Chicken is an example of micro-budget film making and raises issues around the role and future of national cinema as well as the viability of media products produced outside of the
mainstream for niche audiences.
approximately £110,000
Chicken is characteristic of contemporary cultural production in its use of new technology at production and distribution stages. Reflects shifting patterns of audience consumption. As a low-budget film, it will be interesting to consider this film in its economic context, especially in comparison to big-budget Hollywood films.
Note how there is a focus on making judgements and drawing conclusions in this essay
Release
Chicken had its world premiere on 27 June 2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival. The film had its international premiere in competition at the 2015 Busan International Film Festival, followed by screenings at the New Hampshire International Film Festival,[2] Giffoni International Film Festival, Cine A La Vista International Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Schlingel International Film Festival and Dublin International Film Festival. It eventually received a limited theatrical release in the UK on 20 May 2016.
It was then acquired by MUBI UK, and had its British TV premiere on FilmFour April 2017. It received its DVD and Blu-ray release by Network on 18 September 2017.
Critical reception
Chicken received positive reviews and holds a 100% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 critic reviews.[3] Leslie Felperin of The Guardian gave the film 3/5 stars and said “first-time director Joe Stephenson elicits lively, empathic performances from his small cast.”[4] Mark Kermode rated the film at four out of five stars stating that Scott Chambers’ performance is “superb”.[5] Anna Smith of Empire magazine gave the film a rating of four stars, responding that the film is “an enjoyable, involving British Drama with and impressive turn from newcomer Scott Chambers.[6] With a three-star rating from Cath Clarke of Time Out, she commented that Chicken is “an impressively acted British Drama about a young man with learning difficulties.”[7] CineVue praised the film and mentioned that it is “the sort of British indie which restores faith in cinema”.[8]
Accolades
Grand Jury Award for Narrative Feature — Joe Stephenson (New Hampshire Film Festival 2015)[2][9]
Silver Griffoni Award for Best Film – Generation 18+ (2nd Prize) — Joe Stephenson & B Good Picture Company (Giffoni Film Festival 2016)[9]
Award for Best Film — Chicken (Cine A La Vista International Film Festival 2016)[9]
Scott Chamber’s performance as Richard got a Special Critic’s Circle mention (Dublin International Film Festival 2016)[9]
The film was shortlisted for Best Director (Joe Stephenson) and Best Newcomer (Scott Chambers) by the British Independent Film Awards.
Start your essay with a short introductory paragraph that outlines your intention for this essay. So think – what is it you want to argue / discuss / present in this essay?
Show knowledge of the film industry, specifically the key stages of: production, distribution, consumption
position contemporary film production within a couple of key theoretical positions for example:
Hesmondhalgh’s ideas that mitigate the ‘risky business’ of cultural production.
Curran and Seaton’s arguments for a more diverse media landscape.
Livingstone and Lunt’s suggestion that cultural production exists in a loosely regulated framework, biased towards a consumers rather than citizen model.
The impact of new media technologies for cultural production.
Present details of the CSP (Chicken) but make sure you focus on production, distribution and consumption and NOT on a textual analysis of the film – remember the examiner / assessor is assuming that you may not have seen the film.
Feel free to add in some audience theory.
Conclude your essay with a summative paragraph.
.
The production of media is now accessible to the everyday day throughs means of new technology the everyday phones can achieve up to 1080p HD quality so this means it is more likely that a common day person will produce a film as it isn’t that exclusive and expensive to do anymore, 110,000
Distribution : mubi, world premiere 27 June 2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival= art over money British TV premiere on FilmFour April 2017. It received its DVD and Blu-ray release by Network on 18 September 2017.
consumption : special needs lead, “trailer trash”, niche, 100% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 critic reviews.