Convergence and synergy’s effect on production, distribution
and marketing arguably play a heavy role on any films success. Films such as
Catching Fire (Lawrence, Lionsgate, 2013) took advantage of convergence and
synergy by using it to create a large franchise that can be marketed globally
and individually target different and specific areas. On the other hand,
smaller films like About Time (Curtis, Universal, 2013) still benefit from
convergence and synergy, but they focus more on creating art rather than an
industry or global marketing campaign that will compromise the art of the film.
One of the major elements to a films production and
distribution is budget. Budget allows a film to have the ability for the latest
technology, various locations, Hollywood movie actors etc. During production conglomerate
films such as the film ‘Catching Fire’ have huge budgets to spend on above and
below the line costs. Above the line being the actors, producers, directors etc
and below the line costs being hair stylists, sound engineer, camera operator
and more. Hollywood films have more money to spend on these costs for example
Catching Fire had a budget of $130 million and also $10 million just for visual
effects. This large budget allows them to have access to the latest and best
technology. These big films are using new innovation technology, just like
Catching Fire used an IMAX msm9802 camera for filming. This technology can be
used as a demographic movement, or selling point for them film. Some films will
even use technology a though it is its own character in the film. On the other
hand, smaller films have inevitable smaller budgets for example the film ‘About
Time’ only had a budget of £12 million, and therefore did not have the same
technological advances as larger films. About Time used a simple Arri Alexa
camera. Moreover, they will use previous/older technology that was good a few
years ago but is now cheaper to get hold of.
In addition to the concept of budget is star power. This can
be a major selling point for a film as large films like Catching Fire can get
hold of big Hollywood actor such as Jennifer Lawrence, who will automatically
attract people to the film. You can guarantee and audience with star power no
matter what the film. However, smaller films cannot afford to pay well-known
actors to star in their films. In addition to star power is the previous
history of the film. Films such as Catching Fire are based on very popular,
best seller books, meaning that they will automatically have a built in fan
base due to people who liked the book. In addition, the film Catching Fire is a
sequel so there would be a hype for the film before it has even been produced
as it is so in demand. Also in the area of budget is location, and how high
concept films can afford to fly cast and crew to different locations around the
world to film in, just like catching fire which filmed in places like Hawaii
and America and more. Juxtaposing with low concept films like About Time which
filmed only in Cornwall and London, as they cannot afford to fly cast and crew
out to other locations.
In terms of the distribution aspect of films and again budget
having an impact on this, conglomerates can afford to pay for lots of
distribution techniques. Catching fire, for example, could reach many people as
they could afford to distribute the film globally by Lionsgate; the film was
played in over 4,500 cinema screens just in the US alone, whilst in the cinema
Catching Fire was not competing against other films as it was the most popular
film out at that time. Moreover, the film had lots of long TV spots, such as
interviews and behind the scene snippets playing on television, this is due to
the film being very popular before production and because it has the money to
pay for these things unlike small films such as About Time which stuck to the
cheaper forms of distribution and generally only distributed in a few places. Furthermore,
British small films can generally not afford the same amount of distribution as
some big American films, that is hoping they are lucky enough to find a distributor
in the first place. Big films will be in early talk with distributors possibly
even before production, where as other films will produce the film and ask and
hope that someone will distribute it.
Under the branch of distribution is advertisement and
marketing, so once the production is over, they have to use strategies to sell
the film to the population through advertisements. Large movies such as
Catching Fire spent over $45 million on advertisement just in the USA. They
utilised bus shelters, newspapers, radio shows, train stations etc. Most of
these means of advertisement will include a poster of the film, most likely
with the main character/star on it, in Catching Fire’s case it have Jennifer
Lawrence playing ‘Katniss’ on the poster, immediately attracting people due to
star power and the film in general. Whilst smaller productions will still have
posters, one of the big differences is that large films can go global with
their advertisement, they can create lots of different posters in all different
styles and languages, meaning each advertisement strategies are customised to
specific countries. In contrast, small films will only have the one poster and
this will be made to reach a few places but they would not have specific
posters to certain locations.
Trailers can attract a large amount of hype for a film,
usually played on TV or accessible through the internet on sites like YouTube,
having a few different trailers can really sell a film. For Catching Fire they
made a teaser trailer, theatrical trailer and a final trailer, each one
revealing more about the film to hype people up. Inevitably the trailers
contained sneak peeks of the film and the main characters that (like the
poster) will attract people’s attention due to the actors involved. On the
other hand, small, British films like About Time will only have one, maybe two
trailers that give away parts of the film. However, with a film like Catching
Fire as big as it is it is also a sequel so it is part of one of the biggest
franchises so audiences will want to see many trailers that build up to the day
it is released.
Within the marketing strategy of films is convergence and all
of the merchandise that is created to sell and promote a film. Conglomerates
will most likely create merchandise for their films, for example t-shirts,
bags, mugs etc, because they know it will appeal to the audience and people
will pay for it. Catching fire is a perfect example for utilising merchandise
as it had so much, including clothes, Mockingjay pins, dolls/figurines,
posters, commemorative bow and arrows and so much more. Although, the need for
low concept films to have all this merchandise is not there because it is not a
brand, like Catching fire, but instead a stand-alone film and it is unlikely
that anyone would buy any of it. Furthermore, games and apps can be another
tool of marketing, Catching Fire created an app called ‘The Hunger Games: Panem
Run’, this use of technological convergence creates more of a buzz for the film
before and after release. In addition they create soundtracks; these really
boost a film as music will appeal to all people. Catching Fire created a
soundtrack featuring famous artist like Coldpplay and Sia. Juxtaposing to this
mass amount of marketing and merchandise is the fact that small films cannot
afford to do all of these things, plus the demand for them to do so it not that
great.
Moreover, synergy plays a part in reaching a films audience,
however it does tend to affect larger companies more as smaller films will not
have things to pair the film with. In other words, for a small film all they
have is the film, no additional things, whilst large films will partner with companies
and expand from the idea of creating just a film to creating a brand and a
franchise. For example, Catching Fire partnered with a sandwich brand ‘subway’
to advertise and create flavours of sandwiches that ‘mirrored Katniss’ (lead
character) bravery’. As well as previously mentioned games and soundtracks to
pair with the film. Despite smaller companies not using synergy, recently they
have begun to start utilising it more, for example Working Title has vertical
integration, so it is taking advantage of partner companies like Universal, and
using them to get big name actors to star in their movies. As well as spending
more on distribution techniques to boost the popularity of the film.
In addition to all of these factors of distribution films
will have premiers for the film and create a whole event for it. Blockbusters
will have red carpet events in different countries, but especially in those
which the film is likely to be most popular in, just like Catching fire had
some of its premiers in London and America. They create this big event because
they want you to feel like you have to see the film in the cinema. On the
contrary are smaller films may have a premier, certainly not in the same
magnitude, as British films may use film festivals to air their film and use
that as a way for catching people’s attention. All of these strategies create a
talk about a film and try to get people in the cinema to watch the film and
then use word of mouth, which is by far the most important and best way of
spreading talk about a film, to get people to view the film. Companies will
also use social media and the internet which is cheap and mostly free, which is
great for smaller films as of their little budget, however, whilst social media
is growing and is helpful, it is not majorly effective because people do not
always trust it.
To conclude, when producing and distributing a film I do not
believe that all films have an equal chance. Blockbusters will naturally be
able to reach more people especially because of a bigger budget to produce
films using better technology, utilise star power and so many different
marketing techniques. Whilst small films will only reach a minority of people
because they cannot afford to do what conglomerates can. I believe that the
divide between big and small films is only getting wider as the years go on.
