)

"Looks frightening and not my type of film" (10-20 Female)

"Monster on poster well designed and colour" (10-20 Male)

"Looks awesome"

"Looks like a good movie, with some good scare's set in a new environment"

"Looks thrilling!"

"Don't like horrors"

"I like Paul Schrader and Stellan Skarsgard" (21-30 Female)

 

ORIGINAL QUESTIONNAIRE

 

Question What Films Do You Like?

 

"Lion King" - Animated

"Jackass 3.5" - Doc

"Prometheus"

'Independent / non-Hollywood films'

'Funny Movies'

"Young Guns" - Historical/ Comedy

"The Shining" - Horror

"Shaw Shank Redemption" - Crime / Drama

'Action /  Thriller'

'Films based on Books'

 

Question Would You Go And See DOMINION?

 

"Appears religious"

"Looks religious"

"Doesn't appeal interest 'not my thing'"

"Looks weird and it doesn't have much colour"

"Maybe as the 'Exorcist' was a good film, however sequel was rubbish"

"Wait until it came out on DVD"

"Don't like the horror genre and wern't keen on the Exorcist"

"Didn't like the Exorcist" X2

"Because it's a prequel"

"Doesn't look appealing"

"I liked the original, poster is stylish"

 

New Questionnaire Analysis (Graphs and Charts)

Link To New 'DOMINION' Questionnaire

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SR2CJ6R

Key Marketing Ideas, Based On 'DOMINION'

Paper Version Of Questionnaire Analysis

Here is the analysis of my questionnaire that has the multiple answer results and the written comment results.

The Role Of The Distributor

Introduction

In this Blog post I will be explaining the role of the distributor and how they decide when a film will be release, when and what marketing will be needed so that the film being promoted has as much publicity as it can, but making sure that the marketing is kept 'efficient'.

Distribution Plan

Every film has its own 'tailor-made' Distribution Plan. Distributors work close with the producers and the studios, and decide what would be the best time to release a film, depending on what the film's genre is and how the age of the film affects what audiences would be available at that certain times in the year. Deciding when a film would be released and how to release it is the most important strategic decision a distributor must make. This is important because the decisions made could decrease or optimize the chances of a film gaining profit. The decisions made are through the distributors' Market Knowledge, Statistical Research, Commercial Experience and Professional Judgement. The distributor gauge the audience for each film and set clear targets for the release.

The main things a distributor should consider, in order to optimize the films profit, are:

'Who can be convinced to buy a cinema ticket to see it and why should they do so? Can the film be positioned within a popular, recognizable genre? What sort of audiences have similar films attracted recently? When were they released?'

A distributor must also:

• Estimate how much a film will earn.
• Prepare a marketing budget to release it.
• Keep the business plan to recoup the cost and make profit.

Launching films however can be expensive, and audiences have so many choices when they go to the cinema. Most films don't make profit on their theatrical runs alone. 'Conventional Wisdom' would not benefit a new release because ideas may not work as well as it did for other distributors.

Scripts and discussion with the filmmakers are early information that a distributor can glean on so that they have a small idea on what the film is about so that it can give them a guideline to how they are going to distribute the film. This is a one-off and is individually planned given under current circumstances. A final distribution plan may only be announced complete when the finished film is available to view.

The RISKS at which a distributor should be aware of are:

• Audiences take a notoriously, unpredictable choice. This means nobody knows what will make a hit, when or where.
• Notwithstanding the best made plans, Cinema goers discover particular films they like or dislike when the film is released.
• TEST SCREENINGS are created in the marketing campaigns and a questionnaire is given out after the screening which makes the distributor more confident of the expected audience or box office prospects.
• Distributors know that they can't entice a person into a film that they have no interest in.
• Because a previous 'Genre' film did well in the past, doesn't guarantee that the same genre, of a different film, will do the same.

Each distributor's earnings, market share and profitability fluctuate year by year due to the unpredictable, product driven business. This is inevitable.

Focus On The Audience

The main concepts of 'audience' and focusing on a specific 'target audience' are the age group and gender. Other factors are also involved, in deciding on the target audience. These are lifestyles, social networks, and media consumption patterns (activities, such as interacting with New Media). These are all put together to decide on how a film is going to be promoted.

Naturally the audience can vary considerably film by film. Examples of this would be from families with young children to teenage males and /or females to older adults, or sometimes a combination. On average, about 3 people per party got the cinema as a shared experience.

When conducting research for what the target audience is. They must make sure that they stick to their CORE AUDIENCE. This can go wrong when distributors try to make a movie appeal to multiple types of audiences. This is a good thing but distributors can get side-tracked and lose who they Core Audience are. They try and add multiple audiences as it widens the films publicity and could potentially make more profit. It also tries to identify the niche interest groups and helps the group 'BREAK OUT' Or CROSS OVER'.

15-25 age group are the core consumers for 21st Century technology and for the profit cinemas and film producers make. They are also the core of Out-Of-Home Leisure's  For the age group of 15-25's, they go to the cinema at least once a month and one QUARTER of the population goes 'often'.

However the cinema age popularity is broadening. 35+ audiences are starting to be a part of the growth in ticket sales. This is a Link to a table of the facts and figures from 2007.

2.7, on average, of people go to the cinema in the UK and is different compared to other countries like the US.  However this may change as the industry and encouraging more visits.

Big-Blockbusters like the TWILIGHT SAGA, they are starting to attract more infrequent cinema goers and repeated visits as they may have good reviews or previous films of the same producer or director  have sold well. The more it is aimed at an audience beyond 15-25's or families or infrequent cinema goers, the more understanding it has to sustain a theatrical life.

Infrequent cinema goers tend to go later after the release, which can affect how long the film is set in cinemas, which can reduce profit.

Competitive Jungle

Competition is another risk at which the distributor should understand. Some films may be released the same time as another film. If they are both aimed at the same kind of audience, then that makes it harder to overcome. COUNTER PROGRAMMING could be available to the distributor if there were different spaces in the market for something different. Projected release dates often change as competing distributors 'jockey' for position week by week.

A distributor must understand if the film is and EVENT FILM  for a prospective mass market blockbuster or is it a SPECIALIZED FILM for a more discrete audience. This decision must be made in order to know how to promote the film.

Is there any 'Star Power' among the cast and what were the star's last couple of films and how were they received commercially and critically? Is the film made by a 'Name' director or producer? All these things need to be consider if the distributor wants to optimize the chances of the film making profit.

Publicity is also a key aspect in marketing as famous stars could appear on TV shows which gets people more interested about the film and could optimize the chances of them going to see it. One movie example that did this was the 'WOMEN IN BLACK'.

The distributor must also consider in what season should the film be released? Because school holidays vary around the UK, it makes it more of a struggle to know when to release a film in the holidays. Looking at films in the previous years, and seeing when they were released, can help a distributor make his/hers decision.

Releasing films around the 'awards' period can also help gain publicity for a film and could increase profit. However, because award ceremonies vary around December-February time, it can cause a bottleneck in an already congested release schedules. The question would be, is it good enough to obtain an award? Films like the 'Twilight Saga' would be a good example of a film that may receive an award.

Films based on books and have famous actors could also optimize the chances of a film gaining profit. A distributor could take advantage of this and emphasize that it is based on a selling novel and involves famous actors. Online 'talk' can also increase the publicity of the film, and with the new 21st Century Technology, websites like 'FACEBOOK' do this.

If the a film has been released elsewhere (say the US) then that can increase 'Word Of Mouth'. However this can work both ways, as negative responses could affect how it is sold over in the UK.

The certificate of the film is also important when marketing and distributing. If the film is a 12A, then things that are involved in the marketing must be aimed at that target audience. The distributors give the British Board Of Film Classification (BBFC) a copy of the film and they decide on what age certificate it is going to be. Different age groups affects the target audience.

Satisfying Anticipated Demand

Different releases are managed in different ways. For example, a saturation release 'at cinemas everywhere' may open simultaneously, on 1,000 screens UK wide, playing in two or more screens at once. This is normally done on films that are 'TEN-POLE' titles, such as large-scale sequels or star-led holiday releases. This increases the mass audience who are eager to go and see the film.

In contrast films that are released locally with about 25 prints may not be a big 'blockbuster' and may only suit the local area that it is stationed in. Lots of people go to the cinema in the UK, with a population of 7.5m people, and accounts for a quarter of UK cinema admissions.

Marketing Plan

Every film has a marketing plan. The objective is to create visibility, raise awareness, and engage interest, cutting through the blizzard of competing messages.

Distributors must compete for a significant share of 'VOICE', not only to other distributors but also other leisure activities. However small or big the marketing is, the distributor must try and reach the audience in compelling ways, in areas where they are most receptive to communication i.e the internet. This will generate an affect and which the audience must be convinced that the new film being released is a 'must see' film. One film that did this was 'PARANORMAL ACTIVITY'

Word of mouth is a social or personal recommendation which can generate either good or bad reviews on a film and can affect how much it makes at the box-office. Hearing a good thing about a film from a friend or someone close to you would make a person want to go and see the film. This can be the opposite if you hear bad things about a film. Because negative word of mouth is hard to overcome. Further advertising could generate a 'buzz' which gives a film 'legs'.

When a distributor conducts their campaign, they must aim to reach as much of their target audience as they can, as frequently but as cost-effectively as possible. A variety of advertising and publicity and other options are always considered (ADVERTISING, PUBLICITY, PROMOTION).

Posters

The poster is the main image or artwork distilling the appeal and positing of the film-its stars, genre, credits and often a tagline to 'whet' audiences' appetites. Because there are more than one poster in a cinema lobby, the distributor must make their own stand out as much as possible.

Film posters may be created by either the studio or sales agents and are rolled out internationally or are adapted for use locally. In the UK they may be devised from scratch depending on the materials available and how the film is best 'positioned' for local audiences.

Every film release will have a poster. It would either be in quad format ( 30" X 40") or one-sheet format (similar to US landscape orientation).

The way posters work in the film industry are as followed:

• Teaser Poster - 'whet' audiences' appetite.
• Main Poster - Gives more information about the film. 

Distributors also provide other display materials for cinema foyers. These would be things like banners, cardboard cut outs etc.

Trailers

Distributors usually have a range of audio-visual content to work with as they prepare campaigns, including film clips approved by the producers; making-of material shot on set during production; and one or more trailers. This is probably the single most cost-effective marketing technique. They play both a big part on the 'big screen' for cinema goers and also online for any interested viewers. 

Full trailers normally show shortly before the film is released and may be preceded by early teasers (typically up to 90 seconds). Distributors would meet up with specialist agencies or production companies to brief how they would create the trailer through the available material.

The best thing to do when releasing a trailer would be in add a small glimpses of the most dramatic and exciting bits of the film to entice the audience into watching the full film. However, editing and special effects may not be complete so creating a trailer is film making art in its own right.

The distributor would be  responsible in funding the duplication of the trailers and would send about 2,000 copies as a wide release to circulate in cinemas. Trailers would also be added to DVD releases on other films to widen publicity.

Online And Mobile

The Internet plays a vital role in advertising films as it is a great advantage to distributors. This is because it can:

• Obtain publicity for the film.
• Promote the film on Social networking sites (Facebook).
• Create Official websites of the film. (often with competitions, snapshots and short clips of behind the scenes) This can make the audience feel a part of the movie.
• Be a way to promote ticket sales (can increase profit).
• Help distributors to start building awareness of a new film at an early stage.
• Be able to post updates on the films' stage and could involve teaser snippets.
• Be a way to create video blogs of the making of the film which again makes the audience feel apart of the films' production.

The Internet also allows the public to search for short clips which, generally have dramatic clips from the film to entice them into watching the whole film. One film that has done this is the 'HARRY POTTER SERIES'. Ever more user-generated material, often including film or soundtrack grabs, draws comments on video sharing sites. Some producers and distributors have created blogs at which the public post comments on ideas which acts as feedback to the distributor and has made it into the final cut of the film.

As said before in previous paragraphs, distributors create websites to direct traffic to ticket sales that can be purchased online. Members of databases receive weekly email reminders of the new films opening locally and occasionally put surveys and special offers up for the public to use.

The Immediacy Of Social Media

Besides creating official websites, distributors also use other alternatives in optimizing a films' publicity. These are:

• Social Media sites like FACEBOOK, TWITTER and TUMBLR give the ability to share comments which are shared individually, all around the world. Communities also swap opinions and feedback in a galaxy of chat rooms.
• Social Media is also a way to share content which can spread like wildfire, i.e competitions.
• Word of mouth, or word of 'CLICK!' can generate everywhere, negative or positive.

Broadcast, Ambient And Print Media

Media proliferation and fragmentation have given all advertisers a multitude of options:

• Printing posters on roadsides or railway platforms - 250,000 posters printed.
• Thousands of prints in local news papers and radio stations, each with their own website - KISS FM.
• Hundreds of digital TV channels that may contain adverts or promotions.

In PRINT AND ADVERTISING, broadcasting on TV channels, outdoor panels and in the press is usually the largest expenditure item. A positive to this would be the increase in UBIQUITY, as high coverage and frequency, to films and brands, are advertise.

Advertising on TV is a great way to increase a mass audience. But it comes at a cost; advertising can reach up to hundreds of thousands of pounds or more for a package of spots in all regions. So advertising on TV, for most films, are prohibitive.

When a distributor advertises, they try to come up with fresh, new, and inventive ideas so that the audience doesn't skip the advert. This is most common in event films/ blockbusters with top stars i.e TWILIGHT. With the new 21st Century Technology, companies like 'SKY' have invented a box that allows users to fast-forward recorded TV. This means that film advertisement could be skipped by the TV user.

Also when advertising, distributors must keep in mind that different audiences react to different kinds of advertising and reach their decisions to see a film, in different ways. Older audiences may be interested in advertising on TV or in the press. Whereas a younger audience may be more interested in advertising online or on radio stations or bus panels (on the way to school or college etc).

Publicity

Readers tend to accept independently - written news items more readily than - paid for advertising. Editorial coverage of a film can be highly persuasive. However, one problem would be obtaining airtime for interviews.

Things that Film Publicists do to help advertise a film:

• Compile press kits for journalists,  which contain cast and crew list, biographies, notable facts about the production and a synopsis.
• Special hired photographers take images from the film and are approved for publicity use.

All of the images and materials given by the Film publicists are disseminated via online press rooms and distributors pro-actively devise 'HOOKS' or 'ANGLES' for feature articles and media promotions.

What are the key themes of the film and what will get people talking about it?

Special agencies support the publicity team, and they arrange media interviews with available cast and crew members and also chaperones artists visiting the UK for junkets or premieres. The cast and crew of the film could be in the UK for a few hours so collecting airtime is difficult. Many digital channels and outlets are interested in entering news and features - the more the film's talent is willing and able to support the worldwide publicity effort, the better.

National critics are invited to screens on the Friday, Monday and Tuesday before a film opens to the public; and journalists will have longer lead-times, and are scheduled further in advance. If a film gets good reviews, it doesn't mean guaranteed success. Hearing a review from a close friend or relative would generate more success, than hearing reviews form critics. Comments from the film, from critics, are posted on the films advertising, to improve the chance for success.

Awards Buzz would also be another way that a movie gains publicity as some major films or event films, can be nominated for awards which in favor generates promotion for the film, and publicity for the cast and crew involved. Shortlist of nominations are announced 3-4 weeks prior to the presentation ceremonies, which deliver global profile and prestige. 

The film process is conducted behind closed doors, in studios or behind guarded locations. Being closed to the public, distributors may have valuable opportunities to visit the set, especially of UK-based productions, along with key JOURNALISTS, EXHIBITORS or MARKETING PARTNERS. Such arrangements will be made with the unit publicists and producers.

Promotional Partnerships

Depending on the film's theme and target audience, the distributor will endeavor to arrange promotional partnerships such as:

• Promotional tie-ins - which generate displays for the film in places where conventional advertising cannot reach, such as shops, restaurants or on packs.
• Tie-ins enable customers to interact with the film characters by collecting premium items or entering a competition. The Film RIO is a great example.
• Tie-ins add substantial weight to the distributor's own campaign as advertising of the film is in place.

Merchandising

Particularly in family films, distributors co-ordinate with merchandising programmes to created products like toys from the distributor's film campaign. Manufactures may be licensed to use approved logo devices, images or character likenesses on specific products, normally in exchange for an advance fee set against subsequent royalty payments (private sector taxes).

They may also create things like ring tones, clothing, stationery, calendars etc. Soundtracks, games and books are also created to generate significant revenues in their own right.

Merchandise are created to generate the publicity and promotion of a distributor's campaign and create talking points. Occasionally the film will become 'UBIQUITOUS' event, saturating the media as well as appearing in advertising partner campaigns and other outlets. It could also become a 'CULTURAL PHENOMENON', at which the audience and fans can become more involved in the film as it may become an influential and powerful story.

Premieres And Experiences

Perceived as glamorous and exclusive, but painstaking and expensive to organize  Distributors' publicists organize premieres as an official launch for a film. It is a platform for photo opportunities and red carpet events. Fans get close contact with the stars to sign autographs. Star-studded premieres and after-show parties are covered by celebrity publications and news media, and often transmitted worldwide.

Gala screenings may be created for charity to raise donations but also raise promotion for a film. The main goal is to raise a high profile, entertaining launch, boosting the all-important 'buzz factor'.

Most premieres in the UK are based around London in Leicester Square, which has had a great make over. In addition distributors consider premieres to be a chance for fans to interact with the characters from the film and could also be taken place in locations like shopping malls. Anything that will generate publicity and promotion, however big or small the experience is.

References And Sources

http://launchingfilms.tv/pdf/fda_guide_2012.pdf

http://launchingfilms.tv/