1. Starter
Key Vocab
Production line model
Vertical integration These two terms are used to describe
Hollywood films of today. They often
The package share a wide range of characteristics
Treatment
This is a script for a film longer than
Blockbuster a synopsis but not yet a full script
High Concept
This is when cinemas
produced, distributed and
exhibited films

2. Producers & Audiences
1) The ability to articulate your understanding of how
cinema functions as a business and how business
interacts with its audience.
2) The ability to articulate a critical understanding of your
own experience of Film.

3. 8 key areas
• The Hollywood Industry (then and now)
• Film Finance & Film Production
• Film Distribution
• Film Exhibition
• The British Film industry (then and now)
• Film consumption: the cinema audience
• The Star system
• Film and new technologies

4. 8 key areas
• The Hollywood Industry (then and
now)
• Film Finance & Film Production
• Film Distribution
• Film Exhibition
• The British Film industry (then and now)
• Film consumption: the cinema audience
• The Star system
• Film and new technologies

5. The Hollywood Industry: Now & Then

7. Hollywood then….
Golden Age 1930-1948
During this time films were made on a production line model – criticised
too formulaic and similar.
BIG FIVE Paramount / Loew’s / Fox Film/Warner Brothers / RKO
(Columbia/Universal/United Artists)

8. Studios controlled by a

9. Vertical Integration
The big five all had vertical integration. They all had the
means to produce, distribute and exhibit films.
They dominated the film industry in the 1930s and 1940s
because of this.
They did not have to buy in the services of distributors or
exhibitors; all their profits were kept under one roof.

10. End of world war 2
• Social , economic and political forces brought the
studio system to an end
• Move out to the suburbs to create a stress free
life after years of hardship/ anxiety
• This led to a decline in cinema attendance
• 1948 Supreme Court Ruling- forced the major
companies to sell their cinemas to break the
monopoly they had. They no longer owned all
three main production areas.

11. Hollywood Today

12. Hollywood today
• Today Hollywood make deals more than films.
• An independent individual such as a producer
puts together a package that they then present to
investors.
The package consists of:
 a treatment for a film
Details of the cast
Details of the director and locations
If a studio like s the film they will agree to finance
and produce it.

13. Today more than 12 Studios in Hollywood
MGM/ WARNER BROTHERS/SONY PICTURES
STUDIO/PARAMOUNT/UNVERSAL STUDIOS/ 20TH
Century Fox/DREAMWORKS
4/5 still exist
Some studios have particular relationships with
directors and give them first options on film ideas.
Steven Spielberg with Dream works for example.
Warner Bros- end of vertical integration?

15. • blockbusters 2011

17. Battleship trailer
Storyline
Based on the classic Hasbro
naval combat game, Battleship
is the story of an international
fleet of ships who come across
an alien armada whilst on a
Naval war games exercise. An
intense battle ensues over sea,
land and air. What do they
aliens - known as 'The Regents'
- want?

18. • The Hunger Games Trailer Storyline
In a dystopian future, the
totalitarian nation of Panem is
divided between 12 districts and
the Capitol. Each year two young
representatives from each district
are selected by lottery to
participate in The Hunger Games.
Part entertainment, part brutal
retribution for a past rebellion, the
televised games are broadcast
throughout Panem. The 24
participants are forced to eliminate
their competitors while the citizens
of Panem are required to watch.
When 16-year-old Katniss's young
sister, Prim, is selected as District
12's female representative, Katniss
volunteers to take her place. She
and her male counterpart Peeta,
are pitted against bigger, stronger
representatives who have trained
for this their whole lives.

19. Cabin in the Woods trailer
Storyline
Five friends go for a break
at a remote cabin in the
woods, where they get
more than they bargained
for. Together, they must
discover the truth behind
the cabin in the woods.

20. Characteristics of a Blockbuster
1. Storyline • box office stats
2. Characters
3. Selling
4. Profits

21. storyline
Blockbusters have simple storylines that are easy
to understand and have universal appeal.
why?
1) Created to appeal to the global audience- omit culturally specific detail to appeal to
wider audience.
2) Wider audience means more profit from DVDs, and associated sales.
3) Simple stories succeed the best eg Love Stories with tragic endings. Think
Shakespeare., AUDIENCES KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
4) Love and Loss/ Good over Evil/ Fighting against the odds
5) Disaster movies where the destruction of the world is averted.- universal hopes and
fears

22. characters
Blockbusters are populated by characters that are
easy to understand.
• The characters tend to be easily understandable
by younger viewers so complex psychological
states tend not to be present.
• Characters tend not to alienate other cultures
or take strong ideological stances
• Characters tend to want to save the world or
save the one they love

23. Sold on looks
Blockbuster films are sold on their look.
• Exciting , special effects- CGI/ PYROTECHNICS
• They look expensive-not experimental
• Spectacular
• They excite through visual display NOT
dialogue reliant
• Huge action set pieces
• Obvious from trailers

24. profits
The enormous financial outlay is not recouped
through the box office alone.
 DVDs / Box Office / PTV / TV rights
 MERCHANDISING often brings the greatest
reward

30. The visual appeal of ‘Blockbuster’ films is
often called the………
‘Impact Aesthetic’.
• This means the audience is invited to sit back and enjoy the sheer scale
and impressive detail of the film.
• This is the so-called “wow” response factor!
• The audience admire the use of CGI – and how convincing it is.
• The appearance of a ‘star’ is often part of this ‘impact aesthetic’.
In the following sequence from a ‘Blockbuster’ - grade your “Wow” factor
out of ten….and name the ‘star’!

31. profits
The enormous financial outlay is not recouped
through the box office alone.
 DVDs / Box Office / PTV / TV rights
 MERCHANDISING often brings the greatest
reward

32. Titanic

33. Titanic Case Study
Identify the four areas in the Titanic Case Study
Storyline
Characters
The Look
Profits

35. While we wait to start …….
Can you remember, the four
characteristics of a ‘Blockbuster’
film?

36. The four characteristics of a ‘Blockbuster’ film:
1. Simple, easy to understand storylines with global
appeal.
2. Simple characters with simple motives.
3. Marketed on their spectacular look (inc. CGI). Visual
impact may be more important than the dialogue.
4. Marketed as a ‘brand’ Franchising also includes toys,
games, clothes, bed linen….

37. Unit FS2: Producers and Audiences.
Aims of lesson:
•To study further the phenomenon of the ‘Blockbuster’ film in
Hollywood.
•To consider the relevance of ‘High Concept’ film-making.
•To think about the ‘Impact Aesthetic’.

38. ‘High Concept’ is the theory
behind all this!
‘High concept’ film-making means:
• A style of film-making based around simple narrative ideas – designed to
fit into marketing and merchandising operations.
• ‘High concept’ film-making is therefore a big aspect of Blockbuster films!
• Thinking of studio : keep things simple – makes lots of money!
• ‘High-concept’ is now the driving force behind creative decision-making in
most mainstream, Hollywood films.

39. So let me ask you………….
Does the production of ‘blockbuster’ films and
‘high-concept’ film-making……………
• Lead to movies without ‘brains’? Does it have to
mean films ‘dumb-down’ – and reduce quality?
• Does the merchandising aspect (tie-in toys, games….)
exploit children?

40. The visual appeal of ‘Blockbuster’ films is
often called the………
‘Impact Aesthetic’.
• This means the audience is invited to sit back and enjoy the sheer scale
and impressive detail of the film.
• This is the so-called “wow” response factor!
• The audience admire the use of CGI – and how convincing it is.
• The appearance of a ‘star’ is often part of this ‘impact aesthetic’.
In the following sequence from a ‘Blockbuster’ - grade your “Wow” factor
out of ten….and name the ‘star’!

41. How important is the ‘Impact
Aesthetic’ to you when you go to
see a film?

42. ‘Blockbuster’ Group Task:
• Select your envelope.
• Read your task.
• Return to classroom at:
• Present your results to class at: