Mark Kermode: Positive Expression

How did Samuel L Jackson become the highest-grossing film star of all time?

Jackson's movies, ranging from Pulp Fiction to Snakes on a Plane, have grossed $7.4bn in total. So does it pay to be cool?

Who do you think is the highest-grossing movie star of all time? Tom Cruise? Arnold Schwarzenegger? John Wayne, perhaps? A woman? You couldn't be any more wrong. In fact, the Guinness Book of Records has just declared that it's actually Samuel L Jackson. In total, his films have grossed $7.4bn (£4.6bn), putting him way above any of his co-workers, living or dead.

But how has he managed this remarkable feat? Was it luck? Good choices? The strength of his ability? Let's find out how to become the highest-grossing movie star in history, the Samuel L Jackson way ...

Step one: Never stop making films

Since playing the part of Stan in 1972's Together for Days, Samuel L Jackson has featured in over 100 movies. The man is a machine. Not including videos and TV movies and videogames, Jackson still finds the time to appear in movie after movie after movie. In 2008, for example, you could have seen him in The Spirit, Soul Men, Lakeview Terrace, Iron Man, Gospel Hill and Jumper. Admittedly several of his films now are as Nick Fury, where he only has to put on an eyepatch and tut at Robert Downey Jr for a day or so, but even before that he had a work ethic that would exhaust his contemporaries.

Step two: Find a franchise and dig your heels in

Samuel L Jackson has never been shy about his desire to see out his dotage in a nice comfortable franchise, but happily several of his attempts have ended in failure. He famously wanted his character to survive the end of Snakes on a Plane so that he could ride the wave of endless Snakes on a Plane sequels like some kind of conquering hero, but the film tanked and he never got his wish. The same goes for his horrible update of Shaft. But the tactic has paid off a couple of times. Wearing a dressing gown and spending the majority of three interminable Star Wars prequels discussing intergalactic taxation added $2.4bn to his grosses, while Nick Fury accounts for over a billion more.

Step three: No part is too small if the film is big enough

There's talk of a Nick Fury film being made in coming years but, to be fair, Samuel L Jackson doesn't really add a lot to his Marvel films at the moment. All he does is show up, sometimes not even until the end credits have finished, and mutter something about a team he's putting together. Similarly, Mace Windu wasn't an essential component in Star Wars, his character in Jurassic Park came and went without many people even noticing that it was him and, career maker or not, Jackson's time on Pulp Fiction was mainly spent either talking about hamburgers or screaming biblical tracts at men with silly haircuts.

Step four: Kick back and relax every now and then

But Samuel L Jackson can't spend his entire career turning up, pulling one face and watching $288m get added on to his all-time gross, like he did in Coming to America. Sometimes you have to ignore the money and follow your soul. Sure, maybe films like Unthinkable or Country of My Skull or Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey weren't as popular as Jurassic Park and Star Wars and Iron Man, but they still count towards his combined total grosses. In their own way, they still count.

Step five: Everybody loves a badass

Did Mace Windu need to be a fearsome African American from Washington DC? No, he didn't, but George Lucas just thought it'd be cool. Was it essential that he narrated Inglourious Basterds over anyone else? No, but it was cool. Technically, shouldn't Nick Fury have been played by David Hasselhoff? Perhaps, but Samuel L Jackson is cooler. Basically, the moral of the story is this: be cool enough and huge films will trip over themselves to give you tiny parts. And that's apparently how you break records.

Taken from: The Guardian filmblog: 28/10/11

Mark Kermode: Scary KIds

Mark Kermode's film blog

Outspoken, opinionated and never lost for words, Mark Kermode is the UK's leading film critic.

Anton Corbijn: Director

Anton Corbijn is a Dutch photographer, music video and film director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2, having handled the principal promotion and sleeve photography for both for more than a decade. Some of his works include music videos for Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" (1990) and Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box" (1993), as well as the Ian Curtis biopic 'Control' and George Clooney's 'The American'.

As he was initially a photographer Corbijn's films are well crafted in terms of their cinematography; framing, lighting, depth of field and 'the rule of thirds' can all be easily applied. Scenes from 'Control' and 'The American' would therefore make ideal choices for analysis or some form of comparison.

Harry Potter and the case of the vanishing DVDs

Warner Bros has announced that it will withdraw all Harry Potter DVDs and Blu-rays from retailers to follow Disney's limited release model. But will this new strategy work its magic on Potter fans?

The answer lies in the changing fortunes of the DVD market. During the 1990s, all of the major Hollywood distributors saw profits from DVD sales rise stratospherically. For some reason, consumers were far more likely to buy DVDs than they had been with video cassettes. What's more, a DVD was much easier to make and distribute than a complicated mechanical cassette, so the profit mark-up was significantly higher. All of this meant that the Hollywood studios experienced an unprecedented period of financial growth during the early 2000s, funded almost entirely by DVD sales.

But in recent years, the DVD bonanza seems to have slowed. Profits have been declining for some time, and new formats such as Blu-Ray have not had the same impact. The industry is also struggling to find new business models in the age of digital downloads and the expansion of film piracy via torrenting websites.

So, DVD is not as big a deal it used to be, which is bad news for studios. The old business model no longer seems viable. Previously, film distributors waited until shortly after a film's theatrical release had ended, and then released DVD retailing at around £15. After the most devoted consumers had bought the product at a high mark up, retailers would generally discount the price sharply to encourage casual sales. Consequently, many films could be picked up for as little as £3. Blu-rays retain their value more successfully, but their market still follows this basic framework.

James Russell is senior lecturer in film studies at De Montfort University. Read the full article here in The Guardian.

Film Noir Studies

A video essay on how Fritz Lang's M is viewed as the prototype for the film noir genre.

Independent Cinema: Gareth Edwards 'Monsters' (2010)

Gareth Edwards (born 1975 in Nuneaton) is a British film director. He is best known for directing the 2010 indie motion picture Monsters, his first feature film. He also wrote, filmed, and did the visual effects for the film.

Since childhood he wanted to work in cinema to direct his own films. Edwards personally created the special effects for Monsters using off the shelf equipment. Besides the two main actors, the crew consisted of just five people.

Cine-files: Cameo, Edinburgh If you like a mix of arthouse and indie, double bills and a colourful, characterful auditorium, this cinema's for you.

Edinburgh is spoilt for choice with regard to cinemas, and the number of multiplexes nearby mean the Cameo attracts a nice mix of proper film fans. Weekends are traditionally the busiest times.

As with all the best cinemas, the Cameo has a varied history. Opened in 1914 as the King's Cinema, it showed silent films until the early 1930s but was revolutionised when local entrepreneur Jim Poole bought the venue in 1949.

After an extensive refurbishment (the cinema was reportedly infested with rats at the time of its sale) Poole renamed it the Cameo and began to show films from around the world, quickly forming a partnership with the fledgling Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Poole's retirement in the mid 80s saw the cinema close down temporarily, but it soon reopened and added two further screens at the start of the 90s, being the first independent cinema in Scotland to do so.

In 2005, plans to convert the main auditorium into a restaurant sparked a campaign to save the Cameo, overwhelming public support meant these proposals were soon abandoned and the cinema was given protection from future development with an upgrade of its listed building status.

A healthy mix of arthouse and independent films, these tend to complement those shown at the nearby Filmhouse, rather than competing for the same market. The Cameo is one of the few cinemas to retain a traditional double feature screening each week and regularly showcases opera and theatre from London and further afield.

There's no dedicated children's screenings at weekends but the aforementioned double bills often include family friendly films. The amusingly titled Big Scream strand shows recent releases exclusively for parents and babies each Thursday.

Instead of having a single screening each week, every film showing on a Tuesday before 5pm offers a reduced ticket price for those over 60 and includes free refreshments.

During peak periods (weekdays after 5pm, all weekend) adult tickets are priced £7.30 with concessions available for students, senior citizens and those on income support for £5.80.

Off peak prices are £1 cheaper than peak times with adult tickets further reduced each Monday to £5.30. Prices are roughly in line with the nearby Filmhouse but are cheaper than the Odeon that lies between the two.

Cameo membership is available for £22 a year and offers a discount on all tickets while, unlike some arthouse cinemas, Orange Wednesdays codes are accepted.

A range of the cinema's own Fairtrade snacks are available in the well-stocked kiosk, including raspberries covered in white chocolate and numerous other nuts and sweets, all in bio-degradable packaging. The bar also serves hot food including soups and paninis.

Medium popcorn and drink: A medium popcorn is available for a £3.70 while a medium soft drink will set you back £2.70.

Fairtrade tea and coffee is available from the bar.

The brilliant Cameo bar serves alcoholic drinks, including a range of local beers and whisky as well as wines and beers from around the world, all of which can be taken into the auditorium.

As noted above, the cinema regularly screens opera, theatre and ballet from around the world and theatre from London. A season of classic films curated by Mark Kermode is currently screening on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

Read more here at The Guardian.

'Tomboy' was part of the EIFF in 2011 and screened at the Cameo.

Cinema Code of Conduct

BBC film critic Mark Kermode has been championing a code of conduct for cinema goers through his regular radio programmes. This would make a useful point of discussion for the Producers & Audiences section in the FM1 examination paper. How far do you agree with his views and those of contemporary cinema audiences



The code can be read here in full.

FM1: Review of 'No Country For Old Men'

Mark Kermode review for 'No Country For Old Men'

FM1: Review of 'There Will Be Blood'

Here is an emotional response to the film 'There Will Be Blood' by film critic Mark Kermode. It is a good example of how you should express your enjoyment/pleasure of a film. He really discusses with passion his enjoyment of the film and projects this to his peers/audience.

FM2 - Specimen Exam Paper

A PDF file with an AS and A2 exam paper, resource material, mark scheme and guidance for what an examiner would look for in your responses can be found here. On this post is an edit of the sections/topics you will be responding to.

You will need to answer 3 questions (one from each section)

FM2: British and American Film

Answer three questions – one from each section.

Section A: Producers and Audiences

Choose one question from this section.

Either

1. Study Item A of the resource material, which includes:

- the home page of a fan website for the American star Will Ferrell

- table showing UK and US box office takings for two films starring Will Ferrell released

in 2006

- poster for one of these films; front cover of a magazine for one of these films.

Using this material as a starting point, and drawing on your own case studies, answer the following question:

What are some of the reasons for the popularity of US produced films for UK audiences? [40]

or

2. Study Item B of the resource material, which includes:

- press release: purchase of the Warner Village cinema chain by Vue in 2003

- programme for a thirteen screen Vue multiplex in Manchester (week in March, 2007)

- blog extract: 'Is Cinema Dead?'

Using this material as a starting point, and drawing on your own case studies, answer the following question:

Are the attractions of going to a cinema today sufficiently strong to compete against other ways in which we can now watch films? [40]

Section B: British Film Topics

Choose one question from this section.

British Film: Social-Political Study – 'Living with Crime' You should discuss a minimum of two films in your answer and base it on the following: 'Living with Crime'.

Either

11. Discuss the importance of choices made by key characters to the overall shape and development of the narratives you have studied. [40]

or

12. How important is location to the films you have studied for this topic? [40]

Section C: American Film – Comparative Study

Choose one question from this section. You should discuss a minimum of two films in your answer.

Either

15. Discuss some of the similarities and differences between the two films you have studied for this topic with particular reference to narrative and genre features. [40]

or

16. How far do the two films you have studied for this topic present similar messages and values? [40]

YouTube launches online movie rental service in the UK

Google-owned site will offer UK film fans online rental of blockbusters.

Josh Halliday

guardian.co.uk, Friday 7 October 2011

YouTube has launched its movie rental service in the UK with thousands of blockbusters including The Dark Knight and Reservoir Dogs.

Film fans in the UK can now rent new releases for £3.49 and older titles for between £2.49 and £3.49 from YouTube.

The move puts the Google-owned site in direct competition with Amazon's LoveFilm, which claims some 1.6 million customers in the UK and Europe. LoveFilm makes new releases available to non-members for between £2.49 and £3.49 a film.

Viewers will be given a 30-day window to watch their film on YouTube, and 48 hours once they have started viewing it.

YouTube has signed UK-specific deals with Hollywood film companies including Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, Universal and Lionsgate. The website has also signed deals with Revolver Entertainment, the British studio behind Talihina Sky: The story of Kings of Leon, and Metrodome.

The UK becomes only the third market where YouTube has launched its movie rental business, after the US and Canada.

YouTube launched its US video-on-demand service in May as part of its shift away from short, low-quality clips that made the site so popular. YouTube is by far the busiest video website online, with more than 100 million unique monthly viewers, according to figures released by web metrics firm Nielsen in June.

The launch of the UK movie rental service follows longstanding deals with broadcasters, including Channel 4 and Channel 5, who make their programmes available on the site.

Patrick Walker, senior director of content partnerships for YouTube in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: "We're happy to be working with partners of all sizes to bring more content to YouTube users.

"In addition to clips, user-created and long-form TV content our British users know and love, now movie lovers can find full-length feature films on YouTube in the UK."

Selected Key Terms for Institutions and Audiences - The Film Industry

An institution (in the film industry)

Definition: any company or organisation that produces, distributes or exhibits films. The BBC makes films with their BBC Films arm; Channel4's Film Four produces films, Working Title also produce films, as does Vertigo Films, etc. Some institutions need to join with other institutions which distribute films. Vertigo Films is able to distribute its own films, Channel Four distributed Slumdog Millionaire through Pathe. Working Title's distribution partner is Universal, a huge US company which can make, distribute and show films. The type of owner ship within an institution matters as, for instance, Channel 4 and the BBC are able to show their own films at an earlier stage than other films made by other institutions. They are also better placed to cross-promote their in-house films within their media organisations.

Distribution and Marketing

Definition: the business of getting films to their audiences by booking them for runs into cinemas and taking them there in vans or through digital downloads; distributors also create the marketing campaign for films producing posters, trailers, websites, organise free previews, press packs, television interviews with the "talent", sign contracts for promotions, competitions, etc. Distributors use their know-how and size to ensure that DVDs of the film end up in stores and on supermarket shelves. Distributors also obtain the BBFC certificate, and try to get films released as the most favourable times of the year for their genre, etc.

Examples:

Universal distributed Working Title's The Boat That Rocked; Pathe distributed Film4 and Celadors' Slumdog Millionaire after the original US distributor, Warner Independent went out of business.

Exhibition

Definition: showing films in cinemas or on DVD. Media attention through opening nights and premieres How the audience can see the film: in cinemas, at home, on DVD, through downloads, through television, including premieres, the box office take in the opening weeks; audience reviews which includes those of the film critics, ordinary people, cinemas runs; awards in festivals, The Oscars, BAFTAS, etc.

Examples:

The Boat That Rocked opened on wide release in over 400 cinemas in April 2009. The film flopped at the box office for a number of reasons: the critics' reviews, poor weather putting off cinema goers, and perhaps the lack of a strong female character. The film also flopped on American release in November 2009. However, young people and older people like the film: sales in Morrisons and other supermarkets seem brisk before Christmas as many are buying the DVD as a present to cheer people up during these dark winter months. Slumdog Millionaire almost never got distribution. Its early US distributor, Warner Independent was a victim of the economic downturn and went out of business. The film's makers then struggled to find a distributor! Then Fox Searchlight stepped up and "the rest is history". The 8 out of 10 Oscar nomination wins ensured that the film has been the greatest British success in awards and in box office for nearly 60 years.

Exchange

Definition: The unintended use of an institution’s media text (i.e. a film) by OTHER PEOPLE who use the film or parts of it to form new texts. What happens to a film, etc. after the public get their hands on it using digital technology.

Examples:

People unconnected to the institution/ film using WEB 2.0 applications such as YOUTUBE, Blogger, Amazon film message boards, TWITTER, Face-Book, discuss the film or edit parts of together to form a new text which the may then put a new soundtrack to and publish on YOUTUBE, etc. When you add a trailer from a site like YouTube on your blog you have been engaging with exchange.

Vertical and Horizontal Integration

Definition: Absorption into a single firm of several firms involved in all aspects of a product's manufacture from raw materials to distribution.

Example:

Vivendi Universal have integrated film, music, web and distribution technology into the company, including owning big stakes in cables and wires that deliver these services. Therefore they are vertically integrated because they own all the different companies involved in film, from production to distribution to exhibition. They are also horizontally integrated because they have all the expertise for producing media content under one roof – films, TV, magazines, books, music, games thus being able to produce all the related media content for one film under the same roof (see synergy). This is important for the control the institution has over their product/film.

Synergy/Synergies

Definition: The interaction of two or more agents (institutions/companies) to ensure a larger effect than if they acted independently. This is beneficial for each company through efficiencies in expertise and costs.

Examples:

Working Title know how to make films and they have formed a business partnership with Universal, a massive US company, who have the experience and size in the marketplace (cinemas, stores, online, etc.) to distribute them. (They create the marketing campaign to target audiences through posters, trailers, create the film’s website, free previews, television and press interviews featuring “the talent”, drum up press reviews, word of mouth, and determine when a film is released for the best possible audience and the type of release: limited, wide, etc.) Channel Four’s Film 4 and Celador Films (Celador also produce Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and films, too) benefited by pooling their know-how, experience and expertise to jointly produce Slumdog Millionaire. These companies formed a business relationship with France’s Pathe to distribute this film. In the UK Pathe helped create the poster, trailer, website, etc. In the USA the film found another distributor after being nominated for the Oscars.

Viral Marketing

Definition: A marketing technique aiming at reproducing "word of mouth" usually on the internet and through existing social networks. YouTube Video pastiches, trailers, interviews with cast members, the director, writer, etc. You can find interviews of “the talent” trying to gain publicity for your case study films on YouTube.

Guerilla Marketing

Definition: The use of unconventional and low cost marketing strategies to raise awareness of a product. The aim is usually to create “buzz” and “word of mouth” around a film. Unusual stunts to gain publicity (P.R.) on the film’s opening weekend, etc.

Examples:

Sasha Baron Cohen created “buzz” before the release of his film “Borat” by holding fake press conferences. The studio also accessed the popularity of YouTube by releasing the first 4 minutes of the movie on YouTube, a week before it’s release, which can then be sent virally across the nation. At a special viewing of “Bruno” Cohen landed on Eminem “butt first” from the roof MTV Awards venue, dressed in as an angel outfit with rents in the rear end.

Media Convergence

Definition 1: Convergence of media occurs when multiple products come together to form one product with the advantages of all of them.

Examples:

More and more films are being marketed on the Internet and on mobile phones. You no longer need even to buy the DVDs or CDs as you can download films and music directly to your laptop, Mac or PC. Blue Ray DVDs can carry more features than ordinary DVDs and can be played on HD televisions and in home cinemas for enhanced/cinematic picture quality. You can save films on SKY digital, Free-box digital players, etc. You mobile phone has multiple features and applications. With media and technological convergence this is growing year on year. Play-Stations, X-Boxes and the Wii can can connect with the Internet and you can play video games with multiple players.

Technological Convergence

Definition 2: The growing interractive use of digital technology in the film industry and media which enables people to share, consume and produce media that was difficult or impossible just a few years earlier.

Examples:

For instance, the use of new software to add special effects in editing; the use of blue-screen; using new types of digital cameras like the one Danny Boyle used in “Slumdog Millionaire” (The Silicon Imaging Camera to shoot high quality film in tight spaces); you can use the Internet to download a film rather than go see it in the cinema; you can watch it on YouTube; you can use special editing programs like Final Cut Pro to edit bits of a film, give it new soundtrack and upload it on YouTube; you can produce illegal, pirate copies on DVDs from downloads and by converting the film’s format; you can buy Blue Ray DVDs with greater compression which allows superior viewing and more features on the DVD; distributors can use digital software to create high concept posters; cinemas can download films to their projection screens and do not have to depend on a van dropping off the film! There are tons of ways in which technological convergence affects the production, distribution, exhibition and exchange by prosumers. ( A prosumer is someone who not only consumes (watches films) but also writes about them the Net, blogs and make films out of them, often uploading them on sites like YouTube, etc.

A Mainstream Film

Definition: A high budget film that would appeal to most segments of an audience: the young, boys, girls, teenagers, young people, the middle aged, older people, the various classes in society. Distributors often spend as much or more than the film cost to make when distributing mainstream films that are given wide or universal releases.

Example:

The Boat That Rocked was a mainstream idea and was given the mainstream treatment on wide release. The film flopped at the UK box office on release ( and has not done too well since mid November 2009 on release in the USA. This was mostly because of its poor reviews, particularly from “Time-Out”. However, when young and older audiences see the DVD they generally like the film because of its uplifting storyline and the well-chosen soundtrack.

Art House Films

Definition: A low budget independent film that would mostly appeal to an educated, higher class audience who follow unusual genres or like cult directors that few people have heard of. Therefore it is usually aimed at a niche market. Foreign films often come under this category.

Examples:

The low budget film, Once (2007) which found a specialised, boutique distributor in Fox Searchlight fits this label. (FOX the mainstream company usually distributes big budget film and blockbusters); So does “Juno” from 2008 which began as a low budget film about teenage pregnancy that the big studios thought too risky to touch – but it found popularity through its touching storyline, engaging music and its Oscar nomination for best script. Like “Slumdog Millionaire” the film crossed over between art-house cinemas and audiences to mainstream ones because of the recognition it received from Canadian film festivals and award ceremonies like Britain’s BAFTAS and the Hollywood’s Oscars.

Ratings bodies BBFC - The British Board of Film Classification

How your institutions films are rated will affect audiences in so far as WHO can see them. Remember that sex scenes, offensive language, excessive violence, the use of profanity, etc. can affect the rating and certificate the film receives and therefore affect who is able to see the film.

Why films either 'suck' or they're 'cool'

Anne Billson

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 7 July 2011

Since when did liking or not liking become the standard by which a film should be judged? Many's the time I've shared my feelings about a movie with friends, only for them to come back with, "Yes, but did you like it?" As though that were the only criterion! I've probably learned more about film-making from incompetent, badly written rom-coms than from any amount of perfectly constructed masterpieces. I've glimpsed extraordinary visions in otherwise awful films (one of my all-time favourite scenes is the upside-down severed head used as a slide projector in Wild Wild West), and cringe-making missteps in otherwise wonderful movies. But the signs are that we increasingly prefer criticism reduced to thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Star ratings, I'm told, are massively popular, though I can only goggle with disbelief as internauts throw tantrums because the reviewer on a film website has awarded Thor three stars instead of four.

Read more here.

Cheap shots: Microbudget film-makers

'My Own Private Idaho' (1991)

In 1991 two films changed the landscape of indie cinema by making the frugality of the budget a selling point. Where are the microbudget film directors now?

Hollywood has always operated on the principle that more is more: each time the most expensive film ever made arrives in cinemas, budgetary extravagance becomes a major selling point. But 20 years ago, the US independent sector stumbled upon its own marketing equivalent: the microbudget. Suddenly it became apparent that a film's financial shortcomings could be exploited to its advantage.

In 1991, two films changed the landscape of indie cinema and the way in which it was sold. Richard Linklater's Slacker, which drops in on around 100 misfits and eccentrics during 24 hours in Austin, Texas, and Matty Rich's Straight Out of Brooklyn, a tale of young no-hopers in New York's housing projects, marked the start of a phenomenon – frugality as a marketing hook. Read more here.

The Good, The Bad and The Multiplex

In this piece for the Culture Show Mark Kermode meets one of a dying breed - a projectionist - and also braves the local multiplex. Good? Bad? What do you think of multiplexes?