Lesson outcomesKnow the structure of the contemporary Hollywood

studio systemKnow the structure of the UK film industryUse key words to apply your knowledge and

understanding

Key terminology

ConglomerateOligopoly/ hegemonySubsidiary company

Multi-industry companyVertical integration

Horizontal integrationSynergy (internal and external)

The ‘Big 6’

Hollywood is dominated by the ‘Big 6’ film studios: Timewarner, Viacom, Sony, Comcast/ General Electric, Disney and News Corporation. Individually, they are conglomerates.

Warner Bros

Paramount

Colombia Pics/ MGM

Fox Studios

Disney

Universal

Timewarner is a conglomerate

Conglomerates can be formed by merging a number of businesses together. The term refers to a multi-industry company.

The Timewarner conglomerateTimewarner Warner Bros.

Entertainment HBO

Warner Bros. pictures

New Line CinemaHBO Castle Rock entertainmentWarner Bros animation

These are known as SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Vertical integration: Timewarner

Several firms involved in all aspects of the production and distribution of a film…all working for one

company

Eg. All working for TIMEWARNER

The companies are subsidiary companies

Internal SynergySynergy is the promotion and sale of a product throughout the various subsidiaries of a media conglomerate.

Soundtrack

Magazine reviews

Sells merchandise Co-

funded

American Indie films owned by Timewarner.

Made films like March of the Penguins . Has now been closed down.

Most famous film is Pans Labyrinth

Films made/ distributed at these studios tend to have a budget of less than $20

UK Films: Working Title Studio

Owned by…

A British film production company owned by Universal Studios. Has made films such as Love Actually, Notting Hill, The World’s End.

UK Independent film production companies

Where a company (institution) looks to other companies for funding to help them produce and distribute their product.

Horizontal integration

This has advantages and disadvantages….what do you think they are?

Write a paragraph about the structure of the US/ UK film industries. Try to include all the words below.

TimewarnerPicturehouseConglomerate

Oligopoly/ hegemonySubsidiary company

Multi-industry companyVertical integration

Horizontal integrationSynergy (internal and external)

Working Title filmsWarp/ Film 4

You need to find out...Producer/ directorRelease dateBudgetHow much it made in the first week of releaseMain actorsLocations (where was it filmed?)