Case Study: 20th Century Fox

History
For many years, 20th Century Fox claimed to have been founded in 1915, the year Fox Film was founded. For instance, it marked 1945 as its 30th anniversary. However, in recent years it has claimed the 1935 merger as its founding, even though most film historians agree it was founded in 1915.
The company's films retained the 20th Century Pictures searchlight logo on their opening credits as well as its opening fanfare, but with the name changed to 20th Century-Fox.


Key film releases by the company
Avatar
Titanic
Star Wars
Independence day


Types of films released by the company
Most films released by the company/studio is action adventure or sci-fi.


 A study of a specific key film released in the last five years by the company, including how successful the film was.
Avatar is a 2009 American science fiction film directed, written, produced, and co-edited by James Cameron,  The film is set in the mid-22nd century. It also became the first film to gross more than $2 billion and the best-selling film of 2010 in the United States. Avatar was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director,and won three, for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects. Following the film's success, Cameron signed with 20th Century Fox to produce three sequels, making Avatar the first of a planned tetralogy.

Case Study: Film4 Productions

History
Prior to 1998, the company was identified as Channel Four Films or FilmFour International. Later, the outfit was re-branded as FilmFour, to coincide with the launch of a new Digital TV channel of the same name. The company cut its budget and staff significantly in 2002, due to mounting losses, and was re-integrated into the drama department of Channel 4.

In 2004, Tessa Ross became head of both Film4 and Channel 4 drama. The name "Film4 Productions" was introduced in 2006 to tie in with the relaunch of the FilmFour broadcast channel as Film4.

Key Film Releases

12 Years A Slave

Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire

Four Lions 

In Bruges

This is England

Sightseers

The Selfish Giant,

Under the Skin

Starred Up.

Types of film typically released by the company (genres, etc)

There is more than one genre, the main genre is mostly Period Genre (12 years a slave) but also there is some comedy Films (Inbetweeners two). There is not much sci-fi or action based films.  

A study of a specific key film released in the last five years by the company, including how successful the film was.

A key film released in the last five years was 12 years A slave (although Film4 Productions was not the main producer) . It was released in 2013 and was a period drama, it received widespread critical acclaim, and was named the best film of 2013 by several media outlets. It proved to be a box office success, earning over $187 million on a production budget of $22 million. The film won three Academy Awards.

Ownership of the company

Film4 Productions is owned by Channel Four Television Corporation.

Race and representation

Feed The Fish Preliminary Task

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG9LFkjJUSY&feature=youtu.be

Institution & Audience Key Terms

Production Company: A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.

Distributor: A film distributor is responsible for the marketing of a film. The distribution company is usually different from the production company. Distribution deals are an important part of financing a film.


Exhibitor: is the retail branch of the film industry. It involves not the production or the distribution of motion pictures, but their public screening, usually for paying customers in a site devoted to such screenings, the movie theatre  What the exhibitor sells is the experience of a film. 


Vertical Integration: The combination in one firm of two or more stages of production normally operated by separate firms.

Major Studio: A major film studio is a production and distribution company that releases a substantial number of films annually and consistently commands a significant share of box office revenue in a given market.


Independent Studio: An independent film is a film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment.

1. 
   

Saturday Night Fever Exam

Terminology: 5

Example: 13

EAA: 10

28: D  

Terminology: Some terminology used but inaccuracies- Level 2

Example: Range of examples from at least 3 areas, mostly relevant- Level 3

EAA: Basic understanding of how technical aspects construct representations- Level 2

Don't give definitions for key terms, be specific about representations made.

Sound Definitions

Foley:  Foley is created by the sound artist mimicking the actual sound source in a recording studio. Often there are many little sound effects that happen within any given scene of a movie. The process of recording them all can be tedious and time consuming.

Diegetic sound: Diegetic sound is any sound presented as originated from source within the film's world. Digetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame. Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound Diegesis is a Greek word for "recounted story

Non diegetic sound: Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action

Pitch: the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone.

Rhythm: a strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.

Sound bridge: When the scene begins with the carry-over sound from the previous scene before the new sound begins.

Sound motif: A sound effect or combination of sound effects that are associated with a particular character, setting, situation or idea through the film. 

Score: A film score (also sometimes called background score, background music, film music or incidental music) is original music written specifically to accompany a film.

Crescendo: a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music.

Ambient sound: In atmospheric sounding and noise pollution, ambient noise level (sometimes called background noise level, reference sound level, or room noise level) is the background soundpressure level at a given location, normally specified as a reference level to study a new intrusive sound source.

Asynchronous sound: Asynchronous sounds match the action being performed however is not precisely synchronised with the action.

Dialogue: a conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or film.

Timbre: the character or quality of a musical sound or voice as distinct from its pitch and intensity.

Hyperbolic sound: having the nature of hyperbole; exaggerated. Using hyperbole; exaggerating.