CASE STUDYIndependent British Film

Who DISTRIBUTED THE FILM? The company that distributed the film was one of the biggest film companies in film

industry;

Universal Pictures

Who PRODUCED THE FILM? BUDGET?

$15,000,000(Estimated)

THEATRICAL release date? 21 January 2015 (UK)

14 March 2015 (USA)

ANDREW MACDONALD

ALLONREICH

Type of OWNERSHIP

Number of WEEKS AT BOX OFFICE 21 Weeks/ 147 Days

Widest release: 2,004 theatres

Money made at BOX OFFICE TO DATE Worldwide: $36,869,414

Limited Opening Weekend: $237,264Wide Opening Weekend: $5,349,500

The type of ownership for Ex Machina is independent, as it was also produced by a Independent British company, Film4. What makes this film independent is the fact of the use of small companies and not too much money wasted on the budget. The budget was $15,000,000, which is not a big amount wasted on the film, it’s a pretty low budget but it still makes the film one of the best with visual effects and special effects with all the sci-fi background to it. However the film was distributed by a blockbuster company, Universal Pictures.

Runtime: 1 hr 48 min (108 min)Sound Mix: Dolby Digital | SDDS | DatasatColour: Black and White (some shots) | ColorAspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1Camera: GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition Sony CineAlta F65, Cooke Xtal Express, Kowa Prominar and Angenieux Optimo Lenses Sony CineAlta PMW-F55, Cooke Xtal Express, Kowa Prominar and Angenieux Optimo LensesLaboratory: Molinare, London, UKNegative Format: AXSM, SRMemory, Video (HD)Cinematographic Process: Digital Intermediate (2K) (master format) J-D-C Scope (anamorphic) (source format) Kowa Scope (anamorphic) (source format) (some scenes)Printed Film Format: D-Cinema

FORMATS AVAILABLE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Type of RELEASE PREMIERE:

6TH APRIL 2015 (USA)The film was released on the 21st January in the UK. However a few months later it was released worldwide, that was when it was also released in USA. The premiere for Ex Machina film in the USA, New York City released on the 6th April in Crosby Street Hotel on a Monday. This was where the actors and actresses were reunited to watch the film and to release the film in America. After the film being released in the UK, by being a big released. It also happened in America. It was also a big released of a Independent British Film, by being known for one of the best films that use visual and special effects within the film and the photography for the film itself.

The big two actors Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander took the spotlight by being the big stars in the film and also in the red carpet at the premiere. All the crew was also with the main stars at the premiere as they seemed to share nice time together after a long period of shooting the film and by meeting again at the premiere.

Other films the PRODUCERS HAVE MADE? ANDREW MACDONALD

ALLON REICH

List of other films that Andrew Macdonald have made:-Ex Machina (2015)-Trainspotting (1996)-28 Days Later (2002)-28 Weeks Later (2007)-Dredd (2012)-Shallow Grave (1994)-Sunshine (2007)-The Beach (2000)-Never Let Me Go (2010)-A Life Less Ordinary (1997)-Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)-Sunshine on Leith (2013)-The Parole Officer (2001)-Alien Love Triangle (2002)-Angel of the Skies (2013)

List of other films that Allon Reich have made:-Ex Machina (2015)-28 Weeks Later (2007)-Dredd (2012)-Never Let Me Go (2010)-Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)-Sunshine on Leith (2013)

Alicia VikanderAva

MAIN CAST:

Oscar IsaacNathan

Domhnall GleesonCaleb

Sonoya MizunoKyoko

Corey JohnsonJay

Claire SelbyLily

Tiffany PisaniKatya

Elina AlminasAmber

Gana BayarsaikhanJade

Symara A. TemplemanJasmine

MAIN CREW: Alex GarlandFilm Director

Alex GarlandScreenwriter

Andrew MacdonaldProducer

Allon ReichProducer

Tessa RossExecutive Producer

Scott RudinExecutive Producer

Denis Schnegg Art DirectorMichelle Day Set DecorationSammy Sheldon Differ Costume DesignerFrancine Maisler CastingEli Bush Executive Producer

Rob Hardy CinematographerMark Day Film Editor Ben Salisbury Original MusicGeoff Barrow Original MusicMark Digby Production Design

LOCATIONS: Filming Locations:Ex Machina was a film, filmed in 8 different locations:

-Juvet Landscape Hotel, Alstad, Valldal, Norway (Nathan's mountain retreat)-Sognefjord, Norway-Valldal, Norway-Norway-Briksdalen, Jostedalsbreen National Park, Norway (vertical panning shot before waterfall hike)-Bloomberg Offices, Finsbury Square, Broadgate, London, England, UK (Caleb's workplace)-Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK-UK Use of TECHNOLOGY IN THE

PRODUCTION OF THIS FILM?

AWARDS WON:65 Wins and 136 Nominations

In London, there was an event, Double Negative. The technologists behind Ex-Machina and winners of two Oscars for visual effects and computer animation work on previous films, Inception and Interstellar, went one step further…

The visual reality team created a VR experience by using a custom built digital spherical stereo camera designed for use with its 3D rendering software. The result allowed the viewer, wearing the Samsung Gear VR headset, to look around the entire hi-res environment and to ‘meet’ Ava using a specialised Android Oculus playback app.

HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE DATE DVD release date: 14th July 2015 (USA)

The way they would sell the film to the target audience once it would have been released would have been in the cinema, released world wide by different dates, release on DVD, being able to download on different devices from via iTunes films. Or simply also by buying the Blu-Ray DVD version of the film. The download idea of selling the film would have been a very popular way to buy the film as the target audience is a young audience. As it also the audience that would use internet, different devices and always communicating through the social media as a daily basis. In my opinion the second best method to sell the film to the audience would have been through Blu-Ray DVD film as a hardcopy so the target audience could view it at home at anytime they would wish as many times they would wish.

The idea of campaign and making advertisements out of it would be by the idea that the target audience would be able to find this adverts easily through the social media as they are always connected online as a audience online with the same interests as they like the same film with the same genres that explains this film.

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING METHODS USED

The way they market their film to their audience would have been by the use of different social media accounts and their very own film official website for Ex Machina. They decided to market their film this way because of the use of technology the target audience uses for this specific film as its also a young audience from my opinion of the age of 15-25 years old.

MARKETING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA:

ADVERTISING THROUGH TRADITIONAL METHOD:The only way this film was promoted by a traditional method was through billboard. The only reason this film was only promoted this way, its because it has a very specific target audience. The BBFC targeted this film to the age of 15, this is because of the use of sensible scenes and the bullet points that meets to the age of 15. The target audience and older, at this point would use more social media of a way to keep interacting with the rest of the audience ad the reason why there’s more technology marketing rather than advertising through a traditional method is because of the use of social media they use in their daily basis.

ADVERTISING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA METHOD:ADVERTISING THROUGH APP: TINDERThe marketers of Ex Machina (film) programmed a bot to match with male Tinder swipers at SXSW. After a few messages, the bot (Ava) would direct them to ‘her’ Instagram page, which revealed that it was a marketing stunt for the film. While many accused the stunt of being deceptive (people allow themselves to be vulnerable on dating sites and apps, such as Tinder). It successfully accomplished two things:1. It got ton of press at SXSW. Just about every tech blog and news outlet had a

story on Ava (and thus, the movie). 2. It got people thinking about the use of bots and human interaction, which is a

major theme in Ex Machina.

SYNERGY-The interaction or cooperating of two or more organisations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

-It's a business term and it also refers to companies coming together vertically or horizontally (or both). For example; often cited in exams is

of working title making use of its parent companies to gain access to become a bigger as a company.

CROSS-MEDIA CONVERGENCE

Further examples and information: There were no special effects, or green screens or tracking markers used during the filming. All effects were done in post-production. To create Ava’s robotic features, they filmed the scenes both with and without actress Alicia Vikander’s presence, which allowed them to capture the background behind her. The parts they wanted keep especially like both parts, like her hands and face, were then rotoscoped while the rest was digitally painted out and the background behind her restored.

On the official website, they have a link that takes to a site called avasessions.com, which is basically where the character Ava is able to draw you and create connection, just like a robot (technology) creating connection with a human. This way would be a way of promoting the film campaign by growing in the target audience and in the film and making the film grow. This is also a way of marketing the film, a different way of linking to the film, which allow the target audience and the older audience to create excitement within themselves to want and go and watch the film once its released.

Type of AUDIENCE? GLOBAL AUDIENCE OR LOCAL AUDIENCE?

My potential opinion on Ex Machina's film audience demographics:-Gender: Females (as the main character is the women as she shows power throughout the film)-Age:15-25-Interests: Technology, sci-fi -Location: USA and UK (screened)

Ex Machina is a film rated for the age 15 by BBFC which is very sensible choice by the adult scenes that are not considered to be rate for a 18 by neither lower than the age of 15. This film would be targeted to a ‘niche’ audience. This film is also not associated as a mainstream film but it also it doesn’t mean that mainstreamers wouldn’t be able to watch it, which they would. It just means that the viewers would be a smaller audience, towards especially women who also like sci-fi films as one of the main genres of the film is sci-fi and also romance which can associate more easily to a women audience. As it also has a ‘controversial’ and quite complicated storyline it does limit the audience in gender and age group too.

LOCAL AUDIENCE

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TARGET AUDIENCE:

In my opinion I think the film it’s a local audience because the film was produced by a independent British company, which made the film an Independent British film itself and it also had specific places where it was released. For example I t was firstly released in UK and a few months later after having a few reviews from the public and the target audience, it was released worldwide, in every country, where the film became bigger and more known within the film industry. This is where it became known as ‘Independent British film’.