What are the issue raised

1. What are the issue raised • Learning outcome: The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically British) by international or global institutions

2. Film ClassificationFilm classification is one important way an film company has to make sure they target specific audience through correct BBFC approval, and also by making both a film and trailer that sticks to the law of the country This is sometimes mistakenly called censorship. In Britain the (BBFC) British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) self regulates the film industry representatives. (their guidelines are available at www.bbfc.co.uk). They classify films according to their appropriateness for certain audiences. Targeting a specific Classification affects the film-makers freedom in what they can portray on screen. Higher age certificates allow for more mature content. However, reducing the possible audience by limiting who can see it can reduce the film’s box office return. This can become a balancing act between profitability and creative freedom.There are three main considerations when classifying film:Legal (some material may break laws on obscenity, equality, incitement and child protection.)Remember that the biggest cinema goers are aged 15-25, and families so are films target to appeal to these for commercial reasons?

3. The Dark Knight • Producers wanted this to be a 12 to capture a wider audience- read the following or http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2008/jul/31/isthedarkknightsuitablefo • Batman is a franchise and there is lots of money to be made through synergy.

4. Facebook and Muhammad • Consider Facebook banning the Facebook page of ‘upload Muhammad pictures’ in Indian because it was concerned about offending people. Facebook said:Facebook, approach this issue by preventing certain content from being shown to users in the countries where it is illegal, it added • When dealing with user-generated content on global Web sites, there are occasions where content that is legal in one country is illegal, or may even be protected, in another country i.e China’s censorship of Google and Youtube pages. Facebook decision to block the page not to upset some people in this country. This shows how international companies have to be aware of both legal and ethical issues when targeting an audience. And different countries have different moral and religious codes.

5. Why they target different audiences? • Although big major studios target national mainstream audiences because these films are more commercially profitable. Big parent companies are also interested in capturing niche markets. One way they do this is through a subsidiary company, if you look at most parents companies although they have a major studio they also have a subsidiary studio, which makes more alternative or indie films i.e. News Corps owns Fox Searchlight, which makes more indie films. This will often be through a subsidiary company, because they will have different target audience and different distribution needs i.e. through film festivals, reviews, fan sites and also exhibited though independent theatres or in some case released on DVD. • Due to the recession Warner Bros subsidiary, which made indie films closed this nearly stopped Slumdog Millionaire being distributed to the cinema and going straight to DVD. This was until Film4 found a new distributor. See question 1 and two’s PowerPoint for more on this.

6. Case study research • ‘Working Title’ is owned by ‘Universal’, why is it in Universal’s interest to have a subsidiary such as WT? • How different are these films and audience, where are they exhibited mainstream or independent cinema’s? • Working Title make different films that are more specific to appeal to a British audience, remember British films focus on social realism? Think about the audience here would it be worth marketing all types of British films in America? For instance the Film4 produced Trainspotting needed subtitles when it had an American release. Producers of Xfactor are concerned that an American audience will not understand Cheryl Cole. Remember with social realism an American audience has a different idea of what being British is i.e Four Wedding and a Funeral, Love Actually, The Queen rather than drug taking people from Scotland or working class skinheads from England. • Compare WT’s films to ‘blockbusting’ movies such as ‘Avatar’. How do films, such as this, target such massive audiences?

7. Compare WT’s films to ‘blockbusting’ movies such as ‘Avatar’. How do films, such as this, target such massive audiences? • Use your knowledge of distribution, marketing and exchange. • How were these trailers used were they specific to the region how are they different look at both teaser trailers and main trailers. • Was online adverting used? Were film festival used to promote the film i.e region specific i.e. Cannes film festival receives global media attention does the Berlin film festival receive that much global attention. • Look at the use of film premiers do (look at how unsuccessful the Boat That rocked was this the marketing of the films fault?) • Exchange: How are fan sites, blog, social networking, Amazon used to promote the different types of films? Is proliferation of content good if it can promote less well known films.

8. Spider man • Remember the trailer for Spiderman there were two different trailers which were constructed to suit specific audiences. • Read:http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article1674396.ece • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlmMG_pyq5o

9. Bollywood-targeting a local audience. • Britain has changed in the last 50 years, today Bollywood films, which are made in India do not just appeal to people in India, but also have a place in Britain. There are independent Bollywood cinemas that are opening up even some with subtitles. These films are also shown in some mainstream cinemas i.e. at Star City cinema in Birmingham. • They are also Asian television channels on sky, which means that specific audiences can be targeted. Further, these audiences can be addressed through advertising to get them to go to the cinema to see Bollywood films, or to buy dvds. • These films can be downloaded via the internet or Virgin Media or Sky box office and perhaps Films4. Making targeting an audience very specific and interactive with the audience making the choices. Again this is thanks to the proliferation of hardware, which makes this possible and the convergence of new technology and the impact of digital from the internet, to Virgin Media on Demand to Sky. • These are all ways a local audience can be targeted by a national company.

10. Task • Think about the film Slumdog Millionaire think of the different types of people this appeals to is this an Bollywood film, a British Film or a clever piece of marketing a film that can appeal to a global audience. Remember the English language is one of the most well known in the world. Also The Who Wants to be a Millionaire format is sold around the world. Did you know that the real host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire ain Indian appears in the film, this tells you that the audience for this film is a global audience, which can both be understood by people in Britain who went to see the film, and people in Indian and all over the world who perhaps went to see it for different reasons. This is not bad for a film that nearly went straight to DVD. • Consider how Channel 4 marketed this film after it was made, they showed it on Channel 4 and marketed it around the Indian Winter Week, again this is capitalising on this country’s long history with India. • It would be worth looking at the different advertisements for the film both here and in India how do they differ? Do they focus on different actors or the director, which maybe more well known in Indian or in Britain to attract a local audience.