Deck 10: Film Industry: Technological Developments, Financing, Genre, Distribution, and Marketing Strategies

Question 1

Identify 4 technological developments in the film industry, from its beginning until now.

Answer 1

INVENTION OF FILMMAKING TECHNOLOGY, KINETOSCOPE, KINETOGRAPH, SOUND, COLOR, MULTIPLEX, TV, VCR AND VHS, INTERNET, DVD, 3D, DIGITAL SCREENS, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Streaming & Downloading Movies Over The Internet, OTT, Mobile, Multiplex

Question 2

The Hollywood studios dominate film production and distribution. Write out the names of three of the major Hollywood studios.

Answer 2

Walt Disney Studios
Paramount
Warner Bros.
Sony Pictures
NBC/Universal
20^th Century Fox .
Lionsgate Films

Question 3

In its very beginning, due to Edison controlling access to film equipment, the industry started out structured as a monopoly. What is the industry structure now and explain the difference between it and a monopoly?

Answer 3

OLIGOPOLY - WHERE A HANDFUL OF COMPANIES CONTROL AN INDUSTRY, instead of 1 like a monopoly

Question 4

Identify 3 NON-technological changes in the film industry from its beginning until now.

Question 5

A. Two types of financing utilized in every industry, including the film industry, are equity and debt. What is the difference between debt and equity?

Question 6

A. Why is the global aspect of the film industry so important?

Question 7

Why are sequel, best selling books, remakes, and previously known stories and characters such a major ingredient in the movies released by the studios today?

Question 8

Studios raise money at the CORPORATE level, corporate financing. Independent producers must finance films one at a time. Why?

Question 9

Greenlight

Question 10

Convergence and Disruption.

Question 11

Completion Bond

Question 12

Do studios generally finance 1 film, or a slate of films?

Question 13

Describe coproduction financing

Question 14

If a studio is vertically integrated, what do they control? Some aspect of each of movie:

Question 15

Identify 4 genres of films:

Question 16

Identify 4 characteristics of the US film industry.

Question 17

The director is responsible for

A) Planning the look of a film
B) Acting
C) Building sets

Question 18

A manager in the film industry

A) Earns payment from only the work the manager secures for their client (THIS WOULD BE AN AGENT)
B) Has only a few clients
C) Is regulated by state law (THIS WOULD BE AN AGENT)

Question 19

Development financing is the riskiest phase of a film to finance, why?

A) Many films do not get made, and therefore can't recoup that money
B) Independent producers are guaranteed that all financing will be raised
C) Every film developed gets produced, so the risk is less than in producing it

Question 20

What are some advances in technology that are impacting the movie industry now?

A) VR and AR
B) Beta tapes
C) IMAX
D) VHS tapes
E) Mobile phones

Question 21

DVDs were once a critical revenue source for movies. What is replacing that?

A) Digital Streaming and Downloads over the Internet (aka OTT)
B) Apps on Smartphones
C) VHS
D) Action figures

Question 22

Studios never develop remakes and sequels

Question 23

Movie costs at the studio level are falling due to shrinking salaries of big stars

Question 24

Although filmmaking has changed significantly in some ways from the studio era, to now, in some ways it is very much the same. The studios, which control much of the industry, were once perfectly vertically integrated - they controlled every aspect of movies, making, financing, selling, and exhibition. That is no longer the case, exactly, since most studios no longer own movie theaters.

Question 25

Option Agreement. A producer can purchase a script outright, or option that script.
What is an option?

Question 26

Why would they option a script?

Question 27

PFD or Production financing distribution

Question 28

You are an independent producer an idea for a low drama. It's your first feature, a low budget movie you are estimating will cost $1 million to shoot. Describe the process of how you will make a film with these criteria.
a. You have an original idea for a film, you hire a writer to write the screenplay and you pay them $200. Legally what is this called - and who owns the copyright?
b. How will you protect your screenplay in case someone tries to steal your idea?
c. What/who is in your development package?
d. You are considering using cast and crew from entertainment unions. Which unions should you look into during the development process?
e. You chose the genre of a drama because it's cheap to make. Describe how you will keep your costs low.
f. . What U.S. state will you shoot in to keep your costs low and get the best production incentives?
g. Describe 2 approaches to assemble financing for your project, and why you think they will be successful.

Question 29

What happens as new technologies emerge, what is the effect on the windows?

Question 30

Which window generates the most visibility for a film?

Question 31

As DVD declines, what is growing rapidly?

Question 32

Who has a more advantageous position - a gross participant or net participant in a film's profits?

Question 33

What is movie exhibition?

Question 34

What is box office?

Question 35

Describe what is on a one-sheet or poster for a movie.

Question 36

How does a distributor maximize all of the possibilities to generate revenue for a film?

Question 37

Studios could release a movie in every media at once, in every territory, all at the same time. Why don't they?

Question 38

Of all the theatrical release patterns, which is the largest, suitable for a big-budget franchise film?

Question 39

Distributors separate the windows by which of the following:

A) Audience
B) Media
C) Territory
D) Term
E) Marketing method

Question 40

Video-on-Demand on the Internet is growing for movies. What are 2 economic models?

A) Advertiser-based
B) Subscription-based
C) Viewers pay by the minute
D) Referral fees
E) Ancillary marketing

Question 41

Digital components to market a movie may include

A) Interactive websites
B) Apps
C) Video games
D) Snail mail

Question 42

What are some theatrical exhibition companies?

A) AMC Entertainment
B) Cinemark and Regal Entertainment
C) Wanda Cinema
D) Wal-Mart
E) Kmart

Question 43

You are an independent producer who has successfully financed (through crowdfunding on Indigogo) and completed your film. Describe in detail the genre, title, target audience demographics and psychographics, tagline, one-sheet and anticipated MPAA rating.
With that in mind, describe in detail the marketing strategy for your film, including specific plans for your digital strategy, including social media, direct outreach to fans, plans to attend film festivals and film markets and whether or not you will do a theatrical 4-well release or not.

Question 44

You are a studio executive. You would like to create a large franchise movie that will attract a large, audience in the US, but also overseas - particularly in China, generate opportunities for merchandising, sequels, ancillary revenue like soundtracks, apps, and video games. Describe the process you will go through to plan the distribution and marketing plan - and the tools that you will use to engage overseas audiences on a large scale.