Super 8 Case Study

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$35,451,168 (USA) (12 June 2011) (3379 Screens)

Gross:

$259,713,319 (Worldwide) (29 September 2011)

Broadcasting

Films mostly promote films using the broadcasting platform of media this is usually by the trailers or teasers of the film and sometimes for blockbuster films there would be a special. This is more attractive for modern day audiences and more engaging than print media. The platform of broadcasting also includes interviews.

The advantages of broadcasting are: It is more engaging; reaches out to more viewers; has more of an influence than print media.

The disadvantages of broadcasting are: Expensive; doesn’t last long (reduces amount of information to the audience).

The cast interviews show them to be very down to earth, well mannered youngsters especially with the teenage population getting a bad reputation, they provide some hope and are role models for some youngsters as well.

TV is becoming less dictated with the introduction of SKY+ and now there are many various ways to watch shows, using online sites to watch programmers has become a strong substitute e.g. YouTube.


SUPER 8 RULES US BOX OFFICE
In a summer schedule crammed full of sequels and super heroics, many commentators wrote off the chances of J.J Abrams' retro sci-fi flick Super 8 ruling the box office.
But even though it didn’t enjoy the biggest launch this summer, the film still manager to scoop more than $38 million over the weekend to take top spot at the US box office thanks to healthy word of mouth and critical acclaim.
It replaced Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class starring James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender which saw a 54% dip in its second week at cinemas. Whilst Super 8 has shown the
potential for something original to capture the public's imagination, we should never underestimate their thirst for sequels as The Hangover Part II continues to prove. Whilst it sits in third place at the US box office, this weekend pushed the film past the $200million barrier after just 16 days, making it the highest grossing movie of 2011.

http://movies.sky.com/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/another-transformers-is-likely-but-laboeuf-wont-star

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCRQQCKS7go – (Super 8 Trailer)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-1DqrgGZiM – (Super 8 Cast Interview)

E-media

The internet and modern telecommunications has changed social networks and socialization greatly. It has opened up our ability to communicate and now we have many more ways in which to communicate and socialize.

E-media is getting more popular day by day. E-media includes, websites, YouTube, social networking sites etc. E-media has become more popular than print as magazines are now available to read online, this means they are most likely to be free, easily accessible and you can read more than. Social networking sites is another way people can communicate and these sites are very popular.

http://www.super8-movie.com/ - (Super 8 Official)

Advantages of E-media are that it partially free, easily accessible and attracts the audience more.

Disadvantages of E-media are that there could be some sort of negative publicity and piracy which is a major issue.


http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/super-8/id435739918?mt=8 

Print Media

The print media platform promotes films to audiences using reviews in magazines or newspapers and also may include interviews of the cast, directors or producers.  This shows you glimpses of the film, giving you the synopsis and you would know whether it is your type of film or not. Print media is becoming less popular in the modern world as most things that the audience gets from print media are also available in the form of E-media.

The target audience for Super 8 is mainly kids/family; we know this because the protagonist of the film himself is a child and has lost his mother and some of the audience members may relate themselves to him. The fact that the film is set in 1979 means that the parents may also be able to relate themselves to this film, relating it to their past of when super 8 cameras actually did exists. This helps the audience connect to film and increases interest from the audience.

Print media is mainly targeted for the older aged audience e.g. newspapers, a form of print media, are mainly read by the older audience. They contain reviews which promote the Super 8 however, they are not interactive at all a reason why they are not popular among the younger audience. The name of Steven Spielberg itself would gain attention as he is a popular figure and many are familiar with his high class work, as he has been doing this for many years it would be the older aged audience who would be more familiar with his work.

The 3rd media platform is broadcasting which includes television, radio and DVD. Most viewers find out about films like Super 8 through TV trailers, talk shows, specials and interviews. Super 8 had done this as they had many interviews which were shown on BBC hence going worldwide.

The main institution connected to Super 8 is paramount as they used twitter to promote Super 8. They provided their followers on twitter links to previews of the film which created awareness among many twitter users. There were also 2 other production companies involved in the making of Super 8, which are Amblin Entertainment and Bad Robot. There were also many distributors which can be seen on the following link.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1650062/companycredits

HMV are also selling copies of Super 8 which are now on sale for the price of £12.97. It is also available for rental at Blockbuster and can even be bought from Blockbuster. You can also stream super 8 online in HD on your computer for $4.99 however, this option is only available in USA. Piracy is very common in the modern day world, it is nearly impossible to prevent.  Piracy obviously reduces sales and is a criminal offence but for nearly every single film, if not all, there is a version online available for everyone to watch.

Super 8 (3 Platforms)

 

        PRINT

            <--   Super 8 Billboard Promoting The Film

Empire Review of Super 8

We need to talk about Steven. You might consider it grossly unfair to compare any director to one of the medium’s greatest exponents, but J. J. Abrams is asking for it. Not only has he persuaded Steven Spielberg to serve as producer on his latest film — encouragingly neither sequel, prequel, nor attempt to deodorise a stale franchise — but the very film the tenderfoot filmmaker has written and directed is a fan letter to the spirit of early Spielberg. The kind of cinematic telepathy, touching hearts and minds, that gave us Jaws, Close Encounters and E. T.. This is less covering The Beatles than growing a mop top, strapping on a Hofner bass and channelling an irresistibly catchy synthesis of R&B, rock ’n’ roll and Liverpudlian charisma.


Over the next 112 minutes, a motherless boy and his staunch gang of misshapen buddies (a Bash Street arrangement of cute, thin, fat, clever and pyromaniac) will face the great questions of life: how to talk to girls, how to get production values on your DIY zombie flick, and what to do when a despondent alien is deposited, care of an elaborate derailment, in your backyard. As set in 1979, an age crystallised as Spielberg’s imaginary playground. Fathers will struggle to fathom their mooncalf offspring, while confused townsfolk are shipped off in school buses amid a faceless military lockdown. There’s even a POV shot from the creature’s perspective, parting bushes to gaze upon the small-town setting, its jewelled streetlights flaring fetchingly in the lens. Prosecution rests.


To cut the film a significant break — and it’s a strong movie — if you’re going to homage, why not follow in the sneaker-steps of the master? A faithfully rearticulated sense of wonder coats Super 8 like varnish — an old-fashioned need to strike emotional chords over the modern urge to plunge headlong into excitement at all costs. A personal blockbuster in honour of the greatest of all personal blockbustermakers.


So we also need to talk about J. J.. Super 8 is to a degree autobiographical (about the whole alien visitation thing, he remains tight-lipped). He was that junior filmmaker with a chunky Super 8, brought up on Spielberg and Lucas, just as you know these kids have gobbled up Star Wars and Close Encounters (and snuck into a few Romeros). He transplants his New Jersey youth to a blue-collar Ohio town named Lillian significantly on the down (a chime of modern concerns), where Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) still struggles with the death of his adoring mother in a mill accident. His father, the town’s stoic deputy (Kyle Chandler), is faring worse, flinching from his son’s grief. A familiar refrain for anyone who caught Lost and Star Trek (or E. T.) — the legacy of the absentee parent. ..... Read More

                                   
Super 8 Spin Off Publications- A comic of Super 8 which is available for download aswel as being able to read online. CLICK HERE


Reaction from JeremyJahns, a reviewer on YouTube who talks about mainly movies and games but will
sometimes throw his opinion on world events.This is both E-media and print as he comments about the film however it is done on youtube hence falls into both platfo (urban dictionary, complete rest)
Jeremy Jahns Review.

E-Media

Even having their own offical website to create awareness to the public.  Super 8 Offical Site.
Portal 2 game with interactive teaser from super 8 where users can experience the train crash from within the movie. 

Tom Cruise at the premier of Super 8.

Broadcasting

Broadcasting on YouTube with Trailers and Interviews to create awarness amoung the public.

Interview with J.J Abrams.


The Super 8 premier was on June 8th 2011 at Village Theater in Westwood which is located in Los Angeles, California. Tom Cruise also attended the premier along with stars involved in making Super 8 which included J.J Abram, Elle Fanning & Joel Courtney.

They also attended a 70’s themed after party which took place across the street. READ MORE

Image Analysis 2

This is a medium shot from the film Alien Vs Predator (2005). Straight away from the image the audience can extract that the film that this image is from is Sci-Fi by the aliens and unrealistic creatures/characters used. By the position of the characters we can tell that they are combating as one is holding the other by the neck and looks to be going for a swing with its other hand. The characters themselves look quiet frightening and there are very few colours used in this image. This image is an example of where low key lighting is being used as it creates contrast of light and dark and creates shadows known as the chiaroscuro effect, which is expected from this particular type of genre, Sci-Fi. The key light is directed from the back, which creates a silhouette effect around the character and almost creates a mood of anger yet feat.

 

This is a long shot of a person from the film The Exorcist. This image gives out a feeling of suspense/fear, which sets a mood for the audience as low key lighting is what is expected from the. The setting appears to be on a road where an unknown man looks to be entering a house; the man is holding a briefcase and appears to be wearing a long coat and a hat. The street light is acting like filler light, to soften shadows so that the audience is able to see the setting. The key light is the back light, which is coming from the window inside the house and is acting like a spotlight on the unknown character creating a strong silhouette. The position of this character is towards the house as if he is trying to look inside or about to walk in.