Using the internet to promote a movie release in the UK

Case Study: The Hobbit

Example 1

What www.facebook.com/TheHobbitUk
Source Facebook
Above/Below the line
Reach UK fans of the trilogy/genre, any class/age
Valuable how Easily updatable, cheaper than conventional platforms, audience envovlment, viral potential, short form content.

Example 2

What Articles on the SFX
Source Google search results
Above/Below the line
Reach Tech fans
Valuable how Direct reach to specific audience groups

Example 3

What Newspaper article on Ed Sheeran doing the soundtrack
Source The Metro
Above/Below the line
Reach Young adults. City commuters
Valuable how Interactive (video included). Short form content.

Case Study: Kill Your Darlings

Example 1

What Review
Source Screenrush UK website
Above/Below the line
Reach Film fans
Valuable how Direct reach to specific group of people

Example 2

What Online Question- "Will you be rushing to the cinema to see Daniel get it on with another man?"
Source The Mirror website
Above/Below the line
Reach Working class
Valuable how Its interactive- audience envolvment

Example 3

What Competition "Cut up art exhibition"
Source Fan Blog
Above/Below the line
Reach Arty people. Daniel Radcliffe fans
Valuable how Audience envovment. Direct reach to specific group

Kill Your Darlings- Tracking

Week 2

1. 
What Daniel Radcliff on the front cover
When Saturday 23rd November

Where The Guardian Magazine
Reach Middle Class

2.
What Poster
Where Euston Tube Station
When Saturday 23rd November
Who Commuters



Week 3

1. 
What Buzzfeed Article
Where Twitter page
When 28th November
Who Daniel Radcliffe fans
How its effective Entertaining and informing

Week 4

1. 
What Advert
Where The Observers' New Review
When Saturday 1st December
Who Middle Class

2.

What Review
Where Radio 4
When 5th December 2013. 19:45
Who 
Why Release tomorrow. Generate interest
Content 70% Talking about Daniel Radcliffe

The Hobbt- Tracking

Marketing Week 1

What: 3D Trailer
Date: Sunday 17th 4 pm
Source: Swiss Cottage Imax Odeon, film- Gravity
Audience: Families, 3D fans

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug- Research

10 Quick questions

1. UK release date? Friday 13th December
2. Institutions: Production: New Line Cinema & Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distribution: Warner Bros Pictures
3. Production Budget? $250,000,000
4. Nationality? United States
5. What kind of production is it?
6. Any connection with other films? Prequel: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Sequel: The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Also connected to the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.
7. Director? Peter Jackson
8. Cast star names? Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Benedict Cumberbatch
9. Plot? The hobbits continue their quest to reclaim their homeland, Erebor, from Smaug
10. Target audience? Fans of the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books and films. Fans of the fantasy, adventure genre.

Kill Your Darlings- Research

10 Quick Questions

1. UK release date? Thursday 19th December 2013
2. Production and distribution institutions? Sony Pictures Classic
3. Production Budget? Very little, "shoe-string budget"
4. Nationality? United States
5. What kind of production is it? Biographical Drama Film
6. Any connection with other films?
7. Director? John Krokidas
8. Cast star names? Daniel Radcliff
9. Plot? Based on the relationships of the Beat Poets surrounding the mysterious death of David Kammerer, in paticular Allen Ginsberg and Lucien Carr
10. Target audience? Those with an interest in literature and history. Fans of the drama genre.

Papa & Sons- Q&A with director

Things I learnt

1) The Q & A gave me an insight on the marketing strategies of the film. Marcus knew that Greek communities all across London were his prime target audience, therefore directing his release around them by:

• Targeting cinemas in areas with large Greek communities e.g Cineworld Wood Green & Enfield
• Getting the priest to mention his film in Sunday service
• Using Facebook ads to target just those who are have Greek listed as one of their languages

Another potential audiences included fish & chip shop owners, he targeting them by tweeting every fish & chip shop across Britain. This worked, in one case he got a tweet back saying that one fish & chip owner had taken all his family and friends buying thirty tickets on the day of screening. 

With little budget left for marketing, the day before release Marcus actually stood out side of the cinema and handed out leaflets himself. 

2) Independent films often have little budget and not much money to spend on actors, therefore the script is vital to getting the 'big name actors'. Stephen Dillane, who plays Harry Papadopoulus, really liked the script but the shooting clashed with Game Of Thrones. However when his son, Frank Dillane agreed to play James Papadopoulus, Stephen made Game of Thrones re-schedule their shoot for the chance to play an on screen the father-son-relationship with his real son.  

3) The film proved successful in Greece and Germany, this is likely because of its' themes of economic collapse.

4) This was the first film Marcus had directed, he went on a short course before and that was all his knowledge on it. 

Case Study 2- Papadopolous & Sons

Google Definition: Papadopoulos & Sons is a British comedy-drama feature film written and directed by independent filmmaker Marcus Markou and self-distributed in the UK by Markou's own company Double M Films through Cineworld on April 5, 2013.

Double M Films: "Double M Films is a privately held company based in London dedicated to making independent films. It was set up by brothers Marcus and Andrew Markou."


The Papadopolus family are played by:

Stephen Dillane - Harry Papadopoulos
Georges Corraface - Spiros Papadopoulos
Ed Stoppard - Rob
Georgia Groome - Katie Papadopoulos
Selina Cadell - Mrs. Parrington
Cosima Shaw - Sophie
Frank Dillane - James Papadopoulos 

Trailer: