MEST2: Film pitch and audience focus group

Title and tagline:  La Sombra

‘I’ll pay for the mistakes I’ve made, but not with my life’

Topic from brief (e.g. Modern-noir, Urban Life etc.):

Modern-noir

Genre (and sub-genre if applicable): Crime

Logline – one sentence that sums up the film and hooks people in (25 words or fewer):

A fatal mistake proves to be the game changer, and now it’s the hitman with the target on his back.

Other successful films that are similar to yours:

Sicario, Agent 47, red,

Narrative structure for full 30-minute film – what happens and in what order (max 100 words)

Takes shot of vodka, and kills people on hit list- to emphasise drinking problem (in Mexico).

Also in secret relationship with Cartel bosses daughter.

Learns of accountant taking bribe from police to sell out the cartel and go on the run to Europe.

(3 minute extract)

After failed mission, using skills acquired over time to stay on the run and stay in the shadows from the cartel whilst fighting against ‘demons’ (drinking problem).

La Sombra meets with secret lover, Cartel bosses daughter but still isn’t aware of this. Plans to run away with her and is ready, waiting on boat to ‘disappear’ for good and waiting for Maria to come. After waiting for hours Don Javier comes on to the boat with his entourage and holding his daughter at gun point. La sombre realises and must choose which one of them dies.

Main protagonist, their desires, the conflicts they encounter etc.:

La Sombra-the shadow. Money is irrelevant, to a man who takes so much. The thrill is the drive and the money is the bonus. ‘Silent’ protagonist doesn’t talk throughout film but has independent narrative and thoughts in his head.

Other characters and their role/audience appeal:

Don Javier Sanchez - Cartel boss who orders the killings of his enemies.

Accomplice to Don Javier - Eduardo Sanchez-loyal to a fault –cousin to Don Javier

Victim (intended)  Arne Schafer – Angered cartel boss, Former cartel accountant

Maria Angel - Daughter of Don Javier  but took mother's name

Target audience for your film (age, gender, social class, interests etc.):

Young adults 18-45, middle class, people who travel-

The three-minute extract you will make and where it would appear in the film:

This will appear just after the beginning scenes in Mexico.

La Sombra waiting on beach in England and picks up phone buried on the beach, Don Javier on phone giving orders about next kill-accountant. Breaks phone and throws into the sea.

Heads to location to pick up tools and more information about next kill.

Heads to location of kill and realises it is a mask party, don Javier is also attending the party.

La Sombra kills wrong person by mistake and accountant gets away and now La Sombra goes on the run.

BBFC

The BBFC is brief about all the films that have been published and what we have also rated. The director of BBFC had said that their has been a large number of increase in the amount of people that are wanting to make new films but don't have their facilities. 

A film is rated depending on what is included on the film. Sometimes, people may rate the film in groups but sometimes it is done individually which is also known as 'solo viewing'. For example, if a bad language has been used, then the film may be rated 12 or above.

The Dark Knight was rated 12A, this was very controversial as many believed that this rating was way to low. This is the case due to the violence generated in this film. 12A guidelines allow moderate violence as long as it can be justified by the context. However, many people thought that the dark knight should have been a 15 age rating or even 18.

In 15 rated film 

1. Strong violence
2. Frequent strong Language
3. Portrayals of sexual activity
4. Strong verbal references to sex
5. Sexual Nudity
6. Brief scene of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
7. Discriminatory language or behavior
8. Drug Taking

we would  really like to work on a type of Modern noir, in the style of a 60's detective black and white movie. This would be really interesting to work with, as we can play around with the plot line very easily and also manipulate the tone in terms of serious or comedic. If we were to go with a serious tone, we could go down the direction of something loosely based around the style of Sin City which is basically a movie which shows modern noir very well and also helps to emphasise the style of a comic book graphic novel.

If we were able to work with this idea we could actually very easily work with a variety of the topics and utilise the different topics into one, such as urban life/secret/friendship and maybe even romance. I think this will have to depend greatly on our overall idea of the plot line.

In terms of the plot line, we can work on the detective narrative and create something that I believe will leave the audience amazed, this will have to be done by creating a variety of enigma codes and eventually through the big reveal we can have a huge plot twist. I think this would work very well in terms our general idea of secrets which helps to link with the detective narrative, and generally becomes a mystery, thriller or who-dun-it type of movie.

MEST2: Arthouse film institution research

  Production: Independent film studios

Donnie Darko

1. Donnie Darko was produced by 'Flower Films' 
2. 'Flower Films' have produced other low budget Film like Donnie Darko for example 'Never Been Kissed' ,' Charlie s Angels' & 'Whip It'
3. 'Flower films' most successful art house film was  'Never Been Kissed' 

   Budget	$25 million[1]
   Box office	$84,565,230[1

The Man Without A Past

1.    The Man Without A Past was produced by 'Bavaria Film Studios'
2. 'Bavaria have also produced other low budget films Films like '  (Paths of Glory', 1957),(The Vikings, 1958),
3. However one of their most successful films was 'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer'

Girlhood

1. Girlhood has a variation of production companies for example 'Arte France Cinema', 'Canal+','CNC','Cine+','Hold Up Films' and Lilies Films.
2. 'Arte France Cinema' 
3. Their most successful film was 'Ghost'

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless 

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless was produced by 'This is that Corporation'
2. 'This is that corporation' made movies such as The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005) A Dirty Shame (2004) The Door in the Floor (2004)
3. There most successful film was The door in Floor

It Follows

1. It follows was produced by  'Animal Kingdom' ,'Northern Lights Film 'and 'Two Flints'
2. The movies produced by Animal Kingdom is Short Term 12
3. Short Term 12

Distribution: Independent film distributors

Introduction

This is where the audience is introduced to the storyline and try to comprehend what will happen throughout the film as it goes along.

Scene 2
Lord Puttnam on the role of distribution:
Puttnam's part of dissemination is about attempting to make the biggest measure of individuals to view it. In this manner, they attempt make the trailers a blurbs fascinating.
Scene 3
Distributors is very competitive business of dispatching diverse sorts of movies. However its truly hard so the distributes challenge is to:

• identifying its audience
• considering why they'd go and see it
• estimating the revenue potential across all the formats of its release
• persuading exhibitors (cinema operators) to play the film
• developing plans and partnerships to build awareness of and interest in the film
• aiming to convert as much interest as possible into cinema visits

Scene 4

The UK has six major distributors and also many independent distributors. And they manage anything that is created outside the major studios. 

Scene 5

UK distributors get their films using many different techniques for example;

• a third-party sales agent, acting on behalf of a producer
• a continuous flow of new content from a parent studio
• a studio or production company with whom the distributor has negotiated an output deal covering a slate of titles
• a single title acquired at any stage before, during or after production

Scene 6

Make a distribution deal

This is about specifying the rights they hold in respect of the title. These normally include the right to release it in UK cinemas and promote it in all media before and during its release.

Scene 7

Planning the release

A plan and an idea has to be created and prepared. 

Scene 8

• How is the going to be released?
• When is it coming out?
• Where should it first be released?
• What type of film is it?

Scene 9

• Film Marketing 
• There many different ways the film is marketed for example:
•  Websites 
•  Posters
•  trailers
• online advertising
•  Promotions

Scene 10

• Licensing films exhibitors 
• This is about trying to see how much the audience enjoyed the film and trying to reach the planned target audience. 
• Through Box office
• Through print or technical management 

Donnie Darko
Metrodome Distribution (2002) 
Metrodome Distribution (2004) 

Film Budget

$4,500,000 (estimated)
$728K(US)

Donnie Darko had firstly screened in the Sundance Film Festival

Girl-Hood

• Film1 Spotlight (2015) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Strand Releasing (2014) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pyramide Distribution (2014) (France) (theatrical)
• $4,500,000 (estimated) 

This Film was first screen played in VUE

It follows
Icon Film Distribution (2014) (UK) (theatrical)
around 21 cinemas released in around the world

Film Budget

$2,000,000 (estimated film budget)
$10,100,000 (This was the budget for Worldwide)

It follows was screen in cinemas such as VUE

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

Momentum Pictures (2004)
around 20 cinemas released in around the world
Budget

Film Budget

$20,000,000 (estimated film budget)

$49MM(This was the worldwide budget)

External sunshine of the spotless mind was in VUE

The Man without A Past

Sony Pictures Classic

Budget	€1,206,000[1]
Box office	$9,564,237

This is another movie that was released worldwide in common cinemas

Exhibition: Arthouse cinemas

The Electric Cinema, it is in Notting Hill, London. 

The Electric Cinema as a rule demonstrates arthouse movies, which are exploratory or low spending plan, for example, The Lobster which will be shown on the sixth of December. It can in this way be contended that arthouse silver screens are gone for the corner business sector as the standard gathering of people are unrealistic to watch test or low spending plan movies like The Lobster. Be that as it may, they now and then do display significant movies, for example, Star Wars which will be shown on the eighteenth of December and Bridge of Spies on the fourth of December which will likewise be shown in film chains, for example, Vue. 

White collar class youthful grown-up/grown-up groups of onlookers would for the most part go to this arthouse silver screen, and an explanation behind this may be a result of the expense of the tickets (entirely costly) and the way that the movies that are typically displayed are for the most part 15 and over. However there are some of the time movies that are PG/U that are displayed, and there is likewise a kid's club segment at the Electric Cinema so a more youthful white collar class group of onlookers are prone t

These film trailers fit splendidly to the Art house profile in light of the fact that they predominantly around an individual or bunch and through the movies attempt to express the feelings made. These have a tendency to be feelings which arent found or completely comprehended by the audience.Also, they all have that hero where the gathering of people incorporate with. I can gather that these are indeed Art House Films as they arent your ordinary mainstream movies these movies are focused upon the quality and the technique of the production rather than the profit.

A case study in independent film production:

• Film London is one of the nine provincial screen offices all through the UK, and has the points of maintaining and adding to the London film industry 

• Microwave Films is a financing plan for UK highlight movies, and the motivation behind Microwave Films is to store and convey movies 

• The London Calling undertaking for Film London is a plan which free film making groups who inhabitant in the capital can apply for to get preparing and tutoring, match financing and if effective be granted a max of £4,000

)  Three things that i learnt from these art-house short clips is that 

•  Use what is around me to make the film interesting
• Think carefully of the camera work utilised
• Think carefully in who you cast 
•