The Film Experience

Consider the details from The Film Experience’s Introduction as you consider the following query: Why should we research movies? What benefit does watching movies have? What do movies impart to us? What cultural value do they reflect or create? According to Nelmes (Ed.) (2012), cinema studies are essential for the wellbeing of society. The majority of our society depends on the public’s literacy, and it is the electorate that obtains the majority of its information via visual media. A movie is an expression medium. The film is made up of images, codes as well as messages just like how the traditional literature is, and it is through such expressions we develop our meaning. The study of film is the study of culture, and that is one of the primary reasons why we study movie. The discipline of film studies is composed of numerous activities including film history, theory, and interpretation. Therefore, to study film is as important as learning cultural history as it creates a sense of appreciating our past and our cultures.

The film teaches us more about our history, cultural identity as well as national heritage. In most of the generic films, there is always a revelation of important traits concerning a particular society that produces and uses them. The value of studying films is, therefore, based on the experiences that we gain regarding the community and the major activities that happened in the past, as well as how the society is evolving regarding culture.

Films have different messages which are conveyed in various ways. Some of the messages in the films promote love, friendship, loyalty, and others sending compassionate ones. Such films teach us on how to create a better society by appreciating our friends and neighbors. For instance, Disney movies are a primary source that teaches on values, talks about family love and that we must help others in the society.

Some films are in the form of comedy, and it is through such ones that a hidden message of peace and love is conveyed to the community. In most cases, the drama ends with a particular scene leaving the audience reflecting on the hidden message that was conveyed.

Reflect on the information provided in Chapter 1of The Film Experience: What are the stages of filmmaking and how does each stage condition become what we see on the screen? There are various stages in filmmaking, each stage has a primary purpose in the final production. The first phase of the film production is the development stage, a stage at which the idea of the entire film is designed. The development phase is where the ideas from a book, play, or any real life experience are pondered and drawn up to come up with a viable theme, synopsis and finally the full script of the film.

The second stage in the movie production process is the preproduction phase. It is at the stage of production cycle that the planning and designing are made in a preparation of video production. A timetable is drawn up for the actual shooting of the film, and the budget is allocated as well as the drawing of the storyboards. The film shooting process is comprised of many additional activities. It is in the preproduction phase that the instruments, music, sets, props as well as sets are arranged accordingly. The most important part of the film is the crew. The team members are comprised of the directors, location manager, sound designer, actors, the music composer, art director, and the choreographer. The recruitment of the crew is done at the preproduction stage.

The final stage of film production is the production phase. It is at the stage that after all the crew members have been recruited, and all instruments were arranged the last shooting of the film takes place. The shooting process is comprised of the setting up of the props, actors bringing their costumes as well as lighting engineered. The film is roughly shot in different scenes which will then be sent to the directors who will select the members of the crew. Editing and publishing of the movie occur in the postproduction phase. Unwanted scenes are cut, while others shortened. After the post-production stage, the film is synchronized and made ready for distribution.

Describe film distribution and promotion. How do these two aspects influence reception?

Film distribution is the final stage of film production. It is a process that allows the viewers to have access to the movie. Film distribution is a crucial task assigned to the professional film distributors. They are the persons who are responsible for the determination of marketing strategy as well as the date by which the film will be launched.

On the other hand, film promotion is a process by which the marketing team advertises the film as a new product in the movie industry. Whenever a new film is produced, it is advertised and promoted through different platforms so as to alert the audiences about the new product (Corrigan & White, 2012). Film promotion allows the viewers to learn about the new item and buy it or want to watch it. It is based o the point that the movie promotion may have an enormous impact on the reception of the product in the market.

Film production is a costly process. If the movie promotion is not adequately carried out, a lot of money will be lost. If most of the people were not notified about the new film, they would not visit the box office to watch or buy tickets.

To ensure that the movie is perceived positively and most of the audiences notified, the promotion team uses trailers, posters, and ads on Facebook, Twitter, and other social platforms. Film trailers are designed in a way that most of the audiences will develop an urge to watch the full episode. Because the platforms used in advertising the film are made up of a worldwide community, the distributors must plan and ensure that the film distribution is done adequately. Therefore, film promotion and distribution have a significant influence on a film reception.

References

Corrigan, T., & White, P. (2012). The film experience: An introduction. Macmillan.

Nelmes, J. (Ed.). (2012). Introduction to film studies. Routledge.