How much impact has Film Four had on the UK film industry in the last 20 years? What do you think their role will be in the future and will it ever be possible for such an institution to compete against the vertical integration that is possible with institutions such as Disney?

Film 4 recieve £15m a year, and aim to finance between 8 to 12 feature films a year, as well as 4 or 5 short films.
They don’t fully finance production so they work with producers to find the right finance at the right time is a very important part of their work. Their money represents both licence fee for free UK TV, and also an equity investment which is a way for them to be invested across the long life of a film. They spend a very large proportion (around £2.5m a year) on developing scripts and ideas and see this as a hugely important part of their work – this is where the risk lies, this is where they find and nurture new writers and directors, and this commitment to development means they can work with producers to build projects in a creatively challenging environment to the point where they are robust enough to go out to the market.
The Film4 ambition holds new talent at its heart – their view it as a long term strategy and it is indeed one which has paid off many times over over many years. A mixture of long term returning directors and new directors form the spine of our feature film production slate. Directors like Danny Boyle, Shane Meadows, Kevin MacDonald, Steve McQueen, Martin McDonagh and Roger Michell all continue to make films with British money, albeit sometimes shooting in the US (Martin McDonagh’s new film Seven Psychopaths has just shot in LA with an all US cast – but it has British talent and British money behind it, from a British production company).
Their see our ability to support film-makers from the outset of their career to be the essential ingredient in building a stable of distinctive, important British voices. And what they have learnt is that to take a risk on an apparently less “commercial” project, but one which a film-maker and they both believe holds something special, different, challenging, resonant, can often be the best – and scariest – decision they can make. Just take the famous example of Slumdog Millionaire, a film half in Hindi with no cast and turned down by many in its early life.
What is liberating for them is the freedom to fail. They try really hard not to, obviously, but occasionally a film doesn’t work, despite everyone’s best endeavours. And when they're in it for the long term with a film-maker then they won’t drop them after a film that doesn’t quite succeed – they will keep working with them, building on experience, and offering partnership.
When they’re looking for new talent, they look absolutely everywhere they can from film schools to online (watch out soon for an online competition for new directors), from theatre to TV to gaming to self-financed films to the art world. They have a new digital initiative, Film4.0 which is developing innovative new projects across different platforms, with talent often new to film, but also with established film-makers new to the digital sphere.
They are looking at new financing models for super low budget films which allow the film-maker teams to share in gross from first pound in and access audiences through new distribution models. They have a diversity initiative on which they are working with new producers to reach out to communities they feel are under-represented. They are working with various regions around the country to develop new writing, and they make a small number of short films ourselves every year as a stepping stone to a first feature with new directors often emerging from different areas – their most recent batch included this years’ Bafta award winner Pitch Black Heist. John Maclean the director came from the music world with a brilliant first short film shot on a mobile phone. They’re now developing his first feature with him.
They are extremely pro-active about going out to look for talent, they don’t wait for talent to come to them. They work in a completely bespoke way too – a short film might be right for one director, a pairing with a new writer might be right for someone else. And continuous support, from short to first feature and then beyond is crucial.
Film 4's current productions include The Iron Lady, Shame and The Woman In The Fifth. The Film 4 channel is avaliable for free for everyone with digital TV. There is a daily line-up of great films guarentees a choice for every type of film fan. Including British film-making, US independent films, Hollywood blockbusters, mainstream drama and comedy, guilty pleasures, forgein films and cult cinema.
Film 4 review the biggest films avaliable in the widest range of cinemas and have an archive of thousands of film reviews covering films that go back to 1895. They don't review the special features on the DVDs, but if the film itself. The site focuses on the Film 4 channel and Film 4 productions, because while there aer thousands of film review sites out there, there is only one Film 4. Being part of Film 4 is what makes the site different.

Similarities and Differences between Notting Hill and Johnny English Reborn

SIMILARITIES 

• Filmed in the Working Title studios.
• Filmed in the United Kingdom.
• English.
• British directors.
• American and British actors and actresses.
• Have comedy aspects to the film.
• Similar budgets.
• Tim McInnerny  is on both of the films

DIFFERENCES

• Johnny English Reborn uses a range of famous actors/ actresses where as Notting Hill only uses two. 
• Notting Hill uses these two on the poster for the film where as Johnny English only uses one of the famous actors. 
• Notting Hill made over double in the Box Office than Johnny English.
• Produced and directed by different people.
• Notting Hill was released in 1999 and Johnny English was released in 2011.
• Notting Hill has won a British Comedy Award and a Brit award where as Johnny English hasn't won any.
• Notting Hill is a romantic comedy and Johnny English is a spy comedy.
• Johnny English was filmed in the USA, Israel, France and Japan as well as the United Kingdom.

Introduction- what is distribution?

1. How would you define the exhibition of film?

The exhibition of film is a commonplace, shared cultural activity highly visible in every city and town in Britain, constantly feeding the popular memory.

2. What number part of the film supply chain is distribution?

Third

3. How is it sometimes referred to?

It is often referred to as 'the invisible art', a process known only to those within the industry, barely written about and almost imperceptible to everyone else.

4. Why is it argued that it is the most important part of the film industry?

Distribution is the most important part of the film industry, where completed films are brought to life and connected with an audience.

5. What are the three stages of film process?

In the practice of Hollywood and other forms of industrial cinema, the phases of production, distribution and exhibition

6. In what way are they most effective?

When 'vertically integrated', where the three stages are seen as part of the same larger process, under the control of one company. In the UK, distribution is very much focused on marketing and sustaining a global product in local markets.

7. Why is this more difficult for the independent film sector?

In the independent film sector, vertical integration does not operate so commonly. Producers tend not to have long-term economic links with distributors, who likewise have no formal connections with exhibitors. Here, as the pig-in-the-middle, distribution is necessarily a collaborative process, requiring the materials and rights of the producer and the cooperation of the exhibitor to promote and show the film in the best way possible.

8. What are the three stage of distribution?

Licensing, marketing and logistics.

Licensing

1. Define the licensing process.

The process by which a distributor acquires the legal right to exploit a film.

2. How many levels are there?

Two

3. How many ‘market territories are there around the world?

International distribution ensures that films find their way to the 90+ market 'territories' around the world.

4. Why are smaller independent film companies unable to handle the licensing for their own films?

Independent production companies are usually small concerns, sometimes set up for one film and often lacking the necessary knowledge or contacts of each of the territories around the world.

5. So what do they do?

Instead of doing this themselves, they might choose to hire a specialist sales agent, whose function is to understand the value of a film in many different markets. The sales agent will then set up stall at the film markets that take place throughout the year.

6. What is ‘local’ distribution?

Involves the distributor acquiring the license to release and exploit the film in a particular country.

7. They purchase the theatrical rights, what does this consist of?

For showing the film in cinemas; video rights, for video and DVD exploitation; and TV rights, if the distributor is able to sell the film to a broadcaster.

8. Who do they have to share royalties with?

A local distributor will conventionally share profits equally with the producer for the theatrical leg, pay back higher royalties for broadcast rights, and lower for video/DVD.

9. What is the most effective way to create interest in a new film in the UK?

A theatrical opening is seen as the most effective way to create interest in a new film. The big screen is still the optimum setting for a film for both audiences and the filmmakers.

10. What options are available after the theatrical (cinema) release?

Some months following the theatrical release, a film will be packaged and released on DVD and VHS video, then on various forms of pay television and eventually, two years after opening in cinemas, on free-to-air television.

11. What must a successful distributor do?

Must have an in-depth knowledge of the marketplace - which cinemas, video outlets and broadcasters can best draw an audience for its films - and of the variable marketing costs involved in releasing a film in that territory.

12. Who was the distributor for your case study?

Johnny English Reborn distributer was Universal Pictures.

13. What techniques did they employ?

Blanketed.

Marketing

1. What are the two questions around the marketing of a film release?

‘When?’ and ‘How?’

2. What day of the week are new films released in the UK?

Fridays

3. Who schedules and coordinates forthcoming releases?

The schedule for forthcoming releases is coordinated and published by the Film Distributors Association.

4. What is a ‘light’ week?

Only a few films are scheduled to be released.

5. What three aspects have to be taken into account for a film to have the greatest potential to reach audiences?

Screen space, adequate review column and the seasonality of the film.

6. Why is this becoming increasingly difficult?

The release schedule has regularly featured over 10 new releases in a week.

7. What are P&A?

Prints and Advertising, they meet the costs of the theatrical distribution.

8. What are the costs of P&A?

£1,000 to over £1 million.

9. Who marketed your film?

Universal Pictures

Marketing: Printing and Advertising

1. What are the 7 elements of P&A?

The quantity and production of release prints and trailers

Press materials, clips reels, images, press previews, screener tapes

The design and printing of posters and other promotional artwork

Advertising campaign - locations, ad size and frequency

Press campaign / contracting a PR agency

Arranging visit by talent from the film

Other preview screenings

2. About how many prints might a specialised film have and how long will the tour be?

10 prints

3. How many prints might a commercial mainstream have?

200 prints

4. How many did your case study film have?

5. Why is a favorable press response a key factor?

For developing the profile and desirability of a film.

6. What is the standard format for a cinema poster?

In the UK the standard 30" x 40" 'quad' format is used to create a cinema poster.

7. Why is a poster important?

 The poster design is highly effective in 'packaging' the key attributes of a film for potential audiences. 

8. Please insert a copy of your case study film poster and analyse how it features to key attributes.

It shows the main character (Rowan Atkinson) who is a famous actor who many people will recognize. Shows that it is a spy film by using the gun but shows that it is comedy also by having the flag with the title of the film coming out the gun.

9. What is the word to express coverage working at the same time?

‘To work in tandem’

10. What is the key aspect for mainstream film?

Scale and high visibility

11. Why is distribution in the UK seen as riskier than in other countries?

The cost of print advertising in the UK is comparatively high, and is seen as making distribution in the UK a riskier business than in most other countries. 

12. How are distributors trying to get around this problem?

In order to extend the reach of advertising and develop more effective communication with audiences at low cost, distributors are looking increasingly to 'viral marketing' - different forms of electronic word-of-mouth via the internet, email and mobile phones.

13. Who was the press agency for your case study?

SunChaser

14. What is another name for the actors or director?

Talent

15. What sort of coverage did the key players in your case study have? Did they appear on Jonathon Ross?

No they did not. 

16. What is the ultimate aim of marketing?

To promote the film, and to make people aware.

Logistics Of Distribution

1. Who decides on the 'play date'?

The distributor and cinema. 

2. What is the distributor’s responsibility?

To arrange transportation of the film to the cinema.

3. Why is it imperative that films are delivered on time?

The showing of films in cinemas is a time-pressured activity. Cinemas spend their money publicizing film play-dates and times in local papers or through published programs.

4) About how much does a 35mm print cost?
£1500-£2500

5) How are prints usually broken down?

Lasting around 18-20 minutes when run through a projector at 24 frames per second. So a feature print, in its physical form, will usually be 5 or 6 reels, stored and supplied in a single hard case, weighing in at 20-25kgs.

6) What are the disadvantages of using film prints?
They are very expensive

7. How was your case study film distributed? Digitally or 35 mm or a combination? Can you find out how many prints were developed?
It was digital.

Bullet Boy

1. Who is the director of Bullet Boy?

Saul Dibb

2. Where was the film first screened in 2004?

Hackney

3. Who handled the release?

Verve Pictures

4. What is their most recent release?

Breathing

5. What percentage of their releases are from first time feature directors?

Over 75%

6. Who handled the release of your case study, provide the link to their website, consider how effective their webpage is?

http://johnnyenglishreborn.com/home/entry

7. How did Verve manage to broaden the theatrical release?

We have a proven track record of working with first time filmmakers who have previously excelled in other visual fields

8. How many prints did it have in the UK?

75

9. What did the advertising campaign consist of?

Advertising in all of the national daily newspapers that allocate significant space to film reviews, plus two tabloids, newspapers with a black perspective, a selective London Underground campaign and extensive use of radio stations with a concentration on R 'n' B and Garage, the musical forms with which Walters is associated.

10. How does this compare to the ad campaign for your case study film?
They had a lower budget.

Digital Distribution: A revolution in progress

1. When did the UK distributors and exhibitors start to move towards digital distribution?

End of 2005

2. What are the advantages of digital distribution compared to film?

Can now replicate - if not surpass - the image quality of conventional 35mm cinema presentation.

3. In which countries has it been particularly successful?

China and Brazil

4.  In the UK, which institutions have particularly got to grips with it?

Digital technology has been embraced by the non-theatrical sector, in film societies and schools, where the use of DVD and mid-range digital projection has replaced 16mm.

5. What is the national body charged with encouraging digital film in the UK?

Has led the UK Film Council to establish a digital distribution and exhibition programme for the theatrical sector at the end of 2005.

6. How many cinema screens are there in the UK?

3,300

7.    How many of these are digital?

211

8.    In how many cinemas was your case study shown?

9.    Describe briefly the process of digital transfer

The compressed and encrypted files will be sent directly to cinemas to be downloaded, de-encrypted (unlocked) and opened as files for screening with digital projection equipment.

10.  Which key film institution was disbanded in 2011 and who took over their work?

11.  What are the implications for the future of digital distribution?

 more titles, both mainstream and specialised, will receive wide theatrical openings, and that this broadening of access at the point of release will dramatically reduce the overall theatrical period from 3-6 months to perhaps 1-3 months.

12.  How might the share of profit change in the light of digital distribution?

13.  Was your case study distributed digitally?

Yes 

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO IT?

I enjoyed the first film because it was funny and original and I thought that the sequel would be just as good. I think that Rowan Atkinson is a really good actor and everything that I have seen him in I have enjoyed watching.

WHICH BFI CATEGORY DOES IT FIT INTO? 

WHAT MAKES THIS A UK FILM?
The producers and directors of the film are all British and it is also produced by Working Title which is a British film production company. The film is also set in the UK which makes the film Britsh.