Monday 4th November 2024
Film Industry
Film Industry
Warner Bros Assets -
- The Cartoon Network
- Discovery Channel
- Animal Planet
- DC
- HBO
- Scooby Doo
- Batman
- Superman
Warner Bros worth-
$20.18 bill
Conglomerate -
Large business that is made up of multiple businesses, and operates in many different industries. The smaller owned businesses are called "subsidiaries" of the conglomerate, and are managed as separate things altogether. By owning a multitude of subsidiaries, the benefits of them all will feed back directly to the conglomerate.
Disney's industries -
Media streaming platform, themeparks, merch, movies, videogames
Worth - $173.76 bill
HOW MUCH DID DISNEY PAY FOR...
Pixar - $7.4 billion est
LucasFilm - $4 billion
Marvel -$4 billion
20th Century Fox - $71.3 billion
HOW MUCH REVENUE HAVE THEY GENERATED:
Pixar - $11.5 billion
LucasFilm - $12 billion
Marvel - $13.2 billion
20th Century Fox -
Friday 8th November 2024
Economic context
Horizontal and vertical integration - two strategies used by companies to expand their operations and increase their market power
Horizontal integration - Where a company expands its operations by acquiring/merging with other companies within the same industry on the same level of the value chain. Increases market share.
Vertical integration - Where a company acquires/merges with another company that is on a different level on the value chain. Improves efficiency, control costs, and control over the supply chain.
1.) Creation of cameras
2.) Editing
3.) Synchronised sound
4.) Cinemas
Major film studios in 1930-1945
Warner bros
Fox
Paramount
RKO
MGM
Monday 18th November 2024
LO: To explore the context and influences in the 1930s
Main characters - Snow white, the seven dwarves, the evil queen, the prince
Narrative - Evil queen jealous of Snow Whites beauty, tries to kill her, she finds the dwarves, the Evil Queen kills her, the prince brings her back with TRUE LOVES KISS
Themes - LOVE, JEALOUSY
Representations (groups, individuals, places, etc) - Dwarves old, balding grey hair, big beards, usually fat ; evil queen as old woman ugly, big nose, warts, snaggle tooth, hunchback. Snow white - pale, beautiful, slim, red lips
First movie to have merch and a vinyl ost released
First full-length animated feature film EVER
Based on classic fairy tail by brothers Grimm to make it less scary/more modern
Started in 1934, took 3 years
Used a multi-plane camera
Walt himself was veryyy involved with production
Premiered 3 days before christmas
- Early silent cinema was globally accessible due to visual storytelling.
- World War I disrupted film industries in France, Italy, and the UK but led to innovation in Germany.
- German Expressionism created, with exaggerated visuals reflecting psychological depth, exemplified by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. (sharp angles, lines and colour contrast, heavy shadows, often unsettling)
- UFA consolidated German film production, producing historical dramas and avant-garde works.
- Directors like Ernst Lubitsch, Fritz Lang, and F.W. Murnau innovated mise-en-scène, camera techniques, and storytelling.
- Post-war, Hollywood's dominance ended Germany's global influence, but Expressionism left a lasting impact.
- Walt Disney's upbringing - idealised, all-American vision of innocence and wholesomeness
- Midwestern roots - appreciation for family, community and hard work
- Nostalgic view of rural America - picturesque settings, small towns, (audiences of 1930s and 1940s seeking escape from hardships of WW2)
- HOWEVER - narrow and idealised view of American culture, no diversity or complexity.
- MULTIPLANE CAMERA, ROTOSCOPING, ENTIRELY HAND DRAWN, MUSICAL/SOUND
What influenced the production of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs
A number of factors influenced the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The first of which being German expressionism, where visuals and movements and sounds are exaggerated significantly to amplify the emotions and personalities of each character. This is used lots within Disney Cartoons, and has become a trademark trait of the production. New animation techniques are done through advanced software rather than being hand-drawn, which some would argue diminishes the personality and "german expressionism" of the work. Walt Disney's upbringing also massively influenced the production, with his rural, midwestern roosts, where in which hard work and innocent family ideals were a priority
Monday 25th November 2024
The Golden Age
LO: To explore cinema in the 1930s
- 1896 first cinema opened
- 1 nickel for a short film
- live music/sfx
- black people separated / charged differently
- used as escapism
- EARLY cinema was for working class
- MOVIE PALACES
- DOUBLE FEATURES
- NEWSREELS
- CENSORSHIP
Exhibition
LO: To explore Disney's exhibition strategy
Why was snow white such a success? -
- Innovation
- Storytelling
- Music
- Marketing
- Reception
Merch -
- Figures
- Plushies
- Stationary
- Costumes
- Accessories
- Household items (cutlery, furnishings, etc)
Disney's release strategy -
- 1944 : Re-released for the first time, to boost morale during WWII
- 1952 : Part of a double feature with Alice in Wonderland
- 1967 : 30th anniversary celebration, new promos and merch
- 1983 : Double bill with Mickey's Christmas Carol and 50th anniversary
- 1993 : Promoted release on VHS
- 2016 : Celebrated films 79th anniversary, introduced by Disney's daughter, Diane.
How has it maintained its audience for older products? -
- Nostalgia
- Timeless storytelling
- Groundbreaking animation
- Memorable characters and music
- Disney BRAND
Friday 6th December 2024
Contexts
LO: To explore regulation & context of the 1930s
BBFC REGULATES FILM
In the US, the Hays Code was introduced in 1930 to regulate film content and "uphold moral standards" in the industry, and aimed to eliminate any content that was considered immoral or offensive, such as depictions of violence, sexuality and profanity. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was produced in accordance with the Hays Code, and as a result, contains no controversial or offensive material. However, the uses of German Expressionism, e.g the Wicked Witch and the dark forest, pushed boundaries at the time.
In the UK, film censorship was governed by the BBFC, which was established in 1912. It reviewed and classified films according to content and appropriateness for different age groups. U for universal/suitable for all ages, A for adults only, X for viewers over 16 years old. The board also cut or ban films that were deemed to be offensive or harmful. Snow White was classified as a U in Britain, however, the board raised concerned about the film's scary scenes, PARTICULARLY with the Evil Queen, so the film was given a warning that it may not be suitable for very young children.
Overall, both American and British film industry regulations had an impact on the production and distribution of Snow White. While the film was able to navigate and comply with these commercial regulations, it reflects the limitations that filmmakers had at the time.
Social, Cultural, Political, Economic and Historical context
Economic -
- Production costs
- Revenue streams
- Merchandising
- Historical significance
- Long-term Impact
- Dominance of Hollywood Majors
- Disney's personal role
Monday 9th December 2024
Blockbusters
- A highly successful and popular movie that has been produced by a major Hollywood studio.
- Large budget, high production values, well-known actors and directors
- Typically have a strong marketing campaign
- A film that is NOT ONLY financially successful, but also culturally significant
Legacy character -
A character is a character whose identity is passed down to them from an older character, in the form of a title, job or persona for the newer character to assume.
SHANG CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS
WHY IS IT DIFFERENT???
- Origin story
- New character
- New themes and identities (family, identity, cultural heritage)
MAIN CHARACTERS -
Shang-Chi -
Xu Wenwu -
Xu Xialing -
Katy -
Ying Li -
NARRATIVE -
An origin story about a young Kung-Fu master who is forced to confront his past when his estranged father draws him into a search for a mythical village.
THEMES -
Family, identity, cultural heritage
REPRESENTATION (GROUPS, INDIVIDUALS, PLACES, ETC) -
- No white characters
- Man and woman equal in physical/fighting power
CHANGES IN THE FILM INDUSTRY -
Focus on ethnic minority
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