Answers for Film Industry DVD

What is the role of the producer? What different elements does it contain? What are the four 'blocks' that Nick Powell talks about?

The role of a producer is to find the initial idea and gets all the finance together for it. He or she is the one who goes out and gets all the pieces together to make the film. There are four blocks that the producer is involved with.The first stage is raising money for the film - This involves going to the big film companies that want to make investments in it and appealing to them showing them how you well you think you can do. The next stage is developing - the producer will be there the whole way through the planning and organisation they make sure things are going smoothly and run the production as a business, through this stage they over see the development of things like scripts and screenplays. They are like the business man and make sure its going to make money from the film and that people are working productively. The next block is the making of the actual film - they over see the filming and editing making sure the crew members and actors are working together well. The next stage is taking it right to the finish, producing adverts, trailers and raising the money to do all those things. The producer and director work very closely together to make sure they are working on time and the film is going well.

What makes a good script? What must it include?
A good script needs to have a good story for the screen. This is something that will keep the audience interested and wanting to watch. There needs to be a strong idea behind the film, this is make people want to see it and think its good. The script needs to have a big interest so based on a classic novel or tv series that was a big seller.
What does the package involve? and who is it aimed at? What is script development?
The package is all about what the producer and director want to include in the film, and where to film it. it needs to include key crew and actors and locations on where they want to film. Its like an outline of of the whole process with all the little details included and a budget at the end.
The package is aimed at the investors, it is like a break down of all the different blocks and defines how they want to be paid for and who and where it is going to happen. It shows the investors the whole production from start to finish in a form of business plan. This gives them an idea as to whether or not it will be a good investment and they will make money from it.

Script development is the weeks the script takes to get perfect. There are many changes and move around on the script as to ideas that may be included or not. It involves the changes in cast members potentially and locations.
Whats the role of the producer in the shooting schedule of the film? who is the directors right hand man?
The directors right hand man is the cinematographers right hand man because he makes what the director wants to see happen. The producer works out the hardest scenes to film and films them first and then plans the rest of the schedule from there.
 
What is the significance to the budget? how is the budget broken down? What are the above and below the line costs?
the significance of the budget is too make sure every thing is going to able to be paid for. Also when it is going to be paid for. The budget is broken down by going to the script and making sections and then listing all the costs within those sections, for example cast, props, location etc. This would be like an excel spreadsheet of all the costs and then attached to the package for the investors to see. Above the line costs are the expensive necessary costs like the director and key actors. The below the line costs are the people who drive the film like the crew members and costume designers.
 
What question should an executive producer ask of every film? Why is the audience so important?
Where would it be played? that's what every producer has to ask himself because if he did not take into account where it would be played he wouldn't know what kind of audience to appeal to. The audience are the ones who are going to see the film they bring the money in. They are king.
 
Why is the marketing considered a hidden cost? What is the importance of genre in marketing? What is the 'need to see?' and how does it work? What are the significant differences between Hollywood and the UK film industry?
Some people don't realise that marketing costs money. All the posters and trailers that are made all have to be paid for. This is cost that can be quite big. It also helps create that 'need to see factor'. The need to see is created by using a big director or big actors who people will want to see just for them. For example Tom Cruise movies, some people only go to see him. Genre is hugely important because you want your film to fall into a marketable genre so its easy to build a hype and get awareness. Before a film will even go ahead in Hollywood it needs to have a release date so they can see when it should start making money back.
 
What is the distributors job? 
The distributor brings the film to the market place and makes a name for it.
 
What different ways do distributors acquire films?
A film distributor is a company like Disney or warner brothers. They have people coming to them to sell their film and make a name for it. Other ways are going to film festivals and distributors can buy the rights to distribute it. Each film should have a Unique Selling Point
 
Why is genre important?
It can help target an audience for the film. Most cinema goers are 15-24 or families so most films that are on in the cinema now aspire to fit into those genres, that they want to see.
 
Why is the release date so important? Why are school holidays so important?
In the school holidays the categories that go to the cinema (15-24 year olds) or families are off work and on holiday so they take their children out of go with their friends to see the latest film. Films can compete for dates and if two big films come out there will be a huge decision to make as to which one you want to see.
 
Why does film research happen? What does it involve?
A team will work on trying to establish a target audience this involves going round asking people if they'd watch the film they were going to release, once established an audience they can start on the marketing budget.
 
How is the marketing budget decided on? Once the budget is estimated, what tends to be the percentage spent on marketing?
they look at the countries the film will be watched in and they decide on how much to spend in each country. The marketing budget is usually around 25-30% of the cost to make the film.
 
Advertising and publicity what three sections does this involve?
Posters
TV ads
Radio ads
These are the three things that people will hear and see when out so they want to target these types of media.These are the traditional types of media.
 
Why do distributors find it so difficult to get their message to stand out? 
The general public are submitted to hundreds of different types of media even before they leave to go to work so making something that stands out is very difficult.
What remain the most important marketing tool for a film?
A trailer is the most important, in a cinema it will be how they see it and in that environment so if they like it there they will want to go and see it.
 
Why is synergy important?
Fonts
soundtracks
posters
these are all parts of the synergy to a film. They are the things that remain the same throughout the film all around the world. Where ever you go you will see the same font for example in the latest batman film.
 
Why is poster art important? Why do they 'tease'? What should a good poster reveal?
They are to sell the genre and tell people when the film is being released. They portray the characters in a way which makes the audience want to see the film.
 
Why is the trailer important? What three types of trailer do you have?
Teaser trailer - this is before production starts and gives a taster as to what is coming up
Main trailer - This is after production so has the whole film to work with just on a shorter basis
Shorter version - This is a small version of the main trailer that is played on the TV.
 
Why would the 'Perfect' trailer not have voice over?
It allows the audience to create their own mood and feeling about the film.
 
How is a TV trailer different?
They use the whole finished film with shorter scenes this means the audience get a taster of the whole film.
 
What two basic uses can distributors make of the internet?
Viral and websites. The idea of people sharing and liking ads and websites means it will spread a lot faster than a tv advert.
PR/Publicity
How can you get free publicity for a film?
magazines newspaper and tv onlines.

Exhibition
1. Cinema attendance rose
2. Piracy (negative) and digital projection (positive)
3. Milton Keynes moviplex - upgrading mutiplexes and the need to for more multiplexes
4. Not ecologically viable - not enough space
5. Dont try to take on the 'big boys' offer the night films to those going. 'World films' art films - go in screen. They don't fo for all the big blockbusters.
6. Mosaic profiling - who the customers are and aren't, turkish and bollywood films are shown depending on the audience present.
7. Three weeks before.
10. Knowedgable staff and drinks before the film starts such as wine.
12.Transform over night - show an unlinked amount of films, screen sporting events.

Audience research 
Large research analysis has been done to see what UK audiences want from film and from cinema, to get an idea of what they want to see and experience.
One thing they have to do to understand where to put a multiplex is what people want in the local area because they cant have a generic list of what everyone wants over the country. They need to adapt to what adudiences want in a local town or city. This helps to make the multiplex more succesful.