MEST2: Arthouse film institution research

MEST2: Arthouse film institution research

Production: independent film studios:

Donnie Darko - Flower Films

Boyhood - Detour Filmproduction

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Anonymous Content

Girlhood - Arte France Cinéma

A Clockwork Orange - Hawk Films

Flower Films

• Charlie's Angels
• Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
• He's Just Not That Into You

Detour Filmproduction

• Before Midnight (independent)
• Bernie (independent)
• Before Sunrise (independent)

Bernie was a particularly successful independent film for Detour Filmproduction, with it earning $10.1 million in box office.

Anonymous Content

The most popular film Anonymous Content has developed is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind which managed to earn $72.3 million in box office.

Arte France Cinéma

• Son of Rambow
• Womb/Clone

Clone can be considered to have been a notable success for the studio with it making over €3 million in box office.

Hawk Films

• The Shining
• Barry Lyndon

The Shining is an arthouse horror film which earned over $44 million in box office.

Distribution: Independent film distributors:

• Any element can spark the creation of a film and the creation of it regardless of the genre it is in, can help provide a sense of escapism to viewers from the events in their day-to-day lives.
• After having identified an audience, it's key for distributors to reach out to the largest amount of people as possible. This is made difficult by the vast amount of options to obtain entertainment from increasingly growing and this is especially due to the more recent emergence of 'digital' in the film world in which the way films are for example advertised, has had to be completely reworked to accommodate with the change.
• Distributors take multiple steps before actually going on to distributing films:

• identifying its potential audience
• considering what would compel audiences to come and watch a film
• predicting how much total revenue they could potentially make upon releasing the film
• convincing cinema operators to actually screen their films
• working to establish partnerships that'll help in building awareness and interest for the (concept of the) film
• ensuring that the interest actually converts into ticket purchases for the film

- product driven 

• Who distributors are is also important since this could range from the more major ones who are affiliated with Hollywood studios to independent ones who handle distribution without the help of other (major) studios
• There are a number of ways distributors can actually acquire films whether that be from a sales agent, standing on behalf of a producer, or an output deal pre-negotiated with a studio or production company. With acquisition, distributors need to consider things such as whether or not the film can be considered as original and something that'll stand out in the market amongst other things like the target audience and how marketable the film is. When financing is concerned, it's usually the case that distributors also become partners with the production company of a film to help contribute to its overall costs and bringing it to the market. Additionally film festivals can also prove as suitable ground for distributors to go and acquire films, with them being able to meet sellers such as producers, studios and sales agents. Not only this, but they also provide films with a (high-profile) platform for films to be showcased upon before release
• The deals in which distributors actually acquire films usually entail the right to which distributors have in releasing the film in the UK and also that it receives promotion prior and post its release
• Planning for the release of a film, particularly the distribution of it, begins right after the deal has been signed between distributors and producers/studios. This planning takes place between both parties (the distributor and/or studio)
• 'What, when, who and how?' are questions that have to be asked in order to ensure that the chances a film has at success are optimised/maximised. Who has to do more with the target audience of a film, when deals with the time in which it should be released, what, what exactly the film is and how the film will be rolled out to audiences. Reliance on 'conventional wisdom' is not something that'll be vouched on for a film
• Film marketing is needed to help create buzz/awareness in a film to ensure that interests expressed by people actually turn into ticket purchases for the film. With this marketing plans are important as they help lay out a way in which upon the release of a film, interest for it will be at a peak. Marketing can range from things like the artwork of a film, to trailers and even social networks with again the emergence of marketing in the digital world.
• Exhibitors actually provide the screens for films to be watched in so film releases can be considered to be a joint-venture. These releases can also be deemed to be a one shot thing as if a film is considered to be below average during its first weekend then its likely that it will lose screens in cinemas. Distributors tend to receive a whole lot less than the gross receipts for a film since revenue from ticket sales is shared between them and the exhibitor amongst other stipulations. The hold-over challenge involves how long a film can be screened for, and many factors actually affect this such as natural disasters, weather and even video games launches

Donnie Darko - Metrodome Distribution

Budget: $3.8 million

Box office: $7.6 million

Profit: Yes

Boyhood - Universal Pictures International (UPI)

Budget: $4 million

Box office: $46.4 million

Profit: Yes

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Momentum Pictures

Budget: $20 million

Box office: $72.3 million

Profit: Yes

Girlhood - StudioCanal

Budget: N/A

Box office: $1.7 million

Profit: N/A

A Clockwork Orange - Columbia-Warner Distributors 

Budget: $2.2 million

Box office: $26.6 million (North America)

Profit: Yes

Curzon Artificial Eye is a UK film distributor founded in 1976 who operate in the distribution of independent films, as well as the arthouse category.

Something I can take away from the 'Red Army' clip is that even serious aspects of a 'story' or narrative can have funny elements too. With this, having slightly more dark humour could potentially be a good component to add to our film.

From 'Timbuktu,' it can be seen that music whether diegetic or non-diegetic, really does help create a certain vibe in a film particularly if its contrapuntal. It adds a sense of mystery and can assist in showcasing different aspects of a film.

This scene from 'Clouds of Sils Maria' shows that having good dialogue and so having good actors in a film can honestly go towards either making or breaking it. It not only helps drive the narrative, but it also provides your film with essentially another stroke of professionalism if it's there.

Exhibition: Arthouse cinemas

Electric Cinema, 191 Portobello Road, London W11 2ED

• Carol
• Big Hero 6
• Bridge of Spies
• Sleeping With Other People
• Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
• The Dressmaker
• The Wolfpack

From a financial standpoint, the cinema can be said to appeal more towards an upper/middle class section of the public as suggested with the particularly high ticket prices. In terms of age, it could be said that the cinema targets both young people and adults. This is evidenced by the fact that there are still films more oriented for children present (Big Hero 6) in addition to ones slightly more for an adult audience (Sleeping With Other People).

A case study in independent film production: Film London and Microwave Film

Film London is London's sole film agency who contribute towards the establishment of London as a leader or worldwide hub in the film industry. They exist in order to ensure that London retains its film culture throughout time for one, and that the industry within the capital continues to expand as a whole.

The purpose of Microwave Film is to as well as fund films, provide support whether that be through mentoring or development to productions as well.

London Calling is a scheme in which Londoners enter a competition where they can have access to funds and training to help create a short film, encouraging in the sense that as they are creating their films, they'll be nurtured to become breakthrough talents in film making in the capital.

iLL Manors can be thought of as being an arthouse film due to its more gritty aspects in its portrayal of urban life in London. Not wanting to entertain but rather inform on issues that take place within the city such as drug dealing and gang violence, the film is more unforgiving than a more mainstream film would be in its nature.

Freestyle could be considered to be an independent/arthouse film with it again representing a more specific section - in urban areas. In contrast to iLL Manors though, the film looks like it aims to entertain more than it does inform on certain issues.

Shifty, in a way alike to iLL Manors, is an arthouse film since it does focus on a problem like drug dealing on more of a smaller scale. While it does have some humorous elements to it, it is also without a doubt quite dark and informative on the dangers of drug trafficking, with the main character supposedly getting into quite a load of trouble.

Tips:

• Know what your story is - ensure the audience knows who the protagonist is and why the audience should be sutured in the narrative of them at all
• The film has to be coherent in its nature to allow the audience to actually understand what is going on within it
• Develop a script based around the equipment we're aware that we have access to actually get a real idea of what's possible and what's not