Introduction To The Film Industry

Introduction To The Film Industry

The purpose of a media product is purely to make money because if it didn't make money then the media products can't exist. Its also to entertain people but only because they want money. Media products can also enrich our lives. Media Products can also exist to influence the ideologies of the audience, but it all comes down to money, we need to be cynical when thinking about it.

Interesting facts on the birth of film;

• First film was to settle a scientific debate, made by Eadweard Muybridge in1878.
• Films in the 1890's were under a minute long.
• Sound wasn't introduced until 1927, the first film with sound was the Jazz Singer.
• Music was usually played live.
• The first film studio was built in 1987.
• Most early films and productions were ran by women as it was seen as a women's job, as its like arts and crafts, then it became profitable so men started getting involved it and now it is a pretty male dominated career.

• Classical Hollywood Narrative

• Spacial Continuity
• The audience always knows where they are at any time

• Temporal Continuity
• The audience always knows in what order the events have transpired, and any flashbacks and so forth will be clearly signposted.

• Realistic 
• Must be realistic and must not make reference to other filmic or popular texts.

• Ultimately, barring any deliberate enigmas, the spectator should be aware what is happening at all times, and should leave the cinema satisfied with the conclusion, and there should be no doubt as to the ideology or message of the film.

Key Words;

• Studio System
• 
  
• Distribution
• Getting the product out there.

• Conglomeration
• 
  
• Vertical/Horizontal Integration
• 
  
• Production 
• Making a media product.

• Regulation
• Rules and Restrictions followed by media products.

• Digital Technologies
• Technologies made possible through computers. 
• Computer, Camera, 

• Convergence
• Where two separate media industries come together
• Eg. Music Video (Film and Music)

• Exhibition
• The showing of media products
• In a cinema or through a TV, Youtube.

More digital technology has changed the way we watch films, we can get access to films online for free, you can also download films and watch them without wifi onto your phone, same with music. 

Key Theory - The Cultural Industries - David Hesmondhalgh

• Horizontal Integration 
• Where a company buys "other companies in the same sector to reduce the competition for audiences"
• Eg. Disney bought Star Wars and Lucas Film, bought them for the money and a wider range of audience. 
• Disney also bought Marvel.
• Vertical Integration
• Where a company buys "up other companies involved in different stages of the production and circulation" 
• Completely Anti-Competition, new productions wouldn't be able to get shown in any cinemas. 
• Conglomeration
• A conglomerate is a corporation that consists of a group of businesses dealing in different products or services.
• Conglomeration is the process of a conglomerate being formed.
• Disney owns many different industries, Toys, Films, Video Games, Clothes, Theme Parks, TV, Record Labels. 

• Universal are distributions and Legendary produce the films, so theres a relationship between the two industries.

• Universal Studio's Facts
• Founded in 30th April 1912 in California US
• Have a Theme Park
• Florida theme park opened on 7th June 1990
• Jurassic World is the highest grossing film Universal have released

Key Theory - Power and Media Industries - Curran and Seaton

• The media is controlled by a small number of companies primarily driven by the profit and power.
• Media concentration limits variety, creativity and quality
• More socially diverse patterns of ownership can create more varied and adventurous media productions.