Film Industry Assessment: Learner Response :)

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

WWW: A superb assessment showing excellent knowledge of the text. Keep up the good work! 

EBI: For full marks for Q3, you need a little more focus and discussion of the theory (Hesmondhalgh) and industry contexts e.g. companies, funding, etc. 

16/18- A 

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Write down the number of marks you achieved for the three questions: _/3; _/6; _/9. If you didn't achieve full marks in a question, write a bullet point on what you may have missed.

Q1: 3/3

Q2: 6/6

Q3: 7/9- I didn't achieve full marks on this question because I didn't focus on Hesmondhalgh's theory as much as I should have when I should have linked it to industry contexts 

3) For Question 2 on the promotion of Blinded By The Light, use the mark scheme to identify at least one strategy used to promote the film that you didn't mention in your answer and why it was used. The key lesson from this question was to make specific reference to the CSP in your answer.

For Q2, I could have mentioned the Sundance Film Festival in which 'Blinded By The Light' was bought by New Line Cinema at an all night auction which may have created buzz by building and sharing critical acclaim from reviews, industry figures, etc

4) Now look at Question 3 - focusing on Hesmondhalgh's point that making media products is a 'risky business'. Write three bullet points from the mark scheme that you could have added to your answer. Try and include a specific reference to the CSP where you can and ensure you understand the key contexts to Hesmondhalgh's quote.

• New technology is opening new ways to distribute films- 'Blinded By The Light' is on Amazon Prime and this has been done in order to bring in some of the money that was lost from the loss at the box office. This is a prime example of how cultural industries are a "risky business" because there will have to be other methods to earn money that was lost during the initial release of the product 
• Some industry figures suggested that the film was released too closely to a film with a similar story ('Yesterday') and this could reduce the success of 'Blinded By The Light' because people don't want to watch a movie similar to one they have just watched 
• Unfortunately, despite good reviews and positive word-of-mouth and 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it only pulled in $18 million at the box office and this barely covered the production budget and covered nowhere near the marketing costs (which could have cost millions) so this shows that cultural industries are a "risky business" because there was no anticipation that the movie would be as unsuccessful as it was 

Introduction to TV Drama: Blog Tasks :)

Read Factsheet #164 on Television Serial Drama and answer the following questions to show your comprehensive knowledge of the television drama genre:

1) What is serial television drama? Write your own definition.

A serial television drama is a very popular genre of TV that has a continuous plot that unfolds in episode by episode with multi-strand narratives and stereotypical characters that take place in recognisable settings 

2) List five of the TV dramas discussed in the history of the genre on page 1 of the factsheet. How has the genre evolved over time?

• Danger Man 
• The Sweeney 
• Minder 
• The A-Team 
• Hill Street Blues 

Until the 1980s, most US television dramas followed a set narrative structure where there is a narrative resolution by the end of the episode- whether it's a cop show or an action caper, the template is the same and there is no reference to the previous episode as the show carries on. However, Hill Street Blues changed the shape of TV drama series and effectively transformed it into a serial as it showed their domestic lives as well as their professional lives and their crime stories ran over several episodes and a satisfactory resolution was not always given. From that point onward, more TV dramas adopted this serialised form of storytelling

3) List the sub-genres of TV drama featured in the factsheet. Come up with your own example of an existing TV dramas to fit each category.

• Police Procedural (crime): The Fall 
• Medical: The Good Doctor 
• Period (costume): The Crown 
• Science-fiction/fantasy: The Walking Dead 
• Family: This Is Us  
• Teen: Pretty Little Liars 

4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?

Setting is so important for TV dramas because their location reflects the sub-genre of the drama- serial dramas tend to focus on a story of the week which are generally based around a location instead of one or two main characters. This allows the drama to develop over a long period of time and the absence of making the show revolve around a main character allows new characters to join the show to prevent it from getting boring 

5) How do TV dramas typically use character? What audience pleasures can be linked to character in TV drama? (Hint: Uses & Gratifications theory!)

Serial dramas often employ archetypal characters as well as using characters to reflect modern audiences. For example, there is now a greater presence of strong females as well as black and ethnic minority characters. There is also an increase in the amount of gay, lesbian, and transsexual characters that are being represented in television serials. Characters in serial dramas go on journeys that allow them to change and develop (but not too much so that their function in the narrative isn't affected) but these character journeys are called 'arcs' and often span over episodes or seasons 

6) What is a multi-strand narrative? Give an example of a TV drama that features a multi-strand narrative.

A multi-strand narrative is when there are many narratives happening at the same time instead of one long storyline centred around one character and Grey's Anatomy is an example of a show with a multi-strand narrative because each character has a storyline that develops instead of one storyline surrounding the main character 

7) What is a cold opening?

A narrative technique where the show jumps straight into the story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits 

8) How can Todorov's theory of equilibrium be applied to TV drama serials?

Stories typically follow Todorov’s narrative stages though often without the return to equilibrium at the end of each episode- most police procedurals tend to provide narrative resolution to fulfil the audience’s curiosity for answers 

9) What is the typical form for TV dramas and how are the programmes typically distributed to an audience?

The length of the season and episodes vary according to the institution that produces and distributes the programme- they are reliant on funding from advertisements and this can impact the text in a number of ways. Excessive swearing and violence in TV dramas is rare because more conservative content attracts advertisers due to their adherence to mainstream ideologies 

10) How have subscription channels (such as HBO) and streaming services (such as Netflix and Amazon Prime) changed the form and content of TV dramas?

Drama serials presented on subscription channels are not governed by the same considerations so their content allows for more adult and challenging content- shows on subscription channels tend to share content that many potential advertisers would not want to associate their products with. Cable channels and services often produce shorter runs and do not stick to rigid running times 

11) Choose a TV drama and do your own analysis of it using the SETTING / CHARACTERS / NARRATIVE / FORM headings as featured on page 3 of the factsheet.

• Setting: This show takes place in a modern day hospital that has developed over the seasons 
• Characters: There is a diverse cast of doctors or patients in this show where many characters die and there are many new characters introduced (especially recently, they have added minorities and gay characters) but the main character is seen as an independent woman and there are also lots of other strong and independent women on the show 
• Narrative: This show makes use of a multi-strand narrative as each character has a storyline that develops throughout the show- they also use a cold opening by going straight into the story without the use of a title sequence or commercial break 
• Form: Each episode is around 42 minutes and there are 22 episodes in each season on average and there are 18 seasons (with more to come). They are shown by the network ABC so this means that there is little bad language so it seems attractive to the network to air but it is also shown on Disney+ in the UK and Netflix in the US 

12) How might the TV drama genre evolve in future?

TV drama fills the void between high and low budget films- Hollywood concentrates on superheroes, special effect and other action films so many actors are made to play morally ambiguous characters with complex and challenging narratives and this trend is likely to continue 

Film Industry: Blinded By The Light Index :)

My Film Industry Index

1) British Film Industry factsheets #132 & #100

2) Blinded By The Light case study research

3) Regulation - BBFC research and tasks

'Blinded By The Light' Case Study: Blog Tasks :)

Funding and industry contexts

1) What was the budget for Blinded By The Light and which companies contributed to the production budget?

• The budget was $15 million and Levantine Films and Ingenious Media helped contribute the development of the film
• Levantine Films had major success with Hidden Figures 
• The Ingenious Group is an investment company 

2) Research the Bend It Networks website. What other films and projects has the company been involved with?

• Beecham House: a period drama television series set in 1795 Delhi before the British rule 
• Viceroy's House: a British-Indian historical drama set during the partition of India 
• Bend It Like Beckham The Musical: a British musical bringing a unique cultural fusion
• Desi Rascals: a reality television series following the lives of multi-generational British Asian cast living in a community in London 
• It's a Wonderful Afterlife: a fun comedy about an Indian mother taking her obsession with marriage into frighteningly funny territory
• Angus Thongs & Perfect Snogging: a coming of age tale of a teen whose mind drifts into thoughts of growing up
• Mistress of Spices: a story of a woman who is sent to a Spice Bazaar in San Francisco 
• Bride and Prejudice: a tale full of colour, music, and dance in which a woman is eager to find suitable husbands for her four unmarried daughters 
• Bend It Like Beckham: a comedy about bending the rules to reach your dreams and the film follows two 18-year-olds with their hearts set on a future in professional soccer 

3) Research Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema on the Warners website here. Summarise the history of New Line Cinema in a short paragraph.

New Line Cinema is a company that was founded in 1967 and has a successful history of producing films that resonate with mainstream and niche audiences around the world. One of their most successful films include "Lord Of The Rings" (which generated almost $3 billion at the global box office). They are also widely known for their work with horror films such as "Annabelle", "Annabelle: Creation", "Annabelle Comes Home", "The Conjuring", "The Conjuring 2", and "The Nun" and the collectively made $1.8 billion. They also released "IT" which was a global sensation and made over $700 million at the worldwide box office and then the sequel which followed in 2019 made $1 billion. They are also credited for bringing back R-rated comedies as well as crowd-pleasing comedies. This huge success allowed them to become a unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment in 2008

4) Read this Variety interview with director Gurinder Chadha explaining how the project came about - including budget details. How did she manage to get the film made? 

Bruce Springsteen gave her permission to use his songs in the movie for a generous price that the article called a 'sweetheart deal'. She stated that the movie wouldn't have happened without Bruce's cooperation and generosity due to the $15 million budget 

5) What attracted Gurinder Chadha to the project?

She was attracted to the project because she said she's a huge fan of Springsteen as well as being considered an outsider in her childhood. She also believed it shared resemblance with 'Bend It Like Beckham' which is her hit film so she believed in the success of this project 

Production and distribution

Read this Deadline feature on the distribution deal for Blinded By The Light and answer the following questions: 

1) Which company won the distribution rights after the all-night auction and for how much?

Newline and Warner Bros won the distribution rights to Blinded By The Light for $15 million after an all-night auction

2) Which other companies were rumoured to be bidding for the distribution rights?

Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, and others 

3) According to the article, what was the 'allure' of Blinded By The Light?

The universal appeal of the coming-of-age music produced by Bruce Springsteen that tell honest stories about difficult upbringing, ambition, and the desire for freedom 

4) What does the article suggest about the significance of Bruce Springsteen's role in the production and promotion of the film?

The article suggests that his role in the production and promotion was highly significant in the success of this movie because he allowed them to use his music in the movie as well as supporting the movie once it was out in order to produce a positive response from audiences 

5) UK distribution was secured by eOne Entertainment. Visit the eOne About Us page on their website - what do they claim to offer under the heading 'Passion meets possibility?'

They claim to offer 'world class content' through vertical integration- allows them to 'share bold stories with audiences around the world' 

Promotion and reception

1) What does the trailer suggest regarding genre and the potential audience pleasures of Blinded By The Light?

The trailer successfully reveals the genre of the film by showing the struggles that the protagonist goes through when it comes to culture clashes between him and his father. His father has a traditional view on what boys in his family should do whereas Javid (the protagonist) wants his own freedom to do what he wants without his father's influence. We can also see the characters at a school in the trailer which confirms that this movie is a coming-of-age movie and the use of Springsteen's music also appeals to an older audience which may be familiar with his music 

2) What did film posters for Blinded By The Light feature and where did they appear?

• They feature positive reviews on the posters as well as the protagonist of the movie listening to music (which we can assume is Springsteen) as well as Gurinder Chadha's name (the film director) and Bruce Springsteen's name
• The posters were put on display on social media and the London and Luton premieres 

3) What TV shows and websites did interviews with writer, director and stars of Blinded By The Light? Give as many examples as you can.

• The writer (Sarfraz Manzoor) and the actor who played Javid (Viveik Kalra) did an interview for The BBC One Show 
• They also did interviews with HeyUGuys, Channel 4 News, Lorraine, and CBS Mornings 
• Gurinder Chadher did an interview for Bend It Networks and BBC London News

4) Why are interviews with newspapers, TV shows and websites a good way to promote a new film release?

Because they are free ways to promote something to a large audience that can be shown to an audience that is already watching TV and they may consider watching if it interests them 

5) How does the Blinded By The Light Twitter account create and maintain interest in the film?

They share clips from the film and retweet posts and ratings about the film as well as making references to the movie and the music from the movie. Another clever way of promoting this movie is by interacting with their followers by asking questions about the film 

6) How does the Blinded By The Light Facebook page use images and video content to promote the film?

They use it to advertise Blu-Ray and the digital version of this film as well as sharing clips and images from the film. They also post songs from the movie in order to remind their followers of the soundtrack 

7) Why do you think the Blinded By The Light Facebook page contains posts supporting the Black Lives Matter movement?

The issues in the movie reflect themes of racism towards Pakistanis so by showing support of the Black Lives Matter movement, they are emphasising the message behind the movie that discrimination should not be tolerated 

8) Select three posts from the Blinded By The Light Instagram page and explain how they promote the film.

• Post 1: a clip of the movie was posted with a Certified Rotten Tomatoes review on the front that says "A refreshing coming of age film that will reignite the dreamer in you" and at the end of the video, they promote the DVD for the film- by posting this positive review, people are encouraged to watch this movie. Also, the clip they used showed the happy moments in the film in order to portray it in a positive light and encourage more people to watch 

• Post 2: a screenshot from the movie where the three main teenagers in the movie are dancing and smiling with a Certified Rotten Tomatoes review that says "a rollercoaster of emotion"- the positive emotions and facial expressions in the screenshot reflect the happy moments in the movie that could encourage an audience to watch because they want to experience the happy moments in the film and gain context on where this screenshot came from 

• Post 3: a picture of the film director (Gurinder Chadha) with a celebrity (Jameela Jamil) from the premiere of the movie was posted and perhaps this could promote the movie because Jameela's followers could see this post and because they look up to her, they are likely to watch a movie that she enjoyed so this could raise viewings of the film. Also, the fact that there are celebrities watching this film emphasises how important the message behind this film is which could also encourage more people to watch 

9) Go to the Bend It Networks YouTube channel. How does Gurinder Chadha introduce the channel?  What other content is on the Bend It Networks YouTube channel?

She introduces it as a place where her and her audiences can connect to one another- the home of where everyone can come together for the best of what is going on in the world. The channel also posts content about cooking, comedy, drama, fashion, hair, beauty, and health 

10) Look at the box office figures for Blinded By The Light from The Numbers website. How much did it make at the box office and why do you think it was largely unsuccessful?

Even though the budget was only $15 million, the movie only ended up making $18 million at the worldwide box office and this could be because of the fact that it didn't aim for one specific target audience so the large range in audiences made it hard to attract one specific audience- this is because the coming-of-age part could attract teenagers but the Bruce Springsteen aspects could attract an older audience and it doesn't attract one particular audience

Film Regulation and the BBFC: Blog Tasks :)

1) Research the BBFC in more detail: what is the institution responsible for? How is it funded? What link does it have to government? This history of the BBFC page may help.

They focus on providing families with what movies are suitable and which movies aren't- they research and aim to reflect the views of people across the country. With regards to funding, the BBFC is an independent, non-governmental body funded through charged fees which means that film distributors have always paid a fee to have their works rated and the BBFC is a not for profit organisation. Due to the fact that the BBFC is independent, it is also non-governmental so they do not have a link to the government 

2) Read this BBFC guide to how films are rated. Summarise the process in 50 words.

Compliance Officers watch a combination of films, DVDs, and online content every day and note details of the general theme- plot, characters, outlines of individual scenes, timings of key moments, types of shots and camera angles, bad language, drug references, sex and violence, etc. and summarise details of issues and an argument to support the age recommendation 

3) Read this BBFC section on landmark decisions. Why did The Dark Knight generate a large amount of media coverage regarding its certificate? Do you agree with the 12A certificate The Dark Knight was awarded?

It generated a large amount of media coverage because there were many complaints from the public regarding the fact that they believed that the violence was too strong to be a 12A. I agree with this rating though because the 12A states that an adult must be accompanying the child so if the adult believes it is acceptable for the child to see the movie then it isn't the BBFC's fault but instead is the adult's fault for approving their child to see this movie 

4) What are the guidelines for a 12A certificate - Blinded By The Light's cinema certificate (it was rated 12 for its home video release)?

If a media product is given a 12A certificate, the themes are suitable for young teenagers and there must be an infrequent use of strong language and racism. There must also be no nudity but suggestion towards sex is acceptable as long as there is nothing unsuitable for young teenagers. There must also be no dwelling on blood or injuries or drugs or imitable techniques (such as suicide or self-harming). There must be no approval of language or behaviour that would offend a large group of people 

5) The BBFC website offers an explanation of every classification it makes and detailed case studies on selected titles. Look at the rating for Blinded By The Light and explain why it was given a 12A certificate for cinema release.

Blinded By The Light was given a 12A certificate because there is discrimination shown that resulted in bloody injuries as well as racist references (being called 'Pakis' and being spat on) but racism is not condoned in the film. There was also infrequent moderate bad language as well as milder terms and this mild language means that it can be a 12A because the language is not too extreme