The American and British Film Industries.

The American Film Industry

The American Film Industry is dominated by the so called big 6 film companies. These are..

• Warner Brothers
• Paramount
• 20th Century Fox
• Columbia Pictures
• Universal Pictures
• Walt Disney Pictures   

Warner Brothers is owned by Time Warner (2nd largest media conglomerate). Who also own HBO and Warner Music. They have made films such as, Sex and the City 2, Inception, Harry Potter, Rock of Ages and the Dark Knight Rises.

Paramount is owned by Viacom (a conglomerate). They own, MTV, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon. Paramount has produced films including Shutter Island, Paranormal Activity, Shrek, Mission Impossible.

20th Century Fox is owned by News Corp (3rd largest media conglomerate). Who also own Harper Collins, SKY, Fox, The Sun and The Wall Street Journal. They have made films such as The A Team, Avatar and The Rise of the Planet of the apes.

Walt Disney Pictures are owned by the Walt Disney Company, (worlds largest media conglomerate). Its subsidiaries include Disney Channel, Pixar and Disney Leisure. They have made films such as Pirates of the Carribean, Chronicles of Narnia, Toy Story and The Avengers.

Columbia Pictures is owned by Sony Corporation, (5th largest media conglomerate). Its many subsidiaries include Sony Computer, Sony Music, Sony Publishing, Sony Communication. Their films include Men in Black, The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Bad Teacher.

Universal Pictures is owned by GE (General Electrics) which is the second largest company in the world. Who also own NBC and RCA Records. They are also owned by Comeast (largest tele communications company in the US- E!). Their Films produced include, The Bourne Legacy, Ted and Cowboys and Aliens.

Who to pitch to?

1. Seriou Sci-Fi Film- 20th Century Fox

2. Childrens film about talking pets- Walt Disney

3. Comedy about men who get lost on a road trip- Paramount/Colmubia Pictures

Ownership of the American Film Industry

Concentration of Media Ownership- Just a few companies control the market.

• International Revenue = $30 Billion.
• Domestic Revenue = $10 Billion.
• Means control of the Global Market.

Oligopoly- Where the market is dominated by a few companies.

Convergence- The bringing together of different arms of a conglomerate.

Synergy- Promotion and sale of a product (and all its versions) throughout the various subsidiaries of a media conglomerate, E.G. Films, soundtracks, or video games.

Vertical Intergration

When a company owns more than one step in the supply process. For example...

• News Corporation
• Taken 2- Due October 2012
• Co-produced by 20th Century Fox and Europa Corp
• Distributed by 20th Century Fox
• Marketed using advertising in The Sun
• Trailers on ITV
• Exhibition after cinema release on SKY Movies

Horizontal Intergration

When a company owns several companies at the same stage in the supply process. For example...

• Hotel Transylvania
• Trailers alongside other sony pictures
• Video game- Hotel Transylvania
• Mobile game- Transylvania Dash

This allows targeting at a specific audience or a range of audiences; wider marketing campaign.

The British Film Industry

• The market is dominated by American Products
• 75% of Box Office takings are from American produced films
• 18/20 Top Box Office films in the UK, are produced by the 'Big 6'

Ownership and the UK Film Industry

Big Talk Pictures- Its films include, Pual (co-prodcution), Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim Vs the World.

Working Title Films- Four Weddings and a Funeral, Tinker Tailor Soilder Spy, The Boat that Rocked, About a Boy, Love Actually, Billy Elliott and Notting Hill.

Film Four- (Subsidiary of Channel 4). They have made films such as, East is East, Fever Pitch, How to Lose Friends and Alienate Yourself, This is England and Trainspotting.

BBC Films- (Owned by the BBC). BBC Films have produced, Nativity, An Education, The Dammned United, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Miss Potter.

Ecosse Films- (Scotish Company). Films they have been responsible for include Mrs Brown, Charlotte Grey, Nowhere Boy, The Decoy Bride and Monarch of the Glen (a TV programme).

Government Funded- The UK Film Council (Lottery Funded). Their films include, The Kings Speech, The Woman in Black, The Iron Lady, We need to talk about Kevin and Kidulthood.