Discuss the issues raised by an institution’s need to target specific audiences within the film industry

Throughout this essay, I will discuss ways in which British films are produced and distributed towards a specific target audience and consider how successful British films are at targeting these audiences. After an all time low of just 54 million cinema admissions in 1984, an institution’s need to capture audiences is growing. With the recent success of ‘Avatar’, by 20th Century Fox, grossing £1,800,000,000, institutions have recently focussed their attention into similar production methods, using technological convergence and synergies as an advantage. I will be focussing on Working Title, a part conglomerate British film producer partnered with Universal Studios, and Vertigo Films, an independent British film producer that has had recent success and is currently funded by its own revenue.

Working Title produced The Boat that Rocked, a period comedy film, with a mid-range budget of £32 million, assisted in funding by Universal Studios. The film targeted mainly older audiences of 40-60 years old, in particular males, who would enjoy the 1960s period plot, where they would remember it from their childhood, but also targeted younger audiences of 15-18 who may enjoy the comedy genre of the film (the film had an age rating of 15). The particular male target audience is evident as the film contains many masculine themes, including sexual references, drugs and rock music, and the film cast a majority of male actors, such as Bill Nighly, a frequent actor for Working Title films, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, an actor that often stars in action films that may appeal to males. Many of Working Title’s films target American audiences, as a large amount of revenue is often generated abroad. Many American audiences enjoy a positive representation of Britain and therefore, many of these aspects are evident throughout The Boat that Rocked. A stereotypical representation of the government being ‘evil’ and upper classed is used in the film, where each member of the government wears dark, smart clothing and glasses, contrasting with the bright, colourful clothing that the DJs wear, linking to the comedy genre. Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman may have been used as a main character as he is American, and his unique representation may appeal to many people in the target audience, in particular, other American audiences. In targeting a more niche audience with The Boat that Rocked, many production methods were used in filming and editing that would appeal to these audiences. Two digital cameras were used during filming in tight spaces on the boat to ensure that a particular chaotic effect was created, which may appeal to this target audience and may make the film more interesting. In addition, few special effects were used, as they would have significantly increased the budget, and instead, filming took place on an actual ship in the North Sea, creating some filming difficulties, especially with cinematography, but creating a realistic effect that should be more appealing to most audiences. Furthermore, many scenes were filmed with actors improvising on set, so that the script was not particularly important, again creating a more realistic and entertaining experience that may appeal to the target audience. During editing, synergies were used, particularly with the soundtrack, in order to make the film more interesting and entertaining. Due to the 1960s period that the film was based around, and due to the significance of rock music at this time, many soundtracks, such as ‘The Beach Boys’ were used during many scenes, appealing to the target audience who may remember the music of the time and find enjoyable, and linking to the comedy genre of the film that younger audiences may find attractive.
Similarly, Vertigo films often targets specific audiences of films. With the relatively low budgets that Vertigo began with from being an independent institution, the majority of their films are very niche, targeting these specific target audiences as funding would not allow them to expand. The majority of films tended to be focused on crime, mystery or horror genre films, such as The Football Factory, with a budget of only £500,000, which could be produced on the low budget without requiring many visual effects, but could still produce an entertaining media product: The Football Factory grossed £300,000 (over half of the budget) on its opening weekend, without large scale blanket distribution. Contrasting with this pattern, Vertigo recently began production of Streetdance 3D, moving towards a slightly more ‘mass market’, but still requiring to target specific audiences. An increased budget is evident from the production methods used for the film, allowing Vertigo to target a younger audience of 12 to 16 year olds, particularly females who may enjoy a Dance genre of film. Some filming and editing techniques have been used that consider the young target audience. Streetdance 3D was filmed in 3D IMAX, where the maximum possible quality is available ensure that the film is more exciting. Being filmed in 3D also creates a unique selling point for the film, which younger age groups will enjoy due to its interactivity. Cast members were also chosen in accordance with the young target audience, using young dance groups such as ‘Diversity’, made famous by British television-it is also evident here that Vertigo aims more towards a British audience than Working Title, using famous British actors that may appeal more to a young British audience than an American one.

Distribution and marketing are also both important factors that determine the success of a film. Due to Working Title’s relatively large marketing and distribution budget, due to its partnership with Universal Studios, distribution of The Boat that Rocked was on a large scale. Due to this budget, it was able to distribute films to America, where a large percentage of the target audience would consume the film. It was first distributed to multiplex cinemas with film reels, rather than through digital distribution as the majority of cinemas are currently non-digital (it can cost up to £3000 to upgrade a single cinema screen). The film’s box office revenue was only £23 million, however it may be argued that the film was more successful on DVD, where it rose to a 4 out 5 ranking on Amazon. Within this target audience, many older audiences are likely to own a blu-ray player. With the high distribution budget from Universal Studios, the film was also distributed onto blu-ray disc, which may be more appealing for this older audience who may also own a large HD TV, and may be more likely to purchase the product. The film was also digitally distributed onto iTunes for £10.99. With easy access to the internet for this target audience, it is important to make the film available to download, as piracy issues can conflict with revenues, and the audience is more likely to purchase the film and watch it in higher quality than download it illegally, as long as it is available to them to purchase. Particular marketing techniques were also used to target a specific audience. As an older audience is more likely to have more money available to them than younger audiences, many of these people will own a modern phone, such as an iPhone. An app for the iPhone was designed to stimulate audience interest in the film, which contained a synopsis and various trailers as well as a ‘Top Trumps’ style card game, available as a free download to users-this had a rating of 3 out of 5 on user comments, and would have therefore been relatively successful. The film was also marketed using Spotify music playlists and trailers, which may have aimed towards a younger audience due to the availability of free music and the large usage of Spotify among teenagers who the film may appeal to.

The marketing of Streetdance 3D was similarly important to target its younger audience. Both the teaser trailer and the theatrical trailer are very focused on the 3D element of the film, and are both 3D and viewable online, through video hosting sites such as YouTube, where a large percentage of the target audience will spend a lot of their time and may already own 3D glasses from watching a previous 3D film. Technological convergence on the internet, especially with social networking sites like Facebook, has allowed Vertigo to spread awareness of the film and their trailers through free, viral marketing. These websites can be commented on by other members of the target audience, influencing others to go and see the film, and blogs and fan-sites also raise awareness of the film and create audience anticipation. A highly interactive official website has also been designed to stimulate audience interest, for which younger audiences will find more exciting than a simpler website. The release date of the film has been set at May 2010, around the time of the school half term holidays, when teenagers that the film may appeal to will be available to see the film.

Targeting specific audiences is a very important element determining the success of a film. Production, distribution and marketing varies depending on the target audience and the genre of the film, and with the steady decrease in cinema admissions in the UK, down to 164 million in 2009, from 175 million in 2003, making films appeal to specific audiences is increasingly important as different demographics have different preferences.

Discuss the ways in which media products are produced and distributed to audiences within the film industry

From a historic high post-war of 1.64 billion cinema viewings in 1946, UK cinema admissions gradually declined to an all-time low of just 54 million in 1984. Since this time, the convergence of new technologies and the growing theatrical experience adopted from America, in cinemas has recovered admissions to above 150 million. Production and distribution methods are continually improving, enticing institutions to use these new technologies to their advantage and increase revenues of their films. Disney studios have continuously adopted new technologies allowing them to produce and distribute the highest grossing film in history, ‘Avatar’ (produced and distributed in digital 3D) grossing £1,800,000,000.

Working Title is a part conglomerate British film production company, that focuses on many social aspects of Britain, often aiming towards genres like romantic-comedies-one example of this is ‘Love Actually’. The company’s mid-range budgets, assisted in funding by its conglomerate partner, Universal Studios, allows the institution to target a large variety of audiences, including American audiences of many ages through the use of Universal studios as a distributor. For this reason, the company’s films tend to create a positive representation of Britain, as this is preferable to an American audience, for which there may be a larger audience. The company’s mid-range budget is reflected in the production of its films. The Boat that Rocked a period comedy genre film, with a budget of £32 million, was filmed using two handheld digital cameras to allow filming in smaller areas on the ‘Boat’, due to the portability of digital cameras. The use of digital cameras also decreases production costs, due to the high price of 35mm cameras and production of films reels (up to £2000 per reel), also allowing the editing process to be faster, due to easier transport and capture of digital data onto computers (it took only a week from filming to editing with The Boat that Rocked), allowing a faster film release. In comparison to Hollywood films, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace cost around £5 million to film using 35mm cameras for 220 hours of film, however Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, cost only £15,000 to film in digital format, due to the lower production costs, assisting with increasing profits. However, digital cameras are known to marginally decrease picture quality, which may make some audiences, particularly those interested in the film industry, feel that the film is less of an experience, which may account for the film’s low gross revenue of only £23 million. With this mid-range budget, few special effects have been used as they could have been extremely expensive and may not have fitted into the budget. Synergies are also evident in this film, in which institutions have worked together to increase the success of the film, for example, the use of 1960s style music that older audiences of the film may appeal to, such as ‘The Beach Boys’. In addition, with decreased production costs from filming, the Boat That Rocked could afford to feature synergies with its ensemble cast, with a majority of famous actors such as Bill Nighly (who is a frequent cast member with Working Title films-e.g: Love Actually) and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (who may appeal to the American audience), who may each account for a large percentage of the film budget but will be beneficial time-wise for filming.

Conversely, Vertigo films is an independent production company which relies mainly on its own revenue to fund its films. This smaller budget is reflected in its production methods, where films are usually focused on horror or action film genres with an age rating of either 15 or 18, targeting more niche audiences. One of the company’s first films, The Football Factory, had a budget of only £500,000 and cast Danny Dyer, an actor with a particular masculine representation that relates to the film’s genre (the film However, Vertigo films is currently producing Streetdance 3D. This film aims towards a less niche audience, aiming towards a younger audience, as a certificate 12, where particular production methods that aim towards this age are evident. The increased budget from revenue of its previous films (The Football Factory grossed £300,000 in its opening weekend, allowing for the reinvestment of profits) has allowed Vertigo to film Streetdance using 3D cameras. Since ‘Avatar’, produced in digital 3D by 20th Century Fox, the popularity of 3D films amongst all audiences is evident, and many production companies have begun investing in 3D technologies. The film was also shot using IMAX cameras, which produce the highest available quality images, which will appeal to many film fans, and make watching the film a better experience. Also, Vertigo cast popular dance groups, such as ‘Diversity’ to star in the film, made famous by British television program ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, which will also act as a unique selling point for the film, and appeal to younger audiences.

The distribution of British films in cinemas across the UK can be an important determining factor in the success of a film. With many technological convergences, the film industry has extended into other medias and allowed for easier distribution, marketing and consumption but has also brought about some disadvantages to the film industry. With the availability of fast speed broadband internet connections, satellite connections and discs that store large amounts of data, digital distribution is possible, making a blanket release possible, with fewer transport and film reel production costs, decreasing the affects of piracy. In addition, film quality from repeating showings is maintained as the digital copy should not be damaged. Use of digital distribution to cinemas, however, can increase piracy as the internet may not be as secure as a physical copy, where a ‘virus’ may lead to the entire film being ‘leaked’ onto the internet, resulting in a large decrease of revenue for the production company.

Due to Working Title’s conglomerate partnership with Universal Pictures, The Boat That Rocked could be distributed in a large number of countries, including America, and the company could afford to produce a large number of film reels, due to its comparatively large budget. It most likely avoided digital distribution due to the small number of cinemas that are currently equipped to show films in digital (as it can cost up to £50,000 to upgrade a single cinema). The film was then distributed onto DVD and blu-ray across a large number of countries, where it could distribute on the more costly blu-ray discs due to its large distribution budget from Universal (where the older target audience is likely to own a more expensive blu-ray player as they would be able to afford it). Due to the large usage of the internet, the film could also be distributed on iTunes, where it is instantly available to users at £10.99, of whom a large percentage may be part of the target audience (because both older and younger audiences often have access to it), combating piracy. This also decreases distribution costs, because discs do not need to be manufactured and transported enabling the company to gain more profit from the film. It may be argued that this film had a better reception on disc release, where it gained 4/5 on Amazon, than at cinemas, where it grossed only £23 million. Due to the film’s relatively large marketing budget, it has promoted the film in various ways. Various character posters were produced, promoting its unique selling point of Hollywood actors and also produced theatrical posters, in which image editing is evident. The film was also marketed with teaser trailers and theatrical trailers, again making use of the soundtrack synergies available to the film, in which ‘Dancing in the Street’ is played over the theatrical trailer. iTunes was again used to market the film, where the technological convergence into ‘iPhones apps’ allowed the film to be marketing using these apps, in which a user (who is likely to be of the target audience, as they will be able to afford an iPhone) could download it and read the synopsis and view the trailer for free, stimulating audience interest. Furthermore, ‘Spotify’ was also used to market the film, whereby users could listen to music playlists from the film for free and view trailers from within the software. In addition, an interactive, official website was designed, again allowing the target audience to gain more information about the film. With film review sites and blogs, interest was also stimulated between members of the audience, on websites like ‘IMDB’, that allowed users to comment on the film and rate it.

Marketing and distribution for Vertigo’s Streetdance 3D is equally important, where it may be argued that the promotion of the film being the ‘World’s first 3D dance film’ is marketed more than the plot itself. Being released to cinemas in May 2010, the film is similarly being distributed on film reels rather than digitally. The film was marketed with both a teaser trailer and a theatrical trailer, which was in 3D, making it more aesthetically pleasing for the target audience and stimulating more interest around the film. Both of these trailers were made available online, relating to the younger target audience who may already own 3D glasses from going to see a 3D film previously. The highly interactive official website that was designed also relates to the younger target audience and the use of Facebook apps stimulate free, viral marketing for the film around the community of younger Facebook users with friends. A theatrical poster was also designed to market the film, where the use of image editing software is evident, making it appear aesthetically pleasing, which would appeal especially to the young audience.

It is evident that production and distribution affect the success of a film hugely, where it may be argued that The Boat that Rocked failed due to a bad marketing campaign or that Streetdance 3D may be a large success simply because of particular production issues, such as filming in IMAX 3D, enticing many to see the film, regardless of its plot. With such important on-going technological convergence, production companies and distributors both have to adapt around the film market, to conflict with the decreasing usage of cinemas, for example, production companies may begin using the new Apple iPad as a marketing and distribution tool, whereby users can purchase and watch films from the portable device. With an increase in profits to £1.7 billion in 2009, the increasing consumption of British films is evident, being helped by better production and distribution among institutions.

What impact has digital technology had on the studio production companies you have studied

Over the past decade, the use of digital technology has become increasingly evident, moving into the hands of audiences, and changing the way we consume media. The film industry has gained both advantages and disadvantages from this change and is likely to continue adapting in the future, from the introduction of new technologies and their availability to the audience.

The use of DV cameras among audiences has significantly affected the film industry, in that audiences themselves can feel closer to the film industry and take part in similar processes of production. The decreasing price of DV cameras, as well as the introduction of new technologies over the last decade has increased the use of them, making them available to more people, and increasing the quality of the product. The use of DV cameras has benefitted the film industry, in that the audience can create their own productions, and extend the brand of the film, where users can upload their own ‘films’ to the internet, on websites such as YouTube, due to the increased number of broadband connections in homes, promoting the films in doing so. However, the use of DV cameras has also increased levels of piracy-the 2009 film, ‘The Boat That Rocked’, although having a large budget of around $50 million, grossed around $35 million. Although this is a large inflow of revenue, other British films, funded from abroad, have been known to triple their budget-2006’s ‘Casino Royale’ grossed $594 million, with a budget of only $150 million. This may be due to the economic circumstances at the time ‘The Boat That Rocked’ was released, where many audiences may not be able to afford to consume media as much, and may instead watch pirate copies. With more people owning DV cameras, and the decreased size of the cameras due to technological advancements, cameras can be concealed upon entering a cinema, in order to record a film, to make it illegally available to others, through the use of DVD burning and the internet. The decreased quality encountered in pirate copies may make many viewers feel that the film itself was not exceptionally good, which may lead to viewers advising friends and family not to see the film, decreasing revenue for production companies, such as Working Title films, further.

Digital technology has also decreased many costs for production companies, so that films can be produced at a higher quality, with a lower budget. As many films are shot partly or fully in the digital format, some film can be offered to cinemas in the digital. However, films distributed in the digital format currently have low demand, because the costs of converting cinemas to theatres with digital screens are very high: up to $150,000 per screen or more, and it is debatable whether the picture quality is any clearer-there are also more risks of digital projectors having faults and may require a replacements after only 5 years. An incentive for production companies distributing digitally is the possibility of greater protection against piracy. With traditional film prints, distributors will release films in different markets at separate times, in order to ship the film prints into each country. In countries in which a film is not yet released, pirated copies of a film may be available, enticing consumers to watch the film illegally, decreasing revenue for production companies. A simultaneous ‘blanket’ release could remove this problem, through digital distribution, as copies would be cheaper and faster to manufacture, and more could be produced (where smaller optical discs would be easier and cheaper to transport, rather than a large film reel), or it could be made available over the internet, with significantly lower costs to a distribution company, which may allow for more money to be spent on production. Aswell as Working Title films, Universal Pictures also funded 'The Boat that Rocked', and so both films could experience these benefits of more revenue.

Specific audiences may be deterred by the concept of digital film consumption. Some individuals, that may have a professional interest in film, may notice slight differences in quality of a digital film, and may decide that they would rather not see the film at a cinema, and may wish to wait to purchase the film when released to DVD, for example, which would decrease the revenue, and may have an affect on the budget of future productions, for the production company. However, it is evident that the repeated use of film reels, currently used in cinemas, can degrade the quality after a number of viewings-scratches and dirt on the reels will affect the quality and may deter many audiences from viewing the film after a period of time ahead of the release. Digitally distributed films, however, can be viewed repeatedly, without affecting the quality greatly, and may therefore continue to gain higher revenue, weeks after the release. Film4 and UK Film Council that funded and produced 'This is England' would not have been able to distribute the film digitally on a 'blanket' release, due to the low budget of the film (£1.5 million).

The use of digital sound has also been an important element affecting production companies-large amounts of time can be spent on editing sound to ensure it is at optimal quality, and has a ‘surround sound’ element, making consumption of films a more compelling ‘experience’, consequently increasing revenue for the production company.

It is evident that digital technology has played a major role in the forming of the modern film industry, supplying both advantages and disadvantages to production companies, which they have no control over, and in future, will have to adapt to, in order to continue grossing highly, in this highly competitive industry.

Film Theft in the UK-2004 Report

LINK:      Film Theft in the UK    

Film piracy in the UK 

Piracy at any stage in this process can cause the film industry to sustain heavy financial losses across the whole value chain. If consumers are able to acquire and view a film title illegally, the incentive to see and acquire that film by legitimate means is diluted; whether in the cinema, on DVD/video (rented or purchased), or pay-TV. Also, the logical extension of this argument is that the earlier the pirated copy appears in a film’s business lifecycle, the heavier the potential revenue loss is likely to be. Essentially, the earlier the act of piracy is, the greater is the number of ‘windows’ of exploitation that become vulnerable to diminished revenues.

Types of Piracy

Types of piracy in the UK involve both physical and non-physical piracy.

At the moment, physical piracy involves manufacture and distribution of either videocassette or optical disc traded in high street shops, on the internet, in street markets or car boot sales. There are both professional and consumer versions of piracy.

Large scale, professional piracy is often operated at a business-in 2003 180 million discs were manufactured and distributed.

Over the past two years, there has been a major surge of large-scale factory production of DVDs in Russia. The latest numbers indicate that there are now at least 34 DVD lines (both legal and pirate) in the country. Russia has become one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of pirate optical discs of all kinds. This production has devastated the domestic market and is now threatening markets throughout Europe and beyond. In 2002, the film industry’s local anti-piracy organisation, RAPO, seized over 226,000 pirate DVDs in raids on warehouses and outlets across Russia.

FACT total seizures of 

counterfeit products (2003) 

FORMAT SEIZED 

VCD 120,722 

VHS 86,501 

DVD-R 178,577 

DVD COMPILATION 2,515 

DVD 1,573,510 

Total DVD format seized 1,754,602 

Consumer home copying on the other hand poses a far more difficult activity to assess as a potential threat to the film industry. In the mid 1990s the analogue home VCR was the only consumer device that enabled illegal copies to be made in the home. The only way to do this was by ‘back-to-back’ copying’; connecting two VCRs together via an analogue cable, one set to play, the other set to record. Less than ten years on, the home recording environment has changed dramatically. The digital revolution has resulted in a variety of new digital recording devices appearing on the market, most of which are linked either to TV or PC use.

Home copying of DVDs and other digital audiovisual content is in part possible due to the phenomenon known as the ‘analogue hole’. This refers to the fact that all connections to TV sets (as well as to other devices like VCRs) are analogue. Regardless of the fact that modern home entertainment appliances like DVD players and pay-TV decoders are digital, their output must be converted from digital to analogue in order to display them on a TV set. Moreover, because DVD players are optimised to deliver the best possible (analogue) picture and sound quality to the TV set, they can potentially provide a high-quality analogue source for copying to a blank DVD. The resulting copied DVD will have none of the digital copy protection of the original DVD and can thus be used to make an infinite number of further perfect digital copies of this single analogue copy.

The History and Role of Vertigo Films

Vertigo films was set up in 2002, specifically to produce 2 new british films and contribute to the british film industry in commercially driven independent cinema. These films were 'The Football Factory' and 'Its all gone Pete Tong', both with British cultural influences, and the institution is now continuing to produce four films each year, under their own distribution company (they make many joint ventures with other British production and distribution companies, including FilmFour). Some of these latest releases are 'Street Dance 3D' and 'The Firm' (which is claimed to be the UK's number 1 DVD on the official website). It is clear that the advances in technology and a larger amount of finance has allowed this change, now producing 3D films to match the new cultures of cinema to increase their revenue and make watching the film more of a memorable experience.

Vertigo films has used innovative technology, meticulous attention to budget and great care of the audience to produce a large amount of success. Many films have a 'gritty' appearance, with a contrasting representation of Britain to Working Title Films, where films like 'Goodbye Charlie Bright' have themes of gang violence, but 'Love Actually' by Working Title has a more positive representation of culture, making character's lives appear very optimistic.

Award-winning films
It's All Gone Pete Tong:
Best Canadian Feature — Toronto International Film Festival — 2004
Best Feature — US Comedy Arts Festival — 2005
Best Actor (Paul Kaye) — US Comedy Arts Festival — 2005
Grand Jury Award — Gen Art Film Festival — 2005
Audience Award — Gen Art Film Festival — 2005
Best British Columbian Film — Vancouver Film Critics Circle — 2005
Best Male Performer' (Mike Wilmot) — Canadian Comedy Awards — 2005
Best Overall Sound — Leo Awards — 2005
Best Sound Editing — Leo Awards — 2005
Best Feature-Length Drama — Leo Awards — 2005
Clean:
Best Actress (Maggie Cheung) — Cannes Film Festival — 2004
London to Brighton:
Best Achievement in Production — British Independent Film Awards — 2006
Golden Hitchcock (Paul Andrew Williams) — Dinard Festival of British Cinema — 2006
New Director's Award (Paul Andrew Williams) — Edinburgh International Film Festival — 2006
Most Promising Newcomer (Paul Andrew Williams) — Evening Standard British Film Awards — 2007
Best Feature Film — Foyle Film Festival — 2006
Jury Prize (UK Feature) — Raindance Film Festival — 2006
Shotgun Stories:
New American Cinema Award — Seattle International Film Festival — 2007

Vertigo Films has also recently released a New York-set thriller named WAZ, one of the companies first films not set in Britain.

Films in development
Dogging: A Love Story (2007) Production Company
The Sweeney (scheduled 2008) Production Company
The Wake Wood (2009)
Monsters
Untitled Cage Rage Project (scheduled 2009) Production Company; Distributor—UK all media
StreetDance (2010)

In addition to its production and distribution activity, Vertigo also owns The Post Republic, a successful state of the art post production company based in Berlin and is a partner in Protagonist Pictures, the sales company joint venture with Film Four and Ingenious Media.

LINKS:

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/technology/vertigo-films-teams-up-with-us-firm-for-3d-company/5010000.article

www.vertigofilms.com

The Vertigo Films-owned Post Republic, based in Berlin, is also involved in the joint venture and will provide post-production services. The Vertigo Films-owned Post Republic, based in Berlin, is also involved in the joint venture and will provide post-production services.

New Alice in Wonderland Film

The new blockbuster film 'Alice in Wonderland', directed by Tim Burton to be released 5th March 2010 to cinemas in the UK, however it has recently been reported that the film will also be distributed on DVD only 3 months later (rather than the 'Gentleman's agreement of 5-6 month delay), causing the Odeon cinema's withdrawal from showing the film, due to the chance of reduced revenue, as a large percentage of the audience may consider waiting to buy the film on disc, rather than going to the cinema.

Although this may seem a disadvantage to the cinemas, one reason for the distributors releasing the film on disc earlier is to decrease piracy levels to increase revenue for production companies. With the increased use of the internet, faster internet speeds, and the use of DV cameras, piracy levels have increased, so distribution companies are attempting to release the film in the shortest time span possible, so that people will be able to buy it sooner, rather than reverting to watching the film on the internet for free. Digital distribution methods have allowed production companies to achieve some of these goals, using services like Netflix for XBox 360, which allows full HD, instant streaming of movies from the living room.

With threats to cinemas by the increasing use of technology with decreasing profit from each film due to piracy and new digital content, Odeon has decided not to show the film, reducing their costs in the chances that the film could make a loss.

Will Cinema Always Survive Technological Change, or is the Latest Technology a bigger threat because it is at the Exhibition End of the Chain?

Although the latest technology has recently had a large impact on film revenue, especially cinema revenue, cinema continues to survive. The latest technology has targeted the exhibition end of the film chain by distributing large blockbuster films over the internet, allowing the audience to view films at their own leisure, with no cinema showing time restrictions, cinema distrations, advertising or lack of seating in the auditorium. For cinemas, as well as decreasing revenue from tickets, it has also decreased revenue from complimentary products available at the cinema that generate revenue-like food and drinks, which are available from the fridge at home, at a cheaper price from the supermarket. Also, younger audiences, resticted from viewing films that they are eager to view due to age certificates and the law, or those that reside in countries where the film is not currently available often turn to illegal viewing of films over the internet, putting up with decreased quality simply to see films, decreasing revenue further for cinemas. Repeated viewings of film reels also decreases the quality of cinema viewing, which may discourage many people from seeing popular films at the cinema, who may rather wait to view it at home digitally, at a higher quality. The release of technologies such as blu-ray discs, HD televisions and instant viewing of high definition movies on xBox (with no waiting time for the download) have also allowed home viewing to be more entertaining, with much higher digital quality.

It is evident that film distribution over the internet has made film viewing very easy and cheaper for audiences at home, however many advantages remain in going to the cinema. Firstly, the excitement of having a 'night out' with friends is often regarded as more entertaining in going to the cinema than going to a friend's house. Also, the hardware technology at the cinema is far more advanced than at home, usually consisting of state of the art surround sound, as well as much larger screens and higher quality pictures, that are not available at home. Furthermore, the rights remain for cinemas to show films before they are released on DVD or blu-ray discs, so fans of films will always want to see it as soon as possible-enticing them to view it at a cinema.

The use of technology may also increase revenue at cinemas, as the adoption of digital screenings and films will increase film quality, and make films readily available world wide at the same time. Furthermore, technology has also assisted in the restriction of illegal distribution over the internet, allowing authorities to stop and sentence those infringing copyright laws. In addition, the use of advertising through new technology has allowed illegal film distribution to be marked as morally wrong, influencing most audiences to be against it, supporting cinemas against new technology.

Although modern technology may appear to have decreased cinema revenues, technology has also supported cinemas. The use of laws has also supported cinemas, restricting people from distributing films illegally. As well as technology, many other elements also remain that make cinema viewings a more enjoyable experience, and therefore, I believe that cinema will survive the increase in technological discoveries, and audiences will continue to see films at the cinema, generating revenue for the industry and allowing it to use technology to its advantage in future, developing to suit its audience.

It is evident that cinema earnings in the US continue to increase, despite the introduction of new technology that works against cinemas.

Sherlock Holmes: Online Game

Why do you think this style of gameplay has been chosen for this film? How does this tie in with the other messages in the trailer and the poster?
I think this style of gameplay has been primarily chosen as it reflects the film, teasing some of the features of the film, as well as advertising the game to friends, which consequently advertises the film to others through the use of Facebook. The main page of the game displays a large image of the central character, instantly showing an actor from the film as an ‘icon’, which may entice some people to see the film, reflecting the style of a poster. Also, there are dark images, covered in smoke in the background, with writing visible around the character, reinforcing that he is the character from a book, where font used has connotations of 20th century hand writing, (which is also evident in the film poster), representing Holmes as a mysterious, dark character, which sticks to a similar representation from the original stories. The fast paced, loud soundtrack (similar to the soundtrack in the theatrical trailer) also reflects the genre of the film as action/adventure, and makes playing the game a more exciting experience, which should make the audience interested in the Holmes ‘brand’ and entice them to see the film.

The game operates via the social networking site Facebook. Why do you think this particular site was chosen to host the game?
The social networking site, Facebook, has a wide user demographic, with both younger and older users of both genders (although mainly young males will actually play the game), which should allow a large amount of the film’s target audience to access the game. The website also has a large user base, and is very well known for its connections to other sites, which most users will take part in, and is therefore a good choice to host the Holmes game. Also, the users of Facebook should have enough free time to play the game, making those users likely to play the game. When playing the game, a user must input their Facebook account details, which will display the game to ‘friends’ on the site, consequently advertising the Sherlock Holmes brand to other users, as well as those playing the game. Also, the game makes users invite another friend to play the game, reflecting the story of the film, of two detectives working together to solve mysteries, again teasing features from the film, and tempting users to see the film. Also, the element of co-operation may make players use the game more often, and make it more fun, where players could also compete with each other. As the game asks to invite a friend, interest in the film will be gained from both individuals, and this may entice the pair to see the film together.

Explain how the graphics, the gameplay and the overall design fit in to the overall marketing campaign for the film.
Firstly, the character and actor of Sherlock Holmes are ‘iconized’ on the front page of the game, as a large character picture is visible. Here, the character engages with the audience as he looks directly at the user. Also, a picture of the real actor is used, rather than a graphic, to reinforce the appeal of Robert Downey Jr. being the central character, and enhance the verisimilitude of the game itself, making it look more realistic, and therefore making people want to see the film. The character’s new portrayal for a more contemporary audience is evident, making him appear darker and more mysterious, through the use of a dark background on the website, with a misty picture of London. Many images of maps, newspapers, books, illegible writing, (with lack of modern technology) and colourless images of buildings have been used to reinforce the mystery of the ‘brand’, as well as emphasizing the time period of the film, supporting the realistic nature of the brand and making it more interesting to the audience. Furthermore, the use of Victorian style buildings and graphics make the player feel more engaged. This also creates a unique selling point for the film, enticing the audience to see the film. The gameplay has also been designed to fit the overall marketing campaign for the film. Playing as Holmes or Watson (either of the main characters) instantly introduces the user to the ‘world’ of Sherlock Holmes, making them feel engaged and interested in the story of the film. As either of the investigators, the player works through each ‘case’, searching for clues, where they become more and more attached to the brand and the characters. The game is also played in first person, emphasizing that the user is playing as either of the central characters and the game is reminiscent of any graphics of people, which can often appear unrealistic, and make the player less interested. When a player believes they have solved the case, they must confirm it with their friend, which ensures that both players are co-operating, and makes the game more exciting. Overall, the game’s design contributes to the marketing of the film, by enticing people to see it, by incorporating interesting elements that tease the audience and match the film’s representations and designs.

Sherlock Holmes Website Analysis

Consider carefully the repetition of the words ‘legendary’ (used twice) and ‘new’ (used three times) in the synopsis. What do you think might be the filmmakers’ intention in putting together these two seemingly opposing ideas?
The intention of film makers in putting together these two phrases may be to reinforce that the film will take a new portrayal of Holmes and other leading characters in the famous series and emphasize to readers that this ‘new’ representation is the unique selling point of the film. As well as creating audience anticipation for fans of the series by showing that the film will still include the “legendary” character, the ‘new’ take on the character may also encourage younger generations, who are a large part of film audiences, to see the film. The film makers have achieved this by adding elements of ‘action’ into the film, as it is clear that action should maintain the interest of many younger audiences, where the film largely moves away from a mystery genre story, in order to take account of more modern audiences-this decision has also clearly influenced choices of actors in the film, along with other stylistic elements in the film and its distribution (the website itself has primarily been used to target younger, interactive audiences). Most young audiences or people who were not fond of the original depiction of Holmes may now be enticed to see the film as well as fans of Holmes.

Can you think of any new film portrayals of legendary figures?
James Bond-Daniel Craig’s more serious, dark character
Batman/Bruce Wayne-A more contemporary, dark figure rather than a ‘pure’ hero
King Kong-The modern portrayal represents Kong as a more human, passionate character that the audience can connect with, but may have been portrayed more as a horrific beast in the original film
Robin Hood-In the new film, Russel Crowe’s representation of the character appears as a more brutal criminal, rather than a legendary hero.
Star Trek-Kirk as a rogue rather than an honourable captain.

Look back at your ideas on genre from your work on the trailer. Does the synopsis confirm some of your ideas about the genre of the film? How?
I believe that the synopsis confirms many of my first interpretations of the film. The word ‘new’ used repetitively throughout the synopsis is reflected in the faster pace of the trailer, where fast cuts, explosive scenes (including gunfire) and tense, high tempo music reflect the nature of the film and its movement away from being simply a ‘mystery’ genre story and into the action-adventure genre. This is reinforced by a comical element in the trailer, again used to stimulate audience interest. The new representation of Holmes as the protagonist of the film is also evident in the trailer, where his use of intellect and fighting skills are shown, with martial arts and use of sophisticated language. The element of romance mentioned in the synopsis has also been used with both Holmes and Watson, in order to maintain interest so that audiences can relate to the characters, where female characters are also prominent throughout the trailer.

Notice the order in which the actors are listed in the synopsis. How do you think this order is decided upon?
The order in which actors are listed in the synopsis follows from the main character, Holmes, who is played by Robert Downey Jr., to Kelly Rielly who plays Watson’s love interest. For this reason, I believe that the order of actors is listed in order of the dominance of the characters in the film, where more important, main characters are listed first (who are also played by more famous actors), with less dominant characters noted at the end of the list-it is also evident that more information is given about characters listed first, as the audience is likely to be more interested in these characters and their actors, rather than the less important characters.

Who do you think might usually read a film synopsis? Where else in the media could you find a synopsis of a film? Have you ever read this section of a film website before?
I believe that those most likely to read a film synopsis are devoted fans of the series, who may be interested in the film before its release and would want to know more information about it. I believe that most other audiences would tend to use other media to find out about the film, and may simply wait until the release of trailers to find out about it. Film critics may also depend on a film synopsis to help them in coming to conclusions about the film. Other areas of the media where you may find a synopsis of the film include television. Interviews and chat shows on TV often include a summary of the film, as well as adverts for the film. Also, magazines, especially film magazines include detailed summaries of large-scale films like Sherlock Holmes, as well as critic’s opinions in newspapers. Also, many audiences may find summaries of the film on the internet, in blogs, social networking sites and forums. Personally, I often read the synopsis of films that I am a fan of or of films that have not yet been released, but are stimulating large audience interest or are featured in other areas of the media, such as on the news.

Would you use a synopsis like this to decide whether or not to see a film? Explain your reasons.
A film synopsis can often give me more information on a film, but rarely entices me to go to see the film on its own. I would usually use trailers, opinions of others, scale of production and distribution of the film and the level of my own interest in the film (e.g: from prequels) to decide whether to see it or not. This is mainly because the synopsis is simply a summary of the film, and an official synopsis is usually biased to make the film sound more appealing to the audience. For this reason, I would not usually trust the information given from the production company about the film, and would rather make my own opinion about it through other areas of the media. Furthermore, if there are more interactive elements on the website to use, such as games and trailers, I would usually use these rather than reading information, as it is more entertaining. The synopsis often gives little information about the storyline and states facts, such as actors and characters, which is less useful for me in making decisions to see a film.

What do you think is the purpose of this content on the website?
The purpose of most of the content on the website is simply to stimulate audience interest by using various techniques that entertain the audience, and in doing so, advertise the film to them-this is usually used because modern audiences are much more aware of marketing strategies, where they have become cynical towards these strategies, and so new ways to advertise the film have to be used. The use of the content on the website also reaches more particular audiences-younger generations that are more interactive, and most likely to be influenced to see the film. The use of games and downloads has been used to entertain the audience, building interest, especially for young males who may be most interested in action/adventure genre films. Viral marketing strategies are also evident on the website, with links to ‘Facebook’, in order to further advertise the film to their friends with the use of modern technologies.

Where else have you heard the word GALLERY? In what ways are the images in this gallery similar or different from images you may have seen in other types of galleries?
The word gallery also describes an exhibition, and also an area of seating in a theatre. The images in the ‘photos’ section of the website display mainly photos taken during filming, that give further insight into the production of the film, again helping to stimulate audience interest in the film. The pictures show certain scenes from the film and can tease the audience, influencing them to see the film. The pictures are very similar to those one may find in an art exhibition, often giving ‘portraits’ of actors. A slideshow format is used on the website, so that the audience can view each picture individually, as in an exhibition; however the photos featured on the website mainly feature only the two main characters in the film, Holmes and Watson. This is most likely because the audience will be most interested in these characters.

Why do you think there is more than one POSTER to promote this film?
I think there is more than one poster to promote the film, because of the large scale of the film and the large audience interest, particularly in the ‘legendary’ Sherlock Holmes series. For this reason, both teaser trailers and main posters have been used to stimulate as much interest as possible in the audience, and make the film a more exciting experience. Character posters have also been designed for the same reason, but also to reinforce the feature of many A-list actors in the film, again to boost interest-some people may be interested in the posters simply because they contain a particular actor, which may influence them to see the film.

Which type of people do you think the DOWNLOAD section is aimed at? Think about the age, gender and interests of the people most likely to use this function, keeping the content of the DOWNLOAD section in mind.
I believe that the download section is primarily aimed towards younger audiences who are more interactive and most likely to use the internet for entertainment purposes. Also, most of the people using this function are likely to be males, who are inclined to have more knowledge about technology, and are often using computers for gaming and socialising-the film will also probably appeal to this demographic more than females. Most of the content here is most likely to appeal to young males, as these are the people who are most likely going to enjoy the film, and who will use icons, wallpapers, screensavers and posters, as they will iconize the characters after seeing it.

Do you think these three sections are all aimed at the same type of people? Explain your answer.
I do not believe that each of these three sections are all aimed at the same type of people because different types of media will appeal to different people more. Those who may be older and more devoted to the series of Sherlock Holmes are most likely to want to use the gallery to get ‘behind the scenes’ and get more information about the film itself and how characters and scenes will appear in the film. Posters and downloads, however, may appeal more to a younger age group, who will iconize the characters in the film and may want to use character icons, for example, to show their interest to others on social networking sites. Younger audiences are also more likely to print posters, as the film may become a large influence on their life. I do, however, believe that most content on the website will be aimed towards males, as the film is of action/adventure genre, which will usually appeal to males more than females, and interactive websites are most likely to be used by males, who are often very technology-orientated, whereas females may access information about the film through other areas of the media.

Action Film Poster Annotated

Zero Hour Film Poster

How Disney Represents Reality

Due to Disney's particular focus on family orientated animated films, Disney's products have developed their own unique representation of reality. Since Disney's first release, most of the company's animated films have retained this representation, and have acted as an example to a younger audience, attempting to eliminate messages that are unsuitable for a younger audience, while dividing current world affairs, such as ongoing wars, from the films. These elements of production are also clear in many of Pixar's films, which may have been one reason for Disney's particular interest in the company before taking it over.

Disney's films that are aimed towards an older audience are marketed seperatly, under a different distribution and production name, to ensure that there is no relationship between external world affairs and the internal world of Disney film.

Although the films contain elements of darkness and fictional evil, the films are overall very optimistic, with the equilibrium resulting in the 'hero' overcoming the 'nemesis', reassuring children and parents.

Disney and Pixar

http://www.pixar.com/companyinfo/history/1986.html
In 1986, Steve Jobs purchased the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd, consisting of 44 employees, for $10 million, renaming the division 'Pixar' and establishing it as an independant company.

Pixar began with creating 3D computer animations in short films and television advertisments for other companies (aswell as a new logo for the paramount company), until 1991, when it began working with Walt Disney Studios to develop, produce and distribute three feature length animated films. Four years later, 'Toy Story' was released to theatres, being recognised as the first fully computer generated feature length film aswell as becoming the highest grossing film of 1995, being distributed by Disney. With the huge profit made from the film, Pixar made the move to making the company public, allowing the company to expand, as well as making a new agreement with Disney to produce five more feature films. As the company's experience grew, with the production of further short films, the use of innovative technology became an important element in the company's progression, with enhancements of hair and cloth in 3D animation.

By 1998, Pixar had released 'A Bug's Life', becoming another worldwide success, with the release of 'Toy Story 2' a year later, the first film to be entirely created digitally, where it broke opening weekend box office records in the United Kingdom.

After the release of further successful animated films, Disney's agreement with Pixar was at its end and Disney's attention had turned to a takeover of the company. In 2006, the Walt Disney company purchased Pixar through an "all stock transaction of $7.4 billion". The merge brought together Disney's historic franchise of animated characters, such as Mickey, Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck, with Pixar's stable of computer animated experience, with recent hits including 'Finding Nemo' and 'Cars'.

How Disney Uses Synergy

Disney uses synergy across markets, many relating to the films they release, as the company's feature length films are its cornerstone products. They are marketed before launch through partners, agencies, competitors and subsideries, often promoting the films through advertisments on the television channels that Disney owns.

When the film is launched, the company continues to gain marketing synergies, often by franchising consumer products to other companies, further promoting the product and generating more profit. More popular films are often used in the Disney theme parks as attractions for visitors, where the names and features of the attractions relate to the films content. Disney also advertises all of its products on the internet, where information is available to a worldwide audience, aswell as fans and critics creating their own publications about Disney's products.

Walt Disney pioneered synergistic marketing techniques in the 1930s by granting dozens of firms the right to use his Mickey Mouse character in products and ads, and continued to market Disney media through licensing arrangements. These products can help advertise the film itself and thus help to increase the film's sales.

Disney Innovations

In 1927, Walt Disney and his brother Roy opened their small cartoon studio, animating short films, with a small team of devoted animators. Soon after releasing the first films, the company had made large profits, and the films were being distributed to audiences worldwide.

As the size of the studio increased, in order to cover the large scale production, innovation became important, to retain the company's originality of its products. Considered as one of the company's first major innovations, the design of the 'Mickey Mouse' character in 1928 became a world renowned symbol of the company itself and remains an icon of the company today.

The company's use of research into technology, and their experience with animation and sound to create cartoons allowed the company to create the very first full colour cartoon: 'Flowers and Trees' in 1932. It won the first Academy Award for Best Cartoon in the same year and continued to win the award throughout the 1930s, making the company increasingly popular, resulting in increased profits. The company also incorporated animation into a live action film for the first time in 'Alice in Wonderland'.

By 1937, the company expanded into feature length animation with 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves'. At first there were doubts about the viability of feature length animated films, but the project was a huge success and it became the highest grossing film of all time at this point.

The company continued to produce successful animated films during the time period, such as 'Pinocchio' which brought about the invention of a new camera, allowing the studio to create a 3D effect, and also the use of brighter colours, allowing for the use of realistic weather effects in the film, giving the company advantage over competitors, increasing its profits, allowing for further technological innovations.

Although the company has adapted into a contemporary market in recent times, it continues to make innovations in both film making and other products that releases. It uses up to date computer graphics in films such as 'Pirates of the Carribean', again incorporating animation with live action film. The company has also entered into the online market, distributing products over the internet, also designing computer games for further family entertainment and has also made technological enhancements in the Disney resort hotels and Disney theme parks to make the company's services as entertaining as possible.

Disney's Competition

Disney's Business Figures for 2009 (including competition): http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Walt_Disney_Company_(DIS)#Competitors

Due to Disney's large scope of operations, the company acquires a large amount of competition. Most forms of competition are other large media conglomerates such as Time Warner, who competes in films, television and internet media.

Disney's main competitors in the film industry are shown in this pie chart, showing each company's market share:

It is clear, that in this hugely competitive market, Disney is overwhelmed by the competition, but retains a large market share. This chart would have been very different when Disney first began creating films, and would have been a much large competitor on the market - unfortneatly, the film industry has been hugely updated over the years, and other types of films have become very popular amoung audiences, increasing the consumption of these films rather than Disney films.

Disney's Pixar also directly competes with smaller media groups that focus on niche areas of the film market, such as Dreamworks Animations, who create films such as 'Shrek'.

Scope of operations, Key areas of Business and Profits of Disney Studios

Profits:

Annual revenue of around US$37 million give large potential for expansion of the company. This shows how famous Disney productions are. The company itself takes various divisions in order to market more mature content that it associates with the flagship family entertainment that Disney markets. The company Net Income is annually around US$7 Billion.

A list of all of Disney's films: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Disney_feature_films

The Disney brand originally focussed on only producing animated motion picture films but now focuses more widely on family entertainment, with a huge scope of operations, spanning around areas of animated films (including 3D animation), live action films, cruise lines, theme parks, consumer goods (toys, clothing etc.), television, print media (short story books, magazines, cartoon strips), soundtracks and music, internet operations (interactive websites), video gaming, and hotel resorts. As the company operates over such a wide scope across many forms of the media, the company has various divisions and has also acquired management of other companies over time:

Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, Disney Music Group, Walt Disney Theatrical, Disney-ABC Television Group, Radio Disney, ESPN Inc., Disney Interactive Media Group, and Disney Consumer Products. Its resorts and diversified holdings include Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Resort Paris, Euro Disney S.C.A., Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Disney Vacation Club, and Disney Cruise Line, Marvel Entertainment, including Marvel Animation, Marvel Characters, Inc., Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios, and Marvel Toys.

The Origins and History of Disney

TIMELINE OF DISNEY HISTORY: http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/disnehis/mini.htm

In 1922, Walt Disney was fired from a job because his boss believed he could not draw. He began designing silent cartoons to make money, which were not of professional quality, as he lacked the drawing skills and was not very experienced in the area. His works were recognized across America, and the Disney Animation Studios were eventually created, an enterprise that employed over 700 people from around the country, even sending employees to art school to maximize the potential of the artists.

When the feature length animation, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves', was released in 1937, it generated nearly $8 million, which allowed the company to develop more pictures and expand. The next film that was developed was 'Pinocchio', where it could be more ambitious in production. It took three years and $2.6 million to produce, containing ground-breaking scenes and was a hit all over the world. With the huge profits, Disney Studios further expanded and worked with other studios to create more animated pictures. Only one year after 'Pinocchio', the company distributed 'Dumbo' to theatres, shortly followed by 'Bambi'.

By 1954, the ABC channel began to broadcast the 'Disneyland Television Show'. By June 1955, Walt Disney completed his vision of creating a theme park based around the Disney animations, featuring attractions based around the characters from Disney's pictures. Consumption of Disney products was spread worldwide and Disney had increasing profits.

In 1966, Walt Disney died of lung cancer, however the production line continued, releasing pictures such as the 'Aristocats', maintaining massive profits: in 1987, Disney releases 'Three Men and a Baby' through Touchstone Pictures, which had a profits of over US $100 million.

Since the 20th century, the company has continued to release award winning films, using its well established brand as an advantage over competitors and modern technology to create more impressive visual computer animations, often in 3D such as 'Cars', but has also developed live action films such as 'Pirates as the Carribean'.

What does the Disney Brand mean?

Disney is a major company in the film industry, contributing dozens of family films since 1923. As a company, Disney describes its aims as to "produce unparalleled entertainment experiences based on the rich legacy of quality creative content and exceptional storytelling. The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products".

Disney releases its motion pictures under the name 'Walt Disney Pictures', where it has established its brand identity well on the market and has been hugely successful in many of its films, both animated and live action. The company has many divisions and affiliates which include Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and DisneyToon Studios - Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films. Not only does the company distribute films, but uses the same brand to extend its brand identity onto other mediums of the media. It has created world renowned amusement parks and resorts across the globe, other consumer products aimed mainly at children (such as T-shirts, books, video games toys etc.), has its own television network, the 'Disney Channel' and the brand has also expanded onto the internet, through the 'Walt Disney Internet Group'.

The company has created renowned characters in its films, such as 'Mickey Mouse' who became an icon for the company. The company itself stands, mainly, for children's entertainment, however it has also aimed some of its products towards an older audience, or the whole family, such as 'Pirates of the Carribean', which may not be suitable for a very young audience as it contains some adult themes such as violence.