Institution research

Institution research

I’m researching the Media Production company Summit Entertainment who produced the Film Warm bodies in 2013 which is in the same genera as our own film. Summit Entertainment was taken over by Lions Gate Entertainment in 2012.

In 2006 with the involvement of Rob Friedman Summit Entertainment became a fully independent film studio and preceded to gain the most lucrative media financing deal ever, it was headed by Merrill Lynch and involving other investors. The deal equalled the sum of $1 billion.

Merrill Lynch was said to be the orchestrator of the deal bringing together different investors. The deal was interesting in how investors were asked to invest in only one aspect of the film making process e.g. The production of the movie or only it’s advertising on release. So this deal was its main form of funding, it help finance major development in the company’s production, acquisitions, marketing and distribution branches.

The film conglomerates DreamWorks Studio’s and Lions Gate entertainment Corp. were Summit Entertainments main competitors. DreamWorks is part of the Viacom family and produces many movies which are often marketed and released by Disney.

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. are an independent distribution company, one of their best known films is the Hunger games. Surprisingly in 2008 a merger between Summit and Lions Gate was on the cards but nothing came of it during 2008, in 2009 however it was announced that Lions Gate would acquire Summit; however this deal fell apart two days after it was revealed. Finally Lions Gate did Acquire Summit entertainment for $412.5 million in 2013.   

Summit Entertainment’s main achievement was the production of The Twilight Saga between 2008- 2012. When the film Twilight was first realised in 2009 it made $408,773,705 worldwide, and that was only during the first weekend of its release.

The internet has made the realising of films far easier, if not cheaper. Film Trailers can be advertised on Facebook and You Tube, included on online reviews and just on random websites. Cinema bookings can be made in advance of the film’s release via cinema websites, and the sound track from the film is realised on line along with the film. Online shopping also makes it easier to buy the film itself with Amazon offering ‘pre order’. Articles on the film and its actors can be displayed on line for example on Facebook one of my favourite book series Fallen is being made in to a film and they are continuing posting gossip about the casting and the actors involved.

 

There are also You Tube Channels and all in all I think it’s had a positive effect on the releasing of films it’s made the process easier for film makers and far easier for viewers we can find out details on the movie we want to see through loads of different mediums when we want and need to not when it’s released in newspapers and on the TV.

I think that the internet also plays a huge role in the watching of movies, older films you can find on You Tube and other web sites. You can also watch and buy films in the ITunes store or download them on to your devises. However I feel that there is still a majority of people who enjoy watching films at the cinema of at home on the Television.