Mark Kermode and summer blockbusters

• What is the argument he makes?

-Not all films that open in the summer have to be good. 

-In summer because kids are off school - made for kids - has to r a spectacle (fancy things - Ferrari driving down a road of golfs)

-Have to sacrifice a story line to get good special effects - style over substance 

-Director has to balance spectacle and story

-Must have believable characters and seeing stuff that looks cool

-Films encourage people to go to the cinema because most people watch it online

-We used piracy so Hollywood uses more special effects to get us to the cinema

-Selling you an experience

• What is the blockbuster budget formula?

-It should cost a lot of money and earn a load of money

-Use a star, special effects, and spend more money - spending money makes the movie an event

-Cannot use money in blockbuster films

-Adding money to the film, part of the marketing, more people will see it - it's an event

-Spend money > news worthy > hype > event > 6+ weeks (youth audience - summer holidays)

-People will say more because they've bought into the franchise

-Youth audience are naive - SOCIAL - audiences are getting younger - Robocop was 12a, used to be 18

-Trailers show all the funny stuff

-Youth audiences are more susceptible to advertising

• Summer blockbusters

Good storyline and cast

Only use special effects when they needed

Look for Technolgy, economics and social (what people can do other than go to the cinema 

Shia LaBeouf - always plays the teenager (relatable character)

Stars are part of the marketing 

Average budget for a blockbuster: $250 million

How much is spent on marketing:

•Blockbuster must have a global appeal

• Narrative - Always have good v evil - CHN - following a formula - conformist/repetitive - McFilm - always are the same - marketing ~ kids like films - what you eat at McDonalds is the same (familiar) it's simple and easily repeated process (mass produced)

• Genre - Sci Fi, Thriller, Action, Comedy (event movie) 

-Sci Fi and Actions are summer blockbusters because they have spectacles

Question: what is the value of the blockbuster formula?

Product placement - companies want their product to be in the film - paying to see advertising

Inception, Jaws are both good blockbusters - play with the rules 

Social: audience want spectacle. 

Technology: cgi - the audience want "spectacle" - they want a new experience - cinema attendance is low, they want it up, but there is piracy, people can't copy 3D - atmosphere and quality is better at the cinema

Economic: pre-sold - chance to make money - risk of new ideas - cinema attendance - piracy

HOMEWORK - 4.2 lessons plan - set reading - divide into social, economical and technological.