Homework: Rise of the multiplex

Lesson 4.3.2: Rise of the multiplex
Watch Mark Kermode videos
What are the arguments about the multiplex?
Treat their audiences as 'cattle'.
Money not going in to paying for Ushers or Projectionists.
Too focused on profit (Raise in 2D film prices).
Compares them to supermarkets (Multiplex) more choice. Put's natural grocers out of business (Art house cinema).
Under Staffed, films are not always projected properly.
What is PDE?
Production - Overseeing and creation of the film
Distribution - The company which sells the film out to cinema's/multiplexes. Includes advertisement/marketing (Toys, games etc). A way of increasing revenue.
Exhibition - Sales/profit made from the film in the cinema.
What is the effect multiplex had or production, distribution and exhibition?
Distributors want 3D in the multiplex.
Production - Bigger films (Stupider films).
Exhibition - People still going to see films but not always enjoying them after.

Mock Question Planning

What social, economic and technological context gave rise to the Blockbuster film from 1975 - 1983? Refer to specific films in your answer.

Planning:

Social:

Due to the long work hours adults had during the 1970's their lives begin to become repetitive and wanted an escape from their regular lives and because they wanted to see something that they hadn't seen before which they couldn't just get from TV and cinema's provided a spectacle in which they could escape from which led to a rise in people actually going to the cinema. (E.T, Star Wars).

Teen audiences began to have a huge influence during 1975 because blockbuster hits attracted huge media attention which drew teenagers to go and see the film in the cinema rather than just pirating them since all the media attention turn't it in to an event movie for example Jaws is seen as one of the first event movies which attracted masses of people because it was something which had never been done in the cinema before.

Multiplexes were also always on the high street which would attract teenagers to create a bigger audience which could explain why the rise of multiplexes had a strong correlation with the increasing number of teenage cinema attenders. Multiplexes also began to appear on motorways because there was more space to build them and could attract a diverse audience.

Technological:

More special affects and technology was very appealing to the public since it created a spectacle and was something in which they hadn't seen before for example Star Wars introduced elements in to films which had not been seen before.

The early 80s caused an increase cinema popularity due to new technologies becoming available to big budget companies which allowed them to create a spectacle to give people a chance to have a brand new experience, like Jaws and Star Wars being two of the very first event movies.

Economic:

Multiplexes were bought in by American companies because they were worried that their films were not being seen by English audiences, English people wanted/expected to see bigger and better films which America provided such as Jaws which is classed as the first blockbuster which is exactly what English people wanted to see which drew them to the cinema. 

Jaws and Star Wars were two of the biggest grossing films during the 70s and 80s which attracted audiences because they had pre existing audiences and news worthy budgets which made people believe that because the the budget was huge the film would be something worth going out to see. (Event Movie)

Star Wars, Jaws and The Godfather

The Godfather (1972)

Had: A Listers
Didn't have: Special Effects
Sets the trend for film franchises.

Jaws (1975)

Had: Well known actors, mixture of story, had merchandise, hype and advertisement (a lot of money).
Didn't have: Simplistic story and lacked in special effects.
Formulaic Films beginning to rise, easier to create than a complex story.

Star Wars (1977)

Had: Special effects, Hype, merchandise advertisement, was formulaic
Didn't Have: A Story (White knight, Dark night)
Significant because it changed  the formula for films.

During the UK recession people did not have jobs, so they could not afford to go to the cinema so instead watched TV. (1970's)
Teenagers had a disposable income from parents which means that they did not have to work and got money from their parents labour.
'The Teenager' Was invented in the 1950s
Cinema attendance was going down in the 70s, blockbusters in the mid 1970's raised attendance again. Saved the industry. Can still be done well. (Inception, Godfather, Jaws, Star Wars) Done in an attempt to get people back to the cinema.
Rise in multiplexes. Invented by America production companies to lure audiences back to the cinema.
Industrial, Light and Magic: George Lucas and Steven Speilberg.

Exam planning

Revision

Creative Artefact Location report

Creative Artifact Planning
Props: Wine glasses, wine bottle, china plates, candle, metal pot.
Costume: Mary (Before the memory loss procedure). - Smart-casual clothing since she is off work and does not need to be in her uniform, she is however wearing the memory loss headgear.
Mary (During the memory loss procedure). - Wearing her uniform this time and the memory loss headgear has disappeared.
Howard - Before and during the procedure he is wearing his work uniform. (Lab Coat, shirt, tie and smart jumper).
Hollis - Only seen during the one of the memories in a photo, she is wearing a cardigan and in a photo smiling next to Howard.
Actors: Emma W, Glenn D and Amanda D.
1st location of setting: Dartford Grammar School, W Hill, Dartford DA1 2HW.
2nd location of setting: 128 Hawley Road, Wilmington DA1 1PT
The use of the second location is mainly for the first part of my script, before Mary begins the memory loss procedure in Howard's office.
Public usage: Usually this setting would be filled with students as I am using a secondary school, however, the school has granted me and my actors permission to use the school to take my key frames after school hours.
Risk Assessment: My actors and I would have to be careful to avoid damage to the china plates and wine glasses as they are fragile and if they break they could harm someone.
They also may harm their selves on the lit candle during the taking of the photos so I will take precautions to avoid any serious danger.
We will be taking the photos near stairs at the second location so their may be a possible trip hazard that I must rectify when I take my 9 key frames.

Possible photos for my 9 Key frames

This photo will be used to show Mary following the man who's face she recognises and he ignores her calls. I will use Photoshop to put my Actors in this photo.

Through green screen I will put my actors in to this picture, and through Photoshop I will make the photo dimly lit and surreal looking to represent a dream state.

This photo is going to represent Howard's office and Mary laying on the sofa in his office, I am going to use either Photoshop or green screen to change the background to match up with the colour pattern of the other photos.

The bed is going to be used for one of Mary's fading memories where Howard and Mary are laying in the bed together.

The table is going to be used for another one of Mary's fading memories where Mary and Howard are having dinner together, I will use Photoshop to make the room darker than it is originally to represent that it is a decaying memory.

Another shot is going to be of a sign of the Dartford Grammar school sign which I will Photoshop to say Lacuna Inc. To make the location obvious.

The shot after will be a shot of Howard and Mary outside of Lacuna Inc. before they go inside for the treatment.

My final shots will be a close up of Mary's distraught face after realizing that she is about to forget about Howard and their relationship the other final shot will be of Howard looking through the closed blue doors that he had shut behind him looking through the window of the door with his face blurred out to show that Mary has forgotten everything about Howard since their first meeting and I will use Photoshop to create this affect and I will make the background around Mary darker with Photoshop also.

Summer Blockbuster pitch

Spectacle: 3D manuever gear, titan powers.
Set piece: Human's hiding in secrecy from titans hiding in skyscraper sized walls. They use the manuever gear to fight the titans.
A listers: James Franco, Tom Felton, Jennifer Lawrence