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Hello, I'm
Matthew Romo (1660) from Group 2. The other embers of my group are Harry Kettenis (0390), Josh Stevenson (0796) and Ysabel Hudson-Searle (0331).

Hopefully navigation should not be an issue on my blog; 'labels' on the right hand side near the top will direct you to groups of posts from specific areas. Research and Planning, Production, and Evaluation work should all be available to see under their respective A2 labels. The other labels will direct you to work from my AS level and preliminary activities for A2.

Also, by clicking on the "Latymer Music Video Blog" link above the labels, you can go back to Latymer's main music video blog where all other blogs from my class can be accessed.

Finally, I hope you enjoy observing and assessing my work as much as I did creating it.


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Friday 29 November 2013

Using the Internet to Promote a Movie Release in the UK: Kill Your Darlings - Case Study Research



Using the Internet to Promote a Movie Release in the UK


Kill Your Darlings

Example 1)

Interview with director John Krokidas about his upcoming film, by collider.com, a film website. It is an example of below the line marketing, attempting to reach those passionate about film who also use the internet, likely between the late teens to those in their 30's. The target audience would likely be quite educated and progressive due to the themes of the film and the language used, but also of good humour; Krokidas states "I promise you there will be a wand in his hand by the end of the movie" when told by agents that Daniel Radcliffe could not star in a film as anything but a wizard. The interview posted online is a valuable marketing opportunity because 'cookies' could help potential audience members become aware of Kill Your Darlings. The website has many tens of thousands of 'likes' on its Facebook page, so Collider's popularity would undoubtedly push recognition of the film onto people's news feeds. It reaches specific types of people globally whilst informing and entertaining them, and would also be extremely cheap to do.


Example 2)

A promotional event in the form of a cut-up art exhibition run by The Works associated and running in synergy with features of the film. I found information on it on the website for British independent movie magazine Little White Lies, though many similar sites as well as known newspapers also showcased its coming. As the exhibition is ran and funded by the institutions behind Kill Your Darlings it is classed as above the line marketing. This interesting, valuable marketing technique is as such because it targets multiple enthusiastic niche audiences. Poetry and cut-up art extend to those who have interpreted the style into their music such as Kurt Cobain, David Bowie and Thom Yorke. Groups of creatively passionate people, imaginably many of which who could be A Level or university students, will be drawn to the prospect of this exhibition. Students and lovers of art, music, photography, literature and design and anyone desperate to meet Daniel Radcliffe would find this appealing. Posts of fan-made pieces were sent to the film's Facebook and Twitter accounts (#KYDcutUp), and a YouTube video was posted asking for audience artwork. Involving the audience in the film's themes is an excellent way to get them in the mindset to watch it, and the viral potential of the artwork could inspire others to also watch it.


Example 3)

An article in the Metro, a daily British newspaper which also features online, on their own website. Another example of below the line marketing, it will reach commuters (who the Metro is aimed at specifically), specifically Londoners. This article specifically brings up his sex scene, something that can spark gossip in readers, so fans of celebrity 'juice' will find appeal in the article, particularly those of Daniel Radcliffe also. The gossip broadcasted to an audience of millions is likely to be noticed due to the big name, and spread via word of mouth, marketing the film subliminally. It is also a valuable opportunity because it is free publicity to a huge variety of people - cheap even as below the line marketing goes.
 



Thursday 28 November 2013

Using the Internet to Promote a Movie Release in the UK: Desolation of Smaug - Case Study Research



Using the Internet to Promote a Movie Release in the UK


The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Example 1)



Obviously expecting photos to go viral, Warner Bros constructed a 'life-size' dragon head erupting out of a section of pavement in Romania. I came across images and articles on a few news sites and also social media, where word of mouth and sharing promotion from the audience would raise awareness in reaction to the sculpture. This use of below the line marketing aims to target anyone where it was made, in particular fans of The Hobbit book who are interested to see the portrayal of Smaug unveiled, possibly to compare it with their own personal visualisation. Frequent internet users of social media sites such as Facebook and Tumblr are also reached, in knowledge of how much content in produced, uploaded and shared by fans, with Tolkien/Middle Earth fans having a famously huge fanbase. It is a valuable marketing opportunity because, although expensive its viral potential is massive, it is immersive and involving, and reaches broad audiences of all the different types of people in the area it is displayed.


Example 2)

Ed Sheeran's single I See Fire was released as the soundtrack for the credits of The Desolation of Smaug as a digital download, under label WaterTower Music. Director Peter Jackson and producer/co writer Fran Walsh were searching for an artist to record a song for the film's end credits when their daughter Katie suggested Ed Sheeran, who she was a fan of. They went to approach meet and him while he was touring New Zealand, and he accepted the proposition, coincidentally finding out he was a fan of The Hobbit. It quickly appeared in big music magazines such as Rolling Stone and articles all over the internet. Warner Bros. Pictures and Peter Jackson both uploaded a video of Sheeran performing the track, their combined fame giving it millions of views. Ed Sheeran's huge popularity reaches out this below the line marketing to his fans, as well as any fans of acoustic or folk style music of all ages, many of which are female but not exclusively. It is valuable because of the huge audience it can reach to raise awareness. The whole of YouTube can see it and Sheeran brings some more female appeal to the film. It is viral short form content with worldwide potential, and easy to view/listen to on virtually any device with internet, such as phones.


Example 3)

Warner Bros. Pictures released a 'Sneak Peak', 2 trailers and 3 TV Spots for the film, which feature on its website. They have already featured in cinemas and on television anticipating the film's release. On TV the trailers have been broadcast on many different channels and programmes purposefully to reach and appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Typically above the line marketing, they will take up a large proportion of the film's huge marketing budget, but hugely promote the brand. As well as being released on TV where the can target specific audiences they also feature on the film's website and YouTube channel. This attempts to reach an extremely wide audience - multiple wide groups of people who watch TV but also internet users in its easily accessible, short form style content. It is valuable for raising enormous awareness worthy of the financing required, it reaches global audiences as well as national, while potentially exciting and entertaining the anticipating audience.



Thursday 21 November 2013

Kill Your Darlings - Case Study Research


Kill Your Darlings
UK release date - 6th December 2013

Institutions: Production - Killer Films
                    - Benaroya Pictures
                    - Future Film

Distribution - Sony Pictures Classics

Production Budget - Currently unknown

Nationality - American

What kind of production? - Low budget independent film

Connection with other films? - None

Director - John Krokidas

Star names - Daniel Radcliffe as Allen Ginsberg
                       - Dane De Haan as Lucien Carr
                       - Jack Huston as Jack Kerouac
                       - Ben Foster as William S. Burrows
                       - Michael C. Hall as David Kammerer

Plot  - The story of David Kammerer's 1944 murder by Lucien Carr surrounded by the context of the beat generation and 3 of its major writers.

Audience appeal - Kill Your Darlings will appeal to fans of historic drama, romantic drama and murder cases, as well as Daniel Radcliffe lovers and lovers of poetry

Wednesday 20 November 2013

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug - Case Study Research


The Desolation of Smaug

UK release date - 13th December

Institutions:
Production Studios - New Line Cinema

                               - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
                               - WingNut Films
                    

Distribution - Warner Bros. Pictures

Production budget - $250,000

Nationality - Global; many British actors but also includes cast from New Zealand,  
                      Australia, US, Canada. Shot in New Zealand. Audience is worldwide.

What kind of production? - High budget Hollywood blockbuster with wide appeal

Connection with other films? - The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003), An Unexpected Journey (2012) and the third Hobbit film, There and Back Again (Expected 2014). These are all from director Peter Jackson's 'Middle Earth' franchise based upon the written works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Director - Peter Jackson

Star Names - Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug and also The Necromancer
                       Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
                       Ian Mckellen as Gandalf
                       Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
                       Lee Pace as Thranduil
                       Orlando Bloom as Legolas                      
                       Stephen Fry as the Master of Lake-Town
                       James Nesbitt as Bofur
                       Andy Serkis as Gollum
                       Aidan Turner as Kili
                       Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield

Plot - The film continues the adventures of the title character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the evil dragon Smaug.

Audience Appeal - The film will appeal to fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films and franchise, as well as the books. Lovers of epic fantasy and action adventures films are also likely to be interested in the Desolation of Smaug. The niche audience of die-hard Tolkien/Middle Earth fans is important to please as they have the most knowledge of the books and therefore have expectations, as is with other popular books such as the Harry Potter series. In terms of age the film is universal, due to a diverse cast of young to old actors, so families are a big part of the audience too.

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Case Study 2: Papadopoulos & Sons - Q&A with Director Marcus Markou



Q&A with Marcus Markou



Our media class were fortunate enough to have the director of Papadopoulos & Sons, Marcus Markou himself accept the department's offer to come into a lesson to talk about his film and answer questions about it. Here are 5 of many pieces of interesting knowledge I gained from the Q&A.


  •  When marketing the film, Marcus did not have a very specific audience in mind. He understood it would generally appeal to families, those struggling in the current economic crisis, as well as children, teenagers and adults due to the multi-generational cast. However he underestimated the huge appeal and demand from the Greek community across Britain, whose strength and support amazed him. Upon realising this, without having distributors or much funding, Marcus took the marketing into his own hands, finding as many Greek churches as he could in the UK on a map and personally phoning them to make them aware of the film's release. Marcus also used social media directly; 'tweeting' any fish and chips shops he could find, particularly in London (where many are owned by Greeks).  


  • With an unsurprisingly small budget, Marcus largely avoided acting agencies to employ his cast, and directly approached many of the actors he had mentally hand picked for the roles. Stephen Dillane, a fairly well known actor, agreed to star in the film very cheaply due to his love for the script and story. He was currently acting in HBO's hugely expensive Game of Thrones at the time, but given the offer to work with his drama-schooled teenage son, as his father in the actual film, Stephen managed to convince the producers of Game of Thrones to work his acting schedule around him starring in Papadopoulos & Sons.
  • Marcus avoided conforming to the traditional hierarchy that exists in most films that are in production. He strayed from the expected superiority complex and removed the benefits of being a big actor or director by using a first-come first-served basis for catering queues, rather than order being dependent on salary or importance like in many other films. He made a great effort to learn the names of all the cast and crew in the first day, and to make the experience as informal and enjoyable as possible off set, in order to create a smooth, comfortable process and therefore amount to more natural dynamics on set. As a result people got on well and the film was produced amongst a happy, family atmosphere.
  • Marcus drew a vast proportion of the film from his own life and experiences. The contrast between Harry and Uncle Spiros represented Marcus' own connection with his Greek culture which he often felt he was losing living in London. Writing Papadopoulos & Sons was very personal to Marcus; he didn't plan for the project to make a profit, only to break even and partake in his love of storytelling to share with everyone, hoping others could relate to losing touch with their cultural identity.
  • As expected of an independent film, Papadopoulos & Sons was shot on location, but the  number of locations used being kept so low was an impressive feat. They actually bought a disused shop in Morden to use as the fish shop and bought another nearby to use on the outside as the rival Turkish kebab shop, and inside as offices to work in without use as the set. By making the most out of every location the spending was kept to a minimum, equipment wouldn't have to be hauled around long distances often, and the production of the film worked much more smoothly and efficiently.

Case Study 2: Papadopoulos & Sons - Research



Papadopoulos & Sons 

Directed by Marcus Markou, Papadopoulos & Sons is an independent, British comedy-drama film released in 2008. It was made with the director's own private company for independent films ('Double M Films'),  that he set up with his brother, Andrew Markou.

Plot Summary: Harry Papadopoulos, a millionaire entrepreneur struggling in the recent financial crisis goes bankrupt, and re-unites with his passionate brother to restore an abandoned fish & chips shop from their childhood while trying to get his life back.



                                      Papadopoulos & Sons Trailer
 


As a small film, Papadopoulos & Sons could not get a huge global distribution deal like in Hollywood but managed to score a small deal with Cineworld who did not expect much turnover and success from the film. Cineworld initially agreed to distribute the film for one week only in a limited number of screens across the UK, but due to unprecedented audience demand, extended the run while expanding to more venues. On June 27, 2013, the film was released in 70 cinemas in Germany under the name Papadopoulos & Söhne and achieved the impressive tally of 23 850 admissions during the first weekend. Marcus Markou brought the film to several festivals across the world, where it was received well, in particular gaining support from the Dinard British Film Festival (France), the Palm Springs International Film Festival (USA), the Seattle Film Festival and the Thessaloniki Film Festival (Greece) where it received the Michael Cacoyannis Audience Award. It was also screened at the European Parliament in November 2012.


Some of the main cast:

Stephen Dillane - Harry Papadopoulos
Frank Dillane - James Papadopoulos
Georgia Groome - Katie Papadopoulos
Thomas Underhill - Theo Papadopoulos
Georges Corraface - Uncle Spiros
Ed Stoppard - Rob
Cosima Shaw - Sophie
Selina Cadell - Mrs Parrington
George Savvides - Hassan Ali
Cesare Taurasi - Mehmet Ali
Alexander Hanson - Lars

Director Marcus Markou also starred in the film briefly, acting cameo as a news reporter for the BBC talking about the financial crisis.

"Papadopoulos & Sons is a family-oriented film. It has been inspired by Marcus Markou's own family history and cultural roots, which fuelled his desire to focus on family unity: "I came from a very tight knit Greek-Cypriot family", said the director. "However, as we grew older and grew up, my family, like so many other families, broke apart. I also lost so many of my Hellenic roots. In making the film I reached out to that sense of family that had been lost and I reached out to my Hellenic roots. [The film] is not about being Greek or Cypriot at all. I use that as backdrop. It really is about family unity at a difficult time".

The film was shot in the London area. The crew found a street with two empty shops in Morden, South London, and took the lease on them. One became the chip shop The Three Brothers, the other one the rival kebab shop. The city scenes were filmed in Central London, the mansion scenes in Croydon. Finally, the Papadopoulos factory was set in a real Greek food factory in East London." (taken from wikipedia.org)


Despite many critics stating its predictability, the film was fairly well critically received, being praised for its 'feel good' factor and sweet, funny elements.
Rotten Tomatoes rating - 82%
IMDb rating - 6.9/10