1. To understand how the film tries to appeal to its audience
Dr Strange LO
To understand how the film tries to appeal to its audience
Textbook pages:

2. Key words Conglomerate
Most major media companies are conglomerates that own a range of smaller companies (called subsidiaries). An example of this is Disney owning Marvel.
Vertical integration
Vertical integration is when one conglomerate owns different companies in the same chain of production. E.g Disney owns film studios, CGI specialists, film distributors and TV channels such as the Disney Channel. This gives Disney the chance to make money at every stage of production. Complete ownership = more profit.
Horizontal integration
Horizontal integration is when one company buys other companies at the same level of distribution. E.g Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 (at a cost of $1 billion) so that they could cancel out the competition by making money from both. Horizontal integration allows companies to widen their audience and find other ways to make money.
Synergy
Synergy is when a company creates a brand that can be used across different media products and platforms. E.g Disney makes movies but then also has related stage shows, theme parks, merchandise, soundtracks and events.

3. Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange is a superhero film from the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) which is part of the Marvel media franchise. A film franchise is a series of films film franchises are multi-picture stories, often including some of the same characters from film to film.
Franchises have become even more important than individual stars. They consist of connected universes (Marvel's Cinematic Universe, Middle Earth, and the DC Extended Universe) and many sequels (or prequels).
Blockbuster movies
Doctor Strange is a blockbuster movie. A blockbuster is a major studio movie that's made with a large budget, big stars and often involves a franchise.
A true blockbuster is extremely popular and brings in a lot of money. Typically, a blockbuster is a summer movie that audiences line up to see the first weekend it's released (which coincides with the school holidays and more family time).

4. Marketing and promotion of the film
Star Power implies that people will want to see a film with a certain star in it. Most mainstream films and blockbusters will use Star Power to attract audiences to their film.
The main star in Doctor Strange is British actor Benedict Cumberbatch (from Sherlock) who is very well known and has established fans.

5. Walt Disney Studios had a huge budget to make and market Doctor Strange.
Some of the strategies used included:
Traditional methods such as posters and teaser trailers on TV and in cinema.
Cumberbatch also appeared on a range of TV chat shows and press events.
Film-based website with gallery, story synopsis.
Social Media profiles on Facebook and Twitter. Social Media advertising was also used on Twitter and YouTube. Marvel produced Twitter stickers, Facebook Live events, Snapchat lenses and filters, Tumblr stunts, Giphy content and Instagram special content.
Benedict Cumberbatch talks about IMAX

6. Additional promotion Specific TV campaign with TV-only clips shown.
Promotional Partners were established and promoted the film in various ways (Mobile phone company Honor, Google, Lamborghini, Microsoft, Yakoult, Skype and Philips). This resulted in product placement meaning all had some role in the film – for example, Doctor Strange uses a Microsoft Surface Tablet – and were part of the promotion campaign in response to this. The rationale is the more people that see the film, the more will see their products so they pay for this.
Marvel introduced a Doctor Strange character to their mobile and video games line-up.
Marvel released prelude tie-in comic.

7. Budget and box office
Doctor Strange cost $165 million to make (which compares with £2 million for ‘I, Daniel Blake’). This money would have been spent on the huge salaries of the stars of Doctor Strange and the amazing effects and locations (New York, Nepal, Hong Kong and London). In addition, Disney spent many more millions on the huge marketing campaign.
Doctor Strange had box office receipts of nearly $700 million (at a cost of $165 million), so can be viewed a success. However, it is not the most successful film in the Marvel Comic Universe. Infinity War, for example, has taken $2.03 billion at the Box Office. This places it in the 4th highest grossing movies ever. At the time of release Doctor Strange reached a major milestone by surpassing Iron Man’s box office record and setting a new global benchmark for a single-character introduction film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

8. Film industry: Regulation Films in the UK are regulated by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
Doctor Strange was awarded a 12A by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). It was deemed to have “moderate fantasy violence and injury detail”, yet was not too graphic. With a 12A, no-one under the age of 12 can see the film unless accompanied by an adult. It is quite a new classification (1989) and was introduced due to the large gap between PG and 15.
It is important that all MDU films are 12A at the most as the major film companies want to keep the young audience for:
•Merchandising opportunities.
•Better potential box office.
•47% of cinema audiences were aged 7-24 in the UK in Word of mouth and peer influence is important in generating interest.

9. Dr Strange (dir. Scott Derrickson 2016)
What genre of film is it?
What are the clues?
Who is the target audience for this film? Give some reasons
What else has the main actor been in? Link with the target audience.
Limited or General release?
Look at the poster
How does it try to appeal to its target audience?
Annotate your ideas
Write a paragraph putting all this information together

11. The cast - IMDB.com Benedict Wong Chiwetel Ejiofor
Benedict Cumberbatch

12. Dr Strange – very different to I Daniel Blake
Dr Strange – very different to I Daniel Blake?! LO= understanding how films are financed + promoted (Box office = $12.45 million)
Budget $165 million
Box office = $677.7 million
Doctor Strange is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, produced by
Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Star cast
in 3D and IMAX 3D versions also

13. How did each film target their specific audiences? Use your research
LO = practice exam questions
TASK 1= mind map all the ways each film targeted their audience
TASK 2= write your ideas in paragraphs comparing both films

14. Posters are one way to sell a film
Posters are one way to sell a film. They give a clear idea of the genre and who they are targeting.
Compare both posters for each film and explain how they are targeting different demographics.
I, Daniel Blake (2016)+ Dr Strange LO: to understand how and why this film appeals to its audience
Last weeks film?
Do you remember the name & genre of it?
Who was its main target audience?
This weeks film is different and makes an interesting comparison
Looking at the poster
What genre is it?
Who is it aimed at?
What is the narrative?

15. Friday test – Independent film = Social realist film = Demographic =
Genre =
Usually low budget ; not made by a BIG production company like in Hollywood
Film about ordinary people filmed in a realistic style
The profile of an audience – age, gender, class, ethnicity, lifestyle
Type (of film. TV show, magazine etc.)

16. The major production companies – Hollywood and the world!! ‘the BIG SIX’
Walt Disney Studios
(The Walt Disney Company)
Warner Bros. Entertainment
(Time Warner)
Fox Entertainment Group
(21st Century Fox)
Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group
(Sony)
Universal Studios
(Comcast)
Paramount Motion Pictures Group
(Viacom)

17. Test - Independent film = Social realist film = Demographic =
Usually low budget ; not made by a BIG production company like in Hollywood
Film about ordinary people filmed in a realistic style
The profile of an audience – age, gender, class, ethnicity, lifestyle
Total = 6

18. Exam like questions
Briefly explain what is meant by horizontal integration. [2 marks]
When a media company owns a range of media businesses of the same type (1) in order to maximise output/increase market share/decrease competition (1)E.g. Facebook bought Instagram; Disney's acquisition of Pixar Studios
Briefly state the role of BBFC. 2marks
responsible for the classification and censorship of films exhibited at cinemas and video works (such as television programmes, trailers, adverts, public Information/campaigning films, menus, bonus content etc.) released on physical media within the United Kingdom + some video/dvds
I Daniel Blake is described as a social realist drama. How is the genre of I Daniel Blake demonstrated in the extract? 8 marks

19. You need to know the answers for exam
What production companies were involved in the making of I, Daniel Blake?
Define ‘Independent cinema’.
What was the production budget?
How were audiences targeted?
Discuss ‘Director Power’. (research)+ auteur director definition
How was the film released?
How successful was I, Daniel Blake at the box office?
What certification did the film receive and why?
What merchandising tie-ins were associated with this film?
Which multi-media platforms supported the marketing of this film? Which multimedia platforms support the exhibition of I, Daniel Blake?
How many countries was the film distributed to?
How does this help with understanding the nature of globalization?
What effect does the domination of Hollywood have on national cinema production worldwide?

20. DR Strange (2016) –revision – fact file – key questions (see Wiki, IMDB.com + others) the exam focus is on Industry – the money, the promotion, the people involved.
1 – Who produced and distributed the film?
2 – What was the box office? A – World wide B – USA?
3 – What time of the year was it released? Why?
4 – Who directed it? Why do you think he was chosen?
5 – Why do you think Benedict Cumberbatch was chosen for the lead role?
6 – What’s the link with Honor Smartphones?
7 – What classification was it given in the UK? Why was it good for the producers?
8 – What is D23? Why would they start talking about the film there?
9 – What is the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Show and why did they release the trailer on it?
10 – Name 3 different ways they promoted the Dr Strange film? Choose one and explain why it’s a perfect fit.
30 minutes – the clock is ticking!! Be ready to present your findings
HOUSE POINTS FOR THE BEST DETECTIVES!
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