1967 and 2016
Media Industries: Audiences, Production, Marketing, Distribution, Funding, Technology, Convergence, Ownership, Regulation.Economic and Historical Contexts
The big six Oligopoly:
- Disney (Conglomerate)
- 20th Century Fox (Owned by Disney)
- Warner Bros (Owned by Warner Media/AT&T)
- Universal Studios (Owned by Comcast)
- Columbia Pictures (Owned by Sony)
- Paramount (Owned by Viacom Dropped out in 2016)
Impact of Disney ownership on production
- Big six ownership provides significant funding for high production value films such as Avengers: Infinity War (2018) distributed by Disney with a budget of $320-$400M.
- Attracting star marketing - e.g. Jungle Book A List voices.
- More time spent of production
- Access to latest production technology e.g. CGI
- Synergy e.g. theme parks and plus platform convergence.
Key Jungle Book facts
2016 and 2017 - Disney as Number one distributor (£301M UK theatrical revenue)
Jon Favreau produced and directed - Iron man1/2/3, The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Direct links/ experience with non realist, fantasy high production value film genres
Just under Blockbuster budget at $177M
Synergy - Linking with original soundtrack/ theme park.
Tentpole movie - made to make a lot of money in order to fund future endeavours.
Jungle Book 2016 "Mainstream Film"
High production values e.g. CGI and Soundtrack
Star Marketing - Scarlett Johansson et al voiceover
Wide/saturated distribution of one of The Big Six (not always). Synergy with other Disney Blockbusters.
Commercial success - Homage to 1967 film.
Safe genre, simplistic emotive narrative - focused of entertainment values e.g. IMAX and 3D Availability.
Terminology:
- Mainstream film
- Independent Film
- Production/Production values
- Distribution and marketing
- Exhibition/Exchange
- Critical Success
- Commercial success
- Digital Technology
- Convergence - cross media consumption e.g. DVD, Streaming, Cinema.
- Synergy
2016
'a cartoon musical'
Big Budget, non realist, entertainment on 'epic' scale
Significant use of CGI with live action
Representation of familiar characters
Emotive narrative (children and animals)
Star Marketing (voice over and characters) e.g. Idris Elba
Ownership, Marketing and Distribution
"In the film industry, to ensure commercial success you need a successful marketing campaign" - this costs money and is funded by the distributor e.g. Disney (The Jungle Book)
The distributor chooses which films to distribute - often from seeing a film at a film festival for example.
They decide the number of digital copies and pay for each
Negotiate the release date and site of exhibition - when/where
Agree on budget and sequence a campaign across a range of online, audio visual and print-platforms.
Online platforms include a website as central marketing hub with convergent links to YouTube trailers and social media.
Bloggers and entertainment news sites were used by Disney to get the message across.
Global Marketing - cross continents (aggressively targeting an asian market)
High production value trailers and 3D trailers played before Disney brand Star Wars: The Force Awakens, including during superbowl.
All targeting an older/younger primary and secondary audience
Available in IMAX 3D - marketing via 'the spectacle'
Deliberate viral leaks creating hype
Significant online marketing campaign (including trailers and TV spots + 360 degree FB video)
Primary target audience (12-21) targeted via production values and scale, secondary family target audience via synergy and intertextual links - crucially nostalgia.
Merchandising key
Successful box office
Full triptych film poster:
Jan 2016 poster campaign (April release)
3 separate posters before unveiling full triptych
Expansive canvas - ability to show size and scale (production values) but also character representation.
Other film posters focused more exclusively on Mowgli (emotive representations)
Posters also targeted a global market
Re-represent back catalogue of classics for new audiences.
2016 version planned by chairman Alan Horn 'Disney reboots may be one of the few safe bets'
DVD sales declining and digital downloads on the rise can't reissue old films.
Used to just change packaging now re-imagining them is whats popular.
Disney's annual output doesn't exceed a dozen as they have no rush.
Warner Brothers producing own adaptation most likely because book was out of copyright, delayed release date to seperate from disneys to assist at box office.
'telling an old story with new technology'
Had Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts to release teaser videos including bts.
Interactive movie poster (convergence) on snapchat filter.
3D and 2D one of first Dolby Vision 3D
Now released on DVD and Blu-Ray
Soundtrack album merchandise - Kenzo produced clothing for new film.
designed set like you would for a video game
VFX won both the BAFTA and Academy Award.
Production
Re-represent back catalogue of classics for new audiences.
2016 version planned by chairman Alan Horn 'Disney reboots may be one of the few safe bets'
DVD sales declining and digital downloads on the rise can't reissue old films.
Used to just change packaging now re-imagining them is whats popular.
Disney's annual output doesn't exceed a dozen as they have no rush.
Warner Brothers producing own adaptation most likely because book was out of copyright, delayed release date to seperate from disneys to assist at box office.
'telling an old story with new technology'
Had Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts to release teaser videos including bts.
Interactive movie poster (convergence) on snapchat filter.
3D and 2D one of first Dolby Vision 3D
Now released on DVD and Blu-Ray
Soundtrack album merchandise - Kenzo produced clothing for new film.
designed set like you would for a video game
VFX won both the BAFTA and Academy Award.
Production
Director Jon Favreau writer Justin Marks Produced by Walt Disney Studios
Based on 67 but took notes from the Kipling books hence the darker tones.
Disneys on-going policy to create live action versions of earlier animated classics (e.g. Cinderella, The Lion King, Dumbo and Beauty and The Beast)
Exists in strange limbo world where part CGI and part live action
Favreau wanted film to be homage to classic Disney 30s and 40s
Mostly looked at Bambi for 'tonal clues' on balancing danger, humour and emotion without scarring younger audience.
All animals and landscape computer made
Based on 67 but took notes from the Kipling books hence the darker tones.
Disneys on-going policy to create live action versions of earlier animated classics (e.g. Cinderella, The Lion King, Dumbo and Beauty and The Beast)
Exists in strange limbo world where part CGI and part live action
Favreau wanted film to be homage to classic Disney 30s and 40s
Mostly looked at Bambi for 'tonal clues' on balancing danger, humour and emotion without scarring younger audience.
All animals and landscape computer made
Target older movie goers with more realistic animals less cute and cuddly.
Humour from original too broad for live action
Structurally with narrative he went back and forth between book and original 67 did try to stick to film though.
Included original music from 67 film to compete with Warner version also in production.
Sean Bailey head of production.
Economics and Funding
Cost an estimated $175M, Grossed over $966M 5th highest in 2016
2016 Disney beat the big six with $2.56Billion globally
Can sustain losses from The BFG etc
Released in 70 Countries at different times depending on school holiday dates
Biggest Hollywood release for India $36.8 M, successful in china where locally known as fantasy forest.
Sequel is planned for 2019.
Maintaining Audiences
Part of success was marketing that appealed to wide range of age groups 49% over 25y/o
18-24 - 33% of sales
Embraced by critics making nearly $600M
Males flocked to the film due to amazing graphics.
95% fresh on rotten tomatoes 'definite reccomend'
Humour from original too broad for live action
Structurally with narrative he went back and forth between book and original 67 did try to stick to film though.
Included original music from 67 film to compete with Warner version also in production.
Sean Bailey head of production.
Economics and Funding
Cost an estimated $175M, Grossed over $966M 5th highest in 2016
2016 Disney beat the big six with $2.56Billion globally
Can sustain losses from The BFG etc
Released in 70 Countries at different times depending on school holiday dates
Biggest Hollywood release for India $36.8 M, successful in china where locally known as fantasy forest.
Sequel is planned for 2019.
Maintaining Audiences
Part of success was marketing that appealed to wide range of age groups 49% over 25y/o
18-24 - 33% of sales
Embraced by critics making nearly $600M
Males flocked to the film due to amazing graphics.
95% fresh on rotten tomatoes 'definite reccomend'
1967
Key focus on animation technology at the time
more comedic representations
Disney's ownership and distribution still foregrounded
Animals have more obvious identity
Narrative voice over - heightened emphasis (music is 'visual grammar' in 2016 trailer)
Production and Technology
Created at Walt Disney Studios in California.
Storyman was Bill Peet who complained that more than forty men has once been assigned.
Last one before Walt Disney died.
Previous Sword and the Stone had bad box office rating.
Production and Technology
Created at Walt Disney Studios in California.
Storyman was Bill Peet who complained that more than forty men has once been assigned.
Last one before Walt Disney died.
Previous Sword and the Stone had bad box office rating.
First script version too dark and audiences could not identify with Mowgli and that the Villain (Tiger) was too cliché.
Larry Clemmons new scriptwriter.
Drawings based on voice actors - subverted norms.
Director Wolfgang Reitherman (also did Robin Hood and Aristocrats)
Most songs written by Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins)
Some characters cut out during the process.
Shere Khan made to resemble voice actor George Sanders
Animated animals based on how previous films portrayed them.
Firstly did not have a way to get Mowgli back to man village, Walt came up with idea of he sees a girl, didn't think would work but it did - perhaps curiosity as he is only 11.
Created on transparent 'cels' created by Earl Hurd 1914.
Disney developed multiplane camera which enabled special effects like moving water.
Also used xerography created sharper lines so not watered down.
Ownership, distribution and economics
Walt Disney mostly at the centre of decision making
After commercial failure of Sword and the Stone Walt became more personally involved.
Conservative right wing
Ignores black civil rights movements of 60s as black jazz music with apish behaviour of orang-utan king louis - reinforcing racial stereotypes.
Has now made $141M in US $6.8M from Germany (highest grossing film there)
Live action version in 1994 and Jungle Book 2 in 2003.
Vertically integrated - produced, and distributed by Disney via Buena Vista Distribution.
Very large influence over animated film industry
After Walt Disney's death Disney company went into decline for couple of decades.
Larry Clemmons new scriptwriter.
Drawings based on voice actors - subverted norms.
Director Wolfgang Reitherman (also did Robin Hood and Aristocrats)
Most songs written by Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins)
Some characters cut out during the process.
Shere Khan made to resemble voice actor George Sanders
Animated animals based on how previous films portrayed them.
Firstly did not have a way to get Mowgli back to man village, Walt came up with idea of he sees a girl, didn't think would work but it did - perhaps curiosity as he is only 11.
Created on transparent 'cels' created by Earl Hurd 1914.
Disney developed multiplane camera which enabled special effects like moving water.
Also used xerography created sharper lines so not watered down.
Ownership, distribution and economics
Walt Disney mostly at the centre of decision making
After commercial failure of Sword and the Stone Walt became more personally involved.
Conservative right wing
Ignores black civil rights movements of 60s as black jazz music with apish behaviour of orang-utan king louis - reinforcing racial stereotypes.
Has now made $141M in US $6.8M from Germany (highest grossing film there)
Live action version in 1994 and Jungle Book 2 in 2003.
Vertically integrated - produced, and distributed by Disney via Buena Vista Distribution.
Very large influence over animated film industry
After Walt Disney's death Disney company went into decline for couple of decades.
Marketing and Distribution
Personal Involvement - Walt Disney (last film)
$4M production budget, $205M box office worldwide
Significant print campaign
Heavily promoted on VHS in 1993 UK, several re-releases on DVD 2007 and BluRay
Available as digital downloads - iTunes, Disney Movies anywhere, Google Play.
Regulation and film
Main issues - Copyright and Classification
Main issues - Copyright and Classification
"The traditional regulator" bbfc
2016 seen as 'darker' than 1967 film hence PG instead of U.
Curran and Seaton, Disney is driven by profit hence a PG classification maximises audiences.
Both ratings ensure mass audiences
Politically 1967 one depicted racial stereotypes at a time of black civil rights.
Maintaining Audiences
Shape product to appeal to family audiences
Early master of synergy by persuading companies to tie in with film releases.
Producer used popularity of cartoon on ABC to advertise for his theme park
Visiting Disneyland secured customers brand loyalty. - cross promotion.
Mcdonalds had Jungle Book 2 toys with happy meals 90s
Virgin developed Jungle book video game for Sega.
Maintaining Audiences
Shape product to appeal to family audiences
Early master of synergy by persuading companies to tie in with film releases.
Producer used popularity of cartoon on ABC to advertise for his theme park
Visiting Disneyland secured customers brand loyalty. - cross promotion.
Mcdonalds had Jungle Book 2 toys with happy meals 90s
Virgin developed Jungle book video game for Sega.
Regulation theory Livingstone and Lunt
The idea that UK regulation policy e.g. the BBFC is driven by conflict to 'protect' from harm but also allow diversity/choice.
Desensitisation and deregulation are core concepts here - Disney knew audiences would accept the 2016 film would be darker.
Can link back to Curran and Seaton - theatrical release wanted to target wide demographic to ensure good box office profit.
Disney carefully controlled the representations in The Jungle Book to appeal to a wider demographic.
Mapping Theory Curran and Seaton
The idea that the media is controlled by a small number of companies which can inhibit creativity (driven by profit).
The Jungle Book is distributed by one of the big six, Disney - critics have suggested there were racial and political messages in the 67 film diluted to make an entertaining animated film, exploiting synergy and targeting mass audiences.
Mainstream films tend to offer a lack of diversity with the primary objective being commercial success and profit - both films offer escapist narratives without challenging stereotypes.
Mapping Theory David Hesmondhalgh
Cultural companies try to minimise the risk and maximise audience through vertical and horizontal integration (pattern of ownership theory) and also operate cross media.
Vertical integration - The Jungle Book is produced, funded and distributed by Disney.
Horizontal integration - Disney own several companies in the same sector e.g. Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios
Minimising risk - safe genre, established audiences
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