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.