Attack the Block article in Media Magazine

An article looking at Attack the Block as a case study of modern British film. You can subscribe to Media Magazine here.

The Relationship between Production Contexts and Films: Hollywood vs. Britain Part 3

This is another blog for my students of film and media.  Following on from my case study blogs on Prometheus, Juno and Attack the Block recently, this is the final part of an essay explaining how the Hollywood and British production contexts differ and how these production contexts can affect the films that are produced. Part 1 of this essay on Finance, Production, Technology is here and part 2 on distribution and exhibition is here.

Trends and Genres

Both films are part of the science fiction genre which is consistently popular with mainstream audiences.  Prometheus is part of a trend in Hollywood to make sequels and prequels to existing popular films whereas Attack the Block is more unique.  Prometheus would get more of a budget invested in it because people are aware of the Alien films and they are already a popular series.  Attack the Block is riskier as it has no built in audience except perhaps Nick Frost’s fans and people interested in the science fiction genre.  Generally British films are less likely to follow trends and be a bit more unique.  They are more likely to deal with real situations and characters in the social realist tradition.  Attack the Block has elements of this with its working class characters but also takes science fiction genre conventions to make it a more appealing bit of escapist cinema.   

 Social and Political Issues

A British film like Ken Loach’s Sweet Sixteen is a better example of social realist cinema.  This is film is unique and in no way tries to appeal to a mass audience.  It is about a young man in Scotland and his struggles with unemployment, poverty, drugs and crime.  It has no stars, a premiere in Glasgow (near to where the film was shot) and favours unknown actors over international stars.  The audience will be small as this is a film that does not offer any escapism, spectacle, beautiful stars or happy endings.  As a result it is made on an extremely low budget.

Stars

Stars such as Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender can be used by blockbusters for promotion in marketing materials, at premieres and can often help the film to appeal to the target audience.  For example Arnold Schwarzenegger appears in many action films and his face on a poster can help the film sell to action fans.  Nick Frost helps Attack the Block to appeal to fans of Shaun of the Dead and he is featured a great deal in the trailer and posters.  Sweet Sixteen on the other hand has no stars to aid in its realist depiction and the main actor Martin Compston is a non-professional chosen because he basically leads the life of the main character.

Regulatory Issues

Hollywood films often work with the MPAA and BBFC to ensure that their film will be passed by these regulatory bodies with an appropriate rating.  As Hollywood films need to make huge amounts of money at the box office to make a profit, the producers are often willing to trim scenes and ensure their film gets a low rating to encourage families to see it.  There was some debate over whether Prometheus would receive a 15 rating or lower.  Fans of Alien wanted the film to have a higher rating but Fox who invested in the film wanted a lower rating so more people could see it and they could make more money.  Similarly film franchises like the Die Hard and Terminator series have become progressively more family friendly as they have continued in order to draw in wider audiences.  

Attack the Block had less money to make and therefore the producers accepted the decision for it to be rated 15.  Sweet Sixteen is rated 18 by the BBFC for the continuous use of very strong swear words.  Although director Ken Loach wanted the film to be seen by the target audience of sixteen year olds it was aimed at and who would most identify with it, he refused to change anything to get a lower rating.  He felt the language was realistic and relatable and less offensive to people in Scotland that are depicted in the film.  The BBFC would not budge but the local council of Inverclyde where the film is set overturned the ruling and gave it a fifteen rating so younger people could see it.

Conclusion

Hollywood, independent and British films are very different in many ways.  Although British films are attempting to become more commercial and Hollywood studios distribute some independent and British films that they thing will make a profit, there are still many films getting made for niche audiences on very low budgets. With the UK Film Council being a thing of the past, British films will have to be more commercial in order for the industry to survive.  This may mean more British films that attempt to follow trends and fit in clearly defined genres and lose some of their distinctive Britishness.  Social realist films like Sweet Sixteen always struggle to compete with Hollywood blockbusters but without government support for smaller and more realistic British films, they may in future have an increased struggle to get funded in the first place.

The Relationship between Production Contexts and Films: Hollywood vs. Britain Part 2

This is another blog for my students of film and media.  Following on from my case study blogs on Prometheus, Juno and Attack the Block recently, this is the second part of an essay explaining how the Hollywood and British production contexts differ and how these production contexts can affect the films that are produced. Part 1 of this essay on Finance, Production, Technology is here.

Distribution and Exhibition

Distribution techniques for Hollywood and British films differ in many ways, mostly due to the marketing budgets of the films.  Prometheus was one of the first movies to have a ‘trailer preview’.  Ahead of the launch of the official trailer release, a preview featuring director Ridley Scott was released to let fans know that the anticipated trailer would be released in three days’ time.  Also the producers of the film made a series of videos especially shot to be released on the internet and to potentially be spread by movie lovers virally.  ‘In concert with the movie's traditional marketing effort, which includes the trailer, Scott and 20th Century Fox have pursued a second, more innovative path to publicity. It began unexpectedly at this year's TED conference, with a presentation by entrepreneur Peter Weyland’ (Gomez, 2012) who is a fictional character from the film.  This series of viral videos extend the story and universe of the film in the same way as viral marketing for previous Hollywood blockbusters such as The Dark Knight and Cloverfield had done.  The traditional trailers emphasized the science fiction elements as well as the links to Alien and the fact that Ridley Scott was returning to science fiction.  There was also a great amount of spectacular imagery and action elements emphasized in the trailer and poster.  The use of stars in the marketing also would help the film to appeal to an international audience.

Attack the Block on the other hand uses its only star Nick Frost, the science fiction genre elements and ‘from the producers of Shaun of the Dead’ as selling points to be highlighted in much of the marketing.  Nick Frost has some international recognition from Shaun of the Dead but will also help the film a great deal in Britain.  The distinctive British location, language and characters are also emphasised and this could be a draw for some audiences but also could put off a wider audience, unfamiliar with the language of Britain’s youth.  There was even talk of subtitling the film for US audience.  Film festivals are often essential for spreading word of mouth about smaller films.  They can win competitions, awards and gain valuable attention from film fans and the press.  A screening at SXSW film festival helped Attack the Block to secure distribution in North America.  The marketing strategy included posters, trailers, t-shirts and TV spots but was nowhere near as massive as the promotion of Prometheus.

Prometheus’ was released on 3396 screens in the US on its opening weekend allowing as many people to see the film early in its release as possible.  Hollywood blockbusters spend so much on marketing a film in the lead up the opening weekend in an attempt to make their money back as quickly as possible.  This saturation release strategy works well for blockbusters with mainstream appeal.  The stars of the film attend premieres in order to get more written about the film in the media.  Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender and director Ridley Scoot all attended various screening and did interviews to help promote the film.

Attack the Block on the other hand had very low opening weekend figures in terms of box office and number of screens.  It was released on far fewer screens than a Hollywood blockbuster would be with around 350 screens in the UK and only 8 in America.  The distributors will hope for the release to go wider as word of mouth spreads as they will not spend as much on marketing as the biggest blockbusters do.  It premiered at a film festival in America as well as in Leicester Square in London with stars in attendance.  The premiere of Attack the Block is unlikely to attract the same amount of media attention as Prometheus’ premiere because the stars are not as internationally recognised.

Part 3 on trends, genres, social issues and regulatory issues is here.

The Relationship between Production Contexts and Films: Hollywood vs. Britain Part 1

This is another blog for my students of film and media.  Following on from my case study blogs on Prometheus, Juno and Attack the Block recently, this is the start of an essay explaining how the Hollywood and British production contexts differ and how these production contexts can affect the films that are produced. 

The Hollywood and British production contexts have many differences and can produce very different films.  There are a number of factors that affect the relationship between production contexts and films and these include finance, technology, social and political issues and use of stars.  The Hollywood production context has changed a great deal since the ‘Golden Age’ when all the studios were vertically integrated and the ‘Big 5’ had full control and dominance over the production, distribution and exhibition of films.  Now there are a greater number of studios in Hollywood that are producing films such as DreamWorks and Sony Pictures Studio as well as Paramount and Warner Brothers and others that survived from the ‘Golden Age’.

 Finance, Production, Technology

Finance has a huge impact on the relationship between production contexts and films.  Hollywood is known for making massive budget, special-effects and star filled blockbusters.  Prometheus is a perfect example of this.  It had a budget of approximately $130,000,000 and grossed over $402,000,000 at the worldwide box office.  The companies that invested in its production are Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, Brandywine Production, Dune Entertainment and Scott Free Corporations.  These companies would have considered investing so much money because of the blockbuster appeal that the film would have.  They can afford to take big risks by investing into huge budgets but they reduce the risk by working with stars and directors that they know have a reputation of making profitable films with international appeal.  Prometheus had internationally recognisable stars like Guy Pearce, Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender.  It has quite a complex storyline for a blockbuster that is hard to understand.  This might reduce its appeal compared to some simpler blockbusters but the visuals and spectacular special effects will also help it to appeal to a wide audience, despite its thoughtful themes.  It also has a star director, Ridley Scott, who had made some very profitable films previously such as Gladiator and Alien.  This also showed that he could handle the special effects that would be required in Prometheus and would be a key part of the marketing campaign. 

The British film Attack the Block had a low budget compared to Hollywood blockbusters but a bigger budget than the smallest independent films like The Blair Witch Project with a budget of $60,000.  $13 million was invested into the production of Attack the Block but it only made nearly $6 million at the worldwide box office, meaning the film made a loss.  The film only had Nick Frost as a star and he is not that well known compared to the biggest A-list stars in Hollywood.  The filmmakers would have struggled to raise the budget as there is less chance of big international box office without internationally recognised stars.  Also director Joe Cornish had never made a feature film before and the subject is very distinctly British in terms of characters and locations.  Investors would normally be reluctant to give first time filmmakers £13 million to make a British film with a cast of mostly unknowns, set in a tower block and featuring characters that open the movie mugging an innocent nurse.

However Joe Cornish has had a great deal of experience in television and has developed a strong following with his radio and television shows.  He is also co-writing Spielberg’s latest film with Edgar Wright who recently had a huge international hit with Shaun of the Dead.  Like that film, Attack the Block takes very English characters, stars and settings and mixes them with a popular genre.  So the science fiction element could help to draw in bigger crowds and therefore make investors feel more comfortable putting in £13 million.  Also casting Nick Frost might draw in international fans of Shaun of the Dead, helping Attack the Block sell worldwide.  It was funded by Studio Canal, Film 4, the UK Film Council and Big Talk Productions. There was no funding from the Hollywood studios and it was mostly financed by British companies and the UK Film Council which is a funding body set up to help produce films that promote British culture and tell British stories.  Interestingly two of these companies are very involved in television which suggests Joe Cornish is likely to have had a working relationship with them before shooting his first feature film.

Prometheus was all shot in 3D and with IMAX technology and uses a mixture of computer generated and practical effects.  This makes it even more expensive to produce but also gives it more appeal to huge audiences as it promises great spectacle and the latest in cutting edge technology.  It is a science fiction film that takes place on distant planets and features numerous alien life forms, explosive set-pieces and space ships and other computer-generated special effects.  This focus on spectacle helps the film to sell to an international audience and to have a mass appeal.  Audiences see the marketing and expect something spectacular and out of this world. 

Similarly Attack the Block also combines practical and computer generated effects for its alien creatures.  Director Joe Cornish had a much lower budget so had to limit the CGI and work more with traditional techniques.  He said ‘they designed this terrific costume-suit, and then we shot that, and then there’s a little bit of enhancement by a company called Digital Negative, and a very brilliant European company called Fido. So the end result is a combination of practical, with a little bit of digital’ (Den of Geek).  Attack the Block was shot on locations in and around London to add to the realism.  This also makes it stand out from much of Hollywood’s science fiction output including Prometheus which was mainly shot at Pinewood studios.  It also will save the producers of Attack the Block money as fewer sets have to be built.

 Part 2 on Distribution and Exhibition is here.

British Case Study: Attack the Block (2011)

Over the next few weeks, I will be putting up case studies of Hollywood, Independent and British films to help my A level Film Studies students learn more about the finance, organisation, production, distribution and exhibition of different types of films.  These case studies can be used in their exam when discussing the American and British film industries. This is the second.  The first on Prometheus is here.

 Director:

Joe Cornish ‘first appeared on British TV screens in 1997 as co-star and co-creator of 'The Adam and Joe Show', a home-made comedy show famous for its sketches, songs and animations satirizing pop culture... Cornish has also directed the two Channel 4 comedy pilots 'Modern Toss' and 'Blunder', both of which were commissioned as series, as well as an intimate documentary on the making of the hit BBC comedy show 'Little Britain'. http://www.film4.com/features/article/attack-the-block

‘Block is the directorial debut of Joe Cornish, a sometime writer partner of Edgar Wright who worked with the filmmaker on The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn and Ant-Man. Wright is even an exec producer on the film, which has a pretty high budget for a U.K. pic’ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/why-attack-block-needs-sxsw-167000

Though this is a British film with a relatively small budget compared to Hollywood blockbusters, Attack the Block still has a high budget for a British film.  Investors would normally be reluctant to give first time filmmakers £13 million to make a British film with a cast of mostly unknowns, set in a tower block and featuring characters that open the movie mugging an innocent nurse.

However Joe Cornish has had a great deal of experience in television and has developed a strong following with his radio and television shows.  He is also co-writing Spielberg’s latest film with Edgar Wright who recently had a huge international hit with Shaun of the Dead.  Like that film, Attack the Block takes very English characters, stars and settings and mixes them with a popular genre.  So the science fiction element could help to draw in bigger crowds and therefore make investors feel more comfortable putting in £13 million.  Also casting Nick Frost might draw in international fans of Shaun of the Dead, helping Attack the Block sell worldwide.

Budget:

‘$13 million’ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=attacktheblock.htm

‘The film is developed by Big Talk with Film4 through a slate deal jointly funded by Film4 and the UK Film Council’ http://www.film4.com/features/article/attack-the-block

Production companies:

Studio Canal ‘is the pan European film, production and sales distribution arm of French media group, Canal+. The UK arm, formerly known as Optimum Releasing, has established a reputation for an innovative approach to distribution and has enjoyed success with a varied mix of film titles across all genres... 2011 has seen the company enjoy its biggest ever box office returns in the UK with successes… Duncan Jones’ Source Code’ http://www.studiocanal.co.uk/Home/AboutUs 

 

 Film4 ‘is Channel 4 Television’s feature film division. Film4 develops and co-finances films and is known for working with the most innovative talent in the UK, whether new or established. Film4 has developed and co-financed many of the best UK films of recent years, films like Slumdog Millionaire… Hunger… Nowhere Boy and Four Lions’ http://www.film4.com/features/article/company-credits-attack-the-block

‘Since its creation in 2000 the UK Film Council has backed more than 900 films, shorts and features, which have won over 300 awards and entertained more than 200 million people around the world generating £5 for every £1 of Lottery money it has invested. 

British films developed and funded over the past 10 years by the UK Film Council include The King's Speech… This Is England, Touching the Void… Lynne Ramsay's We Need To Talk About Kevin and Andrea Arnold's Wuthering Heights’ http://www.film4.com/features/article/company-credits-attack-the-block

Big Talk Productions ‘is a multi-award winning Film and TV Production Company… Its credits include Spaced, Black Books… and the hit movies Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, as well as last year’s critically acclaimed Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

In October 2007 Big Talk's film arm, Big Talk Pictures completed a slate development deal jointly funded by Film 4 and UK Film Council under which it developed Attack The Block, and in September 2009 the company completed a first look financing and distribution deal with Optimum/Studio Canal to continue to expand its film ambitions.  

Big Talk's most recent release is Paul - written by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and directed by Greg Mottola for Universal/Working Title Films’ http://www.film4.com/features/article/company-credits-attack-the-block

No funding from the Hollywood studios but mostly financed by British companies and the UK Film Council which is a funding body set up to help produce films that promote British culture and tell British stories.  Interestingly two of these companies are very involved in television which suggests Joe Cornish is likely to have had a working relationship with them before shooting his first feature film.

Production:

‘Attack The Block takes place in Wyndham House in South London, but there's no point trying to find it on Google Maps. It doesn't exist. Instead, it's a composite of a number of London locations – a bit of Islington here, and a lot of the Heygate Estate in Elephant & Castle there. Heygate has been seen in the likes of Hereafter and Harry Brown and gave director Joe Cornish exactly what he was looking for’ http://www.film4.com/features/article/location-attack-the-block

Shooting on location adds to the realism of this British film that makes it stand out from much of Hollywood’s science fiction output.  It also will save the producers money as less sets have to be built.

“I don’t think there’s enough movement and action in British cinema” Joe Cornish, Production notes

Technology:

‘ATTACK THE BLOCK started filming in March 2010, for eleven weeks. Six of those were on location... “The technique we used is quite old-school,” Cornish concedes. “I didn’t want to do CGI creatures because a) we couldn’t afford them and b) I wanted there to be something in front of the camera. I’m fed up with the aesthetics of CGI creatures”’ Production notes

‘ATTACK THE BLOCK’s Visual Effects Supervisor Ged Wright received an Oscar nomination this year for his work on Iron Man 2.’ Production notes

‘the visual effects aren't terribly impressive, but they're also not crucial -- the movie's focuses instead on the quirky character dynamic and the related social ramifications’ http://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/attack-block

Cornish: ‘I knew they [the aliens] had to be practical. I knew we couldn’t afford CGI creatures. And I wanted them to be practical, because I love the practical work in movies that I saw when I was growing up. I wanted to use some digital, but with a lightness of touch. I always feel digital is best used to enhance what’s already present, than to create it from the ground up... They designed this terrific costume-suit, and then we shot that, and then there’s a little bit of enhancement by a company called Digital Negative, and a very brilliant European company called Fido. So the end result is a combination of practical, with a little bit of digital’ http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/880199/joe_cornish_interview_attack_the_block_monster_design_and_british_scifi_on_a_budget.html

Stars:

‘A fast, funny, frightening action adventure movie that pits a teen gang against an invasion of savage alien monsters, Attack The Block stars Jodie Whittaker (St. Trinians, Venus) and newcomers John Boyega, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones and Simon Howard. The supporting cast includes Nick Frost (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz) and Luke Treadaway (Clash Of The Titans)’ http://www.film4.com/features/article/attack-the-block

 ‘Frost first came to prominence as the gun-mad character Mike Watt in Channel 4’s Spaced. Since then, Frost has become one of the U.K.’s most sought-after actors.  He earned a nomination for Most Promising Newcomer by the British Independent Film Awards for his role in the cult zombie movie Shaun of the Dead, starring opposite Simon Pegg.  Frost again starred with Pegg in the hugely successful hit comedy Hot Fuzz. Frost’s other film credits include Kinky Boots, Penelope, Wild Child and The Boat That Rocked’ Production notes

The use of unknowns is risky for investors, meaning the budget has to be little compared to international star filled Hollywood blockbusters.  However, there is also more realism if unknown actors are used and many horror films do not have stars in order to make it less obvious who will survive and who will die.  The inclusion of Nick Frost does help the film and he was featured prominently in much of the marketing.  The supporting cast of Jodie Whittaker and Luke Treadaway may also be known to British audiences as they have appeared in plenty of television and theatre work.

Ratings and classification:

Attack the Block is rated 15 in the UK.  As it has a much lower budget than a Hollywood blockbuster such as Prometheus, it can afford to have a higher rating.  It does not have to convince families and younger audience members to come and see it as it does not have to make such a huge amount of money to be profitable.  In fact, as it is a horror/science fiction, it might make it more appealing to the target audience if they know it is going to be more ‘adult’.

Distribution

A great summary of the marketing including posters, trailers, premiere, interviews, merchandise and website can be found here http://elinadaviesmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/attack-block-marketing-campaign.html

‘The marketing of the film is interesting, attempting to push the film onto a real cross-section of audiences. Produced by Nira Park, Britain’s go-to producer of ‘indie’ comedies with appeal across the pond (Shaun of the Dead [2004], Paul [2011]), the film also strives to appeal to a Kidulthood (2006) youth market, including the working class teenagers which are its focus’ http://www.alternatetakes.co.uk/?2011,5,295

Some great interviews with cast and director http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1263

‘International sales are being handled by Studio Canal International. Distribution is through Studio Canal's direct territories: Optimum Releasing UK, Kinowelt Germany and Studio Canal France’ http://www.film4.com/features/article/attack-the-block

‘The movie doesn't have a distributor... American execs are wary...  There is talk of having subtitles for any North American release.

More than that, there is even excited talk of getting the movie's remake rights and making a U.S. version of the film.

SXSW has proven to be a venue where a strong showing can lead to a release deal. Last year, Gareth Edwards' Monsters had its U.S. premiere there and its strong showing led to an acquisition by Magnet Releasing’ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/why-attack-block-needs-sxsw-167000

‘thanks to Sony Pictures Worldwide and Screen Gems, audiences here in America are going to be treated like adults who can actually decipher an accent or two, and "Attack The Block" will be released’ http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/motion-captured/posts/screen-gems-buys-attack-the-block-for-american-distribution

Nick Frost, the science fiction genre elements and ‘from the producers of Shaun of the Dead’ are all highlighted in much of the marketing.  But the distinctive British location, language and characters are also emphasised.  Film festivals are often essential for spreading word of mouth about smaller films.  They can win competitions, awards and gain valuable attention from film fans and the press.

Exhibition

‘Our new film Attack the Block written and directed by Joe Cornish has premiered to the world at in Austin, Texas at world renowned music, film and interactive festival South By Southwest to critical and audience acclaim’ http://www.bigtalkproductions.com/attack-the-block-world-premiere-at-sxsw/

‘The stars of British action-adventure Attack The Block will ‘tool-up’ for the UK premiere in London’s prestigious Leicester Square on Wednesday 4 May... Attack The Block will be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on Wednesday 11 May by Optimum’ http://www.purplerevolver.com/movies/reel-news/121468-attack-the-block-sci-fi-movie-premieres-in-london.html

$137,580 (USA) (31 July 2011) (8 Screens)
£1,133,859 (UK) (15 May 2011) (352 Screens) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1478964/business

Opening weekend figures were very low compared to Hollywood blockbusters.  It was also released on far fewer screens than a Hollywood blockbuster would be.  The distributors will hope for the release to go wider as word of mouth spreads as they will not spend as much on marketing as the biggest blockbusters do. 

Reception

‘In places it’s as good as many of the films that Cornish has noted inspired it, such as Critters, Gremlins, and The Warriors.  It’s scary, funny, exciting, with great performances and memorable characters. The largely practical special effects are brilliant and inventive. The score is fantastic. It looks as good as any action film from the past decade’ http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/882227/how_attack_the_block_redefines_the_highconcept_movie.html

A great deal of the reviews and interviews highlighted the films debt to American genre films.  This would no doubt help the film to appeal to international audiences who are fans of Hollywood blockbusters.

And that's Attack the Block in a nutshell.  I hope you enjoyed it and find it useful.