1. Institutions
External
Internal

2. External Institutional Constraints
Libel
Self-regulatory codes of practice – BBFC
Type and size of market, taste, competition

3. Libel
A tenuous link perhaps, but could become an issue if any of the figures can be identified from film (if they are clearly based on someone else).

4. BBFC guidance
(link available on blog)

5. Market constraints Type and size of market – link to audience
Taste – use of language, adult themes
Competition – who is film in competition with? How does it offer something different/unique?

6. Task
Write a mini-essay (about 1 side of A4) which summarises how external institutional constraints affect ‘Burn After Reading’.
Use specific examples from the film to back up your points.

7. Internal constraints Role of ownership Finance/production
Quality of staff
Reputation

8. Finance and production
Budget - $37m – medium budget
Worldwide gross - $163,720,069

9. Finance and production
Relativity Media (US)
mini-major – larger company, smaller than major, compete directly with the majors (e.g. Universal)
Studio Canal (France)
First formed to focus on European productions 0 moved to strategic American productions
Working Title (UK)
Owned by Universal. Funded a lot of other Coen Brother films. Allowed to produce films with a budget > $35m

10. Ownership
Media owners can exert certain controls. This can be at odds with ‘creatives’ involved in the project.

11. Auteur theory in a nutshell
Director as creative force – they create the film.
This relies on the director having creative control with little production company interference.

12. Quality of staff/Reputation
Production staff – use of same cinematographer (not in BAR), writing/directing credits
Star quality
Link to reputation – making something that may well be different from previous productions but lives up to expectations.

13. Task
Write a mini-essay (about 1 side of A4) which summarises how internal institutional constraints affect ‘Burn After Reading’.
Use specific examples from the film to back up your points.