Media area chosen: Film
#6- To what extent is digital distribution vital to the media area you have studied?
It is no surprise that many sources of our entertainment are distributed through this time of the “digital era”. With many resources exposed to the audience, including the many ways that these real text media are shown for our viewing pleasure, it has virtually changed and enhanced the way we view, watch, and listen to our favorite and upcoming films. The digital distribution of these films has never been easier and more accessible to the public. In more ways than one - through our downloads, video sharing, and social platforms- digitally distributing media has been crucial in reporting the latest films. As theaters become more irrelevant, our films are brought to us closer to home in various aspects such as on-demand streaming, pirated sites, blu-ray, DVD's, networking stream platforms and so much more. But the true extent of this can be assessed in a deeper scope.
To begin with, in what ways can a consumer watch a film? But even more so, in what ways can this film be made known to the general public? It's simple: digital distribution. For instance, under the article ‘How is Digital Technology Reshaping the Film Industry?’ by Rosie Harman, it states “Digital market has infiltrated almost any type of industry you could name. That includes the film industry as well..” To understand the extent of digital distribution, it is vital for any film institution to understand the grasp of how the audience will view the said film. These include a range of technologies that enhance the viewing of these films, including 4K 3D cameras, video editing, and even 3D rendering. A lot of the way we view these upcoming films is through distribution on social platforms, such as YouTube, as expressed in the article ‘How Tech Has Shaped Film Making’ by Charles Matthau. But how exactly can these films be digitally distributed? A crucial question with an impactful answer.
Take the article ‘The Ins and Outs of Hollywood Film Distribution’. Most filmmakers will create their “own production company” in order to ensure the intellectual property of their films. Therefore, this allows the owner of the film to have some control over how their film gets distributed. Steven Spielberg, a director, created his own production company called “Amblin Entertainment” which allowed him to handle the intellectual property copyrights to films like E.T. (1982) and Back to the Future (1985). Then, the company would work out contracts to sell these films to the “Big Six” who would handle the distribution from there. It is then up to the distribution subsidiaries to secure a national and global distribution of the films. So now comes to play to which ways can these films be viewed.
Digital distribution can take many forms. For instance, let's examine the case study of “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” directed by Davis Yates and released in November of 2018 by Warner Bros. Pictures. The advertising of these films was used in several ways through cross-promotion of the film. For example, fan screenings were distributed all over the internet which allowed viewers to watch the movie “early”. Even more so, Google engaged in providing footage from the trailer of the film. Partnering up is even an impactful strategy, such as the synergy tactic of AT&T and Warner Bros teaming up to digitally promote the film through marketing campaigns to boost the excitement and hype over the film's release. Furthermore, it brought the audience an easier way to watch through a home exhibition, as the film released on Amazon Blu-Ray for online viewing, as well as selling through Walmart and Target stores. Worldwide, the film profited a whopping $653.7 million USD.
Even more so, the case study on the “Beauty and the Beast”, released March 2017, directed by Bill Condon and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Showcased a major digital distribution of the film. In a fun and whimsical way for the audience to be engaged in the release of the film, the company created a cross-media convergence that allowed individuals to send messages using special ‘stickers’ from the film as well as releasing the soundtrack for people to listen and enjoy. The film enjoyed a hefty profit of $1.3 Billion USD. Another case study that shook the box office and home entertainment was the release of “Black Panther” in February of 2018, which was directed by Ryan Coogler and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures Motion Studios. Cross-promotion revealed an exciting commercial that featured the Black Panther with the new 2018 Lexus LS 500 car. Creating this visual association of the film to this new car benefitted both the film and car company to reach a broader audience, digitally distributing the image and brand name to the public. BET was even able to release an old animated version of this film, which only garnered more attention to the film.
Furthermore, in the article “Universal vs. Disney,” it states that “The Jurassic World and Fast & Furious franchises are Universal’s crown jewels of intellectual property.” What does this imply? The underlying message is that competition is only beneficial to how we view our films through various media, meaning the next best film should be loud, dramatic, and right in the audience's visual realm. This brings us to our last case study; Jurassic World. Released in June of 2015 and directed by Colin Trevorrow, with distribution by Universal Studios, this film made a major dent in trailers, with up to 4 main trailers for the film. Even more exciting is their distribution of their ‘website’ showcasing Jurassic World as a fully functional theme park to the audience. The engagements produced from this film were outstanding, even including an online Easter egg hunt for users, completely online. As a result, the film made record sales with a total of $1 Billion USD from Blu-Ray expansion packs to DVDs and more.
So to conclude, it is evident that the digital distribution of films created a major dent in the way we view and enjoy these media. They come to us on multiple platforms, with ease at our fingertips. In so many ways, I contribute to these audiences on how I immerse myself in these films with checking release dates, watching the newest trailers, and even reading on the feedback through critic sites such as rotten tomatoes. Without digital distribution of films, it would be more complex for the film companies/institutions to each their targeted audiences and for the audience itself to know what's to come for the future of film.
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