HOW TO START YOUR CASE STUDY RESPONSE

1. Research/ read all the relevant links/ handouts and see if you can find out the basic facts behind each film -  in other words, the 'what', 'when', 'where', 'who and 'how' questions for each film:

a. What genre of film is it?
b. When was it made/released?
c. Where was it made/released?
d. Who made it/ who distributed it? Who is the target audience?
e. How was it made and released (budget/ production context/ release strategy/marketing campaign)

Use this as the basis for the development of your audiences and institutions case study response

2. Work out an action plan with your partners. Decide how and when you are going to work on your response to ensure you meet the deadline. Work as a team and stick to the arrangements made.

AUDIENCES AND INSTITUTIONS KEY CONCEPTS

In order to answer your case study question for each film, you will need to think about the key concept areas and their relevance/ impact on each stage the film has gone through:

Audiences and Institutions key concepts:

1. The film's target audience, both in the UK and globally (core and secondary markets, audience demographics, typical audience profile)
2. Patterns and trends of audience behaviour (audience tastes and habits in media consumption, pleasures, sharing, uses and gratifications)
3. How the film has been received, both globally and in the UK (box office and other data, reviews and opinions, debates/discussions around the film)
4. The issues raised in the targeting of UK national and local audiences by international or global institutions (specific needs of the UK market, cultural awareness, impact of global distribution)
5. The issues raised by the institutional ownership of each film (production company, production and marketing budgets, UK distributor, licensing deals)
6. The importance of cross media convergence and synergy (production technology, marketing campaign, the website, social networking, viral, cross platform distribution)
7. The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exhibition/exchange (3D, CGI/animation, blu-ray, home cinema, multi-channel TV, PVR, digital cinema projection, fast broadband)
8. The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences (competition, changing digital landscapes, technological obsolescence, investment costs, piracy)
9. The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences (portability, convenience, levels of control and personalisation, non-linear experiences, interactivity/immersion, changing expectations, impact on traditional media insititutions, rise in short form content, piracy)

THE BOAT THAT ROCKED CASE STUDY QUESTIONS

1. How has the film been produced to appeal to the UK market?
2. How has the film been distributed to reach the UK market?
3. How has the film been marketed to ensure the film reached its UK audience?
4. How has the film been exhibited to attract the UK audience?

The key to success is to break down the question, work out the answers, use the key concepts in your response and compare/contrast with TBTR

AVATAR CASE STUDY QUESTIONS

1. How has the film been produced to appeal to the UK market?
2. How has the film been distributed to reach the UK market?
3. How has the film been marketed to ensure the film reached its UK audience?
4. How has the film been exhibited to attract the UK audience?

The key to success is to break down the question, work out the answers, use the key concepts in your response and compare/contrast with Avatar.