Audience

Hypodermic needle theory-
The hypodermic theory is a model of communications suggesting that an intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the receiver. 

UK age restrictions-
These are the restrictions put in place, in the UK. The restrictions are based on different categories. The categories include violence, drug use, drug references, sex, nudity etc. They also base the classification of films on the tone, and the impact it has on the audience, including how it makes them feel. 












USA age restrictions-
The USA also rates it films in a very similar way to the UK. However the age bands change slightly. It's based more on the children's mentality, and whether or not the parents agree with it.



“Any media text is created for a particular audience and will usually appeal most to this particular target audience” (Hall and Holmes, 1998). 

The impact of age restrictions, in the contemporary film industry.

During the 1990s film age ratings, were much more strict as well as they only catered for certain audiences (niche audience). Films during the 1990s were more gritty, violence related and drug fuelled, a perfect example of this is Trainspotting. Trainspotting is a film about heroin addicts, who make a massive drug deal. However there are graphic scenes, which include all sorts of content. Although Trainspotting was a 18, it is one of the most popular films, which the majority of under 18s have seen. This shows how age ratings, are not good when it comes to catering for a specific audience, Trainspotting had a niche audience, however was widely watched by many people. By catering for 18s and over means only a selected profit can be made, and that the film itself is loosing out on a certain profit. It also complies with Stanley Halls theory that youths will intentionally do something to be rebellious, in this case it is watching Trainspotting how people over and under 18 have watched it.
The hypothermic needle is also influencing the age rating system, the majority of people who play, or watch a graphic film/game, do not go and commit certain crimes, and replicate the content. However, the UK age ratings at this time, would support the hypothermic needle theory as they have had the age ratings become strict, preventing younger audiences from "replicating" certain scenes. In the 1990s film makers also did not cater for what the audience wants, instead they catered more for profit. This meant that the films being produced at this time were aimed at a niche audience, and received a high age rating such as a 18. This meant less of a audience would see the film, or would not be interested as the film makers would be more interested in the profit, a good example of this is, Human Traffic. Human Traffic was a low budget, gritty British film about the rave and club culture. The film received an 18, and overall the film made very little profit, as the budget was £2.2 million and it only made £2.5 million. The film only catered for a certain audience, and is perfect example as to why the British film industry did not do so well around this decade.

British film industry history

Slumdog Millionaire VS Avatar:

The scenes are very different when looking at the two different films. Slumdog Millionaire is set in a slum around India and them areas, whereas Avatar is based on another planet altogether. Avatar is a fantasy/si-fi, and Slumdog Millionaire is a drama. The camera work of the two films are completely different, Avatar is mainly CGI and very high-tech looking. Slum dog Millionaire is more gritty, and Bollywood. The budget for Slumdog Millionaire is £15,000,000, and Avatar is £237,000,000.

Highest grossing films of 2000s USA VS UK: 

UK:                                          
Snatch                          
Slumdog Millionaire
Harry Potter
Shaun of the Dead

USA:
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
40 year old virgin
Gladiator
The Notebook

The USA at this time appear to be making more, action packed, crime, thriller films. Where as the UK were making more gritty, low-budget comedies, and even fantasy's.

Finance

The biggest production and distribution companies US:

The biggest production and distributers UK:



As McDougall (2008) summarised, five major distribution companies dominate the UK film industry:
- United International Pictures- Warner Brothers- Buena Vista- 20th Century Fox- SonyNone of these distribution companies are British, approximately 9/10 films seen in UK cinemas have been distributed by these Hollywood companies. In the majority of cases, these companies are either the same company who produced the film or are directly linked to the Hollywood production companies who made the film (vertical integration). Although the Paramount 1948 Supreme Court ruling now prevents these companies from owning the cinemas used for exhibition, films distributed by these Hollywood companies are still prioritized (for reasons of long term and short term profit) over films produced/distributed by independent companies e.g. Hollywood films generally gross more than a independent film and also because they make more films than independent companies cinemas can make more each year through supporting Hollywood films than they would if they started prioritizing independent films over Hollywood releases (doing this might prompt Hollywood to stop using this chain which would obviously impact profit for the cinema).  
The fact that multiplex cinemas are often owned by American companies also has an impact here because they obviously have deals with the Hollywood distributors in the USA and UK that makes it easier/more cost effective for them to secure Hollywood blockbusters than it is for independent cinemas (it is basic business that works in the same way to Tesco's v independent stores).
* A spokesperson for distributors Polygram summed up the problem as follows; "The British film industry is renowned for its creativity but we need to improve distribution and training, get closure to out audiences and take a global perspective. Only then will British film have a brighter future in the worldwide movie business."



  

Pre-Production 

(funded by production company)

• Producer/studio acquires rights to film story or treatment OR an independent production company chooses a production company/distributor (e.g. British production company makes the decision to work with major Hollywood company for production and distribution - using vertical integration - or seeks funding for production from UK sources then selects/attracts a Hollywood distributor). Hollywood has the advantage as it has more money to spend securing the rights to films. 
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• Screenplay is developed (script, storyboards etc.) - Hollywood has advantage as it employees more writers and can afford the best 'talent.'
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• Production finance and cast/crew are confirmed, locations are confirmed, scheduling takes place, call sheets are created, costume fittings happen, equipment is organised. Hollywood has the advantage as it can afford to spend more on big name stars, directors (even great British directors like Hitchcock get lured to Hollywood), experienced crew, locations, costumes and equipment. 

Production

(funded by production company)

• Principle photography takes place, in studios and/or on agreed locations (on average this takes 3 months). Hollywood has the advantage as vertical integration means access to studios, equipment etc. Also, they can afford to spend longer on shoots. 

Post-Production

(first two stages funded by production company, the other stages are funded by the distribution company)

• Post production (editing and scoring) takes place, test screenings taken place that the producer feels are necessary after getting feedback from the primary target audience (could even include re-shooting some scenes). Hollywood have the advantage because they can spend more of employees, editing equipment/technology and music rights.   
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• Master print of finished film delivered to distributor. USA distributors have the advantage because they can afford to produce more prints for blanket release. 
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• Distributor determines national and international release strategies and date (where/when/how in each country - also decide on premieres, film festivals etc.)
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• Distributor presents film to exhibitors and negotiates bilateral agreements to have film shown in cinemas
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• Distributor's marketing campaign creates 'hype' amongst target audience (a 'want to see' buzz) and launches film (marketing takes many forms, big Hollywood conglomerates have the advantage because they can use synergy across range of media platforms)
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• Prints are delivered to cinema a few days before opening - Hollywood films have the advantage because multiplex cinemas are loyal to Hollywood films for profit reasons. 
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•  Film's run extends any number of weeks subject to demand 
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• Marketing of home media begins after the film has left cinemas. Hollywood companies have the advantage as they have more to spend on marketing. 
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• Film is released on DVD, Blue-ray and becomes available to download. Home media sales is often where British films make the most profit - they can compete on a more level playing field at this stage as the production costs of DVDs etc is less than reels.

My British case study

The British film I have chosen to do my case study on is, Harry Brown (2009). It's a British film, that portrays the violence and corruption on the streets of the UK, through the view of an ex-military, widower.
The production company for Harry Brown is Marv Films and the UK Film Council. It's also in association with: Hanway films, Prescience Film fund and Framestore. The budget for the film was estimated at $7,300,000. The film was released in 2009, and it is a British film. It features British characters and is overall based on the streets of Britain. The director of the film is Daniel Barber, who is a British actor based out of London, which is relevant to the film.
The equipment used Sony CineAlta F35, Zeiss Master Prime and Angenieux Optimo Lense Sony DCR-PC2E. The budget for the film is relatively low, compared to what you would see for a American film. However due to the British film industry lacking more compared to the American film industry this is, an average amount of money spend on a British film. On the opening weekend Harry Brown made £1,271,814, this was over 351 screens, however in America it only made $173,353 this was only shown over 19 screens. 
Harry Brown was marketed in many ways, using social media and the internet, but also TV trailers. Actors such as Plan B who is featured in the film, advertised it on many of their social media accounts keeping fans updated. However the film was also marketed through the actors, Michael Caine is a massive notorious actor who has won many awards, as well as being in well known films. 
The film was also advertised at the 2009 Toronto International Film festival, where it had its own "special presentation." The film was distributed by Lionsgate UK. 

What is a British film?

What is a British Film?
As critic McDougall (2008) states there are various 'official' ways of categorising British films. The most common is through using the following categories defined by the BFI (British Film Institute):

Category A: Films made with British money, personnel and resources.

Category B: Films co-funded with money from British and from foreign investment, but for which the majority of finance, cultural content and personnel are British.

Category C: Films with mostly foreign money (but non USA) investment and a small British input either financially or creatively.

Category D: Films made in the UK with (usually) British cultural content, but financed fully or partly by US companies.

Category E: US films with some British involvement. 

Ethnicity (race)

UK Stereotypes:

White British- Traditional, christians etc.
Irish traveller/gypsies- "pikeys," steal from you, caravans, palm readers etc.
Asian (pakistani, indian etc.)- Ones from certain areas are portrayed as terrorists, also curry is a stereotype.
Black-  Fast runners, robbers, gangs, crime.
Asian (chinese, japanese etc.)- martial arts, chinese food, yin yang, dragons, maths etc.

US Stereotypes:

White American- Hillbillies, banjos, make america great again, patriotic, stupid.
African Americans- Gangs, police, guns, criminals, look down at.
Hispanic and latino- Mexican, need to go back home (Donald Trump), land takers, criminals, cleaners, etc.

As Pieterse forcefully put it in 1992; “The legacy of several hundred years of western expansion and hegemony, manifested in racism and exoticism, continues to be recycled in western culture in the stereotypical images of non-western cultures.”

Theorist Sarita Malik points out the obvious in her essay ‘The Construction of Black and Asian Ethnicities in British media (1998); “The word ‘race’ in the cultural and political terrain has almost universally been aligned with Black and Asian people, as though they are the only racial groups that ‘own’ an ethnicity… Whiteness has been naturalized, as though it is an invisible ‘norm.’ When it is of course an ethnic group like any other. 

Regional identity

Theorist Andrew Higson (1998) writes: "Identity is generally understood to be the shared identity of naturalised inhabitants of a particular political-geographic space- this an be a particular nation or region."

Benedict Anderson (1983) maintains that the media play a vital role in constructing a national/regional identity as in reality the nation is too big for everyone to know each other yet they often have shared values: "The unification of people in the modern world is achieved not by military but cultural means, in particular the media system enables people (of a nation or region) to feel part of a coherent, meaningful and homogenous community."

Higson: "Stereotyping is a form of shorthand... a way of establishing a character... that often reducing the character to the most basic form so that the stereotype often becomes comic."  (Higson 1998)
Higson: "No wonder then that a particular characterisation may be criticised for being stereotypical meaning it lacks a realistic dimension, it fails to match up the reality of identity." (Higson 1998)

Medhurst: "Awful because they are not like us."


Stereotypes for different regions:

Brummies: 

Brummie- Drag on words, meant to say Birmingham as Buuuuurminghammmm

Yams yams , Citizen Khan 

"Brummie screwdriver" is UK slang for a hammer

Cornish: 

Cornish- Pasties. Farmers, Fields, Beach weather, holiday, miners, tractors

Poldark, Doc martin

Cornwall has about half a million people, 75,000 cows and more than five million tourists a year.

Put the cream on BEFORE the jam when having a cream tea

Essex: 

Everyone in Essex has the same accent - a chavvy, cockney like accent 

Everyone is blonde and tanned

 "The Only Way Is Essex" uses phrases like "Shut Up!" and "Well jell"

 Everyone in Essex enjoys alcohol and parties 

London: 

London-  Fake tan, crime, chavs, grime, tourists, gangsters, 

Eastenders

Celebrations of St Piran’s Day in 19th century Cornwall led to the phrase ‘drunk as a perraner’.


Our food is awful and we can’t produce our own wine

Manchester: 

The Mancunian stereotype is much like the stereotype of just your general northerner, alcoholic rude loud and lower working class status.From what I’ve found it appears like Manchester is a city of two halves, you’re either a ‘casual’ who enjoys music like Oasis and The Stone Roses or you’re a ‘chav’ and you wear tracksuits and have babies at 16.

 Not just that but when you think of Manchester you think “United or City?”

Some of the better stereotypes of Manchester is not only its HUGE football teams but the fact that its multi cultural, it has a lot more diversity than other cities in the UK, hence why like places such as Bradford and Birmingham which also have a very diverse culture, EDL make a few appearances in Manchester.

     Scouser: 

·      Obsessed with football

·      Distinguishable accent

·      Chavs

·      "Ya ma" is still the best comeback of all time

·      You will see people at Tesco wearing pyjamas and Ugg boots

·      You know the words to 'You'll Never Walk Alone' if you're a red or a blue or neither

·      You'll see people blatantly in their mid-20s trying to buy a child ticket on the bus

·      Hollyoaks is set there

·      A new poll looking at people’s perceptions of various different UK accents shows the “scouse” accent is the most popular for mimicking for comedic effect

·      Accent is hard to understand

·      Liverpool vs Manchester

·      Full of chavs and drug users

·      Rough schools

·      Full of criminals- bad reputation

·      Stereotyped to have hair rollers in their hair

·      Known to love cheesy chips

·      “Birds”

·      Hard to understand- a lot of new phrases

·      Woolyback / Wool : A person from Runcorn, Wirral, Wigan, Warrington, Southport etc.

·      Swear a lot

      
       Wales: 

·      Obsessed with football

·      Distinguishable accent

·      Chavs

·      "Ya ma" is still the best comeback of all time

·      You will see people at Tesco wearing pyjamas and Ugg boots

·      You know the words to 'You'll Never Walk Alone' if you're a red or a blue or neither

·      You'll see people blatantly in their mid-20s trying to buy a child ticket on the bus

·      Hollyoaks is set there

·      A new poll looking at people’s perceptions of various different UK accents shows the “scouse” accent is the most popular for mimicking for comedic effect

·      Accent is hard to understand

·      Liverpool vs Manchester

·      Full of chavs and drug users

·      Rough schools

·      Full of criminals- bad reputation

·      Stereotyped to have hair rollers in their hair

·      Known to love cheesy chips

·      “Birds”

·      Hard to understand- a lot of new phrases

·      Woolyback / Wool : A person from Runcorn, Wirral, Wigan, Warrington, Southport etc.

·      Swear a lot

·      Thieves

      Yorkshire: 

·     Scones

·     Yorkshire puddings

·     Yorkshire tea

     Scotland:
     People from Scotland have been presented, as ginger people, who eat haggis, wear kilts and play the bagpipes. Iron Bru is also associated with them.
   
     Devon :
     People are presented as, farmers who drink cream teas, drink cider, and clotted cream is a big thing.
   
   

The clip above fits with the London stereotype, of people being in gangs, chavs and it has there accents. It portrays them differently, and magnifies a small story, into a large program that is watched by millions of viewers every evening. This would agree with Higsons theory "No wonder then that a particular characterisation may be criticised for being stereotypical meaning it lacks a realistic dimension, it fails to match up the reality of identity."