research skills - learning outcome 2

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Learning Outcome 2

Be able to apply a range of research methods and techniques

Harry Neal

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My production is the upcoming James Bond film Skyfall.

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The James Bond film franchise consists of primarily action-thriller films, and Skyfall will be no exception. The movie is set to feature the combination of high-octane action and riveting espionage that has become a staple of the Bond franchise.Films of the action genre are often marketed in a manner specific to their targeted demographics. For example, a trailer for Skyfall would showcase the action and the heroism of the main character above all else. A trailer for Johnny English, on the other hand, would play up the comedy aspects of the main character instead.

Genre

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Skyfall belongs to the mixed genre of action-thriller. This genre is also home to such films as Ocean’s Eleven, Inception and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I chose to compare Skyfall to these three films as they have all been released to cinemas within the past 10 years, making the similarities and differences between them easier to analyse. The methods of production and marketing the aforementioned films have shared many similarities with Skyfall. They were also known for their unique advertising campaigns, as will be detailed in a later slide.

Similar Films of the Genre

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The target audience for Skyfall consists of mature viewers from the ages of 18 to 24. It is marketed towards viewers of these ages because both the franchise and the genre are known to be more appealing to young adults.Skyfall carries on from the previous two Bond films, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, which were noticeably more action-oriented. Due to this, viewers do not necessarily have to be fond of the James Bond franchise or even have seen any of the previous films for this film to appeal to them.

Target Audience

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Skyfall is being produced by the London-based film company Eon Productions in conjunction with the holding company Danjaq LLC. Eon is renowned for producing the entire James Bond film series and Danjaq is responsible for the copyright and trademarks on the material in James Bond films. The film will be distributed between media giant Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc and Sony subsidiary Columbia Pictures. The two companies are known for their involvement in the James Bond franchise as the primary distributors of almost every film since the franchise’s debut in 1962.

Production Companies

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Skyfall is a production based in the UK. Eon Productions, the studio responsible for the film, is located in London. Shooting for the film also began in and around London. The later stages of production took place in Turkey, where the shooting is currently on-going. Skyfall is due to be released later this year in approximately eighty countries. The UK will be one of the first countries to release the film in cinemas during October. It will be released to the rest of Europe and the US shortly after. The film is expected to be an international blockbuster.

Country of Exhibition

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The most notable method of marketing Skyfall, and James Bond films in general, has been through the use of product placement. The titular character is to be seen drinking Heineken beer in at least one scene of the latest film. The beer brand has been tied-in with the Bond film franchise for fifteen years.The official James Bond Twitter feed posted a photo from production on the Friday of every week shortly after filming began in January. There is also a video game in the works to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the film franchise that will cover six Bond films from history, concluding with Skyfall.

Methods of Marketing

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Ocean’s Eleven (2002) – Vauxhall released an advert for their new model of Astra the style of Ocean’s Eleven to promote both the film and the car.Inception (2010) – The official website gradually changed during the months following the film’s release, revealing new material related to the film, such as posters, trailers and even a game.Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) – A ‘guerrilla’ marketing campaign was initiated, in which four employees dressed up as 1970’s-era secret agents placed top-secret documents in various public places around London.

Marketing of Similar Films