Case studies: I, Daniel Blake and Straight Outta Compton
Underline
Knee-Jerk
Distribution refers to the ways in which media products and shared and given out to their intended target audiences. Distribution is absolutely vital to the financial success of the film industry, and this is made increasingly more so by advances in digital technology.
Plan
Success = financial success
Specialised industry
Social media
Viral marketing and word of mouth
Conglomeration
Merchandise
Legendary (producer) Universal (distrib.)
Regulation (L and L)
vertical, horizontal and multimedia integration (Hesmondhalgh)
Convergence and synergy
BBFC
Curran and Seaton: power and industry
(genre)
Stars and celebrities
Stereotypes
Ken Loach
Social realist
Indie, major
Biopic
Content
I, Daniel Blake
- Primarily distributed in atypical ways
- Official website: discounted cinema tickets for the target demographic (working class)
- Low production values and budget, targeting primarily a middle class and socially conscious audience
- Traditional methods of distribution. Premiered and Cannes, and then sold to the distributor eOne (for UK distribution)
- Production: financed by BFI, BBC, Wild Bunch, Canal Plus: a British, Belgian and French production, an example of a globalised media
- Distributed in France under the title Moi, Daniel Blake
- An independent film, created through the collaboration of many international financiers
- Traditional: theatrical trailer, which was also distributed digitally
- Atypical distribution and exhibition methods: Outdoor screening in Newcastle, and film was also shown in social clubs and community centres, particularly in the north England, indicating the targeting of a working class audience
- hashtag I Daniel Blake allowed the film to be virally marketed by online audiences
- 13.9K follows on Twitter
- Jeremy Vine interviews Ken Loach on BBC Radio 2 traditional marketing
- Jeremy Corbyn publicly praised the film on social media, reinforcing the socialist ideology of the film
Straight Outta Compton
- Traditional distribution and production
- Universal a huge and multinational conglomeration wit the finances and power to distribute internationally
- Legendary the single and only producer
- Theatrical trailer is viewed 7.5 million times, with the potential to be shared on social media
- NWA's music is an excellent example of selling and distributing to a pre-sold audience
- Younger audience will be attracted to the genre conventions of the rap, action and gangster genres
- Trailer shown on first Republican political debate, ensuring a mass audience, and a declaration of the film's political ideology
- Ties in to themes of police brutality, especially the black lives matter movement. Iconography of the trailer, with images of riots and police conflicts capitalised on this
- Traditional forms of marketing including billboards, posters and trailers and magazine adverts
- Film later distributed on Netflix, with a vast potential multinational audience
- Fan edits and memes created from the straight outta Compton logo, which was itself based on parental advisory sticker
- BBFC 15 certificate, very strong language, violence, sex and drugs. Use of v strong language limits potential audience, yet the film was re-cut to avoid an 18 certificate
- Extended directors cut rated 18, where regulation issues less likely to effect sales
- Choice of actors, and who they are playing. Ice Cube's son! Actors are a commodity, selling the product to the audience
- Synergy between the film and music industry. The album Straight Outta Compton was re released on vinyl and sold through UK supermarkets, target an older, generalised, mass audience
Other examples of films using viral marketing for huge profit include the Blair witch project.